Download - November-December 2011 (Anniversary Issue)
PEOPLE • L I FESTYLE • DES IGN • INTER IORS
1st
SanjayPuri
Hafeez Contractor
A presentation
Stalwarts who represent strength of conviction and forbearance
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November - December 2011VOL. 2 • ISSUE 1 • `100
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4 DESIGN MATRIX • JULY-AUGUST 2011
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8 DESIGN MATRIX • JULY-AUGUST 2011
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JULY-AUGUST 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 9
N O T EEDITOR’SIt‘s our fi rst birthday and I’m glad to say that from baby steps we have moved on
to walking confi dently holding your hand. As Design Matrix completes one year, we look back at the tremendous learning curve that has been possible thanks to
your encouragement, mentoring and critical appreciation, that has been guiding us with each issue.
Right guidance and mentoring is critical and imperative in shaping the outcome of any product, and Design Matrix is no diff erent. To acknowledge this we decided to share with you one of the most successful yet probably the least known mentor-pupil relationships – that between architects Hafeez Contractor and Sanjay Puri. As I come to completing a decade and a half in the industry, I look back and reminisce how architecture has become synonymous with Hafeez. Having known Sanjay as a friend during this period of time, understanding and following Hafeez’s professional accomplishments and larger-than-life persona, I was really looking forward to witness their interaction, especially since individually they spoke about each other with such warmth. The chemistry and aff ection they share is hard to describe in words – and I have to admit it was one of my most memorable mornings. To say that this is the most befi tting “Anniversary Gift” won’t be wrong.
Each story in this issue refl ects something special, diverse and enriching. Whether it is the creative excellence in corporate design, architectural photography, designing books for children, paper art or The Aga Khan Foundation’s relentless pursuit to conserve architectural traditional craft, like their work in Humayun’s Tomb.
As we look forward to the various events waiting to unfold in our second year, beginning with the Design Matrix-Ultratech Paints Excellence Awards, our quest to be diff erent and innovative continues. Keep coming back with views while we get ready for the birthday bash. Pictures and reports in the next issue. Till then happy reading and enjoy!
Season’s Greetings and a Happy New Year!
Babita Krishnan
Now follow us on www.facebook.com/DesignMatrixMagazine
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10 DESIGN MATRIX • JULY-AUGUST 2011
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12 DESIGN MATRIX • JULY-AUGUST 2011
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JULY-AUGUST 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 13
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CONTENTS
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 15
COVER STORYUnveiling the strong bond and warm vibes between architects Hafeez Contractor & Sanjay Puri Pg 20
DESIGN PROMOGet your dream kitchen in 48 hours with Sleek Kitchen’s latest off ering Pg 40
FUTURISTIC DESIGNMichael Brown of NAU Architects, Zurich perpetrates new design ideas for a globally mobile generation Pg 42
LEGENDSAr. Masud Taj relives his meeting with the legendary Ar. Hasan Fathy Pg 50
CORPORATE DESIGNAr. Ninad Tipnis of JTCPL Designs on how to be dynamic & creative when designing for the corporate world. Pg 54
ARTY-TECHTUREOrigami throws up endless possibilities that can augment the practical world of design Pg 62
• Cover featuring: Ar. Hafeez Contractor & Ar. Sanjay Puri • Photograph by: Prashant Bhat • Location: ITC Grand Central, Mumbai – a Luxury Collection hotel.
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RESTORATIONThe conservation & restoration of The Hu-mayun’s Tomb is resurrecting some fast-fading traditional skills while renewing ar-chitectural ties between regions Pg 70
LANDSCAPE DESIGN Indoor landscaping can begin small via a salad garden in the confi nes of your home Pg 64
PERSONA DESIGN Deft artistic skills complete the daunting task of body sculpting Pg 80
PHOTO FEATUREWhen not on the drawing board, Mujib Ahmed & Lalita Thadani of Collaborative Ar-chitects, follow a diff erent creative pursuit Pg 88
MUSINGSWe discover that creating books for children is no child’s play Pg 98
SET DESIGNThe onus of a play’s success rests not only on the theme, acting and direction, but on the stage and ambiance created for it as well Pg 102
UNMASKING TALENT We visit Karen Bit Vajle’s Psaligraphy – the slow and painstakingly beautiful art of pa-per-cutting Pg 114
PRODUCT LAUNCHAll the news from the market this festive season Pg 121
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16 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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A presentation
PEOPLE • L I FESTYLE • DES IGN • INTER IORS
September - October 2011
VOL. 1 • ISSUE 6 • `80
M A T R I X
Dean
Reboni
DÊcruz
Saha
„At Design Valley, we aim to create an alliance of creative minds for functional solutions‰
„Sometimes a casual discussion could lead to brilliant designs‰
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 17
I loved the latest issue of Design Matrix very
much and was really impressed by the team
spirit and chemistry between Dean d’Cruz
and Reboni Saha...when awesome people get
together fantastic designs happen. I want to
wish the duo all the very best. I also liked the
feature Concrete Ideas, Green Design. As always,
the content is so well put together that it
keeps the reader engrossed. This is one design
magazine that impresses me with each issue
and I’m happy to see it on my table. Way to go
Design Matrix team!
Bhavya Kenkare
Architect, Mumbai
Shakespeare once said, “What’s in the name!”
I feel it is a paradox. Design Matrix – a perfect
name clearly redefi ning the magazine about
– people, lifestyle, design and interiors. The
magazine is crisply combined with a perfect
fl avour in each segment. It’s like a journey
which every design lover would enjoy. I really
liked the magazine. A special note that the
photographs, paper quality, cover page and
not to forget the informative glossary and
events are simply great. Eagerly awaiting the
next issue. All the best!
Ujwala Kumthekar,
Interior Designer, Mumbai
I think Design Matrix has beaten all national
magazines with its standard of content, pre-
sentation and printing. Right from the way
you design the covers and your uniqueness
in portraying the personalities, it makes for
a wonderful read. All the best for the future
as well.
Rupana Reddy Nellari,
Designer, Hyderabad
Really loved the cover and the cover story, it
came across as a very happy issue. What really
caught my attention was the way you create
drama around a story visually, forcing the reader
to acknowledge each page and read it – espe-
cially the Tree House and Nils Ferber stories. The
magazine is truly a celebration of design.
Chanda Kalra,
Designer, New Delhi
I bought a copy of the magazine at the airport
along with a few others on my way back from
Bangalore. Not only did I end up reading the
entire issue in one stretch, I even read a few
articles twice. The freshness of the magazine
is still intact as I don’t mind browsing through
it now and then a month after I had bought
it. Hope you make it available in Dubai as well
or else I have to wait for my next visit to India.
Roshan Khatri,
Entrepreneur, Dubai
I was really happy to see a product designer on
the cover of the last issue. So many designers
in diff erent fi elds go unrecognized, even if they
are commercially successful, simply because
they get no media attention. There is so much
more in the design world for you to explore.
Wishing you the very best in your endeavours
and looking forward to more diverse stories.
Ramneek Singh Panesar,
Designer, Ludhiana
I am avid fashion junkie and your story on eye-
wear trends really had me at hello. Kudos to
the Design Matrix for paying tribute to design
across genres.
Abner Malik,
Student, New Delhi INBOX
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Coverstory
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 21
Words: Savitha Hira; Images: Prashant Bhat; Location: courtesy ITC Grand Central, Mumbai
KARMIC CHAKRASThat they are institutions in themselves is well known to those even remotely connected to the cityscape of India, but that architects Hafeez Contractor and Sanjay Puri share an unusually warm vibe is a little known fact.
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22 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
An aspiration impelled by self-initiative brings a clas-
sic example to mind: that of the legendary mythologi-
cal Ekalavya, whose consummate skill was abruptly put
to shame through a disparaging guru-dakshina! Yet here was the
perfect example of the guru-shishya parampara that is till date, well
ingrained in the contemporary fabric, but so subtle that escapes
the eye.
Applying the tenet to architecture brings to mind two very
analogous entities – architects Hafeez Contractor & Sanjay Puri.
While Hafeez started absolutely raw with Ar. Khareghat, who initi-
ated the young lad, uncertain of his career, into the dynamic fi eld
of architecture; Sanjay, too, began equally raw with Hafeez, but with
a premeditated intent to be an architect. Both pledge their knowl-
edge base to their respective gurus. “A lot that I know today, I have
learnt from him” each of them recalls; both have tread a trailblaz-
ing path in the Indian architectural scenario; both are dynamic yet
humble… amidst a host of so many other factors.
“I saw the dynamic streak in Sanjay from early on,” says Hafeez,
“He had his originality and would very carefully make a suggestion,
‘can we do it this way or that?’ and yes he was good with his work
and I readily encouraged him. He was also very well-behaved; qui-
et…I don’t think I ever shouted at him.”
“I remember after fi nishing my exams and having done with
studies; when I went into the offi ce, Hafeez immediately announced,
“Arre, Sanjay is now an Associate,” recalls Sanjay, beaming even
today at the memory. The pride in his eyes of having accomplished
his dream is still alive and burning, as is the reverence for his mentor.
Between the two stalwarts, we discover the strength of conviction
and forbearance as it bears the fruit of success, journeying through
the milestones and the milieu …
Savitha Hira: You worked thirteen years with Mr Khareghat.
What was the most important lesson you learnt from him?
Hafeez Contractor: He is the one who introduced me to
architecture. I was going to become an army officer; he told me
to drop everything and join architecture. Everything I am today
is thanks to Khareghat. In fact, I had no place to stay in Bombay,
so he let me stay in his house, I used to eat with him and learn
little things from him every day - how to curtail costs, how to be
simple in life and about spirituality… I even learnt to speak in
English from him! I feel whatever I am today, after my mother, he
comes a close second.
SH: And Sanjay, you worked with Hafeez for nine-and-a-half
years. What about you?
Sanjay Puri: Learnt a lot… but the most important thing I
learnt was ‘closure’; to fi nish a thing immediately; not to keep any-
thing pending, so one saves a lot of time going back and forth
between projects. He also taught me how to close a deal; no ‘I’ll
revert to you’ or ‘let me think about this’. It was always complete
focus on the project at hand – that means all the why’s, what’s,
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24 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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‘‘The most important thing I learnt from Hafeez was ‘closure’; to fi nish a thing immediately; not to keep anything pending, so one saves a lot of time going back and forth between projects.’’
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26 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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how’s, when’s – at a given time and a closure of design and deal.
This is part of the reason that you can do more work.
SH: Did you see any qualities in Sanjay that were a refl ection
of yourself?
HC: From early on, he was very polite, well behaved, and hard-
working. Very good at his design and a good contributor. Very
promising. I was also like that – very creatively inclined and I never
bothered about the money; but I do hope you are taking care of
these things and not making the same mistake I did – of realizing
the value for money a little late in life. (Laughs)
SH: How do you fi nd the time to do everything? How much
of design do you work on yourself?
HC: Sometimes it is 70 per cent, sometimes 60 or 45 per cent,
but my percentage is always there.
SP: Of course, I don’t do the working drawings myself. But I
devote my mornings to designing.
SH: What are your other interests?
HC: Work is my interest. From childhood, I have been designing
things. It was my pastime – it became my profession. I read, listen to
music, I used to do a lot of photography, but I think all of that is part
and parcel of architecture. For me, the best thing to do is devote a
lot of time to work.
SP: Nothing comes a close second…
SH: Apart from work?
SP: It isn’t work, it’s my passion. There is no work happening.
SH: Alright, apart from designing, what else do you do?
SP: When I was working with him (Hafeez), he once asked
me what I did on Sundays; and I said watch movies … and he
had said, “Forget all that; go and look at the construction sites
around your residence… Observe, ask questions and if you don’t
understand anything, come and ask me. In those days, I knew
almost everything about every construction site in South Mum-
bai! That grew into an interest and now I love seeing interesting
buildings, places…
SH: What about your painting?
SP: Painting doesn’t give me that kind of satisfaction anymore.
It, after all, is just a picture within a boundary that may elicit a ‘wow’
but doesn’t do anything to your behaviour, or senses… architec-
ture does that; goes way beyond; because you’re creating spaces
that are exciting, where somebody is interacting with so many
aspects of what you’ve created. I’ve painted a lot; sketched a lot. But
it doesn’t give you the high that designing does. It’s a totally diff er-
ent high putting everything together to arrive at a fi nal structure;
yet another high watching it being executed; seeing it complete is
again a high…
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28 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
SH: And getting the award is…
SP: Yet another high! (Smiles)
SH: What do you feel about the way Sanjay designs? Espe-
cially his award-winning spree of late?
HC: He is doing good work. Regarding awards, I would say no
award comes for a single design. It is a cumulative eff ort of many
things that have gone into making that design. Many factors con-
tribute and then the project is worthy of the award.
SH: You must be facing criticism too. How do you take that?
HC: If I am honest about my work and I believe in it, then let the
criticism come. Many times, people are not capable enough and
so criticize when someone else does it. When somebody can cook
one cuisine and not another, he says that he does not like it. Maybe
he has not learnt how to do that. As architects, we are in a service-
oriented fi eld. One does not have to impose oneself on others. One
has to serve the others. That is the basic diff erence between me and
other architects. Other architects say that they are great and they
show to the world what they want. I don’t think like that. I think that
on certain areas like corporate jobs, we can put our foot forward
and provide a design as per our sensibilities, but for housing, you
have to do what the people are happy with.
SP: Criticism is good. It is welcome. Most of the time you are
own critic; it comes from within. So either you are changing things,
evolving or starting from scratch again… And whatever somebody
tells you stays within. You may say it doesn’t aff ect you, but it is
there…
SH: Anything specifi c to better yourself?
HC: We learn from somebody else. We innovate. Demand and
supply are the most important things. That is what keeps you going.
The demand is always right and what the market says is the most
important thing. That’s it. So, if you are not sensitive to the market,
and you don’t listen to your clients, then you won’t be in the market.
SP: What I need to better is my team where the overall output
is better in terms of quality. When I was working with him, I was in
the know of all the projects irrespective of what was given to me.
This kind of enthusiasm and wanting to be aware of everything that
is happening around you is grossly missing in the present times and
I need to motivate my team towards this. You know you are here for
the journey…so then learn.
SH: What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses
as you see them?
HC: My strength is that I have concentrated on only one subject
– that is architecture. On the other hand, it is also my weakness. It is
taking up a lot of my time.
SP: Strength is the ability to design fast in a contextual way and
evolve; and weakness is that I haven’t got down to motivating my
offi ce enough. I keep doing it on a one-to-one basis but to collec-
tively be able to gear them up… (shrugs)
SH: Any particular attribute you would say is your key to suc-
cess?
HC: There is no substitute for hard work; even brilliance will not
pay by itself.
SP: Luck to a certain extent… Ideas have always been there.
There are so many projects that I have conceived and designed for
years and some projects that were designed long back got built
many years later due to various reasons; now those very projects
are being appreciated.
SH: Was there any project where the two of you have been
pitted together, against each other?
HC: (Thinks) Not that I can remember…
SP: Not just the two of us but the two of us amidst 4-5 others…
SH: So who took the project, you or he?
SP: Feroz Kudienwala took it! (They laugh)
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 29
SH: What is next?
HC: I want to work towards aff ordable housing for
every Mumbaikar. The problem is that our politicians are
not architects and ….
SP: I want to do more, much more… mega proj-
ects...ground-breaking ones.
Ask them about similar ‘disciples’ that they may
have come across and the answer is a sombre ‘not
really’. Times have changed, consequently so have cir-
cumstantial solutions. Yet, the inherent character traits
of an individual do not change; they adapt. As Hafeez
puts it, Kharegat did not instruct him to imbibe the way
he did; and nor did he do that with Sanjay. It is up to
an individual to respond to the wealth in front of him;
how much and what parts of it he can hold, and how
much he can let slip through. Like a sponge, soaking in
as much as possible, but squeezing out in proportion to
the pressure applied.
Both are believers of destiny - the ultimate force to
reckon with… the rest as we see here, is history-in-the-
making
“As architects, we are in a service-oriented fi eld. One
does not have to impose oneself on others. One has
to serve the others”
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30 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Sanjay publicly thanked Hafeez for all that he had learnt fom him when they were both voted among the ‘Top 10 Architects of India’. Hafeez responded, “I wish someday someone who has learned with you says the same to you, then you will experience what I am experiencing now.”
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32 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
There is so much to do, says Hafeez, talking about his work,
that he feels is no work at all, but a way of life. “One doesn’t
have to feel that one is successful and one has to keep on
working. The day you feel that you are successful is the day of your
downfall,” he emphasizes.
Amidst handling vast projects that run into several thousand
square feet, and necessitate multi-design options, the project clos-
est to his heart is that of his social responsibility. That every Mum-
baikar should have a home has been his long awaited dream. “I
am no Archarya Vinobha Bhave or Anna Hazare that I will fast and
lead marches; I am an ordinary man and believe in a balanced diet,”
he explains. So despite globetrotting with projects, he poignantly
questions the sorry state of housing in the country, “With the cur-
rent rate of infl ation, how are our people going to fi nd housing
for themselves?” With a categorical mathematical calculation, he
goes on to explain a bleak housing future and expresses his desire
to make a diff erence by positively infl uencing the policy makers.
“Every Mumbaikar should be able to have his own house at an
aff ordable price,” he muses.
Infl uencing the architectural fabric of the country is a given
with Ar. Hafeez Contractor. His name is synonymous with Mum-
bai’s Hiranandani township at Powai, Delhi’s DLF corporate park
among others, which are distinctive landmarks and bear his indel-
ible stamp. His has been a path-breaking journey, where he has
become the ‘architect of the masses’ lending a sympathetic ear to
builders’ woes whilst chiselling his design responses in tandem with
peoples’ preferences. His designs and approach have evoked admi-
ration and applause; likewise, blasphemous comments and con-
troversies. His repertoire has changed with the times and Hafeez
Contractor Associates has moved on to respond to the current rise
of organic forms that conform to global iconic architecture.
Dynamic as a livewire, one spots the genius behind the staid
impresario as he commands a coterie of young architects and cli-
ents, eff ortlessly switching from project to project, answering que-
ries while redrafting layouts; simultaneously, politely promising to
call back in a brief telecon and yelling for his tea… all in the same
breath.
But that is the way it has always been with Hafeez. While his
four-member offi ce grew from a few hundred square feet to a mas-
sive multi-level buzz of design activity, his white-shirt demeanour
has grown in the stature of his command of the subject and the
business. Not every architect is a businessman but like M F Husain
in the fi eld of fi ne art, Hafeez has shown a marked affi nity for the
moolah, albeit a trifl e late in his career. He recalls a conversation he
once overheard between his clients, who seemed to think that he
was a fool just because he craved creative satisfaction; that was a
changing point in his career. Hafeez then began to comprehend
that no matter what lay underneath, the facia had to glitter – that
moolah when translated, meant success
HAFEEZ CONTRACTOR
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 33
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34 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 35
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36 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
That lessons began in the cradle, so to speak, for him, is an
understatement. Whilst Sanjay was just out of 12th grade, his
fascination with being an architect led him to perform just
about any job that was given to him at Hafeez’s offi ce. In fact, as the
junior-most staff er, Sanjay was initially given all the ‘tedious’ work
of correcting layouts, etc., which he would accomplish by working
extra-hours into the night so that he was ready for a new assign-
ment the next morning. Such enthusiasm, he reminisces, is grossly
missing in the present day.
Watching and working with Hafeez was a complete eye-open-
er, he recalls. From day one when he was asked to read W B Mackay’s
construction book and within fi ve minutes of opening and glancing
at it, he was learning to trace a drawing, assimilating simple tenets
of sticking paper to drawing board and drawing lines. Then came
the site visits, and loads of observation that was directed by Hafeez
and religiously followed by Sanjay.
“It was one experience after another,” Sanjay recalls, “Hafeez
taught me everything. The way a lot of architects could not have
got it after getting qualifi ed also.” Sanjay was a fast learner and
Hafeez recognized the genius in the boy and encouraged him self-
lessly; instilling in him a strong quotient of self-confi dence. A confi -
dence that has precariously bordered on thinking futuristically and
staying grounded, all at once.
The spate of recognition in terms of 54 national and 16 inter-
national awards has brought Sanjay closer to global infl uences in
a manner of actually experiencing diff erent places, trajectories and
environments. The young architect is naturally on a high and rar-
ing to accomplish many more out-of-box projects that will pit his
wit and his design sense against the given programmes, taking the
man to newer levels of design evolution.
His fl uid forms, almost sculptural of late, where the emphasis
is always dictated by function, when examined under the fantastic
visual overtures, are carefully meditated programmes in design and
aesthetic sensibilities. Here is an architect who is waiting to push
the envelope, evolving one winning schematic after another
SANJAY PURI
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 37
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38 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 39
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40 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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Design Matrix_Nov-Dec11.indb 40Design Matrix_Nov-Dec11.indb 40 10/31/2011 4:45:47 PM10/31/2011 4:45:47 PM
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 41
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42 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Futuristicideas
FORWARDLEAP
Words: Savitha Hira; Images: courtesy NAU
In a globally mobile generation, one arm of design appropriates some serious contemplation into creations that express not only mobility, but new ideas of ownership/sharing and impermanent living.
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 43
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THE LIVING ROOF is conceived as
individual suites of an urban rooftop
hospitality getaway – airlifted into most
sought-after locations, condensing daily
needs into a compact and self-sustain-
ing capsule. The ultra-insulated shell
and regenerative systems are equipped
with a functional ring that vertically
combines sleep, lounge and work areas,
and rotates the desired module down-
wards, into operation. Integrated photo-
voltaic cells make it one of the world’s
greenest structures.
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 45
I think many people are looking for ways to
increase their fl exibility to see the world,
to seek out new, extreme experiences
and not be tethered to the things that they
own,” muses Michael Brown, partner NAU,
a multidisciplinary collective of designers
in Zurich. NAU’s design interests embody
the full range of diverse projects, where
built architecture and interior projects
coexist with fully-digital designs for fi lms
and commercials. With an eye on a future
perceived as mobile, lightweight, and self-
sustaining, they have perpetuated a service
simply called ‘Future Design Series’ (FDS).
Started almost accidentally with the fi rst
project, which became the Stratocruiser, for
a book on ‘dream’ architecture, the series
now has 5-6 concepts in the offi ng, ready
for take-off .
Michael explains, “The series came
about when, once deliberating, we real-
ized that architecture had little to do with
bricks and buildings that just sit around
in our dreams. Instead, it should transport
people to diff erent corners of the world,
with gourmet food, beauty treatments,
climbing walls, and bungee jumping along
the way; it needed to have that level of vital-
ity, and that’s how we eventually came to
the solution of a lifestyle zeppelin.” And so
were born ideas like the Immersive Cocoon,
which was conceptualized when CNN asked
Michael to contribute to their “Just Imagine”
series with an idea on what the future of
video games would look like. Designs like
the Ecco and Living Roof lie in this grey area
between product, architecture, and vehicle
design, and were born primarily because
NAU had stories to tell about how people
could live in the future, and so on…
With research being an integral compo-
nent of their regular practice and an even
sharper tool in their design thinking, NAU
has even perpetrated one of the ideas – The
Aspria Hotel, a refurbished industrial build-
ing in Berlin. Three fl oors of an innovative
series of calming, highly modern spaces
that blend harmonious lines, soft colours
and modern materials, the hotel has guests
enter their room to view a panoramic win-
dow and a tailor-made pedestal bed fl oat-
ing in the middle of the space. The bed
unit conceals the wardrobe and minibar,
and integrates reading lights and storage
niches. Nearly 3.5m overhead, the original
ribbed concrete structure is visible, with a
portion of the ceiling sloping down to pres-
ent a fl at-screen television to guests in bed.
View angles are calibrated to allow them
to watch a fi lm while sitting or lying fl at in
bed, while gazing out along the tree tops.
Carefully selected furnishings from Vitra
appoint the room, and a custom-built desk
ECCO: Automobiles are as much about freedom
as passion reinstates Ecco, compact, stylish and
aerodynamic; associated with luxury, performance
and safety. Riding closer to the ground, this design-
classic camper is an all-electric vehicle with no emis-
sions of its own; it can be quickly charged at a stan-
dard 240V station or its built-in photovoltaic panels
and solar sail roof can charge directly from the sun.
The exterior is a harmonious blend of precision alu-
minium and glass; its direct and sculptural form pro-
vides a vastly improved interior volume, wonderful
sight-lines for passengers, and less wind resistance.
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46 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
along the window leans downward to form
a window seat.
The premise of FDS is to imagine how
life might develop 10 years from now. So
most of the products are not invented
out of thin air, but are grounded in exist-
ing technologies that are combined in
new ways. Intended on the one hand as a
provocation to a like-minded investor who
may want to make them a reality, FDS also
serves as a vessel to capture ideas that can
later inform some viable projects. With this
vision of a future, where luxury is intimately
intertwined with ecology, NAU proposes
that the concepts make heavy use of car-
bon fi bre from the automotive industry for
the exterior, and fi bre glass panelling and
leather for the interiors, keeping the materi-
als lightweight to enable the structures to
be air-lifted. Also, most of the designs are
IMMERSIVE COCOON : What began
as a vision for the “future of gaming,”
grew into a virtual world, where we
physically communicate with digital, or
virtual space. This seemed to open up
possibilities that were not only for video
games, but a whole range of activities.
This 4m sphere provides the gateway to
these worlds with a 360° interior dome-
display and sophisticated motion-sens-
ing software. Suddenly ‘virtual’ space
surrounds the user in built form; naviga-
tion is accomplished using simple hand
gestures and intuitive body movements.
The applications are nearly endless.
intended to be completely assembled in
factories before delivery to the consumer.
This ensures that size and weight are kept
at a minimum to allow transportation in
one piece.
Elaborating on these defi ning factors
of portability, modularity and a high coef-
fi cient of aesthetics, Michael says, “I think
that society and our ideas of wealth and
accumulation are starting to shift. We are
moving away from a model of “ownership”
towards one of “access.” Wealth and status
will always involve some level of accumu-
lation of exclusive goods; but for most of
us, experiences matter more than objects.
We don’t need to go out and buy DVDs; we
can stream them when we want to from
Netfl ix.”
And what is the response to this aspect
of futuristic vision that the collaborative
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 47
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48 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
STRATOCRUISER: The modern world and transportation in par-
ticular, is getting faster and cheaper, but more stressful in the
process. Contracted as a study for future travel, the Stratocruiser
proposes mini-cruises – with gourmet dinners, spa treatments
et al whilst overlooking glaciers, tropical jungles or Mayan ruins.
With its carbon-fi bre skin, sectional helium chamber design and
photovoltaic cells, the Stratocruiser’s construction brings new
levels of safety, speed and ecology to travel. Its “doughnut hole”
atrium reinvents the zeppelin concept with a sky lounge on top,
the earthward viewing restaurant on the underside and a recre-
ational climbing wall in between.
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 49
speaks of? “Well,” laughs Michael, “We’ve
had a rather wide range of responses. Per-
haps the most extreme example is the
Immersive Cocoon. We were contacted by
real estate barons, who wanted to be able to
walk their clients virtually through a proper-
ty half a world away. Educators were looking
to use a simplifi ed version of the Cocoon as
an interactive learning device. They were
attracted to the idea of being able to take
their classes through a virtual fi eld trip
through a recreated Pompeii, for example.
At the other end of the spectrum, we were
contacted by the military, who I’m guess-
ing wanted to use the Cocoon as a training
device for their troops. The possibilities are
sometimes frighteningly broad”
ABOUT THE FIRM:NAU is an international, multidisciplinary design fi rm, spanning the spectrum from archi-
tecture and interior design to exhibitions and interactive interfaces with offi ces in Zurich,
Berlin, and Los Angeles. As futurists creating both visual design and constructed projects,
NAU melds the precision of experienced builders with the imagination and attention-to-
detail required to create innovative exhibits, public events and architecture. Distilled in
clear, contemporary forms, the designs of NAU promote modern, fl exible solutions that
engage and welcome.
DOUBLE HORIZON CINEMA: Recalling the Bohemian cinemas of the 1920s, Double
Horizon Cinema combines Kubrick’s futuristic vision with a rich décor. With cutting-edge
technology and deluxe comfort, it creates a new mélange of bar, restaurant and the-
atre. Conceived as a transportable structure, the core services are located in a modular
podium. The spectacular roof and auditorium are made of a dual-layer pneumatic skin
reinforced with light steel structure. Hosting fi lm premieres and special screenings, the
cinema can be erected quickly by crane on urban rooftops or tranquil natural settings.
03_Futuristic Design_ NAUCOOP.indd 4903_Futuristic Design_ NAUCOOP.indd 49 10/31/2011 6:05:40 PM10/31/2011 6:05:40 PM
Legends Noted poet, academician and architect H. Masud Taj reminisces the time spent with Hassan Fathy (1900–1989), the noted Egyptian architect who pioneered appropriate technology for building in Egypt, especially by working to re-establish the use of mud brick (or adobe) and traditional as opposed to western building designs and lay-outs. Fathy was recognized with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Chairman’s Award in 1980.
Words: H. Masud Taj
THE CORD
A fl ight of wide stone steps. Through the
ages its centre has fl attened into a ramp. By
the side, an ancient structure, the colour of
sand, and ahead in the hazy heights, the cita-
del touching the sky. Turning left into a short
lane, dusty and unpaved — urchins playing
about in the nine o’clock heat. A little further,
a massive wooden door. There is no knocker
or bell so I push and it opens rather smoothly.
It is dark and cool. My eyes adjust; I am in a
courtyard a Thousand and One Arabian Nights
in its details. I call out the name of Hassan
Fathy; no one answers. There is an earthen
pot in the centre and a low arch opposite.
Through it I emerge into another courtyard,
cooler and less dark. By a stairway sways a slim
white cord. I pull. Somewhere above a tinkling
sound.
Bells, I had heard them all through my
travels. In the remote islands of Yugoslavia at
the stroke of every hour; the electrically-con-
trolled bells in Ronchamp, France; low octave
ones round the neck of Swiss cows, and the
usually out-of-tune Big Ben. I pull again, and
again the delicious sound.
Yesterday I was in Athens, in the library
of Doxiadis leafi ng through magazines and
papers. I came across an article on bricks. It
was simple and refreshing. The author was
Hassan Fathy. I got his address from the librar-
ian, it was in Cairo. Although Egypt was not
on my schedule, I decided on impulse to
visit it. I pull the cord again. Perhaps he isn’t
at home but I decide to linger awhile. There is
a serenity about this courtyard which I want
to soak in before facing the Cairo outside —
chaotic, dusty, exuberant, abounding with
life and people. I pick up a piece of paper and
address it to Fathy. I am a student in search of
Architecture, I’m here for two days and will be
leaving tomorrow evening... I am engrossed in
writing and look up to fi nd him next to me. I
greet him in Arabic and spontaneously hand
over the note. He smiles. Although nearing
eighty there is a childlike innocence about
him. Immaculately dressed in earthy browns,
it is his eyes that impress — dreamy and very
expressive. I was wrong about leaving the
next evening, I stayed for a month.
THE MUSICALITY
The Garden City is a modern zone in
Cairo. On the map it appears like a tangled
mass of rope that some town-planner forgot
to pick up. Once inside you lose all sense of
direction, Fathy and I are heading for the Arab
League’s Headquarters. What a mess, he tells
me. These streets, like the car, are ambigu-
ous — you can hardly tell the front from the
rear For town-planning, look at the trees. See
how the main trunk fl ows into branches twigs
stems and veins of the leaf — there is hierar-
chy and you know where you are. He pauses. VISI
ON
ARY
THE
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Academic training is nonsense, schools turn
out student machines with no imagination.
It took me ten years to purge myself of it, he
says. Again the leaf, before it joins the twig
there is the stem — the stem is the transition;
like the musician who moves from the mode
to the melody — there is a system of connec-
tion. In fact I’m trying to introduce musicality
in the teaching of town-planning in schools. A
music composition has more to do with mel-
odies than with scales; likewise, architecture is
more to do with space than with shape — it is
the space between the walls and not the walls
themselves.
Music is important to Fathy; someone
told me that he is an able violinist. In the fi rst
few days he said he had diffi culty getting
accustomed to the musicality of my voice — I
suppose he meant my accent. One night, after
dinner Fathy put a Brahms on the stereo. The
western classical was not out of place in the
Arab setting. He then sat down and contin-
ued to work on a township he was planning
around the oasis of El Kharga. He worked late
into the night. I watched. I began to under-
stand through his drawing what I had been
unable to grasp in his words.
THE GLASS BOWL
We speed towards the ancient city of
Alexandria In a black six-seater, Fathy has
designed a house there, which I think he par-
ticularly likes. Perhaps that is why he wants
me to see it. We pass a factory, a concrete box
squatting uneasily in the desert sand. Fathy
looks away — he does not like what he sees,
and I understand. There were certain areas,
however, where I tended to disagree with his
viewpoint. To give an instance, there are many
structures in the West which I have seen and
for which I have regard. I like Corbusier’s Ron-
champ Chapel very much and he does not.
Fathy also feels strongly about the car. The
man behind the wheel, he says, is reduced to
a mechanist being. But, I interrupted, were it
not for the car it would have been impossible
for us to go all the way to Alexandria to see a
house you’ve designed, and return the same
day. Not so, he smiles. In that case, the house
would never have been that far, it would be
within a radius of half a day’s walk and then
we would be strolling through breezy lanes
and trees instead of being confi ned in a
machine for three hours.
The house, like all Fathy’s houses, is
remarkably cool. The mud-brick dome is
pierced with round holes that have coloured
glass panes. When I climb to the top of the
dome, I fi nd them to be merely coloured glass
bowls that were fi xed inverted, covering the
holes. I had seen them being sold in plenty
by the street side, in Cairo’s crowded bazaars.
From dusty pavements to the top of the
dome — such transformations are character-
istic of Fathy’s style. The interior of the house
is bare. Fathy is asking the caretaker what has
happened to all the curtains, tapestries and
carpets. The man gives evasive answers — it
is clear that he is behind it all, but Fathy does
not accuse, only his eyes show his surprise. He
is hurt. And so it has been throughout his life.
If it is not the offi cialdom, it is the petty thief.
When we leave, Fathy asks me what I think of
the house. I tell him also saying that it needed
looking after. And yet noble, he adds. When
we reach the road, a short distance away, I
can no longer see the house. It is hidden by
a dune.
THE NICHE
Fathy’s diet is ascetic but he dines like a
king. The cutlery is a good example of Turkish
silver craftsmanship. The translucent dishes
and bowls, I think, are Alexandrian. Chicken
broth with bread-sticks, followed by sweet-
ened guavas and a red sherbet from Sudan
made of dried petals. We eat in silence, his cat
Mish-mish at our feet. In the wall behind him
is a niche with a lamp. The niche is covered by
a hinged traditional wooden screen (mushra-
beya) which diff uses the light. When he needs
more light he simply opens the screen. Next
to it is one of Fathy’s miniature paintings. My
eyes are on it while I eat. I fi nd it puzzling. It
shows a dome and vaulted building as seen
from the front, and yet the courtyard of the
same building is as if viewed from the top.
Both viewpoints in the same scene. Is that
building in plan or elevation, I ask Fathy. He
does not like my question. That is irrelevant, he
says. Through subsequent discussions I began
to understand. A perspective views the world
from a particular standpoint and in doing so
imposes its own order. Things appear big or
small, important or trivial depending on the
relative position of the viewer. It is subjective.
The miniature painting on the other hand is
‘realist’ in the sense that it strives to capture
the essence of things and not merely their
appearances.
A week later Fathy gives me the keys to his
house in Gourna, where I stay for some time
before moving in deeper into the Valley of the
Dead. There I come across the ramped Tem-
ple of Deir D Bahri with a backdrop of a sheer
rise of limestone mountains and the intense
blue sky above. In its colonnade I notice a
bas-relief. It shows Queen Hatsheput’s ship as
viewed from the side with a row of oarsmen
dipping their oars in the water which with its
variety of fi sh swimming in it all shown as if
viewed from above. Both viewpoints in the
same continuous scene...
THE TWILIGHT
It is one of my last meetings with Fathy,
and he is rather silent the sun begins to set.
Come, he says, I shall show you my piece
of sky. The sight from his terrace is stun-
ning. The house is at a height and we stand
level with the top of the gigantic ancient
mosques. The sun’s rays are bursting from
behind a minaret. The Earth must meet the
Sky, he says, the body with the soul. Look at
the castings running upon the length of the
wall. The shape of their Earth-mass is a rep-
lica of the shape of the sky-void between
them. The shape itself is that of a trl-foll lily
(‘brides of the sky’ the Arabs call them). With
the cresting, the contact is made on an indi-
vidual level, with the minaret, it is on a com-
munity level. The sky was now a spreading
red, the silhouette of the mosques and
minarets stood defi ned dark and powerful.
See how the minaret accelerates your vision
upwards. It is divided into sections that
rhythmically shorten the higher you go, like
an accelerando, in music. And the sections
keep getting narrower and their shapes
also change — from square to octagonal to
cylindrical, adding to the acceleration. Fathy
talked on till twilight merged into darkness
and the stars gathered their intensity
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 51
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54 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
A designer’s responsibility lies primarily in giving his client not just the best but also the most appropriate design solution. A case in point is the STCI corporate office in Mumbai designed by JTCPL Designs.
Words: Babita Krishnan; Images: Prashant Bhat
APPROACHA DISCIPLINED
Corporatedesign
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56 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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58 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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60 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
How creative can you get when
designing an offi ce space? How
can somebody get creative
satisfaction in doing only corporate
projects? How does one decode this
creative mind?
Having earned the reputation of being
one of the leading fi rms in the corpo-
rate design sector, Mumbai-based JTCPL
Designs along with its Principal Architect
Ninad Tipnis provide the answers. “What
resonated within me, and I found com-
mon in the corporate sector, is discipline.
Here discipline is exercised in two verticals
– time and cost. Though you have a struc-
tured journey, there is a lot of play that you
can enjoy within that structure,” Ninad
explains. A corporate is essentially a body
of highly motivated individuals working
towards a common goal that depends on
a strong sense of collaboration between
diff erent streams of work. “You learn from
them and then implement it in your studio
because an architectural studio is all about
collaboration. The biggest learning is that
everybody is dispensable and in spite of
having the sword of dispensability hang-
ing on your head, you have to make a mark
for yourself. It’s all about your actions and
work,” he says.
So what do you do when the need to
recreate the brand image of your hi-profi le
client comes shortly after you have done it
the last time? You challenge yourself and
off er an outstanding solution that would
not only grab maximum eyeballs but also
be the most viable. “We don’t restack plac-
es, only those that we have done earlier,”
Ninad says and adds that there is a very
nice way of developing a method to the
madness. Your crazy ideas as a designer
get disciplined into a method owing to
the various constraints, as you always
crosscheck them to see if they are feasible
within the time frame and budget.
A case in point is the offi ce of Securi-
ties Trading Corporation of India Limited
(STCI). It was important for a company
like STCI, which has its own unique set of
fi nancial services, to have a brand image
that refl ected not only by its values but in
the interiors of its offi ce too. The challenge
according to Ninad, was the fact that they
were asked to redesign the space quite
soon after they had completed the STCI
offi ce. “Typically we plan leasehold work-
space developments for at least fi ve years.
But since we had created this offi ce space
just a year ago, we challenged ourselves to
reuse as much as possible,” Ninad reveals.
This 20,000 sq. ft. offi ce space is
very easy to decode as the fresh design
approach is concentrated on only three
areas – public interface area, cafeteria &
boardroom – everything else is recycled.
The widest spectrum of visitors to an
offi ce is at its public interface or reception
area, and a part of its role is to represent the
image of a company besides its work. “We
decided that the reception should be very
strong in its design language, explanative
and assertive without being in your face,”
explains Ninad. The design team used the
‘busy ceiling’ to visually convey the design
concept without obstructing the func-
tioning on the fl oor. They worked out the
progressions given by the curvilinear form
on the ceiling and after resolving it in 3D,
decided to adopt one particular combina-
tion as a unifying element throughout the
offi ce space. Grains of the expressive Ser-
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 61
peggiante marble fl ooring complement
the ceiling and create a sense of depth.
Though Ninad would have liked to cre-
ate the cafeteria afresh, he felt it was not
fair to make the client invest in something
that was still relatively new. “Though it is
not a LEED-certifi ed project because of
the building, it is a highly sustainable one
because we have a strong recycled ele-
ment to it,” he smiles and reveals that they
decided to be very loud and excessive in
terms of colours, geometry and the kind
of elements used in the ceiling. Choosing
to use the existing air conditioning (cas-
sette units) was deliberate as it provided
the fl exibility of use with minimum occu-
pancy. In a smart move to divert attention
from the not-so-new elements, a very
expressive false ceiling was created to
draw the vision away from the AC covers.
The vertical planes also work towards the
same end with appealing graphics that
were developed by the JTCPL team.
The third space with a fresh look – the
Board Room – is a unique study in itself
because it caters to a very high-powered
Board that constitutes heads of Public Sec-
tor Undertakings. “We knew who would
use the space and the average age group.
We tried to completely shed the image of
a Govt. of India Undertaking, which does
not project a very desirous image,” Ninad
explains. It meant increasing the luxe lev-
els and so this area gets a fancy ceiling
and the concept of the “tree of prosper-
ity” that runs on the ceiling and the ver-
tical panelling. Being one of the largest
fi nancial dealers of the country, they deal
in wealth – this motif gives a touch of Indi-
anness. With a very stark, dark and formal
look, everything has a place and reason to
be here and only areas that highlight the
concept are lit.
“There was another challenge that
we had to resolve. An entity of STCI had
grown from a fl edgling into an inde-
pendent function and we had to house
it as a separate unit within the whole
offi ce schematic – so we created a verti-
cal separation,”Ninad reveals. This meant
essentially two offi ces with shared servic-
es – reception, cafeteria and board room.
The challenge was to slice an enormous
space into half and the team wanted to
give a design solution rather than just
provide a masonary wall in the middle of
the structure. “We designed a storage unit
and played with it graphically.” Also the
circulation of the visitors within the space
was visualized and needed to be guided
via access control – the areas were then
divided as pre and post access control. All
that is pre access control defi nitely grabs
more eyeballs in comparison.
These three areas refl ect the image
of the company – to the uninitiated it is
glamorous; those who understand can
read the study of the curvilinear form and
to others it is just a conscious eff ort of
shedding the existing image. A corporate
workspace has always been the micro-
cosm of the market place, so the way the
workspaces have evolved tells us how
the economy has evolved globally. With
access to the best technology and mate-
rial in the world, the most important thing
is achieving uniformity in design. The STCI
offi ce proves beyond doubt that corpo-
rate design is not only evolving but can be
as dynamic as one wants – discipline is the
master key
ABOUT THE FIRM:JTCPL Designs is an ISO 9001:2008 certifi ed
studio, specializing in creating aesthetic
workplaces and is today recognized as a
design company with incessant creativity,
discerning taste and for meticulous execu-
tion. The team is a diverse mix of Archi-
tects, Interior Designers, Engineers and
Contractors that brings together an ideal
mix of theoretical and practical knowledge.
The studio focuses primarily on corporate
offi ce spaces ensuring deeper understand-
ing of all design nuances, quicker response
times, and fl awless execution of all tasks at
hand. Their designs are not only character-
ized by simplicity, but also by distinct lines
and elegant forms incorporating a sense of
movement, fl exibility as well as scalability.
Website - www.jtcpldesigns.com
Facebook - www.facebook.com/pages/
JTCPLDesigns/150942528275885
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62 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Artytechture
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Going beyond paper hats, butterflies or book-marks, Origami is a discipline that throws up possibilities as a
means of exploring shape and form, besides standing-in as an efficient and economical prototyping tool.
ORIGAMIWords: Udit Chaudhuri; Images: courtesy Hafeez Contractor Associates
Paper Art: Pravin Pereira
D E S I G N A N D B E Y O N D
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 63
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64 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 65
Possibilities increase as more forms of paper enter the market. Paper-making is catching on as a hobby, art form plus rehabilitative activity. With a progressive ban on plastics, especially treated and coated papers for a variety of purposes are being developed to substitute plastics.
No cutting or pasting is involved in single unit folding; yet, folds and surfaces show up a range of light and line effects as well as structural properties that make it diffi cult to believe that these are paper objects!
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66 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
A lthough designers use a slew
of computerized 3D modelling
programmes, our computer
monitors are 2D. Designers fear bugs,
sometimes inevitable, despite the facilities
of revolving, animating and rendering
to simulate reality. This is why many still
insist on at least one sketch-model prior to
refi nement and prototyping. While most do
a cut-and-paste job, select designers use
origami techniques, systematically folding
the component forms of any solid shape –
cubes, cones, cylinders, prisms, pyramids,
etc. This is not only fast, but also helps in
debugging and calculated modifi cations
via incremental changes, compared to
conventional surface development, cutting
and pasting. Thus, they use paper to do the
job of wire-frame models.
Albeit classically a Japanese art - ‘oru’
for paper and ‘kami’ for folding – there are
variants. Just as classical music has its notes,
scales, harmonies, melodies and sympho-
nies, origami has its elements beginning
in Bases - Waterfall the most commonly
known, beside Kite, Bird, Fish, Frog and oth-
ers. Then are disciplines in folding, creas-
ing, shaping, etc. Like Euclidean geometry,
origami, too, has its repertory of postulates,
axioms and theorems, contributed by mas-
ters over the ages. But, just as music and
geometry are light and recreational, origami
has its facets – pure fun, as a tool for math
learning, analysis, design and as a great chil-
dren’s outlet. Websites like www.origami.
com, www.oriland.com, www.paperfolding.
com and David Mitchell’s www.origamiheav-
en.com are a feast to the eye and mind alike,
as are the downloads and gallery pages at
the Origami Mitra website. Courses are also
coordinated by cultural-diplomatic bodies
including the Indo-Japanese Association.
Inspired by origami, architects for
example, use multiple-folding as a stiff ener
in designing thin zig-zag walls, roofs and
shades, greatly saving on material. Some
improvise thin-slab roofs and arches. Few
have attempted developed paper homes
using multiple layering, recycled packing
and newsprint, pleating and creasing for
strength, not always in commercial interest.
A lead designer at a European auto giant
apparently found similar inspiration and
designed the fi rst monocoque automobile
shell. He folded a mini-bus body entirely
from a single sheet of steel. Complex and
costly in tool-up, this revolutionary design
however, gave inherent strength on a
lighter weight and set the trend, followed
world-wide.
Likewise, several decorative lamp-
shades and danglers are improvised by art-
ists and designers alike. Shapes vary from
polyhedral forms to volutes and spirals, cre-
ating a pattern of shadows from their folds
and glow or refl ection from the surfaces
that make you wonder if these are crystals
or jewellery, especially when a light source
is added therein. Not to be left out, math
teachers have used origami as a teaching
tool that breathes life into an otherwise dry
and dull subject, fi ring childrens’ imagina-
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tion. Student-teacher groups like Origami
Mitra (www.origamimitra.com) showcase
their collective talent periodically at Mum-
bai. Practically any exhibition by serious ori-
gami practitioners will have one display of a
rock, pile of books or a box supported by a
hand-corrugated sheet of paper.
The packaging industry abounds with
uses of origami discipline, from wrap-cov-
ers to paper-boards. Possibilities increase
as more forms of paper enter the market.
Paper-making is catching on as a hobby, art
form plus rehabilitative activity. With a pro-
gressive ban on plastics, especially treated
and coated papers for a variety of purposes
are being developed to substitute plastics.
Further, devising heavy-duty paper-
boards, improvising folding methods and
economical glue-free joints, designers have
developed entire furniture systems from
garden chairs to full home systems. These
combine weightlessness with strength.
One range designed by Industrial Design
Centre, IIT-Bombay and produced by Jaina
Packaging, especially caters to the young
mobile professional, who gets a smart
quick-setup solution on moving into an
apartment. A choice of colours with coat-
ing makes this quite durable and attractive,
whereas with each (frequent) shift, this user
has the choice to change.
Scientists are inspired by origami to
understand and analyse concepts and
some have made signifi cant contributions.
Robert J Lang (www.langOrigami.com) a
PhD from Cal-Tech and retired engineer,
made it possible to develop solid forms by
writing algorithms inspired by origami, thus
evolving the art of Computational Origami,
along with Erik Lang and Erik Demaine of
the Computer Science Lab at MIT. They
have proven that any shape can be folded
out of a single surface and a single edge!
Lang’s algorithms have improved air-
bags and expandable space telescopes.
Bioengineers are using computational
origami to understand physiology and
improve medical devices. Lang’s method
could help researchers understand how
proteins fold in our bodies, for example,
to treat protein-folding disorders like Mad
Cow disease. Origami may also help unclog
arteries by improving the traditional stents
used in coronary surgery. However, Lang
also makes elaborate models like those of
a reptile or insect, detailing each scale and
antler with the same method. A programme
called Tree-Maker is available for download
from his aforementioned website.
Origami provides the wise one as much
to think about as it proves a perennial toy
to the playful – as a source of inspiration
as well as a means of expression. A lifetime
may be too short to explore all its possibili-
ties!
Udit Chaudhuri is a Mumbai-based full-service
product launch consultant, who has been part
of several design and manufacturing initia-
tives since 1979. A design strategist and prolifi c
writer, he can be contacted at uditnc@gmail.
com
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68 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Speaking of origami as a popular design tool is one thing and seeing the way these folds can actually be applied in practice is quite another!
It is amazing to see a concept or design thought translated into actuality. Young designer
Mansi Mehta, who had conventionally accepted paper as a mere writing medium during
her growing years, was pleasantly surprised to discover its latent potential when she was
introduced to the Japanese fold of origami and kirigami. A product and furniture designer,
Mansi soon decided to apply the methods of folding and cutting with an understanding of
math. This scientifi c approach and a focussed application translated the inane activity into
an inspirational art.
“It was inspiring to see how sculpture of paper can be applied to design in life,” she
says. The art of origami and beauty of shapes inspire her and she believes that simple things
in life are the most extraordinary. Talking about her own origami-inspired furniture range,
Mansi leads us through centre tables, pouff es, chairs, benches, consoles, TV units, etc. that
are as remarkable in their design as they are simple.
But is it really as simple? Apparently not… “It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be
to translate the model into a furniture piece. It was rather challenging to be creative while
keeping the technical points in mind,” confesses Mansi. But given the newness of the idea,
she found people responding to each piece of furniture as a work of art
actice is
DESIGN AND BEYOND
Words: Babita Krishnan; Images: courtesy Mansi Mehta
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70 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
PRESENTING THE
PAST
Restoration
The faint memory of a forgotten architectural marvel published in school textbooks came alive when a masterpiece stood commandingly tall on a drizzly morning, against the backdrop of an ash-laden sky.
Words & Images: Baya Agarwal
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72 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Unlike the rest of the sleep-washed
city, Humayun’s Tomb is abuzz
with activity even at dawn.
Located in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area, the site
is undergoing major conservation work.
The magnifi cent mausoleum of the Mughal
Emperor Humayun was commissioned
by his wife Hamida Banu Begum and
designed by a Persian architect, Mirak Mirza
Ghiyath, illustrating the heavy infl uence of
Samarkand architecture in the construction.
As soon as one enters the majestic
green gardens – lending the structure its
popular tag ‘fi rst garden tomb of the Indi-
an sub-continent’. The red sandstone and
white marble structure is a reminder of the
site’s splendid past. Eff orts are now being
made by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture
(AKTC) in partnership with the Archaeo-
logical Survey of India with co-funding from
the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust to conserve the
extremely signifi cant archaeological and
architectural heritage of the site.
The Humayun Tomb is part of one
of the densest ensembles of medieval
Islamic buildings in India. The decaying
structure was fi rst inspected and then a
conservation plan chalked out aiming to
recover the integrity of the mausoleum,
authenticity of design, form and material.
The structure, which, over the years, was
robbed of its character by using 20th cen-
tury modern materials, is undergoing the
process of rediscovery, wherein restoration
of the original aesthetics of the monument
is being carried out. For this, native crafts,
long-neglected skills and traditional tech-
niques are being revived. Craftsmen trained
in specifi c skills are being called upon from
various regions to ensure that the conserva-
tion is as true to the original as possible.
Though most of the craft traditions
used in the structure at the time of its con-
struction continue to thrive in India, it was
discovered that the tile-making traditions of
the Mughals had long been abandoned. A
fi ne example of reviving the long-forgotten
glazed ceramic-tile technique is seen in
a restoration of the eight small canopies
on the roof of Humayuns Tomb. Originally
decoratively clad in glazed ceramic tiles,
the now worn-out (leading to partial or
full disappearance of the colourful tiles),
and replaced-with-cement canopies were
thoroughly studied via a series of physical
and chemical analyses by the authorities in
charge of the conservation. It was deduced
that the restoration mandated original pat-
terns to be recreated. Four craftsmen from
Uzbekistan with closest matching samples
have then been entrusted the job to ensure
the most accurate restoration of the tile
work at the tomb.
Under the leadership of architect Fark-
hod Bagirov, trained artisans Namandjon
Mavlyanov, Kurbon Melikov and Bakho-
durkhuja Rakhmatov, who have picked up
the traditional art form from their ances-
tors, have managed to recreate the exact
shades of green, lapis blue, turquoise blue,
yellow and white on the tiles using varying
proportions of local soils. Cobalt, Copper
and Antimony are being used to create tile
bodies matching the original. Dressed in
his traditional outfi t, craftsman Namandjon
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74 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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Some interesting facts on the conservation project at Humayun’s Tomb :• Initiated in 2007
• A million kilos of 20th century con-
crete has been removed from the
roof
• 12,000 sq. m. of the mausoleum’s
plinth got rid of concrete.
• Plinth repaved with gigantic Quartiz-
ite blocks that can weigh up to 3,000
kilos each.
• Over 100,000 sq. ft. of lime plaster car-
ried out on the lower cells.
(Source: AKTC)
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76 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Mavlyanov is overwhelmed with the experi-
ence of recreating what the great rulers had
originally made.
Architect Farkhod Bagirov, while try-
ing to match the colours of the hot and
baked hand-made tiles from the kiln, says,
“Tile-work is a complex, traditional art form
in Uzbekistan, passed down from genera-
tions. The tomb of Humayun, modelled on
Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum of his ancestor
Timur in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, is the key
link between the Indian monument and our
tile-making style.”
Local youth are being trained in tile
production and the knowledge is being
passed on to them to ensure that restora-
tion of the grandeur of a structure can also
facilitate resurrecting a craft tradition that
has been lost in the last generation.
As the tile work proceeds and the local
youth receive training, craftsmen from
other parts of the country have also been
called to the site to start work on areas of
their expertise. The artisans tirelessly trace
drawings of the original jaali patterns in the
Tomb using natural dye; and then cut out
the lattice screen from the stone with their
cutter tools. These lattice screens demand
extreme hard work and precision. It takes a
minimum of four sandstone craftsmen, and
almost two months to carve a single screen
to be installed in the doorways of the gates.
The sandstone craftsmen employ the
traditional hand-chiselling technique, rath-
er than using machine tools, as it allows the
fi nish to match the original and eventually
result in a similar surface. Currently, around
200 craftsmen are employed to prepare
the required sandstone elements that have
deteriorated beyond repair or to incorpo-
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 77
rate new elements such as paving, benches,
etc., as part of the ongoing conservation.
Decorative and ornamental plaster-
work, buried under thick layers of cement
is being revealed and redrawn to match
the authentic patterns. Concrete on the
roof has been manually removed by metic-
ulous chiselling. The dilapidated ceilings
are being re-plastered and the original star
pattern in the ceiling revived.
Due to replacement and partial repairs
carried out in the 20th century, portions of
the upper platform plinth faced water-log-
ging; thus causing serious structural cracks
in the ceilings of the cells below. To ensure
easy rainwater disposal and to give proper
slope to the paving, the existing red sand-
stone paving has been manually lifted and
replaced with stones of the same size.
The enclosure wall of the site, that suf-
fered partial or total loss is being repaired
by using the techniques and materials
close to the ones that were perhaps, used
in the original process. A series of arches
originally burrowed in the enclosure wall,
are now being rebuilt. Restoration of
the collapsed portions is also underway.
Decayed water sprouts in the Charbaghs
(a Persian style garden) are being repaired.
The conservation and restoration
work of this architectural marvel when
complete, is expected to bring back to life
various traditional techniques involved in
Islamic architecture. The Humayuns Tomb
is a blend of various architectural styles;
its conservation is indirectly helping in
bringing together artisans and resurrect-
ing some fast-fading traditional crafts in
India and renewing the architectural ties
between regions
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BODYB E A U T I F U L
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 81
Personadesign
Y
Vanity or insanity, we aren’t sure; but the quest for the perfect body can be quite daunting.Words: Varun GodinhoImages: courtesy Time Out
T he quest to gain that perfect body is anything but new. Body contouring cosmetic
surgery, smile clinics that off er smile rejuvenation, nail art, tummy tuck, tongue, lip,
body piercing in general, eyeball tattooing,,, you name it!
From models, who want less than a centimetre of fat removed from their thighs to
actresses, who need more than a couple of centimetres added to their breasts, it’s all in a
day’s work for a cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Sandip Jain, a cosmetic surgeon, who practises at
Breach Candy Hospital and Saifee Hospital in Mumbai, fi nds himself on speed dial for many
from the glamour industry, who have just made it to the city. “Once I had the 26 or 27-year-
old lady from the entertainment industry come to me. She was of absolutely normal weight
and all she wanted was a very subtle improvement in the lower body. These are the most
diffi cult cases to treat since what they are looking for is the transition from what they per-
ceive as normal to what they perceive as perfection. So we require more artistic rather than
surgical skills,” he says.
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82 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 83
While the role of Dr. Jain may swing
from being an artist to performing as a sur-
geon, Hetal Turakhia of Beyond Smiles is a
dentist who can also get you a tooth tattoo
along with your root canal. Beyond Smiles,
with centres in Pune, Goa and Mumbai have
specialized in dental tourism and tooth tat-
toos. “There are two methods that I use to
tattoo patient’s teeth. The fi rst is the den-
tal crown procedure. This includes a sticker
pasted onto a sheet that then caps the
crown. The other is the airbrush technique,
wherein a sticker is pasted on the enamel
of the tooth,” she explains. For between
`3,000 - 6,000, you could get a simple Ich-
iban (‘one’ or ‘fi rst’ in Japanese), smiley or
any other symbol of your choice. The paint
used is completely safe even if it is ingested
and the procedure can be easily reversed -
all that needs to be done is to scrape off a
layer of the enamel with the image pasted
on it!
Although procedures like tooth tat-
toos are relatively harmless and complete-
ly reversible, cosmetic surgery is almost
always accompanied by psychological
baggage. Psychologists can play the role
of an arbitrator and ombudsman in the
scuttle for beauty incomparable. Body dys-
morphic disorder, where a person continu-
ously perceives an imperfection with their
appearance, is something that cosmetic
surgeons often encounter. If a psycholo-
gist hasn’t stepped in and red fl agged a
patient intent on unnecessary, or at times
dangerous, cosmetic procedures, then doc-
tors do the job. Dr. Jain elaborates, “If there
is a disconnect between what the patient
is describing and the amount of concern
it is actually causing the patient, or when
they can’t pinpoint what they want done,
then I would discourage them from doing
any procedure because they will never be
happy with what we do.” Another telling
sign that sets off warning bells in his head is
when patients ask him questions like, “What
is wrong with my face?”
Even if nothing noticeably requires
improvement, a wedding could just about
be the excuse that brides use to get cos-
metic surgeries done. Institutes like the
Cosmetic Surgery Institute, Mumbai, off er a
bridal package, which will give you the rea-
son to smile perfectly if everything’s going
hunky-dory or even pout just as well, if the
event manager can’t seem to fi gure out
what you want. Irrespective of age, reason
or season, remember that your rump and
breast, arm and waist, tooth and nail, aren’t
beyond the reach of a perfect ten
Even if nothing noticeably requires improvement, a wedding could just about be the excuse that brides use to get cosmetic surgeries done.
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88 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Photofeature
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 89
O N A D I F F E R E N T
When they are not putting design concepts on paper for
their clients, Mujib Ahmed & Lalita Thadani of Collaborative
Architecture, are trotting around the countryside armed with
a camera (Lalita) and a sketch book (Mujib), fl irting with light
and space through pinhole views and laced perspectives, and
capturing their artistic inclinations on distinctive canvases. We
unveil their latent talent…
PLANE
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90 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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92 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 93
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94 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 95
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96 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 97
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98 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
Musings
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 99
Creating children’ story-books is probably as fascinating as tapping into a child’s imagination. So what does it take to create these books?
Words: Priyanka Mathur; Images: courtesy Time Out
THROUGH A CHILD’S EYES
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100 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
W hat was your favorite book
as a child? Was it Winnie the
Pooh series, a book of classic
fairytales, or Peter Rabbit? Some children’s
books never seem to lose their popularity,
no matter how old the stories become. But
have you ever stopped to wonder what
made them so popular in the fi rst place?
Was it the story or the visuals that made
you love it so much? Or perhaps, it was the
imagination behind creating such a book
that struck a chord with you?
Imagination is probably one of the
greatest gifts that have been bestowed on
children. The ability to look at anything – be
it an object or one of life’s basic lessons –
from a completely diff erent perspective
is something only a child can possess. So
in order to create anything for children to
read, it is important to start thinking like
them.
There is an elaborate thought-process
that goes into conceptualizing and creating
a children’s book. Most children’s minds are
in a formative stage, and what they see in
their daily lives, does eventually have a last-
ing impression on their personalities. Thus,
most story-books that are created, impart
a moral or a lesson, which will help in the
child’s development. (“And the moral of the
story is…” still rings in my ears!) However,
this is done in a way that the child can best
understand, especially with fun ‘tools’ like
talking animals and vibrant colours. For
example, stories from Aesop’s Fables, such
as the Boy who cried Wolf and The Hare and
the Tortoise, make use of the natural tenden-
cies of animals to focus on human traits and
wisdom. The tortoise was shown as slow,
the hare as quick, wolves as cunning, and
so on.
Radhika Menon of Tulika Publications,
Chennai, explains, “Children’s books are all
about fun and creativity. Most of the sto-
ries have a moral ingrained in them, and
in order to draw the young reader’s atten-
tion to it, we ensure that the message is
conveyed in an enjoyable and interesting
manner. Thus, we try and stay away from
the didactic style of teaching, and ensure
that the books we publish are in no way
preachy.”
Illustrations are as important as the
edit, she continues. As a lot of young chil-
dren are learning to read, it is important to
support the text with good visuals. The old
habit of reading books has taken a back
seat in most households, where cartoons
on TV and DVDs have enticed young chil-
dren into a more visual medium. But for
those who continue to rever books, there is,
what she calls, the Disney illustrative style.
In an attempt to ingrain Indian morals and
philosophies among young children, this
Western ideology is adapted to the Indian
context, where Radhika and her team of
illustrators make use of Indian art forms in
their visuals. They try and give a more folksy
appeal to their books, and work on devel-
oping new illustrations in this vein.
Citing an example, she says, “Tara
Publishing is one of the few publishers of
children’s books in India that makes illustra-
tions based only on Indian concepts. For
example, our books have made use of Warli
art in one publication, which later went on
to become a huge hit. Till date, Tara Publish-
ing has won two awards for its book arts at
K
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 101
the Bologna Book Festival held in Italy.”
Another publisher echoing the same
sentiment is Sangeeta of the Mumbai-
based publishing house – Vakilsonline.
Keeping in tune with the ideology of devel-
oping visuals that have Indian infl uences,
Vakilsonline goes a step further and ropes
in its corporate social responsibilities into
its artwork.
Sangeeta explains, “In India, the amount
of talent is phenomenal. At Vakilsonline, we
try to make use of talented disabled indi-
viduals. For instance, we once had a boy
from the NGO, Akanksha make an illustra-
tion for one of our book covers. Because of
his young age, he was able to understand
the brief given to him and was able to make
artwork that aptly refl ected what was being
said in the book. The overall result was a
child-like illustration, which turned out to
be an instant hit with our readers.”
Keeping in mind that the audiences
being targeted are children within the age
group of 3 – 8years, Sangeeta goes on to
explain some of the factors she keeps in
mind when designing a book. “The sim-
pler, the better,” she emphasizes. The fonts
chosen are simple and readable, the imag-
ery easy to understand. After visiting the
Bologna book festival, she realized that
the books exhibited had left a lot of white
space on the pages, thus giving the reader
the chance to appreciate and understand
the imagery. Whereas, Indian books tend to
have several illustrations crammed up into
empty spaces, giving the entire book a very
busy, and often, chaotic feel. This, she feels
makes it diffi cult for the child to understand
what is being conveyed in the image, and
as a result, the entire purpose of placing the
illustrations on the page is lost.
With the evolution in book art and
design, new ideas have emerged. Keep-
ing aside the set formula of talking animals
and vibrant colours, pop-up books, books
with moving images, 3D books, and books
with audio facilities have been developed
and have become equally popular. Just as
how a child’s imagination has no boundar-
ies, creating a children’s book has countless
opportunities… provided you unleash the
child in you
The ability to look at anything from a completely different perspective is something only a child can possess. So in order to create anything for children to read, it is important to start thinking like them.
KIDS
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102 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
GETSET
Speaking from the realm of the behind-the-stage scenario, set designers Bhola
Sharma and Chhel-Paresh talk about the different aspects of this very intriguing
design discipline.
Words: Akhil Sood; Images: courtesy Paresh Daru & Time Out
GO
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 103
Setdesign
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104 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 105
A single space holds you captive
– time and again – fashioned
differently to suit diverse
narratives. Theatre in India has a rich
history, with the earliest known form
being Sanskrit Theatre, dating back to
the 1st century CE. Till date, drama in its
multifarious forms rules the roost of
cultural exchanges, social change and
political comment.
Elements of Design
Bhola Sharma, who has been in charge of
designing sets of productions like Broken
Images, directed by Alyque Padamsee,
and Sammy! directed by Lillette Dubey,
mentions abstract concepts such as cre-
ating moods to fit themes in a play, in
conjunction with elements of practicality,
such as the understanding of light, kind of
props and furniture, etc.
A lot depends on the production
budget, the given space and how much
room there is for interpretation. For
Alyque Padamsee’s Broken Images, the
play had to reflect self-deconstruction,
and had scenes where the protagonist,
played by Shabana Azmi, had to have a
conversation with another version of her-
self. The set had to reflect all the themes
that the play highlighted, as well as sus-
tain a mood of suspense and horror. “We
tried to make the backdrop modern and
completely graphic. It was a very chal-
lenging task,” Bhola reveals.
Partners Chhel-Paresh, stalwarts in
Gujarati theatre with 50 years in the field,
reveal some of their most challenging
tasks in the past, “For a play called Hat-
amne Ojhal Maha Rakhma, we created an
entire airport on stage. This was around
20 years ago, and while the set was most-
ly created through paintings, the audi-
ences were also able to see the aircraft
landing and taking off. We played around
extensively with perspective and lighting
to make it realistic. In fact, people used to
come to see the play especially for its set
design,” says Paresh with a hint of nostal-
gia and pride.
This design was made possible
through the use of a sliding stage, one
of the many tricks at the disposal of set
designers. He talks about creating sets,
which allowed audiences to witness
events such as floods and their after-
effects. To create elaborate sets, which
change from scene to scene, designers
use sliding as well as revolving sets, the
jack-knife technique, etc, depending on
the requirements. However, due to trav-
elling plays as well as the dynamic nature
of theatre, a set is designed keeping in
mind the size and dimensions of all the
venues that the play will be staged at,
with minimal scope for alteration. It is
also important to ensure that the sets are
cost-effective, mobile, easy-to-assemble,
as well as convenient and comfortable
for the actors. The other challenge is that
a change of set has to be accomplished
in a limited time and hence versatility in
material and application is a must.
Developments
Set design has also evolved considerably
over the years in terms of approach and
methodology. The changes are notice-
able, as painted backdrops made way for
the real thing in wood, cloth and metal;
and more recently rampant use of acrylic
and plastic. The digital application is not
far behind. “We can even screen videos
on to the backdrop using a projector
these days, which is particularly useful to
show one flashbacks.” Just as the logisti-
cal side of set design has undergone tre-
mendous changes, the visualization and
execution of design allows a vast scope
for creativity to the set designer.
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106 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 107
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108 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 109
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110 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
“I think sets were expected to be a lot
more realistic up until a few years ago,”
muses Bhola. “Back then, I would create a
basic box set and work around that. Now-
adays, creativity is key.”
Light and Colour
Many a time, the backdrop in a play
doesn’t change at all; or there is no re-
quirement of a set at all, in which case
the lights and colours become important
to portray a certain mood. Paresh states
that in such cases, “The lights are alive
– where in lighting and the correspond-
ing dialogue indicates change of period
or location.” Usually, the colours are dic-
tated by the mood and tone, with design-
ers not working with any definite palette,
being flexible with the requirements. “It’s
necessary to ensure appropriate light-
ing and to prevent any undue reflection
of lights,” he adds. The set designer and
lighting designer work in tandem to cre-
ate a seamless blend that works. Paresh
cites an example: “If a set designer creates
something in yellow, while the lighting
designer uses blue, then you get green.”
So it’s important to communicate, and
work with perspective to create “different
levels through light”.
Qualities of a Set Designer
The highly-stylized and specific nature
of set design means that the learning
curve is very steep while on the job.
Paresh reveals that one of the notable
courses, which trains set designers, is at
the National School of Drama, Delhi; but
this generally is preliminary and theo-
retical training; the only way to grow as
a designer is to be involved in the thick of
things, learning through first-hand expe-
rience as well as interactions with those
in the know.
A designer also needs to be cultur-
ally aware, as designs are appropriated
to theme, language, regions, and other
socio-politic aspects incorporated in a
play. For example, if a family depicted in
a play is Maharashtrian, then the design
and the external appearance and mood
of the play will be appropriate to Marathi
culture.
Also, the challenge lies in reworking
existing sets and creating unique sets for
new productions without compromising
on quality; so a set designer needs to be
innovative and creative. “He also has to
have the ability to think on his feet,” adds
Bhola. “Last minute changes, quick dam-
age control and improvising with space,
props and height are all in a day’s work
and you can’t afford to crack under pres-
sure,” he concludes. The show, as they say,
must go on.
What Lies Ahead
“I feel,” says Paresh, “That with a growing
number of tours and rising prices, set de-
sign will undergo even further and more
remarkable changes. Sets may become
more symbolic and suggestive, with use
of wooden wings and cloth likely to be
replaced by aluminium, cardboard, and
other materials.” It’s an exciting time to be
part of this movement, with progressive
changes on the horizon
A set is designed keeping in mind the size and dimensions of the venue. It is important to ensure that the sets are cost-effective, mobile, easy-to-assemble, as well as convenient and comfortable for the actors.
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 111
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114 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 115
Unmaskingtalent
MYSTIC PAPERKaren Bit Vejle is the creator of beautiful, luxurious and unique paper-cut designs, each one meticulously crafted by hand at her studio in Trondheim, Norway.
Words & Images: Karen Bit Vejle
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116 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
There is a great degree of humour in Karen’s world of
imagery; humour and the ability to identify joy in small things.
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118 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011
“Psaligraphy is a slow and time-intensive affair,but I enjoy every minute of it, and time spent with my scissors and
paper has become my catharsis!”
My heart and soul are at peace when I have scissors
in hand and the paper dances between the blades.
If my scissors can manage to make you stop and
wonder for just one instant, I will be happy,” says Karen Bit Vejle,
whose form of expression, psaligraphy, literally means the art of
drawing or painting with scissors.
Psaligraphy – the art of paper-cutting – requires time; both,
when it comes to creation and experience of the work of art.
Contrary to almost everything else in the world today, psalig-
raphy is a slow art. It takes time to master, plan and perform it.
Karen creates images of air and paper. The works are
formed from a large, continuous piece of paper, folded once,
twice, thrice or more times, and then cut using only a pair of
scissors. Every single scissor-cut is carefully planned, as the
slightest mistake can have disastrous consequences for the
fi nished result. This is a slow art of painstaking precision and
patience that demands the utmost concentration – which part
shall be cut out and which shall not.
Her magical cuttings have chiselled out a personal style
and technique that are entirely her own. For more than 35
years she has been absorbed, fascinated, and deeply com-
mitted to this art form that developed from small, simple
snowfl akes to unusually large and highly complex image cut-
tings. She is one of very few in Europe, who can cut at such an
advanced technical and artistic level. There is a great degree
of humour in Karen’s world of imagery; humour and the abil-
ity to identify joy in small things. Just as often, though, she
confronts deep seriousness and themes intended to invoke
involvement and refl ection. Her works are captivating sur-
prise packages.
The decorative and almost ornamental aspect of paper-
cutting makes psaligraphy an art that goes well both together
with and applied to other materials. The artist is known to cus-
tom design patterns for exclusive woollen plaids, dinnerware,
logos, etc., where each design evolves from facts and stories
that create a foundation for her interpretation. “When I am
about to do a cutting, I spend a very long time visualizing and
memorizing the design of the cut. Both technique and image
composition must be entirely complete in my mind before I
can put scissors to paper. Once I have the image clear in my
mind, I draw guidelines on the paper and then I begin working
with the scissors,” she explains. “The most time-intensive cut to
this day, however, is ‘The Fifth Season,’ which I spent six months
working on,” she informs.
Since the fi ve-six years of her prominently opening up as
an artist, Karen has held a travelling exhibition – ‘Scissors for
a Brush’, the concepts for which are rooted in a tradition that
has known a long journey through history. Interestingly, she
is currently working on Danish poet H C Andersen’s fairy tale,
‘The Snow Queen’ – an exceptional 29 ft. paper cut that she
proposes to finish in 2013
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120 DESIGN MATRIX • MAY-JUNE 2011
L
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MAY-JUNE 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 121
PRODUCT
The Birka 100 from Danish Company Dansani is a porcelain washbasin in clean sparkling white, perfect for a bathroom that needs an elegant and classic touch. The basin is comes with a drawer vanity unit in a pleasant shade of walnut. Cylindrical lights and an in-built shaver socket and pull cord complete the outfi t. Two handy units fl ank the basin ensuring functionality and aesthetic value. Dansani is the worlds largest manufacturer of bathroom furniture with over 2000 designs to suit every interrior requirement.
www.dansani.com
Washbasin from Dansani
LAUNCH
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WoodlandOutdoor shoes from
Woodland, the global adventure-wear brand has launched yet another revolutionary and innovative product-the waterproof outdoor shoe. This innovative product is a result of two years of extensive R&D and caters to the demand of adventure enthusiasts, who need additional protection to fi ght the challenges thrown by nature. The brand is known for its environment friendly processes, which have been adopted for manufacturing all Woodland products. The same processes are used for manufacturing the Waterproof outdoor shoe as well. The footwear is available at all Woodland stores.
www.woodlandworldwide.com
Lunch Boxes from Home Collective Lunch hour will never be the same again. Home collective has a range of lunchboxes that are
functional but oh-so-pretty. The clear lid locks to the container with a water tight seal. The container itself has a sauce dipping area and a sauce pot ideal for salad dressing (or ketchup), so you can dress
your salad just before you eat it. An inner dish allows you to split diff erent food so you can microwave a portion of your lunch, but keep the other food cold. It also includes a fork
Contact: (022 6655 5304)
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MAY-JUNE 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 123
Dreams Home Furnishings has a range of home accessories that will ass a festive touch to your interiors. The Dreams’ Festive Flavours Collection which comprises cushion covers and diwan linen, is predominantly in hues like reds, maroons, cream, and gold with traditional designs and a blend of rich metallics. Under-tones of green and wine enhance the palette of this collection.You can also choose high quality fabrics in shimmering silks, brocades, velvets, chenille to cottons and poly-cot blends which vary from plain and patterned to embellished designs for that perfect festive ambience. www.dreamsfurnishing.com
If you believe that the Disco shouldn’t have died, then you have to have one of NeXtime’s latest collection of Retro Clocks to spice up your walls and bring some funk into your room. Disco ball clocks, music clocks and pop art clocks are only a few of these creations and each one is zanier than the other. NeXtime clocks can make a perfect gift as it caters to even conservative tastes. (So you could give one to your bachelor uncle, who still has his Boney M vinyl records.) NeXtime also has 3D clocks, projection clocks, children clocks, fl ip clocks, skeleton clocks, fl oor clocks and cuckoo clocks.
www.nextime.nu
Home Accessories from
Dreams Home Furnishing
NeXtimeClocks by
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124 DESIGN MATRIX • MAY-JUNE 2011
One & Only will now have a store in Gurgaon. The brand specialises in Heritage interiors and Victorian furniture for homes and offi ces having a classic line-up of mantelpieces, bars, wooden chandeliers, entrance doors, chairs and poster beds as well as a unique line of modern contem-porary furniture. All the pieces are designed, de-tailed and produced in the factory of One&Only situated in Gurgaon, India, under the tutelage of veteran designer Suman Saith, alumni of Sir JJ School of Arts, who has created elegant interiors for some of the fi nest names in the country. Ev-ery O&O piece bears his distinct signature style.
Contact 99717 65333 for details
One&Only- Flagship Furnishing store in
Gurgaon
Peacock LifeIt doesn’t need to be a festive season for
you to beautify your home with light and
elegance. At Peacock Life you can pick up
exquisitely designed accessories for your
home and garden. The accessories comprise
of a range of lanterns and elegant candlebra
as well as glass jars and quaint mirrors. We
also fell in love with the handy, teal-coloured
cabinet that rolls around on wheels. The
products have a touch of the earthy and
traditional but with a clean, fuss-free fi nish.
www.peacocklife.com
Home & Garden Accessories
from
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MAY-JUNE 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 125
If you’re looking to give your bedroom a facelift for the New Year, then you don’t need to look any further. Furniturewalla places quality furnishings at top priority and has two new bedroom sets designed with both style and functionality. If you’re looking for a slightly ornamental facelift you can choose the Hengfeng Catalogue which comprises a king-size bed with a luxurious cushioned high back, dresser with drawers and mirror and a large four door wardrobe. This line comes in a tasteful black polycoated fi nish with silver leaf detail. Alternatively, you can choose the lighter set-shades of walnut with crisp black leather em-bossing on a king-size bed, dresser and wardrobe.
www.furniturewalla.com
Bedroom Sets from
Furniturewalla
Bathline Sensatations
Faucets from
This season give your bathroom a makeover with Bathline Sensations designer Faucets and Shower fi xtures - GRAFF. These products embody the essence of refi ned elegance and satisfy the most refi ned tastes. The faucets have a sleek semi-arched shape and look completely unisex. You can fi x a facet to your washbasin or countertop or opt for free-standing faucets for bathtubs. The GRAFF line of faucets off ers discreet luxury to any kind of interior space whether it’s dark stone or bright tile and will provide an instant touch of glamour to your bathroom this season.
www.bathlineindia .com
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126 DESIGN MATRIX • MAY-JUNE 2011
DelhiHouse of RARO- Showroom in
The luxury interior brand, House of RARO has a beautiful new store at New Delhi’s DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj. The 1000 sq ft space showcases the exquisite creations of House of RARO and is separated into two segments - individual pieces as well as high-end ensembles. The essence of grandeur and luxury, the store brings elements such as a Venetian mirror and wood of the highest quality to create a conceptual space.Launched in 1997, RARO has carved a niche for itself in the luxury home segment. A typical RARO design is truly unique and exquisite but with a dash of an heirloom quality. The brand remains committed to the high-end nature of its products.
www.houseofraro.com
Orthopaedic Bed Range from Spring Air Spring Air has unveiled its new Premium Orthopaedic Mattress Europedic Mattress for the fi rst time in India.
The mattress ranges on off er include “Perfect Comfort”, “Ultimate Comfort” and “Majestic Comfort”. These mat-tresses use high density open cell structured foam along with visco-elastic memory foam with listed ILD rating
of 14 on the top in their assembly to provide the sleeper with the ultimate comfort throughout the life of the mattress, a quality sleep surface like none other, and for that perfect night’s sleep. Europedic also off ers essential accessories like memory foam Comfort pads in all sizes, memory foam Contour pillows as well as classic comfort
pillows
www.springair.in
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B Y T ELASTC hange is constant; so is Design. The defi nition of design has
been periodically debated and continues to intrigue with newer connotations emerging every day. Just as it means various things to
various people, it also penetrates the minutest recesses across industries in absolutely diverse applications.
Each time that I have met a design professional, I have felt good about my vocation and my connect with the prominent history-in-the-making mavens, who have touched a chord in me with their winning innings and their humility.
Design Matrix was conceptualized as an attempt to touch the lives of designers beyond their work-front. It has been a pleasure to compute content that interlaces the warp and weft of the multi facets of design (big, beautiful, and widespread) and discerningly select contributions from a realm that is not genre-specifi c.
The last one year’s issues have been an attempt to add the best to the fl oral bouquet of creativity; synchronize the musical notes. There is much, much more in store – evolving, shaping up, to be gradually unveiled, keeping you asking for more.
We seek your appreciation, your grouses, your wants and your preferences. Let us weave this matrix… together.
Write in to me at [email protected]
QUINTESSENCE
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 127
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128 DESIGN MATRIX • NOVEMBER-DECEBER 2011
I F C: DANSANI Bathroom FurnitureUltramine GroupFor appointment call + 91 9874430000 (10.30 am – 6.30pm, Mon-Sat) Email: [email protected] www.dansani.com
Pg. 1: Ebco Pvt. Ltd. 402-3, Hyde Park, Saki Vihar Road, Mumbai 400072Tel: (022) 67837777 Fax: (022) 66920700Email: [email protected], www.ebco.in
Pg. 2 & 3: The Great Eastern HomesThe New Great Eastern Mills, 25-29, Dr. Ambedkar Road,Near Rani Baug, Byculla, Mumbai 400027. Tel No. 022-22910764
Pg. 5: NSD Natural Veneers307, Traffi c Lite, Next to Bank of Baroda, M.G. Road,Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai- 400 086Tel: 91-22-25114285/86Email: [email protected]
Pg. 6: Jalaram Agar Bazar S. K. Bole Road, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400028. Tel: (022) 24318444/555 Email: [email protected] 9/b, k, Laxmi Ind. Estate, New Link Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai – 400053. Tel : (022) 26327733 / 34 Email: [email protected]
Pg. 7: Bharat Floors & Tiles Pvt. Ltd32, Mumbai Samachar Marg,Next to Stock Exchange, Fort, Mumbai 400 023 Tel: 91 (22) 4057 4444, 2265 4837
Pg. 8: Design Matrix Ultratech Excellence AwardsEmail: [email protected]
Pg. 10: Geeta Aluminium Company Pvt.Ltd.D/4, Ansa Industrial Estate, Saki Vihar Road, Saki Naka, Andheri (East), Mumbai – 400 072.Tel : +91 99308 06685www.geetaaluminium.com
Pg. 11: Grescasa Grescasa Ceramics Limited5-E, Laxmi Industrial Estate, New Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai – 400053, Tel No. 022-26313096/66992409
Pg. 12-13: Durian Industries Ltd. 401, The Chambers, Western Express Highway, Vile Parle (E) Mumbai 400057Tel : (022) 26269000, Email: [email protected] www.durian.in
Pg. 16 & 17: Le Cdeor 8/H, Laxmi Ind. Estate, New Link Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai – 400053. Tel : (022) 26327733 / 34Email: [email protected]
Pg. 18: VITA Vitrified TilesVita Granito Pvt. Ltd.283 – A, Vasu Smiriti, Flat No.4, 1st Floor, 13th Road, Khar(W), Mumbai : 400 052.Tel : 022- 42367900/909Email : [email protected]
Pg. 19: Fevicol MarinePidilite Industries Limited Ramkrishna Mandir RoadOff Sir Mathuradas Vasanji Road,Andheri (East) Mumbai - 400059Tel: 022- 33087000; Fax: 022- 28357700 Email: [email protected]
Pg. 31: Durian Home FurnitureDurian Industries Ltd.401, The Chambers, Western Express Highway, Vile Parle (E) Mumbai 400057Tel : (022) 26269000Email: [email protected], www.durian.in
Pg. 52: Dorset Luxury FaucetsA-88, Road No.2, Mahipalpur Extension,New Delhi – 110037Tel.: + 91-11-46138800Email : [email protected]
Pg. 53: Heritage Decorative LaminatesDeco Mica Pvt. Ltd. 306, 3rd Floor, Iscon Mall, Star Bazaar Bldg., Jodhpur Cross Road, Ahmedabad - 380 015Email: [email protected]
Pg. 69: Uniply Elementz Decorative VeneersUniply Industries Ltd#52, Harleys Road, Kilpauk, Chennai - 6000010.Tel : (044) 26605995
Pg. 78: SHAH CREATION PVT. LTD.Building No.2, Gala No.8, Ram Mandir Industrial Estate, Ram Mandir Road, Goregaon (E) , Mumbai 400 063Email: [email protected] Shah: 9820228852
GLOSSARYPg. 79: Gemss (Solid-Wood Mosiacs)Natural Veneers307, Traffi c Lite, Next to Bank of Baroda, M.G. Road,Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai- 400 086Tel: 91-22-25114285/86Email: [email protected]
Pg. 84: Delta LaminatesOlympic Laminates Pvt LtdBlock No. 49-50, Village Karoli, Taluka – Karol,Dist. Gandhinagar 382721 Gujarat,Tel: +91 2764 281503 / 04
Pg. 85: Uniply ATS PlywoodUniply Industries Ltd,#52, Harleys Road, Kilpauk, Chennai-6000010.Tel : 044-26605995.
Pg. 86: Le CdeorMRJ Trading Pvt. Ltd.201, Shyam Kamal ‘C’ Bldg., Agarwal Market, Vile Parle (E), Mumbai – 400057.Tel : (022) 26187132 / 26131442 Email: [email protected]
Pg.87: Advant Edge Natural Veneers307, Traffi c Lite, Next to Bank of Baroda, M.G. Road,Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai- 400 086Tel: 91-22-25114285/86Email: [email protected]
Pg. 112: MRJ FlooringMRJ Marketing Pvt. Ltd.201, Shyam Kamal ‘C’ Bldg., Agarwal Market, Vile Parle (E), Mumbai – 400057.Tel : (022) 26187132 / 26131442 Email: fl [email protected]
Pg. 113: Surface Décor (India) Pvt. Ltd.Abdul Satar Lakdawala Compound, W. E. Highway, Besides TATA Motors, Jog-Vikroli Link Road, Jogeshwari (E), Mumbai 400060Hasmukh Shah: 9820228852
IBC: Durian Office Furniture Durian Industries Ltd.401, The Chambers, Western Express Highway, Vile Parle (E) Mumbai 400057Tel : (022) 26269000Email: [email protected]
BC : Ultratech Paints & TexturesF 213A/1, Lado Sarai, Old M. B. Road, New Delhi – 110030Tel: (011) 46061549/50Email: [email protected]
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