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SR RISINg StaRS
#SRRisingStars SURFACES REPORTER’S RISIng StaRS
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Manav Patel and Shivangi Patel are the principal designers and co-founders of MS Design Studio, a Vadodara-based young and modest design firm established in 2015. In a short span of time, the practice garnered much attention with its outstanding projects that prominently reflect earthy, modern and minimalistic design approaches. The studio engages with architectural, interior and landscape designing projects. Further, each of their projects has its own distinct and relevant identity.
Please tell us about your journey.
It has been quite an exciting journey. We started our studio around 6 years ago with a vision to have a small but unique firm that will make an impact in the designing world. Since then, we have taken each project as a challenge and thus we have enjoyed every bit of the journey.
Your love for bricks is clearly visible in your projects. What are the few things about exposed bricks that everyone must know?
Firstly, brick is a timeless and earthy material that gets with different aesthetics & eras. One never gets tired of seeing it. It’s a very versatile material with a huge potential. We have used it as an elevational cladding & sun-screens. One thing that every person who works with brick should know is that skilled labour is a must for brick work to turn out with great finishing.
What are the other materials you like to work with?
We are big fans of earthy aesthetics and thus we like kota stone, Jaisalmer stone, bricks, exposed concrete etc., Stone such as jaisalmer is very versatile and can be used as flooring as well as the cladding material. Additionally, metal is another material we love to work with as a very fine detailing is possible in metal which adds an otherworldly charm to the overall aesthetics of a space.
Tell us about your first project?
Our very first project was a commercial project for a clothing wholesaler. It was a 2200 sq.ft. space dedicated mainly to display the seller’s articles coupled with other spaces such as reception, office studio space and a space for accountants.
What are your Top 4 projects till date?
1. Brick screen house:
A house should reflect the taste and the personality of its owner as well as the ability of the architects to make the whole place come together and form a space fit for its occupants and its context. This is the philosophy we followed while designing this residence. The house follows a subtle Indian and earthy aesthetic as per the client’s taste, and has been designed keeping in mind the climatic conditions of the place.
2. The Blue Aparture House :
In striving for a home that would blend in yet stand apart from surrounding houses, the front edifice consists of an imposing brick wall against a soft grey background as, “Nothing else can beat the timelessness of an exposed brick façade.” On the first floor, the windows get a charming makeover with signature blue aperture screens, which inspire this project’s name.
3. Dogra’s Residence:
In this home, the design concept marries the familiar with the new. It is your quintessential classic meets contemporary How To begin is probably the biggest challenge any designer faces during his initial days. At that point of time, you have little to no work to show your perspective or vision to the client, which makes gaining his confidence and landing a project a very challenging task.
tale but told through the lush textures of Italian marble, yellow Jaisalmer stone, aged metal, wood and plenty of indoor greenery. The combination of these natural materials used in the right proportion creates a wonderful ambience.
4. Devdattam Residence:
Functional, durable spaces were the first priority of the client. As a result of his profession, he was also very familiar with materials and various design aspects. He briefed us that the family had a simple lifestyle, so they were not looking for anything over the top. The subdued combination of Italian marble, concrete textures, metal and wood tones create a sophisticated backdrop for the furniture, all in timeless silhouettes.
What were the greatest challenges when you started out and learnings from them?
How to begin is basically the biggest challenge any designer faces in the starting days as you have little to no work to show your perspective or vision to the client. This makes gaining his confidence and landing a project a very challenging task. Another challenge that every designer faces is to strike a balance between the client’s requirements (which are always on the higher end) functionality and aesthetics. Almost every project is a challenge as every client is different with varied tastes for aesthetics and different vision for their homes. In orcer to culminate all of these in a project is also a very important aspect of every project.
How did the experience of working with prominent firms in the past help you in your career?
It has helped us in a big way. Our time there has helped us to create a base of learning along with a professional training which helped us start up our own firm. Looking back, we can’t even imagine whether we could have started a firm straight out of college.
What is your message for other young designers just starting out or still studying?
Enjoy the journey!! Try to work as much as you can, gain loads of experience, explore the firms of your liking and work there. One more thing we would like to convey is that we might not always succeed in convincing the client to accept our suggestion, but to persist is the key to success. Not all clients have the ability or the vision to imagine the end product, but when the end product turns out to be great the client always appreciates. So always be confident about your visions.
How is the design scenario in Vadodara currently in terms of preferences and choices?
As Most of our projects are based in Vadodara, we feel people here are totally aware of the ongoing design trends and majority have a specific taste: Earthy or Minimalistic.
Your message for SURFACES REPORTER Magazine.
We have been following Surfaces Reporter Magazine for a long time now. The format of this magazine is very informative, gives all the info about materials and ongoing design trends.
Project Details
Location: Antica Greens, Vadodara, Gujarat client: Mrs. & Mr. Nidhi & Dharmendra Dogra Project Area: 5500 sq. ft. category: Residential
Dogra
ResiDence
Aseamless integration of classy yet sassytouch combined with the tinge of contemporary look completes the designed spaces. An apt use of double heighted spaces; allowing each corner of the house to interact with the main space, is the catch point of the design,where the maximum play of light is allowed within the spaces making it more lively. Exploring materials like combination of Jaisalmer stone + white marble, leather finished granite, antique wooden frame with fabric ceiling, makes the space look more aesthetically appealing. Elements like motifs with golden leafing in the living room; corten steel jali used in dining and living room adds on the sophistication to the spaces.
Brick Screen House
Ahouse should reflect the taste and the personality of ifs owner as well as the ability ofthe architects to make the whole cometogether and form a space fit for itsoccupants and its context. And that’s thephilosophy that was followed while designingthis residence.
The house follows a subtle Indian and earthy aesthetic as per the client’s taste, and has been designed keeping in mind the climaticconditions of the place. The material palette of the project consists of earthy materials such as the Kota Stone, terrazzo tiles with a plenty of wood and a dashof cane. The kota has been used in different colors and finishes such as mirror finish andriver finish to define the different areas.
Along with this the terrazzo ‘galicha’ (carpet)tiles have also been used to distinguish areassuch as the dining area. Even the furnitureand the fixtures have been carefully selectedto match the Indian aesthetic, for example the Anglo Indian Handi lamps in hanging inthe courtyard and the swing in the coveredterrace area.
Project Details
Location: Subhanpura, Vadodara, Gujarat client: Mr. Vishal Patel Project Area: 5097 sq. ft. category: Residential
Blue aperture HouSe
Client’s Requirements and the Site setting were the two major players in the planning of this house. Being located in a society, the structure stands in a tightly packed jungle of houses making it difficult to maintain the client’s privacy.
To solve the privacy problem, little spill overspaces were added to the spaces. On the ground floor, these spilloverspaces became the buffer between the garden and the main living spaces. While on the first floor these spaces got a little colonial makeover through the Blue Aperture Screen.
The screen acts as semi permeable aperture, allowing in the precious light and air and keeping out the prying eyes of the people. In an effort of make the house look one from the society a yet strikingly different, one of the facades was planned as an exposed brick facade, as nothing else beat the timelessness of an exposed brick facade. To further highlight the brick facade and to adda pop of colour to it a full height slit window wasadded with a pop yellow perforated screen.
In the interiors, the house plays with the thinline between the modern and the earthyaesthetic.
Project Details
Location: Karma Lifestyle, Harni, Vadodara, Gujarat client: Mr. Dhaval Patel Project Area: 5500 sq. ft. category: Residential
Project Details
Location: Nizampura, Vadodara, Gujarat client: Mr. Ashesh Shah Project Area: 5500 sq. ft. category: Residential
aSHeSH SHaH’S reSiDence
Functionality and durable design of the spaces were the main priorities of this project. The client had a simple lifestyle and wanted interiors which were not too jazzy and matched their taste. A minimalistic approach with subtle tones were adopted keeping in mind the client’s taste.
Since the client got us involved in the project from an initial stage, we had the liberty of make civil changes. This allowed us to add features such as the OTS (open to sky) to the doubleheighted dining area which in turn enhanced the verticality of the space.
The living room and garden are connected by opening up the sliding folding glass doors. For privacy purpose, we designed aselfstanding RCC wall at the junction. This wall was casted with a Mahbubani tree which gels well with overall garden concept.
A close attention was paid to detailing which led to the long passage ways of the house being highlighted with intricate inlay flooring of thepassage way on all the floors.
