Clear Estate - Issue 3 by Clear Estate

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The vision for clearestatemag.com is to be a point of reference for websites with information relevant to the Indian Real Estate. The wealthy spread of web content will include a select few articles from the print magazine. clearestatemag.com will also curate and author (solely and collaboratively) white papers, research notes, imagery, news, blogs and articles. Every effort, on the digital forefront is towards enriching conversations on Real Estate. And the conversations have already begun. Please visit our pages and connect with us.

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REALTY CHECK

Come, festive season and all we hear is how fortunate we will be if we act on one or all of the ‘one of a kind’ offers in the market. Well, the developers say count us in your good fortune too and 2014 happens to be the bearer of good tidings what with the steadying property prices and gradual rise in absorption figures. And this is what we are discussing in immense detail in our article, “Why now is when you should be making property investments in Chennai” that discusses the top 10 reasons why you should be investing now! And with that good news, we invite you to October’s exciting new spread of stories. Let me begin with our cover story which happens to be a step away from the regular for at Clear Estate. While the premise might be familiar featuring people’s homes, the rendition of the story is different. The objective is to look at the way people from across the board use a ‘living room.’ This project became an exciting study of how families from different economic and social backgrounds meet the requirement of this room for public viewing.

Sundarji Nandagopal, Creative Editor

Kunal Daswani, the photographer who collaborated with us for this story has beautifully captured rich frames that are an absolute treat for the eyes. Our Battle Ground section talks about properties on NH 45 - Maraimalai Nagar and close to Mahindra World City. The three villa projects that we are overviewing this month are Arihant’s Villa Viviana, Mahindra Lifescapes’s Aqualily and Avigna’s Celeste. The upcoming area features the Ford Motors facility and the Shriram IT park coupled with a few good educational institutions as well. Apart from this, we have put together an interesting story on product design from the point of view of the wunderkinds at Joseph Design in the city. This issue also carries a timely feature on pest control as a bare essential in real estate. And finally continuing with our series on international property investments, this month, we throw the spotlight on Dubai, the sparkling city of sand and glass. That about sums up the highlights of Clear Estate’s October issue and while signing off, my team and I would also like to wish you a great festive season ahead!

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Contributors DNA

Publisher & Creative Editor: Sundarji Nandagopal

Content & Communication Strategy: The Suits

Anbu Balachandran Michelle Surendran Chokkapan. S Jaykanth Raj

Photography has captured some of the more beautiful instances in my life. A passion for the craft that began when I was quite young, still at school, over time with valuable guidance has evolved into a set of photography skills that cater to a wide variety of projects. And what makes it exciting is meeting new and interesting people who influence my future in some manner. tinknit@gmail.com www.nithinkumar.com

Design & Identity :

Whoa Mama Design Shaun Dsa

Anek Ahuja

Ashwin Mohan

Ashwin Chacko

Shana Anna Paulose Relationship Management & Distribution: Prasanna

Clear Estate Website: Acclary Consulting Senthil

Varun Baskar

Having decided that my heart lay in photography, I decided to do my masters in the same at the Pearl Academy of Fashion in Delhi, also affiliated to ICPP Melbourne University. I set up my own studio soon after. Largely influenced by Ansel Adams and his gray scale principle, I decided to name my studio, Gray Card. I have been an advertising and fashion photographer since 2007. varun.graycard@gmail.com varunbaskar.blogspot.com

Printed At:

Srikals Graphics Pvt. Ltd.

#5, Balaji Nagar, 1st Street,

Ekkaduthaangal, Chennai-600 097. Ph: 044-2225 3092/93

Balaji Kalyanasundaram Ganesh

Copy Proofing:

Roshan Siddharth Published At:

#24, Flat D, Anugraha Apartments,

Siddhi Vinayakar Koil Street, T. Nagar, Chennai-600 017. +91-98847 80009

conversations@clearestatemag.com RNI - TNENG05780/22/1/2014-TC Printed and Published by Sundarji Nandagopal. Opinions expressed in the articles are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers. Materials published in this magazine may be reproduced only with written permission from the editors. While the editors do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

Realtycompass.com is the Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first ever property search engine facilitating consumers to search through every project in their city. Catering to 4 cities in India, it expects to be present in 10 cities in the next 6 months. Realtycompass is a team of 50 people from premier institutes like IIT and IIM. As a COO, Sankara Srinivasan heads the Products, Research and Finance functions of the company. sankara@realtycompass.com www.realtycompass.com

THIS MONTH PG

Forms

DOCUMENTING

SPACES:

Living Rooms

A photo journalistic and illustrated view of these sharable spaces with the people who call them home

Assorted

The Insider’s View

Clear Estate dedicates space to industry experts’ for timely and impactful information

Sanjay Chugh, the Head of Residential Services, Chennai & Bangalore at Jones Lang Lasalle, India comes clean about the right time to invest in Chennai property

Why NOW? PG

Why NOW is when you should be making property investments in Chennai Clear Estate’s Intel Report

Meanwhile A brief account of meaningful Real Estate news in three sections: Chennai, the rest of India and from across the world

Bare Essentials What’s it like to be in the other person’s shoes

We discuss the legendary battle between pests and people in our conversation with Paws Pest Aways

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Terrabyte PG

An objective and comprehensive comparison of similar properties in close proximity to each other Clear Estate reviews three properties along NH45, one of the busiest National Highways in Southern India connecting Chennai and Trichy

Emerging talent worth some serious attention

The duo from the product design label, Joseph Design discuss the good and bad of the big ‘D’ word and India being in need of consequential design

Mancini: A Grand Vision

Wunderkind

To Call An Iconic Glass Spire, ‘Home’ Evaluating Dubai, the city of excesses as an option for a possible international property investment

In conversation with German-born architect Niels Schoenfelder of Chennaibased Mancini Enterprises

Workspaces Blog-a-thon Maal Gaadi in Chennai makes for a pretty picture with lots of raw, natural colours and textures studded with bright pops of colour in the form and shape of goods that the store retails

Accents Interesting Finds

Custom-curated content on great and inspirational design

Interesting blogs on DIY projects, interiors and home accessories

Wallpapers - anything and everything you need to know about sticking artful sheets of paper on walls (and elsewhere) to add character to a space

A day out of Bharathkumar’s life BBCL’s Marketing Vice President takes us through a typical day and its typical routine

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Invest in meaningful content At Clear Estate, we have launched a sponsorship program where if you have a product or service relevant to Indian Real Estate and would like to be featured in our magazine, we will NOT carry your advertisement. What we will do is craft original content incorporating your brand. And no, this is not an advertorial. This is a piece written exclusively for Clear Estate, by our team. Write to conversations@clearestatemag.com to know more about how your brand can be a part of this endeavour towards meaningful content.

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MEANWHILE

Moving Uptown

The not so favourable perception of North Chennai is fast changing due to the growing social infrastructure, the proposed Ponneri smart city and the second phase of the metro rail project. However, according to a recent report by real estate consultant Knight Frank, developers in north Chennai have launched projects ahead of time which has resulted in unsold inventory that would take about 35 months to clear.

Exhilarating 2015 for Chennai Real Estate

According to a CRISIL report, capital values in Chennaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate sector are estimated to grow at a compounded growth rate of 4 per cent, from the beginning of 2015 until 2018, with the Sriperumbudur and OMR micromarkets leading the recovery. The second half of 2014 is also likely to see launches and absorption increase by 31 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.

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Hurrah! Hurrah!

Amarprakash Developers, a city-based real estate company, has bagged six awards at the 5th CMOASIA Awards 2014 for Excellence in Branding and Marketing held in Singapore recently. The awards, contested by more than 50 companies from across Asia, were received by Aadarsh Kumar Surana, Managing Director of Amarprakash Developers.

German Influences

The Chennai Silks store in T. Nagar has installed a new German parking system to ease congestion. The Klaus Car Parking system, a multilevel system allows parking of 104 cars at a time with a short exit time of just two minutes. The automated parking system works by arranging cars in multiple rows placed one above the other.

16,000 New Launches

The residential real estate sector in Chennai is expected to see a completion of more than 16,000 residential units across all categories in 2014. This is up from the 13,000 units launched in 2013.

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Hang in there, Letter Boxes Suburbs like Valasaravakkam seems devoid of the presence of letter boxes and in places like Anna Nagar, the boxes have been shifted to facilitate the Metro Rail work. Officials of the postal department said there are 2,462 letter boxes in Chennai. While new ones are placed based on demand in areas like R.A. Puram, Mugalivakkam and Anna Nagar, others are relocated or discontinued based on patronage.

Marketing Frenzy

Innovative marketing strategies saw SARE Homes organize what they called the Villa, Enn Jilla,’ home carnival on 14th September, at Grand Southern Trunk Road in Chennai. The venue was SARE’s own MeadowVille Township. The Real Estate Home Carnival was entertainment for the entire family with children’s activities and magic shows. The event received over 1500 visitors and of them, those who booked a home availed a chance at getting gift vouchers worth Rs. 1.25 lakh. A lucky draw worth Rs.1 lakh was also conducted.

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LIC targeting 33,000 crores

“Our business growth compared to last year has been quite healthy. We are expecting target business of Rs. 33,000 crore during the current financial year,” LIC Housing Finance Ltd., Managing Director and CEO Sunita Sharma told reporters after inaugurating the 17th edition of annual expo on housing finance -- ‘Ungal Illam (Your House)’ in Chennai.

Walls of Colour

The compound wall of the Chennai Middle School on Moorthinagar Street in Vyasapadi looks bright and inviting by sporting a stretch of pictures, slogans and messages that range from the importance of conserving water to living peacefully and being courteous in school.

CMDA resumes Plot Allotment

It has been more than seven months after the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) stopped the drawing of lots (to select plot owners for one of its housing schemes) midway. Presumably a total of 68 plots — 53 for the economically weaker sections, and 15 for middle-income group — were allotted before the process for highincome group (HIG) plots (3,000 sq. ft.) was disrupted.

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MEANWHILE

Vaikund Estatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mira is a collection of spectacular private beach front villas for the discerning global citizen with a Madras heart.Located in Kanathur, East Coast Road (ECR) the villas range from 7423 to 5195 sq.ft. Facilities include a gorgeous pool and deck apart from individual pools in villas apart from a large kids play area.

There is ample walking area and gazebos strewn around. The entire concept is tied in with modern and open spaces that are inspired from a more global architectural style.

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Adwitiya by Jain Housing and Constructions is located in Ambathur, Chennai. The project consists of 5 blocks and 5 floors with modern amenities like a garden, swimming pool, play area, 24Hr backup, maintenance staff and security, intercom, Club House, rain water harvesting, a gymnasium and indoor games.

Slotted between Rs.23.49L to Rs.59.27L, there are 100 to 500 units of 1, 2, 3 BHK between 547 and 1380 sq.ft. The propery can be taken possession of by August 2016.

Urban Tree’s Wow is a cluster of 174 2BHK and 3BHK homes between 800 to 1700 sq. ftlocated at Sowmya Nagar, Medavakkam, Chennai. The total land extent is about 2 acres and the price bracket is at Rs.60L to Rs.1.25Cr. Every Apartment is skillfully planned and designed to utilize maximum space and to provide cross ventilation and lots of sunlight.

The project, surrounded by lush greens is awaiting a Green Building Certification (GOLD Rating) and the Undivided Share in Land (UDS) is set at 48% of Saleable Area. Facilities include a swimming pool, play area, health facilities, 24Hr backup, intercom, a gymnasium, indoor games and more that are all aimed at making the buyer go ‘wow!’ when he sees the property.

water. It’s a new habit that I picked up. I then try to spend time with my daughter while helping her get ready for school.

7:45 a.m. We wait for her bus together. This

is when she tells me about what’s happening in her life; how she is doing at school and what’s happening with her friends and such. This is mainly because this time happens to be the only time that I spend with my daughter during the week. It’s only over the weekends that I get to the extended time with her. After getting her in to the van, I go for a quick, brisk walk along the community path. I take deep breaths and calmly prepare myself for the day ahead. I think about my family and my health. There are no work thoughts during this walk.

8:15 a.m. I need to have my coffee before I

leave for work. It’s a ritual of sorts because the mix needs to be just right. My mother makes the perfect blend which I have learnt from her and taught my wife. We sip our coffees together as I rifle through the day’s papers Times of India and The Hindu. I spend the next 40 minutes reading up on news stories and checking out advertising campaigns mainly from the real estate industry. I also do peruse other marketing campaigns for interesting ideas that might work in my category. While arming myself with the new developments from the category, I also fend off my worrying wife’s lamentations of me being a workaholic. Just barely. On most days, I stop by my parent’s home on the way to work and spend about ten minutes with them. As with my daughter, I spend much more time with them over the weekends.

LIFE

7:00 a.m I wake up and drink an entire liter of

BHARATHKUMAR’S

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A DAY OUT OF

Bharathkumar Venkatesan works as the Marketing Vice President at BBCL, Chennai

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8:50 a.m. My wife who also needs to leave for

work and I slip into our Skoda and we drive away. Depending on the day’s schedule either I drop her off at work or she, me. It is while in the car that I have my breakfast of ragi dosai’s or bread. As the driver takes over negotiating the road, I begin negotiating with the day’s work load. I use the travel time to call my sales team and figure out our numbers, collection status, check on the response to our marketing campaigns, return missed calls and formulate the order for tasks for my day.

9:30 a.m. Stepping into office before 10 a.m.

feeds my almost superstitious belief that early to work means getting home early as well. This has yet to be proven true on all other days except Saturday. When it comes to my Sundays, they are off limits. The day belongs to my family.

9:45 a.m. After settling down at my desk I

check mail and follow up with the daily sales tracker. I perform a quick overview of new leads. I worry a little about BBCL’s new launches. They usually end up as a priority while I begin collecting information on the performance vs. expectation for a recently launched property. I get around to responding to my mails.

11:30 a.m. 6:30 p.m. The rest of the scheduled ‘forenoon’ This is when I am at my productive meetings take place. These include meetings with vendors, customers, internal teams, project architects and the similar kind.

2:00 p.m. It’s lunch time. And my lunch, ported

from home is usually chappati and gravy. It’s a group lunch where the team sits together and does not talk work. However, the chit chat does veer towards the market and the usual speculation on news and views that has not been ‘officially’ reported yet does take place.

3:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m. Post lunch is another round of mail The first meeting is scheduled for the day and it’s feedback collection time. There are follow ups with the CRM and marketing teams.

11:00 a.m. The bosses begin getting in touch with me with the routine overview calls for the day.

checking and the day’s site visits that have already been planned in advance, commence. The site visits are mainly to track what’s happing on ground. I spend time with site managers and executives to collect feedback and provide direction. All this, only if there aren’t a second round of meetings scheduled for the day.

best in the day. Meetings are done and I am by myself. I work on a review of the company’s business, pose viable solutions for marketing challenges with new and older launches. Basically this is one on one time between issues that need my undivided attention and me.

7:30 p.m. The office gets real quiet as people

leave for the day and I get more focused. I manage to get tasks like reviewing reports, tracking performance in detail and the graphing progress out of my way. This lets me work on sketching out my next steps for our projects in the pipeline.

9:30 p.m. I get back into the car to go back

home. During the drive home, I complete the last round of phone calls; mainly returning missed calls and catching up with like minded folks from the realty space. I listen to a little music while unwinding from the day. Pharrell William’s Happy is my current favorite. Every month or so, I indulge in a drink or two when I get home.

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THE ROI ON DESIGN Product design like any other form of design cannot be a dispassionate effort and the opinions of the duo at Joseph Design on the makings of good and bad design stand true to this fact while also making for an interesting conversation. Discover how this loquacious duo strive towards the efficiency of meaningful design through their myriad of projects. The two year old Joseph Design is a product design label firm that combines the talents of Arjun Joseph

Apart from product and retail space design, Joseph Design has also stepped into the forte of 2D creative graphics alongside application development for mobile phones and desktops

with a Masters in design from NYU (New York University) and more than ten years of design experience in the U.S. alongside Kiran Joseph, a graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design with experience in manufacturing alongside product and brand design from countries like U.S., China, Italy and India. They collectively draw inspiration from literally everywhere; nature to brands like Braun and Apple, Science fiction movies and the old Bauhaus movement.

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“In terms of space design Satyam Cinemas has elevated the movie going experience for the mass market and The Park Pod is quite interesting, aesthetically.”

Their combined dream to see generic Chinese factory-made products replaced with unique, well researched and high quality products, in their masses is what brought the two designers together. And thus began a journey down the less trodden path (at least in India) of product design. Their office in Chennai services clients from the U.S. and rest of India. The design team were confident about launching their brand, Joseph Design when they did (2012) because they foresee India, as a product design market opening up to heavy

international influences and quality upgrades in the next 5 to 10 years. They go on to explain, “A lot more people are travelling more than ever before. With the international exposure comes an appreciation for variety, an appreciation for products that have beautiful and simple designs that allow people across cultures to use them efficiently. Now combine this appreciation for quality with the projected elevated spending power of an Indian customer and you have yourself a desirable market.”

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The two designers in accepting that the market is still far from this ideal scenario describe what has turned out to be their most common hindrance - an acute hyper sensitivity to cost or in other words, battling India’s famed cheap and best attitude. Quite often, designers in the country have to battle this ideology of design being an additional cost, sometimes a cost, not even budgeted for and field questions like, “What is the ROI on this design?” Arjun refers to the often quoted example of Apple getting millions of people to adopt an alien OS (operating system) with the power of amazing product design, “The key is to crack the optimum User Experience code for a product. This code is the fine balance between seamless functionality and relevant aesthetics that gets the job done in spite of software and hardware constraints.” When talking about the relevance of product design factors in the real estate context, the design duo describe how infrastructure and space development will benefit from the application of this stream of design. On a very basic level, this kind of design extends from the obvious like luxurious floor tiles and lighting fixtures to sleek electronic equipment for the kitchen. Note the shiny and urbane coffee maker. But luxury aside, Kiran delves a little into how product design is just as important for the more regular things within a space, “Let’s talk about the humble door handle, I remember this one design that did not allow space for a good grip which means I don’t get the needed leverage to use the handle. What’s more is it also sported these sharp edges and suffered from overall poor ergonomics. This became an annoyance because a simple task like opening and closing doors was not accessible. This feeling that you get when something just works right was not accessible to me.”

They add that, “Good design costs a good sum of money. But it’s a price that’s worth paying what with the latest news being (Donald) Trump Real Estate stepping into the Indian market. His edge is ultra luxury. Now, how is an Indian brand supposed to battle such standards of uber luxury without understanding the role of good design as a part of a luxurious experience.”

Considering the current real estate scenario, Joseph Design believes that the category should begin taking design more seriously than they are. The industry should patronise innovative and functional design.

The two designers driven by their unapologetic admiration for luxury are invited, on occasion to be part of interesting assignments outside of their core(which is product design). Take for example the window display

In the medical field, an international company called Neuronetics has worked with Joseph Designs on the design of a medical product that treats severe depression with magnetic

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project for a Chennai based online retailer who is opening up physical stores across the country - the idea is to, “create a window shopping experience along the lines of Sak’s Fifth Avenue, New York.” A current project that the designers are fairly excited about is a brand identity exercise with a real estate client in Chennai. The project involves, “pinpointing core values and focusing the entire business process on those values. This is important because today, Chennai Realtors have not capitalized on the potential of an overall brand experience. At least not in the way Bangalore’s Total Environment has with its unique progreen structures.”

Over the two years since their inception and the multitude of projects, Joseph Design has amassed an interesting collaborative network of talent. While working on product design jobs, it’s the design house that comes up with the initial design or intellectual property for a product and in most cases also works on the 3D model. This is also when the duo bring in engineering firms and fabrication artists on board as per the project’s requirement. Therefore as the design team, “oversees the engineering and manufacturing, making sure it’s in line with the product’s objective, they hand over the execution to skilled people who know the required software, machines etc.”

The Manorama

Newsmaker Trophy is

inspired by the simple

yet luminous nature of a flame. It represents

the ‘Newsmaker’ as a

‘beacon of light’ inspiring a brighter future

According to Arjun the challenge in such occasions is finding specialised talent. He explains, “If we need someone proficient in metal work for a product design, we find people who are good at either welding or casting or a similar sporadic process. It’s hard to find someone who specialises in all forms of the craft.” The enthusiasm and work that goes into enhancing Joseph Design’s collaborative network has enabled them to work on everything from medical and agricultural products to lifestyle products for international brands.

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MOVE Max Mirani, inventive luggage purveyor unveiled SmartSpace, a new category of luggage with two products, Move and Crush, both of which were designed by Joseph Design. With the tagline, ‘Don’t unpack. Just hang.’, Move is a complete mobile wardrobe which adds another dimension to the product, making it an asset for smaller homes that cannot afford the luxury of a full blown closet.

The design packs two carry-on’s as one because the entire wardrobe system zips-out to become a separate shoulder tote leaving the shell empty for packing spontaneous purchases. Interestingly, this segment is called the Shopping Spree section, a patented feature that nearly doubles the capacity of the suitcase.

All one needs to do is open the case and hang it in a closet. The innovative shelf system is labeled with separate pockets for everything - articles of clothing from suits to shirts and skirts to accessories, toiletries and shoes.

In terms of agility, the product is top notch with a 4-stage telescopic handle and four 360° swivel wheels. The lightweight and durable shell is created using German-made 100% pure Polycarbonate resins, the same material used to make bullet proof glass.

Some overcome-able cons are: The MOVE mobile closet at 3.7 kgs could be considered heavy for a carry-on but given its feature list and functionality, it could be a fair tradeoff.

This suitcase is designed to be hung in a closet, using the built-in hanger, but there are cases where too much weight could snap the rods. A rational sense of judgment is advised here.

The price at $379(roughly converting to Rs. 23,079/-) is pretty subjective considering luggage from the Tumi or Louis Vuitton run into several thousands.

The pretty, shiny exterior scratches easily due to the polycarbonate however, the luggage is still more scratch resistant than many other plastics.

The extending handle could become wobbly, over time and this is common for any four stage handle. The side zip, coupled with the highly structured interior makes retrieving something while on the go a slightly difficult task

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CRUSH Under the curiosity piquing category of collapsible luggage comes Crush, another Joseph Design creation under the Max Mirani brand name. Crush combines the durability and sculpted shape of hard-side luggage with the ability to collapse by nearly 50% to a compact size that fits in a space as small as a dresser drawer. Offering the same volume as a traditional full-size rolling trolley, Crush is the sleek and modern form that collapses in seconds, using no mechanical parts, to fit in to small and unusual storage spaces. Its compact shape also enables people to pack it inside other luggage making it an ideal solution for shopping sprees. Made using a high-performance material that is also used in automotive, medical and sports industries Crush easily rebounds to its original shape. The case has superior scratch and stain resistance over typical luggage materials as it is crafted (partly) from Polycarbonate. The con that Clear Estate dug out in our research was that the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crushingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; part might not be as easy but in almost all cases does not take more than 2 to 5 seconds!

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Importance of Design in Real Estate 01. Amongst our immediate neighbours, Bangalore has some buildings that are a little more aesthetically designed when compared to their counterparts in Chennai. People there, seem to be a little more aware about design and its function. This could be credited to the wider cultural mix in the city.

02. We believe that beyond a point, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design that makes the difference. Take two residential complexes built in the same location where the land costs the same. Both might also have similar amenities. In such a case, it is design that plays the definitive role of attracting more takers with a premium price at that.

The design labelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to a project Concept Stage

Indian products that the design duo would like to work with are REVA, the electronic car and the quintessential Indian Autorickshaw

background research into the engineering of the product as it exists (in its variations) in the market

Presentation to client

1 or 2 rounds of iteration

Develop

3D model Approvals on 3D model

Engineering & fabrication A perfect working

Prototype The Final File is handed over to the client along with sources for materials, covers, finishes etc.

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Finalists Of The 2014 Innovation By Design Awards: Products A healthier, brighter, more efficient world doesn’t just happen—it happens by design.

PENCIL By FiftyThree Crayons and pencils were the inspiration for this iPad stylus, sheathed in wood and designed to feel intuitive. It can shade as you angle its tip, just like its analog counterpart.

NIKE MAGISTA FOOTBALL BOOTS By Nike The first major soccer cleats to rise above the ankle, Nike’s Magista boots feature Flyknit technology-precisely engineered yarns and fabric variations--and are designed to echo the network of ligaments that connect the lower leg to the foot, allowing for greater comfort and ball control.

KANO COMPUTER KIT By MAP It’s the Ikea of computers--a $99 kit containing easy-to-assemble parts, which snap together to form a machine that helps users learn code and build games.

AROS SMART WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER By Quirky and GE Control this smart thermostat-air conditioner hybrid from an app on your mobile device. It learns from your budget, location, schedule, and usage to automatically maintain your ideal temperature and help you save cash.

AUGUST SMART LOCK By Fuseproject Smart Lock is an AA-battery powered, smartphone-operated keyless entry system that can be incorporated into existing deadbolts.

LITTLEBITS SPACE KIT By littleBits and NASA Like Lego with a science-andengineering agenda, the littleBits Space Kit is a themed set of circuitry for building miniature spaceexploration tools.

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ARE YOU â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;BUGGEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BY INSECTS? WORRY NO MORE

It has been a 57-year-old illustrious journey for this Chennai-based pest control operator, which offers anti-termite treatment, general disinfestation services for various insects and industrial weed control, for residential, commercial and industrial segments

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Circa 1956-57. An Indian entomologist employed with E.I.D.Parry to restrain pest infestations at British-owned tea plantations is called upon for a meeting. This time around, the Englishmen have a special request. Their homes are literally and figuratively bugged by the eusocial insects, commonly known as termites. So, the entomologist has to do something about it, as he is the one equipped with the technical know-how on fighting pests. Thus was born Paws Pest Aways, a professional pest control operator in Chennai. Although the agency offered its services only to a select few upon its inception, it would expand its reach in the coming decades to become a forerunner in the niche segment. “Initially, it was a need-based service. But today, it is a compulsory thing to do. You move into any apartment, and you need pest control,” observes M. Balagopal, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Paws Pest Aways, as he gears up for an engaging conversation with Clear Estate.

We follow a ‘Four D’ approach: Deny entry, Deny food, Deny shelter and Destroy. In our treatments, reports of allergies and sensitivity to chemicals from customers are virtually nil, as we administer regular sprays

M. Balagopal, CEO

The 57-year-old Paws Pest Aways offers pre- and post-construction anti-termite treatment for new buildings and older ones, general disinfestation services (for insects like cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, bed bugs and wood borers) and industrial weed control, apart from water proofing treatment. Its service portfolio boasts of specialised mosquito and rodent control programmes for defence townships and residential colonies as well. Throwing light upon pest behaviour, he says that every insect develops resistance over a period of time. “Earlier, rosewood and teak wood used to be free from termite attack, but these days, termites attack even these woods. At the same time, dengue and malaria strains have multiplied and become more virulent, with mosquitoes developing resistance over the past few decades.” Mr Balagopal says professional Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) can partner with municipal bodies, corporations and other government agencies to effectively control the vector menace,

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by offering technology support, new chemicals and training programmes for civic workers. Active participation from NGOs will also help a great deal in controlling mosquitoes. In houses and apartments, he suggests the use of Netlon screens on windows and ventilators as the safest precautionary measure. As for the pests and insects that inflict the most damage to people and properties in Chennai, and India, in general, he observes that termites, cockroaches, rodents, mosquitoes, bedbugs and ticks, in that order, are the deadliest. “People should opt for Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs) extended by reputed and recognised PMPs and go by the quality, and not by rates offered.” However, if a pest control calendar were to be followed, Mr Balagopal suggests a monthly maintenance schedule for factories, either every month or every three months for corporate offices, and once in three months for residential spaces. “Nowadays, pest control has evolved from mere application techniques to a professional science, and forms an integral part in everyday life and cannot be ignored. As long as pests have free entry into a premise, it is not possible to get rid of them completely. One can control only the pests that are already present and not the ones which are bound to infest later.” The ISO 90001:2000-certified pest control operator currently caters to residential, commercial and industrial segments, with offices at Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Nagpur. It has around 80 professionals, including its landscaping staff. Its two-year-old landscaping division, Greenwaves, attends to the garden requirements of all their clients – right from design to execution – with a well-stocked nursery and technically trained staff, who currently work for leading Japanese company offices in India.

As it stands today, Paws’ clients comprise about 75 per cent of commercial spaces and industries, while the remaining 25 per cent is made up of residences. Among its public sector clients are defence establishments and reputed public sector units, such as Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Assam. “We have taken up weed control activities at various BPCL premises, where we use chemicals that don’t leave any residue in the soil.” On how much of an influencing factor is geography in pest control services, the industry veteran observes that what suits one region might not be the best fit for the rest. “For example, they mix corn or maize in rodent baits in the western countries, but here we use wheat or rice, as the same would be ineffective in Indian conditions. Pests are generally adaptive to the surroundings, climatic conditions and food sources available. At Paws, we use only specific and direct chemicals and gases – without any mixture or concoctions – for sensitive zones like kitchens. If baiting is available, we prefer to employ that – cockroach control by gel baiting, rodent control by baiting and trapping, and fly control by baiting and trapping.

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As far as pest control awareness is concerned, India is still a nascent market. Are people open to hiring a professional player for the job? “For instance, even about two years ago, the pest control market in India was worth over Rs 1,000 crore, which is a huge figure. If bigger players like Godrej and Rentokil entered the market a few years ago, it is primarily because of the potential the segment holds out and how consumers are increasingly turning to professionals to get their pest control job done,” explains the CEO, adding, “Yet, there has not been much awareness among the consumers about precautionary measures and pest control operations.”

But for lizards, chemical spray is needed. When chemical spray is absolutely necessary, we use broad spectrum synthetic pyrethroids specially formulated for indoor use and approved by the Central Insecticides Board (CIB). These are less toxic than other pesticides and are widely used all over the world. The effectiveness of these treatments depends on several factors, such as support for pest control, post treatment care and restricting ease of entry to pests.” “We follow a ‘Four D’ approach: Deny entry, Deny food, Deny shelter and Destroy. To check rodents and rats, we cut off entries and food supply to their burrows,” he continues, “In our treatments, reports of allergies and sensitivity to chemicals from customers are virtually nil, as we administer regular sprays. If exposed on the face, skin or hands, even the safest of available chemicals – like synthetic pyrethroids – have temporary reversible symptoms, such as irritation of oronasal mucosa, sneezing, sore throat, burning sensation etc. In regular spray services, such exposures rarely happen. There is no vapour involved in present-day chemicals and hence, no inhalation of pesticides occurs; almost all chemicals sprayed are contact poison, which kills the insects upon contact.”

Multi-insect aerosol sprays, such as Hit, Mortein and Baygon from companies like Godrej Sara Lee, Reckitt Benckiser and SC Johnson, allow customers to tackle pests at home directly. “These products are for short term and for limited control only. For instance, with Hit, you may not be able to cover the entire area where cockroaches are present, so even after emptying a few containers, you may notice roaches the next day. Pesticides for mosquitoes will work for few hours, as new mosquitoes entering home will not be killed by them. These products cannot replace professional pest control services.”

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The cost-conscious Indian buyer wants a ‘cheap and best solution’, irrespective of the quality or efficacy, Mr Balagopal reasons. According to him, ‘Yellow Pages sellers’ have diluted the market, which has seemingly rendered pest control a Do-it-Yourself (DIY) job. Surprisingly, even builders are falling for the ruse. “It is important to know insect behaviour and undergo professional training. Our professionals are trained at Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore and National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), Hyderabad. It certainly brings about a world of difference to our approach.” With lack of professional methods, Mr Balagopal says that some players are delivering only shortterm results. “Pest control outcomes can be seen only on a long-term basis. For instance, termites can be

eradicated, but cockroaches can only be suppressed. It is pertinent for any pest control provider to know the breeding cycles of insects to attack and control them. The Union government has to formulate stringent guidelines, as in Singapore, to rein in fly-by-night operators,” he explains. Mr Balagopal also emphasises the need for pest control operators to be members of the Indian Pest Control Association (IPCA) to offer professional services. There are currently about 300 registered members from across the country, he adds. “All members are proven credible, as they can affiliate themselves with IPCA only after five years of operations, that too after stringent scrutiny. The association regularly conducts events, seminars and technology sessions to keep the members updated on the latest pest control developments.”

Expressing his views on where the pest control market is India is headed over the next 10 years and beyond, he says, “There will be more awareness among general public and other stakeholders on pest control measures. The marked difference in the quality and results of work assured by professional pest management services, in sharp contrast to those by fly-by-night operators, is becoming apparent and soon, customers will pose pertinent questions to their operators on their services and safety features.” A slew of foreign players might enter the segment in the coming years and many more safe products and chemicals can be expected in the market. “Personally, Paws has sustained its successful pest control journey for 57 years, and we hope to bolster our service portfolio in the near future.” Well then, it is time to lay all your pest control worry to rest.

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Organic or hyperbole?

Scariest of the lot

Top-five

pest menaces & remedies

} }

Are there any organic solutions to bring down the toxic ill-effects to humans? “In most cases, boric acid-based treatments are passed off as Ayurvedic or herbal, but no reputed company will claim that it uses any of these ‘organic’ solutions. Anything which kills pests is toxic, and Ayurvedic or herbal does not make any difference. Our products that have gone through R&D all over the world are safer than untested claims, such as Ayurvedic or herbal.”

1. Cockroaches 2. Bed bugs 3. Spiders 4. Rodents 5. Wasps 6. Mosquitoes 7. Termites 8. Flies 9. Ants 10. Birds

} 1. Termites – 2. Cockroaches - Spray and gel treatments Pre- and post-construction liquid and foam treatments

3. Rodents - 4. Mosquitoes – Spraying and thermo-fogging Baiting, proofing and trapping

5. Bedbugs and ticks – Vacuuming, steaming, freezing, fumigation and insecticides

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Zeroing in on Kerala The Boston-based Taurus Investment Holdings LLC, an international realestate private-equity investment company, which will in three years set up a ₹1,200-crore project in Thiruvananthapuram’s Technopark, expects to bring top-notch multinational companies to set up shop there. “We have relationships with scores of multinational companies and we are asking them to open their branches or facilities at Taurus Downtown Technopark,” Ajay Prasad, managing director of Taurus India, a fully-owned subsidiary of the parent company.

MEANWHILE

IN INDIA

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The1% Scheme Real estate developers have to deposit one per cent of the project cost to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) in advance so that the civic body may build infrastructure such as drains, streetlights and roads. Such deposit would be mandatory for obtaining the building plan approval from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) without which construction work can’t start.

3rd International Trade Fair The upcoming BAUMA CONEXPO SHOW – bC India, which takes place at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida / Delhi from December 15 to 18, 2014, will occupy some 120,000 sq.mts of space. The set up will also house joint exhibits from 7 countries. Igor Palka, CEO of organizer, bC

Expo India said, “We understand that, despite all the positive signs, the Indian market is still struggling at this time, but we are very optimistic that a number of other companies will register to exhibit at the fair before it opens.”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;NRIs feel confident about the new government of India and are waiting for an investment-friendly market....â&#x20AC;? said D.S. Rawat,

Secretary General of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) in a report.

According to a survey conducted across 850 real estate developers by the industry body were, there has been a substantial increase in number of enquiries from NRIs. The survey was carried out in DelhiNCR, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahemdabad, Pune, Dehradun and Chennai among others.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to open Indian office Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), the giant pension fund that makes private-equity investments, plans to open an India office and has hired Kotak Realty Fund Executive, V. Hari Krishna as a key member of its local team.

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Trump is Wrong!

In a recent interview to the Forbes India magazine, Donald Trump, American investor and business tycoon said, “Your real estate is unbelievably cheap...” This may not be particularly true.

Millions of Square Feet Unsold in Gurgaon Gurgaon’s housing market has an unsold inventory of nearly 19 million sq. ft., 28% of the total area under development, due to a slowdown in demand and a surge in supply said rating agency, Icra.

Let’s verify this statement by comparing prices in Mumbai and New York, the largest city in the United States using the Big Mac Index. According to the light-hearted guide the price of a New York median home in rupee terms is around Rs.88.1 lakh ($524,500 multiplied by Rs.16.8). This is almost 32 percent cheaper than the price of an average home in Mumbai.

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Not the Penny foolish

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a seismic shift in the traditional approach of leasing space that ... companies have had for years while considering overseas investment,â&#x20AC;? Cushman & Wakefield said in a statement. With rising rents in prime markets where MNCs operate, there is a long term cost benefit in buying office spaces rather taking on lease.

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Out with Conventional. In with Coffee.

Mumbai has at least half a dozen co-working hubs (sometimes cafe’s) of different shades that start-ups and entrepreneurs prefer to work out of, instead of renting out expensive real estate or working out of home or the garage. The likes of Goa, Pune, Ahmedabad and Ernakulum have also picked up on these trends apart from the major metros and other urbane cities.

“I’ve Got My Eyes On You”

Private equity giant Blackstone Group is in discussions to acquire an IT Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Noida owned by The 3C Company for a little over Rs.600 crore, as its appetite for India’s commercial real estate continues unabated.

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MEANWHILE

OVERSEAS A View of Palm Beach from the Sky Construction has begun on Miamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tallest tower: SkyRise Miami. Standing 305 meters above the Biscayne Bay, the waterfront tower by architects, Arquitectonica will offer three viewing decks, a restaurant, nightclub, ballroom, exhibition space, and even the chance to bungee jump off its upper floors.

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Tesla’s Eco-friendly Gigafactory Tesla Motors’ new diamond shaped Gigafactory to be built in Nevada is a $5 billion project that will be powered by renewable energy and run at net zero energy. What’s more is that Tesla will build the world’s largest and most advanced battery factory in Nevada which will mean nearly one hundred billion dollars in economic impact to the Silver State over the next twenty years.

A London Dream come True Average London house prices are now 18 times average UK incomes at £499,000 ($800,000) and £27,000 ($43,200) respectively. So the news that a crowdfunding website will let you invest as little as £50 ($80) in residential real estate ‘buy-to-let’ schemes could be a game changer. The site is called www.propertypartner. co and it’s inviting early registration ahead of a formal launch.

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Helsinki v. Guggenheim One of the biggest architectural competitions ever; the race for who will design the Guggenheim Helsinki has been criticised as a vanity project and a symbol of the Finnish capital selling out to an American brand. Now, a counter-competition, Next Helsinki has been launched in rebellion - the competition – pitched to “attract innovative ideas about how to more fully meet the city’s cultural, spatial and sustainability needs” – is the latest step in the increasing volume of discontent over the Guggenheim plan.

Helsinki’s South Harbour, where the new Guggenheim Museum is proposed to be built.

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Fondation Louis Vuitton: A Master Stroke

The Jardin d’Acclimatation in Paris’s Bois de Boulogne park welcomes its most audacious attraction yet; the Fondation Louis Vuitton that is all set to be inaugurated on October 20th, 2014.

A dazzling center for contemporary art and culture, the project is the brainchild of Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of the French luxury-goods conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy–Louis Vuitton, and was brought to life by that most lyrical of architectural conjurers, Frank Gehry.

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The Amazon of UK

eCommerce giant Amazon has selected an office building by Foster + Partners in Central London as its new UK home. Amazon is set to leave its current offices in Slough, which it has occupied for 16 years, to move into the £290 million Principal Place development on the edge of the City of London.

House Hunting, Hong Kong style

Two years ago, the government of Hong Kong began phasing in ‘cooling measures’, to check price growth in the residential real estate market. These measures were aimed at foreign buyers who were active in the top end real estate bracket. The current prices in the luxury market has begun growing but slowly such that the local demand is able to support the growth.

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Colliers International’s clean sweep at Euromoney’s Real Estate Awards 2014 Colliers’s outstanding performance is demonstrated by winning 30 awards across Asia including Best Overall Advisor and Consultant for Asia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia.

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Living Rooms in their splendour and their simplicity

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ON THE COVER

Documenting Spaces and their Use When and how does a blank space evolve to mean, ‘home’?

Armed with this question, we took a detour around the offices of engineers, architects, decor consultants and interior design gurus and walked into the homes of people we knew. What one might call, ‘regular’ people. Our team handpicked five homes to inspect. The spaces that were chose to be represented in their ‘design truth’ were living rooms - rooms, specifically meant to be shared with the outside world. In some cases, these living rooms contained the entire home save the bedroom or bath. In some cases, the living room was separate, clearly designed to entertain in. We wanted to understand how these families given the wealth of their background and the inclination of their design philosophy worked with these couple of square feet. And a depth of character, these spaces did reveal. No matter how big or small, flamboyant or spartan, each living room that we pored over was a study in human interaction. How the family interacted with each other, how they interacted with the things in their home and how they interacted with influences outside their home - this was particularly observed in the similarities amongst certain usages of space from amongst different homes. Peruse through these pages where we capture the mood, the design and the choices of the five families who graciously lent their personal spaces for the sake of observation and study. The skills of Kunal Daswani, a perceptive photographer at his best enabled this presentation of rich images that capture each families’ communal space.

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M r. a n d M r s . G u r u m u r t h y Gengu Reddy Street, Egmore

For more than 80 years, Gurmurthy’s family has been calling the building constructed during the second world war, home. The living room at approximately 100 sq.ft. is 40% of the entire home and the family spends close to 80% of their time in this room. That means they spend about 19 hours in the room. The maximum people housed in this space was 20 and occasion was the couple’s son’s birthday. “My son’s Xbox and our television set are perhaps our most prized possessions in this space.”

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M r. a n d M r s . A u m Janakiraman Kadhar Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam

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It was 2 months ago that the couple moved into the home. While the building was constructed more than 15 years ago, their home was renovated 3 months ago. Measuring 350 sq.ft., the living room makes up for 33.3% of their home. The couple spends 40% of their time in this room and that comes up to

almost 7 hours out of a day’s 24. The most number of people to engaged in the living room was during the couple’s house warming party and the number was 12. “There are two of these 100 year old carved wooden pillar bases that would be our favorite pieces of furniture in the home. We use them as side tables.”

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The Gothi Family Road Name, Ayanavaram

The home was built in 1969 and the Gothi family has been living there for 43 years . Their living room measures 350 sq.ft. and makes up for 10% of the entire house. The family spends around 3 hours in the living room and that roughly amounts to 12% of a day. The most number of people who have occupied this space at a single time is 18 and that would be when there were birthdays and festivals to celebrate. “It’s not anything tangible really, the energy of the room when my family is around is what we treasure the most.”

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M r. a n d M r s . S a m u e l Surendran Kalakshetra Colony, Besant Nagar

The couple have been living in a house built in 2007 for the last 7 years.

Their living room measures 650 sq.ft. and makes up for 21.6% of the entire house. The couple spends 10% their day in the living room and that makes it 2 and a 1/2 hours a day.

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50 is the maximum number of people hosted in the living room at one time and this was during the couple’s younger daughter’s wedding ceremony.

“The most treasured piece in this room would have to be the Wooden Chettinad Chest which is a regal 350 years old.”

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M r. a n d M r s . N a m e Kadhar Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam

The building has been up for more than 25 years and the family has been living here for that long as well. The living room where the family gathers together most of the time, about 80% of the day is 110 square. ft. which is 40% of the home. At one point the living room housed more than 30 people at one time during the daughter’s wedding. ‘The most treasured article in the room is the family’s television set. ‘

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Clear Estate invited Kunal Daswani to collaborate with the magazine for our cover story; Documenting Spaces with Living Rooms.

What caught your attention about the project? One of the reasons I love photography is that I get to meet new people and learn from each new project that I work on. And it was the same enthusiasm that drove my interest to work on this unique project. I was kicked about meeting with different kinds of people from different walks of life. I was excited about observing and documenting a piece of their life, their way of living and therefore their culture. What did you want to achieve with this project? My objective with this project was fairly straight forward - I needed to capture each family’s characteristic space story in a single photograph. Wa s t h i s p r o j e c t a n e w experience or was it a been here, done that episode? I have never been involved in a project of this kind, so this was all new territory for me. And I loved it and am hoping to do a whole lot more.

A s a p h o t o g r a p h e r, Kunal exhibits a gift for capturing the unobvious, subtle story at play in every frame and this was particularly important for our lead article. After the shoot, we sat down for a quick chat with the talented photographer to gather what his take was on this joint cover story experience.

Were there any challenges with this project? The hard part was probably the co-ordination between the family and self, but that was all handled by the magazine. I wouldn’t call it a challenge but working with an actual living, breathing space that was rich with the lives of the people living there was interesting to say the least.

If there was a similar series that you have come across, tell us a little about it. Yes, I have and this was a project called Indian men and Indian Families by a Delhi based Indian photographer called, Barath Sikka. That’s some phenomenal work, right there. What has your observation been during the course of this project? Spaces have a way of communicating a wealth of information about a person or in this case, the family. Similar to the way a person’s name carries a wealth of information about them. It tells us a little about him, a little about his parents, a little about his heritage, where he comes from and a lot more. For me, this project with Clear Estate was a study in people’s understanding of a designated space - say the living room and how the family’s culture, relationships and personalities come together to give that space a particular character. It was pretty fascinating to observe and the attempt capturing all that information in a single picture, like I said, was a learning experience for me. A n d f i n a l l y, w h i c h o f t h e images are closest to what your living room looks like? Well, in terms of design sense and space usage, the closest would probably have to be Shilpa and Aum’s living room. But my room isn’t half as fancy as theirs!

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Geometry with Coloured Glass Chris Wood uses colored glass to create colorful, prism-like mazes and mandalas of light installed vertically on walls. Her most common material is special optical coated dichroic (meaning â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;two colorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) glass, invented by NASA in the 1950s that reflects certain wavelengths of light while letting others through.

Muted shades of Resin Slab Furniture South Korean designer Wonmin Park constructed these chairs and tables from slabs of coloured resin.

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Interesting Finds Dhurrie as Upholstery Dhurries are no more relegated only to the floors. Wrap them around the sofa and ottoman to make the most of both bright designs and the allweather, sturdy fabrics.

The latest Fashion ramp is a Holographic one Four-storey-tall holographs of models were projected onto a moving screen of water for American brand Polo Ralph Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s womenswear show during New York Fashion Week.

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Bolia Lookbook 2015 Freaturing world class design talent from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and Japan the lookbook holds the strongest Bolia collection ever. 150 new home accessory designs governed by the keywords: Foolish and Spectacular, Different and Amazing.

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Visual Narrative of Light “The space was designed with materials .... (that) were sporty, feminine and urban; chain-link fences, brushed metal, gloss paint and iridescent lighting.”: Robert Storey Studio on the Nike Pop Up Store in New York .

Cartoon-ish Industrial Giants Brazilian graffiti artists Os Gemeos turn six multi-story silos on Granville Island into their trademark ‘Giants.’ The murals on the 70-foot towers are now the largest paintings ever attempted by the pair. It is a nonprofit art project for which they donated a month of their time.

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Papering up your wall is back with a rage. From Japanese to Indian to Texture, wallpapers can transform these drab separators into something breathtaking pieces of art. Here are a few blogs that

tell you a thing or two (that you might not have stumbled up on yet) on the art of gluing coloured strips of paper to the wall, amongst other surfaces in the room.

patatiepatataâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wallpaper-ideas board on pinterest Ingenious ways to use the leftover from your last wallpapering expedition

hardydanielleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wall-decals board on pinterest Discover the world of wall decals

rosiesvintagewallpaper.blogspot.in For some grand and elegant inspiration, look up this breathtaking vintage wallpaper collection

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A uwdecals.com Patterns are in with the contemporarily stylish lot and bold ideas make for a pretty cool style statement

cavernhome.com A boutique wallpaper firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog with every kind of awesome on roll call

whatisblik.com 3D movies? Yawn. Have you heard about 3D Wall Tiles and Surface Skins!

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vintagerevivals.com Create your own geometric design based wallpaper

brewsterwallcovering.com To know what a menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection of wallpaper could possibly mean

http://www.pinterest.com/ hyperjulia/wallpapers-patternscarpets-floors/ Be viciously colourful when loaded up on ideas from this little corner of the web

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TECHTONIC

lizzieallen.co.uk Lizzie Allenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand of Hand Screen printed wallpaper

howaboutorange.blogspot.in Fabricâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just as good as paper on the wall

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INTER~ NATIONAL Property

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hom To call an iconic glass spire,

If you are toying with the idea of making an international property investment then we suggest you give a chance to Dubai, the city thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constantly reaching for the skies with its higher-than-most high-rises. Read on to find out how Dubai is nowhere near being the has been of 2008 but is revealing itself to be a more mature market that nurtures careful minded investors.

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meâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The first five things that come to mind when one hears of Dubai is perhaps the Burj Khalifa, man-made islands, arguably being home to the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expensive cars , the Dubai Shopping Festival and a virtual taxlessness. Clear Estate invites you to revisit that list, right about now. What we have observed about the most populous city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could very well be what people sitting on sizable savings want to hear - when it comes to international investment returns, Dubai has been the best bet since 2010.

Wise-Price Incentive From a global perspective, prime property in Dubai is amazingly lowpriced. Especially when you compare it with the likes of London and Hong Kong, the former is six times more expensive and the latter stands at even more. In terms of price growth, Dubai leads the list of major luxury cities. The prices have been up by 29% in the last two years.

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Recovering Stability Potential investors might entertain a pause because of the fear instilled by Dubai’s massive real-estate crash in 2008 and the slowdown that followed in more recent times, as recent as the first quarter (Q1)of 2014. But the good news is that there are reports pouring in by the dozen, confirming the gradual and stronger revival of the Dubai property market. The HSBC’s latest purchasing managers’ index data for the UAE confirms that the economy is headed for a 4% to 5% growth in the recent future. More good news is that this

is an insulated figure, safe from the geopolitics of the region. Colliers International Q2 2014 House Price Index recorded a moderate 3% increase over the quarter which also indicated a stabilised residential property market in Dubai. “Overall market fundamentals are arguably stronger now than during 2008, with solid occupier demand, a smaller development pipeline, tighter regulations and a healthier global economy,” says Nick Maclean, Managing Director, CBRE Middle East.

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Expo2020 Influence The World Expo is one of the largest and most enduring global mega-events. Lasting six months, World Expos attract millions of visitors who witness exhibits and cultural events staged by hundreds of participants including nations, international organisations and businesses. “The initial frenzy leading up to Dubai’s successful World Expo bid and the strong domestic demand for residential property helped to lift average values by 51%,” says Faisal Durrani, International Research and Business Development Manager at Cluttons, an international property consultant and estate agency. Several industry reports published recently echo similar sentiments. ‘’Dubai is expecting 25 million visitors to the Expo, which will drive major new construction projects across a 438-hectare site and significant infrastructure upgrades. This activity should continue to support rents and real estate prices in the runup to the event, as well as boosting the construction sector. It will also boost demand in the hospitality sector, helping balance the likely revival of other tourist markets in the region as political stability improves,’’ says Fitch Ratings, a rating agency that provides credit rating and research services.

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Safe Investment Utilising this gradual upswing in the market are many investors, as observed by the Dubai-based Mena Properties Services (MPS) in a report that described how the former were cashing in on their current investments and upgrading to a higher tier of property where capital appreciation has greater potential. MPS believes the overall market movements in the second quarter of 2014 are healthy as they create a pricing equilibrium across the Dubai region. The (earlier mentioned) Colliers report and Durarani from Cluttons also alluded to key measures introduced by the government to curb the growth in house prices at the end of last year. These regulations that have had a positively impact on the city’s market include doubling of the property registration fees and the ban on off-plan resale’s by some developers.

Investment Trends That’s the evolving Dubai market on one hand. Let’s also take a look at the habits of the Indian investor in Dubai on the other - according to a recent report in DNA, a leading newspaper; the International Property Show (IPS) under the umbrella of the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) has revealed that India tops the number of foreign investors and investment transactions in Dubai’s real estate market. Interestingly, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) has also confirmed that Indian nationals were ranked first for foreign investment, making a total of 4,417 transactions worth (Dihrams) DH10,523 billion.

Locations to Watch Out for Possibly, under the influence of mature investors and cautious developers in the market, there is a noticeable shift in investment trends that is leaning towards the Dubai suburbs. This has led to more availability in the main stretch of Dubai - from World Trade Centre to Dubai Marina and adjacent communities. Equitable prices are firming up with one, the softening of prices in key areas and two, the strengthening of pricesin less recognized communities, where demand has been newly created. These areas would include Dubailand, Sports City and Jumeirah Village. In many ways this manner of development is similar to how realty development in India have been progressing, these un-established communities in Dubai allow for more affordable properties by offering more living space per square foot but with the limitation of longer commutes, anywhere between 5km and 10km to the heart of the city. Considering Indians are already one of the bigger contributors to Dubai’s international real estate investment, all that’s left is to choose the right property and make that investment.

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Bouncing Back, an indicator Nakheel, the company behind audacious projects such as the Palm Islands, has been a central figure in the emirate’s construction boom and were key players in The World project, an artificial archipelago off the coast of the UAE designed to look like the world map, which was not unlike the grand concepts that define Dubai’s property market but just that much more ambitious. The project was soon suspended when Dubai’s economy collapsed, taking down Nakheel with it. The assignment was tied up with credit, requiring a loan from the government to get back on its feet. But with Dubai’s market rebounding as it has and with demand and prices, the company’s AED7.9 billion debt, which was due to be paid off completely in 2018 has now been met several years early.

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London

$1.54 million

New York $1.22 million

Miami

$1.26 million

How would Dubai compare in ROI? A new study from Douglas Elliman and Knight Frank looked at the return on $1 million invested in prime residential property in 2010 through to the second quarter of 2014.

Process of owning property in Dubai 2002’s issue of the Freehold Decree allowed foreigners to buy, sell, lease or rent property at their own discretion in Dubai. The decree was designed to increase international interest and put the emirate on the map as a global investment hotspot.

Is it an Off-Plan or Resale Purchase? There are slightly different sets of protocol depending on whether one purchases property from a developer, called an ‘off-plan’ purchase, or purchases property from a private seller, called a ‘resale’ purchase. Often, a seller will require an expat to be ‘pre-approved for home financing’ before signing the sales contract.

$1million in

2010 If it’s an Off-Plan Purchase

01.

Expats will need to submit a completed reservation form with their passport. The reservation form typically summarises the basic terms and conditions of the sales agreement, the details of the payment plan, and the buyer and seller’s personal details.

02. be paid.

03.

A reservation deposit needs to

The formal sales and purchase agreement is drafted. Similar to the reservation agreement, this also commits both buyer and seller to the deal. Developers may require that an expat pay up to 20% of the purchase price of the property before they draft this agreement.

04.

If the property is yet to be completed then the purchase agreement should include the completion date and the compensation that will be awarded if the property is not completed within that time

05.

To complete the process, the buyer must transfer the deeds. This is done at the developer’s office if the property is yet to be completed or at the Land Department Offices in Deira if the property is already registered. The buyer must pay 100% of the property price at this point.

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Dubai

$1.63 million

Hong Kong $1.16 million

2014 If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Resale Purchase

01.

Key finding from Colliers International Q2 2014 House Price Index

Buyer and seller need to agree on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), detailing the date of the final transfer of funds from the buyer to the seller. This document is not binding.

> Increase in the overall index of 3%

02.

> Blended average rate for residential

The buyer then puts down a deposit which is usually 10% of the property price. The real estate agentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commission is also paid for, at this time.

03.

After obtaining financing, the formal transfer of deeds takes place. The above is not legal advice and as property laws may change on a regular basis expats considering buying property in Dubai should first seek appropriate legal advice.

between Q1 2014 and Q2 2014

> Year-on-year increase of 20% between Q2 2013 and Q2 2014

property increased from AED 1,463/ft. to AED to 1,512 per ft. Q2 2014.

> Apartment prices increased by 5%

in Q2 2014 to AED 1, 584 (AED 17,050 per m.) compared to AED 1,504 (AED 16,182 per m.) in Q1 2014

> Villa prices show no change

between Q1 2014 and Q2 2014 remaining at AED 1,474 (AED 15,866 per m.)

> Townhouse prices increased by 5% in Q2 2014 to AED 1,269 (AED 13,659 per m.) compared to AED 1,208 ft2 (AED 13,002 per m.) in Q1 2014. in the internationally

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Dubai Residential Market Overview Average rents & sale prices grew by just 2% & 1% respectively in Q3 (down from 3% & 6% in Q2) As existing communities become fully established, developersare looking at alternative locations for their new projects (e.g.Tecom have announced Lantana Villas in Umm Suqeim / JerseyProperties launched the first

freehold property project in Mirdif; Mirdif Tulip). There is a shift in developer attitudes towards the off-plan salesmarket. Developers are seeking to attract more end-users byintroducing flexible payment terms, with a higher proportion ofthe final price payable due after handover.

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Indians Celebs, the bearers of Dubai Property Campaigns Sharukh Khan appears on billboards advertising Royal Estate, a DH2.3 billion plan for 2000 apartments and villas, a luxury hotel and shops in Dubai Investment Park.

SRK and his wife Gauri who will also help design the development’s interiors were meant to interact with 600 specially invited guests from India, Pakistan, Canada and the UK as part of the marketing campaign.

The off-plan sale of apartments start at DH 450,000, the townhouses at DH1.6 million. The first 42 villas are expected to be handed over by October, 2014 and another 200 town houses are scheduled for delivery 18 months later. Sunil Gavaskar, India’s legendary former opening batsman is the face of the DH 500 million ‘Dreamz by Danube’ development of 175 townhouses in Al Furjan. “He has been made the face of our ad campaign so that Indian expat investors are assured of our project’s superior quality,” said Rizwan Sajan, Founder and Chairman of the Danube Group. The development’s 3 and 4 bedroom townhouses start at DH 2.5 million. Construction is expected to begin soon with the handover planned in 2016.

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Malgadi McNichols Road, Chetpet, Chennai | rmd.co.in Photographed by Ashwin Mohan

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WHY IS NOW WHEN YOU SHOULD BE MAKING

property investments IN There has not been a better moment to invest in property since the boom of 2004-2008. Read about the several factors contributing to Chennai’s real estate market bouncing back in to top form.

The first quarter of 2014 (Q1) started with a positive sentiment in the Indian real estate space. It is primarily due to the optimistic consumer mindset, spurred by recent Parliamentary elections, the subsequent formation of the new government, growthoriented Union Budget and the overall economic outlook of the country. While there was a dip in sales immediately after the government formation – as people wanted to gauge the growth potential and wait for new project and policy announcements from the stable Centre – the momentum picked up after the budget was tabled. While incidents like the apartment collapse in June, brought a lot of negativity to the market, the overall tone set against the change in government, the rupees performance and the now festive season coming up has gradually led to a change in the real estate market’s atmosphere.

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.01

Capitalize on Chennai’s Market Steadiness

A Knight Frank report titled, The India Real Estate Outlook 2014 calls out the Chennai residential market as one of the steadiest markets in India. The city proved its resilience during one of the toughest periods in 2008– 09, when it remained relatively stable in terms of sales volume and price, as compared to cities like Mumbai, NCR, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. This has largely been because the demand for residential real estate in Chennai comes predominantly from end users, thereby limiting the scope for erratic price movement in this market. In fact, this foresight favors the entire country from what Gulam Zia, Executive Director at Knight Frank, India said while releasing a report, “With a stable central government, sops for the housing sector and other government decisions for economic revival seem to have changed the home buyer’s sentiment from negative to positive in the past three months.” According to the Real Estate : 1Q FY15 Industry & Results Review by HDFC Securities, Chennai has continued to exhibit stable demand with the sweet spot for volumes being the Rs. 4,000-6,000/per square feet range in the city. This is especially interesting to note for people who are looking at upgrading to bigger homes.

Another indicator of a stable market is what’s happening on the builder’s side of the equation, Knight Frank while observing the financial performance of India’s top-25 listed real estate companies commented that during Q3FY14, in terms of volume share realty companies based in South India gained the most due to affordably priced residential properties. Also South Indian companies experienced an increase in sales volume and consequent growth in revenue. In summation, what we, at Clear Estate can tell you will not happen in the city is a market performance or capital appreciation like what was witnessed in 2004-2008. It was then that areas like Annanagar, T.Nagar, Alwarpet and Nungambakkam saw immense growth due to a combination of factors; globalization, expansion of the IT presence, the manufacturing sector picking up land for facilities, the retail and the telecom boom, FDI coming in and trendy new age living colliding - all these factors at their innovative peak, collided on the Chennai property market. This phenomenon repeating itself has less than usual chances. So, when the going seems good at this moment is when buyers should get busy.

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.02

Make the most of shifting Inventory The second half of 2014 is likely to see launches and absorption increase by 31% and 14% respectively. “Inventory is already coming down from the highs of 201314 and while still not at optimum

levels, the signs are hopeful.” said an industry source. And taking this inventory into consideration, Pankaj Kapoor, MD, Liases Foras, a real estate research firm says, “Prices in the top cities

(including Chennai) will be under pressure for the next year or two due to the accumulation of a huge inventory. Efficient markets maintain 8 to 10 months of inventory, but in most Indian cities the level is much higher.” Owing to cost escalation, developers can’t cut prices. So what we are likely to see is time correction. “Sales won’t pick up until people’s incomes rise to a level where current realty prices become affordable,” confirms Kapoor. Clear Estate suggests that while checking out prospects in real estate now, have an investment horizon of five years or more. Also, expect more modest returns than in the past. But while it is most likely that the time for quick and abnormal gains from real estate is over, Chennai’s market has all the makings of a profitable market. The narrowing demand-supply gap can be credited to the stable Chennai market and indicative of this is the fact that the city is touted to be one of only two markets in the country where new project launches have been forecasted. This is simply because all other major markets are still sitting on high unsold inventory and poor response received by new projects launched in the second half of 2013 and first half of 2014. This is seconded by the Knight Frank’s report that states that the Chennai’s residential market will witness a strong growth in new launches, as these markets had observed the sharpest fall during second half of 2013, resulting in a low base during that period.

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.03

Benefit from Chennai’s Expansive Commercial Growth

Several corporate strategies drafted in many a boardroom across the country and the world seem to indicate that setting up shop in Chennai is the smart thing to do. Take what Mr. Nakano, Japanese Consul General recently said at a special gathering about the ChennaiBangalore Industrial Corridor that could increase Japanese direct investment in the city. And then there is the Taiwan World Trade Centre (TWTC) that aims to bring at least 500 companies from Taiwan to India over the next decade. A few more examples of Corporate Relocations (HQ and Other) are the British-Swedish pharma major, AstraZeneca that ‘s setting up its Global Technology Centre (GTC) in Chennai. Also, Swedish furniture retailer IKEA plans to open its first store in India by 2016-17. The company plans to set up about 25 stores in the country over the next 10 years at an investment of approximately Rs. 12,500 crore, said Juvencio Maetzu, Country Head, adding that each store will need an investment of Rs. 500 crore. The first of these stores will be set up in Chennai and three other metros. Now, looking at the corporate presence from the Indian quarters, quite famously, due to its achievements as an auto production hub, Chennai has already been dubbed as the ‘Detroit of India’.

Even better is this continuing trend in the city what with FUSO trucks made in Chennai being launched in Indonesia Motor Show. On the other hand, the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ), established in 1984 to promote FDI, with 117 functional units has another another 27 in the process of being set up which is indicative of expansion. Also, according to an article carried in ibef.com, a 300-acre industrial park for high-end plastic components manufacturing units is to come up to the North of Chennai, according to official sources. A recent report represents that quarterly pan-India net office space at absorption is up flat YoY but up 40% QoQ with Chennai listed as one of the two cities, leading in this category. The Chennai office market continues to see one of the lowest vacancy levels across Indian cities at 15%. INSERT COLLIERS PAGE PRINT 2 And this information is relevant to someone who is looking at making a property investment because if the future of commercial and corporate growth in Chennai is looking good, then that means more jobs will be created, and that means more people will be employed. This finally ties into more disposable income which usually finds its way to assets like new homes to live in or for investment purposes.

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.04

Cash in on the city’s infrastructural power-ups It is worth noting the city’s infrastructure projects currently underway - metro rail, mono plans, ORR, elevated express ways, small buss connectivity, airport expansion, new bus terminals, smart cities, and a Japanese township, all this is indicative of better connectivity, better services and better accessibility. Specific to Chennai, Arun Kumar, Managing Director, Casa Grande Pvt Ltd who spoke at the Construction, Architecture and Interiors 2014 expo organised by the Hindu Business Line said that home buyers will have a wide choice as large infrastructure projects and satellite towns around the city will open up land for residential projects and organised development. In the case of the buzz around smart cities, the initiative announced by the Central Government will essentially mean use of well developed infrastructure, technology and facilities to provide high density urban centres. Similarly in the case of satellite cities, in Chennai, the suburbs are opening up with the State Government announcing plans for one near Thirumazhisai on the western outskirts; the GST Road with its rail connectivity is fast growing as also the Sriperumbudur and Oragadam industrial belts, Kumar said.

Add to this another indicator of Chennai being a serious player amongst Infrastructure giants is the fact that the city hosted the 2014 edition of the BusinessLine Construction, Architecture and Interiors Expo where everything from architectural and building materials such as cement, steel to safety and security equipment to bathroom and light fittings to flooring and roofing materials. All this apart from outdoor and indoor furniture. Specifically on the Chennai metro project, Sanjay Chugh, Head Residential Services, Chennai and Bangalore of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), in an exclusive conversation with Clear Estate said that the metro will offer unmatched connectivity, when it becomes operational in zones including Mount Road, Poonamallee High Road, Alandur and Velachery. He added to this, saying, “Any housing project close to the metro stations and network will enjoy great appreciation. These locations will become prominent for their access to high-speed public transport. People should definitely look at this corridor for their investments.” This is especially relevant for someone looking to relocate within the city or for someone who is keen on reaping the return on investment in a couple of years, who can see the bigger picture - after the metro has had a chance to run for a while and work out all the chinks in its armour.

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.05

Even on a Global scale, the city is a win-win bet

A Cushman & Wakefield report titled, Asia Pacific 2014 - 2015 Forecasts: Regaining Momentum states that when pitting Chennai against other markets in the region, the city is set to post above average rent growth. The simple conclusion here is that, prospects for escalating ROI from Chennai hold true even from a zoomed out macro point of view. So making an investment now, bodes well for those with a non too ostentatious budget who are checking out possible investment opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region.

.06

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An Opportune Moment when Developers won’t hold on to Inventory for longer

In the current scenario, builders will not favour holding on to stocks for an eternity as their finance come wrapped in high interest. Enter innovative advertising campaigns to unload inventory, many brokers are cutting prices from 7% to 15% across major cities including Chennai. Freebies from 1 kg of gold to free vacations, motorbikes, a gold coin and a modular kitchen have been offered to lure customers. Also a recently released real estate ‘sentiment index’, developed by apex industry body, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), and property consultant Knight Frank, shows a sixpoint rise in sentiment in the second quarter (Q2) of 2014 to 69, as against the previous quarter. The index is based on responses from realty stakeholders such as builders and financiers. The sentiment is high on expectations of

speedy clearances and easier access to capital. The general belief is that home-buying will take off over the next six months, says the report. Therefore a fair assessment of the current market needs to account for higher construction costs, higher labour costs, higher land costs, the developer’s own high costs of inventory being held on to plus the discounts and offers being offered. This all points to the thin margin that builders are working with to liquidate their stocks, therefore a property buyer would do well to make the most of this market. Consumers can pick from a range of extra offerings such as rate discounts, free interiors, waivers on registration costs, free maintenance, reduced interest rates, more modifications, upgrades etc. All, a part of the timely package aimed at selling existing stocks.

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.07

.08

Even though bank loans to developers grew by 20% between Mar-13 and Mar-14, banks continue to be selective in extending loans to the industry. As a result, many developers continue to resort to the Non-Convertible Debentures (NCD) route to raise funds at 16 - 20%, which is indicative of the tight liquidity scenario in the sector. Incidentally, at the same time, housing loans continue to consistently see strong 15-20% YoY growth. With home loan interest rates expected to remain at elevated levels, housing loan growth will be a key monitorable to gauge propensity for home purchases in FY15E. While reinforcing the fact that rent

will increase by 10% every year no matter what happens in the market, Sanjay Chugh, Head â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Residential Services (Chennai & Bangalore) JLL India writes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;To address the demand from majority of the first-time home buyers looking to buy homes out of their savings, limited exposure to debt and EMIs, developers have ventured out of the city and created new residential areas in the periphery and suburban areas of Chennai. By relaxing the minimum area prescribed for getting FDI from 50,000 sq. metres to 20,000 sq. metres and the minimum capitalisation from $10 million to $5 million, the budget has ensured that mid-sized developers have access to funding and FDI participation.â&#x20AC;? This means, home buyers who are wading into the oft-called murky waters of property investment for the first time will see a more receptive and opportune market loaded with choices to make their first buy in.

Mind the Indicators Lending to Developers Improves

First Time Home Buyer Blues, No More

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.09

Buyers have a friendly in the 2014 Budget

2014 is cited as the year of change for Chennai and India at large. The new government who took on the reins at full speed did not slow down with the budget’s pro-real estate and pro-infrastructure and pro FDI sections. The real estate sector was high on the priority list, with the budget giving ample hints that the new government is sticking to its promise of assuring housing for all by 2022. Concessions provided on housing loans, an increase in allocation under Rural Housing Schemes and several incentives announced to promote affordable housing echoed the government’s desire towards meeting the promise.

Add to this the increasing tax sops on the purchase of new homes and the fact that the dominant employer in the region – the IT/ITeS sector – has signalled optimism for business in FY 2015 and we have the makings of a win-win situation. Last but definitely not the least as this has been getting some serious coverage in the digital and print media - property market experts have welcomed the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) green signal to set up real estate investment trusts (REITs) which will fund builders constructing commercial properties.

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.10

Dear NRI, consider the rising Rupee value

Property developers are expecting a 35% surge in real estate enquiries from the NRI quadrant according to a survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). It has also been found that NRIs consider Chennai amongst the top 4 safe places to invest in. To tap the growing interest, which comes at a time when the global economy is stabilising and India is showing strong signs of revival, real estate companies here are pulling out all the stops by conducting property shows, exhibitions and opening overseas representative offices. The draw for the NRIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is the handsome return on their investment. Developers are also expanding their existing distribution chains and entering into strategic partnerships to encourage investors from this cashrich segment, the industry body said. The enquiries are primarily coming from NRIs residing in the UAE, the US, Singapore, Australia, the UK, Canada and South Africa. And the demand is mostly for high-end property and commercial buildings. Therefore here is a call out to all interested NRIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking to make a sizable investment in the market, the ever steady Chennai is offering you the largest of picks from the ever increasing number of luxury projects and novel beach side offerings that are sure to generate some serious highs further down the line.

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Mancini: German-born architect Niels Schoenfelder of Chennai-based Mancini Enterprises dwells upon his diverse portfolio, inspiration and views on India’s evolving architectural landscape Serendipity, precisely describes architect Niels Schoenfelder’s career journey in India. Born and educated in Germany, he relocated to France for a job in an architectural firm. Paris paved way to Pondy when Mr.Schoenfelder’s firm deputed him on his maiden project to the south Indian coastal town with its unmistakable French connection. This was way back in 2002. Now, the official name of the town has changed from Pondicherry to Puducherry. And if it is so with merely a name, the intriguing world of architecture was not far behind. Niels has observed or has rather been proactively shaping, the progressive evolution in the architectural landscape through his firm, Mancini Enterprises. Mancini’s impressive body of work which has predominantly been in the South speaks volumes about Niels and his compact team’s vision, skills, intuition, tenacity and most importantly, the ability to adapt to different cultural contexts and subtexts.

So, it came as no surprise to us when an interview opportunity with the busy architect took much longer than expected to materialise. But the wait was worth it as this exclusive interaction with Clear Estate has probably been the Managing Director of Mancini’s most exhaustive ever. Here are the excerpts from our engaging conversation:

I grew up in a family that was richly involved in art and literature. I was extremely lucky because I got to travel a lot during my childhood; visit new places, meet new people, and absorb exciting lifestyles and societies, which laid a pretty solid foundation for what I am today. These travels became an active way of collecting books, reading, visiting museums, heritage buildings and understanding different cultures. In fact, some of the archeological

sites that I have visited several years ago are still a source of inspiration every day.

I pursued an M.Arch at the TU Darmstadt (university) in Germany and then relocated to Paris for an intern’s position, while also taking up a part-time course in philosophy. My first job led to the connection with (then called) Pondicherry which was the renovation of a former French outpost in 2002. As more opportunities started coming my way, the decision to establish Mancini Enterprises was made.

Mancini believes in creating the ‘physical’ future of where people live. One likes to be challenged at intellectual and artistic levels rather than timeline or commercial levels. Distinctive atmospheric quality is our differentiating factor. If you don’t create that, you only dish out mediocrity

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blah blah blah b;ah

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In 2004, Mancini’s first office was set up in Pondicherry. I met J. Thamizharima (now a Director at Mancini) at a project in the town. While discussing the market potential we also figured out that we could work well together. And that led to the decision to collaborate on the venture and have been operating out of Chennai since 2005. Mancini has grown organically from just two members in the beginning to an employee base of 30 as of today. Our first project in the city was an office’s interior project and the same client was the one who brought the first Mocha Mojo to Khader Nawaz Khan Road. We landed that project as well the firm has been growing slowly but steadily, ever since. Initially, the demand was mainly for architectural and interior design projects. Then, we gradually grew to include landscaping amongst our slew of services. Mancini’s first landscaping project was for a private client and was completed in 2009. We fell in love with the art of landscaping; planting trees, moving boulders, paving walkways, lighting etc. and proceeded to do a lot of it on our own, at our under-construction sites. Mancini enjoys the wholesome experience of executing architecture, interiors and landscaping services, together, this spells exceptional coherence for a project. And just as important for us is the quality of collaboration with other individuals because the quality of work depends on this factor. And many a times, collaborations can swing either way; from being a drawback to a pretty stimulating experience. Also, collaboration provides an opportunity for pertinent knowledge exchange and it is important that there is a synergy among the different disciplines and stakeholders involved.

People come to us with a preset ideas of their must haves, but there is an evolution of the design process. Every project gradually takes shapes based on the quality of interaction with clients and the other project partners. There is a very human side of things in play and as one begins interacting with the people, one acquires a better connection and a better understanding. At Mancini, we have looked at clients as more than mere business deals. This encourages us to go beyond the brief and try to understand the client’s future needs, which we have noticed is generally not factored in. Another thing that one needs to factor in is the team you work with, especially with bigger projects that take more time like perhaps the master plan to interiors to landscaping for a school which could take over 10 years to come to life. When one knows that there is a need to collaborate with a team for 10 years, no less - the motivation to find enriching relationships in these projects presents itself. After all one would like the satisfaction of time well spent.

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blah blah blah b;ah blah blah blah b;ah

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blah blah blah b;ah

The entire process of building quite critically, hinges on human factors in India. One can foster a direct relationship with the construction sites and the teams involved. The process is not guided by anonymous paper work that every architect worth his salt and who has worked in Europe has encountered. Personal relationships with projects is a little tough, what with the anonymous, omnipotent processes in place alongside insurance and legal systems that can be so cumbersome that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the ease of access to construction sites, contractors and craftsmen. Where as in India, we have the freedom to work closely with labourers at the site and be quite deeply and individually involved with the projects. This element is certainly very liberating for us at Mancini. While this means that work becomes a sort of a human adventure here in India it also means that a lot of responsibility lies quite heavily on the shoulders of individuals and not with the institutionally enforced processes. This poses great risks while simultaneously presenting great opportunities. I do believe that this dichotomy is visible in most Indian cities as well.

A huge must-have for the city is an appreciation for efficient civic amenities like our water resources and eco restoration projects which contribute to healthy living. I find it encouraging that the Adayar and Cooum (river) issues have been in discussion for some time now. I am also hopeful of more NGOs getting involved in the cause, along with the government. Just imagine if the polluted water bodies, like the Cooum and

Pallikaranai (marshland) are restored back to their normal state, it will lead to not only a changed perception of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image but will also satisfy the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much needed requirement for clean and beautiful public spaces. These needed changes should not be underestimated as mere beautification projects as they directly

affect the health and prosperity of the city and will ultimately impact its lifespan as well. With respect to residential development within the city, over the last one-and-a-half years, the kind of enquiries and the manner in which people are framing their demands

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has changed. I see a small sliver of hope with more people unwilling to compromise on quality. Having said that, the city’s product offerings in living spacesare not as innovatively or technically driven as in other Indian cities. And being the knowledge pool of South India, I don’t know why Chennai hasn’t gotten there yet. I truly believe that customers will be a much happier lot with the foreseen evolved sense of creative and technical design hits the Chennai market. And this will happen soon as I have been increasingly hearing that developers are becoming more and more imaginative and a lot of international collaborations are being introduced into the market. Chennai has the makings of an interesting dynamic and I predict that there will soon be more competition to offer better quality which will hopefully lead to more diversity, more debate and ultimately a healthier city.

For us, it is not just completing a project of a house or a development; it is about creating the ‘physical’ future of where people live. And the quality of the street and cityscape matters a lot in this case. What I want is to contribute to the best of my abilities; to be challenged at intellectual and artistic levels rather than timeline or commercial levels. I would prefer clients or projects that intrinsically bring out the best in me by being challenging, by appreciating real exchange and not just the mundane creation of square-footage. It can be a garden, a house or a whole satellite city, one has to be driven by the responsibility to create for the present and the future. This is also a way in which I can avoid repetition in my designs and the kinds of projects I am working on because a Mancini project makes the time you spend in it worthwhile as the space is worthwhile.

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‘Distinctive Atmospheric Quality’ is our differentiating factor. It might sound a bit vague but is valuable, let me assure you. If that distinctiveness is not a part of our ultimate creation, then we are only dishing out mediocrity. And that is not something that we, at Mancini are satisfied with so we work very rigorously to achieve this quality. It really is about the rules of the art, how to apply them in different contexts, how to not lose focus during the several years it usually takes to create a building. Current Projects We are working on a couple of private projects in Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai and a few pan-India commercial and institutional projects. Our clientele is made of corporates and private individuals in equal parts. Our clientele is made of corporates andprivate individuals in equal parts.

A Word of Advice We advise our clients to build smaller but better than what they had dreamt of or imagined. This is because, the ‘smaller’ space is designed and invested in to be a qualitatively better one. Like a well-lit small room with a gorgeous piece of art on the wall is ten times better than a badly-lit huge room that is half furnished with unpleasant decor.

Sustainable Homes Every architect should go beyond the brief and design sustainable homes, even when this is a not a prerequisite from the client’s side. This brings one to the paramount question of a building’s lifespan. The owner cannot or does not foresee the future generations’ plans for the structure. And to make up for this oversight, we, as architects should design something that then for its beauty and relevance has the best possible chances of being loved and maintained.

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The core specialisation at Mancini Enterprises is architecture and design projects for corporates, hospitality and private clients, landscaping adaptive reuse of heritage buildings

An Ideal World After all, the world over, buildings of high artistic value are well maintained, adapted, re-adapted, enjoyed by their owners, tenants and the public. Like in Europe where several of the constructions are more than 200 years old. They become part of cultural identities and ultimately play a role in the cohesion of cities and societies. The amount of resources used in their construction compared to the impact of the time they endure becomes almost insignificant in contrast. I think the trick is to combine a

responsible selection of materials with beautiful architectural designs. Then one has a chance of the building staying relevant. Also, there is a pressing need to see how exactly buildings can survive generations, buildings need to transform and adapt to different uses. A residential house can, in 50 years, become an office as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passed down generations. Colonial buildings can be restored to become sites of business and tourism. The idea is to use the old in a new form, preserve the inherent quality of the building and adapt it to a contemporary setting

I want to design beautiful buildings that will be taken care of and admired by their owners, tenants and the public for several years to come. Be it the landscaping, the architecture or the interiors - they should be a source of inspiration to people. I want my work to find acceptance amongst people and therefore careful maintenance as well. This would be a sure indicator of the happiness and positive energy that built spaces give to people. Mancini Enterprises should continue to keep itself challenged with diverse projects that hopefully interests people and the category in a healthy debate.

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Why Paris to Pondy? When Niels was on his first job in Paris in 2002, it was proposed that the 18th century villa of the Mayor of Pondicherry, Joseph François Dupleix, be converted in to a beautiful heritage hotel. A student of Le Villette School of Architecture, a young architect was handpicked by his mentor and famous architect, Eric Locicero to head the project. He combined his French sensibility and keen interest in local traditions to create an opulent vision steeped in rich history. In spite of the original bungalow of Governor Dupleix being in a semicollapsed condition, the architect managed to save some of the original structure, including some of the exquisite French-Indian woodwork. There was also a few problems with rising dampness in the lime-mortar walls, rotten wooden beams and inadequate bathroom and service spaces. The bathroom issue was handled by introducing mezzanine structures in wood, thereby allowing additional space for a bedroom and bathroom below. Niels Schoenfelder went ahead and put together a team of local carpenters and artisans to restore what was lost even reviving the lost art of the original ‘Chettinad egg plaster’ - a mixture of egg white, powdered sea shells and yoghurt used as a form of plastering. Hotel Le Dupleix now has the best of both worlds with Tamil traditions and French architecture coming together in harmony. The Weekend Home Niels Schoenfelder and his wife, Malavika Shivakumar’s weekend home on the outskirts of Puducherry is surrounded by coastal plantations. The house which looks like a thickwalled cube offers protection from the dramatic climate while still welcoming the cooling winds that blow in off the Bay of Bengal by being completely open on opposite ends so that the sea breezes blow through it, like a tunnel. The house’s daytime spaces—the

living rooms, studies, and library— are all upstairs, on the double-height second floor, while the bedrooms and kitchen are tucked away below. Heavy masonry gives the house a rugged solidity of medieval structures, something Niels had in mind while developing his otherwise severely modern design, with small rooms that appear to be carved into the thickness of the walls, and a staircase that climbs through a close, shadowed space. But the evocative materials serve a more practical purpose as well: They stay cool to the touch which is why the family walks around barefoot in the home. The family spend their weekdays in Chennai where Neils has his architectural practice and Malavika is a partner in Jean-François Lesage’s self-named firm, which creates and exports exquisite hand-embroidered textiles to a client list that includes leading interior and fashion designers, as well as royalty, around the globe. The property abuts a 35-acre resort—the Dune Eco Beach Hotel, also designed by Neils. A gate from the family’s lush garden opens directly onto resort property. The house sports metal furniture legs that were made by hand. The walls are clay brick covered in lime plaster, a hand-applied finish that results in a beautiful, slightly uneven surface. The floors are hand-polished concrete. And all the wood, both inside and out, is reclaimed from older buildings, so it bears the marks of human wear and care. A self-claimed small home with spaces that are both designed and fitted in a unique and practical style. Source: Elle Decor

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Credits / Sources thehindu.com newindianexpress.com business-standard.com timesofindia.indiatimes.com economictimes.indiatimes.com worldpropertychannel.com thehindubusinessline.com joneslanglasalleblog.com livemint.com theguardian.com worldpropertychannel.com law360.com bbc.com ibtimes.com diariodeburgos.es semanticaconsultores.com wikipedia.org acreconf.org vimeo.com abiboo.com enrichingleadership.com delhi-timeline.in freshome.com cdn.freshome.com freshdesignblog.com llph.co.uk latimesblogs.latimes.com thelostlanes.com avenuelifestyle.com cdn.home-designing.com nordicbliss.co.uk architizer.com mums.fi thewalkupblog.com cassina.com ted.com sites.psu.edu urbanorganicgardener.com photos-d.ak.instagram.com kw-la.com cdn2.tinyhousedesign.com survivalkit.com cdn.shopify.com viahouse.com smallhousestyle.com

img.modernprefabs.com flickriver.com flickr.com trendir.com cdn.jebiga.com dmva-architecten.be pixstatic.com interiordecodir.com theinspiredroom.net theluxhome.com alwaysintrend.com cdn.idecoration.me guatacrazynight.com blogspot.com joetin.com wired.co.uk upload.wikimedia.org sensingcontrol.com crispylogs.com pepperdignhomes.com moneyguideindia.com 1.bp.blogspot.com hendersonnvhomesforsale.net mymoneybazar.com freevector.com cdnstatic-9.mydestination.com blog.bop.in shriramhome.com logodatabases.com img.gawkerassets.com contemporist.com brookline.com globalenvision.org tumblr.com hdw.eweb4.com archinect.net interiordesign.net 3dprintcanalhouse.com weburbanist.com gassling.com 3dsystems.com contourcrafting.org dezeen.com tethers.com

Developers:

Arihant Foundations BBCL Olympia Alliance Mantri Developers Puravankara

Architects:

Abiboo Rajit Mhetras

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