The Inside Track November 2019

Volume 13. Issue 11. November 2019 Rs. 25/-

THE

INSIDE TRACK CONNECTING THE DESIGN COMMUNITY Now view our web edition at www.theinsidetrack.in

Cover Story

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he Krushi Bhawan was recently inaugurated in Bhubaneswar and has already become a landmark and a significant point of interest for the city. The building was a commision by the Agricultural Ministry of the state to facilitate a better working relationship between the ministry and the farmers of Orissa.

The Chief Minister of Orissa took a personal interest to drive this effort and ensure that this building was not just an ordinary commision, but something that becomes a landmark and an expression for a progressive Orissa.

Studio Lotus was mandated with this task and created a unique program that allowed the building to serve as a bridge between the bureaucracy and the farmers it was expected to serve. The team also significantly expanded the scope of the building to allow citizens to freely engage with it as if it were a public space.

Owing to the fact that the government owns the best properties in the most central and greenest parts of the city their aim was to allow part of this building to operate as a public urban plaza.

Using this as their provocation, they lifted all the offices of the building to the upper levels and opened up the ground plane to allow free access and engagement for the citizens of Bhubaneswar.

Rooted In Tradition

Designed by Studio Lotus the Krushi Bhawan building engages deeply with craft and passive design. It also pushes the program to drive inclusivity and dissolve boundaries between the citizens and the government.

Over 150 artisans worked on the Krushi Bhavan to allow craft to be experienced at an unprecedented architectural level

In the central courtyard a stone inlay has been created in blackstone which is a visual crop calendar highlighting different harvesting cycles of Oriya farming

continued on page 2

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

THE

INSIDE TRACK

CONTENTS

November 2019

COVER Rooted In STORY Tradition 1 Dutch Design Week 2019 6 Grohe Joins Hands With The World Architecture Festival (WAF) 8 Equal Series By VitrA 9 Ambrish Arora of Studio Lotus recently shared a keynote at the Roca Think Turf event in Bangalore partnered by Design Owl

Gold In The Heart Of Paris 12

continued from page 1 The building is designed with porous boundaries that allow for people to easily enter its large gardens that front the structure.

From there they are able to access open courtyards and other

Bene Celebrates! 10

spaces of the building on the ground floor.

The building operates as a small green lung, and considering its location in one of the most central parts of the city, the effort continued on page 3

Canadian Wood Displays At Mumbai Wood Exhibition 13 Cartoon Capers 14 Solid Bench 16 H & R Johnson Partners Nobilia 18 Somany Ceramics Launches Somany Water Heaters 19 Yothaka’s Eco-friendly Furniture 20 Alex Chinneck’s Fantastical World 22

Owner, Publisher & Printer Mr. Anish R. Bajaj for Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. Printed at Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd., B 62, 1st Floor, Cotton Exchange Building, Cotton Green Road, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033.

Published at B 62, 1st Floor, Cotton Exchange Building, Cotton Green Road, Mumbai 400 033 Tel (022) 23736133/1, 23743069 Editor Mr. Anish R. Bajaj THE INSIDE TRACK Volume 13. Issue 11. November 2019. English - Monthly.

This issue contains 24 pages including both covers.

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

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continued from page 2 of creating a public plaza has even more value and utility.

Studio Lotus devised a scheme that created an opportunity to use the government as a patron for re-interpreting craft. They did not want the craftwork to only serve as small touch points, rather they aimed to allow its effects to be experienced at an unprecedented architectural level.

A very detailed art and craft plan was devised keeping all the facilities and activities in mind.

Studio Lotus engaged with a large team of local craftsman to work on the building in ways and scales they possibly had not worked before. They aimed to create a contemporary narrative of Oriya craft and mapped what kind of

A Panel Discussion on Architectural Patronage at Roca Think Turf in Bangalore (L to R) Chitra Vishwanath, Nitin Saolapurkar, Anish Bajaj, Ambrish Arora, Nisha Mathew Ghosh and Bijoy Ramachandran

The vision of the building was to have a ‘Haat� like environment.

The plaza and ground plane of the building serves as a place for exhibitions and workshops

The team worked extensively with the local cast metal technique Dokra

craft can be used in which spaces of the building creating a variety of expressions for the walls, floors, ceilings and at various other places in the building. A special tender process was also created for the craft program.

For the Krushi Bhawan project the team engaged with architect Sivanand Bhol of Orissa to roll out its craft agenda and allow for local craftsman to be participative in the final expression and its creation.

The team worked extensively with the local cast metal technique Dokra. They created brackets for the columns using this craft that serves as lighting points. Many corridors also have screens which use this cast metal technique.

They worked with local stones such as Laterite and Khondalite, many of which have agricultural continued on page 4

Mr. Sandeep Abraham, National Business Head - Roca, addresses the gathering

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

continued from page 3 crops carved into it. Some of the columns have been adorned with laterite stone lattices which talk about the mythological folk lores of the region.

There are also areas where the famous Pattachitra paintings are displayed. In the central courtyard a stone inlay has been created in blackstone which is a visual crop calendar highlighting different harvesting cycles of Oriya farming.

The columns on the ground are dressed with Khondalite stone lattices inspired by the architecture and layered line work work of Lingaraj temple.

Studio Lotus was also very focussed on creating a building which is low on energy consumption and is passively cooled. In order to reduce heat gain they worked on simple techniques and created deep recessed windows, ensured a low window to wall ratio and also created a louvered skin; these measures reduced the heat gain of the building by almost forty percent.

A night purge system was also devised that brings in the cool night air into the interiors which then gets stored in the thermal mass of the building. The thermal mass then dissipates this cool air during the day. The intent was to have only 25% of the building air-conditioned, the rest of it is passively cooled.

A key feature of the building is its eye-catching brick skin. The design team wanted to create a double skin that also helped with passively cooling the building.

They wanted to use a material which was earthy, aged well and also had a sense of familiarity and continued on page 5

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

continued from page 4 non-intimidation.

This facade was expressed using bricks made of three soil types representative of the soils of Orissa.

An elaborate expression of the famous Ikkat textile of Orissa was translated onto the facade using bricks of different colours. “This is the most graphic part of the building, the most obvious, the most eye-catching form which gives it that identity,” says Ambrish Arora, principal at Studio Lotus.

The Krushi Bhawan building is special for many reasons. The fact that it is a “new” Government building and expresses itself sans

the glass curtain walling, ACP panelling and other borrowed imagery from the west is itself a significant achievement.

Studio Lotus has chosen to engage very deeply with craft, create a program of inclusivity and has also used means and methods to passively cool the building. The building has many layers to it and showcases a much needed progressive typology of contemporary Indian architecture.

A m b r i s h A r o r a o f St u d i o Lotus recently shared a keynote at the Roca Think Turf event in Bangalore partnered by Design Owl. Roca Think Turf is a series of architectural conversation that takes place across India. These exchanges aim to create a fellowship of thought leaders to deliver a better environment through a process of inquiry, dialogue and action.

Contact email: anish@designowl.com web: www.designowl.com www.roca.in photographs : Andre J Fanthome courtesy : The Architect

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

C

onsidered one of the biggest events on the design calendar, Dutch Design Week (DDW) yet again returned with a thought-provoking theme “If not now, then when?” this year.

At this point, when we are teetering on the edge of no return, awakening calls just won’t do; now’s the time to shakeup the established norms and hierarchies and take charge. This edition of Dutch Design Week was not merely speculative but offered solutions and alternatives through talks that emphasised on the urgencies to enact in order to stall further deterioration of our planet. Moreover, the message carried across by various rhapsodic installations made impactful impressions.

There was plenty of action s p i l l i n g ov e r m o r e t h e 1 0 0 locations in Eindhoven, with over 2600 designers presenting their path-breaking work. The crowd throughout the week (19th- 27th October) swarmed in to engage in an all-encompassing programme that delved on the latest developments in the field of design. For eight days DDW threw doors open to trailblazing exhibitions, showcasing of biomaterials, launching of technologies and product, talks, awards, and festivities.

This edition sees first of its curated collaborations through

Studio Drift’s Flylight

Dutch Design Week 2019 The latest edition of DDW focused on wider

implications of design and delivered with its experimental content. BY SHWETA SALVI

French designer Dorian Renard applies traditional glass blowing technique to create plastic objects

DDW Talks - a programme brought together with the partnership of various experts. DDW offered speakers from all ilks, a platform to investigate facets of design.

Current affairs, dated reflections p re s e n t e d w i t h t h o u g h t s o n future innovations, technological advancements, and bio-design solutions were discussed.

Talks categorised in seven relevant themes prompted enquiry, like raising awareness for social issues through ‘The Social Design Talk’, which investigates how designers can positively impact our social fabric.

The Bio-design Talk brought to fore the developments in the field of Bio-design. How the design sector has moved on from bio-mimicry and now boundaries between organisms and objects seem to have blurred.

Interpreting the application of bio-design in a physical space, d e s i g n e r Pa s c a l L e b o u c q i n collaboration with Studio Crown Design designed The Growing Pavilion, which is constructed with mycelium - a variety from the mushroom family.

BioBase Camp pavilion demonstrates the potential of timber in the construction sector

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Like every year this year too, a new generation of designers were given an opportunity to shine and put to test their best ideas. At the Antenna Conference, international design graduates from across 5 continents shared inclusive and sustainable design solutions.

The exhibition ‘Rethinking Plastic, design with a mission’ focused on the alarming plastic crisis, and encouraged to opt for low-waste systems. Product options derived from waste, and the latest products made from bio-plastics were showcased.

The showcase delved on innovative sustainable materials and new technologies, like Red Mud, a series of tableware designed by designers at the Royal College of Art in London who transformed an industrial residue derived as the by-product of refining bauxite ore into alumina. Large amount of this fiery substance generally goes unused and the four designers at Royal College of Art are exploring

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The Growing Pavilion is constructed with a mushroom variety called mycelium

few of the best artists to showcase expressive installations that invoked contemplation on various levels.

Studio Drift put-up two interactive installations - a light installation inspired by flock of birds called Flylight, took centre-stage at the Domusdela, a former Monastery and now a cultural complex. Materialism - the bag project, another telling sculptural installation made out of extruded plastic blocks aptly portrayed the over-use and abuse of resources in our lives and the necessity to lead a less resourceintensive lifestyle.

Experimental design studio Rive Roshan created a sensorial experience with its contemporary garden featuring water, glass, sand and sculptures which allowed visitors to have a static mind while letting the senses takeover. Using

the reflective quality of water and light, the installation facilitated the visitors to bask in tranquility and ruminate.

The studio also collaborated with Moooi Carpets to produced water patterned and geometric rugs. Rive Roshan studio joined forces with with German start-up Sandhelden, to make collectible stools, chairs and vases out of 3Dprinted sand.

The event successfully concluded this year’s edition on 27th October that facilitated an inclusive programme with its meticulously curated talks, displays, exhibits on future living, and introduction of path-breaking products and innovative materials.

Contact email: info@dutchdesignfoundation. com web: www.ddw.nl

DDW Ambassadors Studio Drift put together a light installation inspired by flock of birds called Flylight

the potential of the substance as a building material too.

Another note-worthy showcase at the event in fact re-used plastic to create surreal forms. French designer Dorian Renard took inspiration from glass-blowers in the Czech Republic, however he replaced glass with plastic. With his modified technique, Renard heated and formed plastic tubes and sheets, to create organic, undulating shapes.

With over 450 events the Dutch

Design Week kick-started a debate that allows to break prejudices and move beyond convention, providing enough food for thought to bring in the much-needed change in the design sector. Bringing the enlightened youth in the mix to put together performances, films, talks, workshops and debates, The Arena succeeded in bringing fresh energy to otherwise ego-centric design fairs.

The DDW lives up to its format of being experimental and invited

Rive Roshan created a sensorial experience with its Stilled Life installation

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

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rohe, a power brand from Lixil, has been a founding partner of WAF for over a decade and now sees the necessity to launch WAFTA. Through this initiative and partnership it will be able to recognise the works of budding architects and designers (A&Ds) specifically in the AsiaPacific region, thus cultivating the next generation of creators, equipping them with the power to improve lives.

WAF is the world’s biggest annual international, live-architectural event that has a live-judged awards programme commemorating brilliance through live-presentations to an audience of high-profile delegates and international juries.

It also features a thematic conference programme, electronic galleries of all award entries, an exhibition area, an architectural tour programme, networking events and a gala awards dinner - all designed for interaction and an exchange of ideas.

In the last five years, Grohe has observed a stupendous swell in submissions from A&Ds in the Asia-Pacific region, as this year alone saw it reach its highest number, a total of 578 out of 1006 entries, a whopping 57%. WAF Trends Asia is an answer to this roaring increase and aims to leverage both partners’ strength by creating a platform to showcase works, discuss industry trends, share best practices and provide networking opportunities for both global figures as well as local talent.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Grohe in this exciting new programme to promote architecture and design across the region,”

Axor MyEdition Single lever Subodh Kerkar, WAFTA Goa basin mixer

Grohe Joins Hands With The World Architecture Festival (WAF) Through WAF Trends Asia (WAFTA), they aim to empower architects and designers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sanjay Puri, Principal Architect, WAFTA Goa

said Paul Finch, WAF Programme Director. “WAF has had a long and productive relationship with Grohe, our founder partner since our launch in 2008. This latest initiative will reinforce our mutual belief in the importance of architects and designers in improving the

buildings and places where we live, work and play. We look forward to enhancing our knowledge of and relationship with, the people who create better built environments across the Asia-Pacific region.”

“Grohe is shaping the future of water not just through our products and technology; but also through platforms and ideas which inspire stakeholders in the industry.

The purpose behind the WAFTA partnership is to develop and nurture a synergetic relationship with architects and designers and evolve together for the better,” said Josephine Lee, CMO, Lixil Water Technology, Asia Pacific. “The year-long partnership will celebrate Asian architecture and design and nurture the next generation through a robust activity calendar including panel discussions, networking sessions and exhibitions etc across the region. We are looking forward to taking this partnership to its fullest potential.”

WAFTA kicked off in India through an experiential event with India’s top 50 architects and designers. Internationally acclaimed architect and multi-award winner of past WAF honours, Sanjay Puri, was the keynote speaker. The 16 shortlisted nominations from India for the upcoming 2019 WAF, were exhibited allowing those present to recognise, share and inspire their fellow peers.

“At Lixil we touch the lives of over one billion people through our products and technology.

We believe that architects and designers too have a direct impact on the living spaces that enhance life of our consumers. The WAFTA partnership, therefore becomes important as it helps us to work closely with the A&D community permitting them to deliver the best

design concepts and experiences through our objectives,” said Yang Chin Chen, CEO of Lixil Water Technology, Asia Pacific. “It is the responsibility of Lixil and its power brands such as Grohe to create such enterprises to make better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere.”

Grohe has been part of the Lixil Group Corporation since 2014. As an international brand, Grohe follows the merits of technology, quality, design and sustainability, seeking to offer the ‘pure freude an wasser’ or the ‘real joy of water.’ While Lixil, inspired by their Japanese heritage, produces world-leading technology and innovation through high quality products via meaningful design, an entrepreneurial spirit, a dedication to improving accessibility for all and a responsible business growth.

Contact web: www.grohe.co.in www.lixil.com

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

V

itrA, the leading bathroom solutions brand of Eczacıbaşı Building Products Division in Turkey has introduced its Equal Series in India.

The new range, Equal, makes use of geometric shapes and minimalist borders and reveals a very exciting new collaboration with Italian architect and designer Claudio Bellini.

This collection offers harmony by welcoming diverse needs and characters, it excludes noise. As a design approach, simplicity is used as the key defining element to create equilibrium within the urban clutter; simplicity is treated as the outcome of a brave sophistication.

The Equal series employs basic geometric forms obsessively shaped by simplicity. It also embraces natural organic forms. Through the ordered, edgy but still rounded and soft forms, it creates the bathroom harmony that is rational yet sensual.

To enhance the relaxing and sensual atmosphere of the space, the collection combines cold and warm materials in the form of ceramic and wood. Black metal elements are also used as accents to strengthen the timeless character of the collection.

Designed as a custom piece of furniture, Equal’s vanity amplifies the visual effect of completeness, thereby creating the perception of more space. The vanity’s linear lines promote a stunning effect and are available in wall-mounted, countertop and double bowl versions. All three versions provide ease of cleaning as a result of uninterrupted floor surface.

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Equal Series By VitrA The contemporary nature of the delicate,

angular design makes VItrA’s Equal series ideal for both commercial and residential spaces.

The new range, Equal, makes use of geometric shapes and minimalist borders and reveals a very exciting new collaboration with Italian architect and designer Claudio Bellini

The Equal collection combines cold and warm materials in the form of ceramic and wood

Cardinal

Equal WC pans incorporate VitrA’s Rim-Ex technology, an innovative design for effortless cleaning. By eliminating the hardto-clean rims, this technology prevents the accumulation of germs and provides superior hygiene.

VitrA underlines the importance of hygiene, with user-friendly cleaning solutions.

VitrA Hygiene is a technology which offers benefits in terms of health. It has ION Technology that prevents harmful bacteria by 99.9%. Maximum hygiene is ensured on the surfaces developed with this method. It does not lose its protection feature even under intense usage conditions.

It has a special glaze that coats all external and internal surfaces prior to firing in a process that ensures VitrA Hygiene protection for VitrA ceramic ware throughout its lifetime.

Equal bathroom series celebrates basic architectural elements by exploring their fundamental possibilities creating a bathroom with loads of character.

Contact web: www.vitra-india.com Toll Free Number: 18001231134 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ VitrABathrooms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ vitrabathrooms

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Co. Profile

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n 2009, embarked on a new type of furniture range called PARCS. Moving away from conventional configurations, facilitated them to plan unconventional office layouts.

Mutually developed with PearsonLloyd, the London based design duo, PARCS introduced a new type of office interplay - informal, inspirational and communicative.

Bene is happily commemorating 10 years of this colourful, inventive furniture that immediately became a classic model must-have in every contemporary office setting.

Bene sets the bar as an office specialist, both in design and f u r n i s h i n g . It t h i n k s o f t h e office as a living space, and it this philosophy that guides its concepts, products and services into reality.

To d a y ’s w o r k p l a c e s a r e built around multi-functional, unstructured plans with open spaces that persuade communication and teamwork. This idea hasn’t always been the case, as in the 1980s and 90s drab colour schemes and enclosed angular shapes were representative of the office mind-set.

But in October 2009 that all changed when Bene launched its PARCS range, dissolving the seriousness of the traditional office environment with new colours, soft materials and innovative forms.

Bene Celebrates!

Bene is happily commemorating 10 years of PARCS, their iconic furniture range.

Mutually developed withPearsonLloyd, the London based design duo, PARCS introduced to the world a new type of office

Communication and creativity, collaboration and exchange became the key way of working, with

Bene sets the bar as an office specialist, both in design and furnishing

dynamic and vibrant landscapes leading to an alternative way of interaction that improved productivity in the organisation.

PARCS, gets its moniker from the notion of a ‘park,’ emulating multifunctional spaces that define different areas and coax people to communicate in the office.

With the initiation of PARCS, Bene made offices more open and more versatile. Like a park in a big city, PARCS introduced collective zones between workstations, linking and inviting employees to get together.

Since its launch, Bene has u s e d i t f o r n u m e ro u s o f f i c e designs throughout the globe, including recently for Air Liquid Research, Livit AG, L’Oréal and Multi Media Marketing. PARCS induced a new dimension to the interiors, inserting areas for relaxing, essential in today’s offices for inspiration and a free-flow of ideas.

“The new working environment is individual, networked, digital and flexible. As trendsetters in the industry, Bene recognised this ten years ago.

With PARCS, we presented a social concept where ideas develop in an environment of constant interaction, as opposed to the old industrial model of an efficient office.”

“Ever since, modern office environments have included zones for cooperative work and an inspirational exchange of ideas, alongside spaces for temporary retreat,” says Michael Fried, Executive Board Member for Sales, Marketing and Innovation at Bene.

“PARCS was the product of the first collaboration between Bene and PearsonLloyd, and the beginning of an enduring partnership. TIMBA, RIYA, Bay Chair and SETTLE followed, and we are currently working together to develop another new concept,” explains Michael Fried of the lasting success of PARCS. The Bene Group is a globally active company with its head office and production facilities in Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Austria. Development, design and production, along with consulting and sales are under one Austrian roof.

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Bene is happily commemorating 10 years of this colourful, inventive furniture

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PARCS, gets its moniker from the notion of a ‘park,’ emulating multifunctional spaces that define different areas

It d e ve l o p s a n d p ro d u c e s customised solutions for all company sizes, from one-person companies to SMEs and global corporations. As an important market player, Bene symbolises innovative concepts, inspiring offices and top-quality design.

Contact email: tulika.anand@bene.com web: www.bene.com photo credits: Bene GmbH

Since its launch, Bene has used it for numerous office designs throughout the globe

Bene thinks of the office as a living space, a concept that guides its products and services

Communication and creativity, collaboration and exchange became the key

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

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ncompassing 31 social housing units and 7 artist studios, the new project invents a new style to otherwise staid courtyard living by audaciously using coppergold cladding. The intent was to construct a link with the historic buildings, while still announcing a contemporary upgrade.

The new plan puts a large central courtyard at the core, which not only connects the entire ground floor, but also allows light to penetrate between the bulk of the buildings. What this courtyard also does is encourage neighbours to interact with each other and also provides a physical continuity between the rest of the plots.

This courtyard looks like a large pedestrian street that wends its way into a print shop through huge doors. The paving used is an ode to an old French villa and links all the structures through the ground floor.

Intersecting the buildings are terraces, galleries, corridors and balconies covered in timber decking, which is a deliberate alteration in material, meant to unconsciously mark the path one follows to the entrance of their home.

T h e b r a n d n e w ro o f s a re beautifully proportioned in scale to sit in harmony with the old buildings. However, to stand

Gold In The Heart Of Paris

Metek Architecture had a very unique vision for a multi-use complex located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. BY NATALIE PEDDER-BAJAJ

The new plan puts a large central courtyard at the core of the housing compound

out and play with the concept of modernity, the new parts are clad in an alloy of copper and aluminium, called copper gold.

These panels that go all the way up to the roof echo the customary use of zinc in Paris, and shine to

The new parts are clad in an alloy of copper and aluminium, called copper gold

glimmer in the sunlight.

The roofs also house photovoltaic and solar panels that supply green energy and domestic hot water to the residents. Furthermore, a new ‘suburban Parisian’ edifice has been added to the front elevation with an old printshop to the rear.

The exterior of the building that overlooks the street has been left as is, but on the side that faces the courtyard, the windows have been moved down and an arrangement of balconies and exterior passageways have been

adjoined. The face of the old printshop has been totally rebuilt in accordance with historical documentation, although a second floor has been added.

This new complex emphasises the social interactions of life with the deliberate planning of the balconies in front of the central courtyard. The overall construct coaxes its denizens to connect with each other, thus creating a sense of community.

Contact web: www.metek-architecture.com

Balconies in front of the central courtyard encourage neighbours to be social

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Co. Profile

T

he PEFC / FSC certified Canadian Wood is sourced from British Columbia, Canada as it is the global leader in certified forests and the world’s biggest lumber exporter.

Canadian Wood partnered with Bram Rouws, a carpenter, cabinet maker and furniture designer from Limoges, France to demonstrate live wood craft sessions, where the main feature of the show was Geodesic design. As an extension of the Furniture and Fittings Skill Council (FFSC) scheme, Bram also directed workshop sessions for students.

A pergola was built by Bram

Canadian Wood Displays At Mumbai Wood Exhibition

Canadian Wood teamed-up with Bram Woodcrafting studio to create novel designs in western hemlock at the Mumbai 2019 exhibition.

The hemlock Geodesic piece (left) with the designer petal chair (right) made in mixed Canadian Wood species

Woodcrafting Studio at the event using Canadian Wood species, where at the VVIP gold lounge section, it included a comprehensive array of furniture made in western hemlock wood.

The architects, interior designers, builders, developers and consultants present, immensely admired the adaptability of the Canadian Wood species and the numerous option it presented.

Expounding on the successful outcome of the exhibition, Pranesh Chhibber, Countr y Director, FII-India said, “We are happy to partner with Bram Rouws, with his expertise in carpentry and furniture designing he has created a masterpiece structure at the Mumbai Wood Exhibition.

India’s love for wood is legendary, and we have also recognised this welcome trend in savvy consumers who increasingly demand for a commitment from designers, developers and manufacturers towards conserving the environment, while using natural

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materials like wood. Thus, they look for suppliers from sustainable sources, who can demonstrate their environmental credentials as well.”

The Canadian Wood lounge featuring a western red cedar pergola and interior furniture at Mumbaiwood 2019

Western hemlock from British Columbia, Canada is perfect for furniture building, panelling, doors, windows and interior décor.

The wood generates a modern,

The 3-day live demo on western hemlock culminates into this Geodesic design. Present is the Canadian Wood and Bramwoodcrafting studio teams

traditional and clear look as it is non-resinous and takes on most paints, stains and finishes. Hemlock wood is the quintessential pick for a versatile appearance, as it has good strength to weight ratio, excellent machining properties, it shapes well and polishes beautifully.

Forestry Innovation Consulting Pvt. Ltd.(Canadian Wood) FII, is a crown agency of the government of British Columbia (B.C.), the western most province of Canada.

Its sanction is to encourage wood products from B.C. Canada in the off-shore markets, and to position it as a global supplier of quality, e n v i ro n m e n t a l l y re s p o n s i b l e wood products from sustainably supervised forests, by bringing about an awareness and propagating education through information on the wide variety of timber products and the technical support available.

Its brand, Canadian Wood which was established in 2013, thus targets an audience globally.

Contact web: www.canadianwood.in

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

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wned by the company Greem, the café’s design idea, created by founder and owner Eun-Jin Lee is totally special. Designed in black pengraphics, the café ubiquitously marries reality and illusion to conjure up a fantastical ambience.

The chalky colourless interior is zanily juxtaposed against details like tables, chairs, mugs, illustrations of plants, flowers, art frames, wooden tiles and even a dog peeking through a window, all outlined in black felt pen, making customers feel thy’ve entered a comic book.

Following Korea’s edgy cafe culture, it was inspired by a Korean drama called “W - Two Worlds,” which saw the main characters enter a fantasy webtoon world.

Along with the playful design and endearing use of optical illusion, the café also serves yummy baked goods such as chocolate cookie muffins, Dacquoise with cream cheese and strawberry cake that customers can enjoy while taking ‘instagrammable’ photos.

Lee apparently owned the old YND 223-14 café which was a 430-square foot space, that due to its immense popularity

Cartoon Capers

Named YND 223-14 after its Korean address, Yeonnam-dong Café 223-14 is a novel coffee shop located in Hongdae in Seoul.

YND 223-14 was inspired by a Korean drama that saw the main characters enter a webtoon world

could no longer meet customers’ demands. Now, with the seating area three times the size of the original café, plus a cute rooftop featuring drawings of clothes bellowing on a clothesline, YND 223-14 is six times larger than its predecessor and hence has a shorter waiting time!

Eun-Jin Lee idea was to remove the distraction of colour from the

Details like tables, chairs, mugs and illustrations of plants, flowers, curtains, rugs etc, have all been outlined in black pen

interiors and shift the spotlight onto the hues that really matter, like the brown of a chocolate cake or the green in the tea lattes.

Largely marketed by word-ofmouth, don’t fret if Seoul in not part of your travel plans as Lee looks forward to expanding to other locations around the world.

Contact web: www.instagram.com/greem_cafe

A cute rooftop featuring drawings of clothes bellowing on a line adds more seating to this popular cafe

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Interview

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mulating the reigning trends of slow fashion and slow-food, Solid Bench, a boutique carpentry studio in NCR, India, approaches woodworking by stressing on processes and resources. Hailing from engineering and management background, the founders Anant Khirbat and Jitesh Sharma, celebrate wood, the material - its imperfections et al - by fusing it with fine woodworking skills to craft ground-breaking furniture pieces.

Hitesh tells The Inside Track how they take pride in their craftsmanship and enjoy the process of giving a tree a new life and form.

Solid Bench Highlighting the beautiful imperections of wood, Solid Bench, a carpentry boutique, venerates woodworking skills.

Tell us about the inception and intent behind Solid Bench.

We started Solid bench, when we wanted to buy some furniture for our house, a few years ago. It was very difficult to buy high quality pieces at an affordable price.

When we searched online for the same, we felt that there was a real need for a fine woodworking studio in our part of the country i.e. NCR. Would you briefly tell us about your background and training?

Anant and I jointly run the studio.

We are both engineers and MBAs. Solid bench is actually an offshoot of our packaging company where

Jitesh Sharma

Coffee Table

wood is a key raw material. So our experience in running manufacturing centers and managing people came in handy when we decided to start the wood studio.

What are the key factors that

influence furniture making at Solid Bench?

Minimalism is something which is close to our hearts. While we do custom furniture as well, we usually do not deviate in our choice

of material, which primarily is Indian Rosewood. Moreover, design inspirations for us, in all honesty, come through social networking pages these days. Pinterest, Instagram etc., have been a great source of ideas.

Exposed dovetail joinery of a customised table

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

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Your collections are sensibly crafted and celebrate the spirit of creation and natural wood. Is there a conscious thought behind the development of each creation?

Not really. So far, it’s mostly on intuition and objects around us.

For example, we conceived the space time table, while watching a documentary about black holes on Natgeo.

Tell us something about the LIVE EDGE Furniture Collection.

Live edge furniture has been used for centuries, and in last few decades it was popularized by legends like George Nakashima.

The Japanese American crafts movement has been a great source of inspiration for us.

Our live edge pieces are individually attended to and designed. It is a very fuzzy process, in the sense that only when we see a piece of wood, spend some time thinking about what it could be turned into, that the final piece comes out.

So it’s not pre-determined by

The Swan Bench

been in the export market for some time now. Rosewood especially, is a much regulated species in the export markets and we ensure that we do not buy anything which is not legal. Also, the finishing we use

new project is around creating a few pieces where while exploring upholstery, we will still ensure that we do not hide the beauty of the wooden grain.

So far, most of our work is custom-

The Space Time Table

Shelving system

design, but by the timber that we have.

is essentially natural oils like Tung and Linseed.

With the alarming increase in environmental hazards and depleting natural resources, it has become crucial to be responsible while choosing materials and manufacturing products. What are the special measures undertaken by the studio to counter environmental deterioration?

There is a marked evolution in how design is perceived in India.

The end-user acknowledges the importance of both ergonomics and aesthetics while purchasing furniture. How does the studio cater to the diverse needs?

We only buy certified wood. We are Vriksh-certified by EPCH and have

launched in the market. We use it ourselves, take it home, see if people use it or avoid sitting on it.

We do not feel that it is difficult to merge ergonomics

Ergonomics are important - especially when it comes to seating. Any new design spends a few months in our studio before

and aesthetics. It though, at times limits the possibilities in terms of the structural details.

What are you currently working on and any plan to expand you’re work portfolio in future?

We are upgrading our studio with a few new machines and tools, also investing in new seasoning kilns (which we feel is the most important process step i.e. preparing the raw material). We haven’t worked with upholstery and sofas so far, so, our

designed, but we are changing our business model to a ready-in-store.

Where clients can come to our studio, choose products on display and take them home.

Where can people buy your products: in-store/online/directly from you?

We list our regular products on our website, we also post on www. instagram.com/solidbench.

Contact email: info@solidbench.com web: www.solidbench.com

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Co. Profile

H

& R Johnson, India’s leading integrated lifestyle solution supplier, introduced the development of its strategic partnership with Germany’s Nobilia, the world’s largest manufacturer of modular kitchens. The new emporium saw Mr Michael Behr from Nobilia Germany, Mr Bipin Bindra from J. B. Projects and Mr Pankaj Sh a r m a , Pre s i d e n t , Jo h n s o n Bathrooms and Johnson Kitchens of H & R Johnson, India at the official opening.

By adding Nobilia, Germany to its brand, H & R Johnson shows its unwavering commitment to providing luxury, as this partnership will result in it having its finger on all the global trends happening in the kitchen business.

The 3000 sq. ft. store at J. B. Projects, Turbhe, Navi Mumbai also introduced SpaceFlex®, an organising system for storage containers and more, especially fitted for the inside of cabinets. In effect, all kitchen utensils can be neatly stocked using SpaceFlexx® as it comes with a flexible divider called Nesttex® that adapts itself to the contours and shapes of the stored items, securely holding them in their place.

Talking about the new store, Mr Michael Behr, Export ManagerNobilia said, “The Indian modular kitchen market is ever growing and we do see a lot of people investing in larger kitchens with advanced features.

In India, we particularly try to launch products that resonate with their taste in terms of colour preferences, cooking materials, etc. We hope this experiential centre will help customers gain a better understanding of the ease of cooking with modular kitchens and help them invest their money where it counts.”

According to this affiliation, H & R Johnson, India will promote Nobilia in the retail and developer space, and open more Nobilia stores across the country over the coming months.

Mr Pankaj Sharma, President of Johnson Bathrooms and Johnson Kitchens said, “The Nobilia store launch in Navi Mumbai is a synergy of Nobilia’s world class technology and Johnson’s legacy of providing world class solutions. H & R Johnson, India has been progressively focusing on its modular kitchen business, an integral growth driver of its diversified emerging businesses.”

“The potential for high-end luxury products in Mumbai and various other smaller emerging cities has prompted

H & R Johnson Partners Nobilia H & R Johnson will promote Nobilia kitchens in the retail and developer space, and open more Nobilia stores across the country.

H& R Johnson, India partners with Germany’s Nobilia kitchens to open it’s new store in Mumbai

brands to reach out and cater to the localised needs of these markets. We are proud to be partnering with a name like J B projects for our Nobilia store in Navi Mumbai, which is among the oldest and most well respected player in this city, dealing in premium brands for various categories. Through this Navi Mumbai showroom, we

endeavour to provide the best of modular kitchens available globally in the Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai market.”

Welcoming this opportunity, H & R Johnson, India perceives a considerable growth potential of modular kitchens in present-day India, as consumers not only expect practical

The 3000 sq. ft. store allows customers to interact with the kitchens on display, thus making a more informed choice

products, but now also assume high expectations in the lifestyle, design and comfort categories as well.

Established in 1958, H & R Johnson, India, a division of Prism Johnson Ltd. (Formerly Prism Cement Ltd.) is the pioneer of ceramic tiles in the country. Today, H & R Johnson boasts of being the only organisation in India to offer end-to-end lifestyle solutions that includes tiles, sanitary ware, bath fittings and engineered marble and quartz.

Their tile section has four subbrands - Johnson Tiles, Johnson Porselano, Johnson Marbonite and Johnson Endura, while Johnson Ba t h ro o m s p rov i d e s a n i t a r y ware, faucets, accessories and wellness products.

On the other hand, Nobilia manufactures its kitchens at its headquarters in Germany. Their two factories are among the most modern and efficient manufacturing units for kitchen furniture in Europe.

Custom-designed and produced with superlative preciseness, the high degree of automation guarantees that the standard of quality remains constant.

Contact web: www.hrjohnsonindia.com

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

S

omany Water Heaters, by Somany Ceramics Limited, the flagship company of the H. L. Somany Group, was launched because of it being a noteworthy revenue contributor considering the size and growth of the industry. The bath fitting segment size is INR 2300 crore, split equally between organized and unorganised players and is growing at 15% to 18% per annum.

Somany Ceramics Launches Somany Water Heaters

The leading player in the tiles and sanitary ware industry has recognised the segment of bath ware appliances as area for future growth. the bath ware industry over the next five years. “Our targeted sales revenue for geysers in the 1st year is 8-10 crores, and subsequently about 75-100 crores in 5 years.

We will be a dominant player in the segment over a period of time,” expounded Mr Somany.

The company will set its sights on the mid to premium categories of the business pyramid, as it starts collaborating with interior

artistic masterpieces are sure to set trends in the industry.”

Mr Abhishek Somany also added, “We would leverage our existing retail and distribution network for the product segment.

Additionally we will also be looking at expanding into the electrical channel dealers. At present we have about 500 dealers and 2000 retailers for our bath ware segment.”

Somany is the quickest expanding brand in the bath ware industry and is focusing on making this category a leading brand in

designers in the metros and tier 1 cities. “They influence the decision making of home owners buying bath ware appliance for their homes. Moreover, the entry to mid segment has been seeing a good traction in the past few quarters. Hence, the company will be targeting this segment,” concluded Mr. Abhishek Somany.

Contact web: www.somanyceramics.com

Subscribe to The Inside Track and stay connected

Mr. Abhishek Somany,MD Somany Ceramics unvieling Water Heater range

Reflecting on the idea behind the launch Mr Abhishek Somany, MD, Somany Ceramics explained, “We are planning to expand the brand from just tiles and sanitary ware to other areas that are relevant within the bathroom space. Although, we are entering into a new segment, it has a synergy with the existing line of our business. Furthermore, our venture into the division of bath ware appliances is inspired by providing a one-stop-solution to consumers for all their bath ware needs, as these precision-crafted

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

Y

othaka differentiates itself from other companies through its amazing creativity, frequently tweaking its ranges and adding new designs every year. Today, Yothaka proffers a huge collection, all designed in-house, be it furniture or accessories that have novel Asian characteristics blended with modern design concepts.

But its most favourable feature it that all its designs use the most Ecofriendly materials.

The tropical water weed hyacinth is customarily located in the rivers

Yothaka’s Eco-friendly Furniture Started in 1989, Yothaka International Co.,

Ltd. was the first to develop the application of water-hyacinth in the Thailand furniture industry. BY NATALIE PEDDER-BAJAJ

Moroc MO2 Armchair RAK has opened its own orientation center in Gurugram

and lakes of South East Asia. Its rapid growth was taking over the rivers and causing problems for the Thai government. In order to encourage the villagers living along the banks to cut the plant from the water, they developed the weed into an environmentally sustainable income generating material. Being in abundance, Yothaka discerned a way of amalgamating the fibres of the plant into their furniture.

Lunar Chair

Besides its wide range of beautifully hand-crafted waterhyacinth furniture, Yothaka also makes hand-made home accessories such as table lamps, candle holders and basketry.

Another method to integrate a local handicraft technique into their designs is the use of Yan Lipao.

Flourishing only in the forests of Southern Thailand, Yan Lipao is woven using traditional basketry

Jupiter Bench Set

techniques into structural forms.

Lisu is an ethnic hill tribe found in Eastern Tibet that makes their living cultivating the opium poppy, which can then be transformed into cloth and rope, another practice Yothaka employs in the production of their chairs.

Thailand has also developed a fibre made of pineapples which the company has used to make stools and bench seating in a range of colours.

Besides natural fibres, Yothaka has also

Roy Riang Panel

been working with PE plastic since 2005. Their recyclable collection is made of a polyurethane-polyethylene compound, but woven the same as their natural rattan line.

This green-oriented furniture company showcases the diversity and creativity of Thai design and culture with new collections now being introduced globally.

Contact web: www.yothaka.com

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THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

Spot Light

H

is spirited sculptures play havoc with the brain, flaming one’s fantasy along with global interest. If your lucky enough to experience Alex Chinneck’s surreal lifesize artworks, you might wonder if someone spiked your morning cuppa!

A Sprinkle of Night and a Spoonful of Light, was unveiled this year for Milan Design Week, where an old Milanese building was peeled open by giant zips, by far his most ambitious work. On show on Via Tortona, the installation saw one of the building’s 17metre-wide facades flaying back, to reveal gaps in its interior walls and floor.

Chinneck who partnered with Iqos, the vaping and heated tobacco brand says, “Through the repeated use of the zipper, we have opened up the fabric of a seemingly historic Milanese building to playfully reimagine what lies behind its facade, floors and walls.”

A second sculpture was unveiled which saw the unzipping of a semi-circular concrete floor that radiated a bright white light from below. Chinneck excavated and repoured the entire concrete floor in order to install the artwork, while his third, saw the unzipping of a factory wall. The projects were the artist’s first foray into Italy.

He is goaded by an intention

Alex Chinneck’s Fantastical World

Born in 1984, this British sculptor, known for creating larger than life temporary public artworks merges art, architecture and theatre to create a ‘punch in the face’ impact. BY NATALIE PEDDER-BAJAJ

Pick yourself up and pull yourself together

Take my lightning but don’t steal my thunder

to make as many people enjoy the drama he creates, developing a niche for gigantic outdoor sculptures. “We design a series of immersive experiences that present our material world in a new light.

Familiarity is infused with fantasy as we playfully and literally stretch each visitor’s perception of what is possible,” he explains.

Alex Chinneck first came into prominence through a series of installations in London namely, Telling the Truth Through False Teeth (2012), where he used 1,248 pieces of glass to create 312 identically smashed windows across the derelict facade of a factory in Hackney.

From the Knees of my Nose to the Belly of my Toes (2013) in Margate, saw Chinneck create the illusion that the entire facade of a house had slid into the garden, while Under the Weather but Over the Moon (2013), a commercial property situated on Blackfriars Road was made to look as if it had

THE INSIDE TRACK November 2019

become completely inverted.

A Pound of Flesh for 50p (2014), saw a house on Southwark Street, made from 7,500 paraffin wax bricks slowly melt, while Pick Yourself Up and Pull Yourself Together (2015), took a Vauxhall Corsa and suspended it upside d ow n i n So u t h b a n k C e n t r e car park.

Other works include Take my Lightning but Don’t Steal my Thunder (2014), a building located in Covent Garden designed to appear to float in the air, and most recently Alphabetti Spaghetti (2019) on All Saints Avenue in Margate.

By using recognised materials and architectural forms and turning

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A pound of flesh for 50p

Telling the truth through false teeth

From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes

A sprinkle of night and a spoonful of light

them on their heads, Chinneck strives to change the viewers’ consciousness of what is attainable, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

T h e Gu a rd i a n h a s c a l l e d Chinneck a ‘master of architectural

illusion,’ while local residents in Hackney have dubbed him the ‘Banksy of Glass’ - whatever you’d like to call him, you just can’t ignore him!

Contact web: www.alexchinneck.com

Alphabetti spaghetti

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