Tea Time

For an office who is at this moment putting into effect several processes and ways of working (project management, site scheduling, material calculations, drawing designation, client communication... Name it and we probably have a process or an idea of a process for it) one thing we still haven't been able to figure out is a tea schedule. The making of the tea is probably the only defined activity. Leena prepares the tea and leaves it for us in the kitchen. Exactly after that is where things go downhill. There is no fixed time for tea. The first round usually happens when someone is either feeling really generous to bring it for themselves and everyone else, or if someone is in dire need of tea and so will bring it for themselves and everyone else. That's still the part that someone or the other will volunteer for. The part that we still struggle with is the washing of the teacups. We've tried assigning this duty by day, lists have been made, people have been policed into the job and yet somehow or the other the last question you'd hear at the end of the day is "Who's turn was it to wash the cups?"

-Mannat 

Almost Perfect

Imagine a nicely designed living room. You’ve planned the space well, the furniture units are customized to fit the needs and aesthetics, there are openings bringing in natural light. Perfect right?
But wait. What if you’ve got all this and the network of beams on the ceiling is done as such that it forms the most unsightly ceiling. What now?
When faced with an issue like this on one of our sites, the best solution we could come up with was a false ceiling. But then again we didn’t want to cover up the entire ceiling, making the room look much smaller in terms of the height. After starting the design, Purva came into the office to discuss it with Sai. Before he even began, he quickly asked everyone who was interested in knowing how a false ceiling works to come sit in on the discussion. He explained the characterisitcs of the material, its joinery and how it’s fixed on site. We discussed the sizes of gypsum sheets available, how their brittle nature works and the possible materials we could use to fix it. I always thought that you necessarily had to have channels to fix it up, turns out you don’t. We then discussed how we could make the design interesting, leaving some parts open, composing it based on the existing beams and even toyed with the idea of cove lighting.
Now when I imagine the space, it really does seem perfect with the addition of this design element!

-Mannat

Inside Out

Yesterday I had mentioned that the best approach to start a design is to work from the larger picture to the details. But sometimes this approach is not a one-way street and requires a bit of a back and forth too. For one of our recent projects we worked from macro to micro. Ultimately we were happy with the end result for the spaces and interiors but the massing of the building wasn't working for us. After a while of spinning around the model on Sketchup (even the 3D model must've been dizzy the end of it), we realized that the solution didn't lie on the outside. Things started coming together when we started reworking the interior spaces, adding to them where needed, removing spaces where possible. Ultimately the exercise actually led to a better result in the massing. Thus, in this case the approach of working inside out was what was needed in the end. The whole design process is perhaps an alternation between macro to micro and micro to macro!

-Mannat 

Macro to Micro

One of the questions that is often asked in the interviews at Sandarbh is whether you like to work on the big picture or if you prefer to dwell on the details. Turns out, all of us fit into one category or the other. For those of us who are more detail oriented, it often becomes only about the details and we tend to miss out on the larger scheme of things. But over the past 3 months I've noticed that the best place to start is at a macro level and work your way inwards. Once the decisions have been taken in terms of the space planning and the overall design, then it becomes easier to detail out the spaces and resolve them. Turns out when you try going the other way around, mostly you end up with a mish-mash of well-detailed spaces that somehow don't come together cohesively. On the other hand the macro to micro design approach yields decidedly better results!

-Mannat 

Made with Love

A big part of my initial homesickness was linked with food. I am a foodie by nature and a lot of my associations with people and places are linked with food. The one thing I really miss about home are the yummy goodies my mother and grandmother have to offer. Every evening when I would get home from college, I would be pampered with bhel puri or a towering toast or a glass of cold coffee with ice cream. Even though they're miles away, these lovely ladies still make sure I'm well fed. They put in the effort and send across home food every now and then.
Yesterday my sister brought back a a whole pack of home made Rajma from Delhi. We all sat around the table after a long day in the office, with steaming rice and Rajma lying in the centre. We piled our plates with the food, enjoying the home made goodness. The smile on my face could not have been wiped by anything in that moment. In that one plate of Rajma-Rice I could feel all the love from home being sent across to me!

-Mannat

Thinking Faces

It often happens that even when I'm not doing anything, the gears in my head are constantly turning.  In moments like these my face is completely blank, eyes staring out into space. This sort of bothers people around me, especially Sai. He calls it my 'Thinking Face'. And its true too! the other day I was thinking about something and Nayana seeing my expression actually thought I was waiting to ask her a question (In my defense I was only thinking in her direction)
I might be a blank canvas on the outside but this is the exact scenario in my head...

Interestingly enough, I'm not the only one with a tell-tale face. Nayana has a 'Question Face', Clarence has an 'I think I'm going to mess this up Face' and Harshitha has a total 'Poker Face' in all situations except when confronted with bad design.

Sai too has a 'Thinking Face' of his own - but his is more of an expression of anger. One time a client was so freaked out by his thinking face on site that it almost cost him the project.
When you come to think of it that way, a blank thinking face doesn't seem so bad, does it?

-Mannat

More the Merrier

When I joined Sandarbh we were already a team of 14 people and many more joined us soon. I keep saying we have grown as an office but the extent of this growth hit me only today. With so many holidays making up the most of this week, only 6 of us were at work today. The numbers were so few that we didn't even need to spillover to the garage (where you'd find more than half the office population). The emptiness was overwhelming. We kept talking about the coming Monday when the office would be at full strength again. Harshitha was decidedly at the front of this conversation. Ananya then mentioned that there was exactly as many people in office when they joined as there were today. And that was when I realised how accustomed we have become to the number of people in office. For them the numbers have grown four-fold while for us it's been an addition of a couple of people only. I can't possibly imagine a day like today to be the average day. I for one am quite merry with more people around me...

-Mannat

Fleeing Fleas

There are a lot of perks of having dogs in the office. Even on the busiest of days Atom and Coco manage to cheer us up. In fact they're as much a part of the team as any of us. Atom loves to hang around in the office and listen when we're having intense meetings and Coco has even gone to the point of claiming his own chair in the space! But despite all the perks there are certain things that get to us - lately it's been Atom's fleas.
Off late you'd find everyone in office just casually scratching away at the flea bites around their ankles or picking fleas from their clothes every now and then. We've been spraying Atom with an anti-flea spray and every time we bring the bottle out, he bolts. Its quite cute to see a Great Dane be this afraid of a tiny spray bottle. Sometimes it feels like the spray is more effective in making him flee instead of the fleas!

-Mannat

Magic Tricks

Remember our SketchUp sessions? (You can read about them here ) Recently we've been doing the same exercise for Excel. Every now and then we'll sit down for a quick discussion, to develop software skills that inevitably make our life easier. Now most people who use Excel regularly and efficiently would probably roll their eyes if I told them that earlier I would literally use it only as a table to put information into. No formulae were used, no connections were made. What a waste of Excel right?
But I'm working on it now, using it instead of a calculator to do material calculations etc. Today while I was trying to figure out the project schedule for one of our sites, Sai introduced us to the concept of Pivot tables and it was like magic to me (Yes excel afficianados, I can see you rolling your eyes again!) Filling in all data on one sheet and just inserting pivot tables gave me so many different results based on what I was looking for. For someone experiencing pivot tables for the first time, it did feel like a magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat!

-Mannat

Intrinsic Changes

When I was younger, we would often travel by train to my grandmother’s house in Jammu. Typically we would take the overnight train that would reach just a bit before noon. My sister and I would spend these mornings in the train looking out of the window. We would see other trains pass by, a few settlements here and there but mostly just forests or fields. One fond memory that I have is of the sunflowers we would see in these fields. We were always fascinated to see the sunflowers change direction as the sun moved in the sky. It was like a magic trick to us.
Cut ahead to a few years after this and I joined an architecture college. The initial excitement was buried somewhere under piles and piles of work but from this pile also emerged zeal. In our very first semester we were taught about certain design principles – balance, rhythm, harmony, colours - we went through all of this. This was when we were also introduced to more nuanced concepts like anthropometry, golden ratios and the Fibonacci series. Once I had learnt of these, my perception of the sunflower had changed forever. It was no longer just a pretty flower that fascinated me, but rather now I understood the reason behind its appeal. Knowing that the seeds form Fibonacci spirals actually added to my appreciation of the same. Knowing did not take away from its beauty but rather added to it. This was a time that I realized that certain moments in life change the way you see things. I could not undo this knowing or realization, it was now embedded in me.
My time at Sandarbh has been another one of these realizations. I have changed intrinsically in ways I won’t be able to undo even if I wanted to!

Keep reading to know more…

-Mannat

Cheers!

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”

This is something we kind of take seriously at Sandarbh. Intense work discussions ranging from various topics are interspersed with fun conversations too! We also have a tradition of welcoming new people in the team either with casual get togethers or full out parties. Tonight was one such casual get together in office, dedicated to welcoming Monali. A few drinks (Thanks Ananya and Sai), witty banter and good food made the evening. We had a great time together and also got to witness other aspects of people’s personalities (aspects that don’t generally come up in an average day at work). Case in point, the usually quiet and serious Shashank was constantly messing around with everyone, pulling people’s legs. As I have said earlier, Sandarbh is like one big family and evenings like this certainly bring us closer together!

-Mannat

One Big Family

As an organization Sandarbh has grown leaps and bounds and it continues to grow. We have grown not just in terms of our work but also in the size of the team. In the past three weeks we have had three new architects join us. They were selected through a detailed process of mails, telephonic interviews and even  videos  describing  themselves. The first one to come in was Shashank. Monali followed soon after and today was Marian's first day. We hope that they too will find Sandarbh to be a safe environment and moreover like a family (a pretty big one!) In the meantime you guys watch out for this space to know more about each of them...

-Mannat

Life in a Bubble

As I have mentioned in some of my previous blogs, most of my Sundays are spent lazing around or catching up with family and friends. Today I spent the day at my best friend's place. We have literally known each other since we were in our diapers and have been fairly close ever since (No, this is not an exaggeration. We've actually known each other all our lives) A few years back her family shifted to Bangalore and she was off to Brighton for college. She's back here for summer break and was possibly most excited to know that I'd be working in Bangalore. I occasionally go stay with her on the weekends  and it's an interesting experience because we never really go anywhere beyond maybe a 2km of her house. So, she stays in an apartment complex which is bang opposite a mall. Now when she's here she doesn't really have too many social interactions beyond a small group of people (most of her friends are still in Delhi) And when I think of it, it's quite convenient really. Everything from a swimming pool to a Zara store is pretty much within walking distance. From sports to recreation to basic necessities everything falls into that bubble that is her life and she loves it. Despite the convenience though sometimes I wonder how I would adjust to a situation like that. I pretty much oscillate between being a homebody and someone who's constantly out. Its always extremes and there is no in between for me. I wonder what living in a place like this would be like. What do you guys think? Would you love the convenience of it all or feel limited by it?

-Mannat

When Saturdays don't feel like Saturdays

If you ask me one thing that I don't particularly like about working at Sandarbh it's that we work 6 days a week. I enjoy being lazy and sleeping in late and working on a Saturday is conducive to neither.
Last Saturday was really easy going and we actually winded up early but today was the exact opposite. By the time the day was over none of us even realized it was a Saturday, it felt like any other day of the week. It was a day full of various activities, projects and discussions. Coincidentally today was also the day we identified the disciplined ones amongst the team (the ones who'd keep the lazier bunch from slacking off on days like this) If you ask Sai, he'd define the kind of people in the office in two major categories - those whose work has peaks and lulls and those who work consistently. The whole idea with this is that the consistent ones help the rest retain the progress at the peak rather than allowing it to slide back. Let's see how this works in the coming weeks. Hopefully we'll get so organized eventually that Saturdays actually do start feeling like Saturdays!

-Mannat

Home is where the Heart is : Part II

So the last time I blogged about home, I ended it with wondering what other people's ideas of home are. After reading that my sister immediately sent me a message saying "home is where the good food is at". And it made a lot of sense too. As a family we are very food oriented. Dinner isn't just the one meal where we experiment with different cuisines, it is also the only meal we eat together as a family. When I asked Nayana the same question her first response was " Faaaaar ". For someone like her who has been home only 4 times in the past three years far seems like a fairly adequate idea of home. Harshitha on the other hand described home as the one place where you can be most comfortable. Purva put forth her idea of home as a feeling of belonging.
It's interesting to me how the people around me view the same concept of home in so many different ways. It got me thinking about my idea of home. But for me it wasn't just one idea but rather a collection of memories associated with the spaces. Right from the staircase railing that leads you to the house which was also the backdrop to many childhood games and imaginary adventures, to the kitchen slab which was my perch for late night gossip sessions on the phone, to my bunk bed which was my cozy space (the top bunk of which could now officially double up as a stationary store!) I think of the nook behind the sofa where I would often hide and of the sofa where I spent many evenings going through chapters of history and geography while my sister wanted to watch TV in our room. I could go on and on with these memories. But at the same time I realise how my perception of home has also changed. For today, home is a warm bed with a fluffy blanket...

-Mannat

Excess baggage?

As an architect you always need to be a 100% invested in the job. Invested to the design, invested to the site and invested towards the client. But where do you draw the line with this investment? This is a question I'm contemplating today. It's been a long day for me and not one of the best days to be honest. Like I mentioned in my blogs over the past couple of days, sometimes the end result is not what was desired. When you speak to a client who is feeling worked up regarding the progress on site how do you put yourself in their shoes and yet be detached from it at the same time? How do you empathize and yet look at it as an outsider whose sole aim is to get the job done? How do you decide how much to feel and when to shut it off? When does a client's emotional baggage become excess baggage for you as an architect?

I'm still figuring out the approach to a situation like this. I as a person find myself too be extremely emotional but I'm trying to position myself in a manner where rationality and emotion are kept apart - even if they're two sides of the same coin. Today I allowed my emotions to overwhelm my processes of rational thinking. It was definitely a step back in my progress towards becoming a successful architect. But then again I understand that it is these experiences that pave the way to betterment. Tomorrow will be a new day, a day where I hope to still empathize with my client but at the same time use these feelings to fuel an efficient approach to site work. Tomorrow I won't just feel but rather put these feelings into action. What feels like excess emotional baggage today will hopefully drive me tomorrow, towards better results!

-Mannat

Home is where the Heart is

During the week, work takes up a major chunk of my day. On my days off, I make it a point to catch up with family, friends and sleep. This particular public holiday was spent enjoying a yummy lunch with my sister, followed by a visit to her pg. Today I saw her new room for the first time - tapestries were hung over the wall, fairy lights draped over the curtain rods, little posters and childhood pictures dotted various surfaces here and there. She had gone a step beyond the basic set up to make it feel more like home. This observation coupled with my experience from yesterday (check out the blog 'Ups and Downs' to know more) made me wonder - why is it that we associate such strong memories with the idea of home? I mean consider the word homesick. The very idea of being away from home is likened to an illness! What is it that makes the idea of home so important for us - is it the people, the place or the memories associated with the space? What do you guys think? What's your idea of home?

-Mannat

Ups and Downs

For those of you who have been following the 4 weeks at Sandarbh series, by now you would've realised that the experiences at Sandarbh have been a combination of ups and downs. Yes, there are days where we celebrate small victories but there also days like today where you go home feeling low. Today has been a literal wake up call for me. As I went on to site for a project that is to be handed over tomorrow, I realised just how much difference the last leg of effort can make. No matter how good a design, for it to show you need regular, monitored progress and it's the finishing that matters most - which was exactly what was missing there. From room to room I noted the flaws, things that seem small yet would be huge for the people who live in the house. I could only imagine myself in their shoes and trust me that was not a place I wanted to be in.
We have been talking about processes in office and how we are getting better as an organization. We may have started these processes on site too but there is still a long way to go. Sitting in office, all of the work seems to be going smoothly. One would assume that the processes in office have seamlessly percolated to the sites. But today I realised it isn't so.
So, today had definitely been a low for me and for the organization (design and construction) as a whole. However, it has also been a reality check, a point from which we need to strive higher and make improvements. My heart feels heavy today but my hopes are high. Maybe this wake up call was just what we needed!

-Mannat

Sculpt

Today was a a day full of interesting conversations. One of those conversations was also about value. Now this is a topic that we speak of regularly in office (and will continue to make appearances in my blogs too). But today's conversation was just slightly different. It was about the value that we as individuals could add to an organization. What is it that sets us apart from the hundreds and thousands of other architects out there? That's where we got talking about our skills beyond the norm. It could be anything really - sketching, sculpting, origami, writing, communication, watercolor, photography... Anything that you're good at. The whole idea is to get so good at that one  things that nobody else can match up to you. While we kept talking about these alternative skills that we need to hone, Sai also mentioned his interest towards sculpting. He spoke to us about his technique of going from 2D to 3D in a sculpture, how different materials like chalk and marble react differently to the same process, how he would like to bring sculpting back as part of something we do at Sandarbh (the photos in this blog are just some of Sai's sculpting endeavours). He spoke of it passionately and the thing with an energy of this sort is that it's contagious. All of us were excited about the idea of sculpting - those of us who have an interest in the field and even those who didn't before this. I for one am really looking forward to this!

-Mannat

Paper Crane : Part 2

Often when we're discussing ideas of perfection in office, Sai takes us back to references of Japanese perfection ( even if it's only references to their ingenuity in terms of their stationary!) One time, Sai explained to us that the Japanese are able to achieve perfection not because they're always a 100% precise but rather because they take into account the possibility of errors and make provisions to eliminate these. Intrigued by this, I decided to look into how the Japanese culture deals with perfection.
Strangely enough I couldn't actually find any word for perfection in the Japanese language. But in my search I came across the 'Kaizen' which is the process of improvement and 'Kodawari' which means the pursuit of perfection. This is what we're trying to achieve at Sandarbh. We may not arrive at perfection but if we have a system like that of 'Kaizen' wherein we strive to take into account possibilities of imperfection, then we can get closer to the ultimate ideal. Every effort in office now is a step towards this ultimate goal. Keep coming back to know more about our pursuit of perfection.

-Mannat

Paper Crane

If you've read our earlier blogs on processes you'll realise that despite it's many pros, the one con is that since you're more efficient you go through the quantum of work at a faster pace. This means that by the time you come to the end of the week, there's not as much work left and that's exactly what happened today. Nayana and I sat for a bit wondering - what now? I picked up a book and decided to read, so did she. Once I got done with the chapter I was reading the lack of a bookmark became evident. A small sheet of tracing paper was lying around the and with all the work sorted out I decided an origami paper crane would be nice to hold my place in the book.

I cut the piece into an exact square (ok maybe not as exact as I would've liked it) and started folding. The fact that I didn't have a perfect square only got compounded with every fold. In the end I had my crane, just not perfect, slightly imbalanced with wings that were just slightly disproportionate. This is a very similar situation to what could happen in our profession. If we're not thorough with our work, striving for perfection in every process from beginning to end, no matter how hard you try towards the end the finished product will always be less than perfect. This took me back to one of the estimation discussions we had with Sai the other day. Imagine you're designing a toilet. You'll start with the basic positioning, move on to the plumbing, aligning the tiles, making sure that as a whole it is both functional and aesthetic. But while doing the tiling drawing we often neglect the grout between the tiles. Seems insignificant but it compounds. What you end up on site with is weird cut tiles - which is certainly unappealing. The seemingly perfect toilet on paper becomes less than that on site. Just like the paper crane, only if we're precise at every stage, accounting for the smallest of details, can we get a finished product that is perfect...

-Mannat 

Not all fun and games

When you hear most people's experiences at Sandarbh it's all about the good times. Quite often we sit around talking, chatting, discussing various things. But spend a day in office and you'll realise it's not all fun and games. We take our work very seriously. Sai's table is constantly surrounded by people. Through the day you'll hear intense conversations about design, space planning, materials, project schedules, estimation and everything in between. As we have begun to put all our processes in place there is constant tracking of schedules- both on site and in office. As the music plays in the background, everyone is focused on finishing their share of work or what we've come to discuss in office as our daily agendas. These agendas too are tracked in the form of our time sheets. Sai steps into the garage every now and then, going over what everyone is doing, providing inputs and nudging us in the direction of solutions anytime we feel stuck. Now that Leena too has moved to the office she gives us all suggestions on how spaces could be designed  (ask anyone who has worked at Sandarbh before, she was a lone wolf who liked to work in her own space). She'll discuss with us, probably draw a quick sketch, give us a few ideas on how things could be and with the large team that we have it'll be converted to a drawing sooner than you know it. Sai will often ask us if we're enjoying the work and the answer is a resounding yes. He then asks if we would feel the same way if we didn't have work or if we weren't feeling engaged. Even though having a free day sounds very appealing the honest answer is a No. The office is fun and it's a great environment but none of our experiences would be those of good times if we weren't engaged in work. And that's the beauty of it all. It may not be all fun and games but we work and we play and we celebrate the small victories!

-Mannat

Can Architects Kill?

The other day an intense discussion on rate analysis led to Sai asking us a very interesting question - Can architects kill? The answer seems quite obvious. We all answered No. It's possible to kill someone in a doctor's job but how would it be possible for one to do the same in an architect's job right?
But it's possible. Not always in the literal sense, but it's very much possible. A simple calculation on Excel proved to us the same. Consider calculating for reinforcement in a beam. Mess that up and you could literally be the cause of loss of life and limb. Under-reinforcing could be dangerous, but over-reinforcing can be even more disastrous. One has to be precise to get it right. This was a very literal example of the responsibility of an architect. But how about miscalculating in terms of the cost. Most people save for years before they can reach a point where they can build their dream homes. Imagine quoting a wrong price in this case. The client who had believed they would get their dream home in a set budget would then either have to set aside more time to arrange for more money or compromise on things to be able to finish the project. Either way they would not be able to live the life that they had envisioned in this dream home.
As young architects we often don't understand the kind of responsibility that comes with what we do. Any oversight on our end could result in many issues for the client who is the end user of the building.
Its strange how a simple exercise to calculate the amount of block work for a certain area led us to this question. But then again if we don't practice architecture responsibly, simple errors could eventually  become major problems too!

-Mannat

4 weeks at Sandarbh : Clarence

So this last one is going to be a slightly different format. An interview with Clarence didn't really work out. It ended up being more of a short monologue so let's get to that...

Hi I'm Clarence. I come from a small part of Kerala called Kollam. I've never actually been out of my comfort zone before this which is why I wanted to intern in Bangalore. I heard about Sandarbh from a senior of mine. I read the blogs after that to familiarise myself with the place, and I really liked the environment in office. I feel like I've never really been very responsible but here I'm learning so much more about life too. Just a simple thing like patching up a flat tire, I never really thought I could sort these things out myself before. I've been pushing my boundaries while I've been here. Everyday I'm trying to excel a bit more, something I never did before. Sai said something day before about striving for excellence and that really stuck with me. Sai has been a great mentor to me, kind of like Shifu from Kung Fu Panda. The interactions that we have with him really resonate with me. The atmosphere in office is really comfortable. Before this I wasn't sure of what an architectural office is like. Most of my friends back home only get to draft. I get to take part in the design process, the site visits and of course the life lessons. I really appreciate my experience here.

-Mannat

4 weeks at Sandarbh : The Journey

A month ago, I started this small endeavour of sharing the first month experiences of all the interns at Sandarbh. We're almost at the end of that now. Today as I sat thinking about this I realised what a contrast there has been from my expectations of interviewing my colleagues to the reality of it. Some people that I had expected to be super talkative were the ones who were actually hesitant in answering the questions. On the contrary, the more shy ones ended up talking more than I'd heard from them in the entire month! Irrespective we got to know a lot about each other, things that probably won't have come up in conversation as easily. People were eager to share their experiences, talking candidly about the ups and downs of the journey.

In fact, when I think of it, getting people to share their experiences with me wasn't the tough part. It was more of an issue to get people away from their work to find time for the interviews. All of us are so involved in what we do whether in office or on sites that most of these conversations happened post work hours. Imagine trying to get someone to take a break from a drawing that they're really focused on or speak you after a long day at site! Today I was supposed to conclude the series with Clarence's interview, but after being on site all day he felt like he wouldn't really do justice to the same. So, come back tomorrow to know what it's been like for him and sooner than you know the 4 weeks here would've turned to many many weeks for all of us...

-Mannat

4 weeks at Sandarbh : Nayana

Here's a blog dedicated to Nayana's first month experiences at Sandarbh...

Me: Hi Nayana! Tell us a little something about yourself.

Nayana : Hey! I'm Nayana. I'm from Kerala, brought up in Delhi and currently studying in Kerala. I like to read (mostly fiction). I love travelling and exploring new places. I'm definitely more of an outdoors person. I usually come across as talkative but I generally take my time to open up to people and be comfortable with them.

Me: So, how did you find yourself at Sandarbh?

Nayana: Honestly, interning in Bangalore wasn't exactly my first choice. I either wanted to go back to Delhi or maybe even Bombay. I actually would've preferred Bombay, I thought it would've been an interesting city to live in. But between the firms that didn't have vacancies and those that hadn't started their screening process, I somehow found myself at Sandarbh.

Me: And what has the first month here been like?

Nayana: It was rather unexpected, from everything I had heard from my seniors and friends who have done their internships in architecture firms I expected it to be more like getting drafting assignments and things, scheduled site visits for interns to get familiar with that etc. Here its nothing like that! We do all kinds of things from getting mangoes plucked to coordinating antitermite treatment on site. So yeah I now realise what all it takes to actually get a drawing on paper to turn into a full-fledged building.When I mentioned client meetings and calls to clients and site to some of my batchmates, I actually got the response 'They're letting you do all that?! But you're just interns'. 

Me: I agree. It's actually a lot of responsibility. How have you been dealing with that?
Nayana: Its definitely not easy. Some days are good, others not so much. But overall I feel like I'm learning a lot. With scheduling the sites, every time I feel like I'm getting it right somehow or the other a spanner will get thrown into the works. But I'm working on it. Slowly, steadily I feel like I'll get there.

Me: And what has your experience on site been like?
Nayana: While you're sitting in office and scheduling, you don't realise what it's like. Being on site really changes your perspective. I've seen both extremes - there were instances where the workers will tell you they will finish off a certain job in 2 days but manage to finish it in half the time and there are also instances where they claim to be able to finish within the day but it stretches on for 4. But in general it did give me a better idea of how things work on site and a lot of things that I hadn't even thought of until then. Unlike office, in site there are a lot of variables but as I said before we're slowly working to a point where can predict and possibly eliminate these variables.

Me: How do you foresee the remainder of your internship?
Nayana: I don't know exactly what to say to this. I just hope I go back with lots of experiences and memories.

-Mannat

Transforming Janaky Sadan

As I had told all of you earlier (you can read the previous blog here), one of the projects we are currently working on is the renovation 'Janaky Sadan' which in fact is my ancestral home. It has personally been a very interesting process for me right from  the start of the project- creating the design brief, discussing ideas,etc. Not to mention the fact that I get to be a part of the architect's office designing my house as a client as well as an architect. 

This opportunity of working on my own project in my workplace has opened up new opportunities for interesting interactions- for me and within the office as well. Starting from helping me initiate the process of writing narratives for the projects at the office to understanding the little nitty-gritty of understanding client behavior from the client's side - it has definitely been a learning experience which probably would continue till the house is complete. 

But, the best part of this experience has not been any of this. It's the feeling of sitting on my table, with architects sitting around me discussing, sketching and working on my home. We talk about the elevation details and how the traditional Kerala architecture elements would be brought in. We talk about the context of the village it is situated in and how our lifestyle would change when staying there. We talk about the neighbors, the views, the bay windows, the staircase and the little details that would define the house. It is definitely greatly thrilling to watch sketches being made and design being worked on by multiple architects around my table. 

I try imagining the times about 60 years ago when my grand-dad must have probably sat around his table, working with his architect -  designing the house from scratch. I wonder how the decisions were taken back then - and what the constraints were. From the day 1 of the design, Sai has been talking to me about envisioning the house to be like how my grandparents would have wanted it to be - without considering the constraints that made Janaky Sadan how it is now. Now as his granddaughter as well as the architect, repeating the same process as he did back then, I wonder how different it is from the one 60 years ago. 

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After months of conversation, designing and more conversations, the process of spatial planning has almost come to an end and we have moved to the estimates, scheduling the construction, etc. I can't explain how exciting it is to take a team of architects and artisans from my office to the site for starting the work on my project.

Come back to this space for more updates on this!

- Ananya

Two thirds to go

Today I've been a part of Sandarbh for exactly 2 months- one third of my total internship period. The work has been interesting to say the least. Over this period I've come to realise a lot about myself - my strengths, weaknesses and capabilities. I really look forward to office. But as much I love the work and the people, I also really enjoy my days off. Today I got a chance to catch up with a few of my college friends. It was amazing to meet them after all this time. Post the usual pleasantries, the conversation was pretty much centred around each of our internship experiences- office environment, type of projects, working hours, our colleagues. As we kept discussing with each other, I realised what a perfect fit Sandarbh has been for me. The work environment provides us with processes and a structure but within that too there is enough flexibility to suit each of us. We also get to focus on the areas that we're interested in whether it's writing, sketching, composition or anything else under the sun. Skill-building too is a unique part of the work that is expected of us - reading, researching or simply having discussions on the different aspects of architecture. And of course the people at work have been a huge part of this experience. I've seen them at their most serious, completely focused on resolving issues or meeting deadlines and I've also seen them chilling, laughing, gossiping even! It's been a journey of ups and downs but it's been worthwhile. Can't wait to see what the remaining two-thirds is going to be like!

-Mannat

4 weeks at Sandarbh : Nikhil

Let's get straight to Nikhil's experiences at Sandarbh!

Me: Hi Nikhil! Let's start off with a small introduction for our readers.
Nikhil: Hi I'm Nikhil. I come from simple family from a small village called Thankamani. Since childhood I've had an interest in drawing. Coincidentally my father's brother and my mother's brother both are painters, so I've grown up with an artistic influence around me. However, due to our financial background I always thought I'll get into a basic degree course. After my 12th I stumbled upon a great entrance institution that would train the underprivileged. Initially I started off thinking I'll do engineering but while I was there my faculty noticed my artistic inclination and suggested I go in for B.Arch. I gave the NATA entrance and actually scored the 53rd rank in all of Kerala!

Me: I'd definitely say that you're quite a talented artist. There's another hidden talent of yours that we came across. How did you get into micro art?
Nikhil: The first time I came across pencil carving was at a NASA convention in Jaipur. They had a small workshop there and that's where I started. It's a very interesting medium. Contrary to popular belief I find that it's  actually less time consuming than other arts like paintings or portraits.

Me: So, how has your experience at Sandarbh been so far?
Nikhil: I'd heard about Sandarbh from my friends. Most of them had already applied here and then I sent in my portfolio. Sai called me and we spoke about the sketches I'd added in my portfolio. It's part of my Saturday routine to go to the temples in Trivandrum and sketch them. I think that played a big role in my selection.
I like the kind of work we do in the office. A lot of my classmates are only drafting in office. I really like that we get to participate in the design process. It's quite exciting. We are getting to learn a lot from Sai and it's very inspiring. A lot of elements that we use often in the projects are very interesting in my opinion - like for instance the Mangalore glass tiles for roofing. Recently we were working on a farmhouse project and we were talking about luxurious spaces. In that conversation Sai started talking about luxury and how different people look at it. He explained that large and spacious are two completely different things - something that I really hadn't thought of before this. It's been a great experience so far and I'm really enjoying the work we're doing.

Me: Continuing from your current experiences, any expectations for the rest of the internship?
Nikhil: I really like how I'm able to bring together both art and architecture. I hope that I can continue to experience both the fields simultaneously and keep improving in both!

-Mannat

4 weeks at Sandarbh : Akshay

4 weeks at Sandarbh : Akshay

After yesterday's interesting interruption we're back to the 4 weeks series. Let's see what it's been like for Akshay...

Me: Hi Akshay! Can you please introduce yourself to our readers
Akshay: Hi I'm Akshay and I'm from Calicut. I come from a background of jewelry designers and I guess my creative streak comes from that.  My father makes many drawings of jewelry designs and I guess I've received some of my drawing skills from him. I'm also really inclined towards sculpture. I don't know how good I am at it, but I really enjoy it. Initially when I started my architectural education I didn't really like it. But then as I started making models I started enjoying it. In fact for juries I'd always make the models first and focus on the sheets later.

Me: So, how did you end up at Sandarbh?
Akshay: In our 6th semester we headed to Bangalore for a case study. It was on the way that I was preparing my portfolio. In fact I sent my application while I was in the bus. An hour or so later Sai called me. He was in Trivandrum at that time and wanted to know if I could meet him. Unfortunately by the time he would've been back in Bangalore, I would have left from there. The meeting never happened and it was somewhat of a missed opportunity.
I got a mail from Sandarbh and was really happy to receive it. I was the first person in my class to get an internship and seeing this all of my classmates started applying to Sandarbh too. With so many people appying I actually had to reconfirm if I had gotten it. Sai said he would get back to me on it post reviewing all applications. After 2 weeks, back in college, a friend of mine got hospitalised. We were visiting her in the hospital when I got a call from Sai informing me that I was a part of Sandarbh. Ananya called me after that to tell me that I had been added to the Sandarbh group and well I've been a part of this ever since.

Me: How has your experience at Sandarbh been uptil now?
Akshay: The very first job I actually got was a site visit in Trivandrum, before even officially joining Sandarbh. Nikhil and I had gone to the site to take dimensions. In the first week at Sandarbh, I wasn't really able to enjoy the firm or the city. After a few days though it got better. I really appreciate the fact that we are being given an opportunity to design. It's a great learning experience and it's very important for me. Unlike my friends who are only doing drafting, I actually get to experience the process of designing.

Me: Any special memories or experiences that you'd like to share with us?
Akshay: Initially I was a bit scared of Sai. I would be quite afraid when he would get upset with us. But recently I say in a meeting with Sai and understood the reason for this. He told us about how he had to learn from the mistakes he made in his career and how they had been quite expensive mistakes too. The only reason he gets upset with us is that he doesn't want us to go through the same cycle of mistakes. It doesn't scare me so much anymore!

Me: Before we end this, any hopes or expectations for the remainder of the internship?
Akshay: I'm really enjoying the work as it is, but I would really like to make some models soon!

-Mannat

Interruptions

I know I promised you guys a series elucidating the experiences of all the interns over the next few days but this is an interruption. An interruption to specifically talk about the interruptions that were a part of a very eventful day.
Shashank and I headed out from office yesterday with a very clear agenda - we had sites to visit, things to get done and material to buy. But in all of this no one accounted for the bike and it's moods. On our way to the first site, we figured that there's an issue with the first gear. From one site to the other, we just about managed. On our way to the steel vendor, the bike decided to act up again. The gear pin came off. We were trying to figure how to manage this - from mechanics to petrol pumps. Post that everything seemed to be going well. We got the material, got it delivered at site and then headed out to the next one. We thought that was it for the day but it really wasn't. Halfway between the two sites we realised that the bike had run out of fuel. With no fuel and no battery in our phones we figured out how to get to the nearest petrol pump. Luckily by this time Sai and Sulu, who were also heading to site, came to our rescue. As we were talking about our extremely eventful day, Sai casually commented that this was something he had expected to happen, even if we hadn't. All of these interruptions to our well planned day was more of a learning experience for next time - preparation is key to a successful day!

-Mannat

It's all about the Intent

Its been a while since I have written anything for the Sandarbh blog. Every time I was asked, I would say that I had been busy and writing a blog just wouldn't fit into my schedule - but Sai would counter me saying that it's just about the intent. I would promptly disagree with him. But as I think about my journey through this office, I can distinctly see what a difference just intent can make.

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Chilling on the Tree House

I remember the first time I entered the Sandarbh Design Studio. I found the office to be a small, quiet space. There were a few interns sitting in the space we then called the 'garage'. The office and garage had a distinct separation. There were fewer conversations, less laughter and was generally a space with lower energy than it is now. 

Today, the office I stepped into this morning, can nowhere be compared to the office that I entered on the first day of office.  This morning was filled with so much bustling energy, that even if you enter the space with a low vibe, there is no way you would be getting out of there with the same energy. There were multiple layers of conversations taking place, Sai's table - where once people had to be called to, is now occupied all day - with various conversations about future strategies, design conversations, project management going on throughout the day. Having said that, the discussions are not just limited to Sai's table anymore. It takes place near the swing, on the bench in the garden and sometimes in the treehouse. You would not find any time that the studio or the office is silent or empty. People have found their cozy nooks to work from - the space that I described as a 'garage' in the first blog I had written about the office, cannot be just seen as a garage anymore.

Project Management discussions in the garden

The energy in and around the office makes it a lovely space to work out of. 

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Athira and Nandini busy setting up the studio space

This transformation of the office is not just a coincidence. It was a made through a series of decisions made with one intent in mind - to make the office a fun space to work out of - even before the core team that now makes the office was put together. The intent was to fill the office with people who compliment each other's strengths, where everyone who works within the space, gets out with a sense of fulfillment. Every little decision taken was done with this intent in mind. Starting from the design process to the process of picking our employees, from renaming and redesigning the garage to transform it into the studio, to creating specific job roles within the office - a lot of decisions were taken with this particular aim in mind. 

"Think about the big picture", Sai would say. I didn't understand why it was necessary back then - but today as I look at the office functioning around me, I understand where just the intent would make a big difference.

- Ananya

4 Weeks at Sandarbh : Reenu

So in no particular order, today I'm going to start off with sharing Reenu's experience with all of you. Here goes...

Me: So Reenu, why don't you start off by telling us a little more about yourself
Reenu: Hey! I'm Reenu. I've been born and brought up in Bangalore. I've had an interest in travelling right from my school days which is one of the things that actually drew me to architecture. I always strive to strike a balance between work and fun. And I'm a foodie! Even as a family we love experimenting with new restaurants.

Me: How was day 1 at Sandarbh? And how has the rest of the experience been from that point on?
Reenu: On the very first day we got to see Meghna's portfolio and I'd be lying if  I said that I wasn't insanely impressed. It really struck me hard. Everybody was really warm and welcoming though. I got a chance to speak to everyone and noticed that people were opening up to me too.
I was the only intern from  Banagalore and wondered how I would travel an hour and a half to work everyday. I was a little skeptical at first but now as I get comfortable I don't mind staying back beyond office hours also. The people are friendly and the work is engaging - all reasons that somehow manage too keep us at work to the point where sometimes Sai literally threatens to throw us out of office.
Every day at Sandarbh is like a new experience, a new story. I too was new to project management when I got here. I simply assumed that it wasn't very complex (it kind of is but gets easier as you keep doing it). My experience with office management too has been full of ups and downs. I started off with managing the sites and now am managing the office processes. So yeah, we're learning everyday and it keeps getting better!

Me: Site to Office... What was that change like?
Reenu: In essence both are pretty much similar. They have similar processes and you have to be pre-prepared for both. One major difference though was the language issue on site. I'm not too good with Hindi and so would struggle with that. The workers on site would ask me three questions in Hindi and by the fourth question I'd be stumped, not understanding what they were saying. Atleast language isn't an issue when managing the office schedule.

Me: Any hopes or expectations for the months to come?
Reenu: The past month has been a very interesting experience and I'm hoping the journey ahead is even better (and hopefully a bit more stable too) It's been a bit hectic but I'm learning to manage my time and have fun too. The evenings when we would go out to watch the matches together were indeed a lot of fun. Soon some of the interns will leave and probably new ones would join too. I'm curious to see how it would all be!

-Mannat