MY SPACE : SOURABH GUPTA
vol 14 issue 07
july 2015
ART FORM : JOHN LOPEZ
total pages 140
DESIGN DESTINATION : MUNICH
RS 100 HOME-REVIEW.COM
SAMEEP PADORA’S STYLE BASTION INDUSTRIAL GRADE WITH PURPLE BACKYARD
TO THE MANOR BORN WHITE3’S STATELY INDOOR-OUTDOOR RETREAT
THE SMART KITCHEN IDEAS TO SPRUCE UP EVERY ELEMENT OF YOUR KITCHEN
Photo: Cyrus Dalal
W
hen I think of Charles Correa, a picture of Kanchanjunga almost always pops into my mind. This was a skyscraper he built in Mumbai in the 1970’s. Kanchanjunga was a building I used to marvel at daily en-route to school, and at the time was a unique creation that stood head and shoulders above the urban sprawl that surrounded it. I still believe there hasn’t been another building created that can be considered as a worthy contender to this icon of the Mumbai skyline. Charles Correa will live on in the memory of countless people by the virtue of the structures he created. Turn to page 79 to read an account by Aftab Jalia as to why his name will be set in history as India’s best-known architect. Sameep Padora questions convention by recasting a courtyard style house into one which is more in sync with multi-story living arrangements of today. This home is conceived as an assemblage of airy spaces (courtyards and terraces) built over three floors and bordered by a tough, impermeable wall. Side-stepping convention and validating an experimental design scheme, Sameep Padora’s Fort House is an inimitable creation that showcases the progressive thinking of its maker which is solid in substance as in style. The Manor House in Alibaug takes inspiration from homes one often spots amidst the rolling hills of the English countryside. Executed by the young team at White3, you enter this rural retreat through a small ingress, where a voluminous space greets you with an unabashed view of the rambling knolls that encircle the estate. Seen through a continuous double height framed glass, the spatial engagement between the inside and outside is reaffirmed at every turn, which essentially is the soul of the design plan. Coupled with painstaking detailing, the use of natural lime-based plasters, teakwood, handcrafted metalwork and a picture perfect garden, a visit to the Manor House is a memory that lingers long after you leave.
Anish Bajaj, Editor anish@marvelinfomedia.com
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Kanchanjunga was a residential skyscraper built by Charles Correa in Mumbai in the 1970’s. I still believe Mumbai’s skyline doesn’t have a worthy contender! Charles Correa (1930-2015) will live on in the memory of countless people by the virtue of his unique buildings and solutions for urban society. RIP.
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Designers have a responsibility to reflect the times in which they live
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SOURABH GUPTA
THE MARKETPLACE Get your hands on the latest products to hit the market
32 Home to the renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, the Lunuganga Estate in Sri Lanka bears testimony to his experimental ideas
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Cover Story Away from the bustle of Mumbai, caressed by swaying palms and gentle sea breezes stands the Manor House – a charming weekend getaway in Alibaug
132 art
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John Lopez’s scrap iron sculptures – a fusion of figurative and funk, are nothing short of breathtaking
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Krea was conceptualised as a platform to propagate the concept of design as a bespoke craft
122 In this Urvi Shah Associates-designed home, bold shapes contrast with natural material creating a traditional, yet contemporary space in a modern shell
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By Birju Patel The Tolix chair is woven with leather laces, furniture inspired by plate racks – German designer Sebastian Herkner injects fun into everyday products
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GREEN PROJECT Casa Incubo in Costa Rica by architect Maria José Trejos uses 8 shipping containers as building shells and employs green design solutions for the interiors
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THE SMART KITCHEN Create, revamp or spruce up your kitchen with a range of products and ideas
Fort House in Hyderabad is designed by Sameep Padora & Associates, as an innovative and minimalist take on spatial alignment in forts like the Golconda
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Uncluttered, communal-style workspaces are the buzzwords of office décor; these are clearly iterated in this office’s design by Purple Backyard
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79 82 A 7,200 sq. m. contemporary structure by Chyutin Architects acknowledges Israel’s sensitive and charged history
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Landscapes
100 Award-winning Australian landscape architecture firm Secret Gardens shows us how to landscape a garden with a 45 degree slope with style
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MUNICH
Hip and trendy, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore is splashed with modern design touches, plush furnishings and dramatic ambient lighting
A DESIGN DESTINATION Home Review July 2015
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emails + feedback Apt Learning Nicely Presented What an intelligent use of space and materials! Arch.Lab has done a fantastic job and so has the Home Review team; the way the article was presented displayed all the little details. Siddharth Malhotra By Email
HCP’s Knowledge Centre has a clean, no-frills design matched with smart, earthy materials. This is the kind of architecture that our educational institutes should be referring to. Shahid Alam By Email
Warm Ambience Nuru Karim has yet again waved his magic wand over the second instalment of the British Brewing Company. I’m glad Home Review selected it as their cover story; truly deserving. Neha Dongarshi Mumbai
Remarkable Feat Let us know what you love and hate about this issue. Mail us at letters@marvelinfomedia.com
I was glad to read about Casa Flotanta, an excellent project which utilises its picturesque landscape, without harming nature. A remarkable feat indeed. Zainab Rangwala Bengaluru
Corrigendum
In our June 2015 issue, the principal architect of Techno Architecture Inc. was incorrectly cited as Kishan Shetty. The principal architect is Rajesh Shivaram. The error is highly regretted. In Events, the news quoted Mr. Sanjay Sharma, Assistant VP, Somany Ceramics, but the image displayed Mr. Abhishek Somany, MD, Somany Ceramics. The error is highly regretted.
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Editor & Publisher Anish Bajaj Creative Director Natalie Pedder-Bajaj Features Editor Mala Bajaj
Himali Kothari Freelance Writer It took a few years of meandering aimlessly before Himali Kothari found her calling in writing. She is a freelancer and has written on travel, design, architecture, business and finance and food.
Assistant Editor Shweta Salvi Sub Editor Rehana Hussain Contributing Writers Chryselle D’Silva Dias Christabelle Athaide Dhanishta Shah Himali Kothari K Parvathy Menon Shruti Nambiar Designers Asif Shayannawar Snigdha Hodarkar
Birju Patel Creative Designer As a post graduate in furniture and interior design from NID, Ahmedabad, Birju Patel’s designs tend to be experimental, contrasting and true to their ethos.
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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 23736133/1, 32958501 F 022 23743069 E response@marvelinfomedia.com
Sameep Padora & Associates The Style Bastion, Page 36 After studying architecture in Mumbai and Los Angeles, Sameep Padora received his Master’s from Harvard University in 2005. His firm sP+a was awarded the AR Emerging Architecture Award in London in 2011 and the Marmomacc International Award Architecture in Stone in Verona in 2011.
Delhi Ms. Sumita Prakash Flat F 304, Rajasthan C.G.H.S. Ltd, Plot No. 36, Sector 4, Dwarka, New Delhi 110075 Tel 09899179540, Email: sumitabiswas63@gmail.com Chennai Mr. S. Venkataraaman Flat No. 2, 3rd Flr, E-Block, Hansa Garden, 30 Madampakkam Main Rd, Rajakilpakkam, Chennai 600 073 Tel 044 22281180 / 09444021128 Email: svenkat@marvelinfomedia.com 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.
Purple Backyard Industrial Grade, Page 74 Encompassing interior design and interior architecture, Mumbaibased Purple Backyard is headed by Kumpal Vaid. Its focus has been interior quality and detail; playing with natural light, new textures, and working with the finest artisans and vendors to create defining experiences for clients.
This issue has a total of 140 pages comprising of a 4 page cover and 136 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
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Art Form Serendipitous Art, Page 132 Sculptor John Lopez of South Dakota, US, creates art by strategically using the parts of rusted carcasses of discarded metal equipment. John’s forte lies in gentling colts and perfecting their bloodlines – and he started his celebration of them by first sculpting in clay and then creating a fine range of welded art.
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PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 4SanTO 12Francisco JUNE Design Week
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Red Dot: Design Team of the Year. This title was given to Robert Sachon & Bosch Home Appliances Design Team. The “Radius” challenge cup was handed over to the winners by Oskar Juhlin, Director of Product Design at Veryday which was last year’s design team of the year from Sweden.
USA
The San Francisco Design Week is an eventpacked whir of innovations, ranging over the entire Bay Area from Silicon Valley to the city of San Francisco. The two weeks long programme boasts of more than 60 studio tours and 75 events that feature reputed designers and entrepreneurs from around the world. Its shows and exhibitions are known to widely influence the design world. The SF Design Week collaborated with WestEdge SF to present SF Design Week Hub where the several special events and educational programmes took place, as well as the opening night. Talks included those by the likes of Aaron Taylor Harvey and Rachael Yu and environmental designers from Airbnb. An event during which the best minds in the industry gathered to explore, discover and discuss, the SF Design Week proved to be a time of recognition and collaboration. It offered the opportunity to look at several design studios in the area, as also the chance to explore both big and small design firms. www.sfdesignweek.org
Several illustrious architects and designers were present for the launch, including Bijal Doshi from Talati and Panthaky Associates and Sanjay Patil from Environplanners Nashik. Roopesh Gupta, CEO, P3 Architectural Solutions, said, “Team 7 makes natural wood furniture made to order for the living areas, kitchen, dining, living, etc. In addition to seven native hardwoods from sustainably managed forests, the company’s numerous models and variants offer a wide range of options and choices which can work well in a country like India.”
26 JUNE TO 20 SEPT
Domaine de Boisbuchet Lessac, France
www.pcubesolutions.com www.team7.at/en
29RedJUNEDot Awards 2015 Essen, Germany
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Annually, the Domaine de Boisbuchet holds exhibitions on design, art or architecture. The exhibits vary from historical to contemporary creations or even from popular to unconventional creations, but they mimic Boisbuchet’s confidence in cultural diversity and creative freedom. This year, the theme largely revolves around the community. The table, an everyday mundane object of utility, imbibes this theme. The Domaine de Boisbuchet’s cultural activities for the year 2015 will revolve around the idea of the community.
Launches Team 7, Mumbai
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en.red-dot.org
Oliver Baryel, Export Director, Team 7 had this to say: “We are excited on our association with P3 and combining nature, design and technology. We are sure to offer innovative solutions to our customers.”
16P Architectural JUNE Solutions
P3 Architectural Solutions has announced its collaboration with the Austrian company, Team 7. P3 Architectural Solutions, producers of flexible and durable room interiors for home, office and public buildings, has the exclusive distribution of the natural wood furniture manufacturers from Austria. The natural wood furniture from Team 7 is designed and made in Austria using hardwood from sustainably managed forests.
As became tradition, Professor Dr. Peter Zec hosted the ceremony. Some of the illustrious members of the jury were welcomed on stage, which included renowned designer Vivian Wai-kwan Cheng, the inventor of the USB stick Hideshi Hamaguchi and designer Professor Werner Aisslinger.
At the Red Dot Awards, people from the design world all over converged in celebration of the best products of the year. In its 60th year in 2015, the design competition saw 4,928 entries from 56 countries.
The chief focus of the new exhibition, À Table!, is to demonstrate the many cultural meanings of the coffee tables and dining tables and school and office desks that have heretofore, served as mere backdrop to all that took place on and around them. www.boisbuchet.org
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 18 MAY
Somany Ceramics Studio, New Delhi
TO 21Green 22 Buildings MAY Conference Mumbai
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PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S 8 10 JULY TO
showcase for modern, contemporary design with an African perspective to it. The introductory exhibit includes local design giants such as Vogel Designs, Willowlamp, Ronel Jordaan and more along with fabric firms such as Home Fabrics and Design Team. The international brands arriving for the event include Ligne Roset, Vitra, Magis and Artemide.
Design Tokyo Tokyo, Japan
The Building and Construction industry formulates the second largest economic activity in India. As space gradually lessens and the human population grows ever more, there emerges the need to innovatively create space. This is essentially tackled by the Building and Construction sector.
Design Tokyo is Japan’s premier trade fair for design products designated as marketable. The products are first put to screening by leading designers and stylists and, if passed, are only then put on display. The Screening Committee conducts the screening and qualification process, qualifying applicants as exhibitors, keeping in mind the concept and quality of the fair. Buyers are thus keen on the products showcased and visit to gauge the latest trends in the field. The event also bestows the Design Tokyo Products Award to the most marketable design products among the lot of exhibits that passed the screening test.
The Expo provides an excellent opportunity for this industry to display their complete product range. Exhibitors will include companies associated with bath fittings, roofing, cladding and facades, modular kitchen and accessories industries, etc. www.prompttradefairs.com
The India International Build Expo 2015 is a three day event catering to the Building and Construction sector to facilitate trade and investment. An international event, the Expo intends to target over 25,000 attendees from all around the world with the expectation of displaying products of around 280 exhibitors.
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19 TO 23 AUG
Korea International Furniture & Interior Fair 2015 Seoul, South Korea
100% Design South Africa Johannesburg
The Korea International Furniture & Interior Fair, or KOFURN, is an event for the furniture, interior design and woodworking industries. It moves towards facilitating small businesses and promoting design development.
www.designtokyo.jp
India International Build Expo 2015,Chennai
www.100percentdesign.co.za
6 TO 10 AUG
The winner’s privileges include, apart from the tremendous media exposure, official support by the show management who will ensure that major retail shops reserve a special counter for the award-winning products. The expected visitors include retailers, interior co-ordinators, manufacturers, architect offices and developers.
17 TO 19 JULY
This year the event intends to expand itself by including advanced features and new platforms for designers to display their work. This will be achieved through three main areas of interior design: residential and hospitality, office interior, and product and artisanal design. Other new categories turning up this year include 100% Materials and 100% Lighting.
A design show with a unique African perspective, 100% Design South Africa, presented by DauphinHuman Design Group, has roped in some of the best innovators, leaders and designers to be a part of their show. The event boasts of gathering top brands from the residential, hospitality and office interior design industries. 100% Design South Africa will be taking place along the biggest décor, design and lifestyle exhibition in the African continent, Decorex Joburg. It is touted to be an international
The event keeps a tab on the new emerging trends and styles upcoming in the industry and also facilitates the smooth exchange of ideas and information. Held annually since 1984, this year will see the event come alive in its 26th edition. The participating products include those that fall under home furniture, interior furniture, office furniture and the woodworking industry. The fair intends to boost the development of Korean furniture industries by offering a venue for both Korean and foreign furniture manufacturers to showcase their products in the spirit of a healthy competition. www.kofurn.or.kr
PAST & FUTURE
E V E N T S
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Founded in 1999, studio archohm has journeyed and evolved into one of the leading architectural practices in the country and has achieved it by virtue of sheer passion and perseverance. Sourabh Gupta, the founder and principal architect of the studio firmly believes in designing climatically and contextually relevant solutions. archohm, in these past fifteen years has carved a distinct identity for architecture and design, and their commitment towards the field reflects in each venture undertaken by the firm. archohm offers solutions in various interdisciplinary fields like urban design, landscape, interior design and product design and has a competent core team to see it through. The theory of integrating sustainable principles with apt vocabulary of materials, whilst marrying lineal practices with contemporary, purist architecture is distinctly visible in their extensive body of work. Driven by the compelling passion for the field of design the firm has made headway in several allied mediums through its ventures and initiatives. They celebrate multifaceted forms and origins of design through initiatives like zolijns, design factory india, the design village and gomaads. In this interview, Sourabh shares with us his views and vision for design and architecture in India.
Interview by Shweta Salvi
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Over the past 15 years, archohm has steadily excelled in providing multifaceted design services. Tell us about the journey so far... I perceive that life for me has been a process of continuous evolution and learning. Graduating from the school of architecture at Ahmedabad, CEPT gave me the necessary skill set to pursue a career in architecture and design.
This is where I got addicted to exploring architecture and its allied formats. With this as my background, and after subsequently winning many competitions, I established archohm. Since then it has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of the diverse typologies and scale of works undertaken. Apart from constantly evolving, it has boldly ventured into allied domains of design as furniture and product design, infrastructure and urban solutions, education and publications. Yet, as it was envisioned, it is a design practice with a focus purely on design.
My passion towards this field and my understanding of design matured from my exposure at Bouwkunde, the highly acclaimed design school at the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. This introduction to an international school of thought at an impressionable age was invaluable.
What according to you is the foundation of good design? Functionality, aesthetics and a narrative.
archohm’s design philosophy has been one that creates a dialogue of pure functional forms exaggerated by the use of individual materials.
Typically, an architect’s inspirations and inclinations define his signature style. Is there a particular school of thought that you endorse or believe in? archohm’s design philosophy has been one that creates a dialogue of pure functional forms exaggerated by the use of individual materials. This interesting co-existence and conversation of various materials is utilised in all our projects to create responsive and responsible architecture that is climatically and contextually relevant. The aesthetic that architecture in India today follows is either modern, indigenous or just contemporary, irrespective of the Indian reference and its context. Home Review July 2015
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Designers have a responsibility to reflect the times in which they live. It is essential to define the Indian contemporary – India today.
In such a scenario, archohm’s design projects strive to embrace the evolving Indian-contemporary mindset, in materiality and functionality. archohm therefore, stands for a young, mad and fun approach to spatiality, which enables a play of light, volumes and materials. archohm is a multi-disciplinary firm that dabbles in varied design fields which require equally diverse design approaches. How do you keep a check on technical and creative aspects without getting carried away? archohm is a design studio offering consultancy for architecture, urban design, interiors, landscape and product design, working across diverse scales – from products and furniture to residential, institutional and urban projects.
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We have a fairly 2D organisation structure, which is democratic in many ways because of the ‘design’ nature of the practice. I personally lead all design discussions that evolve out of closely held brainstorming sessions. Thereafter, team leaders handle projects, a mix of architects, interior designers and technical people to facilitate an interesting inter-disciplinary flavour that helps evolve innovative solutions. Project heads take the responsibility, from client interaction to communications and delivery. A separate creative crew adds value to the process through a monthly newsletter, collateral books and novel product designs with the help of the graphic design team. Specialists on design and engineering are brought on board through multiple workshops keeping in line with the archohm philosophy.
The space volumes he created with light and architecture that are able to give a sense of seeming contradiction – evoking humility and monumentality simultaneously. Your quest for experimentation is evident in your different projects, initiatives and the various arenas of design you have worked in. What drives you to risk venturing into new territories? I think it is exciting and challenging to be working across the gamut with design as a focus. A good designer should be able to design anything. Multi-disciplinary, cross cultural knowledge exchanges fuel the mind and keep one updated. What are your views on the current design scene in India and what aspect of it would you like to change? Majority of the design in India either apes the West or is absolutely rooted in traditional nostalgia. Designers have a responsibility to reflect the times in which they live. It is essential to define the Indian contemporary – India today.
The symbolism of colour used on bare surfaces to enhance and explain programmatic needs of spaces, the harmony in the roughness and nearbrutality in finishes that almost betray some empathy in their structure and the sculpted flavour that interrupts the sanctity of the geometry defined Corbusier’s work. His internationalisation, cultural explorations, books, furniture – everything serves as an encouragement to me, as an architect. Tell us something about your various initiatives and ventures – design factory india, the design village, zolijns and gomaads... Stemming from archohm, various design initiatives have sprung out – the design village (an interdisciplinary design institute), design factory india (a design consulting with young designers), zolijns (an international lifestyle boutique) and gomaads (a product design label) – are all introduced to enhance the design quotient of the country.
What are you currently working on? What goals have you set for the firm in the coming years? We are doing a lot of public projects, right from city planning to city branding. Several cultural institutions, hospitals and housing projects are underway. What do you do in your spare time? Any other interests? I read a lot especially about design, and travel for experiencing architecture/design.
media@archohm.com
An architect/ designer whose work continues to inspire you… Le Corbusier. It is hard to put in words why Corbusier inspires me. Being a master of modern architecture, fundamentally, it is his ability to reduce a building to the simplest elements without making it simplistic. Because of his unapologetic, functional and aesthetic gestures that incorporate the basic use of materials in their purest and raw forms.
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A world away from the bustle of Mumbai, caressed by swaying palms and gentle sea breezes stands the Manor House – a charming weekend getaway in Alibaug, a mere 20 minute drive from Mandwa Jetty.
Text By Natalie Pedder-Bajaj Photographs Courtesy White3
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The maverick team of White3, comprising of Shane Pedder (Projects Principal) and Chaitaniya A Karnik (Design Principal), met by chance on a friend’s project in Alibaug. Shane, who has previously worked in Australia and India in construction and development, and Chaitaniya whose time at Marmol Radziner Associates in Los Angeles saw him designing for Hollywood stars, political celebrities and large scale projects the world over, have both returned to their passion – that of creating bespoke luxury homes. Standing on the rural site, facing the spectacular views of the Kankeshwar hills, they decided to design a regal manor, where every room overlooked this breathtaking tableau. Since the master plan for the home was to capitalise on the 180 degree panorama, all spaces face the mountains, including the azure blue pool that lolls like an oasis wrapped among the foliage.
The Manor House reverberates the company’s motto of designing comfortable spaces that age beautifully and acquire character as time goes by. “Our thought process is directed towards modern living and advances in technology, while always remaining committed to traditional craftsmanship and generational wisdom,” states Chaitaniya.
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As the road meanders towards the property, you can catch glimpses of the tower roof harmoniously blending in with the surroundings. While you come to a halt at the main entrance nestled among a lush bamboo grove, a tree bark acquired from a local saw mill is left exposed to offset the otherwise finished home. “This Japanese Wabi aesthetic is our attempt to leave each of our projects with some architecture that is alive and changing,� says Chaitaniya. The 3500 sq. ft. house has been designed like a classical manor, as one arrives through a small ingress which opens into a voluminous space. The view too is initially curtailed and then unexpectedly materialises as you walk through the door, a characteristic blueprint used in English country homes.
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The facade is an outcome of a functional response to the view and climate. The back of the house is austere with slit windows and a cylindrical stairwell that helps cut out the oppressive summer sun and shelters the house from the lashing rains. While the view-side has floor to ceiling windows with a rectangular framing pattern similar in concept to Japanese Shoji screens and in treatment to the Bauhaus aesthetic. The soul of the home is the spatial relationship between the living area, the pool deck and the landscape (where every tree has been preserved) that has been designed as one organic indooroutdoor experience. Keeping in tune with nature, the house has no paint, and subtle lighting reflects the lime plaster walls and floors which are a special feature in this residence.
The kitchen has two sections, one which is an open peninsula galley with a breakfast nook, and the other being a hidden back-of-house area. Leading through the dining room doors is the alfresco pool patio fringed with indigenous fruit trees, fragrant lemon grass bushes, feathery pampas and emerald green lawns.
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Between the living and dining areas are two spacious powder rooms, one indoor and one outdoor. The outdoor one is an all wood space with slatted teak that has been sanded and naturally oiled reflecting a chic cabin theme. On the other side are two guest rooms with door-walls and bathrooms that open out onto a deck with uninhibited views of the rambling mountains beyond.
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From the double heighted living room a stunning spiral staircase that has been enclosed in a tower (whose spire roof profile is readable from the inside) leads you to the first floor and the indoor balcony connecting the two master suites. This bridge not only links the bed rooms on either side, but also serves as a lounging area fronting the scenery from a completely new height. Each suite has a built-in closet and a large private balcony that presides over the entire property. One bathroom is fitted with an antiquewood basin and custom French gold fittings, kadappa shower and matching lime floors and walls, while the other has a muted vintage blue look. The beds are positioned in the middle of the room to take full advantage of the scenery and have a Haussmann style indoor standing-only balcony. Future projects include homes in Goa, Lonavala and Mumbai. “Our creations are where our clients live their history and so our practice drives us to try new things in every project, keeping to the spirit of effortless living,� concludes Shane.
chaitanyakarnik@gmail.com spedder@gmail.com www.white3.in
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The Small House: This was the first addition made to the garden. Visible alongside is an archway that leads to a bridge that Geoffrey Bawa created over a village road that ran through Lunuganga.
vernacular stories AT LUNUGANGA
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Is this a home with a garden or a garden with a home? A visit to the (very difficult to locate) Lunuganga Estate near Bentota, Sri Lanka doesn’t really answer the question for some. Home to the renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, the gardens at the Lunuganga Estate (Lunu=Salt and Ganga=River) was an experimental laboratory for his ideas. Geoffrey Bawa continued to alter and experiment with the spaces and structures for almost 40 years till his passing away in 2003.
Vantage points where Geoffrey Bawa spent time enjoying his tea, nimbu pani and views of his garden.
The Glass House: Visible is the carport and the Glass Room above, which was an addition made to the house in the 1980’s for his guests.
The Hen House at Lunuganga.
A vista that looks through the Main House drawing room.
Butterfly Pond: Made to mimic a butterfly, the view to the water garden was one of Geoffrey Bawa’s favourites.
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The Main House: Geoffrey Bawa’s room is the one with the small verandah.
The Garden Room, made using plenty of repurposed materials, was used as Geoffrey Bawa’s library and had a magnificent view of the garden.
Plain of Jars: Chinese Jars dot the landscape at Lunuganga. The Plain of Jars is so named after the many that become a part of the garden.
The Gallery Room which was a place for collected pieces that Geoffrey Bawa admired. It still exists the same way.
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A sculpture of the man himself - Geoffrey Bawa.
A windmill for drawing water was also introduced into Lunuganga.
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The key point in the client brief was for a home that ensured comprehensive privacy for the family.
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THE STYLE BASTION
The Fort House in Hyderabad has been designed by the Mumbaibased firm sP+a (Sameep Padora & Associates), as an innovative and minimalist take on the traditional ideas of spatial alignment found in forts like the Golconda.
This project came with the simplest of client briefs attached to it - build a home that is warm and private, and still ideal for entertaining friends and acquaintances. In short, realise an abode that relates to everyone involved.
Text By Shruti Nambiar Photographs By Edmund Sumner
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The home is surrounded by solid walls that are accented with manicured vegetation.
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It is to the credit of the design team from Mumbai-based firm sP+a that to this fairly austere premise was added an imaginative cover and core, worked with an innovative hand that infused the elements of comfort and luxury without falling into any stereotypical design trap entirely. Thus what has materialised is a 1,300 sq. m. swathe that is minimal and accessible, welcoming of the natural elements but still not averse to closed-off spaces, and of course, eminently modern in its aura. While it would have been easy to follow a strait-laced script that stuck close to the demands of the family, the team chose to instead question established styles and approaches, and to conjure up a plan that would embrace a vision that broke away from the usual. “Various ideas emerged from conversations with the client where we perused issues that ranged from a critique of the stylistic clichés that the ‘air conditioned’ tropical house becomes or the courtyard house bereft of the lifestyle that instigated it historically. We were in a sense questioning the notion of the archetype,” attests Sameep Padora of sP+a.
The family leisure room is on the upper floor.
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The courtyard indeed is a prime example of the healthy scrambling of old styles that transpired here. The team decided to give the traditionally established rigid placement of courtyards a freewheeling character, letting it dance across three different levels, both inside and outside, and letting it morph into terrace-like spaces in certain segments. “Why must a courtyard be structured the same way as it has been through the ages, what happens to it given the lifestyles that we lead or its operative potential as a climatic device if there are thin floor plates that are cross ventilated,” says Padora.
Ground floor plan.
This re-imagination of unsaid spatial norms is also what essentially makes this home ‘Fort House’. Like the solid fortresses of yore, this home’s main idea dreamt up a sweep of airy spaces that stand in a slightly impetuous array, but bordered by tough, impenetrable walls. Once the core question of privacy was answered, the wand of whimsy was waved over the interiors, a space absolutely delightful in its commitment to the unconventional. The public areas like the home office and kitchen are stationed towards the outside world, while the bedrooms have been allowed to retreat to the back, away from the street front.
Sections of the Fort House.
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Three parallel walls keep the layout scheme looking wholesome.
The house is also decked with sustainable elements like green roofs and water harvesting.
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The dancing courtyard creates a shell at the middle and encompasses the dining room, upper family section with a view of the foyer, and the overall entertainment den. Three sheer parallel walls, reinforced with PT beams and slabs, keep the whole scheme united in “a sort of performative minimalism�. Sitting between these walls are skylights that let loose sheets of the famed Hyderabad sun across some sections of the house. The interiors are clad in locally-sourced limestone and are in parts serenaded by dreamy azure lighting at night.
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Stylistic innovation is the clear winner here, but the Fort House’s scheme also includes some not immediately apparent green credentials. Natural cross-ventilation was one of the important factors that decided the layout of spaces, and the solid covering walls have openings on the western and south-western sides for more natural air-flow. The south-facing side of the wall also helps reduce heat gain; plus there are provisions in place for rain harvesting and green roofs. This is a home as solid in its substance as in its style.
sp-arc@sp-arc.net www.sp-arc.net
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Page 46 MODULAR KITCHENS
Everything fitted to your fancy
Page 48 APPLIANCES
Latest gadgets to make your life easy
Page 52 SURFACES & WORKTOPS
Surfaces with minimal maintenance
THE SMART KITCHEN
Create, revamp or spruce up your kitchen with a range of products and ideas
Page 54 SINKS & FAUCETS Where quality and functionality matter
Page 56 STORAGE & ACCESSORIES
Options that help save more space
Page 57 FITTINGS & HARDWARE
To give your kitchen an instant facelift
Page 78
Page 58 THE REVITALISED INDIAN KITCHEN Keep up with the changing face of the Indian kitchen
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Page 62 THE FUTURE IS HERE
The rising IQ of the smart kitchen
Page 64 THE PERFECT COOKING AMBIENCE
Ideas to make the kitchen appealing to the eye
THE SMART
KITCHEN
Kitchens have evolved from being a remote entity in the home to an integrated and cohesive unit. Our feature brings a wide range of products and ideas to redefine your kitchen accordingly.
In Indian homes, kitchens have always been the hub of all activity. Elaborate cuisines which involved long-drawn cooking practices kept the kitchen constantly abuzz with activity, emanating sounds and flavours and aromas. But with the evolution of user demographics, kitchens too have evolved. They look minimalist but do more and do it quickly and silently.
Text By Himali Kothari
From many years of being relegated to the background, they have stepped up to occupy centre-stage in modern living spaces. In fact with the open layout becoming popular by the day, the kitchen space extends seamlessly into the living space. Thus, there is an increased emphasis on the design and ambience in the kitchen. The choice of surfaces, worktops, storing and layout is no longer based purely on the functionality factor, aesthetics play an equally important role. Appliance manuafacturers have picked up on this trend too and besides concentrating on the features of their products they are also working on getting the look right. Photo Credit: Nolte
The changing Indian palate has also influenced the kitchen and what goes in it and appliances which were unheard of till a few years ago are now becoming must-haves. Our Smart Kitchen segment features a range of ideas to spruce up every element in the kitchen, be it the floor, storage or gadgets. It highlights the options that are available for a variety of preferences and design inclinations.
Photo Credit: Asahi
Whether it is to create a new kitchen space or revamp an existing one or to simply smarten up one component in it, our feature showcases a range of products and ideas to make that process smooth and easy.
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MODULAR KITCHENS
Ease of installment has made modular kitchens a popular choice in recent times. Superior quality, variety in design and high level of customisation has expanded the reach of modular kitchens. ARTTD’INOX An established name in tableware, Arttd’inox forays into the realm of modular kitchens, but the brand’s close bond with stainless steel stays intact. Crafted from 100% recyclable green material – stainless steel, the bespoke kitchens come in three distinct styles: contemporary, linear and minimal and are available in any colour and design. www.arttdinox.com
BLEU CONCEPTS SMART KITCHENS In their range of Smart Kitchens, Bleu Concepts has stressed as much on functionality as on aesthetics. Use of materials like veneer and laminate ensures durability without sacrificing on elegance and style. Accomodating the most minute requirement of the user to ensure ease in use, the smart kitchen lives up to its name. www.bleuconcepts.com
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GRANDEUR DEL TONGO’S CRETA FRAME KITCHEN With the Del Tongo’s Creta Frame Kitchen Collection, Grandeur brings Southern Spain to Indian homes. Subtle yet distinct, this range of handleless kitchens portrays a minimalist and uncluttered style of living; ideal for an open layout where spaces seamlessly flow from one to another. Discretely incorporated high-tech details ensure that the user experience is efficient and smooth. www.grandeurinteriors.com
GLOBUS PROCON MAISTRI LA CUCINA Globus Procon brings to India Maistri La Cucina, a high quality brand of modular kitchens from Italy. Elegant design, huge variety of combinations of colours and materials and the use of natural materials are the standout features of Maistri kitchens. The kitchens can be 100% customised to suit individual needs. www.globusprocon.com
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APPLIANCES
The kitchens of today are not only different in appearance but also in their use, as compared to the kitchens of the past, and thus the appliances must also evolve to cater to newage demands. ARTTD’INOX WARMTH FOOD PAD The stainless steel Warmth Food Pad by Arttd’inox is a food warmer for a single dish. It comprises of a mesh plate to place the dish and the t-light is placed in the curvature underneath. Stylish enough to be placed on the dinner table, the Warmth Food Pad is a thoughtful addition to modern living. www.arttdinox.com
SIEMENS FLEX INDUCTION HOB Siemens’ Flex-Induction Hob has been designed keeping in mind that pots and pans come in all shapes and sizes. The 24 x 40 cm flexible induction surface automatically detects the number, size and shape of the cookware on it and adjusts accordingly. The hob heats up instantly resulting in short cooking time and cools down in no time as well. www.siemens.co.in
FRANKE DISHWASHER USHA INTERNATIONAL INFINITICOOK HALOGEN OVEN The Usha InfinitiCook uses light for effective and efficient cooking. This multi-functional cooking appliance can perform all cooking functions. Its multi-level cooking option allows three different dishes to be cooked at one time. It is fitted with a clear glass bowl that allows the user to view the food as it gets cooked. www.usha.com
Economy of time and water are the salient features of Franke’s line of dishwashers. Its efficiency guarantees use of less water and excellent washing and drying in quick time. An innovative third rack for cutlery leaves more room for larger crockery. Flexible programming to suit changing requirements and delayed start option make it a smart option for the modern kitchen. www.franke.com
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MIELE GOURMET WARMER DRAWER The Miele range of Gourmet Warmer Drawers not only keeps the crockery and food at the room temperature, but they can also be used to cook meats at low temperatures. A control panel along the front is loaded with pre-set programmes and also has a timer that can be set to automatically switch off the appliance. www.miele.in
CARYSIL TRANCE ICE-MAKER Carysil’s Trance Ice-Maker makes fresh ice in no time – 9 cubes in 6 to 8 minutes, making it a useful appliance to keep up with the pace of modern living. It produces up to 12 kg of ice per 24 hours and has an ice storage capacity of 800 gm. Its free standing design proves it ideal for indoor and outdoor use.
HINDWARE COOKER HOOD
www.acrysil.com
www.hindwarehomes.com
The Cooker Hood range from Hindware is a blend of futuristic designs and superiorly advanced technology. Available in stainless steel and tempered glass, it is equipped with a wind tunnel to ensure a clean, smoke-free and fresh environment in the kitchen space. The Hindware designer hoods are an aesthetic fusion of innovative design and extreme finesse.
GODREJ NXW REFRIGERATOR NXW - The Next Generation Refrigerator by Godrej Appliances is packed with many advance features to provide a user-centric experience. The NXW allows users to customise their refrigerator the way they want by storing food in 3 flexible temperature zones – chiller (-1 to 3°C), fridge (1 to 5°C) and pantry (4 to 8°C). www.godrej.com
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USHA INTERNATIONAL ON THE GO BLENDER USHA International’s On The Go Blender is an appropriate fit in the busy modern lifestyle. One push of the pulse button whips up a nutritious breakfast straight into the detachable jar. The portable and stylish jar makes for an ideal companion for those on the move. The stainless steel blades ensure fast and smooth blending of frozen ingredients too. www.usha.com
HAIER SIDE-BY-SIDE HRF-618SS REFRIGERATOR Haier’s new Side-by-Side Refrigerator is designed to complement the contemporary Indian kitchen. Its contoured door and sleek design ensures optimum utilisation of space and the LED lights inside light up every nook and corner. The smart digital control on the door and the recessed handles lend the refrigerator an attractive appearance. www.haier.com/in/
CATA K 60 BLACK Reacting to strong customer demand, Cantee has recently introduced K 60 Black with elegant features at an affordable price. This new chimney is available in 60cm size which boasts of an exquisite finish, mechanical control panel with adjustable 3-speed levels, powerful suction motor, low or negligible sound and many more. www.cataindia.com
HINDWARE VENTS X STAR SERIES
The Vents X Star Series by Hindware is a designer range of domestic extractor fans effective in ventilating the kitchen and keeping it free of lingering odours. The modern design of the Vent lends an aesthetic appeal to an appliance that is valued purely for its utilitarian value. The casing and the impellor design increases its efficiency. www.hindwarehomes.com
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FRANKE CRYSTAL WHITE LINEAR HOB Franke’s Crystal White Linear Hob addresses the need for a reliable cooktop. The four burner hob has a front edge that protects the control knobs from heating up keeping them cool at all times. The raised position of the control panel and generous spacing between burners allows large pans to be accommodated all at once. www.franke.com
CARYSIL WINE CHILLER
SIEMENS BUILT-IN REFRIGERATORS
Carysil’s high quality wine chillers come with a dual temperature zone for red and white wine. The free standing chiller’s elegant touch pad and blue LED interior lighting give it an ultra-cool appearance. Fitted with two chrome racks, it is a mini bar with refrigerator that can accommodate 24 standard size wine bottles.
The Siemen’s range of built-in refrigerators brings together the technical superiority of the Siemen’s brand and combines it with aesthetic appeal. The built-in range of refrigerators fit into the décor of the kitchen instead of sticking out and can be customised to suit the design scheme of any kitchen space. www.siemens.co.in
www.acrysil.com
MIELE FREE STANDING COFFEE MACHINE The Bean-to-Cup machine by Miele grinds the beans and presents coffee tailored as per individual preference. The machine also has a cup heating rack to allow the cups to be pre-heated and an insulated milk flask that keeps milk cool for up to 12 hours. Its automatic rinsing feature means that the machine is virtually maintenance-free. www.miele.in
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SURFACES & WORKTOPS
The kitchen is the most active area in the living space and is prone to spills and splatters on a daily basis. The choice of surface must be capable of surviving these minor accidents with minimal maintenance. ASAHI INDIA GLASS LTD. AIS DÉCOR With open kitchens becoming popular in modern homes, aesthetic appeal is as important as functionality, and this is where glass comes in. The AIS Décor range is available in a variety of hues to add a vibrant and contemporary ambience to the kitchen space. Countertops, cabinets, pantry doors, decorative panels – glass lends itself to endless possibilities. www.aisglass.com
CLASSIC MARBLE COMPANY IRIS MAXFINE CMC brings to India the Iris Maxfine brand of IRIS Italy. This large size porcelain slab is available in a minimal thickness of 6mm. Maxfine’s qualities of strength, lightness, flexibility and adaptability make it a suitable choice for the kitchen space. Its bright appearance afforded by the smooth finish adds a touch of elegance to the kitchen. www.classicmarble.com
GLOBUS PROCON LAPITEC HAFELE CAESARSTONE SURFACES Caesarstone countertops by Hafele combine luxury with practicality and adaptability in the kitchen space. Quartz is one of the hardiest materials found in nature and its use in the manufacture of countertops results in surfaces that last a lifetime. Latest trends in design and colours have also been given equal weightage in developing this cutting-edge range. www.hafeleindia.com
Lapitec launched in India by Global ProCon is a super hydrophilic, selfcleaning, anti-bacterial, anti-mold, anti-fungus and anti-polluting material, making it a suitable option for the kitchen space. The surface is insensitive to weather and atmospheric conditions and thus does not detriorate with time. It can be easily cut and transformed to suit required specifications. www.globusprocon.com
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NITCO Besides being aesthetic, NITCO’s range of kitchen tiles promise durability and ease of maintenance. The wide range of tiles provides options to suit individual design preferences. Tile backsplash gives not just utilitarian value but also provides a design accent to the kitchen. The range also includes tiles inspired from natural materials like wood, stone, slate, etc. www.nitco.in
POGGENPOHL Poggenpohl’s and Porsche Design Studio’s commitment to functional perfection and unique design results in a new interpretation of the conventional space. The new range brings the technology of industrial mitring to the kitchen space. This combination of engineering excellence and innovative design produces an elaborate finish which takes its appearance to the next level.
SOMANY CERAMICS GLOSSTRA Created using Ultra Gloss technology, the Glosstra brand by Somany Ceramics adds colour to the interiors. Kitchen-specific motifs created with digital printing can be used to create backdrops to liven up the walls. The high gloss finish reflects natural light and gives a bright, airy and spacious feel to the kitchen space. www.somanyceramics.com
www.poggenpohl.com
NOTION LAMINATE WOODEN FLOORING Flooring by Notion seeks to make wood a viable choice in the kitchen. A wooden floor creates a warm ambience in any space, be it rustic or classic or contemporary. Laminate Wooden Flooring by Notion comes in vast ranges and colours and is thus easy to combine with the other existing elements in the kitchen. www.notion.net.in
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SINKS & FAUCETS
The one element in the kitchen where functionality takes precedence over everything else is the sink and thus quality and practicality are the first points of consideration in making the choice. DELTA BRIZO VUELO A simple touch to the faucet, spot or handle is all it takes to start the water flowing from Delta’s Brizo Vuelo range. The touchsensitive faucet keeps water at a constant temperature and pressure. With Delta’s Smart Touch technology, handling of food is more hygienic and there is also increased efficiency during prep work and clean up. www.deltafaucet.co.in
DURAVIT VERO & KIORA With both the Vero and Kiora lines of kitchen sinks, Duravit creates a range that is frill-free, yet elegant. Vero takes inspiration from the humble rectangle. With Kiora, the goal is to lend it a unique character within the boundaries of minimalist design. Here, the drain outlets and the fittings are aligned to lend it a harmonious appearance. www.duravit.in
GROHE EUROCUBE FAUCET FRANKE MYTHOS FUSION SINKS Franke’s line of Mythos Fusion Sinks has been designed to optimise the level of hygiene in kitchens. Steel and fragranite fuse together to create smooth surfaces that are easy to clean. The Sanitized® hygiene function keeps the surface almost entirely free of bacteria. The smooth surface also deters the build up of limescale. www.franke.com
Whether it is rinsing dishes, cleaning vegetables or filling large pots, the Eurocube Faucet by Grohe can answer all the requirements of the sink in a modern kitchen. Its 360 degrees rotating spring neck simplifies the numerous chores that are part of the cooking process. The faucet comes in both dazzling chrome as well as a subtle matte finish. www.grohe.com/in
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HAFELE ARMANDO VICARIO Available in chrome and brushed chrome finish the Armando Vicario line of faucets by Hafele is equipped with a number of features to maximise its functionality. The anti-lime pure water outlet helps increase its lifespan while the Water Sense technology ensures economical use of water. The faucets also have a low operational noise to ensure maximise user comfort. www.hafeleindia.com
JAYNA A product range that combines elegant design and versitality of use has established the JAYNA brand of stainless steel sinks amongst the best. The product list boasts of 45 models and more than 135 different sizes. Commitment to quality is top priority right from using high-grade quality steel to applying state-of-the art procedures to convert it to the finished product.
NIRALI ORUS With its Orus kitchen sink Nirali provides an antiscratch feature to combat the rough and tough cleaning of Indian cookware. The sink is split into two sections, to enable separating fragile items like glasses and china from the larger vessels. Orus also comes with a sound reducing coating to reduce vibrations from dishes and running water. www.niralisinks.com
www.jaynasinks.com
CARYSIL Carysil’s new collection of kitchen faucets is meant to add an indescribable aesthetic appeal to the kitchen. The faucets are all a perfect blend of contemporary aesthetics and maximum functionality with exemplary reliability for rigorous everyday use. The flexible pull-out sprays can be easily removed. Carysil’s collection of faucets will ensure longlasting smooth movement. www.acrysil.com
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STORAGE & ACCESsORIES Planning the storage space is crucial in the layout of the Indian kitchen. Maximising the available space and organising such that neither functionality nor the look is compromised are key considerations. EBCO PESABOY - TILTING WASTE BIN A well-designed waste bin is an important feature in a smart kitchen to ensure a high level of hygiene. The Pesaboy by Ebco is a tilting wastebin that tips the bin out and allows easy access from above. The separate smaller container may be attached and used to segregate the organic waste or carry waste from the worktop to the bin. www.ebco.in
ARTTD’INOX GUILLOCHE CANISTERS Arttdinox’s Guilloche range of steel storage boxes are etched with attractive geometric patterns that create an artistic illusion. The boxes come in different sizes and thus afford themselves for a wide variety of uses. Unlike the usual storage boxes, these boxes are too stylish to be tucked away out of sight in cabinets. www.arttdinox.com
EBCO PEKA UTILITY PULLOUTS HACKER Storage solutions by Hacker are backed by thoughtful planning resulting in elements that facilitate everyday work in the kitchen. The variety of compartments in the cutlery drawer keeps it well-organised. The LED lights in the wall units automatically come on when lifted-up and shut off when lifted-down, aiding easy access in the kitchen space. www.haecker-india.com
Storage is a prime factor in the layout of a kitchen and with the Utility Pullouts Ebco brings a solution that maximises the use of available space. They can be used both as front pull-outs or fitted behind hinged doors. Their utilitarian quotient is further upped by the unbreakable transparent inserts and an integrated soft closing device. www.ebco.in
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FITTINGS & HARDWARE
More often than not the fittings and hardware play their role in the background, providing the right support to those on display.Thus, their role in the modern kitchen cannot be underestimated. H&R JOHNSON NOBILIA SENSYS With the Nobilia Sensys range of modular kitchens, H&R Johnson introduces the latest generation in hinge technology into the kitchen space. The Sensys hinge with integrated cushioning from Hettich has a unique pull-in function that closes the door gently and automatically as soon as the open angle is less than 35°. This ‘Silent System’ delivers an exclusive closing experience. www.hrjohnsonindia.com
HAFELE BLUM AVENTOS The Blum Aventos Lift System by Hafele eliminates the use of handles and doors in the overhead cabinets. They are replaced by a more practical system where the opening moves up and out of the way. The Aventos comes with a variable stop mechanism which means that they can stop at the desired point and reached back easily to close. www.hafeleindia.com
OZONE ROLLER SHUTTER SYSTEMS HAFELE Hafele’s range of drawer lighting is a competent solution that adds to both the ambience and the ease of use. The drawer lights illuminate the innermost corners of the drawers when opened and switch off when the drawer is shut. Available in a variety of designs and sizes, the energy efficient LED fittings are activated through infrared sensor technology. www.hafeleindia.com
Ozone’s Roller Shutter Systems is designed to answer the need for compact and welldesigned kitchen spaces. This system not only ups the style quotient, it also ensures optimum space utilisation. These userfriendly shutters come in three-step opening option with automatic or manual operation function and can be installed in a new or an existing kitchen. www.ozone-india.com
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Traditionally, Indian kitchens were where meals were eaten. The women sat behind the stoves and the family gathered in front of it. Hot unleavened bread was picked off the girdle and placed on the waiting plates. With changing lifestyles and rising standard of living, the character of the kitchen changed. The concept of the dining room emerged and the kitchen became the staging area. The women started working and the kitchen became the domain of the service help. But, the wheels of time continued to move and the kitchen continued to evolve. Urban lives are busy, both men and women take on the cooking and it is often a time to catch up with the family or watch television. Thus, the open layout emerged and the aesthetic elements of the kitchen layout and design started receiving considerable consideration just like any other space in the house. Tanushree Gulati, Head architect at M:OFA Studios Pvt. Ltd. says, “One of the last but most important walls to come down in an open plan is the kitchen wall. Entertaining friends during a party with drinks and cocktails or simply cooking for family, the kitchen is now an extension to the dining and living room. Thus, it is a part of the décor as it’s no longer merely a functional space tucked away unseen somewhere but sits at times in the centre of the house, open, visible and inviting.”
Photo Credit: Sebastian Zachariah. Photo Courtesy: AdnD
A minimalist layout with clean lines fits in perfectly with the evolving contemporary Indian lifestyle.
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Photo Courtesy: Snaidero Kitchens
The Revitalised Indian Kitchen Like all living spaces the kitchen too has evolved to accommodate new lifestyles and preferences. Leading architect studios Atelier dnD and M:OFA share their experiences in keeping up with the changing face of the Indian kitchen.
Photo Courtesy: Snaidero Kitchens
The use of wood and steel in the kitchen space lends it an elegant look.
Unconventional choice of colours and materials adds to the visual appeal of the kitchen space.
An eclectic choice of tiles infuses a fun element into the kitchen space. Photo Credit: Sebastian Zachariah Photo Courtesy: AdnD
At Atelier dnD the change in today’s kitchens is attributed to change in the demographics, “Younger couples and new generations find themselves being involved in household chores. Hence the idea of the kitchen as a personal space has emerged making it a first user need rather than a second user format like in the past.” Also, the urban Indian’s palate has expanded. Travels and exposure to global flavours have brought the cuisines of the world into Indian homes and with the foods come the paraphernalia.
The changing palate of the urban Indian has led to a demand for a varied range of kitchen appliances.
Tanushree says, “With the advent of technology and ingredients of world cuisine available in India many new processes and new equipment have entered the kitchen. The very basic layout itself, the cooking counter orientation, the kind of materials used, finishes and especially the equipment has changed.”
Photo Credit: Miele
Gone are the days when the hob was the only cooking instrument in the kitchen. Microwaves, ovens and grills are must-haves and the list can get as extensive as space and budgets permit.
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Despite the attention to aesthetics, functionality still plays an important role especially with regards to certain elements of the kitchen space. Atelier dnD has observed this in the selection of the kitchen counter top, flooring and dado, “These areas are of huge concern to most clients as they are susceptible to stains from our Indian cooking ingredients. Thus the client wants to consider materials carefully here.” Irrespective of the changes in lifestyles, there are some properties that are inherent to Indian cooking which have persevered through the other changes. M:OFA’s Tanushree believes these continue to play a crucial role in all decisions for a kitchen makeover.
With the open layout, the kitchen occupies centre space in the house and blends into the living spaces around it. Photo Credit: Franke
She says, “Indian cooking can create a lot of smoke and in joint families large quantities are cooked. Storage is an important aspect as we store a lot of our grains, pickles, etc. in large vats or ceramic or glass containers. The open kitchens and materials of the west as a concept need some adaptation as per the processes, economies and psyches of a traditional Indian kitchen. A sprinkle of some indigenous thinking is essential here.”
The kitchen island doubles up as a small table and makes cooking a recreational activity. Photo Credit: Sebastian Zachariah. Photo Courtesy: AdnD Photo Credit: Poggenpohl
In the contemporary kitchen, storage is no longer only about functionality, it gets an aesthetic treatment.
Flushed-in appliances give a homogeneous appearance to the kitchen layout.
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Photo Courtesy: Snaidero Kitchens
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Every technological innovation is a response to the prevailing human needs. Electricity eliminated manual labour and the tasks of blending, grinding and cleaning were completed with the flick of a switch. Over the years, the move has been towards minimising physical exertion so much so that no more than a thumb is needed to complete most tasks. And now it is time to take it up one more notch – to create kitchens that can think and function with minimal human involvement. Modern life is demanding and multi-tasking is the need of the hour. Gadgets that respond to a voice command or the tap of a button on the phone are the key to get the kitchen up and moving without being physically present in it. Companies are creating kitchen appliances that can be commanded to perform operations through apps on the phone or the tablet.
The backdrop of the cooktop works as an interactive screen to display the recipe or catch up on emails.
A coffee maker by Siemens gets the coffee ready before you’ve stepped out of bed or a LG smart oven that comes with a recipe bank and allows you to choose the recipe and preheat it to the right temperature all through your smartphone are just some of these remote access appliances. It is not just the individual gadget that is getting smarter, the collaboration between them is too. Integration and sharing of information between various appliances makes tasks smoother and more streamlined. For instance, a refrigerator that tracks the ingredients stored in it and thus sends a relevant recipe to the smart oven. Companies are in the process of developing gadgets that eliminate the human touch almost completely, for instance, robotic arms that through Wi-Fi, works over the cooktop and stirs, mixes and cooks meals.
The SIEMENS smart coffee machine gets the coffee ready with a command from the smart phone.
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The Future is Here With remote access to kitchen gadgets, accurate nutritional information at the tip of the fingers and gadgets that sync and partner together to minimise the human effort, the IQ of the smart kitchen is on the rise.
Robotic arms will take over the tasks of mixing, stirring and cooking and minimise the human presence in the kitchen.
As the kitchen gets smarter, it will be possible to access gadgets remotely.
An LED screen keeps track of the ingredients stored in the smart refrigerator and also notifies about its expiry date.
With organic, fresh and nutritional value becoming the keywords associated with food today, the kitchen of the future needs to be tuned into the health aspect of the food it serves up. The Prep Pad is a gadget that gathers the nutritional information of any food in the bowl it is connected to and through an app sends the nutritional breakdown of the same to help keep a track of the calories in the food you eat. Stocking and organisation are the most dreaded chores in the kitchen. And while having a robot to store things away is still a dream in the far future, a solution to keep a track of the stock, the smart way, is already here. The LG ThinQ oven can be commanded to pre-heat through an app and can share recipes with the LG smart refrigerator.
Companies are developing smart refrigerators that scan receipts and keep an inventory of the items stored in them. The fridge alerts you about ingredients that are about to expire and look up recipes based on the contents of the fridge and also enable you to shop online for other ingredients though its LCD screen. At first glance these gadgets may seem too far-out to be true, like props from a sci-fi film. But they are not much more than an arm’s length away with the latest ongoing research and technology stepping up the ante every day.
Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
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The Perfect Cooking Ambience Whether it is revamping the whole space or recreating one aspect of it, there are various things one can do to make the kitchen space more user-friendly as well as more appealing to the eye.
Minimalist is the catchword in design, and handleless kitchens are a step in that direction. Technology has evolved the way cabinets are opened and shut and has made it possible to do away with handles for a more clean and uncluttered ambience. Photo Credit: Cucine Lube
A smart kitchen has appliances for every task and built-in appliances which are flushed-in with the cabinets lend the kitchen an organised look and give the dĂŠcor a more homogenous appearance. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
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With open kitchens making their way into modern lifestyles, the kitchen has also become a space to entertain guests and thus the placement of lights needs thought, not just from the practical viewpoint but also to enhance the setting. Photo Credit: Hafele
Tiles are an ideal surface choice for the backsplash because they are low-maintenance and can survive the onslaught from the cooktop. The variety of sizes, colours and designs in tiles makes it possible to use the backsplash as a style statement. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
In a kitchen styled along a modern design theme, shades of black and charcoal grey for the cabinets and other accessories further the ultra-modern expression and give it a glamorous feel. Photo Credit: Poggenpohl Home Review July 2015
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Shelves suspended from the ceiling are not just a way to expand the available storage space a little but they also up the design quotient of the place. An open suspended shelf can be used as a storage-cum-display shelf. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
Placing the cooktop on the island is a great option for spaces with less wall space. Grouping chairs around the island ensures that the cooking process is not isolated and there is a smoother flow from cooktop to table. Photo Credit: Nolte
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A minimalist pure white colour scheme can be set off by a splash of colour either by a vibrant hue on one wall or with accessories. It is an ideal option to bring in some colour in small kitchens where too much colour may give a cluttered look. Photo Credit: H&R Johnson
While functionality may be the prime factor as far as storage is concerned, it can still be made pretty. The façade of the storage can be fashioned as a design element instead of cabinets. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
With the range of available flooring options, it is possible to add some excitement to the floor whatever the size of the kitchen space. A quirky floor surface is a great way to set off a simple kitchen dĂŠcor without losing valuable space. Photographs For Representation Purposes Only
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Talk of the ‘Raj’ and impressions of colonialism pop into mind. When we refer to art and design of the Raj era, the mind will nestle into a certain old world charm associated with the décor of that age. For a company that deals with the beautiful heirloom-like furniture of the past, “The Raj Company” is an apt name indeed. When it comes to vintage furniture, there are a couple of things that connoisseurs and lovers of antique pieces know well. Firstly, scouting around for a true gem is not as easy as it sounds, and often requires identifying a diamond in the rough. Secondly, collecting beautiful old things can become an all-consuming hobby. Ricky Lamba, the proprietor and brain behind the company, would know. After all, it was this passion that led to the inception of The Raj Company.
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BEHOLD THE RAJ! TEXT BY DHANISHTA SHAH
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“Collecting antiques and aesthetically beautiful things has been a hobby since my teens. I was in a completely different business for many years and never actually planned to get into this business. But as I put together a small collection of lovely antique furniture, one thing led to another, and soon it was a fun, parallel business that slowly grew into my main line of work,� reminiscences Lamba, as he talks about the grand Mumbai based store that is a haven for old pieces that revel in great beauty.
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Hunting for gems is something that has to become second nature for those in this business. One has to develop an eye for worthy pieces. “We have a team of scouts and dealers all over the subcontinent who help us with our sourcing process. We generally get our pieces from old mansions, palaces, colonial era structures etc,” explains Lamba. Not surprisingly, The Raj Company is one of the few remaining entities that offer high quality, hand made and hand finished antiques, reproductions and custom furniture of all styles. The group has an enviable selection of fabulous high-end items of all genres. Think British Colonial, Indo Portuguese, Dutch Colonial, French Colonial, Anglo Indian, Art Deco and Ethnic furniture – they have it all. The original is always rare and in short supply. Thus, the market for reproductions has grown considerably. “We also make reproductions of different styles. Our custom furniture services are very diverse, of high quality and cover all styles including contemporary furniture. Basically we offer anything and everything made from hard wood,” states Lamba. The timeline for the delivery of these customised pieces depends upon the style, size and complexity of the custom order. A simple piece like a chair or small cabinet could take as little as 2 to 3 weeks and a larger, highly carved and more complex piece like a four poster bed or intricate bookcase could take up to 8 weeks. To restore an old piece to its former glory or make a worthy reproduction is a different ball game all together. Here is where sound expertise comes in. One needs specialised workmen who have great skill and knowledge of the style of furniture as well as the right kind of raw materials. The group has a team of highly skilled and expert craftsmen who painstakingly restore or remake furniture using carefully selected reclaimed antique hard wood. Taking timeless designs as a base, the company also adds subtle modern touches to customised furniture, if required by the client.
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One of the main concerns of customers is often related to maintenance. “As our furniture is made of hardwood and hand finished, it does not need much special maintenance on a regular basis if it is maintained with care; standard cleaning and dusting will suffice. We offer all our customers in and around Mumbai prompt after sales service for both refinishing and repair if required,� says Lamba. Another concern for those scouting for antiques is how to identify one in the first place. Lamba agrees that it is difficult for an amateur to differentiate between an antique and a good reproduction. However, according to him, the best way to recognise if the item is an original would be to source or buy the antique in its original condition from a trusted dealer and then have it restored. We live in times where tastes of people are changing. Modernism and convenience have crept into design and a lot of furniture looks clinical. Yet, there will always be a market for colonial pieces that speak of a glorious era. These are pieces that are timeless in style and can be passed down generations as heirlooms. And, till passionate groups like The Raj Company continue to breathe new life into old designs, those who appreciate the richness of the past need not be worried!
The Raj Company 1-C, K. Khadye Marg, Opposite the Race Course, Mahalaxmi,Mumbai 400 034, 91 (22) 2354 2626 / 3636 / 8686 / 2424 www.therajcompany.com
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Uncluttered, efficient and communal-style workspaces are the buzzwords of office décor these days; these are clearly iterated in this young online portal’s office design.
At online portal - Toppr’s 1,500 sq. ft. office in Powai, Mumbai you can sense the feverish drive of a young start-up looking to make it big, right from the moment you enter. Gone is the traditional reception area so indispensable to hierarchical organisations. Instead, visitors are thrust straight into the heart of Toppr’s office where employees in the age group of 20-40 are immersed in coding and programming for the company’s online educational portal. Kumpal Vaid, Founder and Principal Designer of Purple Backyard reveals that when her design firm was approached for the interiors of Toppr’s office, the brief spelled “An uncluttered space with the roomy feel of an old mill.” The designer admits she initially had reservations about creating an office space that turned its back on a reception area, but was convinced eventually as, “The client was keen on a space that broke free from the typical, corporate office design.”
Text By Christabelle Athaide Photographs By Biju Gopal
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INDUSTRIAL GRADE
The tin lamps across the office are more for effect, whereas the ceiling LED lights do the hard work of illuminating the workspace.
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To the design firm’s advantage, the office located in Powai had high ceilings and lent itself perfectly to the industrial look that Purple Backyard had envisaged for the interiors. Kumpal says, “We adopted the less-is-more approach to designing,” adding that “the client was more concerned about ergonomics and about maximising space.” The final layout that you see is an open-plan format with the main workspace area comprising three long, communal-type tables that seat 36 persons. The office layout is fairly simple: central workspace surrounded by a service area, a breakout space and glass-walled cabins for meetings and for making phone calls.
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What’s interesting to note is the complete absence of any drawers or storage cabinets in the workspace. “Toppr operates as a paperless office,” laughs Kumpal, “besides the client was firm about introducing only what was absolutely essential into the décor.”
As a paperless office, Toppr dispenses away with the ubiquitous drawers and keeps storage solutions to a minimum to avoid accumulation of clutter.
The communal work tables may evoke a classroom layout but in effect are ideal space maximisers and useful in facilitating employee collaboration. Kumpal brushes away concerns about noise disturbance in the open-plan layout adding that the employees in this office are typically engaged in coding and other backend work and are not prone to making or answering noisy phone calls.
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For relief from their computer screens, employees can retreat to the far end of the room, where a cosy couch by the window offers a change of atmosphere. “This breakout zone allows employees to literally detach themselves from work as the windows look out onto the calming Powai lake below.” Potted plants, books, posters and other knick-knacks from the client’s personal collection are arranged in this area to create a sense of a personal space. Add to that the D-I-Y lights and book shelves and you have a space that exudes serenity and feels a lot like home.
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The rest of the office however emanates a serious, hard-working atmosphere. The designer says, “We created the no-frills, industrial look with the help of exposed brick walls that are simply coated with white paint, and left the ducting exposed and in its raw state.” This was then balanced by wooden flooring to bring in an element of warmth, luxury and create an aura of professionalism. The two large windows at one end of the office bring in a fair amount of natural light and these are complimented by LED ceiling lights generously distributed across the workspace. “The tin lamps on the other hand,” shares Kumpal, “are more for effect and to help complete the industrial look.” Home Review July 2015
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“As a design firm, we are inspired by high-end, luxurious materials. But we also enjoy blending these with the mundane to create something new. It’s all about balance and about creating a look that doesn’t come across as trying too hard. That’s what makes the energy of this office so different,” shares Kumpal. “We really enjoyed sourcing these,” says the designer excitedly, referring to the old, wood-panelled doors of the washroom that were discovered at a flea market. Simple touches like these add character and interest to even the most utilitarian areas.
Same with the whiteboards you see around the office. By replacing the standard boards with glass sheets placed against a white wall, the design team has turned the expected into the unexpected. “The glass and metal screen between the workspace and service area can be used by employees to write messages, affix photographs and basically transform the screen into a playful, interactive space,” says Kumpal adding, “Why stick to one way of doing things when there are a hundred different ways of doing it better?” Why, indeed? kumpal.pb@gmail.com info@purplebackyard.com www.purplebackyard.com
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The Legacy of Charles Correa
If the numerous tributes to the great architect testify his towering reputation, they also clearly attest the love that many had for the man. Home HomeReview ReviewJune July 2015
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Charles Correa and his wife Monika at home in Sonmarg featured by National Geographic in 1981.
Sketches from Correa’s office during the design development of his environmentally sensitive Kanchanjunga apartments in Bombay.
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Charles Correa was, in many ways, India’s architect for the world. The five eventful months that I worked in Charles Correa’s office in 2005 as an undergraduate intern – a decade ago now – are not the only association I have had with the great man. His humming presence in my life has prevailed as ‘white noise’ ever since I learned about his works while still in architecture school. Charles Correa started work in a newly independent India at a time of great promise and nation building. Ahmedabad, Delhi and Chandigarh were all witnessing the establishment of new institutions in modernist architectural styles but it was in Bombay that Correa set up his practice in 1958. Over the next five decades, Correa’s practice would witness an unfortunate shift in values in our culture – ranging from idealistic post-independence fervour to the intensely commercial mindset; and in the midst of this insanity, he upheld his age-old conviction that architecture retains the power to shape society. There were multiple dimensions to the man and outside the realm of his office, Charles exuded a magnanimous persona. Never short of admirers, his public presentations were effervescent – he was as self-effacing of his achievements as he was assertive of his ideas. Like a seasoned thespian, Charles would break the fourth wall and often reach out to his audience with impromptu statements while presenting his works. Once, in the middle of a lively presentation in Pune, evidently tired, I recollect him saying: “I have no idea how Kanvinde did this for 2 hours without sitting down.” At the same public forum, when asked which of his buildings would he like to redo, Correa wittingly replied, “Oh, all of them!” He maintained that he could redo all his past buildings better and what mattered was his next project – in the same spirit that Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Kahn famously wielded. I admired Charles most for his tenacity and integrity. You could count on him to rub his detractors (and often even collaborators) the wrong way. This transcended all hierarchies and mostly stemmed from the fact that others chose to be, foolishly, presumptuous. He decided to donate all his drawings and models to the RIBA in 2013 when several Indian archives admittedly could not preserve his collection but his disdain was plain: “They don’t have the infrastructure, which is not that much, if you think about it – just some air conditioning and the will to preserve. But
in London (RIBA) it will be kept well. Yet, I was hurt by the thought that it would not be accessible to Indians. My work is located here. It belongs here.” As scathing as he was of the general state of affairs in the country, his lens was set on the two issues he understood best: city planning and architecture. And it was in his office, Charles Correa Associates (CCA), that he was at his best. A tasteful braced and battened door welcomed you into his brilliant workspace. Inside, CCA always had an aromatic mix of coffee and air-conditioning. In the background of the gently-lit reception was a full-sized reproduction of Corbusier’s Modulor in red that made way to the brightly-lit white workspaces behind. Dotted with models and drawings all over, this was an office with character – and tension. Not a place for the faint-hearted, it was in this charged environment that many a boys became men. Bursting with energy that Charles himself induced in us all, you were expected to have learnt the ropes yesterday. Ineptitude and mediocrity was dealt with impatience. While on one hand, Charles held the reins of a complex building project, on the other he would obsess over the smallest details in a printed report: from the font chosen to the colour of the back cover. But it was this very rhythmic thread that was evident also in his architectural spaces and perhaps his greatest shortcoming was that he made architecture look too easy. While Charles’s sense of aesthetics was sound, he could also calculate at astounding speed. The daily Sudoku was a religion for him. While discussing convoluted quantifiable data on a project, you were allowed to lag behind until he realised how little you had actually followed before
thunderous clouds subsumed your naïve radiance. Maintaining exceptionally high standards was the core credo of the office and I have always looked back at my time there as an unparalleled privilege. Over the years, his works have introduced generations of architects to a plethora of ideas – perhaps most notably of which reinstated the importance of open-to-sky spaces. Equally eloquent in evoking images of eastern and western traditions, Correa’s built legacy bridges the two – still distinct – worlds. The Mandala and Maharaja Jai Singh’s Jantar Mantar were as important to him as were Fatehpur Sikri and Mughal Gardens. He could dabble about ‘how globalisation was just a joke’ to why people who didn’t understand music could still appreciate Bhimsen Joshi. Likening the idea of composing music to creating architecture, he quoted the twentieth century composer Paul Hindemith: “It is like looking out of a window into the black night of a thunderstorm. Suddenly there is a flash of lightning, illuminating the entire landscape. In that one split second, one has seen everything – and nothing. What is called composition is the patient re-creation of that landscape, stone by stone, tree by tree.” Charles Mark Correa, India’s distinguished son, passed away on 16 June 2015 in his beloved city of Bombay, in the 85th year of his grand life. He will live on through the works of the countless that he so deeply inspired. And many will wish to live a life as outstanding as his. Nobody that big is spared envy or the wrath of critics bent on derailing. But isn’t that true for any great artist? With over 120 remarkable projects to his name, King Correa’s name is set in history as India’s best-known architect ever.
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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Its northern facade faces the central garden courtyard, which acts as the ‘heart’ of the campus. This court has two levels, with a one storey differential between them which makes it possible to create two entrances to the structure on different levels
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Jewish Identity
A 7,200 sq. m. contemporary structure acknowledges Israel’s sensitive and charged history, reflected in the various styles of architecture which have comfortably rubbed shoulders for centuries. Bracha and Michael Chyutin of Chyutin Architects Ltd, Israel, design the Academy of Advanced Studies in Jerusalem. ‘Jerusalem takes its architecture seriously. Just ask about the two architects, who legend has it were buried just inside Jaffa Gate, killed by an Ottoman sultan for leaving Mount Zion out of the city’s walls. From antiquity to today, buildings and public monuments have held a central place in the lives and hearts of Jerusalemites, from holy edifices to towering tributes to the triumph of man.’
Text By Devyani Jayakar Photographs By Ardon Bar-Hama Home Review July 2015
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This dramatic announcement on a website to promote tourism encapsulates the sensitive, charged history of the Holy Land – a land on which starchitects such as Moshe Safdie, Richard Meier and Santiago Calatrava have left their imprint. With this backdrop of raging passions which architecture has provoked, the firm Chyutin Architects was selected to design a new building (named after the donor, Dr. Leonard Polonsky), as part of the Van Leer Institute campus in Jerusalem. It has an area of 7,200 sq. m. on four levels. “In addition to thirty rooms for fellows, the building has five seminar rooms, a 130-seat auditorium, administrative offices and expansive foyers for both formal and informal meetings,� says Michael Chyutin. Research labs, including offices, seminar rooms and meeting spaces are located on the upper two levels. The main entrance, adjacent to the central zone, opens to a large exhibition gallery. Below lie an additional conference area, lecture hall, cafeteria and library. The building is a pioneer in the conservation of energy and is the first building in Israel, among educational institutions, that excels in meeting the standard for green construction. The structure is low and snug, hugging the landscape which it sits on. Flooded with light in some places, protected from the fierce sun in others, it fits in with the dimensions and design characteristics of the existing buildings with their closed stone facades to the city and glass fronts facing the open inner garden. Other building materials used are exposed concrete and wood slats.
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Its northern facade faces the central garden courtyard, which acts as the ‘heart’ of the campus. This court has two levels, with a one storey differential between them which makes it possible to create two entrances to the structure on different levels: main entrance near the Van Leer Institute and secondary entrance near the Council for Higher Education. The building is situated on a cliff facing south towards the Jerusalem Theatre – an abstract, modern structure which combines sculptural elements of exposed concrete with traditional Jerusalem stone (a tawny limestone used for decades for cladding, which has become a symbol of the Jewish identity). How is this structure rooted in its time and its place? The outstanding characteristic of the architecture of Jerusalem is the coexistence of old and new, sacred and secular, in a variety of styles. From Byzantine, to Bauhaus, Israel has dozens of architectural styles that blend beautifully into the landscape, encompassing several styles from the ancient to the avant-garde.
“We have only hesitations, accompanied by the faith that hidden in every problem and site, is the building that responds to our inner world,” says Michael Chyutin.
Sections of the Academy of Advanced Studies.
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Bracha and Michael are no strangers to symbolism in architecture, as also an appropriate rootedness. Their observation tower on the Armon Hanatziv walkway in Jerusalem, is symbolic of their perception that Jerusalem is the only city in the world, which constitutes a focal point for belief and a theological centre for the three monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The observation tower is planned as a spiral set of 3 arms, which symbolise the different religions. Each of the arms turns to a different direction, but as a spiral, all of them originate from the same place in space and encircle one axis which connects them all. At night, a light beam is projected from the centre of the building towards the sky, creating a dramatic landmark and tangible expression of the idea generating the whole project – Monotheistic belief as a common ground, which, therefore, has the quality to unite different people, communities and religions in the holy city and in the Middle East. Bringing a nuanced thoughtfulness to their designs, the duo verbalises their credo: “Our buildings are born of Western culture, which grants freedom of choice amongst various legitimate options. But they are also Jewish, in that they sever themselves from the figurative and aspire to the abstract, to the essence of the material. And they are Israeli too, in their adherence to the homeland’s landscape, its colours and vegetation. We do not have a goal, we do not have a truth,” says Bracha.
The building is a pioneer in the conservation of energy and is the first building in Israel, among educational institutions, that excels in meeting the standard for green construction.
Adds Michael, “We have only hesitations, accompanied by the faith that hidden in every problem and site, is the building that responds to our inner world. And that if we keep seeking and don’t give up, we will uncover it.” So it is; there is a sense of time and place to their designs. One has to just look for the meaning.
chyutin@gmail.com www.chyutin.com
Below a large exhibition gallery, lie an additional conference area, lecture hall, cafeteria and library.
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Michael Graves and his firm led by Principal Architect Patrick Burke have created the master plan and architecture for the Hard Rock Hotel Singapore.
Guests at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore’s exciting island getaway, have six exceptionally themed hotels to choose from – Crockfords Tower, Hotel Michael, Festive Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Equarius Hotel and the Beach Villas, set amidst world class entertainment, chic shopping and the finest restaurants.
Text By Natalie Pedder-Bajaj Photographs Courtesy Resorts World Sentosa
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A Rocking Getaway
Malaysian Food Street is designed to re-create the look and feel of the by lanes of Malaysia, with facades of old shop houses and authentic hawker stalls.
A natural ambience quieted by muted colours, brings the lush outdoors inside at Tangerine.
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The funky rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel are avant-garde with pop icons dressing the walls.
Michael Graves (also famous for his product designs, particularly the iconic Alessi ‘whistling bird’ tea kettle) and his firm led by principal architect Patrick Burke have created the master plan and architecture throughout this integrated resort, as well as the distinct interiors for Crockfords Tower, Hotel Michael, Festive Hotel and the Hard Rock Hotel.
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Hard Rock Hotel Singapore is the place jetsetters come to feel like rock stars. Hip and trendy, dripping with attitude, the hotel is splashed with modern design touches, plush furnishings and dramatic ambient lighting and pool beach. The funky rooms are avant-garde with pop icons dressing the walls and bathrooms made to reflect a backstage dressing room! If you happen to stay in the presidential suite, you can watch live concerts going on at the resort from your very own private balcony! This entertainment filled property also takes ‘green living’ very seriously. Rainwater and water from the air conditioning systems are used to irrigate the landscapes, a solar PV arrangement also generates more than 550 megawatt hours of electricity per year, while preservation of 900 trees and a coral fringe are only some of the measures taken to reduce the hotel’s carbon foot print. Eating at the resort is a culinary delight from Michelin Star dining to authentic street food. Tangerine, headed by award winning Thai author and television personality, Chef Ian Kittichai, serves healthy spa cuisine in a natural ambience, quieted by muted colours that bring the lush outdoors inside. While Osia, helmed by Australian celebrity Chef Scott Webster and Chef de Cuisine Douglas Tay has an innovative menu inspired by fresh Australian produce. The interiors reflect the food served here - clean, uncluttered and laid-back, featuring an interactive open kitchen as well. For authentic street fare, the fully air conditioned Malaysian Food Street is designed to re-create the look and feel of the by lanes of Malaysia, with facades of old shop houses, authentic hawker stalls and replicas of 1950s style coffee shop furniture and street fixtures. Spanning 49 hectares and costing S$7 billion to build, this mega resort is home to Southeast Asia’s first and only Universal Studios, one of the world’s largest aquariums and Southeast Asia’s only aquatic park that is incorporated with marine life and an interactive dolphin cove. The S.E.A. Aquarium journey takes guests through 10 different zones, covering the vast oceans of the planet through 49 habitats.
The bathrooms at the Hard Rock are made to reflect a backstage dressing room with ambient lighting.
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Home to more than 100,000 marine animals from across 800 species, spanning 42.8 million litres of water, the aquarium’s centerpiece is the Open Ocean habitat and the shark tunnel. At the Maritime Experiential Museum you can experience the bustling bazaars, Typhoon Theatre, interactive exhibits, shipwreck artifacts, life sized ship replicas and a wide range of exciting educational programs for kids.
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For a truly authentic taste of Singaporean humour Great World Cabaret features top local talents in the performing arts. “Bo Bo Cha Cha” relives Singapore’s entertainment scene in the 1960s and 70s with a live theatrical variety show headlined by a different stand-up local comedian every week, as well as an illusionist, dancing girls, singers, acrobats and much much more. Delight in the non-stop entertainment, signature shopping and gastronomic pleasures all set within the property’s world class hotels. Resorts World Sentosa has something to charm everyone, from an exclusive uber luxe spa vacation to the more casual family style holiday.
www.rwsentosa.com
The pool beach at the Hard Rock Hotel.
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Try it out today.
DESIGN DESTINATION
MUN WHERE Munich is located in southern Germany and is the capital of Bavaria. 30 miles north of the Alps mountain range, one of the city’s main physical features is the Isar River, which flows through its middle. Interestingly, Munich, which literally means ‘home of the monks’, began as a monastery and slowly grew into a fully developed city.
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ICH WHEN
WHY
The best time to visit the city is between March to May, which happens to be the period just before the peak season of summer. However, the Oktoberfest in late September and early October also sees scores of crowds coming in to join in the festivities.
Munich is one of the rare cities where the old and the new coexist in perfect harmony. If there are old historic relics and buildings that take you to the realms of the past, there are also awe-inspiring futuristic buildings. Traditional market squares, churches and historic museums and spaces get as much attention as world-class exhibition centres, sports complexes and modern buildings.
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FLUSHED WITH WONDER The name “Flushing Meadows” evokes a sense of nature. However, this wonderfully designed hotel, a member of Design HotelsTM, covers the top two floors of an industrial building. While vintage industrial charms envelop the place, one of the highlights of the hotel is that local artists and personalities have interpreted each of the loft studio rooms in their own way, making each room a kind of a design haven. The spacious penthouse studios are flooded with natural light and display exclusive illustrations and paintings by the young Berlin-based artist Maximilian Rödel. In a way, this puts an individual stamp on each room, which is quite dissimilar from the others.
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It also provides a peek into the throbbing art scene and creativity that is characteristic of the city. The Flushing Meadows Bar, located on the hotel’s top floor, is where the pulse of the hotel lies. This sunny terrace turns into a romantic buzzing location by night. Fantastic views add to the aura of the place.
GOLDEN DREAMS The Golden Bar in Haus der Kunst exudes opulence and may serve up the latest gourmet delicacies, but it has a history that links it to the ‘House of German Art’, a monumental structure that hosted art exhibitions. It was in these arty environs that the posh and cosy cafe with an outdoor terrace and views of the English Garden developed into something in its own right. It was originally designed as the ‘Artists’ Festival Hall’ by the building’s architect, Paul Ludwig Troost. The clear décor highlights are the murals painted by Karlheinz Dallinger. Depicted on gold leaf, they carry maps of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Italy South Tyrol, Champagne, Bordeaux, Portugal, Spain, England, Ireland, Hungary, and Germany. Collectively they present an illustrated history of the origins of rum, cigars, tobacco, champagne, whisky, and wine. With furniture from the 1950s and 1960s, including a 1920s chandelier it exudes an old world vibe. Yet, modern elements such as a large, luminous painting by painter Florian Süssmayr, add a modern touch.
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SQUARING IT Squares are prominent elements of European cities. The Marienplatz lies in the city centre of Munich. It has been witness to numerous markets and tournaments set up over centuries. The Neues Rathaus, or the New City Hall lies on the North side. The gothic Old City Hall or Altes Rathaus lies on the East. A notable architectural feature is the Mariensäule, a Marian column that was erected in 1638 to celebrate the end of Swedish occupation.
HISTORY IN MODERNITY The BMW Museum chronicles the history of the automobile brand in a surprisingly futuristic building. Designed by Karl Schwanzer, the white cauldron-like structure traces the technical development of the automobile giant through a variety of actual and futuristic models and prototypes. Sound and light play a vital role in the exhibit and in enhancing the viewing experience. The design makes way for a “spiral path” that guides the visitors to start at the base and explore their way upwards by looping on four “islands” inside the building before finally reaching the top. For the descent, however an escalator is available. Text By Dhanishta Shah
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ME BY STARCK As unique as you are. Every ME is different. Find yours! A new bathroom series by Duravit and Philippe Starck, ME appeals to every style - pure, elegant, natural or raw.
washbowls and vanity basins, with optionally matching accessories are perfectly tuned with one another. And underline every character. Especially yours. tel: 079 66112300 respond@in.duravit.com www.duravit.in
ME is mainly and simply about us, about me and about you. How can you create a modern but yet timeless bathroom series that adapts to the upmost differential styles? By reducing its design entirely and focusing on the users’ personality and individuality. Elegant, modest, earthy or adventurous. Discover inspiring ideas and products
for your very own bathing experience. ME by Starck: A new bathroom series by Duravit and Philippe Starck appeals to every style - pure, elegant, natural or raw. With ME by Starck, Duravit invites you to be your own designer. Various sizes of bathtubs, shower trays, toilets, bidets, washbasins, furniture basins,
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The thoughtful landscaping of this challenging property won Secret Garden the prestigious AILDM, Design Award for Best Plantscape 2010
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Landscapes
A Grand Descent Landscaping a garden with a 45 degree slope is quite an uphill task. Award-winning Australian landscape architecture firm Secret Gardens shows us how it can be done and that too with style.
A house steep enough to have an inclinator might boast of pretty views, but working on its landscape is an uphill task indeed. The property in Seaforth, a suburb of Sydney, Australia had 1600 sq m of water-facing land that needed to be landscaped. The challenge? A steep 45 degree slope. Award-winning Australian garden design company, Secret Gardens was commissioned to transform the land into one of their beautiful “hideaways”. Started in 1994 by Director Matthew Cantwell, Secret Gardens now has over 45 employees offering a complete landscaping service. They have won several awards in every landscaping category including design and maintenance.
Text By Chryselle D’Silva Dias Photographs Courtesy The Designers Home Home Review Review May July 2015
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The levels in the garden were created by building dry packed sandstone retaining walls and linking the levels together with timber stairs. At water level, sandstone steps were built into the garden with ferns planted on either side of the steps that lead to the first level in the garden.
Because of the location of the Seaforth garden, there was limited access to the property either by land or water. As a result, all materials had to be delivered by a water barge and physically carried up the hill. There were other challenges too. “It was completely overgrown with weeds. We actually had to perform an extensive clear out before we could commence design,” says Matthew Cantwell. “Cranes were used to install the larger plants and materials including stone, sand and timber over the top of the house from the street level.”
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The property features an inclinator with four stops on the slope. The new garden was designed keeping this in mind, with several levels of lush landscaping instead of one steep slope. Sandstone steps and paths meander through the garden, encouraging you to take a walk. Their descent is gradual, allowing one to take measured steps. Decked viewing platforms leading to the water invite you to stop and take a look around. “The levels in the garden were created by building dry packed sandstone retaining walls and linking the levels together with timber stairs. At the water level, sandstone steps were built into the garden with ferns planted on either side of the steps that lead one to the first level in the garden.”
Each level has something different to offer - a mini botanic garden mixing ornamentals, native shrubs and some classic foreshore trees endemic to the natural landscape.
The garden uses a lot of the natural surroundings in its design. “A rock ledge provides a dramatic backdrop and a simple timber bench seat provides a spot to sit peacefully and enjoy the garden and the views,” elucidates Cantwell. Throughout the garden, the highlight though, is the planting. Each level has something different to offer - a mini botanic garden mixing ornamentals, native shrubs and some classic foreshore trees endemic to the natural landscape; burnt orange flowers of Sedum ‘Autumn joy’, sit alongside Helichrysum Petiolare (liquorice), Agave attenuata and a burst of purple flowers with purple Salvia leucantha.
“The client wanted a botanical experience. They recognised that on a steep slope facing south on Middle Harbour the garden deserved some hardy natives but they were also keen to include some ornamental favourites. It is an eclectic mix of plants. The boundaries have larger shrubs and trees creating privacy. The top half of the garden which is quite open has a lovely selection of flowering plants and is more tailored,” says Cantwell. As we go deeper into the garden the planting takes on a more natural appearance. 60,000 litre water tanks were installed to ensure that the garden always had water.
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The various levels break up the expanse of green and allow the eye to wander over patches of lawn, flowering trees and evergreens. Large rocks in the garden and near the water add texture and drama.
The garden successfully frames the magnificent views of the water, without blocking it. The various levels break up the expanse of green and allow the eye to wander over patches of lawn, flowering trees and evergreens. The touch of blush-pink sandstone is a clever and unobtrusive complement to all the green. Large rocks in the garden and near the water add texture and drama. “It is a unique plot of land, such plots are fast disappearing and most are overdeveloped. Our clients were very lucky that they only required it to be a garden,� says Cantwell.
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The thoughtful landscaping of this challenging property won Secret Garden the prestigious AILDM (The Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers) Design Award for Best Plantscape 2010. Secret Gardens continues to maintain this Seaforth slice of heaven, for which they won the 2012 Excellence Award for Maintenance, Residential from Landscape Association NSW & ACT (LNA).
www.secretgardens.com.au
Sandstone steps and paths meander through the garden and encourage one to take a walk. Their descent is gradual, allowing one to take measured steps. Home Home Review Review May July 2015
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GREEN PROJECT
A beautiful cedar tree was retained in the home’s design scheme and is visible from all sections of the rooms.
Inside-TheBox Thinking
Casa Incubo in San José, Costa Rica, was ingeniously realised by architect Maria José Trejos by using 8 shipping containers as building shells and employing an impressive array of green design solutions for the interiors. Text By Shruti Nambiar Photographs By Sergio Pucci
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The home doubles up as a workplace and studio for the photographer owner.
The home has a rainwater-harvesting set-up to meet irrigation and toilet flushing needs.
“This project questions the need for excessively large spaces, and challenges its occupants to be efficient.” The team from Arquitectura Maria José Trejos hits the nail on the head with this statement. Casa Incubo is an exemplary model of green design and sustainable living, and is located at Escazú in the San José province of Costa Rica, hugged by drool-worthy natural openness. While a huge number of green architectural projects prefer to focus on the use of locallyavailable, environment-friendly building materials; low construction costs; and longterm, hassle-free maintenance schemes; few make the conservation of space a priority.
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Casa Incubo attests to the importance of including all these elements in a responsible building’s design, and demonstrates the possibility of looking good and feeling homely in spite of all these commitments. The first green salvo in this remarkable 3-level building was realised with the incorporation of 8 interconnected re-usable cube containers.
The home is designed to incorporate a studio as well as a gallery.
“We estimate that the use of the containers reduced construction time by 20% and the total cost by approximately 20% as well,” attests the team. The choice also accords the project its distinct visual appeal and fluidity – like, a second-storey offset container that is capable of shifting a bit to help create an extended exterior space. This shape-shifting provision is apt for a professional photographer’s abode that aims to be not just a home but also a gallery and a study. Deft geometrical plays in spacing also ensure the creation of solid swathes of room, with 4 linked and offset parallel containers staring off to enclose 95 sq m of space that fulcrums the design’s central module spread. The container walls have also been repurposed to be the home’s doors.
A sinewy cedar tree stood at the site before any drawing boards had been filled up, and it got not just included in the design scheme but also got a stellar position on the patio, to be visible from all sections of the home. Additionally, its wood also came to be used to create the furniture pieces as well as the stairs. Energy flow is highly-regulated and well-planned here, with the shape of the sub-structures ensuring fantastic air-flow that make air-conditioning redundant, and ample sunlight, especially from the glazed western façade, that makes daytime illumination unnecessary. The solar energy largesse also powers the solar panels that heat the water.
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The rooms ascribe to textbook minimalism, eschewing colour on the walls when artwork is in the vicinity, and otherwise making statements out of eclectically-coloured and printed settees and display cases.
The deck is made up of wood that was sourced from certified renewable means and is mixed with recycled plastic. Irrigation and toilet flushing needs are taken care of by a rain-water harvesting set-up. In lovely aesthetic contrast to the industrial drabness of the faรงade and exterior are the shiny interiors, represented by flooring dominated by bamboo and polished concrete. There is a subtle play of the slick, modern and earthy simplicity here, perfect for the multiple identities the home lends itself to.
Reflective glass and glazed surfaces inside and on the faรงade become aesthetic contrasts to the blunt metallic charm of the container walls.
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The rooms ascribe to textbook minimalism, eschewing colour on the walls when artwork is in the vicinity, and otherwise making statements out of eclectically-coloured and printed settees, and display cases.
The north-eastern side of the faรงade features mobile bamboo panels that act as radiation-blockers.
The furniture pieces here are often glasstopped and supported by chunky wooden stumps, with the lamps generally being covered in metallic bowl-shaped sheaths and sometimes prehensile-seeming spines. The overall tilt and direction of the home were influenced by the weather conditions, and of course, the angular but blunt flat sweeps of the structural shells are courtesy the containers. The north-eastern side of the faรงade features mobile bamboo panels that act as radiation-blockers. The social areas and the work-stations occupy the first-level of the home, while the private study and rooms are spread across the second-level. The third-level is the terrace.
Casa Incubo is without doubt a beautiful structure that will continue to inspire designers working in the increasingly challenging fields of green design and architecture. In no short measure, here will be its shining example of combining practical building wisdom with the hearty impetuousness of artistic expression. mj@mariajosetrejos.com www.mariajosetrejos.com
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BEST BEFORE
BEST BEFORE a company based in Paris creates a number of collections; the unifying fact relevant to the entire range is that they are made with materials that are completely biodegradable using only rapidly renewable resources. Proficient artisans are sourced, who with expert hands perpetuate ancestral traditions. Always attempting to give a new breath of life to their talents and supporting their know-how, BEST BEFORE travels around the world to find crafts people with whom they work in conjunction to create new and innovative products by not only using their time tested techniques but also learning them.
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About their work BEST BEFORE avers, “We choose to work with rapidly renewable, biodegradable materials. Though the products we create are not temporary or flimsy in any way, at the end of their use they can literally melt away and disappear.” Paper cord made from recycled paper fits perfectly into this concept. For one of their collections, BEST BEFORE has created soft macramé-woven, charming baskets and bags that adjust to the shapes of the things that are put into them. These flexible, oversized “everything baskets” can also be magically transformed into footstools or even light fixtures.100% recycled paper handmade in South Korea is used.
This traditional handicraft was incidentally one of the most representative crafts of Korea and a popular hobby. Although this craft still exists in South Korea it was on the verge of disappearing. Lack of time possibly! BEST BEFORE creates contemporary objects from paper cord that can adapt and enhance modern lives.
Another collection of this very environment conscious company is that of items made out of salt rock. The salt deposits found in Poland are almost inexhaustible and BEST BEFORE has several smart and useful products hand made out of it, in that country itself. A few women work with them and who have their own particular style of knotting and tying. They now teach other young people this technique and produce a fine range of products for BEST BEFORE. BEST BEFORE also has a collection of hand blown glass which is made entirely out of discarded and out of use glass items.
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100% wool felt is also hand made by BEST BEFORE in Kyrgyzstan. A lot of Kyrgyz people are nomads during the summer season. By using sheep wool which is supplied by them, interesting contemporary and useful items are made out of this sustainable resource right there in Kyrgyzstan. Large wood and wrought iron products are handmade in Poland by BEST BEFORE. Woodwork is one of the traditional Polish crafts and forests from where the wood is sourced are treated with great respect with an ongoing effort to preserve them.
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Cotton is handspun and hand woven in Brazil to create some more eco friendly products. “We work with women from the region of Minas Gerais. Some spin cotton, some know about vegetable dyeing and some others weave or crochet. All of them have beautiful skills, expertise and a generally happy demeanour. We operate in close association with them in places that are close to their homes so that they are comfortable whilst at work. We also benefit from the specialised equipment they already possess,� explains Corinne of BEST BEFORE.
Capim Dourado or golden grass, another rapidly renewable natural product is used to make various items for chic interior spaces, like lamps and other home accessories. This range too is handmade in Brazil using local craftsmen. BEST BEFORE believes in not only using renewable resources but in also paying their artisans well, so that they can make a good livelihood by just practicing what they know best. Each item that BEST BEFORE carries bears the imprint of the women and men who have made it. www.bestbefore.fr
SE8ASTIAN HERKNER
The Tolix chair is woven with leather laces, a topsy-turvy table has a glass bottom, furniture inspired by plate racks – German designer Sebastian Herkner shows us how to put the fun back into everyday products. Text By Chryselle D’Silva Dias Photographs Courtesy The Designer Home Review July 2015
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Banjooli Chair Earlier this year, German designer Sebastian Herkner was awarded the winner of the ‘Young Design Talent of the Year’ at the 2015 EDIDA (Elle Deco International Design Awards). This accolade is one of many – an indication of the popularity and prolificacy of this young designer. Born in 1981, Herkner studied product design at the HfG Offenbach am Main (Offenbach University of Art and Design), focusing his studies on designing objects and furniture, he combined new technology with traditional craftsmanship. While still a student, Herkner interned with Stella McCartney in London, the experience polishing his innate sense of design.
Ala
Herkner founded his design studio in Offenbach am Main in 2006 and has since designed for brands such as Moroso, Rosenthal, ClassiCon and others. He has designed furniture, lighting, products and interiors. Herkner’s designs stand out from the crowd thanks to the beautiful blend of traditional craft and colour with modern textures and materials. Take for example the beautiful Banjooli range for Moroso’s M’Afrique collection. These elegant and colourful chairs are made using woven threads normally used for fishing nets. The designs are handwoven and each chair is different, “human in their perfections and flaws.” This chair, and particularly the shape of its armrests, is inspired by the mating dance of male ostriches - banjooli in Wolof language who stretch out their wings to show off their beauty to the female. The Kate Chair (2007) is an elegant update to the traditional wing chair. By using new materials and an over-sized back, the familiar design gets a fresh look. The Clip Chair (2011) is a simpler design “made without wasting any material in the production process.” The ‘clip’ shows up in a contrasting colour where the arms of the chair meet the backrest. It’s all in the details.
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Pipe
Tolix Chair
Unam Rocker
Collar Lamp Bell Table
The Arnhem Sofa (2012) seems innocuous at first glance. The multifunctional design allows the sides and back to be raised to three different heights making it a super option for a cosy, private space. In contrast, the Coat for Moroso (2012) is an armchair available in ice-cream hues and is inspired, of all things, by children’s socks. There’s also a Coat Sofa (2013) that follows the same principles. The playful design of the Ala range (2015) was inspired by plate-racks. The backrest in the furniture becomes a protective shell for the user. It sits comfortably, much as a plate would, on a plate rack. Also pretty funky is the new Pipe collection for Moroso (2015), which is inspired by, well, pipes. The final product is a fun yet comfortable range of furniture that will bring out your inner child.
Salute Table
To celebrate the iconic Tolix chair’s 80th anniversary, Herkner reimagined it as the Paradigm for Tolix, where the chair got a festive dose of woven jewellery. Leather laces of different colours were woven onto the chair giving it the perfect combination of industrial chic and traditional craft. Other Herkner designs for furniture include the Alwa side tables for Pulpo (2015) with a mouth-blown table top; the Neon side tables made from onyx and acrylic (2014); the topsy-turvy, yet beautiful Bell table (2012) with a coloured glass base and a metal table-top and the Salute (2013), a table for one. A new version of the Salute has just been released in May 2015.
Container Alwa Side Table
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The Container tables (2014) are stylish and sexy, the shape and texture old and new at the same time. Made out of the rapidlyvanishing mercury glass, the containers are shaped like traditional plastic ones. Mercury glass was once pretty common, but is now increasingly difficult to find. Herkner finds this dichotomy interesting – what was common is now rare, what once was ordinary is now special. Herkner’s designs for lighting include the Bell light (2013) with interchangeable lampshades; the Oda (2014) which is a large floor light, a “reservoir of light”; the Nebra pendant lighting with its pan-like spherical shape and the new Lyra lights (2015) that are contemporary replacements for your string of fairy-lights. Nebra Pendant Lights
Herkner’s interest in other cultures reflects in products such as the elegant traditional baskets created in collaboration with Zimbabwe (Fara and Pamwe, 2015). Working with rural craftspeople, the baskets were given contemporary patterns and a new bicolour look. Other interesting designs include the minimalist Compagno (2015), a trio of small, smooth objects representing the earth, water and wind. “Our aim was to get small scaled objects which you can take with you like a talisman.” At Studio Herkner, the accolades pour in with regular frequency, as do their sleek designs. Sebastian Herkner brings a rare sensitivity to everyday products and the design world has much to look forward to from this young designer and his talented team. Compagno info@sebastianherkner.com www.sebastianherkner.com
Oda Floor Light
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MY DESIGN MANTRA As a child, I had a hands-on approach for trying out different ideas, as bookish knowledge never fully satisfied me. I often used to make simple objects with available materials at home. Gradually, this developed as a zeal to live a life where every day is a new challenge with new thrills. These life skills took me towards a kind of education where people explored through hands-on experience, learned new things in everything they do every day.
By Birju Patel
DESIGNQUEST
The ultimate stepping stone towards honing my design skills was my education in design. There was not much of awareness in my family about such courses, but nonetheless they were my backbone and emboldened me in every step of the journey. Design is a lifelong learning process and that’s what I believe in as a designer. I graduated as an architect from APIED, Vallabh-Vidhyanagar and post-graduated as a furniture and interior designer from NID, Ahmedabad. Both the institutes have poured art and design knowledge along with life values into me and thus made me who I am today.
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I have also designed a peculiar joinery detail along with the product which can accommodate all possible joints of wooden boards and the user can dismantle the product without any tool. I have applied many facets of massmanufacturing and modularity here too. I have also created different kinds of furniture where I have implemented new ideas and tried to justify them.
Wave Chair
In the six months that I was with Godrej Interio, I conceptualised a metal bedroom set - named ‘Fundoo Bed Set’ which has changeable headboards and side trays, under-the-bed storage cum pull out seating which adds value to a contemporary product along with being a cost-effective structure.
Another interesting project that I have done with them is home utilitarian products from particle board scrap generated in the factory which evolved as a line of seven different products from five board sizes. The sizes have been derived by using the golden ratio to get the prodigious proportions.
Wave chair is a single curved mould of plywood with a detachable structure below.
Each project gave me a unique experience in terms of learning new ways to familiarise with different materials and other aspects of design.
Hue Bar Stool Hue bar stool comes in various colours and is ideal for cafés.
Handy Pouf Handy Pouf has a layered combination of plywood and veneer with changeable upholstery on the seat.
In my professional journey, I have always been indigenous and true to my ethos. My designs tend to be experimental and contrasting. I have worked on various projects with companies like Godrej Interio, Hettich and Daffco - A Coffee Day Company to gain a holistic knowledge about the furniture industry.
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Cove Seat A simple bent ply seat with an additional upholstered cushion for semi-outdoor spaces such as cafĂŠs or food junctions.
A set of pouf cum stool design for informal spaces.
Port Pouf
Woody developed through a study on folding mechanism where 6mm MS rod has been used at 5 pivotal points.
Thus, one can develop various colours for the chair according to the ambience. Same moulds can be used in both, the chair and bar stool with minor modifications.
The Wave chair is designed for the cafĂŠ segment as a simple bent ply with wooden structure. The foam and fabric adds a contrast to the overall look. A cutout in the back makes handling much easier. There are two design options for the lower structure for the customer to choose from.
The chair is designed in such a way that the upper shell and lower structure can be produced separately and joined together after applying the final finishes. The upholstery is amendable. The design of this chair has gone through multiple refinements to make it more minimalistic without compromising on comfort. Presently, I am working as a creative designer in the field of architecture, furniture and interior design. In the future, I would love to do projects which challenge me and energise me. I think most of us believe that life is a change but I believe in the other way round and I have perceived that in my odyssey till today.
birju.direction@gmail.com
Woody
The Hue bar stool and chair set is designed for use in a cafe. Using rubber wood as the structure with moulded ply seat and back makes it light and sturdy. A conventional way of treating any wood is to polish it but what if the same polish has some colour in it? Keeping the wood grains intact any light coloured wood can be treated with coloured stain polish. Coloured wood grains enhance the product by lending it a natural look.
The Handy Pouf is an informal seating option without a back support. It is designed to be used in informal gathering spaces. Bright colours of upholstery add liveliness to it, while use of Corian surfaces makes it more vibrant and capable to serve the purpose in semi-outdoor spaces too. Light weight, easy to handle and maintenance friendly are some of the USPs of the pouf.
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A contemporary home in Vadodara is given a timeless soul by Urvi Shah Associates. Bold shapes contrast with natural material creating a traditional space in a modern shell.
Designing a contemporary home with traditional details is often tricky business. It requires a fine balance to blend both worlds and in this project, Architect Urvi Shah has managed to do just that. Urvi Shah Associates is a Vadodara-based architecture and design firm with commercial, residential and large housing projects in their portfolio; it was commissioned to take care of the architecture and interiors of this residential project.
Text By Chryselle D’Silva Dias Photographs Courtesy The Architect
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A Natural Beauty
The open living and dining room is decorated largely in muted tones of white and grey, including the ceiling.
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Well-designed lights line the staircase highlighting the red brick wall.
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The other focal point of this open living space is the white-and-wood staircase (exposed RCC with solid wood treads) leading upstairs.
This stand-alone family home in Vadodara was built on a small plot of 2150 sq ft. The client brief was to create a contemporarymeets-traditional look. “We have created a contemporary design with clean lines and simple forms but have included traditional elements of living which are explored with the use of natural materials like brick, stone and wood,” explains Urvi Shah, Principal Architect. The exterior sets the tone for the interiors of the house with its red brick and white façade. The contemporary lines of the building are bold yet not so avant-garde as to be out of place in the neighbourhood.
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At the entrance, a large wooden door invites you into a simple foyer which then leads on to the main living space. The open living and dining room is decorated largely in muted tones of white and grey, including the ceiling. “The ceiling is exposed concrete. The idea while designing the house was to use natural materials like brick, concrete, stone and wood for an earthy feel. So I have used natural materials for both the exterior as well as the interiors,” says Urvi. The eye-catching feature here, however, is the large red brick wall which contrasts beautifully against the other pale surfaces. “The client wanted the house in natural materials, something evergreen and did not want to use any contemporary material for its elevation. The idea was to create an earthy feel throughout the house in contrast with the contemporary furniture,” adds Urvi. The wooden furniture is upholstered in light colours to add to that contrast. The other focal point of this open space is the white-and-wood staircase (exposed RCC with solid wood treads) leading upstairs. The red brick wall once again provides a striking background and leads the eye to the next level.
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An interesting, almost hidden feature is the beautiful mural on the brick wall. “Like many other families, this client too wanted to have an image of ‘Shrinathji’ in the living room. So we thought of making a ‘Shrinathji’ mural on the exposed brick wall of the staircase which also happens to be the focal point of the house. The mural is made from exposed brick and is well lit with spot lights from the stairs.”
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The dining room leads to a patio which was created as an extension of the dining area for outdoor use. “I have used multi-coloured river finish kota stone for the flooring as well as for the water-body. The area is semi-covered with a pergola above to provide some shade as well,” says Urvi.
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Upstairs, the red brick wall shows up again in the master bedroom. This room is a wonderful example of using natural materials to a striking effect. The spot-lit brick wall and laminated wooden flooring adds a healthy dose of warmth to the largely minimal décor and brings it all together to make this a room you want to linger in. The other bedrooms are similarly decorated in complementary neutral tones and with striking headboards. The bathrooms are elegant with glass walls, wooden floors and warm lighting. The second floor includes a bedroom, a home theatre room with leather recliners for a touch of theatre-inspired fun and a pantry. A terrace in river-finish black kadappa stone gives a glamourous effect to this relaxed zone. By using local and natural materials like the brick walls, marble, kota stone and wooden furniture Urvi Shah has given this contemporary structure both a traditional and timeless soul.
design@urvishah.com www.urvishah.com
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Krea, the flagship design store at MG Road in New Delhi offers furniture and home products from India, for India.
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Retail Therapy
Crafting Homes The world today has started to think differently about design and a remarkable shift has taken place in its ethos. There is something much deeper going on and it was due to this philosophy and a desire to make design accessible to the largest possible number of people that Krea was born. Text By Dhanishta Shah Photographs By Krea
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Krea is a platform for the promotion of Indian design and keeping alive the Indian heritage by creating a new paradigm for it.
Designer Arvind Panwar conceptualised Krea as a platform to propagate a concept of design as a bespoke craft. The flagship design store at MG Road in New Delhi is indeed a platform for his ‘Designcraft’, and offers furniture and home products from India, for India.
Through varied furniture designs at the store, Krea offers retail, contract and bespoke services to clients. It is also a platform for the promotion of Indian design and keeping alive the Indian heritage by creating a new paradigm for it.
Krea believes in the importance of a collaboration of ‘Hand’ (elements of craftsmanship), ‘Heart’ (reflection of emotion and soul), and ‘Head’ (relevance in terms of creativity), which is ready to meet the needs of contemporary times. “I want this endeavour to be about making design more transparent, more accessible. My purpose is to demystify design, as I believe design has the power to change the quality of our lives,” says Arvind Panwar, Founder and Managing Director, Krea.
Krea, the concept is well defined, as is Krea, the store. Even before entering the space, the captivating window displays point to a love for good design. “A window display becomes a sneak peek into the store. It should entice the customer walking past to come into the store and look at the products,” explains Panwar.
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Grey floors, walls and ceiling create an understated space where the furniture does all the talking and the store is a neutral shell.
“The idea is to grab the customers’ attention in five seconds and make them want to explore more,” he continues. The store does succeed in captivating the eye, not only from outside but also within. Grey floors, walls and ceiling greet you once inside. These together create an understated space where the furniture does all the talking and the store is a neutral shell with a floor in a monolith finish seamless grey made using micro concrete. The store’s interiors are designed to echo the real time feel of residential spaces so that patrons can connect with the products and imagine them in their own homes almost immediately.
Partition screens divide the interior space to make sure theme based inter-changeability can be executed conveniently.
Partition screens divide the interior space and other flexible elements in a way so as to maximise on the versatility of the space and make sure theme based inter-changeability can be executed conveniently. It has a mesmerising effect. “When customers walk into a beautiful space, their senses respond. They visualise the products in a similar space from their own lives. And that’s why customers buy – because they want to recreate the joy they feel in the store, in their own homes,” says Panwar, clearly linking décor and customer experience.
The store’s interiors are designed to echo the real time feel of residential spaces so that patrons can connect with the products and imagine them in their own homes.
The store continues to enhance the beauty of this experience. One of the owners’ favourite elements is the beauty of wood that they have tried to showcase with their designs – the wood used is a thing of beauty in itself – the grains, the swirls are so rich and lush! Whenever a new piece is created, the displays may change in order to add freshness to the overall mood and aesthetic. However the harmony and the design sensibilities of the store are maintained at all times. Besides the store (and an aim to open 12 new Krea stores in the next two years), the duo participates in exhibitions, more to connect with the design fraternity and be a part of the design movement taking shape in India.
The vision for Krea is big. “We envisage Krea evolving into a platform to promote Indian design and designers through talks and discussions at our store and other venues. We want Krea to grow into a ‘Choupaal’ – a centre for discussions, debates, endeavours and activities, be it co-creation, collaborations, education or the revival of Indian crafts,” informs Panwar. “I want to open a design café, and maybe an institute. I am all for Indian design and want to bring it to the forefront,” Panwar concludes. Krea seems to be an apt stepping “store” to this veritable design dream! teamkrea@kreaworld.com www.kreaworld.com
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John merges two art forms and creates hybrid sculptures composed of everyday objects mixed with limited edition bronze castings. It’s quite interesting to guess the original functions and ages of the various components.
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art form
Serendipitous Art It is almost instantaneous the visual impact of John Lopez’s scrap iron sculptures. At first, you are filled with awe and then before you know it you are totally immersed in them. Everything - the precision, the style, the form and the story behind each sculpture is nothing short of breathtaking.
Sculptor John Lopez was born and raised on a ranch in Western South Dakota, USA. In his steady job which is sculpting bronze statues John has been quite successful and his western and rodeo theme bronzes have been well received by the public and have sold all over the country from California to New York. For the past ten years, John has been working on ‘The City of Presidents’ project in Rapid City, South Dakota. John Adams, John F. Kennedy and John Jr., Calvin Coolidge, Teddy Roosevelt and Ulysses S. Grant are a few of the residents John has placed on street corners so far. Hybrid Metal Art: a sculptural fusion of figurative and funk, a blend of iron and bronze.
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Capitalising on his job security, John started experimenting with his style of work and branched out into other sculptural forms. In the midst of a successful career in bronze sculpting, John Lopez discovered this exciting new direction: scrap iron sculpting. A life defining event in his life is what supplied John the impetus to look beyond bronze sculpting and become a scrap iron sculptor. John’s beloved aunt, Effie Hunt died in a car accident and that is when he decided to move to his newly widowed uncle’s house to help him build a family cemetery. His uncle opened up his welding shop to John to enable him build a fence around the cemetery. John ran out of the iron that he was using to build the fence and resorted to utilising the scrap iron lying around the site. After some experimentation, he finished a gate into the cemetery, and then even went on to fabricate a small angel that peered over the top of the gate. The project gave him much personal satisfaction, and everyone who saw it was amazed at the result. A new career path was born in that cemetery. Not wanting to depart from his bronze casting expertise, John found a way to merge the two art forms and create new hybrid sculptures composed of everyday objects mixed with limited edition bronze castings. He was creating what is called Hybrid Metal Art – a sculptural fusion of figurative and funk, a blend of iron and bronze. “I am never bored! I look forward to each new creation, and it is helping me grow and develop as an artist,” he says.
John shares, “I appreciate the wonderful donations of scrap iron from family and friends. I love that people want to help me and be a part of what I am doing.”
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In 2008 John placed his scrap iron monument of “Triceratops Cowboy” (a cowboy riding a Triceratops) in front of the Grande River Museum in Lemmon, South Dakota. Later that same year John placed his scrap iron T-Rex in Faith, SD, in honour of the largest T-Rex ever found by the name of Sue.
Everything – the precision, the style, the form, the story behind each sculpture is nothing short of jaw dropping.
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If you find yourself in Hill City you might see a life-size hybrid metal horse sculpture John did that won the people’s choice award at the Sculpture in the Hills show in Hill City in 2009. John’s own forte lies in gentling colts and perfecting their bloodlines – and he started his celebration of them by first sculpting in clay and capturing every nuance and every muscle of their magnificent bodies. And the man who knows bloodlines then picks from the elements of the past – the actual implements that plowed the soil or cut the grain or dug the dinosaur – and further creates the curve of a jaw, the twitch of a tail, the power of a shoulder. Join John on a tour of kitchens and scrap piles, barns and grain elevators, cemeteries and workshops – hosted by the people of the prairie. Meet Uncle Geno and brother-in-law Stuart, and scrap collectors from near and far. Listen carefully. There’s a story in the wind.
Photo by Markus Erk
John really does live in a field of iron. Iron from machines used to work crops; iron which homesteaders left behind when new equipment and technologies took over. “I live in a time where scrap iron is the fruit on the plains,” John says. “I appreciate the wonderful donations from family and friends. I love that people want to help me and be a part of what I am doing”
A life defining event in his life is what supplied John the impetus to look beyond bronze sculpting and become a scrap iron sculptor.
Sometimes the young artist is asked what he imagines his grandfather, the pioneer stockman, Albert Lopez, would have thought of his scrap-iron sculptures. Perhaps the best answer was given by another old-timer, who came to one of his exhibits. The old gentleman spent considerable time peering intently at a scrap metal saddle. After long study, he announced, “Now that’s art!” johnlopezstudio@gmail.com www.johnlopezstudio.blogspot.in
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THE MARKETPLACE Stainless Steel Kitchen Sinks By Jayna
Jayna, one of India’s premium manufacturers of stainless steel kitchen sinks, wash basins, floor drains and accessories, etc. presents a magnificent product range with elegant designs and versatile functionalities with more than 45 models available in over 135 different sizes. Jayna Sinks are available in single bowls, single bowl with drain boards, double bowls,
double bowl with single/ double drain based combinations, and more. The company also offers a wide range of designer range sinks considered to be the ultimate benchmark in terms of form and performance. An in-house design team and a state-of-the-art production unit and testing facility ascertain its ability to come up with custom creations for special projects and overseas clients alike.
Quality is at the core of Jayna’s existence. Utmost attention is given to each and every aspect of the product. Starting from the use of the finest quality, 100% non-magnetic, rust-proof, AISI-304, Grade- 18/8, high grade stainless steel to the addition of cutting-edge features like deep bowls, DMD (Design in Multi-Depth for extra strength) and splash or sound reduction technologies. The company’s purpose has always been to delight the customer and valued specifiers and builders. www.jaynasinks.com
Cata Unveils Stylish, Silent And Powerful Exhaust Fans
Bathrooms have evolved to become an oasis of rejuvenation and peace, a personal space that people go to. It is usually therefore a luxurious space that combines designer decor, advanced appliances and technology.
This sleek but powerful, white and inox finished fans are equipped with a range of attractive features that seamlessly blend with your decor and can handle all kinds of bathroom environments effectively.
To complement this very new bathroom experience, Cata Appliances Ltd. now offers the X-Mart range of exhaust fans.
The fully recessed design adds an element of sophistication and class and is ideal for glass, walls and ceiling.
X-Mart has also been designed to bring a great deal of convenience during installation, routine maintenance and service. It also has a very powerful suction capacity 98/190/320 (m3/h) and is very silent. The X-Mart therefore is not just an exhaust fan, it is peace of mind as it ensures a quiet and clean environment. www.cataindia.com Home Review July 2015
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THE MARKETPLACE Perfect Kitchen Solutions By Hacker
Häcker produces kitchens that fulfil the highest standards in terms of quality, functionality and durability, using the most modern fully automated computer controlled state-of-the-art production machines to produce perfect modular kitchen systems.
keep pace with the latest technologies. From Häcker, every single kitchen is customised to fit any space within their standard cabinetry system. Häcker offers a range of 163 different options in a wide variety of material surfaces, colours and styles to choose from.
Häcker offers customised modular kitchens for every segment, ranging from low-end to mid-segment and top-end. Their strength is in their continued research and development to
The variety of finishes – laminates, high gloss laminates, veneer, solid wood and lacquer paint in matt and high gloss surfaces, give the clients plenty of options to design their
kitchen. The materials used in producing the kitchen modules are very carefully chosen to be of the highest quality standards available in Germany. The base materials used in the cabinetry production are a combination of very high density chip/particle boards and HDF materials duly treated to be termite resistant. www.haecker-kuechen.de/en/home
A Range Of Kitchen Sinks By Nirali
India’s foremost stainless steel kitchen sinks company, Nirali works in tandem to create products that blend modernity, customer needs, aesthetics, functionality and durability. The EXA Multi-Purpose Kitchen Sink under its Expell kitchen sink range is an example of path-breaking innovation. Understanding the pressing constraints of today’s modern homes, EXA kitchen sink comes with detachable lids that cover
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unwashed vessels and can also double up as an extension of a kitchen platform. Conforming to AISI 304 quality stainless steel, which is 1.2 mm thick, the EXA kitchen sink has deeper bowls and comes with satin finish to give kitchens that modern aesthetic appeal. Nirali’s other product, Radius Sinks, reveals the company’s keen consumer insight that not only satisfies a latent consumer need but also creates a clear-cut differentiator in its product offerings.
Normal sinks have their edges moulded at 90 degrees, whereas the Radius Sinks have a unique taper side wall that does not allow any food residue to get stuck and leaves behind a spotlessly clean kitchen sink. Available in Expell and Magnus ranges, they are manufactured to AISI 304 quality, have deep bowls, are aesthetic looking as well as functional and in satin finish. www.niralisinks.com
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Home Review July 2015
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