Design journeys are marked by projects that inspire and give direction to the individualised presentation of interior designer’s and architect’s creativity and vision. Here 5 accomplished designers/architects share with us that one project is dear to their heart because of all that it brought with it and what it represents.
1. Pooja Bihani, Principal Architect, Spaces & Design
Project: Belgadia Palace
Location: Baripada, Mayurbhanj, Odisha
Images: Vivek Das
“Belgadia Palace is the most cherished project as we paid special attention to the styling of this Heritage Palace and these thoughtful elements add and give a glimpse of the past glory of this iconic property. As an architect, the most challenging part of the project was planning and research. To draw a fine line that does not look too modern or too sunk in the past. With not much documentation on the building, the project involved a lot of research and study of old materials and their replacement and restoration process. Hence the primary aim was not to infuse a concept into the palace but to restore its own beauty from end to end. We began with research on materials of that era. Their life and sustainability. that parallels modern materials could give us the look of the past but the functionality of the current day. We started with these basics and joy in our hearts to bring Belgadia Palace back to its glory! This rationale makes Belgadia Palace unique!”
2. Poonam Mehta, Co-Founder, AMPM Designs
Project: Clover Highlands
Location: Pune, Maharashtra
Images: Prashant Bhat
“One of our cherished works is a 3.5 bhk home designed as a show flat as well as a functional home for a client. Today, life at home has more meaning for everyday everchanging activities for work, study or for your favourite hobbies, our intent was to design a home that meets the everyday needs of the end-user. Dedicating a separate space for an office inside this 3.5 bhk was something we envisioned even before this trend of working from home became a permanent change during Covid times. The idea was to keep up with changing modern times where offices can also be extended to your home to be a part of your living. Designed to be filled with comfort and cosiness, where there is also a sacred space to cut off from the daily hassle and bring out productivity even while being away from the office.”
3. Shabnam Gupta, Principal Designer, The Orange Lane
Project: Art Inspired Home
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Images: Fabien Charuau
“It’s a project in which the client was very uninhibited in the use of strong colours coming together along with artwork from across different genres making it very unafraid and eclectic. I love how the personality of the people living there is captured in the design of their home.”
4. Vinithra Amarnathan, Founder, Weespaces
Project: The Modern Plantation Home
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Images: Shamanth Patil
“One of my most cherished projects is the modern plantation inspired villa we designed in Bangalore. It’s inspired by large airy plantation-style homes and a tropical modern aesthetic. We were lucky in that we were blessed with a great structure that had double-height ceilings, ample sunlight and the beautiful indoor-outdoor feel that was so core to the design aesthetic. But what I truly love is how every detail from the framed timber slices on the walls, the beams, the glass and teak railing, the tropical-inspired custom mural in the dining area and the understated modern kitchen come together beautifully to create a cohesive story!”
5. Shilpa Jain Balvally, Principal Architect, Studio Osmosis
Project: Luxe Residence at World Towers
Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Images: Ishita Sitwala
“The project, a 3 BHK apartment is located in The Lodha World Towers, Mumbai was for a lovely, smart elderly couple based out of Dubai and London. The house exemplifies sophistication, in the form of rich materials with bold yet modest patterns composed with a sense of proportion, balance and minimalist elegance yet not missing practicality and optimization.
In spite of the fact that the client was not in India much during the design process, had no personal references for us and there was in fact a large enough age group difference which sometimes can be a generational obvious challenge; none of these acted as a deterrent. In fact, we hit it off as if we knew each other for decades and the respect and professionalism in the relationship were just idyllic. The rapport and trust that one shares with the client is the foundation of a really good design and a successful project. This space has not just been any project for me but emphasizes how sometimes strangers can have great interactions and understanding while the respect is associated even after many years of the project if clarity, honesty and comfort is the base of everything. It definitely holds a special place in my personal and professional career and these are relations one definitely holds on for life. This is surely one of the reasons we started Studio Osmosis; to build relationships while building spaces.”
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