Shantanu Poredi

cabin classcasa buchupureo

cabin classcasa buchupureo

ashiesh shah’surban monastery

ashiesh shah’surban monastery

guggari’slocal flavour

guggari’slocal flavour

www.home-review.com

home reviewRs 50

VOL 7. ISSUE 9.

eclectic livingmatharoo associates

eclectic livingmatharoo associates

atlantis atthe palm dubai

atlantis atthe palm dubai

Deepak and Varsha Guggari are architects who believe that structuresshould stay rooted to their surroundings. Their design scheme builds ona grid-based program that ingeniously explores this ideology, creating adistinctive home that is a synthesis of clever planning and the innovativeuse of local material.

Another designer with his own inimitable style is Ashiesh Shah. Thistime round we take a look at a beach front residence with an interiorchoice that is somewhat intriguing. The layout incorporates clean lineswith a monotone colour palette of grey and white. The materials used areraw and earthy with an emphasis on no-ornamentation, making this homelook more like an urban monastery than a beachy hideaway.

The Shah house in Surat, designed by architect Gurjit Singh Matharoo,reflects a highly evolved space with a refined aesthetic. Inspired by thework of Japanese architect Tadao Ando, this designer explores the finernuances of using light across smooth concrete surfaces, as well asincluding nature into the house-plan. The result is a home that is inperfect sync with the client's wish list.

We also visit Chilean architects Alvaro Ramirez and Clarisa Elton'scliff-top cabin that embraces the ocean with its open-plan layout, andinclude a feature on artist Bose Krishnamachari's residence that is truly awork of art. Designers Shantanu Poredi and Manisha Agarwal plan spacesthat flow into each other, giving the artist's home an unusualjuxtaposition of form, colour and texture. We end this issue with afeature on the recently unveiled Atlantis hotel in Dubai, with its over-the-top grandeur and supersized spaces.

After a chaotic couple of months, we at Home Review look forward towelcoming the New Year with a large dose of optimism and one filledwith good cheer!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

EDITOR & PUBLISHER ANISH BAJAJ

CREATIVE DIRECTOR NATALIE PEDDER BAJAJ

FEATURES EDITOR MALA BAJAJ

SUB EDITOR SHWETA SALVI

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SAVITHA HIRA

DEEPALI NANDWANI

DEEPANJOLIE SONYA FIGG

SHIBANI AMIN RANGARAJ

PAULOMI PATEL

PRIYA TANDON

K PARVATHY MENON

AMRITA SHAH

PHOTOGRAPHERS RAVI KANADE

PALAK JHAVERI

Editorial & MarketingMumbai

B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg., Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033Tel 022 23736133/1, 32958501 Fax 022 23743069

Email: [email protected]

DelhiMs Sumita Prakash

Flat F 304, Rajasthan C.G.H.S. Ltd,Plot No. 36, Sector 4, Dwarka, New Delhi

Tel 09899179540, Email: [email protected]

ChennaiMr S. Venkataraaman

Flat No. 2, 3rd Flr, E-Block, Hansa Garden, 30 Madampakkam MainRd, Rajakilpakkam, Chennai 600 073

Tel 044 22281180 / 09444021128 Email: [email protected]

BangaloreMr M. S. Mahesh, Mr. Banodaya Reddy

MQ Networks (P) Ltd, 228, 2nd A Cross, HBR Layout,1st Stage, Bangalore-560043

Mob 09980543958/0984511536

KolkataMr Subrata Mazumder

2, Nabapalli (Bidhanpalli). Kolkata 700084Tel 033 2410 4296 Mob 9831131395 Telefax 033 2410 7605


Publishing Director Mr. R.I. BajajDistributed in India by India Book House

Pvt. Ltd. 412, Tulsani Chambers,Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021.

home review

January 2009. vol. 7. issue 9.

We welcome unsolicited material but do not take responsibility for the same. Letters are

welcome but subject to editing. All rights reserved. Nothing may be printed in whole or part

without written permission of the publisher. The editors do their best to verify the information

published but do not take responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. All

objections, disputes, differences, claims and proceedings are subject to Mumbai Jurisdiction.

Editor Mr. Anish Bajaj. Published and Printed by Mr. Anish Bajaj on behalf of the owner Marvel

Infomedia Pvt. Ltd, B-62, Cotton Exchange bldg., Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

Recycling old magazines and newspapers is one of the easiest ways to help the

environment. To increase the supply of recoverable wood fibre and to reduce the

demand on the world’s landfills, HOME REVIEW urges its readers to actively

participate in recycling efforts.

features

49 Urban Monastery

Using monochromes and earthy materials architect Ashiesh

Shah designs a beachfront property in Mumbai which reflects

the sea theme but in an abstract manner.

57 A Local Flavour

Architects Varsha and Deepak Guggari design a 5,500 sq. ft.

house in Pune where the core emphasis is on the use of

natural materials and elements.

66 Eclectic Living

Inspired by Tadao Ando’s style and a few master strokes of

the likes of Mies Van De Rohe are evident in this eclectic

house designed by Matharoo Architects in Surat.

74 Cabin Class

Chilean architects Alvaro Ramirez and Clarisa Elton combine

architectural aesthetics with an environmental dialogue in their

cliff-top cabin in Buchupureo, Chile.

82 Blurred Boundaries

Architectural firm MO-OF and reputed fine artist Bose

Krishnamachari blend the best of art and architecture to

create a home that combines modern materials and art.

90 The Design of Peace

Architect Nitin Katwani of DCA architects designs a Zen-like

apartment in Versova which embodies the maxim ‘Less is

more’ to the T.

96 Myth meets Magnificence

Atlantis, Dubai’s newest resort with its exotic ambience and

unprecedented scale is set to break new ground.

108 A Spiritual Aura

Salient design studio creates an Italian restobar, Hussh, that

exudes a traditional Italian feel.

ideas

16 In The Know Design Diary.

19 Unbuilt Works Sameep Padora’s Cascade Court.

34 Retail Therapy Neil Bartett Flagship Store, Tokyo.

38 Cult Product Acoustic Panels.

44 Go Green Guanganmen Green Technology Exhibit, Beijing

104 Lost Architecture Stepwells, India.

regulars

10 Editor’s Note

14 Our Readers Write Letters to our Editor

26 Bars, Spas & Restaurants New places with style

contentsjanuary 2009

66

On The Cover

The Varsha and

Deepak Guggari

designed

residence in

Pune.

“A Local

Flavour”

Page 57.

49

96

Star Letter

Sustain to attain a better future

Over the years we have focused only on growth while ignoring the

environment. This is not only an Indian phenomenon but happens

in countries all around the world. Challenges of the environment

will grow incredibly in cities as India further urbanizes. Your article

on LPA Architects, who conceived the award winning house with

sustainability at the core of its design was remarkable and in the

right direction. The features like low-VOC paints, recycled terrazzo

floors and a solar array system make it a model to be imitated.

Architect Heinfield cannot be more correct when he says, “All

sustainable buildings are the marriage between time-honoured

design practices and the best of new technologies available

today. Sustainability is not a trend or fad. It’s a value decision.”

VINAY JOSHI

PUNE

OUR READERS WRITESend your views, suggestions and questions about this issue to

our editor and we’ll be happy to print the best

Editor’s Choice

Kitchen Trends

Once again Home Review has

come out with a special and it

has made planning and making

my kitchen a success. I am to-

tally in agreement with you that

all household activity gravitates

in and around a kitchen. I was

tempted to go for a modern

kitchen but not as elaborate as

the ones depicted by you. After

which I went through the sug-

gested planning and implemen-

tation tips. However a compro-

mise in the stovetop, ventilation

and storage had to be done to

suit the flat. The final result has

been beyond my expectations

so I thought a thank you would

be in order.

MEGHA SETHI

MUMBAI

Good Earth throws

open its flagship

store in Delhi

designed by Lotus

Designs.

“The Good Life”

Page 57.

1

Multiplicity House

Your feature in Home Review on the Y-house is outstanding. It depicts the

multi-disciplinary urban spatial experience by just absorbing the range of

photographs illustrated in the pages. Although it was re-modelled in 2004 it

does not reflect that it was rebuilt. The most noteworthy in my opinion is the

kitchen with the eco-friendly bamboo that absorbs carbon dioxide better

than trees and gives the space a unique, contemporary and hygienic finish.

However I wish you had featured this kitchen as one of your selections in

kitchen special section.

SHASHANK PANDEY

KOLKATA

Tumbling Economics

Indians are not used to housing busts. Since property seemed for so long to

be a one-way bet, some still find it hard to grasp that prices can ever fall.

The markets have fallen and even discounts of “buy one get one free” are

emerging. The scenario is that plenty of new homes are being finished, but

few are being started. You at Home Review could help by recommending

ways and means to furnish and design apartments in a more economical

way. After a long time homes seem to be just affordable and if interiors are

also reasonable people like me may just about get a functional home.

RAKESH NAIR

HYDERABAD

Festive Tips

You hear of people wanting to

revamp their home all the time,

particularly in the festive seasons.

Home Review should make an

informed choice with trends and

materials in home furniture and

decor. Special emphasis being

given to seating arrangements in

the living area, dining area

settings, bedroom designs and

outdoor furniture along with

suggestions for apt furnishings for

each individual use.

SHRUTI HIRANI

NOIDA

The star letter and our editor’s

choice, receives a 1 year sub-

scription from Home Review

Send your letters to:

B 62 Cotton Exchange Building,

Cotton Green, Mumbai 400 033 or

Email us at [email protected]

Home Review reserves the right to

edit and reuse any submissions sent

to the editor.

16 HOME REVIEW JANUARY 2009

Design Diarywww.designaddict.com

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We at Home Review seek out the most exciting books or

web sites each season, to keep you clued-in

Design is a field where innovation is a norm and each small or big

innovative enhancement adds to the amazing legacy of design. The

scope in design is boundless and keeping a track of all the

developments in this stratum is not an easy

task. www.designaddict.com is a website

that helps you resolve this difficulty. Design

Addict a multi-award winning web space is

orchestrated by artists Patrick

and Alix Everaert. Their passion

for design and their need to

share it led them to create

Design Addict. This Belgian company has been working

on the web portal project since 1997. The webpage is a

comprehensive resource for modern,

post-modern and contemporary

design of the 20th-21st centuries where

you'll find information on designers and producers,

on furniture, lighting, dinnerware and accessories.

The website's various sections manage to cover all

the aspects of the design community.

Index The designer's and producer's Index that

features in the website is a very large database

which is updated everyday. This

useful tool helps you find all the information you

need about a designer or a producer (biography,

products, links, books...). The index offers its

database in an organised alphabetical order making

it easy for the user to locate his desired designer or

producer.

Links It boasts extensive links, which include an

international array of

online design

magazines, museums

and the most

comprehensive list of

dealers on the web.

They are categorically divided as new

design, vintage design, designers, producers, resources, books and

magazines, architecture, and other selected links.

One can access the worldwide design community through the design

links directory on the portal. There are vintage design

dealers furniture producers, virtual exhibitions and

designers' portfolios among its links.

Calendar The website's international Calendar is full of

noteworthy exhibitions, courses, events and conferences

related to design. Moreover, their Blog offers you thought

- provoking articles, interviews and essays. The forum,

too, seems to be permanently besieged and

hosts vexing questions concerning the current

and future scenarios of design. The best part of

all is that every item is photographed,

catalogued on their website.

Free Ads In order to make this site more lively

and useful, the website boasts a space for free

Ads. If you want to sell or buy anything related

to design this website presents an opportunity

to do so.

The emphasis at this

awesome site is on

sharing information by

and for design lovers

the world over. It is a

beautiful, up-to-the-

minute site with an

international feel and is completely

absorbed with and dedicated to becoming

the be-all and end-all

of design

destinations.

It is vouched to be

the leading design

portal online,

targeting the international community of

design professionals and private

consumers. It meets its users' expectations

in the best possible way and has

succeeded in proving itself as an

international leader of information websites

in the field of product design.

Awards Their work has also been

recognized and awarded by the prestigious

Forbes Magazine that has selected Design

Addict in its 'Best of

the Web' since the year

2000.

This beautifully

organized educational

site acts as a complete

encyclopaedia for all

design aficionados. So

if you are wondering

where design addicts

shop, you would get

your answer right here.


HR I PROMOTION

THIS PAGE The

extensive range of

bedding and cushion

furnishings from Durian.

� The well renowned brand Durian, has already ac-

quired a household name and has made a significant

impact over the years in the building industry with its

multi-range of plywood, flush and panel doors with

designer P.V.C sheets elegantly impregnated and the

supply of exquisitely chosen imported veneers. The

company has also taken a giant leap forward by

capturing a major market share in the field of imported

furniture.

The most recent introduction by this multi-faceted

company is a range of furnishings from Durian, that

include an extensive range of beddings and cushions.

The collection is quite distinguished with it’s soft and

new-age fabrics and textures that offer style and pa-

nache handcrafted for comfort and quality. Durian of-

fers its customers unique bedding solutions that are

embroidered or crocheted for a traditional or a con-

temporary look and feel.

The company's collection

of bedding and cushions

are also available in retro

and classic patterns with

a keen eye on details and the latest trends.

Durian stands as one of the leading brands in India

that exclusively stock only imported furniture - from a

wide range of sofa sets, bunkers for children, compu-

ter workstations, centre tables, side tables, exclusive

office furniture, study desks, dining tables, bar cabi-

nets, bedroom and living room sets. The most cov-

eted furniture styles from the United States, United

Kingdom, France, Italy, Australia, Spain, Malaysia and

Singapore have made their way to India thanks to

Durian. With over 40 imported furniture showrooms all

over the country, Durian stands as one of the largest

furniture brands in India.

Contact

Durian estate,

Connecting Road Between

Western Express Highway & S.V. Road,

Goregaon (East), Mumbai 400063

Tel: (022) 67142000

Fax: (022) 66783125


Web:www.duriandecor.net �

Every professional practise, at some time or

the other, faces a dead-end situation where a

project does not see the light of day. The time,

energy, effort involved by the architect then

becomes an investment in his learning curve,

stashed away in the portfolio as a conceptual

accomplishment; yet another testament of

his professional prowess.

� In this new section, we feature some unrealised

projects that stand tall for their out-of-box concept ir-

respective of the nature of the built, or rather un-built

form. We premiere with Mumbai-based architect-n-

designer Sameep Padora's 'Cascade Court', a pro-

posed office building that could certainly have left its

mark in terms of vivifying interior-exterior correlations,

given its antithesis of a conventional office site-scape.

A few years back, a plot of 120,000 sq. ft was

earmarked for a

commercial building that

would house offices. A

normal enough building

proposal one would say;

however, the added

bonus was that the

premises would also

house a business centre

complete with conference

and meeting rooms,

cafeteria, gymnasium,

etc and associated�

THIS PAGE The overall

structure of the building

was designed in a such

a way that the 3 pro-

posed units were

positioned at an overlap-

ping tangent to the

other, in a manner that

not only dwarfed the 12

storeyed building but

also allows easy acces-

sibility.

JANUARY 2009 HOME REVIEW 19

HR I UNBUILT WORKS


HR I UNBUILT WORKS

THIS PAGE Padora

breaks free of the

conventions with the

landscaped pathway

that substitutes the lifts

and staircase, and the

non-linear arrangement

of spaces. Here the

cross - sections of the

building show the

staggered office and

circulation spaces.

infrastructure viz., bank, banquet halls, and allied

commercial goings-on.

Breaking free of the conventional typology of an of-

fice building with its set elevator lobbies and stair-

wells as well as the clichéd corridor look, Sameep

Padora & Associates proposed a model that would

align the offices along non-linear axes and bring alive

every transitory space in the complex. The premise

was worked around a centrally positioned landscaped

area as the happening heart of the structure and sev-

eral bridges that would

form connecting arms,

wrapping the building

around the green space

per se.

Beginning with

massing, the north side of

the building was opened

up to accomplish

maximum natural light

and ventilation. This was

followed by chiselling a

beautifully landscaped


HR I UNBUILT WORKS

ramp that would slowly rise up from the

ground level, passing every floor to reach

the highest point of the building. The

proposed floor rise was 12 storeys. With

the building mass working around this

garden path, the form that began to be

programmed appeared to aggregate in

three strategic units; each positioned at

an overlapping tangent to the other. This

not only dwarfed the outward appearance

of the high rise structure but allowed easy

accessibility, so that one could easily

'walk' up the landscaped path to the

highest point

without actu-

ally feeling it.

"In this

project we

a d d r e s s e d

issues of

context through

our attempts

to activate�

THIS PAGE Various

configurations of

connecting arms or

bridges are worked

upon, establishing

contact amongst the

various areas in the

interiors of the

building.

FILMSTRIP The

gradual site devel-

opment from the

conceptual stage to

the final design

stage.

THIS PAGE TOP

LEFT The cross internal

bridge connections.TOP

RIGHT The massing of

the building. BOTTOM

The roof plan of the

building.

externalities that become operative and surfaces that

become performative", explains Padora. While the

exterior showed very few openings, interest was

created in the interior envelope. The landscaped path

was fitted with a retractable roof. Various configurations

of connecting arms were worked upon, establishing

contact amongst the various areas in the interiors and

the building began to look inwards to a more active

scale and beat. The vertical garden strips would imbibe

elements of light and air, whilst punctuating space and

choreographing form.

Addressing a smart overall program, the

construction was proposed in glass reinforced concrete

(GRC) that is known for its high versatility offering both

efficiency of manufacture and effectiveness in

performance.

Sadly, the proposed plot that housed an old factory

was riddled with union problems and site litigations

that forced the project to remain on paper. On a more

positive note, this intimidating façade with its staggered

interior floor rise and

intercepting floor plates

would have been a

rewarding manifestation

of the feedback between

the multiple forces

that affect program, use

and space.�


HR I UNBUILT WORKS


HR I SPOTLIGHT

Brick Awards 2008

Wienerberger, a world leader in the

manufacture of clay bricks and building

products, has instituted an award that

recognises exceptional brick architecture,

encouraging sustainable values with the use

of natural products.

� Wienerberger, one of the largest manufactures of

bricks in the world and the second largest producer

of clay roof tiles in Europe, endeavours to create

sustainable values with natural products. Since 2004,

Wienerberger has honoured creative brick structures

as well as their architects from all over the world

with their 'Brick Awards'. These awards are held

every two years in order to recognise the European

brick architecture.

On 3rd of April 2008, the Wienerberger Brick

Award was held in Vienna presenting 21,000 euros

(13 lakhs) as prize money. Thereby, Wienerberger

through these awards acknowledged the undoubted

role of bricks as an ecological and sustainable

building material.

Based on the building functionality, usage of

materials and the external architectural design, the

best projects were recognised. The panel of judges

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comprised of renowned international architects,

architectural critics such as Lipa Goldstein, Mark

Kalm, George Ferguson and Ryszard Jurkowski.�

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Extension of Winery, Switzerland By

Architect Bearth & Deplazes

Kolumba Museum,

Cologne By Architect Peter Zumthor


HR I SPOTLIGHT

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They gave more emphasis to eco-friendliness and

functionality of the building apart from clay usage

and creative external architectural design.

In the award held this time, a total of 255

projects from almost 19 countries were submitted

by the architecture critics. From among the vast

number of projects, the three winners selected

belonged to Switzerland and Germany. Addition-

ally, Netherlands and Finland were awarded

special prizes. The winners also received an

illustrated architecture book called 'brick 08' along

with the award. This book featured 35 excellent

brick buildings from all over the world apart from

award winning projects. Part of this collectors

tome was for the first time two articles from India,

one an office building in Bangalore and the other

an endeavour in contemporary Indian brick

architecture by architect Anand Prakash.

Peter Zumthor, the Swiss architect was the first

prize winner for the Kolumba Museum. This

museum secures a modest place in the middle of

the city. The design is simply integrated in the

building mass of a generic perimeter block. It's like

a key performer that is standing in the background.

Through this project, the architect built a museum

that is home to a compilation of the archbishopric

of Cologne. Peter Zumthor also allowed a house to

develop this art collection which is both sacred

and traditional.

The second prize winners of 'Brick 08' were

architects Bearth & Deplazes Architekten AG for the

extension of a winery in Fläsch in Switzerland. They

made use of the speed of a robot and precision

and the digital wall construction for this eccentric

architecture. The project stylistically resembles a

wine estate, a wall that appears to penetrate from

larger than life grapes.

An architectural gem comprising of technologi-

cal beauty, the IT Building in Finland was the 3rd

winning project. Designed by architects Tuomo

Siitonen and Esko Valkama, this building is built

with red bricks and seeming contradictions with

its aesthetic atrium as an attraction grabber. This

award winning building was constructed using the

principles of sustainability that is very prominent in

the architect's interior design and other work areas.

The architect was successful in creating a user-

friendly, eco-friendly and modern working environ-

ment which is artistic and lively at the same time.

Lastly, the winners of the special category were

the residential building in Morcote, Switzerland

(Architect Markus Wespi, Jérôme de Meuron

Architekten BSA) and the Headquarters of the

Dutch WWF in the Netherlands (Architect T.M.

Rau). The residential building in Switzerland is

designed keeping harmony and the present time

with the environment. This building is constructed

of baked clay which is commonly used in tradi-

tional Ticinese architecture. Local traditions and

landscape traces are evident in its interiors.

Architect Rau did complete justice to technol-

ogy and nature in every area of the Dutch WWF

Residential Building, Switzerland

By Architect Markus Wespi, Jerome De Meuron


HR I SPOTLIGHT

building. Carpet tiles fitted in the building were

made from recycled jeans, gables of oregon pine

and bamboo balustrades. Concrete was used as a

granular material for this new building. With its

'phoenix', Rau has implemented the WWF's

philosophy architecturally as a building which is

fair to animals and nature, a unity between

aesthetics and ethics.

Hence with great success, the 'Brick Award

2008' was presided over by around 300 guests

from countries such as North America, Europe and

India. The award ceremony saw a delegation of

Indian architects present for the very first time in

Vienna. The renowned Indian architects present at

this ceremony included Architect Tom Thomas

(Principal Architect, Thomas Associates), Architect

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Headquarters of the WWF, Netherlands

By Architect T.M. RAU

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First Prize: Kolumba Museum, Cologne -

Architect: Peter Zumthor

Second Prize: Extension of a winery in Fläsch,

Switzerland - Architects: Bearth & Deplazes

Architekten AG

Third Prize: IT building, Finland - Architects:

Tuomo Siitonen, Esko Valkama

Special Prize: Residential building in Morcote,

Switzerland - Architect: Markus Wespi, Jérôme

de Meuron Architekten BSA

Special prize: Headquarters of the Dutch WWF

in the Netherlands - Architect: T.M. Rau

Brick Awards 2008Brick Awards 2008Brick Awards 2008Brick Awards 2008Brick Awards 2008

IT Building, Finland By Architects

Tuomo Siitonen & Esko Valkama

Krishna Rao Jaisim (Principal Architect, Jaisim

Fountainhead), Architect Kamal Sagar (Principal

Architect, Shibani & Kamal Architects), Architects

Mr. Suneet Paul (Editor- in-Chief, A+D), Ms. Clare

Arni (Architectural Photographer), Architect V.

Narasimhan (Managing Partner, Venkataramanan

Associates), Architect Anand Prakash (Principal

Architect, Archi-Technics), Architect Sanath Kumar

Shetty and Architect Edgar Demello. The

participation of Indian architects in this event also

indicated the growing importance of contemporary

Indian architecture and the rapid improvement in

construction practices in the Indian subcontinent..

Contact


Web: www.wienerberger.in �

HR I RESTOS BARS & SPAS


A Bed Bar in Berlin

Bangaluu Club �

The Bangaluu Club along with its

restaurant 'Labor' is situated in

Berlin-Mitte and is housed behind

the historic edifice of the former

Post Ofice of East Berlin. If you

are looking for a chic and exclu-

sive nightspot, then the Bangaluu

is the place to be. The atmo-

sphere is glamour defined in a

unique style. The décor is pre-

dominantly pristine white, and

complemented by crystal

candleholders, white curtains and

pure white sofas.

Bangaluu is one of the capital's

leading nightclubs, known for its

one of a kind, spectacular party

concepts, which keep its clientele

growing.

The restaurant, 'Labor' on the

first floor of the Bangaluu club

symbolizes the new art of club

dining. The labaratory-like space

of the restaurant bears a distinctly

stylish design quotient. A culinary

journey, through delicacies from

all over the world is presented to

the guests. But this is not all. As

bite after bite, from excellently

decorated plates is enjoyed,

attention is also drawn to the

delightful floor show, and anyone

who cannot resist the urge to get

up and dance, after the meal is

encouraged to do so!

The cuisine is predominantly

fusion and molecular and the

guests can avail of premium

international fare on a pre-se-

lected menu. The unique aspect

of this place is that this culinary

phenomenon can be experienced

standing, seated or even lying

down! After dining, guests can

look forward to a free access to

the legendary parties in progress

at the Bangaluu club. The unisex

washroom is a pioneering feature,

which shares in the bold extravag

-ance of the establishment.

Bangaluu Club

Invalidenstraße 30, 10115,Berlin

Tel:+49 30 809693077

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.bangaluu.com



North and South

Indigo Cafe �

Rahul and Malini Akerkar, who

own and run South Mumbai's chic

gourmet destinations, Indigo and

Indigo Delicatessen, have now

opened their latest venture in

degustation, the Indigo Café.

Located in the bustling suburb

of Andheri, Mumbai, the 2,100

sq.ft. gourmet hub features an

exciting menu catering to diverse

tastes that opened to the public

on Sunday, August 10, 2008. The

menu features a complete range

of sandwiches and burgers along

with the most delectable Italian

food. Freshly baked breads and

pastries, desserts and much

more are also on the menu.

The Indigo Café is a concept

envisioned by deGustibus Hospi-

tality, aimed at breaking new

ground in the art of easy, hassle

free food. Designed by Samira

Rathod, who was also the

architect for the Indigo Delicates-

sen, this cafe truly spells class

with its easy going ambience and

chic vibe.

From the classic BLT to a truly

delicious roasted mushroom and

tofu burger, this menu has

something for everyone. It also

has an all day "Breakfast Menu".

Rahul Akerkar, Managing

Director of deGustibus Hospitality,

calls it, "casual dining without the

fuss". He avers that it is simple,

hearty food that is creative and

well executed in a space that is

warm and conducive to socializing

and sharing.

This all-day café promises to

have its own identity that is yet

very similar to the 'Indigo Delica-

tessen' in terms of the menu and

some other elements. Knowing

the management, the food is

expected to be very creative and

gourmet, already making the resto

a big hit in this trendy suburb.

Indigo Café,Plot No F/46,

S.No. 41 (pt.), Oshiwara Village ,

Off Link Road Andheri (West),

Mumbai 4000 053

Tel: (022) 2633 6262



White Paradise

Ikies Traditional Houses �

The Ikies Traditional Houses

complex is situated in the scenic

settlement of Oia (Ia), on the

northern tip of Santorini Island,

Greece. It offers a magnificent

view of the Aegean Sea and the

Caldera area, which is especially

impressive during sunset.

Ikies consists of eleven

maisonettes, studios and luxury

suites, all of which are carved

into the volcanic rock and are

designed according to the

Cycladic architectural style, in

shades of bright white, with

curves and arches.

The area is a favorite

destination of thousands of

holiday makers, due to its unique

architecture and stunning view of

the volcano, the Caldera and the

deep blue Aegean Sea.

Santorini Island in Greece is

considered by many people to be

the most impressive and

mesmerizing vacation destina-

tion. Its exquisite characteristics,

many of which cannot be found

anywhere else, keep beckoning

tourists from all parts of the

world.

Ikies Traditional Houses

Oia (Ia), 84702, Santorini (Thira),

Cyclades Islands, Greece.

Tel. +30 22860 71311,

E-mail:[email protected]


HR I Q & A

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bernd riechers�A tete-a-tete with Mr Bernd Riechers,

Global Marketing Head, Hettich Group, who

was recently on a visit to India.

Offering a range of over 10,000 components,

Hettich has become one of the finest and

most trusted brands in the furniture fitting

industry in India. Hettich India Pvt. Ltd.

stands as one among the few companies in

the country which make available products

for all three segments-kitchen & bath,

residential and office.

Having started with your Indian operation

almost 7 years ago, how would you de-

scribe the success of Hettich in India and

what would you say has been the biggest

challenge here?

Being present in India for almost 7 years now,

Hettich has witnessed an average growth rate of up

to 60 percent year on year. We offer high quality

products with a lifetime warranty and give

importance to style and comfort with economical

prices.

The biggest challenge faced by us has been to

interface with the tradesmen in India in terms of

getting them accustomed to use our products.

What we have observed is that the carpenters in

India are not as well trained in comparison to other

European countries. Hence, we are taking initiatives

to provide them with the necessary training and are

making all efforts to get them organised in terms of

the skills required to work with good quality prod-

ucts. In addition, we are also training the craftsmen

and contractors on how to install the desired

products perfectly.

What would you say is the USP of

Hettich's products? What plans do you

have to ensure better value for the Indian

consumer?

Ours is a production company that offers prod-

ucts catering to all segments, right from the

kitchen and bath to the service industry, office

industry and the research sector. This is the USP

of our products. We offer over 10,000 products

with a life time warranty.

To ensure better value for the Indian consumers,

we make available the products as per the taste

and requirement of our customers. We also offer

reasonable variations in the price range giving the

Indian consumers an opportunity to upgrade their

product choices.

In some categories, Hettich's products

are priced at a considerable premium

compared to those locally available.

Going forward can we expect any

rationalisation on the prize front?

We offer our customers with a variety of innova-

tive products compared to the ones locally

available. Hence, price is not a significant factor

if compared to the benefits Hettich's products

offer. Fulfilling the desires of our customers, we

offer the best quality, innovative products backed

by a lifetime warranty.

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Mr. Bernd Riechers,

CEO, Hettich Group


HR I Q & A

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There recently has been an announcement

that the company plans to set up Hettich

certified kitchen studios across the country,

could you elaborate on this initiative?

The Hettich Kitchen Studios initiated by us will encom-

pass high quality levels in its varying designs. In

addition, we would endorse the products with a

certification assuring its liability. To commence in 2009,

the studios will put on view a complete range of

kitchen solution under one roof. Offering a price range

that starts from Rupees fifty thousand onwards; the

Hettich Certified Kitchen Studios will provide the

consumers with a variety of choices as per their

requirements.

In terms of manufacturing plans for India,

when can we expect to see Hettich products

locally made?

At the moment, the plan is still awaiting a final

approval. It's in the process of negotiation and we are

keeping ourselves open to all opportunities. However,

the final decision would be taken by the board.

Looking 5 years down the line, what is your

vision for Hettich as a company in India and

how do you see it placed today?

As on today, we position ourselves as the leaders

in the kitchen segment not only in India, but all

over the world. We are also putting considerable

efforts to consolidate our position by increasing

our market share. Hettich has been well accepted

by the Indian market and in the future we will like

to establish a place for ourselves in other

segments as well.�


HR I RETAIL THERAPY

Designer Neil Barrett's flagship store in Tokyo,

is a contradictory yet stunning confluence of

the classic and the modern. Designed in part-

nership with Zaha Hadid and Patrik

Schumacher the store proclaims duality and

is open to multiple interpretation.

� If a store could actually duplicate the identity of the

brand it represented and the design ethics of the

products that it showcased, literally, then Neil Barrett's

Tokyo flagship comes amazingly close. Based on his

minimal aesthetic, that also runs through Barrett's

clothing, the store interiors are replications of various

design elements. Barrett, who had been planning to

open a new shop in Japan for a while decided to

debut in the Aoyama district in northern Tokyo, "If you

can make it in Japan then you can make it anywhere.

In fashion commerce it really is about Japan. The Japa-

nese are vastly fashion conscious - it's hard to

compare to anywhere else - and they pull off my

designs so well. It is the

perfect place to start be-

fore rolling out the

designs to my other

shops," believes Barrett.

The designer collabo-

rated with world re-

nowned architect, Zaha

Hadid to create this

space. The duo teamed

THIS PAGE Furniture on

the ground floor of the

store is based on a

'masculine and dynamic

form', while the first floor

is more feminine, with

'fluid contour lines'.

Photo Courtesy Virgile

Simon Bertrand


HR I RETAIL THERAPY

up with Patrik Schumacher, a partner with Zaha Hadid

to create a shop that shifts between architecture and

sculpture, designed to parallel the same folding, pleat-

ing, cut-out and fixed-point design ethos utilized in the

brand's clothing.

"When we sat down to discuss what we were

going to do, Zaha came up with a concept in the first

ten minutes. She knew exactly what she wanted to

do, and I loved it. It's just like when I design my

collection - if I don't like the design right away then I

throw it out. If it is not eye-catching enough to get

someone's attention when walking past it on the racks

then it's garbage. The design of this shop was equally

instinctive - Zaha, Patrick and I were on the same page

of what the shop needed to be about," said Barrett in

an interview during the

opening of the store.

The original designs,

once drafted were

finalised and shaped by

3D computer generated

models. These were then

processed by the manu-

facturer using advanced

software to thermoform �

THIS PAGE This

interplay of the male and

female theme is further

accentuated through

the contrast in colour

and finish of the white

matt Corian furniture

finish against a black

glossy floor.


HR I RETAIL THERAPY

the Corian sheets into the 3D designed surfaces.

According to Hadid, a series of these surfaces were

fabricated with joints, ready to be assembled into larger

sections on site to create the actual store. Using the

latest 3D modelling and CNC programming solutions,

the architects have tried to guarantee a very precise

and automatic translation of the design into the

built structure.

It may not come through in the first glance, but on

closer inspection and attention to finer details also

brings forth the concept of the store which plays with

the complementary characteristics and the related

dualism between male and female. The design does

not define a single room or space, instead the viewer

finds that it creates a circular passage and the

customer is allowed to experience the space in mul-

tiple ways and interpretations.

This is also echoed in the furniture design on both

floors especially through the formal language and tac-

tile quality of the materials used. The furniture is staged

in key points throughout the store to create the spatial

concept of a narrow enclosure changing to an open

condition. In two formal elements the design shifts

between architecture and sculpture, where a compact

mass of surface layers unravel and fold to form the

shelving display and seating. The emerging folds are

designed to showcase Barrett's accessory collection.

The furniture piece on the ground floor is designed

as a strong, masculine and dynamic form whilst the

piece on the first floor enunciates femininity through

more fluid contour lines. The first floor is designed in a

more playful manner creating different zones that

maintain the perspective view between them. This

interplay between male and female is followed through

in the general aesthetic

concept, setting the furni-

ture piece with a white

smooth Corian finish

against the raw fair faced

concrete surface of the

rest of the space. This is

further accentuated through the contrast in colour and

finish of the white matt furniture finish against a black

glossy floor.

On the ground floor, towering, curved display racks

anchored in the center of the vast space have a

mystifying air. By contrast, the upper floor houses

womens wear in a cozy space with lower ceilings, but

an equally eclectic shelving system that folds and

curves to create a circular, continuing space.

According to Barrett, these architectural concepts

will be rolled out to all of the brand's upcoming flag-

ships worldwide to maintain the overall look of the store

that replicates clothing details. �

THIS PAGE A compact

mass of surface layers

unravel and fold to form

the shelving display for

accessories and the

seating space.


HR I CULT PRODUCT

Acoustics often get treated as a requirement

to be taken care of and seldom as a

design element. Here, we feature acoustic

panels that efficiently combine functionality

and aesthetics.

� Materials like glass, concrete and wood represent

avant-garde architecture. Though these materials

succeed in emphasizing the form and massing of the

structure - typically around which the contemporary

design revolves, they fail in providing good acoustic

systems. Today, acoustic design is not just about

gypsum boards and foam, it has become an integral

part of space design.

What follows is a discussion on a few acoustic

solutions that perform as a design element by thor-

oughly enhancing the décor of any given space and

simultaneously serve the function of sound control.

Offecct Panels

Offect is a Swedish company that develops and manu-

factures easy chairs, sofas, tables and accessories

for meeting-places and home environments and lately,

it has also been focussing on designing acoustic pan-

els. Offect had given international designers the task

of designing their own personal panels to find a solu-

tion to the constant struggle with acoustics in interior

design work. The focus was heavily on design, that’s

both attractive and of high quality, while also reducing

noise levels in a functional way and enhancing the sur-

roundings, whether in public spaces or in the home.

And the two outstanding designs that came through

this exercise were Karim Rashid’s FLO and Marre

Moerel’s Skyline.

The panels are flexible, create artistic patterns and

have some of the best noise-reducing capabilities on

the market. FLO panels designed by Karim Rashid are

ripple-like lightweight sound absorbers in the upper

frequency range (500 Hz

and above). These panels

help reduce disturbing

reflections of environmen-

tal sounds.

Karim Rashid says

“When I created FLO I

was inspired by sound

waves and digital data.

People today live in a very

digital world mentally, and

we need to catch up�

THIS PAGE TOP

Karim Rashid designs a

ripple like acoustic panel

- FLO for Offect.

BOTTOM Marre Moerel

designs a patterned

panel for Offect.

The pattern of ‘Skyline’

offers the possibilty of

different configurations

for the wall.


HR I CULT PRODUCT

with experiential design in the physical world to create

a balance. The FLO panels can be set continuously or

broken off in different ways. Placed horizontally the

pattern conveys a sense of water, and vertically it could

be described as light waves,” says Karim Rashid.

These panels are made from recyclable moulded

polyester fibre and are available in off-white, grey,

anthracite and fuchsia colours.

Skyline is another new design that offers a

completely different aesthetics than typical wall

ornamentation and still has the acoustic properties of

the others in the collection. Designed by Marre Moerel,

the mesh offers an asymmetrical shape which allows

for more variations of the installation. The wall panels

can be combined in different ways to meet the needs

of almost any room or environment. They can also be

used to improve privacy in an open work area such as

an office space or a restaurant.

Soundwave series is another of Offecct's creation

and is also made of recyclable moulded polyester fibre.

Soundwave series comprise of four panel types- Luna,

Scrunch, Swell and Swell Diffuser.

This series of sculptural wall panels combine

functionality and aesthetic

and is specifically de-

signed to enhance the

acoustic properties of any

interiors used for human

communication and�

THIS PAGE TOP The

Airflake sound absorbing

screen by Abstracta.

BOTTOM Soundwave

series by Offect.


HR I CULT PRODUCT

social interaction. While most acoustic products are

concealed in the fabric of the interior, sound wave

resembles 3D wallpaper, making acoustic control a

visible dimension of design and easy to apply in

existing interiors.

Each panel in the Soundwave series is designed

for a specific acoustic purpose. Successful acoustic

design requires a good understanding of the acoustic

properties of each panel type and a correct analysis of

the needs of an interior and this series is designed

keeping in mind the different acoustic needs.

Airflake by Abstracta

Decorative and functional sound absorbing screens

called Airflake are a recent introduction by Abstracta.

The Airflake wall coverings are moulded fibre felt

panels that divide the space to add a more intimate

feel at the same time gives an artistic touch. Designed

by Stefan Borselius, this modular system is built around

the shape of a hexagon in a variety of designs and

colours, which can be freely combined to create the

screen. It can be fixed to aluminium rails for mounting

on walls or ceilings.

Airflake News is a further development of the Airflake

idea. Made from moulded polyester fibre, with

laminated textile it has pockets that have the same

sound absorbing function

but can also be used to

store magazines. Airflake

News can also be

combined with the

ordinary Airflake

module.�

Tides Restaurant, New York

� Acoustics play a major role in a community

space . New innovative ways and materials are spar-

ingly explored but LTL Architects have come-up with

an unique material to deal with the acoustics. Typi-

cally, in commercial fit-outs, ceilings often suffer

great disservice as the forgotten elevation. Services

coordination is easily overlooked, and materials rarely

deviate from dry lining. Smoke detectors, light-fit-

tings and sprinklers compete in misaligned unre-

solved grids, despite the fact that when seen through

brightly-lit shop windows, free of merchandise, peo-

ple and clutter, the ceiling is often the most promi-

nent surface.

Tides, a New York restaurant explores different

configurations of bamboo. The designers invested

a great deal of time in the consideration of the ceil-

ing, providing an inverted acoustic topography that

helps mediate what they considered to be an inap-

propriately proportioned space for a small intimate

restaurant. The ceiling constitutes over 120 000 bam-

boo skewers (cut into three standard lengths) em-

bedded into a back-lit acoustical ceiling.�

THIS PAGE Airflake is

modular sound absorb-

ing screen introduced by

Abstracta that acts as

an aesthetical feature in

a space.


HR I GO GREEN

Japanese firm Vector Architects have de-

signed a temporary, easy-to-dismantle and

environment-friendly house in Beijing that

would be disassembled after 3 years.

� Sustainability or green architecture is not just about

structures that don't perish, it is also about materials

that sustain wear and tear and can be reused for some

other function or structure. With diminishing resources,

re-cycling and re-use is one of the most favourable

solution in the construction sector. In case of tempo-

rary structures the scope of re-use is considerably large.

As against the general belief that temporary structures

are stringently functional and aesthetically mundane,

Vector Architects design a 500 square metre floating

garden in Bejing, China for the temporary Guanganmen

Green Technology Exhibit. This modern, sustainable

structure in Beijing is a

temporary showcase for

sustainable residential

design, wrapped in an

eco-friendly envelope of

its own. The gorgeous

green-roofed structure is

situated in the central lawn

of a residential project by

China Resources Land

Limited. Listed on the

THIS PAGE The

building features grass

panels and a green roof

with integrated irrigation

systems. Vertical grass

walls enveloping the

steel structure help

maintain heat efficiency

while reducing heat gain

or loss.


HR I GO GREEN

Hong Kong Stock Exchange in November of 1996, China

Resources Land Limited (CR land) is the real estate

flagship of the China Resources Group. Its major

business is development and management

of residential and investment properties in

mainland China.

The design firm Vector Architects was recently

established by partners with combined experiences

in architecture design practice and real estate

development. The firm pursues the fundamental

simplicity and logical clarity through the everyday

thinking and working process. It has a peculiar design

philosophy, its process entails "designing the question",

based on the consideration of the program and the

clients need, and the understanding of social, cultural,

historic, climate, and urban context of each project.

They envision the idea of sustainability not only for

the completed buildings in their operations, but also

as a guidance of the design and construction proc-

ess. In this temporary green technology exhibit the

designers were asked to factor in three things while

site selection: minimal impact of the designed land-

scape construction, minimal impact of planned pe-

destrian circulation and easy demolition and site

recovery after use. "The

idea is to develop the con-

cept of "temporary" from

a more meaningful per-

spective, to design a

piece of floating "installa-

tion" in the garden, which

could be built, demol-

ished and recycled

through an easy and

straightforward way with

the least impact to the

planned site," the �

THIS PAGE TOP

RIGHT The aerial view

of the Guanganmen

Green Technology

Exhibit.TOP LEFT The

oblong form of the

temporary structure has

random cut - outs for the

openings. BOTTOM

The aesthetic interiors of

the house add to the

overall appeal of the


HR I GO GREEN

designers explain.

The building features grass panels and a green roof

with integrated irrigation systems. Steel makes up the

main structure and is reusable, and it's prefabricated

so as to minimize site impact. The building will be

used for three years as one of the CR Land's Residen-

tial projects. Set for deconstruction in 2011, the steel

frames will be salvaged for future projects and the

grass panels will be moved to a home on an adjacent

fence at the residence compound after demolition. The

elevated structure results in a reduction of excavation

and foundation work; allowing easy demolition and site

recovery after the project is completed.

Vertical grass walls enveloping the steel structure

help maintain heat efficiency while reducing heat gain

or loss. This grass-panelling system that covers the

structure's walls and roof also reduces storm water

runoff and increases the green space in this urban

centre. It also visually harmonizes the temporary

structure with the existing garden.

The elevation appears as an oblong form with ran-

dom cut-outs along its

length. The interior of the

structure is not neglected

and exudes its own charm

as does the exterior. Af-

ter three years time, this

avant - garde marvel will

be dismantled as sched-

uled, but long after it's

gone the conservational

principle behind its

conception will remain. �

THIS PAGE TOP The

model of Guanganmen

Green Technology

Exhibit.

BOTTOM LEFT Earthy

colours are used for the

contemporary interiors of

the house BOTTOM

RIGHT Close - up of the

vertical grass panel that

are used for the walls.

Project Profile

Location : Beijing.

Client : CR Land.

Architect: Design-partner-in-charge: Gong Dong.

Managing-partner-in-charge : Hongyu Zhang.

Project Architect : Shuo Li.

Architect : FLing Xiang, Chao Li.

Structure Engineer: Bo Song.

MEP Engineer: Jianjun Lv, Xiaohui

Zhong : C Kanglong Lian.

Steel Structure, Grass Panel with integrated

irrigation system

Building Area : 500m2

need to

decorate?

get home

review

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AN URBAN MONASTERYIn a Mumbai beachfront property, architect-designer Ashiesh Shah

brings the sea theme into play in a rather subtle way. The monotone

palette and the simple materials used make it appear monastic rather

than a beachy hideaway.

TEXT BY DEEPALI NANDWANI • PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE ARCHITECT

THIS PAGE The

colours of the art work

and the tones of the

yellow Jaisalmer flooring

are a rich contrast. The

home has several long,

narrow corridors ending

in nooks where the

bedrooms are located.

Mumbai's famous beachfront, Juhu Beach wasonce synonymous with old world bungalows. Now it has a rash of new buildings,

some rising even 30 floors and above. Amidst themodern skyscrapers, however, stands a modest con-temporary building belonging to one family. It hasreplaced a bungalow but unlike the other toweringapartment blocks and buildings surrounding it, it'stwo floors high and has a basement.

The home is located in an area known for fancyhomes owned by Mumbai's lotus eaters, particularlythe movie stars. In a clean break from the surround-ings, however, designerAshiesh Shah haseschewed the 'put inwhatever money can buy'attitude and designed itlike a clean, minimalurban monastery. Likeany monastery it's got theart. It's also got timberfurniture from LadhakhandPor tuguese- s ty lepieces from Goa. But thelines are clean and linear,

THIS PAGE The living

room of the house is

fringed in by French

windows that offer a

view of the sea.

BOTTOM The art

works, antiques and

sculptures all come from

the collection of the

owners who are avid

collectors and also have

a home in Ladakh.

the colours are monotone grey and white, the materi-als used are raw and earthy, and the emphasis is onno-ornamentation.

Shah came in at a stage when the inner spaces hadto be designed. Architecturally, it was all complete -an empty shell with spaces clearly demarcated. Thehome has several little hidden nooks and corners usedfor creating seating. Long corridors and passagewayslead to rooms that are hidden from the eyes. There isalso an elevated outer space, a wooden decksurrounded by neatly manicured lawns and swayingpalm trees, which opensto the sea and is separatedfrom the living room onthe ground floor by sheercurtains. There areseveral coconut trees inthe compound of thehouse and the woodendeck is built in a way thatit either skirts them orrevolves around them.

The ground and firstlevel are connected witha simple wood and glass�

THIS PAGE Shah has

subtly used the sea

theme. There are several

shell accessories placed

all over the house and

sea shells have even

been embedded in the

walls in some parts.

BOTTOM The home

has an elevated outer

space, a wooden deck

that opens up to a stone

platform and the sea.

stairway that has cantilevered steps. The owners enterthe home through the living room on the ground level.On the top floor are the private spaces - bedroomsand a guest room. Right below lies thebasement, where Shah has created a light-well. It's asimple square space that'stopped by a skylight.Light streams in throughthis little intervention inthe ceiling all through theday. Fringing thelight-well is a narrowcourtyard open to thesky. A symbol of fertilityand prosperity drawnfrom Hindu mythologyhas been etched on thecourtyard ground. "I havetried to incorporatemythology withindesign, without makingthe space seem overtlyethnic," says Shah.�

THIS PAGE TOP The

colours used in the

home are muted and

soft so as not to take

away from the stunning

beauty of the outside.

There is a certain

romantic quality to the

décor as is obvious from

the Goan four-poster

bed, the white curtains

and the old photograph

placed on a table.

BOTTOM An ancient

side table from the

family’s antique furniture

collection.

THIS PAGE The dining

table is part of the living

room space. To bring

that feel of a tropical

home or beach house to

this corner, Shah has put

in a banana plant. The

table too is in the shape

of a banana leaf.

A glass pane separates the courtyard from the base-ment light-well, where a collection of art and antiquesbelonging to the family is on display. It makes for aperfect retreat on a rainy day.

"The view is stupendous," says Shah, "so the easiestthing would have been tomake it look like a beachhouse. But it also had tolook urban, like it be-longed in Mumbai. Therehad to be anelement of practicality:the doors needed to belocked because we are ina city and not on someisland.The home had tobe kid-friendly, since thefamily has two."

The easiest way to dothat was by rounding offthe edges of the custom-made furniture.However, Shah has ex-tended those rounded�

THIS PAGE TOP

Some of the walls have

been plastered with IPS

cement and appear

unfinished. The combi-

nation of raw grey walls

and antique furniture

goes well with the

overall modern yet

ethnic theme of the

house. BOTTOM The

view of the courtyard

which is open to the sky

and fringes the base-

ment. The floor motif

and brass urli represents

peace and prosperity in

Hindu mythology.

THIS PAGE The

basement below has a

glass wall that offers a

view of a narrow court-

yard topped by a

skylight through which

streams in natural light

all through the day.


edges to the walls as well. Where the wall meets theceiling, you notice gently-rounded edges. The designerhas subtly used the sea theme across the house - themaster bathroom has shell accessories; sea shells havebeen embedded in the walls in some parts of the houseand in the master bedroom, a 19th century four-posterbed has been placed in front of large windows thatoffer a stunning sea-view.

The home reflects Shah's monastic concept throughthe use of materials and colours - wood, Crema - anItalian marble with matt finish, yellow Jaisalmer stoneand a grey-white colour palette makes it look, as hesays, "art gallery-ish". The grey works well with thegreyish-green colour tones of the Arabian Sea. Someof the walls have been plastered with IPS cement andappear raw or unfinished.Sunrays stream inthrough the expansivewindows, especially inthe living room, creatinga fascinating play of light

THIS PAGE The oak

wood kitchen is rather

small but a cosy space

located in a corner of the

lower floor.

and shadow on the walls. The owners of the homehave a collection of contemporary art, including worksby Navjot, Rekha Rodwittiya and Justin Ponmany,which is on display.

Like any good home by the sea this Juhu bunga-low too is elevated, which helps secure the house andkeeps it from getting flooded when the monsoons areheavy, which is more often the case in Mumbai. Like alot of well-designed beach houses, this one too has afront patio and large, floor-to-ceiling windows,affording a sea view from every part of the house.

"Generally, I like to go beyond just designingspaces," says Shah. "I like to pick up the accessories,furnishings, china and the tableware. But here I havedipped into the art and antique collection of the fam-ily, which spans several centuries and genres. Therewere sculptures and paintings and ancient carpets topick from." Clever construction techniques make pos-sible a variety of private spaces that are hidden behindclosed doors. An understated décor style keeps the stun-ning ambience at the core of the design.�


THIS PAGE Simple

local materials make the

floors and walls. Varsha

and Deepak Guggari try

to avoid the tendency to

adopt hi-tech, foreign

materials without really

trying to use what’s

available locally for

example there is an

extensive use of Basalt

stone and sleeper wood

in the house.

TEXT BY PAULOMI PATEL • PHOTOGRAPHS HEMANT PATIL COURTESY THE ARCHITECTS

A LOCAL FLAVOURPune based architects Varsha and Deepak Guggari of VDGA create an

architectural marvel built on a grid program, amalgamating inexpensive

locally available materials with innovative thinking.


At first sight of the Patil House, oxymoronsabound. Contemporary and classical. High-endstyle, low-end specifications. And most

important, versatility. This house is an out-come ofpermutations and combinations of spaces in sections.There's a visual continuity between the spaces thatmake the area look like it is interwoven, as a result,the visual connect, causes the entire house to have aseamless flow of space. Designed by Varsha and DeepakGuggari, the 5,500 sq. ft. house stands in the CloverPinnacle Ridge area in Kondhwa, Pune.

"In any structure, or while building any house,the materials are very important, but what's foremostis the space on which the house will stand, thesurroundings and the overall ambience - this formsthe soul of the house that ultimately affects thedesign," says architect Deepak Guggari.

Both Deepak and his wife Varsha, who started theirpractice together some five years ago, are alumni ofPrince Shivaji College of Architecture in Kolhapur. ThePatil House, owned by Guggaris' close friends Pravinand Pallavi Patil, was amongst their first projects. Ittook about 18 months to be completed and the ap-proximate cost of the project was around Rs. 1.5 crores.

As we enter the house, an alley with sleeper wood�


THIS PAGE The

imposing linear form of

the structure - there are

lawns adjoining the

house on all sides.

OPPOSITE PAGE

Another view of the outer

façade. BOTTOM A

mosaic wall adds an

element of interest and

reflects sunlight from

one of the balconies of

the Patil House.


pergolas filter in just the right amount of light castingsciographies and exhibiting an interesting play ofshadows around our moving bodies, marking the mainentrance. The shadows, in fact, are a prominentfeature all through the house, caused mainly by theinteresting use of light. "Most places in India areblessed with beautiful natural light and I wanted toplay with this free resource while creating this place,"says Guggari. The house almost charts the time of dayand the changing seasonsthrough the play of lightand shadow on its walls.It is a space that adaptsand reinvents itself. Theeffect - an almostglamorously eerie feelingof depth and light -creates forms on theotherwise bare wallsalmost like movingpaintings that respond tothe inhabitants inside thehouse and change shapewith the changingnatural light outside,

THIS PAGE The

staircase leading to the

first level; like the rest of

the interiors it’s kept

bare and in all-white

colour scheme not

breaking away from the

overall ambience.

BOTTOM The view

from the dining room

diplays the staircase

that leads to the upper

floor while the adjoining

pool casts beautiful

reflections.


thus compensating for any static art installation.While walking through the alley, we get a view of

the Zen Buddha courtyard. Long bamboo shoots atthe entrance of this courtyard welcome us even as theymetaphorically tie up the vertical volume of the house.Again, the shadows cast by their leaves make excellentwall embellishments while their rustle addssubtleness to the overall ambience.

Speaking about the obvious emphasis on naturalelements as eye-catching ornamentation Guggaricomments, "One of my biggest style philosophy is touse as much natural material as possible. Withtechnological developments worldwide,there exists an easytendency to go for hi-tech,foreign materials, oftenwithout really tryingwhat's available locally. Iam not adverse totechnology, but I dobelieve in exploring thefull potential of thematerials that are availableto me naturally and�

THIS PAGE To balance

the external, natural

elements that adorn the

house, the interiors have

been kept minimal.

BOTTOM Across the

living room, there is the

prayer-room, divided by

a rectangular pool

flanked by very inviting

basalt steps on the

sides.


locally, before using high-end international items. Notonly are the local options often cost-effective, butthere's a beauty is their simplicity that seems to beoverlooked." The fact that more architects go for theformer, also makes local items one-off, adding a'different' look to the interiors.

Moving into the house, the ground floor has theliving room, flanked on two sides by beautifullandscape creations. Across the living room, there isthe prayer-room, dividedby a rectangular poolflanked by very invitingbasalt stone steps on thesides. Together, the prayerroom and adjoiningwater body create afeeling of sanctity in theotherwise modern settingof the house. What'smore, the house is con-structed such that mostcorners overlook thiscentral water body.

On the eastern side,the dining area faces the

THIS PAGE The view

of the entrance and Zen

Buddha courtyard as

seen from the living

area:the sleeper wood

pergola casts an

interesting set of

shadows in the entrance

court. BOTTOM The

water body in front of

the Puja room crafts a

perfect ambience and

the black basalt stone

steppers in the water

body complete the look.


lawn. Another smaller pool adjoining the staircasecatches the reflections and as we travel up thestaircase to the next level, it becomes obvious hownatural elements have been used to their bestadvantage in this house.

On the first level, the master bedroom includes acourt that opens up an interesting vista andintroduces a lot of freshness and natural light into theroom. This court is a prominent feature and negatesthe need for any superficial adornment. There is anabundant use of glassthroughout and thetoilet walls too are re-placed by glass that visu-ally open up the space.

To balance the exter-nal natural elements, theinteriors have been keptminimal and thefurniture simple, coupledwith colourful fabrics forsoft furnishings that spec-tacularly set off the look,a concept that repeats inthe entire house.�

THIS PAGE Solid

coloured furnishings

complement the natural

elements that play the

feature role in the house.

BOTTOM A natural

light well in the master

bedroom not just makes

this house eco-friendly,

but also works well as a

design element because

of the way it integrates

with the overall scheme

of the house.


In the family room, on the first level, theambience changes to that of a darker variety - neces-sary for the theatre that the room houses. In addition,a table converted from an original camel-cartaccompanies lose cushions and beanbags that are spreadrandomly across the wooden floor adding to thecozy-casualness of the room.

Another interesting feature of the house is that allthe interior walls are devoid of any colour, which isreflected in the house only through furnishings andartifacts. Only one type of veneer is used which ac-centuates the simplicity. The flooring has been adornedwith low-cost marble and rough hammer tonecudappah complimenting the rest of the materials.

According to Guggari, the entire house has beenbuilt on a grid (X-axis - 12ft; Y-axis - 8ft). "Since mycollege days, I have been very fascinated about gridsand the way a concept can be developed on them.Even a simple plan has a great potential and a goodgrid guarantees a perfect final product," he says. Healso emphasizes that he does not prefer to follow anyparticular style of architecture. "Doing so can kill myown potential. I want to be flexible so I look atdifferent styles, but finally our own style is always anamalgamation. Each project that Varsha and I take upis like a first project and before delving into it, Ibecome a child who is looking at the entire gamut ofarchitecture and interiors for the first time."

Looking at the Patil House, Godspeed we say!�

THIS PAGE A side

view of the courtyard -

there is a fascinating

emphasis on natural

elements and stunning

details. BOTTOM Floor

plans of the Patil House.


THIS PAGE Globally

overlapping interior

design touches reveal

themselves in this niche

leisure cum reading

room. Circa 1928 chairs

designed by Mies van

der Rohe occupying

place of pride in the

library. OPPOSITE

PAGE TOP The struc-

ture looks like a skewed

box that has emerged

from the use of compos-

ite materials like wood

and concrete.

BOTTOM An aerial

view of the courtyard

bound by a ramp, stairs

and a lift at its corners.

TEXT BY DEEPANJOLIE FIGG• PHOTOGRAPHS JOGINDER SINGH COURTESY MATHAROO ASSOCIATES

ECLECTIC LIVINGMatharoo Associates create a customized and contemporary residence

with a soul, drawing influences from the work of Japanese design guru

Tadao Ando.


Ahmedabad based Matharoo Associates were chosen by a successful diamond-cutter for his Surathome because of their distinctive design

philosophy and ability to design and deliver amazinggeometrical curves, combining these with immensefunctionality in private living areas. "The client wanted‘the ultimate space’ created and that's what wegave him," revealed Principal Architect,Gurjit Singh Matharoo.

That their creativity is unrestricted by budgetlargesse or limitations - and dependent on a client'sprimary wishes and needs is made very clear byMatharoo, who says at the very onset, "I always stickto the brief - it is important to keep the client's likesand dislikes in mind besides their needs, more so for aresidential project. Yes, I do have a definite contem-porary style but functionality is never compromisedand neither is the beauty of the space."

The very structure of the stylish, modernist andrather elitist Shah House in Surat, Gujarat, for 40-year old Parag Shah and his 5 member family (a textiledesigner wife, a college going son, an autistic son andelderly parents) was defined by the migrantbusinessman decisively wanting to block out thetypical Indian city sounds, smells and sights.

The last includes two of Parag Shah's pet peeves - alow-slung, gray block and a multi-storied concretetower. Both these eyesores for the client caused himto wish his home should be far-removed in 'designsensibilities' that he believed most Indian home-designers and buildings were seriously lacking in; these,Parag felt, took a lot away from the advancedaesthetics - he personally preferred to base his homeplan on his favourite architect, Tadao Ando (Japan), aPritzker prize winner's vision!

The story of the Shah house unfolds with thediscerning client's wish for converting his 3000 sq.mts,odd-shaped plot in Surat into a personalized, highlyevolved and exclusive housing space that wouldreflect refined, fresh, innovative and internationalflavours that also absorb innately Indian family needsfor a small, social and highly cultured residentialgroup spanning three generations and their hugecollection of art!

The cross-border interior design touches to theShah house come courtesy varied influences for bothclient and designer; there is clear evidence of heavyinspiration having been derived from Ando's Japanesegenius for using light across smooth concretestructures as well as his master strokes - includingnature into the house-plan, (which MatharooAssociates have also emphasized upon for the Shahhouse as our support graphics reveal).

Additionally, assorted European designembellishments both Gurjit Matharoo and Parag Shahjointly sourced from around the globe on various busi-ness trips are also worth a look. Of special mention�


THIS PAGE Apart

from the stylish, stain-

less-steel cooking island

and the wood-clad

walls, the kirchen is

well-equipped with other

amenities like, ovens,

deep freezers and

microwaves, making it a

chef’s delight to work in!

OPPOSITE PAGE A

sky-lit Jacuzzi in the

basement area of the

Shah House; additional

mood lighting provides

the intimate touch when

needed while a concrete

pillar dominates the rest

of the setting.


here, would be, that the home's 'style sourcing'for furniture was pegged at over $100,000 (fixturesand fittings)!

With both designer and client having businessinterests spread across Europe, it proved easy enoughto combine trips for attending to these along with abit of home décor shopping. As a consequence, theRem Koolhaas dining table of glass and steel makesfor designer dinner times, with a Poul Henningsenplastic PH Artichoke lamp well at home perched atopit - indicating Danish design authority recognized bya pair of young men with high style quotients - whilecirca 1928 chairs designed by Mies van der Rohe claimplace of pride in the library (a floor above the diningarea). These eclectic home fashion ideas drawattention to a subtle and urbane residentialatmosphere that is a point of coming together for chicapproaches of international origin fused in the Shahhome, as the German touch assuages earlier domina-tion of Oriental or distinctly Indian influences here.

As far as the client's clear inclination towardseverything with a Tadao Ando touch is concerned, it�


THIS SPREAD The

bedroom covered with

Burma teak gives a

warm touch to the cool

concrete slabs that

comprise the walls,

while Kadapah floors

absorb the restricted

sunlight that enters the

dressing area outside

the bathroom.

OPPOSITE PAGE

Clever use of both life-

size wall art and smaller

choices of oil paintings

displayed in the central

part of the Shah home.


is very obvious - albeit in a restrained manner - thanksto the convergence of essential Indian materials e.g.the concrete pillar in the basement, the black stone(Kadapah) flooring and rough, red sandstone courtyard(reminiscent of Rajasthani houses) with the vitaltechnique of the famed Japanese architect e.g.the Church of Light, Osaka, which is the understatedmuse for this Matharoo Associate's creation - theShah House!

Light forms flit across vast areas of the homeunhindered by tall, overpowering home décor accents.Most of these are elegant in simplicity when they arenot making spiritually powerful statements. A sophis-ticated, urbane and utilitarian stainless steel cookingisland flanked by deep freezers, ovens and microwavesin the kitchen is most appreciatedby Meeta, the young wife. Lighter, elemental toucheswing across other connecting spaces of the Shah House,such as the corridor where stalks of bamboo whisperlow across narrow channels of water that mirrorthe late afternoon sun's beams off polished blackstone floors.

Italian travertine in the drawing room, almond trees

in the outdoor pavilion area across and a doubleconcrete skin encasing of the house (to ensure coolinteriors) make for other aspects of the Shah House'sfundamental design concept - that of blending natureinto the sub-continentally situated space, which wearsits ancestral roots from Rajasthan (red sandstoneopen courtyard scheme that allows for free-flowingfamily gatherings in private, intimate andcomfortable surroundings) well as it does its otherdesign highlights.

Bedrooms clad in Burma teak (5 in number) lendthe Shah home its share of natural warmth; light spill-ing into various parts of the house from the roof cheersup glass strips within especially delighting the boys,Siddharth 17, and Sumeet, 10, who have theirbedroom windows opening to the courtyard in theheart of the house from where the waving stalks ofbamboo do the rest of the soul-speak - as intended!

If one hums a bar of two of 'Make the world goaway' in the Shah House courtyard, it wouldn't beout of place considering that's exactly what the clientbrief desired and that's what was achieved by thedesign team. The Shah House's notional centre - its�


courtyard and tree - is enclosed by vertical circulationelements like a ramp, stairway and even a lift that freesup a lot of space for a clean, green and a relaxed livingenvironment for assorted family activities even as therough concrete shell around these inner areas serves asa climatic and social buffer between the inside worldand the one outside.

As Mr. Matharoo says, "My design approach is notbased on fashion but on something more fundamen-tal - the need to create environments that are custom-ized for clients. I like to build less, build with natureand create spaces, which will emote. These should bespaces that are restrained so that they give a sense ofdiscovery to those looking at them." His designapproach to the Shah House reiterates this essentialphilosophy: with its 'wall to wall' Haveli homeconstruction style so visibly pointing to those built inNorthern Gujarat (from where the family originates),merging of distinct spaces that convene businessmeeting needs with family use functionality and therequirement for each resident here for their ownprivate domain being catered to while also managingto overlap these with vital common areas.

So, while site lines are irregular and angular to thepoint of leaving rectangular margin areas, the designapproach, as an attempt at generating a skewed box ofwood-form finish reinforced concrete in a bid to wardoff externally disturbing forces, has definitely been a

successful one for both Matharoo and Shah.The courtyard is this core space in this home that

has been rightly identified as its cosmic axis. This is sobecause the lone tree in the courtyard serves as thenavel of all energy concentrations for residents - Parag'smother may retire to the cosiness of her bedroom oc-casionally, but returns to chat with her daughter rightoutside her room while her elderly spouse prefers towatch the evening come upon him while sitting nearthe lift where the warmth generated by itsheated shaft takes away some of the nip thataccompanies dusk.

Hence, the primary idea of all radiating site linesconverging into this lone tree in the courtyard is whathas actually worked morefor bringing a harmoni-ous confluence of indi-vidual private needswithin the Shah Housemore than all thecritically acclaimed piecesof furniture (outsourcedfrom the best design firmsfrom Italy and elsewhere)or even the customizedessentials for doing uptheir kitchen, gym, doorsand gates, we declare.�

THIS PAGE A view of

the courtyard from the

formal living room is

ample evidence of the

homage he has cre-

atively managed to pay

to his favourite architect,

Tadao Ando. From

imaginative use of light

blended with smooth

concrete to soft natural

forms filling the open

courtyard.


For Chilean architects Alvaro Ramirez and ClarisaElton, their personal needs for restorative holidaying and professional inspiration for combin-

ing architectural aesthetics with environmental dia-logue in a natural, contemporary yet minimal wayproved to be the guiding force behind their contem-porary cliff-top cabin in Buchupureo, Chile.

Granting residents a breath-taking view of the Chil-ean coast, this rustic retreat is located on a secludedcoastal strip in the central-south of Buchupureo, (VIIIregión del Bío-Bío of the Northwest Territories).

It has been designed in a manner that integratesboth the local respect for indigenously available andtraditionally preferred materials although, these weregiven an unconventional twist. The roof design of thecabin is particularly significant in terms of traditonallypopular materials being used in an alternative way.Lime stone is regarded as quite a protagonistic ele-ment among local "architecture materials," it has onlybeen used to build walls (a common style in Ireland,the designers reveal); never been used as a roof coveringas the Alvaro-Moletto team have reinvented it as beinguseful for!

The roofing was one of the many architecturallysalient features Alvaro and Clarisa achieved for theirrústico retiro; others include design concepts like thecabin being perched on exposed stilts (a feature thatreduces the project's intervention into the soil), itsdistinctive shape and its position (on a steep slope)

that reduces environmental impact through minimalexcavation as the elevated arrangement allows for thefree flow of water beneath the structure.

The cabin plan combines 3 different living condi-tions into its compact and utilitarian form in amanner that promotes maximum functionality withminimum fuss. At the fundamental level of designplanning, the Casa blueprint lay the firm groundingfor the cabin to include a room with a bathroom, anopen space meeting the kitchen area and keeping theterrace in the middle to serve as the articulator of boththese main spaces. All these sections within the cabinafford a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.

The open space leading up the kitchen serves as awelcome zone for entertaining and interacting withextra 'guest spill-overs' while the hosts attend tokitchen chores; its modern residential design schemeintends fashion to occasionally take-over from func-tionality but never deviates from utilitarian groundsas the brightly coloured deck-chairs, the white footstools made from pine trees (designed by the archi-tect duo), the otherwise regular-looking dining chairs(courtesy Home Depot) that were given a dash of redpaint at their feet by the designers themselves - "justto perk them up a bit!" so clearly show.

The architect-owners of the cabin have beenprofesionals since 2002 and hail from Santiago, thecapital of Chile, travelling often to this area "to enjoythe rustic life and the natural enviroment of this area,�

TEXT BY DEEPANJOLIE FIGG • PHOTOGRAPHS CARLOS FERRER, ALVARO RAMIREZ AND CLARISA ELTON.

CABIN CLASSA true-blue Rústico Retiro that allows its architect-owners

the quietude of a holiday home and a space to embrace the ocean.


THIS PAGE A view of the

pine-wood cabin from the

bottom of the cliff it is perched

on. OPPOSITE PAGE Casa

Buchupureo’s aerial view

displaying the resourceful use

of locally available materials in

an alternate way as limestone

(Laja) restricted for building

walls finds itself serving as

roof covering.


just six hours away by car but favorable more as a week-end getaway or summer vacations, since work-life atthe office is demanding, too," revealed Alvaro.

"The cabin is used seasonally, from late August tobeginning of May, but we occasionally use it in wintertoo; it was designed more as a summer retreat. A tem-perate climate, characterized by four clearlydemarcated seasons - lots of rain during winter, ahealthy mix of sun-and-rain in spring and plenty ofsun and wind during summers made us decide on thecabin's northward orientation while the roofingelement of the cabin helps to maximize the sunglightreceived all-day long. The limestone on the terraceprovides protection from the chill-factor of southernwinds during summer and we have included a simple,yet effective heating system in the living area,"elaborates Alvaro. (An old-style "wood cooker" stovefacilitates heating as well as cooking while the bedroomhas the classic wood stove).

The bathroom, done up in pure pine wood, is apeaceful, private rejuvenating spot for the residents:"Yeah, the bathroom is a special place for us. In allour projects, we put some detail in material that givesa unique "ambience", in this case we chose only woodas the main covering material, the exception was thetub area, which we covered with limestone. The �


THIS PAGE Mixed décor

accents fill up this cozy cabin

space and a part of the outside

environment seeps into the

warmth of the kitchen, dining

and lounge area via the glass

window. OPPOSITE PAGE

Clarisa absorbing the rejuve-

nating sights and sounds of

the ocean ahead and its

contextual dialogue with the

homely, yet unconventional

design of her cabin bound by

the expansive environment

enclosing it.


washbasin is actually a wood salad bowl hand-craftedby men from the south of Chile; they worked thisway with wood from the humid forest. It's stillworking!"

The loyalty to the local touch is in evidence in thecouple's luxurious bedroom-ensuite as well, as Alvarorevealed, "We designed the bedspreads; they were pro-duced in a village close to Buchupureo and we speci-fied the black strips were to be alternated with rawcolor." Clarisa's creative hobby-crafting occupies placeof pride in their private space and Alvaro underlinesthe fact that though a house is made of bricks, a homeis built up of many, small personal touches as he tellsus "Well, we bought the lamps - typical Japanese pa-per lamps...Clarissa made the macrame wall hanging."

Though it is designed much along the lines of amodern country cabin, Alvaro and Clarisa's holidayhome allows them to stay connected with their ethnicroots much in part due to the fact that its location isso unique, their green surroundings that are part of abio-reserve and also because of their personal beliefs:"Our designs beliefs are that architecture has to be aclose dialogue with the enviroment. We try to printthis idea in all the designs we make."

Alvaro elucidates, " We were very clear about theposition of the cabin before we had the budget to do

it, it was a little and protected "corner" before the cliffbegins...a place that faces the north, which has a lot oflocal vegetation too. These were important points toconsider for conceptualizing the cabin design, espe-cially in the way that the cabin joins the slope; that'swhy we considered pillars as the main structure - so asnot to ruin the "flora" and ensure we are alwayssourrounded by it. The other consideration was thepanoramic view - being closer to the waves and ulti-mately, to the infinite ocean."

Thus, the project was implemented taking intoconsideration the sportive (Alvaro is happy surfing insummer), the tranquil (Clarisa is content drinking inthe calm of the view from her cabin's sit-out) and thescenic possibilites (their guests confess to never get-ting enough of the renewing sounds and sights of thevast ocean view) of living along a remote coastal trailwhere the tremendous surge of the ocean waves con-ducts a contextual dialogue with the structural designof the cabin and the expansive environment enclosingit. With such clear-cut design concepts governing theminds of the creators, it was no wonder that the cabinproject was wrapped up in a mere 6 months of con-struction work starting on it - a fact that also enabledthe architect-owners to work up a fabulously afford-able, functional and environmentally-friendly �


THIS PAGE A partial

view of the glass-

enclosed sit-out under-

lines the fact how the

natural timber of the

framework blends with

the colours of the cliff-

face in a innately per-

sonal manner, integrat-

ing the building into the

landscape elements and

its interiors. OPPOSITE

PAGE LEFT The close -

up of the Laja - clad

roof. RIGHT The com-

pact, peaceful ambience

of the softly-lit bathroom

at Casa Buchupureo that

is all it promises to be is

done up in pure pine

wood.Its highlight is the

wood salad bowl

washbasin, hand-crafted

by men from the south

of Chile.


retreat in approximately USD 15,000 for the 55m2

Casa Buchupureo project.Most of the structural elements of the cabin, in-

cluding external and interior cladding, are left opento view and have been created from locally availablewood but treated according to the roles they have toplay. For example the pillar structures and beam pieceshave been treated differently so they provideprotection against moisture while the interior claddinghas been brushed and left un-treated as precipitationis insignificant inside, but the external cladding hasbeen painted with carbolineum for maximumresistance to natural elements.

Locally preferred materials like Laja stone andwood that dominate architecture in the region (mostfences in the area are built with laja stone and mudand many re-use old house floors for extra supportand to economize on construction values) have beenused innovatively for the roofing structure in Alvaroand Clarisa's Buchupureo cabin, where the V-shapedroof detaches itself from the wall designs towards thefront and rear of their home to let in light, warmthand a considerable sense of spaciousness. While theLaja stone serves as a protective cladding on the roof,it is also a mark of cultural adaptation and naturalconnectivity as it integrates the building to its rockybeginnings and when viewed from the beach, the natu-ral timber framework of the cabin blends in with thecolours of the cliff-face - a homecoming of all visual,structural and emotive experiences! �

THIS PAGE The local

stone Laja used to cover

roof, was thought of as

an element of both local

architecture and land-

scape elements blend-

ing the building into the

rocky shores below.

Conversely the view up

from the beach sees the

timber framework match

the colours of the cliff

face. BELOW The

section and the plan of

the cliff house - Casa

Buchupareo


THIS PAGE The overall

scenario is that of a

dominant floor plane

with darker and heavier

materials, while the

pivoting/ rotating sur-

faces that reconfigure

spaces, are at different

times, based on the use

of lighter/ translucent

materials to create a

dialectic ambience.

OPPOSITE PAGE The

fluoroscent green chair

in the living area comes

through as an element of

awe in an otherwise

neutralised setting.

TEXT BY SAVITHA HIRA•PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE ARCHITECTS MO-OF

BLURRED BOUNDARIESArchitectural firm MO-OF and reputed fine artist Bose Krishnamachari

blend the best of art and design to create a home that juxtaposes panache

with temperance.


When two creatives merge their individualisticsensibilities, the resultant 'work of art' eitherfollows a dominant-submissive line of

thought or converges at a point of harmonic synergy.Reputed fine artist Bose Krishnamachari's residencein suburban Mumbai is a fine example of the latter, ashis artistic nuances mingle with those of his architectsand designers Shantanu Poredi and Manisha Agarwal.

Refurbishing Bose' residence entailed connectingtwo one-bedroom apartments to create a large two-bedroom home with an open landscaped terrace.Needless to say, the apartment was to be a projectionof his artistic leaning and lifestyle. Following a briefthat underlined minimum clutter as its foremostrequisite and envisaged a one-ness with nature, thespaces are designed to flow into each other with aconscientious juggling of essential partitions and theapartment stylised in an unusual juxtaposition of form,colour and texture.

Working on a premise that goes beyond thephysical plane, the designers and the artist establish adialogue that seeks to meet the aesthetic apparent ofboth. An open-plan schematic is endorsed by thehomeowner's user patterns, and a flexibility of spacesis achieved by shifting and sliding surfaces; foldingplanes of enclosure to expand and combine spaces ofliving based on their function and programmaticspecificity. Further, hinging and pivoting objects(suspended T.V) and furniture (Murphy bed) allowfor enhanced flexibility as the design seeks to dissolvethe hermetic distinctions that are generic to a Mumbaiapartment format.�


The home is announced via the characteristic andcharismatic bold strokes of a Bose painting on theentrance door. The apartment then unfolds throughan amalgamation of audacious, commanding elementsviz., a parrot-green acrylic chair, large sculptural centre-piece in natural fibre, yet another in black granite, aquaint coat hanger… forming distinct pockets ofinterest and interpretation. Individual vistas attractand then merge into each other creating a holisticinclusion; indoors become one with the outdoors aslarge bay windows sustain awareness of the terracebeyond. Form, colour, texture and materials vie forattention, simultaneously, yet communicate restraintin the viewer.

To capture the essence of Bose' work, the entirehome is treated with a backdrop of dull metallic huesagainst which are juxtaposed vibrant shades of joie devivre and chiaroscuro elements that bathe theapartment with a touch of whimsy. Creating adominant ground plane is the flooring in engineered-wood and copper-finished metallic vitrified tiles, thatconnects the entire house homogenously. A vibrantuse of colours that are so integral to Bose' art are thenext most significant element that catch the eye,bouncing off with the play of natural and artificial�


THIS PAGE The use of

bright and bold colours

is a clear reflection of

Bose’s influence in the

space OPPOSITE

PAGE TOP An element

of awe in an otherwise

neutralised setting.

BOTTOM The kitchen

is conceptualised as a

semi-privy space and is

enclosed via a double-

layered brush-finished

stainless steel perfo-

rated screen that shifts

to allow for inclusion

rather than exclusion of

spaces.


THIS PAGE TOP The

master bedroom has a

platform bed with a

ledge running on three

sides.

light creating varying hues. Likewise, silver leaf-workon the wardrobe with back-lit translucent glasscontrasts with rich colours, leading to an overallscenario that holds the dominant floor plane withdarker and heavier materials, while the shifting/pivoting/ opening/ rotating surfaces that reconfigurespaces, are at different times, based on the use oflighter/ translucent materials to create a dialecticambience.

Seamless and easy to maintain materials ensurefunctionally dedicated spaces whilst the major areais left roomy. The bay windows connecting living-dining areas to the terrace account for an expansiveunified space ideal for a large gathering. Taking theinside-outside premise a step further, the simplefurniture is effectively added on to through a wideseat in one of the bay windows. On a similar principleof connectivity, the kitchen is conceptualised as asemi-privy space and is enclosed via a siding shutterthat opens up partially or completely to fulfilsituational demands. Incidentally, this shutterextends to the master bedroom too providing it witha ditto treatment. These double-layered brush-finished stainless steel perforated screens shift andcombine to allow for inclusion rather than exclusion

of spaces as desired.The concept of visually expanding the existing

1300 sq. ft. area of the apartment was initially to behighlighted through canopied shutters for the terracewhere the living room was to open into the terracevia top-hung mechanized doors powered byhydraulic pumps; regrettably, this did not prove verypragmatic. However, the resultant spatialconfiguration with the use of bright and bold colours

Project Profile

Project : Bose Residence

Location : Borivili, Mumbai

Client : Radhika and Bose

Krishnamachari

Architect : MO-OF, Shantanu

Poredi and

Manisha Agarwal

Design Team : Mangala Shetty

Project Area : 1300 Sqft

Contractors : MO-Of Team

Initiation of Project : January 2006

Completion of Project : July 2006


THIS PAGE TOP The

roomy living room

connects with the

terrace through large bay

windows. Select acces-

sories anoint the area. .

BOTTOM Another view

of the colourful living

space.

is a clear reflection of Bose's influence in the space.In fact, Bose helped determine the palette of coloursof each space and element. The client-designersynergies were enhanced by Bose hand-picking smallfitments and fixtures and the designer integratingthem into a complete whole with the added expertiseon the kind and type of lighting, which is integral toan effective intended ambience. As the architects say,"Interior Urbanism is a vital feature of our practice -it simply refers to an increasing interest in not onlycreating interior spaces relative to the public realmbut also concerns the integrating of internal andexternal environments". Thus emerges a home thatblurs boundaries.�


HR I PROMOTION

� The Kaneria Group founded and initiated by

Shri Anil Kaneria (CMD) has been manufacturing

ceramic glaze frit for the last couple of years. Kaneria

Glaze International, one of the units of the group stands

as a fast growing name worldwide serving large

number of industries with exceptionally good

performance.

Kaneria Tiles produce polished vitrified granito tiles

which are available in variants like full body tiles, double

charge tiles, multi-charge tiles, natural stone tiles and

soluble tiles. Maintaining quality as the supreme

benchmark, the company uses imported raw materi-

als to give texture, lustre and durability. Hence, with

the strict quality control mechanism adhered to by the

company, the tiles retain the glossiness and bright-

ness for a long time to come. The company also puts

its products through heat tests, giving the tiles ther-

mal shock resistance, higher stain resistance and lower

product contamination.

Keeping track of the changing tile preferences,

Kaneria Tiles has introduced tiles in different sizes from

600x600 mm to 1805x905 mm. Estimating that

2.50x2.50, 800x800 mm tile shall be an ideal prefer-

ence for Indian markets, the company further sets plans

to launch this tile version, which would be cost effec-

tive and available in different shades and colours.

Kaneria encompasses a favourable marketing

divide in 13 zones and showrooms in all major cities in

India. As per the company's expansion plans, it shall

escalate its production from 16,000 sq mt per day to

32,000 sq mt per day by October 2010.

Contact

Kaneria Granito Ltd.

606/A-2, Tirupati Plaza,

Nr. Collector Office, Athwagate,

Surat - 395001,

Tel: (0261) 6588888 / 6599999


Web: www.kaneriatiles.net �

� Symphony, one of the largest air cooler manufac-

turers has come out with yet another innovation, and

this time it is with a new range of Sauna Water Heat-

ers that come with a new Power Saver Technology (PST)

in the geysers segment.

PST comprises of unique double insulation which

retains the temperature of water for longer periods and

further reduces power consumption. PST also com-

prises of an exceptionally superior technology termed

the ‘Whirlflow’ mechanism to enable faster heating

while avoiding direct contact between the cold and

hot water inside the tank, which further helps in saving

power. In addition, Symphony Sauna consists of high

density Polyurethane Foam (PUF) insulation that mini-

mizes the heat loss. There is also a second layer of

special glass wool insulation in the storage water heat-

ers. Thus double insulation ensures minimum heat loss

and maximum power savings.

Energy efficiency of Sauna water heater is

equivalent to 5 star energy standards. Its rust and shock

proof body meets the highest safety standards and

comes in all capacities with designer control panel

and multiple colour options. The product also comes

with a heavy gauge tank which can withstand high

pressures as well as hard water conditions.

Symphony is one of the few consumer durable

companies to have introduced path breaking new

products during last 14 months. Its products are widely

exported and are available in more than 42 countries

all over the world.

Contact

Symphony Comfort System Ltd

‘Saumya’, Bakeri Circle, Navrangpura,

Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380014

Tel: (079) 26424430


Web: www.symphonycomfort.com �


TEXT BY KANISHKA RAMCHANDANI•PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE ARCHITECTS

A SPIRITUAL AURANitin Khatwani conjures a mediatative haven wth a Zen-like aura in a city

apartment. The architect cleverly fuses a linear design program with a

minimalist aesthetic.


When spiritualism is the way of living, whatbetter than a Zen-inspired design for yourhome? DCA Architects' client Ninad

Pardesi wanted such a place for himself, wherein hecould proclaim his faith. He explicitly wished for aminimalist approach with due stress on practicality.And what Architect Nitin Khatwani created for himwas a home that has all the comforts of modern liv-ing and an enhanced aura of divine presence in it.

The site was a two bedroom apartment thatopened both on the east and west fronts. Keeping inmind the client's requirement for a meditative haven,Khatwani designed the space on simplistic lines, witha touch of Zen. The design created linear divisionsbetween the living area and the bedroom and prayerroom, divided by the service areas.

Khatwani has created a true Zen ambience, downto the last detail. A Zen style calls for harmoniousinterface of form and space, which results in a sooth-ing and pleasing atmosphere. With the lineardivision of space, the living area sits facing themultitudinous expanse of the ocean in the west whilstthe bedroom faces the rising sun.

Following the diktat 'less is more', the designerhas pared down the use of furniture and other acces-sories to a bare minimum. But nowhere will one finda lack of comfort or absence of style due to theminimalist approach. The living area comprises theseating arrangement and the dining table. These twospaces intermingle and yet are set apart due to theuse of a distinct style and of course functionality.

Drawn on simple clear lines, the furniture used�

THIS SPREAD The

living area comprises

the seating arrangement

and the dining table. The

furniture with its simple

straight lines and warm

earthy hues is a perfect

balance to the white

colour palette bringin out

the desired Zen- effect.

BOTTOM The master

bedroom comes across

as a private haven as it

lies awash in white with

dark veneer furniture.

The bedroom has a

platform bed that

extends into a side

table.


is completely uncluttered in look and feel. Khatwanihas effectively used warm earthy hues as well aswhites. He explains, "The living room is kept as openas possible for the view and the colour. The sea,sun and sky contribute to the room space and thefree flow of these natural elements creates naturaland beautiful effects of light, space and colour inthe room."

Most of the furniture has been made on site withvariations introduced in the detailing to mark outits use. Furniture and accessories in a Zen style areknown to be minimal and with a specific use. Asseen in Khatwani's creation, the box-like sofa andthe low centre table come across as bare minimumnecessities yet fulfill their highly functional role inthe living room. Again the use of clear lines in thefurniture design falls in harmony with the structurallayout of the apartment like the rectangular windowsin the background.

The dining table is a successful experiment withminimalism. Resembling a block of wood, the din-ing table camouflages three low backed chairs on oneside and a long low settee on the other. These can bepulled out from under the table when required. Hereagain, addition of minute details brings forth the con-tinuity of thought in the overall design. In the wakeof the rectilinear attitude of the living room, the din-ing table block is length-wise split into two. The

THIS PAGE TOP The

balcony dividing wall

has been done away

with and is replaced

with a glass water body

which demarcates the

living area from the

balcony and also add to

the aesthetic quotient of

the apartment. OPPO-

SITE PAGE In a

peculiar attention to

detail the centre table is

kept in line with the

dining table in the

rectilinear space to

emphasise the structural

form of the room bring-

ing forth the continuity of

thought in the overall

design.

dining area ends dramatically with two columns thatstand as sentinels, with lights glowing behind them.

It is also important to note the peculiar layout ofthe furniture. The centre table is kept in line withthe dining table to emphasise the structural form ofthe room. The furniture is made with dark veneerthat stands out againstthe white background.

The expansive bal-cony runs parallel to theliving and dining areas.Since the balcony hasclear glass balustrades, anonlooker gets an uninter-rupted view of the seabeyond. The balconywalls have been doneaway with to be replacedwith a fixed line of a glasswater body, which de-marcates the living areafrom the balcony. Pres-ence of a water bodyadds another aesthetictouch. The openness ofthe balcony also inviteslot of natural light andkeeps the room airy.�



Stressing the minimalist ambience is the effectiveuse of lighting. During the day sunlight floods theapartment, which can be muted with the drop ofmat shades. By evening the apartment dons adifferent look. As Khatwani puts it, "We havemaintained indirect lighting in the apartment,integrating the source within furniture or otheressentials of the house."

Moving on to the functional areas of theapartment, one notices the continuity in design.While revamping the kitchen, Khatwani regarded thisflow of Zen design a more challenging factor thanspace constraints. "Since we were designing foressentials, the challenge was to continue the samelook in the kitchen too," he comments. A longL-shaped counter offers lot of utility space, while themodular design keeps the kitchen unencumbered.

Similarly the bathroom too is made up of cleanlines and compact nooks. Khatwani has experimentedwith sandstone and earthy tones here. It is the verysimplicity of design that imparts a sense of class tothis modern setup.

At the very first glance, the master bedroom comesacross as a private haven; the milieu here is that of ameditative alcove. It lies awash in white with dark

veneer furniture conspicuous in its elegance. Thebedroom has a platform bed that extends into a sidetable, while the storage room is transformed into awalk-in wardrobe with a frosted glass door.

Khatwani's minimalist style comes to fore inthe puja room, which is actually an enclosedbalcony. The atmosphere in the puja room is sereneand peaceful and the totally uncluttered look is veryappealing - making it a meditation space rather thana ritual corner.

True to the client's requirement, Khatwani hascreated an apartmentthat is highly personala n dintroverted. He haseffectively combined theuncomplicated architecture of theentire apartment withthe Zen-inspired interi-ors. In simple terms, theapartment is a homethat calls for thoroughrelaxation, reflection andrejuvenation.�

THIS PAGE The dining

table resembles a block

of wood which is split

into two. The table

camouflages three low

backed chairs on one

side and a long low

settee on the other. The

dining area ends

dramatically with two

columns that stand as

sentinels, with lights

glowing behind them.


THIS PAGE The ornate

and royal grand lobby is

highlighted with nature

and art and has a wall of

windows that overlook

the azure blue waters.

MYTH MEETS

MAGNIFICENCEAtlantis, The Palm - Dubai's newest resort creates an atmosphere of surprise,

intrigue and indulgence that’s is set to break new ground with its

unprecedented scale and beauty.

TEXT BY RAJESH KARAMCHANDANI • PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ATLANTIS, THE PALM



THIS PAGE An ariel

view of the Atlantis, The

Palm. OPPOSITE

PAGE Dale Chihuly’s

stunning glass installa-

tion takes centre stage

in the Grand Lobby.

Dubai is fast emerging as a world class traveldestination combining facilities of the highest international standards with the charm

and adventure of Arabia. Apart from the seven starBurj Al Arab, that's now a landmark in itself, Dubainewest resort Atlantis, The Palm is all set to breaknew ground, and lure its guests into a dazzling worldof imagination, pleasure and luxury.

This stunning 1,539 room resort opened on the24th of September 08. With its enviable location atopthe crescent of The Palm Jumeirah, it encompasses a46- hectare site with 17-hectares of water themedamusement at Aquaventure, extensive fresh andsalt-water pools and lagoon exhibits, an open-airmarine habitat, luxury boutiques, numerous diningchoices that include four celebrity chef restaurants,an exciting nightclub, a spa and fitness club, and5,600m² of meeting and function space.

Accessed by a six-lane underwater tunnel, guestsmay alternatively choose to board a monorail to betransported through the centre of The Palm Jumeirahdirectly to Atlantis, The Palm. The structure appearspart Arabic part mythical with its moorish archwayswhich rise above the azure blue waters.

The residences are divided into two towers the eastand the west, in the centre of which is the grand lobby.

To the side of the east tower is the Lost Chambers - amaze of underwater halls and tunnels inhabiting over65,000 species of fish, Aquaventure, the water parkand The Avenues, a luxury destination for shoppingand dining. To the side of the west tower is the spa,fitness centre and the conference area.

Arrival in the travertine marble floors of the GrandLobby presents a dazzling interplay of water, light andsounds as a water wall cascades into a pool. Artist DaleChihuly has created a 10 metre glass sculpture withover 3,000 pieces of intensely coloured blown glassranging from fiery oranges and reds to tranquil bluesand greens. The lobby's 19 metre high archedceilings feature eight hand painted murals on canvasby Spanish artist Albino Gonzalez highlightingvarious constellations and planets and tell the story ofthe ancient mythological city of Atlantis.

The 1,539 guest rooms designed by Wilson andAssociates boast of breathtaking views of the tranquilwaters enjoyed by The Palm, Jumeirah. The designershave fashioned the interiors in an elegant yetunderstated contemporary style. The earth tones andsplashes of colour bring the beatific natural elementsindoors. The resort's three signature suites indulge ona grand scale -The Bridge Suite revels in completeopulence, including a dining room with a gold leaf�



OPPOSITE PAGE

Master Chef Nobu

Matsuhisa’s newest

restaurant flanked by

frosted blue mirrors and

a wall encrusted with

metal work flowers.

THIS PAGE Three

dimensional woven

Abaca panels surround-

ing the dining area of

Nobu are punctuated

with a glowing

composition of custom

suspended pendants.


table that seats 18 and a large lounge area while thetwo Lost Chambers Suites called Neptune andPosiedon, each stretching over three floors are trulyextraordinary with floor-to-ceiling window wallslooking directly into the Ambassador Lagoon,creating an illusion of being beneath the sea whilstlooking directly into the heart of Atlantis.

To showcase some of the world's most celebratedcuisines, designers Jeffrey Beers, David Rockwell andAdam Tihany have each brought their incomparablestyle and design to the Arabian culinary scene. SolKerzner challenged these designers to come up withsomething that captured the essence of Atlantis andtruly paid homage to the wonder, the water and thesense of discovery and yet is weaved together withdistinct Arabian elements.

For Rostang's a French restaurant, Beers designeda traditional 836 square metre space with somemodern twists. Antique mirrors contrast withmodern design elements of exposed metal adding acontemporary flair to the dining area. To create arustic yet stimulating environment for Ronda Locatelli,Beers blended the charm of the Italian countryside�


with the modernity of Dubai. Here a calming waterpond juxtaposed with a custom built fireplace greetsguests upon entering, while a central stone clad struc-ture houses four pizza ovens and grounds the space.

The Rockwell Group collaborated again withworld-renowned Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa tocreate Nobu, the legendary chef's newest restaurant.Using traditional and modern Japanese elements, itfeatures natural elements of ash, river stones, branches,woven textiles and fishingbaskets juxtaposed withmore man-made ideas oflight and composition tocreate a rich andspectacular diningexperience. Adam D.Tihany integrated boldand contemporary designfor Saffron, the resort'smodern, interactivebuffet. Sleek andminimalist, the restau-rant has high, open

THIS PAGE A central

stone clad structure

houses four pizza ovens

in a restaurant that is

designed to imbibe an

Italian countryside

flavour. BOTTOM

Sumptuous suites

appointed with walk in

wardrobes and jetted

tubs boast of breathtak-

ing views of the Arabian

Gulf.


ceilings featuring strong red and orange colours inmetallic and glass. The Beers-designed Sanctuaryprovides an indulgent end to any evening, as thedecadent dance club, lounge and outdoor terracewelcomes guests with a modern baroque sensibility.Large floral patterns, baroque details, custom pendantsand fixtures, as well as an interpretation of Arabianarchitecture add drama and romance.

The magnificent new waterscape - Aquaventure atAtlantis boast of never-before-seen water rides,awe-inspiring water slides and non-stop water play.The Ziggurat in the centre reaching 30 metres intothe sky features seven heart-pumping water slides.Surrounding it is the river ride called Rapids, 2.3kilometre river adventure. Dolphin Bay, a habitat fordolphins with seven interconnected resident poolsspreads across an enormous 4.5 hectare lagoon.

Atlantis, The Palm is a man made wonder that'snot just dazzling in its magnificent scale and beauty,it's a tribute to nature with its commitment tomarine life conservation, the ultimate gourmetdestination, a place to live your dreams amidst thewarm Arabian Sea.�

THIS PAGE TOP

Eight murals by Spanish

artist Albino Gonzalez

adorn the ceiling. They

depict the solar calen-

dar, its constellation and

planets that represent

the four seasons and

four elements of nature

(earth, wind, fire,

water). BOTTOM The

Leap of Faith water slide

at Aquaventure.


HR I LOST ARCHITECTURE

Ancient India has been witness to some of

the most diverse and beautiful architecture.

But the lesser known and commonly ignored

feature of this treasure is the 'stepwell'.

� Stepwells, also called Bawdi, Baoli or Vav, were in

essence wells in which the water could be reached by

descending a set of steps or series of levels and were

one of the features that defined India’s splendid

architectural glory. Stepwell construction is known to

have gone on from at least 600 AD.

In Gujarat and Rajasthan - the arid western states

of India where water is considered the most sacred,

preserving the little amounts of water the area does

receive during the monsoon has been a long-standing

challenge. And hence the inception of the stepwells

came about.

The construction wasn't just utilitarian, but

sometimes included significant architectural

embellishments. Instead of simple wells, these

structures were almost always constructed as

magnificent meeting places, usually three to nine sto-

ries deep in the ground.

The underground facilities

were used as sites for

drinking, washing and

bathing as well as for col-

ourful festivals and sacred

rituals. Some 3,000

stepwells were built be-

tween the fifth and 19th

centuries. Today, how-

ever, these buildings are

among the least known

or visited monuments

THIS PAGE TOP The

view from one of the

corridors of the Adalaj

Vav shows the intricately

carved structure - beam,

slab and column of the

stepwell.

BOTTOM The view

displays the complex

arrangment of steps in

Chand Baori of

Rajasthan.



in India.

All forms of the stepwell may be considered to be

particular examples of the many types of storage and

irrigation tanks that were developed in India, mainly to

cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. A

basic difference between stepwells on one hand, and

tanks and wells on the other, was to make it easier for

people to reach the ground water, and to maintain and

manage the well. In some related types of structure

(johara wells), ramps were built to allow cattle to reach

the water.

Ultimately, several thousand stepwells were built

in the towns and villages of western India. The grandest

period of stepwell construction spanned half a

millennium- from the late eleventh through the sixteenth

century- dotting the countryside with exquisitely

embellished public monuments.

Owing to its delightful qualities and lucid design,

the stone stepwell remained the state of the art in Indian

water management for more than a thousand years.

Yet with the onset of the British Raj in India in the

nineteenth century and with it, the installation of

pipes and taps for

drawing and distributing

water stepwells fell on

hard times.

In concept, the Indian

stepwell is cunningly

simple. Monsoon rain is

caught in a depression or

behind a hand-built �

THIS PAGE TOP The

beautiful and intricate

carvings found inside a

stepwell.

BOTTOM The corridor

of Adalaj Vav of Gujarat

displays traditional

carved stone arcades.



earthen dam. The rainwater percolates down through

fine silt, which screens out particulates, until the water

reaches an impermeable layer of compact clay that

keeps it from sinking deeper into the ground. In that

way the muddy runoff of the monsoon is stored near

the surface as a giant sheet of clear water: an

underground aquifer.

A long staircase, punctuated with landings, leads

down to the well at the bottom. At each landing there

was an open porch, supported by columns and

protected from exposure to the broiling sun. Vavs or

baolis (stepwells) consisted of two parts, a vertical

shaft from which water was drawn and the surrounding

it were the inclined subterranean passageways,

chambers and steps, which provided access to the

well. The galleries and chambers surrounding these

wells were carved generously, which became cool

retreats during summers.Walls of stepwells were lined

with blocks of stone, without mortar, and created stairs

leading up to the water.

While appreciating the carvings lets not forget the

science and engineering skills behind these stepwell.

So many pillars and

lintels are made to

support the five or seven

storeys of the well and

that too under the surface

of the earth.Stepwells

have also withstood the

earthquakes in the range

of 7.6 on the Richter scale

- the large flat stones joined superbly are hard to

move.The stepwells were constructed with calculated

precision.The heavy blocks of stone that were used for

construction were marked with hand-size, deeply

carved numbers and letters to indicate their intended

placement.

The most extravagant of stepwells is the Rani ki

Vav, at Patan and Adalaj Vav in Gujarat.

Rani ki Vav

Rani-ki-vav, the most magnificent step well in Gujarat

is said to have been constructed by Udaymati of

Solanki dynasty. The stepwell measuring about 64mts

long, 20mts wide & 27mts deep, is built up of bricks

faced with hewn stones.

It has stepped corridors beginning at the ground

level & leading down to the kund and possesses four

surviving parts which are the entrance staircase, the

side wall of the stepped corridors, mandapas or multi-

storied pillared pavilions, and the back walls of the

well. The pillars which support the roof have square

base decorated with Ghat-Pallav (vase and foliage)

motifs, quadruple brackets at the top, having four

armed kichakas.

The architectural brilliance and elegance of the vav,

is represented in its pristine glory in the ornamental

work. The beautifully proportioned sculptures, adorn

THIS PAGE TOP The

Rani ki Vav in Gujarat

has stepped corridors

that progress upwards

upto 27m.

BOTTOM The much

simpler Islamic stepwell

- Fatehpur Bawdi.



the walls flanking the staircase and within the walls of

the well, depicting rhythm, vigour, beauty and various

moods in stone.

The shaft of the well is highly ornamented with

intricate carvings. This wall projects the large vertical

brackets in pairs which supported the different galleries

of the well. The brackets are arranged in tiers.

The full size sculptures of the stepwell are taken

from the entire Hindu pantheon, for example, Vishnu,

Shiva and their various aspects appear with or without

their consorts.

The painstaking efforts of archaeological survey of

India exposed the hidden treasure of sculptural and

architectural wealth in its original dimension and

splendour. The minute and exquisite carving of this

largest and most sumptuous vav is one of the finest

specimens of its kind. Befitting its name, the Rani-Ki-

Vav is now considered to be the queen among step

wells of India.

Adalaj Vav

This step well at Adalaj is an architectural marvel. It is

really surprising that in absence of standard

engineering practices before around 500 years, how

such structures would have been created. The Adalaj

step well is on the North side and the entrance to this

well is on the south side. This has been the general

practice while making such step wells. This vav is open

octagonal surrounded by galleries on four levels with

circular well at the bottom. It is the finest example of

the Muslim period. The

total length of this step

well is around 240 feet. It

has 3 entrances with three

separate gates for each

entrance. There are five

stories to this well. The

entire platform of the well

THIS PAGE TOP A

view of the Stepwell at

Jaipur and the Pushkarni

Stepwell atHampi.

(below) BOTTOM The

famous Adalaj Vav of

Gujarat.

rests on total 16 pillars. The eight pillars are situated

on the four corners and two pillars are located in front

of each main gate.

Numbers of surviving hydraulic monuments

(stepwells) can be found in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi,

Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Stepwells are the

finest example of visible architecture that gave access

to an invisible landscape of underground aquifers.

The demise of the stepwell as a source of water,

as a gathering place, and as a focal point for many of

the deepest feelings of the local people has brought

about a tangled mix of environmental, social, and

even religious consequences that continue to unfold

to this day. �


TEXT BY DEEPALI NANDWANI •PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE ARCHITECTS

COUNTRY CHARMIn Hussh, Kolkata's Italian fine dine restaurant, Salient Design Studio plays

with two basic, contrasting colours - black and white. Despite the use of a

cold colour palette and materials like white china mosaic, the restobar looks

like a warm Italian home.


Hushh, the Italian Resto Lounge and Bar islocated within Kolkata's new-age mall, CityCentre. It opened its door to the city's

residents almost a year ago and shares space with Kobe,the popular sizzler restaurant.

Designed by Salient Studio, a boutique designgroup that's worked on several hospitality, office andresidential properties, the restobar is done in starkcolours of black and white, a favourite contrast withmodern-day designers across the world. Hushh isspread over 3,500 square feet and architect VivekRathore, who heads Salient, says "fits in perfectly withour design philosophy that's aimed at building envi-ronments that are small in ecological foot print. Therestobar is designed to be a calm and soothing space".There are intermittent splashes of red in the form of aterracotta-tiled wall that runs end-to-end in itsindoor restaurant section.

Hussh is built over two levels and is divided into

three sections - an indoor restaurant area that opensto a patio that holds the bar. There is a terrace sectionnormally utilised for private parties and lavishbanquets. "It's designed to offer an authentic Italianexperience," says Rathore. "In some ways, it is designedlike an Italian home." Most homes in Italy, especiallyin the countryside, have extensive outdoor spacesand patios that are used to throw parties andentertain guests.

Water fountains, date palm trees, big beds, ACtents…the designers have resorted to every meansin the book to make Hushh look as if it's locatedin a relaxed beach resort, rather than in a chaoticIndian metropolis.

When Rathore and his team began work on therestobar, it was merely an empty shell with four walls."The space had to house two restaurants belonging tothe same owner - Hushh and Kobe," says thearchitect, "and that was quite a challenge. We had�

THIS PAGE The indoor

restaurant section has

an end-to-end terracotta-

tiled wall. That’s the only

splash colour in the

black and white colour

scheme. OPPOSITE

PAGE A day view of the

bar. It is crafted out of

glass, wood, wrought

iron and mosaic chips,

which reflect the

constantly changing

light in the nighttime.

The bar top is made of

Kudappa stone.


to create two separate kitchens. Besides which, theplanning had to be in accordance with Vaastu Shastra."Space constraint led them to come up with a uniquesolution and they moved the bar to the semi-coveredpatio, which fringes the restaurant. The architect hasused a metal mesh wall to enclose the bar space onone side. On the otherside the tables are fringedby yellow bamboo,which offers privacy totheir occupants.

In the bar area thefloor is made out of whitechina mosaic tiles. Thetables, crafted out ofblack kadappa stone, aretopped by white umbrel-las. At night the mosaictiles shine in the softcandlelight, the mainsource of lighting in thesection. The pathways aremade of loose stone grit,broken mosaic tiles andpebbles, while the bar

TOP The bar is located

in a semi-enclosed

patio. The pathway is

made of pebbles and

mosaic chips. The bar

itself is crafted of

wrought iron and glass.

The colour combination

in the bar keeps

changing from warm

red to psychedelic green

to even cool blue, thanks

to the 52 colour LED

light fixture. BOTTOM

Handmade wooden

jaalis separate the

seating section from

each other.


itself is made out of glass, wrought iron and mosaicchips. Salient often uses high-end technology in itsprojects, especially when it comes to lighting the space.In the bar section, for instance, they have installed a52-colour combination high-flux LED moodrefractor light, which changes colour and patternevery few seconds. The décor makes you believe youare seated in an outdoor café in a beachside resort ratherthan in the middle of abustling city.

A glass door separatesthe outdoor bar from theindoor restaurant. Withinthe restaurant, the colourswhite, red and blackdominate. The upholsteryand furnishings are all inwhite. The wood fixtures,including the flooring,have been treated tilltheir colour changed tocharcoal black. White-coloured fabric is drapedover wooden rafters onthe ceiling and the�

TOP The terrace has

several air-conditioned

tents like this one, which

are separated by sheer

white cottons.

Transparent Polyurethane

envelops each tent.

BOTTOM The design

elements in the wall

niches behind the

seating keep changing

regularly. Sometimes,

there are fresh seasonal

flowers, sometimes

textured stones and

sometimes, bric-a-brac.


lights are hidden under the fabric. This makes thelighting in the restaurant mellow and diffused. Rathorehas placed a floor-length mirror at the entrance, whichreflects the diners sitting on tables across it. Themirror also makes the space look larger andless claustrophobic.

Salient has been working with local Indian crafts-men and constantlyimprovising with theirtraditional skills. Theseating in the indoor area,for instance, is separatedby intricately carvedwooden jaalis. Next tothe jaalis are lit-up nichesin which the owners placeseasonal flowers, sculp-

tures and even stones. This little décor detailconstantly changes with the changing season.

The bar area also leads up to a black staircase, whichconnects the terrace to the lower areas. This completelyoutdoor space has an open seating section and largeair-conditioned tents made from mild steel. They aretopped by transparent polyurethane canopy. Whitecotton sheers separate one tent from the next. Theterrace also has a large 'de-stress section' - huge woodand leather beds where you can get a foot or headmassage even as you sip on your drink.

Hushh makes for a refreshing change: in contrastto the aseptic, ultra-shiny, modern restaurants thathave become the norm of late, Hushh Lounge andRestobar depends on rough and raw materials like burntwood, terracotta tiles and black kadappa, interspersedby cold materials like white china mosaic and glass.�

THIS PAGE Some of

the benches in the

terrace section are

made out of pebbles,

much like the flooring.

They look as if the

flooring has been

continued to form a

bench.


HR I SPOTLIGHT

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World ArchitectureFestival A Big DrawHeld in Barcelona, the World Architecture

Festival served as a perfect platform for

architects around the world to showcase

and review the latest design trends.

�The World Architecture Festival Awards (WAF

Awards), held between the 22nd and 24th of Octo-

ber housed its debutant festival at the Centre

Convencions International, Barcelona. Organised by

Emap, it was one of the biggest architectural events

ever held. The festival highlighted the works of 722

architects from over 60 countries. These works were

divided into 17 listed categories spanning from the

'Building of the Year' category and the 'Private House'

category to more concerning issues such as the

energy, waste and recycling category.

The WAF awards can be marked as a truly

significant festival. Among the most prominent jury

members were architects such as David Mackay-

Spain, Will Alsop-UK and Raj Rewal from India.

Commenting on the festival held, Mr.Paul Finch,

Editor of The Architectural Review and Programme

Director of the World Architecture Festival, said "The

World Architecture Festival was an unprecedented

gathering of the world's architectural community. The

calibre of both the awards entries and the speaker

line-up has undoubtedly stimulated the thousands of

architectural decision-makers and influencers that

attend the festival."

Held for a span of three days, the WAF awards

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NK'Mip desert Canada, by Hosten

Bakker Boniface Haden Architects

Nordpark Cable railway, Austria,

by Zaha Hadid Architects

Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard,

Smithsonian Institution, USA By Foster + Partners


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were given the task of redesigning a brown field site

in Barcelona, within the period of 36 hours. British

Professor David Dunster of Liverpool University and

Barcelona architect David Mackay judged this event.

On the final day, the award function opened with

the first award category - 'Building of the Year.' The

winner of this category was Grafton Architects,

Ireland. One of the judges on the panel, Cecil

Balmond, Arup, said he admired, "…the 3D design

which took architecture, construction and design,

using it to create an urban weave. Its effortless

structural solution suspends offices over a subterra-

nean concourse." Next, the landscape restoration of a

controlled refuse tip located outside Barcelona,

designed by Spanish practice Batlle & Roig Archi-

tects, was awarded the winner in the energy, waste

and recycling category. The judges' comments on the

same were, "a perfect example of bringing dead

nature back to life by converting rubbish into a

beautiful piece of landscape architecture."

While, UK based company, Zaha Hadid Archi-

tects, bagged the award in the transport category for

the Nordpark Cable Railway, Innsbruck, Austria. They

won against fierce competition from a shortlist of 14

entries. Following which, the Arlene Kogod Court-

yard, Smithsonian Institution, Wahington, USA won

the award in the New and Old category. The judge's

view on this entry was, "This technical and highly

sophisticated canopy not only creates a new ther-

mally conditioned urban room for Washington but

also excellent acoustics and new connectivity. The

theme 'New and Old' has been interpreted liberally to

include the conversion of the existing building, as

well as using them simply as a point of departure

and recycling industrial components."

offered the visitors an opportunity to listen to the 224

short listed candidates and learn the challenges

they faced in creating their

final vision. The guest also got an opportunity to

view all the award entries at the award entry gallery.

In addition to this, they got unlimited access to view

a separate product showcase, with selected

products specially chosen by the participating

architects themselves.

Catering as an informative trench, the WAF

addressed issues such as climate, cost, energy and

social conditions in relation to design, in their

'Height-Between Possibility and Responsibility'

exhibition and seminar. At this juncture, they mainly

examined the relationship between architecture and

the factors which influence the creation of tall

structures with regards to the environment.

However, the highlight of the festival was un-

doubtedly the student programme, where six

architectural schools from around the globe com-

peted at the WAF student charrette. With the aim to

select the 'starchitects' of the future, the schools �

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Sports Hall Bale, Croatia, by 3LHD Architects

Sports Hall Bale, Croatia, by 3LHD Architects


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Lastly, Japanese company, Fujimoto Architect for

their final wooden house design, won the award for

the best house in the private house category. The

judges praised the scheme as a "captivating work in

which building fabric, structure, furniture and so on

merge in an ever changing landscape of inhabitation.

This is a difficult house but one which opens up the

way we might think about domestic space."

Moreover, in addition to the various seminars and

exhibits displayed, Emap also organised an architec-

tural city tour for those visitors who were keen on

viewing the architectural heritage that Barcelona had

to offer. Local experts from the Collegi d' Arquitectes

de Catalunya, Barcelona, guided the tours that were

specially organised for the visitors and participants

of the WAF Awards. Besides witnessing a one of its

kind gathering of prominent architects from across

the globe, the architects also got an opportunity to

expand their network and create noteworthy busi-

ness ties.

On a concluding note at the WAF Awards, Mr.

Finch, said: "We saw a huge response to these

Awards, which recognise and celebrate international

excellence. The quantity and quality of the entries

provides a real showcase of global architecture and

highlighted how architects change the way we think

about buildings."

Contact

email: [email protected]

web: worldarchitecturefestival.com �

Final Wooden House, Japan

by Sou Fujimoto Architects


HR I SPOTLIGHT

Winners of theWinners of theWinners of theWinners of theWinners of thevarious categories:various categories:various categories:various categories:various categories:

K Fem, Sweden, by Wingardh Arkitektkontor AB

Exhibition and Automobile

Delivery Center, Germany, by Coop Himmelb(I) au

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Health - Centre pour le Bien-être des

Femmes et la prévention des

mutilations génitales féminines

´G.Kambou, Burkina Faso, designed

by FARE studio, Italy.

Holiday - Nk´Mip Desert Cultural

Centre, Canada, designed by Hoston

Bakker Boniface Haden Architects,

Canada.

Nature - Olympic Sculpture Park,

Seattle Art Museum, USA, designed

by Weiss/ Manfredi Architecture/

Landscape/ Urbanism, USA.

Civic - GZBICC - Guangzhou Baiyun

International Convention Center

designed by Buro II.

Culture - Oslo Operahouse, Norway,

designed by SNØHETTA, Norway.

Housing Development - Mountain

Dwellings, Denmark, designed by

BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, Denmark.

Pleasure - Sheep Stable,

Netherlands, by 70F Architecture,

Netherlands.

Production - BMW Welt - Event,

Exhibition and Automobile Delivery

Center, Germany, by Coop

Himmelb(l)au, Austria.

Religion & Contemplation -

Dornbusch Church, Germany by

Meixner Schlüter Wendt Architekten,

Germany.

Sport - Sports Hall Bale, Croatia, by

3LHD Architects, Hungary.

Shopping - K:fem, Sweden by

Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB, Sweden.

Office - Duoc Corporate Building,

Chile, by Sabbagh Arquitectos, Chile

Energy, Waste & recycling -

Landscape Restoration of the

Controlled Rubbish Dump "La Vall d'en

Joan", Spain , designed by Batlle &

Roig Architects, Landscape Architect

Learning - Universita Luigi Bocconi,

Italy , designed by Grafton Architects

New and Old - Robert and Arlene

Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian

Institution, USA, designed by Foster

+ Partners

Private House - Final Wooden

House, Japan designed by Sou

Fujimoto Architects

Transport - Nordpark Cable Railway,

Austria, designed by Zaha Hadid

Architects.

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SustainableConstructionin Global SpotlightThe Holcim Foundation promotes innovative

and sustainable approaches from the building

industry.

�It has been the mission of Holcim Foundation to

select and support initiatives that combine sustainable

construction solutions with architectural excellence and

enhance the quality of life beyond technical solutions.

The Holcim Foundation therefore encourages sustain-

able responses to the technological, environmental,

socio-economic, and cultural issues affecting building

and construction.

The primary objective of the Holcim Foundation is

the non-commercial promotion and development of

sustainable construction at national, regional, and

global levels. Utilising the global reach of the Holcim

Group, the Foundation accelerates progress towards

sustainable construction, encouraging initiatives in

support of sustainable approaches to the provision of

housing and infrastructure in developing and

industrialised nations alike. The Foundation also seeks

to unite diverse global expertise and increase aware-

ness of the critical role of the built environment in

sustainability.

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Brazil - Low-energy university

mediatheque, Rio de Janeiro

In 2008, the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for

Sustainable Construction conducted the USD 1.35

million regional phase of the 2nd Holcim Awards

and launched three publications and an online

events calendar. Encouraging best practice, the

Foundation aims at promoting the inspiring

architects, engineers and developers to adopt

sustainable parameters for their building projects.

The results of the global phase of the Holcim

Awards competition will be rightly announced on

May 8, 2009.

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Low-impact greenfield

university campus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam


HR I SPOTLIGHT

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The Foundation conducts the Holcim Awards

competition for projects and visions in sustainable

construction in parallel across five regions of the

world. Almost 5,000 projects from authors in 90

countries were submitted in the competition which

aims to promote sustainable responses from the

building and construction industry to technological,

environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues.

The 15 winners of the gold, silver and bronze prize

in each of the five regions automatically qualify for

the global phase of the competition where a total

of USD 650,000 in additional prize money is on

offer.

The global Holcim Awards finalists include

projects from Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia,

Hungary, India, Morocco, Slovenia, Switzerland,

UAE, Uganda, USA, and Vietnam, and involve

additional project teams from Japan and Spain.

Each of the teams would now prepare a more

extensive submission that will be evaluated by an

independent jury headed by acclaimed Indian

architect and planner Charles Correa and include

renowned representatives from architecture,

science, and business. The other members of the

global Holcim Awards jury are Peter Head (Civil

engineer, UK), Enrique Norten (Architect, Mexico),

Saskia Sassen (Social scientist/economist, USA),

Hans-Rudolf Schalcher (Civil engineer,

Switzerland,TCC), Rolf Soiron (Social scientist,

Switzerland, Holcim) and Achim Steiner (Econo-

mist/administrator, Kenya).�

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Switzerland - Autonomous alpine

shelter, Monte Rosa hut

India - Energy-efficient office

complex, Hyderabad


HR I SPOTLIGHT

The jury is supported by the Technical Compe-

tence Center of the Holcim Foundation (ETH Zurich,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tongji

University) and will evaluate the projects according

to the 'target issues' for sustainable construction

developed by the Holcim Foundation in collaboration

with its partner universities.

The two new books launched by the foundation

are namely, Office Building In India and Community

Centre In South Africa. These books clearly

emphasise on sustainable construction in practice

as part of an ongoing monographic series. The

Holcim Foundation, in addition supported the launch

of a collection of essays from eminent thinkers on

the topic of sustainability and urban transformation

inspired by the international Holcim Forum 2007 held

in Shanghai. The 400 page publication considers

urban transformation from many perspectives: seen

through the eyes of more than 50 international

architects, urban planners, politicians, and artists

including Saskia Sassen, Robert Somol, Jean-

Philippe Vassal, Eyal Weizman, Teddy Cruz, Rahul

Mehrotra, and Enrique Peñalosa. Further, the Founda-

tion also launched a web-based events calendar to

act as a networking tool, listing events related to

sustainable construction hosted by associations,

universities, NGOs, IGOs, corporations etc. world-

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Slovenia temporary urban extension in

a former landfill, Maribor

USA - Self-contained day

labor station, San Francisco


HR I SPOTLIGHT

Global Holcim Awards 2009 FGlobal Holcim Awards 2009 FGlobal Holcim Awards 2009 FGlobal Holcim Awards 2009 FGlobal Holcim Awards 2009 Finalistsinalistsinalistsinalistsinalists

Uganda - Low-cost school and home for HIV orphans, Rakai

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Brazil: Low-energy university mediatheque, Rio de

Janeiro

Main author: Angelo Bucci, architect, SPBR

architects, São Paulo, Brazil

Brazil: Solar water heating and rainwater tower,

Florianópolis

Authors: Maria Andrea Triana, architect, Roberto

Lamberts, engineer, and Marcio Antonio Andrade,

LabEEE-UFSC, Florianópolis, Brazil

Canada: Living with Lakes Center for freshwater

research, Sudbury

Main author: John Gunn, scientist, Laurentian

University, Sudbury, Canada

China: Sustainable planning for a rural community,

Beijing

Main authors: Yue Zhang, academic, Tsinghua

University, School of Architecture, and Feng Ni,

government officer, Beijing Municipal Commission

of Urban Planning, Beijing, China

Colombia: Urban integration of an informal area,

Medellín

Main author: Gustavo Adolfo Restrepo, architect,

Empresa de Desarrollo Urbano, Medellín, Colombia

Hungary: Contextual government quarter

development, Budapest

Main author: Peter Janesch, architect, Team0708 Kft,

Budapest, Hungary

India: Energy-efficient office complex, Hyderabad

Authors: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, New York,

USA and Maytas Properties Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad

Morocco: River remediation and urban development

scheme, Fez

Main authors: Aziza Chaouni, architect, Extramuro

LLP, Fez, Morocco and Takako Tajima, urban

planner, Los Angeles, USA

Slovenia: Temporary urban extension in a former

landfill, Maribor

Main author: Belinda Tato, architect, ecosistema

urbano, Madrid, Spain

Switzerland: Autonomous alpine shelter, Monte

Rosa hut

Main author: Andrea Deplazes, architect, Studio

Monte Rosa, DARCH, Swiss Federal Institute of

Technology (ETH Zurich), Zurich, Switzerland

UAE: Lighthouse tower with low-carbon footprint,

Dubai

Author: Shaun Killa, architect, Atkins PLC, Dubai,

UAE

Uganda: Low-cost school and home for HIV

orphans, Rakai

Author: Koji Tsutsui, architect, Koji Tsutsui Architect

& Associates, Tokyo, Japan

USA: Self-contained day labor station, San

Francisco

Main author: Liz Ogbu, designer, Public

Architecture, San Francisco, USA

USA: Solar 2 Green Energy, Arts and Education

Center, New York

Main author: Christopher J Collins, Solar One Green

Energy, Arts and Education Center, New York, USA

Vietnam: Low-impact greenfield university

campus, Ho Chi Minh City

Main author: Kazuhiro Kojima, architect, Coelacanth

and Associates Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

wide. The database which boosts the interchange

of diverse global expertise in the field of sustainable

construction now features some 600 entries from

more than 30 countries.

The activities of the Holcim Foundation run in

cooperation with renowned partner universities:

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich),

Switzerland; Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT), USA; Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico;

Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil; the University of

the Witwatersrand, South Africa; and Tongji Univer-

sity, China. The Foundation is supported by Holcim

Ltd. and its Group companies in more than 70

countries, but is independent of its commercial

interests. Holcim is one of the world's leading

producers of cement and aggregates, and was

recently named 'Leader of the Industry' in the Dow

Jones Sustainability Index for the fourth year in

succession.

Contact email: [email protected]

web: www.holcimfoundation.org �○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

RESOURCESADDRESS BOOK FOR ALL GOODSAND SERVICES IN THIS ISSUE

UNBUILT WORKS

SAMEEP PADORA ASSOCIATES

603, Marble Arch,

94, Pali Hills, Bandra,

Mumbai 400050

Tel (022) 249217811 /

32458664

Mob 9820027973

RETAIL THERAPY

NEIL BARRETT FLAGSHIP STORE,

JAPAN

Zahahadid Architects

Studio 9, 10 Bowling Green

Lane, London EC1R 0BQ

Tel +44 (020) 7253 5147

Mob +44 (0771) 6086376

Email

davide.giordano@zaha-

hadid.com

CULT PRODUCT

ACOUSTIC PANELS

Offecct Ab

Head office and showroom

Box 100

SE-543 21 Tibro

Tel +46 (0)504-415 00


Abstracta

Tel +800 (0223)7315

E-mail [email protected]

GO GREEN

CR LAND GUANGANMEN GREEN

TECHNOLOGY SHOWROOM

Beijing Vector Architects

Rm1002, Builidng 1,

Xiaguangli 66

Changyang District

CN -100027 Beijing

Tel +8610 (0844) 67 81 6

Email vector.architects

@gmail.com

FEATURES

AN URBAN MONASTERY

AA HOME

Kailash Nagar housing

society,

Forjett Hill, Tardeo Road,

Mumbai 400007

Tel (022) 32536125

A LOCAL FLAVOUR

VARSHA & DEEPAK GUGGARI

ASSOCIATES

943/5-B, Uma Niwas,

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ECLECTIC LIVING

MATHAROO ASSOCIATES

24 - E Capital Commercial

Centre,

Ashram Road, Ahmedabad

- 380 009, Gujarat

Tel (079) 26577757

Email

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CABIN CLASS

RAMIREZ+MOLETTO ARQS

aurelio gonzalez 3330,

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Tel +562 9535248

Email

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BLURRED BOUNDARIES

MO-OF

Manisha Agarwal

9 sagir Apts,

35 Turner Rd,

Bandra West

Mumbai 400050

Mob 9820929396

A SPIRITUAL AURA

DCA ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Nitin Khatwani

B-41 Ruturaj Bldg, Opp

SNDT College,

Juhu road, Santacruz (W),

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Tel 26613778 / 3573

Email [email protected]

Mob 9833006265

MYTH MEETS

MAGNIFICENCE

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Crescent road,

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Email

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Tel +97 1 4 426 0000

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Tel (033) 23589080/0979


HR I PROMOTION

� Powered by innovation and a no-compromise qual-

ity policy, Simpolo has grown to become India's fourth

largest production house in the branded sanitary ware

segment.

Along with ISO 9001:2001 certified processes and

ISI labelled products, the company has already made

a name for itself in the field of quality, product range,

innovation and reliability. Crossing many milestones

along the way in the sanitary ware segment, the com-

pany has recently forayed into the tiles segment.

Enjoying a very good response for its introductory

range of tiles - the single tone and soluble salt

collection, Simpolo is now set to prove it’s innovation

capabilities in the tiles segment, with future plans

to enhance its market share with some of its own

innovative tile collections.

The company's current collection includes the Salt

and Pepper series which is available in both polished

and non-polished variants. Made of multi-coloured

granules, these tiles are prepared by a spray dryer

providing a perfectly homogeneous surface.

With an absolutely natural look and surface of mar-

ble and stone, Simpolo also offers the fullbody vitrified

tiles. After various processes, these tiles resemble

stone and marble with natural looking veins and

colouration. The company has also brought in as a part

of the collection the advanced Double Charge technol-

ogy. Going through different processes, this technol-

ogy helps tiles obtain the scintillating aesthetics of natu-

ral marble or granite.

Accentuating the ethnic class is Simpolo's Rustic

and Lapato category of tiles. In order to get the natural

and elegant look of genuine stone, various types of

printing and surface applications are employed. Inter-

national shade or colour variations add to the product

impact. Another category is the metallic tile series that

exude a strong European design sensibility with its

metallic tones - copper, metallic brown, silver and gold.

The unique sheen of the tile is achieved by the oxi-

dised effect that imitates the shine and texture of metal.

Lastly, delivering unlimited possibilities of design is

the Water-Jet technology. Autocad details are fed to a

master workstation, which guides the water-jet to carve

out desired designs. All the tiles are available in 600mm

x 600mm, 600mm x 300mm, 1000mm x 1000mm.

Simpolo is striving to improve its quality further, the

prime objective being satisfaction of it’s customers.

Hence, it uses world class technology and the latest

Nano technology to achieve this level of brilliance in

quality and design. Nano technology gives tile surfaces

a mirror like glossiness. Lending a high gloss finish,

the tiles surface yet remains anti-skid. The process

involves the use of environment friendly nano-tech coat-

ing material and makes the tiles durable and stain

resistant with a smooth and homogeneous surface.

Contact

Simpolo Ceramics

Old Ghantu Road,

Morbi-363642,

Gujarat

tel: (02822) 240930/329855

fax: (02822) 240935

email: [email protected]

web: www.simpolo.net �


HR I PROMOTION

� Bathroom vanities and bathroom cabinets make

the whole style of your bathroom come alive, and set

the tone of your bathroom design. Vanities and cabinets

serve as the centrepiece of your bathroom. Reflecting

an exceptional fusion of fashion and function,

Hindware, a market leader in sanitaryware, now

presents the fashionable Wood Art collection to beau-

tify and equip your bathroom.

Hindware has launched an attractive Wood Art

range where the goodness of wood combines with

excellent craftsmanship to give your bathroom an eternal

style. The range comes with a solid wood cabinet,

wash basin and mirror console. In some models, the

cabinet is coupled with a marble top and the mirror

comes with a lamp, there are also special hinges for

soft door closing action. Crafted especially for style

and usefulness, Hindware's attractive Wood Art range

products are made with water resistant solid wood

which increases the durability of products.

The collection comes in 6 different ranges namely

Viola, Floret, Aster,

Rosette, Anther and

Azara. Each range has a

different pattern and its

own style statement.

Priced at Rs 31,195

onwards, the collection is

THIS PAGE Hindware’s

newly launched Wood

Art range that comes

with a solid wood

cabinet, wash basin and

mirror console.

offered in 2 elegant colours, namely cedar and wenge.

This new range from Hindware is exclusively available

at Evok, the Home Fashion Mega store, Crown Interiorz

Mall, Faridabad, West Gate Mall, Rajouri Garden in

addition to a wide network of retailers of Hindware

outlets across India.

Contact

Hindustan Sanitaryware & Industries Ltd.

III Floor, Unit 301&302,

Park Centra,

Sector 30, NH 8,

Gurgaon 122001,

Tel: (0124) 4779200


Web: www.hindwarebathrooms.com�

Shantanu Poredi

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