JUNE 2023 l EDITION 8

Designed by Ankur Kothari & Anil Poduval, Red Brick

HELLO!
Studio, Pune, the Cove House won Best Private
Residential Apartment/Villa Bungalow (more than
3000 sqft) - Architecture at this year's GeeVees

Dear Godrej Value Co-Creators,

We started the conversation on VC Live about Smarter Living with personal spaces, the
home and office. In this edition, we shift the focus to the public realm. Abhigyan Neogi gives
us insights into smarter restaurant design—looking beyond the gastronomical experience
or the visual pastiche of trends, he highlights the importance of creating memorable
moments through innovative processes. Dikshu Kukreja engages with the public at the city
SNEHA MRINALINI scale, centering his masterclass on designing transit-oriented developments, to outsmart
ULLAL GHADIOK burgeoning issues of unmanageable densities, and instead provide for wider accessibility
Curators & VC Live Ambassadors while considering sustainable practices. Palinda Kannangara's masterclass appoints
Godrej Value Co-Creators Club centerstage to smarter ecological design, drawing attention to local contexts to build on
(GVCC)
smarter futures. In case you missed any of these sessions, you can catch them on Godrej
Locks' Facebook page.

Plus, we take a closer look at the GeeVees winner for Best Private Residential project
(more than 3000sqft), the Cove House by Red Brick Studio, and Godrej Locks' most recent
project, Birsa Munda Hockey stadium in Rourkela, Odisha.

Keep following for more winning projects and upcoming masterclasses.

Feedback or suggestions? Write to us at gvcc@godrej.com. Thank you!
VC LIVE
LIVE
SEASON 2 EPISODE 3
AT YOUR SERVICE:
SMARTER RESTAURANT DESIGN
Architect Abhigyan Neogi of Chromed Design Studio talks about designing eateries beyond
the experience of dining, with a healthy serving of innovation & unconventional approaches.

For us as patrons and visitors, restaurants and bistros offer

that blissful moment of escapism—a chance to leave the
realities of daily life behind. With growing demands, and
globalization and democratization too of the luxury
experience, simply having a tasty menu and quality service
just is not enough.

Through his portfolio of projects, Abhigyan Neogi, who has

had years of experience in designing eateries and similar
spaces around the world, discussed in detail the direction
that restaurant design is taking in India.

WATCH THE CONVERSATION HERE

LIVE AUDIENCE POLL

What is crucial
to the future of The secret sauce
restaurant None of these
The smartest product is the one that makes
3.1% Sustainable practices in design,
design planning and execution 12.5%
you remember that it exists. The same
in India? applies to smart restaurant design—it’s the
one that generates the most business. It
Planning for spaces, needs to tell you a story and evoke a certain
All of these
co-working, etc 14.1%
31.3 % emotion in you. Ten years ago, restaurants
were designed for comfort, and for luxury
experiences that you never had at home.
With the advent of social media, they are
now designed to serve as a backdrop to your
Unique sensorial Smart, efficient
experiences
photographs, to enhance your social status.
planning of indoor
12.5 % Tech & outdoor spaces
integration 21.9%
4.6 %
VC LIVE
LIVE
SEASON 2 EPISODE 4
DESIGNING TRANSIT-ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENTS FOR INDIA
Architect, urban planner & environmentalist Dikshu C Kukreja of CP Kukreja Architects
enlightened us on how TODs could be a solution towards addressing India's growing pains.

India’s growing populace is putting a strain on urban mobility,

further aggravating issues like pollution, adequate quality infra
and freight inefficiencies among others. Urban planning
experts believe it is important to boost developmental
activities while maintaining sustainability. There is a need to
prepare for Transit Oriented Development (TOD)—any micro
or macro development originating from the transit node that
results in wider accessibility to the transit facility.

In this session, Dikshu shares not just his ongoing projects, but
also the need and importance of planning for vibrant and
sustainable TODs, given India’s rampant urbanization.

WATCH THE CONVERSATION HERE

LIVE AUDIENCE POLL

What deters
Integrating transit-oriented design into
you from
the existing urban fabric
using public There is a lack of connectivity
We cannot let our cities become urban
between the home & where
transportation? I need to go 43.9% sprawls. It is important that we realize that
land is a precious resource. For example,
there is a lot of mill land in Mumbai, much
The amenities at stations
of which is defunct. One way is to raze the
are inadequate 7% mills to the ground and build afresh; another
None of these is to be more inventive and reuse what is
1% I'm happy to use already built. With the technology we have
public transport 7.1%
at hand, we can build towers above the
I don't feel safe traveling by existing structures—in this way, we are
public transport 4%
All of these
neither romanticizing the land, nor
27.6% There is a serious concern of underutilizing it. This is what sustainable
cleanliness & hygiene 10.2% development is all about.
VC LIVE
LIVE
SEASON 2 EPISODE 5
SMARTER ECOLOGICAL DESIGN
Sri Lankan architect Palinda Kannangara, sheds light on the processes, productivity and
programming of designs that make them smarter, ecological and sustainable for the future.

WATCH THE CONVERSATION HERE

'Smart design' is often misunderstood as that which relies on complex technologies, mechanized systems
and the most current tools available in the industry. However, any design can be made ’smart’ by choosing
appropriate design ideologies and innovating with methodologies. In this episode, Palinda talks about how
passive and traditional design techniques can be contemporized to create durable, sustainable and
comfortable architecture of the future.

Responding to context
In my opinion, smart ecological design means
that it is integral to the local context. It has to
be rooted properly to the ground, where it
belongs. As an architect or designer that
understands smart design, you are responding
to the context truly by responding to the
weather conditions, understanding the
lifestyle of the local people and adhering to
social responsibility.

Relationship between technology &

indigenous techniques & materials
I’m not an architect that relies heavily on the
past and only designs because of what has
worked in the past. We need to move on with
the advent of technology. In our practice,
we use materials, even glass to an extent, to
better control temperature indoors. I believe
in the concept of using technology to support
or enhance indigenous techniques and
materials—it is important to strike a balance
between both.
 AND THE GEEVEES GO TO...
GeeVees Best Private Residential Apartment/Villa Bungalow
(more than 3000 sqft) - Architecture
Designed by Ankur Kothari & Anil Poduval, Red Brick Studio, Pune
Concept Note: We wanted to break the
notion of what a house is expected to be.
On seeing the site and its surroundings,
our first response was to create a built
form which would blend-in instead of
stand-out. Therefore, rather than
constructing on the flat part of the site, we
set the house within the natural
topography—to tuck away a large part
of the structure from the view at the
entrance.
The design aims to respond sensitively
to the very rich site and its surroundings.
Local and natural materials are used in
ways so as to ensure that the house ages
well and blends into its context.
The most innovative part is the structure—
the almost 70' long (25m) ferro-cement
roof is constructed in a structural
thickness of only 50mm, making it a very
cost-effective and sustainable alternative
to the conventional RCC technology.
THE COVE HOUSE
The Cove House is a weekend home nestled in a site swaddled by the
mountains of the Western Ghats. Red Brick Studio was approached by
the client to build a getaway from the hustle of city life—to give him an
opportunity to soak in the picturesque vistas overlooking the
backwaters of the Panshet Dam. Faced with the limitation of a tight
constructible area, the client also wished for open spaces which could
be integrated with the house that could host larger gatherings of
friends and family.
Design Process: Much of the house is embedded into the ground
covered by a mono-roof with an inverted curved profile spanning
across its length. The 50mm thick ferro-cement sheet is not only
innovative and efficient, but also uses its geometry to harvest
rainwater for perennial use. This roof is separated from the built mass
by a continuous ribbon of clearstory windows. Placed strategically at
the level at which one enters the site, this band allows the viewer to
look through the house and catch glimpses of the valley across it.
Stepping through a courtyard built in a natural setting with vegetation
and boulders found on the site itself, one crosses a discreet entrance
into the heart of the house—an open and spacious living room. The
10m long space is enclosed by a customized system of folded metal
panels on one side such that, when required, they can be opened and
concealed into the cavity wall to reveal a vast seamless indoor-
outdoor space. On the other side, the living room is flanked by a large
deck overlooking the backwaters and surrounding valley.
Responding to its context, the house is finished in a deep red grit-
plaster that matches the tonality of the natural terrain of the region.
Not only does it allow the structure to meld into its surroundings, but
the coarse finish also allows for better resistance to the extreme rain
and summer seasons in the region.
 AND THEFOCUS
PROJECT GEEVEES GO TO...

View of the Birsa Munda Hockey stadium in

Rourkela, Odisha. Below: The hockey village and
The world's biggest
hockey stadium has
Godrej Magna smart locks that were installed

been secured
The Birsa Munda Hockey stadium in Rourkela, Odisha, not only
hosted the World Cup 2023, but was also recognized by the Guinness
World Records as the world's largest fully seated hockey arena—the
safety solutions for which was entrusted to Godrej Locks.

The Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha

(IDCO) reached out to Godrej with a request to install mechanical locks
at the entire hockey village. However, for an international event of this
scale, we were sure that instead of mechanical locks, RFID smart locks
were the ideal solution. Demonstrating the benefits of the RFID units
as having much greater return on investment despite higher initial
costs, we convinced the organizers to choose these over their mortise
counterparts.

Godrej's Magna RFID locks balance form, design and function. They are
not only easy to install and use, but also provide access to audit logs, as
well as allow check-in data monitoring, leading to increased productivity
and serviceability. These systems are highly flexible, providing options of
a master key (commonly used for housekeeping operations) and a grand
master key (for emergency openings). One may also opt for limited
validity of keying functions, based on stipulated check-in and check-out
schedules of guests. In light of this, the entire locking safety operation
for the hockey village in Rourkela was perfectly managed by Godrej's
Magna RFID system, which provided total reliability.

The uninterrupted execution here was especially appreciated in a letter

by Aswini Kumar Biswal (Chief General Manager, Civil – IDCO,
Bhubaneswar), and today, we are pleased to share that IDCO will be
recommending Godrej digital locks for future projects as well.
GVCC

Godrej Value Co-Creators Club (GVCC) is a platform created

by Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems Division
where architects and interior designers can combine their
thoughts, ideas, designs with our product offerings to build
safe, sustainable, and optimum solutions for the end consumer.
Through this industry recognized platform, we want to build
a nexus of thought leaders and help pioneer their progress
towards taking innovative approaches for building a safe and
sustainable India.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER BENEFITS

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across India
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Take exclusive tours of our plants in Goa

Recognition for outstanding work

If you are an interior designer or
architect who wants to offer
comprehensive solutions to your
customers, the GVCC -
Godrej Value Co-Creators Club
is for you!
We felicitate architects and designers for their innovative
projects across verticals through the GeeVees Awards
We showcase collaborative/co-created projects in top
architectural and design magazines, social media
platforms, webinars, exhibitions, and offline events
Networking & learning
We organize exhibition visits to understand latest trends,
technologies as a token of appreciation for your loyal
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the industry and generate insights for executing new
projects

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