AD100

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL ARCHITECTS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS IN INDIA

Abhimanyu Dalal Architects

Abin Design Studio

ABM Architects

Abraham John Architects

Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla

Adil Ahmad

Alva Architects

Anagram Architects

Andagere Architects

Annkur Khosla Design Studio

Anupama Kundoo Architects

Architect Hafeez Contractor

Architecture Brio

Architecture Discipline

Ashiesh Shah Architect

Banduksmith Studio

Case Design

Clay Architecture & Interiors

Collective Project

Cormac Lynch

DDIR Architecture Studio

DeMuro Das

Design by Darshini Shah

Design Consultants

Faquih & Associates

Gauri Khan Designs

Ini Chatterji & Associates

Iqrup Design

Iram Sultan Design Studio

Isla Maria ‘Loulou’ Van Damme

J & I Architects

K2India

Khosla Associates

Kunal Maniar & Associates

LAB

Lijo.Reny.architects

Malik Architecture

Mancini Enterprises

Marie-Anne Oudejans

Matharoo Associates

Mathew & Ghosh Architects

Matra Architects

MICD Associates

Morphogenesis

Neterwala & Aibara Interior Architects

Nozer Wadia Associates

NUDES

_Opolis Pinakin Design

Prabhakar B. Bhagwat

Praxis

Rajiv Saini + Associates

Ravi Vazirani Design Studio

Red Architects

Reflections

Ritu Nanda Design

RMA Architects

Romi Khosla Design Studios

Rooshad Shroff

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Samira Rathod Design Atelier

Sanjay Puri Architects

Serie Architects

SEZA

ShroffLeón

Simone Dubash Pandole

SJK Architects

Somaya and Kalappa Consultants

Souk

SP+A

S.P.A. Design

SPASM Design Architects Studio Archohm

Studio HBA

Studio Hinge

Studio ii

Studio Lotus

Studio Momo

Studio Mumbai

Studio Organon

Studio Pomegranate

Sussanne Khan

Talati and Partners

Tanya Singh Studio

Tarun Tahiliani

The Orange Lane

Tushant Bansal

Untitled Design Consultants

Vaishali Kamdar Associates

Vastushilpa Consultants

Vikas Dilawari Architects

Vikram Goyal

Vinita Chaitanya

Vir.Mueller Architects

Wallmakers

ZZ Architects

TANYA SINGH STUDIO

MUMBAI/MILAN Ongoing Projects: The architecture, interiors, and landscaping of a villa in Bengaluru; a new furniture collection; several residential apartments in Mumbai. Sustainability in Action: “These days, we are intensely involved in permaculture and the design of sustainable ecosystems at the villa scale. Water, air, energy, materials, plants, soil—we’re working closely with international masters in the field,” says Singh. tanyasingh.com

SANJAY PURI ARCHITECTS

MUMBAI Sourcing Haunts: FCML and Good Earth in Mumbai; Klove in New Delhi. Craft Initiatives: Puri is working with local stonemasons for a Jodhpur-stone house in Rajasthan, and for several projects in Nashik, Maharashtra, that are being constructed with locally found black basalt stone. For a resort in Khardi, Maharashtra, he is collaborating with craftsmen who work with bamboo. sanjaypuriarchitects.com

MORPHOGENESIS

Sonali and Manit Rastogi NEW DELHI Sustainability in Action: Tucked away in the Himalayan foothills is a new net-zero facility for Forest Essentials that’s emblematic of the brand’s ayurvedic underpinnings. With a meditative material palette of local stone and wood, the project took cues from local, traditional construction techniques. Sourcing Haunts: Internationally, customized furniture from Belgium; in the country, Shades of India and Sogani. morphogenesis.org

LAB

Shonan Purie Trehan MUMBAI Recent Projects: A home in Hampi for Tarini Jindal; a house on a permaculture farm in Bengaluru. Coming Up: Private residences in Goa, Kamshet and Vadodara; a restaurant in New Delhi; hospitals in Patna and Noida. Design Icon: James Turrell, “for his dexterity with light and space”. labwerk.in

MALIK ARCHITECTURE

Kamal and Arjun Malik MUMBAI Project in Focus: With their design for this New Delhi residence (left), Malik Architecture tempers the building’s connection to nature. A central courtyard is structured as a labyrinth of lateral and vertical volumes that dissipates natural light across the interiors, while also balancing the temperature within the house. Recent Projects: A wellness retreat in Alibag, a resort in Lonavala, a weekend home in Palghar—all in Maharashtra. Favourite Room: The chapel at the Convent of La Tourette by Le Corbusier. malikarchitecture.com Photo: Bharath Ramamrutham.

ARCHITECTURE DISCIPLINE

Akshat Bhatt NEW DELHI Project in Focus: The headquarters (above) of the Rug Republic in Okhla, Delhi, is enveloped in a metal shell, designed to serve as protection against pollution and uninspiring views, while steel jalis allow for an inflow of natural light. Favourite Room: The Adam Room—the original dining room of architect Robert Adam, designed in 1763— located on the 11th floor of the Lloyd’s building. architecturediscipline.com Photo: Jeetin Sharma.

RED ARCHITECTS

Rajiv and Ekta Parekh, Apoorva Shroff, Maithili Raut MUMBAI Collaborations: With Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla on the Reddy house in Hyderabad; with Jaipur Rugs, for an online auction of six rugs inspired by Red projects; with Klove for two nature-inspired lights. Favourite Room: “The Egyptian room that displays the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum in New York has always been a favourite,” says the team. redarchitects.in

STUDIO MOMO

Meetu Akali GOA Philosophy: “We focus on reducing human impact on the environment. We don’t cut down trees, use locally available stones and finishes, and a lot of our furniture is upcycled,” says Akali. Favourite Room: “The living room of Gala and Salvador Dalí’s home in Portlligat, Spain. It was designed by Dalí himself.” momo-studios.com

GAURI KHAN DESIGNS

MUMBAI Recent Projects: Large-scale residential projects in Noida and Kolkata; private residences for Sidharth Malhotra and Manish Malhotra—both in Mumbai. Sourcing Haunts: Roberto Cavalli; Bentley Designs; Ralph Lauren Home; custom lighting fixtures from Timothy Oulton. gaurikhan.in

K2INDIA

Sunita and Kohelika Kohli NEW DELHI Project in Focus: Sunita’s home (below) was restored and redesigned by her daughter Kohelika, with a focus on maintaining segments of the original structure while modernizing the interiors. “Our home is biographical,” says Sunita, who also styled the project. “Kohelika created subtle and functional beauty.” Antique Trail: Crafters in Jew Town in Kochi; Karaikudi in Chettinad; kabadiwalas in Lucknow. k2india.com Photo: Deepak Agarwal.

ROOSHAD SHROFF

MUMBAI Ongoing Projects: Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s New Delhi home; Isha Ambani’s office, and Shroff’s own gallery-studio—both in Mumbai. Collaboration: With artist Tanya Goel on two embroidered C-Chairs launched at the Mumbai Gallery Weekend. Highlight: “We are working on a new collection of furniture for an exhibition in November, which is also when we complete 10 years of our practice.” rooshadshroff.com

DESIGN CONSULTANTS

Taera Chowna MUMBAI Sustainability Icon: “I’m very inspired by Umberto Pasti, who filled his iconic garden in Tangier with plants rescued from local construction sites, and with the help of local villagers, created a garden that doubles as a living museum.” Sourcing Haunts: Bespoke handcrafted planters from Anduze in Provence and Tuscany in Italy, a region famous for terracotta.

ASHIESH SHAH ARCHITECT

MUMBAI Project in Focus: This house (left) in Udaipur is a composite of indoor and outdoor spaces infused with natural light—which washes over the white marble flooring, American oak-clad walls, and a carefully curated collection of artworks. Favourite Room: Jean-Michel Frank’s Smoking Room, circa 1938. “It is the embodiment of subtlety and minimalism—ahead of its time.” ashieshshah.com Photo: Ashish Sahi.

KHOSLA ASSOCIATES

Sandeep Khosla, Amaresh Anand BENGALURU Project in Focus: Set on a hillock within 150 acres of coffee plantations in Wayanad, Kerala, this house (above) is an ancestral property that was reimagined with skylights and an indoor courtyard, with textures of Jaisalmer and Kota stone. Coming Up: The interiors of Green Park, a 120room business hotel; a retail store for Jaipur Rugs—both in Bengaluru; a villa in Raipur. khoslaassociates.com Photo: Shamanth Patil J.

MANCINI ENTERPRISES

Niels Schoenfelder, Bharath Ram K., J.T. Arima CHENNAI Recent Projects: A workspace for Vastrakala in Chennai that accommodates 250 karigars working around a central light well, a beach house in Uthandi, a school on a mango plantation—all in Tamil Nadu. Coming Up: “We’re converting an 8,000-square-foot horse stable from the 1920s into a farm-kitchen and restaurant in upstate New York,” says Schoenfelder. mancini-design.com

SP+A

Sameep Padora, Vami Koticha, Aparna Dhareshwar MUMBAI Recent Projects: Speciality restaurant Wabi Sabi, and Lapis, an all-day dining space—both in The Oberoi in Bengaluru. Favourite Room: The main hall of the Phillips Exeter Academy Library, designed by Louis Kahn. Sustainability in Action: “For an artist residency we are building for the JSW Group, all the building blocks are made from waste products coming out of JSW factories,” says Koticha. sp-arch.net

STUDIO HBA

Rahul Shankhwalker NEW DELHI Craft Initiative: Collaborated with pattachitra artists from Odisha to create a contemporary wall painting for a project. Ongoing Projects: A multistorey residence in Melbourne, Australia; a resort in the Maldives. Antique Trail: Sharma Farms, Delhi; Good Earth in Delhi and Mumbai. studiohba.com

ABM ARCHITECTS

Alfaz and Aahana Miller MUMBAI Sourcing Haunt: “On my last trip to Goa, someone recommended visiting Sotohaus, a furniture and lighting store near Candolim; it is now one of my favourites,” says Miller. Favourite Space: Charles and Ray Eames’s studio in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles, designed by the pair, and seen in the documentary Eames: The Architect and the Painter. abmarchitects.com

CASE DESIGN

Samuel Barclay MUMBAI Craft Initiative: Casegoods’ Fold collection of jute dhurries, handwoven by artisans from Bhadohi and then dyed and finished by local craftsmen at the Pulugurtha weavers’ society. Favourite Room: The Chapel at the Brion cemetery by Carlo Scarpa. Ongoing Project: Reimagining and restoring a onceabandoned house in a forest in Alibag. casedesign.in

SOUK

Soumya Keshavan CHENNAI Project in Focus: Outside Chennai, this beachfront home (below) is at once warm and cool. A white palette offers a backdrop for the Sri Lanka–inspired masonry furniture, an open floor plan, large windows, and a collection of art and artefacts. Philosophy: “Nothing we make is meant to be used and thrown. The furniture pieces we design are timeless and focus on fine craftsmanship, and we source heirloom objects to be passed on from one generation to the next,” says Keshavan, whose multidisciplinary studio straddles interior and product design. soukonline.in Photo: Laya Krishnaraj.

RITU NANDA DESIGN

GOA Recent Projects: The interiors of the Breach Candy home of Anaita Shroff and Homi Adajania in Mumbai; a house on a hill in Goa that is surrounded by multiple courtyards and sits at the edge of a vast forest. Sustainability in Action: “We’re working on ideas to reduce the use of plastic packaging material; the amount of plastic waste and garbage generated on every site is beyond scary.” ritunandadesign.com

SIMONE DUBASH PANDOLE

MUMBAI Recent Project: Inside the 7,000-square-foot office space for content studio Dharmatic Entertainment, a digital-focused extension of Dharma Productions in Mumbai, Dubash used glass and slatted-wood partitions to increase the flow of light within the space. Sustainability in Action: “We make a conscious effort with the use of LED lights, non-toxic sprays, and natural materials.”

IRAM SULTAN DESIGN STUDIO

NEW DELHI Project in Focus: A textured graphite staircase (below) stands in bold sculptural contrast to the soft ivory tones of the wall panelling and warm oak—an example of how Sultan balances texture and tone to create eyecatching tableaus throughout the house. Collaborations: With Orvi for stone textures and inlays; with Peter D’Ascoli for custom fabrics; with HummingHaus for bespoke jute rugs. iramsultan.com Photo: Ishita Sitwala.

ARCHITECTURE BRIO

Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt MUMBAI Project in Focus: Perched on the Alibag coast, The Other Side Studio (above) is a futureproof structure built to be easily dismantled and moved should sea levels rise to submerge the land around it. Favourite Room: Geoffrey Bawa’s garden room overlooking the lake at Lunuganga, an architectural space with chequerboard flooring that’s half concrete, half grass. architecturebrio.com Photo: Randhir Singh.

VIR.MUELLER ARCHITECTS

Christine Mueller, Pankaj Vir Gupta NEW DELHI Ongoing Projects: The Site Museum at Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi; the Healthy Planet School in Ghaziabad. Sustainability Icons: “We continue to uphold the values espoused by the early modernists—Habib Rahman, Joseph Stein, and Achyut Kanvinde—who sought to build sensible and frugal buildings,” say the principals. Favourite Room: The reading room at the Yale Center for British Art, by Louis Kahn. virmueller.com

MATHAROO ASSOCIATES

Gurjit Singh Matharoo AHMEDABAD Project in Focus: Log(ical)-eco Housing (left) consists of 25 villas in the heart of Ahmedabad’s business district. “The attempt has been to adhere to simple strict geometry, a restrained palette of materials, and breaking of monotony through variation,” says Matharoo. Favourite Space: Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe’s pavilion in Barcelona: “The four walls, eight columns, flat roof, and two reflecting pools together create a continuum of an ever-changing experience,” says Matharoo. matharooassociates.com Photo: Dinesh Mehta.

SJK ARCHITECTS

Shimul Javeri Kadri MUMBAI Recent Projects: A multi-speciality hospital for JSW and a home in a mango orchard—both in Alibag; a courtyard house in Latur; a hotel in Bodhgaya, Bihar; and a home in Nagpur. Craft Initiative: The multi-speciality hospital in Alibag has a wall with Gond artwork by artisans from a tribal village in Madhya Pradesh, created in collaboration with Baaya Design. sjkarchitect.com

STUDIO ORGANON

Saurabh Dakshini NEW DELHI Recent Projects: An office building in Gurugram; a grocery store called Morning Store and a private farmhouse—both in NCR; a third office for ad agency Wieden+Kennedy in Delhi. Sourcing Haunts: Sacha’s Shop in Goa; internationally, the firm “sourced crockery for a resort from Tokyo and furniture for a hotel interior from The Conran Shop”. studioorganon.org

STAPATI

Tony Joseph KOZHIKODE Recent Project: A home in Kochi built around multiple open courtyards that blurs the boundary between the outside and the inside. Craft Initiatives: “We’ve worked with bamboo extensively in the Kaav Safari Lodge in Kabini, Karnataka. We are also working with Uravu, a [bamboo-centric] organization that strives for rural empowerment through sustainable solutions,” says Joseph. stapati.com

KUNAL MANIAR & ASSOCIATES

MUMBAI Sustainability in Action: “We are working on channelling water residue from air-conditioners and looping it into the landscape water-management system.” Collaborations: Upholstery for a weekend home near New Delhi designed with Rahul Mishra and Rajesh Pratap Singh; custom castbronze and sandstone fountains created with Frozen Music, Jaipur. kunalmaniarassociates.com

ABHIMANYU DALAL ARCHITECTS

NEW DELHI Recent Projects: Residences and farmhouses in New Delhi, Raipur and Kolkata; the restoration of Mayo College, Ajmer; a collaboration with sculptor Ayesha Singh for Shrine Empire Gallery, Delhi. Craft Initiatives: Stonework and Indo-Saracenic detailing in the Mayo College buildings using local materials, and Kashmiri pinjra kari wooden screens, created in collaboration with Amrita Guha of Untitled Design Consultants, for a residential project.

BANDUKSMITH STUDIO

Melissa Smith and Sachin Bandukwala AHMEDABAD Recent Projects: Private residences; Ekantar, a centre for architecture, design, and craft by the Takshila Educational Society; several urban projects— all in Gujarat. Sustainability in Action: “We try to source as locally as possible, and we consider the materials we use and the details to join them in a way that allows them to weather and decay appropriately,” says Bandukwala. banduksmithstudio.in

ELSIE NANJI

MUMBAI Project in Focus: An ancestral property on a tea plantation in the Nilgiris was converted into a contemporary luxury villa (below left), dotted with whimsical chandeliers and vintage finds from a local antique market. Coming Up: A public art project with Aditya Thackeray; private residences in Alibag; a project to redesign a children’s park in Mumbai. elsienanji.com Photo: Elsie Nanji.

ABIN DESIGN STUDIO

Abin Chaudhuri KOLKATA Project in Focus: A two-bedroom weekend retreat set within a guava orchard on the outskirts of Kolkata, Macha (above) is elevated nine feet above the ground to provide uninterrupted views all around. Sustainability in Action: “We incorporate contextual solutions to make our projects as sustainable as possible, taking cues from historic buildings and reinterpreting indigenous techniques through a modern lens.” abindesignstudio.com Photo: Suryan//Dang.

ABU JANI SANDEEP KHOSLA

MUMBAI Recent Project: Mirror and metal harmonize with native Indian woodwork and hand-embroidered textiles in the firm’s design for a luxury ‘sky villa’, set on the 76th floor of Lodha Ciel in Mumbai. Sourcing Haunts: London, Brighton, New York City, and flea markets and antique fairs in Istanbul and Paris. abusandeep.com

COLLECTIVE PROJECT

Cyrus Patell and Eliza Higgins BENGALURU Sustainability in Action: “For a residence in Bengaluru, we are using materials from a demolished structure to make blocks for the new construction—thinking about construction debris as a resource and not waste,” says Higgins. Craft Initiatives: Micro-mosaic for a feature wall in a bar, created in collaboration with Frozen Music; hand-cast mud-concrete blocks made using debris from a demolished building. collective-project.com

MATRA ARCHITECTS

Verendra Wakhloo NEW DELHI Recent Projects: A resort in Manali; a fine-art museum in Rishikesh; residences in Delhi and Uttarakhand. Sustainability in Action: “Careful and creative design detailing increases the life cycle of a building and thus reduces the impact on available resources,” says Wakhloo, “Traditional Japanese timber architecture, besides many other forms of vernacular architecture, has always been a source of inspiration.” matra.co.in

SPASM DESIGN ARCHITECTS

Sanjeev Panjabi and Sangeeta Merchant MUMBAI Project in Focus: Built in the midst of a coconut grove in the Murud region of Maharashtra, this house (below) is a futuristic window into a primitive world. Crafted as a modern yet ancient vessel, the Parikrama House is a simple assemblage of two humble materials, glass and stone. Sustainability in Action: “Sustainability is an attitude to the profession, not a special pursuit. Stone—with its easy availability, low extraction and treatment, and longevity—is a big part of our design production,” says Merchant. spasmindia.com Photo: Umang Shah.

MATHEW & GHOSH ARCHITECTS

Nisha Mathew and Soumitro Ghosh BENGALURU Recent Projects: The Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru; a villa in the hills in Coonoor. Craft Initiative: As a part of Anah-Anah—a weaving project set up by Mathew to teach stainless steel weaving to economically disadvantaged individuals using techniques of basketry—she worked with a group of artisans to create an installation of a tiger for a residence. mathewandghosh.com

DEMURO DAS

Puru Das, Brian DeMuro GURUGRAM Recent Projects: Das and DeMuro launched a new, bigger showroom at 900 Broadway in New York; following the launch of the Uncommon Threads and Corbu collections of furniture, work is underway for several more collections slated to be launched later this year. Favourite Room: Jean-Michel Frank’s Nelson Rockefeller living room at 810 Fifth Avenue, New York. demurodas.com

SEZA

Seema Puri and Zarir Mullan MUMBAI Recent Projects: Weekend villas and large bungalows in Ahmedabad and New Delhi; a jewellery store in Nagpur; a vocational training centre in Aurangabad. Collaboration: With Scarlet Splendour for a bar area in a home in Delhi. Favourite Space: “The Barcelona Pavilion designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, for its simple design executed in rich marbles and its reflecting pools,” says Zarir. seza.in

SERIE ARCHITECTS

Kapil Gupta, Christopher Lee MUMBAI Recent Projects: An ashram in Dharampur, Gujarat, 10 years in the making; two towers for the Singapore State Courts, Sentosa Sensoryscape, a corridor-linking public transport, and leisure destinations on the island of Sentosa—all in Singapore. Design Icons: Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn. serie.co.uk

WALLMAKERS

Vinu Daniel KOCHI Project in Focus: Locked on all sides by buildings, the Pirouette House (above) in Thiruvananthapuram turns inwards into a central courtyard. Made with bricks from local kilns, staircases created with leftover scaffolding pipes, and portions of flooring made from excess wooden planks on-site, this structure is conjured straight out of its context. Coming Up: Residences, schools and commercial buildings, “trying to prove that it is possible to create anything you want with mud, waste and scrap”, says Daniel. Antique Trail: Weavers’ village, Thiruvananthapuram. wallmakers.org Photo: Jino Sam.

RAVI VAZIRANI DESIGN STUDIO

MUMBAI Sourcing Haunts: “For products, it’s Le Mill; The Pure Concept Home for fabrics. And online, it’s Iqrup + Ritz for furniture and accessories; No-Mad India for fabrics; 1stDibs for antiques; and The Conran Shop for accessories.” Coming Up: “As part of our studio’s material exploration, we launched a series of hand-turned wooden vases made of teak. They will be launched online later this year,” says Vazirani. ravivazirani.com

PINAKIN DESIGN

Mohak Mehta, Pallavi Choksi MUMBAI Recent Project: A salmon-pink holiday villa in Alibag, drenched in natural sunlight that streams in through dramatic arches, pivot doors and large windows. The interiors are wrapped in a considered material palette: terracotta, locally sourced ceramic tiles, and Agra red stone. Sustainability in Action: “We use honest materials that are sourced locally, and are never wasteful,” says Choksi. pinakin.in

MICD ASSOCIATES

Channa Daswatte, Murad Ismail SRI LANKA Recent Projects: A hotel in Sikkim; a residence in a hill above Kandy and a beach house in Bentota—both in Sri Lanka. Craft Initiative: Collaborated with craftsmen at Aluwihare Heritage Centre—originally set up by the late Ena de Silva—to create custom batik fabrics for residential projects. Sourcing Haunts: Barefoot and Paradise Road for fabric and accessories; Villa Saffron and Raux Brothers for custom furniture. micda.com

UNTITLED DESIGN CONSULTANTS

Amrita Guha, Joya Nandurdikar NEW DELHI Project in Focus: This townhouse (below) in the NCR region evokes luxury through material and craft authenticity. The hand-cut and -chiselled stone, terrazzo, exposed concrete and wood are moulded into a modern home, which draws cues from traditional and local practices. Sustainability Icons: “Rajiv Sethi for the revival of most dying crafts, and internationally, Alexander Lamont,” say the principals. Recent Projects: Apartments in DLF Camellias, Gurugram; two penthouses and a residence in Kolkata. untitleddesign.org Photo: Nivedita Gupta.

RAJIV SAINI + ASSOCIATES

MUMBAI Project in Focus: This refined, restrained five-bedroom house (above right) in Dhampur, Uttar Pradesh, adheres entirely to its context—hugging its linear topography, donning the local colour of exposed brick and constructed by the locals. Collaboration: A crossbody bag for new Italian brand Up To You Anthology, crafted in leather and nylon. Photo: Ashish Sahi.

REFLECTIONS

Kavita Singh MUMBAI Sourcing Haunts: Flea markets in London, Paris, Bali, and Thailand; closer home, antique shops and design stores in Chennai, Jodhpur, and New Delhi. Coming Up: Amrapali Home, a bungalow for the jewellery brand in Jaipur; the interiors of Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s residence in Mumbai. kavitasinghinteriors.com

PAVITRA RAJARAM DESIGN

MUMBAI Ongoing Projects: A weekend home in Pavna, Maharashtra; an experiential studio and atelier for an international carpet brand in Jaipur; a custom-made encaustictile collection, hand-painted wallpapers, and revival Mughal carpets for a bespoke home line. Favourite Space: “The corner sofa in the Tasting Room at Good Earth. I designed the restaurant, and it’s where I met my husband.”

VIKAS DILAWARI ARCHITECTS

MUMBAI Recent Projects: Repairs and restoration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai; a private bungalow in Matheran, Maharashtra, “among the five oldest houses in Matheran, built in the 1850s–60s—older than many of Mumbai’s important public buildings”, says Dilawari. Philosophy: “We believe in the principle of the second man, where we respect the original creator’s creation but keep in mind the current client’s aspirations.” vikasdilawari.in

TALATI AND PARTNERS

Noshir D., Ria, and Xerxes N. Talati, Naushir Devitre, Ratish Patil MUMBAI Project in Focus: In a duplex (right) in a south Mumbai skyscraper, a monolithic staircase connects the two floors, while Scandinavian minimalism offsets the warm vibe of the bespoke leather panelling and Italian furniture. Antique Trail: “The waterside antique stores in the Jewish quarter in Kochi, Phillips Antiques, Raj Company, Mahendra Doshi and The Great Eastern Home,” says Ria. tparch.net

_OPOLIS

Sonal Sancheti and Rahul Gore MUMBAI Project in Focus: Set between a mountain and a lake, this opento-the-elements house (above) located in Maharashtra is topped by a contiguous, undulating roof that arches high in parts to let in the light and dips low elsewhere to keep out the rain. Favourite Space: “The Aurobindo Ashram courtyard in Pondicherry. The scale, proportion, and numerous plants within are what make it very special,” say the principal architects. opolis.in Photo: Ariel Huber.

NETERWALA & AIBARA INTERIOR ARCHITECTS

Phirosa Neterwala, Sunu Aibara MUMBAI Sustainability Icons: Charles Correa and Renzo Piano. Collaboration: With Jaipurbased firm Orvi, a company that specializes in innovative surfaces such as taarkashi and Japanese raku. Sourcing Haunts: “Internationally, we do much of our sourcing from the UK, US and Italy but we also enjoy curating one-of-a-kind pieces from Denmark, Brazil and Japan,” say Neterwala and Aibara. neterwalaaibara.com

STUDIO ARCHOHM

Sourabh Gupta NOIDA Recent Projects: Residences in New Delhi and Agra; a badminton complex in Bhubaneshwar; master-planning works in Odisha and Meghalaya. Favourite Space: “The private chapel in La Tourette, the monastery by Le Corbusier where one experiences the power of light and volume simultaneously and in utmost awe,” says Gupta. archohm.com

SUSSANNE KHAN

MUMBAI Collaboration: With Rooshad Shroff and Jyotika Jhalani, of Janavi India, for a collection of soft furnishings and decor accents, slated for release later this year. Coming Up: Two projects in Goa—the renovation of an old heritage building in Panjim for a restaurant; a 12-room boutique hotel sculpted out of a heritage bungalow in Assagao. thecharcoalproject.com

VIKRAM GOYAL

NEW DELHI Sustainability in Action: “For 17 years, we have promoted highly skill-intensive craftsmanship— skills that have not been formally learnt in schools but passed on from one generation to another and incorporate material science, design, and architecture that are inherent to centuries of Indian sculpture.” Ongoing Projects: Private residences in Chennai, Hyderabad, New York and the Himalayas. viyahome.com

ROMI KHOSLA DESIGN STUDIOS

Martand Khosla NEW DELHI Ongoing Projects: An embassy project in Central Asia; the refurbishment of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in Saket, Delhi; and a research centre in Madhya Pradesh. Craft Initiatives: “For our projects in more remote and rural environments, we work closely with local building technologies and traditions to construct our buildings; this usually involves a great deal of collaborative exchanges with master craftsmen.” rk-ds.com

ISLA MARIA ‘LOULOU’ VAN DAMME

KODAIKANAL/MUMBAI Collaborations: With Shonan Purie Trehan, for the refurbishment of a duplex in Mumbai; with Raw Mango to create patchwork upholstery for furniture. Favourite Space: “The private theatre of Belgian designer Christophe Decarpentrie (which was previously a small cinema) where he stores his antiques and furniture—a mysterious space where he offers his friends concerts and forgotten operas.”

STUDIO LOTUS

Ambrish Arora, Siddharth Talwar, Ankur Choksi, Pankhuri Goel, Asha Sairam NEW DELHI Project in Focus: The fluid borders between nature and the living areas in the Earth and Glass House (right) in suburban Delhi are enhanced by covered walkways interspersed with silver oak trees. Metal, timber and stone coalesce into a getaway space of easy connections—between indoor and outdoor, the landscape and the built, relaxation and recreation. Collaboration: “We collaborated with artisans commissioned by Jaya Jaitly, the president and founder of Dastkari Haat Samiti, to develop a tapestry of regional art and craft forms for a corporate workspace,” says Sairam. studiolotus.in Photo: Niveditaa Gupta.

ANDAGERE ARCHITECTS

Ajith Andagere GOLLARAPALYA, KARNATAKA Project in Focus: The warm material palette of this residence (right)—hidden in a wooded area along Karnataka’s Kumta beach—is felt in the smallest details, like this nook for the study desk. Sustainability in Action: “I get a lot of inspiration from vernacular houses,” says Andagere, whose practice is committed to creating structures that tread as gently as possible on their surroundings. Photo: Michael Diakov.

NUDES

Nuru Karim MUMBAI Collaboration: Karim was one of the 200 creatives chosen from across the world to reimagine the iconic Louis Vuitton trunk, to celebrate the founder’s bicentennial birthday. Highlight: The Solar Mountain— Karim’s entry for Burning Man’s upcoming 3,800-acre sustainable, permanent space called Fly Ranch in the Nevada desert—was one of the 10 shortlisted entries that moves into the prototyping phase this year. nudeoffices.com

DESIGN BY DARSHINI SHAH

MUMBAI Recent Projects: Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s home, a residence for director Amar Kaushik—both in Mumbai. Craft Initiatives: Shell windows created in collaboration with traditional craftsmen from Goa; bespoke antique marble panels by karigars from Jaipur; hand-painted artworks by pichhwai artists from Nathdwara, Rajasthan.

STUDIO HINGE

Pravir Sethi Mumbai Recent Projects: Villas in Alibag and Murbad, and the refurbishment of a colonialstyle family home in Matheran— all in Maharashtra. Sourcing Haunts: Design ni Dukaan; Red Blue and Yellow. Online favourites include Firefly for lights; Mangrove Collective and Sadaya Guild for furniture. Favourite Space: The interiors of the Bahá’í Lotus Temple in Delhi by Fariborz Sahba. studiohinge.in

IQRUP DESIGN

Iqrup Dhamija GURUGRAM Project in Focus: In this residence (below) in New Delhi, the architecture by Abhimanyu Dalal offers expansive views of the green surroundings, which Dhamija complements with rich wood-panelling, soft-toned upholstery, and delicate flourishes of classical and modern art. Sourcing Haunts: Brown Rigg and Robert Kime for antiques; Arte and de Gournay for wallpapers; Pierre Frey and Mulberry for fabrics. iqrupdesign.com Photo: Arya Arora.

ANUPAMA KUNDOO ARCHITECTS

GERMANY/PONDICHERRY Project in Focus: A daycare (above) in Pondicherry built for Sharana, an NGO that works with socio-economically disadvantaged children, is crafted as a welcoming, open space with reinforced-concrete slabs and angular walls of porous terracotta screens, allowing its young inhabitants visual contact with the garden outside. Philosophy: “I consider where the project is and go deep into discovering that which exists but goes unnoticed. My aim is to work with the ordinary and reveal the extraordinary in it, to reveal the human potential and the constantly evolving human eye and mind,” says Kundoo. anupamakundoo.com Photo: Javier Callejas.

SABYASACHI MUKHERJEE

KOLKATA Collaboration: Mukherjee studied painted fabrics from the Coromandel Coast and the work of miniaturists from colonial-era Murshidabad—and also tapped into his signature, classical Calcutta motifs—to create five distinct collections for Sabyasachi for Nilaya, a new range of soft furnishings launched in collaboration with Asian Paints. Favourite Space: The Games Room at the Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad. sabyasachi.com

PRABHAKAR B. BHAGWAT

Aniket Bhagwat AHMEDABAD Signature: Known for their lush landscapes that highlight lesserknown native plants and grasses that thrive in India’s extreme climates, and are often found growing along the edges of fields and farmlands. Design Icons: “We have always been inspired by the works of architect Leo Pereira from Ahmedabad, the inimitable Nari Gandhi, and the formidable Achyut Kanvinde.” landscapeindia.net

VASTUSHILPA CONSULTANTS

B.V. Doshi, Rajeev Kathpalia, Sönke Hoof, Khushnu Panthaki Hoof, Radhika Doshi Kathpalia AHMEDABAD Recent Projects: The Svaram Campus, Auroville; a housing complex in Kolkata; Smriti Van Earthquake Memorial & Museum, Bhuj, Gujarat. Sustainability Icon: Neri Oxman, for her path-breaking work. Words of Wisdom: “Architecture is like a fabric generated by life forces. Its form should not be finite but amorphous, so that the experience within is loose, meandering and multiple,” says Doshi. sangath.org

ARCHITECT HAFEEZ CONTRACTOR

MUMBAI Recent Projects: New Kolkata, a large-scale residential project overlooking the Ganges in Serampore; Monte South, a luxury residential tower in Byculla, Mumbai. Coming Up: A museum dedicated to India’s 5,000-year maritime history in Lothal, Gujarat. hafeezcontractor.com

TUSHANT BANSAL

MUMBAI Project in Focus: A former warehouse in Delhi gets reincarnated as a light, white art space (below) for Nature Morte. White plyboard-clad walls—the exposed brick above doused in white—and original glass panels contrast the cement flooring, all of it highlighting the art on display. Craft Initiatives: Furniture pieces made with traditional cane-weaving techniques in collaboration with The Wicker Story, Hyderabad; throws and cushions handembroidered by women from Kashmir; “I am also researching pink stone carving by the incredibly talented craftsmen in Odisha.” Collaboration: With RMA Architects for a residence in Chennai. tushantbansal.com Photo: Randhir Singh.

MARIE-ANNE OUDEJANS

JAIPUR Recent Project: Oudejans’s design for the Aquazzura store in Capri drew inspiration from the island itself—the corals, the flowers and its iconic lemons. Red-and-white marble flooring, painted bamboo shelving, and a stunning handpainted ceiling make the store a visual feast that has surprises at every turn. Sourcing Haunt: Idli by Thierry Journo. Coming Up: Villa Palladio in Jaipur.

RMA ARCHITECTS

Rahul Mehrotra, Robert Stephens, Nondita Correa Mehrotra, Payal Patel, Romil Sheth MUMBAI Coming Up: Work is underway on a second phase for Hathigaon, a housing project for mahouts and their elephants, situated at the edge of the Amer Fort near Jaipur. Highlight: Last month, Mehrotra launched Working in Mumbai, a book that weaves together his work across architecture, research, and academics since 1990. rmaarchitects.com

STUDIO POMEGRANATE

Shweta Chhatpar, Pranav Naik MUMBAI Ongoing Projects: Two experience centres for Jaquar in Jalandhar and Bengaluru; a home and resort in the Andamans; The Tangra Project, Chef Vikramjit Roy’s new restaurant in Delhi; a remodel for Miss T in South Mumbai. Antique Trail: “Mahendra Doshi, The Hesperus in Mumbai, and sometimes the client’s own pieces that they have overlooked!” says Naik. Favourite Room: The Garden Room at Taliesin West by Frank Lloyd Wright. spom.in

INI CHATTERJI & ASSOCIATES

GOA Signature: With a minimal design footprint, Chatterji creates structures that rest gently on the earth, often building with coconut wood, a material he zeroed in on after he built a home for his mother in Goa using salvaged wood from coconut trees that were cut down in the area. Coming Up: A resort in Hampi, Karnataka; a home in Goa.

J & I ARCHITECTS

Joseph and Iby Sara John KOCHI Project in Focus: This weekend home (left) on Kerala’s Periyar riverbank unobtrusively inserts itself into its surroundings, has free-flowing spaces, and was shaped into existence with humble materials found locally. Ongoing Projects: Private homes, a play school, a convention centre—all in Kochi; an amusement park and a corporate project—both in Thrissur. jandiarchitects.com Photo: Bharath Ramamrutham.

VINITA CHAITANYA

BENGALURU Recent Projects: A home in the heart of Bengaluru; a residence in Mangaluru; an estate home in Coorg with sweeping views of coffee plantations. Favourite Space: Coco Chanel’s historic, art-filled Paris apartment at 31 rue Cambon, “with its Coromandel screens and the mirrored staircase that rises through the centre of her home”. vinitachaitanya.com

ADIL AHMAD

NEW DELHI Ongoing Projects: The restoration of a palace and fort in Uttar Pradesh, which will be converted into a heritage hotel; a boutique hotel in Manali for Paro by Good Earth. Craft Initiatives: “We collaborated with Abid Saghir from Jaipur to create objets de vertu with semi-precious stones and marble.” Favourite Room: Nancy Lancaster’s “buttahyellah” drawing room—as the tastemaker referred to it—in London. thepalacecollection.in

ANNKUR KHOSLA DESIGN STUDIO

MUMBAI Project in Focus: Conceived from the ideology that the wall is more than a spatial marker, The Wall Code (below right) is a project that sees a variety of functional elements like lights, planters and storage units, custom-fitted into every partition. Recent Projects: Shahid and Mira Kapoor’s villa in Beas, Punjab; a villa in Bengaluru. annkurkhosla.com Photo: Annkur Khosla.

FAQUIH & ASSOCIATES

Kaif and Bahaar Faquih MUMBAI Recent Projects: A villa in Alibag with an open-to-thesky courtyard that sits at the centre of the house; a villa in Indore; apartments in Mumbai. Sustainability Icons: “Most of our inspiration comes from environmental heroes and thought leaders outside of the design field, like James Lovelock, Rachel Carson, and Johan Rockstrom,” says Kaif. faquihandassociates.net

S.P.A. DESIGN

Stephane Paumier, Anupam Bansal, Krishnachandran Balakrishnan NEW DELHI Recent Projects: A studenthousing project and a sports centre for O.P. Jindal Global University in Sonipat, Haryana; a student activity centre at Ahmedabad University. Favourite Space: The interiors of the historic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul—one of the rarest structures in the world, it showcases a blend of two architectural styles, that of a church and a mosque. spadesign.co.in

SHROFFLEÓN

Kayzad Shroff, Maria Isabel Jimenez León MUMBAI Recent Project: The interiors of an Art Deco–inspired fourbedroom home in Mumbai, built in a material palette of wood and marble to create a sense of understated luxury, and finished in muted shades of chalk white and powder blue. Ongoing Projects: Second homes in Karjat and Alibag. Favourite Space: Philips Pavilion by Iannis Xenakis. shroffleon.com

CLAY ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS

Ahsan Ansari MUMBAI Project in Focus: Ansari’s design for Inaya Living’s flagship project in Assagao, Goa, takes inspiration from the architectural heritage of South Asia, Europe and North Africa. Corten-steel doors and a terracotta façade decorate the entrance to Macassar House (left), one of the three sensitively designed villas, which pays homage to the charm of Tangier and Marrakech. Antique Trail: Phillips Antiques, Chiki Doshi, Taherally’s, The Great Eastern Home, the Oshiwara furniture market—in Mumbai; Jew Town in Kochi. Favourite Space: Tadao Ando’s Church of the Light in Osaka, Japan. clay.net.in Photo: Ashish Sahi.

TARUN TAHILIANI

NEW DELHI Recent Projects: Three villas in Salvador do Mundo, Goa; the interiors of a private residence in Hyderabad; architecture and interiors for a 20,000-squarefoot family estate in New Delhi, surrounded by a private forest. Design Icon: Photographer and interior designer Alberto Pinto, who “left a polished, protean legacy in the design world”. taruntahiliani.com

PRAXIS

Ajit Jain, Rajiv Majumdar, Gopa Menon BENGALURU Coming Up: Lounge spaces in the new terminal at the Bangalore International Airport; a farmhouse near Kolar, Karnataka; a private residence in Hyderabad. Favourite Space: Cabanon by Le Corbusier. The 140-square-foot seaside cabin on the Côte d’Azur was designed using the Modulor, a scale of proportions devised by the architect himself. praxis-india.com

SOMAYA AND KALAPPA CONSULTANTS

Brinda Somaya and Nandini Somaya Sampat MUMBAI Philosophy: “Our practice is deeply rooted in an Indian architectural vocabulary,” says Somaya. “Whether it is a sprawling campus or a village school, we approach each project with the same process and commitment.” Favourite Room: “My grandmother’s room in her Bengaluru home,” says Sampat. “It had blue walls, and each piece of furniture was designed with a touch of blue and oak wood.” snkindia.com

DDIR ARCHITECTURE STUDIO

BENGALURU Recent Projects: A resort in Badami, Karnataka; a Buddhist campus in Bodhgaya; private residences in Bodhgaya and Coimbatore; the launch of an in-house art space called DDIR Art, which focuses on bimonthly shows of modern art, digital media and photography. Favourite Space: The Farnsworth House by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. ddirarchitecture.com

ANAGRAM ARCHITECTS

Madhav Raman, Vaibhav and Shruti Dimri NEW DELHI Project in Focus: Built on a rectangular parcel of land, Chromatic House (below left) is a composition of tapering, prismatic voids and volumes with red cast-concrete walls and pitched skylights that create an interplay of light and texture. Coming Up: A wellness institute in Haridwar; a heritage boutique hotel in Jaipur; farmhouses in Delhi and Gurugram. anagramarchitects.com Photo: Jaidev Tripathy

THE ORANGE LANE

Shabnam Gupta MUMBAI Project in Focus: Gupta created this duplex apartment (above) in Mumbai, at the heart of which sits a double-height bar—drenched in a vivid blue—which is flanked on either side by lush terraces fitted with daybeds and dining areas. Craft Initiative: With lippan craftsmen from Kutch to create murals for walls and niches in residential projects. shabnamgupta.in Photo: Fabien Charuau.

NOZER WADIA ASSOCIATES

MUMBAI Recent Projects: Private residences in Alibag, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Signature: For over three decades, Wadia has remained one of the most sought-after architects in the country, known for his residences that leverage site and context to create spaces with a sense of understated luxury.

STUDIO MUMBAI

Bijoy Jain MUMBAI Collaboration: With Hermès, for a two-piece collection of furniture with a sharp focus on craft—a papier mâché armchair and a handcrafted stone table—unveiled at the Milan Furniture Fair (see pg 36). Coming Up: Following the Lantern Onomichi Garden hotel (LOG) in Japan, which was Jain’s first commission abroad, he is currently working on a boutique hotel in the south of France. studiomumbai.com

VAISHALI KAMDAR ASSOCIATES

NEW DELHI Collaboration: With Vastrakala in Chennai, for custom embroidered fabrics for a residence in Kolkata, with architecture by Nozer Wadia Associates. Favourite Space: La Fábrica, a former cement factory near Barcelona that was converted into a studio, gallery, garden, and home by architect Ricardo Bofill in the 1970s.

CORMAC LYNCH

MUMBAI Project in Focus: “The interiors of this residence (right) were inspired by the historic Art Deco architecture of Mumbai,” says Lynch of the project, where oldworld motifs harmonize with contemporary pieces, like framed wallpaper panels from de Gournay that serve as an artistic backdrop to brass-accented furniture. Collaboration: With Ishrat Sahgal of Mishcat Co for bespoke rugs. Photo: Cormac Lynch.

LIJO.RENY. ARCHITECTS

Reny Lijo and Lijo Jos THRISSUR Recent Project: With the House that Rains Light, Lijo and Jos transform a 2,200-square-foot property in Thevakkal, Kerala, into a biophilic home that reimagines the texture of dappled light, filtering through the trees. Design Icons: “Peter Zumthor, Carlo Scarpa, Le Corbusier, Tadao Ando, and Renzo Piano,” says Lijo. “Their use of materials, texture, light and space is always inspirational,” adds Jos. lijoreny.wordpress.com

STUDIO II

Mitul Desai, Priyank Parmar SURAT Project in Focus: Inverting the idea of a light-suffused space, this cocoon-like lounge (below left), an extension to a Surat home, receives cleverly rationed light that adds to the soft vibe, enhanced by a dark Tandur-stone floor, a bamboo-chick ceiling and shadowy interiors. Favourite Structure: “The stepwells around India built by anonymous builders. They have an amazing material and spatial quality,” says Desai. studioii.org Photo: Mitul Desai.

SAMIRA RATHOD DESIGN ATELIER

MUMBAI Recent Projects: Private residences in Bharuch and Alibag; a school—that’s almost ready to welcome around 1,200 children—in Chennai; a community hall outside of Bengaluru; a penthouse in a 100-year-old heritage building and Kathiwada City House, an art and wellness centre—both in Mumbai. Favourite Room: The reading room at Peter Zumthor’s Kolumba Museum. srda.co

ZZ ARCHITECTS

Zubin Zainuddin, Krupa Zubin MUMBAI Craft Initiatives: “For a home we recently completed in Ajmer, we sourced extensively from the local stone markets, and commissioned local craftsmen to create customized pieces for the home,” says Zainuddin. Sustainability Icon: “Kerry Hill, for the nuances of his work, and his extensive collaboration with the Aman Group,” says Zubin. zzarchitects.net

ABHA NARAIN LAMBAH ASSOCIATES

MUMBAI Recent Projects: The new Durbar Hall and Secretariat buildings at Raj Bhavan, sections of the Willingdon Sports Club, the restoration of the Maharashtra State Police Headquarters—all in Mumbai; Lal Bagh Palace in Indore. Sustainability in Action: “The restoration and adaptive reuse of historic or existing buildings is sustainable not only for preserving history, but it also offers lessons in energy efficiency.” anlassociates.com

ALVA ARCHITECTS

Ashwin Alva NEW DELHI Project in Focus: A structure of timber and steel was designed to merge the interiors with the outdoors at this home (right) for a family of four in New Delhi. Wood textures, specifically on the underside of the roof—as well as birch-ply panelling and brushed white-oak glazing—offer a warm, earthy undertone to the interiors. Recent Projects: Premium luxury interiors in the Camellias, Gurugram; a small commercial building in the Leh bazaar, designed in “steel, timber, sundried mud blocks with Markalak plaster, and woven-willow-stem trellises”. alva.co.in Photo: Rohan Dayal.

ABRAHAM JOHN ARCHITECTS

Abraham John and Alan Abraham MUMBAI Recent Projects: An outdoor restaurant in New York; a chalet in Switzerland; residences in Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Raipur, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh. Sourcing Haunts: Italy; flea markets in Sri Lanka and Bali. Coming Up: A complete redesign of the Bandstand promenade in Mumbai, including the public garden in front of Mannat, Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan’s house. abrahamjohnarchitects.com

T STYL S

THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE

This issue is an all-girls party. It wasn’t intended but we’re thrilled with the coincidence. Nelly Sethna, the historic fibre artist, is simply not celebrated enough. Thank you to Nancy Adajania for this powerful essay and Sooni Taraporevala for the iconic 1984 photograph of Nelly. Thank you to Bandana Tewari for her spirit and eloquence in curating six fashion labels cut from a sustainability cloth, and fabulously shot by Rema Chaudhary. And thank you to the homeowners who opened their doors this time: Loulou Van Damme and Maithili Ahluwalia, Mansi Poddar, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, and Eva Chen. What a stunning portrait you make!