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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2019
40 42
EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBU TOR S
D IS COVE RIES
60 62
SK YLINE STAR S Louis Vuitton lets its
imagination fly with the launch of the Cruise 2020 collection inside the iconic TWA airport terminal designed by Eero Saarinen. PAIGE TUR NER A cultural influencer who
predates the age of Instagram, Paige Powell’s threebook photographic anthology of New York celebrities was recently launched by Gucci.
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ON THE COVER
Lakshmi Menon, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mumbai’s most iconic landmarks—Flora Fountain, Asiatic Library and Town Hall, and Horniman Circle—star in our cover story. (‘La Dolce Vita’, pg 172). On the steps: On Lakshmi: Silk dress, ‘Tribales’ butterfly earrings and ‘Teddy’ pearl necklace, Dior. On Nawaz: Shirt, Raymond. Suit, Tie and shoes, Ermenegildo Zegna. Trench coat, Sahil Aneja. In the car: On Lakshmi: Denim dress and gloves, Dior. Earrings, Viange Vintage. On Nawaz: Light turtleneck, Corneliani. Wool suit, Raymond.
BIKRAMJIT BOSE.
Photographer: Bikramjit Bose. Stylist: Tania Fadte. Hair & Make-up Artists: Sanah Kewal (for Nawaz); Guia Bianchi (for Lakshmi).
pg 172
ASHISH SAHI.
contents 64
PERFOR MING ART A live performance will
66
CHAIR MAN RYA N A successful run at
68
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE Architect Kengo
culminate in a landscape painting by Nikhil Chopra for his artist-in-residency programme at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
custom-designing pieces for his interior design projects influenced Ryan Korban’s decision to put out his debut furniture collection. Kuma applied his nature-centric approach to design the packaging for Aman Resorts’ range of skincare products.
70
AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Sculptural
72
LIGHT TOUCH A leap of innovation has
74
SCREEN STAR Armani/Casa products wrapped in a lush new collection of Rubelli textiles mark the 10-year association of the two Italian giants.
76
SO PEACHY The high glam of the roaring 1920s
78
R A ZOR SHARP Upcoming designer Tushant Bansal has built a portfolio of furniture inspired by architecture and crafted with precision.
lights rolled out by the new lighting brand 500BC articulate ancient artistic inspirations in a contemporary format.
propelled Dyson into a new era with ‘Lightcycle’, the brand’s first task light.
was ground zero for Mozez Singh and Fenny Ganatra, whose second collaboration resulted in the reimagining of an art-deco bucket chair.
pg 204
contents 80
YOUR S TRULY The nuts and bolts of making
86
IT S ONLY NATUR AL Nilaya Naturals, from
96
modular furniture find playful, novel expression in architect Hemmant Jha’s debut collection.
Asian Paints, is a range of wall colours made for the conscientious homeowner. TRENDSPOTTING Our carefully curated
selection of products is all the inspiration you need.
T HE KI TCHEN REPO RT
110
A MERICAN DREA M A cosy vibe and comfort
112
WHAT A FEELING Rahul Akerkar’s newest experiment in fine dining is a high-ceilinged space designed by Serie Architects.
116
LICENCE TO COOK Italian brand Officine
food characterize Americano, chef Alex Sanchez’s new south Mumbai restaurant.
Gullo works some style into the kitchen with its state-of-the-art cooktops.
120
CUTTING EDGE Mimic well-designed kitchens with the best new products created to make the sharpest impressions.
136
FUTURE PERFEC T AD, in association with
Kohler, hosted conversations that mused on the possibilities to explore in the world of hospitality.
T HE ST Y LE ISSUE
Right: ‘Jinye’ console by Studio MVW, Galerie BSL. Above: ‘Armoire Kimono’ (unique piece), Hervé Van Der Straeten.
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
FASHION COMES HOME Gaurav Gupta’s
preference for theatrical forms finds a new canvas as he launches his first-ever furniture line.
‘JINYE’ PHOTO COURTESY OF GALERIE BSL. ‘ARMOIRE KIMONO’ PHOTO: CECIL MATHIEU/ COURTESY OF HERVÉ VAN DER STRAETEN.
142
contents 144 148 156 162 172
MASSIMO LISTRI.
196
A SONG OF ICE & SAPPHIRE A quaint
village, the river running through it and a history of bejewelled timekeeping—watchmaking comes full circle for Swiss horologer Audemars Piguet.
home, from the perspective of interior designer, and close friend, Ritu Nanda.
204
R AW AMBITION A fourth flagship space, the
216
THE MODERN MAHARAJA Yeshwantrao Holkar II, the last maharaja of Indore, and his wife were style icons for the ages. Their home—and wardrobes—stood testament to this fact.
224
COUNTRY SEAT Architect David Chipperfield’s
236
THE HOUSE OF LAL Good Earth founder
244
SCOUTS A round-up of some of the best
258
STOCKISTS An A-Z listing of the stores in
264
THE MOOD Manish Arora’s mood board is a
RENAISSANCE MA N As cashmere specialist
Brunello Cucinelli recently opened a boutique in New Delhi, AD stitches an in-depth profile of the man behind the cashmere empire. CULTURE COUTURE Leh-based Jigmat
Couture’s Textile Museum of Ladakh curates a fascinating collection of traditional Himalayan textiles that spans generations. ART DE LA TABLE Dior and the Venetian
Heritage Foundation recreate the legendary Tiepolo Ball that enthralled every mid-20th-century influencer, from Dalí to Dior. LA DOLCE VITA A superstar meets a
supermodel by the steps of the Asiatic, the streets of Horniman Circle and the waters of Flora Fountain. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Lakshmi Menon play Federico Fellini protagonists, with Mumbai as Rome, in this recreation of scenes from the auteur’s most stylish film. MR S TATA A rare insight into the elusive
Simone Tata’s personality, along with an equally uncommon peek into the legendary entrepreneur’s
second in New Delhi, but the first done entirely inhouse—Sanjay Garg’s rooted-in-simplicity aesthetic was the blueprint for the newest Raw Mango store.
design for a West London home sitting on top of a valley naturally contours the structure to its surroundings.
Anita Lal’s Goa home is a bucolic outpost dressed up in the colours of the tropics that define the lifestyle brand’s new collection, Maladvipa. products that you need to own this season. our pages.
study of his multifaceted inspirations.
pg 162
EDITOR GREG FOSTER MANAGING EDITOR Komal Sharma ART DIRECTOR Ashish Sahi DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Almas Jani COPY DIRECTOR Tyrel Rodricks SENIOR STYLIST Samir Wadekar JUNIOR STYLIST Mitalee Mehta PHOTO ASSISTANT Talib Chitalwala EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sakshi Lakhotia WATCH EDITOR Rishna Shah MANAGER SYNDICATION Michelle Pereira SYNDICATION COORDINATORS Giselle D’Mello DIGITAL EDITOR Aditi Sharma Maheshwari ASSISTANT DIGITAL EDITOR Kriti Saraswat-Satpathy JUNIOR DIGITAL WRITER Aryambika Chatterjee
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Sunil Nayak COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Sudeep Pawar PRODUCTION MANAGER Mangesh Pawar PRODUCTION CONTROLLERS Abhishek Mithbaokar, Geetesh Patil
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Sunil Sethi Nonie Niesewand Divia Patel Neha Prasada Namita A Shrivastav Divya Mishra Gauri Kelkar Gayatri Rangachari Shah Arati Menon
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ricardo Labougle Neville Sukhia Tom Parker
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contributors
RICHARD HOLK AR writer
Holkar writes about the modern style leanings of his father, Maharaja Yeshwantrao Holkar II, in ‘The Modern Maharaja’ (pg 216). “[His] friendship with Eckhart Muthesius became the catalyst that opened my father’s intellect and aesthetic to the avant-garde world of Europe in the 1920s and 30s.”
MANISH AROR A fashion designer
This New Delhi-based designer showcased his unique aesthetic and signature palettes in ‘The Mood’ (pg 264). “It was a group effort to pull off this mood board. It was a great experience working with the AD team. They were open and welcoming to ideas and suggestions.”
R I TU NA N DA writer
This Mumbai-based designer reveals a never-before-seen side of Simone Tata, one of the country’s most beloved style mavens in ‘Mrs Tata’ (pg 196). “As a designer, I take great pleasure in observing people and the way their sensibilities are reflected in the spaces they inhabit. For me, Simone Tata has been an endless chapter on character and style.”
B H A R AT H R A M A M RU T H A M photographer
writer
The Mumbai-based freelance writer visited chef Alex Sanchez at his latest restaurant in ‘American Dream’ (pg 110). “The precision Alex seeks in every tiny detail of his restaurant, be it the shade of wall paint, the density of crockery or the cut of every ice cube, speaks volumes about the passion he has invested in his dream. I felt inspired writing his story.”
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
IAN PHILLIPS writer
The Paris-based writer visited the Fayland House for ‘Country Seat’ (pg 224). “There is great majesty to Chipperfield’s architecture and Fayland is no exception. The setting is quite incredible, with sweeping views and no other structure in sight, just an hour outside London. What I really love is the beauty of the white brick and the owner Mike Spink’s quest for perfection. The building process was extremely complex and you sense that he loved the challenge. He and his wife Maria were also incredibly welcoming and generous.”
PHOTOS: TOM PARKER (RICHARD HOLKAR); AVNEESH KUMAR (MANISH ARORA); ARUNDAS KS (BHARATH RAMAMRUTHAM).
R AJASHREE BALAR AM
Ramamrutham applied his trained eye to the home of Good Earth founder Anita Lal and her daughters in ‘The House Of Lal’ (pg 236). “It was wonderful to shoot a home that embraces a spectacular view and exudes warmth and comfort filled with a range of exquisite products from Good Earth echoing the rich foliage of the surroundings.”
contributors NONIE N I E S E WA N D writer
STEPHAN JULLIARD
photographer
This Paris-based photographer specializes in interiors, architecture and portraits. He photographed the Fayland House in ‘Country Seat’ (pg 224). “The David Chipperfield house reaches the realm of perfection in terms of the lines and volumes. I almost didn’t have to think how to frame my images. Everything was so wonderfully in place.”
The UK-based writer celebrated the Bauhaus centenary this year by discovering its influence in India for Seminar magazine and contributing to Yigal Gawze’s book Form and Light: Bauhaus in Tel Aviv, published by Hirmer. In this issue, she visited the home and workshop of Brunello Cucinelli in ‘Renaissance Man’ (pg 148). “Finding out how things are made is part of my job as a design writer. Nothing prepared me for the utopian vision of philanthropist Brunello Cucinelli, realized in the fashion empire he built in his hometown of Solomeo in Italy.”
ROSHNI BAJAJ SA N G H V I writer
A prolific food and travel writer, Sanghvi met up with chef Rahul Akerkar and his wife Malini, and Kapil Gupta of Serie Architects in ‘What A Feeling’ (pg 112). “The more time I spent at Qualia interviewing Rahul and Malini about it, the more the space grew on me. There’s a deep sense of warmth in its vastness, and unsurprisingly, the open kitchen stimulates an instant appetite.”
S H R E YA D EV DUBE lighting artist
writer
The founder of Border & Fall, Verma has been a vocal advocate for India’s design and craft communities. In ‘Raw Ambition’ (pg 204), she visits Sanjay Garg’s latest outlet for his brand, while in ‘Culture Couture’ (pg 156), she writes about one of India’s most unique couture brands. “Consulting for Raw Mango is a joy, and I am delighted to write about the brand’s unique—if not fanatical—approach to retail interiors. As well, on my recent visit to Ladakh, it was clear to me that Jigmat Couture is a hidden gem with a story that needs to be told.”
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
After studying film in Paris, Dube returned to India to work as a cinematographer. In this issue, she created the play of light and shadow for the monochrome ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172). “My love of cinematography was sparked through photography. Collaborating with Bikramjit on photographing some of Bombay’s most iconic structures was very exciting.”
T A L I B C H I T A LWA L A photographer
AD’s photo assistant—and frequent photographer—makes his exit after two whirlwind years, having helped the magazine produce some of its most elaborate shoots. “I want to thank Greg and the entire AD team for teaching me so much and allowing me to grow both as a person and as a photographer. I’ll miss working with this super-talented team and hope to see Dalmatians on the cover one day!”
PHOTOS: PRARTHNA SINGH (MALIKA VERMA); ZEINAB AL HASHEMI (NONIE NIESEWAND).
MALIK A VER MA
photo Emanuele Tortora
table Skorpio Keramik chairs Belinda lamps Phoenix sideboards Tiffany rug Mumbai
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contributors BIKR AMJIT BOSE photographer
While his pared-down aesthetic sensibilities are reflected in his portraits, the New Delhi-based photographer draws inspiration from cinema and the works of cinematographers. This is showcased in his turn as auteur and cinematographer in ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172). “The shoot was a memorable one. Not only did we have unrestricted access to some of Mumbai’s most recognizable landmarks, but we also pulled off somewhat of a casting coup when both Nawaz and Lakshmi (our original, and only, choices) agreed to be a part of it.”
LAKSHMI MENON
model
A year after her first appearance in AD (September 2018), Menon is back to embody the legendary Anita Ekberg in ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172). “Life’s just so short and sweet; it’s important to create.”
N AWA Z U D D I N S I D D I Q U I The Sacred Games actor spent the night shooting with AD, playing Marcello of the iconic Italian film, ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172). He was cool, stylish and immensely enigmatic as we moved from the steps of the Asiatic Library, to the Horniman Circle, and into the water at Flora Fountain in the wee hours of the morning. “Federico Fellini is one of my favourite directors of all time. I’m greatly moved by his work. And, just days before shooting for AD, I was in Rome and around Trevi Fountain—not a bad coincidence at all.”
T A N I A FA D T E stylist
Fadte created looks to match the monochromatic aesthetic of ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172). “The shoot for me was so extreme in terms of getting the look right; styling two iconic stars at exquisitely sculpted architectural heritage monuments of Mumbai; the shift timings, since we were shooting all night; and the scale of lighting.”
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PHOTOS: SHEETAL MALLAR (LAKSHMI MENON); BIKRAMJIT BOSE (NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI).
actor
contributors
ABHA NAR AIN LAMBAH
architect
A conservation architect, Lambah helmed the renovation of the Asiatic Library and Town Hall in Mumbai, featured in ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172). “Completed in 1833, the Town Hall is among the earliest surviving edifices in the city with an imposing neoclassical facade. Restoring the building was, for my team, like peeling back layers of time to restore the historic interiors and damaged stone facades and breathe new life into the spaces and dust-lined cupboards. In my mind, the imposing steps and lofty facade of the Town Hall exemplifies old Bombay. Over decades, hundreds of films have used this iconic landmark as a backdrop. It remains one of the most iconic images of the city and is truly a democratic space, with students from all walks of life coming here to refer to the amazing collection of books and journals.”
V I K A S D I L AWA R I architect
PHOTOS: TALIB CHITALWALA.
This architect has nearly three decades of experience in the field of conservation, with 16 of his projects having won UNESCO Asia Pacific awards for heritage conservation. In ‘La Dolce Vita’ (pg 172), and on the cover, Dilawari’s restoration work took centre stage. “It gives me tremendous happiness and contentment—like a gardener looking after his plants—to see a dilapidated or a neglected heritage structure getting a new lease of life and blooming again with fruits of the past in a climate of redevelopment. This was a benchmark project where the administration system went beyond permissible administrative limits to incorporate the right agency and follow the right international standard procedures for the restoration. This should always be restored or worked upon with great care with help of conservators.”
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PHOTO COURTESY OF YVES GASTOU.
OUR ROUND-UP FROM THE FRONT LINE OF DESIGN: TRENDS, OBJECTS, STYLE, EVENTS
verIES i
launch pad
Yves Gastou and his son Victor of the eponymous Parisian gallery are known for their revival of furniture styles from past decades—from the 1940s to the 1980s. Expressing this spirit of revivalism is their reissue of François Cante-Pacos’s furniture pieces under the Futuristic Furniture collection. As PAD London opens this month (from 30 September to 6 October), the works of the Gastous will be on display. Their exquisite craftsmanship can be witnessed in the limited-edition two-door ‘Cyclade’ cabinet in red lacquer and walnut wood (pictured). As a haunt for museum-quality pieces, PAD London is a must-visit for design connoisseurs; a fitting platform to showcase this retro-chic offering from Galerie Yves Gastou. (pad-fairs.com)
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TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA.
Skyline Stars Making its debut at the Eero Saarinen-designed TWA Flight Center at JFK airport, Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2020 collection is a futuristic tribute to New York and its art deco buildings
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osting a luxury French brand’s fashion show inside a defunct American airport terminal that will soon reopen as a hotel represents, perhaps, everything Louis Vuitton stands for—the spirit of travel, glamour, and a touch of inventive playfulness. With its Cruise 2020 collection, the fashion show also showcased, at the TWA Flight Center, the transAtlantic dialogue between Paris and New York that began in the 19th century with the first exhibition of the maison’s products at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. But Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2020 collection is not about the old—or at least, it’s not only about it. “It’s about rediscovering an uncommon place that is yet a part of American heritage,” says Nicolas Ghesquière, the brand’s creative director. And uncommon it certainly is. Designed by late Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, the TWA terminal was where Ghesquière landed in the 1990s. “It was something I could never forget. This place was forgotten for 20 years, and now has come back to life. It’s like a sanctuary that’s been revived, and seeing it enchant anew in a different iteration...is a great pleasure,” he says. It was within the terminal’s newly restored interiors that the house’s Cruise 2020 collection was presented. This was Ghesquière’s sixth cruise show, and as a nod to the
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city of New York and its architecture, his models walked the ramp in outfits that referenced the city’s skyline and the art deco motifs on its buildings; the collection also invoked Wall Street with its playful take on the pinstriped suit—with broad shoulders thrown in for good measure. But staying true to Vuitton’s beginnings as a maker of luxury travel goods, the highlights of the collection were the bags. Box clutches, buckets, wristlets, slings and handbags channelled the city’s iconic buildings in shape and motif, with a special reference to the Chrysler Building. A number of bags were shaped like its iconic art deco crown, and featured its bas-relief, crafted in beaded embellishments and metallic embroideries against dark backgrounds. To additionally summon the city’s round-theclock buzz and Gotham City-esque vibe, Ghesquière embedded functioning video screens into the side panels of some bags. The screens on these prototype bags showed futuristic neon-lit cities—reflective of Louis Vuitton’s forward-looking vision and talent for innovation. From Ghesquière, who revolutionized design at the French fashion house, you would expect no less—the journey would have been anything but ‘safe’, but the landing is certainly happy.
AD Beatrice Rossetti - Photo Federico Cedrone
CAMPIELLO SECTIONAL SOFA Antonio Citterio Design www.flexform.it
AGENT FOR INDIA VITA MODERNA MUMBAI SHOWROOM info@vitamoderna.in
BANGALORE LIVING ART INTERIORS LLP design@livingartinteriors.in
TEXT: GAURI KELKAR.
PAIGE TURNER Paige Powell’s towering collection of photographs, in the limited-edition three-book set recently released by Gucci, is a captivating montage of the 1980s generation of New York celebrities
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ad social media exploded on the scene in the 1980s, photographer Paige Powell would have been an Instagram sensation, a celebrated influencer with a legion following, ‘friended’ innumerable times on Facebook and with uncountable likes for her albums. As it was, social media was a few decades behind, keeping intact the exclusivity contained within Paige Powell—a set of three books released this April, supported by Gucci and published by Dashwood Books. The Portland-based photographer moved to New York in 1981, having fallen for the city when her job as an apparel promotions manager for a sporting brand took her there frequently. “I stayed up 24 hours a day, squeezing trips to the Metropolitan Museum in between work, and, at night, Studio 54 […] and I thought ‘I’ve got to get here. This is my city’,” she said in an interview with Kim Hastreiter, former editor of Paper. So, Powell went to the office of Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, found a job selling ads—and dialled into the frenetically paced, culturally awakened New York of the 1980s. She made tons of friends along the way—apart from Warhol, there was Madonna, actor Vincent Gallo, director Gus Van Sant and artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. It was only natural to take along a camera while hanging out with buddies. At the time, it was all in good fun. Twenty-five years
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later, when pop culture and its unstoppable proponents burst onto the scene, Gucci realized Powell was sitting on a gold mine of 1980s New York memorabilia. It was content that called for a greater audience. So the brand, having connected with Powell through her friend and jewellery designer Wilfredo Rosado, moved things along to plan this three-set anthology. Launched at the maison’s Wooster Street store in New York, the books are divided according to her subjects—candid shots of friends in Beulah Land; the self-explanatory Artists Eating; and Animals, which articulates her activism and love for the four-legged. The images have been taken from Powell’s archives, which were created with the help of Thomas Lauderdale—friend, musician and archivist—from boxes crammed with 15 years’ worth of seemingly unending Polaroids, contact sheets, negatives, newspaper clippings and raw film footage. As much influencer as documenter, Powell’s decade and a half in the Big Apple was about being part of a cultural renaissance, living in the thick of things, bringing people together and making things happen (like hosting Basquiat’s first exhibition in her apartment). That her friendships provided fodder for these books is an additional benefit. And what you see barely scratches the surface. “We’re still only halfway through archiving!” Powell has said. Sounds like it’s not too soon to plan a sequel.
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TEXT: GAURI KELKAR. PHOTO: STEPHANIE BERGER/COURTESY OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK.
Performing Art The Met, its vast collection, and its visitors will serve as both muse and canvas to Goa-based artist Nikhil Chopra, in New York this month
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he Metropolitan Museum of Art holds a collection of artworks that can be seen as a pan-continental exposition on 20,000 years of humanity. This month, Nikhil Chopra—an artist with an elastic oeuvre of live art, painting, sculpture and more—will add to this exposition with his participation in the institution’s MetLiveArts Fall 2019 programme. Chopra’s introduction to The Met was through Shanay Jhaveri—the museum’s assistant curator of South Asian art in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art—whom he first met in 2010. “He visited my performance at the Bhau Daji Lad museum in Mumbai with Chatterjee & Lal. Since then, there has been a mutual interest in each other’s development,” says Chopra. That led to an invitation to create something for The Met that would “challenge the workings of a major public institution while being inspired by one of the world’s most diverse collections”. The nine-day performance will have visitors watch the artist watching them, as they take in the art on display and move through the galleries—culminating in the creation of a mammoth landscape painting. While the performance will be based on ad-hoc inspiration, Chopra’s movements through The Met have been mapped out. Jhaveri explains: “Over more than a year, he made three research trips to the museum and immersed himself, not only
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in the collection, but also in the layout, and observed how audiences moved through its various galleries.” Based on his research, Chopra selected the stations for his pit stops of a day or two, and to complete aspects of the large 50- by 20-foot landscape. “I am dissecting its very elements into sky, land and water, and smearing them across the three locations.” The chosen stops are the Temple of Dendur in the Egyptian wing—“a favourite at the museum”; the threshold between the Modern and Contemporary and the African, Oceanic and Ancient Americas collections; and finally, the Lehman courtyard. He also plans to camp out on the premises at night, in order to disconnect from the daily familiar and “be the refrigerated object encased in the museum. This will transform me and hopefully a few people around me too.” A debut of this scale in a place of such renown by an artist of such versatility—the expectations mount but Chopra prefers to not dwell on any. “Reality and expectations are almost never aligned. I never expected that I would be invited by The Met to make a work for them at this scale.” But one thing’s assured whatever the outcome; whether it’s the audience, the museum or the artist— none will remain unchanged. ‘Lands, Water, Skies’ by Nikhil Chopra will be on from 12 to 20 September; his landscape will be on display at the Lehman courtyard, at The Met.
www.taannaz.in
TEXT: ARATI MENON.
Chair Man Ryan Interior designer Ryan Korban makes a bold move into furniture design
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or a decade now, Ryan Korban has amassed an enviable following. With an approach to interior design that marries uptown elegance with downtown edginess and a strong fashion influence, Korban’s sway across New York’s cool set is undeniable. His striking vision stretches across global flagships for Balenciaga and Aquazzura, and celebrity residential projects for Alexander Wang and Kanye West. So, it doesn’t come as a total surprise that he’s just launched his own furniture collection, especially if you consider that his high-profile interior projects have naturally included one-off custom pieces. “I basically took all the ones I loved, and adapted them to a larger market,” says Korban. The 40-piece collection, designed in conjunction with American furniture maker EJ Victor runs the gamut from tables to seating, and lighting to shelves. It’s even less surprising that the collection’s campaign stars Alexander Wang, James Franco and Zoe Kravitz—stylish, famous creatives that are clients, muses and friends all rolled into one. “I have been extremely fortunate to be able to work with such inspiring and creative people throughout my career,” says Korban, “so it only felt natural to call on the people who have inspired me to help launch the collection.” Korban likes to call the new line a collection of his greatest hits—derivatives from his most successful pieces. The blush lounge
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chair, one of the collection’s key pieces, for instance, was inspired by the design of the Aquazzura store in New York that Korban decked out in pink marble and blush suede. The ‘Alexander’ chair was one of the first designs he adapted, now enhanced with black marble arms. Korban loves a good stone. He also loves a play of texture— hammered metal, wired brushed wood, stone, plaster and suede. There’s a potency to Korban’s aesthetic, but he underlines that he designs pieces that can sit comfortably with different aesthetics. “Of course, I would love for someone to buy the entire living-room setting, but the purpose of this collection is really about taking [a piece] and mixing it with their own aesthetic.” More than anything, the collection reiterates that Korban wants his best work to escape narrow definition, instead straddling contrasts: masculinity and femininity, brutalism and romanticism, neither classic nor wholly modern. “I thought a lot about a younger audience that wanted something sexy and cool and then I also thought of an older client who wanted luxury and elegance, but with a twist.” It’s busy times for Korban. In the midst of debuting this collection, he is also launching his e-commerce platform with an expanded array of products—and striking a balance between a slew of commercial and residential projects. Ryan Korban may no longer be interior design’s “next big thing” but he’s graduated to Ryan Korban, the brand. And that’s far more exciting.
www.baxter.it
TEXT: SHWETA VEPA VYAS.
message in a bottle Known for an ethos deeply rooted in nature, architect Kengo Kuma once again turns to the environment—this time to create the packaging of a bespoke skincare line for Aman resorts
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here’s a profound reverence for nature in everything that Kengo Kuma does. Whether it’s the V&A Dundee (Scotland’s first design museum inspired by the stark cliffs of its coastline) or the soon-to-be-completed New National Stadium in Tokyo (made predominantly with timber sourced from the regions of Japan worst affected by earthquakes and tsunamis), every project by the Japanese architect, academic and author seems to exist in perfect harmony with its surroundings. On the other side of this alliance is Aman resorts, where each property has a deep connection with its location; they are designed as extensions of their natural settings and exude peace and tranquillity. Kuma speaks about this shared philosophy of respecting surroundings rather than dominating them. “The emergence of Aman was itself a major event as they converted the course of history in architecture in a way. They may even have changed definitions of happiness and well-being. Each property of Aman is directly connected with its location, so they have expanded my horizon at work, too,” says the master architect. So when Aman Resorts decided to create the Aman Skincare line, it was only fitting that the Japanese architect did the packaging. Launched in celebration of the hospitality group’s 30th anniversary, the bespoke skincare line features 30 products
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formulated with precious natural ingredients, some of which have been wild-harvested at Aman properties around the world—from Venice to Morocco to India. It reflects the varied landscapes of the properties ranging from deserts to rainforests, split across three product ranges: Grounding, Purifying and Nourishing. The term ‘aman’ translates to ‘peace’ in Sanskrit, and for the last 30 years, Aman properties have been spaces that connect body, mind and soul. The holistic Aman Skincare line has been envisioned as an extension of the same philosophy. With hydrating face creams and serums, face masks, uplifting body and pulse-point remedies, the collection has been created with 100 per cent sustainably sourced ingredients and without the usual barrage of artificial ones. It promises clean, organic skincare. For the elegant packaging design of this beauty line, Kuma was inspired by the curvature of traditional Japanese porcelain and partly by spherical forms found in nature. The bottles and jars are made from a combination of glass and recyclable plastics. The colour palette of black and brown reflects hues of the natural ingredients while the patterns are reminiscent of the veins in a block of marble. And so, like for all of his masterpieces, by simply turning to nature as his muse, Kuma effortlessly captures the essence of Aman in a bottle.
The limited-edition ‘n’ table lamp (available in a set of two) is made of colour-blocked teak wood, and features brass collars, opal glass shades and twisted braided flex wire.
Age of Enlightenment
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here is nothing remotely prehistoric about 500BC—the brand or the epoch. “[The epoch] marked the beginning of the Axial Age, which ushered in the period of some great thinkers—Socrates, Mahavir, Buddha, Confucius,” says Anandita Shah. And 500BC the brand, which she co-founded with her husband Shiraz, is set to establish this as the age of contemporary innovation in lighting design. The brand’s sculptural collection of decorative lights bears the confident finesse of well-honed expertise, not something you would expect to spring from creative minds new to the genre. She graduated from the London College of Fashion and got into bags (designing them for about 15 years under the same label), and he has a degree in structural engineering from Imperial College, London. Both fell into lighting design as part of a home-improvement project, because they chose to design lamps for their home. They loved it enough to want to share it with others, decided to transform it into a scalable, marketable product and grew the project “to where we design and manufacture lamps under 500BC”. And both bring individual strengths to the products. “I am more of an initiator with an understanding of design and aesthetics. I see the design process as a reinvention of forms, colours and textures. Shiraz brings my ideas to life; he has an innate understanding of materials and
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processes, works out technical specifications and hand-finishes the pieces with a meticulous attention to detail,” Shah explains. For her, the process of designing is rooted in “instinct and intuition. The designs in my mind are revealed as I put pencil to paper.” At this point, things get a digital, next-generation upgrade with 3D CAD modelling software, which allows them to see, in real time, how the different components fit together, the movement of light and shadow, the colours that work and, “through simulation, characteristics such as the weight and stability of the final form”. Inspiration comes in the form of everyday objects, shapes and colours. “I’m particularly drawn to ancient art forms. I am also inspired by the artisans of India, and amazed at their ability to adapt to new ways of applying their skill.” These inspirations fuel designs that take the form of geometric shapes and clean lines—elements straight out of the contemporary playbook—that allow these lamps to become more “light sculptures than utilitarian objects”. Materials that the duo works with include aluminium, steel, wood and brass—and experiments with interesting combinations. “I have juxtaposed Burma teak with aluminium and steel. In others, marble and brass.” Apart from decorative lighting, the brand is also experimenting with desktop boxes and a USB charging box. As things stand, the future looks bright for 500BC.
TEXT: GAURI KELKAR.
Sculptural lamps are the signature of new Mumbai-based lighting design studio 500BC
LIGHT TOUCH Dyson launches its first task light in India— the ‘Lightcycle’
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TEXT: TYREL RODRICKS.
n 1991, British inventor and industrial designer Sir James Dyson founded his eponymous technology company, which came to be known for its game-changing products and concepts that made you rethink the quotidian (bladeless fans, bagless vacuum cleaners and ‘Supersonic’ hairdryers). More recently, Dyson expanded its portfolio of personal gadgets to include the ‘Lightcycle’, an evolution of scion Jake Dyson’s 2012 design, the ‘CSYS’ task light. The design of the ‘Lightcycle’ leapt straight off the drawing board—literally, according to Will Darvill, category manager for lighting at Dyson. “Before computers, engineers used to [work] on drawing boards. Some of them had a unique method for positioning different rulers and guides, and we were inspired by that mechanism. We thought it would be an interesting and a very useful way to be able to position the head of the light,” he says. Besides the trademarked ‘3 Axis Glide’ system—that makes for effortless manoeuvring up and down, forward and back, and side to side—both touch-controls and physical switches have been placed within reach at the head; ease of use was clearly a guiding factor. This is made more evident when you download the Dyson Link app for iOS or Android. Paired with your phone, the ‘Lightcycle’ obtains new awareness—matching the daylight to your part of the world; turning extra-bright to help you focus; and mindfully switching off when you’re not around. The ‘Lightcycle’ reaffirms Dyson’s solid design credentials, and places the company exactly where it wants to be—on the verge of accelerating into its boldest territory yet: the electric car.
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screen star Armani/Casa and Rubelli mark a decade of collaboration with a new collection—Exclusive Textiles
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TEXT: GAURI KELKAR. PHOTO: FABRIZIO NANNINI.
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or over 25 years now, owning an Armani has meant more than just having chic silhouettes hanging in a wardrobe. Giorgio Armani realized that lovers of the Armani code of style could benefit from some of that spilling over into homes and launched Armani/Casa. From that to rolling out soft furnishings was inevitable and the brand teamed up with Italian label Rubelli in 2009. The medium was different, but the aesthetic stayed on point. As the couturier says, “Decorating a space is no different, for me at least, than dressing a person. I have always given special emphasis to the fabrics developed by industry experts such as Rubelli [and] rediscovering ancient manual framing techniques.” This year, they launched another covetable collection. Named Exclusive Textiles, this line of furniture fabrics has Armani’s design DNA all over it—art deco references, the brand-favourite Japanese motifs and art, chequered patterns and the strong-on-soft contrast of colours. The collection of fabrics has been classified into three categories—Fashion, Nature and Japanese. The designs, fabrics and decorative patterns are as immaculate and precisely crafted as you’d expect. But this collection surprises with special textures, micro patterns, pleated fabrics and embroidery into the mix. Like the ‘Levante’ screen (pictured) wrapped in the Japaneseinspired ‘Lafayette’ fabric for instance. History deepens this particular piece; a special silk jacquard was used to reinterpret an early-20thcentury hand-painted velvet cloth that forms part of Rubelli’s archives. The velvet-like texture was achieved by giving it the silk warp and cotton weft treatment. Ten years is a long time to be in a relationship, allowing for an enviable symbiosis—which reflects beautifully in the Armani/Casa-Rubelli marriage.
So peachy Sophisticated and sexy, this art deco-inspired chair by Mozez Singh and Fenny Ganatra harks back to the glamour of the 1920s
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TEXT: SHWETA VEPA VYAS.
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t’s straight out of The Great Gatsby. A sleek and streamlined structure, plush pink-velvet upholstery and brass trimmings—the ‘Size Zero’ chair evokes glamour and decadence. Reminiscent of the roaring 1920s, the chair designed by Mozez Singh and Fenny Ganatra for Formus has been “inspired by the [quintessential] art deco bucket chair, but reinterpreted as a peach velvet three-tier birthday souffle meets a bucket chair—oomphed with brass edgings”. Singh adds, “It’s called ‘Size Zero’ because it’s compact and contained, and looks slim and sexy when used either as an armchair or a dining chair. We wanted it to have a lightness and softness. It’s feminine and coy-looking. And it’s a big seller.” The art deco style with its luxurious materials, impeccable craftsmanship and bold geometry continues to appeal to designers, more than a century after it rose to prominence. Singh believes that the style has been a “perennial inspiration. Shapes and forms intrinsic to the art deco design philosophy can be reinterpreted in so many ways generation after generation.” Wood, brass and velvet were the primary materials used in the making of this chair. And while the final form looks simple and effortless, the process was tedious and delicate. “Getting the exact curvature, as well as the exact width, was a challenge because all of it had to be just right. It took quite a few attempts till we got it,” says Singh. This is the second time that Singh and Ganatra have collaborated as MF; in 2018, the duo designed a furniture collection called You Can’t Sit With Us— also for Formus. Singh believes that it’s their shared design aesthetic that has brought the two together again: “It’s been a great ride, and we have two stellar collaborations between us now. We decided to work together because we felt emotionally connected to the same kind of design and that was the sole reason for doing this as MF—with Formus.” The association with the brand too was rewarding: “Their craftsmanship is always top-notch. They know how to deliver a slick product.”
razor sharp Designer Tushant Bansal’s latest line of architectureinspired objects for the home uses high-octane craftsmanship to deliver a small collection that is big on style
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TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA. PHOTO: ABHISHEK GAMBHIR.
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t all started when I first saw the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Centre in Berlin,” says Tushant Bansal about the inspiration for Brianna, his studio’s latest collection of home products. If it seems surprising that a structure as imposing as the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Centre could inspire a line of products so sleek, Bansal is following in the footsteps of many artists, architects and designers who have found their inspiration across disciplines. Made of brass and steel, the collection comprises book and magazine racks, lanterns, candlesticks, paper trays, vases and planters (pictured) that sport a streamlined sophistication. The objects’ laser-cut, vertical slats give them a sense of lightness and porosity, and it is here that the Grimm Centre’s influence is most evident. Bansal’s biggest challenge was to integrate the signature patterns with the structure of the objects in a way that did not compromise the minimalist look he was aiming for. In this, he was assisted by his team of craftsmen, whom he has been collaborating with for almost three years now. Bansal may come across as extremely pragmatic, but there is a softer, more romantic side to him, which comes to light when he talks about how he arrived at the name for his collection. “‘Brianna’ is a Nordic name that symbolizes power, boldness and virtue. Naming the collection somehow brought it to life,” he says, adding, “It is as if a living object is sitting in a room quietly, and somehow, still making a timeless statement.”
yours truly Hemmant Jha’s debut furniture line, Honest Structures, is a modular miracle Writer Komal Sharma PhotograPher Fabian Franco
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s Hemmant Jha sat down at a cafe in Panjim to talk to us about his newest venture, he found himself fiddling with a cup. It wouldn’t fit the indent of the saucer. There’s a beauty to that—not fitting, the imperfection of the handmade, especially in pottery. And Jha is not opposed to it. But the humour of the moment caught us both. “Here I was, preparing to talk to you about the idea of absolute precision and we’re drinking coffee from a wobbly cup,” he laughs. > ‘Everyday Chair HS004A’, Version 2 from Honest Structures. Above left: Hemmant Jha at his home studio in Goa.
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HONEST STRUCTURES
A visualization of Honest Structures’ Live & Work Collection 2019.
< Wobbly cups notwithstanding, Honest Structures’ (HS) debut
collection comprises chairs, tables, beds, sofas, shelves and more— designed by an in-house team, laser-cut with robotic machines at a specialized facility in Italy, manufactured at a workshop in Goa that otherwise makes medical equipment. The final products are easy to assemble. Everything interlocks, snaps and clicks together with no tools, screws, nuts or bolts. It’s like Lego for real life. But beyond this narrative of quality, technology and agility, HS is simply modular, playful furniture: a round table in creamy white with a cute little crevice running right through its centre—perfect to slide in stuff. Or a bedside bookrack so slim that it disappears from view once stacked with books. Jha believes in a quiet, functional, trendless design sensibility that equips life around our homes, offices, cafes, stores and galleries. He believes in longevity and a singularity of material for easy recycling—“unlike furniture made of mixed materials that is impossible to separate at the end of a lifecycle; and so it all ends up in a landfill.” And it’s clearly not a mom-and-pop operation. “I want to be able to manufacture at scale, at any time, on demand. It’s like print-on-demand,” he adds. It sounds simple, but this is the culmination of over 20 years of experience. Jha’s career began in the 1990s with a stint at Joseph Allen Stein and Associates, after which he left for the Yale School of Architecture. Over the next 20 years, he worked between New Haven, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Tokyo, with stints at Richard Meier, Kevin Roche, Sony Design, and “a whole lot of design consulting work”. He launched his own technology start-up, taught design and social entrepreneurship at the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology and at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, until one day, when he
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met Navroze Godrej of Godrej & Boyce. This meeting eventually brought him down to Mumbai, where he established the design group at the Godrej Innovation & Design Centre, and headed the Godrej Design Lab for four years. That was up until April 2018, shortly after which he moved to Goa, into a lovely light-filled home—designed by architect Dean D’Cruz—and began to map out HS and its global network of makers. “When I was at Yale, I took a class in mechanical instrumentation, taught by an Italitan master machinist called Tony Massini. In his lab, everything was done to one-thousandth of an inch, which is one-third the thickness of a human hair. He hated architects but somehow took me in,” Jha remembers. His inspirations, experiences, learnings are disparate, to say the least, and they somehow, organically, filter down to a clean, minimal white or steel grey form of a chair. “If you look at the aesthetic, it’s designed to be subservient to the need of the person using it. We’re not looking to make a statement with our things. They’re intentionally extremely quiet. For instance, at the OMO store in Mumbai, where we’ve installed the shelving, it’s possible for people to walk in and not even notice that there’s this support system that enables the experience. That’s how we want it to be,” says Jha. But not everyone is hiding away his life’s work. Jha’s daughter, who is stress-testing all of Honest Structures’ furniture in her room, makes an incredibly creative canvas out of a modular self-standing divider. She sticks her Polaroids with magnetic tags, hangs her jewelled trinkets with hooks, stacks her books in its empty niches, and, in turn, creates a private corner, surrounded by the things she loves. It makes quite a lovely storyboard, giving clues to the life of a teenager. That’s honestly what design ought to be: a handy backdrop to our lives.
MOROCCAN TILES
For more information, visit pietra1556.net email pietra1556@gmail.com, call 7003552284 or follow @pietra1556 on Instagram
It’s Only Natural Asian Paints’ Nilaya Naturals introduces a range of organic paints in an earth-friendly palette that is as sophisticated as it is sustainable
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TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA.
n these days of climate disasters and global warming, people are looking for ways to live that cause the least possible harm to the planet. Consumers are becoming more sensitive to the ways in which they can take care of themselves, their homes, and the earth. Now we can’t all be Greta Thunberg and sail halfway across the world to save it, but we can, in a million other small ways, make a difference. A growing interest in green living is making companies more aware of the need to develop environment-friendly options and Nilaya Naturals’ newest line of organic paints is both a response to this interest, and a call to action. The brand has understood that for the growing segment of environmentally aware consumers, a home is not meant only to provide shelter—it needs to also be a sanctuary, for those who live within it, and outside of it. It was to help turn spaces into sanctuaries that Nilaya’s parent company, Asian Paints, created this new range of organic paints. >
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< Sourcing the ingredients for this range was the first step.
The idea was to formulate paints from ingredients as close to nature as possible. Now, with almost 100 per cent natural ingredients—including soya bean extract, casein, calcium carbonate, castor seeds, neem oil and pigments—sourced (responsibly) from all over the world, the brand has lived up to its promise. It also helps that the paints eventually return to the earth in their original form once they decompose. The ‘fresh paint’ smell that most people associate with redecorated spaces is actually caused by low-level toxic airborne chemicals (VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds) that can be detrimental to health. Paints from Nilaya Naturals’ new range, because they are made with natural ingredients, do not emit VOCs. Porous and breathable, they ensure an easy air flow between the paints’ layers, which controls temperature and humidity, and restricts bacterial growth. But it’s not all stuffy science facts. The paints are available in a palette of 35 soft, earthy shades that can be customized to individuals’ tastes. What is common to all of them, though, is that, aside from their velvety matte finish, the paints acquire a lovely patina as they age, making the colours feel richer and deeper. The sophisticated shade card of blues, greys browns, whites, greens and vivid earth tones makes selection easy and fun, with all the hues (in three tints) having poetic names like ‘A Hundred Magnolias’, ‘Pearl Like Moonlight’, and ‘Daydreams in Blue’. Going green has never been this colourful, or looked this good.
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FLAGSHIP STORE: M.G. ROAD, SULTANPUR, NEW DELHI
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THE LUXE LIFE
Our homes are our sanctuaries. And we all have our own notions of comfort and our own interpretation of what constitutes good design. Catering to individual design requirements has been the raison d’être of Rakeshh Jeswaani Interior Architects (RJIA). Founded by Rakeshh Jeswaani in 2012, today, the brand is renowned for its
luxe spaces that are a seamless extension of their owners’ sensibilities. The RJIA motto dictates that creativity flows when you’re passionate about what you do. And so, each project is taken on with a desire to create inviting spaces. Little surprise, then, that they’re the obvious choice for eminent industrialists and celebrities.
PHOTOS: FABIEN CHARUAU
From arresting apartments to beautiful bungalows, Rakeshh Jeswaani Interior Architects are the consummate luxury interior specialists to India’s elite
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Rakeshh Jeswaani
RJIA X RITESH AND PRIYANKA ARORA Power couple Ritesh and Priyanka Arora had a clear vision for their home—a clean, uncluttered space, with touches of glamour. And the 15th-floor apartment in Rustomjee Elements, Mumbai had a natural advantage, given the stunning sea views and greenery all around. In keeping with the couple’s vision, the firm created three separate sections—a relaxed living area, a dining space and a formal living and bar space. The openness extended to the kitchen that led to the informal sitting area. While the master suite, complete with an open bathroom that is screened off by sliding doors from Rimadesio made up the left wing of the house, a study and two family bedrooms made up the right wing. The master bathroom on the other hand, was bathed in a dramatic black palette. Piece by piece, hints of luxury were also tastefully incorporated. Italian furniture from Minotti, Giorgetti and Longhi; Visionnaire’s iconic red tree artwork at the entrance; and handpicked accessories came together to create a home that redefines luxury living.
TRENDSPOTTING ’s curated collection of fashion and furniture STYLIST SAMIR WADEKAR 1 2
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1. Designed by Adjaye Associates in partnership with Alamo Architects, the Ruby City contemporary art centre in San Antonio, Texas is slated to open in October. 2. ‘Foster 620’ table by Norman Foster for Walter Knoll, Plüsch Living. 3. ‘Look 23’ from the fall/winter collection, Marni. 4. ‘Bean’ pony skin bag with a Perspex handle, `85,000, Simone Rocha. 5. ‘Eclipse’ table, Arketipo. 6. ‘Newton’ lamp by Andrea Branzi, `1,90,000, Nemo. 7. ‘Ripped and Teared and Coloured Carpet 2’ by Joost van Bleiswijk, `2,00,000, Nodus.
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RUBY CITY PHOTO: DROR BALDINGER.
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INTERIORS THAT INDULGE
This festive season, give your home a fashionable update with interior design offerings from FTS by Sharmilee. Beautifully crafted, they will lend your space a touch of elegance and style It’s that time of the year. Festivities are in the air. And there’s no better time than now to spruce up your personal and professional spaces. Give them a stylish edit with one-ofa-kind interior solutions by design brand FTS by Sharmilee. Known for its bespoke furniture designs, unrivalled craftsmanship and timely delivery, this brand redefines product and space design. Founded a decade ago by Sharmilee Chopra, FTS by Sharmilee employs state-of-the-art German technology to offer clients unique design solutions. Should you choose to work with the brand, you will be privy to the entire design process. The end result? Customised furniture of impeccable quality that is an extension of your personality. Here, Chopra delves into the philosophy of her brand: How does FTS balance aesthetics and functionality? Our attention to detail and the quality materials used ensure both luxury and durability, with our unique design stamp—‘furniture that speaks’. We understand your needs and our approach to design your space is that of openness. We create personalised furniture and interiors, collaborating with you to ensure that your space is an extension of you. How does your design philosophy reflect in your brand? I believe that creating a complete
furnishing project is a journey through exclusivity, functionality and design. Our clients are led through the entire process while having one-on-one access to our factory and designers. This network of transparency and knowledge is where your experience with us begins. What sets FTS by Sharmilee apart from competitor brands? The FTS intelligent design approach works with architects and designers, paying great attention to detail. Our vast range of materials, finishes, textures and craftmanship ensure that the best solutions are brought forward. We offer customised furniture and bespoke furnishings
along with installation and after delivery care. How does your brand stay relevant in ever-changing times? We are always innovating and introducing a freshness to our interior design solutions. We design a space based on international standards of design, quality and precision. The attention to detail while integrating a diverse range of materials ensures a flawless outcome.
For more information, follow @ftsbysharmilee on Instagram and Facebook
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1. ‘Look 39’ from the autumn/winter collection, Libertine. 2. Mosaic panel in malachite, rosa aurora and black Belgian marble, and white serpentine and red jasper stone, `50,000, Frozen Music. 3. ‘Ajourèe II’ gold-plated brass and malachite cuff, `27,650, Sylvia Toledano. 4. ‘Malachite’ chair, `70,800, Casa Paradox. 5. ‘Malachite’ table lamp, `99,800, Fornasetti. 6. ‘Kohinoor’ console, Viya Home. 7. ‘Malachite’ (19652) wallpaper, `20,500 per roll, Jonathan Adler.
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1. ‘Loophole of Retreat’ exhibition (till 27 October) by 2018 Hugo Boss Prize winner Simone Leigh, at the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, New York. 2. ‘Carter’ armchair, `79,680 onwards, Iqrup+Ritz. 3. ‘Look 8’ from the autumn/winter collection, JW Anderson. 4. ‘Souk Red’ mirror, `1,57,000, Dooq. 5. ‘Deco Line’ (green velvet in trevira) pouffe, `1,03,000, Lorenza Bozzoli Couture. 6. ‘Wild Fringe 105’ sandals, `44,170, Aquazzura. 7. ‘Wink’ floor lamp, `1,22,000, Masquespaico. 8. ‘Valerie’ (lime) earrings by Deepa Gurnani, Ikkadukka.com.
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LOOPHOLE OF RETREAT PHOTO: DAVID HEALD © 2019 THE SOLOMON R GUGGENHEIM FOUNDATION.
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1. Stop and Search (2007) signed screenprint by Banksy, £20,000-30,000 (estimate) from the ‘Banksy: I can’t believe you Morons actually buy this sh*t’ online sale (16-24 September) at Christie’s. 2. ‘Pompons’ bracelet, `37,300, Saint Laurent. 3. Floor lamp, SIMONE. 4. Silver vase, Fanusta. 5. ‘L’Astronaute’ outfit, Ronald van der Kemp. 6. ‘Smooth 03’ mosaic from the Metallismo collection, SICIS. 7. ‘Pewter Landscape’ table, `6,71,000, Gentner Design. 8. ‘Anish’ table by Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti, `1,44,144, Design Italiano. 9. ‘Oval Loop’ earrings in 18-carat white gold and diamonds, Sidney Garber.
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STOP AND SEARCH PHOTO © CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LIMITED 2019.
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1. Renards 10-panel screen (1921-1922) by Armand-Albert Rateau from the ‘10,000 Years of Luxury’ exhibition in partnership with the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (30 October 2019 to 15 February 2020) at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. 2. ‘Wolk’ chair by Richard Hutton, Scarlet Splendour. 3. ‘Sahasrara’ amethyst and diamond earrings, `2,99,000, Noor Fares. 4. ‘B’ chain bracelet/necklace, `57,600, Balenciaga. 5. ‘Rossana’ table by Erwan Boulloud, Galerie Glustin. 6. ‘Darwaza’ rug (10x8 feet) by Matteo Cibic, `1,26,000, Jaipur Rugs. 7. ‘Armand’ sofa from the MOOD collection, `6,35,000 onwards, Flexform. 8. Outfit from the fall/winter collection, Gucci. 9. Amethyst and citrine ring, `2,600, Tribeamrapali.com.
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RENARDS PHOTO: © CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LIMITED 2019
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German brand with over 180 years of expertise & specialized know-how in wooden floorings
Cacao Herringbone
Floorings made to suit full color spectrum of modern interior architecture HKS Flooring LLP, 20, First Floor, Hanuman Building, 308, Perin Nariman Street,Opposite RBI, Fort, Mumbai 400 001. India T: + 22 22702075 / 22634349 M: + 91 98193 49095 | www.hksflooring.in / infoindia@hks1835.com
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For details, see Stockists 1. Outfit from the autumn/winter collection, Hermès. 2. ‘DiorStellaire1’ sunglasses, Dior. 3. ‘Coda’ chair, `5,82,000, Atelier de Troupe. 4. ‘XXX’ tan backpack, Ermenegildo Zegna. 5. ‘GL005’ (10x8 feet) rug from the Galaxy collection, `1,84,800, Karpets by RKS. 6. ‘OBLÙ’ cabinet by Andrea Mancuso from the Analogia Project for Fratelli Boffi, Wisma Atria. 7. ‘Arceau’ mirror by Numero 111, Ligne Roset. 8. ‘Mashallah’ trinket dish, `1,250, Suitenumbereight.com.
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DELHI SHOWROOM: 218, 223 DLF Grand Mall, Second Floor, MG Road, Gurgaon | Tel: 124-4108800/9900 MUMBAI OFFICE: 1115-11th Floor, Hubtown Solaris, NS Phadke Marg, Andheri East, Mumbai - 400069 WWW.RAVISHVOHRAHOME.COM
THE KITCHEN REPORT AD’S ANNUAL KITCHEN REPORT IS BACK, AND IT'S SHARPER THAN EVER
German cutler Nesmuk’s ‘Janus’ chef’s knife is a musthave kitchen accessory. The blade has been made with a proprietary alloy that contains niobium, a rare metal that increases its resistance to corrosion, making the blade stronger, sharper and long-lasting. The handle is available in a variety of colours and materials— including Micarta (pictured), a linen-composite polymer; rosewood; Makassar ebony wood and more.
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PHOTO: TALIB CHITALWALA.
Alex Sanchez and Mallyeka Watsa, co-founders of Americano.
American Dream Chef Alex Sanchez is back in Mumbai with his new restaurant, Americano, the debut project of Site Practice architects Writer RajashRee BalaRam
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rowing up, Alex Sanchez dreamt of becoming a chef—or a comedian. Though food eventually won out, his sense of humour has been terrifically handy through his stints in the high-pressure environments of the world’s best kitchens (including the Michelin-starred French Laundry, La Folie and Coi—all in California). Sanchez confesses that a good hold on comic timing is also what kept him sane through the making of his own restaurant, Americano, in Kala Ghoda. “Some weeks before we opened [in February], the ceiling erupted with a gush of water,” he says. He details the disaster before dropping the punchline: “Just a couple of hours before all that, a bunch of eunuchs had been at our door, extorting money and blessing us.” His disarming equanimity might just be contagious; partner Mallyeka Watsa calmly lists out the many challenges that punctuated the five-month-long renovation: “[Discovering] termite nests in the wall after plastering, a recurring patch of seepage, and finally [having to] replace our water tanks a week before the launch.” Though Americano has been designed as a collaborative effort with architect Anne Geenen and her Mumbai-based firm Site Practice and Sanjana Mugeraya, the two owners had a crystal-clear vision of their dream space. Watsa, also a co-founder of beauty brand Ayca, says their travels through Italy helped tremendously. “We were mesmerized by the high ceilings of churches there, done up in gold and dark blue. We wanted to replicate that, but getting it painted so intricately would have been a lot of effort.” There was more than some effort involved, though, in getting a high-ceilinged space. Previous occupant AKA Bistro had a mezzanine floor that Sanchez and Watsa decided to do away with in lieu of an 18.5-foot-high ceiling. The vibe inside the 1,750-squarefoot space, with room for 80 guests at peak hours, is now happy and comforting with terrazzo-tiled floors, brass accents and potted plants. The bar near the entrance, done up in jewel-green marble, offers comfortable seating for 12 patrons, and the open kitchen gives the team an unhindered view of diners reacting to food. All this plays out under an elaborate mobile ceiling installation, inspired by Alexander Calder (an American sculptor known for his innovative mobiles), designed by Quick Brown Fox and created by Rayden Design Studio. As it moves, it catches the light and brings in a touch of whimsy that seems perfectly at home here. In contrast, Sanchez’s words are anything but whimsical: “I want this place to be cosy, so people are never sitting too far from each other, and can feel comfortable making eye contact, or asking someone at the next table what they are eating, and becoming friends before they walk out of the door. I call that fun dining.”
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What a Feeling In Mumbai, Rahul Akerkar’s new kitchen, Qualia, unfolds surprise after tasty surprise within its modern yet comforting interiors WRITER ROSHNI BAJAJ SANGHVI
PHOTO: TALIB CHITALWALA.
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Co-founder of Serie Architects, Kapil Gupta with chef Rahul Akerkar at the latter’s newest restaurant, Qualia. the decision to have red leather banquettes came from the restaurant’s partner-director and Akerkar’s wife, Malini. She also selected the raw silk diffusers on the copper pendant lamps. They soften the lighting, and, as Gupta notes, add another layer of texture.
alfway through May this year, and not even a month into Qualia’s opening, Rahul Akerkar wore an octopus. In a photograph he posted online, the chef wore, on top of his whites, a denim apron with the restaurant’s logo embroidered in gold, and a cephalopod on his head. The sea animal’s mantle stretched to form a glossy hairline and its tentacles were Akerkar’s dreadlocks, beaded with suckers, trailing onto his shoulders. Akerkar had one of the marine mollusc’s arms raised with a pair of black tweezers, and he was slightly cross-eyed from trying hard to look up at the creature on his head. Just one season in and Qualia has already established itself as a place of surprising, fun juxtapositions. In a high-ceilinged room sectioned with gently billowing curtains of glimmering chainmail, it offers diners familiar flavours in wildly unfamiliar combinations. The sophistication, scale and glamour of the room, and the astonishments on the menu—tuna tartare with kokum saar (thin, light soup), burnt lemon risotto with saffronbraised fennel, duck-neck sausage with pickled plums, steak and runny egg on a puffy pizza from the wood-fired oven, to name a few—are made approachable with the Akerkars’ well-established spirit of generosity and hospitality, and the friendliness of its team. One diner said she loved her meal at Qualia because “it is cuisine agnostic”. ACT TWO “This is Rahul’s two point oh; he’s reinventing himself,” says Kapil Gupta of Serie Architects. Gupta and Serie co-founder Christopher Lee designed and built Qualia. It’s a room >
In the kohlrabi carpaccio, the vegetable is marinated and accompanied by preserved tomatoes, pickled mustard seeds, fried capers and toasted hazelnuts. Left: A dish of lemon crème fraîche, candied pumpkin seeds and heirloom beets sourced from farms across the country.
< designed for guests to enjoy the volume of a large space, but still have a sense of intimacy at the table. Hanging curtains of chainmail—the anchors that define the space—frame the bar, the completely open kitchen, the in-house bakery and pastry kitchen, and the wine library (alongside a section that can be made private). It’s this framing that, Gupta says, draws people in. Across Qualia’s tall street-facing French windows is a wall of glowing bottles with ferments; underfoot are dark terrazzo floors; and all around are timber and green-marble tables with brass inlays, flanked by red leather banquettes and chairs. Underlying the room’s clean, modern elegance is rusticity and simplicity, warmth and comfort. This theme finds expression through everything at Qualia; all of it is exacting but uncomplicated. The cutlery is simple, but just the right weight. The dinnerware is rustic but not unfinished, featuring designs from ceramicists and sculptors Anita Le Grelle, and Rene Ozorio’s Wabi Sabi collection (plate pictured above left). BrandMusiq’s Rajeev Raja was brought in to create a soundtrack to set Qualia’s vibe, and the acoustics have been calibrated for easy conversation. Qualia musical nights have DJs playing South Korean electronica, jazz, funk, 1980s pop and, invariably, feature dancing diners. On quieter nights, chairs are comfortable, but not plush and heavy; they’re cafe chairs that encourage lingering. And it is food worth lingering over. The squid ink gemelli is savoury on savoury on savoury, tossed with charred calamari, Kalamata olives, capers and anchovies. The crisp kohlrabi carpaccio looks like a painting—its flecks of colour made of tomato preserve, pickled mustard and hazelnuts. In the Coimbatore pork chops, the tomatoes are candied, playing off a bright cider-cumin glaze offset by the heft of white beans. And of
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course there is octopus. It’s grilled and served with fermented okra, chorizo and chawli (black-eyed beans). Like many of the dishes on Qualia’s menu, it sounds like an odd mix, and like all of them, it works. TASTE TEST House cocktails feature ingredients like Bhavnagri chillies and frankincense smoke. There’s plenty of fermentation and pickled produce from the jars on the walls—not because probiotics are hot right now, but because these methods preserve the flavours of the finest seasonal produce, and, we suspect, also because they bring with them the ambat-gode (sweet-sour) flavour profile that Akerkar loves, thanks to his ajji (grandmother). A bakery on the premises helmed by baker and pastry chef Rachelle Andrade turns out warm, fresh bread in textures and flavours that even people on keto diets will find impossible to resist. There’s also an all-day menu that, Akerkar says, features sinful calories, but light flavours: “Why eat lunch when you can do brunch?” A meal at Qualia can be a voyeuristic experience. The chainmail partitions allow for discreet people-watching. The kitchen is open, so it’s as if the cooks are on stage at every meal. But this also works the other way around for Akerkar. “You can see what’s going on at the table,” he says. “You can see diners finish the first course, and get the next course ready. I get to go over to every table and chat. It’s such a joy to work in a kitchen where you can watch your diners’ reactions.” Diners at Qualia may be learning new ways to enjoy food, but in serving his guests for the last few months, it’s Akerkar who finds himself being surprised every day. “People who I thought may not warm up to the food have been repeat customers.”
TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA.
Licence to Cook Italian kitchen brand Officine Gullo combines Florentine craftsmanship with modern technology to create customizable cooktops that are as stylish as they are efficient
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hat is black, white, strikingly handsome and can help you whip up a six-course meal in no time at all? If your answer is James Bond in a tux, you’re not far off the mark. With a black and polished-steel body, four highperformance burners, a ventilated oven, two drawers and a dish-warmer, Officine Gullo’s multifunctional ‘P70 168’ is the James Bond of cooking suites—if Bond was Italian, and more interested in kitchens than cocktails, shaken or stirred. Spotted at Fuorisalone this year, the ‘P70 168’ might embody the company’s deep and abiding love for technology and craftsmanship, but the stylish stove top has an interesting backstory as well. In the early 1990s, founder Carmelo Gullo (a teacher at the time) was advised by a Florentine lawyer to purchase an old family oven. The oven was in surprisingly good condition; it had, after all, been designed by the Florence-based Massetani workshop, which had been in the business of building kitchens since 1860. Carmelo was a dedicated flea-market shopper and knew a good deal when he saw one. The design and workmanship on that old family oven was of such high standard that he was galvanized into action. Carmelo set up Officine Gullo, which, even today, finds inspiration in Italian art and artisanal metalwork. The ‘P70 168’ cooking suite sports a stylish black-and-
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brushed-steel exterior that channels vintage Italian glamour. While its looks would ensure that it fits right into a Hollywood set, the fact that it is the chosen cooking suite for internationally renowned chefs like Antonino Cannavacciuolo (of the two Michelin-starred restaurant Villa Crespi in Piedmont) and Vito Mollica (of the Four Seasons Hotel in Florence) proves that the suite can ably handle the demands of a professional kitchen— and its temperamental chefs. What is unique about Officine Gullo cooking suites is that they might look vintage, but are fitted out with the latest in kitchen technology. In addition, they are fully customizable, which makes them a perfect choice for both home cooks and professional chefs. In addition to a professional lava stone barbecue grill, the ‘P70 168’ cooking suite can be fitted with coups de feu, simmer plates usually found in professional kitchens that allow for cooking at different temperatures. The three-millimetre-thick stainless steel plates that go into forming the suite’s base structure, the cast-iron burners (equipped with flame stabilizers and fitted with safety valves), and brushed-steel tops showcase the firm’s solid experience with materials, as well its focus on longevity. This is a machine (as the workshop refers to them) designed to last—and age, well, much like 007 himself.
CRAFTING THE EXTRAORDINARY Innovative techniques. Inspiring designs. And cutting-edge interior solutions. Expect all of this and much more from SKAID DESIGNS. Founded by Kish Dusharla, this design studio is where creativity meets eccentricity to result in design offerings that are out of the ordinary
When it comes to interior and product design, you want something that’s got character. Something different. Something that speaks to you. Something that isn’t the usual. Something unconventional yet striking enough to lend your space a distinctive personality. And if there’s one design label that dabbles
exclusively in eccentricity with a stylish edge, it’s SKAID DESIGNS. A bespoke architecture, interior design and product design studio, SKAID’s design language flaunts an innovative and cutting-edge aesthetic, whilst constantly drawing inspiration from age-old design techniques. With a motto that spells ‘Design in service to
greatness’, their offerings are outrageous and larger-than-life, but in the best possible way, and promise to add a curious charm to any space. KISH DUSHARLA: DESIGNER EXTRAORDINAIRE SKAID DESIGNS is a seamless extension of its founder Kish Dusharla—someone who can easily be defined as a mad genius. Kish’s aesthetic sense is bold, expressive and, in many ways, exotic. While, his design solutions are both smart and innovative, lending themselves wonderfully to luxury living. Speaking about his unique approach to design, Kish reveals, “We are artists, and art cannot be proper. It must be exaggerated. Bend down till your spine cracks. You must exaggerate the likeness.” And this approach has
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resulted in SKAID’s offerings being infused with a substance and an authenticity that are unrivalled. As a lifestyle connoisseur, Kish encourages his clients to be openminded, think out of the box and not be limited by the conventional notions of design. His travels, coupled with over two decades of experience in the design industry, have fuelled his creative genius and cemented his position as a master of perfection and innovation among his peers. But, of all things, it’s human behaviour that most interests Kish—he studies it keenly and then translates his findings into his designs, thereby adding a personalised touch that gives each product a unique slant. From minimalist contemporary designs to those flaunting Japanese wabisabi influences and those inspired by the neo-gothic aesthetic of New York City’s skyline—expect all of
these unusual elements in SKAID’s design offerings, each of which bears its founder’s trademark charming eccentricity. SELCOUTH BY SKAID DESIGNS As a designer, Kish stands firm by the belief that the epitome of luxury is defined by smart living. And this thought is reflected wonderfully in SKAID DESIGNS’ varied projects, one of which is Selcouth. What sets this particular project apart is the fact that it serves as a design house, a studio and an artist’s showcase. One space. Multiple experiences. As soon as you step in, you will know that this sprawling space has been designed for connoisseurs of the good life—those who understand and appreciate every nuance of luxury living. Essentially, Selcouth is a studio like no other—spread across 7,000sq ft, it reflects the vivid mind of the artist who brought it to life.
Here, every nook and corner flaunts multiple pieces pf art, arresting interiors and fine upholstery, sourced from exotic locales on Kish’s travels or created by SKAID DESIGNS. Selcouth is where you’re bound to find yourself wrapped up by all things art, from the grandiose to the slightly eccentric. It is a space that offers up an amalgamation of different designs and different styles. And this is where the bond with Roche Bobois evolved. Roche Bobois is a brand that celebrates artistic luxury lifestyles. Over the years, it has created a plethora of exceptional designs. It is this mutual understanding of elegant, transitional designs that led to the seamless collaboration between SKAID DESIGNS and Roche Bobois. At Selcouth, neomodern and gothic influences can be spotted across a host of thoughtfully curated pieces. A quintessential Parisian savoir-faire is the USP of Roche Bobois, elements of which can be found within the opulent environs of Selcouth, resulting in work that is steeped in an inimitable sense of style. For more information, visit www.skaids.com, email info@skaids.com, call +919000883647 or follow @skaiddesigns on Instagram
CUTTING EDGE handpicks the latest in kitchen decor and innovative cooking tools—and a series of designer kitchens to match a variety of aesthetic styles—for the discerning home chef STYLIST MITALEE MEHTA
VINCENT VAN DUYSEN
PHOTO: KOEN VAN DAMME.
Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen brought his signature minimal aesthetic to this kitchen in a duplex penthouse. A weekend home—located on the Belgian coast—its clean, white interiors reflect its purpose as a place to unwind. The open-plan layout has been set up to offer unhindered views of the sea from the living areas. Adjacent to the dining area, the kitchen faces the terrace at the back of the building. The palette chosen for the floors and furniture reflects the location— sand, sea and white cabins dotting the beach outside.
‘SODALITE BLUE’ EXOTIC QUARTZITE, CLASSIC MARBLE COMPANY
‘DIAMANT’ 3D TILE IN GREY, STERNHAGEN
IOLITE VITREOUS PASTE MOSAIC TILE, DIAMOND COLLECTION, SICIS
CUT SENSE KITCHEN DESIGNED BY ALESSANDRO ISOLA, GRANDEUR INTERIORS
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AS17712 GREY ‘GRIGIO PERLA’, ANN SACKS, C BHOGILAL WEST-END
‘PURE HOT+COOL’ AIR PURIFIER, DYSON
‘+VENOVO’ KITCHEN BY POGGENPOHL, PLÜSH LIVING
‘THE FAST SLOW PRO’ BRUSHED STAINLESS STEEL COOKER, BREVILLE
‘ANGELA 90’ DESIGNER WALL-MOUNTED, HEAD-FREE HOOD WITH FULL GLASS FACIA AND TOUCH AND GLOW PANEL, HÄFELE
‘PULCINA’ ESPRESSO COFFEE MAKER, ALESSI
SICILIAN-BLUE-ANDWHITE MAJOLICA REFRIGERATOR (FAB28RDGM3), DOLCE & GABBANA x SMEG
‘AVANTECH’ DRAWER SYSTEM, HETTICH
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‘AV7030-SILVER STAR’ KITCHEN, HÄCKER
‘PURIST’ (K-24982-CP), SEMIPROFESSIONAL KITCHEN SINK FAUCET, KOHLER
AVINASHI ROAD , COIMBATORE , TAMILNADU , INDIA. WWW.CREZZADESIGNS.COM
india@crezzadesigns.com
+91 944 315 0409 +91 894 088 8111
‘PRISTINE’ IN M STONE, MAGPPIE
‘SK14’ DRAWER SYSTEM WITH ALUMINIUM AND LIGHT OAK CUTLERY INSERTS, SIEMATIC
‘K7’ HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE KITCHEN ISLAND BY TEAM 7, P3 ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS
PORCELAIN TILES FROM THE FUORIFORMATO COLLECTION, A-CLASS MARBLE
'GLASS TECH PLUS' KITCHEN NOLTE
APPARATUS
PHOTO: FRANÇOIS DISCHINGER.
Gabriel Hendifar and Jeremy Anderson, co-founders of Apparatus, the New York-based studio, designed their loft—set in an erstwhile industrial building in the Flatiron District—to reflect their singular aesthetic. The open-plan layout stretches from the kitchen, past the dining area and to the living space—each featuring Apparatus lighting and furniture paired with vintage pieces. Surrounding the brass-clad, Saint Laurentmarble-topped kitchen island, for example, are a set of 1950s barstools (pictured).
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‘RATIO’ KITCHEN BY VINCENT VAN DUYSEN, DADA
‘ICBIW 30’ WINE PRESERVATION UNIT BY SUB-ZERO WOLF, TOP
PRODUCTS
REFRIGERATOR FROM THE MONOLITH COLLECTION, LIEBHERR
LUNAR
‘PRADA’ SINGLE-LEVER MIXER FROM THE FRENCH COLLECTION, SOMANY CERAMICS
ECLIPSE TITAN
‘HONEY COMB’ ROSSO ALICANTE TILE FROM THE CLASSICAL COLLECTION, PIETRA 1556
‘ECLIPSE’, ‘LUNAR’ AND ‘TITAN’ INLAY STONE FROM THE LUSSO COLLECTION, TOPSTONA
‘TA0001’ TOP-MOUNTED BRIDGE TAP IN BURNISHED BRASS, OFFICINE GULLO
‘B2‘ KITCHEN WORKSHOP BY BULTHAUP, TOP PRODUCTS
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‘WALTZ 560’ SINK, CARYSIL
‘SERIE 8’ STAINLESS STEEL HOOD, BOSCH ‘CM 6350’ FREE-STANDING COFFEE MACHINE WITH COFFEE POT, MIELE
THE URBAN LOFT KITCHEN FROM THE MIAMI COLLECTION BY SENATOR CUCINE, CERA
‘RAKU’ CERAMIC TILE, EXOTICA ‘HALF & HALF’ TILES, COLLECTION ORVI SURFACES & BHARAT FLOORINGS TILES, INTERSEKT & TILES
‘MARINACE GREEN’ STONE, A-CLASS MARBLE
THE VINTAGE CONNOISSEUR KITCHEN, SLEEK KITCHENS BY ASIAN PAINTS
‘ALLEGRO’ INLAY MARBLE, BY LITHOS DESIGN, KEHA CASA
‘ESSEX’ GLAZED STONE (IVY BASALTO), NEW RAVENNA
‘CHANEL’ SINGLE-LEVER SINK MIXER FROM THE FRENCH COLLECTION, SOMANY CERAMICS
CARGO LARDER, HETTICH 48” FULL-SIZE STAINLESS STEEL REFRIGERATOR, TRUE RESIDENTIAL
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‘TORINO LACK C19’ CABINET FRONTS FROM THE NEW CLASSIC COLLECTION, NOLTE
DuraSquare: Now with the new bathroom furniture series XSquare. The exact and precise edges of the DuraSquare bathroom series blends perfectly with the latest furniture collection XSquare designed by Kurt Merki Jr. Handle-free fronts, striking chrome profiles and 28 furniture finishes enable an individual bathroom design. Co-ordinating mirrors feature a touch-free control panel for demisting and light or dimming functions. For more information: +91 79 66112300, marketing.india@in.duravit.com or www.duravit.in, for technical details visit: www.pro.duravit.in
STEPHEN JAVENS & KERRY PHELAN
PHOTO: ANSON SMART.
Architect Stephen Javens and designer Kerry Phelan, of Australian firm KPDO, designed this kitchen with four types of granite—Arabescato, Amazonite, Norwegian Rose and Viscount White. This includes the island, paired with ‘Four Seasons’ barstools by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll Studio from Dedece. Also on display are Memphis-style objects from the homeowner’s own collection and a Pietro Russo ‘Hubble Space’ hanging lamp for Baxter from Criteria.
‘EX875LX34E:IQ700’ INDUCTION COOKTOP WITH INTEGRATED VENTILATION SYSTEM, SIEMENS
‘BORDEAUX’ STAND MIXER, KITCHENAID
‘MONTREUX’ SEMI-PRO KITCHEN FAUCET, AXOR
‘BESPOKE CAFETERIA’ KITCHEN, ARTTD’INOX
48-INCH-WIDE RANGE FROM THE TUSCANY SERIES, VIKING RANGE
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DAVID FLACK
PHOTO: SHARYN CAIRNS.
Australian designer David Flack reimagined a 19th-century homestead in a nursery for thoroughbreds in northern Victoria. The open-plan kitchen features an ‘Antique Brown’ granite splashback and worktop from CDK Stone paired with ‘Mater’ high stools by Space Copenhagen from Cult, and lit with a ‘Cloud XL 73’ pendant by Apparatus from Criteria Collection. The ‘Mosquito’ ceramic sculpture is by Australian artist Clairy Laurence. The Perrin & Rowe fittings were acquired from The English Tapware Company.
‘NORDIC FOSSIL’ AND ‘NORDIC COAL’ GLAZED PORCELAIN STONEWARE, NITCO
‘CALACATTA CLASSICO’ TILE AND ‘BLACK MARQUINA’ ENGINEERED QUARTZ BY KALINGASTONE, CLASSIC MARBLE COMPANY
‘STELLA WHITE’ AND ‘STELLA MULTI GREY’ CERAMIC TILES, KAJARIA CERAMICS
‘FIORENTINA’ COOKING APPLAINCE, OFFICINE GULLO
‘THE CUT’ ALUMINIUM KITCHEN ISLAND, GRANDEUR KITCHENS
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FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP. TIMELESS DESIGN Celebrated for its tailored furniture and home accents as well as its contemporary design solutions, LOCO Design—a multi-disciplinary design house—is gaining a reputation for its distinct style sensibility Renowned for its keen attention to detail and with an established presence in the lifestyle industry, LOCO Design is a design house that celebrates refined Indian craftsmanship and effortlessly blends it with cutting-edge technology to offer clients bespoke interior and product solutions worldwide. Co-founded by Parminder Pal Singh in 1997, it specialises
in material crafting, product engineering and custom solutions, anchored by craftsmanship, innovation, heritage and a personalised service. The brand’s portfolio is unique in its breadth, and with a talented team of craftsmen, technical specialists, architects, and designers, it boasts partnerships with renowed global lifestyle brands. Its core philosophy is to push recognition and understanding of craftsmanship to new audiences worldwide through intelligent, refined and innovative contemporary design, termed by the design house as ‘crafts centric’ design. Its brands Madheke and Pintark have been founded with this vision as their backbone. Madheke blends crafted excellence with modern luxury and embodies understated elegance while perfectly balancing modernity with tradition. At the AD Design Show 2019—India’s premier
luxury exhibition, Madheke will extend its repertoire with a range of lifestyle accessories. With its advanced surface treatment offerings, Pintark demonstrates the crafting and material expertise of LOCO Design cultivated across two decades of research, refinement and experimentation. Alongside its comprehensive portfolio of materials and finishes, and its dedication to crafting meticulously refined surfaces, Pintark offers a range of traditional crafting techniques for application across its collections. For more information, visit www.locodesign.in or email mail@locodesign.in
BRASS BAR TAP WITH ‘JOYSTICK’ (ARC-CHRPORCELAIN LEVER 87011B) BASIN MIXER, FROM THE WINSLOW JAQUAR GROUP COLLECTION, BRODWARE
‘Q823111120’ BASIN MIXER FROM THE F-COURBE SERIES, QUEO
‘ZP1265’ FAUCET FROM THE ISY COLLECTION, ZUCCHETTI, INTERSEKT
SINGLE-LEVER PROGRESSIVE WASHBASIN MIXER FROM THE MOD+ COLLECTION, GRAFF
‘ZTDX1DPSNSS’ X SERIES DOUBLE WALL OVEN, GE APPLIANCES ‘HALLVIKEN’ SINK, IKEA
‘MIRACLE 90’ CHIMNEY, CARYSIL
‘LOGICA CELATA’ BAR AND KITCHEN, VALCUCINE
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‘IVA 80-4’ GAS HOB WITH FOUR 80-CENTIMETRE BRASS BURNERS AND SOFT-TOUCH METAL KNOBS, HÄFELE
‘58770-IN’ PROFESSIONAL 1,400-WATT JUICER, MIXER AND GRINDER HAMILTON BEACH
On a rainy evening in New Delhi, Kohler, in association with , hosted some of the most insightful conversations on the future of hospitality The first of its kind, Kohler Bold Talks, held in association with AD, brought under one roof—at the Kohler Experience Centre—some of the most significant names in architecture, design, and hospitality. Architect Channa Daswatte gave us a glimpse into the true beauty of the Sri Lankan resort hotel. Superstar chef Alex Sanchez drew out the cultural contexts of food, and most provocatively, American landscape architect Bill Bensley revealed the heart of the luxurious tropical retreat of Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia. VIVEK GUPTA, KOHELIKA KOHLI (BOTH FOREGROUND)
AD EDITOR GREG FOSTER, CHANNA DASWATTE, ALEX SANCHEZ, BILL BENSLEY (FOREGROUND)
MADHAV RAMAN
CHEF ALEX SANCHEZ DURING HIS TALK
SWANZAL KAK KAPOOR, IRAM SULTAN
PARUL MITTAL, MUKUL ARORA, SUMIT ARORA, ADITI ARORA
SALIL SADANANDAN, MALLYEKA WATSA
AMIT AURORA
SUNITA KOHLI
THE KOHLER TEAM
BILL BENSLEY, PRIYA PAUL
PANKAJ VIR GUPTA AND CHRISTINE MUELLER GUPTA
ARCHITECT CHANNA DASWATTE DURING HIS TALK
AMRITA GUHA
AD PUBLISHER ARMAITY AMARIA, VIRAJ KATARIA
THE COCKTAIL MENU
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SHREYA BISWAS, SANDHYA BISWAS
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
GREG FOSTER, NIMISH SHAH
PRIYA AND PRITI PAUL
SANJYT SYNGH
COMPLETELY FLOORED
Welspun’s innovative flooring solutions are a complete gamechanger in the country When you walk into a home, the flooring plays an important part in setting the tone, whether it’s a cool, stone vibe or a warm, woody interior. But changing or laying of flooring is a homeowner’s nightmare. It is chaotic, dusty work and one of the most tedious and time-consuming tasks. But what if you could change your look in just one click? Introducing Welspun
Flooring Click-N-Lock tiles, a revolutionary new concept in the world of flooring. These Click-N-Lock tiles interconnect neatly into each other and can be laid down in a single day. Adding to their appeal is the fact that tiles can be laid on new foundations or on existing floors. There is no dust, no noise, no chemicals and therefore, no worry! The tiles tailor to a wide aesthetic range with stone and wood finishes in a variety of colours and tones. The brand makes no compromise on quality and guarantees the longevity of their excellent flooring for 10 years. With all obstacles removed, you will never ever have to think twice about updating your home.
Welspun Flooring also has an extensive range of unique carpet tiles and broadloom carpets to provide warmth and an inviting appearance to any home. Pick your preference from an extensive palette of hues, textures and designs to conjure your dream space. Greens, an artificial grass range, bring the joy and feel of the outdoors to a terrace or an expansive balcony. If you prefer to personalise you rooms, choose from their Fusion Flooring line, a mix-nmatch range of tiles and textures, which allows you to experiment and create one-of-a kind designs. With a presence across 30 cities in India, Welspun is poised to create waves across the country and spearhead a flooring revolution.
For more information, visit www.welspunflooring.com
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
` 200 JULY-AUGUST 2019 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE WORLD
INDIA
BAWA
THE STYLE ISSUE
A 1929 OIL ON CANVAS OF THE MAHARAJA OF INDORE BY BERNARD BOUTET DE MONVEL.
TASTEMAKERS, FASHION, STYLE AND INTERIORS
There’s a timelessness about the stories in our annual September showcase of Indian élan. From the maverick Maharaja Yeshwantrao Holkar II of Indore (looking dapper in w h i t e t i e , i n t h e B e r n a rd B o u t e t d e M o nve l o i l o n canvas on the right) and the rarely seen interiors of his m o d e r n i st p a l a c e , t o t h e graceful Simone Tata and her elegant Mumbai apartment from another era, AD steps inside a series of homes that will go down in decorating history. Then there’s a lesson in art de la table courtesy Dior, a look at the monolithic architecture of the new R aw Mango flagship store, and more.
GG home The myth-inspired pieces that dot Gaurav Gupta’s flagship store in Mehrauli, New Delhi form the first range of furniture and decor from the couturier’s eponymous home brand
C
“Expressive elements of Greek architecture” characterize a range of products that include brass sculptures with intricate detailing and futuristic-looking mirrors. Whatever the creation, the mythical aspect is inescapable. “They [mythical creatures] have always fascinated me, and sculpture as an art form is something I am very passionate about. You will see that in the clothes I design or the spaces I create,” says Gupta. While he chose to create his own furniture line due to a lack of ready-made options, he lucked out with the craftsmen he worked with, who could realistically manifest the mythical fantasy Gupta sketched out. The palette of materials used includes wood, stone and cast iron, with accents of brass and mild steel. At the moment, the only place you can see these pieces is at the Mehrauli store, “since they were designed specifically for this space. However, they can be custom-ordered to suit the personal needs of our clients,” says the designer, who doesn’t plan to stop with just this line. “There are a lot of fun, exciting projects in the pipeline, to be revealed when the time comes.” Meanwhile, for a hint at what the upcoming furniture designs might look like, customers can take cues from Gupta’s fantastic fashion.
TEXT: GAURI KELKAR.
ustomers dropping in at Gaurav Gupta’s flagship store in Mehrauli, New Delhi will have a hard time deciding where exactly to focus their attention. It’s a toss-up between the sculpted garments—set to advantageous display in the Studio Lotus-designed boutique—and the impeccably constructed furniture that you can’t help but gape at. In this case, however, your attention isn’t misplaced when you covet the decor as much as you do the fashion; both stem from Gupta’s singular aesthetic. The fashion designer’s transference of canvas from clothing to furniture was a happy accident. It evolved organically, rooted in that most frustrating of reasons: “I didn’t like anything that was available.” Necessity being the mother of invention and Gupta being a flexible navigator between genres, the designer simply sketched out what he did like. A look at the final creations will lead to the realization that it would have been impossible to find these in any store. This debut collection from Gaurav Gupta Living is an extension of the couturier’s fashion—costume-like, theatrical and highdecibel. Each piece reflects the brand’s aesthetic. Gupta says, “The sofas and the chairs with bird motifs as handles, or the winged panther and the floating mermaid motifs—they are all fantastical.”
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a song of ice & Sapphire
Inspired by the landscape of Le Brassus—home to Audemars Piguet—the Sapphire Orbe is the latest expression of haute joaillerie from the watchmaker
TEXT: SHWETA VEPA VYAS.
N
estled in the Jura Mountains on Switzerland’s western border (which it shares with France) is a region of rugged, unspoiled natural beauty known as the Vallée de Joux. The region (along with Neuchâtel) is considered to be the cradle of Swiss watchmaking and is home to some of the world’s leading haute horology brands—including Audemars Piguet. The Audemars Piguet story began in the village of Le Brassus, in the Vallée de Joux, back in 1875. The picturesque village and the river Orbe, which runs through it, served as the inspiration for Audemars Piguet’s latest creation, Sapphire Orbe. The word ‘orbe’ is also a reference to an orbit—denoting the timepiece’s circular movements. Described by the watchmaker as “a river of sapphires in graded hues of blue and orange, as night merges into day”, the jewelled timepiece is not just a visual tribute to the landscape, but also to the region’s abundance of iron ore and other natural resources—a fact that has greatly contributed in the development of the Swiss watch industry. Manifesting the grandeur that Audemars Piguet has come to be associated with, the Sapphire Orbe follows the design philosophy of the brand’s Haute Joaillerie collection, which was launched in 2013. An avant-garde design has been paired with traditional gem-setting techniques in this one-of-a-kind piece featuring more than 12,000 diamonds and graded sapphires, each of which has undergone a rigorous process of selection. Once selected, each stone has been >
< cut and snow-set by hand. Snow-setting is a technique
that involves using different stone sizes to cover an expansive surface area. The result is a dazzling design that offers a unique perspective from every angle. At the heart is the domed centre, with a dark blue sapphire-set globe that, upon rotation, is revealed as the caseback for a watch. The timepiece itself features an 18-carat white-gold and orange-sapphirepaved dial, and, inside, a small quartz calibre powering the hour and minute functions. This piece truly raises the bar for horology design. The entire creative process has been design-driven. “The general design was first imagined and drawn by our designers,” shares a spokesperson from Audemars Piguet, adding, “The twocentimetre spherical white-gold case of the secret watch,
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which houses a tiny quartz movement, was first conceived and made by our design and technical department. The rest of the piece is entirely made by hand—by our expert jewellers. They crafted five white-gold, petal-shaped rings of different diameters through a gold-casting process. Each ring was then hand-finished and adjusted by hand so that the five rings would perfectly imbricate in one another.” The last component to be crafted was the bracelet—made of diamonds and white-gold. The design makes room for comfort and flexibility; the bracelet can be adjusted for different wrist sizes. The Sapphire Orbe is not only a tour de force in haute joaillerie design, but also in technique; the gem-setting process alone took a remarkable 1,050 hours. And judging purely by the outcome, it was time well spent.
Renaissance man
As the Italian label recently opened its first store in India, looks at Brunello Cucinelli’s cashmere empire, with a peek into the designer’s private home Writer NoNie NiesewaNd . PhotograPher MassiMo Listri
Brunello Cucinelli framed by the 16th-century stone fireplace in his home, beside a contemporary sculpture of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato.
A
t his studio in Solomeo, a village in Umbria, Italy, cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli chooses yarns for his 2020 spring and summer collection. Just the wispy beards shaved off Mongolian goats—each one weighing less than half a pound (227 grams)—are spun to make the strongest, softest and lightest cashmere sweaters for which he is famous. Only the best is good enough for his eponymous luxury fashion brand for men and women. Unlike manufacturers at the lower end of the market who moved production to South East Asia to keep costs down, he chose to dress the world in eye-wateringly expensive fashion made in Italy and to reward his workers with a workplace based on moral and economic dignity—what he calls “humanistic capitalism”. As a 15-year-old, Cucinelli, shocked by the enforcement of stringent labour laws, had witnessed the pain and indignity that his father suffered when he sought work in an Umbrian factory. Today, he finds it hard to forgive harsh industrial laws. >
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The sunlit valley below Solomeo, where grapes mature—the company HQ is housed in a renovated mill. Above left: Helmeted goddess of wisdom Minerva greets the visitors fortunate to be invited to Cucinelli’s private home in Solomeo. The staircase leads to the piano nobile. Above: Cucinelli’s house reflects his enthusiasm for the classics and music. The first floor has a break-fronted mahogany-glaze library with over 600 titles, three-seater sofas and chairs, an antique Blüthner piano and a bust of Socrates.
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At 65, Cucinelli retains the air of authority that his label so seamlessly imposes on the wearer. His double-breasted grey cashmere jacket, circa 2017, is worn over an open-necked white shirt and jeans. Pinned to his lapel are two unobtrusive buttons: the Cavaliere del Lavoro award (the Order of Merit for Labour) and Cavaliere di Gran Croce (the Knight of the Grand Cross)—the highest order conferred in Italy for philanthropic and humanitarian enterprises. “I’m not a consumer, but I like to be a user as Epicurus taught me,” he says, referencing one of the many Greek and Roman philosophers he admires. His fascination with India, which he visited 20 years ago, is based on an Epicurean distaste for conspicuous consumption. “Indians have a vision of the future that I like, this idea of using what the land
gives you, not consuming it but inspired by a great spirituality,” he says. Cucinelli’s business began in 1978 in a tumbledown castle, which he restored, in the hilltop hamlet of Solomeo. As his fashion empire grew, he moved his headquarters to the valley below and formed the Brunello and Federica Cucinelli Foundation with his wife to restore the medieval town using local stone, brick and terracotta tiles. “I didn’t want to disrupt its identity, but preserve and restore more than I built,” he says. Now the town, with its 12th-century Church of St Bartholomew, the castle which currently houses a boutique and library, the town square and bell towers, all set about with olive trees, is a source of pride to the town’s 400-plus inhabitants—and admiration from a constant stream of tourists, school parties and theatre goers. New >
The newly built theatre and amphitheatre modelled on the Palladian proportions is part of the humanistic project funded by the Brunello and Federica Cucinelli Foundation.
<
buildings have been designed in the renaissance revivalist style by architect Massimo de Vico Fallani. The Palladian-inspired Theatre of the Arts and amphitheatre have staged shows with John Malkovich, Peter Brook and Charlotte Rampling. The School of Solomeo academy offers short courses in horticulture and masonry and mending and darning. While graduation from the two- or three-year tailoring course does not guarantee a job with the company, it helps explain the high price of luxury tailoring: students take a year to make a single coat which is then given to charity. And here too lies Cucinelli’s villa, which, if you’re privileged to step into, offers an entrance into another world. The space is almost Spartan in its simplicity, more like a Hogwarts’ set for a Harry Potter film than a fashion billionaire’s home. There are classical busts on pedestals, 16thcentury oil paintings and life-sized statues amongst the antiquarian
chests and tables. Books are everywhere, the titles revealing the mind of a scholar—Alexander the Great’s empire-building; Luigi Serafini’s curious Codex, a 1980s illustrated encyclopaedia of an imaginary world written in a cypher alphabet; and Fifty Years of Ralph Lauren. Tucked amongst the tomes are first-day cover stamps announcing the 2010 engagement of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, with the former in a Brunello Cucinelli sweater. The piano nobile (first floor of a Palladian or Georgian mansion), apart from the three-seater sofas and chairs, has more books in a breakfront library—and an antique Blüthner piano. The balcony beyond is a favourite snoozing spot for the family pets, a golden retriever and a chocolate Labrador. The fierce privacy of his home attests to his resolve to draw a clear line between the “public man” and “being one’s own master at least at home”. Urban regeneration, which he effected in Solomeo, is a growing >
<
A tailoring, horticulture and masonry academy, the School of Solomeo offers students an education that combines cuttingedge technology with age-old handcrafting techniques.
In the valley, the 80-foot-wide Grand Monument to Human Dignity in travertine on a marble base has five arches to represent the five continents.
The 200-seater theatre Cucinelli built in Solomeo.
Perfection in the finished product is taught in short courses on mending and reknitting in the school.
global issue, he believes. “On the outskirts of a city, a mix of industry, commerce and residential is important. Suburbs should be built to last.” He set out to prove this over 100 hectares in the valley below Solomeo. Obsolete, once windowless mills now house the brand’s open-plan, well-lit, efficient workplace where state-of-the-art machinery is balanced by views of a water rill and fountains. Against a backdrop of the hills, the Monument to Human Dignity in the valley, with five arches dedicated to the five continents, celebrates the Brunello Cucinelli ethos of benevolent business based on beauty, truth and humanity. Well versed in both Greek and Roman classics, Cucinelli has been pro foundly affected byThe Meditations of Marcus Aurelius—personal musings by one of ancient Rome’s most famous citizens: “In human life, seek justice, truth, 154
temperance and courage and you will profit from the supreme good that you have discovered.” Bells ring out for the hour-and-a-half-long lunch break, during which time employees may use their mobiles, forbidden during working hours, or go to the restaurant where the chef produces delicious seasonal dishes every day. “A 24-hour digital connection means spiritual freedom is lost. Your spirit needs rest,” Cucinelli explains. Soft-hearted in life, but hard-headed in business, and a master strategist of fashion, his youthful attitude and philanthropic goodness ensures that his legacy will long outlast his label. Brunello Cucinelli’s first shop in India opened in June at The Chanakya mall, Yashwant Place Commercial Complex, New Delhi.
Looks from the Nomadic collection.
Leh-based clothing brand Jigmat Couture is a young fashion label that has spun a high-fashion success story crafted out of its innovative mindset, entrepreneurial spirit—and by returning to its roots Writer Malika VerMa PhotograPher Sebran d’argent igmat Norbu is warm and affable, speaking with the polite Ladakhi suffix of ‘leh’ at the end of most sentences. It’s a trait shared by his wife and partner, Jigmat Wangmo, with whom he has built Jigmat Couture, a quiet yet formidable brand nestled in the Himalayan region of Leh in Ladakh. Not keen on the term ‘fashion designer’, he describes their role as ‘fashion artists’. They eschew the mainstream and produce one major collection a year, each of which delves into the neighbouring regions. They see themselves as cultural ambassadors, deep into research and often taking on the simultaneous need for archival work. After years spent in New Delhi, the couple moved back home to Leh in 2010 when they were expecting their first child. Sensing an opportunity to speak to the local community through familiar yet luxurious products, they founded Jigmat Couture. Textile weaving is deeply embedded in the culture, with both men and women weaving on specific looms. While the plain and twill weaves are the most common, Jigmat also offers herringbone, check and others using novel mixes of yak, sheep, goat and camel wool. Natural dyes include madder, walnut peel, wild rose, nettle, marigold, saffron, and other mountain herbs. Clients choose from a range of silhouettes, from tops and jackets to the women’s mogos or men’s phojos, which can be made to measure. Their version of bespoke redefines the very word as we know it. For a select few, they work at the earliest stage, wherein the client chooses from >
< hundreds of yarns, colours and weaving
patterns. Work happens over the course of one week, from fibre to finish—three days spent on weaving, the remaining on stitching the garment and a client trial. Within a few years, the risk of opening a couture business paid off and they followed with offerings across ready-to-wear, textiles, wearable art and accessories. Each of these sits within a dedicated space in the city, making the five locations the largest and most unique city footprint of any designer, arguably, India-wide. The brand is more comparable to the culinary farm-to-table approach than anything else. The seasonal calendar dictates their flow: May and June, the animals’ natural shedding months, are dedicated to collecting, de-hairing and combing. Summers are spent in production—spinning and twisting yarn. The sub-zero temperatures of winter are ideal for sampling: with nothing to do outdoors, one can sit at the loom and explore possibilities of the weave. The line is then ready for retailing, summer being the busiest time. Whereas tourism brings its own set of clients, it is in the Ladakhi community itself that Jigmat Couture has found its stronghold. When the region opened to the rest of India in 1974, so did access to polyester and other textiles, and the next few decades saw a decline in local craftsmanship. Many locals concur that the return to a local sense of identity and craft through garments occurred when Jigmat Couture opened. Today, brides and wedding guests spend up to a few lakhs to be dressed in one of their creations. Everyday options with the prêt and accessories collections are also highly coveted. >
Look from the Nomadic collection.
Looks from the Nomadic collection. Below: The Jigmat Couture Textile Museum of Ladakh.
< Their wearable art series sits in the recently
PHOTO: BEHZAD LARRY.
opened Textile Museum of Ladakh. It is a space unique to the Himalayan range, given Ladakh’s significance during the silk route. The confluence of various regions, from Mongolia and China to Varanasi, reveal themselves in the garments and artefacts. After years spent giving access to students and scholars alike, the Jigmats decided that a better way to share their knowledge was through a museum, which can be visited by appointment. Taking over four years to build, the three-storey structure is divided by floor, each sprawling across 2,200 square feet. Large windows and the warm grains of willow and poplar wood make for an inviting space; the ground floor often transforms to host a local offering of curated dining experiences and performances by folk artists. The first floor is for the Past—the inspiration and knowledge come from the 500 textiles and artefacts on display. The museum archives, which consist of over 2,000 items, are still being catalogued. The second floor is the Present, where the wearable art series takes centre stage. Garments are hung with ample breathing room, or meticulously folded. It features rare pieces, including a 10-kilogram meditation coat and textiles with a lining made from the extremely warm and labour-intensive brushed spuruk, nambu and cashmere appliqué. Incredibly, the wearer is cloaked in finery which still feels grounded and of the earth. The third floor is the Future, which is replete with various sampling looms, ready to weave and innovate. With the brand not even a decade old, the couple has already contributed to, given back and innovated within the region. With these inherently a part of their person, and the future of Ladakh, Jigmat Couture shares how a region can flourish with an aesthetic entirely its own.
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Hosted by Dior and the Venetian Heritage Foundation, the Tiepolo ball—held in May, at the Palazzo Libia—featured grand table settings that rekindles the stylish past of the “ball of the century” Writer Shweta Vepa VyaS PhotograPher MaSSiMo LiStri
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ior has always had a passion and talent for looking back at an exquisite past and recreating it through its own lens. And this time, the maison reimagined the legendary Tiepolo ball, which, in 1951, had captured the imaginations of mid-century royalty, celebrities, artists and a host of attendees that included Salvador Dalí and Christian Dior himself. Held at the grand Palazzo Labia in Venice, under its magnificent frescoed ballroom painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, it was truly the “ball of the century”. Early this year in May, Dior, along with the Venetian Heritage Foundation, hosted the Tiepolo ball to mark the 20th anniversary of the Foundation. With Maria Grazia Chiuri at the helm, the masquerade ball was held in true Venetian tradition, evoking all the glamour and spectacle of a bygone era. Chiuri, in collaboration with design houses Bevilacqua and Rubelli, created couture pieces for exclusive guests. But what was truly breathtaking was Dior’s taste in fashion and textiles spread onto the table dressing. Precious porcelain, glassware, cutlery, candelabras, heritage fabrics from the Fortuny archives—all of it set amidst the frescoed ballroom—sure made for a delightful sit-down dinner party. AD pulls out vignettes of the stunning scenography at this affair to remember.
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STARRING
NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI as Marcello Mastroianni
LAKSHMI MENON as Anita Ekberg
ASIATIC LIBRARY as the Spanish Steps
FLORA FOUNTAIN as Trevi
HORNIMAN CIRCLE as via veneto
BIKRAMJIT BOSE as Federico Fellini
PhotograPher Bikramjit Bose Fashion stylist tania Fadte After its release in 1960, La Dolce Vita soon became a cinematic victory. Through a series of long shots and still frames, director Federico Fellini tracked a week in the life of jaded tabloid journalist Marcello Rubini (played by Marcello Mastroianni), as he chronicled the lives of Rome’s decadent upper crust and their extravagant but empty lives. What it also did was contrast the city’s historical architecture with its modernist structures, making Rome, in a way, both the setting, as well as the star of La Dolce Vita. Just as Fellini’s masterpiece showcased Rome’s genius loci, within these pages, AD showcases the spirit of Bombay. Echoing Fellini’s layering of pseudo-documentary with fantasy, we shoot the beautiful Lakshmi Menon and the enigmatic Nawazuddin Siddiqui, against the backdrop of the recently restored Flora Fountain, where literal light and shadow serve as metaphors for contrasts—the dark side of human nature and hope, ancient and modern, dream and reality, fashion and architecture. (THIS PAGE) ON LAKSHMI: SILK DRESS, ‘TRIBALES’ BUTTERFLY EARRINGS AND ‘TEDDY’ PEARL NECKLACE, ALL DIOR. ON NAWAZ: SHIRT, RAYMOND. TIE, SUIT AND SHOES, ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. TRENCH COAT, SAHIL ANEJA. (ON OPENING SPREAD) ON LAKSHMI: TARTAN WOOL SUIT AND ‘TRIBALES’ BUTTERFLY EARRINGS, DIOR. ON NAWAZ: KNIT TURTLENECK, CORNELIANI. TWEED SUIT, HOUSE OF SUNIL MEHRA. TRENCH COAT, SAHIL ANEJA.
Much like the film, the 155-year-old Flora Fountain is a structure with many layersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both literal and metaphorical. Though constructed during the time of British colonial rule, it is one of Bombayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-known landmarks. Recently restored, it can now be seen in all its beauty and glory, as it stands witness to the people of the city, and the country, as they go about their lives.
Some of the greatest scenes in La Dolce Vita were made so by their framing. The helicopter transporting a giant statue of Christ over an ancient Roman aqueduct; the paparazzi crowded at the base of a staircase, the bulbs of their cameras pointed up; a helicopter circling three bikini-clad sunbathers, as Marcello tries to get their numbers. Here too, this quiet rendezvous between Nawaz and Lakshmi at Rue du Liban—which looks like a classic brasserie, designed by Dale Atkinson of Rosendale Design—appears to have come about after a high-speed chase, as indicated by the blurred right side of the frame. ON LAKSHMI: TURTLENECK, ORGANZA DRESS, ‘TRIBALES’ BUTTERFLY EARRINGS, CAMEO RING AND RING WITH CRYSTALS, ALL DIOR. ON NAWAZ: KNIT TURTLENECK, CORNELIANI. TWEED SUIT, SAHIL ANEJA. LOCATION COURTESY RUE DU LIBAN.
At a stately seven feet, the statue of the Roman goddess Flora crowns the 32-foottall fountain. In a juxtaposition that Fellini would undoubtedly find amusing, she spends her days calmly overlooking Bombay’s chaotic traffic. In the long shot on the facing page, Nawaz and Lakshmi pause on the steps of the Grecian portico and massive Doric columns of the Asiatic Town Hall and Library. ON LAKSHMI: SILK DRESS, ‘TRIBALES’ BUTTERFLY EARRINGS AND ‘TEDDY’ PEARL NECKLACE, DIOR. ON NAWAZ: SHIRT, RAYMOND. SUIT, TIE AND SHOES, ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. TRENCH COAT, SAHIL ANEJA.
Framed by the gentle curve of Horniman Circleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arcaded colonnade, Lakshmi and Nawaz re-enact a sequence of La Dolce Vita, where in a vintage Ambassador, on an isolated road, the two find a moment of romance. ON LAKSHMI: DENIM DRESS AND GLOVES, DIOR. EARRINGS, VIANGE VINTAGE. ON NAWAZ: LIGHT TURTLENECK, CORNELIANI. WOOL SUIT, RAYMOND.
ON LAKSHMI: BLOUSON, BUSTIER DRESS, ‘TRIBALES’ BUTTERFLY EARRINGS AND GLOVES, DIOR. ON NAWAZ: KNIT TURTLENECK, CORNELIANI. TWEED SUIT AND POCKET SQUARE, KARRTIK D. WOOLLEN TRENCH COAT, NUMERO UNO. SHOES, ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA.
ON NAWAZ: TURTLENECK, CORNELIANI. WOOL SUIT AND POCKET SQUARE, RAYMOND.
ON LAKSHMI: TARTAN WOOL SUIT WITH MATCHING SKIRT AND ‘TRIBALES’ BUTTERFLY EARRINGS, DIOR. (PREVIOUS PAGE) ON NAWAZ: KNIT TURTLENECK, CORNELIANI. TWEED SUIT, HOUSE OF SUNIL MEHRA. TRENCH COAT, SAHIL ANEJA.
WRITER: DIVYA MISHRA. PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: TALIB CHITALWALA. ASSISTANT FASHION STYLIST: TOSHIA KADER. HAIR & MAKE-UP ARTISTS: SANAH KEWAL (FOR NAWAZ); GUIA BIANCHI (FOR LAKSHMI). PRODUCTION: CUTLOOSE PRODUCTIONS. GAFFER: SHREYA DUBE.
TEXT: DIVYA MISHRA. DRAWING COURTESY OF VIKAS DILAWARI ARCHITECTS.
Abha about the fascinating process of restoring Mumbai’s favourite landmarks
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esigned by Scottish architect Richard Norman Shaw (who was once described as “an architectural Picasso” by a noted architecture historian), Flora Fountain was the first—and only—design by its architect out of his native United Kingdom. Built in 1864, it was considered one of Shaw’s oddest projects, bringing together imported stone, a Greco-Roman aesthetic and a jolly mish-mash of sculptures of indigenous flora and fauna at its base. But Shaw’s confusion was perhaps easy to understand. He’d been tasked with designing a structure for a country he had never visited, and his attempt to fuse a classical European sensibility with a touch of local flavour was bound to irk purists. But purists aren’t always right. Today, after many years of being a much-loved landmark—even if mostly in a state of disrepair—the recently restored Flora Fountain now gracefully presides over the south Mumbai city square it was built in 155 years ago. Carried out by conservation architect Vikas Dilawari, with the help of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, the two-year restoration was not without its difficulties. “There was a constant flow of challenges,” says Dilawari, seeming exhausted by just the memory of it. “Working on a site that is the main square of the city is not an easy task. Fountain restoration is not taught in textbooks; and more so, this was the restoration of a city icon!” Dilawari knew the import of the task at hand, and proceeded slowly, employing a very careful, very informed trial-and-error method to minimize the risk. The structure often surprised him. “It’s only when I started documenting it at close quarters that I realized how grand it is—its proportions and artistically carved sculptures,” he says. Dilawari and his team were also pleased when they accessed the central drum, where they found the entire working mechanism. Now, at an imposing 38 feet (“The height of a three-storey building!”), the statue of Flora, accompanied by four nature goddesses and 20 lion heads that spout water down the structure, calmly oversees a city that frantically bustles about around her. “If you saw the city from her eyes, the view would be amazing,” says Dilawari.
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n 1804, a newly knighted Sir James Mackintosh arrived in India, where he had been sent to take up the post of Recorder of Bombay. While he never quite took to the country, Mackintosh promptly set up the Bombay Literary Society, which would later evolve into the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. Though the Society began operating in Mackintosh’s home, three decades later, it shifted to the neoclassical building we now recognize as the Asiatic Society Town Hall and Library. “It is the city’s oldest public building; it’s been used as the city centre, as the court, as a university—it was the judicial and the administrative centre of Bombay in the 1830s,” says conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, whose firm was responsible for its restoration, in association with the city’s Public Works Department. Abha Narain Lambah Associates started work on the structure in 2009,
DRAWING COURTESY OF ABHA NARAIN LAMBAH ASSOCIATES.
but proceeded in stages. Despite being a Grade 1 heritage structure, the building housed functioning government offices, and libraries and “at no point could we vacate any part of the building”, says Lambah, adding, as further explanation for the staggered restoration process: “We didn’t even have funds for the whole building.” It had a host of structural problems caused by age and the monsoons, which Lambah’s firm tackled as and when the circumstances permitted them to. In 2017, after the structural repairs were complete and the facade restored, the chief minister of Mumbai, Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the newly restored structure. Today, on the 30 steps leading up to its magnificent portico with eight stately Doric columns, tourists pose for picturesque selfies, films are shot, and on cloudy days, students and passers-by sit for a breather as they watch the city move around them.
In the many years that she has known Simone Tata, designer Ritu Nanda has only addressed her as Mrs T. Here she tells us why one of her dearest friends continues to spark awe and laughter every time they meet PhotograPher Bikramjit Bose
Above: A view of the sitting room with a large painting of a shepherd and his flock—in front of the sofa is a low table with part of a collection of silver items acquired from a small shop in Bhuleshwar, Mumbai. Right: A bronze candelabra—most of the bronze pieces and Chinese artefacts were brought over from the erstwhile Tata residence at Bombay House. Facing page: A desk in the corner of the sitting room with a portrait of Simone Tata’s grandmother. Previous page: Mrs Tata in the sitting room.
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ne of my favourite pictures in my phone gallery is a recent one of Mrs T gazing at her birthday cake, in wry amusement. The unusual cake was specially made on the instructions of her grandchildren, and it held all the irreverence that Mrs T is known to appreciateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;atop the cake, fondant had been skilfully shaped into a tiny bottle of whisky and a tube of red lipstick. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exactly surprised to see her response when the cake was brought to the table. While most women in their late 80s would look forward to an icing of pastel roses or sweet sentiment scrawled in cursive, I have known only one lady of that vintage who would throw her head back and laugh at an offering as cheeky as that. Nothing, though, can outshine the disarming elegance that Mrs T exudes so effortlessly. That evening, the soft glow of candlelight caught every detail that I have long admired about her visageâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;her silvery, coiffed bob; her signature red nails; the way strands of freshwater pearls rest on her neck; and her strong, long fingers holding a glass of her favourite whisky in one hand and a cigarette in another. Being a designer, I take great pleasure in observing the little elements that go into the making of people as well as of fine objects of art. For me, Mrs T has been an endless chapter on character and style, ever since I joined her enterprise, Trent Limited, in 2001 as merchandise consultant for the home interiors division of Westside. >
< As the years rolled past, we formed a ritual of
meeting every few weeks and catching up over a couple of drinks at her home in old Mumbai. Her house looks out at the sea, and a playful breeze is a gentle constant in the large, open balcony where, in winters, she hosts elaborate sit-down meals for friends and family. The menu for these soirées is meticulously planned by her, days in advance. It’s a joy to watch her place detailed instructions to her staff on the fine art of presenting food and balancing multiple flavours, and it’s humbling to watch her do all of that oh-so gently. Similarly, even when it’s easier to delegate someone to oversee the maintenance of her home, she will take it upon herself to commission the reupholstering of a sofa >
Above left: The Swiss clock in front, flanked by two Dutch vases, is surmounted by a colourful porcelain parrot. The crown moulding is a reproduction of the moulding at Bombay House. The Chinese Thangka painting had to be put under glass when it was found to be deteriorating. When Mrs Tata relocated to this residence, a majority of the Chinese artefacts at Bombay House were moved to the Tata Collection of Chinese Antiquities at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya.
or a couch. Three years ago, she wished to change the wallpaper in her entrance room; she briefed me on the precise shade she was looking for and we went through a hundred books before we finalized one that met her exacting tastes. However, to me, what makes Mrs T hold such a special place in my heart is the way she approaches life—with candour, wit, generosity and open arms. Three years ago, we were travelling together for a fashion show in the suburbs, and were held up in monsoon traffic for two hours. We knew we’d reach the venue only after half of the show was over. Instead of fretting over the frustrating delay, Mrs T simply told me, “I don’t think we will make it. Let’s just go get a drink and have some good Chinese food. What do you say to that?” Even today I would say the same thing to a question like that: “Thank you, Mrs T. I love you for loving life the way you do.” Above: Mrs Tata in her bedroom, looking out at the sea. Facing page, bottom left: This small marble statue is Mrs Tata’s favourite piece. Facing page, top right: A Chinese Cantonware garden seat is used as a small coffee table; it was a wedding gift to her husband. Facing page, centre right: A turquoise Chinese vase used as a lamp at the entrance. Facing page, bottom right: A Chinese vase, of which the collar has been broken, used as a lamp; on either side are two little Indian teapots.
AS TOLD TO RAJASHREE BALARAM.
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A 25-foot-tall arched doorway marks the entrance to the new Raw Mango store in New Delhi. Facing page: Designer Sanjay Garg in his store; the wooden horse sculpture—painted black to match the decor—is from Kerala.
Raw Mango’s newest store in New Delhi is doubly special. It’s the first of its four properties to be designed in-house, and most closely reflects the brand’s design ethos Writer Malika VerMa . PhotograPher ashish sahi
The facade of the store is kept simple, almost stark, as it is in most Raw Mango stores. Facing page: The sculpture of Neptune in the courtyard is perfectly framed by the arched doorway that opens to the store.
One of the four rooms housing Raw Mango’s collection of Varanasi silk brocade saris. A sculpted trompe l’oeil ceiling moulded with plaster hangs above the room, reminiscent of shamianas draped in light breezy cloth. This particular detail was inspired by a textile sculpture by Keith Pillow and Kirti Dodeja of Daaa Haus. Facing page: At the centre of the sari room are six antique teak doors with trompe l’oeil panels, carved as cascading folds of textiles—once the facade of a Bohri Muslim family home. The seating is Garg’s take on a Gandhian sofa—the Indian baithak—which has made its presence across all Raw Mango stores.
Garg, at the entrance to his newest store. To have the ailing pomegranate tree in the main entrance propped up by a cast brass hand, was a unanimous decision taken by the in-house team. Facing page: An antique sculpture of a Jesuit saint, sourced from Kerala, motions to the garment room.
The main courtyard features an 18-foot-long monolithic table. Weighing over 500 kilograms, it was built on-site from a solid sheet of iron.
ou’ll never believe what’s come up”, I said to Sanjay Garg in the spring of 2016. A historic Mumbai building with a sea view was soon to be on the market. We had just begun the retail expansion of Raw Mango and knew immediately that this was the space we wanted. A year later, we opened the doors to 1 Reay House, our Mumbai flagship store. A 1950s bungalow in Bengaluru followed in 2018, and this year, came Raw Mango’s second New Delhi store in Lodhi Colony. The brand’s expansion typifies Sanjay’s approach. As the founder of Raw Mango, he believes in staying comfortably out of one’s comfort zone and moving when his trinity of ‘rightness’—comprising time, space and feeling—is in place. My position as strategic director for Raw Mango has afforded me a unique vantage to understand his working. As a visual thinker, he embodies the statement that ‘seeing is believing’. What follows is a unique architectural process that includes spending hours on physical mock-ups. Thousands of square feet of ply are installed to test design; he has learnt that half-an-inch makes a difference, that it will alter the entire experience. FABULOUS FOUR With four flagships stores now, the satisfaction derived from the one in Lodhi Colony is far greater—probably because it marks the first property designed in-house by the team at Raw Mango. Having engaged architects for previous projects, two realizations came to Sanjay: first, that designing a space with the intention to question and innovate within an aesthetic requires deep understanding from the practitioner; and secondly, that working with raw steel, terracotta, brass, mud and egg-washes are the methods of very few, and fewer still understand how these rural design tenets can be adapted to urban commercial environments. Most important, however, was the opportunity for Raw Mango to expand its own design language. The Lodhi Colony space was the chance to explore and develop an intellectual property owned wholly by the brand. As at all Raw Mango stores, the location dictates
the approach. Respecting the history of each space is important. Unlike the larger bungalows that occupy the power corridors of imperialist New Delhi, the buildings in Lodhi Colony were designed for utility and community. These quarters were built adjacent to Lutyens’ Delhi but represent an outsider’s perspective— one that Raw Mango is comfortable identifying with. DIRECTING DESIGN Leading the design with Sanjay was Raw Mango’s creative director of visual design, Adityan Melekalam, for whom Raw Mango has always felt like a Delhi brand. “Lodhi offered us another way to look at what we like about the city. It was important to me that we retain elements of Angoori Badi—our studio and space in Chattarpur— and yet create a distinct identity,” says Melekalam. Long-time collaborator Loulou Van Damme’s candid feedback at milestone moments was engaged, and suddenly, many more in the organization found themselves rising to the occasion of wearing multiple hats. Learnings from previous interiors would continue to evolve: custom brass lighting, light switches, flooring and finishes would all be called upon for tweaking or reinvention. Scrolling through the internal WhatsApp group reveals a sixmonth pursuit with multiple fever pitches—2am images of surrealist paintings, antique busts and a plethora of sinks, all accompanied by the usual cacophony of yays and nays. The most lively debates ranged from the seemingly mundane chip-size of terrazzo flooring, to the more polarizing view that a giant snake sculpture had a role to play. Many such options were lauded as much as deplored, but it was in these moments that the magic lay. It is in the pursuit of creating something truly new and unique that Sanjay employs counsel. This is distinctly different from indecision, because he often has absolute clarity on what he wants—rather, his collaborative approach towards exploring solutions is one of the brand’s greatest strengths. The 3,000-square-foot store also houses pieces from his growing personal collection of antiques and the end result is perfect, except it is not. Many will miss the details that keep it askew—an inverted door or trompe-l’œil Mashru-lined cupboard. It’s hard to explain and impossible to replicate. Yet, true to the brand’s ethos of accessibility, when you see it, you get it.
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PHOTO: MAN RAY/COURTESY OF CENTER POMPIDOU, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN CENTER.
The young prince of Indore in the 1930s, Yeshwantrao Holkar II and his modernist palace, Manik Bagh, embodied everything that was European avant-garde taste. As a major exhibition about him opens at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris this month, his son, Richard Holkar, looks back at his father’s friendships and tryst with the modern movement WRITER RICHARD HOLKAR
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ndia between the wars [1919-1939] was a cauldron full of diverse ingredients, of which the two most important were ‘empire’ and ‘freedom’. The British controlled the princes, and could, upon often flimsy pretexts, force a maharaja to abdicate, or in extreme cases use the doctrine of lapse to take over the state completely. Both Yeshwantrao’s father Tukojirao and grandfather Shivajirao were forced to abdicate. At the age of 12, Yeshwantrao was sent by his father [at the behest
>
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ECKART MUTHESIUS ARCHIVES, BERLIN.
Above left: An exterior view of the Manik Bagh palace, circa 1933. Below: The entrance hall has furniture and lighting by German architect Eckart Muthesius; the ‘Bruhns’ carpet is by Ivan da Silva, circa 1933. Below left: The staircase to the grand hall. Facing page: The maharaja and maharani of Indore, circa 1930.
proper colonial spirit. He went to Cheam and Charterhouse, schools of British nobility. Upon his father’s forced abdication in 1926, Yeshwantrao, 17 years of age, was called back to India to assume the title of Maharaja, but not the powers. As he was a minor, the British assigned him a guardian, Dr Marcel Hardy, whose tutelage would have a profound effect on the young maharaja. After two years in Indore at Holkar College, he was sent back to England accompanied by Hardy where he attended Christ Church College, Oxford University. It is here that the transformation from a traditional prince into a ‘Modern Maharaja’ began. While attending Oxford, the 19-year-old Maharaja Yeshwantrao lived with Hardy. The French tutor’s daughter was married to Eckhart Muthesius, son of famous German architect Herman Muthesius, a proponent of the Arts & Craft and Bauhaus movements. Eckhart Muthesius and his wife were frequent visitors to Hardy senior’s household. He and >
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PHOTOS: (CUTLERY) © PARIS, PATRIMOINE PUIFORCAT/© PARIS, MAD/JEAN THOLANCE; (REST) ECKART MUTHESIUS/© COLLECTION VERA MUTHESIUS/ADAGP, PARIS 2019.
< of the British] to England to be indoctrinated with the
Above: The maharaja’s study features furniture by Jacques Ruhlmann made in 1932 using materials such as chrome, Macassar ebony wood and glass, and includes a table surrounded by five tripod chairs. The wall lights are by Muthesius and the floor is covered with the ‘Bruhns’ rug. The map of the state of Indore is realized in glass plates by Ernst Messerschmidt. Right: The children’s room has armchairs by Marcel Breuer and a scaled-down version of the Lilly Reich table; the murals are by Messerschmidt. (1933) Facing page, top left: The maharaja’s salon features furniture by Muthesius and includes a silk-upholstered sofa and armchairs and a pedestal table in walnut and chrome; on the shelf to the left is a night light by Desny; the righthand shelf also features a Desny night light, sculptures of an elephant and a Spanish dancer from Robj; the counter has two sculptures by Étienne Cournault Elements, a Jean Luce vase, another Desny night light and a clock by Hans and Wassili Luckhardt. Facing page, right: The Jean Puiforcat-designed silver-and-ebonite cutlery, circa 1931, has the insignia of the maharaja of Indore. Facing page, bottom left: The maharani’s boudoir with armchairs, a pedestal table and other fixtures by Muthesius; the lounge chair is from DIM, circa 1930.
PHOTOS: ECKART MUTHESIUS/© COLLECTION VERA MUTHESIUS/ADAGP, PARIS 2019.
Left: The maharaja’s dressing room has furnishings by Muthesius; the console cabinet has glass bottles believed to have been designed by Jean Luce; on the left is a space for shoes and other accessories; the doorway looks into a room that features a ‘Transat’ armchair by Eileen Gray, and a lacquer screen by Muthesius. Below left: The maharaja’s bedroom—the aluminium-and-metal bed by Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix has a swivel bedside table next to it; a Desny night light is on the left and a clock by Jean Elisha Puiforcat (edited by Hour Lavigne) to the right; the wall lights are by Muthesius, as is the screen on the right, standing next to the Eileen Gray ‘Transat’ chair (circa 1933). Bottom left: The dressing table and stool by Muthesius were done in a design reminiscent of Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix’s works, and created around 1927. Facing page, top: The maharani’s bedroom has a bed by Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix, made in glass and chrome, blue-and-silvercoloured curtains and a silk-upholstered seat; the wall lights, armchairs and floor lamp are by Muthesius and the pedestal table by French architect Djo-Bourgeois. A Louis Sognot and Charlotte Alix chair is visible through the doorway. Facing page, centre: The maharani of Indore. Facing page, bottom: The maharaja of Indore.
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PORTRAIT PHOTOS: MAN RAY/© MAN RAY TRUST/ADAGP PARIS/© CENTRE POMPIDOU, MNAM-CCI, DIST. RMN-GRAND PALAIS/GUY CARRARD.
< my father became close friends, and the two often visited the Muthesius home
in Berlin. Herman Muthesius senior was a major participant in the modernist movement and a key figure in intellectual and artistic life of the period. Muthesius maintained that, “Our chairs, tables, cupboards and other functional objects will be the abstractrealist sculptures of the interiors of the future.” Significant proponents of this aesthetic were Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer. And Charles Rennie Mackintosh was Eckhart’s godfather. The shock of Yeshwantrao’s father’s and grandfather’s forced abdications by the British must have triggered his wish to distance himself from British tradition and the colonial spirit. The friendship with the thoroughly modern Eckhart Muthesius became the catalyst which opened my father’s intellect and aesthetic to the avantgarde world of Europe in the 1920s and ’30s. Reto Niggl, Eckart Muthesius’s biographer, puts this encompassing aesthetic very well indeed: “Pictures and sculpture, architecture, technical equipment, railways, cars airplanes, motor boats, new materials such as rubber, Duraluminum, chrome-plated steel tubing, polished zinc, synthetics, polished metal furniture, comfort both elegant and hygienic, air conditioning, sport, social life, cocktail bars jazz music were all part of a new style life and living.” My father embraced all of these wholeheartedly. Such were the elements that formed my father’s taste. Berlin was not the only pole of modernism for him. The bohemian life in Paris was well-suited to the sensitive, spiritual and romantic young maharaja. Here, he formed an important friendship with Henri-Pierre Roché, art dealer, novelist and man about town. Roché introduced my father to the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi, and the very modern American photographer, Man Ray. Yeshwantrao was much taken by Branacusi’s Bird in Space sculptures, and bought three; black marble, white marble and bronze. The black and white Birds were for a temple for Meditation, which he and Brancusi designed, to be situated in Indore. Brancusi arrived in Indore with the black and white birds, insisting to do the final polishing. Unfortunately the war intervened and the temple was never built. Man Ray captured many moods of the maharaja and his young beautiful wife, Sanyogita, as well as taking sensitive portraits of my father. He also met the society painter Bernard Boutet de Monvel, and commissioned >
PHOTOS: ECKART MUTHESIUS/© COLLECTION VERA MUTHESIUS/ADAGP, PARIS 2019; (PLANE INTERIORS) ECKART MUTHESIUS/© COLLECTION PARTICULÈRE/ADAGP, PARIS 2019.
Right: The maharaja’s caravan. Below: The interiors of the caravan featuring PEL furniture. Facing page, top and bottom: The maharaja’s private plane, with interiors by Muthesius.
< four separate portraits of himself and his maharani, each in Western and Indian
dress. The portrait of Maharaja Yeshwantrao in his traditional darbar dress, a study in white, is arguably one of the finest realist portraits of the 20th century. It was only fitting that Manik Baghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formal modernist reception room be the location for the Western portrait of the maharaja. Imagine the consternation of his visitors, expecting a traditional portrait, brocade and jewels, instead confronted with the elegant portrait of the maharaja. Today, Manik Bagh is the office of the Central Excise Commissioner. All the glory is gone, the spaces partitioned to accommodate the needs of the bureaucracy. Furniture, carpets, all gone. Sic Transit Gloria Mundi! Modern Maharajah, A Patron of the 1930s is on from 26 September 2019 to 12 January 2020, at the MusĂŠe des Arts DĂŠcoratifs in Paris.
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West of London, David Chipperfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fayland House for Mike and Maria Spink elegantly brings nature and architecture into a new balance Writer Ian PhIllIPs . PhotograPher stePhan JullIard
Architect David Chipperfield designed this home for property developer Mike Spink and his wife Maria. This loggia runs along the length of the house. Facing page: A courtyardâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one of many integrated into the design of the houseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; planted with Japanese holly.
French windows offer sunlight and a view of the landscape. Facing page: Another view of the loggia and Alwy Visschedyk’s ‘SO103’ chairs for Summit Furniture—the dog is a rescue whippet called Evie.
Evie lounges in Maria’s office. The bespoke desk was designed by David Chipperfield; the glass vase is by Timo Sarpaneva for Iittala, and the ‘THIN’ task lamp is from Juniper Design. The desk chair is from Vitra’s ID Trim collection. The armchair and footstool are 1960s designs by Børge Mogensen. Facing page: The chair is the ‘IWI Fauteuil’, designed by Christophe Delcourt. The front door is made from European oak. A series of 12 Tang dynasty horses are displayed on a stand—a gift from Maria to Mike.
The living room features a ‘Living Landscape 730’ sofa, designed by EOOS for Walter Knoll. The bespoke handmade silk rug was manufactured by The Rug Company. The marble occasional table was designed by Jasper Morrison for Marsotto. The brushed-and-steamed-oak bench behind the sofa was designed by Mike; on it is a photo by Londonbased, Swiss-born photographer Olivier Richon, and a dish and a vase from the Tang dynasty. The door leads into Mike’s office, with Maria’s office behind that. Facing page: A Carrara marble island sits in the centre of the kitchen. The barstools are from Christian Liaigre. The sink tap is from KWC. The extractor fan is bespoke. On the countertop are pottery storage jars and a small bowl designed by David Chipperfield for Alessi on oak trays from Michaël Verheyden.
The counter is in Calacatta Oro marble. The sink tap is from Vola. The bespoke mirror and cabinet—Macassar ebony finished in a mirror gloss—were designed by David Chipperfield. Facing page: In addition to the bespoke bed [from By SPINK], the bedoom also features a mohair rug from The Rug Company, a reading light by Viabizzuno and an ‘IWI Fauteuil’ chair.
A view of the loggia along the front of the house. The Spinks are committed to sustainability and environmental conservation, and reinstated the natural vegetation of the area when they brought the property.
rchitect David Chipperfield and property developer Mike Spink have many things in common. They both collect Chinese pottery, have kindred aesthetic tastes and a remarkable commitment to their profession. “David doesn’t switch off, except for sleeping,” notes Spink, “which is not dissimilar to me.” Their shared approach certainly makes working together seamless. “Mike has the same levels of expectation and construction as we do,” asserts Chipperfield, whose major projects to date have included Berlin’s Neues Museum and the Des Moines Public Library in Iowa. “Private homes are very difficult, but this one was good fun.” He is referring to a house called Fayland in the Chiltern Hills to the west of London, which Spink shares with his enchanting Finnish-born wife Maria and their three lurchers—Reggie, Evie and Alvar (the latter is named after Maria’s fellow countryman, the architect Alvar Aalto). It is not the first project on which he and Chipperfield have collaborated. They previously came together on a new-build courtyard-style house called Cottage Place opposite The Oratory in Knightsbridge, which Spink ended up selling for £57 million. DESIGN STANDARDS Spink’s success can largely be attributed to his incredibly high standards. “People absolutely pick up on quality,” he insists, “maybe not all of it, but it makes a difference.” The location of Fayland is certainly exceptional. It stands near the top of a natural amphitheatre with sweeping views across a stunning valley, with not another house in sight. Spink still clearly recalls his first visit with Maria: “We just got out the car and said, ‘Yes’. We didn’t even walk around. We knew instantly it was perfect for us.” The house that previously stood on the land was rather less ideal. Spink describes it as a 1930s “chalet bungalow”, which had been extended over time. By the time they discovered it, half-adozen other buildings had sprouted up around it, as well as a swimming pool, formal garden and riding arena. “It was hideous,” sniffs Spink. “It had no respect for the natural setting.” The brief they gave Chipperfield for its replacement provided a certain amount of latitude. They did, however, request that it not be too ostentatious, that cars should be hidden from view and that there were only rooms they would actually use. Among their more specific demands were a sauna for Maria and a room for the dogs—a canine shower can be found near a side entrance. Chipperfield has compared his design to a dam. “It’s something very simple at the top of the valley,” he told me over the phone.
For him, it was important that it fitted in with the landscape but was not overpowered by it. Articulated around a series of courtyards, it is made almost entirely of white soft-clay bricks, their colour a nod to the predominance of chalk in the Chiltern Hills. It also boasts a stately colonnade along its front facade, which Chipperfield describes as “a bridge”. He continues, “The columns become the mediator between the domestic scale of the house and the enormous landscape.” The construction proved extremely complex due to Spink’s desire to build the most perfect concrete ceilings possible. In order to avoid splashes on the rest of the structure while the concrete was being poured, he chose to erect them first. “The house was effectively built in reverse,” he notes. To support the roof, he erected several hundred thin steel posts, which were surrounded by plastic walls in order to create a watertight environment. “We couldn’t afford to have condensation or rain,” he explains. “Otherwise, we would have got staining on the concrete.” COUNTRY LIVING Both he and Maria were equally intent on integrating sustainability into the design. They installed a wood-burning heating system, solar panels and a green roof. They also went about reinstating the natural countryside in an extremely meticulous fashion. “We’ve witnessed a catastrophic loss of wildlife in our lifetimes and both felt we needed to take action,” insists Maria. They consulted on wild flowers with experts from Kew Gardens and Oxford University, planted some 1,000 trees and even bought their own sheep and a herd of 13 dexter cows. In 2015, Maria took up beekeeping too and had a queen delivered via the Royal Mail! The couple applied a similar fastidiousness to the minimalistic interiors, where each element has been thoroughly analysed. The Antonio Citterio armchairs in the sitting room were chosen for the way their rounded forms and velvet upholstery catch the light. Elsewhere are numerous pieces in wood, including seating by the likes of Christophe Delcourt and Christian Liaigre, and a pair of dining room benches designed by Spink himself (he is planning to launch his own furniture collection, BY SPINK). The entry hall, meanwhile, is dominated by a regimentally ordered series of Tang dynasty horses. “A single one wouldn’t have done anything for me,” claims Spink-. “It was the idea I could create a piece of architecture with 12 of them.” And while the piece of architecture Chipperfield has created for them may be quite a gem, the Spinks both readily admit there is something paradoxical to life at Fayland. For their greatest enjoyment is actually being outside. “I love walking around every day, looking at what I can spot in the fields and chatting to the cattle,” professes Maria. “For me, the house is a beautiful backdrop to our farm, not the other way round.”
THE HOUSE OF LAL The Goa holiday home of Anita Lal is decorated almost entirely in Good Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest collection, Maladvipa, inspired by the Maldives Writer Komal Sharma PhotograPher Bharath ramamrutham StyliSt Samir WadeKar
A
winding drive up Candolim’s Sapiem Hills in north Goa, tucked within an overgrown garden, is the private home of Good Earth founder Anita Lal and her family. It’s a modest ode to the aesthetic that Good Earth has, in its 22 years, brought into the Indian home. All that fishtail palm, Jasmine flower and aquamarine porcelain— classic Good Earth elements—has found a home in this house on a hill. The land was acquired and the house was built almost 15 years ago, “simply because the girls love Goa”, as Anita says. Of her girls, the younger daughter, Tara, who is an architect herself, took the lead in the making of this Goan retreat. Sparse, natural stone floors, locally sourced teak wood, a communal kitchen-cum-living area, rustic open baths, a swimming pool on stilts that is cleverly given height > Facing page: The outdoor dining table is set with dinnerware from the brand’s fine bone china Oceana collection, detailed with 24-carat gold and ceramic serveware. Above: The table setting includes the Oceana set, an ‘Abeille’ glass and a handcrafted metal-cast piper betel leaf decor accessory made with recycled brass. Right: ‘Jasmine’ pillar candles are set within a ‘Barque’ handcrafted metal-cast centrepiece made with recycled brass.
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< and brought into view, and a veranda that overlooks the meandering
Mandovi river in the distance; it’s an ideal tropical home that opens out to views of the monsoon-drenched, pigmented greenery outside. “I love tropical living. I had it built in a way that might be slightly impractical, to be honest, but it is bohemian—the perfect Goa state of mind,” adds Tara. This bohemian trip, a play of private and public, is clear in the layout of the home as well. While the living room and master bedrooms lie in the centre of the home, with private balconies framing picturesque views of the hillside, there are other rooms that are a short walk away, down a flight of stairs or around a sharp turn into one side of the garden. Getting there has the quality of a stroll. “The idea is that you don’t spend much time in your room; you go outside, or you just go elsewhere. It’s a little quirky. It wasn’t built to be a permanent residence but a holiday home,” Tara explains. Over the years, as the home was being put together, the Lal women set aside pieces from Good Earth’s treasure trove. And collectively, they are not shy of the tropical theme of the outdoors. There are cushions, > Left: A series of handcrafted ‘Brass Twigs’ are mounted above a console in the living area. Above: Cushions from the Maladvipa collection are paired with an ‘Iris Garden’ bedcover on the corner floor sitting area. Facing page: The rug and furniture are from Lal’s personal collection. The sofa upholstery—from the Gulfiza collection—and the solid-check shot silk cushions are by Good Earth. The flowers are from the home’s garden.
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< razais and bedcovers from the Maladvipa collection, which is
the Sanskrit word for ‘garland of islands’ and is inspired by tropical flowers like hibiscus, champak and passion flower. Offsetting this is bed linen from the Gulfiza collection, which draws patterns from everyday objects like baskets, mats and woven grass. The home is dotted with brass accessories, again inspired by leaves and flowers. “All the palms and bananas and elephants had to go into this home to match the garden outside,” adds Tara. While the home is her baby, the garden outside was Anita’s pet project. “I’ve loved plants all my life. My mother was also a gardener. Good Earth, if you see, draws completely from nature. So when we > Above: The bedcover and cushions are from the Mehrab collection. Right: The master suite features a bedcover and blinds from the Gulfiza collection, inspired by African geometric tribal prints and the ‘Taro’ candle stand. Facing page: A razai and cushions from the Maladvipa collection are mixed with a ‘Vihaan’ pintuck dupion silk cushion on a daybed in the guest room. The curtains are also from the Maladvipa collection.
< got this home, I put my heart into the garden. And I didn’t just
want ornamental trees but fruit-bearing ones,” says Anita. So if you were to spend a weekend as a guest at this family home, you’d be sitting on the veranda at a grand dinner table, a pool on one side, a mosaic-tiled patio on the other, the Mandovi in the distance. And lots of pomelos, guavas and coconuts for breakfast. The best part, however, is the parijat (baobab) tree—every day its little white flowers are found strewn all over the place and floating in the pool, with its sweet scent wafting through the air. Top and top right: The sun deck features a daybed with cushions from the Maladvipa Papyrus collection that has been inspired by the local tropical foliage and flowers, a ‘Vihaan’ pintuck dupion silk cushion, and ‘Anjuman’ dhurrie at the pool side. Above right: A pair of ‘Sea Jasmine’ kulhars are placed on the side table. Right: ‘Alaia’ lanterns by the poolside. Facing page: One of the bedrooms’ balconies overlooks the pool; it features a daybed with ‘Bombax’ (back) and ‘Capparis’ (front) cushions. Curtains from the Gulfiza collection.
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scouts
NEWSREEL From the hottest products to the coolest launches, here’s the low-down on the latest in the market this season
CHIC CHOICE
An almost inexhaustible portfolio of tables, chairs, beds, sideboards, bookshelves and other accessories makes Cattelan Italia a go-to for homeowners with fine taste. The ‘Atlantis CrystalArt’ (pictured) table, with its slim 12-millimetre-thick glass top, offers a fusion of modernity and elegance. The table is available in a host of shades and bases, including titanium, graphite or black-painted embossed steel. (cattelanitalia.com)
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
MATTERS OF THE CRAFT Get a taste of India’s many native art and craft styles inside the warm, intimate interiors of the Baaya store. Its studio, Baaya Design, is making India’s heritage skills accessible to the field of interior design Visit Mumbai’s Raghuvanshi Mills, and it’s highly likely that your eye will come to rest on the Baaya signboard in solid teal. Baaya Design, the design group behind the store, gets its name from the Indian weaverbird or ‘baya’. For the brand, the weaverbird and its nest stand for a beautifully crafted space and also denote their customers’ individual stories. Founded by National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad alumnus Shibani Jain in 2009, Baaya Design endeavours to bring India’s contemporary artisanal skills closer to those of us in the urban milieu, by introducing the architect and interior design community to the inherent capabilities of our indigenous skills. Endlessly customisable owing to their handmade nature, these techniques present both architects and artists with a multiplicity of options in materials and motifs for their creative delight. Baaya Design specialises in offering decor accessories and services that tell a story. The group works across corporate, hospitality and residential sectors. One among their many projects has been designing and executing artworks for the newly refurbished Tata Group head office—Bombay House, Mumbai. For this, Baaya Design collaborated with Somaya & Kalappa Consultants to create a series of murals and installations, each mirroring the rich legacy of the company it represents. The group is currently working closely with artisans skilled in the techniques of copper enameling from Maharashtra and with Sadeli from Gujarat. Even as Baaya Design evolves with the craft landscape, what has been constant has been the brand’s commitment to spotlight the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to shape India’s cultural identity. The group finds ways to bring contemporary influences to these regional artisanal styles and craft clusters whilst keeping the traditional process intact. Now that the festivities are well under way, there’s really no better time to do a spot of redecorating in your home. The store offers a ready product selection and also houses a wide collection of art in regional styles such as Kalighat, Gond, Kalamkari, Pichhwai, Madhubani, Thangka Mandalas and Kangra miniatures, available in both traditional and contemporary interpretations. A-Wing, Ground Floor, Prathamesh Tower, Raghuvanshi Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013. For more information, visit www.baayadesign.com, email info@baayadesign.com or call +91 9372838880
Shibani Jain
An aspiration wall for Tata Motors at the Tata Bombay House, Mumbai
scouts The international airport in Goa has just received a modern upgrade, in the unlikeliest of ways—with a lushly designed ‘bath lounge’ (pictured), thanks to Kohler. A fusion of the utilitarian and the luxurious, this experiential restroom is a firsttime innovation in the country. A global leader in kitchens and bathware, Kohler has curated the first-ever ‘boutique’ restroom, which is meant to be as much about indulgence as utility. While coming down the escalator, you cannot help but be captivated by this elegant space. It’s memorable (and distracting) enough to make you miss your flight. (kohler.co.in)
OH, SO DUR ABLE The DuraSquare series of sanitaryware by Duravit combines the subtlety of minimal design with maximum storage efficiency. This 800-millimetre-wide asymmetrical washbasin (pictured), for instance, has ample space for all your toiletries. With 28 different finishes, from wood to lacquer, and available in varying sizes, such as 500 millimetres for smaller bathrooms to 1,200-millimetrewide double washbasins, this is versatile ‘vanity-ware’ in all its splendour. (duravit.in) 246|
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
scouts Karpets by RKS—spanning three generations of family traditions and shared passion—is known for manufacturing rugs that bring warmth as well as luxury to homes. This pioneering carpet maker’s specialty has been reinterpreting classic craftsmanship and blending it with avant-garde designs, epitomized perfectly in this intricately hand-knotted carpet (left). Made with 100 per cent wool, this creation from the Relic collection forgoes setting trends in favour of staying timeless. The design has been deliberately distressed and sheared down to an extra-low pile, creating a patina usually only imparted through decades of wear. (karpetsbyrks.com)
An exquisite collection of cutlery, and barbecue and bar silverware has now landed in Mumbai, with Robbe & Berking available at the SR Artefacts’ flagship store in Worli. Since its establishment in 1874, this German manufacturer has made a habit of creating aesthetically pleasing tableware. The elegance of the brand’s finely crafted handle edges and sculptural decorations are achieved through gentle handgrinding and -polishing. These practices also allow them to retain the qualities of craftsmanship that are otherwise lost in translation due to mass production. (robbeberking.com)
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
Prasad Bidapa
WHAT: GQ Gentlemen’s Club
WHERE: Conrad Bengaluru
All roads led to the Conrad Bengaluru on an overcast evening in June, where GQ India was hosting its signature Gentlemen’s Club. The evening saw the Garden City’s cool set – designers, industrialists, artists – mingle over bespoke Chivas cocktails and canapés, before moving into the ballroom for a sumptuous four-course meal. Curated by Chef Praveen Shetty as well as masterchef Alex Sanchez of Mumbai’s buzziest new restaurant, Americano, the menu included the latter’s best-known dishes, including “corn ribs” with a secret spice mix, and a light, airy corn custard with kaffir lime. The meal ended on a sweet note, with a delicious, boozy Tiramisu Americano. A night out done right.
Chivas Brand Ambassador Rajan Virdee
Rupa & Arjun Pratap at the Volvo XC 90 display
GQ’s Che Kurrien & Rishad Premji
Elixir Nahar
The Chivas Bar
GQ’s Almona Bhatia & Shadab Wahab
Anjana & Paresh Lamba
Chef Praveen Shetty & Srijan Vadhera
Neeraj Verma
Dia Bhandary
Farah Soi, Sanjiv Shanmugam & Anjali D’Silva Chef Alex Sanchez presenting his signature dish
Abhinav Sharma
Eric Dumasia
Arun Ananthram
sla Manoviraj Kho display nk ba iti C at the Rajesh Singh
scouts Florentine furniture company Arketipo believes in crafting experiences, not objects. And that’s evident in the Giuseppe Viganò-designed ‘Amy’ chair (pictured) as well. Manufactured in 2019, the chair’s design is a throwback to the 1970s. Its cantilevered structure adds an element of lightness while the armrests make for a slender addition to the smooth texture of the blue and brown fabric. If there’s anything that displays both comfort and curvature, the ‘Amy’ chair by Arketipo should head the list. Free from detailed embellishments, ‘Amy’ is all about keeping it simple. (arketipo.com)
Windows by AIS are as functional as they are attractive additions to modern-day spaces, which could be your home or your office. Understated designs trump over-the-top embellishments in these creations, while providing the quality you are looking for in a window: heat resistance and complete insulation from dust, rain, pollution and noise. With these windows, you are spared from making the tough choice between functionality and looks—AIS windows make sure you get both. (aiswindows.com)
A favourite with discerning clients who know their surfaces, Greenpanel Industries has continued to win over customers with innovative surface enhancements and wood panelling. Greenpanel MDF Boards use unique fibre-interlocking technology that allows for a homogenous construction, making the products ideal for polishing and painting. Their resistance to termites, fungus and borers make them great for contemporary and carved furniture and indoor panelling. Clearly, the brand is set to revolutionize the wood panel industry with MDF—one product at a time. (greenpanel.com) 250|
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
PHOTOGRAPHED BY PRASAD NAIK
AUGUST 2019 ` 150
CULTURE TRIP: WHY WOODSTOCK STILL MATTERS THE BEST WATCHES OF 2019 FOOTBALL FOCUS RAHEEM STERLING
scouts A Kolkata-based brand that hits the highest notes of maximalist design, Scarlet Splendour is known for its eccentric furniture pieces. Their avantgarde aesthetic pushes the boundaries of design to create one-of-a-kind contemporary furniture that redefines what’s stylish and offers a unique take on luxury. One such creation is the ‘Ciuco’ cabinet (pictured), with a large brass donkey head sitting atop a brassand-resin-lined shirt. The cabinet knobs are disguised as buttons on a tuxedo, revealing a spacious cabinet within. A sculptural conversation piece, the ‘Ciuco’ cabinet has a singular design. (scarletsplendour.com)
A window is much more than just the sum of its parts. It performs the all-important function of providing comfort by keeping out the heat and letting in the breeze. And that’s what Window Magic is all about. The company was the first to introduce German uPVC technology, a high-performance natural insulator, to the country. State-of-the-art technology is used to produce a wide range of fenestrations—casement, tilt and turn, sliding, designer and conservatory—and an equal variety of doors. You name it and they’ve got it. (windowmagicindia.com)
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ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
From architects to interior designers, The List is an indispensable directory for every home decor solution. Search by service and location at architecturaldigest.in/the-list
PHOTO: ASHISH SAHI
Want to be on the list? Write to thelist@condenast.in
Rahul Bose
Ali Fazal
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja & Anand Ahuja
100 BEST-DRESSE RTY
ERE: JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu
Sobhita Dhulipala
GQ’s Che Kurrien & Russell Peters
’s no better way to celebrate an anniv with a party. The 10th edition of GQ’s B ed People in India saw celebrities lik na Kaif, Karan Johar, Sonam Kapoor nand Ahuja raise the style quotient o arpet alongside some of the country’s n designers, models, musicians and roof and Edwin STATS Houghton kep floor packed through the night, and s flowed. The party reached its peak w ational funny man Russell Peters m ise appearance. From the experimen c, the night saw fashion at its best.
Katrina Kaif
Jim Sarbh
Huma Qureshi
Karan Johar
Kriti Sanon
Shruti Haasan
Rakul Preet Singh
Nushrat Bharucha
Sanya Malhotra
Abhishek Kapoor & Pragya Yadav
Vijay Varma
Mandira Bedi Anu Kaura, Vineet Gautam, Namrata Thakkar & Monica Singh lay lected Homme Disp Aditya Seal at the Se
The Volkswagen display
Anita Khatri
Shiv Raheja
Rahul Khanna, Kalyani Saha Chawla, Rohit Gandhi & Condé Nast’s Arjun Mehra The Rado display
Nasir Khan
Mukesh Ghuraiya
Bishwajeet Samal
Archana Vijaya
Ankur Tewari, Kunal Kemmu & Arjun Mathur
Kubra Sait
Harshvardhan Rane
Aparshakti Khurana
Ramona Arena Anushka Manchanda
Armaan Ralhan & Mohit Marwah
Suket Dhir
DJ Proof
The Grey Goose Bar
Anjali Lama & Gaurav Gupta
Malini Agarwal
Aastha Gupta
Karan Tacker Vivek Karunakaran Santoshi Shetty & Rahi Chadda
Theron Carmine de Sousa
Tamannaah Bhatia Neha Sharma Sumeet Vyas DJ Edwin STATS Houghton
Vikram Raizada
Sunil Kumar
Nidhhi Agerwal
Siddhesh Sharma
Neil Nitin Mukes h at
the ARMR displa y
stockists
A-CLASS MARBLE: NEW DELHI 09958791101 (ACLASSMARBLE.CO.IN) ALESSI: (ALESSI.COM) AND MORE STORIES: MUMBAI 022-24931016 (ANDMORESTORIES.COM) ANN SACKS: (ANNSACKS.COM); SEE C BHOGILAL WEST-END AQUAZZURA: (AQUAZZURA.COM) ARKETIPO: ITALY 0039-0558876248 (ARKETIPO.COM); SEE AND MORE STORIES; SEE LIVING ART INTERIORS ARTTD’INOX: BENGALURU 09964969969; MUMBAI 07506363207; NEW DELHI 09717999527 (ARTTDINOX.COM) ATELIER DE TROUPE: LOS ANGELES 001-323-8705303 (ATELIERDETROUPE.COM) AXOR: INDIA 1800-209-3246 (AXOR-DESIGN.COM) BALENCIAGA:
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(BALENCIAGA.COM); AT LE MILL: MUMBAI 022-22041925 (LEMILLINDIA.COM) BHARAT FLOORINGS & TILES: MUMBAI 022-40574423 (BHARATFLOORINGS.COM) BOSCH HOME: INDIA 1800-2661880 (BOSCH-HOME.IN) BREVILLE: SYDNEY 0061-1300139798 (BREVILLE.COM) BRODWARE: AUSTRALIA 0061-1300-800-300 (BRODWARE.COM) C BHOGILAL WEST-END: MUMBAI 022-61523100 (CBWESTEND.COM) CARYSIL: MUMBAI 022-40157817 (ACRYSIL.COM) CASA PARADOX: INDIA 09810349493 (CASAPARADOX.COM) CHRISTIE’S: (CHRISTIES.COM) CLASSIC MARBLE COMPANY: MUMBAI 022-41404140 (CLASSICMARBLE.COM) CORNELIANI: NEW DELHI 01146040722 (CORNELIANI.COM) DADA: ITALY 0039-02-9720791 (DADA-KITCHENS.COM) DESIGN ITALIANO: AHMEDABAD 09879026328 (DESIGNITALIANO.IN) DIOR: BENGALURU 080-40982100; MUMBAI 022-67499091; NEW DELHI
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
011-46005900 (DIOR.COM) DOOQ: PORTUGAL 00351-218133391 (DOOQDETAILS.COM) DYSON: GURUGRAM 1800-258-6688 (DYSON.IN) ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA: HYDERABAD 040-66026365; MUMBAI 022-43471261; NEW DELHI 011-46060999 (ZEGNA.COM) FANUSTA: INDIA 09765000056 (FANUSTA.COM) FLEXFORM: (FLEXFORM.IT); SEE LIVING ART INTERIORS FORNASETTI: MILAN 0039-0284161374 (FORNASETTI.COM) FROZEN MUSIC: INDIA 09829012530 (FROZEN-MUSIC.COM) GALERIE GLUSTIN: PARIS 003360-8720034 (GLUSTIN.NET) GE APPLIANCES: (GEAPPLIANCES.COM) GENTNER DESIGN: USA 001-888-4209922 (GENTNERDESIGN.COM) GRAFF: (GRAFF-DESIGNS.COM) GRANDEUR INTERIOR: MUMBAI 022-67476746; NEW DELHI 011-41631591 (GRANDEURINTERIORS.COM) GUCCI: KOLKATA 033-22870888; MUMBAI 022-67477060; NEW DELHI
011-46471111 (GUCCI.COM) HÄCKER: MUMBAI 022-43470125; NEW DELHI 011-46102000 (HAECKER-INDIA.COM) HÄFELE: INDIA 1800-266-6667 (HAFELEINDIA.COM) HAMILTON BEACH: INDIA 1800572-8766 (HAMILTONBEACH.IN) HETTICH: INDIA 08460069020 (HETTICH.COM) IKEA: INDIA 1800-419-4532 (IKEA.COM) IKKADUKKAONLINE.COM: INDIA 09717260192 INTERSEKT: NEW DELHI 09818193161 (THEINTERSEKT.COM) IQRUP+RITZ: INDIA 09599110672 (IQRUPANDRITZ.COM) JAIPUR RUGS: JAIPUR 141-3987400; MUMBAI 07230005538; NEW DELHI 07230005522 (JAIPURRUGS.COM) JAQUAR GROUP: INDIA 1800-121-6808 (JAQUAR.COM) JONATHAN ADLER: (JONATHANADLER.COM) JW ANDERSON: LONDON 0044-20-36970293 (JWANDERSON.COM)
PHOTO: KOEN VAN DAMME.
The merchandise featured in the magazine has been sourced from the following stores. Some shops may carry a selection only. Prices and availability were checked at the time of going to press, but we cannot guarantee that prices will not change or that specific items will be in stock when the magazine is published.
AUG
THEVOGUE WATCH REPORT Timepieces to binge on
WHAT’SYOUR BEAUTY CARBON FOOTPRINT? It’s time to
DEEPIKA PADUKONE U N F I L T E R E D
LA CORNUE: FRANCE 0033-0134483636 (LACORNUE.COM) LIBERTINE: (ILOVELIBERTINE.COM) LIEBHERR: MUMBAI 02261767500 (LIEBHERR.COM) LIGNE ROSET: (LIGNE-ROSET.COM); AT IOTA: NEW DELHI 09958492212 (IOTAFURNITURE.COM); SEE AND MORE STORIES; LIVING ART INTERIORS: INDIA 09481112340 (LIVINGARTINTERIORS.IN) LORENZA BOZZOLI COUTURE: (LORENZABOZZOLI.COM) MAGPPIE: NEW DELHI 09999999012 (MAGPPIEKITCHEN.COM) MARNI: (MARNI.COM) MASQUESPACIO: VALENCIA 0034-96-3527756
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(MASQUESPACIO.COM) RAYMOND: INDIA 1800-221-001 MIELE: NEW DELHI 011-46900000 (RAYMOND.IN) (MIELE.IN) RONALD VAN DER KEMP: (RONALDVANDERKEMP.COM) NEFF: (NEFF-HOME.COM) NEMO: ITALY 0039-0362-1660500 SAHIL ANEJA: NEW DELHI 011(NEMOLIGHTING.COM) 49423786 (SAHILANEJA.COM) NEW RAVENNA: USA O01-757SAINT LAURENT: (YSL.COM) 4423379 (NEWRAVENNA.COM) SCARLET SPLENDOUR: NITCO: INDIA 1800-266-4826 INDIA 098310 10243 (NITCOTILES.IN) (SCARLETSPLENDOUR.COM) NODUS: ITALY 0039-0362-544251 SENATOR CUCINE: (NODUSRUG.IT) AHMEDABAD 079-49112222 NOLTE: INDIA 09686698433 (CERA-INDIA.COM/ (NOLTEINDIA.COM) SENATORCUCINE) NOOR FARES: LONDON 0044SICIS: INDIA 011-4611-4811 20-73702527 (NOORFARES.COM) (SICIS.COM); SEE INTERSEKT; NUMERO UNO: SEE C BHOGILAL WEST-END GURUGRAM 124-4555222 SIDNEY GARBER: (NUMEROUNOJEANSWEAR.COM) (SIDNEYGARBER.COM) OFFICINE GULLO: ITALY 0039-05-56560324 (OFFICINEGULLO.COM) P3 ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS: MUMBAI 09820254444 (PCUBESOLUTIONS.COM) PIETRA 1556: (PIETRA1556.COM) PLÃ&#x153;SCH LIVING: BENGALURU 080-25504444; MUMBAI 02224467750; NEW DELHI 01141553333 (PLUSCHLIVING.COM) QUEO: (QUEOBATHROOMS.COM)
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST|SEPTEMBER 2019
SIEMATIC: GERMANY 0049-057328489692 (SIEMATIC.COM) SIEMENS: INDIA 1800-209-1800 (SIEMENS.COM) SIMONE ROCHA: LONDON 0044-20-72544390 (SIMONEROCHA.COM) SIMONE: MUMBAI 022-71117700 (SIMONE.COM) SLEEK KITCHENS: MUMBAI 1800-212-0500 (SLEEKWORLD.COM) SMEG: ITALY 0039-0522-821 1 (SMEG.COM) SOMANY CERAMICS: NEW DELHI 011-28345049 (SOMANYCERAMICS.COM)
STERNHAGEN: MUMBAI 09920013356 (STERNHAGEN.COM) SUITENUMBEREIGHT.COM: INDIA 08766332770 SUNIL MEHRA STUDIO: (SUNILMEHRA.CO.IN) SYLVIA TOLEDANO: PARIS 0033-14-2613044 (SYLVIATOLEDANO.COM) TOP PRODUCTS: MUMBAI 022-61311411 (TPI.BULTHAUP.COM) TOPSTONA: INDIA 09829795787 (TOPSTONA.COM) TRIBEBYAMRAPALI.COM: INDIA 07229835888 TRUE RESIDENTIAL: (TRUE-RESIDENTIAL.COM) VALCUCINE: AHMEDABAD 090-81904504, BENGALURU 080-40976999; HYDERABAD 040-64553000; MUMBAI 09899223900 (VALCUCINE.COM) VIANGE VINTAGE: INDIA 09820080195 (VIANGE.IN) VIKING RANGE: USA 001-662-4551200 (VIKINGRANGE.COM) VIYA HOME: INDIA 09987879694 (VIYAHOME.COM) WISMA ATRIA: NEW DELHI 01141076115 (WISMAATRIA.IN)
PHOTO: ASHISH SAHI.
KAJARIA CERAMICS: INDIA 1800-11-2992 (KAJARIACERAMICS.COM) KARPETS BY RKS: INDIA 09717239882 (KARPETSBYRKS.COM) KARRTIK D: INDIA 09899771020 KEHA CASA: BENGALURU 08048536043 (KEHACASA.COM) KITCHENAID: INDIA 1800-4190790 (KITCHENAID.IN) KOHLER: INDIA 1800-103-2244 (KOHLER.CO.IN)
WIN A STAY
AT THE GRAND DRAGON LADAKH
INDIAN EDITION
THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL AUG-SEPT 2019 | 150
WIN A STAY AT
WIN A STAY
WELCOMHOTEL PINE N PEAK PAHALGAM
AT HYATT REGENCY DELHI
THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL APR MAY 2019 | 150
INDIAN EDITION
INDIAN EDITION
THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL FEB MAR 2019 | 150
HOT! HOT! HOT!
WHERE TO GO IN 2019
Why now is the perfect time to take that fantastic trip to Ranthambore Tulum or Israel
Hot hotels in Asia the ult mate cruise new extreme adventures
COOL NEW HOTELS Sri Lanka, Maldives, Gokarna, Rwanda
FOOD SPECIAL!
INDIA’S TOP 50 RESTAURANTS WHY GOA IS OUR NEW FOOD CAPITAL HOW TO EAT LIKE A LOCAL IN VENICE
stay cool
WHY FINLAND WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY YOUR GUIDE TO NYC THIS SUMMER THE RISE OF RESORT WEAR
BUSINESS TRAVEL SPECIAL Making it work when you have kids how corporates do it all
EXOTIC HOLIDAYS Chile, Namibia Sweden, Queenstown Berlin, Guizhou
Manushi Chhi lar at Four Seasons Resort Seyche les
ROSEWOOD HONG KONG + ITC ROYAL BENGAL + KUDADOO MALDIVES
WIN A STAY
WIN A STAY AT
AT THE LEELA PALACE UDAIPUR
ROSEATE HOUSE, NEW DELHI
THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL DEC JAN 2018 19 | 150
INDIAN EDITION
Aishwarya n Washington DC
THE
The sexiest new hotels for a l seasons and reasons
KENYA’S COOLEST IS ND
KOLKATA
Revealed: the secrets, the perks, the pressures, the glamour
PICO IYER’S GOA+SAIF & KAREENA IN MALDIVES+KANISHK THAROOR ON ICE ND
L OV E AND
T R AV E L How tech has changed the way we navigate tr ps and relationships
EXPLORE AUSTRALIA’S WILDEST FRONTIER
TIME TRAVEL THROUGH VIENNA
SAFARI SPECIAL
ASIA B E S T
THE HOT LIST 2019
DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF
TRANQUIL IN TAMIL NADU Treks through temple towns
INDIAN EDITION
THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL JUNE JULY 2019 | 150
BEAT THE HEAT ON
TRAVEL LIKE THE STARS
HISTORY OF A NOODLE Its journey from China to Chennai
A R I A N N A H U F F I N G T O N + D I I P A K H O S L A+ M A N I S H M E H R O T R A
O F
CAMBODIA BEYOND ANGKOR WAT
THAI HIGH IN CHIANG MAI
WOMEN & WILDLIFE Girls who quit their jobs to save the planet + top lodges Chitrangda Singh at Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
INDONESIA’S GILI ISLANDS
PHILANTHROPY
PRESTIGE
POWER 28•09•2019
#GQAWARDS
EXCLUSIVE BROADCAST PARTN ER
One of the most radical figures in contemporary fashion, Manish Arora, whose designs are worn by Rihanna, Lady Gaga, MIA and Katy Perry, is known for his theatrical play on fashion and his signature pink-and-gold palette “For the collaboration with the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football club in France, we envisioned and posterized Neymar’s face in a colourful manner.”
“One of my favourite pieces of bone china crockery that I designed for Good Earth in 2009. The inspiration for the graphic was India’s national animal— the Bengal tiger.”
“I think there is no better car than the Ambassador, one of the first Indian cars. I still prefer it as my mode of transportation. I bought the car nine years ago and as I had to spend quite some time travelling, I could create my own world in it.”
“These patches feature inspirational messages from various festivals around the world, including Burning Man. They are from my autumn/winter 2019-20 collection and have been used on denim garments.”
“This jacket is from my spring/ summer 2020 collection, [inspired by] the current scenario in our country and my passionate support of the LGBTQ+ community.” “This is Burning Man by Brian Doherty has inspired my way of living for the past six years. [It outlines] the way to live at Burning Man— with its freedom of expression; without money, internet, mobiles; and as one big family.”
“‘Deep Orange’ from my Ready to Love perfume line represents exactly the kind of feelings I have these days—hence the name. Made in France, it has three fragrances: ‘Intense Red’, ‘Deep Orange’ and ‘Hot Pink’. We plan to launch wit in India by the end of September.”
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“My Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of the Empire) medal, bestowed by the French government in recognition of my accomplishments in the world of fashion.”
“My favourite books are the illustrated Manga series Akira from Japan. I always go back to this cult comic classic for imagery.”
“An art piece I created 18 years ago, depicting the bare chest of Hanuman featuring Divine the drag queen.”
AS TOLD TO SAMIR WADEKAR. PHOTOGRAPHER: TALIB CHITALWALA.
“Pink is my favourite colour and when I bought an apartment in Paris, I dreamed of having a pink bathtub installed in it. This one is a vintage tub that was painted in pink for me.”