SPECIALIST : SITE ART SPACE
vol 15 issue 08
August 2016
DESIGN DESTINATION : CORDOBA
PICTURE THIS : HAGIA SOPHIA
total pages 148
RS 100 HOME-REVIEW.COM
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD BY DESIGN OFFICE SPACE DYNAMIX’S IDYLLIC RETREAT
BLACK MAGIC
NURU KARIM’S FUSION SPACE WITH A TACTILE SKIN
BATHROOM SPLENDOUR check out the LATEST IN SANITARY WARE, bath fittings & wellness
Photo: Cyrus Dalal
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uru Karim and his team at NUDES reinvent a café that moonlights as a yoga studio (or is it the other way around?) with a design sensibility that aims to connect with the inner being. What grabs your gaze at first glance is the sinuous façade of the building that has been treated like human skin. Punctuated into the exoskeleton of the structure are thousands of electrical conduits that work as pores, literally allowing the building to breathe. The insides of the café stay clear of symbolism and imagery with its stark black and white interiors programmed for meditative repose and introspection. The BAD café visually sets itself apart from the commonplace; instead it connects with patrons on a subliminal level leaving plenty of room for self-discovery. Rushda Hakim and Rishita Das of Design Office are a young duo keen on re-imagining spaces. Their ground-up makeover for a city apartment is clever and experimental making use of creative detailing that doesn’t go unnoticed. While the home is largely dominated by a sensibility that is earthy and easy-going they manage to infuse just the right dose of zing to help lift the space and mood. It’s a tough balancing act - something the young team appears to be getting increasingly better at. Ashutosh Wad and Manjunath Hathwar of Space Dynamix conjure a slick contemporary aesthetic that weaves itself through a large bungalow in Ahmedabad. Using a material mix of glass, marble and stone they create complex patterns on the flooring and walls coupled with sculptural pieces that make its presence felt throughout the home. The residence is vibrant and edgy, balanced only by the muted colour tones that help even out the powerful character that the home embodies. Anish Bajaj, Editor anish@marvelinfomedia.com
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emails + feedback What Amazing Trunks!
Advertently Green If your home is built of construction waste and debris, you know the architects have done a commendable job. This is the kind of architecture that India needs and the world needs to see and build more often. Vinu Daniel has created a liveable, breathable home for the family. Hope to see more of this covered in Home Review. By Email Jose Varghese
Bengal Personified
Let us know what you love and hate about this issue. Mail us at letters@marvelinfomedia.com
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The intricacies of Bengali culture have been aptly tailored by Abin Design Studio at 6 Ballygunge Place. Home Review’s effort in bringing such kind of work to the fore asserts its stand as a true design magazine. By Email Paroma Bhattacharya
I could never imagine that the good ol’ trunks had such a novel, out-of-the-box use. What Trunks Company is doing is praiseworthy. This is the kind of innovation that we need to see. By Email Suhas Mehta
Book Sculptor I loved reading about the ‘book surgeon’ Brian Dettmer and his marvellous work. The way he sort of reclaims books and recreates a totally new form out of them is mesmerising. By Email Pallavi Goel
MODERN OFFICE SPECIAL TRAILBLAZING PRODUCTS AND Concepts FOR YOUR OFFICE
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Hagia Sophia is a symbol of Christian and Islamic art and iconography
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Cover Story BAD CafĂŠ in Mumbai, by Nuru Karim is a yoga-soul-food-arts sort of space with a tactile skin and stark black-andwhite interiors
A charming apartment in Mumbai is designed by Design Office to the specifications of its design savvy owners; its quiet calm defies the hustle and bustle of the outside
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August
The North of Portugal in its quintessential earthiness invites you to Monverde - Wine Experience Hotel, the pioneering regional wine hotel of the Vinho Verde route
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Eclectic styles, varied themes, upcoming trends come together in our newly launched segment!
62 Space Dynamix has ensured that the home meant for a joint family in Ahmedabad, is flooded with natural light and breezes
68 73 By Malvika Sainath
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MODERN OFFICE SPECIAL TRAILBLAZING PRODUCTS AND Concepts FOR YOUR OFFICE
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CORDOBA
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A DESIGN DESTINATION
BATHROOM SPLENDOUR Our edition on bathroom design talks about the latest products and trends, equipping you with ideas to plan your remodel
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Page
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New Delhi-based Spaces Architects@ka, have created a fluid and contemporary office space that characterises both the client’s prowess as a builder and real estate developer
Oozing with design, Luna2 Studiotel, is a boutique hotel in Bali whose sensibility endeavours to take you back to the era of the Baby Boomers
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123 GREEN PROJECT For the World Expo 2015 in Milan, Vietnam was represented by Vo Trong Nghia’s concept pavilion inspired by lotus ponds
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august
product
designer
The designer duo at Studio Formafantasma are creating the future by looking to the past
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140 THE MARKETPLACE Mumbai and London-based, Studio Amita Vikrant uses a unique design language that combines the angular perfection of geometry with the organic forms of nature inspired motifs
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Get your hands on the latest products to hit the market
145
Kanupriya Pachisia Interior Design Consultant Kanupriya Pachisia is a practicing interior design consultant in Kolkata since the last seven years. Her philosophy resonates that a room should start a conversation before people start conversing.
Editor & Publisher Anish Bajaj Creative Director Natalie Pedder-Bajaj Features Editor Mala Bajaj Assistant Editor Shweta Salvi Senior Sub Editor Rehana Hussain Contributing Writers Chryselle D’Silva Dias Devyani Jayakar Dhanishta Shah Himali Kothari K Parvathy Menon Kanupriya Pachisia Ramya Srinivasan Shruti Nambiar Designers Asif Shayannawar Darshan Palav Pooja Modak Snigdha Hodarkar
Kunal Bhatia Architect and Photographer Kunal Bhatia is an architect, photographer and travel writer based in Mumbai. He finds inspiration in cities around the world, the people that he meets and fleeting encounters. To experience more of his work visit kunalbhatia.net.
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Editorial & Marketing Mumbai Mr. Rakesh Kini (Head - Marketing) Mr. Ganesh Gurav, Mr. Vivek Jadhav, B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg., Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033 T 022 23736133 / 23736131 / 23743069 E response@marvelinfomedia.com
Nuru Karim Black Magic, Page 24. Nuru Karim is a member of the thriving avant-garde architectural community in India. NUDES is a collaborative design office founded by Nuru Karim, comprising of architects, designers, artists, builders and thinkers operating within the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development. Their projects engage with the complex, layered conditions of the contemporary city.
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 Kolkata Mr. Subrata Mazumder 2, Nabapalli (Bidhanpalli). Kolkata 700084 Tel 033 2410 4296 Mob 9831131395 Telefax 033 2410 7605 Email: subrata22@rediffmail.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 148 pages comprising of a 4 page cover and 144 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. 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. Corrigendum In the On-Site section of the July 2016 issue, the Charles Correa Foundation was cited incorrectly as a non charitable trust. It is a not-for-profit public charitable trust. The error is highly regretted.
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Vo Trong Nghia Architects Bamboo Leads The Way, Page 123. Founded in 2006, Vo Trong Nghia Architects is a leading architectural practice in Vietnam with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. He and his staff work closely on cultural, residential and commercial projects worldwide. Nghia has developed sustainable architectural design not only by experimenting with light, wind and water but also by integrating inexpensive, local materials and traditional skills with contemporary aesthetics and modern methodologies.
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 1 JULY
Having been around for 11 years, Peekaboo Patterns has grown with the loyal patrons and the backing by its main customers - the little children. This new store is an ode to them and thus rings in a new theme, new style and new products.
Steelcase Worklife Centre, Delhi
It spans across an area of 1800 square feet and showcases all the built-in home appliances solutions under the Nagold brand, thereby offering a unique value-proposition of international functionality that has been recreated to suit the distinctive Indian patterns of home living.
Reinforcing its commitment to India, Steelcase, the global leader in office furniture industry and innovative workspace solutions, announced the opening of its new Steelcase WorkLife Centre (WLC) in Delhi. Spanning across 6,682 square feet, Steelcase will provide an extended range of Steelcase and Coalesse products and services. This innovatively designed centre will be the fourth WLC in India, post Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. It displays a series of Steelcase products artistically designed for the Indian work culture. As Delhi is one of the fastest growing cities of India, Steelcase with its unique offerings and global expertise is looking to recognize and meet the needs of the constantly varying work culture and optimize efficacy at workplace. “With the launch of Worklife Centre we aim to leverage our global knowledge through our products, services and expertise which is best suited for Indian workplace environment.” said, Uli Gwinner, President, Steelcase APAC. Mr. Michael Held, Design Director, Steelcase APAC said, “Steelcase recommends that, workplace can be designed as a catalyst for change that will help foster efficiency and creativity of employees, unleash their potential and help organizations amplify employee performance.”
The Nagold range of international built-in home appliances caters to all cooking and cleaning needs amidst an experience of supreme efficiency. The range includes an integrated mix of builtin hobs, ovens (steam, microwave and grill), warming drawers, extraction hoods, refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers, providing a holistic solution and a hassle-free experience.
Launch Of Hafele Nagold Gallery, New Delhi Häfele brings its popular range of Nagold built-in home appliances to the NCR region with the launch of its exclusive retail format Nagold Gallery.
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www.peekaboopatterns.com
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Tisva Unveils Brand Store, Jaipur
Jürgen Wolf, Managing Director, Hafele South Asia, said, “While the Nagold brand has been available in North India till now through our integrated distribution network, we now launch an exclusive retail format by way of ‘the Nagold Gallery’ in Delhi to further strengthen our retail penetration in this part of the country.” www.hafeleindia.com
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Peekaboo Patterns Store Launch, Chennai
www.steelcase.com
21 JULY
For the first time ever, we have introduced readymade furniture from Alex Daisy, clothes from Magic Fairy from Masaba, Plan B, Popsicle, quirky and educational toys from Full of Toys, fashionable jackets by Elegami, non-toxic and eco-friendly mats and sofas by Dwinguler, funky and comfortable rugs from Little Looms and many quirky yet adorable accessories from Britto, The Polka Puppet, Stephen Joseph.
Peekaboo Patterns opened its third store in Chennai and along with it brings a new experience for kids, something more than your run-of-the-mill store. Creating bespoke furniture and furnishings for children - from babies to teens, Peekaboo Patterns has garnered a much talked about reputation. Focusing on the child’s personality and bringing that out in the tailor-made magical spaces that it encompasses is their forte.
Tisva, a premium home decorative lighting brand from Usha International Limited expands its footprint with the opening of its brand store in Jaipur. Located in Gopalpura Bypass, this store is a tribute to the ‘art of illumination’ and brings forth designer lighting for contemporary homes. Speaking on the occasion, Vikas Gandhi, Business Head and VP, Lighting, Tisva said, “We are delighted to open the Tisva Lighting Studio at the historic pink city. Tisva’s range of artfully crafted luminaires is a signature of the latest lighting trends backed by international quality and service standards. Jaipur is one of the top emerging cities in the country with consumers having an aesthetic sense and appeal. This makes Jaipur one of the most favourable cities in Rajasthan for our brand launch.” Every Tisva light is combined with cutting edge technology like tunability (colour control) and intensity control. The wide range of products from Tisva include ambient lighting concepts, LED designer range, chandeliers, table and floor lamps, wall lights, pendants and utility lighting products. www.lightsbytsiva.com
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 4 AUG
Just Exclusive 2016, Mumbai
The iconic French luxury lifestyle brand Nina Ricci launches its bed and bath linen collection exclusively with Surprise Home Linen at Hughes Road, Mumbai. It is the first time Nina Ricci has ventured in the Indian market. Patrons of Nina Ricci can now bring home their elegant collection of bed and bath linen with its new Spring Summer collection. Their Spring Summer 2016 collection opens its doors with a cool atmosphere of classic colours. White and ivory feature prominently and are enhanced by deep shades: Nougat and Terracotta.
Just Exclusive by Archana Trust is a lifestyle exhibition in association with Studio fifty4. Studio fifty4 brings together Italian silverware brand Greggio Argento and German porcelain brand Kahla. It will display a wide range of Italian silver, silver-plated and silver glassplated crockery, cutlery, home decor and office accessories by Greggio Argento and tableware and kitchenware products by Kahla. All proceeds from the event go towards human upliftment and rural development projects in Maharashtra. Greggio Argento, a luxurious Italian silverware brand and Kahla, a modern porcelain brand from Germany offer a variety of beautiful products for the home - personal gifts, wedding gifts, business gifts. Kahla offers a wide range of porcelain kitchenware, tableware and table accessories which define its elegant designs and innovations. The hard porcelain from the brand consists of raw natural materials which are regularly checked for harmful substances by independent institutes and is certified according to highest standards.
11 AUG
Launch Of Nina Ricci At Surprise Home Linen, Mumbai
The major codes, inherited hallmarks of the Nina Ricci brand, have been preserved but modernised. Bed linens feature fine quality Egyptian cotton, fine sateen’s and jaquards. Towels are in plush Egyptian cotton with refined borders weaves and hemstitches.
This NGO is an organization which is ‘of the craftsmen, for the craftsmen and by the craftsmen’. One of the major aims of Paramaparik Karigar is to ensure that the craftsmen’s remuneration is not inter-mediated by middlemen. www.paramparikkarigar.ngo
4MPavilion OCT 2016 TO2016, 18 FEBMelbourne, 2017 Australia
www.surpriselinen.com
19 AUG TO 22 AUG
Paramparik Exhibition, Mumbai Celebrating 20 years, this year’s annual exhibition will showcase the extraordinary creations of 100 craftsmen. Paramparik Karigar is an NGO established by Roshan Kalapesi and Kamaladevi Chattopadhaya. The art and crafts being displayed are ceramics, mat weaving, mithila painting, papier mache, etc. The main objective is to preserve and promote traditional Indian arts, crafts and textiles and to make people aware of the rich heritage of the country. They are keenly aware of the need to keep their craft alive, which is why they constantly experiment with new concepts that appeal to the modern urban consumer while still retaining the essence of traditional art. Paramparik Karigar has been holding exhibitions, auctions, workshops and seminars regularly to pursue their cause.
Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai will be designing the MPavilion 2016. Exploring ideas around handmade architecture and the craft of building at its most basic, bamboo, earth, stone and rope will be used to create a pavilion that is elemental and sensorial. Jain describes this process as ‘Lore’, and his design reflects his ongoing interest in the act of making and cultural and human connectedness. MPavilion 2016 will be 12 metres high, made of bamboo with a roof encased in earth representing the Australian landscape. Adorned by an elaborate tower, it is similar to a ‘tazia’ used in Indian ceremonies. Jain and his team of skilled craftsmen have worked in Mumbai over the past six months, while a team of Australian builders have travelled to Mumbai to take part in Jain’s collaborative approach to design and construction. The MPavilion is an annual architecture commission and design event conceived and created by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. Every year, one new temporary pavilion designed by a leading international architect, is erected in Melbourne’s historic Queen Victoria Gardens. From October through February, the MPavilion becomes a cultural hub and home to a series of talks, workshops, etc. It is then moved to a permanent new home within Melbourne’s CBD. www.mpavilion.org
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BLACK MAGIC 24 Home Review August 2016
BAD Café in Bandra, Mumbai, is a yoga-soul-food-arts sort of space with a tactile skin and stark blackand-white interiors. It is also the most unconventional meeting point of the real and spiritual, both inside and outside.
Names can be highly deceptive. You hear ‘BAD’ Café and your brain hunts about for images of something dark and dingy, a place where conventions stop, a spot where the rule breakers congregate to break bread and bravado. But as it happens, you will be way off the mark. BAD Café sits not facing loud traffic noise, but between quiet lanes accessible by foot or bicycle from the parking zones of Bandra West in Mumbai. “Remotely located from traffic snarls and insulated from typically high levels of air and sound pollution, the project is sheathed in tranquility and peace,” confirms the team. Its aim is not to rupture the air, but to add to its goodness.
Text By Shruti Nambiar Photographs Recall Pictures: Vidhi Maheshwari, Raonak Hathiramani
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In the interiors, light penetrates through the pixel system.
The cafĂŠ is a sophisticate, and a marvel of the best technological and conservation principles of architecture. It is hyper sensitive to textures and retains them in natural glory within its spaces. It wants its guests to breathe easy and get back in touch with the sublime workings of their inner selves. The 3-level building has a stacked form that vertically divides the functions of its spaces to host yoga, culinary, and cultural activities. The latter includes fashion, art, music, and even salon-style cerebral discussions. The structure is topped off by an open-to-sky terrace courtyard.
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Component assembly
The café’s façade has been treated like human skin. Inspired by the many subcutaneous nerve connections and pores, the façade here is grafted with a whopping 25,992 recycled PVC electrical conduits. Black in hue, and placed “with the precision of acupuncture needles”, they look like trance waves emerging from a dark vertical river. The idea is to project the concepts of connection, of union, of being linked and joined to the inside workings of the body and the world, and finding peace in that zone. “Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline; the BAD experience is all of the above and much more. Designed as a tactile, sensory experience the project harbours a range of hybrid activities,” states architect Nuru Karim of NUDES, who led the design team that brought the café to life.
Ground floor plan of BAD Cafe. Home Review August 2016
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The black-and-white interiors are stark, and are lit up predominantly by concealed lighting flowing up and down along naturally-textured white brick walls. The space eschews all need to stack on symbols and totems that declare its intent. There are no Buddha statues or lotus motifs here. The message of the space is clear, and is to be realised in its experience alone. By breaking the conventions of interior design, BAD CafĂŠ urges its guests to apply method and feel to yoga and the food, and not symbolism and show. It is a deep-thinking design manoeuver that succeeds in visually distinguishing the space, while retaining the core idea.
The cafĂŠ extends its commitment to yoga not just
in its interior
philosophy, but also in its
.
exoskeleton 28 Home Review August 2016
This array keeps the insides connected with the outside and apart from being an architectural diagram of the overall message of the café, also becomes a solid energy-saver. The design team from NUDES was aware of the historic setting of the café and believe that the structure is a harmonious addition to its genteel surroundings. “It shares a peaceful co-existence with its neighbours, its presence gradually unveiled as one meanders through the narrow by-lanes of the historical urban fabric,” states Karim.
But, let’s get back to the skin of the building. The cylindrical pipe array is incredibly tactile and too striking to be forgotten easily. It has been affixed into box panels made of aluminum with a CNC finish, and apes the pore-dotted expanse of the human skin beautifully.
Exploded axo program of BAD Cafe. Home Review August 2016
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Section of BAD Cafe.
To sum it up, BAD CafĂŠ has the aura of a mendicant, and the skin of a roughened rodeo biker. Above all the delicate ambition to be a space where yoga, the arts, and soul food could come together and bask in an ethereal glow has been accomplished marvellously. office@nurukarim.com www.nudeoffices.com
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A transparent, 14 metres-high mountain.
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Serpentine Pavilion 2016 by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) BIG’s unzipped wall? Straight out of Minecraft? A cathedral made of boxes? Regardless of the epithets it has garnered, this year’s Serpentine Pavilion has successfully swung the attention back on this annual summer ritual in the heart of London.
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Looking back at the entrance from inside the pavilion.
BIG reportedly followed the concept of creating something that would be “mountainous outside and cavernous inside.”
Nearly a year ago, Bjarke Ingels declared that “architecture should be more like Minecraft” and with the Serpentine Pavilion this year, his eponymous studio BIG has finally been able to realize that quirky vision. While Ingels himself is excellent at promoting his ideas, unlike his former mentor Rem Koolhaas (OMA) he is a man of the people whose plain-speak against ‘boring architecture’ has found mass appeal (and projects!) in recent years while he steadily ascends the echelons of a more skeptical architectural fraternity. It comes as no surprise then that his pavilion this summer pays tribute to its OMA roots in scale and expression. The brief every year for the Serpentine Pavilion in London is to design a 300 sq.m. space that houses a café by day and serves as a forum for learning and entertainment by night. Architects have typically been announced 6 months before the pavilion is meant to open to public allowing them time to develop their design and erect it. The pavilion is open to all and is dismantled at the end of the English summer. There has been an evident upswing in appreciation for the pavilion this year, which comes at a crucial juncture for the Serpentine Galleries especially after two successive years of lukewarm reception for those designed by Spaniards SelgasCano (2015) and the Chilean architect Smiljan Radic (2014).
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The Danish architect Bjarke Ingels’s choice as architect for this year’s pavilion was a rather safe bet for the hyped anticipation the Serpentine Pavilion was likely to generate thereafter. To his credit, Ingels is also among the youngest architects to have been commissioned for the job.
A string of wooden seats draws you in from the entrance emulating the box module of the structure.
2016 also marks a change of guard with Julia Peyton-Jones stepping down as Director of the Serpentine Galleries after having shouldered the responsibility for 25 years. The pavilions were her brainchild and have dotted the same site in Kensington Gardens for 16 years in a row now – with the exception of MVRDV’s proposal in 2004 which ‘failed heroically’ to see the light of day. Peyton-Jones put the Serpentine Pavilions on the global radar by enlisting renowned names such as Toyo Ito, Jean Nouvel, SANAA, Frank Gehry, Ai Weiwei and Peter Zumthor among others to propose and build their designs.
BIG’s design comes across as result of a child having been sensibly indulgent in a candy shop. But having fun with the project has not limited BIG from checking the right boxes: the pavilion frames the Serpentine Gallery’s spire perfectly, offers plenty of seating inside and outside, there is ample room for visitors to sit and walk without having to elbow their way around and it is welcomingly airy especially when compared to last year’s debacle by SelgasCano that required a massive exhaust fan to cool its greenhouse effect induced by the stretched ETFE wrappings. For its choice of material, BIG used modular hollow fibreglass boxes and aluminium extrusions achieving a staggered stacking made possible through the intersection of computational form finding and parametric assembly. An interactive version of the pavilion’s parametric script has also been released to the general public to play with if you are tech-savvy enough to have a pair of Google Cardboard or through a downloadable app for tablets.
BIG’s pavilion for this summer comprises playfully stacked hollow fibreglass boxes.
While virtually the key tectonic element may be the script written for its assembly, in the physical domain, it is the light that shapes this particular pavilion. Even on a typically cloudy London afternoon, the pavilion was lit naturally with light bouncing off the fibreglass boxes providing a beautiful gradient tone to the interior.
Detail of the staggered stacking of boxes to form an undulating profile on both sides.
The pavilion’s cellular structure and orthogonal grid also renders a unique spatial configuration from both the indoors and outdoors. Based on where you view the pavilion from, it transitions from being transparent to sculptural – both welcoming adjectives for an object that is inserted in landscape – elevating the pavilion at once for its breadth of experiential offerings.
Depending on where you view the pavilion from, it changes from transparent to sculptural.
While SANAA, Toyo Ito and Peter Zumthor’s pavilions remain most critically acclaimed, they are also the Serpentine’s most thorough achievements so far. This year’s pavilion succeeds because it takes the idea of play seriously and although it may be lacking in fine details, it stays true to the idea of what a summer pavilion ought to be.
Aftab Jalia Aftab studied architecture at Pune University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He loves graphic novels and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. from Cambridge University.
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Hagia Sophia’s mammoth dome is supported by a series of half-domes and buttresses. The minarets were added when the building was converted into a mosque.
The Wonders of Hagia Sophia TEXT AND PHOTOS BY KUNAL BHATIA kunal@kunalbhatia.net www.kunalbhatia.net With a chequered history that spans across centuries, symbolisms and influences from two major religions and innovative architectural features, the Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest endeavours and most significant creations of mankind. The form of the present structure dates back to 532CE and was commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, with physicist Isidore and mathematician Anthemius as the architects. Within a short period of five years, they created a masterpiece that would remain the largest cathedral on earth for nearly a thousand years.
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Hagia Sophia’s large nave is covered by a central ribbed dome that soars an incredible 180 feet into the air. The dome is carried on four spherical triangular pendentives, which transfer its massive weight from the dome’s circular base to the rectangular structure below. The interiors were lavishly adorned with mosaics, mostly from the 9th to 12th centuries showcasing Christ, the Virgin Mother, saints and emperors. In 1453, with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque on the orders of Sultan Mehmet II. A number of Christian relics such as the altar, bells, and sacrificial vessels were removed while many of the mosaics were covered with plaster.
A mihrab and pulpit were added to the interiors to facilitate worship in the mosque, along with the four minarets that were constructed on the corners of the original structure. Large medallions with Islamic calligraphy and an Imperial Lodge for the sultan to worship from, were further added to the mosque’s interiors in the mid-19th century. When Turkey became a republic in 1935, the founding father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk decreed that the Hagia Sophia be transformed into a museum, thus making it accessible to people from all faiths and cultures. Multiple restorations have been carried subsequently, including uncovering of many of the original mosaics, giving the Hagia Sophia a unique mix of Christian and Islamic art and iconography.
Eight large medallions added to the Hagia Sophia in the 19th century feature calligraphy with names of Allah, Mohammed, the first four caliphs and Mohammed’s two grandchildren.
An architecturally-interesting mosaic that depicts Emperor Constantine on the right, offering the city of Constantinople (the former name of Istanbul); and Emperor Justinian on the left offering the Hagia Sophia to the Virgin Mary who is seated on a throne with Christ in her lap. Home Review August 2016
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On being converted into a mosque in 1453, a mihrab was added to the apse of the Hagia Sophia. It faces the exact direction of Mecca and is thus off-centred with the geometry of the original structure.
The grand central nave of the Hagia Sophia encompasses an impressive volume with a mixture of Christian iconography and Islamic art.
The Deisis Mosaic in the upper gallery of the Hagia Sophia, though severely deteriorated, is admirable for its intricate depiction of human expressions.
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Apart from holy and mythological figures, a number of mosaics also feature geometric patterns and decorations.
Detail of the bronze grills of the Library of Mahmud I, added to the Hagia Sophia in 1739.
On being converted from a church to a mosque, Islamic calligraphy was incorporated into many different parts of the original structure. Home Review August 2016
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The moulded chairs surrounding the glass topped dining table are oriented towards the windows. A ledge for seating runs the length of the walls.
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Far From the Madding Crowd A charming ground floor apartment in Mumbai has been designed by Design Office to the specifications of its design savvy owners; its quiet calm defies the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
It was every property owner’s nightmare. The hardwood flooring running through this apartment was heavily infested with termites. As everyone knows, the only fool proof solution is to rip everything open, treat the infestation and start all over again. With this as a beginning, Rushda Hakim and Rishita Das of Design Office rebuilt everything, literally from the ground up. Located on the ground floor and surrounded by greenery, the ambience that the apartment enjoys is that of a holiday home. With the garden visible from every window, Rushda and Rishita were clear that they wanted the home to reflect the laidback feel of the outdoors.
Text By Devyani Jayakar Photographs Kunal Bhatia Home Review August 2016
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“Moreover, the owners work in the creative fields of graphic art and film making, so they were quite sure of the look they wanted their home to have,” says Rushda. Their aesthetic prescribed a rough sandstone flooring - not an ideal finish for a primary home, Rushda and Rishita are both quick to confess. “We’d be more likely to use it in a farmhouse,” says Rishita. But the warmth and colour which the stone brought to the space compensated for its other inadequacies. “We cut the slabs randomly in different sizes for different areas. Since this stone has a natural colour variation, we were careful to sieve the lot to minimise differences in shade. The floor dominated most of the colour palette in the house and served as the starting point of our design,” says Rushda. All windows are constructed with solid wood and all surfaces polished with linseed oil.
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The living room has a casual and formal zone. The formal seating near the television has an L-shaped couch in a neutral colour, the space is personalised by the collectibles which the couple has accumulated during their travels. Assorted cushions in botanical motifs reinforce the ever present greenery outside. In the informal zone, a leather Barcalounger is casually juxtaposed with one with printed upholstery. “The bar is located in a niche with olive green walls, forming a pocket of visual interest which is emphasised by the rattan shutters of the storage cabinet at the rear,” says Rushda. The couple often entertains in this area facing the garden, truly a luxury in Mumbai. The dining chairs around the glass topped dining table are oriented towards the window, which wraps around a corner of the room, maximising the view. The moulded chairs add an informal vibe to the space.
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The master bedroom has IPS on the walls finished in an olive green colour, in keeping with the idea of being close to nature. “It was possible to use a dark colour like this only because of the windows enveloping the room and the natural light flooding in,” says Rushda. The wardrobe is in polished bison board, with the unfinished surface being retained. The bathroom too has IPS treated walls to complement the predominantly white backdrop.
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Both children study in boarding schools, but have rooms which they can look forward to returning to in the vacations. In the son’s room, the height of the ceiling has been fully exploited by creating a loft above the bathroom, to house the bed. Since this bath didn’t exist earlier, the idea of a second level was a corollary. This fun space has an exposed brick
which declares the comfortable } wall back-to-basics ambience, shorn of gloss.
“The bathroom door was constructed in a sliding barn door fashion, with a window of mottled glass allowing light to filter in,” says Rishita. The daughter’s room has tiled flooring with a vintage feel. “The cheerful blue patterned cement tile is from Bharat Flooring. A delicate custom made wrought iron four poster highlights the height which the apartment enjoys. Juxtaposed with graphic art and flowers, this room is an airy sanctuary,” says Rushda. This en suite bath has rough anti-skid stone finish tiles in a beige colour. The vanity wall is accentuated by a stone highlighter and brass lamps. The Venetian mirror lends a feminine touch to an otherwise earthy space. “We sourced the old nautical elements in the apartment from Chor Bazar, whereas the graphic posters belonged to the client,” says Rishita. Many of the posters stand on ledges, backs of sofas, or even on the floor, rather than being hung formally on the walls. “This is not an ostentatious space,” adds Rushda.
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The master bath has IPS treated walls to complement the predominantly white backdrop.
The Venetian mirror above the washbasin lends a feminine touch to an otherwise earthy space.
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The daughter’s room is tiled in a cheerful blue pattern, with a vintage feel. A delicate custom made wrought iron four poster highlights the height which the apartment enjoys.
The dominating sensibility is earthy, warm, laidback, incorporating elements that reinforce its identity. The balance between simplicity and sophistication calms frazzled nerves and rejuvenates with the ambience of peace and calm. designofficemumbai@gmail.com
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The North of Portugal in its quintessential earthiness invites you to Monverde - Wine Experience Hotel, the pioneering regional wine hotel of the Vinho Verde route, spread across 30 hectares, of which 22 are set aside for production of grapes. It emerged as an extension idea of the Wine Tourism Service of Quinta Da Lixa. Text By Sebanti Chatterjee Photographs Courtesy Monverde - Wine Experience Hotel
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ECOLOGICAL AND FRIENDLY
The environment friendly, olive green faรงade majestically extends its invitation to visitors from far and wide.
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If you are waiting to immerse yourself into a world of tradition, taste and nature, the vineyards found in TelõesAmarante will fascinate you with their incredible grape varieties. Avesso, Touriga Nacional, Vinhão, Arinto and Loureiro are just a few on the list. Moreover, the hotel demonstrates a penchant for both enotourism and eco-tourism.
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The refuge of earthy colours and the olive green façade which effortlessly blends into the landscape was designed and built to be environmentally friendly. The façades are majorly made of granite. Almost 85% of the stone used in the building was retrieved from the old walls and houses on the property.
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Low environmental impact inks have been used both inside and outside, with solar panels placed in a manner to derive maximum renewable energy. The main house which lies stretched behind a façade of pine, schist and Cor-Ten steel has huge glass frames that capture the landscape. The four levels comprise the lobby and reception, a gastronomic space, a hospitable bar, a lovely spa, in addition to conference areas and a winery. It boasts of a spectacularly curved fermentation room with big oak barrels, reminiscent of the signature architectural style of Fernando Coelho and Paulo Lobo. The lobby where a kinetic installation welcomes the guests has metallic cedar leaves carefully engraved with smiling faces; a tribute to the relentless work of the region’s labourers. However, one needs to climb the balcony to catch a glimpse of the 25 foot high sky-lit lobby and witness the details.
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For the irrigation of the vineyards and the gardens, a water reuse system has been built. The ‘ecological wine experience’ is well inscribed into the whole process. This has undeniably been possible due to the genius collaboration of the distinguished architect Fernando Coelho and the designer Paulo Lobo. What they have created is an architectural merge of a rustic old feel and an urbane receptivity. They are the proud winners of awards in the following categories: Great Wine Capitals 2016 and Best of Wine TourismGlobal Winner-Architecture and Landscapes. Monverde assimilates the scenic and the sensory impressions of vineyards within the architecture. It is perhaps a good idea to touch upon the experience of gastronomy and spa. The dining experience curated by Chef Agostihno Martins not only introduces one to the fascinating Portuguese cuisine, but also offers the view of two conspicuous wine cellars on the horizon - a cellaret built into the wall displaying wines from different regions of the country and another one, under the stars, modeled on the monumental vineyards of Quinta da Lixa. To mention a few, Monverde offers sparkling wine, liqueur wine, fortified wine, aguardente, biological, organic and biodynamic varieties.
The Indoor Monverde Spa with its old world magic of vinotherapy has over 20 treatments to energise as well relax your senses.
The Monverde Spa with its old world magic of vinotherapy has over 20 treatments to energise as well as relax your senses. It is up to you to indulge in the indoor facilities, or the outdoor ones interspersed with the ancient knowledge and the feel of the vineyard.
With the sun shining brightly, the visitors are on their way to enjoy the various activities in the vineyard.
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One of those moments that allows you to get lost into a fascinating world based at the cross-section of architecture and nature.
It is a perfect opportunity to get lost into the myriad colours and fragrances; an integral part of a traditional wine production set up. Not to forget the hot baths with citrus and spice aromas! The range is definitely substantial and may be explored alone or with a special someone. Monverde re-affirms that Fernando Coelho and Paulo Lobo are a team that intrigues tourists with their fascinating imaginations while maintaining the ecological undercurrents, time and again. www.monverde.pt
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WINDOW SOLUTIONS BY VEKA Veka’s latest project - Happy Home Jade Ganesha - delivers on style and functionality with its window solutions.
The project involves combination of sliding and openable windows with ‘multipoint locking’ hardware for better security. The window in the living room is a ‘Bay Window’ with huge sliding panels in the middle and openable panels on both sides connected with a ‘Special Corner Coupling’ that ensures complete Sealing even at these corners. All sliding windows are provided with stainless steel fly mesh. VEKA’s multi-chambered uPVC profile system having wall thickness 2.5 to 2.8mm was used for all windows. Windows in kitchen area were provided with special uPVC Louvres for better aesthetics. Sit out area has sliding door with ‘unique low aluminium threshold’ which gives obstacle free access to the area. Laminated glass of 12.14mm (6mm Toughened + 1.14PVB + 5mm Toughened) thickness is used for better safety and performance. www.veka.in
VEKA India has executed and handed over this project in March 2016. Over the last 30 years, Happy Home Group has delivered more than 15 lakh square feet of residential and commercial projects, redefining lives and enriching lifestyles of people. The group has earned the trust and confidence of land owners, societies and flat purchasers by their excellent track record in executing prestigious residential and commercial landmarks which adorn the skyline of Mumbai and its suburbs. Happy Home Jade Ganesha is one of the popular residential developments in the Matunga East, neighbourhood of Mumbai. It is among the ongoing projects of Happy Home Projects. It has lavish yet thoughtfully designed residences. Advertorial
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Design Address Home Store, Kolkata Address Home, an iconic luxury home décor brand, recently launched their first store in Kolkata. Rajat Singhi, Creative Director, Address Home kept the industrial look of the warehouse fairly untouched. Sited in an antique dockyard, the store combines modern industrial chic with old world charm, thus marrying the vintage and the contemporary. The store is spread across 3000 sq. ft. and has an aisle in the centre. The flooring of the store is concrete, while for lighting, warm white LED spot lights on the shelves and track lights on the ceiling have been used. The walls are curved corrugated iron sheets painted in grey while the shelves have beading detail with a white duco finish. The entire length of the store is divided into three sections with a left and right wing, showcasing colour-co-ordinated collections. The left zone showcases the brand’s off white, beige and gold linen collection, leather accessories, fine dining collections, glassware, accent furniture and other décor accessories. On display in the right section are the aqua and white linen collections, yellow and grey linen collection, furniture and décor accessories and a bedroom setting.
Text Compiled By Rehana Hussain
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Intelligent design need not be restricted to mammoth-sized spaces. Sometimes even a small idea can lead to stunning, brilliant themes in the designing of interiors.
Mixology Every month, Design Mixology - our latest entrée in the design arena will spotlight innovative design in various domains such as showrooms, bars, clinics, spas and salons and much more.
Freeflow Traffic Bar, Hyderabad Freeflow Traffic Bar was conceptualised to revive the old Irani bistros and their intimate seating that once flanked the city. A 2000 sq. ft. space spanning the last floor and terrace of a 5-storey building house the bar. Since the clients required an extra mezzanine covering half of the terrace, Space Fiction Studio planned the floor and walls along which the majority of the seating follows, parallel to the breathtaking park views. The traffic inspired semi steam-punk theme was a consequence of the ever changing face of the city. The juxtaposing of roadways gives the place a tremendous vibe. The elements that make up the city’s street scape were intricately woven into the bar’s interiors. Lasrge fire pipes house lights in specially fabricated cages. Painted road signs on metal sheets find home on walls and coasters. A large connection of galvanized iron pipes complete with pressure meters make up the liquor display behind the terrace bar. The same pipes were used to make majority of the furniture. Collaboration with local artists enabled the crafting of graffiti and installations reminiscent of vintage pop culture. www.spacefictionstudio.com
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Royal Enfield stores, Chandigarh & Saket Studio Lotus was brought on board to create a unified retail identity and experience for Royal Enfield in line with their brand positioning based on the idea of ‘Pure Motorcycling’. Resultantly, they envisaged a space where a motorcycling enthusiast would live, work and play - the idea of living in the garage. The RE Saket flagship store was based around a character and how this person would use the space. The art/ installations in the store were made using bike parts - with a bike longitudinally sliced across and assembled and a headlight chandelier over the community table.
Saket store
The experience seamlessly integrates the motorcycle displays, accessory displays, and customer interaction spaces along with art/ installations telling the brand story. The RE Gear store for Royal Enfield at the Elante mall, Chandigarh used a large central elevated metal platform as the key element that holds up a bike as a show stopper with a large table top display of merchandise/ accessories. Backdrop walls tell the story of the brand with artworks such as the exploded bike section and headlight chandelier interspersed with retail display. www.studiolotus.in
Photographs André J Fanthome (Royal Enfield Saket Flagship Store), courtesy Royal Enfield (Royal Enfield Exclusive Gear Store)
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Chandigarh store
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Strong horizontal lines connect the glass boxes of this home, creating an open, airy effect.
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AN IDYLLIC RETREAT
Space Dynamix has ensured that the home meant for a joint family in Ahmedabad, is flooded with natural light and breezes. A slick contemporary aesthetic flowing through the spaces both connects and demarcates them. Why would anyone in Ahmedabad get architects from Mumbai to design their home? With no dearth of architects from the much-respected CEPT in the city, ‘importing’ them would seem much like carrying coals to Newcastle. Ashutosh Wad and Manjunath Hathwar of Space Dynamix have a simple answer to that. “We had designed an office for the clients earlier. As developers, they understood the process of design and were happy with our work,” says Ashutosh. “To minimise the risk of mistakes, our drawings were all made in a 1:1 scale. That compensated for the ‘long distance’ nature of the work,” adds Manjunath. Both the architecture and the design of the interior were undertaken by the duo. Text By Devyani Jayakar Photographs Radhika Pandit
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One wall in the formal living room features a 3D surface, created by putting together faceted stones with geometric precision. Its tactile appearance adds interest to the monochromatic space.
Constructed on a 12,000 sq ft plot, the home comprises a formal living room, family room, five bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, a study and a powder room. It has been designed for a family consisting of two brothers, their mother, a daughterin-law and a granddaughter. Since during the day, only the daughter-in-law and the mother would be at home it necessitated common spaces where they could see each other, talk and stay connected.
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“The formal living room gets a panoramic view of the garden, while at the same time being segregated from the main living spaces, affords privacy. The inward looking layout allows various spaces to talk to each other across both levels, creating an ongoing dialogue,” says Manjunath. Large overhangs provide much needed shade in the extreme heat of Ahmedabad, while the south facade has minimum fenestrations to minimise heat gain. A vital part of the brief was that the garden area had to be maximised. “To further this objective, we placed the structure towards the periphery in an L shape, keeping the rest of the plot vacant. The formal living room extends into this vacant space on one side, thus forming a courtyard that is enclosed on three sides,” says Ashutosh. The adjoining plot was purchased during the course of construction. The central courtyard opening out onto this large garden space, infused a substantial dose of nature’s charm into the design scheme.
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The courtyard functions in the tradition of the best spaces of its kind, by bringing in light, ventilation and facilitating visual connections, as well as providing a meeting place for the family. “In Ahmedabad, being able to invite the breeze in is of vital importance,” says Manjunath. Since natural light effectively washes the interior during the day, artificial lights get switched on only after sunset. At night the house beckons like a beacon, with lights glowing from all the large glass windows. Multiple glass boxes filled with light appear to be connected thinly with horizontal structural members. Only one type of marble and veneer run through the entire house, with only the wallpaper differing in the various rooms, stamping them with its distinguishing touch. “The marble we chose, Grey Aurobico, has a great deal of character, so other elements have been kept more subdued,” says Ashutosh. The colour palette of grey and brown gives a feeling of continuity in the flow of spaces. All the beds have been customised, with the pattern behind the bed, either in leather, wallpaper or stone, serving as an accent.
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The under lit wooden deck outside the family room, backlit wall and geometry of different materials creates a sculpturesque space.
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In all the bedrooms, the wardrobes and baths are one contiguous space. The washbasin is in the closet area, with the WC hidden from view. “The spaces are fluid, so it is difficult to define were one starts and the other ends,” says Ashutosh. “The washbasins have a sculptural presence,” says Manjunath. Glass partitions or automated screens enable the spaces to be connected and each bathroom has a private courtyard outside, providing a refreshing glimpse of greenery. On the upper level, the ducts outside the baths are sky lit and the entire visual experience conspires to create the ambience of a spa. In the daughter’s bedroom, a splash of candy colours in the same abstract geometric pattern as the carpet and the futuristic chairs creates an intense visual experience. Saturated with colour, the irregular shape of the carpet adds to the drama. Laser cut stone murals provide a 3D effect on some walls in the house. The staircase has a glass railing, with no steel support. Marble and wood treads make up the aesthetic.
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“Designed as a sculptural element composed of staggered alternate blocks of Statuario marble and wood, the well of the staircase is capped with an installation of lights, custom fabricated in aluminium,” says Ashutosh. Expansive spaces all over the house accommodate the complex mix of patterns on the flooring and walls, subdued by the monochromatic colour palette. Space Dynamix has competently put together glass, marble and stone to not only create a sophisticated aesthetic in this large home but also establish a spa-like experience in the private spaces.
mail@spacedynamix.com www.spacedynamix.com
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It is not often when one comes across a medium where creativity is driven to thrive, where talent is nurtured and path-breaking ideas are born. This inspiring concept sees the light of the day in one firm with an alternate philosophy of enriching creative souls. Site Art Space, based in Vadodara is an all-inclusive powerhouse which provides a platform for young artists, organises workshops, talks and activities and designs products in-house with local artisans.
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WHERE ARTISTRY DWELLS TEXT BY REHANA HUSSAIN
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Manish Maheshwari is the one who gave momentum to this revolutionary idea and collaborated with artists to display their creations, arranged instructive workshops for designers as well as students and alongside added products to their portfolio which comprises homeembellishment products. While Piyush Maheshwari is involved with the smooth administration of the office.
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With humble beginnings in 1999 as Rachaita Creative Solutions (RCS), the parent company of Site Art Space, Manish was engaged in developing corporate souvenirs and metal wall mounted clocks. Their first architectural project was with the Arrow store where they developed the display stands, shelves, floor-standing clocks and signage. In 2006 they were approached by a Mumbai-based artist for commissioning a few works for his solo show. After the show’s opening, a new stream of clientele started approaching them for the production of their concepts. Manish says, “While we were doing these art installations, majority of them went abroad without them being showcased in India at all. This gave me an idea of having a preview space for the works. A few years later, architect Samira Rathod, while visiting our facility for inspecting a commissioned furniture exhibition suggested that we convert a part of the 20,000 sq ft facility into an art gallery.”
Hoot Hoot Lamp
Noticing Manish’s involvement with the artists, Samira offered to lend her services to revamp the premises without any charges. Retaining the warehouse look for the art gallery, all new extensions were prepared with metal as a structural component and the façade. The other areas were planned as a regenerative space for artists, designers and architects alike. Hence came into existence a reference room (library), studios for artists in transit, a cafe to facilitate culinary mavens, and an outdoor lawn area with an organic vegetables landscape along with the curio store.
Bird of Paradise sculpture
Site Art Space was primarily established to exhibit sculptures and art works which were commissioned at their workshop while also providing artists a space to collaborate and use the space to express their sensitivity in terms of scale. The space was envisioned in a fashion that it facilitates artists’ discussions on their works with the team or the community. The gamut of work exhibited includes installations, paintings, sketches, illustrations and even constructive discussions.
Magnetic Candles
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The curio store is their retail outlet where thought-provoking products designed by Manish and created by local artisans are displayed. It houses an assortment of avant-garde, artistic products ranging from colourful kettles, artistic showpieces, minimalistic lamps to hand-made jewellery created from folding metal sheets.
Lotus Candle
They are fun and aesthetical along with providing great ergonomics and functionality. A product takes anywhere between two days to one and a half month to complete. Manish talks about the idea behind his unconventional products, “Some of the key factors are inspirations from traditionally practised arts and crafts or a certain old world charm to retain traditional values, or use of unconventional materials such as X-ray films.” Their portfolio consists of products primarily made of different types of metal, including brass, copper, stainless steel, etc. Ask him why the orientation towards metal and he says, “Metals are naturally derived, eco-friendly and reusable, besides being rigid and involving varied processes. We have worked on one of the hardest metals out there such as stainless steel and made it look like fabric for a project, where we were asked to make a leather sofa.” Besides metal, he has also worked with wood, glass, stone, acrylic, fabric and leather. Their products are available at e-tailers Handtribe and Mojarto, apart from their own website and the retail store.
Flower Bunch SITE ART SPACE Site No. 779 GIDC Makarpura, Vadodara, Gujarat Phone: +91 9898050280 gidc779@gmail.com www.siteartspace.com
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Ever-evolving Designs
By Malvika Sainath
DESIGNQUEST
I have always been fascinated with products used in everyday life. Understanding the purpose of their existence, the way they work and how they can be improved, sparked my interest in product design. It is the perfect blend of functionality and analytical reasoning combined with art and sculpture that I enjoy. I was on the lookout for a career choice that dealt with such aspects. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in product design and working with the design industry, I realized this was indeed the right fit for me, and I went on to do my Masters in Industrial Design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
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‘Pi’ encourages people to work around the countertop, aiding social interaction and distribution of work, while making the experience joyful. This kitchen is based on the concept that social cooking promotes a healthy food habit.
Some projects are driven by cultural contexts, needs and problems to solve. At other times, projects were driven by different goals, like material exploration, innovation and aesthetics. Adapting to these diverse requirements is essential, and thus has led to an everevolving design process.
‘Pi’ is accessible from both sides and if cooking alone, one can stand within the unit, thus bringing all the utilities within reach. This increases productivity and cuts down time.
Technology, social change and design drive each other. We experience moments together with people who are miles away but also connect with our immediate environment in new ways defined by technology.
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Sharing also happens by virtually cooking with friends and family, or sharing recipes of meals, thus inspiring a collective effort to eat healthy. ‘Pi’ can analyse the quantity of food that you require, assess its nutritional value, and suggest foods to balance one’s diet. It remembers previous meals and can suggest the exercise one would require to burn calories.
Presence ‘Presence’ is a public seating concept that explores the use of thermo chromic touch sensitive glass as a material, as it retains alluring patterns after the bench is used.
Pi ‘Pi’ encourages people to work around the countertop, aiding social interaction and distribution of work, while making the experience joyful.
Being from a varied cultural background has provided me vivid insights into different cultures. Having been exposed to schooling and a semester of studying design outside the country helped me gain a wider perspective.
It can also read out recipes while you cook, suggest healthy dishes to cook based on the ingredients available in one’s kitchen, adjust details based on the number of people one is cooking for, set up a cook-share and centrally control all appliances. The form and structure of ‘Pi’ represents togetherness. The space around the countertop converts into a casual dining area, celebrating the time spent making the meal, and saving space. ‘Presence’ is a public seating concept based on the premise of fleeting human interactions. The person sitting on the bench leaves behind a notion of their presence that lingers for a while and then disappears. People directly impact the environment around them and this dynamic surface adapts to people’s actions. The seating explores the use of thermo chromic touch sensitive glass as a material, as it retains alluring patterns after the bench is used.
Then there was this project done for the high speed trains of the German railways. Here, culture provided a very strong stimulus in defining the outcome. The changing German demographics and its social implications, the needs of the elderly and the basic requirements of hygiene and ease of accessibility shaped the space.
German Railway Interior Culture provided a very strong stimulus in defining the outcome of this project done for high speed trains of the German railways. Air Cooler This evaporative air cooler can be placed against a wall without affecting air intake.
Insulin Delivery Device A device for insulin delivery that uses needle-free technology.
My other design is for a device used for insulin delivery that uses needlefree technology. This makes frequent use by diabetics a relatively comforting thought. There is constant monitoring of the blood glucose level, providing the user with feedback through alarms and reminders when required, helping one have a carefree day. The reading can be discreetly monitored and insulin administered as required.
The universal design of the room adjusts to the variety of users - business people, tourists and regulars, as well as those with special needs. It is easy, intuitive and has a quick learning curve and requires less physical effort and maintenance. The experience is hygienic, requires minimal touch contact and is assistive when required without being intrusive. The conventional air cooler has been redesigned to solve the current issues faced while using the product. This evaporative air cooler can be placed against a wall without affecting air intake. Outlet for the air is from above and can be directed towards any side of the room. The form provides good surface area for better cooling through the panels. The elevated translucent water sump acts as a visual indicator of the water level, while making it easier to drain out the water. malvika.sainath@gmail.com
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VITRA’S DESIGN FORMULA FOR SUCCESS Erdem Akan, Design Director at VitrA for the in house design team has designed the VitrA innovation centre. He shares knowledgeable insight into design, technology and integral aspects of the bathroom industry. How does the innovation centre help VitrA push the boundaries of design? The ability to dream, I think, is a very good asset for a brand. If the company has enough know-how, skills and resources to realize these dreams, than we can talk about added values for the users. Innovation centre is for VitrA a dream realization factory. It is a bi-directional process, where in some cases, the idea is triggered by a new component found by the engineers, or some cases activated by the designer’s dream.
Erdem Akan, Design Director, VitrA.
Can you explain your idea behind the design of VitrA’s innovation centre? What were you hoping to achieve with the layout? The idea was to create a timeless blank page, on which innovations and ideas could be displayed dynamically. Therefore, minimalist and flowing lines are used, not to distract the products. The zones are well-defined such as bathroom settings, new materials zones, process zones and innovation walls, yet they can be re-arranged for up-dates. The result is an adaptable design with a discreet visual volume How important to the future of the VitrA brand globally is the innovation centre?
What’s your impression of design in the bathroom industry as a whole? Forward thinking? Stagnated? Are they sexy enough? Compared to the kitchen industry, may be a good benchmark to bathrooms, by being another specialized task area at home - bathrooms have bigger potentials to develop. I think bathrooms are the last rooms to be evolved and this reality makes the industry exciting and forward thinking. What, if anything, do you think the bathroom industry is missing design-wise? Lighting is very critical element to create moods and atmospheres. The bathroom industry is missing this element, mostly focusing on ceramics, plumbers, water works, etc. When we look from the user perspective, light is so humanistic, whether sunlight, a romantic dimmed light, or a functional spot light to see my face perfectly. And it turns a space into a room.
How often do you have what you feel is a great idea for a design that then has to be altered to fit in with production costs, etc. How do you balance creativity with commercial needs? Every product is a result of a tension between engineering, design and marketing. In some projects, the result is closer to design; in some projects it is closer to marketing etc. This is determined by the nature of the project, in other words by its targets. If the target is defined for volume sale, as designers we shouldn’t insist on high production costs. Research & development is essential to meeting the demands of consumers. But, when times are tough is it really worth the investment? I believe yes. Because the competition is much stronger in tough times, we need R&D more than ever. R&D should be a continuous process. Sure the resources should be allocated with long term planning. With the economy struggling and the market flat at best, how easy is it to come up with a kitchen or bathroom design that’s genuinely innovative? From the evidence of ISH and other trade shows, it looks like many companies are tending to fall back on tried and trusted designs that don’t really push the boundaries. As American Designer Raymond Loewy said in 1951, “A lot of people are open to new things, as long as they look like the old ones.” I think this is still true.
Innovation is the key for VitrA, to compete globally. The users of today are looking for better performance, better look and yet cheaper prices. The products of today are much more complex, multifunctional and contain more materials than just ceramics. To achieve this, production and marketing is not enough. “Design” - in other words visual innovation - and “innovation” - in other words research and development with engineering - are crucial for success. For a sustainable success, you must have a clear strategy and coordinate design and innovation activities accordingly. VitrA innovation centre is therefore main actor for the future.
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Advertorial
People mostly like to look or “like” the innovations on social media, but when it comes to buy they are mostly conservative. The industry is a reflection of this consumer behaviour. Just following the customer needs, however is a big dilemma to be truly innovative. Do you think design innovation and research & development suffer in a recession? Or does it in fact make design more considered? Design is always important thanks to its schizophrenic nature. Design has two polar opposites: One is associated with “luxury”; the other is associated with “function”. I think, in recessions the latter meaning becomes more important. What’s your definition of ‘Good Design’? Do you believe you should be able to get ‘Good Design’ at every budget level? ‘Good Design’ is a design which answers the brief at best. Therefore if the target is to “design” products at a specific price level, the goodness of design can be measured accordingly. We can judge a product’s design only by knowing what is requested, - i.e. the design brief. Mostly products at up segments are asked to be designed by star designers. However, I think design for eco segments is a bigger challenge. As a designer do you disagree that form should follow function in bathroom designs? I do agree; form follows function. But for me functions are not just mechanical; functions are spiritual, functions are emotional. I believe this approach may make bathrooms more poetic. Technology is huge in the bathroom now - how easy is it for retailers to sell that complex technology to consumers?
“Designed technologies” are easy to sell compared to “naked technologies”. Because designed technologies, are humanized, and users can easily understand without reading pages of users manuals. What is the must-have technology at the moment? There has been a focus recently on sustainability and ‘eco-friendly’ design. Do you think it’s necessary? Are consumers really bothered? The retailers we spoke to, say that in their experience, most consumers are only really bothered about the performance of a product and the overall experience…Do you think the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom industries are doing enough to promote ‘eco-friendly’ products? If not, what do you think needs to be done? Speaking about bathrooms, sustainability becomes extra important. Not only at production stage of the products, but especially at user stages. Taking showers, flushing 6 lt, brushing your teeth, requires huge water consumption. As producers we cannot ask the users, to use responsibly. I believe it is the mission of the brands to introduce design which is acceptable,
satisfies customer experiences, yet respectful for the environment. And this is a challenge for design. Considering the over 50s market hold 80% of the nation’s wealth, do you think enough consideration is paid to designing products specifically to appeal to that market? Designers are mostly young, and tough the discipline requires empathy to others, I feel we are designing mostly for ourselves. As VitrA, we pay more attention every day to elderly people and people with special needs. Not only due to its marketing potential, but also our brand vision requires designing for all. Of course there are products out there that fit the criteria for inclusive design, but do you think retailers and manufacturers are doing enough to promote them? Is there anything we, as an industry, can do to change that? Is it about changing consumer perception? Before blaming anyone, as designers there are a lot of steps we have to take. The inclusive designs should look like medical or discriminative. We are working to create performance and comfort products with aesthetic appeals. What are the emerging trends in bathrooms? As a macro trend we can talk about two polar opposites: At one end it’s becoming more and more a spiritual cocooning place. At the other end, it’s becoming a socialization place for families, lovers and friends. These approaches mixed with technological improvements and global interior trends define each year the look of our bathrooms. www.vitra-india.com Home Review August 2016
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Diagonal battens in cedar wood add to the ambience of the reception that is minimal, understated and fluid in decor. Note how the ceiling lines lead our sight towards the inner sanctum well concealed by a green barrier and abstract leatherite forms.
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FLUID EXPRESSIONS New Delhi based Spaces Architects @ka, have created a fluid and contemporary office space that truly characterises both the client’s prowess as a builder and real estate developer. ‘First impressions are lasting’, so goes a famous quote and for the office of Express Builders, a leading real estate development firm, Spaces Architects@ ka has created a contemporary and fluid space that embodies the client company’s versatile expertise. Principal architect Kapil Aggarwal introduces the space as an “office conceptualised in an abstract form that defines each space with its own language of angles and curves.” At first instance itself, the design team surrounds the visitors with fluid lines and abstract shapes, giving a clear picture of the contemporary and prodigious design strokes in the 6000 sq ft interior space. The spatial scale of the entrance reception cum waiting area is highlighted by a minimalistic approach to decor in terms of colours, material palette and patterns.
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Explaining the internal planning, Aggarwal tells us, “Planning has been mainly done with the objective of effective functionality, connectivity and maximum use of available natural light.” Hence, one finds free flowing spaces, white surfaces and glazed external walls and skylights throughout the office interiors. The project brief specified a reception cum waiting space, meeting rooms, cabins, workstations and ancillary rooms. The team zoned them in accordance to their function. Reserving the frontal space for the reception cum waiting space and meeting rooms, the designers used the conference and accounts section as the central common area, whilst keeping the workstations, cabins and ancillary spaces to the rear. Glass features majorly in the interiors and has been cleverly used to filter sunlight in from the peripheral walls to the innermost spaces, while also serving to create a visual connection between the numerous rooms. A combination of teak veneer, white surfaces and travertine stone is used in different blends throughout the spaces; this combination serves to compliment the myriad glazed surfaces perfectly.
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Though the reception and waiting area have no physical divisions, the Spaces Architects@ka team created a spatial difference through varied ceiling heights and patterns. The waiting area is mostly rendered in white, with curved batten lines flowing across a teak veneer background on the ceiling. The team explains, “We highlighted the waiting area with a grand 17 ft tall custom designed chandelier that adds interesting ocular patterns to the space.” The adjoining reception area with its wooden ceiling is highlighted by white curvilinear forms flowing across. In the backdrop of the reception are abstract leatherite shapes with a green area; these act as a visual barricade between the public space and private areas of the office. The central space in the office is occupied by the conference room and is akin to a glass box, designed using MS columns and beams with glazing. The glass roof of the room is topped by a triple height skylight that filters abundant sunlight into the central office space. Highlighting the skylight is a 42 ft green wall which lends tranquil colour to the conference room.
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The architects have used interesting elements and views of the adjoining decor to surround the conference room with sights and sounds that bestow a visual excitement to the otherwise bare glass room. Also occupying the central space in the office are the accounts section and VIP lounge, rendered in the generic theme of white, teak veneer and travertine stone. Abstract and angular shapes for the walls and ceilings of both the spaces are used by the team to highlight an interesting passage walkway.
Overall, the decor does not stick to straight lines and shapes; interesting fluid forms have been created using a simple material and colour palette.
The highlight of the rear area which comprises mostly of private spaces is the MD’s cabin which features glass surfaces and a curved wall. White wooden battens and glass surround a circular space in the cabin that is visible partially from almost everywhere is the office, thus piquing visual interest. Similar interesting forms have been given to other cabins also, in the form of free flowing highlighter walls in teak veneer complimented by abstract shapes in the ceiling. The completed space is a perfect balance of downplayed decor that speaks through its patterns and spatial lines. Effective functionality fused with green elements gives the space a unique appeal that is devoid of any generic corporate office space touch. The Spaces Architects@ka team using ‘fluidity in space’ as the key driver has created an office that speaks of a working style that is contemporary, experimental and flexible. The space not only smartly references the client’s occupation, but also speaks of the designer’s creativity which helped fulfil the project brief using a single understated vocabulary. admin@spacesarchitects-ka.com www.spacesarchitects-ka.com
Ground floor plan.
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Try it out today.
Page 88 Acessorise With Style A whole spectrum of options at your disposal
Page 92 The Complete Picture Luxurious, traditional and contemporary bathrooms
Page 90 Chic Little Bathrooms Clever hacks to maximise space in your bathroom Page 94 What A Clean Affair Various kinds of showers for a refreshing experience
Page 98 The Right Mix! Mixers & faucets: a perfect blend of efficiency and design
Page 96 Let’s Step In... Complete your bathroom with a shower cubicle
Page 100 Magnets Of Detail Modish styles in flushing systems, WCs & basins
BATHROOM
SPLENDOUR
Page 106 The Surface Impression Slip-resistant, eye-catchy surfaces are what matter
Page102 All About A Satisfying Soak Spa-zones to soothe the senses Page 104 The Final Touch! Intricate, spacesaving details to hold your personal paraphernalia
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BATHROOM SPLENDOUR
Bathrooms are often the only place where people regularly have time to themselves. Thus bathroom design should create a refuge of serenity and personal luxury. Today designers have broken all norms when it comes to redoing or designing a bathroom from scratch. With new products flooding the market along with new technologies and innovations, a designer’s job at adding glamour to your bathroom has just become simpler. There are several ways in which the tiniest room in your apartment can be packed with punch. Home Review leads you through an enriching edition on bathroom design that talks about the latest products and trends, equipping you with tips and ideas to plan your remodel. As you check out the latest launches and collections in sanitary ware, surface finishes, bathroom furniture and accessories, do not miss our abstract on the latest trends in accessorising your bath space and tips on how you can maximise the inches without much ado in your personal little space. Today design is more than what meets the eye. Design lies in the smallest and simplest of details. Wash basins and WCs are no longer conventional bowls and buckets but magnets of detailed design that pull your gaze and make sure to hold it. Showers have evolved into cascading waterfalls that lend a spa like experience.
Photo Courtesy: Villeroy & Boch
Technology has also lent itself to configuring light and sound with water - a fusion that relaxes and soothes your tired senses. Surface finishes today have all the gravity to attract your attention. Accessories have created a new market place for themselves as design mingles in to give them a new definition in bathroom design. Today the bathroom has emerged into a personal retreat - an oasis of peace and relaxation with aesthetics and comfort playing the key role. Text By Kanupriya Pachisia Photo Courtesy: Graff
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Personal tastes highlight and distinguish the choice of curios that enliven your bathroom’s dead spaces.
Statement feature tiles like the ones by Bisazza lend a striking look that add charm to your space.
ACCESSORISE WITH STYLE Decking up the bathroom has always been challenging, for how much can you do with the available space? But with various products defining new styles, accessorising your bathroom has become a fun endeavour.
Stools and freestanding clothes hangers from Graff add to the luxury quotient as well as feature as a strong element of design.
Custom art not only accentuates the walls but also facilitates a quick and easy way of dressing up your bathroom.
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While accessorising your kid’s bathroom, a bold take on colours and fixtures will always help you play safe.
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A comprehensive system of accessories that comprise a range of modular fixtures like shelves, handles and bars finished in chrome plated metal, white coloured or mirrored glass also play a great role in embellishing your walls and help leave another simple yet stylish mark. Recycled and sustainable design has continued to gather momentum. While reclaimed sleeper wood makes for a fancy addition as a door handle or a counter top, hemp wallpapers provide another option for a statement wall. Personal tastes highlight and distinguish the choice of curios that enliven your bathroom’s dead spaces. Therefore, it’s probably the most important way to accessorise. Sculptures, magazine stands, wicker baskets, earthy rugs, photo frames and dustbins details such as these lend character and panache to your interiors. While accessorising your kid’s bathroom, a bold take on colours and fixtures will always help you play safe. Funky concrete or wooden shelves shaped out of wishful imagination could be used to hold towels and other requisites. Playful borders and whimsical lights also serve as a good bet to stylize your little one’s abode.
If there’s one room that deserves a little extra luxury, it’s probably the bathroom. While renovating or planning a new bathroom, it’s always easy to overlook the finer details that are not part of the main design feature. However, when these small elements are selected well, they blend seamlessly with the look and feel of the space producing a retreat that has been well curated.
With a whole spectrum of options at your disposal, accessorising your bath is turning out to be a simple task. After all, there’s always room for a ‘little’ more!
There are several choices available when it comes to dressing up your bathroom. Statement feature tiles lend a striking look that add charm to the area. Green walls can add visual interest and colour to a bathroom, thus livening it up. For those who like pockets of greenery tucked in corners, classic designs rendered on floral hues and earthy browns exude freshness, serenity and opulence in their attempt to mimic their real life counterparts. There’s nothing cozier than being wrapped up in a warm towel. Towel rack holders have climbed their way up on the design scale and pose themselves as a sleek accessory on the wall. Custom art not only accentuates the walls but also facilitates a quick and easy way of dressing up your bath sanctuary. A variety of lighting offers practical and decorative advantages, since people are experimenting with a bold mix of lighting now. Thus, lampshades, pendants and soft halogens are turning into indispensable accessories. Bathroom furniture like stools and freestanding clothes hangers add to the luxury quotient as well as feature as a strong element of design that render yet another necessary accessory to your space. Some pieces do great justice in bringing forth inspired craftsmanship and impeccable design. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
A comprehensive system of accessories such as this Axor bathroom accessories collection can leave a simple yet stylish mark.
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Narrow plans can be designed using linear arrangements of dry and wet areas that work to provide a free passage.
Dead spaces behind shower areas or dado walls that rise up to the ceiling are a good choice to carve out storage cabinets.
CHIC LITTLE BATHROOMS Are you looking for some clever hacks to maximise space in your bathroom? Read on to explore some simple and easy techniques that would tie up your place together. Another way to make your space seem large is by not compromising on your ceiling height.
Wall hung furniture renders an illusion of more space as it keeps the floor space beneath free.
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Using split floor levels and a homogenous surface finish helps the place look larger and cleaner.
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While we might dream about bigger bathrooms where we can play around in a double walk-in-shower and a large freestanding bathtub, the reality is that most of us have handkerchief-sized bath spaces to work with. Fear not! There is a wealth of mini fixtures and fittings as well as umpteen clever design tricks that can help maximise your bathroom’s footprint.
Working towards renovating the existing awkward architecture can also help fix space constraints. While sloping roofs can be equipped with skylights that pilfer in daylight making your bathroom bright, narrow plans can be designed using linear arrangements of dry and wet areas that work to provide a free passage. Using large chunks of mirror or adopting an entire mirror wall also helps bring in a perspective of extra space. With small bathrooms you need to use every trick in the design book to have everything that you want and still not make your space look cluttered. Using wall hung WCs, narrow basins that adjust themselves to narrow counters, split floor levels that add space and a homogenous surface finish all help the place look larger and cleaner. Lights play an important role in small bathrooms. Instead of using direct lighting and big fixtures that would hang right above you with their harsh glow, it would be wise to opt for indirect diffused lighting that would gently wash your walls. A smart bathroom utilises every inch of space. After all the best things come in small packages!
White is always a winner in small spaces but that doesn’t mean you have to enforce a colour ban. In fact, playing with shade, colour and contrast will inject personality and style into a space that otherwise might have leaned towards the sterile. Soft pastel hues used in abundance with a touch of bold colour here and there can go a long way in making the place look larger. Another way to make your space seem large is by not compromising on your ceiling height. While fancy false ceiling designs are the norm these days, a simple plain ceiling with grooves, wallpaper or maybe another shade of paint could add character to your ceiling while letting it soar above. The heightened effect would make your walls look taller. Exploiting corners has always been an evergreen tool to bring out more space. Corner shower enclosures are one of the best decorating hacks for small bathrooms that refuse to confirm to standard dimensions. Glass enclosures also help the area look lighter allowing you to perceive an extended space that lies enclosed. Dead spaces tucked behind shower areas or dado walls that rise up to the ceiling are also a good choice to carve out some storage cabinets. Wall hung furniture renders an illusion of more space as it keeps the floor space free which would otherwise seem to encroach upon the little space available. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
Corner shower enclosures are one of the best decorating hacks for small bathrooms that refuse to confirm to standard dimensions.
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THE COMPLETE PICTURE A huge range of styles have evolved and impressed in order to define new collections for today’s bathrooms to delve into. Let’s take a look at ‘the complete picture’ that companies are introducing. GRAFF SENTO COLLECTION Utilizing the latest manufacturing technology, Graff’s commitment towards creating cutting-edge, premium collections is evident in each and every product. Lightness and strength are the key inspirations that created this collection. Its minimal yet sensual design is defined by clean, simple lines that result in a strong visual impact. It offers a wide range of wall and floor mounted options. www.graff-faucets.com
TEUCO NAUHA COLLECTION Nauha meaning “ribbon” in Finnish, expresses all the harmony and balance of shapes focusing on well-being with its romantic charm. It is defined by a recurring theme throughout the entire collection and its soft and sinuous movement is inspired by the synchrony of natural shapes. The acrylic bathtub stands out with the washbasins available in sit-on and wall mounted versions. It is available through FCML India. www.teuco.com www.fcmlindia.com
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PORCELANOSA GROUP VITAE COLLECTION BY ZAHA HADID Vitae appears as an integral bathroom collection as Zaha Hadid Design and Noken come to a revolutionary notion for the bathroom. Fluid lines that evoke water flow and its astounding elements remind us of spectacular designs created by Zaha Hadid. Dynamic in its shapes with an avant-garde personality it derives its name from Vitae – Latin for Life, as water is where all life begins. www.porcelanosa.com www.zaha-hadid.com www.noken.com/vitae
GROHE EUROCOSMO COLLECTION Bathrooms should be comfortable with ceramics that appeal to you. This is what Grohe’s Eurocosmo Collection reinstates through its range of complete bath solutions. It bestows a decidedly cosmopolitan look and feel to the bathroom. Pared down to their essential lines, the ceramic elements echo the design of matching cosmopolitan style faucets and fittings from Grohe. www.grohe.com/in
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WHAT A CLEAN AFFAIR A simple showerhead upgrade can dramatically improve your showering experience. With several styles flooding the market, the only difficulty is figuring out which will suit your needs best.
HANSGROHE RAINMAKER SELECT The Rainmaker Select is a large rain showerhead coupled with high quality glass and ‘Select’ technology developed in partnership with Phoenix Design. It comes with a 46 centimeter spray disc offering up to three spray modes. A single touch allows users to switch spray modes easily, intuitively and without any hassle. The glass used is robust and anti-scratch. www.hansgrohe.in
KOHLER WATERTILE 22 NOZZLE BODYSPRAY In case you want to opt for a contemporary looking shower with impressive and up to date features, then Kohler’s Watertile is the right option for you. With four 22 nozzle sprayheads, Watertile Square Rain overhead showering panels provide luxurious water delivery along with the bodysprays. Its 4 fully adjustable and pivoting square spray heads distribute a relaxing shower of water. www.in.kohler.com
DELTA IN2ITION SHOWERS Delta’s In2ition showers with H2Okinetic technology feature a detachable handshower, which can run separately or simultaneously with the showerhead base, giving you the comfort of water streaming from the showerhead position and the flexibility to accomplish other tasks, such as bathing children and washing pets. When not in use a powerful magnet locks the handshower back in place.
HSIL RAIN SPA SHOWER
www.deltafaucet.co.in
www.hindwarehomes.com
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This technology inspired Rain Spa shower by HSIL is intuitive and intelligent in the way it works. It is made of stainless steel. The sleek three flow shower is a gentle fusion of light and water. The seven coloured LED equipped shower offers chromo therapy. The three types of flow Voluminous Rainfall, Massage Column and Gentle Mist Spray are easily controlled by a diverter.
AXOR LAMPSHOWER BY NENDO Axor impresses its customers with this unique shower designed by Oki Sato called the Lampshower. The concept underlying the Lampshower is the natural fusion of light and water to add a sense of homeliness to the bathroom. This hybrid of light and shower offers a perfect personal spa experience. The elegant Lampshower can be combined with a range of other Axor collections. www.axor-design.com
ARTIZE RAINJOY The Artize Rainjoy overhead showers are the ultimate in water luxury. Combining the latest in material science and hydroflow design, with the best aqua pressure therapy imaginable, these larger than life multifunction showers envelope you with an array of soothing sensations that are inspired by nature’s brilliant rejuvenating ways with water. www.artize.com
ISENBERG HS3050 - SWIVEL SHOWER ARM WITH INTEGRATED ELBOW The swivel shower arm by Isenberg is a unique product because it can be used as a showerhead or a hand-held. It swivels 180 degrees and has an integrated wall elbow. The product is compatible with any hose or hand-held combination - even ones made by other manufacturers. The homeowner can quickly and easily remove the existing showerhead and replace it with this. www.isenberg.in
JAAZ ZION BLACK SHOWER PANEL Like all Jaaz products, Zion also benchmarks its performance based on modern functionality and contemporary design. Its 8 inch rainshower made of ABS plastic tilts angularly in all directions. It is also equipped with a chrome plated, 3-function hand-held with 57 nozzles that offers a relaxing massage and light waterfall. Its 4 round body jets soothe your mind and body. www.jaaz.in
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LET’S STEP IN... Behind glass doors and on level surfaces, the shower has clearly demarcated its own arena in the bathrooms of today. Re-summarizing relaxation let’s see how companies are revamping the heart of the bathroom.
KOHLER MINIMA SERIES This flexible series by Kohler, is reversible for fitting easily with left or right fittings. It comes equipped with soft closing hinges and an 8 mm frameless safety glass door which in turn comes equipped with 10 mm thick safety glass in-line panels. Its handle is available in round, bow and geometric series and it has an optional seat. www.in.kohler.com
NOVELLINI LOUVRE SERIES The leading Italian brand Novellini has partnered with leading Indian brand Cera to launch its products in the Indian market. When you’re looking for a luxury shower enclosure you’re definitely thinking of a Novellini welcome! Highly stable, it comes equipped with recessed and hinged shower doors that comprise of 6 mm thick glass making the doors lighter and easier to handle. www.novellini.com www.cera-india.com
BOFFI PIERO LISSONI COLLECTION Manufactured in tempered glass with sliding door along with profiles and handles in anodized aluminum, available in black or stainless steel, this shower enclosure definitely stands out due to its sleek yet statement making design. Available in peninsula, corner and niche set ups, it can be customized and used along with any shower tray. www.boffi.com
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JAQUAR IARA FRAMELESS SERIES Jaquar’s Frameless Iara Series redefines the wall to wall shower enclosures by lending a clean and crisp look defined solely by glass. Its pivot door made of 8 mm safety glass and supported by chrome fittings separates dry and wet areas and can be customized to optimize bath spaces as per requirements. www.jaquar.com
AMERICAN STANDARD TILE REDI COLLECTION American Standard’s new line of patented Tile Redi, tileable shower base pans can be installed and tiled the very same day to save time, money and practically eliminate all construction delays. The collection offers models in a variety of sizes, drain configurations, finishes and curb options allowing easy customization and redefining dynamism in design. www.americanstandard.in
VILLEROY & BOCH ARCHITECTURA METALRIM SHOWER TRAY This new generation of shower trays features the first use of the Metalrim technology developed by Villeroy & Boch. The galvanized steel reinforcement, integrated into the rim guarantees maximum material stability. The fascinating variety of models and minimalist design allows individual style and installation options for every room. It can also be installed in three different heights. www.villeroy-boch.com
DURAVIT STONETTO SHOWER TRAY The Stonetto Shower Tray creates an entirely new and natural shower sensation. Manufactured entirely in Durasolid which is well known for its matt, scratch resistant and robust surface, its integrated drain is easy to remove and clean. The diligent integrated slope and newly patented drain guarantees perfect appearance of a flat surface and optimizes water draining performance. www.duravit.in
KALDEWEI SCONA SHOWER TRAY With the floor level shower surface Scona, Kaldewei redefines its Ambiente Collection. Made of superior steel enamel using stateof-the-art technology, the shower creates a feel good atmosphere in the bathroom. Its geometric shapes, square radii stand in striking contrast with the round details and slight sloping of the surface. The design flows into the central waste cover seamlessly. www.kaldewei.co.uk www.elaarlifestyle.com
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THE RIGHT MIX! The splashing down of water every time you turn the handle or the tap has only flowed down to engulf like a sonnet in synchrony with the latest mixers on the block today.
ARTIZE TIAARA The Tiaara faucet designed in collaboration with ace product designer Michael Foley brings a combination of functionality with a difference. The concentric rings of the Tiaara faucet originate from the play of echoing ripples of water. The inner ring swings to give access to running water and seamlessly ends when swung back without a drop spilt. www.artize.com
DORNBRACHT TARA LOGIC SERIES Tara Logic takes up the form of the Tara Classic single lever mixer and radically modernizes it. It is narrower, extends upwards and draws itself proudly erect – but still has the same reduced design based on a cylindrical structure. Whether as a shower stem or a freestanding mixer on the tub, Tara Logic looks elegant and well-toned. www.dornbracht.com
KLUDI ZENTA ECO BASIN MIXER Kludi’s Eco flow directors reduce the amount of water used by its mixers without compromising on convenience. Aeration ensures a full flow pattern even though the water flow is actually reduced by up to 40 per cent. Some Kludi single-lever mixers have the EcoPlus function. They deliver cold water in the centre position, so it saves the energy you’d otherwise use to produce hot water. www.kludiindia.com
ROCA THERMOSTATIC SHOWER MIXER Manufactured by the duo Armani/Roca, this built-in thermostatic shower mixer with five water outlets; rain shower head in the ceiling, waterfall cascade spout, hand held shower and two swivel headed jets for a full body massage redefines the luxuries of a bathing experience. The water flows from the selected outlet and if positioned in between two symbols, water flows from these two corresponding outlets. www.roca.in
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VITRA ISTANBUL FAUCET Designed by Ross Lovegrove, the Istanbul Collection by Vitra is inspired by nature. Drawing cues from the diverse ethnicity, architecture and custom of the region, Lovegrove also studied ottoman geometries and calligraphy which are graphic yet liquid, organic and highly sensual to create surface patterns and two dimensional applications. These put together lead to the eye catching Istanbul Collection. www.vitra-india.com
LAUFEN KARTELL FAUCET After years of research and development, Swiss manufacturer LAUFEN has produced a revolutionary ceramic material that has been used widely in its latest line of Kartell faucets. The rigid geometry of ceramic items and multicoloured lightness of transparent plastic elements makes it a captivating piece. Available with FCML India, it is light weight, weighing half of normal ceramics, equal only to its inimitable mechanical resistance. www.laufen.com www.fcmlindia.com
ARTIZE LINEA Linea’s striking design feature is the graceful swinging motion of its spout, which also acts as its on/off mechanism. Its multipurpose spout pivots to form an arc that controls the temperature of water along its curve, allowing for a jet of cold, mixed or hot water at varying positions. Linea is India’s first faucet to win the world’s most prestigious iF Design Award. www.artize.com
KLUDI KLUDI PUSH Kludi Push is a sophisticated operating concept for shower and bath. The flow of water is started and stopped by a simple touch of the ergonomic push buttons, and the temperature is preselected with the knob. At the heart of Kludi Push is the magnetic valve technology .Kludi Push is available in two design elements - round and square, with a convenient thermostat or a practical ceramic cartridge. This makes for really simple operation for the young and old alike. www.kludiindia.com
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MAGNETS OF DETAIL.. While building your bathroom, you always tend to look for items that will catch your eye like a magnet. Today’s WCs, basins and even the flush plates are making their mark in this respect!
STERNHAGEN SANI-Q Just as in nature no two crystals are of the same shape, no two facets of this centre piece sink are alike. Sani-Q is a patented high-tech Quartz material with silk finish. While the crystal‘s high-gloss top captures the delicate elegance of a brilliantly polished stone, Sani-Q technology allows the crystal to sport finely rounded edges for easy upkeep. www.sternhagen.com
KOHLER DERRING WASHBASIN Inspired by studio pottery, the Derring Collection by Kohler, celebrates the inherent beauty and authenticity of handcrafted ceramics. Finished in unique artisanal glazes it is available in three colours – translucent white, bourbon rutile and bluestone rutile. It offers a recessed low profile installation and is a round basin with carved textural pattern. It offers a wide variety of faucet choices. www.in.kohler.com
GROHE NOVA COSMOPOLITAN LIGHT WALL PLATE The Nova Cosmopolitan Light Wall Plate by Grohe for dual flush or start and stop actuation comes with an external highlighted outline with LEDs in red, blue, yellow and green colour. An individually adjustable on/off button is equipped with a timer for individual regulation. It works well in both vertical and horizontal installation. www.grohe.com/in
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TOTO NEOREST WASHLET The Neorest collection seamlessly combines technology, design and comfort to make everyday life more pleasant and convenient. The Washlet in the Neorest collection is the first washlet that cleans itself completely. It actively fights bacteria, waste and limescale while keeping them from accumulating. It is available in two versions that look the same - Neorest AC (Actilight) and Neorest EW (ewater+). www.asia.toto.com
MILLDUE MITAGE RITZ COLLECTION A design vision mirrored in the shapes of the Ritz collection is enhanced by thick layers on contour lines. The single block unit for washbasin frame is lacquered in a glossy mandrola while the fronts are glass paneled in golden or platinum. Its aesthetics are characterized by geometric lines on the facades and inner linings. www.milldue.com www.fcmlindia.com
LAUFEN ILBAGNOALESSI ONE FLOOR MOUNTED WC Ilbagnoalessi One is a bathroom design that has cast its spell over the home design segment for years. Affectionately called Tam-Tam for its likeness to a drum the floor mounted WC adds a touch of femininity to the bathroom. This ceramic object with organic looks oozes sensuousness as it clubs technology and function together in the most efficient manner. www.laufen.com
VitrA Memoria Black With its functions, aesthetics and diverse colours, the Memoria series is a highly versatile one. Distinctive WC and basin designs offer product alternatives that can be customised with a wide range of colours and gloss or matte finish options. The island included with the basin provides a functional space for faucets and accessories. www.vitra-india.com
GEBERIT SIGMA 80 ACTUATOR PLATE The Geberit, Sigma 80 Actuator Plate is designed for the discerning eye. Finished in a black or metal coated glass plate with two light fields, the plate offers touch less operation. The two light fields of different sizes only require a wave of the hand to trigger the selected flush. It requires a special installation that needs an electrical connection. www.geberit.in
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ALL ABOUT A SATISFYING SOAK Easing into warm water, relaxing as the jets pulse, envisioning it all right in your master bath - that’s the fun part about choosing the right tub or whirlpool while planning a remodel! KALDEWEI MEISTERSTUCK INCAVA COLLECTION The Kaldewei Meisterstuck Incava has been created in collaboration with designer Anke Salomon. The freestanding bathtub features an interior with harmoniously flowing lines, an ultra-narrow rim and a unique conical enamel paneling. These features lend the bathroom an extra ordinary lightness and panache. The elegant collection has also bagged the Red Dot Award 2015 for Product Design. www.kaldewei.co.uk www.elaarlifestyle.com
H&R JOHNSON CELLO FREESTANDING BATHTUB The Cello freestanding bathtub by Johnson Bathrooms exhibits a contemporary design harmonized with latest trends in home dĂŠcor. Made of high-gloss LUCITE special cast acrylic sheet with fiber glass reinforcement, the 4 mm thick acrylic gives it a consistent colour. It also includes a bathtub overflow set with drain in chrome finish. www.hrjohnsonindia.com
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AXOR BOUROULLEC AMBIENCE COLLECTION The Axor Bouroullec is designed by French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. The Bouroullec brothers design philiosophy focuses on ‘Feel Free to Compose’. The bathrub is characterized by shelves that flow together in perfect harmony and provide storage space. Made of easy-to-clean acrylic it allows users to determine the position of the spout and handle. www.axor-design.com
DURAVIT BLUE MOON WHIRLPOOL With is square body and round tub, the Blue Moon by Duravit is a designer’s dream. 180 x 180 cm it can accommodate several people. The interplay between white acrylic and wood paneling makes the pool both elegant and distinctive. When not in use the pool can be protected by a padded leather cover that also serves as a relaxation deck. www.duravit.in
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LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST! Bathroom furniture and accessories always add the final touch that make the bathroom come alive. In fact, they have evolved into an important element that lend to integrity of design.
ALAPE THE TWICE COLLECTION Twice by Alape, not only gives a interpretation of a double washstand typology but also comes equipped with a base cabinet with or without tap holes. It is characterized by an elegant narrow washstand edge and generous storage space. The dampened self-closing mechanism allows a silent close to the drawer that can be fully extended out from the frame. www.alape.com
ARTTDINOX STAINLESS STEEL VANITIES Arttdinox’s stainless steel vanities are available in various designs, patterns, colours and finishes. The vanity includes mirrors, shelves and cabinets. They possess high strength, perfect finish, rust resistance and durability. They can be customized and are easy to clean and maintain as stainless steel does not absorb dirt and resists scuff marks. An option of PU coating is also available. www.arttdinox.com
ZYNNA BOEAL COLLECTION - BATHROOM BLINDS These blinds provide a stylish way to dress up your window. In bathrooms, blinds need to be practical and privacy prone. The Boreal Collection offers both. These blinds are suitable for moist conditions and come equipped with a PVC element that is easy to clean. These bright, simple patterned roller blinds also add a splash of colour to your interiors. www.zynna.in
DURAVIT LIGHTS & MIRRORS With the new mirror program, Duravit shows versatile design solutions which add value to the bathroom while also providing optimal illumination. There are three different variants available: single light field at the top-edge, dual light fields at the sides and indirect ambient light on all four sides. All mirrors are available in three different variants: Good - wall switch operated, Better - with light via sensor operation and Best - with light via sensor operation, mirror heating and downlight. www.duravit.in
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VITRA NEST TRENDY VitrA’s range of highly modular family bathroom furniture called Nest Trendy is designed by Pentagon Design, a leading Finnish design agency. The series offers family-sized comfort with a wealth of features right from the child step, night lights to the laundry cabinet and easy to reach storage areas. It also offers the heat gauge of the digital bathroom mixer that displays water temperature for extra comfort and safety. www.vitra-india.com
DURAVIT L-CUBE Tranquility. Clarity. Space for contemplation. This is how designer Christian Werner describes the vision that gave rise to L-Cube – a bathroom furniture program that eliminates all unnecessary elements. With fewer “distractions”, the bathroom user is inspired to truly relax and unwind. The shadow gap between the countertop and the vanity units as a repeating element make handle-free surfaces possible and serve as recessed handles on tall cabinets and semi-tall cabinets. www.duravit.in
SPACES HOME & BEYOND THE SWIFT DRY COLLECTION The Swift Dry Collection of rugs by Spaces Home & Beyond is made of micro fiber and is light weight. This bleach friendly rug contains superior latex backing and is anti-skid and anti-stain. This collection is available in a range of colours that include pearl, chestnut, turquoise green, lavender, rust, red, camel, navy blue and sunflower. www.spaces-home.com
KEUCO EDITION 400 With the newly developed Edition 400 bathroom furnishing, Keuco is pushing new boundaries in the area of bathroom planning and design. The Edition 400 overall concept of bathroom furnishings includes bathroom furniture, light mirrors, mirror cabinets, fittings and accessories. You can choose a concept based on your spatial need and also can set an atmosphere within a bath space based on your whims and moods. www.keuco.in
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THE SURFACE IMPRESSION The surface finish of your bathroom is as important as its fixtures. New technology has given birth to a whole new range of versatile finishes that leave a lasting impression.
KALINGASTONE VEINED QUARTZ SERIES The Classic Marble Company has launched the veined quartz series under its flagship brand Kalingastone. This new quartz series its unique not only for its attributes of strength like in granite but also because of its resemblance to natural marble. The series exhibit grey veins on a white background and is available in sizes of 335 x cm and is 15, 20 and 30 mm thick. www.classicmarble.com
NITCO LAPATO SERIES Nitco has a range of tiles designed for designer bathrooms. Its latest Lapato series offers better traction. The surface of the tile is shaved slightly to offer better grip. This results in an anti-slip surface with a smooth and agreeable texture that is long lasting and requires little maintenance. They serve as an evergreen option for tiling bath interiors. www.nitcotiles.in
BHARAT FLOORINGS GRANDE COLLECTION - FRENCH CLASSIC SERIES Bharat Floorings creates stunning surfaces for eclectic tastes and its Grande Collection raises the bar a little more. Its French Classic Collection not only adds timeless beauty but it also comes with a wet transverse strength and water absorption properties. Abrasion resistant, the thickness for wall cladding tiles lies between 16-18 mm and that for floor between 23-25 mm. www.bharatfloorings.com
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QUTONE IMARBLE SERIES Qutone launches Asia’s biggest tile and its entire range of ‘imarble’ sized at 8’ x 4’. The range is easy to maintain and therefore easy to use. All products have zero resin filled patches and smooth finish. The slabs being huge, reduce possibilities of wastage while installation. Its water absorption properties keeps the surface moisture free. www.qutoneceramic.com
ASAHI INDIA GLASS LIMITED AIS DÉCOR AIS Décor is a range of coloured lacquered glass specially designed to make interiors look vibrant. The product is now available in 11 shades – venetian red, black pearl, snow white, sterling silver, chrome yellow, stone grey, turquoise green, hazel brown, sparkling beige, sparkling snow white and its very latest addition which is sparkling regal gold. It is definitely a head turner! www.aisglass.com
KAJARIA ETERNITY WOOD The Eternity Wood Collection is inspired by true wooden textures. Kajaria has used nano technology, for gloss finished tiles and diamond shield coating for real wood to give it a superb look. This collection is highly scratch and abrasion resistant, stain proof and has almost 0% water absorption. The collection is available in 24 exquisite designs in the size of 130x800 mm. www.kajariaceramics.com
STERNHAGEN 3D QUARTZ TILES Sternhagen’s three-dimensional quartz tiles provide the perfect solution to designing a statement wall. The 3D effect of the quartz tiles absorbs sound, resists water and responds to light. The material used in its making is SaniQ, which is a high-tech quartz composite material, developed and patented by Sternhagen in Germany. Homogeneity of the material creates an antibacterial surface and colour protection. www.sternhagen.com
VILLEROY AND BOCH PRO ARCHITECTURA SERIES The diverse and comprehensive pro architectura system of ceramic colours and formats by Villeroy and Boch is a good suit for bath surfaces applications. Responding to the needs of modern architecture it is available in a range of 54 colours in light, medium and dark variations. The glazed vitreous and porcelain stoneware provides for contrasting and gentle colour transitions. www.villeroy-boch.com
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DESIGN DESTINATION
CORD WHERE Founded by the Romans, the Andalusian city tucked in southern Spain, emerged into a port city of great importance. Coined the Moorish capital, the city was reconquered by the Christians who were so awed by its architectural beauty that they left it standing making only additions resulting in an attractive confluence.
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OBA WHEN
WHY
Cordoba bursts into life from Mid-April to Mid-June when it stages most of its major festivals. At this time of the year, clear skies and perfect temperatures float across while the city’s gardens and courtyards drip with fresh blooms. September and October are also excellent weather-wise but July and August can sizzle.
While one monument alone is enough to put Cordoba at the top of any tourist’s itinerary, it still remains one of the greatest cities of the medieval world, rivalling Constantinople in the East with its exquisite architecture. Defined by diverse cultures that settled throughout history, it has also been declared a World Heritage Site.
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DOWNTOWN BOUTIQUE HOTEL More a mansion than a hotel, Hospes Palacio del Bailío, a member of Design Hotels™, has equal parts of hacienda and Moorish manor. Its antique backdrop serves as a contrast to its crisp contemporary interiors. Plenty of the main structure belongs to many different eras. Some rooms open out to patios while others circle the courtyard featuring century old frescos and ancient stone arches.
Out of the 53 rooms that tell their own story; the Don Quixote suite deserves mention. A large oval room with 19th century wall murals depict the tale of Don Quixote. The unfussy reception area and marbled corridors, underground tapas bar, basement spa and outdoor pool all come together to pronounce the hotel as an undisturbed location of leisure and luxury. The dining room has both summer and winter rooms that stand on a glass floor allowing glimpses of Roman ruins preserved underneath. The Bodyna Spa comes as another surprise as it allows you to indulge in its steaming plunge pools. Located in the basement, these are refurbished Roman baths with a hint of modernity and all history still intact. It offers a short 15 minute walk to the famous Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba with its magisterial forest of arches.
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REVERBERATION OF HYBRID PRAYERS It is impossible to overemphasise the beauty of Cordoba’s great mosque which is not only one of the world’s greatest piece of Islamic architecture but which was structurally speaking, a revolutionary building of its time. It hints with all its lustrous decoration at a refined age that enriched the city with a heady interaction of Islamic and Christian cultures. Patio de los Naranjos – a lovely courtyard forms the entrance to the Mezquita. A 14th century impressive Mudejar archway leads to the ticket office. Democratically a horizontal and simple space with floors of compact slaked lime and sand, its splendid striped arches made of red brick and white stone rest on 856 columns. The flat roof decorated with gold and multicoloured flower motifs and inscriptions from the Quran lends the Mihrab a magical glitter. Following the Christian conquest, the Mezquita was used as a cathedral but remained unaltered for nearly three centuries. Home Review August 2016
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MODERN TAKE ON HERITAGE The restaurant Noor was conceived as a ‘cultural project’which would provide customers with an immersive gastronomic experience. The idea was to create a 10th century ‘medina azhara’ palace banquet, focusing on Arabic heritage through a contemporary lens. The space features an open-layout combining the kitchen, lounge and seating area. The main lounge features a large wooden embellished medallion in the form of a spiral vortex and handmade luminaries that levitate above. The pickup counter lacquered in white creates an interior lattice that reflects the existing pattern throughout the room. The tableware, cutlery and glassware have been designed by local artisans and goldsmiths with materials from the Arab period like leather, ceramic and wood.
CENTRE IN MOTION Distrusting the supposed efficacy and flexibility of a neutral container, the image of the Contemporary Arts Center’s building can be closely linked to a place and far off memory, where every space is shaped individually, to a time which can mould itself and expand in sequences with different dimensions, uses and spatial qualities. Like a story within a story, the project stands on a repeating geometric pattern, originating in a hexagonal shape containing three differently sized rooms. Walls and slabs of concrete and a network of electrical infrastructures create the possibility of multiple set-ups. Like a combinatorial game these spaces can come together to create a single exhibition area. Equipped with artists’ workshops and laboratories it also has an assembly room or ‘the black box’ - a stage suitable for theatrical productions, conferences, film screenings and audio-visual exhibitions. Text By Kanupriya Pachisia
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KAJARIA GLAM ADDS OPULENCE TO FLOORS
Kajaria Ceramics has become synonymous with exceptional quality, gorgeous designs and formidable durability. The leader in tile production in India and an equally prominent player in the world market, the company is passionate about adding a new dimension of beauty and elegance to your floors; whether at home or in office or for that matter any interiors you wish to stand out. Working on that promise, the company is proud to present a new age collection of HD polished floor tiles, Kajaria Glam. Available in 60x60 cm, the collection has a highly reflective surface due to nanopolish technology that gives a dazzling sheen, sharp colours and greater resistance to stains. The range has natural-looking textures like marble, wood and stone due to the HD print surfaces. While the imported glaze gives superior glossiness and finish to the tiles, making them the right choice for contemporary minimalistic interiors that focuses more on aesthetics. Each tile comes with international standards with respect to surface quality, water absorption and scratch & crazing resistance.
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Advertorial
The best thing about Kajaria Glam is while it gives the interiors such an unprecedented glamour yet its maintenance is extremely simple. Its strong resistance to stains, household chemicals, acid and alkalis make them easy to clean and long-lasting. Which is why the next time you or anyone in your acquaintance is looking for tiles, simply choose Kajaria Glam and let the compliments follow. www.kajariaceramics.com Toll free no: 1800 11 2992
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Each of the 14 studios is decorated by Melanie Hall, in one of four accent colours and named after some of London’s foremost addresses – Mayfair, Strand, Piccadilly or Bond Street.
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REPRISING THE SIXTIES
Oozing with design, Luna2 Studiotel, a boutique hotel in Bali is a but obvious member of Design HotelsTM. Breaking every stereotype for hotels in Bali, its sensibility endeavours to take you back in time‌.to the era of the Baby Boomers.
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Luna2 was the second of the Soviet Union’s Luna programme spacecraft launched to the Moon and was the first to reach the surface of the Moon. Influenced by this page of history, founder and designer Melanie Hall designed the hotel with a pit bull like adherence to details referencing that place in time, so if you feel you just stepped out of a time machine and have landed in the year 1959, you are completely justified! Melanie’s father Alan Chambers (born 1922) was a great modernist architect who instilled in her at an early age a keen interest in modern design and till date she tends to see everything through his eyes. Luna2 Studiotel opened in April 2013, in Seminyak, a very up market area of Bali, dotted with mostly luxury accommodation and fashionable high-end restaurants and bars. It was spawned by the high end beachfront Luna2 private hotel, its neighbouring relative, and takes great pleasure in letting the guests witness the 60’s come alive.
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Cute as a button it is dramatically different from the ubiquitous Bali Hotels, before you even cross the threshold. Devoid of fuss, the design features a somewhat 60’s Pantonesque façade, the subtlety of which offers a glimpse of the nostalgia, futurism and fun-filled interiors beyond. This ‘bubble-icious’ signature pattern repeats itself throughout Luna2 Studiotel. Five floors house 14 studio rooms, the Orbit restaurant, Space champagne & caviar - rooftop bar, Pop! lounge bar, the Lunaplex cinema and an outdoor 25 m Mondrian-ic pool. Every hotel is to some extent a theatrical space; here Melanie Hall loosely refers to her design style as ‘FUNked-up modernism’ with references to the 60’s pop culture. Hall injects the innovation of the future, and adds huge doses of humour into the mix - a distinct characteristic of the Luna2 design ethos, which, “respects the past, welcomes the future and likes to have fun in the process!”
Outdoor, the 25m Mondrian-ic colour-blocked lap pool is the ultimate escape, with sun loungers for catching the rays or relaxing with poolside spa treatments.
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Talking about the hotel she shares her thoughts, “At Luna2, we believe that we can reach across all segments - attitude over age, as we say! We are entirely age-agnostic! In other words, we believe that age does not determine your lifestyle needs.” The interior design, furniture, carpets and fabrics are all custom-designed and produced by Hall, using long-trusted factories around the region. She has typically used a wide spectrum of textures and materials throughout.
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Hall adds further interest and timelessness to her own custom designs by adding key European designer classics throughout, including Cassina by Philippe Starck dining chairs, Verner Panton and Tom Dixon pendant lights and Jasper Morrison bar stools, to name just a few. She says, “I don’t agree with “contemporary design” per se, that tends to date after even 5 years, the important thing, to me, is to take inspiration from great modernist works of the past, and send these ideas into the future!!” The artwork is intended to entirely enhance the atmosphere, tone and colour scheme of each space. Fast becoming known as the ‘Picasso of the future’, works from British Stuart McAlpine Miller’s ‘Leader of the Pack’ portfolio adorn the wall in Pop! lounge bar, together with LA-based Burton Morris’s aptly named ‘Pop Tarts’. Indonesia’s own ‘pop’ star, Triyadi’s ‘Queen pushing supermarket trolley with Kellogg’s cornflakes’ reigns over the lobby. Luna2 studiotel has 14 studios – 10 studios, 3 grand studios and 1 sunset studio. Each cosmic pad is spacious with a kingsize bed, open-plan lounge area perfect for entertaining, a work station, dining table and a large balcony overlooking the swimming pool and temple land beyond. Every hotel is to some extent a theatrical space; here Melanie Hall loosely refers to her design style as ‘FUNked-up modernism’ with references to the 60’s Pop Culture.
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Each of the 14 studios is decorated by Melanie Hall, in one of four accent colours and named after some of London’s foremost addresses - Mayfair, Strand, Piccadilly or Bond Street.
‘Lunafood’ is fuelled with nostalgia, futurism, & fun! With tributes to the late 50’s/early 60’s, Orbit a swishy restaurant is all about a fresh white space offset with accents of sunflower yellow; nostalgic black & white hounds-tooth fabric adorns modular banquette sofas, paired with white Carrara-topped marble dining tables and white designer dining chairs. Four floors up, the Space champagne & caviar, rooftop bar is an oasis of good taste and offers champagne & cocktails to kill for, amidst ultimate panoramic ocean views and glorious sunsets. For The Pop! lounge bar take the spiral staircase down from Orbit restaurant into a chic underground designer den of dignified iniquity. It is the ultimate watering hole for hot-spotters seeking a tantalising tipple or two. Lunaplex, the ultra-plush 16-seat private cinema hall has two showings per day, seven days a week. It presents a cool combo of nostalgic classics and new releases. Ultra-cosy lounge chairs and ‘Lunafood’, like popcorn, champagne, popcorn-infused cocktails, and foie gras ‘bling dogs’ indulge the guests further. Equipped with a state-of-the-art AV system, Lunaplex is ideal for corporate events or birthday/anniversary video presentations, to name just a few possibilities. Luna2 chooses not to walk the beaten path; it throws the rulebook out and does exactly as it pleases. True to its tag line, ‘Cosmic pads for globe-trotting gastronauts!’ Luna2 Studiotel promises a cosmic guest experience. Come travel through time, through Luna2 Studiotel’s doors and pass into another, FUNkier world!
www.designhotels.com/hotels/indonesia/ bali/seminyak/luna2-studios
A distinct characteristic of the Luna2 design ethos is “respect the past, welcome the future and have fun in the process!”
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THE STERNHAGEN EXPERIENCE FOR LOVERS OF ART AND INNOVATION Sternhagen is introducing new product lines to the Indian market this September. Can you share some insights? We are very excited to launch the Sternhagen Artistic Bathroom Suites. We are thriving to provide discerning customers with a one stop, fully catered premium bathroom experience: from visually exciting tiles, to artistic sanitary ware, sensorial showers and carefully selected accessories, Mr. Chirag Parekh, Chairman and Managing Director, every detail has been thought Acrysil Limited through to bring the artistic suite experience to life. This is a real solution for house owners and builders alike. Our goal with the Artistic Bathroom Suites is to offer our clients an experience that goes above and beyond products. What will be your strategy for promoting this new launch? As we are committed to create and enrich the daily suite experience by connecting visionary design to flawless production expertise, we believe there is no better way to promote Sternhagen than by letting our customers enter our world. This is why we are launching Sternhagen’s first flagship showroom in Ahmedabad. This luxurious 6000 sq. ft. showroom aims to become the destination for high-end bathroom suites, designed to provide guests with the ultimate bathroom experience. Sternhagen has been created as an experience for lovers of art and innovation. This is why we built our showroom to act as an art gallery, displaying our products as well as exhibiting art pieces on rotation. We are collaborating with acclaimed artists, bringing the ‘Art meets Engineering’ concept to life. Possibilities are endless and we are looking at creating a travelling art exhibition, to keep it exciting. In a short span of time since its launch in 2013, Sternhagen has become a promising brand in the luxury bathroom space. How do you plan on staying ahead in this highly competitive space?
What have been some of your biggest challenges so far in the Indian market? What are your plans to handle them or how have you managed them? As a new entrant in the market we have been very fortunate to be so well received. We learned early on about the importance of developing a strong sales and distribution channel. Finding the right partners is of crucial importance as they enable and lead the growth of a luxury house. Developing a strong brand is not a one-man job, it’s a collaboration; and we feel very lucky to have partnered with the greatest of India, who understand and our committed to our long term vision for Sternhagen. What are some of the innovations and developments we can hope to see from Sternhagen in the coming years? While we concentrate on constantly reimagining the bathroom experience to make it more exciting with ever evolving design concepts. We are also paying the utmost attention to details by using and inventing new materials and technologies that ally art to engineering. We have started with our unique SaniQ, our patent highly durable natural mineral quartz composite, which has been used for our basins and 3D tiles and are looking to expand our range in the coming months. SaniQ has allowed us to explore and produce, with high precision, first of its kind designs in a segment that is usually quite conservative. Our next innovation will come from our basin mixers, with daring designs mixing functionality with art. www.sternhagen.com
As a design focused brand, we embrace the competition and let it drive our product design and development. Our competitive edge comes from our collaborative R&D working model. Our sales & marketing team constantly analyses the market and is directly involved in the conception of new products, in line with market expectations and desires. This allows us great flexibility and agility in our development. Regarding the design, we work with renowned product designers in Europe, who are doing an incredible job of giving each of our products a distinct and visually exciting feel, in order to create pieces that can be instantly recognised for their uniqueness.
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Advertorial
GREEN PROJECT
Lotus leaf shaped platforms formed the approach to the pavilion and guided the visitors through the entrance.
Bamboo Leads The Way
For the World Expo 2015 in Milan, Vietnam was represented by Vo Trong Nghia’s concept pavilion inspired by lotus ponds. Commonly found in the country, the lotus is Vietnam’s national flower and a symbol of purity, commitment and optimism for the future.
Text By Priti Kalra Photographs Courtesy Vo Trong Nghia Architects and Saverio Lombardi Vallauri
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A simple steel structure held the building up. Locally available bamboo, a material that is rapidly renewable and shares a strong relationship with Vietnamese culture, was used to clad the columns.
The firm’s response to the expo’s theme, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” was that in order to bring the power of living back to urban people, it is not only necessary to provide them with food but with “positive and harmonic feeding for their minds.” The project took a keen look at globally increasing population levels and the impact this has on the ever-widening gap between the upper and lower strata of society. This economic disparity leads to rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation. As a result, the visible and usable green space in cities is constantly diminishing.
Ground floor plan of the Vietnam pavilion.
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“In Vietnamese cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, green areas are decreasing to less than one square metre per citizen. City life and technology have made human beings disconnected from nature.”
The pavilion housed a two-storey exhibition space, as shown in this view from the stage to the entrance.
As a solution to the prevailing condition, VTN Architects’ pavilion design shared an approach to plant trees on top of buildings, in order to counter the loss of surface green coverage. Their proposal suggested that bringing trees back to the cityscape will reinforce the importance of nature and regenerate the idea of living in harmony with nature. The site allotted for the Vietnam Pavilion was only 887 square metres. After deducting the setback area, the architects were left to work with a meagre 400 square metre sized space. The starkest imagery which remained in the eyes of the visitors of the pavilion, was of a forest of fortysix trees planted above the building. The intention was to compensate for the barren environmental conditions at ground level.
The two-storey exhibition space positioned at the centre of the pavilion was surrounded by water on all sides, and framed by twenty-five bamboo structures of different sizes. The bamboo columns resembled umbrellas and supported the trees atop. The composition of the pillars was reminiscent of an earlier project by the firm, Kontum Indochine CafĂŠ. Lotus leaf-shaped platforms formed the approach to the pavilion, guiding visitors through the entrance. Screen walls encircling the perimeter folded back to bring in natural ventilation to the exhibition areas.
The most exported products of Vietnam rice, coffee, pepper, dried fruits and seafood - were kept on display in the exhibition area. Apart from this, video clips, graphics, magazines, books and pottery works were beautifully presented. Three music shows were performed daily by local Vietnamese artists. A small space was dedicated to introducing visitors to traditional Vietnamese food. Sustainability was the most important driver behind the design concept. The trees planted on top not only provided muchneeded visual relief, but aided in blocking out solar radiation by casting extensive shadows across the building. In synergy with the surrounding shallow pool, the trees generated a refreshing breeze, cooling the air and creating a comfortable micro-climate for visitors. This enabled high energy savings in the building.
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According to the architects, “the texture and tactile nature of bamboo helps regain peace in the minds of people, apart from it being a highly sustainable material.”
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The upper storey of the exhibition space consisted of a fluid corridor surrounding a large central double-height void.
A simple steel structure held the building up. Locally available bamboo, a material that shares a strong relationship with Vietnamese culture, was used to clad the columns. According to the architects, “the texture and tactile nature of bamboo helps regain peace in the minds of people.”
The consumption of the lotus is an example of sustainable living, and as such, formed an apt source of inspiration for the design of the pavilion. “None of the plant is left for waste,” said the design team. The roots, stalk, leaves, flowers, seeds and stamens alike, are considered delicacies.
Twenty Vietnamese artisans trained in the craft of bamboo construction installed the prefabricated bamboo parts on site. In keeping with the environmentally conscious theme, the bamboo structure was designed such that it could be dismantled and reused at another location, after the six-month long expo (from May to October) reached its closing.
The lotus finds diverse applications in Vietnamese cuisine - in soups, salads, snacks and drinks - as well as in natural medicine. The plant grows from muddy ponds and blooms with breathtaking beauty above the surface. “The flower is proof that patience can turn difficulties into advantages,” the team added.
The two-storey exhibition space positioned at the centre of the pavilion was surrounded by water on all sides, and framed by twenty-five bamboo structures of different sizes.
The Vietnam Pavilion was recognised with many fruitful achievements including rapid installation of bamboo parts, planting of trees in large roof-level ‘bamboo pots’, reusability of structural components, as well as high numbers in energy savings. Having successfully driven their message across in Milan, the architects now propose their concept of ‘Building for Trees’ for all future cities - a concept which, they are convinced, will bring “the joy of living back to people.”
www.votrongnghia.com
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JENNY PINTO STUDIO
Though paper can act as the genesis of a number of products, like stationery and art, something she has also delved in, Jenny would particularly like to concentrate on lamps as she believes it’s a field that still has dimensions that she can explore. “After 17 years of making TV commercials in Mumbai, I wanted to do something that reconnected me to the Earth,” says Jenny Pinto, Founder and Creative Head of Jenny Pinto Studio. Papermaking has served her to walk on that path of reconnection. She loves the look, touch and feel of beautiful paper and enjoys exploring various natural fibres for making paper. The interplay of light and paper excites her and forever finding ways to turn paper into 3-D structures, through texturing, sculpting and layering…..is more play than work for her. “I hope that the fun I have shows in my work,” she shares.
Text Compiled By Mala Bajaj
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She only uses natural fibres as raw material, especially such that are discarded by agricultural and rural cottage industries. The extraction of the fibres is part of a rural cottage industry that provides income to out of work agricultural workers in the off season.
She specifically likes to use banana, mulberry, kora grass, jute and sisal fibres as they make paper which is not only beautiful but also very strong. To make the handmade paper she uses a Hollander beater and lifts the paper with a traditional mould and deckle. “My studio in Bangalore that I built in 2002 is one of Bangalore’s first green buildings. It was designed by the innovative architect Chitra Vishwananth and her team at Biome Solutions,” reminisces Jenny. The paper she creates in her studio is used to make a range of lights, stationery and home accessories. Although she works with many fibres, banana fibre is her preferred raw material. It is the long silky fibres from the trunk of the banana tree that are her raw material of choice. The inherent strength and beauty of the paper it produces, is a delight to work with.
“It is constructed with mud blocks, the roof harvests rain water and we also recycle waste water from both, the papermaking process and sewage,” she adds. The recycled water is used in her garden, where she grows organic fruits and vegetables. It has been almost several years now and the house and the system is still very efficient and cost effective.
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When it comes to lighting Jenny Pinto’s range of lamps are nothing short of poetry. Paper seems to invite the light in and envelopes it with warmth and sensuality. “The magic of paper and light lies in the eloquence of shadows. I try and create interesting shadows, both, within the paper, using various wet and dry techniques, and in the design of the lamps, books and accessories I make,” says Jenny.
Besides products displayed on her website, she also does site-specific light sculptures and customised papers, books and lights. Till date Jenny has designed many paper lamps for a number of well-known clients such as Serai Resorts, Cumins Pune, Informatics, Google, Microsoft, Cafe Coffee Day, Nandos, The Park Hotel, Green Park Hotel, TCS, and many more.
“I experiment with new fibres all the time. Both for my work as well as for the rural projects I am involved in,” concludes Jenny. From the very building the paper products are made in to the raw material and the process, a respect for the environment is seen to be the uppermost concern. Jenny Pinto’s products are therefore truly sustainable and eco-friendly. www.jennypinto.com/studio.php
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FORMAFANTASMA The designer duo at Studio Formafantasma are creating the future by looking to the past.
Text By Chryselle D’Silva Dias Photographs Luisa Zanzani Home Review August 2016
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Botanica Collection
American astronomer and astrophysicist Carl Sagan once said, “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.” For Italian designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of Studio Formafantasma, their imagination takes them the other way, to forgotten worlds. The two designers met during their BA studies in Florence, Italy. They began working together and applied to the Masters of Arts Design course at the Design Academy in Eidenhoven, Netherlands as a team, an unusual approach for sure. The designer duo is now based in Amsterdam. Studio Formafantasma’s first big collection was Botanica (2011). They were commissioned by Plart, an Italian foundation “dedicated to scientific research and innovation in art and design produced in plastic.” The premise behind the collection was the secretions of plants, used as potential raw material. Trimarchi and Farresin dived into the subject and investigated the pre-Bakelite period. They discovered that plant secretions offered some unexpected textures including natural rubber, rosin and polymers like shellac. The Botanica collection has several objects including vases and bowls, designed over the years each with varying textures. The Botanica III (2011), for example, is created out of unglazed ceramic, natural shellac and wood fibres. While one side looks deceptively simple, the other looks like it carries armour to protect itself. The Botanica I (2011) is much more organic with a coating of resin, shellac and wood fibers.
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Craftica Collection
Sponge Stool
Bell Lights
In 2012, the venerable design house Fendi invited Studio Formafantasma to create a collection that explored leathercraft. Craftica (2012) used discarded leather left over from Fendi’s manufacturing processes. They also used leather obtained from fish skins discarded by the food industry, vegetal processed leather using natural substances from tree bark, cork leather extracted from cork trees leaving them unharmed, and a series of animal bladders investigated for their capacity to hold liquids. The leather was paired with marble, oxidized metal, glass, wood or natural materials such as bones, or shells. This series included stools, tableware, lights and furniture. All of the objects in the Craftica collection are utilitarian yet quirky. The Sponge Stool is made of wood, leather and...a sponge to sit on. The Bell Lights are inverted wineglasses suspended by leather belts. The Perch or Wolfish stools, on the other hand, remind one of traditional Moroccan tables. The tableware in this collection is stunning thanks to its use of natural materials like scallop shells for spoons.
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For the Charcoal Collection (2012), Studio Formafantasma was invited by the Vitra Design Museum to work on a collaborative project. The designers were paired with Doris Wicki, “one of the last people dedicated to the tradition of producing charcoal by the slow burning (5-7 days) of wood.”
Charcoal Collection
Studio Formafantasma drew inspiration from “the tension between the dystopian connotation of charcoal, causing pollution and destruction, and its beneficent use in healthcare and water purification.” To get the charcoal effect, the objects (a series of jars, wooden water filters, spoons and funnels) were created, “then left burning and deteriorating while the process was documented.” The Denatura Fossilim (2004) collection is a break from the earlier ones but it still has an emphasis on old materials and textures. In this case, they experimented with volcanic lava (which hardens into basalt) from the slopes of Mount Etna – an unusual material for product design. The vases (Alicudi, 2014) are mouth blown lava and Murano glass. The unusually shaped stools and tables have brass strips inlaid in them and the poetic clocks (Monti Silvestri, 2014) are bursting with texture that will make it impossible for you to keep your hands off. The collection also boasts of textiles, mirrors and bowls. It is endlessly fascinating that the designers are using almost-forgotten materials to craft their products. While the world is hurtling towards the future (Jupiter! Juno!), it is such a refreshing change to see young designers also looking to the past for tangible inspiration.
Denatura Fossilim
info@formafantasma.com www.formafantasma.com
Monti Silvestri
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Alicudi
RELAUNCH OF THREE ICONIC GERMAN BRANDS BY KANU KITCHEN Kanu Kitchen relaunches Häcker Kitchen, Hülsta and Rolf Benz at its Delhi store. Capt. Mukesh Kumar, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Kanu Group of Companies re-launched the three iconic German brands Häcker Kitchen, Hülsta and Rolf Benz at their exclusive store at Mahipalpur, Delhi. Dr. Corinna Fricke, Head of the Economic Section of the German Embassy and Mr. Oliver Bialowons, Managing Director, Hülsta inaugurated the store. Kanu Kitchen Kulture Pvt. Ltd. was launched in 2004; the same year in which it introduced Häcker Kitchen Gmbh & Co. Kg, one of Germany’s leading modular kitchen brands since 1898. Kanu Kitchen has been successful in extending the presence of Häcker from Delhi and Mumbai to ten other cities including Ludhiana, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Coimbatore, Chennai, Indore and Trivandrum. The company also plans to expand Häcker to Pune, Kolkata, etc.
(LtoR) Mr. Oliver Bialowons, Managing Director, Huls Group, Capt. Mukesh Kumar, CMD, Kanu Kitchen Kulture Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Rupert Hainzl, Rolf Benz Ag&Co. KG
Capt. Mukesh Kumar, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Kanu Group of Companies said, “Kanu Kitchen has opened 12 outlets of Häcker in 12 years and 4 of Hülsta in 6 years.”
In 2010, Kanu Kitchen introduced Hülsta to India and presently the company has expanded Hülsta in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ludhiana. HülstaWerkeHüls GmbH & Co. KG founded by Karl Huls in 1938 is the largest and most famous German furniture manufacturer with 55% market share in Germany. Capt. Mukesh Kumar, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Kanu Group of Companies said, “We have been associated with Häcker since 2004 and Hülsta since 2010. Back then it was a challenge to bring an international brand to India as the market was fragmented. In 2004 we could foresee the potential India has when it comes to owning a long-lasting and high quality product.
Today, in various cities of India, Kanu Kitchen has opened 12 outlets of Häcker in 12 years and 4 of Hülsta in 6 years and promises to grow each year. Häcker Küchen GmbH & Co. KG has been producing modular kitchens since 1965 at their central manufacturing facility in Germany. Hacker has a global presence of more than 60 countries apart from EU covering Middle East, Asia, South East Asia, Far East and Pacific. Hacker offers 100% customized modular kitchens for every segment, ranging from low-end to midsegment and top-end. Their strength is in their continued research and development to keep pace with the latest technologies. www.haecker-india.com
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REALISE YOUR POTENTIAL WITH HERMAN MILLER’S REACH Herman Miller’s design festival, REACH connects the design community of different cities, culminating into a wholesome cultural experience. Text By Rehana Hussain
Design can never be restricted by boundaries. It’s an all-encompassing phenomenon that overrides nations and ideologies. Taking this philosophy a notch higher, Herman Miller has introduced a design festival, REACH that travels to four cities – Beijing, Manila, Bangalore and Melbourne. It aims to connect the design community of each city, bring together thought leaders to share, learn from each other and celebrate the power of design. REACH inaugurated in Bangalore on 28th July, 2016. The festival has a fantastic line up of international and regional designers, speakers and insight leaders presenting at the events. This year the focus is on issues that affect businesses on workspace strategy and design. This event presents the chance to interact with some of the biggest names in the design and furniture industry. REACH showcases the design philosophy which went behind developing the different Herman Miller range of products.
L to R: Mr Eames Demetrios, Director of the Eames Office, Mr Peter Bosson, a founding director of Colebrook Bosson Saunders, Mr Steve Frykholm, Vice President, Creative Design, Herman Miller, Mr Richard Stevens, Founder, For people, Mr Jack Wang, Head of Design & Development, POSH Design Lab, Mr Kartik Shethia, Vice President, Herman Miller Asia Pacific, Mr Awdhesh Verma, Sales Director SAARC Region
Of the various designers who were presenting at the event, Jack Wang, Head of R+D, POSH Design Lab, was one of them. POSH Design Lab is a Herman Miller company and Wang manages the new product design, development and new product initiative process from the initial concept through to the final launch. His latest products include ActivityTM, OptimisTM, ExpressTM and ImagineTM. The Activity chair features a weightsensitive mechanism that responds to the body automatically and delivers comfort in an instant. Since new ways of working are leading us to agile environments that promote collaboration, creativity and productivity, Activity helps build selfempowerment through flexibility.
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The Optimis Desking System is a unique desking solution that is highly functional and less impactful on the environment.
The Optimis Desking System celebrates the joy of creating by focusing on simple materials like paper and sheet metal that can be designed to focus highly robust and architectural objects. POSH Design Lab also took cues from origami techniques and the end result is a unique desking solution that is highly functional and less impactful on the environment. It is also the first desking platform with an open source platform for paper accessories.
The Activity chair by Jack Wang features a weight-sensitive mechanism that responds to the body automatically and delivers comfort in an instant.
Richard Stevens, also a presenter at REACH, is the founder of design company forpeople and Creative Director of British Airways. He is one of UK’s leading designers who has worked with iconic brands with his firm forpeople and is defining the future of one of the world’s leading airlines, British Airways. Both Herman Miller and Stevens see things in a similar way: the continuous search for new perspectives and insights brought to life by great design, cuttingedge engineering and responsible manufacturing. This is demonstrated in their design of the Keyn Chair Group, a range of meeting and side chairs that offer responsive movement and immediate comfort for collaborative spaces.
Keyn Chair Group, is a range of meeting and side chairs that offer responsive movement and immediate comfort for collaborative spaces.
The design uses four key parts to create every model in the group, so each retains the same visual appeal. For extra comfort, Keyn’s CradleFlex movement responds to shifts in posture, reclining up to 10 degrees. Among the international speakers were Eames Demetrios and Steve Frykholm. Demetrios is best known in the design world for his work as director of the Eames Office. He works closely with Herman Miller to ensure the Eames furniture is always made authentically and he was instrumental in the founding of the Eames Foundation that preserves the Eames House. Frykholm was hired in 1970 by Herman Miller as its first inhouse graphic designer and there was no looking back from there. His work has been published in books and periodicals nationally, while some of his initial works are on display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. www.hermanmiller.in
As a mobile, height-adjustable workpoint, T2 is adaptive and empowers users to create their own spaces.
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Duravit’s Range of Striking Bathroom Essentials In a bid to revamp the bathroom, Duravit presents an assortment of eye-catching elements that bring out the best in this personal space.
The double washbasin of the ME by Starck series is a striking focal point in the bathroom.
Large surface areas on resistant ceramics ensure great comfort in use. This completely new look makes the basin the highlight in the bathroom. A Mirror Mirrors are indispensable in our daily life. The L-Cube mirror with its circumferential non-glare 480 LUX LED light frame stands out and perfectly sets the scene, whether built into or mounted against the wall. Many different widths offer great installation flexibility, too.
The Cape Cod bathtub proffers a strong statement.
We focus on particularly striking objects when entering a room. Fascinating bathroom elements, be it small or large eye-turners in terms of shape, colour, light, surface or material, catch the eye and essentially form a clear nonconformist statement. The possibilities to set individual accents are versatile - you can choose from a coloured front, striking ceramics, a free-standing bathtub or even small accessories. The Coloured Front The Jade-coloured front surface of the L-Cube vanity unit defines the overarching design concept. 30 different L-Cube surfaces provide an astonishing freedom in colour selection. The wall board, vanity unit or tall cabinet helps create individual highlights, underscoring the diversity of L-Cube. Eye-Catcher Bathtub The boldly shaped Cape Cod bathtub proffers a strong statement. Its monolithlike shape contrasts the rectilinear space concept. But the matte look and feel of DuraSolid A seems to calm and relax. A coloured wall and an otherwise simple colour scheme automatically draw attention to the solitaire design object.
A Masterful Basin The double washbasin of the ME by Starck series is a striking focal point in the bathroom. The filigree edge provides the washbasin with elegance and a light touch, although it measures 130 cm and has a comfortably deep inner basin. It’s The Combination The new c-bonded method seamlessly bonds the washbasin with the furniture. The L-Cube vanity unit and the patented special ceramics DuraCeram® form an almost seamlessly connected unit.
The Jade-coloured front surface of the L-Cube vanity unit defines the design concept.
Small Items - Big Statements Home accessories such as textiles, wall boards or lights transform a bathroom into an impressive living area. They add the wow factor to a room, when purposefully placed. Grey tiles, white ceramics and plain wall paint create the ideal stage for those little accoutrements and help them perform best. tel: 079 66112300 respond@in.duravit.com www.duravit.in For professionals: www.pro.duravit.in
The L-Cube mirror stands out, whether built into or mounted against the wall.
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Studio Amita Vikrant
Sopun Baug Apartments
1. Site Entrance 2. Internal Road 3. Building Entrance 4. Reception 5. Lobby and Waiting 6. Lifts 7. Escape Stairs 8. Parking 9. Car Lifts 6HUYLFHV DQG 2I¿FH 11. Bicycle Parking 12. Planting 13. Barbecue Decks 14. Water Features 15. Play Area 16. Site Exit
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Mumbai and London-based, Studio Amita Vikrant uses a unique design language that combines the angular perfection of geometry with the organic forms of nature inspired motifs. Studio Amita Vikrant (SAV) thinks in terms of spaces. The team usually imagines a whole – functional, solid and compact – and then builds the insides as a contrasting force of fluidity and openness. The design inspirations almost always start with the surroundings, and the effort of the team has consistently been to blend and enhance, rather than to obfuscate the pre-existing character of a site. This facet has led to a comprehensive repertoire full of unique experiments with motifs, forms, and materials that will be hard to match. Established in 2009 by Amita Kulkarni and Vikrant Tike, SAV works in the fields of architecture, interior and urban design, and installation art, through offices in both London and Mumbai. The SAV team’s vision is bulwarked by a solid global outlook, but one that recognises the significance of local conditions and visual legacies.
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The Pune of the present is a city marked by restless concretisation. Like most Indian commercial zones aiming to become metropolises, its boundaries seem to be constantly expanding, and often the first casualty of this growth is the tree cover. Sopan Baug, however, has remained in name and spirit a corner where amongst the bustle of construction, trees still thrive. SAV swept this inspiration up and is decking a residential building in the area with an awe-inspiring façade that pays handsome homage to the branching form of trees.
The modular, prefabricated façade hugs the structure completely on the south end, and then tapers off moving west and east, finally giving way to large decks with natural greenery planted in them. This fascinating duality of the fabricated and the natural is an aesthetic jackpot, as also a shade against the sun and the playground for some whimsical shadow play within the interiors.
“The components are self-supporting panels measuring 3m x 3m that are fixed directly on the concrete framework. Each of the large panels is derived from a decagon, which can be flipped and mirrored to create a more seamless and free flowing effect, almost like in a tree. These decagons are interspersed with smaller bowtie shaped components that form the smaller links between the larger panels,” the team explains. The visual environment, the artistic eclecticism of Spital Fields in London in this case, is again the fulcrum of the design inspiration. “The design was generated with three interwoven migrating layers - walls, lights and furniture. These shape the space, each as an integral part of the migrating interior-scape,” states the team. The shell of the studio remains old, but the partitions within are now 3D and highly movement-oriented, creating thinking spaces that literally do not wish to remain stuck in one place or circumstance.
SOPANBAUG APARTMENTS CREATING A MODULAR GRID SYSTEM
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Text by Shruti Nambiar Photographs Studio Amita Vikrant/ Takako Hasegawa
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Creating a modular grid system. Home Review August 2016
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Mapping lines to from interior lines.
The second layering is of the lights – one being the fluorescent tubes that hover between ceiling and the floor; and the other being the concrete lamps that slide down along their slim and colourful exposed wires to spotlight the work stations. The third design facet is contributed by the furniture; here designed to be individualistic but still part of a wholesome eccentricity. The work desks have CNC fabrication origins and feature colourful origami-shaped divisions that reinforce the separate-butwhole scheme. The dining space comes forth in similar fashion, with the chairs all slightly different in angles and looks; together these look like a “family of migrating birds.” The Here and Now 365 Media Agency in effect looks like it should – full of fluid whimsy, but still disciplined in its design.
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SAV has a remarkable talent for installation art that aims to bend regular ideas into irregular forms and extracts the abstract out of them. Text Fields, commissioned by and originally located at The Corridor, Shoreditch, London, is one such collaborative research and design project that seeks to explore the complex meeting point between spaces and textual geometry.
Section of Text Fields.
“TF002 consists of a total of 358 elements that will be constructed by means of custom design, digital scripting and laser-cut materials. Each of the individual components contains information of its original text map, the forces that affected its position, and its serial location within the entire field,” states the team consisting of Kulkarni, Tike, Jerome Rigaud, and Rajat Sodhi. This display was later exhibited at The Aram Gallery in London. In contrast, Binary Fields is a rumination on India’s evolution from an agrarian paradise to an increasingly technologyreliant economy, as well as on the electronic slag that emanates from this shift. “Binary Fields consist of over 8,000 computer recycled parts forming an interactive green technological field. These parts will be installed on thin hollow metal tubes to create tectonic grass,” states the team. These elements are connected to an LED network that can be activated through motion sensors, thereby allowing visitors to be treated to dynamic ‘light ripples’. The brilliance of both these projects is in the choices that were made in terms of material, form, and performance, to communicate what is one rather intuitive idea, and another an idea oft heard of but scarcely understood with requisite foresight. For a firm like SAV, with its hands dipped in multiple aspects of design, it is a display of a deeply philosophical thought process, and of a prodigious talent for translating complex ideas into art. info@studioamitavikrant.com www.studioamitavikrant.com
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INSIDE TRACK CONNECTING THE DESIGN COMMUNITY Now view our web edition at www.theinsidetrack.in
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Open Kitchens Are Trending
Modern kitchens have become fluid spaces that wish to be seamlessly joined with living rooms. BY LATIKA PAYAK
Cooking areas in modern homes are no longer cubbyholes filled with smoke and soot
furniture firm, Team 7, is a good example of this change. Wood, stainless steel and Corian surfaces abound today, and the ubiquitous granite counter-tops are fading into the sunlight. Great looks aside, these new surfaces are also more durable, and have greater heat and cold resistance. They also cut down maintenance costs and time, making them highly compatible to fastpaced nuclear family homes. The greatest, most obvious advantage of having an open kitchen
Photo courtesy:Wonderland Homes
ith property prices climbing quickly, it is no surprise that spacious houses are increasingly giving way to studio apartments. In this upheaval of sorts, rooms are shifting shapes and re-aligning their boundaries. The one trend that has risen from this flux and made us look up with great delight is that of the ‘Open Kitchen’. Cooking areas in modern homes are no longer cubbyholes filled with smoke and soot, but neither are they required to be aloof ensconces cut off from the rest of the rooms. In fact, the space revolution is breaking down all cumbersome walls, and merging the living rooms and the kitchens. The divisions between may be glass, retractable, or completely absent. Open Kitchens have become a legitimate trend, and with homes shrinking and innovative designs expanding, this trend seems like it is here to stay. While creating an open kitchen - be it single-walled or L-shaped -modular cabinets are the favourite storage choices. They are hyperefficient at their primary job, and along with chic new kitchenware, can double up as statement pieces as well. Kitchens have long been experimenting with different types of surfaces. The ‘K7 Kitchen Island’ launched by the Austrian wooden
Photo courtesy: www.arttdinox.com
Kitchen Spl.
is the fluid, contiguous scheme of room arrangement it helps establish within the home. Cooking, serving, eating, entertaining, socialising, and so much more becomes one happy amalgamation instead of compartmentalised activities. Families bond over food, so breaking down walls around cooking is almost a romantic idea. And, if you have a sumptuously decked, glamourous kitchen, then an open scheme becomes all the more tempting to lay out inside your home. Like every aspect of home design though, it makes sense to match the trend with your personality. For many cooks, peace and privacy is essential, so for them an open kitchen would be a troublesome idea. Open cooking zones would also mean that the messes, spills, smells, aromas, fumes, and smokes of the process will get greater space to waft and leak into. And, if you like cleaning up after a meal in private, and can’t imagine a dirty kitchen to be in full public view, it is advisable to keep the walls around your kitchen up and solid. An open kitchen would also mean lesser wall space for storage, so interior designers and architects
will need to fill the gaps with discreet enclosures and multi-purpose units on or within existing walls. Overall, the drawbacks needn’t be too distracting. There are few things about a kitchen that a good chimney, an exhaust apparatus, and a smart organisation system cannot solve. Alternate Smart Kitchen Layouts If the open kitchen plan doesn’t work here are some layouts that make the cut. When renovating your cooking section, start with deciding the most convenient kitchen layout for your family and entertaining needs. The layout can set and alter the tone of your kitchen, making it more social or private, or even a smart mix of both. A good kitchen layout can transform the interactions you have with your family. Here is a lowdown of the most prevalent kitchen layouts available across the world. One of them could be your dream kitchen layout. Gallery Design This traditional kitchen layout is used extensively in commercial kitchens, where people work in long, narrow passages between multiple appliances and kitchen surfaces. It is easier to multi-task here, but of course, the scope for socialising is limited. To overcome this limitation, designers often resort to the opening up this gallery from one or even both ends. But the fun is in the limitation itself; this layout is perfect for the hyper busy kitchen, where preparations are concocted, assembled, and rolled out like at a food factory. A kitchen like this would be a good idea if your home is committed to high-end cooking. continued on page 4
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THE MARKETPLACE The Eurocube Joy Faucet By Grohe Enters Sanitary Market
Venus Home Appliances’ Latest: Lyra Water Heaters Venus Home Appliances, one of the foremost manufacturers of water heaters in India has launched a new range of instant water heaters LYRA in 1 and 3 litre capacities and with 3 and 4.5 kW heating element options. This new range is aesthetically designed with bold colours on the front and can be affixed in modern bathrooms and kitchens. Its superior features include a porcelain enamel glass lined tank manufactured in a modern, automated plant using European technology which protects the tank from rust and corrosion. A high quality copper heating element in the 3R30, 3R45 models ensures a long life and better performance, and the Glasslined Incoloy 800 element withstands temperatures up to 1000°C. It lasts long, even in hard water.
Grohe, one of the world’s leading providers of sanitary products announces the launch of the Eurocube Joy faucet. Thanks to the GROHE StarLight® coating, the faucet is scratch-resistant, translating to a mark and tarnish-free surface.
The 3R30Y, 3R45Y models reduce scale formation and prevent premature element failure. The range also has a high working pressure of up to eight bars to ensure smooth working in multi-storey buildings or those with pressure pumps.
Venus is one of the leading brands of water heaters in India and stands for quality, reliability and performance. www.venushomeappliances.com
Häfele Brings In New Range Of Ovens
The overarching concept of Grohe Eurocube Joy evokes the dynamic lifestyle of busy people: straightforward, attractive and always focused on the essential, and celebrates the dramatic beauty of the cube. Tap operation is as light as a feather. The joystick’s smooth handling calls for an effortless precision and ultimate convenience to last a lifetime. The brand new Grohe feather control cartridge brings joystick control to a whole new level. Using state-of-the-art coated ceramic discs and an innovative sealing, Grohe has created a joystick cartridge with a wider volume and temperature angle – for a more precise control – with the same silky smooth operation. It is Grohe’s mixers that deliver the unique Grohe feather control experience. The solid smooth handling of their joystick-lever mixers expresses the quality and superiority of the brand. www.grohe.com/in
Häfele presents an exclusive range of Asko Pro Series™ ovens that deliver a perfect cooking result. The range is inspired by the heritage of Asko - a design that is robust and carries the hallmarks of Scandinavian design, minimalism and functionalism. Inspired by traditional wood-fired ovens, all Pro Series™ ovens have a distinct vaulted ceiling in the cavity to provide a more efficient circulation and an even distribution of heat. With the new intelligent TFT interface, the clear and
concise visuals guide through for choosing the best setting for the selected dish. For beginners, built-in menus and pre-set recipes help in creating a perfect dish. The 4-Glass Ultra Cool door provides the highest level of heat insulation within the oven which ensures virtually no heat loss during the cooking cycle and is extremely safe. This oven range includes the combisteam and combi-microwave models to offer full flexibility in cooking. www.hafeleindia.com Home Review August 2016
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THE MARKETPLACE K-LITE Introduces LED Landscape – Redefined
Stylish And Efficient Shower Cubicles By Ozone Ozone, one of the leading architectural hardware solutions providers offers a wide range of shower cubicle fittings and accessories to create stylish and aweinspiring frameless glass shower cubicles. Its shower cubicle fittings range includes hinges and connectors in different angles for wall to glass and glass to glass applications, shower door handles with towel bar and knobs, reinforcing bars, shower thresholds, plastic profiles and accessories such as shower seats. Using these hinges and connectors, frameless toughened glass shower cubicles can be designed in different shapes like square, rectangular or other angular shapes for varying door styles. These hinges and connectors are available in different design and finish options like PSS, SSS, CP or SN meeting varied aesthetic needs. These fittings are suitable to use with 8mm and/or 10mm toughened glass. Apart from adding style, comfort and elegance to your shower space, these glass shower cubicles separate the dry area from the wet one, hence maintaining the bathroom hygiene. Glass being transparent, frameless toughened glass shower cubicle retains the spacious look of your personal
The essence of lighting is one of the most important things in our lives. At K-Lite we are passionate about creating a distinctive atmosphere that improves the quality of life in the cities and towns by exploring the many potential facets of lighting that supports the wellbeing and safety of all. Founded in 1977 in India, K-Lite has grown to be the leading manufacturer of outdoor luminaires and decorative poles. K-Lite’s proven performance in the landscape segment is because of its ability to stylishly convey the identity of a space with a blend of efficiency and modularity to maximise the visual comfort that is best suited to each specific space. Our landscape range includes linear wall washer, up-down lighters, led strips/neon flex, promenade lighting, bollards, under water lighting, post top luminaires, bulk heads, path finders, polar lighting and newly added series of facade lighting. www.klite.in
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space, yet they are easy to clean and maintain. Ozone offers internationally certified hardware solutions through its product portfolio of more than 3000 products divided into 10 product categories www.ozone-india.com
Nippon Enters Into Strategic Alliance With IVM Chemicals; Launches New Division Nippon Paint (India), producer of highquality paints and coatings, now brings to India a unique and exquisite range of wood coatings. It has entered into a strategic partnership with Italy’s IVM Chemicals, one of the world’s leading wood coatings company. Under the new Wood Art division, this partnership will promote and market Nippon Paint’s existing wood coating products based on Japanese technology, as well as IVM Chemicals’ leading international brands like Milesi, Ilva and Croma Lacke in the wood coatings market in India. Applying paint on wood can lead to various aesthetical finishes, transforming wood into surreal forms of beauty. The array of transparent and opaque wood finishes brought forward by this alliance ranges from traditional coatings like NC and melamine to advanced products such as polyester (lamination), polyurethane (PU) and water based products.
Mr. Sharad Malhotra, President, Nippon Paint (India) for wood coating & automotive refinish, says, “We are bringing to India exciting wood coating possibilities through our diversified colour portfolio, unique tinting solutions, supporting products like aerosols, putties and polishes, non paint ancillaries such as masking papers and tapes, abrasives and sanding tools as well as niche products like special effects and more.” www.nipponpaint.com
Home Review August 2016
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Home Review August 2016
149