Design Destination: Buenos Aires
vol 17 issue 04
APRIL 2018
Specialist: The Lohasmith
total pages 132
SMALL PRODUCTS BIG DESIGN VDGA creates a welcoming ambience for aN INdustrial workspace in pune
Design Quest: TimberTaste
RS 100 HOME-REVIEW.COM
A MOLECULAR COLLABORATIVE SAV Architecture+Design HONESTY AT ITS CREST GA Design WINDOW ROOFING & FACADE SPECIAL LATEST TRENDS and products BY THE masterminds OF THE INDUSTRy
Photo: Cyrus Dalal
V
arsha and Deepak Guggari re-imagine an industrial work place in Pune dispelling preconceived notions of grime and grease. The factory space designed by their firm uses natural light via its north orientation, large cantilevers and a facade of brightly painted perforated aluminium screens to create the much needed daylighting and solar shading. The inside has a skylit atrium that connects three floors of the work space, where ideas of evaporative cooling, solar power, dust control and vertical gardens have been put to test. The space stays clear of the cookie-cutter variety and infuses a fresh paradigm and progressive character into an otherwise mundane industrial environment. The Bishangarh Fort stands like a sentinel over the the village havelis and fields of Rajasthan below. What makes this 230 year old relic even more special is its metamorphosis from a warrior fort into a welcoming luxury getaway which stays true to its exotic heritage. The stylish boutique hotel still features the fort’s original two-meter-thick walls and its battlement turrets and arches. Rooms and restaurants have been accommodated in the original layout, while damaged facets, notable features and found objects have been revived. Windows, portals, columns, railings, jaali screens and walls have all been restored to look the part. This extraordinary transformation that preserves the original language and history of a structure while enhancing it with facilities for the world traveler deserves special recognition. The hope is that this effort of ecological restoration spawns other responsible commercial ventures creating an environment of sustainable reuse. Anish Bajaj, Editor anish@marvelinfomedia.com
4 Home Review April 2018
Discussions amongst budding city-shapers at #deathofarchitecture exhibition in Hyderabad. Exhibition moves to Bhimsen Joshi Hall, Pune from 15th to 23rd June. Visit www.deathofarchitecture.com
emails + feedback Impressed
Intrigued
I couldn’t stop seeing the images and reading the write up on “Folds Design Studio” . They have introduced furniture I have never seen before. Good work featuring them. I am super impressed with this article.
I am so intrigued by the Hotel EMC2 in Chicago that I actually came back to find that hidden staircase mentioned on the cover page. Awesome feature!
By Email Sonali Maklai
Let us know what you love and hate about this issue. Mail us at letters@marvelinfomedia.com
6 Home Review April 2018
By Email Priyanka Bharwani
Amazed
Trendy
The figurative sculptures by Ronit Baranga amaze me. Being an artist myself, I have seen it all! Or so I thought, until I came across this article. Well done Home Review for sourcing out such artists.
Being a designer myself, I always go through Home Review to see different work done by different architects but what invoked my review this time around was “Mr. Puff”, the trendy bakery designed by Fainy Thakor in Vadodara.
By Email Shilpa Shah
By Email Delna Palia
28 art
20
form
34
British-born sculptress, Eleanor Cardozo is renowned for her bronze sculptures that, in her own words, “celebrate the beauty of the human body and form”
Unilab Pharma’s office space designed by SAV Architecture + Design creates an innovative collaboration of the client’s vision and their expertise in implementing the same
Cover Story VDGA designs an inviting office space for
41
an automobile high tech manufacturer in Chakan, Pune
By Kanchan Bansal
APRIL
44 Fronted by the grand architecture of Ange-Jacques Gabriel, Hôtel de Crillon in Paris overlooks the stunning Place de la Concorde, one of the most majestic squares in the world!
48 The Tawang Monastery commands a prime spot in amidst snowcapped mountains and coniferous forests
72
52
Windows Roofings & Facades
The very fabric of Architecture is being re-stitched to weave a story that talks about its time and place but yearns for timelessness
8 Home Review April 2018
66 This ancient relic has beautifully morphed from a 230 year old abandoned warrior fort into one of India’s most exotic heritage properties - Alila Fort Bishangarh
79 96
product
designer
BUENOS AIRES A DESIGN DESTINATION
84
The Hill Crest in Khandala, Maharashtra, is a home where nature is an integral part of the experience and time seems to stand still
Based on conversations with his products, Dutch designer Sjoerd Vroonland is crafting interesting articles that further the dialogue between design and object
102 The Birch Ply House is a magnificent attempt to craft a home with a great sense of rootedness and appeal from a material palette that is simple with a studious avoidance of all forms of artifice
112
107 GREEN PROJECT The Paper Pavilion is an award-winning demonstration of how cardboard along with piezoelectricity, can be used to build sustainable design
APRIL
Landscapes
116 A terrace where tinted sunbeams bounce dramatically, is what Landscape Architect Kalpak Y. Bhave has achieved with the Mirasol terrace, Daman
122 Wicker started in 1992, when Ritu Todi began designing wicker accessories from a small garage in Bengaluru
10 Home Review April 2018
126
Eclectic styles, varied themes, upcoming trends come together in our newly launched segment!
THE MARKETPLACE Get your hands on the latest products to hit the market
129
Editor & Publisher Anish Bajaj Creative Director Natalie Pedder-Bajaj
Kanupriya Pachisia Interior Design Consultant Kanupriya Pachisia is a practicing interior design consultant in Kolkata since almost a decade. Her philosophy resonates that a room should start a conversation before people start conversing.
Features Editor Mala Bajaj Assistant Editor Shweta Salvi Sr. Sub-Editor Neerja Kapadia Contributing Writers Chryselle D’Silva Dias Devyani Jayakar Dhanishta Shah Himali Kothari K Parvathy Menon Kanupriya Pachisia Ramya Srinivasan Shruti Nambiar Virupa Kantamneni Designers Asif Shayannawar Darshan Palav Snigdha Hodarkar
Priyanka Menon Writer Priyanka Menon is a copywriter, lecturer in advertising and English literature, poet, and author for HarperCollins and Juggernaut. When she isn’t busy with any of these roles, she can be seen at Starbucks, sipping on white-chocolate mocha, scribbling in her diary. She lives in Pune.
12 Home Review April 2018
Editorial & Marketing Mumbai Mr. Saurabh Shah B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg., Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033 T 022 23736133 / 23736131 / 23743069 E response@marvelinfomedia.com Chennai Mr. S. Venkataraaman Flat No. 2, 3rd Flr, E-Block, Hansa Garden, 30 Madampakkam Main Rd, Rajakilpakkam, Chennai 600 073 Tel 044 22281180 / 09444021128 Email: svenkat@marvelinfomedia.com Publishing Director Mr. R.I. Bajaj Distributed in India by India Book House Pvt. Ltd. 412, Tulsiani Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. This issue has a total of 132 pages comprising of a 4 page cover and 128 inside pages. We welcome unsolicited material but do not take responsibility for the same. Letters are welcome but subject to editing. All rights reserved. Nothing may beprinted in whole or part without written permission of the publisher. The editors do their best to verify the information published but do not take responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. All objections, disputes, differences, claims and proceedings are subject to Mumbai Jurisdiction.
Deepak Guggari Small Products Big Design, Page 20. Deepak graduated in architecture and went on to work with renowned architect Christopher Benninger of CCBA.Six years later, Deepak started his firm VDGA with his landscape designer wife, Varsha and in a very short span of time made an eloquent mark in the field. Deepak’s bias towards natural elements is evident through his work.
SAV Architects A Molecular Collaborative, Page 35. SAV, a multidisciplinary firm, led by Amita Kulkarni and Vikrant Tike have created a wave in the design domain after just six years into practice. Based out of London and Goa, the studio often adopts bio-mimicry in its work, which is efficiently supported by advanced technology and craftsmanship. By embracing the traditional techniques and collaborating with the modern-age systems, SAV constantly strives to push the envelope.
Editor Mr. Anish Bajaj. Published and Printed by Mr. Anish Bajaj on behalf of the owner Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd, B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033.
GA Design Honesty at its Crest, Page 84. With extensive experience in residential, commercial buildings and township projects as well as interiors of luxury homes and offices in and around Mumbai, Rajan Goregaoker, the director of GA Design is recognized as one of Mumbai’s leading architects. With a profound attention to detail and a focus on simplistic, yet elegant and artistic solutions to complex briefs, his technical expertise and pragmatic design approach, is the reason behind the success of the some of the landmark buildings in Mumbai.
14 Home Review April 2018
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 03 06 APR TO
Mifs Moscow, Russia
This leading springtime event for modern and contemporary art will be in its 20th year in 2018. It will bring together 142 galleries from 23 different countries at the Grand Palais showcasing art from the post war years to nouveau styles all at the same time leaving room for international creations from Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East which is mighty broadminded for a French affair. Art critic & exhibition curator Francois Piron will be spotlighting some artists alongside art historian Karine Tissot who will be entrusted with their Switzerland Guest of Honor Programme.
The Moscow International Furniture Show will bring together furniture manufacturers, dealers, interior designers and distributors. MIFS is going to run concurrent with BATIMAT RUSSIA, another major construction and interior trade fair which also happens to be organized by the International Exhibition Center Crocus Expo. This merging of two gargantuan fairs will broaden the networking opportunities for exhibitors and designers as well as visitors. Since it is organized by the same company, one can pay for just one and access both instead. Russian and International exhibitors will showcase their new collections and latest solutions in all segments of the industry. Both the mentioned fairs will showcase ceramics, bathroom materials, home furniture, upholstery, accessories, flooring, surfaces, doors and window systems amidst numerous other products. They will also be hosting media events. It is an exciting time to head to Moscow for both its dual benefit trade fairs.
Open to various forms of artistic expression, it will showcase video art, monographic exhibitions, wall design and the Helvatia Collection to name a few. This year they are going even more all-out than usual and will be a visually blissful treat for any designer to attend this year.
Paris, France
TO 13Miart, 15 APR Milan
TO 04Boston 15 APR Design Week, Boston
MIART is an exposition where design and art rendezvous with each other to redefine their relationship between the past and present of creativity. The high level of MIART’s standard is due to its wide display of carefully annexed 20th century art to the recent hottest trendy creations. Along with its various sections, its awards programme and motivational speeches which are also open to the public attracts a massive international audience including curators, art fanatics, designers, journalists & collectors to name a few. Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, Boston design week is a 12 day city wide design festival held from 4th-15th April encouraging all things design. BDW is slowly but steadily rising up to famous honchos like Milan Design Week and MIART. In its young 5 years it has already become a member of World Design Weeks and has joined Barcelona, Beijing, Eindhoven, Helsinki, Mexico, San Francisco, Tokyo and numerous others globally. BDW has more than 70 events from architects and interior designers. Highlighted subjects of display are sustainable design, recycling, design education, industry networking, etc.
16 Home Review April 2018
www.bostondesignweek.com
www.artparis.com
www.mmms-expo.ru
05ArtTOParis 08 APRArt Fair,
Furthermore, BDW seeks to increase public awareness and appreciation of all aspects of design, foster recognition of the vital role design plays in our lives and brings new audiences to a wide array of design industries and organizations. Their vision is to encourage the public to explore all aspects of design.
The 23rd edition of this fair from 13th – 15th April will comprise of performances, exhibits, special events also involving public and private institutions, foundations, art galleries, nonprofit and all entities that make Milan one of the most glamorous international capitals of modern art and contemporary creativity. What’s more engaging about this particular exhibition is that it plays an active role in modern and contemporary production throughout the entire year and not just during the days of the art fair. www.miart.it
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 13 22 APR TO
Death Of Architecture Gallery 78, Hyderabad
The Death of Architecture; circa 2000 is a traveling exhibition assembled by 13 of India’s thinking and concerned design practices. Through evocative art works, poetry and prose, the exhibition decodes and amplifies actions some which are orchestrated, others inconsiderate. Actions that slowly tear and restructure the fabric of our cities and the architecture within and along with that impact our sense of being. The exhibition presents evidence that will allow discussions about our present, and yet at the same time is embedded with clues and signs that can help effect meaningful dialogues about the future. In a sense, it consolidates the many critical discussions that form the dough which leads to design such as those about the demise of our cities as we know them or the meaning of inspirations from the past, or ideas of beauty, or duplicitous ways of achieving identity, or ways of understanding spatiality.
Known as the mother of all trade fairs, the annually held Milan Design week also called Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano showcases some of the world’s most awestriking and innovative furniture, lighting, installations and other home furnishings. Essentially the who’se who of the design and business world mark their presence making this the most attended international design event in world.Over 372,000 attendees from more than 165 countries and more than 5,600 national and international press representatives demarcate their presence at this prestigious exhibition every year.
Among the 10,000 designers and 270 international design schools that have participated from all over the world in the past, few are now big names on the design scene. Since 2010, this event has furthermore started handing out cash prizes to the top 3 projects submitted by budding young designers. These projects are judged by an international jury comprising of few of the most prominent names from the design world.
In addition to inspiring international visitors, it also helps many local artisans and brands who become deuterogonists marketing their products by staying open longer hours and introducing new collections.
TO 26Sidim 28 APR
www.salonemilano.it
17 TO 22 APR
Salone Satellite, Milan, Italy
18 Home Review April 2018
The Montreal Design Show also known as “Salon Du Design” which was founded in 1989 comprises of the largest gathering of designers in Canada. Design fanatics of all kinds can buy and showcase or just stride alongside the exhibits for inspiration and updates on new trends. SIDIM exhibits architecture, luminaires, landscaping, furniture, stationary, works of art, local products, surfaces, fireplaces, doors & windows among many other artifacts and items which will help you find everything you need to decorate your homes and work places customizing it to your personality.
www.deathofarchitecture.com
Milan
Montreal, Canada
The Salone Del Mobile is now the undisputed global platform for home furnishing systems and also comprises of sub events scattered across the city.Founded in 1961, it has proven over time that this is where design belongs and it is here that home furnishing systems take shape and come to life.
The exhibition is a strong mirror that will allow cities and design communities to structure conversations that are pertinent to their immediate realm and concerns. It is going to take place at Gallery 78 in Hyderabad from 13th-22nd April.
TO 17Salone 22 APR Del Mobile Milano,
www.salonemilano.it
Salone Satellite running concurrently with Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano is the first ever event to focus on young designers making it the ideal platform for networking between talent scouts, manufacturers, suppliers and promising young designers. Since its inception in 1998, it is a one of a kind event encouraging designers below 35 to match their stride with the big guns of the trade by allowing them to submit prototypes which can go on to production!
It is a consolidated business model that connects some of the big guns of the architecture and design world to exhibitors creating excellent networking opportunities which are further enhanced by seminars, workshops & awards functions. Held in Canada, SIDIM isn’t just a simple trade fair but more like a cultural outing aiding in the advancement of the architecture and design industry in a sure but unobvious way. www.sidim.com
Subscribe to The Inside Track and stay connected Volume 12. Issue 04. April 2018 Rs. 25/-
THE
INSIDE TRACK CONNECTING THE DESIGN COMMUNITY Now view our web edition at www.theinsidetrack.in
Cover Story
I
nfluenced and shaped by a history that is several millennia old, India is an amalgamation of diverse cultures, traditions and customs. Architecture and design in India has always been a thing of marvel because of its magnanimity, and can be tracked as far back as civilization itself. This diversity in Indian design can also be attributed to different eras. From the preindependence era that saw immense influence of the British to the nationalist era that revived the symbols and motifs popularized by the handicrafts industry. With cut-throat competition prevailing today, brands in India are emerging as powerhouses of good, intelligent design. We see brands experimenting and breaking away from the monotony with quirky additions. With much mingling of details, patterns and styles; these brands have benchmarked themselves in today’s market. These brands are one of us, live in our community and are giving us reasons to trust them more with the impressive products they now offer.
Bespoke Creations Brands are distinguishing themselves by focussing on details to get noticed in a crowded marketplace. BY VANDANA KRISHNAN
The Juno collection from Vitra available in gold and chrome shades
Vitra Juno Series The Juno Collection from Vitra offers a lavish bathroom interior ambience, created with original Swarovski crystal joysticks and faucet rings enhanced with fine details. Its simple form and function is enhanced incredibly with PVD coatings that makes it corrosion and scratch resistant. Available in gold and chrome shades it adds texture, depth and a unique identity to your bathroom.
Recently launched ‘Hindware Rimless WC’ ensures efficiency in cleaning and maintenance
Hindustan Sanitaryware Industries Ltd. The Rimless Wc Collection Recently launched ‘Hindware Rimless WC’ ensures efficiency in cleaning and maintenance. Recommended by the IAMPH, it safeguards hygiene standards providing a 100% clean and bacteria free environment.
‘Tailwater’ from Artize, Jaquar Group’s Luxury bath brand, inspired by the nature and the elegant fluid lines of contemporary architecture, wins the prestigious RED DOT Design awards in 2018, designed by duo Claudia Danelon and Fedrico Meroni, founders of London based DanelonMeroni Design Studio, who have designed for a diverse range of global brands. It is a striking and iconic piece of a bathroom fitting - A new design classic. Imitating the image of a bird perched on the edge of a pool, the curve of the tap’s body echoes the movement and flow of water while its reflective surfaces appear as seamless as liquid metal. The ‘tail’ acts as a mixed lever with smooth flowing of water. It is no surprise that ‘Artize’ actually stands for design A true craftsmanship, where design, technology and talent combine to deliver a masterpiece. The RED DOT Award for product design has roots dating back as far as 1955 and determines the best products created each year. This innovative product, is the winner among the 6300 objects submitted from 59 countries worldwide. Contact Email: info@artize.in Ph: 0124-4746800 web: www.artize.com
continued on page 2
India’s leading trade publication that connects manufacturers, dealers and designers across the country No. of Issues
You Pay
You Save
36 + 8 Free
Rs. 900
20%
24 + 4 Free
Rs. 600
16%
12
Rs. 300
Please fill up this coupon and send it along with your cheque/DD to: Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd., B 62, 1st Floor, Cotton Exchange Bldg, Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033. Tel (022) 23736133/1, 32958501 Fax (022) 23743069 Email response@marvelinfomedia.com www.theinsidetrack.in
I am enclosing a cheque/DD No _________________ Dated __________________ drawn on ( name of bank ) ________________________________ favouring “Marvel Infomedia Pvt. Ltd.” for Rs.__________________________________( Add Rs 40/- for non Mumbai cheque/DD ) YOUR DETAILS Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms_________First Name __________________________________________Surname ____________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City____________________________________________State____________________________________________________Pin Code________________ Phone__________________________Email____________________________________________________Occupation_____________________________ the inside track reserves the right to extend, cancel or discontinue the offer without giving any reason or prior notice
SMALL PRODUCTS BIG DESIGN 20 Home Review April 2018
An office in Chakan, Pune, for a manufacturer of high tech electronics for automobiles has been designed by VDGA to create an ambience which not only does justice to the quality of the work carried out within its walls, but also becomes a workspace to look forward to for the staff. “Nobody gets their hands dirty here,� says Deepak Guggari of VDGA (Varsha& Deepak Guggari Associates), quickly dispelling any notions of the typical grime and grease laden work space that one would associate with the automobile industry. The front office has an area of 15,000 sq ft, while the factory at the rear sprawls over 45,000 sq ft and is designed to conform to industrial norms. Climate controlled and with robotic machines, this is a 100% air conditioned space.
Text By Devyani Jayakar Photographs Courtesy Hemant Patil
Home Review April 2018
21
Workers pass through a sanitising zone to remove all traces of dust from their garments, after which they wear aprons and caps at work. The front of the building faces the north, consequently enjoying a diffused natural light almost throughout the year, while the dead façade on the south houses the services. “The inclination of the glass façade in the front ensures that the heat of the sun is minimised even when it is in the southern hemisphere, by nullifying the angle of radiation,” says Deepak. The tinted glass reduces the solar gain further. Two large cantilevers (measuring six metres and seven and a half metres respectively) hang over a lotus pond at the entrance, conforming to the norms of the required setback at the ground floor, while utilising the necessary floor space at the upper levels. “We approached the design of the jali façade as we would product design,” says Deepak, “and utilised it as an opportunity for branding the company.” Perforated aluminium panels, powder coated in vibrant orange and red (the colours of the company logo) control sunlight, replacing conventional roller blinds.
22 Home Review April 2018
“In an office, these can be tedious to operate and tend to get grimy,” says Deepak. The panels are openable for cleaning and maintain the visual connect with the front avenue, yet secure the privacy of the office. The entrance has a landscaped porch with tropical vegetation and a water body. Within, the reception desk is in mild steel and has the sky-lit atrium as a backdrop. The latter is clearly the star of the design, vertically connecting the three floors of the office even as it separates the administrative block from the manufacturing one. The upper floors accommodate the work space, cubicles, the product gallery and the conference facilities. The reception cum waiting area is flanked on both sides by MD’s cabins and a conference room. Both these rooms look into the minimally landscaped atrium, as do all the work areas. The reception and atrium areas are kept cool by means of an evaporative cooling system, hence reducing the air conditioning load.
Home Review April 2018
23
Well lit with natural light from the top, contributes to energy savings since the atrium is an additional source of light, suffusing surrounding spaces with a diffused glow. “Energy efficiency is not always about LEDs alone…often, common sense is also required,” says Deepak. Consequently, the front office uses solar power, contributing the surplus to the grid. “When the fire inspector insisted on an additional fire escape, it turned out to be a boon for us. We were happy to comply and placed it in this atrium, wrapping it in a vertical landscape nourished by drip irrigation. The natural vegetation conceals the staircase and makes it a green focus, providing a touch of nature in the office.
The heart of the space, the atrium prevents the I
off ce from being
segregated
different floors
and facilitates a line of
vision between them.
24 Home Review April 2018
It has turned out to be so popular with the staff, that they use it more than the primary marble staircase,” says Deepak. The atrium is also used for seating, but has no furniture as is conventionally understood. Coining the phrase ‘usable landscape,’ Deepak explains that the boxy rectilinear stone quartz which forms a geometric composition at the ground level is also used for seating. Randomly arranged Sal wood slats form a long table used for informal discussion sessions, its strong linear lines completing the minimal arrangement. The material palette for the building comprises marble in grey undertones, carpets, natural Indian stone, aggregate and Sal wood. “Being an industrial premise there has been abundant use of raw metal,” says Deepak. The interiors are mainly white, with punches of colour coming from the pin-up boards. The ceilings are in Shera wood, finished in lacquer, while some of the lights have been customised in metal.
Home Review April 2018
25
26 Home Review April 2018
A display gallery for the products is a white space with sculpturesque shelving - an assemblage of boxes and voids - which contrives to highlight the product without any other distraction. “Buyers come from Italy and Japan, so this space had to be sophisticated,” says Deepak. “We asked ourselves why an office should necessarily consist of cubicles and glass. In a polluted city, a small garden provides a respite, infusing natural light and nature in the corporate environment,” says Deepak. But, as they say, there is no great design without great clients. “This client was quite clear that he didn’t want a regimented, conformist approach. With a strong aesthetic sense and keen interest in architecture, he gave us a mandate which enabled the experimentation with the form and the design of the interiors,” says Deepak. mailvdga@gmail.com www.vdga.in Home Review April 2018
27
Lucy is part of the original Nude Collection, which is Cardozo’s tribute to the inner human spirit, which in contrast to complexities of the human body, is far simpler.
28 Home Review April 2018
art form
Figurative Sculptures British-born sculptress, Eleanor Cardozo is renowned for her bronze sculptures that, in her own words, “celebrate the beauty of the human body and form.”
Over the last twenty years as an artist and sculptress, Eleanor Cardozo has carved a name for herself and her inimitable art in galleries across the world. Delving into her world of sculptures, Home Review speaks to the artist and learns about her journey from being a gymnast to a figurative sculptress. Born and raised in England, Cardozo was trained in sculpture at The City and Guilds School of Art in London. She subsequently went on to study portraiture at the Cecil Graves School in Florence. “I come from an artistic family,” Cardozo says. Named after her grandmother who was a Royal Academy portrait artist, Cardozo’s mother is a violinist and pianist, and her father’s family is in the creative arts.
Carolina is a romantic dreamer. She reminds of the world that exists beyond the physical material world. This piece can be found in private collections across the world, and is part of the original Nude Collection.
Text By Priyanka Menon Photographs Courtesy Eleanor Cardozo Home Review April 2018
29
“My fascination with the human body was born out of the music, dance, art, and sports that were encouraged from an early age at home,” the sculptress adds. At 16, when she was at school, Cardozo’s art teacher pushed her to make her first sculpture. And she fell in love immediately with the feel of the material, the way you create something beautiful out of a simple mound of earth, and the challenge of three dimensions. For Cardozo there was no turning back from this point! In 2010, Cardozo was invited by Egyptian business magnate, Mohamed Al-Fayed to display her works at Harrods, London. The success of the exhibition led to another display at Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne. This exhibit was right next to the Olympic Museum, which also approached her to supply sculptures of gymnasts for their gallery. Following this, a three-metre sculpture, dubbed as Olympic Gymnast was showcased at Westminster Abbey during the London 2012 Olympics. The same piece now resides at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, on the shores of Lac Leman. When asked about her favourite piece, she mentions Poise - a half life-size version she first sculpted for the 2012 London Olympics. “There is something so ethereal about the lightness of the gymnast balancing on one toe on top of the world,” she says. The piece went on to become a prime figure during the Olympic Games, and earned Cardozo the reputation of a sculptress of international reckoning. “It is now ‘my logo’,” she adds.
This sculpture is full of life with her boundless energy and vivacity. The Little Dancer is the embodiment of happiness and teaches us to live in the moment and relish it with carefree abandon.
30 Home Review April 2018
Cardozo works with live models as she is motivated by “their beauty, grace, elegance and skill as dancers.” More than abstract, still life and landscape, she is inspired by figurative art. This doesn’t come as a surprise considering she is a trained gymnast. “My art celebrates the beauty of the human form,” she elucidates. “My models are dancers and gymnasts. The anatomy of a professional athlete is so perfect and the musculature is well-defined.”
Influenced by real beauty and the magnificence of the human form and the spirit within, the smiling gymnast leaps over the world, made of stainless steel, with courage and conviction, demonstrating that everything is possible when the body and spirit are connected.
Home Review April 2018
31
For Cardozo, they are sculptures themselves and “make fascinating subjects for artists.” Private commissions require her to work with real people. Most of the time, however, she lets her imagination take over, ‘without the constraints of getting a likeness and allowing the sculpture to evolve as a work of art.’ Her studio, which is nestled in the courtyard of her beautiful home in a suburb of Geneva, is a modest and well-organised area with ample natural light pouring in from glass doors that face the lawn. Life-sized figures of gymnasts and dancers populate the studio space, along with pieces she is currently working on. The bronze figures are fired at a foundry in Jussy. She is also often privately commissioned to make smaller sculptures for Russian yachts and Asian clients.
A mysterious piece that asks us to look beyond the obvious, Swathe is part of a limited edition series. With a sanded bronze finish, the sculpture reminds us that the body we see and touch is only a thin veil.
Cardozo believes that artists are duty-bound to raise the standards and quality of art and provide inspiration for a better way of life. Art, over the course of centuries, has been known to unify and bring people together for the greater good. And this is what drives Cardozo in her artistic journey and cause. “I want to make sculptures where people can enjoy them for free,” she says. In this vein, she wants to donate more and more pieces to public spaces. “Art can lift the spirit and speak to the heart’s ability for delight and wonder. At other times, it can also shock and depress the spirit. I go for the former,” Cardozo concludes. It is not often that one comes across a sculpture that is so breathtakingly beautiful that one has to pause and consume it all in. In the case of Cardozo’s sculptures, however, every piece is a story unto itself. www.eleanorcardozo.com
This piece challenges the anatomy’s flexibility in this extreme backward curve.
32 Home Review April 2018
This sculpture reminds us of the importance of humility in life.
Home Review April 2018
33
Inspired by the chemical products that the company makes, the architectural team has conceptualised the lighting, furniture and floor patterns in the office, showcasing the different formulae of the products.
34 Home Review April 2018
A MOLECULAR COLLABORATIVE When the client’s vision is run through a creative mind’s filter, the result is a collaborative outcome that speaks with a distinct voice. Unilab Pharma’s office space designed by SAV Architecture + Design is an echo of this very premise. In an era when work-play campuses are pitted against sleekly designed cubicle farms to capture the corporate imagination, how does an interior designer or architect who wants to make a difference compete?
Text By Kanupriya Pachisia Photographs Courtesy Fabien Charuau Home Review April 2018
35
36 Home Review April 2018
By turning a 120 square meter plot in the heart of Mumbai into a spacious office for a leading healthcare brand, London and Mumbai based SAV Architecture + Design answer the question by proving once again that design is not about a whim or indulgence but something that leaves a strong impact even in the simplest of frames. The combination of ordinary beauty, elegant tactility, experiential sublimity and meticulous efficiency is what gives the said project a defining edge. The signature aesthetic that one witnesses in the smart and modern enclosure of Unilab Pharma’s office is raw, yet refined. On first glance, the image of a purely scientific space is perceived and composed of a minimal set of parts and materials. Keeping the open-office concept intact, the design team has very cleverly installed walls in an open space to create a series of rooms and common areas.
}
Hans J. Wegner Shell Chairs and a minimal sofa with inbuilt side tables constitute the informal sitting in the two rooms.
The project uses a surreal palette of grey, brown and green along with an amalgamation of geometric hexagons and graphic lines as it creates a visual of natural and rich textures. Spatially, the meeting room is placed close to the entrance, with two individual directors’ cabins at the far end of the space and a flexible, modern work space in the middle. The team shares, “All partitions are of clear glass which create an end to end transparency, setting an overall light and airy mood, experienced as soon as one enters the space.” A space becomes personal when it reiterates a story. The creative brains have seconded this notion. Inspired by the form of chemical compositions, the architectural team has conceptualised the lighting, furniture and floor patterns in the office, showcasing the different formulae that the company uses in making its products.
}
Home Review April 2018
37
The team says, “Our clients who are well travelled and trade across the world were keen to have both an office with a modern and international feel as well as a calm working oasis within the chaotic Mumbai context.” Keeping this in mind they requested for a design plan that brings a contemporary and fresh feel to the interiors. The interior design scheme focuses on three major layers. The first layer is the seamless concrete floor with an overlaid hexagonal pattern in the form of steel expansion joints that flow across the floor to the concrete wall standing at the entrance. This patterned layer continues as a handcrafted inlay design within the wooden cabinetry of the reception and the partition of the directors’ cabins. Here the soft, cool concrete and the warm, tonal walnut wood birth another layered contrast of materiality. A mix of directional slot LED lights and large hexagonal pendant lights fabricated out of powder coated aluminum into three meter long compositions flow across the space, forming the second layer. The flush doors of the cabinet are designed as a storage wall, to house an archive of company files; these exhibit a dovetailing of laminated birch plywood and walnut, on one side of the reception. Milled with a CNC machine to generate a free flowing pattern of chemical compositions that eventually dissolve into concrete, forms the third layer. The long, spacious meeting room with full-height wooden cabinets sports a three meter long glass table with customised steel legs. The Eames Shell Chairs with an upholstered grey back generate a warm contrast to the glass. With custom designed desks, the director spaces have minimal furniture crafted entirely out of teakwood. Hans J. Wegner Shell Chairs and a minimal sofa with inbuilt side tables constitute the informal sitting in the two rooms. The work surfaces are custom designed, four meter long modular desks with central planters and concealed cable trays that allow for an expansive and flexible feel. The toilet, pantry and storage facilities are accessed through a flush door hidden in the cabinet wall that helps shape the clean angles of the office. While the washroom carries the same minimal look clad in concrete tiles, tall bamboo planters introduce an organic and green feel to the office.
38 Home Review April 2018
With custom designed desks, the director spaces have minimal furniture crafted entirely out of teakwood.
Section
Home Review April 2018
39
The first layer is the seamless concrete floor with an overlaid hexagonal pattern in the form of steel expansion joints that flow across the floor to the concrete wall standing at the entrance.
Passion alone doesn’t drive extraordinary achievements; it has to be backed by dedication to leave a mark. “Made with a mix of traditional carpentry and new computational technologies, the design emanates an understated, bright and stylish feel,” says the team. To summarise, it is all about a dynamic and chic interior design, made possible by collective imagination! info@studioamitavikrant.com www.studioamitavikrant.com
40 Home Review April 2018
WOOD CRAFT
By Kanchan Bansal
DESIGNQUEST
Well-designed furniture is not just functional or utilitarian but also a reflection of one’s personal taste and style. TimberTaste caters to all your furnishing needs with hundreds of furniture designs in solid wood as well as soft furnishings and home decor items under their banner.
Text By Vandana Krishnan Home Review April 2018
41
Bala side table megazine stand teak finish.
Alfa natural teak coffee center table teapoy.
Established 3 years ago, the brand started from zero and today has a per annum turnover of 3 Crore. Use of superior quality wood, steel and fabric for the construction of their furniture has been their modus operandi. Clients from across the globe have appreciated their range due to its dynamic quality, stylish features and superior finish. Supported by strong infrastructure, the organization is able to manufacture a gamut of furniture items.
All their products are designed and manufactured in-house. The brand also meets customized design requirements by customers. The idea behind the brand was to let the customers have a real taste and experience of natural wood furniture. This is also what inspired them to come up with their unique brand name.
Jolly luxurious high end lounge cafetaria fabric accent patio chair.
As a manufacturer, exporter and online furniture company, TimberTaste believe that service is as important as the products offered. That is why they pay attention to every detail of the process; from the time of ordering till your order reaches your home, and even afterwards.
42 Home Review April 2018
Satin nest of table (set of 3) teak finish.
Traditional wooden tv cabinets with ample storage space.
When asked about how they plan on dealing with competition, Kanchan Bansal, owner, TimberTaste, replies, “Our motto has always been to never stray in terms of quality & after sales service. We give it utmost importance and constantly update ourselves to keep up with the ever evolving market trends. The perseverance and undeterred focus of our professionals have helped us to sustain credibility in the industry�. timbertaste@yahoo.com
It is one piece pack & no assembly is required.
The furniture range TimberTaste offers is made of 100% natural wood, mainly Sheesham, Acacia and Teak along with Mango and Pine wood. These woods are selected depending upon the required finish. Their range consists of coffee tables, TV cabinets, side tables, lounge chairs, side boards, and console tables among numerous other quirky products. The materials other than natural wood used to manufacture these products are a combination of iron and stainless steel.
Home Review April 2018
43
The heart of the hotel is the beautiful open courtyards that link the spaces surrounding them.
44 Home Review April 2018
THE REBIRTH OF A PARISIAN ICON Fronted by the grand architecture of Ange-Jacques Gabriel, Hôtel de Crillon in Paris overlooks the stunning Place de la Concorde, one of the most majestic squares in the world! Built at the behest of Louis XV, this grand building was once the family home of the highly regarded Count de Crillon. Helmed by architect Walter-André Destailleur, it was only converted into a hotel in 1909. Frequented by celebrities, politicians, artists, princes and queens, it re-opened in 2017 after a four-year face lift with highlights including chic guest rooms and suites (two even decorated by French fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld), four A-list restaurants, a spa and a brand new swimming pool.
Text By Natalie Pedder-Bajaj Photographs Courtesy Hôtel de Crillon Home Review April 2018
45
Architect Richard Martinet steered the entire restoration, including the landmark façade, while the interiors piloted by Artistic Director, Aline Asmar d’Amman were also designed by Tristan Auer, Chahan Minassian and Cyril Vergniol. Their vision - to retain the architectural treasures of this 18th century palace juxtaposed with the latest amenities of the 21st century - a celebration of modern French art de vivre. Landscape architect Louis Benech envisaged Hôtel de Crillon’s playful courtyards, the most charming being Jardin d’Hiver or winter garden. Sitting resplendently in the historic centre of the hotel, its walls awash in Mica stone, it unfurls itself between the dining spaces, leading into the classic Brasserie d’Aumont.
The décor of Brasserie d’Aumont echos the deep tonality of the plush salons in a bygone era.
Celebrated chef Justin Schmitt’s penchant for art was most advantageous when it came to crafting an authentic culinary experience at the Brasserie d’Aumont, central to the journey of timeless quintessential French cuisine. The décor of Brasserie d’Aumont amalgamates light and dark materials, echoing the deep tonality of the plush salons of a bygone era. Designed by Tristan Auer, it has a distinctive Parisian vibe, inspired by the past but yet clean and modern. Located in the heart of Hôtel de Crillon, Brasserie d’Aumont is the setting for the Parisian gourmand and privileged worldtraveler to enjoy a glass of champagne and enjoy la belle vie! www.rosewoodhotels.com/crillon
46 Home Review April 2018
ARTIZE WINS RED DOT AWARD FOR TAILWATER Tailwater is a new design classic that takes inspiration from the natural world and embodies it in a beautifully engineered piece of industrial design The Red Dot Design Awards’ panel of experts awards its internationally recognized seal of quality only to products that win them over with their high design quality. Included in the winner’s list of 2018, is the Tailwater faucet, manufactured by the Jaquar Group’s luxury brand Artize, and designed by the London-based product design consultancy, DanelonMeroni Design Studio co-founded by multiple award winning duo, Claudia Danelon and Federico Meroni. A unique, one-of-its-kind creation - Artize Tailwater, is inspired by nature and the elegant fluid lines of contemporary architecture. A beautiful faucet that reminds you of a bird perched at the edge of a pool, the Tailwater faucet’s lever and spout are united in a single, friendly form, which is simple and enjoyable to use.
The ‘tail’ acts as a mixer lever, which moves smoothly backwards and to the left and right while the curve of the tap’s body echoes the movement and flow of water. Its reflective surface appears as seamless as liquid metal. Extensively prototyped and finely tuned for ergonomic comfort, function and aesthetics, the curved lever is both intuitive and inviting to the touch. When tilted backwards, the tap’s form is transformed into a graceful silver arc. Tailwater is now available in over 40 countries around the world.
True to the motto “In search of good design and innovation”, a jury comprising of roughly 40 members, assessed the products individually based on the original. The strict judging criteria, which include level of innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics and durability, provide a frame of reference that the jurors then complement with their own expertise. info@artize.in www.artize.com Ph: 0124-4746800
The Red Dot Award for product design has roots dating back as far as 1955 and determines the best products created each year. In 2018, designers and manufacturers from 59 countries submitted more than 6,300 objects to the competition. Home Review April 2018
47
Situated along a ridge, the Tawang Monastery commands a prime spot in the midst of the surrounding mountains.
Monasteries of western Arunachal Pradesh TEXT AND PHOTOS BY KUNAL BHATIA AND SHUVAJIT PAYNE kunal@kunalbhatia.net www.kunalbhatia.net Lying in the lap of the Himalayas and bordering Tibet, the remote mountainous districts of western Arunachal Pradesh have long been influenced by Buddhism. They are home to a number of beautiful monasteries, the most prominent amongst them being the Galden Namgey Lhatse, more commonly known as the Tawang Monastery. Its strategic location and citadel-like fortifications were a result of rivalries between local sects, in the late 17th century when the monastery was founded.
48 Home Review April 2018
The main worship halls stand tall and are fronted by low-rise structures spread across three parallel ‘streets’. These are mainly houses for the students & monks, a few hundred of whom are in residence at the monastery at any given point. The main prayer hall has a gigantic idol of Buddha in the lotus position fronted by countless offerings, objects of worship and other deities. Every surface of this hall is profusely decorated with hanging scrolls and paintings on the walls. Some of these paintings, such as the ‘bhavachakra’ or ‘wheel of life’
communicate mythological stories and nudge believers onto the righteous path. Others, such as the geometric mandalas, are representations of the cosmos and can also aid in meditation. Equally omnipresent are the prayer wheels, with sacred symbols adorning their cylinders and mantras wrapped up on their insides. Spinning a wheel is believed to have a similar effect as chanting of all the mantras that are contained within it. Other well known monasteries in the region include the ones at Bomdila and Rupa, both in the West Kameng district, just south of Tawang.
Top and Bottom: The Buddhist ‘wheel of life’ represents a series of heavens and hells, populated by Gods, demigods and demons. At the centre of each prayer wheel lies a core with sacred mantras wrapped around it. The ‘dukhang’ or main prayer hall of the Tawang Monastery.
Home Review April 2018
49
The central idol and altar of Tawang Monastery’s main prayer hall. Mandalas are a representation of the cosmos, as interpreted by Buddhist traditions.
50 Home Review April 2018
The Chillipam Monastery on the outskirts of Rupa has strong oriental features, most noticeably seen in its pinched eaves. Monks at the monastery can help interpreting the symbolism behind each structure and the mainly colourful embellishments.
Home Review April 2018
51
THE VERY FABRIC OF ARCHITECTURE Today architecture is not just a mere simple shelter but something that excites, calms and makes you think. The fabric of architecture is being re-stitched to weave a story that talks about its time and place but yearns for timelessness.
In the words of Julia Morgan, “Architecture is a visual art and the buildings speak for themselves.” New materials, designs and advances in digital technology are not only standing true to her words but also creating a wave of innovation within the construction industry. Architecture’s most iconic design elements - windows, roofs and facades are getting a design upgrade. Windows have always been emblematic of a building. They’re a muse for architects and a coveted feature for any modern homeowner. They bridge the gap between our secure indoor lives and the wilderness that lies just outside. They are on their way to join the ranks of evolving technology and revolutionizing the way we view the world. Today the façade is not just the outer shell but the face of a building and is rapidly becoming greener, more interactive and more transparent in its own identity. As an integral part of wall assembly, it has lent itself beautifully in daylight, moisture regulation and even insulation. Ventilating the voids, the roof not only caps the building by being another insulating membrane but also reverberates a dynamic role aesthetically. Considering the host of factors that need to be considered while selecting roofing products, a whole new world lies open in the hands of architects to build from. As Home Review concentrates on delivering a windows roofing and facades special issue for you this month, browse through the latest products that are making their debut performance and latest trends that are driving their existence from our conversations with the masterminds in the industry. Text by: Kanupriya Pachisia
52 Home Review April 2018
Page 54
WINDOWS TO THE FUTURE
Page 56
THE OUTER ENVELOPE
Page 58
WINDOWS ROOFINGS & FACADES
THE PERFECT SEAL
Page 60
EQUIPPED WITH A VISION
Page 62
Fenesta: Pioneering Excellence
Page 64
ARCHITECTURE OF THE FUTURE
Home Review April 2018
53
WINDOWS TO THE FUTURE
One of architecture’s most iconic element, windows have undergone a complete makeover as they adapt to changing environmental needs and design sensibilities.
ALBERTINI FULL GLASS WINDOWS Albertini’s Full Glass Window series spells the essence of pure beauty without any filters. A modern concept in windows, it suits architectural situation where one wants to maximize outside views without the interruption of visible profiles. It guarantees high levels of acoustic performance, energy and seal. Flushing to the wall, it is compatible with a whole line of sliding window systems. www.albertini.com
LACKER BIGAIR FAÇADE LOUVER WINDOWS Bigair Façade Louver Windows by Lacker are system independent and can be installed in any stick system assembly, wall reveals and timberwork structures. With full panoply of blades they can be manufactured to specifications and come in single to triple and solar control glazing options and with insulated or non-insulated metal sheet panels. Flaunting a filigree appearance they are quick and simple to replace. www.lacker.de
HUNTERDOUGLAS DUOLITE EUROOO ERCO - RAISE AND SLIDE WINDOWS The Erco - Raise and Slide Windows by Eurooo can be made of up to six moveable panels or doors that are operated with heavy weight glasses, thanks to the handle and simplicity of maneuvering mechanism. This sliding window can also be made angular without opening interruptions. Technical innovation and advanced functionality allow you to seep in the beauty of the natural world. www.eurooo.com
The Duolite Series by HunterDouglas is the perfect choice for maximum privacy and light control. It uses two separate fabric panels to achieve a day or night level of convenience, providing limitless options. It is available in Applause, Duette, Silhoutte and Pleated options of blinds. Even though it is a manual operating system, it is easy to handle. www.hunterdouglas.com
54 Home Review April 2018
REHAU TRITEC 60 MM WINDOWS With its chamfered sash and extremely slim sight-lines on the outer frame, Rehau’s Tritec 60 mm Windows come with enhanced aesthetic appeal. Its full range of supplementary profiles suits all installation requirements. Sound insulation depends on glazing specifications. The 16 mm eurogroove ensures maximum choice of fittings, some of which include tilt before turn and restrictors. www.rehau.com
POLYTRON GLASS POLYVISION
VITROCSA TURNABLE CORNER WINDOWS
Polyvision by Polytron Glass is a switchable privacy glass laminate. At the flick of an electric switch, Polyvision becomes transparent from a cloudy white translucent state. It not only provides privacy and security with architectural integrity but also serves as a projection screen and possesses glass board capabilities making it fit for commercial use. Ranging from 10-40mm, it comes in a variety of colours.
The Turnable Corner Windows by Vitrocsa optimizes space and opens up the view. It works on a roller principle that completely frees up the glazed components from the passageway. In fact, this major architectural solution frees up surface and corner space. Its glass panels can be dimensioned up to a surface area of 6 meter square and a weight of 250kgs, each able to slide independently. www.vitrocsa.ch
www.polytron.com
ARCHITECTURAL WINDOW SYSTEMS DESIGNER THERMAL HEART SERIES The Designer Thermal Heart Series by AWS is a thermally broken system for improved energy efficiency, developed in response to growing environmental concern. It is ideal for those applications where minimizing cold and heat transfer is priority. This innovative range is 32% more efficient than standard double glazed windows. It is available in hinged, bi-fold and sliding options. www.awsaustralia.com
Home Review April 2018
55
THE OUTER ENVELOPE
Today facades have become expressive, inspiring and a complex aspect of building design. Opening up a whole new world for architects, the outer envelope is no longer just a plain and simple shell of a building!
AXOLOTL TERRACOTTA Replacing the natural aesthetic of terracotta perfectly, Axolotl’s Terracotta facades retain the integrity of natural terracotta facades. They are simpler and more cost effective. Available in a variance of texture and colour, these facades can easily be integrated into any architectural project. Axolotl’s in-house ability to carve or etch any design on the surface gives them unlimited design potential. www.axolotl.com
DUPONT CORIAN EXTERIOR CLADDING If one needs to make a timeless design statement, one can turn to Dupont’s newest offering - Corian Exterior Cladding. In addition to durability, beauty and longevity, Corian enables monolithic design, unique patterns and lighting effects uncommon in standard exterior facades. Available in 15 UV stable colours it also possesses great resistance to impact, humidity and fungi and is low on maintenance. www.dupont.co.in
LEVOLUX AEROFIL FINS MAKMAX TEXTILE FACADES The latest innovation in the tensile membrane segment is Makmax’s architectural Textile Façade. It brings with it added flexibility borrowed from fabric and creates interesting shapes, sizes, colours and textures. It also provides climate weather protection and solar control. Used as a modular vertical façade to create organic shapes , its printed fabrics are an iconic design feature. www.makmax.com
Levolux offers an extensive range of Aerofil Fins under its solar shading screens for new and exquisite buildings. Formed from extruded aluminum sections, they can be installed horizontally, vertically or even against inclined surfaces. They are available in a range of sizes and finishes to enhance the appearance of a building. Large fins can be fixed at a greater pitch to maximize daylight levels and visibility. www.levolux.com
56 Home Review April 2018
HUNTERDOUGLAS 84R OPEN STRUCTURE FACADES HunterDouglas’s 84R Open Structure Facades, provide architects with an opportunity to design a cladding system that creates a visually crisp, clean and dynamic finish to building facades. Traditinoally built with linear panels, Open Structure Façade Systems enable light and air to travel through the system while maintaining excellent acoustic performance. Curved facades can also be achieved using curved panels. www.hunterdouglas.com
POLYCLAD EXPANDED METAL MESH FACADES
NEXION VENTILATED FACDES - HIDDEN SYSTEM
Expanded metal is an innovative product that possesses a very good price and quality of technical characteristics ratio. It is easy to cut and bend. It can be manufactured in aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized, mild steel, copper and many other materials. Long lasting finishes such as colour anodization, lacquer and natural give it a distinct look.
Nexion’s Ventilated Façade that comes with a hidden system allows keeping concealed the anchor that hooks the slab to the structure. To achieve this type of fastening either slots are needed on the edge of the slab or a milling process is executed. Clean in appearance, thermal insulation provided by the façade considerable reduces air conditioning costs. www.nexiontiles.com
www.polyclad.in
GKD TRANSPARENT MEDIA FACADES GKD’s Transparent Media Facades are made of a stainless steel mesh and transform buildings into high class venues for media production as an interactive LED façade. At the same time the stainless steel architectural mesh gives the outside of the building a classy appearance and creates versatile design highlights even when it is not used as an LED façade. www.gkd-india.com
Home Review April 2018
57
THE PERFECT SEAL
Today roofs and roofing material are not only making architecture more interesting but also opening up a whole new world with the wide range that is available today. Let’s turn the spotlight on some such products.
GAF DECOTECH The DecoTech System by GAF is a beautiful, affordable alternative to typical rack mounted solar systems. Its low profile design vouches for a sleek, designer look. The best-in-class high output panels enable optimum power output. With counter and step flashing it flaunts a protected perimeter against moisture, leaks and animal infestation. No exposed wires and glossy finish make it look neat and stylish. www.gaf.com
SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS INDIA SGG ANTELIO PLUS SKYLIGHTS Saint-Gobain’s Antelio Plus Skylights come finished in Antelip Plus glass which is a solar control glass manufactured by an off-line coating process called PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) that helps create a highly resilient stable coating. The glass is available in a variety of sizes and colours and can be easily cut, toughened, curved or enameled. In fact it can also integrate thermal and acoustic insulation. www.saint-gobain.co.in
HUNTERDOUGLAS LUXALON CEILING SYSTEM PALMEX INDIA PALMEX SYNTHETIC THATCH ROOFS Palmex India’s, Synthetic Thatch Roofs give your hotel or resort the perfect, traditional, tropical look. Unlike natural thatch, Palmex Synthetic Thatch does not attract insects, rodents or birds. Made of high density polyethylene, it does not fade and is known for its tensile strength and light-weight character. It is weather and fire resistant and can withstand high temperatures. www.palmexindia.com
HunterDouglas’s Luxalon Ceiling system consists of box shaped 80 mm or 84 mm wide aluminum panels which can be easily clipped to the OB/84B carriers. Panels can be joined by using the panel splice and come in a maximum length of 600 mm enabling fewer joints. Known for its straight lines, versatility and ease of installation, this metal ceiling comes with perforation patterns for enhanced acoustic performance. www.hunterdouglasarchitectural.eu
58 Home Review April 2018
PORTA FINESTRA DESIGN INDIA PVT. LTD. MOTORIZED SLIDING ROOFS Giving you the luxury of enjoying nature, Porta Finestra’s motorized sliding roofs are available with thermal break or normal profiles. The system is composed of a modular structure in aluminum profiles with large cross sections including beams, wall-fixing sections, gutters and support columns. A heavy duty motor provides uniform, reliable movement of the sliding panels that are fitted with safety glass or polycarbonate sheets. www.portafinestra.com
ARCHCLAD STANDING SEAM DOUBLE LOCK SYSTEM
3FORM KODA XT
The Double Lock Standing Seam System by Archclad offers architects freedom of design as it can adapt and compliment any roof shape. By forming a double fold on the up-stands, its profile allows long strips of metal to assembled creating a distinct shadow line effect. The low height of the seams contributes to the uniformity and agility of the roof. It is water and wind resistant.
Koda XT by 3-Form boasts of exterior polycarbonate translucent panels that possesses over 100 times the impact strength of glass and over 60 times that of acrylic. Made of 40% pre consumer recycled content, its translucency allows day lighting for reduced energy consumption. It is also a cost effective alternative to glass and available in a multitude of finishes. www.3-form.com
www.archclad.com.au
BORAL CONTOUR ROOF TILES A dynamic combination of function and style, Boral’s Contour Roof Tiles are the most practical solution for instant appeal. These are recommended for coastal areas as they are salt-safe and resistant to corrosion. Made of concrete, they are low on maintenance and also provide thermal insulation. The shaped roof tiles measure 345 x 432 x 3 mm and are available in eight shades. www.boral.com
Home Review April 2018
59
Mr. Nikhil Daswani
EQUIPPED WITH A VISION Equipped with a vision, the last two decades have seen Yantra windows act as an important fiddle in tuning the architectural realm. Nikhil Daswani, Associate Director, shares his views on the industry and on the road ahead. How has Yantra adapted in meeting the modern demands of architecture and design? Having been in this industry for more than two decades, we’ve seen trends changing quite often. Off late, with globalization and ease of accessibility to international trends, modern architecture has become pretty demanding. To gear up to this demand, we have switched to providing custom made solutions for our clients keeping Yantra standards intact. We’ve seen the demand for sleeker profiles, massive heighted glasses and high performance door & window systems on the rise. Our systems now have more glass & less of aluminum profiles to improvise on the aesthetics. One of our latest sourced systems from Italy, Es Zeroframe, is an answer to these modern demands. With green technologies attaining importance in the construction industry, is there any measure that you have adopted? The core or base element in our systems is aluminum, a completely recyclable metal. Any wastage or scrap material goes back into making newer systems, hence making us an environmentally friendly business. On the glass front, we’ve switched to high performance, low emission glasses that lessen the passage of UV rays into the
60 Home HomeReview ReviewDecember April 2018 2016
insides of a building, keeping it cooler and hence lessening the usage of air conditioners. Electro-chromic windows are fast gathering momentum. How well do you think they will take to the Indian markets? Electro-chromic windows are the next big thing and its being rapidly picked up in the international market over the last few years. We’ve been eyeing it and have pitched it to multiple clients back here in India. Although it isn’t finding many buyers yet, we feel that they will become our most popular offering eventually. We have already modified our window systems to be compatible with electro-chromic glasses to address the demand when it comes. What are your views on curtain wall systems? The best curtain wall systems are those that have been designed and tested to withstand wind loads, pressure of water during monsoons, etc. because they basically serve as glass walls. It’s one of the most used systems in India because of its easy adaptability at different price points. For few projetcs, we’ve used high-end facades that are unique designs designed specifically for the client. Could you tell us more about your products that cater to glass roofs? Technology in hardware fittings like motorized glass roofs are currently at its peak with many new innovations surfacing by most international hardware companies. Some new products that cater to glass roofs that we are bringing into India are ClearSky, SolarGlide and Evolution Free Standing. For glass roofs, we work with our group company Mccoy Architecture who specializes in the same. Can you tell us more about your latest product launched in the market? We’ve recently soft-launched Lift and Slide Windows and Doors in the Mumbai market and have got a tremendous response. How do you think the windows industry has evolved over the years? Today with globalization, we’ve seen a lot of international players moving to India seeing the immense potential we offer as a country to any business. This has educated customers with higher disposable income. With EU standard quality products now being manufactured in India, the adaption to imported products has seen a steep growth.
HomeHome Review Review December April 2018 2016
61
Mr. Saket Jain
Fenesta: Pioneering Excellence Fenesta has firmly established itself as India’s no. 1 windows and doors brand, with presence in more than 200 cities across the country. Fenesta specializes in design, manufacture, installation and service of precision-engineered, 100% customised UPVC windows and doors. The Inside Track in conversation with Mr. Saket Jain, Business Head, Fenesta enlightened us with his valuable insight into the brand’s innovative strategies and its future plans. What was the genesis of Fenesta? The project commenced in 2003. It was found that internationally - particularly in the UK, US and Europe - PVC windows were the largest segment, holding close to 50% market share. Fenesta uses a new-age material-UPVC for its profiles which offers several advantages over wooden and regular aluminium profiles. The Designer & Premium Doors, Lift and Slide, Slide and Fold, Villa Series, Retrofitted bug screen, Georgian bars, and Internal Doors are some of the latest products introduced in the market. Fenesta has also introduced two new innovations to face the difficult challenges a severe monsoon can throw: Hurricane Bar that withstands winds up to 245 kilometres per hour and a Rain Track that prevents the ingress of rainwater. What according to you is the best material for windows? How does Fenesta build on this? Wood & Aluminium have been the predominant materials which are now giving way to UPVC or Un-plasticised Polyvinyl
62 Home Review April December 2018 2016
Chloride frames - a new age material. Earlier, buildings were not constructed keeping in mind expansion in the size of doors and windows in summers, erosion during the monsoons, and exposure to UV radiation and aesthetics. UPVC windows have changed all that. Also, UPVC is low maintenance, aesthetically attractive and energy efficient. Fenesta pioneered the introduction of UPVC profiles in the country and is today India’s largest UPVC windows solutions provider specializing in the design, manufacture, installation and service of precision-engineered made-to-order UPVC window and door systems. With the world moving towards environmental consciousness what steps have you taken towards sustainability? 1. Improving quality of life and adding value to society through UPVC products and innovations. 2. Introducing new practices that protect the integrity and diversity of the environment. What kind of windows and doors are consumers opting for in India? As more young home owners are buying property they tend to prefer colours and trends which are different from the traditional. Therefore usage of more colours and different colours like champagne gold, silver brush are gaining popularity. How is Fenesta planning to add value to the market of the future? Fenesta has embarked on a new journey with aggressive plan for an accelerated growth in the coming years. Having established ourselves in retail and project business, we are now setting our footprints in the government sector as well. Fenesta is a brand deeply committed to quality & service, which makes us different from other players in the market. We provide an end to end solution to all the customers. The company’s professional approach can be seen right from the time a client selects the design through the various stages - site survey, fabrication, delivery, installation and, if need arises, service. For Fenesta, every customer is important, be it a home owner, institution or an office project. By constantly investing in new products and providing the best service to our customers, we aim to maintain our competitive advantage.
www.fenesta.com
HomeHome Review Review December April 2016 2018
63
ARCHITECTURE OF THE FUTURE With technology inching its way towards architecture, the scope of architectural trends is increasing. Advancements in building technology and access to new materials allow architects to attempt new feats in design and construction.
Trends define a generation, create moods for the industry and determine how the built environment will influence our daily lives. Like any other decorating trend, architectural trends have their ‘moment in the sun’ too. But unlike the former, these can’t be easily changed from one year to the next. Thus a whole new range of architectural trends, backed by a sense of longevity are now being passed on in the favour of design. In the spirit of architecture’s fortune-telling abilities, we’ve put together some of the latest trends that are shaping the windows, roofs and facades of tomorrow. Smart Windows Just Got Cooler! Electro chromatic glass is making smart windows cooler. This glass can selectively block the heat producing component as well as the visible light. The key to it is a framework of nano crystals made of an electrically conducive material, embedded in a glassy material. Both have distinct optical properties that change on being electronically charged.
64 Home Review April 2017
The nano composite is able to block 90% of the near infrared light and 80% of the visible light and in addition to the standard bright and dark modes; it features a ‘cool’ one which helps buildings save energy on hot days.
Gradation Tint Smart Windows A smart glass capable of producing various tints on its surface is a new entrant in the market. For instance, a user would be able to change the shaded area of the window in accordance with the elevation of the sun, enabling them to offer both shade and clear visibility simultaneously.
The darkened surface area can be simply changed by applying a low voltage for different durations. This desired shade can be maintained even after the current is reduced and can be easily reversed when one wants to change the darkened area of the glass surface. Solar panels Get a Face Lift! Solar panels have existed in various forms but the green movement brought outstanding attention to these panels as a roofing option. They were often perceived as bulky and unattractive until sleek and elegant versions were created that sky-rocketed interest. Tesla’s new solar tiles help save energy and cut utility bills. With the variety of looks and finishes available, it’s possible that one has seen many metal roofs and not recognized them due to their ability to hide in plain sight. Biological Concrete The Structural Technology Group has developed and patented a type of biological concrete that supports the natural, accelerated growth of pigmented organisms. Designed for facades of buildings, it offers environmental, thermal and aesthetic advantages over other similar construction solutions. The material improves thermal comfort in buildings and helps to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The group’s goal is to accelerate the natural colonization process of biological organisms so that the surface acquires an attractive appearance in less than a year. Available in ‘Textured Glass Tile’, ‘Slate Glass Tile’, ‘Tuscan Glass Tile’ and ‘Smooth Glass Tile’, each of them are made of quartz glass tiles embedded in solar cells that not only have the energy to power an entire household but also store extra energy in battery units for use as backup energy. Metal - The All-rounder! For a long time metal was considered unappealing and was avoided being used in residential projects but today modern systems are offered in panels or shingles, giving them the zing they lacked. One of the longest lasting roofs, it withstands fire and almost all weather conditions making it one of the most popular roofing solutions.
ETFE - The Architectural Plastic Until recently, the architectural world largely viewed plastic polymers as inferior building materials, handy for wipe-clean kitchen surfaces but not practical for full scale building applications. But with technological innovations they have become a legitimate part of the architect’s palette. ETFE of Ethylene Tetrafluroethylene is a fluorine based plastic. The film expresses a new aesthetic and replaces costlier transparent and translucent materials. Its low friction coefficient also prevents dust and dirt from sticking to it, making it another preferred choice among users and architects alike.
Home Review April 2017
65
The Lohasmith is an attempt to create dĂŠcor that celebrates craft but does so in a way that fits in seamlessly into the evolving lifestyle of the modern Indian. The brand was based on the idea that the modern Indian consumer's tastes have evolved to include a more global viewpoint, and that this had created a clear need for brands like The Lohasmith.
Dawn Wall Art, Cuboid Candle Holders, Plated Pear Candle Holders
66 Home Review April 2018
CRAFTING AESTHETICS Text By Anindita Ganguly
Home Review April 2018
67
Wine Rack - Antique Brass (styled)
The Lohasmith traces its genesis to the time when Meghna and Karun Malik moved into their first home shortly after getting married. Karun had wanted to start something that made high-end decor products designed exclusively for India for some time, and it was this idea that culminated in the birth of the brand in 2016.
68 Home Review April 2018
With Meghna's eye for clean, interesting design and Karun’s obsession with adherence to quality, together they make a formidable team. The product range includes decorative mirrors, wall art, accent furniture, wine & bar racks, table-top decor and garden products. Within these categories, the brand sells a wide variety of decorative accessories including its signature test tube vase, candle holders with custom hand-made candles, scented candles, picture frames, center-piece and fruit bowls and unique table sculptures. According to Meghna, “We design and develop all of our products in-house. We do outsource work to a few experts for certain items where specialized expertise is required, but ensure that we work closely with them to ensure quality of production and a close adherence to our design specifications.
Round Sheet Top Table
All our products are hand-crafted, and we love applying traditional Indian craft techniques in modern ways. For example, our Octo & Classic planters use the age old form of weaving called ‘Bainth’ in a modern shape and application. This work is done for us by a collective of artisans in U.P that has developed this technique over decades”. She further adds, “The designs are inspired by everything we see around us. Some of our designs are created with an aim to reduce the clutter we find goes hand in hand with the hustle and bustle of city living. Often times, we find ourselves inspired by the perfect symmetry exhibited by living things in their natural habitat, but we are also inspired by the need for simple, functional design that helps people live their lives well”.
Twiggy Centerpiece Bowl & Table Sculpture
The Idea behind creating The Lohasmith was to provide unique, hand-made and interesting home décor that is affordably priced but without compromising on quality of design or construction. Meghna and Karun wanted to create a brand that evolves along with the aesthetic of their customer who is increasingly informed everyday of global trends and styling.
Test Tube Vase X12
Home Review April 2018
69
In the words of Karun, “The key thing we want to maintain, whether it’s 5 years from now or twenty years down the line, is the quality of construction and the freshness of our designs. These are elements that are at the very heart of our brand, and we will stay true to them as our brand continues to evolve. We want to make our website well known for high quality , affordable and well designed home décor pieces for people’s homes and offices”. The best selling products from the brand are its movable Test Tube Vase and The Solar Flare Mirror, the Pure Brass Bangle Mirror and the Diamond Brilliant Mirror. It has also recently launched a range of side and accent tables, which have fast become best sellers for their clean and sleek design and exceptional quality of craftsmanship. The Lohasmith is a metal-focused home décor brand that conceptualizes and creates all its designs in-house and strives to bring the customer something unique in terms of material usage, quality of production and most importantly design.
The Lohasmith Phone: +91 9971298698 care@thelohasmith.com www.thelohasmith.com
Henge & Tree Table
70 Home Review April 2018
The mixers of the new Metropol collection from hansgrohe merge geometric precision with distinctive design.
HANSGROHE SHAPES THE FLOW OF WATER
The new hansgrohe Metropol range of mixers makes a striking appearance with their consistent geometric design language. In collaboration with its partner of many years, Phoenix Design, hansgrohe has developed its most comprehensive range of mixers to date. It not only features a choice of three types of handles, but is also the first range to include a floor-standing washbasin mixer.
Striking design is the distinctive and defining feature of the new Metropol mixers. Precise geometric contours, spheres and rectangles blend with expansive surfaces, casting delicate reflections of light. The cubic shape of the base conveys an elegant modernist aesthetic. The handle and spout harmoniously complement each other thanks to their parallel alignment. The basin mixers come in four different tap heights; Metropol 100 basin mixer is available in two versions; with either a 160 or 190 millimetre spout length.With an overall height of about 1200 millimetres, the new floor-standing Metropol basin mixer is not only a visually striking highlight in the bathroom, but can also be easily positioned, making it a flexible complement.For a stylish overall ambience, the comprehensive Metropol range also includes shower and bathtub mixers for exposed or concealed installations. For the Metropol mixers, the designers introduced a new take on the loop handle success story. In addition to mixers with a flat lever handle, hansgrohe offers customers a choice of models with a slender loop handle. A third version is the mixer handle with integrated Select technology. It combines minimalist design with the intuitively easy Select control. The flow of water can be turned on and off at the simple touch of a button. If you have soapy hands, for instance, you can press the button using the back of your hand or your lower arm and your mixer stays dry and clean. The technology is purely mechanical and works by means of a specially designed cartridge. This added convenience requires neither electricity nor additional devices in the base cabinet. Water temperature is selected by turning the handle.   As part of the internationally active Hansgrohe Group, hansgrohe is the premium brand for showers, shower systems, bathroom and kitchen taps, as well as kitchen sinks. With its many award-winning products, hansgrohe shapes the flow of water in the kitchen and the bathroom. Keeping in mind all of human interactions with water, hansgrohe develops ground-breaking solutions that unite extraordinary design, long-lasting quality and intelligent features for maximum ease of use. www.hansgrohe.in Home Review April 2018
71
Standing regally atop a granite hillock encompassed by the undulating Aravallis, Alila Fort Bishangarh rises like a mythical giant.
72 Home Review April 2018
Rajasthan’s Newest Gem Looming over the sparse Bishangarh Village in Jaipur, Alila Fort Bishangarh is perfectly situated - only a three hour drive from Delhi and one hour away from Jaipur. This ancient relic has beautifully morphed from a 230 year old abandoned warrior fort into one of India’s most exotic heritage properties.
Text By Natalie Pedder-Bajaj
Home Review April 2018
73
Many parts of the old structure were restored and still stand like the entrance gate to the fort.
74 Home Review April 2018
Standing regally atop a granite hillock encompassed by the undulating Aravallis, Alila Fort Bishangarh rises like a mythical giant above the village havelis and fields. The seamless amalgamation of a traditional structure with modern culture and design has brought this decrepit royal outpost into the 21st century. This historic monument is a blend of Jaipur Gharana architecture, shaped by both the Mughals and the British. Jaipur based architects, Sthapatya designed the royal residences with much care given to the ecological restoration. The resort still features the fort’s original two-meterthick walls and its battlement turrets and arches, while a completely new structure has been constructed above and outside to accommodate five different styles of royal suites and lavish communal areas. Winding down its circumference, across a small path is the airy tented arrival courtyard, the serene pool and terrace, a juice bar, gym, kids’ club and lush lawns - by far the best place to admire the fort!
The grand arrival tent at the resort has been peppered with furniture to look like a haveli.
A decade ago, seeing the fort in terrible decline, the owners joined forces with Alila to breathe life into this unique boutique resort. What followed was an extraordinary journey of transformation helmed by development consultant Frederic Simon to preserve the original language of its history while enhancing it with facilities and luxuries for the world traveler. Over the duration of its remodelling, the soul of the fort has been passionately brought to life, recreating the opulent flavour of Shahpura’s royalty without overpowering its stark simplicity. Architect Sandeep Khandelwal’s primary tasks were to stabilise and buttress the dilapidated ruins before creating a road to the fort, finding circulation through the building and unravelling the conundrum of this free flowing curved structure that did not have a single 90 degree wall! The azure pool is by far the best place to drink in the surroundings and admire the fort.
Home Review April 2018
75
Fifty-nine unique suites have been carved out conforming to the curvature and gradient of existing turrets.
The facade was restored with a mix of mortar and local stone dust to appear time worn, while 59 unique suites were carved out conforming to the curvature and gradient of the existing turrets. Rooms and even restaurants were scaled to accommodate the former layout, while damaged facets were restored, notable features replicated and found objects re-purposed.
76 Home Review April 2018
All the windows, entrance portals, arches, columns, railings, jaali screens, turrets and walls were made to look like the original. Rather than creating an ornate palace, as might be expected of a Rajasthani estate, the design direction is decidedly spartan, marked by clean uncluttered interiors judiciously woven with traditional elements - Jharokha-style windows, stone Jaali work, brass embossed panels, Tarkashi (the craft of brass wire designs inlaid in wood), hand block printed fabric and wall frescoes with Thikri mirror work. Local marble, granite, carpets, fabrics, artefacts, lighting and furniture all contribute to its authenticity. All the rooms have been handsomely bedecked with enormous bay windows, cozy day-beds, sumptuous linens, large bathrooms with footed tubs, all overlooking picture perfect panoramas. The once princely residences of the fort now house the main restaurant Amarsar, named after the birthplace of the Shekhawat clan. Interior designer, Ritu Khandelwal embraced elements of Jaipur Gharana architecture, married with Rajput and Mughal influences to create the perfect exemplification where Tudor and cusped arches harmoniously dot the premises.
Rajput and Tudor architecture harmoniously blend together at the main restaurant Amarsar.
The walls in Amarsar have been finished with a blend of traditional Surkhi (stone dust) and glittering Araish work (Rajasthani plastering art), while 30,000 sq. ft of the fort has been covered in marble and the rest finished in local sandstone. Turrets, cellars and hidden passages have been amazingly modified into bars, lounges, and dining areas. Nazaara, sits atop the fort walls with unending views of the landscape, while Madhuveni a cigar lounge, housed in a turret, its thick stone openings that once brandished muskets have been kept open to improve air circulation. The Kachhawa Lounge, that was part of a secret escape route now revels in the 4 Cs - champagne, coffee, chai and cakes!
The library, which is housed under scalloped arches displays a map of the ancient kingdom.
Home Review April 2018
77
Spa Alila, carved out in the old dungeon has a relaxing terrace with unparalleled views of the landscape.
The library, arranged between scalloped arches displays a map that depicts the ancient kingdom, while Spa Alila, carved out between granite rocks in the old dungeon is relaxing yet echoes its unforgettable past. Guests can now experience something entirely novel as the fort begins its new legacy‌ a stunning melding of Alila’s hallmark principles; innovative design and luxury set in a one-of-a-kind location! www.alilahotels.com/fortbishangarh
78 Home Review April 2018
sjoero vroonlano
Based on conversations with his products, Dutch designer Sjoerd Vroonland is crafting interesting articles that further the dialogue between design and object, user and use.
Text By Kanupriya Pachisia Photographs Courtesy The Designer Home Review April 2018
79
Design ideas spring from a varied matrix of experience and exploration. Designers often seek to control the experience users have with their product, aiming to polish each interaction and every detail, building upon it to give a positive or even emotional experience to the individual. However, Product Designer, Sjoerd Vroonland’s products are reminiscent of authentic design treasures - reflecting what the object used to be and what it is today.
Extension Chair
From the diverse stock available today, we’ve come to realise that a simple natural feature can influence and shape a design. Sjoerd Vroonland’s designs offer a complete experience to the user, not by controlling the process but by directing and channelling it into their psychological needs from the object. Born in the year 1985, Vroonland realised early on that he wanted to become a furniture maker. He shares, “I was always busy in my father’s garage making things.” After spending six years at the wood and furniture college in Rotterdam, Vroonland wanted to specialise in product design and decided to go to art school. In 2010, he graduated ‘cum laude’ at ArtEZ Academy of Art and Design in Arnhem with his collection, interestingly coined, ‘Revised Crafts’ and launched his own furniture design label, ‘Vroonland’. Picking excerpts from the very engaging conversations Vroonland delivers, we came across exciting encounters like the Saddle Stool, The Rotan Chair, The Extension Chair and The Bead Mirror to name a few. In fact, the strength lies in the rendezvous between materials. In the words of Elena Miller, “Good design is a child of the past as well as of the future.” Vroonland’s adept hands haven’t failed in bringing these words alive.
80 Home Review April 2018
The Saddle Stool
Vroonland’s ‘Extension Chair’ is a dining chair which he has extended into an object, used no longer, to only sit on. Drawing on the manners and customs of how we use a chair, he has transformed it into a coat hanger set. What is intriguing is that technology, craftsmanship, storytelling and the actual physical contact all comes together in this one design. Gracing restaurants like Le Cle in UAE and The Galeries in Sydney, the Extension Chair not only concentrates on its relationship with its user, but also acts as an iconic piece of design that attracts attention. Product design is not just about sketching, drafting and rendering but about creating, planning and designing products that everyone encounters every day. Vroonland shares, “While some furniture is designed to be beautiful, others are to be used endlessly. The Saddle Stool combines both these fundamentals.” Rotan Chair
The more you see it, the more characterful the object becomes. Like the original saddle from Brooks, the Saddle Stool is made from compressed leather. While the flexible material moulds around the body, its ingenious spring system provides optimal comfort. Great design comes from interaction, conflict, argument, competition and debate. Vroonland’s Rotan Chair is perhaps a child of this process. The conceptual rattan chair is the result of a form study in which Vroonland discovered new uses for the traditional technique of (reed) breading. Binding rattan has always been an artistic form, but with its tie-ribs the chair is able to project a raw and energetic experience, playing with the boundaries of technology. In fact, the Zuiderzee Museum has applauded the design by including it in its collection, alongside more traditional techniques.
Home Review April 2018
81
In the words of M. Cobanli, “Great design lives beyond time and function.” Exhibiting a fairy-tale elegance, Vroonland’s Bead Mirror is a fragment of this thought. Resembling a sheer piece of art, the beads wrap themselves gracefully around the peripheries of a round mirror. Hung on the wall, it makes the corner look special as it invites several second looks. Delicate and classy in appeal, its design definitely wins against the test of time! Through research into history and origin, a designer is able to influence the future by giving opportunities to translate the use and perception of a product in a good way. The materials used by Vroonland are uncompromised and the line of work can be clearly seen. Instead of hiding technical detailing, his designs emphasise on the beauty of the structure. From the archetypal saddle to the evergreen mirror, the designer uses the best features of time honoured designs and finds new ways to apply them and it definitely won’t be an exaggeration to say that the result is both pure and poetic. sjoerd@sjoerdvroonland.com www.sjoerdvroonland.com
82 Home Review April 2018
Scribble Rugs for Moooi
Home Review Now on Apple and Android Devices
All you need to do is download the free ‘Magzter app. Apple users can download Magzter from the App Store.’ Android users can download Magzter from Android Market.
Try it out today.
The Hill Crest is a perfect weekend home that breaks away from the cacophonous life of Mumbai and offers a simple laidback setting to unwind.
84 Home Review April 2018
HONESTY AT ITS CREST
The Hill Crest in Khandala, Maharashtra, is a dreamy weekend retreat. It’s a home unlike what you see in an urban context, a home where space is no constraint, nature is an integral part of the experience and time seems to stand still.
Text By Ramya Srinivasan Photographs Courtesy Prashant Bhat Home Review April 2018
85
Built by GA Design for a family of four, The Hill Crest is a perfect weekend home that breaks away from the cacophonous life of Mumbai and offers a simple laidback setting to unwind. Spread over a plot area of 22,000 sq ft, the home is conceptualised as a tropical house with a semi-rustic feel.
86 Home Review April 2018
Rajan Goregaoker, Principal Architect and Director, GA Design, says, “The client wanted this to be a second home, a home that would be the opposite of one in the city. It needed to be different in the spaces, stress and textures normally experienced in city houses.” The enthralling experience of the house begins right at the front porch where fibre screens resembling wood create an amazing light and shadow sensorial experience. The porch leads into a foyer that makes way for the enormous living room. The ground floor comprises of the public spaces that include the living, dining, kitchen, dormitory and games’ rooms along with a guestroom. The master and child bedrooms are tucked away neatly on the first floor to achieve privacy. The architects wanted to create a simplistic plan with a visual transparency that would allow the residents to connect with the surroundings in a seamless way. Hence, spatial planning was done in a way such that it imbues a sense of openness and establishes an association with nature. With the Khandala Valley on one side, the house has the obvious advantage of a brilliant view. Most rooms have been consciously designed to enjoy this view. The double-height living room, located centrally, creates a picture-perfect frame of the stunning vista of the Khandala valley. The passage on the first floor overlooks the living room as well as the lobby with a clear vision of the outside. The master and the child bedrooms, too, face the valley. To allow the clients to soak in the valley view, the huge lawn at the rear end of the house is designed to be minimalistic. “The client was particular about seeing a nice expanse of greenery from the living room, and so we decided to have simple, flat green lawns,” explains Goregaoker. The garden area is visible from every location in the house, which makes one connect instantly with the beautiful natural vegetation all around.
Home Review April 2018
87
All corners of the house are designed with no columns, creating a sense of freedom. “It was a challenge to achieve a plan that was this simple. The client did not want anything that would be confusing for the mind. So, we kept an easy flow with a lot of circulation. Getting that simple plan to function well was definitely a lot of hard work,” shares Goregaoker. Materiality is the other aspect that The Hill Crest proudly demonstrates. The natural materials used lend a textural authenticity to the place but also work in a functional sense to withstand the heavy rains in the valley. Goregaoker says, “The client liked the feel of texture on his feet. So, all the materials in the house have been done accordingly.”
Various stones employed in the rooms of the house have been handpicked to be water resistant and also to provide an exclusive experience in every space.
The painstaking effort to find different stones for different areas in the house, keep these materials rooted to the local context and create something interesting with them is clearly visible. Stones such as Jaisalmer, granite cobbles on the driveway flooring, flamed granite in the pool area and dressed Malad stone on the walls work brilliantly on the exteriors to create distinctive spaces. In the interiors, too, this story of personalisation continues. For example, the dining table is made with a single slab of exotic Brazilian granite. The master bedroom’s backdrop showcases an abstract flower design made of handcrafted and chiselled marble. The built-in bed made of Travertino marble in the child’s bedroom and the textured marble finishes in the form of feature walls in the bathrooms add a unique dimension to the respective spaces. Adapting green principles throughout the project, GA Design has used only sustainable materials that are moisture resistant and fungus proof, aligned to what the location needs. The wood used for the doors and furniture is old recycled wood and the walls are finished in a Bakelite polymer-based texture, eschewing POP. Fancy false ceilings have been avoided to minimise the chances of fungal formation during the rainy season.
GA Design imbibed local craftsmanship by using Rajasthani craftsmen for the master bedroom’s marble backdrop and local experts, adept at stone dressing and fixing, for the exterior Malad stone cladding.
88 Home Review April 2018
Home Review April 2018
89
The luminescent swimming pool at the rear end of the house is the only ornamental addition; the house is otherwise designed with a minimal touch in order to showcase and highlight the beautiful valley view.
The Hill Crest lets nature dictate the planning of spaces and the use of materials. As Goregaoker says, “It’s all about the realisation that every material is actually coming from Mother Earth.� That honest surrender to nature defines this home-away-from-home.
media@gadesign.in
90 Home Review April 2018
The Inside Track Now on Apple and Android
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY* OF The Inside Track and stay connected All you need to do is download the free Magzter app. Apple users can download Magzter from the App Store. Android users can download Magzter from Android Market. Try it out today.
* Limited Period Offer
A Step Ahead With Maison&Objet 2018 Maison&Objet is an international authority for home decor, interior design, lifestyle, culture and trends that is expressed through its shows, events and digital platform.
A design entity with world renowned prowess in its field was back for its January ‘18 edition and this time it wowed us even more with its ever so audacious and inspirational “Show-room” theme, a concept that emerged as a result of the analytical work carried out by a team of consultants into a variety of societal, industry and marketing topics. This concept was further discussed in light of the broader context of lifestyle trends. Just like every new edition; they have upgraded the on-site experience by bringing innovative concepts and practical solutions to visiting and discovering the show. The “press speed dating sessions” were an interesting take on networking with representatives of some of the most illustrative brands of the fair. For this edition they proposed three themes: French know-how, New brands and Collaborations with young designers. Stylish and popular, Maison&Objet opened its embrace for five whole passion filled days from 19th - 23rd January 2018 at the Paris Nord Villepint in France, engulfing all design fanatics in its arms. This biannual leading home décor fair is essentially a community that brings you a global interaction among the major players of the industry. This said, dialogue is facilitated by its layout which is a coagulation of eight halls and segregated into two universes; Maison; which explores four segments, namely Craft, Unique & Eclectic, Today and Forever which devotes itself towards providing the very best interior decorations and home solutions organized by style. This section of the show is inspired by a multitude of diverse interiors. Sprawling over six exhibition halls, all the four segments come together in a complementary interplay of familiar or exotic styles of unique products and inspirations.
92 92 Home Home Review Review April April 2018 2018
The other universe, Objet splits up into seven segments, namely home accessories, Home Linen, Home Fragrances, Fashion Accessories, Kids & Family, Smart Gift and Cook & Share. This segment brings together products in all shapes and sizes spread over two halls, shrewdly diversifying the variety of unique objects and of course not forgetting the must-have trendiest offers for the season.
M&O creates a free flowing conversation among the design world family lending exclusivity for the same. Creative and innovative elements are united in a veritable temple of design and luxury lifestyle which reaches out to visitors from all around the world. Furthermore M&O attracts over 90000 visitors comprising of architects and specifiers and 3000 brands out of which a whopping 50% are international. With every new edition, Maison&Objet elects a ‘Designer of the Year’ to felicitate and honour one of the most outstanding achievers in the industrial and interior design trade globally. In January 2018, M&O chose to award this merit to the super talented and well deserving Danish designer, Cecilie Manz. After earning a diploma in object and furniture design from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Cecilie Manz moved to Finland to further her education at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. The very next year, she founded her own studio in the heart of Copenhagen. Even though she needs the vibrant feel of the city to feed her creativity, she is still happy to commute back to her suburban home and garden every evening to reconnect with the elements.
Home Review April 2018 Home Review April 2018
93 93
Dane readily admits that the ceremony for the Crown Prince Couple’s Culture Award she won in 2014, presented to her by the Prince and Princess of Denmark themselves, was certainly one of the highpoints of her career. A career that spans over twenty years as she patiently honed her skills to emerge today as one of the major figures of Scandinavian design. Cecilie Manz represents what is best in the Scandanavian mindset: humility, minimalism and a boundless respect for materials. She will be presenting the fruit of her latest research at M&O next January. Awards are a big part of encouraging people to yield results and M&O does just that. In addition to the designer of the year award, another category called the Rising Talent Awards is held where M&O puts promising young design talents under the spotlight. In partnership with the Italian Trade Agency, pride of place goes to the Italian design scene where six renowned designers nominate six rising talents from Italy. This year the chosen ones are Kensaku Oshiro, Marco Lavit Nicora, Federico Peri, Federica Biaso, Antonio Facco and Guglielmo Poletti. The young talents are nominated by Piero Lissoni, Rosita Missoni, Luca Nichetto, Andrea Branzi, Giulio Cappellini and Rossana Orlandi respectively. With its increasing popularity, M&O also offers bespoke services for the convenience of attendees like free shuttles, cloakroom, concierge, wheelchair loans and exclusive club access for members.
94 Review April 2018 94 Home Home Review April 2018
An all year long digital platform called Maison&Objet More (MOM) is made available where you can live the M&O experience 24/7 and find thousands of products online as well as your favorite exhibitors. With MOM selections, you can follow the latest trends and contacting new exhibitors has never been easier! Maison&Objet is a community that brings you a global experience encompassing the latest products, the brightest creative, indispensable workshops and inspirations, a flux of energy and talent. A true sensorial experience that analyses the emotional, the creative and the commercial aspects of the sectors making up home dĂŠcor, design and lifestyle spilt over 130,000 square meters of stands. Learn from the industry experts, find innovative solutions and meet the players of the game in this gargantuan of a design event in combination with its all year accessible digital platform alongside. Raj Anand Agent for India Maison&Objet Raj Anand & Associates 46/2, Sindhi Society, Chembur, Mumbai 400071 Email: raj@rajanandassociates.com web: www.maison-objet.com Tel: +91-22-25224081 Cell:+91-9833685256
Home Review April 2018 Home Review April 2018
95 95
DESIGN DESTINATION
BUENOS WHERE The city of Buenos Aires is probably the most visited city of South America. The capital of Argentina is a tourist hub, offering plenty to do and see. The mystic concoction of South American flair and European elegance is something that makes this city quite unique and special.
96 Home Review April 2018
AIRES WHEN
WHY
The best time to visit Buenos Aires is in the Fall, that is, from April to June, or in the Spring, from September to December. During this time the mild temperatures, relatively lesser crowds and colourful foliage are all quite enticing. However, Summer which falls in January and February is the peak tourist season.
Buenos Aires is known for its preserved Spanish and Europeanstyle architecture. Due to an influx of immigrants it is a melting pot of culture and this multi-ethinicity reflects in its lively art, theatre and music scene. It is called the city of books, thanks to the deluge of bookstores that thrive here. It’s taste for culinary experimentation adds to its attraction.
Home Review April 2018
97
THEATRICAL DESIGN The Faena Hotel Buenos Aires boasts of a very elaborate design scheme. The dÊcor personifies opulence at its best. Earthy colours dominate the palette. Right from the façade of the grand old building to the lush interiors, warm and earthy colours overpower the entire design. There is a lot of red used in the hotel. Right from the plush carpets to the rooms, the vibrancy is evident. The deep Cabernet-red carpets in the rooms and velvet drapes frame scenic views of the Puerto Madero gardens and the city skyline.
98 Home Review April 2018
Another subtle but highly sophisticated touch lies in the varied accessories. Each item of furniture or furnishing boasts of great artisanal quality. For example, one finds delicate hand embroidered artisanal throws, pure white leather furnishings, elegant silverware, bespoke light fixtures, contemporary artwork by local artists, diverse libraries, antiques and artisanal keepsakes from around the world. Right from the rooms to the grander suites, the principle of luxury and opulence is all pervasive. The lacquered wooden floorings for the rooms and pristine marble for the bathrooms complete the look.
LET THE DRAMA UNFOLD The Teatro ColĂłn, Spanish for Columbus Theatre, is ranked amongst the best Opera houses in the world. The state-of-the-art acoustics add to the entire experience. The current building opened on 25 May 1908, which makes it more than a hundred years old. Before this, there was another theatre by the same name at the same location. It has a rich and prestigious history, having stood the test of time and the brutalities of war. In 2010, it was restored once again to its original glory. The building is a magnificent seven-storey one. It can easily seat 2500 people and there is also standing room for 500 spectators. It is built in the style of other 20th century European theatres. The main area is shaped like a horseshoe. The attractive dome on the ceiling has been painted by Argentine RaĂşl Soldi in 1966. It is important to note that the acoustical prowess is attributed to the very design and construction of the opera. In that sense, it is architectural expertise that aids the fine acoustics. Be it the technicality of using the horseshoe shape or the use and positioning of materials and proportions to aid reflection of sound and the design of the theatre serves a purpose. Home Review April 2018
99
A TRYST WITH HISTORY Argentina is known for its historic cafés, of which Café Tortoni is quite popular. It traces its origins to the year 1858, when it was opened by a French immigrant. The place was frequented by a group of painters, writers, journalists and musicians who formed the Agrupación de Gente de Artes y Letras (Arts and Letters Association), led by Benito Quinquela Martin, using the basement cellar for their meetings. Today, there is a library in the basement where there are poetry readings and jam sessions with jazz orchestras. The antique café continues to host celebrities from around the world. You can see their framed photos around the room. This also serves as great décor as the walls make the space look worthy of a museum. The café is in a Parisian brasserie style of the Belle Époque. There are bright mirrors, sparkling chandeliers and gleaming wood panelling. It still has many of the original furnishings which give it a classic feel.
MUSEUM ON THE STREETS A museum can be alive, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Buenos Aires at the Caminito Street Museum, which is essentially a 100-metre street, considered to be the world’s first outdoor museum for pedestrians. What strikes the visitor first, are the brightly coloured buildings in this replica of a 19th-century Buenos Aires port. The word Caminito is Spanish for “Little Street.” This area reflects rich Italian history as a nod to the many Italian immigrants who came here at the end of the 19th century. Pink, yellow and blue buildings dot the street. The houses on the street are in traditional ‘conventillo boquense’, a type of popular housing in this neighbourhood from the 19th century. Since the town is a port, the materials used for the houses were sourced from the shipyard and painted with the same paint that is used for ships. Both the design and the appearance are bright, lively and artistic, and so is the spirit of this space. One can also see the famous ‘tango’ dance here... something that is as common as walking around!
100 Home Review April 2018
TANGO BRIDGE
The Puente de la Mujer is an example of modern construction. The design inspiration for the bridge is a synthesis of the image of a couple dancing the tango. Translated from Spanish it means Women’s Bridge. The pedestrian bridge is 170 m long and 6.20 m wide. It is divided into two fixed portions which are 25 m and 32.50 m long, and a middle section of 102.5 m that rotates on a white concrete pylon. This allows vessels to pass in less than two minutes.
This central section is supported by a steel ‘needle’ with a concrete core. The ‘needle’ inclined at a 39° angle, anchors suspension cables which support the central span. A computer system at the eastern end of the bridge operates the turning mechanism when required. The bridge basically provides a modern classy example of design in a space that is rooted in traditional architecture. Text By Dhanishta Shah
Home Review April 2018
101
The Birch Ply House is a magnificent attempt to craft a home with a great sense of rootedness and timeless appeal from a material palette that is simple and limited with a studious avoidance of all forms of artifice. Text By Ramya Srinivasan Photographs Courtesy Sameer Tawde
102 Home Review April 2018
BIRCH AND BEAUTIFUL
In its raw, exposed form, birch ply is almost obsessively used for every conceivable element of the home including the doors, window shutters, fixed furniture items, partitions and storage units.
Home Review April 2018
103
When an architect designs a home for himself, excessive eagerness can sometimes lead to profuse opulence with discordant elements struggling to co-exist in awkwardness. However, while designing the Birch Ply House, architect Mahek Lalan, SML Architects, did not fall into any such entrapment. As he set out to design his apartment, he chose to avoid “a surfeit of surface finishings and embellishments.” His minimalistic approach which eliminated any obfuscation in design has resulted in a home with a definite character of its own. Lalan explains, “The Birch Ply House takes a conscious step to form an abode of calm and restraint through an extreme paring down of the palette to a few basic materials.”He cites two reasons for this approach - the first is that the apartment is a small two-bedroom one, measuring a mere 800 sq ft. So, the minimalistic template worked in its favour by making the space appear expansive. The second is an attempt to keep away from adding components that are frame-worthy, but really quite fake. To execute this vision, Lalan used only two key materials in the apartment. The first one, after which the house takes its name, is the birch ply wood. In its raw, exposed form, it is almost obsessively used for every conceivable element of the home from the door and window shutters to the jambs and handles, fixed furniture items, partitions and storage units to screens, table tops, drawers and beds.
Minimalistic and charming, the Birch Ply House in Mumbai, combines a limited material palette of soothing beige birch ply wood and grey concrete floors.
But, why birch ply? “Birch ply with its warm beige colour has a calming effect. Moreover, it’s not heavy on the eyes,” says Lalan. From a durability perspective, the birch ply works well with a sealing coat of clear matte oil. The oil has been applied on high-moisture areas such as the windows and bathrooms. In terms of cost, too, the birch ply is a better alternative to the more expensive teak wood. Lalan explains the Japanese inspiration for his apartment, “Projects in Japan use birch ply and warm colours. In a way, the house is inspired by the Japanese trend of using minimal materials.” It works wonders in the way the house, trimmed of ostentation, looks like a single entity as each element appears to be an extension of its neighbour.
104 Home Review April 2018
Located on the first floor, the apartment allows a generous view to the foliage outside, welcoming the greens to be a part of its charm.
The master bedroom, styled unconventionally with a platform bed, has multiple seating levels, making this an ideal hangout space.
This sense of fluidity also continues in the other material used significantly in the apartment - the grey concrete floor. Used throughout the apartment, it provides an organic flow from one room to another.In both material choices, Lalan has stuck to a matt finish with the ruggedness of the concrete contrasting the soothing beige of the birch.
Home Review April 2018
105
The only other layer in the apartment is the white backdrop of the walls and ceilings. This, again, exudes an understated appearance. Another architectural challenge in this Mumbai apartment was the small area, a factor that manifests in several design choices. For example, Lalan altered the configuration of the house breaking down almost all inner walls, except one. The public spaces - the living, dining and kitchen - have an open design with walls replaced by partition screens (again made of birch ply). The L-shaped fold-and-slide windows in the living room, whose frames get neatly tucked, in a manner of vanishing into the walls, are an excellent example of intelligent space design. Also, in the central utility and storage space, wardrobes substitute walls, playing the latter’s role as a boundary. Even the 6-inch wall thickness area is put to better use with storage! The accessories, too, are in line with the minimalistic theme, yet adding moments of visual diversity. The simple, sleek wireframe chairs in the dining room catch our attention, in particular. “We sourced these chairs as I wanted something that we can look through, something transparent and light on the eyes. They even have a low back-height,” explains Lalan. The hanging light fixtures cast in concrete, the specially sourced vintage toggle light switches against a birch ply board and the monolithic marble wash basin, all produced in-house, exist harmoniously with the palette. While a couple of colourful art pieces stand out, the rugs in the bedrooms stay subdued.
Just like the monolithic marble washbasin that was handcrafted, most of the accessories in the residence were created in-house by Mahek Lalan and his team at SML Architects.
Lalan says, “Overall, we’ve used a light colour scheme with natural colours: grey for the floor, beige for the birch, white for walls and ceilings, and black for other accessories such as the couch, switches and chairs. There are also plants placed in each of the rooms for a bit of green. These are the natural colours we wanted.” A gentle counterpoint to normative trends of residential interior design, the Birch Ply House is proof that innate simplicity will always win over exaggerated pretentiousness. info.smlarchitects@gmail.com
106 Home Review April 2018
GREEN PROJECT
Glass faรงade on the exterior embracing the vertical stacks of cardboards on the inside presents a curious view to any visitor of the showroom.
THE CARDBOARD JUNGLE
The Paper Pavilion is an awardwinning demonstration of how cardboard, an experimental recyclable material, along with piezoelectricity, a fascinating hi-tech electricity-generation technology, can be used to build sustainable design. The project challenges the boundaries of what sustainable design can accomplish with limitless imagination.
Text By Ramya Srinivasan Photographs Larry Teo Courtesy v2com Home Review April 2018
107
The Paper Pavilion is a conceptual green design for a recyclable furniture showroom conceived by student designer Larry Teo of Singapore’s Temasek Polytechnic.
When Larry Teo, a student designer of Singapore’s Temasek Polytechnic, had to design a recyclable furniture showroom concept using a sustainable and unconventional building material for his school project, he decided to use cardboard as the primary ingredient. Inspired by the Frank Gehry Wiggle Chair, that is fashioned out of an everyday item such as cardboard, as well as the works of the Japanese architect, Shigeru Ban, Teo finalised on cardboard as the recyclable material of choice for this furniture store.
The Paper Pavilion emerged as one of the winners of the American Architecture Prize 2017 under the Architectural Design/Small Architecture category.
108 Home Review April 2018
Cardboards, when positioned strategically, render a magical interplay of light and shadows accentuating the beauty of the furniture pieces in display.
Located at Singapore’s Geylang Bahru Industrial Estate - an industrial town rezoned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore for residential and commercial use - the showroom, originally a warehouse has now been conceptualised as an idiosyncratic display space. Teo explains, “I decided to remove the brick wall from outside the warehouse and instead cover the exterior of the building with a glass façade.” The idea was to allow passers-by an unobstructed view of the symbiotic appearance of the glass façade and cardboards.
Cardboard maybe a humble material otherwise, but here the layering creates a magical charm. Teo says, “My main idea was to provide an immersive experience of the beauty of cardboard to anyone who walks into the store. It should slowly grow on them as they walk through the space.” And the Paper Pavilion certainly does that with its vertical superimposition of cardboards on top of each other creating an ascending effect throughout the two-storey building. Teo calls this upward arrangement of cardboards, ‘Paper Trees’. He explains that “it’s a reference to their past existence as real trees.” This resurrects a metaphorical jungle, where trees were cut down for the production of paper resulting in the byproduct of cardboard.
This vertical alignment also exploits the material’s inherently dazzling lighting properties. “When you slice the cardboard into many pieces and stack them together, it creates a raised effect and many tiny holes through which light goes through to cause shadows. Also, when lit from inside it looks like a glowing lantern,” explains Teo. This interplay of light and shadows accentuates the beauty of the furniture pieces in display. Also, the optimised natural filtering of light through the apertures emulates the effect seen in actual jungles, where sunlight that reaches the floor and understory levels is filtered by a multitude of overhanging canopies. By creating a natural framework for illumination, the Paper Pavilion successfully avoids the use of excessive artificial lights with an ingenious energy efficient solution.
Home Review April 2018
109
During the day, the cardboards funnel the light from the top to the inside,thereby avoiding the use of excessive artificial light.
Teo took his inspiration from Frank Gehry’s Wiggle Chair that adapts a simple, sustainable material such as cardboard into a stylish masterpiece.
As another inventive approach towards producing energy, Teo has employed piezoelectricity for anthropogenic energy harvesting, tapping into a natural source to generate electricity. Through this method, the residual energy from visitors to the showroom is converted into power. “I came across this idea during my internship in Tokyo. In Japan, they use piezoelectric boxes in train stations to generate electricity. So, when people step on these boxes, it generates power,� shares Teo. In the Paper Pavilion, he chose to implement this feature by placing receptors on a wall; these receptors react to the sound energy and vibrations of the inhabitants by collecting that energy and transferring it as extra power for the building.
110 Home Review April 2018
For its original ideas in the field of sustainability, the Paper Pavilion has been selected as one of the winners of the American Architecture Prize 2017 under the Architectural Design/Small Architecture category. It was also previously shortlisted in the Top 300 out of 11,000 international entries at the iF Design Awards Germany 2016 in the Interior Architecture Category, on top of several other accolades in Singapore awarded by the IDEA Spatial Design Awards and Singapore Design Award 2015.
Piezoelectric receptors on the wall utilise the sound energy and vibrations of the visitors to create an unorthodox source of electricity for the building.
Teo is currently an architectural intern, planning to pursue higher studies in the field. He credits his passion for architecture to his interest in building Legos and sketching when he was a child. A young designer with an interest in avant-garde concepts related to environmental sustainability, some of his other achievements include the Gensler Singapore Scholarship, Pomeroy Studio Prize, Waldmann Lighting academic award and a double-win at the Spatial Design (SPADE) Awards in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Today, the realm of building sustainable design is being challenged by a younger generation of architects like Teo. For them, it is not about using fancy gadgets; instead the focus is on employing simple, everyday materials that are cost efficient. It is in the use of alternative concepts such as piezoelectricity to recycle waste for additional energy channels. At the Paper Pavilion, all these unconventional ideas come together to create an enthralling presentation of luminous paper trees.
larrytwhis@live.com
Home Review April 2018
111
PAADUKS Jidnyasa, Jothsna and Jay are three very eco-aware individuals responsible for everything that goes right and “not so right” at Paaduks, a footwear firm with a difference. ‘Paaduks’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Paadukas’ which is the name of India’s oldest, most quintessential footwear. ‘Paada’ means foot in Sanskrit and ‘Paaduks’ essentially stands for footwear.
Traditionally made shoes can have a high environmental cost, as they use a lot of virgin materials, which in turn use many resources to grow and manufacture. Often times they are made overseas and imported into the country, which incurs huge travel miles and therefore adds to the already high carbon footprint. While shoes made from recycled materials face the same end of life issues regarding their own recycling, the fact that they were made from discarded material means that they helped at least keep this out of landfills. In addition to this, being made from recycled materials also means that minimum precious resources were used during the growing or manufacturing process.
Text Compiled By Mala Bajaj
112 Home Review April 2018
“It all started in the year 2013,” explains the team. “We stumbled upon an article that discussed the possible reuse of scrap tyres as footwear soles. Excited about this idea, we decided to give it a try. But with no idea as to how to go about making shoes, we went door hopping down the dingy alleys of Thakkar Bappa Colony and other areas around Kurla station in Mumbai, where many cobblers reside and work.
All of the footwear made by Paaduks, is made out of natural fabrics like cotton, jute, and other vegan material. However the novel aspect is that all their soles are made from up-cycled rubber such as discarded tyres, used conveyor belts, old rubber mats and so on. Up-cycling of discarded rubber to make soles does not involve any chemical process. After talking to a few of these cobblers and learning how shoes and sandals are made and after a few trials and errors we managed to get a few pairs of sandals made with soles entirely made out of discarded tyres......and thus began our journey.�
In the footwear created by the brand Paaduks, nowhere does the recycled rubber come in contact with skin, just like the soles of other footwear. Also,over the soles there is enough padding that makes the footwear as comfortable to wear as other conventional shoes and slippers.
Home Review April 2018
113
“Working with the cobblers made us realise the various socio-economic problems that this community is plagued with. It is often exploited by retailers and wholesalers who require the cobblers to invest in the production and then pay them meager amounts for all the hardships; payments are long delayed as well. This spirals the cobbler community into never ending debt cycles.
Hence at that stage, we took a conscious decision to address these issues and make it a priority for our venture,� share the team. Paaduks the firm believes that cobblers are the backbone of their venture. They deserve to be well remunerated for their skills and hard work which clearly goes towards making their products the comfortable stylish footwear they are today.
114 Home Review April 2018
Paaduks pays cobblers a fair price for their efforts in an attempt to stabilise their financial condition and reduce exploitation of this specialised profession. More importantly, they pay them on time as well as invest in their production.
While Paaduks is an attempt to make eco friendly footwear, the business also envisions a prosperous cobbler community and sincerely adheres to guidelines of internationally agreed FAIRTRADE standards. www.paaduks.com
HANDSFREE HYGIENE! Award-winning Touchless WC Flush Plates by Viega.
Founded in 1899 in Germany and in 2005 in India consequently, Viega releases its sleek new range called Visign which impresses with its sophisticated technology and fascinating design. The W.C flush plate has an exclusive looking deep black surface and a discreet touch of grey which needs a simple wave of the hand to actuate full or reduced flushing. Experience perfect hygiene, new technology and an electronically touchless accentuated product, which has a luminescent design for activation, even in the dark.
It covers five essential criteria, which are; 1. An innovative graphic solution 2. Phosphorescent surface print 3. Tried and proven technology inside 4. Tried and proven technology inside 5. Maintaining water quality
Visign has been awarded and recognized internationally for clever combination of technology and design and is among the leading manufacturers of installation technology for sanitary and heating products. www.viega.com
Viega’s Visign flush plates are made from premium materials and designed to meet the highest demands in both appearance and operating comfort. The range is made for modern family bathrooms as well as semi-public places. It embodies high level of user convenience and reliable quality. The touch-free activation feature of the plates has no raised button, making them unobtrusive.
Home Review April 2018
115
“While the lower story planting of shrubs is real, all the ones that are not accessible are artificial. The idea was to amalgamate both well to create a holistic look.�
116 Home Review April 2018
Landscapes
CROWNING GLORY A terrace where tinted sunbeams bounce dramatically, facilitating a cinematic celebration with the cultivated landscape design is what Landscape Architect Kalpak Y. Bhave has achieved with the Mirasol terrace, Daman. When spring is in the air, your underutilised real estate atop a building or garage suddenly looks like the best place for a rooftop garden. In fact, roof top terraces can be so much - a venue for a chic soiree, a private sanctuary or even a space for organic farming.
Text By Kanupriya Pachisia Photographs Courtesy Landscape Architect Kalpak Y. Bhave Home Review April 2018
117
By employing a minimal vocabulary of modern forms via vintage tables and modern industrial chairs, Bhave has let the tropical climate and landscape rule.
Landscape Architect Kalpak Y. Bhave had exactly these thoughts in mind and more when he completely transformed a 10,941 sq ft area for Mirasol Terrace, Daman and made it fit to host parties for destination weddings, giving the versatility of roof terraces another new angle. When it comes to design, as long as the roof can bear the load of furniture, human traffic and plantings – the sky is the very limit. It won’t be wrong to say that roof terraces are like stage sets. They’re typically viewed from a single direction. While one can move around freely in a large garden, these spaces are primarily viewed from one direction.
118 Home Review April 2018
As a result the space is viewed in tiers. Talking about this aspect of roof gardens, Bhave shares, “When I visited the terrace, the existing roof bothered me. I decided to divert the focus of the visitor to other attractive landscaped elements.” Thus, he created three separate tiers that would be viewed as the terrace at large, the plantings, the landscaped elements and the roof.
Made more like an industrial shed, the ‘before’ look wasn’t pleasing to the eye at all. “We cut down the height with a number of pergolas,” shared Bhave.
After subsequent discussions with the client, a formal concept of design was adopted. Bhave shares, “I started imagining what all the visitor would see while lunching or chatting with others. Will he see the roof from an angle? If so, how can I block his vision with landscaped elements? Will he touch and see whether the planting is real or not?” The answers to these questions led the design team to create a different place altogether. Talking about the roof, the height of the terrace was pinpointed as the first problem. It was almost two floors and the sides were open. Made more like an industrial shed, it wasn’t pleasing to the eye either. “We cut down the height with a number of pergolas.
The sides were open and we enclosed those with artificial green walls. The ugly columns resting on the floor were covered with GRC grills for ventilation,” shares Bhave. Since the site selected was atop a terrace, the addition of load was a major factor that had to be considered while choosing materials for landscaping. As a result all lightweight materials were selected. Most of the landscaped materials were made out of glass, reinforced concrete and fiberglass. The flowerbeds and plants were also potted in hollow WPC and fiber reinforced plastic pots.
Bhave informs, “To avoid leakages on the terrace, we restricted plantings to pots. While the lower story planting of shrubs is real, all the ones that are not accessible are artificial. The idea was to amalgamate both well to create a complete look.” While the artificial planting on the pergolas adds the pop of colour, the real plant palette revolved around plants that required little sunlight. “The idea was to make the planting look fresh and green all through the year. Hence we avoided real flowering plants and played around instead with the foliage colour, texture and shape of plants to create an ornamental landscape design,” says Bhave.
Home Review April 2018
119
Bhave shares, “We wanted guests to spend more time here than actually required for eating breakfast, lunch or dinner and enjoy the ambience!”
Plants like Dieffenbachia, Aglaonema, Rhapis Palms and Coleus were used to create leafy layers across the terrace. Permanent serving courts were conceptualised in order to render an organised look and aid in the convenience of serving. The serving counters positioned at the opposite end of the entry make sure that the visitors can take in views of the terrace garden first and not be distracted by the food alone. Bhave shares, “We wanted guests to spend more time here than actually required for eating breakfast, lunch or dinner and enjoy the ambience!”
120 Home Review April 2018
No landscape is ever complete without a source of perfect lighting that illuminates the space and makes it come alive when darkness descends. A dramatic lighting scheme installed definitely adds stars to the outdoor ambience, setting the mood for various ceremonies. GRC grills were also used as partitions in order to generate a sense of privacy between groups. These also helped in making the ambience more cosy and intimate.
By employing a minimal vocabulary of modern forms by opting for vintage tables and modern industrial chairs, Bhave has let the tropical climate and landscape become the focus. With a landscape architecture that celebrates the tropical environment, the Mirasol Terrace is a reflection of the concept that drove its existence. Truly crafted incorporating every key requirement for a destination wedding address, the space experiments with nature and it is through nature that it makes an original statement.
www.kalpakybhave.com
Permanent serving courts were conceptualised in order to render an organised look and aid in the convenience of serving.
Home Review April 2018
121
122 Home Review April 2018
Retail Therapy
Humble No More Wicker, which is now well proven to be humble no more, lies at the heart of the story of Cane Boutique. It all started in 1992, when Ritu Todi began designing wicker accessories from a small garage in Bengaluru. Text By Dhanishta Shah Photographs Courtesy Anand Jaju
Home Review April 2018
123
They specialize on customizing furniture using wood, wicker, metal, fabric & resin.
Cane Boutique is one of the well-known brands that manufacture bespoke furniture. However, its genesis lay in simple wicker products (hence the name). Founders Ritu and Vineet Todi have brought forward the brand a great deal. Born in a small garage, Cane Boutique is now proudly hosted across 10,000 sq ft over six floors in a building. While it started off with simple wicker pieces, Cane Boutique today, boasts of a wide range of furniture and home décor.
124 Home Review April 2018
“All the pieces are created in-house at our factory by almost 300 skilled craftsmen using state-of-the-art technology. We specialise in customising furniture using wood, wicker, metal, leather, fabric, resin and so on. We also source artefacts and panels from South East Asia, Egypt and Spain,” explains Ritu Todi, owner and designer. As soon as one sees the store from the outside, one is seized with an urge to step in. The reason? An interesting display that has everything to do with ants! “The entrance of the store has these ants made by a local NGO, look like they are climbing up the building! This sight is complimented by a high gloss SS door border and Swarovski handles,” says Todi. Talk about first impressions! But yes, once the visitor is in, there is a massive wonderland that awaits him/her.
With the luxury of having an enormous exhibition area, spread over six floors, the owners have segregated displays in an organised and organic way, such that a visitor to the store does not get overwhelmed, and at the same time has the luxury to comfortably browse a rich variety of products. The ground and the first floor house all the contemporary pieces of furniture made using different materials one of which is rich velvet fabric. The varied range consists of log furniture, accent chairs, and paneled dining tables and so on. The second floor has Chesterfield plush sofas in leather and more English designs.
All pieces are created in-house by almost 300 skilled craftsmen.
The second floor has Chesterfield plush sofas and more English designs all on a wooden floor to complement the said look.
The third floor has an unfinished concrete floor which houses industrial pieces, metal panels and distressed wood accent pieces etc. The outdoor terrace area has all the outdoor furniture, including swings, wooden doors and loungers while the basement has all the natural wicker furniture, sofas, dining tables, and chaise lounges.
exposed concrete and the basement has rustic tiles which match with the wicker furniture and help create an earthy look,” explains Todi. Several carpets spread all over, instantly add an element of interest, and certain homely warmth to the area. These were sourced by the couple on their various travels.
The owners have used a combination of flooring styles for each of these areas. “We try to display the several different types of furniture with the correspondingly appropriate floor. The ground and first floor have marble floors with semi-precious stone streaks, the second has a wooden floor, the third has
Not only the floors, but also every wall has something different to show. For example, a rich velvet wall texture compliments a green wall. The stairway walls don an exposed concrete display niche with unique inlay panels with coconut and walnut shells and mother of pearl. The store also has a water body, which along with the copious natural light heightens the décor.
While it is true that the space has many design elements, it does not prove to be overpowering for the customer, since these are displayed in a way one would normally do so at home. “70% of the pieces displayed in the store belong to clients and are made on order for them; in this way things keep moving out and newer ones keep coming in everyday! That’s our USP, we believe in making several designs, using many different materials,” states Todi. Well, versatility is definitely the name of the game in this ‘wicker story’! www.caneboutique.com
Home Review April 2018
125
Design House 29, Mumbai With an idealistic approach to make luxurious and beautiful designs affordable, Bhumi design + studio has developed an apartment in ‘Lodha Priva’, in Mumbai, India. The combination of Pinewood with neutral colours used in the interiors provides a calming overall look. A messy space can never harbour positive energy; hence efficient space management is the key to creating this ambience. With the help of multifunctional furniture, they have created an alluring living space. The center table is designed in a way that it tucks inside the side table when not in use becoming non-obstructive. The worship room is separated from the living room with the help of a ‘movable divider’, which dually acts as a library unit. The client being an avid traveller has his walls clad with frames of maps across the globe also acting as wall art. With a view of providing maximum storage and keeping it elegant at the same time, a ‘podium bed’ has been created in the bedroom. The apartment has been designed in a synchronized manner by incorporating pastels colours, pinewood furniture and Industrial lights. hrishikesh@bhumidesign.co.in www.bhumidesign.co.in/projects
Text By Avani Patwardhan
126 Home Review April 2018
Intelligent design need not be restricted to mammoth-sized spaces. Sometimes, even a small idea can lead to stunningly brilliant interior themes.
Mixology Design Mixology spotlights innovative design in various domains such as showrooms, bars, clinics, spas and much more.
Radio Bar, Mumbai With a 1900’s vibe to it, Radio Bar, designed by Minnie Bhatt reflects the approach of having eclectic interiors that speak of audio, music, news, and chatter. Through the interiors she reminds us of the once very popular radio as an important medium of mass communication, and has mainly used objects that relate accordingly. To bring an uber chic element to the design, horn speakers have been converted to planters, mikes to pendant lights and the bar counter has been made with vintage style wooden speaker boxes. The depiction of the radio on the facade wall, the seating swings and the hanging lights made of old audio cassettes add a twist to the overall aesthetic of the space. The indoor area has black and white cement tiles, indicating keys of a piano. The bar front is clad in reclaimed wooden slats and random shelving on the wall above the lounge sofa area resembles an attic filled with keepsakes. The ambience of the basement was created to resemble the space of a residential basement of an upcoming musician, who had jamming sessions here, surrounded by his collection of music memorabilia. admin@minniebhatt.com www.minniebhatt.com
Home Review April 2018
127
SPDA, Mumbai With their core design principle being ‘Less is More’, Shalini Pereira, the founder of SPDA, has cleverly converted two matchbox size areas into their office space. The design was executed within a two week time frame and a stringent budget. Through her design, Shalini has tried to capture her design ideology and reflect it into the space. Leaning away from typical ‘bling’, she has created a contemporary and rather restrained design aesthetic which she refers to as ‘casual elegance’. The space has elements that boost creativity and encourage the team to express themselves, and at the same time not appear over the top. Grey, a contemporary colour has been used as a base hue to emphasize the modern style of design, while small bursts of turquoise and yellow have been added to increase energy. The 14 feet high ceiling creates an interesting volume to the otherwise minimalist space. spda@spda.in www.spda.in
128 Home Review April 2018
THE MARKETPLACE Antica Ceramica Launches Exclusive Tiles Collection
The living room tiles collection presented by Antica Ceramica comes with a trust of finest ceramics material and are artistically designed and customized to blend in sophisticated colors of brown, beige, grey and white which are definite to enhance the look of your living rooms with great value infusing a modish and lively touch. It looks absolutely classy and elegant when laid down as flooring surfaces. These tiles are processed in such a manner that you need not worry about the direction of cut, during installation. According to Rahul Bhugra, Director, Antica Ceramica, “The living room of your abode is a place that holds utmost importance to enjoy the quality family time so, to make a good impression of you and your status, install these tiles in your living room for evoking a lot of wonderful compliments for its look and high sheen finishing touches. Also, these tiles are good enough to be easily installed and maintained adding beauty to the floor of your living room. You can confidently infuse these recently introduced tiles in your living room to experience majestic indoor flooring”. www.anticaceramica.in
VitrA’s Illustrious Metropole Washbasin
VitrA introduces its high tech & trendy bathroom furniture- Metropole.The new line of VitrA is designed to add value to architecture, with allure of elegance & simplicity. This range of elegant and minimal washbasin units is designed by NOA, an award winning design group. The prestigious Metropole series, a high-tech and trendy set of basins, stands out for smart functionality in tastefully restrained forms. A restful and inspiring bathroom décoris enhanced with Metropole washbasins. Metropole series offers a wide range of infinitewashbasins which are made with various dimensions for maximum ease of use.
Metropole washbasin units are compatible with two options:mineral cast and ceramic washbasins.The elegant &pure white color theme of Metropole furniture contributes to its beauty as do the graceful, minimal lines and ample yet elegant storage. Metropole is the epitome of architectural aspirations, futuristic materials and visionary strategies. The concealed mounting allows for visual continuity and easier cleaning. Choose Metropole bathroom furniture that is a blend of sophistication and comfort: art for the bathroom! www.vitra-india.com
Faber Introduces Semi Integrated Dishwasher Elegantly Designed Dishwasher by Faber, saves quite a bit of time and water in any kitchen, as its efficiency means it uses up to much less water than hand washing. The latest generation of Franke dishwashers guaranteClass A+ for low consumption, excellent washing and drying results in a short space of time.
The innovative loading system allows loading of cutlery and small pieces of crockery in a third rack leavingg more room for plates and large pieces of crockery at the bottom of the appliance. www.faberindia.com
It embodies the company philosophy: premium quality raw materials and excellent finished products; ease of use and total safety; reduced water and energy consumption with environmental protection in mind.The bottom rack is accessorised with a handle which makes loading and unloading easier. Tip-up rack can accommodate various sizes of crockery. The upper basket can be positioned ar different height levels.It offers great loading flexibility. This means large saucepans and plates can be arranger on the bottom basket. Home Review April 2018
129
THE MARKETPLACE The Design Collection from Havwoods
Havwoods brings a triple whammy of a line: The Design Collection. An amazing collection of three of its most stunning patterns Herringbone, Chevron and Versailles. Herringbone, Chevron and Versailles are all versatile patterns, lending themselves to an array of climatic conditions and indoor/ outdoor usage options. The Herringbone and Chevron blocks comprise solid, reclaimed and tumbled products and are engineered in a wide range of sizes. Versailles patterns are pre-finished, engineered planks with a thick European oak lamella, a smooth surface and an oiled finish. Mr. Aashish Poojari, Director, Havwoods India, says, “The world over, we have seen Herringbones, Chevrons and Versailles be put to great use, creative as well as practical. From modern offices in the UK to chic boutiques and galleries in Europe to attractive hallways in Australia and restaurants in the US...The Design collection has a classy flooring solution for everyone. It is suits Indian aesthetics and application and it is perfect for the Indian weather. The Design collection has already stirred up a lot of interest in the Interior community and we have started getting lots of requests for previews.” www.havwoods.in
130 Home Review April 2018
Embroidered Bedding Range From D’Decor
The D’Decor Embroidered Bedding range has been curated with an exclusive fabric quality and intricately detailed designs that exemplify elegance and sophistication. Right from comfortable bedsheets and complementing pillow covers to complete bed sets, the collection has the choicest bedroom décor elements that will definitely elevate the ambience of the room. The different products from D’Decor’s Embroidered Bedding Range can also be mixed and matched and layered to create a plush look and feel in the room. An extensive colour palette of over 34 shades to an exquisite thread count, D’Decor’s bedding
collection comes with an exceptionally soft feel that adds a luxurious quality to the bedding range. Commenting on the launch of this elegant new bedding range, Ina Arora, Product Development Head, D’Decor Exports Pvt. Ltd. shares, “Keeping in mind the summer season that is around the corner, we have curated the exclusive embroidered bedding collection that not only provides an excellent option for a summer makeover with its vibrant colours and designs but also allows a freedom of expression and individuality.” www.ddecor.com
Console Table Collection From Rainforest Italy The stunning Console Table from Rainforest Italy can blend seamlessly into your décor. You can use them behind a sofa, or against a wall to add a clean and desired look while creating additional storage space. Rainforest Italy, a noted online furniture studio by Neha Sinha & Subhash Lal, specializes in stunning and durable furniture for the home. This homegrown brand offers elegant furniture for living room, bedroom and dining room and brings elegance and luxury to any distinctive living space. According to Neha & Subhash, PromotersRainforest Italy, “Console tables are not only a beautiful addition to an interior, but they can also provide valuable additional storage. They are one of the most versatile pieces you can buy. They’re great for storage and can double as a server in the dining room or a media cabinet in the family room.
We have a vast selection of wood consoles, from graceful demilunes to grandly scaled console tables. Our collection is crafted from the most exquisite variety of Hard Wood, and top of the line finishes”. www.rainforestitaly.com