Home & DesignTrends - Commercial Desing

Volume 3 No 2
` 250
Commercial
Design Special
R.N.I. MAHENG/2013/50949
8
Contents
tHe GALLerY
8 DesIGn In COnteXt
Products that fit like a glove in contemporary commercial spaces
16 PrevIew
Small Stories: At home in a doll’s house takes you on a journey of vintage dollhouses
18 revIew
16 Constructing Worlds, a collection of architectural images from 1930s to the present day
18 DesIGn COnCePt
James Hancock's All the Buildings in Sydney is a book of sketches of the city's buildings
21 PubLIC Art
Transformative art that alters perceptions and neighbourhoods
buILDInG COnversAtIOns
24 IntervIew
Rahul Shankhwalker of HBA, shares the secrets of his firm’s success in India
26 IntervIew
Navin and Nayan Raheja of Raheja Developers talk about the Indian real estate industry
34 28 IntervIew
Alan Abraham shares a proposal to revolutionise the city’s public spaces
Cover A Singaporean residential development by
RSP Architects gives a sneak-peek into the future of
urban housing (see page 48) 30 MY vIew
Leading architects explain the importance of colour in context to architecture
32 Guest COLuMn
Architect Reza Kabul discusses the growing importance of mixed-use developments
POrtfOLIO
Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014 & insights from festival director Bose Krishnamachari 34
ICOnIC DesIGn
This month it's is L' Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile in Paris, France 44
IntervIews
Rahul Shankhwalker Navin Raheja Alan Abraham

74
COMMerCIAL DesIGn
46 PrOJeCt POrtfOLIO
Community spirit
A residential development by RSP Architects hints at the future of urban housing 46
Sense of place
Sydney city block redeveloped into a mixed-use development by PTW Architects 54
Miami vice 72
A beach club by Old Field Knott Architects manages to capture Miami's Caribbean flair 64
72 eDuCAtIOnAL InstItutIOns
Not just another brick in the wall
This Kolkata school by Abin Choudhuri catches the eye with its eclectic facade 72
Right on track
The Manukau Institute of Technology campus sits astride a railway line 80
90 OffICes
Sculptural forms
The design of this office aligns itself with the reinvigorated approach to business 90
Well connected
116
P&G's Singapore Innovation Centre prioritises connectivity and transparency 100
Employees first
DSP Design Associates kept employees needs in mind while designing this office 108
116 resIDentIAL DesIGn

Back to the land
This home by Vincy Hamp Architects mixes modern influences with traditional design 116
Commanding perspective
In spite of being constructed with concrete, this home exudes an ephemeral quality 126
New identity
Find out how this Washington home was remodeled to reflect its owner’s identity 136
Beside the sea

For this bungalow, capturing the spirit of traditional coastal homes was paramount 144
152 PrOPertIes On tHe bLOCk
154 sHOwCAse
Mrigank Sharma (India Sutra)
from the editor

This is an edition I look forward to more than the others. Although the magazine
covers commercial spaces in every issue throughout the year, they are never
like they are in a TRENDS Commercial Design Special.
Inside the pages, you will find institutional spaces, hospitality projects, offices
and residential high-rises; they are the best of the new projects from the world
over. Must see is the Mumbai office designed by
InsIde the pages Planet 3 Studios, striking with its meandering wooden
wall, the unconventional Kolkata school by Abin
you wIll fInd Design Studio, and One Central Park in Sydney by
InstItutIonal
PTW Architects. One Central Park was once a brewery
site, and this ambitious project has become a leading
& hospItalIty example of how to make a success of large-scale

mixed-use development projects. Attention towards
projects, offIces approaching mixed-use projects is also the point of
discussion in Reza Kabul’s guest column this month.
and resIdentIal
hIgh-rIses
In the Building Conversations section, do read
the interviews with architect Alan Abraham,
developer Navin Raheja, and designer/architect
Rahul Shankhwalkar, where they give valuable insights into the worlds of public
design, real estate and hospitality design respectively.
And in Portfolio, we revisit the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2014. It concluded

early on in the year and inside is a photo-essay on some of the extraordinary
artworks that were created for it. I visited Kochi just when the biennale was
ending and met up with its founder Bose Krishnamchari. The first things I had
said to him, was how proud I felt when I read ‘The Biennale City’ written boldly
on top of the first archway that was the gateway into Fort Kochi.
Happy reading.
Preeti Singh
trends.edit@wwm.co.in More ideas, information and inspiration at Trendsideas.in

home & design
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The Gallery
Latest products, upcoming exhibitions and must-attend design events
Design in Context
Preview Revieww
Concept Public Art

Design in Context
These products fit like a glove in contemporary,

commercial spaces
folly by ron Arad

Folly effectively and intelligently blurs the lines
between sculpture and design. The soft lines and
curves create a dynamic orientation that instantly
attracts one’s attention to the piece. The bench,
in rotational-molded polyethylene, is available in
rust brown and is suitable for both outdoor and
indoor commercial use.
8 more projects at trendsideas.com Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015

Papilio shell by
naoto fukasawa
Originating from a shell with a
design that enhances comfort,
Papilio Shell expresses versatility
that makes it a perfect option for
office use. It is available in two
versions: with a plastic shell in
three colours (white, dove gray, black)
or padded and upholstered in a wide
range of fabrics and leathers.
season Chair by
Piero Lissoni
It’s time to bid goodbye to
your boring chair thanks to
the all-new Season Chair by
Viccarbe. Deceptively simple
and elegant, this upholstered
chair consists of two rounded
Oasis by bram boo volumes, a cube and a
vertical rectangular slab that
This extended couch-cum-sofa
express the act of sitting
allows you to sit, lie and work with
through a simple almost
its integrated table all at the same
sculptural approach.
time. Perfect for a loft, a public
space or a hotel lobby, Oasis
has also been a recipient of the
prestigious Henry van de Velde
Design Award.
Husk by
Patricia urquiola
Husk is designed around a
stiff body with soft cushions
that are divided in portions.
“Those who look at this
must visually perceive a
sense of mental and physical
comfort,” says the designer,
Patricia Urquiola.
Aura Chair by Mikko Laakkonen

Winner of the Red Dot Design Award 2013,
the Aura Chair by Inno is an intelligent and
harmonious mix of a sofa and a chair. Aura can
be used as a singular chair or can be clubbed
together to make large seating groups.
taivu by
Mikko Laakkonen
If you are looking for a light and
comfortable chair to liven up
your lobbies and waiting areas,
then the answer is Taivu. This
upholstered lounge chair is
a comfortable furniture piece
seasoned with classic shapes,
which is easily tailored to fit
different public interiors.
Charlotte by
Antonio Citterio
This chair is designer
Antonio Citterio’s tribute to
lightness. The shell of the
chair is completely covered,
but the aluminum frame
profile is visible on the sides,
thus highlighting the line of
the seat. The cover is made
from raw cut thick leather in
six different colours with an
elephant printed surface.
Maui Chair by vico Magistretti

The Maui Chair was first designed between 1995-96
and marked the era of single mould seats in material
that had no ribbing, tracery, metal supports
or reinforcements to support the
back. Kartell gave it new appeal
and brought it back in a fabric-
covered version, with and without
casters and arms, thus increasing
its rich family of colours and
functions, thereby able to satisfy the specific
needs in the commercial sector.
Adriatic by theodore Alexander
Most of the time, it is the simplicity of design that
calls for attention. And that is exactly the case
with Theodore Alexander’s Adriatic Writing Table.
Cobalt blue leather is wrapped around the table
and rectangular brass bound top accentuates the
design. Three lockable frieze drawers with brass
escutcheons are designed along the periphery.
In-tensive by Jouni Leino

The modular meeting table In-Tensive
was first designed in 1998 and has
been launched again with an all-new
look. The new version is updated with
a wooden leg option. The versatile
system offers solutions for every
conference need with the capability
Low table + Lamp by fien of easy cable management and
Muller & Hannes van severen different connections.
Who said office furniture has to be serious

and boring? Fien Muller & Hannes Van
Severen give a playful twist to regular table
and light to create this dual piece of furniture
that brings in an element of playfulness
with its contemporary design. Visit www.
mullervanseveren.be for more information
eames Desk by
Charles & ray eames
Long before modularity and high tech concepts
entered the design lexicon, Charles and Ray
Eames used industrial production techniques to
extend the boundaries of design and create a
modern aesthetic. This desk by Herman Miller
provides ample storage, work and display space.
Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 more projects at trendsideas.com 11

surface by vincent van Duysen
This series of multi-use low tables by Vincent Van
Duysen effectively expresses best of his design
poetics. The quest for balance is achieved by the
use of understated features, small proportions,
basic materials and natural hues.
storage units by
Charles & ray eames
Installation s The Eames storage units are symbolic
by fien Muller of the grace and vision Charles and
& Hannes van Ray Eames used in solving commercial
furnishing problems.The wire crosses
severen support used in the storage units echo
Merging light, seating and other classic Eames designs.
storage in a single piece,
Installation S serves as a
functional piece, especially
for tight commercial
spaces. The thin lines in
unlacquered steel give it a
lighter feel that is balanced
with the use of leather
and polyethylene.
Liberté design studio, Fabrica
Dv549 Lockers by Antonio Morello

Created only on request, the DV549 Lockers is a fresh break
from a regular locker design. The new series of storage units
come with hinged doors and locks, to contain documents
and personal belongings at work. The doors have special
machinery that allows one to put in and not to take out
standard sized documents, even with a locked door.
Autobahn by Alexander Lotersztain
Autobahn by Derlot Editions is a modular seating system
that is able to adapt to a variety of configurations suitable
for commercial work areas and public spaces. Components
include a straight bench seat in three lengths, with or without
a backrest, and curved modules able to form a 1200mm,
1800mm or 2400mm radius, with the option of an internal or
external backrest. A 400mm diameter table for working or
relaxing may be affixed to the frame at regular intervals
C-Ply by Drisag
The C-Ply is a circular lounge
workspace, specifically designed for
work or consultation in open spaces.
Designed for Drivk, it comprises of a
wooden frame, which is covered with
high-quality foam that comes with a
high acoustic value. The C-Ply consists
of several curved elements, which
forms the circular shape and all these
elements can be linked in reverse,
creating a 'sling' bench.
- Compiled by Kamna Malik

home & design
Why does Zarir Mullan of

SEZA value TRENDS?
In a very short period of time, TRENDS
has managed to position itself amongst
the leading publications catering to the
field of design. The quality of articles and
more importantly, the quality of projects
featured make it an essential part of one’s
reading material if one is interested in
following innovative projects coming up
all over India from a variety of designers.
So far it has maintained an impeccably
high standard of articles and projects
featured. As a resource guide, there
seems to be a focus on product design
or at times products with a strong design
sensibility. I would say the magazine
and the projects it features are
contemporary and up-to-date with
the latest design trends.
Zarir Mullan founded his firm in 1994, and

today he and his partner Seema Puri are the
principal architects and designers at SEZA.
The duo view design as something that
blends landscapes, architecture and interior
into something that can be interwoven into
its existing urban context. Their portfolio
includes corporate buildings, residential
schemes, private bungalows, showrooms
and cafeterias. They have been awarded
multiple times for their work, including
an award for Excellence in Architecture
in the residential category in 2003 from
the IIA and an award in 2009 in the Best
Merchandise category from the IAD in
association with the Council of Architecture.
HOME & DESIGN TRENDS
HOME & DESIGN Volume 3 No 1

` 250 A Times of India publication
awards
Architecture
INDIA
Interior Design
Product Design
Visual Design
VOL 3 NO 1 2015
A Worldwide Media Publication
R.N.I. MAHENG/2013/50949
Cover Trends-v301.indd 1 22/05/15 4:04 PM

Preview London, till September 6, 2015
Small Stories: At home in a dolls’ house

exhibition reveals the fascinating stories behind
some of UK’s best doll houses
A Night in the Studio by Ina Hyun K Shin Home Is Bear The Heart Is by Mister Peebles
Showcasing the stories of 12 dolls’ houses from the past 300

years, the V&A Museum of Childhood in London is hosting a major
exhibition called Small Stories: At home in a dolls’ house. Visitors
can take on a journey through the history of each home; explore
their everyday lives and changing family relationships. Curated by
Alice Sage, each house tells small stories that are brought to life by
the characters that live or work there. The exhibition encompasses
country mansions, the Georgian town house, suburban villas,
Upcoming Events
Sketch to Structure, Saving Face: 50 Years of New York Jasper Morrison: Retrospective
Pittsburgh, till August 17 City Landmarks Belgium, till September 13
New York, till September 13
An exhibition that focuses on The city of New York’s many iconic A retrospective exhibit that celebrates
demystifying the process of buildings get an exhibition dedicated British industrial designer Jasper
architectural design just to them Morrison’s 35 year long career

The Longest Party Table in the World by Paul
Priestman PriestmanGoode
newly-built council estates and high-rise

apartments. According to Sage, “Dolls’
houses can be autobiographical or create
fantastical worlds. These special spaces are
deposits for real memories, fanciful ideas and
often a lifetime of dedication. The experience
of peeking into the tiny rooms and seeing
all the meticulous detail is fascinating for
children and adults, and hopefully everyone
will discover something new.” A further 20
dolls’ houses dating from 1673 to 2014 are
on display within the Museum’s permanent
galleries. The exhibition will go on tour in the
UK, Europe and the United States. Library A Recent Plan by Liberty Art Fabrics Interiors Llama Dreams by Donna Wilson
I Always Dreamed of an Underwater Aquarium

Offline Hideaway by Dominic Wilcox Wilderness Dreams by Orly Orbach Bathroom by Katie Christiason
Dialogues: Photographs of Hélène Binet Snøhetta - World Architecture Material Future: The Architecture
Berlin. till September 21 Copenhagen, June 19 – September 27 of Herzog & de Meuron
Vancouver, till October 4
By contrasting her architectural photographs This exhibition celebrates the prolific An exhibition examining the oeuvre of
against those of landscapes, this exhibition Scandinavian firm Snøhetta by highlighting Prtizker Prize winning firm Herzog &
celebrates the talent of Hélène Binet their international projects de Meuron over the last 15 years

Review London, February 20-May 17, 2015
Constructing Worlds brings together

the works of 18 photographers from
the 1930s up to the modern times
Presented at the Barbican Art Gallery

in London, Constructing Worlds was
an exhibition that featured over 200
© Guy Tillim courtesy of Stevenson, Cape Town and Johannesburg, 2014 Eredi Luigi Ghirri courtesy of the Luigi Ghirri Estate,
architectural and photographic works by

18 photographers from across the world.
Some of the participating photographers
included names like Berenice Abbott,
Walker Evans, Julius Shulman, Hélène
Binet, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Andreas
Nadav Kander, Simon Norfolk, 2014 Stephen Shore image courtesy of the artist, 30, Thomas Struth
Gursky, Nadav Kander and Iwan Baan.

The subjects in the photographs include
structures by architects and designers
such as Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd
Wright, Aldo Rossi, Charles and Ray
Eames and Daniel Liebeskind. From
New York's first skyscrapers, through
the colonial buildings in the Congo to
occupied high-rise towers in Caracas,
this exhibition promised a visual treat.
Constructing Worlds was a journey
through a long history of photography
that traced the development of
architecture around the world. Despite
Chongqing IV (Sunday Picnic), Chongqing Municipality
Guy Tillim, Grande Hotel, Beira, Mozambique, 2008

Simon Norfolk, Former Soviet-era
'Palace of Culture', Kabul, 2001
Stephen Shore, Badlands National

Monument, South Dakota, July 14, 1973
Luigi Ghirri, Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena; the ossuary in winter, 1986
the distance in time and space, the
photographers were united
in a common resolve to observe
and record the complex business
environment. The exhibition was
presented in chronological order and
covered a large variety of photographic
techniques and thematic areas. In this
exhibition, photographers challenged
the conventional norms of architectural
photography and reinterpreted an
architect's intentions by showcasing
the lived experience of a space and the
symbolic value that it bought.
Thomas Struth, Clinton Road, London, 1977

Concept New York, May 2015
Author and illustrator James

Gulliver Hancock traces his home
town with his latest book All the
Buildings in Sydney
“I feel sick when I am not drawing. I panic

that I may not be able to draw everything
in the world… at least once,” says James
Gulliver Hancock. Released in New York
and expressed through his unique and
charming cityscape handmade drawings,
Hancock's latest book pays a tribute
to the diverse architectural styles of his
hometown, Sydney. Hancock’s buildings
are colourful and full of fun and offbeat
details. Though initially they may come
across as gimmicky, in actuality they
brilliantly capture the technical elements
and the essence of the architecture that
makes Sydney such a beautiful city. From
icons such as Utzon’s Sydney Opera
House to lesser-known gems like Mark
Foy’s building opposite Hyde Park, All
the Buildings in Sydney represents each
building with utmost care, detail and pre-
cision. The other noteworthy illustrations All the buildings, Sydney- Kingstreet
include the terrace houses in Paddington,
the bungalows by the beaches and the
incredible sandstone buildings from
Sydney’s past. Through these illustrations
Hancock aims to encourage readers to
explore the city with him, to take a step
back from the everyday, pause and take
notice of the little details that get missed
out on in their daily lives.
James Gulliver Hancock x3

Public Art
Transformative art that alters

perceptions & neighbourhoods
Stain by Pejac Untitled by Collettivo FX

Santander, Spain, 2011 Palermo, Italy, 2014
“Countries in the southern part of the planet are draining “We wanted to create a ‘game’ between reality and
through a hole. As an act of justice, the northern countries representation - a mural that is a depiction of a landscape
will follow them. I created this in a reflexive time and to that is true. This is an attempt to show the confusion that
represent it on the street helped take away that anger.” exists between reality and the representation of it.”
The Kinetoscope by Christina Angelina and Ease One

Mauro Filippi, FNA Photo
Slab City, California, 2015
"Kinetoscope features two female faces that partially circle

the inner walls. Each individual face embodies a specific
emotion tied to a meaningful moment when I trusted my
intuition, an inherent sense often ignored by society.”
Home
21 Trends
more Vol 3 No
projects 9 2013
at trendsideas.com more
Homehomes at trendsideas.com
& Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015
21
Building Conversations
Views and insights from architects, interior designers and
newsmakers that are shaping the design world
Interviews
My View Portfolio
Interview
Principal designer and partner of HBA, Rahul

Shankhwalker elaborates on how his designs link
the past with the future
When and how did you notice the potential growth that India has had. This makes the
for hospitality design in India? country a unique place to design and develop.
Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) has been
designing fine luxury hotels in India for over How does the local context influence your
40 years now and has been significantly approach to a project?
involved in the development of some of the Significantly. It is the DNA of our designs.
country’s most iconic hotels. The last couple of No matter where our projects are, local
decades have seen a substantial evolution of context forms the base of our designs. For
the Indian economy, including the example, we are currently designing a spa for
hospitality segment. HBA believes in a luxury spa operator in Pune, which draws
India’s long-term growth prospects, both from and uses Warli art and artists to complete
economically and creatively. This last decade the guest experience.
has also seen a surge of international
operators opening up hotels in India, both in When designing a hospitality project, how
the luxury and budget segment. It was only does one maintain that balance between
prudent to set base in India to be able to grow thematic influences and not making the
HBA’s relationships further. space look gimmicky?
I believe that while designs have to draw from
Where does India stand in terms of the past, they also have to respond to the
world architecture? future, creating a visual identity that bridges
With its incredible cultural wealth, designs the gap between the two. In doing so, I try
and designers from India are at an interesting to understand the spatial and experiential
threshold of global creativity. Very few qualities of the local context and interpret this
countries in the world have seen the economic in my own way.
Spa in Pune
24 more projects at trendsideas.com

When you work with companies like Hyatt,
St Regis, Marriot, etc. that have strong
design identities, how do you balance it
with HBA’s design philosophy?
I believe the best designs come from the most
challenging situations. While most international
operators have design identities, they also give
immense creative freedom to the designers.
Guidelines come from well-researched client
feedback and usage and serviceability surveys.
As designers, this is invaluable for us in order
to create something that is long lasting and
which contributes to building brand loyalty.
According to you, why are clients choosing

you over Indian firms, especially in the
hospitality market? House in Australia
HBA operates in multiple continents but we
pride our selves as a ‘Local Global Design
Company’. In India our staff is incredibly
talented. We have designers, both home-
grown and foreign–trained. Now, we want to
work with local designers who understand the
local context and work culture and who drive
designs and build amazing properties. In all
practicality, we are an Indian firm because we
do a considerable amount of creative work out
of our Indian offices.
Amongst all the hospitality projects

executed by HBA, which one would you
term as the best, and why?
My favourite is the Four Seasons Resort in Double Tree Hilton, Goa
Seychelles. The designs are simple yet elegant,
and are powerful in a way that a guest who
checks in there has no choice but to leave his
worries behind him and unwind. This property
really does fulfil its function and do what it was
meant to do i.e. help its guests relax.
Rahul shankhwalker joined HBA as a Design

Director in 2007. Prior to this, he gained exten-
sive work experience in Australia, singapore
and India. Over his 15 years of work experi-
ence, shankhwalker has developed a deep
and sensitive understanding of Asian design
aesthetics and his current portfolio includes
luxury and mid scale hotels and resorts, spas,
retail, offices, private residences, club houses,
restaurants and bar lounges. Spa in Pune

Interview
Navin Raheja of Raheja Developers talks to

Preeti Singh about all matters real estate. Gen
next and executive director, Nayan Raheja joins in
the conversation
What are your thoughts on the deadlock Shouldn’t prices then come down
on the real-estate scene currently? considerably?
Navin Raheja: It is mindless oversupplying Navin Raheja: Prices have come down
brought into the market by so many already. But now bringing them down further
inexperienced people with the view to is not possible because they are, I think, at
make big money. That has spoiled the cost or maybe below cost. It will be disaster for
entire credibility of the sector along with anybody selling below this.
the confidence of customers. On top of it,
the last five years have seen a slowdown in Real estate was not your first
economic growth. business venture.
Navin Raheja: After passing out from college,
How does one break this real I had savings of about Rs 5000 from a
estate deadlock? scholarship. With that I started my first business
Navin Raheja: It needs a trigger. Firstly, of providing accessories for scooters. It was a
the government should understand that very innovative idea at the time, nobody was
investment in real estate, in any country doing it. Then, in 1982, there was Asian Games,
and in any economy has always proved to so I introduced colour TVs also for the first
be a turnover for that economy. This sector time in Delhi. I was one of the initial distributors
is supporting more than 250 industries. for EC and Uptron tv sets. Because of these
The leather industry, steel, cement, copper opportunities, I made good money and by ’83
or glass, wood, plastic mills, mechanical, I made my first investment in real estate. And it
plumbing, almost all these industries are doubled in less than three months. That gave
directly affected by the real estate sector. me a taste of how to bat faster, you know, a
The simple logic is to make people invest in faster run-rate.
real estate by bringing down the home loan
interest rates. When they bring the interest You have made a sustained effort to work
rate down to 6-7% on home loans, the country with international firms.
will start growing in double digits. Secondly, Navin Raheja: The Burj Khalifa in Dubai has
please allow us to work. The government been made by Arab builders. So we tried to
should ease the rules of doing business get in touch with them because they have
for us. They come up with something new the competency to create that level of work
everyday. One more legislation or one more and those structures. There was a lot of
rule to follow. We are not being given time to resistance on their part; they were not willing
work. There are so many compliances to fulfil. to work with Indians. But ultimately, Nayan,
Be it venue, electricity, water, environment, my son, convinced them. Designing alliances
other local authorities, fire, labour and all the are there with the best global companies like
taxations. And all of these people are not Thornton Tomasetti, who are also working
actually supporting us. These problems need on some projects with us. We are bringing in
to be sorted out. The government can put all talented companies from all over the world,
these things online. Currently, there is online even to execute our individual modules, after
approval as a single window clearance and we construction. Even our architects are talented
are stuck only with attending to them. international names.

Why don’t developers work with Indian
architects and firms?
Navin Raheja: I used to work with Indian
architects about 10 years ago. But I always
had to go back for frequent changes in
the drawings. The quality was not really
that good. Then we hired the best of the
architects from the School of Planning &
Architecture. We have a team of about 30
architects from the best of the institutes.
They are good in local master planning
and in their knowledge of by-laws. And
they collaborate with our international
architects too.
What’s next for the company?

Nayan Raheja: We are evolving with the
times and there will be a dramatic shift in the
kind of product mix that we do. Currently, it
is probably 80% residential and within that
80% we have probably 50% of the luxury
homes for the middle segment homes. I think
that will dramatically shift to a 30% luxury
and you know like 30% middle and a 40%
lower-income group sort of a thing. That is
the kind of demand pattern, which exists
in the country. Also, we are in the process
of creating smart technology for homes in
the same way we see apps in our phone.
I think the last frontier achieved for smart
technology is going to be people’s homes.
We are creating a new sort of technology
where soon you will see lot of prototypes
where you will be able to experience your
lifestyle better. Through this technology, if
you want to go for a game of tennis and you
know that your friend might be available,
you can check via this technology to see if
a booking is available at the tennis court at
5 pm and ask if your friend is also there. It
automatically communicates. It is almost like
Artificial Intelligence (AI). The home starts
having a personality of its own where you
can communicate with it. Apple and Google
are working on it as well.
Raheja Developers Limited was established

in 1990 by Navin M Raheja. He holds a MBE
degree and is a post graduate in Journalism.
His company is regarded as one of the big-
gest companies in India with executable and
sanction projects over 60 million sq ft in hand
with projects spanning over 900 acres of land
at various stages of deliberations.

Interview
Architect Alan Abraham’s radical proposal,

The Bombay Greenway Project, has the potential
to transform Mumbai’s landscape
What is the Bombay Greenway Project? create a fallout effect here. But the sad part is
The Bombay Greenway Project is a that locally people are not willing to listen.
conceptual design to create a green
umbrella over the city’s local railway What feedback have you received
system. If the Greenway Project were to from government that can help execute
be implemented, 114 km of railway line the proposal?
will serve as 114 km stretch of podium We are trying to contact the right people,
gardens that will be traffic-free and meant however, the Government bodies have been
for pedestrians only. The sides of the tracks unresponsive. The important thing here is to
will be barricaded to discourage people create awareness amongst people.
from crossing and there will be entry and
exit points at every 400 m intervals which Is the recognition a challenge?
would make it easy to access the greenway Getting local recognition from the right people
which serves as a North South connector is the major challenge. The rest is mainly getting
and dissolves the East West divide. The people to accept, study and take this new idea
three prime objectives of the project are forward in a way that is feasible.
to prevent railway crossing deaths, create
1000 acres of open space and to positively The project requires coordination and
influence the lives of the 7.7 million people involves major policy decisions. Given
that use the trains daily. The project aims the general situation when it comes to
to improve the basic lifestyle that is less policy makers, what encouraged you to
stressful and relatively safe. The Bombay conceptualise a project of this magnitude?
Greenway Project is not about cleaning up We have proposed the concepts and case
or beautifying the streets. It is a simple, new studies in individual parts to make it simple.
idea. All it proposes is to rethink the use of This allows people to understand that it is quite
public spaces that already exist. feasible and not too ambitious if you break
it into parts. The moment each component
How did the idea manifest? connects, it will transform the city. We can think
This proposal was born out of frustration. of the designs, but we cannot execute every
We assessed the problems and the potential single one. In this instance, it is beyond our
of the city and instead of complaining, scope. To execute, you need the bureaucrat,
we decided to create a concrete plan and the politician and policy makers to come
present it. It’s easy to transform a project together. These agencies have come together
from bad to good through design. It even to relook at the development plan. This is an
won the International Urban Planning & ideal time for discussing and integrating these
Urban Design competition, 2013 at Velo- ideas into the plan.
City, Austria and we hoped that this would
- In conversation with Amanda Peters
Alan Abraham is the joint principal architect of Abraham John of Abraham John Architects.
Founded in 1967, it is a multidisciplinary architecture, interior design, landscaping and urban
planning firm in Mumbai. With a spectrum of clients, the firm’s design approach is to re-
connect architecture with nature.

1. Proposed design of the Bombay Greenway Project. This rendering
shows the podium garden as they will be constructed above the railway
lines as well as the barricades meant to prevent pedesterians from
crossing over the tracks. The greenery of the podium gardens will have a
positive impact on the surrouding urbanscape.
2. The Bombay Greenway Project future station section (Bandra Station,

Western Railways)
(i) Ramp access to the Greenway
(ii) Skywalk access to the Greenway
(iii) Staircase access to and fro from the station
(iv) Skylight for the railway station on the Greenway
(v) Greenway Ramping up to avoid disruption in cyclists movement
(vi) Greenway access to the railway station
3. Walk, cycle and play routes on the Western Line between Khar
and Mahim.
4. The proposed underpass for the Juhu Beach Project Plan

My View
On: How a colour palette contributes

towards the larger context of architecture
Manish Dikshit
Aum Architects, Mumbai
Colour has a very powerful meaning in architecture.

Contradictions can be easily found, because it is hard not
to be subjective with such a topic. Another problem with
making general conclusions is the fact that colours have
different meanings in different cultures. For example, in
Europe black is for mourning, though in northern parts of
Portugal brides wear black gowns on their wedding day.
In East Asia white is the colour of mourning and in most of
Europe it is the colour of purity. Similarly, in the context of
Indian architecture, earthen colours are used to blend with
the surrounding macro environment.
Dexter fernandes
uneven, vadodara
Colour is not just an emotion but a part of the character of

the structures we design. For example, earthen shades give a
homely aesthetic and are used mainly for residential projects,
whereas commercial and corporate projects are done in
formal colours like greys, whites, walnut etc. Though most of
our works have a basic tone of grey or light beige to help give
a subtle, cool and pleasing look, our main enhancer is always
green – adding freshness and life to the projects.
Indrajit kembhavi
kembhavi Architecture foundation, bangalore
Architecture is all about symbolism where infinite

forms are created out of infinite spaces, hence I cannot
associate this profound realm to a monochrome, but
rather I do relate it to a spectrum, which is also defined
as a condition, not limited to a set of chromatic values,
but one that can vary within a continuum.

Dikshu kukreja
C P kukreja Associates, new Delhi
In architecture, the entire colour palette acts a strong

tool for any built form to communicate with the world.
Therefore, rather than associating it with a specific
colour, I think it is the entire colour palette that one
should draw from in order to suit the specificities and
the context of any project so concerned.
Percy kutar
4.4 Design, Mumbai
Associating a single colour with the art of

architecture is problematic; it’s like asking which
colour would you associate with the art of painting,
or for that matter any art. However, I believe that in
architecture, colour is best expressed by an honest
expression of its materiality- singular or plural and
the way in which light plays with it.
Melissa smith
banduksmith studio, Ahmedabad
More than any particular colour it is the clarity of colour

and its meaning for representation that I associate with the
processes of architecture. Colour is powerful when used
with restraint. In my first year of school, we were limited to
the use of black and white, plus just one spot colour (either
cyan, magenta or yellow, pure ink cartridge colours). What
this taught me was all the things that organisation, scale
and proportion can do and how careful use of colour helps
to communicate. Colour restraint for communication is a
practice I continue to use even today, both in the drawings
we make, and in the materials we use on our sites.
- Compiled by Dushyant Shekhawat

Guest Column
The design of a vertical mixed-use development

must achieve an efficient solution to integrating
spaces while isolating individual services, says
architect Reza Kabul
F or centuries human settlements have developed in mixed-use

patterns, that blend in a combination of residential, commercial,
cultural, institutional and industrial zones. Knight Frank, one of the
world’s largest global property consultancies, affirms that given the
lack of housing supply and land constraints, mixed-use development
is an important and necessary part of the urban renewal and
regeneration process.
The term ‘mixed-use’, though straightforward, varies in definition from

different zones, cities and countries. However, key elements define
the present mixed-use approach as a space that amasses different
users, designed with a revenue generating approach, with a significant
functional and physical integration of spaces and services. While
developing mixed-use zones in entirety is often unfeasible, either by
a single developer or without municipal support, vertical single unit
mixed-use developments have been in play for a while. Early examples
of these vertical mixed-use developments are apartment buildings with
ground level retail spaces.
Recently, major vertical mixed-use developments have presented

themselves as a phenomenon, with the real estate industry investing
in opportunities to create vibrant, sustainable and revenue generating
spaces. Vertical mixed-use developments hold more potential and have
an advantage over the typical single-use structures, thereby making
them the next step for sprawling cities.
The design of a vertical mixed-use development must achieve an

efficient solution to integrating the spaces while isolating the individual
services. They are also required to manage the sensitive spaces such as
commercial offices and residences, with regard to potentially disturbing
aspects of public spaces such as hospitality and retail outlets. 96 Iconic
Tower (Colombo, Sri Lanka), designed as a ball balanced between four
bats to commemorate the achievements of the winners of the 1996
Cricket World Cup, is an amalgamation of retail, commercial, residential,
institutional, hospitality and public spaces.
Mumbai-based architect Reza Kabul setup his own firm The challenge while designing this mixed-use tower was to integrate
M/s Architect Reza Kabul in 1988. Kabul’s vision has lead five different users stacked on top of each other, while providing them
to successful and path-breaking projects like Radisson Hotel individual and independent functioning. The commercial spaces, such
(Mauritius), Arista (Mumbai), Earth Infra (Gurgaon), etc that
are centred on his design philosophy of ‘liberating spaces.’
as the multi-screen cinema on level four, offices on level five, and the
Some of his well-known clients are Le Meridien, ITC, panoramic restaurant on level 94 and 95 have the lift lobby located on
Ramada and Ajmera Realty. the basement level. The public spaces, a 360° observatory on level

92 and the Sri Lankan Cricket Legends Museum on level 93, have
ticket counters and lift lobbies located on the south side of the
ground level. The retail spaces, spread across the ground level to
level three, are interconnected with a series of 18 escalators and
six elevators. The north side of the ground level acts as a separate
entry for the residential spaces, with six elevators taking them to the
residential lobby situated on level six, which houses nine elevators
for residents and their guests, and three service elevators, leading to
the residential apartments across level 15 to level 90, punctuated by
service floors and entertainment decks.
Form and function, the most hackneyed words in architecture,

have been major influencers of design the world over. Commercial
structures, however, demand the additional integration of
performance and management, which helps maintain the revenue
generating component. Mixed-use projects offer developers the
opportunity to spread risks while generating higher yields. At the
same time, complementary tenants attract prospective consumers
from a variety of sectors. Raghuleela Mall (Navi Mumbai, India)
is a classic example, where the mall is constructed on an IT Park
plot, giving the retail sector its prospective consumer. While the
60% of the plot consists of the IT Park, zoning dictated that 40%
be used for commercial purposes, and we incorporated a mall,
Iconic Tower
a multi-screen cinema, banquet facilities and swimming pool
equipped gymnasium. The location, next to the local railway station,
attracts an even larger number of daily commuters passing by. The
commercial spaces have been designed to be open and permeable
to encourage people to walk through the site, while the central
atrium of the mall encloses a public piazza which establishes the
social focus. The solution to smooth functioning of the mixed-
use development is using the same space in different moods and
different attires with different users, and separating the main areas
from the service areas.
Mixed-use developments, whether horizontal or vertical, promote

smart growth. While creating new urban strategies and synergies
in an existing city is challenging, it does lead to efficient land use.
Integrating different zones makes them readily accessible in one
location, while reducing the dependency on public and transport
facilities. We stand at the beginning of a revolutionary era, where the
mixed-use developments are substituting the high-street concepts
of the mid 20th century. Raghuleela Mall - Central Atrium

Portfolio
In this prelude to the photo-essay on the

Kochi Muziris Biennale 2014, its founder,
Bose Krishnamachari talks to Preeti Singh
about responsibility, opportunity and struggle
Is it fair to say that the creative community Delhi. The initial amount of three crores was
in India, including architects, seems not be given by the New Delhi government.
hesitant to acknowledge and take on They said, “Three crores? For art?” They
social responsibility through their work? should understand that it is public money and
It’s a sad truth but also an indication of benefits the public at large; it brings tourists,
the system we have. Many of the artists/ national and international visitors and culture
architects are not really aware of what’s grows and proliferates through such kind of
happening in the country. I hardly see people policy making.
reading newspapers or trying to get news
and information about what’s happening Culture tourism is good economic sense.
in the country. I don’t see a lot of people Yes, but nationally, we have been a
interested in politics, daily issues and policy disappointment. Only 0.02% of the GDP is
matters, and I think this is a dangerous trend put aside for art. Compared to other public
- to be disengaged from our daily reality. I funding and public funded projects, 0.02%
think the Europeans, the Americans and the is almost nothing, not even an afterthought.
Australians have realised that their art and I read somewhere that Britain generates
work can affect the culture and ethos of 35% of its GDP through cultural tourism.
their communities. They realise the potential This is huge. That is one of the reasons they
of this “soft-power.” And sometimes this are making more museums and protecting
becomes much more powerful than political their monuments. Take for example, the Tate
diplomats and diplomacy, transcending Modern. When the authorities felt that they
boundaries and connecting people and could not accommodate five million people
nations. It’s also one of the reasons in a large 3,75,000 sq ft space, they decided
why internationally they do more cultural to make another wing for performances,
and educational exchange programmes. reading, exhibition spaces etc. They are also
I think it is high time artists and architects spending £260 million to create that building.
of this country became more socially aware We have to understand the value of investing
and responsible. in art and culture and the long-term benefits
of it. India has such a rich heritage and
Do you think it’s also a matter of cultural legacy. And it is time that we start
conversation between the creative telling our own stories rather than depend on
community and the political class? Can someone else’s version of it.
enough pressure from the art and design
Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2014 x9
community enable the process? How did you come to organise a Biennale?
I am sure that there are other concerned We used to have something called the
people in the creative community and Triennale in Delhi, in 1968, which was started
some steps had been taken in this regard. by Dr Mulk Raj Anand and some artists. It
Many people have tried it; in 2005, the art was a part of the nation-building programme
community tried to start a biennale in New at that time. But due to various reasons it

ended in 2005. In 2009, MA Baby, Kerala’s need to have a certain environment. And politics, culture etc and will decide what one
then education and cultural minister had now, after all the preparations we have done can call a “theme.” He will then conduct
come to visit my house. He wanted to raise in Kochi, we are confident that the space we research trips to identify the artists who could
funds for education and culture. I told him have created can host exhibitions of Picasso, take on his “themes” and best react to the
it was possible, but it would take time and Van Gogh or Rembrandt. We are prepared site. We give maximum freedom to the artists,
there will be, almost every week, an invitation for that kind of space and weather control. In whatever the cost may be. We invite them,
to court, strikes, cancellations, many things. fact, in the first year of the Biennale, we had but one of the first conditions is that we want
Name anything and it will keep on getting the first exhibition brought from the Dresden every artist to come see the site, because
worse. Then I called artist Riyas Komu over museum; they wanted to know, every day, the site is an important space for creating the
for dinner and we agreed that the best thing what the weather was, what the temperature project. Then the city is very important; it is
that could be done culturally for Kerala was etc. This went on for 30 days after very important to include its history. During the
was to have a biennale focusing on art. We which they said, “OK, we’ll send the work.” first biennale 73% of the work was produced
decided on the biennale because it would These are the kind of things we have to on-site and more than 60% during the second
be a recurring event and would create a manage carefully. We also created additional edition.
platform and avenues for direct engagement exhibition spaces out of unused buildings
with the public. It would also, in the course of and warehouses. People were excited to not You mentioned earlier, the environment in
time, create a vibrant and thriving economy only see international quality art-works but which the works are housed is essential.
around the Biennale and would benefit the also how artists utilise these old architectural In that, I must say they are absolutely
state – not just economically but socially spaces to appropriate their ideas. respectful. The sites and the works are so
and culturally as well. Kerala does have entrenched together.
other festivals –Trivandrum has a fantastic This has become an event for posterity. As the biennale director, I have something to
international film festival, a theatre festival in What is your vision for it? do with that. When it comes to the design of a
Thrissur, literature-wise Kerala is well known. Definitely, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale will project like this, everything is decided through
But when it comes to visual art, it has always become the destination for experiencing me. We can look at inviting any artist in the
been sidelined and there is no infrastructure contemporary art. We would also like to world, but if we cannot afford it, then I say no.
that takes care of that. The Biennale would create infrastructure for education and make
change all that. So that is what we decided a museum, not in the sense just a museum You said somewhere that the challenges
upon and presented to MA Baby who agreed. that collects paintings but an interactive you faced organising the Biennale have
one. In future I hope that we can start an added a unique flavor to it.
architecture biennale. We can imagine many Yes, you should have a challenging space
Other than securing funds, what has been things but I want to be able to do them. We otherwise there is no interest in creating
the second greatest challenge with the can have hundreds of ideas, but we focus on something. Conflict is important. Conflict puts
Kochi Biennale that you had to overcome? the ones that reflect quality and elevate the you in a certain kind of space and pushes you
It was to create an infrastructure that was space and region to a different level. to innovate and create your way out, to survive.
worthy of museum quality artwork, because You need to understand conflict; you need
otherwise no artist will send or exhibit their How is the work invited for the Biennale? to understand extremity. If you understand
works. I can invite an artist for the Biennale The artists chosen for the Biennale are extremities, you can definitely create better.
but they won’t send their works without any chosen by its curator, who would have Conflict is very important. I enjoy it; I have no
kind of control of the space. Some works done his research on the region, its history, complaints. We did it against all odds.

three decimal points/ Of a minute/ Of a second/ Of a degree by bharti kher
This installation is artist Bharti Kher’s fascination with and research into
several concepts; the Penrose triangle, medieval astronomical charts by the
Arab scholar Al-Biruni and one of colonial India’s greatest undertakings, the
Triangulation Survey of India. Through this piece, Kher seeks to undervalue
that, which is not abstruse. The installation is composed of suspended
triangles, each containing a swinging pendulum, creating an aura of instability
but never actually collapsing.

the Power of ten by Charles and ray eames
The Power of Ten is a 1977 art film made by the designer duo Charles
and Ray Eames. This piece of conceptual cinema offers a perspective
of the universe from multiple scales, from the most expansive to
the minutest. Beginning with an overhead shot of a couple in a park,
the film zooms out by the power of ten every 10 seconds, gradually
transporting the viewer to the outer reaches of space. At the point
where human knowledge of the universe ends, the camera begins
to zoom back in, at the power of minus 10, culminating in visuals
of protons at a sub-atomic level, offering a reminder of the infinite
worlds with which we share our universe.

Mary wants to read a book by navjot Altaf
Both a celebration of the state of Kerala’s literacy movement and
an alarm call for the state of climate degradation, the Mary Wants
to Read a Book installation by Navjot Altaf underlines the need for
development that is not harmful for the ecology. The installation is
an immersive, built-up space comprising over 2000 books made
from recycled paper. The form of the installation is also a three
dimensional recreation of a scientific chart documenting 2000 years
of climatic change. By offsetting Kerala’s praiseworthy literacy rate
and library culture with global environmental degradation, Altaf’s
work is suggestive of alternative modes of development.

untitled by unnikrishnan C
This free-standing wall composed of more than 300 bricks is
the work of Unnikrishnan C, one of the youngest artists that
exhibited at this year’s Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Each brick
serves as a miniature canvas for Unnikrishnan and he has
covered them in paintings that recall his childhood in rural
Kerala. The subjects of his paintings are often relics of a
bygone era, including imagery reminiscent of professions and
lifestyles falling by the wayside in modern times.

the fires of faith by benitha Perciyal
It is believed that St Thomas bought the Christian faith to Indian shores
when he landed in Kerala in 52 BC. Benitha Perciyal’s installation
delves into this history, examining the culture of religious imagery that
flourished in India with the proliferation of Christianity. These sculptures
are crafted from incense made from natural materials like aromatic
herbs and spices and are intended to devolve to reflect the passage
of time; cracks will appear and the fragrance will fade, turning these
sculptures into a testament to impermanence.

Matter by ns Harsha
NS Harsha is a painter, sculptor and artist who likes to offer
what he calls bird’s eye views of life. In Matter, he creates
a bronze sculpture of a lone monkey grasping a spherical
whilst pointing upwards at the sky. The imagery of the
solitary primate silently gesturing at the heavens leaves the
interpretation up to the viewer. “It is a work formed from the
depths of speechlessness,” says Harsha.

the Arrival of vasco da Gama (after an 1898 painting by
Jose veloso salgado) by Pushpamala n
Pushpamala N is an artistic performer whose pursuits
include a series of masquerades where she subverts
iconic images by staging recreations, which she inhabits
herself. In this image, a recreation of Jose Veloso
Salgado’s painting Vasco da Gama perante o Samorim de
Calecute, Pushpamala essays the role of the eponymous
navigator. This reconstructed photograph uses the element
of theatricality to offer a critique on how this historic event
grew into the status of myth over the passage of years.

sun shadow by Pors & rao
Sun Shadow is the creation of Bangalore-based
artistic duo, Aparna Rao and Søren Pors. This illusory
installation at first appears to be discarded material,
the kind of unclaimed debris one might find at a
large exhibition. But this sun, crafted from plastic,
metal and rubber, hides hidden electromagnetic
components that make it come alive. Intermittently,
this melting outline of the sun moves upwards,
attempting to rise before collapsing back down into its
original state as if exhausted by the effort. The artist’s
sense of playfulness and dark humour infects this
piece, much like their other installations.

Iconic Design Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile, Paris
arched respect
Roger Viollet Collection/Getty
It is 1806 and Napolean I, triumphant from his
victories in Europe, commissions French architect
Jean Chalgrin to design a monument that would
be a fitting tribute to the French Army. Chalgrin’s
design is that of an arch, inspired by the arches that
successful Roman generals and their armies would
later on march under to celebrate their victories
during the Antiquity period.
Named the Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile (The Arc

of Triumph) it is located on the Place Charles de
Gaulle, Paris. It took two years just to lay down the
foundations for the arch. And it took almost 30 years
to complete it. The monument stands 50 m (164 ft)
in height, 45 m (148 ft) wide and 22 m (72 ft) deep.
Jean Galgrin passed away during its construction

and the project was then completed under the
supervision of Jean-Nicolas Huyot. The triumphal
arch is adorned with many reliefs, most of them
commemorating the emperor’s battles. At the top
of the arch are 30 shields, each of them bearing
the name of one of Napoleon’s successful battles.
Below the arch is the Grave of the Unknown
Soldiers, honoring the many who died during the
First World War. It would be the biggest, widest and
tallest triumphant arch in the world; (in 1919 Charles
Godfrey successfully flew his biplane under the arch
to showcase its width), till the Arch of Triumph in
Pyongyang was completed in 1982, but The Arc of
Triumph still remains the most iconic in the world.
- Written by Moshita Prajapati

Commercial Design
A residential redevelopment complex, a mixed-use structure and a beach club - the projects in this
section showcase how commercial design is getting redefined throughout the world
Project Portfolio
Community spirit
With its hexagonal matrix of interlocking building
blocks, this residential development weaves a new
sense of collective engagement

Preceding pages:With its 31 stacked Distinguished architectural firms are most Singapore (Residential).
blocks arranged in a hexagonal often commissioned to design prestigious projects “This was always going to be an exemplary
pattern, The Interlace creates a new for the high end of the market. But the experience development that would promote a sustainable,
form of vertical village. The buildings
and skills they can bring to a more populist market highly accessible and eco-friendly living environ-
enclose large courtyards that provide
niche can have far greater ramifications. ment, with a strong sense of community,” he says.
a wealth of recreational facilities.
This Singapore project proves that innovative “We set out to create an outstanding design for a
Below:Each block is six storeys
architecture is not the sole prerogative of an elite development that is not only within reach of those
high, but at no point does the
few. Rather, it can be accessible to a much wider who aspire to own a private residential unit, but
development exceed the stipulated
24 storeys. The openings between
market – in this case more than 1000 households. also those who aspire to a unique lifestyle.”
the buildings create physical and The Interlace, developed by CapitaLand The design was driven by many factors, including
visual permeability, providing cross Singapore, was designed by architect Ole Scheeren the shape of the 8ha site, which completes a 9km
ventilation and maximising views. working for OMA. The design brief was straightf green belt. It was also determined by the need to
orward – the development needed to create an maximise opportunities for social interaction.
iconic urban habitat of the future, says Wong “In Singapore, the standard typology for
Heang Fine, chief executive officer of CapitaLand residential developments is a cluster of isolated,

towers, which do little to enhance a sense of cut off from the wider landscape. The development Below:The hexagonal form can be
community,” the architect says. “This design, in has a very different feel to a tower block – it is all seen from above, in both the plan and
contrast, explores a dramatically different approach about lightness, openness and transparency.” finished development.
to tropical living, providing an expansive and inter- The architect says the exterior of the building is Right:Because the buildings are
connected network of communal spaces within a layered to create a stratification of outdoor living stacked on a 120° angle, views and
natural environment.” areas. These range from highly communal sky privacy are maximised. The hexagon
motif can be seen on the underside of
Thirty-one apartment blocks, each six storeys gardens to slightly more private terraces and very
the concrete slabs.
high, are stacked in a hexagonal arrangement to private spaces. All apartments have balconies, and
create eight large-scale courtyards. The interlocking many have protruding terraces that can become an
blocks resemble a vertical village, complete with extension of the living room.
cascading sky gardens and both public and private “It looks deceptively simple, but there is a
roof terraces. Extensive residential amenities and richness and complexity to the architecture that
facilities are interwoven with the landscape, amid helps to generate a sense of excitement and
lush vegetation, providing opportunities for social freedom,” says Scheeren. “The development never
interaction, leisure and recreation. feels crowded.”
“The architecture is more about the spaces “The accommodation itself is also varied within
between the buildings than the built-up areas each block. While the overall building form is highly
themselves,” says Scheeren. “While the buildings dynamic, each individual block is an entirely prag-
provide the residences, they are more importantly a matic rectangle that allows a very efficient layout.
tool to generate the open spaces.” Spaces are also generously sized and light filled,
The architect says the company experimented and the quality of the fit-out is high.”
with many different configurations to maximise the As with all OMA buildings, sustainable design
design of the courtyards and natural light. determined every aspect of the architecture.
“In the end, it was the hexagon that won out over “We incorporated passive design strategies
a square or rectangular form. The angles at which throughout the project,” says the architect.
the buildings meet are 120°, not 90°. This means “Daylight is optimised, and there is shading in the
the buildings are slightly turned away from each courtyards. Apartments are positioned to minimise
other, which helps to open up the views and pro- solar gain, while taking advantage of the breezes
vides more privacy. It also creates well-articulated permeating through the building. The apartments
outdoor areas.” also benefit from evaporative cooling over the
Scheeren says the stacking principle ensured various bodies of water, which remove humidity.”
there would always be openings in the blocks. Communal facilities include an environmental
“There are no sealed envelopes – the buildings deck, which is integrated into the green belt. This
are completely permeable,” he says. “This allows incorporates the eight themed courtyards created
the light, wind and cooling breezes to penetrate. It by the built forms, which in turn are linked by a
also creates visual openings, so residents don’t feel 4m-wide jogging track. One of the courtyards is

Project:The Interlace, Singapore Above:Each of the eight large
designated as a community garden for use by resi- Developers:CapitaLand Singapore; Hotel Properties Ltd courtyards is themed and lushly
dents. Art works, including sculptures by renowned Design architect:OMA – designer and partner-in-charge Ole landscaped. In time there will be
artists, have been integrated into the landscape. Scheeren (now at Buro Ole Scheeren) cascading sky gardens as well.
Multi-generational interaction is encouraged, Architect of record:RSP Architects Planners & Engineers
with children’s playgrounds as well as exercising Main contractor:Woh Hup (Private) Limited
equipment for adults and the elderly. Approximately Civil and structural engineering consultant:
130 apartments are designed with ageing-in-place TY Lin International
Mechanical and electrical engineering consultant:Squire Mech
provisions, such as step-free bathrooms. There are
Landscape architect:ICN Design International
also 16 dual-key units, which provide separate but
Quantity surveyor:Langdon & Seah Singapore
adjoining apartments that will serve the needs of
multi-generational families. Awards:Urban Habitat Award 2014; CNBC Asia Pacific
Wong Heang Fine says that at the end of May Property Award 2010 Best Architecture (Multiple Units) Singapore;
860 units out of 1040 had been sold. BCA Universal Design Mark Platinum Award; BCA Green Mark
“The feedback from residents confirms The GoldPLUS Award
Interlace is like a self-sufficient community within a
well-established development, with all the facilities Story by Colleen Hawkes
they need available on site.” Photography courtesy of CapitaLand Singapore and Woh Hup
(Private) Limited
Wong says the development has already
received several notable awards and has cemented
its position as a new Singapore landmark. Search 46766 at trendsideas.com

THE SuN
DoES NoT MAxIMISE
WHAT NATURE
rEALiSE
HAS TO OFFER
WITH OUR
PATH BREAKING
GREEN HOMES
HoW WoNDErfuL
iT iS uNTiL
AfTEr
HOME & DESIGN TRENDS
Volume 3 No 2
` 250
A rooM
Commercial
Design Special
INDIA
ALL
VOL 3 NO 2 2015
iS MADE
A Worldwide Media Publication
R.N.I. MAHENG/2013/50949
- LouiS KAHN, American Architect (1902-1971) WE UNDERSTAND SPACES BETTER

Book 1- Vol3i2.indb 1 22/05/15 4:57 PM
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Sense of place
Defined by its green walls and cantilevered heliostat
reflectors, this large-scale mixed-use development
creates a new gateway to the Sydney CBD
It’s rare to acquire an entire city block for approach to urban design, says PTW architect
redevelopment, but when it does happen there’s Mark Giles.
an unparalleled opportunity for developers and “This was an opportunity to reinvigorate an
architects to make a significant contribution to the entire precinct in what is essentially a city of small
fabric of a city. villages. Connectivity was crucial – for so many
The former Chippendale United Brewery site on years the old brewery site had been closed off to
the western fringe of the Sydney CBD has been the public. We needed to open up the entire space,
transformed by a masterplanned joint venture hence the idea of a park-like development that
between Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui would provide through links along key axes. The
House Australia. site is close to Central Railway Station and two
But it wasn’t simply a case of throwing out the universities, so pedestrian traffic is high.
old for the new. While the developers of the 5.8 ha “In designing the tall east tower, we took into
site were looking to raise the benchmark for innova- account the height of the existing UTS building on
tion and sustainability, they were also wanting to the other side of road, where Broadway becomes
preserve key heritage elements and give something Parramatta Road, a key arterial route. We chose to
back to the city. match this height so the two towers together create
One Central Park, designed by Ateliers Jean a gateway to the city from the west. There is also a
Nouvel, France and collaborating architectural firm strong urban edge to the development on this side.
PTW Architects, consequently reflects an holistic “In contrast, the residential nature of the
more projects at trendsideas.com 55

Chippendale area to the south is reflected in an administration building. Preceding pages:A cantilevered
undulating facade treatment to the south of the two However, it is the East tower’s striking form, with Sky Garden and giant reflector frame
towers. There is also a liveliness to this elevation, its cantilevered platforms, that has transformed the are key features of the new One
Central Park development in Sydney,
with the balconies stepping in and out – this creates skyline. The platforms have a highly functional role
designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel and
a softer facade.” in terms of bringing natural light down into the park,
PTW Architects. Vertical gardens are
One Central Park East tower, at 33 storeys, and the retail centre below. already transforming the exterior.
provides 383 apartments, while the 16-storey “The smaller west tower has 40 6.2 m2 heliostat
Below:Central Park, in the lower
One Central Park West tower accommodates 240 panels on top, which track the sun during the day,”
centre of this aerial image, occupies
apartments. Sky at Central Park, the precinct’s says Giles. “Sunlight falling onto these reflector an entire city block. The precinct is
premium penthouse and sub-penthouse collection, panels is bounced back up to 320 0.8m2 fixed on the CBD fringe, close to Central
comprises 38 residences in the top five levels of reflector panels cantilevered off the taller east Railway Station and two universities.
East tower. tower. These panels reflect the light back down, Right:Chippendale Green is an open
The development also boasts a five-level with 40% of the light falling onto a large skylight public space within the precinct, with
16,000m2 shopping centre beneath a landscaped over the retail centre. pathways aligned with key through
podium, a Sky Garden at Level 29, a 6400 m2 land- “This skylight has a shallow pool of water over it, routes. Public artworks include Halo,
scaped public park at ground level – Chippendale so the light shimmers down into the atrium, giving a wind-powered 13 m-tall kinetic
Green – plus new public pocket parks. Thirty-three it an ephemeral look. Plants in the atrium thrive on sculpture by Jennifer Turpin and
heritage elements have been retained and are that reflected light. The remaining 60% of the light Michaelie Crawford.
being restored for adaptive re-use. These include a from the reflector frame is directed down into the
prominent tiled archway at Carlton Street, terraces southern plaza.”
and warehouses, three pubs, the Brewery Yard The heliostat is believed to be the first of its kind
buildings and brick stack, and the original brewery to be used in a residential context in Australia, and

the largest of its type in the world used in an urban indigenous and imported. These all help to create Below:The Best Tall Building in the
environment. By night, the reflector frame becomes a discernible tiering of green, like a ribbon that World, as voted by the Council on
a giant LED-illuminated multicoloured artwork, titled winds up the building. The plants are watered by a Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
(CTBUH), One Central Park features
Sea Mirror, by artist Yann Kersalé. gravity-feed system that pumps recycled water up
walkways on the retail podium. These
The monumental form of the tower is further to the top of the building, where it is enriched with
are illuminated by reflected natural
enhanced by the green walls that feature through- nutrients, then drip-fed back down the facade.” light from the heliostats.
out One Central Park. Designed by French botanist The greening of the building continues on the
Right:The reflector frame is
Patrick Blanc, the vertical gardens cover more than top of the podium, which is a recreational area for
positioned to catch sunlight reflected
1200 m2, across 23 panels. residents. This features landscaped gardens, a long up from heliostats on the roof of the
“Every side of the building has a different swimming pool and a number of Jacuzzis. lower building. The height of the
microclimate that needed to be taken into account The Level 29 Sky Garden on the cantilevered east tower matches the 1960s UTS
with the plant selection,” says Giles. “Plants were deck is another amenity for residents of the Sky building on the other side of the road.
also chosen to flower at different times of the penthouses and sub-penthouses. The garden is
year, which is why there are 383 species, both accessed through a darkened passage that opens

Left:The reflector frame shines light
down into the retail atrium.
Right:An orange-red glass box forms
a transition zone that leads to the
cantilevered Sky Garden.

Left:Sub-penthouses in Sky into an area washed with bright orange-red glass. And the apartments themselves have been highly
at Central Park at the top of the “This is a transition zone that heightens the sought after since day one.
east tower incorporate balconies sense of anticipation,” says Giles. “The natural “The variety of units on sale ensured there was
that can be closed in if required.
daylight is a burst of colour at the end of the walk- something for everyone, to the extent that Frasers
As with every apartment in the
way, where you emerge to find yourself out on the was selling one apartment every minute during the
precinct, the interior features high-
quality natural materials.
cantilevered platform at the top of the building. This launch,” says Giles.
area is also beautifully landscaped, with gardens Central Park development director Mick Caddey
Below:Gardens right outside
and a Jacuzzi.” says the completion of One Central Park is a signifi-
the apartments enhance the
views. The gardens are watered
A similar attention to detail can be seen on the cant milestone for the joint venture partners.
and fed automatically by a gravity- interiors. Giles says every apartment, from the “This is an outstanding achievement with
feed system. smallest studio to the penthouses, has a similar the visually striking design representing the core
Below right:Tiled bathrooms,
design approach and material palette. values of Central Park in delivering an innovative,
mirrored walls and contemporary “The design needed to be of a signature quality environmentally sensitive and sustainable design of
sanitaryware feature in the that is consistent right through the building. Smart, high standard.”
sub-penthouses. articulate design has always been a priority for the
joint venture developers, and this is a key part of Project:One Central Park, Sydney
the One Central Park experience.” Developer:Frasers Property Australia; Sekisui House Australia
Sustainable initiatives were another key driver Architect:Ateliers Jean Nouvel, France; PTW Architects, Sydney
of the design. One Central Park, Central retail and interior design:East Tower by Koichi Takada Architects; West
Park Lane have all achieved 5 Star Green Star rat- Tower by Smart Design Studio
ings from the Green Building Council of Australia. Structural engineer:Robert Bird Group
Building services engineer:Arup
While the vertical gardens are one of the most vis-
infrastructure services engineer:WSP Group
ible expressions of the commitment to sustainable
facade engineer:Surface Design Consulting Group
urban living, other eco-friendly features are much in Geotechnical engineer:JK Geotechnics
evidence. One Central Park houses its own central Civil engineer (roads):Mott MacDonald
thermal plant and tri-generation power station, Construction company:Watpac Construction
using low-emission gas to produce electricity and Heliostat installation:Kennovations
thermal power for heating and cooling. Rainwater is Living wall maintenance:Junglefy
harvested, and grey water and black water retained Artist, botanist:Patrick Blanc
for re-use in laundries, toilets and gardens. Lighting artist:Yann Kersalé
Other initiatives include a 44-vehicle GoGet car
Story by Colleen Hawkes
share service, and 94% recycling or re-use of mate-
Photography by Murray fredericks; aerial image
rials removed from the site during demolition.
by John Gollings
Giles says the developers’ commitment to
the community is already paying off, in terms of
enlivening the precinct. The retail centre, hospitality
Search 46768 at trendsideas.com
venues and Chippendale Green are in constant use.

Miami vice
Bold, bright and a fun place to be, this beachside club
combines the look of colourful Brighton beach huts
with the razzmatazz of a South Florida resort
Left, lower right and following
pages :The outdoor area of the
Matisse Beach Club in Perth, by
Oldfield Knott Architects, comprises
a central pool area and an adjacent
covered outdoor space where a
curved day bed doubles as a DJ stage
at night.
Right:The row of jaunty cabanas is
set higher than the pool, to allow for
an underground garage.
Hospitality can be a fickle business, with the falls and the club’s main rival – the beach itself – is
success of a venue riding solely on the impressions in darkness.
its most avid promoters or detractors – the guests. Along with the blue pool and mature palms
One way to ensure a broad, ongoing appeal for a brought in from the United States, the most
project is to draw on popular cultural themes and at eye-catching feature is the row of six colourful
the same time create an individual sense of place. poolside cabanas or seating booths. These are an
For the Matisse Beach Club in Western Australia, abstracted, playful version of the historic Australian
the owner’s brief to architect Frank Iemma and inte- beach huts on Victoria’s Brighton Beach.
rior designer Jenlin Chia of Oldfield Knott Architects A dramatic use of colour and light is central to
was very much along these lines. Sean Reid wanted the Matisse Beach Club experience. Not only are
to evoke the lively, vibrant feeling of a Miami beach the six huts decorated with LED strip lighting, there
poolside club but with a local touch. The idea was are also matching bands of colour running down
to create a unique entertainment experience for from each cabana across the wood deck and on
guests, not simply a bright decor, says Iemma. into the pool. In addition, colour-changing lights
Built on a long, narrow strip across the road from glow through the laser-cut, aluminium-panel street
the beach, the site of a famous old band hall, The facade and adorn the coffered ceilings indoors.
Lookout, the 2000 m2 venue has two environments. The cabana theme is continued indoors, with six
There is an indoor bar, dining and party space, similar booths in bright colours, and two bench-size
complete with a meeting room; together with an versions for larger groups. The angular lines of the
outdoor party arena – centred on a pool – with a huts are picked up in the geometric furniture, and
covered space at one end. This indoor-outdoor in the white sculpted heads that double as tables in
area overlooks the pool and is backed by a row of the bar area and poolside. Adding to the lively aes-
tinted operable glazing looking the other way, out thetic, a zigzag carpet pattern and a ceramic tile, in
to the street and the beach beyond. The windows a complementary herringbone layout, cover most of
are angled to mitigate onshore winds, and the the floor. The tile has the casual look of weathered
space evokes the prow of an ocean liner. As well as timbers, appropriate to the seaside location.
roomy bench seating, this sheltered area includes a Sculptural ceiling treatments contribute to the
day bed that doubles as a DJ platform when night playful, beachy vibe too, their fluid lines calling to

Below:Indoor bathing – these beach
hut-style dining booths echo the six
cabanas outside.

Left:An internal bar area can be mind the waves and shoreline. A dropped wave- Project:Matisse Beach Club, Hillarys, Perth, WA
walled off with bifolding doors to form slatted ceiling signals the bar service space, Architect:Frank Iemma AIA, Oldfield Knott Architects
double as a quiet meeting room. and skylights draw in natural light in key areas. interior designer Jenlin Chia, Oldfield Knott Architects
Patterned vinyl wallpaper adds to the Construction company:Buckingham Redevelopment Co
Despite its recreational feel, the venue caters to
vibe and is easy to clean. Cladding:Engrave Acrylic; fibre cement Stratum Cladding System
a business clientele as well. There are three main
Lower left:Giant skylights flood light roof:Suspended cement slab with columns
indoor areas, the bar, the dining area and a second Windows:Viridian Superblue toughened glass, installed with
into the heart of the interior.
bar space that can be enclosed with bifolding doors motorised Aneeta sashless servery windows
Below:Centre of attention – a and used as a private, soundproof function room. flooring Stepping Out carpet tile in charcoal; Knitwear by EGE
dramatic ceiling treatment signals the This has its own decorative pool, separate from but Carpet; Viva Statale 9 floor tiles
location of the bar.
in direct alignment with the open-air pool, offering Wallcoverings:Trends tiles in Brilliante and Vitreo; Dent cubes by
another clearly visible indoor-outdoor connection. Inex; Laminam Kauri in entry; Wallpaper vinyl in servery from Spice
Story by Charles Moxham Digital; optical clear glass with graphics behind waiter station from
The Matisse Beach Club’s location had an
Photography by Joe Barbitta Spice Digital; polished plaster
influence on the choice of materials, too. Besides
Paints:Walls and ceilings, Dulux; doors, Wattyl
the durable, non-slip floor tiles, compressed fibre
Lighting:LED light boxes
cement weatherboards were specified to combine
Heating:VRF by Toshiba
good looks with durability – a must in the potentially Seating:Indoor and outdoor fabric seating by Austex; seat hubs and
damaging salt-laden air. Tinted, angled windows outdoor area by Instyle
mitigate glare from the sand and ocean, and motor- Tables:Laminate from Proform, designed by Atlam Designers
ised sashless windows moderate onshore Laminates
sea breezes. outdoor decking:Modwood Natural Grain in Silver Gum
“Alive with LED lights, blue water reflections, Drapery:Création Baumann by Boyac on outdoor cabanas
swaying palms and sculptural cabanas, the club Ceiling:Barrisol ceiling by Barrisol Les Translucides
captures both the spirit of a Miami resort and
Brighton Beach’s own slice of Australian seaside
culture,” says Iemma. “At the same time, the enter-
tainment venue has a presence all of its own.”

Educational Institutions
Modern campus architecture reinforces the concept
of an open education facility, integrating
effortlessly with the wider community
Not just another brick on the wall
The structure of this school breaks the pre-conceived notion of a
traditional school layout starting with its unconventional facade

Preceding pages and these pages “This educational institution project came Foundation associated with Akash Institutes.
The facade of the New Town School, to us when the construction of the two academic The locality is planned in a radial grid and the
Kolkata has panels consisting of blocks was already underway. The blocks were site for the school is curved along the longer
alphabets, numbers and symbols
your typical blocks with six floors each, consisting edges. One approaches the site along the inner
– all associated with learning.
of spaces arranged towards the periphery of the curve and the blocks are placed at a slight angle
Spread across 1,60,000 sq ft, over
400 panels were built and warpped
central courtyards,” says Abin Choudhuri of Abin facing each other very slightly. They are separated
around the facades of both blocks. Design Studio. “Our brief was to work within these by a basketball court. The school also has a
Interactive and free flow of spaces existing parameters to make a school. So swimming pool on its grounds. Of a two acre plot,
was one of significant design we developed a design programme in terms of the school occupies approximately 1,60,000 sq ft
application in the school by Abin circulation, movement, ventilation, classrooms and of floor space.
Chaudhuri of Abin Design Studio. other concerns.” “The first step was to create an identity for the
Seen here is the reception (below Located in Greater Kolkata, which is an school. Our approach was to create a screen
right) in Block 1, a passageway upcoming township, the New Town School Kolkata that wraps around the buildings and unifies
leading to the top levels of
is the first school in the franchise started by them visually. We decided to go with graphical
the school.
educational teaching company ‘Savitri Education representations of symbols, alphabets and numbers

Facing page Planters and bright as students and people would be able to recognise creating a visually appealing facade.
colours highlight the different levels and relate to them,” he explains. The internal courtyards of both blocks were given
of this block, which serves as the A small-scale study model was created in-house structural slab projections of increasing size as one
primary department of the school.
to understand the same and make a decision on moved upwards. The corners of these projections
A transparent ventilated cover has
treatment of the panels, the walls and the windows were filleted into curves, transforming the rigid
been placed on the top, which
behind the screen. The bespoke stencil screens square courtyard into a free-form three dimensional
allows natural sunlight to filter in
and also protects the courtyard consisting of 488 panels made of Fibre-Reinforced sculptural space. The soffits of these projections
during the monsoon season. Plastic (FRP), measuring 3.2 x 3.2 m. A mild steel were painted in various hues and the projections
framework was devised in a grid like manner on house plants and creepers bring vibrancy to the
Below The library was designed
as an empty canvas with colour the projected slabs to align with the FRP panels. A tot-lot (play area) while in the senior school block
coming in from the hardwood fixing detail using steel Z-profiles embedded into it serves as a landscaped extension between the
floors and ceiling. This was done to the FRP panels was developed to fix these 70 kg reception and seminar hall.
create contrast within the space. panels to this M S support structure. Another aspect that Chaudhuri kept in mind for
The panels were designed with a combination the interiors was free-flowing spaces. “As a firm,
of lowercase and uppercase alphabets in different this is the seventh school that we are designing.
sizes along with numbers and symbols. These have We have kept certain things in mind whilst
been placed in various orientations to achieve a designing schools – height ergonomics, corridors,
randomised effect on the facade. Structural slabs classrooms. Now with classrooms, you need to
were projected beyond the building surfaces all keep in mind the direction from which the light
around in a way such that an exact number of comes in; in this case, from the left hand side – so
panels would fit on all surfaces on the symmetrical we had to change the orientation of the classroom
cuboids. This also enabled simpler servicing of the accordingly to that,” he states.
panels from the back and ensured a better light Corridors lead to other spaces in the blocks, but
quality for the building. They are wrapped around Chaudhuri has ensured that they flow seamlessly
the school blocks, an area of 27,000 sq ft each, without many steps in between.

Facing page top The sports “We really felt that we didn’t want to break the Landscape also adds to the learning
area in the school located in the momentum of the students as they walk from one curriculum of the school. Solar panels have
secondary block is a balance of area to another. So we designed the levels been used on the grounds to generate electricity
traditional forms of exercise and
to merge into one whole space – so if you are and the flora and fauna planted on school grounds
modern play tables such as air
coming in from the ground floor, to the court and consists of plants and flowers that are found either
hockey, foosball etc.
from the court to the classrooms is almost one locally or nationally.
Facing page below The
single space.” The corridors are designed such
basketball court has been created Location Kolkata, West Bengal
that a coloured panel of tiles abutt each other. The
in between the two blocks so when owners Savitri Education Foundation
colours of these 4”x4” tile panels were chosen in
the students are out to play, the Builder Savitri Education Foundation
shadow from the Block 1 would a spectral sequence as one moved around the
Architects SBA Spectra Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
allow for a pleasant atmosphere corridor and align the door frame of the classrooms.
interior designer Abin Chaudhuri; Abin Design Studio
for extra-curcicular activites. The school colours are of neutral shades – whites Design team Paromita Chatterjee, Poorvi Dugar Ajmera
Below The swimming pool is and greys. The only exceptions are the canteen, Landscape design Abin Design Studio
located adjacent to the first block in where bright primary colours are used to add
the school premises. vibrancy to space and the lower classes. Story by Moshita Prajapati
“Young students respond more actively to bright Photography by ravi Kanade
colours and wall papers and patterns and textures.
We have incorporated those in the playgroup and
nursery and the primary sections,” he explains.

Right on track
This tertiary campus straddles a railway line,
seamlessly linking a new business school with a
transport interchange
Modern tertiary education is a far cry from says the combination of education and transport Below and following pages An
the ivory towers of the past. Not only has the whole facilities is unique within New Zealand. exposed white diagrid defines the
exterior of the new MIT Manukau
concept of an elitist education been turned on “The focus has centred on producing the best
Campus and Transport Interchange.
its head in recent years, but tertiary facilities are possible learning environment while also bringing
The diagrid references traditional
actively merging with the community to remove commuters and the people of Manukau City into
weaving patterns, while the triangular
barriers and encourage participation. the heart of MIT, exposing its programmes to the forms on the canopy present a similar
The Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) takes widest possible audience,” he says. motif in timber that carries through to
this one step further with the opening of the new “The project is aimed at improved educational the interior.
20,000m2 Manukau Campus to accommodate outcomes in Manukau, which statistically has a Right:Stairs crisscross the atrium
the Faculty of Business and IT and the School tertiary education uptake rate that is only about half linking all six levels and helping to
of Distribution and Logistics. The campus is fully that of the rest of the country. By identifying and animate the student facilities.
integrated with Auckland Transport’s new Manukau removing barriers and thresholds, we have made
railway station and bus interchange. a welcoming, all-embracing facility. Providing the
Architect Blair Johnston of Warren and Mahoney interchange within the building enabled us to go

beyond mere co-location towards true integration. have been achieved otherwise.” Below:The triangular pattern
It is literally bringing education to the people.” This need to accommodate the trench led to the reappears on the carpets, with each
On the exterior, the building boldly addresses the soaring six-storey atrium, which was not part of the floor defined by a different colourway.
street providing a defining landmark that is a key original brief. Right:Glazing in the atrium is
part of the rejuvenation of adjoining Hayward Park. “By enclosing this area, rather than having confined to clerestory windows and
An exposed white diagrid, with a diamond-shaped separate wings linked by an open courtyard, we the ends of the buildings, rather than
overhead. This ensures the interior is
grid, reinforces a sense of place. created the opportunity for a major civic space at
not affected by solar heat gain. Much
“This needed to be a cultural building that would the heart of the building,” says Johnston. “Every
of the atrium is suspended from the
reflect the community and express its place in the floor has a mezzanine that opens into the atrium,
roof, due to the need to straddle the
world,” says the architect. “So rather than using enhancing a sense of connection at all levels, both rail trench below ground. The building
an orthogonal grid on the facade, we opted for the horizontally and vertically. The learning process is comprises three separate structures
duality of a design that is reminiscent of traditional highly visible and the entire building is animated – designed to move independently in a
weaving patterns. It expresses the idea of both people are much more likely to use the stairs rather seismic event.
technology and craft. While this is a highly technical than the lifts because they are such a prominent
building we have imbued the entire campus with a part of the architecture.”
sense of craft and textural richness.” At the west end of the atrium, sky bridges
The facade is further defined by layering. Beyond form social student hubs on each level. These
the diagrid are fixed louvres, angled to deflect are as much a part of the learning environment
the sun and reduce heat loads inside. Horizontal as the classrooms.
louvres feature on the east and north sides of the “Modern pedagogy is much more focused on
building, while the west facade has vertical louvres. peer-to-peer learning. This building follows that
Another key determining factor in the design was trajectory. More than half the learning spaces are
the existing rail trench. open and defined only by furniture and moveable
“The building needed to straddle the trench, so screens. There is a lower proportion of traditional
much of the structure is hung from the roof trusses learning spaces,” Johnston says.
– in part it was built from the roof down, rather than The various levels on the building are defined by
from the ground up,” says Johnston. “This has different colours, which help with wayfinding. The
given the building a certain lightness that would not colours reference the baskets of knowledge from

traditional Maori mythology. Motifs introduced on the entry as seamless as possible,” says Johnston. Below:Learning spaces include an
the exterior also flow through to the inside. And Peter Quigg, MIT director of academic operations, auditorium, which is lined with beech
the design team specified Southland beech timber says one of MIT’s fundamental operating strategies timber, interactive classrooms and
breakout student hubs on each level
throughout the interior to add warmth and to bring is to make education accessible.
of the atrium. These feature colourful
a residential feel to the building. “Having an integrated transport interchange
furniture and pods where students
Dramatic wood panels are a key feature of the fulfils that need almost to perfection,” he says.
can meet and share ideas.
atrium ceiling, and the auditorium, with the diamond “Accessibility has a direct bearing on student num-
Right:The student hubs occupy the
motif repeated in both areas. bers, especially in our catchment area, so to have
sky bridges that link both sides of
Flexible learning environments are created by rail and bus services bring people right to the door
the atrium.
positioning columns at the perimeter of the building couldn’t be better.”
rather than in the centre. Johnston says it is difficult Quigg says the new building is the first phase of
to know what the institute’s needs might be in 20 a three-phrase project that will eventually see two
years, but these floorplates can be adapted easily. further MIT buildings adding another 45,000 m2 to
The sense of openness also extends to the train the facility.
station, where the entry, in one corner of the atrium, There are also plans to build Te Papa North
is angled at 45°. Museum on the other side of Hayward Park, which
“Again we wanted to remove barriers and make will be an additional drawcard.

Left and above:The entry to the Project:Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) Manukau Campus Air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems:Aquaheat
train station near one corner of and Transport Interchange, Auckland New Zealand
the atrium is angled at 45°. As with Architect:Warren and Mahoney, Auckland interactive classroom and theatre technology:Automation
the MIT facility, there are few barriers Structural engineer:Holmes Consulting Group Associates
to negotiate. Services engineer:Aurecon New Zealand feature timber panels:Southland beech from
Top and above right:Trains pull up Acoustic engineer:Marshall Day Acoustics Lindsay & Dixon
right inside the building. Both fire engineer:Holmes Fire & Safety
MIT and Auckland Transport benefit Quantity surveyor:WT Partnership Story by Colleen Hawkes
from the greater exposure to the Project manager:Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Photography by Jamie Cobel
wider community. Main contractor:Hawkins Construction
facade design, engineering and installation:
King Facade International Search 46763 at trendsideas.com
Lift services:Otis Elevator Company

Offices
Your premises may be designed based on an open plan, but does that mean a job
well done? The offices featured here promote a whole new way of working
Sculptural forms
Planet 3 Studios design a Mumbai office that is
in sync with the company’s vision

Preceding pages The sculpted
wooden wall forms the spine of the
office. Along its length are break out
spaces intended for the employees.
Below The 1,00,000 sq ft
headquarters of Clariant sprawl
across four levels. The reception is a
voluminous space approximately 4000
sq ft in area that is also used as an
exhibition space by the company.
When Clariant, a leading specialty chemicals

company, moved into its new 1,00,000 sq ft office
in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, they needed their new base
of operations to reflect the company’s vision for
the future. Kalhan Mattoo, one of the principals
at Planet 3 Studios, explained the brief the firm
received before undertaking the project, “The man-
aging director was looking to make the organisation
more open and connected. They wanted a more
fluid atmosphere, less separation between activi-
ties and functions and wanted to consiously break
down boundaries. We had to create an office to
further that ambition.”
Spread over four floors (eighth-eleventh), the
project came with complications right from the
onset, as the multiple levels did not share a struc-
tural core. Additionally, there were concerns about
how the open floor plan might impact the usability
of floor space in the office. However, meticulous
pre-planning led to the project being one where the
design best underscored the client’s vision.
The problem of the multiple levels not shar-
ing a single core was addressed by locating the
main reception on the ninth floor, which served as
a holding area for visitors as well as connecting
the two structural cores. The reception is a large,
approximately 4000 sq ft large space that has a
dramatic backlit PVC ceiling and a sculptural cen-
tral desk, as well as meeting rooms for visitors.
“The thought behind the reception was to also
have it serve as a staging area for the client’s
brand,” says Mattoo.
The large open space, wooden faceted wall and
striking ceiling and table showcased in the recep-
tion area set the tone for the rest of the office, while
also creating an awe-inspiring atmosphere. The
spacious reception also doubles up as an exhibi-
tion area, with room for the company’s installations.
Also, there is a large display screen installed here,
which serves as the company’s public interface as
well as a bulletin board.
Perhaps the most eye-catching design element
of the reception is the faceted wooden wall that
runs off from the reception and continues through
most of the eighth and ninth floors. Made using a
dark, smoked veneer, this wall is a unifying element
that ties together the separate areas and depart-
ments in the office. The sculpted form of the wall

Facing page This faceted wooden also sets the tone for the design vocabulary seen way through the staff areas, a dozen or so breakout
wall is made of a dark smoked elsewhere in the project. The inspiration for this wall spaces were created along its spine. Screened
veneer and its wave-like form is a came from a need to counter the monotony that is by acoustical panels from the workstations, these
design element, which breaks up the
inevitable when designing large office spaces. breakout spaces also serve as the setting for
monotonous environment so common
Explaining how the wall serves as an identifying informal meetings, as they come equipped with
at large offices.
element, Mattoo adds, “Large offices tend to put monitors and desks.
Below These wooden fins continue
the human scale in contrast to the space’s scale, The company’s directors have their cabins on the
the design language seen in the
creating a sense of aloofness. The wooden wall corporate floor. The managing director’s office sees
wooden wall on the lower floors
and also serve as a screen to the
became a connecting element; a visual marker a continuation of the design language seen in the
MD’s office, providing a layer of that gave employees a sense of visual context and wooden wall, as the series of wooden fins forming a
privacy while maintaining a sense ownership of the space.” screen echo the sculptural form of the faceted wall.
of approachability. The design of the staff’s working area was The wooden fins represent a convenient halfway
driven by efficiency. The nature of work carried point between privacy and openness.
out at Clariant does not lend itself to exuberance Moving on from the work areas, we come to
and creating an environment that was as neutral the office cafeteria. The design thought for this
as possible was necessary. However, while grey space was performance driven, as Mattoo set out
and white are the dominant colours, the designers to address the problem of having a noisy, over-
also remained sensitive to the local context and stimulating cafeteria. In order to reduce the level of
used brightly coloured cushions and chair covers noise, special noise reduction panels were used on
to enliven the space. As the wooden wall winds its the walls. The acoustic performance of this space

Preceding pages The large cafeteria pleased the clients so that they also use the cafete- Location Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
has acoustic panels with linear groves ria for large meetings as well. owners Clariant Chemicals (India) Limited.
mounted on the walls and ceilings. Apart from the stretched PVC ceiling in the main interior designers Kalhan Mattoo, Santha Mattoo; Planet 3 Studios
The cafeteria was designed to provide Architecture P Limited
reception, most of the materials used are simple
a less noisy environment and serves Contractor RP Interior Projects, Kaishar Interiors
and devoid of excess flair. Mattoo and his team
Doors MTM Workplace Solutions
as a location for the company to hold used wood, natural stone, marble, and leather and Hardware Dorma, India
large gatherings. fabric panelling. Tiling Marca Corno by SB Projects Solutions
Facing page Grey and white are the “The materials we’ve used are often seen in Electrical Royal Electrical Co.
prominent colours around the staff’s projects going for LEED certification. Not that flooring United Group, MTM Workplace Solutions, Asia Pacific
workstations. The spartan design is we have, but we’ve kept those principles in mind,” Ceiling Saint Gobain, Euroceil
livened up by bright splashes of colour says Mattoo. Veneers Space One
for the cushions and chair covers. Indeed, active measures like installing faucets Lighting Wipro
Meanwhile, the wooden wall and the that use less water, adhering to norms on wattage Workstations Workplace India
furniture also add a touch of warmth furniture Multiseats, 90 Degrees
per sq ft, using LED lighting and using low VOC
to the office space. HVAC HTL Aircon
paint illustrate how the office adopted environmen-
Below right The breakout spaces and tally friendly methods in its construction. Story by Dushyant Shekhawat
informal meeting areas in the office By smoothly incorporating the client’s brief into Photography by Mrigank Sharma – india Sutra
are all enabled with monitors to permit their design, Planet 3 Studios has created an office
employees to access data and make that not only brings the client’s company back up
presentations even in a casual setting. to date, but also leaves it prepared for the future.

Well connected
Collaboration, connectivity and an acknowledgement of its Asian context sum up
the interior design strategy for Procter & Gamble’s Singapore Innovation Centre
Business success today relies heavily built in a tropical and urban environment. Below, right and following
on encouraging innovation and having the One of the results of that is the intelligent facade pages:The arrival process at
flexibility to implement changes quickly. And a design which uses clear glazing and louvres to give the Procter & Gamble Singapore
major factor in achieving those outcomes is the maximum access to daylight while controlling glare Innovation Centre sets the stage
workplace environment. and heat. for design principles used throughout
When Procter & Gamble decided to build an While P&G’s own architecture team worked with the interiors – transparency,
connection and reflecting Asian
innovation centre in Singapore, the goal was to IDC Architects on the building itself, Orbit Design
culture. The impressive staircase
come up with a radical design that reflected the was commissioned to design the interiors and inte-
cantilevers above the reception area
company’s innovative spirit. grate corporate graphics and branding. and provides the main circulation path
The company says the new building needed to Orbit design director Simon Drogemuller says through the atrium.
address the challenge of a tropical climate and be this involved providing a host of functions – from
sympathetic to Singapore’s cultural heritage, but in research laboratories to training rooms and offices.
a contemporary way. “These were to house an army of engineers,
“While this is a highly sophisticated building from researchers and scientists who develop beauty, hair
a technological point of view, we also wanted to and skin products,” he says.
create an inspiring and stimulating work environment But instead of splitting these functions into
to help drive creativity and innovation.” separate wings, lab and office space was allocated
The 32,000m2 facility is Phase 4 in the Biopolis to each floor. The lab areas were internalised in the
biomedical research hub, masterplanned by archi- building core, while the open-plan work areas were
tect Zaha Hadid. It is Singapore’s largest private placed around the perimeter.
research centre, and is the first P&G centre to be “This open and flexible plan contributed to the
Top left:Areas adjacent to the atrium innovative thrust by encouraging creative collabora- Probably the building’s most impressive feature
and staircase act as breakout spaces tion among P&G staff,” says Drogemuller. is its main staircase, located in the heart of the
and include pantry facilities. The biggest challenge in creating this open facility and linking all floors. It’s a dominant feature
Lower left:The abundance of workspace was taking standard workstations and of the entry atrium, and its base overhangs the
open collaboration spaces throughout customising them to meet specific requirements. reception area.
the building encourages staff For example, much time was spent designing the “The staircase is clad in a vertical wooden louvre
to work together across organis-
partitioning between the labs and workspaces. carapace, which references Asian design,” says
ational boundaries.
These needed to provide storage for products and Drogemuller. “This created a design motif that
Below:Circular meeting rooms mark be very durable, yet still allow maximum connection recurs throughout the innovation centre.”
the transition between office and
and visibility between the areas. The wooden slats on the staircase add another
breakout areas. Curved sliding doors
For P&G, the centre presented an opportunity layer of connectivity and transparency to the
open up the room or close it down
for privacy.
to demonstrate that the company is at the leading design, highlighting the movement of staff as they
edge of modern office workplace strategy. walk up and down the stairs.
“As well as having open workspaces, the desks The design encourages regular interaction in the
are not assigned,” says Drogemuller. “Staff have multiple group meeting spaces that are arranged
lockers where they can store personal items, around the staircase and atrium. With a 6m floor-
but they don’t have a fixed workstation. When to-floor height, some of these spaces have been
they arrive, they log in, choose a desk and the located on mezzanine floors in the atrium.
phone system automatically connects them to For Simon Drogemuller, the success of the
that workspace.” design is in how it encourages new ways to work.
This gives workers the flexibility to work in “Removing the barriers between offices and labs,
positions most suited to their roles on a daily basis, and having an abundance of collaboration spaces
or to form new teams for collaborative work, with- encourages staff to work together right across
out having to make changes to the desking. organisational boundaries,” he says.
Project:Procter & Gamble Singapore Innovation Centre General lighting:Philips T5 supplied by Kenyon Below:The lower level accommodates
Architect:IDC Architects Private lounge pendant lighting:Beat Light by Tom Dixon training facilities, as well as media
interior design:Orbit Design Studio supplied by Kenyon rooms for press releases and product
Main contractor:CH2M Hill Singapore foyer furniture:Coalesse Bob tables and chairs supplied by launches. Orbit Design Studio
interior fit-out:Kenyon Steelcase Office Solutions selected materials and a colour
Base build mechanical and electrical:Trans Equatorial Engineering Breakout space furniture:Hay About a Chair supplied by BW palette to provide a well-balanced
Civil and structural engineer:CH2M Hill Singapore Furniture; custom tables supplied by BW Furniture; custom sofa interior that won’t date.
Mechanical and electrical engineer:CH2M Hill Singapore supplied by Glo Design International; Allermuir Pebble stools Right:Natural materials, colours and
Quantity surveyor:CH2M Hill Singapore supplied by MTM Solutions the use of patterns in wall fabrics
facade consultant:HCCH Consulting Huddle room furniture:Custom chairs and tables supplied by reflect Asia in a contemporary and
AV and acoustic consultant:Hewshott International Kenyon subtle way.
Lab consultant:SVR-Architects NV Private lounge furniture:Custom fabric finished benches supplied
Landscape consultant:Peridian Asia by Kenyon; Hay About a Chair supplied by BW Furniture; custom Story by Paul Taylor
Landscape contractor:Prince’s Landscape and Construction tables supplied by BW Furniture Photography by owen raggett
interior and furniture consultant:Orbit Design Singapore Lab and facility room shelving:Custom, supplied by Acromec
Timber screens:Accoya/Accsys by Titan Wood BV, supplied by MMF Engineers
Timber Hub Workstations:Unifor supplied by Unifor Singapore
flooring:Beige terrazzo supplied by Sintal Enterprise; Shaw Vast Workstation seating:Humanscale Freedom supplied by
carpet supplied by SMJ Furnishings; Mipolan Symbioz lab floor vinyl Schiavello Singapore
supplied by NSK Baustoffe
High-gloss concrete wall surfaces:Armourcoat
Glass panel feature wall cladding:Trend Glass Search 46771 at trendsideas.com
Joinery:Kenyon
Employees first
The layout and design of this international brand’s branch
office in Bangalore is driven by its employees needs
These pages:The MAST Global’s
branch in Bangalore is inspired by the
ambience of a New York style loft.
Spread over 38,000 sq ft, the office
designed by DSP Design Associates
has several pocket areas within,
which are assigned specific purposes.
Seen here is collaborative hubs,
reception and meeting rooms.
Between design, the wow factor and aesthetic Payal Sandhu Khurana, Associate Vice President
functions, sometimes the employee working in the – Corporate Real Estate (CRE) of DSP Design
office space looses out. Not in this office though. Associates who executed the design of the office
MAST Global, an international supply chain organi- echoes Patel’s thoughts on the project by adding
sation hired DSP Design Associates Pvt Ltd to create further that the employee is the highest person for
an office for its Indian branch, where the functional whom they were designing the office.
needs and purposes of the employee would be put She says, “And to aid in this we have given
first via design. a variety of work settings for every individual
Principal architect Yatin Patel, who supervised employee. So we broke down the design into
the project says, “The MAST Global, a supply chain four work modes – Focus, Collaborate, Learn
organisation is a subsidiary of L Brand, which is a and Socialise.”
supply chain organisation with international brands Each work mode describes the employee func-
like Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Baths & Body Works, La tions. Focus consists of workstations and cabins,
Senza under its umbrella. The design had to serve Collaborate comprises of collaborative hubs and
a functional purpose, which would benefit the 250 meeting rooms, Learn marks out spaces such as
employees working there.” training and conference rooms and Socialise are
Facing page The polished cement the cafeteria and breakout rooms. Spread over This collaborative area forms the main focus of
flooring and the exposed ceiling 38,000 sq ft, the office is located on the fifth floor of the design and connects to the reception along
along with earth colour tones bring a multistorey building. a very spacious entry corridor flanked by visitor
in a subtle element. Industrial long
Khurana says, “The space was a bare shell when meeting rooms. Multiple smaller collaboration areas
hanging ceiling lamps complete the
the project came to us. We had to make a few allow proximity of socialisation and collaboration
New York loft style ambience.
subtle modifications to the original structure as the settings to all workers.
Below Linear workstations are
design we had in mind for the space was not the The entire workspace is flexible and scalable
designed to allow for a more flexible
space that the developer was providing us with.” using the workstation as a planning module. Linear
work environment. They can also
be re-arranged to fit new work
The layout of the office follows a rectangular benching is used to achieve a high headcount with
settings depending on the needs floor plan and is designed along the X and Y-axis ample collaborative areas and efficient workspace.
of the employees. of a graph. The design is an array of formal and Workstations can be rearranged to fit new work set-
informal spaces that facilitate these work modes. tings and future expansion, which gives the facility
The collaborative and social areas are set within more strategic viability.
linear rows of workstations on either side of a large The workstations are laid out between built
collaborative area. volumes and exterior windows to maximise day-
Below The cafeteria is designed
in the central part of the office
so as to allow easy access to all
the employees.
Location Bangalore, Karnataka Above:The bare exposed columns
light. The cabins and meeting rooms are moved owners MAST Global seamlessly complement with the
away from the office’s centre to allow access to Builder Embassy India beige coloured walls and carpet
the workspace from all areas. A centrally located interior designers Yatin Patel, Payala Sandhu, Sarla Rao, Angela creating a serene environment for the
cafeteria with a smaller breakout cafe ensures easy Menon; DSP Design Associates Pvt Ltd, Geoff Smith, Damian meeting room.
access to all employees. Petrescu; MAST Global
Khurana says, “Recreating the New York style interior contractor Exotic Innovations
loft design, the ambience of the office is neat, clean Hardware Dorma
and precise in its decor. Exposed and polished Plumbing Exotic Innovations
Electrical Shankar Electricals
cement floor, bare polished columns and exposed
Mechanical KM Aircon
true ceilings are juxtaposed against subtle shades
Lighting XAL, Regent, Zumtobel
of beige and gold and earthy tones of green and Workstations Steelcase
brown. Polished slats of oak are added to bring furniture Gordon International, Steelcase
in a sense of warmth to the office’s otherwise
stark appeal.” Story by Moshita Prajapati
Photography by Mani iyer
Know Your Architect: Yatin Patel
DSP Design Associates Pvt Ltd is a multidisciplinary firm founded

in 1989. The firm specialises in providing master planning,
architecture and interior design solutions for corporate real estate,
residential and commercial developments, IT & ITES parks,
hospitality, stadiums, etc. An integral part of the firm’s design
philosophy centers around the fact that ‘one size does not fit all.’
Every building should tell a story – it should convey its purpose of
existence. The firm has been associated with many international
design firms as well that are listed in WA100 as their strategic
and local design partners, providing regional know-how and
on-ground support for projects in India. The firm ranked 82nd
globally in the World Architecture 100 2015 survey - an annual
survey of the world’s largest architectural practices.
Why did you become an architect?

For the sheer gratification that comes from the opportunity to design
something on paper – out of mere nothingness and then watch it grow and
take shape. It is immensely satisfying.
Which works of yours are you most proud of?

We won iFlex (then Citicorp subsidiary) project in a tough design competition
against India’s largest architecture firms. The unique feature in its design is its
‘Cable Stayed Structure’, a technology similar the one used to build bridges
till that time. It is the only one of its kind structure in South East Asia.
For you, which is the best city in terms of architecture and why?
Valencia – the architectural character of that city gives you a lot of
food for thought. It is a paradise for people with passion for
contemporary architecture. Holiday Inn, Pune
An architectural or design trend, which you

would like to put an end to.
The current development control rules in Mumbai. I would really like
to change them. They are detrimental to the architectural design possibilities
and restrict architects to build boxes. They allow no room for play
for architectural embellishments. The design language of Mumbai is
governed and defined by this law and it is about time we rethink these
rules and restrictions.
One iconic architect/designer that inspire you the most and why?
Renzo Piano. He has a unique perspective of looking at spaces and
architectural design. I spent most of formative years as an architect,
developing my design principles, being inspired by his work.
Microsoft Office, Gurgaon

Name a structure that you think challenges
the boundaries of architecture and design
The Opera House (Palacio de las Artes) in the Ciutat de les Arts i les
Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences) Valencia designed by Santiago
Calatrava. It has been designed as a series of apparently random
volumes, which become unified through their enclosure within two
symmetrical, cut-away concrete shells.
What according to you is good design?

Good design is functional, logical and simple. It has to be contextual to the
purpose and surroundings of the project. Planning is the key aspect in play. If
a project is well planned, everything else just falls into place.
XL Group India Office, Gurgaon
Residential Design
The residences on these pages are constantly being redefined by
their location, materials and the changing needs of their owners
Back to the land
With a profile evoking a humble rural barn, this vacation home complex
offers spacious guest accommodation for several families
We each have our own idea of what makes an the lines of the Farnsworth House by German Preceding pages Traditional standing-seam
ideal vacation home, but most would agree that it architect Mies van der Rohe, who was head of the zinc roofs on this vacation home echo the
pitch of the concrete slab roofs on nearby
needs to fit with the surrounding architecture, and Illinois Institute of Technology when I studied there,”
barns. The white stucco walls and tower are
open up to the scenery. There can be some inventive says Vinci. also in keeping with surrounding buildings. In
ways to achieve both these goals. “A glass-walled home would have been ideal contrast, the private side of the house opens
Architect John Vinci had already completed sev- for looking out to the waterways and fields on one up to the scenery with a wall of glass.
eral projects on this historic farm property, including side of the farm. However, a Modernist appearance Above The side of the house facing the
a barn, museum and bridge, when the owners asked would have been at odds with the rustic old barns on barns has smaller windows and doors, more
him to design their vacation home there as well. the other side of the site.” reminiscent of traditional farm dwellings.
This had to comfortably accommodate all their adult To balance the need for harmony and views, Vinci
children and their families at any given time. took a dual approach to the design. And to address
“There was talk of a transparent structure, along the issue of scale, the new house was built as two
Preceding pages The great room follows the forms, linked by a glass walkway. visible from the fields.
shape of the house structure for a voluminous While these twin forms are slightly taller and Entry to the large living space is by a door half-
feel. A stainless steel staircase leads to one of
longer than the nearby barns, they have a similar way down the long side of the volume. The old-world
two master suites. All furniture pieces in the
room were created by contemporary artists. footprint. They also look like classic farm buildings, farming environment outside gives way to an airy,
with steep hip roofs and white stucco siding. On the modern interior.
These pages Carpenter Mike Jarvi gave
the cabinetry in the master suites in both facades facing the barns, Vinci has designed win- “You walk directly into the double-height, central
buildings a crafted, hand-worked feel. dows and doors to be in proportion with those in the living room,” says the architect. “This has a dra-
Scallops were carved out of selected wood century-old dairy buildings on the property. matically high ceiling that follows the steep pitch
surfaces for a textural finish. However, this is the conservative side of the of the roof and is supported by exposed, painted
design. The exteriors that look the other way are steel beams. Dormer and clerestory windows flood
essentially Modernist walls of glass, punctuated by additional light into the enormous space. Beyond
two-story inserts. These facades are only this great room are the large kitchen and dining area,
Above and far right lower The pool while at the other end there is an office.” set about sourcing only classic Modernist
and pool house have a decidedly modern Sets of stairs at both ends of the great room pieces or items made by living craftspeople. For
aesthetic, but as they are tucked behind
lead up to the two private master suites, which are example, the chairs shaped from wood branches
hedges, they have little impact on the
traditional architecture around them. The separated by the great room void. From the outside, are by the famous British designer John
plantings will mature over time to bring these bedrooms appear as box inserts on the open Makepeace. The sculptural arrangement of cushions
further privacy to this area. Large glass side of the house. on the wall is by Jo Hormuth, while furniture-maker
sliding doors can open up the pool house to “The stainless steel staircases are leading features Mike Jarvi crafted the hand-hewn chair, reminiscent
the outdoors as desired. of the great room and were custom designed for of a milking stool, out of local wood. The imported
the project,” says Vinci. “The owners had strict rugs are Iranian.”
ideas about the furniture, too, and were instrumen- On the same axis as the main house and
tal in most choices. Together with interior designer connected to it by a glass walkway, the bunkhouse
George Larson and artistic advisor Jo Hormuth, they has a nearly identical profile. A clear sightline runs
Architect John Vinci, Vinci Hamp Architects
(Chicago, IL); project architect, Paul Kraemer
AIA
interior designer George Larson, Larson
Associates
Artistic advisor Jo Hormuth
Kitchen designer Bulthaup
Builder Harold O Schulz Co
Structural engineer Enspect Engineering
Lighting designer Randy Burkett Lighting
Design
Mechanical engineer IBC Engineering
Services
Landscaping Peter Wirtz
roofing Rheinzink, pre-weathered blue-
gray, standing seam
Siding Portland cement stucco
Doors and windows Hopes in steel and
Fleetwood in aluminum, both from Assured
Corporation; Velux skylights
flooring Royal Mosa porcelain tile; white
oak plank; travertine
Wallcoverings Royal Mosa ceramic tile
Lighting AJ Eklipta by Louis Poulsen; Lucifer
Lighting; DeltaLight; Zaneen; Lightyears
Heating Geothermal systems by Water
Furnace and Munchkin Boilers; HVAC grilles
by Titus and Kees
Hardware Nanz, Rajack, Dorma, Sugatsune,
Baldwin
Glass PPG Solarbarn Starphire Ultra-Clear
insulation glass; Starphire low-iron glass
on interiors
Stairs Custom, Antares Iron Workshop
furniture Mike Jarvi; wood chairs by John
Makepeace
Bathroom vanity White oak
Vanity countertop Petit Granit marble
Basin Alape
faucets Dornbracht, polished chrome
Bathroom flooring Royal Mosa Roman
travertine, cross cut
Bathroom lighting Reflections recessed
fluorescent from Dreamscape Lighting;
Tableau surface luminaire by Alkco
Pool Boilini Company
External louvers on poolhouse Nysan
Aluminum
outdoor railings Custom, stainless steel,
by Dynacoil
directly through both volumes, adding to the sense room downstairs and two bedroom suites upstairs. Top The bunkhouse tower is in keeping
of connection. Separating the bedrooms out over two houses natu- with similar, older versions on two nearby
barn structures. However, the clean-lined
Shorter and lower than the main house, the rally makes entertaining large numbers a great deal
wraparound windows, together with another
bunkhouse also has windows of a similar easier, says Vinci. in the kitchen of the main home, are playful
scale as those in the old farm buildings, while open- Beyond the bunkhouse, a swimming pool modern concessions.
ing up to the fields and waterways on the other side. and pool house run perpendicular to the two
A four-story observation tower at one end of the main buildings, and are discreetly screened from Story by Charles Moxham
structure offers a birds-eye view of the surrounding view by maturing hedges. Exterior photography by William Zbaren,
farm. This element connects visually with silos on “The pool house is a deep, shady retreat that interior images by Eric Hausman
the adjacent barns and provides a focal point for has a distinctly modern air – from its shallow
the run of buildings. hip roof to its large glass sliding doors,” the Search 45450 at
The bunkhouse has two bunkrooms, a family architect says. trendsideas.com
Commanding perspective
A man’s home is his castle. It’s a saying that resonates with this new house,
which explores myriad ways to balance solid concrete forms with lighter,
more ephemeral elements
Initially contracted to design a remodel, Before Above left and left Before and after images tell the story
the designer of this new house says the of this transformation by designer Fu-Tung Cheng of Cheng
Design. The original, traditionally styled house on the site
project escalated until it became clear the only
was removed to make way for a new home with a much more
option was to simply start over. modern aesthetic. The main house features solid concrete
Fu-Tung Cheng of Cheng Design says walls, poured in situ. The garage wing is stucco, and the
the owners of the existing house on site cube-like volume near the entry is made from reclaimed wood
required a larger home that simply could from vinegar barrels.
not fit into the same footprint. Building anew Above A lightweight translucent canopy balances the more
was a better way to achieve what they wanted, austere, solid form of the concrete walls. Bamboo guttering is
and it did not need to cost much more than a used for water run-off.
total renovation.
“Their home sat in a neighborhood of
houses in a similar traditional style – there hands-on approach to the house construction. coloured concrete that could be pushed
were plenty of quaint gabled rooflines,” Cheng “We chose to pour the concrete in stages, down into the walls. For added visual interest
says. “But what they wanted – and what so it could be manipulated every step of at the front of the house, the upper concrete
was ultimately proposed – was a complete the way. The formwork of each stage was walls were striated to resemble geological
departure. The owners had seen my work just 4 ft high, and was wrapped in shiny strata bands.”
with concrete on smaller jobs and loved the Formica, which imparted a great sheen to Cheng says the resulting walls, which are
modern aesthetic, and we could see there was the concrete. Concrete can appear as a very 14 in thick, with 3 in of foam insulation, convey
a potential to do something similar on a much cold, forbidding surface, but these walls have a strong sense of substance and permanence.
larger scale.” a blue-black tint and are hyper smooth and And because they make up the entire wall,
Cheng says that in experimenting with inviting to touch. there is no need for wallcoverings or veneers.
concrete walls, he wanted to move away from “Once the concrete was poured into each “We introduced porthole windows to the
the “ordinary”. In doing so, he took a very section, I introduced streaks of amber- walls in irregular positions, and added an
elliptical-shaped window to the upper level. from view. An outdoor-indoor fishpond beside Facing page, top and lower A zinc and brass pivot door
These apertures highlight the thickness of the the entry, flows beneath the wall to the inside makes a bold statement at the entry. The water plants in
the foreground are emerging from a long fishpond that flows
concrete and you get a strong sense of the of the house.
under the wall and into the living room on the other side. To
real mass of the house – it is almost castle To relieve the austerity of the concrete introduce a splash of colour, the wall opposite the door has a
like. And it has a solidity that simply cannot be walls and flooring, another wall beside the Japanese plaster finish in a rusty brick shade, with a bright
replicated in a house built from wood.” entry is covered in Japanese plaster in a rusty yellow shelving niche.
In contrast, a lightweight, translucent brick tone, with a glowing, illuminated yellow Above Solar tubes positioned at irregular intervals in the
canopy defines the entry, which is through a shelving niche. ceiling bring natural light into the center of the family living
large zinc and brass pivot door. “It was important to keep the interior warm area. A large Japanese lantern-style fixture further enlivens
The concrete side wall extends right into the and inviting, and this applied to texture as well the space.
house, forging a connection between inside as colour,” says Cheng. “We were constantly
and out, and helping to screen the living area looking for materials that would have a tactile
XXX search | save | share at my.trendsideas.com
finish, to contrast the very smooth concrete.” Facing page Alno cabinetry was specified for the kitchen,
Two suspended ceilings in the main along with concrete and stainless steel countertops, and
a Cheng Design Zephyr hood featuring Venetian plaster.
living area feature Japanese plaster
The backsplash is an Italian porcelain tile with the look of
mixed with a fine wood fibre. This imparts a rusted steel.
textural quality that helps to warm the space,
Top The master suite reflects a Japanese influence. The
visually. Similarly, a large red paper lantern artwork at left is by Dave Ward of Sticks ’n Stones.
with twig-like framing, is a bold contrast to
Above This stainless steel soaking tub drops down lower than
the grey concrete. the level of the floor. It is paired with a concrete sink with
To bring natural light into the heart of the mosaic-tiled trough.
open-plan living space, Cheng introduced
irregularly spaced solar tubes to the ceiling.
These mimic the form of the port holes on the
more projects at trendsideas.com 131

Above Cheng introduced a concrete Nemo kitchen island from exterior walls and serve a similar purpose. an adjoining wood table top, which has fine
his own collection. This conical piece incorporates a perforated In the main living room, the focus of steel legs.
stainless steel door that conceals garbage bins. The adjoining
attention is the inset fireplace within the Another concrete countertop runs along
lightweight table, with its wood top and sculptural steel legs,
provides another contrast to the solid form of the concrete. massive concrete end wall. Here, the concrete one wall, while the rest of the work surfaces
poured for the cantilevered hearth is a soft are stainless steel.
Facing page An extra-wide opening at the side of the main
living room opens to a private terrace. Clerestory windows olive green shade. The kitchen features another of
above the opening help to create the illusion that the heavy Concrete also appears in the kitchen, Cheng’s designs – the rangehood with
concrete is supported by the lightweight glass. where it forms a conical island with a 5in-thick Zephyr ventilation is from the designer’s
countertop, sculpted to create an organic own collection. All these elements are
form, and to provide estuary drainage from a complemented by a bank of European Alno
cutting board. The solid, anchoring bulk of the cabinetry in a light wood veneer.
island is balanced by the lightweight form of Other highlights of the living space include
Above At the rear the house opens up to a landscaped Before extra-wide openings to two terraces, which
swimming pool area. The existing pool was refurbished, enhance the connection with the outdoors.
with the deck forming the coping. A round spa pool was also
One opening is straddled by a massive steel
added. The existing mature trees lend an established look to
the house. Rooms on the second level include a study and I-beam, with clerestory glazing above. This
guest suite. creates the illusion that the heavy concrete
Right The original house also opened to the pool. The multi- wall is suspended on top of the fine glass,
gabled form of the roof was similar to those of other homes in which suggests a contradiction in terms.
the neighborhood. “On the outside of the house, we did keep
a reference to the original property,” says
Cheng. “The swimming pool is essentially
the same organic shape, but we added a spa
pool, and re-landscaped the entire area.”
Designer Principal Fu-Tung Cheng; architects J Chan and Countertops Stainless steel; maple bar top; Geocrete Lightology LED uplights
Ann Kim; designer Frank Lee, Cheng Design (Berkeley, CA) cast concrete Nemo island by Cheng Design in Celadon Bathroom sink Ikea Hollviken
Landscape designer Ron Emerson Garden Design Backsplash Italian porcelain tile in Argento Bathroom faucets Vola
Structural engineer Calin Smith Engineering & Development Co Hood Zephyr Cheng Collection Padova with Venetian plaster Tub Custom stainless steel by Cheng Design
Builder Chuck Hunt, foreman, Carlson Construction, Inc in aubergine
Concrete subcontractor Richard Sullivan, Artemio Zavala, Cooktop Gaggenau Story by Colleen Hawkes
FWS Construction range Wolf Photography by Matthew Millman
Concrete polishing Gary Gan, Ganco San Francisco Dishwasher Miele
Geocrete Cheng Design, Inc flooring Plyboo
Plaster artisan Thom Bruce Dining room light fixture and bedroom art installation
Metalwork, including canopy Alan Sklansky David Ward, Sticks ’n Stones Search 46743 at trendsideas.com
front entry door Hans Rau Decorative sconces Studio Technico
Cabinet company Alno recessed lighting Elco
Cabinets Oak veneer in Moccapine Exterior lighting Shaper Lighting sconces;
New identity
A house is not a home until you stamp your
own personality on the interior, at which point it
truly comes alive. This remodeled townhouse is
living proof of the transformation that’s possible,
says architect Andreas Charalambous, who was
Every picture tells a story in this remodeled responsible for the interior design.
Washington, DC townhouse. The owners, “The original interior was very dated, and visually
cluttered, with a lot of different materials used in
one a photographer, moved from Guatemala the various rooms,” he says. “The new owners, who
were moving to Washington, DC from Guatemala,
wanted to modernize the entire space. They wanted
to incorporate some interesting furniture pieces
they were bringing with them, and because one of spacious living area, which is three steps lower and Facing page This brick townhouse in
the owners, Manuel Morquecho, is a photographer, therefore has a higher ceiling.” Washington, DC has been extensively
renovated by architect Andreas
they also needed an appropriate backdrop for his A large photograph by Morquecho, a walnut buffet
Charalambous.
photography collection.” in the modern style, and a crisscross wood base to
Above The dining room is the first point
The changes begin at the entry, which leads the table are other key features of the dining area.
of entry to the living space. To create a
directly into the dining area. To enhance the sense The table has a glass top that enhances the light, sense of drama, Charalambous designed
of arrival, Charalambous created a dramatic dropped spacious look, and highlights the sculptural quality a dropped ceiling with an LED cove and a
ceiling with LED cove lighting and a sculptural of the base. sculptural pendant light by Artemide. New
pendant by Artemide. To reinforce the visual drama, Charalambous wide steps lead down to the spacious living
“The lowered ceiling helps to contain the space, widened the narrow steps leading down to the living area, which has a mix of new and collected
furniture pieces.
visually, and makes it more intimate,” the architect room so that they run the entire width of the room.
says. “It also creates a contrast to the more New wide-plank flooring is ebonized to provide a
Preceding pages Orange accents add visual strong contrast to the walls. The fireplace in
warmth to the living area. With new, taller the living room was also transformed by the addition
glass doors, the room now benefits from more
of stacked stone, with recessed niches for the fire
natural light.
and television.
Above and right The dining area is furnished
“We concealed the audiovisual equipment in two low
with a square glass-top table, and a mix
of chairs and bench seating. The bench wood cabinets either side of the fireplace,” says the
seat can be moved down to the living architect. “These provide a perfect base for two of
room for extra seating if required. The the owners’ traditional Guatemalan statues.
large photograph is by one of the owners, “To create a restful look, the furnishings are neutral,
photographer Manuel Morquecho. but we introduced orange accents – this is a colour
the owners like. We added a sculptural Shell
chair, traditional Guatemalan stools, and a custom

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Above: Conulluptat venit am,

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Above Hidden pocket doors at each end of Cha-Cha coffee table that appears to float above artworks can be displayed.
the wall behind the bed open to a walk-in the orange wool and silk rug – the table features On the upper floor, the stair landing was widened
closet. The suspended ceiling is echoed by
concealed wheels.” To ensure the interior would be to allow space for floor-to-ceiling shelving, where
the floating design of the nightstands.
flooded with natural light, Charalambous raised the various art books, small artefacts and travel
Top right The upper landing was widened to
height of the glazed doors in the living room. mementos are displayed under LED lighting. A new
accommodate a new shelving unit.
Other changes to the main floor include new skylight floods the landing and stairwell with light.
Above right Red on white makes a bold
cabinetry in the kitchen, which is open to the dining Crisp white walls and bed linen create a restful
statement in the remodeled master suite.
The existing wood floors on this level were area and the entry hall. The open layout ensures the retreat for the master suite. The bedroom also
retained, but were stained to match the natural light penetrates the interior from both ends of features a dropped ceiling highlighted by LED
ebonised flooring on the main level. the townhouse. lighting, and a bright red Womb chair and matching
A dividing wall between the kitchen and hallway footstool. The tranquility extends to the master
incorporates a large niche and floating shelf where bathroom, which incorporates a shower.
renovation architect and interior
designer Andreas Charalambous AIA,
and Juan Gutierrez, Forma Design, Inc
(Washington, DC)
Builder: MCA Remodeling, Inc
Cabinet company Metropolitan
Woodworking, Inc
Paints Benjamin Moore Classic Colors
Dining room pendant Artemide
Wallcovering in dining room
Wolf-Gordon
Dining room table Falo by Riva
Dining chairs Frame from Apartment Zero
Buffet Sussex tall credenza from DWR
fireplace surround Rustic stone from
Architectural Ceramics
Living room furniture Cielo from KMP
Furniture; Cha-Cha coffee table by Forma
Design; Shell chair; Saarinen side table; Line
media console from DWR; Rubik service
coffee table from DWR
Living room rug Cha-Cha area rug in wool
and silk by Forma Design
Master bedroom rug West Elm
Chair in master bedroom Saarinen
Womb chair
Story by Colleen Hawkes

Photography by Geoffrey Hodgdon
Far left The wall between the kitchen and

hallway was designed to accommodate
artworks.
Left The master bathroom incorporates a
shower with natural pebble walls.
Search 45459 at
trendsideas.com
Beside the sea
While a seaside cottage that serves as
a vacation home may be charming – if a little
rough and ready – there comes a time when
more comfort is called for.
Architect Robert Hidey says this was
Every detail in this remodeled 1940s cottage precisely the case with his own family’s
is designed to reference the architectural vacation home, which dated back to 1946.
“With its solid redwood construction,
vernacular of traditional coastal homes the house had served us well over the years,
and we still appreciated the small-scale
cottage detailing. But many of the rooms
were substandard, including the bedrooms,
bathrooms and kitchen, which was in a Before Above left and left This beachside bungalow has undergone
separate room. And the flow was not ideal a major transformation that has greatly improved its curb
appeal, as well as its functionality. The original entry (left) was
– the rear bedroom was reached through a
out of sight around the side of the house. This has been moved
second bedroom-office space.” to the front, with the front door now perfectly aligned with the
Hidey says the position of the front door, stairs leading up from the street. The renovation was designed
at the side of the house, was also awkward by architect-owner Robert Hidey.
– guests were squeezed into an unappealing Above The front door now opens to a small transition zone, or
3ft-wide alley space. lobby, lined with wainscoting and decorated with an antique
The architect consequently moved the entry railway clock and antiqued lighting sconces.
to the front right side of the house, where he
created a transitional lobby space. The entry
now lines up with the stairs leading up from
Above and right Before-and-after images highlight the huge Before the street, and creates a much stronger sense
change to the kitchen area. Originally a separate room on the of arrival.
other side of the entry, the kitchen is now an integral part of
“Fortunately, the structure of the house
the great room. The painted brick fireplace, on the left of the
before image, was removed to open up the space. had not deteriorated, nor had the exposed
beams and tongue-and-groove ceilings on the
Facing page, top and following pages The interior
furnishings and art were specified by interior designer Cee interior,” says Hidey. “There was a character
Atcheson of Objekt Design. and a quality to the framework and form that I
Facing page lower 1 foyer, 2 great room, 3 kitchen, could work with.”
4 bedroom, 5 bathroom, 6 laundry, 7 office, 8 master suite, On the exterior, siding was replaced as
9 garage, 10 carport. required, with new horizontal clapboard at the
front, and vertical batt and board at the rear.
“There had been several additions to
the house over the years and there was a window that remains – was remodeled and is new radius-curved openings to
subsequent mishmash of window styles now a key feature of the room. the hallway provide another nod to the
with many inconsistences,” the architect The kitchen area was also absorbed into traditional vernacular.
says. “I felt it was better to start over, with the great room to provide a social center for “The ceiling in the hall is much lower than
new doors and windows, and white-painted the family. in the great room, and this difference is
shutters that enhance the coastal aesthetic. “The island may be of a small scale to suit disguised behind radiused openings,” says the
It’s a very clean, fresh look that complements the proportions of the house, but it is very architect. “The curves also add character and
the cottage style of the houses in the effective at creating a buffer between the living introduce a little nautical attitude.”
neighborhood.” area and kitchen,” Hidey says. The architect extended the hallway to
On the interior, Hidey removed a Shaker-style cabinets teamed with gray link up with the end bedroom, which is now
central fireplace to open up the great room. quartz countertops and traditional hardware the master suite. The office is open to this
The existing bay window – the only original complement the authentic cottage feel. And passage, with double French doors leading
Above, facing page top and lower A new passage addition Before
links the original hallway to the master suite at the end of
the house. French doors in this passage and in the master
bedroom open out to a tranquil outdoor living area. A wide
opening in the office effectively borrows space from the
passage at the side.
Right and far right The leafy alfresco dining area was
formerly a side yard that the owners passed through on their
way to the garage at the rear.
directly out to an outdoor living area. Similar Architect Robert Hidey, Robert Hidey Architects (Irvine, CA) refrigeration Sub-Zero
doors open from the master suite, which was interior designer Cee Atcheson, Objekt Designs Dishwasher Bosch
Builder Robert Hidey Architects Kitchen sink Kohler
enlarged with a new bathroom addition.
Cabinet company Hartmark Cabinets faucet KWC
Interior designer Cee Atcheson of Objekt Structural engineering Amid Engineering Group Paving Flagstone
Designs was commissioned to furnish the Siding James Hardie outdoor furniture Crate and Barrel
interior for a tenant. Doors and windows Sierra Pacific
“Everything had to be of a scale that would furniture Custom slip-covered sectional sofa and bed in Story by Colleen Hawkes
work with the proportions of the rooms,” she white linen Photography by Toby Ponnay Photography
flooring Provenza white oak in Tumbleweed
says. “I chose a lot of soft white and off-white
Kitchen cabinets Painted Shaker style
linens, so there would be no distraction from Countertops Quartz Search 43420 at trendsideas.com
the architecture – it is all very light and airy. Backsplash Daltile Brick
I introduced bright colour accents through Cooktop, oven and ventilation Viking
Properties on the block
TRENDS selects premium properties

making the rounds today
Luminare
Price: ` 4.1 crore onwards

Developer: Mahindra Lifespaces
Location: Gurgaon
Status of the project: Launched project
– under excavation
Area of project: Seven acres (approx)
Residential type: Penthouses, three and
four BHK apartments
Residential area: 2985-4887 sq ft
Architect: Morphogenesis, New Delhi
Construction: Tata Projects,
Secunderabad
Special features: Private lift lobbies,
wrap around balconies, gymnasium, spa,
swimming pool with a
separate kid’s pool, squash and tennis
courts and a restaurant along with
banquet facilities
Nahar’s Amrit Shakti
Price: ` 2-12 crore
Developer: Nahar Group

Location: Mumbai
Status of the project: At the
enlargement stage
Area of project: 125 acres
Residential Type: Two and Three BHK
apartments and four BHK villaments
Residential area: 996-4700 sq ft
Architect: Hafeez Contractor, Mumbai
Special features: A club house equipped
with a gym, yoga and meditation centre,
spa, swimming pool, tennis and squash
courts, indoor games area, multi-cuisine
restaurant and banquet hall along with
commercial and social infrastructure
facilities, such as Nahar business centre,
Nahar international school, Nahar
medical centre, shopping plaza, mall
and multiplexes
Showcase
The latest in decor

and kitchen
accessories
Luxury crockery from Versace
InV Home is a lifestyle products retailer that brings some

of the world’s finest luxury brands and products to
India. One such product is the latest Versace collection
of crockery, available at InV Home outlets in Delhi and
Chandigarh. Featuring dinnerware and tea sets, this
collection boasts of a simple, unostentatious style that still
manages to speak volumes as a status symbol. Additional
table accessories and ornaments tie together the decor,
thereby complementing the rest of the crockery collection.
For more information, call +91-11-26801811/12/13
Bathroom elegance with Vitra
Vitra, one of the leading bathroom solutions brand from

Turkey, unveiled a new line in India. Titled Metropole,
elegance is the defining characteristic of the series,
which is a range of washbasins and toilets both in pure
white colour options. The washbasins are available
in mineral cast and ceramic finishes. The toilets are
extremely hygienic, coming equipped with a detergent
dispenser on top of the WC pan. For more information,
visit in.vitra.com.tr

India Circus comes to your table
This summer, India Circus announced a new

range of tableware that incorporates diverse
influences and motifs from across India in their
designs. Created by Krsna Mehta, the range
includes tumblers, glass mugs, crystal mugs
and an array of premium crockery. In vibrant
colours like emerald green and royal blue,
these elegant patterns are an easy way to bring
some cheer into your dining room. For more
information, call +91-22-30770256
My Tailor Home brings French

upholstery to Mumbai
The My Tailor Home studio located in

Mumbai marks the arrival of a proponent
of French design sensibilities. In this spirit,
the studio has launched Ateliers Philippe
Courdray, the couture upholsterers and
interior dressers. With collaborations with
well-established brands such as Hermes
and Christian Lacroix under their belt,
Ateliers Philippe Courdray now bring their
approach to bespoke window dressing to
India. For more information, call +91-22-
40043458 or email info@mytailorhome.com
Visionnaire releases luxury furniture line
In order to mark its 10th anniversary, the Italian

luxury brand Visionnaire announced a collaboration
with noted architect, interior designer and product
designer, Steve Leung, at this year’s Salone
Internazionale del Mobile. Titled Nature’s Jewel Box,
this collection features luxurious armchairs, chaise
lounges, dining tables, sofas, beds and bedside
tables. For more information, call +91-11-26018740
Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 trendsideas.com 155

Sink into Italian sofas from Natuzzi
The luxury Italian furniture brand Natuzzi announced a new line of high end leather sofas,
now available in India through the lifestyle retailer ICasa. These sofas show a distinct
Italian flavour in their designs and are available in a multitude of configurations and colour
schemes. The Natuzzi Edition sofa range starts at Rs. 2,50,000. For more information,
call + 91-98193 92242 or email sales@icasafurniture.in
A new range of vitrified tiles from

H&R Johnson
H&R Johnson (India) looks to define the

next generation of tiles with its new range
of glazed vitrified tiles, Johnson Porselano.
The tiles in this range are segregated under
six major themes - modern, contemporary,
minimalistic, Victorian, retro and art deco.
Available in three sizes, the tiles also possess
joint-free and stain-free properties, while the
various themes have a unique appearance
and texture. For more information, call
+91-22-30647484 or email customercare@
hrjohnsonindia.com
Veneta Cucine introduces

Italian kitchens
The Italian brand Veneta Cucine

provides new kitchen solutions and
with Liquida, they deliver a product that
combines design with functionality.
The Liquida kitchen comes with a
built-in refrigerator and cooker hood,
and it is made out of high-performance
materials that are wholly recyclable.
The Liquida series has variations
like the Flipper, Condense, Light and
Frame versions, but all variants share
the same sleek and compact design
aesthetic. For more information,
visit www.venetacucine.com
156 trendsideas.com Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015

TFOD - the future
of design
A platform that showcases the latest in Indian
architecture and interior design
An online portal that serves as a professionals such as architects network and further their
global congregation spot for the looking to connect with contractors, businesses. As it grows into
design community, The Future of TFOD.in also caters to the end- the single largest professional
Design (www.tfod.in) is a resource users by offering listings for all networking platform for the
guide and professional directory design needs. community, there is palpable
for all Indian architects and interior Concieved by Roopa Sabnis excitement over how TFOD.in will
designers. After registering for Pinge, TFOD.in has steadily impact the design industry.
free, users of TFOD.in can create grown into a lively community The website also has a
a profile and list their areas of filled with every kind of design special space where industry-
expertise, thereby making it easier enthusiast, from designers to related jobs are listed. This
for a consumer to reach them. artists, landscaping contractors to instantly allows newcomers and
This also enables meritocracy plumbers, and even carpenters and freshers to connect with the
to take its course, and all the civil work contractors. stalwarts of the industry.
professionals can expect to be The website provides a For more information, call
judged on the basis of their merit. hospitable virtual environment for +91-99303 50555 or email
While the site serves design these professionals to interact, support@tfod.in
home & design
trends.edit@wwm.co.in
More ideas, information and inspiration at Trendsideas.in

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Volume 3 No 2

Rahul Shankhwalker Navin Raheja Alan Abraham

116 resIDentIAL DesIGn

Beside the sea

152 PrOPertIes On tHe bLOCk

from the editor

& hospItalIty example of how to make a success of large-scale

And in Portfolio, we revisit the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2014. It concluded

trends.edit@wwm.co.in More ideas, information and inspiration at Trendsideas.in

Chief Executive Officer Deepak Lamba

Chief Community Officer & Editor Preeti Singh

Assistant Editor Kamna Malik

Senior Art Director Suneela Phatak

Brand Publisher Anupama Bhalla

Chief Financial Officer Subramaniam S.

To subscribe online, visit: mags.timesgroup.com/home-trends.html

Concept Public Art

These products fit like a glove in contemporary,

folly by ron Arad

8 more projects at trendsideas.com Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015

Aura Chair by Mikko Laakkonen

Maui Chair by vico Magistretti

In-tensive by Jouni Leino

Who said office furniture has to be serious

Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 more projects at trendsideas.com 11

Dv549 Lockers by Antonio Morello

- Compiled by Kamna Malik

Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 more projects at trendsideas.com 13

Why does Zarir Mullan of

Zarir Mullan founded his firm in 1994, and

HOME & DESIGN Volume 3 No 1

Cover Trends-v301.indd 1 22/05/15 4:04 PM

Small Stories: At home in a dolls’ house

Showcasing the stories of 12 dolls’ houses from the past 300

16 more projects at trendsideas.com Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015

newly-built council estates and high-rise

I Always Dreamed of an Underwater Aquarium

Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 more projects at trendsideas.com 17

Constructing Worlds brings together

Presented at the Barbican Art Gallery

architectural and photographic works by

Gursky, Nadav Kander and Iwan Baan.

Guy Tillim, Grande Hotel, Beira, Mozambique, 2008

18 more projects at trendsideas.com Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015

Stephen Shore, Badlands National

Thomas Struth, Clinton Road, London, 1977

Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 more projects at trendsideas.com 19

Author and illustrator James

“I feel sick when I am not drawing. I panic

20 more projects at trendsideas.com Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015

Transformative art that alters

Stain by Pejac Untitled by Collettivo FX

The Kinetoscope by Christina Angelina and Ease One

Slab City, California, 2015

"Kinetoscope features two female faces that partially circle

- Compiled by Kamna Malik

Principal designer and partner of HBA, Rahul

24 more projects at trendsideas.com

According to you, why are clients choosing

Amongst all the hospitality projects

- Compiled by Kamna Malik

Rahul shankhwalker joined HBA as a Design

Home & Design Trends Vol 3 No 2 2015 more projects at trendsideas.com 25

Navin Raheja of Raheja Developers talks to

Home & DesignTrends - Commercial Desing

Home & DesignTrends - Commercial Desing