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

Publisher : Karan Jhunjhunwala

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Editor-In-Chief : Babita Krishnan

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EDITORIAL

Content Editor : Savitha Hira

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Trainee Writer : Sheena D’Lima

Brand & Strategy Manager : Riddhi Walia

Finance Controller : Manjari Ved

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BUSINESS ENQUIRY

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SOUTH : Abhishek P. Agrawal

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Nallari Rupana Reddy

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OVERSEAS ENQUIRY

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USA : Kishore Dadlaney

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UK : Jayendra Ved

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Subscription : Shalini Sawant

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ART

Art Director : Rahul Das

Designing : Devang H Makwana, Brijesh Gajjar,

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A & venture

DESIGNM A T R I X







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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JULY-AUGUST 2011 • DESIGN MATRIX 13


CONTENTS


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.

42

54

102

121

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

Each issue, you have the chance to win a special gift courtesy

We would love to have your views, comments and/or suggestions on what you would like to see or read in our pages. Please email to: [email protected] or write to Design Matrix, MRJ Creations Pvt. Ltd., C-201 Shyam Kamal

Agarwal Market, Vile Parle (E), Mumbai-400 057 or Call on 022-26187132.

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‰

Design Matrix_Sept-Oct11.indb 1 8/26/2011 5:07:48 PM



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




Coverstory



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.



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,





‘‘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.’’




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…



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)



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”



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.”




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









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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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.




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.



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.



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





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.



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


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






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













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-



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



Artytechture


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


06_arty-techture_Origamy.indd 6306_arty-techture_Origamy.indd 63 10/31/2011 6:09:11 PM10/31/2011 6:09:11 PM




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!



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-


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



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





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





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






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)



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-



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




BODYB E A U T I F U L



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.





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.







Photofeature



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


















Musings



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



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



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



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

11_Set design_Get, SET, Go.indd 10211_Set design_Get, SET, Go.indd 102 10/31/2011 6:18:33 PM10/31/2011 6:18:33 PM


Setdesign





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.











“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.









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



There is a great degree of humour in Karen’s world of

imagery; humour and the ability to identify joy in small things.





“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




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

13_Product Launch.indd 12113_Product Launch.indd 121 10/31/2011 6:22:24 PM10/31/2011 6:22:24 PM

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)



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



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

13_Product Launch.indd 12413_Product Launch.indd 124 10/31/2011 6:23:39 PM10/31/2011 6:23:39 PM


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



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


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


14_last word.indd 12714_last word.indd 127 10/31/2011 6:26:31 PM10/31/2011 6:26:31 PM

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]




Documents

November-December 2011 (Anniversary Issue)