VOL 30 (6)
FEBRUARY 2017
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VOL 30 (6) | FEBRUARY 2017 | www.iabforum.com RNI REGISTRATION NO. 46976/87, ISSN 0971-5509 INDIAN ARCHITECT AND BUILDER
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Head Office: JMPL, Taj Building, 3rd Floor, 210, Dr D N Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001. Tel: + 91-22-4037 3636, Fax: +91-22-4037 3635
The latest news, events and competitions in architecture and design from India and abroad.
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YOUNG DESIGNERS’ 17
SALES Brand Manager: Sudhanshu Nagar Email: sudhanshu_nagar@jasubhai.com
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Young Designers’ 17 showcase diverse scales of work that are relevant and well-crafted, demonstrating a commendable ethos to the design of space.
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ARCHITECTURE A House In The Grove
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Architecture for the People
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Kumar La Noce adresses the rural context, locale and inhabitants in the school project. Designed by Studio un TAG, the farmhouse acts as a humble connection between nature and the built environment.
The House at the Valley
A house designed by MYVN Architecture comandeers the natural landscape to accentuate the contemporary design approach.
A studio designed by M9 Design Studio uses exaggerated graphical representations as a means to express design ideas.
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INTERIOR A Young Workplace
A Colourful Harmony
The house designed by DPA Design Studio has made explorations with traditional materials to create a contemporary space.
Ergonometric Transformations
A design co.(ADC) reconfigures spaces in an apartment to create a flexible organisation.
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PRODUCT Digitised Design Processes
rat[LAB]INTERIORS, blends technology and design to create a fluid piece of furniture.
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Innovating the mundane
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Deceptive Simplicity
[ar&de] re-create a window as a means to engage the user with architecture.
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Button stool designed by Design Circle, is a simple, yet complex approach to product design.
URBAN INTERVENTION Canopied interactions
Zero Space Architects and Planners confers a social identity to a decrepit pavement, by means of a pedestrian corridor.
Cover Image: © Jeyadra Vijayselvan
Printed & Published by Maulik Jasubhai Shah on behalf of Jasubhai Media Pvt Ltd (JMPL), 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. Printed at The Great Art Printers, 25, S A Brelvi Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001 and Published from Mumbai - 3rd Floor, Taj Building, 210, Dr D N Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001. Editor: Maulik Jasubhai Shah, 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021. Indian Architect & Builder: (ISSN 0971-5509), RNI No 46976/87, is a JMPL monthly publication. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or part, in English or any other language is strictly prohibited. We welcome articles, but do not accept responsibility for contributions lost in the mail.
Architectural Revolution 24th-25th FEBRUARY 2017 | Nehru Centre, Mumbai Presented by
CRITICAL REVIEW
JOIN US TO WITNESS A FIRST OF ITS KIND
‘FACE OFF’
Moderator: Aniket Bhagwat Prabhakar B Bhagwat
Samira Rathod
Arjun Malik
Malik Architecture
Soumitro Ghosh
SRDA
Mathew and Ghosh Architects
Associate Partner
Support Partner
Neglected due to the egos and shyness attached to it, this session boldly attempts to reassure the importance of ‘Healthy Criticism’ in the architectural fraternity. In a first of its kind session to be witnessed in India, 3 Architects will evaluate each other’s recent work based on genuine, fair and thorough understanding of projects, further seeking relations and relevance meaningful to our times. For further information: enquiries361@jasubhai.com Registration forms and other details available on www.361degrees.net.in Media Partners
Persenter of Young Designers 2017
Photography Partner
Organised by
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Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Entries This year Indian Architect & Builder received a generous 70 entries from around the country. Like the previous year it is remarkable that many of the entries are from cities and villages outside of the main metropolitan areas. It indicates that for starting architects the competitiveness and real estate pressure are perhaps best left aside to their more senior colleagues. There is more scope for experimentation and risk taking with young architects in the periphery of the country. Eligibility criteria One of the most important criteria of the Young Designers Competition is that the works of the architects should not have been published before. It is not an easy task to determine whether all entries are indeed produced by previously unpublished architects in this age where the number of magazines and online platforms is proliferating. And while this criterion resulted in some of the best entries being disqualified, it does ensure that the Young Designers Competition remains a platform to discover new talents. Project categories Perhaps not so remarkable is that many of the entries are of a modest size and either residential in nature or interior renovations. A high number of entries are architects office spaces designed by the young architects themselves. To me it indicates that it is not easy for young architects to acquire commissions and the confidence of prospective clients prior to showcasing their design talents in actually built work. Another explanation may be that in their self-initiated projects the architects do get the freedom to develop their own design language which they are then happy to share with this platform. In a country where the attention and care of public space is increasingly eroding, the category “public space design” received unsurprisingly only one entry. Selection Criteria As a judge I based my selection on the following criteria: 1. The project is based on a clear conceptual framework that shines through in the built work. 2. The project reveals character, skill in orchestrating craft and material, professionalism and a love for design. 3. Design innovations or inventiveness address the needs and constrains apparent in the projects brief or circumstance. 4. The project showcases engagement and relevance addressing some of the challenges the profession and society are facing.
Not many of the projects were able to address all above aspects. The average quality of the entries was disappointing. Out of the 70 projects, 21 made it to the shortlist. Some projects were ambitious and clearly showed the skill of the architects to design significantly sized projects but undoubtedly were exercises within a very familiar repertoire. When a client with a socially relevant program appoints a young architecture practice, it speaks of the client willing to risk. One would expect a practice to be able to convert this into innovative design solutions. Unfortunately this doesn’t always seem within reach or a desire for the generation of young architects in India. Other projects showed a great interest in experimentation and eagerness to work with materials greatly determined by obvious budget constraints. This unfortunately resulted in poorly executed details due to an overestimation of what craftsmen can do with a certain material. In the interior design category a couple of projects stood for their bold but skilled assembly of materials, textures, light and colours but were mostly appreciated for them showcasing a sense of pleasure in designing and the creative process. One project stood out amongst all other entries. The Vrindavan House by “Studio un TAG” is a little jewel built in a remote country side, where the conditions under which construction took place must have been challenging and the budget unbelievably small. The design solution speaks of a certain elegance and effectiveness to create with basic methods a comfortable living condition in an either extremely hot or wet climate, with a great sense of connectivity with its surrounding landscape. While this is not the first project of its kind and the design solutions are not ground-breaking, it does set an example of how to build homes for the many who would like to retreat and retire in an anti-urban setting without engulfing the quickly urbanising rural landscape of India with monstrous, energy guzzling, ego lifting mansions designed to dominate rather than complement its surrounding. Enough reason for a hopeful future with this generation of Young Designers! - Robert Verrijt, ArchitectureBRIO
Robert Verrijt is principal architect along with Shefali Balwani at Architecture BRIO. The practice works with a thorough understanding of Architecture and its related fields. It seeks to develop design as its core strength and primary focus. Aesthetics, technological and environmentally friendly innovativeness are the corner stones of its guiding philosophy. The practice believes that there is a need to promote rapid, widespread acceptance of sustainable solutions. The potentials of new building techniques, re-appropriating materials in an effective and durable way and intelligent energy concepts need to be uncovered and integrated in an innovative way in architecture. With energy reduction and sustainability as a starting point Architecture BRIO attempts to create innovative and exciting architecture.
Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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A House In The Grove Vrindavan, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra
Proportion and materiality come together in this farmhouse to craft an experience of living within a grove, with a humble connection to all things nature- sun, wind and land. Environment and cost sustainability enabled the architects to develop a structure that is close to nature. Text: Sahiba Gulati | Images & Drawings: courtesy Studio un TAG
Are architects meant to design homes only for the rich ? Can a common man ever afford an architect to build his dream house, at a realistic cost ? Vrindavan, sets itself as an example that good design can come at an affordable cost. Approached by a middle class retired couple to build a humble farmstay on their mango farm in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, within a strict budget of Rs.10lacs, was the first Design-Build opportunity for Studio unTAG. This abode is about a connect between man and nature. Its NOT about how the house looks, rather, it’s about what it overlooks and how it feels once inside it. A site specific spatial experience using local materials while keeping in mind functionality and construction costs, has led to the design of this meek sustainable farmstay. unTAG is a unison of two contrasting personalities, Gauri Satam and Tejesh Patil, graduates from Sir JJ College of Architecture. For us, at unTAG every project is unique, and needs a SPECIFIC design solution, SENSITIVE to its context. A precise transformation of an idea on paper into an actual built form, with appropriate materials conducive to the native climate is the key to a good architectural practice. We truly believe that the most difficult thing to achieve in design is simplicity. We wish to offer our services to every strata of society, and aim to make a difference at the grass root level through our practice. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
architecture
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Aesthetics of the house lie in the experience of its environment. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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A Young Workplace M9 Workspace, Bangalore, Karnataka
A studio workspace that gives free expression to design thinking through the use of materials in their true form and the use of functional objects themselves as design elements; this in fusion with exaggerated depictions in the form of graphical illustrations gives rise to a unique spatial identity. Text: Sahiba Gulati | Images & Drawings: courtesy M9 Design Studio
The studio is designed within a formerly disused attic space in an industrial suburb of Bangalore. We sought to maximise the space and reveal its character to provide an inspirational working environment whilst allowing our clients to experience our style of architecture and design. Founded in Bangalore, M9 Design Studio strives to impact people through spaces. No matter what project we’re designing, we always aim to make a difference in the city’s landscape. We envision spaces that will inspire people, help them connect with one another, and enrich the human experience. We do this by embracing the life, love, and diversity of the city. Recognising that every great design is the result of a combination of ideas, we’re inspired by the dynamism of urban life. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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A two-level loft like workplace where trusses define the area and windows starting from the floor expand it.
Walls, trusses and furniture pieces themselves become design elements. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Graphic illustrations express the details of everyday life.
Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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With light falling in from the frosted glass windows to furniture that is reduced to its bare minimum structure, a sense of lightness pervades the studio. The metal shelving panels have perforations that allow light to pass through. The understated greys, allow the black, white and wooden furniture to pop out, and so pop out the illustrations. It is refreshing to view illustrations that are honest, and just like everything else, not pretending to be anything else. The graphics express life as it is, and deviate from the conventional mindset of how an office space should be. “Each person’s world is unique and has its own flavour depending on where you look at it from. Our main focus is on creative expression and giving everybody the freedom to express them the way they are. All the graphical elements in the studio are done reflecting this attitude. The illustrations are interactive depending on the place and situation, indicating and hinting to the quirky in-house activities. To us - from scale and proportions, to the things we use like helmets, trolleys, ladders, etc. - everything plays an integral part in the design process and here the illustrations are inspired and exaggerated to show the impact they play in our life.” The designers’ attempt at reinforcing the obvious in their own characteristic way is what makes this studio one of a kind, and gives it a unique identity.
FACT FILE:
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Project Location Principal Architect Design Team Site Area Initiation of Project Completion of Project
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M9 Workspace Bangalore Nischal Abhaykumar Nischal Abhaykumar , Jesal Pathak, Swarna G. 1700 sqft May 2016 September 2016
A sense of lightness pervades the studio. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Digitised Design Processes Amorphous Surfaces - Bench
An elegant synthesis of technology, design and its fine application results into an unusual fluid piece of furniture. Text: Meghna Mehta | Images & Drawings: courtesy rat[LAB]INTERIORS
A method and technique to create an endlessly variable, site-specific Lobby and Garden furniture was launched in 2016 by rat[LAB]INTERIORS and has now evolved to be a part of Parametric Art Collection 2017. The furniture piece ‘Amorphous Surfaces’ features the use of mathematically driven algorithms that can transform orthogonal nature of contemporary furniture into fluid and amorphous forms. These algorithms have been used to generate the form of a bench, which is then constructed from timber profiles and painted in weather proof PU coating. Parametric design methods are used to drive elegance to form double curved surfaces through sectioned components. rat[LAB]INTERIORS is a subset of rat[LAB]-Research in Architecture & Technology, started as an initiative by Anchal Chaudhary & Sushant Verma to explore formal intersections of parametric design techniques and interior spaces. The collaborative venture focuses on rational use of technology for design of interior spaces, to foster memorable spaces, distinctive brands and meaningful experiences. There is a strong intent of creating transformative spaces that can positively affect the usability by creating an exchange between the interior and exterior environment. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Multiple customised uses of the bench. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Canopied interactions Maze Walk, Pune, India
The urban intervention project designed by Zero Space Architects and Planners provides a platform for social interactions and confers an identity to the locality. Text: Dhwani Shanghvi | Images & Drawings: courtesy Zero Space Architects and Planners
A well-defined and safe pedestrian connectivity plays a very important role in cities. It not only provides a safeguard but also acts as micro urban social pockets. This project is a revitalization scheme for a dilapidated pedestrian link located at one of the major roads in Pune. Considering the importance of the context, we took this challenge to produce an extraordinary image for an ordinary pathway which stands out with a very new concept in pathway redevelopment schemes for local governing body. This pedestrian spine is reshaped in terms of interactive pockets and pedestrian friendly aesthetical canopies, which provides a new identity for the locality. We decided to express these interactive zones in natural stone and mild steel structure keeping in mind maintenance issues in public spaces. ‘The Maze Walk’ evokes blissful feeling of pedestrianisation, which justifies the context and acts as a much needed breathing space for the neighbourhood. ‘zero space’ is a young enthusiastic studio of architects & urban planners Jyoti & Pradhumn Ghugare and Amol Kumtolikar. Started in 2014, they are based in Kolhapur & Pune, and offer innovative and sensible design solutions in architecture, interior and urban projects. The name ‘zero space’ reflects the core understanding towards design, in this forum; we believe that a design is a process which renders ‘a thought’ to deliver a satisfactory solution and to justify the context by putting highest efforts through the process of transformation from the first sketch to the built identity. Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Entrance to the school.
The design uses a retaining wall and benches to highlight the existence of the rock outcrop in the background. Built form basalt, the toe wall and its accompanying benches are constructed so as to allow the users to appreciate the natural terrain on the site. On the other hand, a canopy, fabricated from mild steel box sections, filters light entering the pavement and simultaneously renders a balance in the overall scheme, due to its light-weight appearance. Restricted to a height of 2.4m, the canopy is enhanced with translucent sheets of coloured FRP, superimposed on the M.S pergola. The intimate scale of the canopy, in addition to the kaleidoscopic pattern of shadows formed by the coloured plates accords a warm and informal ambience to the space. Although designed primarily to revitalise the pocket as an interaction space for the school children, the walkway has multiple users. Thus in the evening, it transforms into a pedestrian plaza of sorts, used not only for walks , but also to relax and meet friends, by people of all ages. The Mazewalk thus breathes new life into an otherwise defunct and inert public space, indemnifying the city with an urban intervention that confers it an identity within its context.
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Project Location Architect Design Team Site Area Initiation of Project Completion of Project
Canopy at the entrance.
Indian Architect & Builder - February 2017
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Maze Walk Pune, India Zero Space Architects and Planners Amol Kumtolikar, Pradhumn Ghugare, Jyoti Ghugare 150 sqm March 2016 May 2016