The Architect's Diary Magazine Edition - 04

EDITION : 04 | APRIL 2022

INDIA'S MOST VISITED ARCHITECTURE WEBSITE

MEMBER'S ONLY EDITION

STONE LODGES

By Earthitects AHAM By i2a Architects Studio URBAN COLORFUL WALLPAPERS

By Udchomes A SUAVE MEDI-SALON-ANLON

By The Storey Collective ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW With Ar. Rajesh Seth

CURATED AGAINST CLUTTER Carved with nature-inspired motifs, the apron of the chair compliments the handpicked natural upholstery which is carefully chosen to tread lightly on the environment.

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NOTE Curated against Clutter. A fine line that oftens blurs the boundaries and resorts

a

aesthetic bare

space

to

“contemporary”.

sophistication,

space

as

a

explores

membrane

that

Minimalism

unfelt

that

wilderness.

makes

this

travels

Aham

rawness

beyond

created

this

inevitable.

The

neutral palette goes beyond solely visually pleasing, the dwellers attain a sense of liberty, a mindful cavity that lets you embrace this raw luxury integrating into the living spaces.

Aham took this opportunity of reiterating simplicity and the pared back aesthetic value with preservation of the timeless and building around it rather than building in it.

This edition also features Raw Luxury by Earthitects and a Chic salon design by The Story Collective. Coming across one of the premium brands for wallpapers, UDC Homes. You can explore their collection in this edition. While we strive to build this community, what better way than learning from the experiences? Rajesh Sheth, principal designer of The Designer’s Circle gives us a deeper insight on his professional experiences with some tips that he would like to present to the community.

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#TADFLASH

STONE LODGES Built on sloping land on the side of a mountain, they are inspired by the grammar of Mountain Lodges and the native design aesthetic.

Feature : Earthitects WWW.THEARCHITECTSDIARY.COM

The ‘Earthitects’ signature design style finds its infinite expression in this unique piece of craftsmanship that portrays understated elegance. Each piece with its distinct personality elevates the beauty of teak wood in its original form combined with cane, weaved by local artisans.

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Pioneering a new living experience by reconnecting and evolving with the natural environment forms the core of Earthitects’ ethos.

Transcending the limits of design and craftsmanship, the Formal Living space embodies rare collectibles, hand-built to reveal the inspiring language of nature.

Every piece of wood, carefully selected with its intricate grain and distinct personality conveys a unique story that is translated to create our handcrafted one-ofa-kind collectibles.

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Carved with nature-inspired motifs, the apron of the chair compliments the handpicked natural upholstery which is carefully chosen to tread lightly on the environment. The supports are characterized by tapered ends with subtle detailing.

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Embodying exquisite hand craftsmanship, the kitchen is a bespoke collectible, designed to transfigure into a space of utility.

Envisioned with meticulous details, this personalized space is a piece of art and an ode to our signature design.

Handcrafted with an angled Eucalyptus pole framework, the architecture of this timeless piece draws parallels to the cocoon of the Bagworm moth.

GEORGE E. RAMAPURAM PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT

EARTHITECTS

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Set atop the stone deck, the handcrafted collectible is carefully chiseled to attain the perfect angle for relaxation and comfort, while also preserving its live edge.

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Portraying the natural edge, the exceptional wooden bed is the furniture of dreams! Sturdy and bold, this magnificent piece is crafted from robust teak wood.

Hand-textured with white plaster, the perfectly imperfect surfaces with niches, reflect light off the subtle undulations.

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Hand-chiseled from natural rock, the washbowl and the sturdy stone wall juxtapose the warm wood, unveiling nature’s materials in their original form.

Showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship of our master artisans, the bespoke walk-in wardrobe outlines our exacting attention to detail.

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#TADSTANCE

AHAM

Aham stands beautifully in the middle of lush greenery and mesmerizing natural beauty of Kerala

Feature : i2a Architects Studio Photo courtesy : Running Studios WWW.THEARCHITECTSDIARY.COM

This house is designed to touch the Soul. This 2800sqft house creates an environment that helps one to open up into the stillness within, thus helping the user to experience a truer beauty, function, and meaning to the space.

The Car porch and sit out area has a distinct piece of landscape inserted with an elegant backdrop of jali and terracotta tiles carefully placed.

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The conceptual start was to place the central courtyard as the ‘soul’ of the house which ties the rest of the house.

The Car porch and sitout area has a distinct piece of landscape inserted with an elegant backdrop of jali and terracotta tiles carefully placed.

This project is choreographed to create an open, free-flowing movement within the elements of walls and floors around the alluring central courtyard.

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The guest living is isolated from the rest of the house with large windows, giving an expansive view to the courtyard.

The passage that runs around the courtyard gives privacy as well as filter the light and wind passing through the jali screens.

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The informal living, dining and kitchen spaces, all aligned in a row, in an open plan, thus these active cores of the house remain connected to each other and open itself to the courtyard all the time.

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Aham stands beautifully in the middle of lush greenery and mesmerizing natural beauty of Kerala, grabbing one's attention from very far itself with its traditional sloped roofing at different heights.

AR.MANURAJ C R PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT

I2A ARCHITECTS STUDIO

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Living space and the 2 bedrooms in the first floor are designed to cultivate strong feeling of connection, achieved through strategical openings and cut-outs that act as uncompelled visual linkages between floors.

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DESIGNED BY : I2A ARCHITECTS STUDIO | PROJECT LOCATION : KERALA YEAR BUILT : 2022 | PROJECT SIZE : 2800 SQ.FT PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT : MANURAJ C R PHOTOGRAPHY : RUNNING STUDIO

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URBAN COLORFUL WALLPAPERS The collection is an ode to Egyptian patterns, colours, and texture, a smorgasbord of artful and playful accent wall arts.

Blending their signature lexicon of precise detailing and evoking memories with their wall arts, the brand has created an edit that is perfect for every kind of space, contemporary and traditional.

Feature : Udchomes

NEHA JAIN

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#TADEDGE

A SUAVE MEDISALON-ANLON The brief was to convert a bare shell into a luxe medi salon like no other

Feature : The Storey Collective Photo courtesy : Yash Jain WWW.THEARCHITECTSDIARY.COM

A bare shell that it was, got converted to a large open plan with central section for styling and a see through partition from the lobby visually connecting both areas.

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A very conscious effort made in the choice of the color palette throughout the space helps accentuate and elevate the mood of the clients.

Cement finished tiled floor, exposed concrete finish walls interspersed with brick, oversized hand painted custom made dome lights, oval duct networks and well implemented art work make for the design entities in the space.

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The Consultation and spa rooms are strategically planned along the periphery of the site.

A calm vibe yet a strikingly fun looking place was what we aimed for here.

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Anlon - it is a suave Medi- Salon project infused with undertones of color and one of a kind custom hand-crafted murals and art blend together makes for a subtly fun yet calm and intriguing ambience.

NIKHITA REDDY PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT

THE STOREY COLLECTIVE

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Sprawled across 3500 Sq ft in Chennai, the Medi salon with its floor to ceiling openings, frames abundant natural light interspersed with the interiors of the space.

The intent was to use diverse textures and lighting in the space to not only add drama and luxury, but to also create a warmrelaxed and a welcoming ambience.

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A cozy deep blue toned manicure and pedicure section with a statement wall mural is our constant favourite.

A pastel hued smoke blue and a coral peach ombré wall was planned on the long partitioned wall to make a statement.

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A custom made handcrafted screen with 3d compositions on individual circular elements depicting the nature adorns the back of the zen garden together complementing the ombré wall.

The major challenge we faced on site was the fixed glass throughout the site.

Owing to this ventilation was a key challenge and it was not an easy task for site workers or the design co-ordinators to stay on site constantly for longer durations.

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We love how the salon feels light and airy at an instant glance, with subtle hues and a raw yet chic material palette, the space throws off an instantly comforting vibe.

Anlon throws an artsy vibe, which we believe revokes the inner senses of the user and helps them feel good instantly.

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The fact that almost all the elements in the space are custom made from furniture to wall art and murals, and materials sourced locally gives us a great satisfaction of being able to use the local talent and resources to create a one of a kind ambience.

DESIGNED BY : THE STOREY COLLECTIVE | PROJECT LOCATION : CHENNAI YEAR BUILT : 2022 | PROJECT SIZE : 3500 SQ.FT PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT : NIKHITA REDDY PHOTOGRAPHY : YASH JAIN

ONE ON

ONE

TAD EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

DESIGNER'S CIRCLE Designer's Circle was formed in the year of 1987 with the intention of bringing high quality original interior design to the residential retail and commercial Working in close collaboration with their clients, the long-term corporate goals of each individual client are considered in providing flexible and functional solutions.

"OUR FOCUS IS TO CREATE SPACES THAT ENHANCE OUR CLIENTS BUSINESS".

AR. RAJESH SHETH PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT DESIGNER'S CIRCLE

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ONE-ON-ONE 1. WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

Our creative process is led by firstly understanding our clients’ requirements, their personal tastes and preferences and then translating it into a perfectly customized design. The site constraints and the budget are also crucial factors we have to take into consideration first before staring any design.

Once we have a basic idea and the layout is in place, there are many brainstorming sessions with the team to design the details of each and every space. We always strive to design spaces that remain timeless. New material explorations and combinations, using different finishes and a lot of R&D on the new and upcoming trends is what our creative process comprises of.

2. DO YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE PALETTE? IF YES, HOW DID IT BECOME A SIGNATURE?

We do have a signature palette, yes. In mostly all of our projects we tend to use a neutral palette of grays with black accents, and some burst of color. This came about to be a signature, as we realized that neutral spaces are what our clients prefer most, and we could never really go wrong with it. The mostly neutral grey palette complements almost anything we use with it and using this fundamental over a long time has eventually become our signature.

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3. WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS DO YOU ASK BEFORE BEGINNING ANY DESIGN PROJECT? WHICH PIECE OF INFORMATION IS OF UTMOST VALUE?

5. WHAT KIND OF RULES, CULTURE OR STRUCTURE DO YOU THINK NEED TO BE INCORPORATED TO FOSTER TEAM COLLABORATION AT THEWORKPLACE?

There is a lot of important information we must receive from the client before we start designing any space for them; the most important ones being the budget and the site context. This is because the concept of the design changes on the basis of the budget as well as the size of the space that we are designing. All other questions are generally to understand the clients’ lifestyle, their personality and their needs and demands so we can understand them better and design a space specially tailored to fit them.

As creatives I believe, there is a universal rule that we always must keep learning every day. The more ideas that are thrown out and the more we discuss different ideas in a group, the more we grow. In our studio as well, I have always tried to nurture an environment of collaboration. Each project we do has a different team of people working on it and this shuffling of teams ensures that new ideas are generated in each meeting and the entire team of Designer’s Circle gets to work and learn from different people each time.

4. TELL US ABOUT A PROJECT THAT BECAME A TURNING POINT IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE.

The design needs to be practical and real; more functional and suited to the lifestyle of the people spending time in that space.

Well, this is a question that I do not really have an answer to, as there was no single project that became a turning point. As the team grew and as we did more projects that were very well received by the clients as well as the general public, the firm became what it is today. Instead of a turning point, I would say that the journey has been a gradual upward curve.

My suggestion would be to create long term solutions and designs that can withstand the test of time. I wish our community all the best to flourish.

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6. HOW DO YOU STRATEGIZE AND BALANCE WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE COMPETING PRIORITIES?

It really depends on the situation of the projects, as well as the kind of bonding we have with each client. We generally prioritize according to the stage of the project and work out which tasks need to be completed first. We have organized task lists and work along with the site supervisors and agencies to give our focus, as best as we can to all simultaneous priorities.

7.YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS DESIGN COMMUNITY?

There are many things to be learnt in this industry and I wouldn’t just want to state general things that every designer is aware of. All I have to say is one must keep their originality intact. There are a lot of designs floating on the internet but as designers we must do what is best for the client. The design needs to be practical and real; more functional and suited to the lifestyle of the people spending time in that space. My suggestion would be to create long term solutions and designs that can withstand the test of time. I wish our community all the best to flourish.

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PRESENTS

3 Diaries

TALK SERIES | SEASON 3

UNFOLD

EPISODE 01

BADRINATH KALERU PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT STUDIO ARDETE

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EPISODE 02

BHAVUK JAIN

PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT SYNC DESIGN STUDIO

WATCH NOW

This episode of Unfold Diaries Season 3 powered by Saint Gobain features Bhavuk Jain, principal designer at Sync Design Studio who talks about the consistent journey towards growth of their professional practice. From understanding the industry to marking a niche for oneself, signature workstyle and constantly adapting to newer ways of working makes for a holistic professional journey.

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MEMBER'S ONLY EDITION

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