COVER FOCUS
Discover the heartfelt journey through cherished projects by women designers/architects
Design journeys for most interior designers and architects should ideally be marked by projects that are cherished due to what they represent in the design journey of these talented interior designers and architects. Here 11 accomplished women designers/architects share with us that one project that is dear to their heart because of all that it brought with it and what it meant.
AAHANA MILLER Associate Architect & Interior Designer, ABM Architects
PROJECT: The Incred-ible Office
LOCATION: BKC, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Images: Studio Kunal Bhatia
As a young designer, the ‘Incred-ible Office’ was one of my first fully independent larger scale office projects. From the inception itself I felt positive about the project. Although there were many ups and downs during the course of the project, including reworking the plan mid-way through and of course Covid delaying the completion of the project, we were successful in our endeavor. Working with the experienced ABM team and the client gave me the confidence to grow and make decisions independently and tackle problems on ground. The design ethos reflects my sensibilities as a designer. I was able to use my graphic design background to add to the space with the use of simple wall graphics and geometric artwork. The space being simple yet refined is why I am extremely happy with the results here.
APOORVA SHROFF Partner, reD Architects
PROJECT: ChrysCapital
LOCATION: Mumbai, Maharashtra
IMAGES: Pulkit Sehgal
Chrys Capital was one of our first PE clients. It was their office that really put us on the map of the financial sector in terms of being trusted designers for corporate spaces. When they came back to us for their bigger than before office space, it was only natural that the project held a special space in our hearts. The overarching theme was that of elegance and classic style. The material palate is very controlled and feeds into this sense of luxury. Throughout the office wood is used to lend warmth and luxury to the interiors. The firm being one of the most successful PE firms in the country, the space had to exude stability and confidence and have a distinct style. Ergo the space is classic and instills those very qualities in the occupants.
DARSHINI SHAH Principal Designer, Design By Darshini Shah
PROJECT: Private Residence
LOCATION: Bandra, Mumbai, Maharashtra
I absolutely loved styling this weekend home in Bandra because we were able to create an oasis of tranquility amidst the chaos of Mumbai’s busy Carter Road. I styled this house in 2017 as a creative pad for him, where he can unwind and feel like he’s on a vacation and where ideas flow freely. We’ve used a white palette across the house with textured walls for a very coastal, Mediterranean vibe. We’ve matched the walls with light-wood flooring to give it an open, airy and well-lit effect and added some vibrant pops of colour through niches in the walls, upholstery as well as art around the house. Organic, breezy-cotton drapes, hand-quilted fabrics and contemporary center tables add a unique softness to this home while also lavishing it with an understated luxury. We even went a step further and didn’t add any false ceilings to retain a raw aesthetic style. As a result, the rooms look large and airy with good ventilation and flow.
IRAM SULTAN
Principal Designer, Iram Sultan Design Studio
PROJECT: Zydus Cadila’s Office
LOCATION: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
IMAGES: Ishita Sitwala, The Fishy Project
All our projects are driven by our clients and this is one reason why I hold this project so close to my heart. We were able to craft thoughtful, bespoke spaces, with details that reflected our clients and what they did. There was absolute trust which lead to creative freedom and for a designer there is no greater gift. It was a joy to create this office using a balance of materials and personalized details accentuated by some fabulous art- a common love between the clients and us.
JANNAT VASI
Founder, Jannat Vasi Interior Design
PROJECT: Sky Garden
LOCATION: Altamount Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra
IMAGES: Ashish Sahi
This one of a kind apartment is a dream project to undertake. We were given an empty terrace floor plate to create an interesting layout for a young couple which contains interior spaces opening onto a vast garden. Presented with an opportunity to be flexible with space planning, we decided to maximize the daylight streaming into the interior spaces. We chose to custom design each detail of the apartment from the marble inlay work to tailor made furniture and landscaping. You will also find patterned marbles and small accents of gold that give the modern property a traditional twist. The excellent synergy we had with the client to realize their dream and make their vision a reality was the more cherished memory in this project.
NISHITA KAMDAR
Founder and Principal Architect, Studio Nishita Kamdar
PROJECT: The Open House
LOCATION: Ghatkopar, Mumbai, Maharashtra
IMAGES: Studio Kunal Bhatia
Your first project, is something that will always be memorable, let alone how much you cringe seeing it years later. Its your first step into the professional world, your first attempt at communicating your thoughts into real things, and your first of every kind. What is special about this project is, the immense trust my clients had in me, who were very well aware that it was my first. They were ready to let me experiment, break boundaries and give them a home unlike other homes you saw back then. I was so nervous while making any decisions, I didn’t want to falter, as I was scared I’d cast the wrong impression.
Also design has this ability to create a new social pattern in ones lifestyle, as the simple act of knocking down the kitchen and dining rooms walls, and giving way to openable glass and metal partition, meant that the women of the otherwise conservative house were no more confined to the kitchen space and disconnected with the rest of the family. They could now be connected with the rest of the space, feeling equal with the rest. And I think that was the success of this project!
POOJA BIHANI
Principal Architect, Spaces & Design
PROJECT: Belgadia Palace
LOCATION: Baripada, Mayurbhanj, Odisha
IMAGES: Vivek Das
Belgadia Palace is the most cherished project as we paid special attention to the styling of this Heritage Palace and these thoughtful elements add and give a glimpse of the past glory of this iconic property. As an architect the most challenging part of the project was planning and research. To draw a fine line that does not look too modern or too sunk in the past. With not much documentation on the building, the project involved a lot of research and study of old materials and their replacement and restoration process. Hence the primary aim was not to infuse a concept into the palace but to restore it’s own beauty from end to end. We began with research on materials of that era. Their life and sustainability. that parallels modern materials could give us the look of the past but functionality of the current day. We started with these basics and joy in our hearts to bring back Belgadia Palace back to its glory! This rationale makes Belgadia Palace unique!
POONAM MEHTA
Co-Founder, AMPM Designs
PROJECT: Clover Highlands
LOCATION: Pune, Maharashtra
IMAGES: Prashant Bhat
One of our cherished works, is a 3.5 bhk home designed as a show flat as well a functional home for a client. Today, life at home has more meaning for everyday everchanging activities for work, study or for your favourite hobbies, our intent was to design a home that meets the everyday needs of the end user. Dedicating a separate space for an office inside this 3.5 bhk was something we envisioned even before this trend of working from home became a permanent change during Covid times. The idea was to keep up with changing modern times where offices can also be extended to your home to be a part of your living. Designed to be filled with comfort and coziness, where there is also a sacred space to cut off from the daily hassle and bring out productivity even while being away from office.
SHABNAM GUPTA
Principal Designer, The Orange Lane
PROJECT: Art Inspired Home
LOCATION: Mumbai, Maharashtra
IMAGES: Fabien Charuau
It’s a project in which the client was very uninhibited in the use of strong colours coming together along with artwork from across different genres making it very unafraid and eclectic. I love how the personality of the people living there is captured in the design of their home.
VINITHRA AMARNATHAN
Founder, Weespaces
PROJECT: The Modern Plantation Home
LOCATION: Bengaluru, Karnataka
IMAGES: Shamanth Patil
One of my most cherished projects is the modern plantation inspired villa we designed in Bangalore. It’s inspired by large airy plantation style homes and a tropical modern aesthetic. We were lucky in that we were blessed with a great structure that had double height ceilings, ample sunlight and the beautiful indoor outdoor feel that was so core to the design aesthetic. But what I truly love is how every detail from the framed timber slices on the walls, the beams, the glass and teak railing, the tropical inspired custom mural in the dining area and the understated modern kitchen come together beautifully to create a cohesive story!
SHILPA JAIN BALVALLY, Principal Architect, Studio Osmosis
PROJECT: Luxe Residence at World Towers
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Images: Ishita Sitwala
The project, a 3 BHK apartment is located in The Lodha World Towers, Mumbai was for a lovely, smart elderly couple based out of Dubai and London. The house exemplifies sophistication, in the form of rich materials with bold yet modest patterns composed with a sense of proportion, balance and minimalist elegance yet not missing practicality and optimization.
In spite of the fact that the client was not in India much during the design process, had no personal references for us and there was in fact a large enough age group difference which sometimes can be a generational obvious challenge; none of these acted as a deterrent. In fact, we hit it off as if we knew each other for decades and the respect and professionalism in the relationship was just idyllic. The rapport and trust that one shares with the client is the foundation of really good design and a successful project. This space has not just been any project for me, but emphasizes how sometimes strangers can have great interactions and understanding while the respect is associated even after many years of the project if clarity, honesty and comfort is the base of everything. It definitely holds a special place in my personal and professional career and these are relations one definitely holds on for life. This is surely one of the reasons we started Studio Osmosis; to build relationships while building spaces.