editorial
Why are Business Houses acquiring Design firms? In the last editorial, I discussed about various acquisitions happening around the world and in India. What is driving these acquisitions and why are business houses so much interested in expanding their design wings? Design is not only about beauty & aesthetics. It is equally about functionality, materiality and creating user experience. More and more companies are becoming experienceled and this is where they find increasing role of design. Founder of Misfit Sonny Vu once revealed that good idea and equally great technology are not enough for a successful venture. Vu saw that design needed to play a role in providing best user’s experience and through understanding of design, technology can be made most relevant. Designers are known to be able to work within extreme constraints. Designers of Nike emphasises strongly on material choices in a shoe. It may cost an athlete the gold medal if the extra weight slowed the athlete down. Mayden from Nike said, “Great design is great restraint – every ounce, every stitch, matters.” In general, designers are sensitive to users, attentive to experience and materiality, and responsive to feedbacks. These qualities make them highly valuable for companies who have no dearth of engineers or business analysts but are fundamentally constrained of design thinking. Currently, it is a challenge for companies to find designers and houses that understand how design can function at strategy level, and not solely focussed on creating classical designs. Across the world, companies are trying to understand design better that is driving the acquisition of design consultancies. Businesses have started to believe that adding inclusive design wings complement their current services and add new dimension to decision making. Responding sensitively to feedbacks by incorporating changes in products and user experience is another important role of designers. The acquired design firms have to deal with understanding businesses better and apply ideas around it. These firms are released of pressure for constant business development which is a botheration for many designers. Getting acquired is not a good option for those firms who have unique culture, great management and wish to build ideas around it. Brands need to give space to design firms to keep their desired culture & style intact. Unlike other departments, freedom is crucial to design houses and need to be ascertained during discussions. Looking at the other side, it is interesting to note, more and more business students are trying to learn design. Stanford Business School is promoting Design Thinking Bootcamp. University of Virginia has specialization in Design Thinking and Innovation. Harvard started with i-Lab for innovative design-led problem solving. Where are the juxtapositions leading? Well, the answer is probably ‘new ideas’ and ‘new ways’ of designing and finding solutions for better user experiences, hence better businesses.
Vertica Dvivedi
vertica@surfaces.in
september 2017 SURFACES REPORTER 12
Where do new ideas come from? The answer is simple: differences. Creativity comes from unlikely juxtapositions. Nicholas Negroponte
Professor and Co-Founder, MIT Media Laboratory
readers reviews Send your reviews & suggestions at PRESS@SURFACES.IN Congratulations to the entire team at WADe India for a Great Initiative! Your efforts will go a long way in promoting the involvement of Women in our Profession. Keep up the good work! Archana Khanna | First Principle | www.firstprinciple.in
We are thrilled and thankful to you, Madhu and the Surfaces team for such an excellent presentation of the project. As regular readers of Surfaces, this truly is an honor. Shefali Shurpali Principal Architect, 'Place' Design Studio, Ahmedabad
Surfaces Reporter is filling a void in architectural journalism by focusing on products and materials in the form of a magazine as opposed to a catalog. Introducing new materials that are available is important for young designers to be able to think of ideas and apply them in novel ways. We especially appreciate writing about sustainability: we need to focus more on the sustainable aspects of our designs rather than just adding on features; thinking about sustainable design today must be embedded in every project, just the way we think about lighting or spatial planning. This is a matter of urgency, and buildings in the future can be as timeless as our architectural heritage only if they are intentionally designed to be deeply in harmony with ecology rather than superficially.
SURFACES REPORTER MAGAZINE provides an informative insight to the young designers. The content covers a range of materials, products, people and projects. Young Designers need to understand that good, clean and sensitive professional practice is extremely important for the benefit of the Design fraternity. We would like you to spot and feature young talent in smaller towns in order to reach out to those who work with lesser resources. The product features in the magazine are eye catching due to the full page format. Ar. Anjali and Ashwin Lovekar Lovekar Design Associates, Pune
Surfaces Reporter magazine has created widespread awareness about materials in design and architecture. Chaukor Studio | Chaukor Studio Architecture & Interior Design, Noida
Let me congratulate you for yet another brilliant and comprehensive article on decorative veneers. It is aesthetic, informative and covers opinions across the industry. Wishing you all the best for continuing excellence in this ignored industry. Manish Maheshwari | Director, Ventura International
Ar. Takbir Fatima and Designer Abeer Fatima DESIGNAWARE, Hyderabad
We loved the feature! And two projects in 1 issue, wow... thanks! Joy Chan Seah |Ministry of Design, Singapore SUBSCRIBE PRINT & DIGITAL COPIES ONLINE
/SurfacesMagzin /SurfacesReporterMagazine
Also available in
CONTENT in Visual--III Visual III 65
103
68
10-on-10
Candid Conversation
Brand Buzz
President, Council of Architecture (COA)
Lovekar Design Associates, Pune
Ranbir Mehra, Director
BiswaRanjan Nayak
Charismatic Ceilings
Ar. Anjali & Ashwin Lovekar
54
57
Ar. Sanjay Puri
Jaquar Lighting
Ar. Manit Rastogi & Ar. Sonali Rastogi Morphogenesis, Delhi
61
Ar. Francine M. J. Houben
RISIng StarS
Takbir Fatima & abeer fatima DesignAware, Telangana
114
70
KITCHEN BACKSPLASHES Ar. Milind Pai
Milind Pai – Architects & Interior Designers
CONTENT in Visual--IIIII Visual II
40
Santoshi Jain'S upcycled home
34 Steel Barge to Restaurant
44
Scrapyard to Dance floor
38
Sculpture with Metal Pipes
Special Story on Lighting
90
Perspective: Tiles, Bath, Laminates
83
Lighting Consultants & Designs
what’s in surfaces showcase?
Read more...
Read more...
CANDID CONVERSATION Lovekar DESIGN Studio
Ar. Anjali and Ar. Ashwin Lovekar
February 2017 SURFACES REPORTER 14
Laminate HONEST Material OF THE MASSES
2017-2018 will mark the return of natural textures – textures like wood, stone and textile will make a comeback. Owing to the Government’s focus on the low-cost housing; rise in demand for decorative laminates is bound to increase. - Parul Mittal
Director – Design & Marketing, Greenlam Industries Ltd.
Vishal Dokania
Director, Cedar Decor, Durian Decorative Laminates
“High pressure Laminate is one of the most functional and ubiquitous materials found in residential and commercial design.”
Shankho Chowdhury Executive Business Head Century Plyboards (I) Limited
“Soft natural textures and designs are coming back in high demand, especially in the 1mm segment. The fancier designs and textures are now more prevalent in the lower thickness materials.”
Ar. Raja
Raja Architects
“High gloss, subtle colours, contrasting designs are some of the design trends in laminates.”
Su
Light Delivering n! luminatio Beyond Il
esign Lighting D
ndant Lamp Aglow Pe Lighting by Purple
ts n a t L u s f ing Con
Light...and the growing world o
sign e d g n i t igh L e v i t a v inno
ects India. Proj ground in ng ly gaining ce of havi ow an sl rt e po ar s im sign the rstanding of Design Lighting de de ld ed un fie iz e of om th s nies in e in term and cust pturing th advanced any compa nsultation hts and ca project. M st are quite Lighting co signing lig ant for rt al stages of Middle Ea de d iti po of in e an im e t os is es th sole purp today, it in the W right from chnology available s with the consultant d use of te g controls of designer a Lighting sensors an for lightin g s ep a team in ke on ht e ti lig ur op . ct te use of T and e better and Archi intelligent ence spac world of Io With the t to experi n save with investmen effects of it. ergy you ca an en as h philips st uc ju m how uth asia, lighting ceo – So understand looking a Designer mit Joshi, or rather than ri Su te ith In w les; and teractions esign and urple turt to share in irector, p Lighting D r is glad igner & D enario in eporte es sc t r D S en e ng S. rr e c ti gh fac In the cu Surfa Shetty, Li eSS@Sur understand radeesh puts at pr lysian to in e & Lighting; om s fr gn ur desi r. trehan us with yo Devesh K . Contact Consulting
SURFAC r 2017 ptembe
RTER 88 ES REPO
se
g Lightin hi, CEO it Jos m u S Rai hilips v aurav Asia, P G h d t u n o a S ty h Shet s & Director, ees d a er vR design g in t h Lig Turtles Purple han h KR. Tre nt & Interior s e v a v De consult ners lighting Elysian Desig er, design
Tile
eporter urfaces r ilips 5 years, Ph For over 12 s been at the Lighting ha innovation. of d forefront ect light an They conn products, ugh ro people th services that d systems an s lives safer, le’ make peop productive d, ire sp es more in rtable; Citi and comfo and livable ent more effici orld a better, and the w connected. more ps.com www.phili
Tory Tiles S y as & ir Mod hovand ib v Sam r T C r, Directo ai b m u Co M ar mics andilk , Mirage Cera h K it n ctor v Ro ive Dire Execut
tory Bath S isra & Africa v Renu M HE, Middle East CEO, GRO sh Shah Ltd. v Asuto dia Pvt. In it v a r MD, Du
CMD Patel, h s e td l Kam India L
ranito
v
Asian G
esh v Muk
D
M Patel,
A
d
ndia Lt
anito I sian Gr
oRtER
REP RFaCES oRy | SU Bath St
IVE
SPECT IlES: PER RTER | T ES REPO
es Story
SURFAC
TILES: An
rvIEw E v O y r T InduS
ES RE SURFAC ber 2017
89 PORTER
septem
G N I T S R BU E L B B U THE B
ustry current ind re a h s rs e ware lead ends & Technology Tr & Sanitary Two Bath k & popular product us, st behind sue ization ju outloo . In this is demonet
out GST with the logy h talked ab happened & techno a lot has of the muc r product trends – months, entation ry la w st em fe pu du pl st po in la im d ch as ok an Over the tary ware stry outlo updates su ces in Sani HE- South Asia. w policy ts an indu popular fa d RO we had ne EPORTER presen the most , CEO, G estions an of ra o is R M tw u ES h eries, sugg te wit & Ren SURFAC inputs, qu a tete-e te IT, India ur AV yo R e U ar D through , ts. To sh Shah, MD es.in able inpu Asutosh s@surfac their valu ts at pres both for commen We thank Mix by Finca Viga
andas C tribhov
t in cond larges overtaking ody Co y in the se a Tile industr n of Tiles after Chin e of tile Samiribhm an di In andas & e C Tr ov Today, th ring and productio s peg the market siz ing at 15% Director, i rt ba tu ow pe ac um gr Ex uf M . is an ot m R. It nd sp ity IN co or on se aj lli e m bi th e u will find e 11%. Th Brazil in 16 estimate is 301 ovandas yo , average of organized sector. Th l , at C. Tribh moods - Handmade 20 y ity ba str ior glo pr e du in e er top e un ssible er d of th thi th po th They ea as m ’ all ile ah it ice , fro su e wh rv ar d ith ‘Se e, an more. r lour to share stry ar W t co btl every ye du d ke su d in d an ar ze e e an m ni ne t til ad sig sh orga artis the 50% high end de and plain, tiles of every players in ayers command a ted companies in un volumes mouldings and focus on local players. We pl m glass crackle, from Italy and Spain organized ely 500 family orienfar as the production the total rt m sizes e different fro mainly impo et products which ar signs in small to mediu approximat y from Gujarat As manufactures 40% of rt around rk de nl po tiles. “We ma colours and different sector mai d organized sector turers currently ex ce ne ac will introdu Mr. Mody. are concer Indian Tile manuf num. ys this year,” sa ctribhovandas.com production.square meters per an me of w. e total volu are all th More at: ww of 40 million e ar they ity sh , nd of or er aj ev m . ow a H th er, what ki ow tract ects. gr at r oj ll fo pr sti of s ies les Import rsee? e ro cit al -2 Met emium Ti fo the large sc cities is ing to Tier Being a Pr xury products you increased over the yearsst tiles, due to d builders are mov e potential of Tier-2 growth r lu has r co an potential fo al income in big cities y living. Besides, labou r saturated rate of growth and ths. In metro cities the ace for pit ur Since the ca nt to upgrade for lux ies. Hence clients prefe The Hence, the gher than the metro ce there is limited spovation) wa ns. o cit hi sin tio en ers etr ly ts ca (r m m t ite pli uc sto in ke ap fin od cu ar lly 2 de substantia commercial ondary m premium pr red to tier has gone up ts for residential and will be for ction. However “Secwill be more compa e volume uc luxury prod ll be 6-8%. new construm products in metro itive market but mor truction wi e ns ns iu rat se co th grow rs? rapid for prem 2 cities are price as & Co. ket due to and merge olidations ts segments. In cities. Tier come from this mar ctor of C Tribhovand more cons ing to see roduce multiple produc manufacturing growth will zation,” says the dire go we e Ar int rty not and urbani d third pa yers try to e T ll be a gam ITS IMPAC system wi ry taxation ayers to gain more GST AND revolutiona d pl
se at is one such ers feel th will help the organi in Gujarat Most play d g r India an one. Morbi gest manufacturin r changer fo from unorganised fo ird lar th e e th d accounts o ar market sh cluster which is als China and Italy, an d er unorganise ics in the world aft n in the country. m tio ra ce uc ic prod hub for industry total ceram ion on the industry. 90% of the plementat of GST im sitive change in the ect impact po
it is an pla Organized nsolidation merger I personally feel that ment co seg ver view of this in near future. Howe ce multiple products sive du se clu will increa in long-term to intro e has to focus on ex On gy e . ak ate etc m str ll re od wi wa y go nies ths, sanitar ese compa will dilute like Tiles, Ba ories. In long Run th rial but in doing so ate teg product ca uired for building m req everything argins. m their profit
of organised segments premium ow at rates higher “Mass and gr pected to de.” trade is ex total organised tra than the a Renu MisR & afRiCa t Eas dlE Mid CEO, GROHE, stry which e bath indu de which trends in th d tra ng growth llion, the organise isi om d to pr g Presentin to be around $1.5 Bi ll market, is expecte market era d while the is estimate about 55% of the ov 5-7 years, of xt ts ne for en e ts m th over accoun ium seg the total GR of 10% and prem grow at Ca grow at 7%. Mass higher than ow at rates portant future d to gr cte to pe d ex cte is is expe a very im de is base due tra er d dia se In consum organi neral, trade. In ge s a growing lifestyle ha organised Duravit. It for et ark m SURFAC ber 2017
g growing te periencin priva “We are ex mes with e family ho for nd benefit th ma wi de d this ll an s om ro bath dustry” sanitary in ah sh asutosh ia Pvt. ltd. ind Md, duRavit hic demograp ment and lation. We ic develop rking popu hy econom to its healt owing young and wo for family homes d y gr ing deman benefit the sanitar trend of a ds ncing grow will are experie bathrooms and this yle and interior bran te at est lif iva wh pr for tly e th ac wi ows ex is a desir kn ere er Th y. um industr ban cons ly hype is. it. This ur like Durav brand and what mere l makes a rea
RTER 94 ES REPO
septem
Read more...
RNI NO. DELENG/2012/44605; Posted Regd NO. DL(S) -17/3488/2015-17; Licensed to post without pre-payment No. U(S)-61/2016-17