Surfaces Reporter, June-July 2021

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June - July 2021

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India

SR Rendezvous Simon NAF Country Head, AEDAS SR Focus Hospital Fire How prepared are we?

SR Launch Pad Nuvoco Concreto Amulya Mica with Harbhajan Singh Greenply with Kolkata Architects SR Rising Star Taliesyn Bengaluru

Remember India in all that you do Raseel Gujral Ansal Director & Co-Founder CASA PARADOX RGA & CASA POP

Have you seen the new

INTERACTIVE FLIPBOOK

of

Innovatively ahead!

editorial

How I met Didi Contractor?

Loving tribute to the self-taught architect, sustainability champion and recipient of WADE ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2017, WADE ASIA was just a year old, and we were researching women architects and designers for the following WADE ASIA speakers and top nominations. Suggestions of names and profiles were flowing in from across the nation and neighboring countries. Our day would start reading about various works by women and end with that too. Even in my dreams, I used to see designers presenting their projects!

Ahh..., a fantastic yet crazy time indeed!

Just about a month was left. Project entries for WADE AWARDS were closed, so all the top nominations, except for one - The WADE ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award. None of the entries seemed to fit the criteria for this position.

Then came the name of Didi Contractor, spotted by a WADE ASIA top researcher. Information was very little on the internet, so I had asked to search, spot, connect and arrange for a video call with the person. Didi communicated back.

First time I met Didi Contractor over a Skype call. She spoke about her work and was curious to know how we managed to reach her. She was happy to learn about WADE ASIA's work for women in design, art, architecture, and engineering.

and singer Hema Sardesai of 'Chak de India' fame'. Every scene about her is etched in my memory like a beautiful reel.

I am sharing the two videos created in memory of Didi Contractor with collection of her photos and another, a selection of her quotes.

VIDEOS OF DIDI CONTRACTOR

BY WADE ASIA & SURFACES REPORTER v Collection of Photos of Didi Contractor v Rare collection of Quotes by Didi Contractor A true homage to Didi Contractor would be to follow her path and enable progress in the work that she started. Losing architect Revati Kamat and then Didi Contractor is too much to come to terms with, in sustainable architecture led by women. I sincerely look forward to some names I deeply admire, like Chitra Vishwanath, Neelam Manjunath and few more passionate architects, to take Didi's legacy forward.

Rest in Peace, Didi Contractor, May your tribe grow!

After a good discussion for a prolonged time, I expressed my sheer amazement at interacting with such an active 88-yearyoung architect. She was quick to give back. Didi said, "I am equally amazed at seeing someone young like you leading a national forum for women in design."

It was finally in October 2017 when I met Didi Contractor in person as our guest at WADE ASIA in Gurgaon. Her speech was out-of-the-world and left a lot of question marks in the minds of the audience. People encircled Didi Contractor to get a glimpse of her. There was a standing ovation by the audience when she received her 1st award at the age of 88

by WADE ASIA. Didi was the top celebrity of WADE in 2017 along with actress Bhagyashree of 'Maine Pyar Kiya' fame June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 6

VERTICA DVIVEDI Editor-in-Chief, Surfaces Reporter | Founder, WADE ASIA Co-Chair, WEC, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry vertica@surfaces.in

Check the videos in SR INTERACTIVE FLIPBOOK www.surfacesreporter.com

Rare collection of Quotes by Didi Contractor

“Photos of Didi Contractor from WADE ASIA”

1

2

VIDEOS and COVER STORY 1. Collection of DIDI'S PHOTOS 2. Quotes by DIDI Contractor

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3. DIDI's work and interview In SuRFACES REPORTER (AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.IN & WWW.SURFACESREPORTER.COM

People encircled Didi Contractor to get a glimpse of her. There was a standing ovation by the audience when she received her 1st award at the age of 88 by WADE ASIA. Didi was the top celebrity of WADE in 2017 along with Bhagyashree of 'Maine Pyar Kiya' fame and singer Hema Sardesai of 'Chak de India' fame'.

Every scene about her is etched in my memory like a beautiful reel.

Didi Contractor with the WADE ASIA Award

June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 7

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images & research are done by going through encyclopedias, industry experts, wikipedia, various blogs, research, some images from web, books & reference, research journals, interviews published in various media and respected magazines, surfaces reporter's published issues and others, all for the sake of dissipating information and creating inspiration on the subject of article, write-ups, mostly through direct interactions with the designer/ business owner. editorial & correspondence: f-1118, chittaranjan park, new delhi-110019 email: vertica@surfaces.in, printed at Modest Print Pack Pvt. Ltd. C-52, DDA Shed, Okhla Industrial Area Phase-I New Delhi-110020 and published from f-1118, chittaranjan park, new delhi-19 by vertica dvivedi on behalf of bigsea marcom (i) pvt. ltd. we accept all materials and publish with care. however, we do not take the responsibility for the authenticity of the same. The views expressed in the columns of surfaces reporter are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher & they accept no responsibility for them. We take care that colour is matched but take no responsibility for complete matching. Final decisions should not be done about colour without seeing real product/sample. Every design showcased is not about what is available in india-it may as well be for inspiration.

No part of this magazine including advertisements' design, prepared by us or through us should be copied, reproduced or transmitted by anyone without prior written permission of the publisher. surfaces reporter and bigsea marcom wish to promote building material & product awareness in true & unbiased way. We do not claim to be experts so feel free to correct us if something needs correction. We are always eager to learn.

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Editorial: 6-7 Readers' Views: 8 Content: 10, 12 14-22 : SR News Updates 26-36 : SR COVER STORY Interaction with Mrs. Raseel Gujral Ansal SR LAUNCH PAD 38-42-Building Structures Cracks & Seepages in Concrete also Launch of Nuvoco Concreto CWT Plus 43-45- Amulya Mica Visually Perfect 1 mm Collection EXPERT’S EYE with Cricketer Harbhajan Singh 46-50-Importance of creating Safe Spaces in today’s homes 53-57 : SR Article Hospitals under Fire how ready Are We? 60-69 : SR RENDEzVOUS Exploring the World of Architecture & Design with Simon NAF, AEDAS 70-74 : SR FASCINATING FACADES A Solid Surfaces & Aluminium Façade JK House Delhi by Conarch Architects 77-92 : SR SPACES & MATERIAL POETRIES - Office with a ‘Breathing Wall’ - Ar Deepak Guggari - Cantilever House Ghaziabad - Sachin Rastogi & Payal Seth Rastogi - Drishti by KPA Deesign Studio Kamal Patel 93-100 : SR Rising star Ar. G S Mahaboob Basha & Ar. Shalini Chandrashekar, Principal Designers, Taliesyn, Bengaluru

CONTENT in Visual I

Cover Story

60 SR RENDEzVOUS Exploring The World of Architecture & Design with Simon Naf, AEDAS

26 Architecture

SR Launch Pad

Remember India in all that you do Raseel Gujral Ansal

38

Building Structures Cracks & Seepages in Concrete & Launch of Nuvoco Concreto CWT Plus | SR Launch pad

70 A Solid Surfaces & aluminium façade JK House Delhi by Conarch Architects

43

Amulya Mica 1 mm launch with Cricketer Harbhajan Singh

| SR Launch pad

97

93

SR Rising Star 46

Importance of creating Safe Spaces in today’s homes | SR Launch pad

June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 12

Ar. G S Mahaboob Basha & Ar. Shalini Chandrashekar

Principal Designers, Taliesyn, Bengaluru

SR News Bulletin

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Ar Christopher Benninger creates Rs 700 Cr Sassoon Hospital Plan | Pune

eteran architect Christopher Benninger has created an ambitious Rs 700 Cr plan for the redevelopment of Sassoon Hospital, Pune out of which Rs 100 Cr has already been sanctioned by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for the initial phase. According to the hospital authorities, the Master Plan is created to develop the hospital for the next hundred years. The plan was submitted to the state and the phase-wise development will commence with the construction of hostels for postgraduate doctors and nurses.

The veteran architect who also resides in Pune has taken up the project as Pro bono (for the public good) and took three months to design the master plan of one of the oldest hospitals in the country.

The redevelopment will also increase the capacity of the hospital by 1000 beds.

As covered by SURFACES REPORTER many times, designing public spaces is one of the forte of the master architect with award winning projects including Mahindra United World College of India, Pune; Azim Premji University at Bengaluru, IIT Hyderabad, Heritage Campus of College of Engineering Pune and Pune University etc. Ar Benninger has also designed hospitals like KEM in Pune and a 200-bed facility at Life Care in Latur.

Commenting on the same, he said, “This is the largest public hospital and important healthcare facility in western Maharashtra.

Not many can afford private hospitals and hence, this is a critical care facility.”

“We did an audit of 1.9 million square feet of construction across six plots, identified the heritage buildings which need to be preserved and others that can be upgraded and some that can be demolished. We have planned a phase-wise construction over the next 10 years. The campus has heritage buildings like the David Sassoon Hospital building (built in 1869) as well as the Jacob Sassoon Hospital building (built in 1905). The plan envisages highrises to house doctors across the street connected with an underpass, new women’s residential enclave, hostels for nurses, paramedics and a 1,500-seater auditorium apart from a new sports facility,” Benninger said.

As per the master plan, the campus encompassing seven land parcels requires to be zoned into a functional area that creates efficiency of operation and maintenance. The phase-wise plan is to integrate the separate land parcels into a symbiotic walkable campus employing walkways, over and under road pedestrian tunnels and bridges and promenades. There is a need to create a rational and logical movement system of patients, healthcare workers, utility/maintenance vehicles and emergency vehicles according to the plan, which will also develop more parking spaces and remove obsolete structures. The plan involved vertical construction of the buildings. Special efforts have been planned to design ramp structures in the case of a fire and includes creating emergency (fire-fighting) access and corridors.

Presently, the 1296-bed hospital has a total area of 43 acres but in various locations, Chockalingam said. The focus initially of this master plan is to build hostel facilities for PG medical students/ doctors and nurses/students.

June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 14

The Master Plan is created to develop the hospital for the next hundred years. The redevelopment will increase the capacity of the hospital by 1000 beds.

SR News Bulletin

Netflix Unveils Its First Global Live-Action Post-Production Facility in Mumbai in 2022

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umbai is set to be the Global-first for Netflix- the world’s biggest subscriptionbased streaming service. The video streaming company will be unveiling its first fully-owned post-production facility in Mumbai in 2022 for live-action movies and TV series worldwide. According to the streamer, “the facility will have 40 offline editing rooms designed as a flexible, collaborative and inspiring environment for showrunners, directors, editors and sound designers to create their best work.”

The company said that the post-production facility will pioneer advanced media management workflows that will continuously associate with India’s post-production community. The facility will be fully operational by June next year.

“We are excited that Mumbai will be home to this wonderful creative space. This reinforces our commitment to India’s entertainment industry as we continue to empower creators with the best resources to tell great stories,” Vijay Venkataramanan, Director, PostProduction, Netflix India, said in a statement.

With this production facility, Netflix is slowly but steadily increasing its investment in India. Although the streaming service started in India at the beginning of 2016, it started launching locally produced originals in 2018 and has

June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 16

made strategic forays into the entertainment scene. Since then, the company has continued to work with some of India’s major production houses, such as Anil Kapoor’s AKFC, Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, and Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

Netflix has released various successful films and shows, including “Delhi Crime”, “Sacred Games”, “Lust Stories”, “Guilty”, “Ludo”, “Bulbul”, “Pagglait”, “Paava Kadhaigal”, “Choked”, and “AK vs AK”.

According to the streamer, it will be investing around Rs 3,000 crores in local programming in the country.

Lately, the firm unveiled its 41 Indian titles that will be streamed in the coming year to its platform, including 13 TV series and 15 movies led by the likes of Raveena Tandon, Taapsee Pannu, Jitendra Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Shefali Shah, R. Madhavan, Dhanush, Bobby Deol, Kartik Aaryan, Neena Gupta, Mithila Palkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and John Abraham.

For India, SURFACES REPORTER wants you to note that, the streamer launched NetFX in 2020, a platform that enables several Indian artists to work on VFX for titles globally. “We are investing in the latest technologies and skill development through multiple certifications and training workshops in post-production, scriptwriting and other aspects of creative production. We want to continue to contribute to the Indian creative community,” Netflix said.

SR News Bulletin

The Futuristic Disappearing Tower

by Sou Fujimoto Architects

An anser to How a tower can evolve while continuing to attraCT

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hat does a new ‘tower’ mean in the 21st Century?

How can a tower evolve while continuing to attract attention, as the Eiffel Tower does? And which would face towards the bay.” These were the questions that arose in the mind of Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto before coming up with this futuristic tower design on the bay of the Qianhaiwan district in Shenzhen, China. A competition was held to design the New City Center Landmark.

And the mind-blowing visualization of a monumental floating tower presented by the Sou Fujimoto Architects won the competition. The proposed 268-metre tower acts as a landmark and consists of 99 individual tower-like elements attached with a solid horizontal surface in the upper part.

What SURFACES REPORTER finds most fascinating is that all these tower elements gradually disappear as they descend.

The tower contains a viewing platform, working as a threedimensional exhibition space, with a restaurant and a café. Most of the connected 99 pendant-like structures have limited contact points to the main tower, making it resemble as though they are floating in the air.

Design Details Steel, Carbon fibre, concrete and Kevlar Rope are used to design this futuristic tower. And the core of the building is supported June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 18

by a peripherally-placed steel truss system with Kevlar tension cables. Established in 2000, Sou Fujimoto Architects is a Japanese architecture firm founded by Sou Fujimoto. The firm has its offices in Tokyo and Paris and is renowned for its 2013 serpentine gallery pavilion design.

Surfaces Reporter

Apex Court scraps WB real estate act

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n a major blow to the recently elected TMC government, Supreme Court has recently annulled the West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act, 2017 (WBHIRA) citing it as ‘unconstitutional’ for being in the direct ‘conflict’ with the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). In the judgment delivered by a Bench of Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah, the apex court commented that the WBHIRA encroached upon the domain of RERA which is enacted by the Parliament as they both deal with the same entry in the Concurrent List and the former contains many provisions that overlaps the latter.

“From our analysis of RERA and WBHIRA, two fundamental features that emerges are that WBHIRA overlaps with RERA and is copied word to word. Both the statutes refer to the same entry in the Concurrent List,” the court said. The court also commented that West Bengal has attempted to establish a parallel regime which is not Constitutionally permissible.

SURFACES REPORTER noted that the sanctions and permissions granted under WBHIRA prior to the judgement will be valid as over 1000 projects have been approved by the authority. “This power has been exercised to safeguard past decisions and prevent chaos.” The court also said that once Parliament has enacted a law on a subject, it is not open to the

state legislature to enact a similar law and lift it word to word.

The judgement was provided in a plea NGO Forum for People’s Collective Efforts (FPCE), which contended that WBHIRA should be struck down since it conflicts with RERA.

CEPT Alumnus Builds Germany’s First 3D Printed House; Bags German Innovation Award 2021 | Beckum

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nkiet Patel, a CEPT alumnus is a part of the team that has built the country’s first 3D printed house and has won the prestigious German Innovation Award 2021 under the category “Building & Element”. Working with the German based PERI Group, the team created the twostorey building in Beckum, Germany with approx. 160 sqm of living space consists of multi-layered walls that are filled with insulating material or with in-situ concrete.

Material and construction SURFACES REPORTER while going through Press Release

by CEPT, found that the concept was first created by MenseKorte ingenieure+architekten. Printing was carried out with a concrete printer from PERI installed on the construction site.

A special printing mortar from Heidelberg Cement was used as the printing material.

The project was assisted by experts from the TU Munich and the engineering office Schießl Gehlen Sodeikat. With this manufacturing process, houses can be built faster, more economically and more sustainably. In addition, the process allows for a very individual design of the living space. A benchmark in the German Housing Industry

The goal of this project was to introduce an automation dedicated for residential projects into the German construction market, setting a benchmark for the first 3D concrete printed single family house. Interestingly, this benchmark will be unique as it will be identified as real-estate property owned by a person.

It will be, eventually, the first 3D concrete printed house ready to trade in German real-estate market.

June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 19

SR News Bulletin

Safdie Architects Reveals Plans To Build Interconnected Housing Towers Over Railway Tracks | Toronto

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oston-based Safdie Architects unveiled plans to construct nine interconnected residential buildings alongside an 11-acre park over a 100-meter wide and 800-metre-long stretch of the railway line. The project dubbed “Orca” is a mixed-use development in Toronto built over a train line that leads to Union Station. The renders released by the firm show that the high rises are reinforced on large piloti and are connected by bridges containing parks and other niceties for inhabitants.

The project encompasses nine skyscrapers and a park that will be built over a railway line. The decks will create a 10.5-acre public garden and retail space set over multiple levels, noted SURFACES REPORTER.

Bridges Connect The Towers The towers will be linked with bridges featuring plants and other amenities. One of the Orca skyscrapers will contain office space, while the other eight buildings will have 3,000 apartments. “As the city has expanded westward, the railway lands have increasingly become a brutal barrier between the King West Community and the growing waterfront district,” said Safdie Architects founder Moshie Safdie.

Lively Park- A Part of Orca The team believe that their design aims to furnace a re-joining in the King West Community by creating a cheerful and lively park where anyone can visit and enjoy the exceptional destination experience for Toronto. The park enlivens the June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 20

The project encompasses nine skyscrapers and a park that will be built over a railway line. neighbourhood and will allow the residents to do various activities. The project also incorporates various amenities like restaurants, shops and offices into the park itself, involving both dwellers and visitors.

Area for Parking and Pedestrians The firm- Safdie Architects- collaborated with PWP Landscape Architecture to create the park for this project.

It will also contain walking trails, playgrounds and bike lanes linked by elevators and ramps.

By tucking vehicular access and parking within the decking structure, 65% of the site area is left as publicly accessible open space, exclusively for pedestrians and bicyclists. The shopping complex will be opened in the summers during good weather but stay covered during the winters.

Surfaces Reporter

The demand for Oriented Strand Boards gains huge momentum in North America | What is OSB?

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n a major development, the price of Oriented Strand Board (OSB), a substitute of plywood that was once- cheap has registered a staggering high of 97% since the beginning of 2021. Majorly used as sheathing for walls, floors and roofs in new-home construction, the rising cost of OSBs has threatened to elevate the already high home building cost in North America even as the lumber market shows the signs of reduction in prices, according to the media reports.

One of the major reasons cited for the high price is the reduction in the supply of the resin due to a winter storm in Texas that is crucial for manufacturing the product.

In the surrounding regions, wood industry benefitted from the pandemic the most as most people built and renovated their homes. While there was a boom in the newer construction and renovations, the material industry was slower to catch up leading to an epic 400% hike in the lumber prices that continued for 12 months.

Now when they are finally cooling off, the OSBs have started to take off keeping the home construction prices high. In Western Canada, OSB that is 7/16th of an inch thick is at $1,700 per 1,000 square feet this week, matching last week’s all-time high. That’s up from $1,660 four weeks ago and the $240 the product fetched a year ago.

In the Southeast US, mills are selling the same type of OSB at a record $1,160 per 1,000 square feet, a level first reached last week. That’s up from $1,115 a month ago and a fourfold increase from $288 a year prior.

What is OSB? A type of engineered wood, Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is formed by adding adhesives and then compressing layers of wood strands (flakes) in specific orientations.

Having an uneven surface, OSB is produced in varied types and thickness.

The popularity of OSB is attributed to it being the closest alternative of Plywood yet having many more favourable mechanical properties particularly its load bearing capacity that makes it better suitable in construction. Used for sheathing in walls, flooring, and roof decking. It is also used in exterior applications where the panels have a radiant-barrier layer laminated to one side for ease of installation and enhanced energy performance.

As compared to plywood, the cost of OSB is far lesser, that is leading to its gaining popularity. In India, the starting price of OSB is around Rs 25/sqft depending upon the quality and thickness of the sheet. Our other magazine PLY REPORTER is the right place to look for wood & panel related news and business information in India.

June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 21

SR News Bulletin

India to get its first E-Highway soon connecting Delhi to Jaipur

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elhi-Jaipur Expressway, one of the busiest highways in the country is soon to become an E-Highway, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The project is likely to be completed

by Mid-2022. An Electric Highway or E-highway is an electric road that recharges the batteries of the vehicles driving on it. Considered an energyefficient option, such roads not only lessen the travel time but carbon-footprints as well.

It is one of the key focus areas of Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Sweden is another country that has been performing assessments of various electric road technologies since 2013 and expects to start formulating a national electric road system in 2022 and finish planning by 2033.

According to the sources, the government is in touch with a Swedish firm for an electric highway on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway for which electrifying almost 20% roads of the 200-km long Delhi-Jaipur Highway will be electrified. Here, separate lanes will be built to recharge the batteries of cargo trucks and other electric vehicles. As Truck and Buses will be able to run at a speed of 120kmph, the E-Highway will reduce the cost of logistics by 70%. While talks were already initiated, the project got delayed due to the second wave of COVID-19.

SURFACES REPORTER will keep you informed about the status of this project from time to time.

Lotus-shaped Shivamogga Airport causes rift between Political parties | Karnataka

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iting that the lotus represents the ruling party’s election symbol, Congress has demanded that the Lotus shaped Shivamogga Airport Design to be shelved. While the construction is expected to complete by the end of 2022, the state Congress has already voiced its concern over its shape resembling to Lotus, the election symbol of BJP. According to its spokesperson, Brijesh Kalappa, “The airport terminal is lotus and is also a party symbol of the BJP. Delhi High Court has already in 2016 said public money can’t be used to construct which resembles party symbols.”

BJP, in an effort to rebuke Congress’s claim, has said that since Lotus is the National Flower of the country, it has nothing to do with the BJP’S Election Symbol.

In February, BS Yediyurappa had visited the airport construction site and said, “The flight commencement should begin by next year-end and I have asked DC to work on priority.

I will visit the airport every two months to do a status check.”

SURFACES REPORTER found that the Shivamogga Airport is being constructed at Sogane at the outskirt of CM BS Yediyurappa’s native city, at a price tag of Rs 384 Crore. The construction of Shimoga airport’s 1.7 km long runway has already been completed.

June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 22

Surfaces Reporter’s Signature Spaces are special episodes created to cover Signature projects of architects & designers. To be a part of it, write to madhu@surfaces.in

Jinesh Jain

Arckala design Studio

Geetha V G Flora-Arcade

Anusha Katoch

Arckala design Studio

Rahul Jadon

Node urban Lab

Swapnil Valvatkar Collage Architecture

Gaurav Gupta DeCape Studio

Bhadri Suthar

Snehal Suthar

tHe gRID aRHITECRS

tHe gRID aRHITECRS

Nehit Vij

Shalini Chandrashekhar

Intrigue Design

Taliesyn

Watch the LIVE 1st episode, season-1, Surfaces Reporter’s Signature Spaces with Amulya Mica

Kavita Sastry

Rakhee Bedi

Shweta Kaw

Archan Van Gils

K S Designs

Studio Meraki

Manu Goel Novarch

Ishvinder Kaur IV Partners

Nishant Goel Novarch

Shailja Shah

Shailja Harish Design Studio

Rahul Spall

Spall Associates

RSDA

AVG Architecture & interiors

Fasana Alisha Caesar

Gunjan Das

N G Associates

Arvind Jain

A J Architects

Geethika Jain DSP Design

The Zen Therapy

Avinash Singh ARK Village 24

Nomita Sawhney Design by Meta

SR Cover Story

Remember India in all that you do!

Raseel Gujral Ansal Director & Co-Founder CASA PARADOX, RGA & CASA POP

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s one of India’s leading lifestyle designers of India, Raseel Gujral Ansal is ceaselessly valued for her outstanding ability in leading architecture and interior design over the past 30 years. She is a Doctor of Philosophy in architecture and has a well-celebrated work portfolio in product design, architecture, and interior decoration. She founded her flagship company, Raseel Gujral Ansal Design in 1990 and followed it up with two more fabulous companies, Casa Paradox and Casa Pop, in 1995 and 2014, respectively. Raseel Gujral Ansal carries a mammoth legacy of creative excellence combined with a fearless compulsion to evolve. This mantle has been handed to her by her father, the legendary maestro of all arts, Satish Gujral. A true exemplification of the Renaissance ethos, & the guru-shishya tradition, Raseel was schooled in her creative career within the crucible of the architectural firm led by her father & her brother Mohit Gujral and as in the renaissance has disregarded all compartmentalization between creative fields. Hence, she calls herself the accidental artist/ architect.

A school of architecture requires a five to seven-year curriculum, Raseel says, she has dedicated the past 30 years to learning & still remains an avaricious & passionate student.

She is an award-winning designer with many renowned clients across the world and is known for her signature style, use of bold colors and luxe materials, creative furniture design and an overall artful display. Her design philosophy emphasizes a refined use of art, magnificent objects, patterns, strong silhouettes, textures and a sophisticated color palette that is beautifully balanced to provide a refined original signature. The burning & restless quest to explore every medium of creative application has led Raseel in the past 30 years, starting with interior-architecture, adding in furniture & product design, organically evolving into an architect & searing through graphic illustration for home & fashion.

Inspired by her international experience and exposure, as well as her deep appreciation for the exquisite design June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 26

heritage of her native India, Raseel Gujral Ansal relies on innovation and imagination to create elegant and majestic Architecture & interior spaces that express a client’s personality. In a field rife with change and annihilation, she has emerged as a designer who can constantly deliver today’s flavour, blended with the taste of heritage, fine craft and history.

Raseel Gujral Ansal’s exceptional taste and unconventional approach to design has made her one of the most soughtafter designers in India. From fabrics to furniture, home décor and architecture, her designs are luxurious yet vibrant at the same time. Her accomplishments can be attributed to her talent, drive, determination and a pure love for beauty in design. She urges the young designers to think of India in that they design. It is her dream to restore lost heritage monuments and architecture of India.

In this process, co-founding three companies along with her husband & business partner Navin Ansal - each format has a cult following & is perceived as the premier indigenous luxury leader in its field. The past three decades have seen national & international awards & accolades, while catering to an array of elite clients such as the Imperial Group of Hotels, Eros Group of companies, Uppal Group of companies, Interban Trades Ltd, Al Maya Group of companies, Wave Group of companies and Ansal API to name a few. From 100,000 sqft projects scaling the cliffs of Goa, India, to mammoth townhouses in Texas, USA, she has garnered herself a global presence taking her philosophy of Indigenous Luxury far & wide.

Vertica Dvivedi, Editor-in-chief, SURFACES REPORTER (SR) recently spoke to Ms Gujral Ansal. Dive in to find out more about this fountain of talent. MsDvivedi says, “Raseelis ras-bhari. Whatever she dives in becomes flavored in unique ways, be it art, design or architecture.” We bet you will get to know more than what you have ever known about her from Google.

Surfaces Reporter

3 years ago, I was awarded an honorary PhD in architecture. My father was the same age when he was awarded the same.

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SR Cover Story

LISTEN TO THE EXCLUSIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN VERTICA DVIVEDI & RASEEL GUJRAL ANSAL

www.surfacesreporter.com In the SR Interactive eFlipbook of this issue We are curious to know about your childhood.

I think I am one of those people who is blessed to have come from a happy home and a happy marriage. My parents created an environment where the only religion was art. Art and design were the only things that everyone lived and breathed, our demigod being my father.

The whole family revolved around whatever his current passion was, and it didn’t matter what age we belonged to. My life was primarily groomed by art, with the central focus being my father.

I have seen his journey from art to architecture and then back to art and sculpture. I remember when I was two; he would drive me to Okhla where my parents had a ceramics workshop.I would play with the clay and the potters, and this would continue till I was 15.

When my father used to paint, I would be the only person allowed to sit in the studio. That turpentine smell of oil paints prior to the acrylic paint was also very much a part of my childhood. Another June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 28

theme of our childhood could be described as having no reverence for celebrities.

Everybody was in and out of our lives, and therefore, there was irreverence as well as a deep understanding. I am the youngest of three siblings, and I spent much of my childhood as an only child because my siblings went away to boarding school much earlier than me. During Asia 72, the fair that was being set up (which is now known as Pragati Maidan), I used to be there on the ground till midnight.

Both my parents had an annual show at Triveni, and I would walk to Triveni right after school. My sister would have her dance classes there, so I would hang out with her there. My uncle, Mr IK Gujral, was much enmeshed in politics, they had their house in Motilal Nehru Marg, and my parents would travel a lot because of art.

I was fascinated by thenews teleprinter at my uncle’s office and would love to see the sheets of paper rolling out. Since my uncle was the Information and Broadcast minister at that time, the news would be printed out all day long. I would sit in his office all day, and I was allowed to have the second chair.

Surfaces Reporter

The necessity of incorporating India in a subliminal and overt manner has always been a very conscious thought process in my design process.

You have to choose your own music and rhythm and then put on earphones.

All my life was pretty much the fabric of Art and Delhi. We walked from Motilal Nehru Marg to the Gymkhana Club for our swim and from there to the library and then home. I read a lot, spent a lot of time around art and artists and then at home, we had lots of fun because my father had a great sense of humor.My mother was an excellent counterpoint for the jokes to be levelled at.

It does feel like a dream at times as I remember my childhood.

I feel very blessed in that regard.

Definitely a beautiful dream-like childhood! Among the thousands of memories with your father, would you like to share any particular memory?

I think all my memories revolve around my father because I am my father’s child. As a result, I was taken to the ceramic studio and the Asia 72 fair. I was with him even when he was making the mural at the High Court. Our driver would pick me up from

school and drop me off at the High Court. I would sit through multiple exhibitions. As an artist, my father would not like to be disturbed while he was creating. Once the creation was over, he was very keen to interact with the people visiting the show. Unlike many senior artists who are only there for the preview and then there is someone else handling the show, we as a family would all be there. It was like a picnic time for us, whether it was Jahangir (Bombay) or Triveni (Delhi). Our lunch would come packed and tea would come from home in a flask. I used to spend around ten days a month at the gallery.

Another funny memory regarding my father was when he was supposed to design Jagmandir. For the next three years, we did not have a dining room because our dining table had an entire scale model of Jagmandir on it (laughs)!

If there is one thing, I took away from my childhood apart from happiness is not to be inhibited by success. When you succeed in one thing, you try to repeat it out of fear of not succeeding in something else. That fearlessness is something I would take away from my childhood. There is also a compulsion to evolve, which cannot be controlled.

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SR Cover Story

Being so immersed in art, architecture and creativity since childhood, was design an obvious choice?

In hindsight, it seems very clear that I wanted to pursue art. But at that point, I was not clear whether I wanted to join the National School of Drama or pursue photography or study architecture.

These were my three options. Then, of course I chose to fall in love which made my father very upset.

He wanted me to pursue architecture just like my brother did. I got married at 18, had a baby at 19 and then at 21, I told my father that I want to go to architectural school. He decided to train me on his own even though they refused to give me any work in the first four years.

The first project I did on my own without them was in 1986 when NIFT was to be set up, and the dean of FIT, Richard Streiter, came down to Delhi to set up NIFT. I met him and told him that I am an interior architect, and he said that he wanted me to design his place. My creative and technical mentors were my father, my brother, and the entire office at their studio.

I see two parallel lines in your career one consisting of your father and brother and the other created by yourself.

Absolutely correct!When I had started, I remember my brother asking me, “What is it that you are going to do that is new”? I said, “I don’t know, but I have to do it”. At that time, there was no appreciation for contemporary design, and it was all a hangover from the colonial past.

There were some level of ethnic furniture, a little bit of colonial furniture, a little bit of Tanjore and so on. That was absolutely not what I was doing. I was pushing this boulder up the hill, which was contemporary design. My mother had a lot of appreciation for textiles, traditional art, antiques, etc. while my father considered that very bourgeoisie as he was extremely contemporary.

I was influenced both ways, which is why it was not a discarding of tradition for me. There was this confluence of tradition and contemporary within me, quite like the Ganga-Jamuna in the case of jewelry (wherein you use both gold and silver together).

You have constantly been evolving in design. How did your designs evolve?

I have no idea. I do have a strong liking for traditional textiles, art, and Indian architecture. All of this is very much a part of my core.

I would describe the confluence as everything I experience around me. All of that goes in. This includes the environment around you, the movies you watch, fashion and textiles etc. But it does not remain the same.

It has been so many years since my childhood and my career starting in 1986 and there have been lots of influences along these years. There has really been no conscious decision making all this while. I don’t think it was ever a plan, to begin with but more of an evolution. Three years ago, I was awarded an honorary PhD in architecture. My father was the same age when he was awarded it.

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There is a massive project going on in the

Middle East, and then I am also doing a large residence in Hyderabad. There are also ten other projects going on like a 15000 square feet

penthouse. We just finished a project in Mumbai and three projects in Kolkata.

The one similarity I found between my career and that of my father is that we have a complete affinity for symmetry. The plan starts singing only when it is in symmetry. I found my own language in architecture, which is a combination of tradition and contemporary.

Ten years ago, I was playing with graphics so much that I did not know what to do with the outcome of all of it. I would refer to myself as an accidental artist. I guess I have inherited this compulsive need of doing many things, from my father. There was architecture, interior design, and furniture, the latter being an accidental business.

I wanted a particular kind of furniture when I was doing one of my projects and I was unable to get it. As a result, I felt compelled to start my own furniture business. My friends and acquaintances began dropping in and asked me to design furniture for them.

My brother told me in 1990 that we will start a new studio and that my father wants to have his own art studio here and therefore I should also start my own interior studio. And I told him, “I had never written to a client, so how can I ask for money?”

And he said that if I have to grow, then I have to do things on my own. I still have one employee with me who has been with me since day one. I don’t think if I had actually planned all of this, then anything would have materialized.

Tell us about the evolution of design and design aesthetics that you have seen.

When I started, it was all a colonial hangover, and from there, it went to minimal, which just leached the soul out of India. All throughout when people were using the word minimal,

Surfaces Reporter

The most special message she has ever received from a client, the Bollywood beauty, Sharmila Tagore, who told her, “You have given me such a beautiful home and environment that I don’t feel the need to travel”

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SR Cover Story

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Surfaces Reporter

In the rapid fire round, she was asked to share 3 words that come to her mind when she thinks about Mr Navin Ansal, her husband and business partner. She promptly quipped, “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow!”

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SR Cover Story I would say maximal, and now that has become the buzzword.

I never wanted to lose my roots. Even while doing something contemporary, I will do a pattern or a surface design or maybe a particular craft. The necessity of incorporating India subliminally and overtly has always been a very conscious thought process in my design process. You have to choose your own music and rhythm and then put on earphones.

How will you define the Indian global design vocabulary today?

As far as Indian fashion is concerned, we have gone a very long way. But as far as Indian product designing or interior decoration or architecture is concerned, we have a long way to go. There is too much, what I like to call, “the little black dress syndrome”, that is everything looks the same. It is a journey that, for many of us, has started only in the last 20 years.

Is there any project in particular that you remember?

If I look back and have to choose a special project, Richard Streiter would be one. It was my first project and was like going to kindergarten. My house is very special to me as I was free to do anything I wanted without having to deal with a client.

I completed a project last year in Hyderabad and that too is very special to me because the client gave me a spatial brief of the design but at the same time was very trustworthy. They had no problems with my inputs in the design. I did a house for another client in Delhi in Vasant Vihar, and he was another one of those large-hearted people. This happened around 15 or 16 years ago and was rather avant-garde for the time.

I worked on another project for my father which was for Ratan Chaddha, the owner of this Amsterdam-based company for fashion called Mexx. I did these three fantastic farmhouses for him. This was during 1993 before we were internet savvy and he called me from Amsterdam and asked me to come with my presentation.

He loved all three concepts and we had lots of fun making them.

I also did a resort project in Goa a few years ago which was like a series of villas with each of them covering 10000-12000sqft.

Can you share your experiences in product designing?

In 1988, I had designed a whole range of products for export. At that time, camel bone and horn were only being used for costume jewelry. I created that trend with my hands. I made boxes and photo frames out of them.

I find product designing relatively easy, even though many find it challenging, probably due to improper distribution channels.

While product designing is very tantalizing, you need to deal with it intelligently. The challenge is not the design but the sales. No one would print on furniture back then, and I had to convince people to do it.

Printing machines had just arrived in India for creating those digitally printed fabrics. I was trying to convince them to change the setting to print on wood or glass. This was a technical challenge compared to a design challenge.

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The pandemic or rather the lockdown has been very big blessing as it has given us the time to pause.

It has also brought a lot of introspection, compassion, and connection. We had decided to cut back on our retail three years ago, and the pandemic has only reinforced that decision.

What is your definition of “luxury”?

I never had plans of creating luxury products, and this too was accidental for me. I feel that quality is essential for luxury. The product should have all the quality ingredients with respect to the floors, the light etc. For me, luxury translates to timelessness.

I don’t like gimmicky things. The surface elements can change, but the core has to remain the same. Luxury is also about originality, and I would get bored if someone is simply copying from someplace and pasting it elsewhere.

With the onset of the pandemic, has there been any shift in the requirements or do you have any ideas about new collections in mind?

The pandemic or rather the lockdown has been very big blessing as it has given us the time to pause. I was able to discard that which was pulling me down and keep only that which was crucial. It has also brought a lot of introspection, compassion, and connection.

Everyone has gotten very comfortable with Zoom, which has made it easier to reach out. Clients understand that work can be doneremotely, which has increased efficiency. Everyone now thinks that it is a valid priority to have a home office.

A lot of people who were procrastinating home-based decisions have also changed. People are deciding to make the best of their time as there may not be a tomorrow. We had decided to cut back on our retail three years ago, and the pandemic has only reinforced that decision.

Surfaces Reporter

We have our studio and our showcase all in one building. Also, you don’t have to socialize too much and can only build on those relations that you want to nurture and have the time to nurture as well. I had a core team working outside my house, and we got a lot of work done in a short span.

There has to be

Are you currently working on any new collection?

design born in India

There is a massive project going on in the Middle East, and then I am also doing a large residence in Hyderabad. There are also ten other projects going on like a 15000 square feet penthouse.

We just finished a project in Mumbai andthree projects in Kolkata.

and also design born

When it comes to product designing, we have just finished three whole new collections for Casa Pop comprising crockery and wallpaper. One project that we did during the pandemic was called Dilli Meri Jaan, and we did it sitting in my house throughout the lockdown.

Tell me about the furniture industry in India.

People say it has a lot of potential in becoming a global hub like the way Italy is.

and made in India in India and produced somewhere else in the world. The future is all about collaboration and cross-border trading.

The Italian success is not just based on business but also based on design which they have been able to turn into business strategy and philosophy. Their marketing ability is par excellence. India has a great built-in audience. For all the projects that we do, I would say June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 35

SR Cover Story

75 percent of them are indigenously produced and only 25 percent is based on import. In fact, our clients choose it this way. For example, one of our clients in Hyderabad wanted to have all his furniture imported, and I was fine with that.

I gave him my wish list consisting of all the companies. He visited each company, came back, and told me to share my proposal for the furniture.

I have another client, an Indian family in Dubai who has been my client for over 15 years. We did a house for them in Dubai as well as in London. They wanted to design their home in Dubai again, and this time, they wanted me to design their furniture.

For me, the solution to furniture is that it has to be competitive in price and quality. The challenge here is customer education. Everyone can pickup a catalogue and choose anything. But you also need to put your design sense into it apart from the ability to produce it. It is not just ‘Make in India’ but also ‘Design Born in India.’

There is a two-pronged approach to this. Everyone is doing their own thing because there is no institutionalized support.

One is to develop the Make in India mantra so that the larger population remains employed. The other is the incentive for those involved in the craft so that they can carry it on for the next generation.There has to be design born in India and made in India and also design born in India and produced somewhere else in the world. The future is all about collaboration and cross-border trading.

Who or what is your inspiration other than your family?

If there is one thing, I took away from my childhood apart from happiness is to not be inhibited by success.

When you succeed in one thing you try to repeat it out of fear. That fearlessness is something I would take away from my childhood. There is also a compulsion to evolve which cannot be controlled.

My parents are my core inspiration. Apart from them, I am very inspired by the Alberto Pinto Studio. I also love the works of Ed Tuttle, Philip Johnson, and Frank Lloyd Wright. In India, it’s mostly the architecture of Lutyens that inspires me. Then there is Umaid Bhavan. When you are young, you are inspired by many things. But for the last 16 years, this is what inspires me.

Towards the end of the interview, we asked Ms Gujral Ansal to tell us about her dream project. Her dream project is one where she is able to restore the historic Indian property as that is where her heart lies. She also shared a favorite proverb in Urdu that her father used to quote, which goes on as, “hazāroñ hvāhisheñ aisī ki har hvāhish pe dam nikle, bahut nikle mire armān lekin phir bhī kam nikle”.

In the rapid fire round, she was asked to share 3 words that come to her mind when she thinks about Mr Navin Ansal, her husband and business partner. She promptly quipped, ‘Yesterday, today, tomorrow!’

The most special message she has ever received from a client, the Bollywood beauty, Sharmila Tagore, 22 years ago, who told her, “You have given me such a beautiful home and environment that I don’t feel the need to travel”. Her final words, a message for the upcoming designers was, “Remember India in all that you design and be yourself”.

SURFACES REPORTER loved every moment of this interaction and is thankful to Ms Raseel Gujral Ansal for sharing her time, experiences, and her personal life with us.

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SR advertorial New Gen: Brand Leader

NEW PVC LAMINATES COLLECTION LAUNCHED BY BLACK COBRA SURFACES REPORTER recently connected with the young brand leader, Rahul Garg, Director, Black Cobra Group as they launched a new PVC Laminate range in their kitty.

Here are some excerpts from the interaction, what PVC laminates are, their possibilities and what makes PVC Laminates from Black Cobra stand out.

What is the story behind Black Cobra PVC Laminates?

Black Cobra Group has been at the forefront of building materials manufacturing. We have been known for being the frontrunners in setting up manufacturing units in India for new building materials. Since termites and humidity are a big issue in India, we first started by setting up a state of the art WPC manufacturing unit. After analyzing the initial customer response, we saw a huge gap in the PVC Laminates segment as the imported ones were of low quality but the product category had immense potential for innovation and offering something unique to customers. Thus we decided to set up a PVC laminate plant in 2017 and we haven’t looked back since.

What are the advantages of PVC Laminates over normal laminates?

We believe that the Indian consumer always prefers economical and durable solutions for their building materials requirements.

Whenever an Indian customer constructs a new house, they want to ensure that the house lasts for the future generations too. In addition to long durability, PVC Laminates’ unique qualities of being bendable (which avoids the need of edge banding) saves cost as well as the end result is much more aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, PVC laminates are ecofriendly, termite proof and water proof which makes it a strong contender in terms of price, applications and durability.

What is new in the Black Cobra PVC Laminates 2021 collection?

Given the current pandemic situation, today’s consumers demand products that are safe for them and the environment.

We are the first manufacturer in India to introduce an antimicrobial range of PVC Laminates that does not let bacteria or viruses grow on the surfaces easily. In addition to this, we have added an exquisite range of wooden, metallic and marble shades which will definitely grab some eyeballs. We have also fully digitised our catalog so anyone can scan a QR code and visualise beautiful designs to get inspiration for their interior designs.

Is it true that PVC Laminate’s major application is vertical, and that there are limitations and disadvantages for its application growth?

That’s not a fully accurate observation. In the majority of the horizontal applications that we have seen so far (for example in table tops), customers always cover the surface with a glass

Rahul Garg

Director, Black Cobra Group panel to increase the aesthetic look of the furniture. The market observation that PVC laminates easily develop scratches, is not correct. Our view is that even paper or acrylic laminates develop scratches if the customer deliberately tries to do so, and the same is true for PVC Laminates. Each material has its own set of best practices, which need to be followed.

Architects and OEMs are not aware about PVC laminates. What is your view?

Whenever a new innovation happens, it takes time to gain consumer and influencer trust. Given the low entry barrier in this segment, there are a lot of local manufacturers making the product incorrectly which leads to erosion of customer trust.

With time, this will self correct and architects and OEMs need to go with trusted brands.

Black Cobra Group is a distinguished pillar of Indian building materials sector since 1990. The group has over 1.5mn+ sqft of manufacturing space spread across 7 manufacturing plants that manufacture a diverse range of building materials such as plywood, shuttering, flush doors, laminates, PVC Laminates, PVC boards, ACP, etc.

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SR LAUNCH PAD

BUILDING STRUCTURES

CRACKS & SEEPAGES in CONCRETE ALSO LAUNCH of

NUVOCO CONCRETO CWT PLUS MEDIA & TELECAST PARTNERS

SURFACES rEPORTER WATCH THE VIDEO

/SurfacesReporter

/SurfacesReporterMagazine

B

uilding resilient structures can never happen if we don’t prepare against cracks and seepages. Building resiliency is a major part of building sustainable structures that stand the test of time. Cracks can negatively affect aesthetics and durability. If not looked after, they can lead to deeper openings which destroy buildings. Though cracks happen due to a number of reasons, the important deal is in how we choose to prevent them.

SURFACES REPORTER in association with Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd recently organised a knowledge session with eminent speakers, structural consultants alongside a new product launch Concreto CWT Plus by Nuvoco aptly termed #ConcreteKaAntibody

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The Panelists included v Engineer Sangeeta Wij, MD, SD Engineering Consultants LLP, and former Tech Director at Aecom v Dr. Abhay Gupta, Director, Skeleton Consultants Pvt. Ltd. v Mr. Vipul Ahuja Director/ CEO, Ahuja Consultants Pvt. Ltd v Mr. Prashant Jha, Chief, Ready-Mix Concrete, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd v Mr. Pranav Desai, Head-CDIC & New Product Development, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd.

The session was moderated by Vertica Dvivedi, Editor-in-Chief, Surfaces Reporter. Here are some excerpts from the same. Share your opinions/ views and more information on the subject to press@surfacesreporter.com.

Surfaces Reporter

Floor & Roof Slabs

Foundations

Vertica Dvivedi: Concrete buildings are highly popular in the construction industry, due to their durability, cost effectiveness, and aesthetic appeal. However, they have one significant challenge, that is cracks and water seepages through the structure.

Water travels through the capillaries and cracks are formed in the concrete, damaging the building and requiring a lot of maintenance, time, and cost. How to mitigate this issue? How to solve this problem? It is not just about the cost, time, and inconvenience, but more so about the danger to human lives who are living within the building.

Let’s know about these and more from the panelists: Sangeeta Wij: I think cracks are really a worrying issue for all the people and professionals in our industry. Cracks, as we know, can be structural and non-structural. Non-structural cracks are due to plastic shrinkage and environmental effects and may not harm the structure directly. However, if prolonged exposure happens, even non-structural cracks can cause corrosion.

Corrosion happens when we have water, oxygen, and steel which is not stainless.

So, corrosion happens and it further propagates cracking. So much so, that we have seen cracks in prestigious and luxurious condominiums while they were being built. These entire structures were in danger. The other types of cracks we can usually come across is the structural cracks which are in the structural elements like beams, columns, and slabs.

They can be due to inadequate design provision in the structural designs that have not catered to the differential thermal and temperature loads. It can also be due to poor execution as the construction has been compromised and enough cover has not been provided and the concrete has not been vibrated properly.

Dr Abhay Gupta: Cracks affect the life of the building not only by structural strength reduction but also by continuous seepage through them. This can be either rainwater (if it is a super structure crack). There are other kinds of cracks too observed in the non-tower areas of large apartments with basements, expansion joints, and connections between the tower and non-tower.

Er. Sangeeta Wij MD, SD Engineering Consultants LLP, former Tech Dir-Aecom

Cracks, as we know, can be structural and nonstructural. Non-structural cracks are due to plastic shrinkage and environmental effects and may not harm the structure directly.

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SR Launch Pad They are responsible for disturbance in the aesthetic appearance plus degradation of the strength of the structural elements.

There are cracks in the structural elements because of structural as well as non-structural reasons. You may see the cracks propagating along the electronic conduits which have been laid in the structural elements. There have been cracks which have been seen along some other architectural intrusions in the structural elements. One of the major reasons of cracking seen in the modern-day buildings is due to shrinkage of concrete. This concrete is made of RMC plants which have a high slump value.

They also use admixtures. The compatibility of admixtures and the water-cement ratio required to be maintained to reach to the site in a plastic-flowing state, when not protected properly leads to the plastic shrinkage cracks on those concrete surfaces.

Though they heal up very quickly with time, there is still some water leakage, that initiates the rusting in the steel bars. Rusting or corrosion of the enforcement bars continues to propagate over the years if not addressed properly from the beginning. The life of the structure which we generally consider to be a minimum of 60 years, reduces significantly.

There are many chemical manufacturers who suggest curing compounds as well. The use of an improper curing compound may also lead to shrinkage. Let us focus on the variety of cracks in the structural elements as well as the load bearing structure.

Addressing a crack in the load bearing structure is rather easier than in the structural elements.

Vertica Dvivedi: What kinds of cracks are very dangerous and could be taken care of in the primary stages?

this disaster causing both loss of life and property. Just like cancer spreads in the human body, corrosion too spreads in the building.

It cannot be stopped if it starts.

Vertica Dvivedi: Are there certain regions that are more specific to water seepages and cracks?

Er Sangeeta Wij: As Vipul mentioned, the coastal areas have an abundance of salt water as well as rainfall. If you visit Mumbai, you will find algal growth on buildings because of heavy rainfall. There is an ingress of oxygen in these cracks and corrosion happens gradually. What we do in the name of cleaning and maintenance once a year before Diwali is not enough.

In many places like South Delhi and Noida, there are diagonal cracks in the columns of the buildings as well as the beams. Often there is lack of consensus amidst the members of a residential area regarding how much to repair or who shall repair or how much to spend. I have not seen serious repairing in any residential area so far even though I have pernonally explained to the residents about the gravity of the damage and the necessity of repair.

Dr Abhay Gupta: We suggest the retro-fitting technique which incorporates the materials to be used, the process to be employed, and the fact that it will be carried out only under the supervision of experts. If you go to Noida and see a housing complex that is around 15 to 20 years old, you will find vertical cracks in the columns of the parking space. This is because the reinforcement steel has been corroded. What people do is cover these cracks with plaster. These things should never be hidden because they are very dangerous. For bigger diagonal cracks, there always arise

Vipul Ahuja: There are two types of cracks that we look at. One is of course the unfriendly cracks which can be seen in the plaster and the second type is the structural type which may or may not lead to collapse with or without warning. The most dangerous ones are the ones without warning and are hardly visible.

About 15 years ago in the Delhi Metro there was a collapse. There were some cracks noticed in the pillars that held up the bridge.

It was a very small, hairline crack. Many senior honchos checked it and said that it is alright. The moment they loaded it; the thing failed and people died as well. Those kinds of cracks do not give any warning.

The other type of cracks happens because of under-designing, or poor-quality materials, or corrosion. The designer may not have provided enough steel in the right places. If the recipe is good but the ingredients are bad, then you will not have a good cake. The construction defects can happen due to honeycombing especially in basements.

Lack of cracks is also a problem. If water accumulates and there is no crack, the stitching slabs will start to swell up. Cracks would have been good in this case as it would have saved the structure to some extent. We design the buildings in a way that we expect cracks at certain places. If they happen at other places, then that is not good. If they happen at the designed spots, it is good as it dissipates the energy and saves the building from collapse.

Uniformly saying cracks are either good or bad is not a good interpretation. Columns weaken due to corrosion gradually which creates a breaking point overtime. These columns are also known as gravity columns as they take the vertical loads. The walls take care of the lateral loads such as wind. All the cities which are on the coastline are more vulnerable to corrosion. There are micropores in the concrete which can cause ingress that can start the corrosion.

Er Sangeeta Wij: There was a case in Florida about the collapse of a 13-storey building. In 2018, the structural engineer submitted a report that detailed a plan with an expense of 10-12 million dollars which they did not undertake. Timely action would have averted June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 40

Dr. Abhay Gupta Director, Skeleton Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

Cracks affect the life of the building not only by structural strength reduction but also by continuous seepage through them.

Surfaces Reporter evaporates from the capillary pores. These pores generate micro channels resulting in shrinkages and other forms of early cracking.

These cracks are very inherent to the concrete and the moisture flows through these channels. With time, these capillary cracks and micro channels expand in volume. They expand in volume and form the major source of leakage affecting the serviceability of the structure. When these cracks are addressed in the initial stage, these leakages can be prevented.

Vertica Dvivedi: Tell us about Nuvoco and what is being done to address this.

Prashant Jha: We started operating back in 1999 and today we have diversified through different business portfolios. We are involved in the business of cement, ready mix concrete, and modern building materials. We come across many problems and try to address it through our innovative products that we keep developing based on what we hear in the market.

Our ready-mix concrete industry has three branches – Concreto, Artiste, and InstaMix. We also have a CDIC or Construction Development Innovative Centre based in Mumbai.

some issues regarding settlements and alterations done by the owner. In such areas we have to employ different techniques such as the use of stones. The use of normal construction chemicals will not do always. The sophisticated methods of retro-fitting are very important. For high-rise buildings with huge gardens, the structure is exposed to considerable water causing cracks in the buildings which can be noticed not before 5 to 7 years.

By that time, it has already damaged the concrete. Residential areas need a team that can monitor the cracks regularly and then call the structural engineer who will analyse the cracks. You will not spot them in the first 2 or 3 years, but then they might suddenly appear in 5 years-time. But the construction material must also be of good quality. If your foundation is solid, it won’t deteriorate further.

Er Sangeeta Wij: Just to add to Mr. Gupta, there is chapter in the National Building Code regarding administration which states that any building that is more than 15 metres tall must conduct a technical audit every 3 to 5 years. This includes structural safety, fire safety, and electrical safety. This is a mandatory provision and yet we keep neglecting it continuously. This is like an annual health check-up of the human body. If addressed on time, the flaws will not expand to a point from where there is no return.

Vertica Dvivedi: What are the major causes of leakages and what are its solutions?

Pranav Desai: Concrete has its own limitation. They have capillary pores that are larger at interconnections and are formed after the water evaporates. The water added to the concrete

Mr. Vipul Ahuja Director/ CEO, Ahuja Consultants Pvt. Ltd

There are two types of cracks that we look at. One is of course the unfriendly cracks which can be seen in the plaster and the second type is the structural type which may or may not lead to collapse with or without warning.

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SR Launch Pad Vertica Dvivedi: What kind of R&D goes into such innovations & research?

Pranav Desai: In the context of concrete, we at Nuvoco identify the inherent limitations of concrete and then work to address such issues at the core. There are two ways of treating the concrete.

One is the surface treatment and one is where you also do some internal treatment.

At our R&D centre, we develop various combinations of mixes.

The definition of concrete is usually very simplistic – a mixture of cement, sand, water, etc. But this is like a recipe and it varies because of which we try out different kinds of mixes. That admixture is a crystalline admixture.

About NUVOCO’S Concreto Plus CWT: The session was followed by the launch and presentation of CONCRETO Plus CWT by Nuvoco that is instrumental in waterproofing. The crystalline waterproofing admixture, directing towards the micro-defects and addressing the free granular models, is based on optimum packing density that helps to develop a dense and durable concrete that provides sufficient resistance against hydrostatic pressure. Micro cracks refer to cracks whose size is measured in microns or at the most a few millimetres.

Addressing them resolves the problems to a large extent. Another thing about the crystalline technology is that they are insoluble crystals that react with water and moisture. They block the capillary pores and micro-cracks. The crystals swell inside and then block the moisture. It contains specialised additives that activates the moment water seeps in through pores and micro cracks. These additives start forming a complex crystalline matrix which fills the pores and blocks the capillaries from within thereby stopping the water from passing. It can be easily used in any

Mr. Prashant Jha Chief, Ready-Mix Concrete, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd

We come across many problems and try to address it through our innovative products that we keep developing based on what we hear in the market.

underground and substructure like basement, retaining walls, rafts, sunken area, slabs, water storage tanks, swimming pools, and tunnels.

Last but not the least was the Q&A session between Vertica Dvivedi and Nuvoco representatives, Indranil Banerjee, GM Marketing and Nitin Gupta, Product Manager, from Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd. Video of this event is available on: www.surfacesreporter.com | SR Flipbook | SR Facebook

Mr. Pranav Desai Head-CDIC & New Product Development, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd.

There are two ways of treating the concrete. One is the surface treatment and one is where you also do some internal treatment.

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An immersive discussion!

Such a talk on cracks and seepages cannot be concluded in just one session. Surfaces Reporter will organise more sessions to bridge the observed gap between material innovators, suppliers and the people who use the products.

Vertica Dvivedi Editor-in-Chief Surfaces Reporter

SR LAUNCH PAD

Amulya Mica Visually Perfect 1 mm Collection

EXPERT’S EYE

with CRICKETER HARBHAJAN SINGH MEDIA & TELECAST PARTNERS

SURFACES rEPORTER & PLY REPORTER WATCH VIDEO IN SR’S INTERACTIVE FLIPBOOK

WATCH THE VIDEO

/SurfacesReporterMagazine /PlyReporter

Views: 34.4K Reach: 63.6K Likes: 612 Comments: 877 (Surfaces Reporter+ Ply Reporter)

June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 43

SR Launch Pad

A

mulya Mica organized a virtual event on 22-May-2021 in association with SURFACES REPORTER (SR) & The PLY REPORTER for launching its new collection Visually Perfect 1mm Collection, Expert’s Eye. The event was inaugurated by Mr. Rakesh Agarwal, Ms. Shailja Agarwal, Mr. Tarun Agarwal, Mr. Surendra Tharad & Mr. Kapil Pareekh by lighting the lamp & Ganesh Vandana from their head office in Gandhidham.

Speaking of the launch event, Rakesh Agarwal, MD, Amulya Mica said, “We are overwhelmed by the response that our 1MM Laminate Collection launch got from the industry and the end customers. We feel very proud that Architects like Ar. Krishnarao Jaisim, Ar. Sanjay Goel, Ar. Mitul Shukla, Ar. Hasmukh Shah, Ar. Neha Modi, Ar. Ruby Singh, Ar. Ranjit Naik, Ar. Manpreet Singh, Ar. Mahesh Punjabi, who also launched the Expert’s Eye 1MM catalogue along with cricketer Harbhajan Singh.”

He also briefed that by providing matched edge band, Amulya Mica has taken care of major pain point of customers as these edge bands are available at every Amulya depots and by the use of matched edge band, the laminates look visually perfect on any application.

Legendary Cricketer Harbhajan Singh stated, “1MM Laminate collection is a visually perfect laminate collection as the company is providing a perfectly matched edge band readily available at their depots along with the laminate.”

After launching of 1mm catalogue by Mr. Harbhajan Singh, selected Distributors of Amulya Mica pan India along with architects present in the event had launched it from their outlet.

June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 44

1MM Laminate collection is a visually perfect laminate collection as the company is providing a perfectly matched edge band readily available at their depots along with the laminate.

- Harbhajan Singh Legendary Cricker

Surfaces Reporter

Each product showcased in the collection has been selected by a team of expert group, comprising of Architects, Interior Designers and prominent Dealers who are in the business of laminates.

The prominent event was attended by more than 4000 & viewed by more than 20000 people across the country. The event got a magnificent response and was attended by people from the industry like architects, interior designers, dealers, distributors, business associates, corporate, and end customers.

Ms. Shailja Agarwal, Director-Marketing, Amulya Mica during her interaction with the Press mentioned, that the company is gearing up by launching new series before the market opens. She spoke about Expert’s Eye 1MM laminate collection and what is new in it. Some of the latest additions that she mentioned are 2 stone paper finish, 13 solid pastel shades, 5 digital laminate sheets, glitter series, 2 new texture introduced with zero reflection, providing 56 matching edge bend, 11 wood grain addition and 2 wood grain abstract addition which makes it a collection of 250 plus designs & 35 plus textures.

Ms. Agarwal also spoke about the name of the Catalogue, “The Expert’s Eye” and its reason for naming so. In the presentation, she mentioned that each of the product showcased has been selected by a team of expert group comprising of Architect, Interior Designer and prominent Dealers who are in the business of laminates. The selection is contemporary as per the international trends in colours.

Ms. Agarwal also emphasised that the company is promoting the use of technology. For instance, QR code on the “The Expert Eye” is being provided for ease of use and convenience.

She demonstrated that the catalogues with passage of time are becoming bulkier which is making it difficult to cart them to the site or to the client’s office, rather with QR code the person using it will be able to download soft version and can browse on the mobile or iPad.

Top: Cricketer Harbhajan Singh with Amulya 1 MM Folder Below: Ms Shailja Agarwal and Mr Rakesh Agarwal

Later, Words That Matter book (Orange & Black Colour) launched by Mr. Rakesh Agarwal, Managing Director, Purbanchal Laminates Pvt Ltd. and Ms. Shailja Agarwal which is a collection of appreciation of Amulya Mica’s product and services by some of the eminent architects & our patrons.

Further, there was a question & answer session by Shri S.K. Tharad, Sr. GM Marketing where some prominent distributor of Amulya Mica like Mr. Amit Poddar, Bangalore, Mr. Sundar Vijaywada, Mr. Ankur Maheshwari Delhi, Mr. Gopal Agarwal Kolkata, Mr. Deepak Patel Raipur, Mr. Mohit Agarwal Ludhiana, Mr. Saurabh Torka Hyderabad, Mr. Sanjeev Jindal Bhatinda, Mr. Vishnu Pacheria Vizag, Mr. Sumit Lathi Indore, Mr. Vijay Karaveer Hubli & Mr. Sanjay Jain Jaipur participated.

Finally, there was a special interaction of Mr. Pragat Dvivedi, Editor-in-Chief, Ply Reporter with Mr Rakesh Agarwal.

Overall, it was great session, engaging and entertaining, informing and connecting!

More details: www.amulyamica.com June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 45

SR LAUNCH PAD

Importance of creating Safe Spaces in today’s homes

Greenply’s Session with Design & Health Experts in association with ABID

FOCUS: KOLKATA Media & Telecast Partner Surfaces Reporter Magazine

T

he COVID-19 crisis has altered our lives. As we are trying to adapt and move ahead, the pandemic has provoked us to reconsider our lifestyle standards. Prevention and control are the vital factors to overcome the current calamity. That said, considering the different stages of the prolonged pandemic, creating safe & hygienic space is the need of the hour.

Green building is a milestone in the building technology development. And with the demand for sustainable lifestyle practices, architects and designers are put to task to create strategies and innovate designs that would not only meet sustainable goals but would also blend into a work-from-home environment with an aesthetic appeal and of course, up bring a healthy lifestyle choice. In accordance to the change in the living habitat amid the pandemic, Greenply in association with ABID, Kolkata and SURFACES REPORTER, questions the importance of sustainable living, spaces defining a healthy work-life balance and the transformation of architectural designs offering tangible energy-efficient solutions in panel discussion moderated by Vertica Dvivedi, Editor-in-Chief, Surfaces Reporter.

Ar Ajit Kumar Jain, President, ABID and Rajesh Mittal, CMD, Greenply Industries Ltd and Sandeep Gupta, Treasurer ABID welcomed all the speakers & guests. Dr Aru Chhabra Handa and Dr Shubhank Singh shared their points of view as doctors.

The panel witnessed prominent dignitaries from the design fraternity such as Ar Subir Kr. Basu, M/S Subir Kumar Basu; Ar Ajit Singhee, Singhee and Associates; Ar Kamal Kumar Periwal, Architect M; Ar Deepa Agarwal, Deepa Agarwal Architects; Ar Bipratip Dhar, Epsilon; Ar Ajay Arya, A Square Designs; Ar Sunil Kumar Maniramka, Maniramka and Associates; interior designer and artist Abhijit Saha; Vijay Chokhani, Secretary, ABID; and Greenply Industries’ Partha Nath and Utpal Kanjilal.

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“Even though we eventually get habituated to the smells and emissions inside our homes, but our bodies still face the repercussions.

This is why we’ve seen a lot of younger people afflicted with cancer, which wasn’t the case before.”

Dr. Aru Chhabra Handa Medanta Hospital

Surfaces Reporter

Human beings are apprehensive when it comes to pollution outside the four walls of their homes. However, Dr Aru Chhabra Handa brings to picture the harmful emissions that we are exposed to within the interiors of our houses. She adds, “It depends a lot on the materials which have been used for the interiors, which can affect our eyes, noses and skin.

If the smell emitted in a freshly painted room is too strong, it might even cause headaches. Even though we eventually get habituated to such smells and emissions, our bodies still face the repercussions. This is why we’ve seen a lot of younger people afflicted with cancer, which wasn’t the case before.

Asthmatic patients are also at risk in such environments, and their conditions can worsen if they live in a house with high emission. Since they are already suffering from asthma, their lungs are partly compromised. With the Coronavirus, the lungs are affected and the oxygen uptake becomes highly compromised. Now, if they are already living in an environment that is prone to high rates of emissions, then it could get much worse for such patients.”

The onset of COVID-19 forced people to maintain social distancing and stay indoors. Although we are inside our homes since then, we must keep our immunity in check, suggests Dr Shubhank Singh, and opt for eco-friendly construction materials when renovating or construction new spaces or structures.

Understanding the new needs Agreeing with Dr Singh and Dr Handa, Ar Subir Kumar Basu from M/s Subir Kumar Basu, who has noticed people incorporating offices into housing plans, shares, “I’ve had a client who asked for a space that could induce the feel of an office so that they could manage the work-from-home

Greenply will always be there to help the people towards a better future and better health. We are planting 6 lakh saplings for our timber suppliers to help them manage their fields and forests.

We will continue to take suggestions from the experts, for the foreseeable future.

Rajesh Mittal, CMD Greenply Industries Ltd June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 47

SR Launch Pad situation a bit better.” Ar Ajit Singhee, Singhee and Associates, sharing his insights on the changes in architecture and design in a post-pandemic world, he says, “We mostly work in urban areas and our clients tend to be quite discerning buyers. They constantly educate themselves on new products and often help us raise awareness about those products in the market.”

However, for Ar Kamal Kumar Periwal, Architect M, the concept of green building is no longer just about the superficial changes to the outer designs of the building; rather it has expanded and gained more depth in the form of green interiors as well.

Throwing light on the emerging trend of distinguishing spaces yet smoothly blending it within the warmth of home, Ar Deepa Agarwal, Deepa Agarwal Architects, cites, “Earlier, occupants used to demand for a study area for kids. Nowadays, occupants are asking for separate staff area for domestic help. And ever since work-from-home has become a dominant format, people now want separate workspaces for themselves, in different rooms. Moreover, the requirement for a home gym and lounge area has also increased.”

That said, Ar Ajay Arya, A Square Designs, adds, “A major change that I have noticed is that people are looking forward to have certain spaces in their homes for hygiene practices; for instance if someone brings groceries from the store, they can sanitize the products and themselves in that space before stepping into the main area of the house.”

Proposed Solution Spreading from interiors to exteriors, the construction industry heavily relies on conventional materials which are susceptible to

We have seen many people now asking for a separate staff area, for domestic help. Earlier, we had to add a study area only for the kids.

Ever since work-from-home has become the dominant format, people now want separate workspaces for themselves, in different rooms.

Ar. Deepa Agarwal Deepa Agarwal Architects Kolkata

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I’ve noticed, of late, that many people are trying to introduce an official atmosphere into their housing plans. I’ve had a client who asked for space that could induce the feel of an office so that they could manage the work-from-home situation in a better way.

Ar. Subir Kr. Basu M/S Subir Kumar Basu Kolkata

I would like to ask the architects to focus on reducing wastage. Not only will they help their careers but it would also help in bettering the environment.

Ar. Kamal Kr. Periwal Architect M, Kolkata

Surfaces Reporter contaminants. Offering solution, Dr Handa urges architects and designers to opt for eco-friendly materials, which bears cost to benefit ratio in the long run. Advocating to use sustainable and organic materials, Ar Bipratip Dhar, Epsilon, says, “To increase awareness amongst architects, designers and clients, we need to ensure that the material has a proper certification. Material selection is majorly based on cost, aesthetic appeal and longevity of the material. It is seldom that we ask for the construction of the material itself.” He believes that post COVID-19, these questions will be raised as people are more aware.

Greenery is an important part of these massive spaces and natural ventilation should be the need of the hour. “The time has come for us to look at both interior and exterior as green spaces. The government should be ready to create laws and bylaws which will uphold the need for healthcare facilities in such spaces,” proposes Ar Basu.

According to Vijay Chokhani, Secretary, ABID, material manufacturing companies need to be aware of the standards and accordingly create awareness programs. “New techniques and new machines will come and go but the drive to be aware needs to be kindled properly,” he adds.

“There is not enough space. Use the basic knowledge and elementary understanding of architectural planning to not waste space,” adds Ar Ajit Kumar Jain, President, ABID, as the session signs off.

Achieving Sustainable Goals Raja Sinha informs that at present, though in sparse moments, clients are aware of their requirement. Few years back

I would like to thank Greenply for introducing the E0 ply. It is important that we all start somewhere in this regard, and Greenply has become the pioneer for zero-emission. I hope more companies follow suit.

Raja Sinha Decorlab, Kolkata

In mass housing projects, there are domestic helpers who have their own quarters. They live in deplorable conditions and then are expected to take care of our families. Cleanliness will always come from the ground up, and this situation requires to be addressed by the architects, designers, and the government itself.

Ajit Kumar Jain President, ABID, Kolkata

I’d like to thank the panelists. This branch of study is immensely important to our future health and lifestyle.

Vijay Chokhany Secretary, ABID, Kolkata

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SR Launch Pad

customers were not concerned about health while dealing with ply products. On account of social distancing and staying indoors, there has been an unquestionable demand for indoor air quality. “When we polish the ply, the spray gun used can leave behind harmful after effects.

Greenply’ E0 ply will drastically reduce the harm that can come from such processes,” he adds. Additionally, Sinha hints on the possibility of rise in customers’ prospective budgets due to the shortfall of labour caused by the pandemic.

Partha Nath, Greenply Industries, informs that when it comes to architecture in India, nearly 80 per cent accounts for interior construction. “In India there are no governmental standards for plywood. Hence, we have taken the American standard as our very own and used it to produce zero emission plywood.”

On a concluding note, Vertica Dvivedi gives the design fraternity its due credit and advices everyone to collectively come forward and embark on the quest for sustainable green living. Signing off, she adds, “When it comes to Indian architecture, architects and designers have made it their mission to the raise the bar of living

A major change that I have noticed is that people are looking forward to having certain spaces in their homes for hygiene practices. For example, if someone brings groceries from outside into the home, they can sanitize the products and themselves before stepping into the main area of the home.

Ar. Ajay Arya A Square Designs, Kolkata

Material selection is mostly based on the cost, the aesthetic appeal, and how long the material will last. It is seldom that we ask for the construction of the material itself. Post-covid, these questions will be raised because people are more open and aware.

Ar. Bipratip Dhar Epsilon, Kolkata

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standards. Although historical and cultural preferences still direct the design world, what is really stealing the show is contemporary design with a lucrative panache of sustainable growth. Molding future growth outcomes is important as the world is at stake, and the time to act is now.”

Rajesh Mittal appreciated the work being done by architects and designers and thanked all for their immersive participation in this important discussion.

The anticipation over the end to the ongoing pandemic is unclear. In unison, the panelists believe the changes observed would continue to go on to a greater extent in the near future due to market demand and prolonged pandemic. Driven by consumer demand and ongoing innovation, the days ahead look green and sustainable for the construction industry.

(Note: We couldn’t add all the quotes from all the panelists here due to space constraints, please watch the video to know more from all the panelists.)

BUY Surfaces reporter Magazine from

Hospitals

under Fire HOW ready ARE WE? Recently, we have seen many incidents of fire, particularly happening in the hospitals that are already overburdened with a pandemic raging at hand. A fire has no face and no regret while destroying everything that comes in its way. It becomes even more heart wrenching when patients who cannot save themselves come under its wrath. SURFACES REPORTER spoke to the experts and tried to ascertain, why the fire incidents rose and what should be done so that in case of the third wave the mistakes are not repeated. An indepth report by SURFACES REPORTER (SR).

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SR Article

2021 Fire in Bharuch Welfare Hospital, Gujarat

Makeshift facilities When the second wave of the pandemic was at its peak, as many as 13 patients died after a fire broke out in the intensive care unit of Bharuch Welfare Hospital, Gujarat. According to a report

by Indian Express, almost 24 fire accidents have happened since August 2020 resulting in the death of 93 people, mostly COVID patients. Among these 93 deaths, 59 deaths have happened in March and April only, in which 33 deaths were reported from Maharashtra while the remaining 21 are from Gujarat (as of 31st May 2021). This is a saddening reality where people who are already suffering are not spared by the fire incidents.

Sandeep Goel, Chairman, Innovation & Excellence, FSAI

says, “In the situation of a Pandemic, the challenge is to organize and plan any medical facility requires a proper planning. While COVID-19 facilities are an essential, we often create make-shift arrangements which are seen to create a sense of pseudo support and compromised safety arrangements and actually defeat the purpose of providing the facilities. The most important thing is the blueprint of the planning. The layout should be done properly with the right space planning, segregation of areas according to the uses and hazard etc. Fire safety is basically divided into three parts, i.e., Fire prevention, Life safety and fire protection. If we are not able to complete these requirements holistically in the design planning, we are at risk of the Occupants and the facility to witness the consequences of this failure.”

Major problem arose as most of the newer facilities created to handle increasing number of sick people were make shift. Created in a rush, the facilities lacked proper planning and there were little to no means of fire protection.

Ar Sabeena Khanna, Founder & Principal Architect, Studio KIA, says, “The impact and extent of the pandemic has

struck hard, and humanity is left unawares. The medical system fell through because the numbers were too large and sudden. Hospital facilities were too less and cases too many. Hence, COVID-19 facilities were set up almost overnight and ranged from quickly put together hospitals to makeshift medical facilities, remodeled spaces, temporary sheds with equipment, tented arrangements to even provision of oxygen in cars, to supplement the existing medical infrastructure.”

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In the situation of a Pandemic, the challenge is to organize and plan any medical facility. While COVID-19 facilities are an essential, we often create make-shift arrangements which are seen to create a sense of pseudo support and compromised safety arrangements and actually defeat the purpose of providing the facilities.

Sandeep Goel

Chairman, Innovation & Excellence, FSAI

Surfaces Reporter The menace of airconditioning and excessive use of plastic An important aspect that leads to increase in fire incidents is the poor air conditioning and excessive use of plastic while there is no arrangement for a proper disposal. In no less than two fire incidents, i.e., Vijay Vallabh Hospital in Virar that led to 15 deaths and Ayush Hospital, Surat that killed 3, the fire began from an overheated air conditioner that was working since 24 hrs.

Therefore, it is important to install either a back up AC or ‘Air Handling Units’ that are capable of taking air from atmosphere, reconditioning it, cooling or heating as required, and circulate it within a building or a section of the building through ducts.

Ar Sabeena Khanna asserts, “Hospitals were taking in patients beyond capacities that led to overcrowding within the same physical space. ICU’s needed to work round the clock as also the air conditioning, ventilators and other medical equipment leading to situations of overload of the existing electrical systems with no cooling times for the equipment. In such a scenario, burnouts are bound to happen. As a result, this led to many fires in various hospitals and Covid facilities with precious lives being lost.

Reasons for the fires can be attributed to electrical short circuiting, oxygen leakages, overheated ventilator machines and AC unit burnouts.”

“However, in the given scenario of Covid, inflammable materials in hospitals such as PPE kits, gloves, face shields, concentrators, etc also added to the quick spread of the fires. No cross ventilation in ICUs added to the casualties. Hospital design would need relooking into fire issues. Makeshift hospitals that came up literally overnight could not have in place firefighting equipment such as sprinklers and smoke detectors. Fire extinguishers provided in such situations must definitely be supplemented with fire tenders on location. Probably materials used are inflammable such as sandwich and prefab panels, stretched fabric, maybe PVC sheet roofing, etc simply owing to their ease of availability and quick fabrication,” she added.

Milind Rane, Fire Protection System Specialist, Eversafe Protect Systems says, “It is tough time in this covid situation

where everyone is fighting against pandemic to live through. And with such incidents of fire in hospital, it is major concern for safety of people who are undergoing treatment from Covid –19 attack. If you see the majority of patients died in the fire are due to suffocation because of smoke generated due to fire. As hospital is having many items made out of plastic, and in case of fire on this material the smoke generated is having carbon monoxide and inhalation of this smoke three times can be cause of death of any person.

Also another important thing is the movement of patient is restricted due to all life saving life lines attached to his body.

And patients are of all kind are generally weaker than any normal person to move fast.”

Fire Prevention System While fingers can be pointed on a number of reasons, a quick action plan is needed so that such incidents shall not repeat in the future. This must start right from the planning and designing stage. The Fire Exits, even if it’s a makeshift facility should be properly planned and executed. In addition to keeping the fire prevention equipments in order, the passage leading to the Fire exists and staircases must be free from all rubbish that tend to accumulate at such places due to lack of usage. Its ceiling should

Maintenance of the fire protection facilities is also vital part to avoid such incidents. All Fire Protection facilities are to be regularly maintained (every Month) for their operation by authorised License agencies with proper records of the maintenance carried out to make system failsafe. Along with maintenance the staffs of hospital are also to be trained for operation of the system and evacuation procedure. For this the regular drill of the fire protection and evacuation to be carried out under observation of authorised License Agencies.

The records of the same should be maintained. Training is most important role in saving life.

Milind Rane Fire Protection System Specialist, Eversafe Protect Systems

be fire rated so that in case of fire, people can quickly and safely evacuate out of the building.

Focussing on the need of fire rated materials and design, Ar Sohrab Dalal, Prinipal, SPA, Delhi, says, “Today, insulation for electrical and HVAC piping and ducting are done with the advices of MEP consultants. There are many good fire rated materials available in the market that should be chosen for the job. All high rise buildings have the provision for Fire Safety

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SR Article staircases. Legally, the corridors leading to these staircases must have a 2-R fire rated false ceiling carrying the wires and cables. However, here most people take short cuts and install ordinary ceiling panels due to the cost differences.

Resultantly, in many cases, a little spark in the ceiling led to a massive fire which could be avoided had there been a fire resistant ceiling.

For the basements as well as superstructures, we are supposed to do the ‘Fire Compartmentalisation.’ This is also specified under the NBC 2016. This measure is taken so that, in case of a fire, it is contained in a particular zone and doesn’t spread out to the entire floor plate. But even if one compartment is not done properly, then fire can quickly spread and cause much harm.”

Hospitals were taking in patients beyond capacities that led to overcrowding within the same physical space. ICU’s needed to work round the clock as also the air conditioning, ventilators and other medical equipment leading to situations of overload of the existing electrical systems with no cooling times for the equipment. In such a scenario, burnouts are bound to happen. Reasons for the fires can be attributed to electrical short circuiting, oxygen leakages, overheated ventilator machines and AC unit burnouts.

Ar Sabeena Khanna

Sandeep Goel, FSAI, adds, “As per the Fire prevention law, the Exists must be kept clean of all the obstructions. There are cases where we have found out that the staircases were filled with redundant/ unused objects rendering them useless at the time of distress. Hence there are two things, i.e., Design Planning and the upkeep of the Design. If there is a fault in design planning, despite the good upkeep, the purpose would not be solved and vice versa. Therefore, first we need to do the right design planning with proper fire prevention elements at place and later make sure that the right upkeep of the spaces and elements are done.”

The staff and members of the hospital and healthcare facilities must be duly trained to carry out necessary precautions in case of a fire adhering to the Emergency Management Plan (EMP) drawn as per the current situations.

Mock drills must be carried out at regular intervals to avoid the state of panic in a distressed situation.

Principal, Studio KIA

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Surfaces Reporter

Today, insulation for electrical and HVAC piping and ducting are done with the advices of MEP consultants. There are many good fire rated materials available in the market that should be chosen for the job. All high rise buildings have the provision for Fire Safety staircases. Legally, the corridors leading to these staircases must have a 2-R fire rated false ceiling carrying the wires and cables. However, here most people take short cuts and install ordinary ceiling panels due to the cost differences. Resultantly, in many cases, a little spark in the ceiling led to a massive fire which could be avoided, had there been a fire resistant ceiling.

Ar Sohrab Dalal, Prinipal, SPA, Delhi

Milind Rane says, “Maintenance of the fire protection facilities is also vital part to avoid such incidents. All Fire Protection facilities are to be regularly maintained (every Month) for their operation by authorised License agencies with proper records of the maintenance carried out to make system failsafe. Along with maintenance, the staffs of hospital are also to be trained for operation of the system and evacuation procedure. For this the regular drill of the fire protection and evacuation to be carried out under observation of authorised License Agencies. The records of the same should be maintained. Training is most important role in saving life.”

The administration of any health facility must establish an incident command center that could communicate with the Fire Safety Management Team to keep them aware about the current situation and safe passages. Also, since hospitals and healthcare facilities involve handling high risk inflammable equipments like Oxygen plants, it is vital that their maintenance is done on a regular basis and responsible staff should be duly trained to handle them.

Ar Sabeena Khanna opines, “Makeshift hospitals that came up literally overnight could not have in place firefighting equipment such as sprinklers and smoke detectors. Fire extinguishers provided in such situations must definitely be supplemented with fire tenders on location. Probably materials used are inflammable such as sandwich and prefab panels, stretched fabric, maybe PVC sheet roofing, etc simply owing to their ease of availability and quick fabrication.”

Sandeep Goel says, “Our society doesn’t believe in checklists. We assume things will happen in a right way while taking risks and that’s where we fall wrong. We are very casual when it comes to maintenance. However, the maintenance of a building in terms of

fire safety and security is very easy if done regularly and kept a track of it. The more you ignore, the severe the problem would become. National Building Code of India 2016 has a chapter called ‘Facility Management’. FSAI has also come up with its own checklist which an owner/ architect/ contractor/ engineers can use to self check and regulate the fire safety provisions of the building. If the maintenance is not done regularly, but then it will be too late as it will either get prohibitively expensive and often not viable.”

Are we ready for the third wave?

Let’s accept the fact that COVID is still around and even after the massive vaccination drive, there is a looming threat of a third wave of the pandemic. After seeing the damage wrecked upon by the second wave, we could only imagine the effects of another wave. Therefore, being better prepared is a necessity. Ar Sonhrab Dalal concludes, “Fire rated materials are the need of the hour.

Right from cladding, to paints and even decorative plants, everything is available with a fire rating but unfortunately, people are not very keen on using the materials. Immediately after the Grenfell Tower fire in London, DLF India stripped all of its buildings from the ACP façade and opted for other fire rated materials.”

Seconding the opinion, Ar Sabeena Khanna, gives an opinion that is also echoed by SR, “The pandemic has been a major learning to rethink design, remodel medical facilities and hospitals, redo policies and provisions, and be mindful of designing spaces that are safe for all.”

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SR Rendezvous

Exploring The World of Architecture & Design with Simon Naf, AEDAS AEDAS is one of the World’s leading global Architecture and Design Practices, SURFACES REPORTER (SR) recently spoke with Simón Núñez de Arenas Fraile, Principal and Country Head – Indian Subcontinent, AEDAS. Simon NAF is a veteran in the architecture industry with more than 20 years of experience under his belt. He has worked on a variety of architectural projects ranging from residential and commercial to hospitality and landscape.Currently, he leads the Aedas Indian Sub-continent team from AedasSingapore HQ, with projects ranging from large residential developmentsto mixed-use complexes, infrastructure, IT campuses and hospitalityprojects. His team was the winner the very prestigious Pragati Maidancompetition in 2016 in New Delhi, India. Take a look at some of the projects:

The most interesting part of my profession for me is to learn to interact with other people. An architect is almost like a social worker as you need to understand a society to create something for the same.

– Simon NAF

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Surfaces Reporter

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Extension Hyderabad/India Client: GHIAL (GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd) Involvement: Design Architect and Interior Designer Design Completion Year: 2018 | Size: 183,000 sq m (GFA)

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he existing terminal building was opened in 2008 for a peak capacity of 12 MPPA. The airport is currently operating at approximately 14.5 MPPA and, therefore, warranted an urgent need to expand its capacity. Aedas won the competition, in collaboration with Meinhardt, to design a modular expansion of the existing terminal building that will double the current capacity of the building.

Aedas’ scope includes full architectural and interior design of the 183,000 sqm expanded terminal building, as well as piers with an additional 26 contact stands and 32 remote stands. The expansion includes additional check-in space, security and immigration facilities, baggage handling, and BOH offices and support.

The design of the north facing skylights and roof form references the State’s symbolic “Indian roller” bird wing, and provides ample light to the seating and retail areas below.

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SR Rendezvous

Integrated Exhibition & Convention Centre, Pragati Maidan

New Delhi / India

One of our most prominent projectin India is the Pragati Maidan Complexwhich we won competing with numerous International Firms.

Working in collaboarion with Arcop Architects in Delhi, the project gave us an opportunity to research New Delhi and the history of the city and try to provide something new. The convention center is modern Indian building with strong Indian roots. I believe it will become a new icon of New Delhi as it gives a new window to the city.

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Surfaces Reporter

Client: NBCC (India) Limited & ITPO Involvement: Principal Design Architect: Aedas in JV with Arcop Design Completion Year: 2016 Size: 326,616 sq m (GFA)

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ocated at the eastern end of Lutyen’s Delhi, where the banks of the Yamuna River used to flow providing fresh water to the old Mughal Fort (Purana Qila), Pragati Maidan is an area of India’s capital that has been an important venue of civic interaction since it was converted into an exhibition space in 1972. This is a redevelopment of a 123.5 acres site of Exhibition Space integrated with a Congress Centre with a capacity of 13,500 people.

Strategically planned around a large central courtyard open to Delhi’s prevailing wind direction, the 100,000 sq. m. of exhibition space are organized in two levels of Exhibition Halls each ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 sq. m., and connected at ground level by a protective pergola. The Convention Center was designed as a contemporary Indian icon, showing the

nation’s approach to its furture while respecting timeless Indian architectural traditions, as the use of circular geometry for buildings of public and civic importance, the integration of water and stepped public spaces, colonnades, ancient symbology, and the locally sourced material and traditional colours. The main Plenary Hall is elevated from the ground by freeing space below to a public open-air amphitheatre and other conference spaces and connects with a large Multifunctional Hall, having both a combined capacity of 7,000 people in a single seamless space. By elevating the main Congress Halls and its pre-function areas, the design offers a new way to observe New Delhi from above its tree canopy, giving to the city a new perspective to look at its self, making now visible for everyone its beautiful ancient domes, the monumental Lutyen’s Delhi and its new fast-growing skyline. A new “Window to Delhi” has been created.

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SR Rendezvous

NESCO IT Campus, Building 2 Mumbai / India

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ur design for NESCO Building 2 is part of a larger development that currently host the Mumbai Exhibition Centre and other office buildings. As a crucial part of the consolidation of the new NESCO Centre, our client requested Aedas to design a campus like environment that will define the new green character of the overall development. In the high urban density context of Mumbai the only way to keep as much open and green areas as a campus usually has, the solution was to elevate the office buildings 3 levels above a low podium, liberating a new Ground Floor than will connect the different cores and lobbies of the building, as in a park the lawns and paths connect different kiosks or play areas. With this gesture and directing the traffic from the street directly to the basements, NESCO Centre becomes a 100% pedestrian green campus that will define a new way to use the FAR in Mumbai.

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Surfaces Reporter

While we have created new technologies at an unseen pace in the last 50 year, going from not having photocopy machines to having powerful computers in our pockets, we can’t say the same about construction technology. It is the way we process information to express and document architecture that has advanced the most. BIM technology is still in a nascent stage and people are trying to adapt themselves to this new process. I see it still has a lot of need for more development.

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SR Rendezvous

SAS Infra Luxury Residential Development Hyderabad / India

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he Crown is a High-End Luxury Residential Development located in Hyderabad, combining 5 towers rising to 235 m, each serving one single unit per level and having a 6,830 sqm exclusive Club House, lush elegant gardens with arts exhibitions and sports amenities . Every apartment, ranging from 690 sqm for simplex to 1,640 sqm for penthouse satisfies 100% compliance with Vastu planning as demanded in local market. The Penthouses and the top most units of towers are provided with their own private roof adn pool terraces. It will be the tallest residential development in South India and one of the tallest residential developments in the whole country.

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The design of the towers is inspired by the merging ancient local traditions with global contemporary design and global luxury residential trends. A combination of local stones, metal screens with personalized jali patterns for every apartment with modern elegant glass façades creates a sense of luxury and uniqueness never achieved before in the region. The Club House is designed as an overlaying of different landscapes, creating a seamless experience between the gardens and the lush luxurious interiors of the Club. The club house offers a private cinema, bar and lounge, a cafe and a show kitchen, gym and sports courts, yoga and dance zones, gaming and music rooms along with an Olympic length lap pool, jacuzzi pool, spa and a barbeque roof terrace deck.

Surfaces Reporter

Client: SAS Infra Developers Involvement: Principal Design Architect Design Completion: 2021 Size: 222,315 sq. m. (GFA) Executive Architect: Architect Rushikesh H

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SR Rendezvous

SAS iTOWER Hyderabad / India

For AEDAS as a group, 2020 was a good year. We jumped one spot up the list of the world’s largest architectural firm, from 7th to 6th.

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AS iTower is a 38 floors mixed-use development comprising of IT Office, Town Hall, Commercial and a 5-Star Hotel. Reaching 171 M. in height and with a total Construction Area of 8 million Sq.F. , the SAS iTower will be the tallest commercial building in India and the tallest one in South India.

Design around a central courtyard (Brahm) that accommodates the open spaces and amenities for the users, SAS iTower is a 100% Vaastu Compliant building.

The first of its type in Hyderabad, and a contemporary Indian building.

Client: SAS Infra, Hyderabad Involvement: Principal Design Architect Design Completion Year: 2019 Size: 525,023 m2 Executive Architect: SEP Architects

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Surfaces Reporter

You can view the full video interaction between Vertica and Simon on www.surfacesreporter.com

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SR FASCINATING FACADES

A Solid Surfaces & aluminium façade JK House Delhi by Conarch Architects ocated in an uber dense Delhi locale, JK House forms a distinct urban landmark. Designed by Ar SK Goel, Principal, Conarch Architects, Delhi, the project is built on an urban infill site and situated within four minute walking distance from a transit hub, the project is appropriately sited to benefit from the city’s growing mass public transit system.

Challenges Based on the interactions with the client, Mr. J.C. Chaudhry, the primary goal was to create a positive, comfortable and productive work environment. Characteristic of Delhi’s urban area, the site is a long narrow rectangle with existing built properties on three sides, with front, rear and side setbacks. Long narrow rectangular sites pose a challenge to naturally light work spaces at lower levels and areas away from exterior walls. Given the critical role daylight plays in occupant mental and physical health, a generous sized atrium was introduced in the middle to light the building from within. Low height desk partitions, light material finishes June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 70

Surfaces Reporter

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SR Fascinating Facades

Long narrow rectangular sites pose a challenge to naturally light work spaces at lower levels and areas away from exterior walls. Given the critical role daylight plays in occupant mental and physical health, a generous sized atrium was introduced in the middle to light the building from within.

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and full height glass partitions help daylight penetration in deeper areas of the floor plate. The building emphasizes occupant comfort with ample daylighting, natural materials, breakout spaces and a large landscaped terrace.

Rich material palette The building design is both functional and expressive in nature; its lively sculptural facade is rich in simplicity and proportions. The backlit geometrical surfaces transform a mundane building corner on a busy street into a point of interest and heighten the excitement of the onlooker.

Talking about the facade, Ar S K Goel says, “We decided to break the facade into separate vertical areas and introduce ample daylight to the offices inside. The facade’s corners were created using two triangular Aluminium frames. The first frame was fixed to the wall and 1 light fixture (per frame) was attached on top of this frame. A Solid surface was pasted on another frame, which was screwed to this frame. This was particularly done so that the maintenance of light fixtures could be in the future easily. These lights, when lit up in the night, translate into a separate hexagonal pattern. This was particularly challenging because all the 3 elements, aluminium, lighting fixture, and solid surface were to be constructed with a tolerance of 1mm. The joint is the outcome of the level of detail we go to while designing & construction accuracy.”

“The backlit geometrical surfaces transform a mundane building corner on a busy street into a point of interest and heighten the excitement of the onlooker, especially from the Delhi metro going directly in front of the building,” he added.

Surfaces Reporter

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SR Fascinating Facades The facade’s corners were created using two triangular Aluminium frames. The first frame was fixed to the wall and 1 light fixture (per frame) was attached on top of this frame. A Solid surface was pasted on another frame, which was screwed to this frame. This was particularly done so that the maintenance of light fixtures could be in the future easily.

Conarch is a Delhi based architectural design firm founded in 1988 by Ar. S. K. Goel.

Ar. Goel graduated from School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi in the year 1984.

Innovation in building construction detailing is his forte.

He has been instrumental in setting up a work environment which fosters teamwork and encourages ideas to emerge from all, regardless of seniority, title or background.

Building design takes advantage of the proximity to the available alternative transportation system by minimizing the onsite area dedicated to parking.

For a building accommodating about 350 employees, the project provides for code minimum parking of 25 stalls only.

Building Design The structure comprises of six full storeys; floor plates are a combinations of open-plan offices, individual offices, conference and meeting rooms. The stilt and basement floors have service areas, break out spaces and parking.

On floors above are the office units with meeting areas and open-space workplaces. The roof area is greened and partly designed as a roof terrace.

The interior work spaces are crafted with dramatic angles in subdued contrasting colour palette to create a sleek, uncluttered and striking experience. The custom lighting, built in furniture, ceiling and wall design come together as a singular cohesive space to exude warmth required for the ease of business discussions. The muted color palette and the quiet aesthetic of the straight lines vitalizes the participants, and enables effective and precise communication. It is here the company’s deals are sealed, ideas are formed, and plans are put into action.

Innovative architectural solutions come with a set of equally complex and demanding building construction processes. Transforming a building design into a physical reality is a challenge no less. Throughout the construction of the project the architect collaborated with RP Realtech Pvt Ltd, who was responsible for construction execution and providing all of the material, labor, equipment and services necessary for building completion.

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SR Next Gen Leader

Setting new trends in the Laminate World -Manilam Manilam Decorative Panel is one of India’s fastest growing manufacturer of Decorative Laminates that offers an exotic range of diverse surface ideas to beautify your interiors and decorate your dream spaces. The brand has been constantly innovating and moving forward to create a niche for itself in the laminate industry, SURFACES REPORTER (SR) recently spoke with the Next Gen Leader, Namrata Agrawal, Director, Manilam Industries Ltd. Here are a few things that you must know about Manilam:

What do you attribute to the speedy growth and expansion of Manilam decorative laminate?

It is good to be known as one of the fastest growing brands in the laminate sector. At Manilam, we are just working at our normal speed, I would say (smiling). Manilam is one of the few brands that have increased its footprints across the various markets in a short span of time because it was in the plan.

About the great visibility for our product and designs, I would say it is for supporting our B2B channel partners across India.

We are committed to progress and fulfilling of promises.

Manilam was seen doing aggressive movements in market even during the lockdown. How was that period?

The pandemic and lockdown has been a tough time for many however despite the traumatic situation, the brand maintained an extremely positive attitude which helped our partners tremendously with various new initiatives during the lockdown period.

The immensely successful launch became a trendsetter for the entire trade and spread a lot of positivity and hope amongst the industry along with the presence of Manilam’s Brand Ambassador - Ms Sugandha Mishra.

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SR Next Gen Leader

Manilam has become a trendsetter in the wood & panel trade of India by being the 1st brand in launching laminate catalogue online after the onset of covid.

What is your take on this?

I feel both good and proud about it. The intention was not to stop, no matter what. The entire team of Manilam worked very hard to launch the New Catalogue Virtually in 2020 with Ply Reporter Magazine. The immensely successful launch became a trendsetter for the entire trade and spread a lot of positivity and hope amongst the industry along with the presence of Manilam’s Brand Ambassador - Ms Sugandha Mishra. Since then, the 1MM Catalogue has been receiving enthusiastic reviews.

Tell us about the current expansions with Display Centres of Manilam in the North and South India.

Apart from the expansion of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, Manilam also recently opened up exclusive display centres in Bangalore, Delhi as well as Bareilly where architects, designers can have look and feel of the product physically. Through Surfaces Reporter, I would like to urge architects and designers to contact our experience centres through our website and visit there.

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Any final note for the architects and designers?

We are committed to innovation, Quality, Service & Safety.

We are constantly working hard to not only increase our footprint but also to provide excellent service. As the market speeds up with different markets opening up to the fullest, we expect to do better. Our display centres are created with the architects and designers in mind. We have tried to take care of their taste / latest trends and we are open to inputs from them. We have also taken care to ensure proper sanitization as well as safety and hygiene for all.

Find more info, visit: www.manilam.com

Surfaces Reporter | Spaces & Material Poetries

Ar. Deepak Guggari Studio VDGA

Pune

Studio VDGA is the brainchild of Architect Deepak Guggari and Varsha Guggari established in 2003 in the city of Pune.

The goal of the practice lies in creating ‘timeless meaningful spaces’ which induce harmony, happiness & peace in the lives of the users. Use of simple intelligent ideas such as optimum use of natural light, ventilation & locally available natural building materials and techniques have been their continuous effort. The studio has a range of ongoing projects, which includes hospitality, institutional, residential, corporate & neighborhood development projects. Having a strong profile in the architecture and interiors, the studio boasts of an array of awards won at national and international level.

Office with a

‘Breathing Wall’

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SR Spaces & Material Poetries

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Surfaces Reporter

Design Idea A 40,000 sq ft. (Phase-1) Corporate office cum factory set-out in the city of Hanoi, Vietnam, explores the rustic and discreet material palette aligning the client requirements to the site context. Being a corporate office and factory setup within the same campus (in fact adjoining each other), spaces were planned introvert. A series of courts interwoven in the work zones breathe freshness in the ambience. A gaze across the office presents one with the pleasing view of landscape and water instead of the blind partitions and decorative interiors.

The whole building is divided into front and back bays. The front bay of the building adjoins the factory floor beyond, separated from it by a long brick wall. The reception area is a bold statement in itself. The brick wall as the backdrop of the wooden reception desk is distinct.

The court basks in brilliant shadows casted by the vertical brick offsets in the plain unobtrusive brick walls. As one traverses through the passage, a series of courts are encountered along. The partition walls for all the cubicles and workspaces give way to transparent glass. Hence the spaces seem interwoven into each other looking into all the intermediate courts. The mass is a simple form-finished concrete envelope with long colorful perforated metal screen adorned with landscape. Grid planning while carving out the quintessential courtyards is the strength of design.

Story of ‘Internal Courts’ Hanoi experiences a warm humid sub-tropical climate with enough rainfall while winters are dull and hazy. Hence the effort was to create an ambience which would do justice to the interior spaces both in

Brick is the main element of interior design in this office space.

Various forms and hues of brick make for a unique element in the interior spaces.

The twisted brick wall forms the reception backdrop and it drew inspiration from a visit to a local brick kiln in Hanoi.

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SR Spaces & Material Poetries

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Project Name : Star Engineers, Administrative Building and Factory, Hanoi, Vietnam Architect or Architecture Firm : Studio VDGA Completion Year : 2017 Built Area : 40,000 sq ft Photographer : Hiroyuki Oki Lead architect : Deepak Guggari Team : Rashi Sanson, Viplav Paithankar Client : Star Engineers PRODUCTS USED Saint gobain : Tampered / Toughened Glass Marrati : Furniture Toto :Toilet fittings Floss : Lights Bricks : Viglacera

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summers as well as winters. Series of ‘internal courts’ as many as eight keep the office areas fresh by bringing in enough natural light even when the sky is dull. A long perforated panel’s screen (the breathing wall, as we call it) adorned with landscape in and out on the front facade cuts off the glare in the summer months.

This screen also negates the use of blinds/curtains in the front facade. The panels painted in different hues stand-out in the otherwise restrained concrete facade.

Understanding the Material Palette Demand for understated interiors in the tropical-temperate climatic zone of Vietnam, allowed us to fully utilize the beauty of earthy materials. The strong sunlight beautifully enhances the material palette. Be it the vacuum dewatered floor, the brick wall or the raw metal, light reflects brilliantly through them. Brick is the main element of interior design in this office space. Various forms and hues of brick make for a unique element in the interior spaces. The twisted brick wall forms the reception backdrop and it drew inspiration from a visit to a local brick kiln in Hanoi.

The building envelope in form finished concrete offers a subtle contrast to the fierce red of the brick. The floating MS staircase imparts the lightness to the circulating areas.

Customized stretched metal ropes in place of staircase railing offer the transparency.

There has been no use of boastful materials and whole palette is locally sourced while fully exploiting the abundantly available resources and local labor. Usual interior elements such as cladding, carpentry, POP false ceiling, painting and flooring work have no role to play in this project & are completely eliminated.

Surfaces Reporter

The effort was to create an ambience which would do justice to the interior spaces both in summers as well as winters. Series of ‘internal courts’ as many as eight keep the office areas fresh by bringing in enough natural light even when the sky is dull.

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SR Spaces & Material Poetries

Surfaces Reporter | Spaces & Material Poetries

Sachin Rastogi Payal Seth Rastogi ZED Lab

Delhi

ZED Lab is a Delhi-based, research-driven, architecture and interior design studio specializing in net-zero energy buildings since 2009. Helmed by Ar Sachin Rastogi and Ar Payal Seth Rastogi, with sustainability at the core of its design process, and architecture as its synthesis, ZED Lab works towards improving the quality of life in symbiosis with the environment through the holistic lens of research, design, and construction.

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Surfaces Reporter

Cantilever House Ghaziabad Regional Vernacular to Reimagine Contemporary Living, Zero Energy Design (ZED) Lab The Cantilever House draws from the regional vernacular and finds expression through a contemporary lens to become a home for a family of four. Located in the Raj Nagar, Ghaziabad, the house is designed in response to the clients’ love for the outdoors. It employs a series of mechanisms that minimize resource consumption, and reduce the building’s environmental impact while enhancing the residents’ thermal comfort.

Architectural Design The large cantilevers that the house derives its name from, anchor its design vocabulary, highlighting the scale of the building and breaking its mass through June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 83

SR Spaces & Material Poetries

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Surfaces Reporter the focus on horizontality. The primary challenge was to design the frame with judicious use of steel for economic viability, given that the cantilevers form a dominant part of the design scheme and a typical one demands adequate steel reinforcement to generate structural integrity. Additionally, the design received scepticism from the client, and workers on the site had to be trained to execute the construction with precision. The overarching design intent however, was to create a sense of privacy while channelling an open, connected environment for the family. This took shape through an interesting interplay of living spaces, with the main living areas occupying the ground floor and the private areas located on the first floor.

The design scheme was largely driven by two endeavours: first, to assimilate traditional building wisdom and find an appropriate expression within the contemporary context. Second, the distribution of various private spaces and varying volumes are planned in order to account for the diversity of usage based on the time of the day and privacy required.

A series of connected living spaces, courtyards, and bedrooms were plannedwith the intent to create a home that could be brought to life throughout the day.

Similarly, the cantilever slabs spanning the verandah, render a modern aesthetic while creating shaded spaces underneath.

The design lays emphasis on responsible living through its layout, the use of passive cooling techniques and by drawing energy from renewable resources.

Metaphorically, the house is an oxymoron, serene and cool, with minimalistic decors, yet simultaneously, adventurous in its design approach.

The story of Cantilevers The geometry of the cantilevered forms is such that it aids in externalizing rooms and maximizing space, serving not only aesthetic but also functional purposes. Spaces are fluid and interwoven, with interstitial spaces creating seamless transitions from the inside to the outside. As one is led into the house through the double-height lobby on the east-facing entrance porch, they are pleasantly surprised by the garden’s view with a water body. Bringing the exterior environment inside, by providing green areas in the interior spaces, establishes a strong visual connection with the outdoor landscape.

The east (front) elevation of the house features expansive projections that break the mass of the house. The master bedroom, located on the first floor is designed as a cantilevered block, jutting out over the landscaped garden. A large opening brings in ample light whilst offering expansive views of the front lawns.

The design lays emphasis on responsible living through its layout, the use of passive cooling techniques and by drawing energy from renewable resources. Metaphorically, the house is an oxymoron, serene and cool, with minimalistic decors, yet simultaneously, adventurous in its design approach.

Climatic Considerations The house responds to the hot and dry climate prevalent in the region through a host of design interventions and passive cooling techniques.

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SR Spaces & Material Poetries

By placing the living areas in the north and the east to bring in sufficient daylight and by allocating space for private areas in the west and the south, the house records minimal heat gain throughout the day. The windows on the south are shaded by a pergola to ensure that the south face remains comfortable throughout the year.

Interiors The interiors comprise a material palette featuring varying shades of browns and greys juxtaposed with the use of bright, upholstered furniture and decor elements. The house is full of cozy nooks, designed for maximum comfort and wellbeing, as well as encouraging responsible living.

Sustainable Design The Cantilever House takes into account the harsh North Indian climate and employs a series of mechanisms that minimize resource consumption and reduce the building’s environmental impact while enhancing the residents’ thermal comfort. For example, the double-height lobby is flanked by the summer court on the north and the winter court on the south to enable stack ventilation at all times. The night-time spaces are characterized June-July 2021 | www.surfacesreporter.com | 86

A series of connected living spaces, courtyards, and bedrooms were plannedwith the intent to create a home that could be brought to life throughout the day. Similarly, the cantilever slabs spanning the verandah, render a modern aesthetic while creating shaded spaces underneath.

Surfaces Reporter

The primary challenge was to design the frame with judicious use of steel for economic viability, given that the cantilevers form a dominant part of the design scheme and a typical one demands adequate steel reinforcement to generate structural integrity.

by optimum thermal mass to protect the day-time spaces from the south and west sun. The north face of the house is glazed to admit diffused daylight and avoid heat gain and glare. To prevent heat gain from the south, the design minimized the number of windows on the south façade and these were shaded further with the addition of a pergola. The facade is fitted with double-glazed units with low-E coating for thermal resistance. Nearly all glazing for the day-time spaces is designed to open into the water court.

Additionally, the integration of landscape features with the built envelope ensures a cool microclimate for the residents. The water court on the north serves as a heat sink; the plants and vertical garden also contribute to thermal comfort while purifying the air, trapping dust and pollutants. The front and rear lawns along with the water court serve as recharge pits for rainwater harvesting.

The residents’ hot water requirements are met by evacuated tube solar hot water systems installed on the rooftop.

Conclusion With an overarching focus on utilizing transitional spaces, the design for the Cantilever House upholds the importance of such spaces in providing adaptability and enhancing the built quality of the environment. The house borrows from the Indian vernacular and its traditional architectural elements and is informed by a deep and innate understanding and application of age-old bioclimatic wisdom reinterpreting them to become an energyefficient and sustainable family home.

Project Information Typology: Residential Name of Project: Cantilever House (Raj Nagar Residence) Location: Raj Nagar, Ghaziabad Name of Client: Mr. Karanveer Singh Principal Architect: Zero Energy Design Lab Design Team: Lead: Sachin and Payal Rastogi Team: Rohan Mishra, Naveen Pahal, Sakshi Jain Site Area: 830 sqm Built-Up Area: 725 sqm Start Date: 2017 Completion Date: April 2020 Photographer: Noughts and Crosses, Andre J. Fanthome June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 87

SR Spaces & Material Poetries

Surfaces Reporter | Spaces & Material Poetries

Kamal Patel & Kuber Patel KPA Deesign Studio

Anand The group was founded in 1981 as Kamal Patel & Associates, now lead under the flagship partnership company, KPA Deesign Studio with KPA 789°, Nipa Patel Associates and an NGO Nivedita Foundation operating from ‘Drishti’ well recognised as the Greenest Studio in India. Having their base in Anand and Ahmedabad, KPA has executed projects spread in India, New York and London. Guided by the needs of the clients, culture, context, climate and resources, they generate innovative environments, both material and spiritual. The studio believes and practices with an understanding that, meaningful architecture arises from synthesis of all the elements that comprises it, its response to the way you move in and around and its ability to lift the human spirits.

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One of the greenest workspace of the country, the new workspace of KPA Deesign Studio is a tribute to the everlasting beauty and aura of Drishti since 30+ years.

Surfaces Reporter

Drishti by KPA Deesign Studio Home to millions of flies, bees, reptiles, birds, insects and 72 trees June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 89

SR Spaces & Material Poetries

The workspace comprises an open plan layout which creates a more interactive environment.

The space is designed in a very lively sense by placing different types of seating arrangements.

O

ne of the greenest workspace of the country, the new workspace of KPA Deesign Studio is a tribute to the everlasting beauty and aura of Drishti since 30+ years. Raw brick facade and exposed concrete slabs is a direct translation of the company’s virtue of being true to yourself inside-out.

The Land of 72 Trees The building of KPA Deesign Studio blends gracefully with the existing structure creating an asymmetrical balance that enhances the site’s overall aesthetic of Drishti. There is an oblique building approach around the periphery of the lush green landscape consisting of an aura full of millions of flies, bees, reptiles, birds, insects, and 72 trees. To create an enchanting experience of Drishti, the peripheral pathway to the studio escorts you throughout the sanctuary, with the shade of serene foliage and canopy of trees. The orientation and transparency of the building are such that it provides a widespread perception of the visitors and the existing environment.

Design Approach The studio is oriented towards the North with a landscape spreading across 1 acre of land with frameless glass reflecting back the beautiful nature and creating a sense of transparency. The square plan open studio layout skewed towards the ground on the northeast corner adds the volumetric change in view of the sky and landscape.

The elevation of the studio has a depth of field to add the volumetric change in view of the sky and the symbiosis. The workspace comprises an open plan layout which creates a more interactive environment. The space is designed in a very lively sense by placing different types of seating arrangements.

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Surfaces Reporter

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SR Spaces & Material Poetries

The journey of the studio is depicted by cladding pictorial representation of the projects on the internal walls and also by embossing project titles on the concrete ceiling in a spherical arrangement.

Playful Elements One can witness the new approach of the workspace culture by distinct design elements like the ergonomically designed kiosk treated as a relaxing buffer zone and also increases the engagement between the other working stations.

The wood is treated in a very poetic sense in the furniture by bending and curving the material. One of the furniture pieces ‘seamless’ is inspired from a human posture of resting chin on the back of the palm in a way that the entire form of the table is a loop in a state of motion. The form of furniture explores the full potential of flexible plywood with additional strength of birch-ply in a cross-section adding raw natural texture to the mold.

Completion Year: 2019 Area: 43560 Sq.ft Location: Anand Team: Kamal Patel, Kuber Patel, Irfan Vahora, Vikram Singh, Disha Shah, Bharat Patel

The wood is treated in a very poetic sense in the furniture by bending and curving the material. One of the furniture pieces ‘seamless’ is inspired from a human posture of resting chin on the back of the palm in a way that the entire form of the table is a loop in a state of motion.

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#SRRisingStars

SURFACES REPORTER’S

RISIng Stars Ar. G S Mahaboob Basha & Ar. Shalini Chandrashekar, Principal Designers, Taliesyn, Bengaluru What is behind the name Taliesyn?

Taliesyn as a practice was started very organically back in 2010. Both of us delved into independent professional practice while collaborating over a design opportunity from a mutual acquaintance. While being colleagues and collecting invaluable architectural wisdom under the umbrella of a renowned creative professional, we realised our design ideologies resonated with each other and thus decided to unite on the opportunity at hand.

Ar. G S Mahaboob Basha & Ar. Shalini Chandrashekar

Principal Designers, Taliesyn, Bengaluru Taliesyn strives to conceptualize Architectural and Design solutions that inherently fulfil the sole intention of creating meaningful and appropriate spatial interventions. After having garnered extensive experience at prestigious design studios, Ar. Shalini Chandrashekar and Ar. G S Mahaboob Basha joined forces to co-found Taliesyn in the year 2010 in Bangalore. With over 10+ years of experience in the realm of design, the studio’s practice is sculpted based on the notion of people, spaces and objects being in continuous dialogue with each other — it is this evolving interaction that drives the studio’s impetus to create spaces in various domains of architecture. The firm has projects dotting the SouthernIndian frontier ranging a diverse portfolio of Residential, Hospitality, Recreational, Institutional and Cultural genres of design.

The name of our studio ‘Taliesyn’ takes its inspiration from the Architectural School ‘Taliesin’, founded and established by the veteran Architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Taliesin is a home, studio and school built on an 800-acre agricultural estate in Wisconsin River valley by Wright.

Inspired by the virtuoso’s esteemed design ethos, we found our roots grounded in the name of the firm — a place where our ideas and aspirations entwine, allowing us to associate with the nature of work that we resonate within the truest light!

As young designers, how important are collaborations in today’s time?

The delicate Mother of Pearl inlay work that graces the tobacco marble umber floors of the foyer space in the Monsoon House has been done by local artists that specialize in the age-old craft of inlay work. In addition, we are working on a set of lacquered furniture for one of our projects with a few artists from Channaparna. We have also collaborated with weavers who specialize in Ajrak printing for one of our projects.

We believe that it is crucial to bring in the reference of culture into all our designs to make it more relevant to its location. Collaborating with the local artisans also supports their living and motivates them to continue the otherwise diminishing artistry.

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SR Rising Star

What goes into your material selection process?

The material selection process follows the design vocabulary by which the designed space has to be perceived. In terms of material palette, if it’s a luxury project, you tend to have a richer material palette; you have a lot of reflecting surfaces.

We also make sure that the chosen material complements the surrounding context.

While designing Monsoon House and working with large surfaces and numerous spaces, composing mood boards with forethought finishes and colour palettes came in handy. This helped paint a clear picture of how the end visuals for specific areas would turn out to be.

What has been some of your greatest learning experiences so far?

While designing spaces, we are not merely creating a structure that is a sum total of varied building materials and decorative elements; we are creating experiential volumes that mould the end-user’s lifestyle and elevate the way they exist in a built space — this realisation has shaped our journey as designers and is something that keeps us rooted to our vision.

With each project, we try to improve upon ourselves and get better at what we do.

Tell us about your First Project.

The first project by Taliesyn was ‘Uber Living Office’- a workspace created for one of our friend’s home automation companies. Working on this project signalled towards the direction we as a practice wanted to head to.

One of the first milestone projects for us was ‘Monsoon House’ for its expansive scale and the kind of design detail that went into creating such a massive abode. Our recent milestone project is the ‘Ksaraah’ farmhouse, where we have experimented with spatial quality to create a sensory living experience.

5 Things that all young aspiring designers must follow?

The discipline of design and architecture is truly ruled by the essence of passion melded with patience. To thrive in this sector, one needs to be mindful of the following things: 1. First and foremost, an aspiring designer needs to be passionate about design and its varied nuances.

2. It is essential to identify and address your strengths and weaknesses.

3. To become aware that architecture as a career demands a lot of hard work and diligence.

Over time, we have explored varied design languages and worked with many materials and realised that the interventions we curate should have a relevance that complements the built environment. We have also made a conscious effort to slowly and steadily introduce sustainability in our design language.

4. It is also crucial to realize the purpose and the career goal you wish to attain by venturing into designing.

Are you also working on other areas or focussed primarily on South India?

A project that most defines your design philosophy.

Although most of our projects are dotted in the Southern region, we are expanding our practice in other parts of the country as well. We are currently working on a School in Rourkela, and we are also designing a residential project in Delhi.

The project that most precisely defines our design philosophy is Ksaraah. With our practice, we always strive to curate spaces rooted in the natural environment and are inspired by the local vernacular. Nestled within the lap of nature, Ksaraah is a weekend retreat emblematic of all our design ideologies. It creates a sanctum of rejuvenation away from urban bustle and is designed to curate a built environment that belongs within its context – one that blends, harmonises, and inspires. The design intervention at Ksaraah ensures minimum deviation from the existing landscape while providing a space with limitless opportunities for the users to thrive in.

Young practitioners need to understand that to establish a thriving design firm today, one should showcase their work on public platforms. People should be aware of the kind of work you do and be able to approach you for their projects.

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5. Lastly, the most critical aspect for a design aspirant is to realize the social responsibility of being the future maker of a built environment and to be motivated to devise eco-friendly design ideas.

How important is it to have a design philosophy? Who or what has been your inspiration.

It is imperative to have a design philosophy that guides the direction towards the architectural journey a designer wishes to embark upon. In the initial years, as design enthusiasts, we wish to explore and delve into varied building styles;

Surfaces Reporter The name of our studio ‘Taliesyn’ takes its inspiration from the Architectural School ‘Taliesin’, founded by the veteran Architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

--One mistake we feel we committed in our initial years of practice was not focusing on marketing our projects.

with experience gained along the way, one builds his own architectural vocabulary that eventually becomes the philosophy he hopes to follow in his practice. Our design philosophy is shaped by inhabitant-sensitive spatial entities that find their bearing in sustainability and environmentfriendly design initiatives.

We find ourselves deeply influenced by the works of Geoffrey Bawa and Bijoy Jain for how they integrated the locale into the designs. Our zest for creating architecture with a strong reference to the surrounding and showcases a rooted sense of materiality, is inspired by their practice. Taking inspiration from their body of work, we seek to create spaces that reward the end-users with a unique sensory experience. With their design practice, these two architects have beautifully created a mosaic of built and the unbuilt while remaining utmost contextual in their attempt to do so; and we have always found our building ideologies aligned with theirs.

A Project you admire the most.

One of the architectural masterpieces in India doused in timelessness are the Temples of Hampi, Karnataka. We find ourselves drawn to these sites on multiple occasions and the sense of awe stems from the sheer scale, attention to detail, craftsmanship, materiality, a sense of transition and interplay of proportions that is demonstrated through these colossal structures. What we feel inspired by is the impeccable quality of workmanship that was carried out decades ago with no access to the means that we have at our disposal today.

While starting out, which factors were most challenging – finance, mentorship or management.

The most challenging aspect of practice was management.

While starting out, in the initial years, convincing the client to trust us, the young architects with their dream project was a hustle in itself. Also, assembling a team of designers who thrived on a similar design ideology and shared the same passion for architecture was an arduous task.

Another challenging factor for us initially was to find a balance within all the demands the inhabitant has in his mind while also being true to our own design philosophies. Sometimes clients have many aspirations regarding the materials, textures and aesthetics for the adobe inspired from what they have

explored around. To find a balance between all that is desired, we as designers must create a holistic design approach and convey our means to achieve those to the client.

What are the mistakes that young practices must avoid?

One mistake we feel we committed in our initial years of practice was not focusing on marketing our projects. Young practitioners need to understand that to establish a thriving design firm today, one should showcase their work on public platforms. People should be aware of the kind of work you do and be able to approach you for their projects.

Your message for Surfaces Reporter.

SURFACES REPORTER (SR) has set a benchmark for material research in India, with its elaborate and informative journals on products and materials of interior designing and architecture. We appreciate its contribution to the field and look forward to having a continued source of material wisdom from the creators of Surfaces Reporter.

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SR Rising Star PROJECTS BY Taliesyn - BANGALORE

T

Segu Residence, Bangalore

he Segu Residence is a home in Bangalore that belongs to an expatriate family transitioning to the process of acclimatizing to a renewed style of dwelling in urban condominium abodes. Nestled in the heart of South Bangalore, this home is an honest collaboration between the design studio and the homeowners — the client brought handson expertise to the forefront with his honed experience in the sphere of project management and execution.

The focused brief emphasised the curation of a minimalistic home that is modern and elegant in its demeanour — a coherent brief that enabled the home to become a literal extrapolation of the conceptual sketches that manifested themselves as devices of design.

The creative intent reinforces the conceptualisation of a residence that establishes a timeless and self-evident correlation between form and function. Clean-line geometry, a minimalist and homogenous palette of materiality and keen attention to detail are the home’s leitmotifs.

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other. The apartment frames verdant views of the dense Bangalore greenery from vantage points of view, creating a space that is caressed by natural light and optimised ventilation across the day.

At its primary stage, the design studio came on board when the overall shell of the 4BHK-condominium was in place with the fenestrations demarcated. The home’s initial spatial planning scheme reiterated the large open volumes that flowed into each other, creating distinct (though barrier-free zones) across the linear axial spine of the condominium. The open kitchen, dining, living area, and family nook are the heart of the home and occupy the blueprint’s central axis, where the family congregates. The impetus was to create a large sect of spaces that came together as one large cohesive segment of spaces, although unique in function.

The home opens into a dedicated pooja room that acts as an extension to the living spaces. Inspired from the colossal temples of Hampi, this niche is a simpler take on the elaborate aesthetic of Dravidian temples of the South complete with a commissioned piece of art of the different deities, grounding the space with its artisanal persona. Doused in neutral tones, the living area hosts welcome doses of earthy hues via the inclusion of a statement sage green sofa that pairs effortlessly with the monochrome-textured armchairs. A spot to unwind in, the central coffee table is a vision

Surfaces Reporter

Project Tagline: A family residence that is pieced together with keen attention to detail and a homogenous palette of materiality.

Year of completion: October 2020 Project Typology: Residential | Carpet Area: 2,800 sq ft Photography Credits: Shamanth Patil

in brass that weaves together the aesthetic sentiment of the space in tandem with careful accessorization that was partly curated by the clients. The lime plaster-coated walls introduce a sense of amplified dimension via the grooves carried through the flooring pattern.

The black shadow line between the walls and the ceiling has been created as a continuous POP band that gives the space an extended sense of visual expanse.

The family nook at the far end of the space opens up into an airy balcony, drawing in lush views of the garden city. The pastel-grey lounge sofa and the TV console unit’s wooden tones headline the visual identity of this nook. To not take away from the minimalism of the walls, the accessories selected have been kept void and light in appearance. The large-scale 3-foot diameter brass clock is the pièce de résistance in the space, lending it a touch of opulence with restrain. The neutral walls have been reimagined as canvases of sorts that host pieces that have been sourced and selected by the passionate homeowners.

DINING AREA The dining area poses as a transitional space, bathed in warm materiality and textural play. The wooden table-top with paperedges and sleek angular black metal legs are paired idyllically with contemporary accents of industrial pendants by Buster + Punch that can be morphed in arrangement to create distinct ensembles. The crockery cum bar unit in the background is a sleek piece of cabinetry that floats weightlessly against the dark veneer panel in the space, whilst performing its storage function. The condominium’s kitchen is one that emphasizes the functionality facet. Laminam stone and metallic lacquer frames in triangularedge profiles render the space in a modern light. The central kitchen island doubles up on storage and makes the most of the June-July 2021 | www.SURFACESREPORTER.com | 97

SR Rising Star

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Surfaces Reporter

square footage at hand. The monochrome and geometric flooring carries through into the shared spaces — a canvas of statuario marble that engages geometric play via black inlay work to form rectilinear sections.

BEDROOMS The first bedroom belonging to the eldest son, celebrates warmer umber wood tones in the form of a grooved accent wall with a soft grey upholstered headboard. The array of sleek metal shelving suspended across the room’s walls are meant to host the end-user’s curios and memorabilia. The flannel curtains camouflage with the neutral walls, allowing the space to assume an expansive look and feel. Tones of blue and hints of red make their debut in the form of upholstery and fabric to add a pop of colour to the bedroom.

The bathroom witnesses the amalgamation of matte natural grey stone, marble and veneered surfaces that imbue it with a sense of understated luxury.

The younger son’s bedroom is a contemporary take on geometric pattern and colour. The walls are painted in a powder blue hue to pay homage to the end-user’s penchant for blue shades. The gridded pattern that envelopes the room mimics the look of subway tiles that complement the lighter wooden tones across the bedroom.

The sleek wood and black metal shelving system levitates over the bed while being suspended from the ceiling. Each element in the room responds to the blue-themed narrative of the space.

In this bedroom, the ensuite bathroom is a collage of deep black veined marble and natural stone tones that conjure a neoteric design scheme.

Blush tones and wooden grooved wainscotting embrace the guest bedroom. A play of volumes is accentuated via the curtains that seem to cascade to the floor from the bedroom ceiling. The lighter wood tones across the room harbour a red undertone that plays well off the wall’s warm peach tones.

The master suite enjoys views of the dense coconut grove below.

The bedroom’s aesthetic is headlined by the statement accent wall that is clad in deep blue silken upholstery; one that finds its roots of inspiration in ornate traditional South-Indian handloom fabrics — a modern spin on the classic saree. The colour blue is carried further in the form of the bed-end bench that complements the room’s earthy palette that consists mainly of shades of warm browns. The room walls are finished in a beige lime plaster that gives the surfaces an added sense of dimension. The master suite’s walk-in-closet section is connected to the room via a slender fluted glass and metal partition that introduces a dabbled and active play of illumination into the room through its textured facets.

This section is created within the main master bedroom without compromising the spatial expanse physically and visually. The master bath witnesses the coming together of rectilinear sections of rich brown marble that engages contrasting shades and the interjection of colour in the form of a warm blue vanity unit.

Ubiquitous and restrained materials across the home create an uninterrupted canvas of sorts, thereby visually amplifying the spaces’ spatial volume. The Segu Residence is an extension of the family’s personalities, one that has been curated to a ‘t’ with the engagement of handpicked art, decorative elements, luminaires and bespoke design elements.

Blush tones and wooden grooved wainscotting embrace the guest bedroom. A play of volumes is accentuated via the curtains that seem to cascade to the floor from the bedroom ceiling.

The lighter wood tones across the room harbour a red undertone that plays well off the wall’s warm peach tones.

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