Oh happy day!

Today has been a day that has left me in very content state. The kind of contentment that you get when you're satisfied with your work. We were able to successfully complete 2 whole presentations with results that we were genuinely happy with. The day ended in very positive emotions but in entirety was kind of hectic and stressful. Our team of 5 - Nikhil, Akshay, Calrence, Ananya, Ritika and me, constantly shuttled  between the two presentations. I can best describe the whole ordeal as an organised mess. A little taxing but definitely worth it. Often after a long day I've heard Sai ask, "Exhausted?" which is always followed by a resounding YES. And then he asks, "Is is a good exhausted?" Strange combination of words but a totally valid question. After a day like today I definitely understand what good exhaustion is. I'm too happy (and too tired) to properly formulate my words but its been a good day...

-Mannat 

On- Site Experiences: Of Analogies & Choices

Yesterday's collaborative effort definitely helped the team working in the office to find their groove and today we were all charged for picking up on where we left off. After a quick crit on this, Sai moved focus to what was happening on the sites. Managing sites is an incredibly interesting experience, however after a point it can become tiresome and somewhat monotonous - a fact that Sai acknowledged but was not willing to accept. He told us that the excitement of working on site was something that had to be internally driven. I'm sure by now you're wondering how this can be done. Don't worry, I'm going to share with you 2 simple analogies that will clearly explain everything. 

Imagine I asked you to play a game of badminton or randomly run up and down the road 10 times. Which would you prefer? The unanimous answer from all of us sitting in on the meeting was a game of badminton. And that's exactly what Sai explained to us. Both the activities probably require the same amount of effort, only difference is that while one constructively offers an interest and a goal (to try and win the game) the other seemingly offers neither. The same principle needs to be applied on site too. Although it is important and cannot be neglected, one cannot get too caught up in the in the small issues here and there that require effort. Yes, those issues need to be addressed, but we must keep finding interests and goals to strive for and put effort in. We need to ultimately keep ourselves, the site team and the client engaged and excited through the process.

The second analogy too picked up on the game of badminton. Again Sai asked us how many of us enjoy the game. He then added another question - How many of us would enjoy the game if we were playing against a 5 year old kid?. The answer instantly changed. Another question followed - How many of us would enjoy the game if we were playing against a world champion? This he explained was to determine the level at which we play (or in this case work). Pick a task too easy for you and you won't feel satisfied even if you achieve it. Pick something too difficult and you would more often than not end up disheartened. The sweet spot would be to challenge yourself - to pick someething just slightly more difficult than what you think you're capable of. This way you allow yourself for that margin to stretch and grow. At the same time when you're able to achieve that, the sense of accomplishment does wonders for your confidence - Just ask Rithik, he would definitely vouch for this. So, he urged all those involved in the sites to push themselves a little beyond what they consider themselves capable of. This challenge guarantees an interest and the excitement. 

In short, we determine our experiences at site. How monotonous or exciting they would be is a choice that we get to make in most respects. And this choice was offered to Rithik and Kavya - both of them have been given the complete responsibility of one site each. Stay tuned with us to know more about their individual experiences in the coming month...

-Mannat 

Jumping to Solutions

For some reason, back in college, every design assignment was referred to as a "Design Problem". And true to its name, our first instinct would be to come up with a solution. Perhaps this is the approach that we are so used to, that even when we're faced with answering certain design related questions pertaining to the projects that we're just starting out with, the instinct is to resolve them. But at this stage, it is not about the plans or sections but rather ideation and perception of spaces. And this is exactly what Sai explained to us today. He urged us to not look for solutions in the way that we were trying (and getting stuck with). Rather he pushed us down a path to just come up with ideas that could be possible solutions - to start discussing the questions first, understanding them and then moving towards resolving them. And that did help. 

We were still not sure of what we were doing right in the beginning but as we kept working on it the direction became somewhat clearer. We sat together, each one of us bringing our skills to the table, discussing, shooting ideas at each other. While Ananya and I were constantly swapping narratives and bringing up important points, editing what the other had written, Akshay, Nikhil and Clarence worked on some brilliant sketches to support our writing. Ritika was the missing link to tie it all together, story-boarding and visualizing what all the parts would look like when put together as a whole.

It's still a work in progress and ultimately we will come up with design solutions too, but for now its about going one step at time and not jumping to solutions!

-Mannat 

Stationary Junkies

Ever seen a kid in a candy store? The glee in their eyes at the sheer variety available, the wanting as much as one can get, making sure you go over all the options, trying and tasting as many goods as possible. I have seen certain grown ups act in exactly the same manner in stationary stores (and I too am guilty of this behavior). Whether its going through various notebooks and sketchpads to get the best paper as well as the most interesting cover in one or trying out pen after pen, pencil after pencil seeing how it writes, eventually ending up with a small sheet of paper covered in rainbow scribbles.
And I've noticed a lot of people around me, whether they're architecture students or practicing, share this fascination (and even a certain possessiveness) for stationary. Even in office we've had conversations specifically pertaining to stationary. If you pick up a pencil from Sai's table (and there are a few different kinds that you'll find there), he'll immediately notice its absence. Every time I have seen Harshitha in a space where notebooks were on sale, she has always picked up atleast one. Nikhil carries around a sketchpad and basic black pens with him and I've seen him pull them out in a restaurant and start sketching.
The shopaholic in me definitely comes alive in a stationary store and its not always pretty. So, over the years I have landed up with a whole bunch of stationary ranging from colourful patterned tape to punching machines with reindeer shaped cutouts - things that I really really wanted but haven't ever used. Now when I find myself in a stationary store I consciously practice self-restraint. Today while I was shopping at commercial street, I found myself in a stationary store yet again. The concept of practicing self-restraint really did help. I walked into the store, looked around to my heart's content and walked out with only 1 thing that I wanted but didn't particularly need. Quite an achievement, don't you think?

-Mannat 

Striving to Sketch

I have previously spoken about the basic skills that one must possess as an architect and sketching really is an important part of the skillset (Read more about the other skills here). Before this I never ever thought I could sketch and so it was something that I never even attempted to do. I always enjoyed watching others sketch and I'm alway in awe at the end products Nikhil, Akshay and Clarence deliver (occasionally feeling slightly envious too).

Today at one point my brain felt fried - I guess working on excel and estimates for 2 days straight had that effect on me. I desperately needed a change and decided to finally give sketching a shot. The first attempt wasn't so much sketching as it was tracing over a plan that Nikhil had sketched out. The end result was definitely not comparable with Nikhil's but I made two interesting discoveries in the process - 1. I can actually sketch to some extent and 2. I really really enjoyed it. 

Feeling slightly more confident I asked Nikhil to give me something a little more challenging to trace over - bad idea! While a basic plan or section was something I could replicate, a view turned out to be too much for me. Still rather than feeling dejected I decided to try my hand at simpler things first and build it up slowly. Nikhil then insisted that I actually sketch and not just trace. I tried out a simple isometric of the cabinet right next to our table and the results weren't so bad either. I have been converted from someone who had sworn off sketching as something I can't do to someone who is working to slowly and steadily develop the skill. I'm quite excited to see where this goes in the meantime here are some of Nikhil's sketches for you guys to see what my inspiration was...

-Mannat  

Pump it Up

Over the past couple of days the energy within the office has not been quite as it was earlier. Yes, the number of people in the office has been fluctuating with more and more of us on site or in the workshop but the energy too has been fluctuating. Today we decided we'd had enough with the low levels of energy and what better way to make thing livelier than to pump up the music!
Rather than playing from our laptops, we connected to the speaker and let the music just play as loud as possible. We took turns selecting the kind of songs and the playlists - when it was Ananya's turn she totally freaked out about it. Deciding on the songs was freaking her out and we decided to move to the next person (which happened to be me) instead - having someone freaking out would have totally gone against the whole point. The best part about music is that it doesn't have a language. Whether Akshay plays Malyalam songs or I switch to my Punjabi jam, everyone seemed to be enjoying it all the same. In fact while we were at this we even decided on a bit of a quick clean up and reorganise just to keep the same energy flowing! The music really made a difference and I for one am really glad that Sandarbh is the kind of office space that promotes and explores visual and performing arts alongside architecture!

-Mannat

The last leg

First and foremost I'd like to start off by wishing Harshitha a very very Happy Birthday. And just so happens, I got to accompany the birthday girl for a meeting at a project that is in its last leg. This particular residence was one of the first that I had visited when I started here, and today as I am on site I see a drastic difference. The play of levels, the corner windows, the various patios, sit-outs, decks, terraces and balconies - each feature that had captured my attention in my first visit were all enhanced with the help of the interior finishes. Back then it was just a site but today I saw the beginnings of a home!
The 80-20 ratio that Sai often talks of was becoming more and more obvious as I went around the site. The concept is simple- it takes 20% of effort to get 80%/ work done but that  remaining 20% work requires 80% of effort. I had previously discussed this with Kruti and understood this in a different context of an interiors project. But today I could relate this to an entire project that was built from scratch. To an outsider the changes from the point when I had first seen the residence to today would probably not amount to much, but when you're aware of the effort that has gone in thee differences really stand out. That last 20% has taken a whole lot of effort from the team on site as well as the team in office but the result is certainly worth it!

-Mannat  

What keeps you here?

For those of you who follow our blogs regularly, you know how much we like classifying things. We love putting things into relevant categories on any and all topics regarding work - how we work, the kind of work, the people who do the work, pretty much everything...

Today another one of these classifications came into the conversation. Now there is the kind of work that you do for the organisation - the kind that ensures your place in the office, the kind that makes you valuable to the organisation. And there is the kind of work that you do for yourself - the kind of work that you enjoy, the kind of work that keeps you coming back to the organisation. Sai explained it very simply too. If you keep working for the organisation, chances are that you'll burn out rather quickly and at some point maybe even start disliking the kind of work that you do. On the other hand if you mix this up with things you would do for yourself, it gives you a reason to keep coming back to work.

With the past few weeks being pretty packed both on site and in office, we have all been super busy with work. And mostly its been work for the organisation. Yesterday Sai reminded us to start working on things we enjoy as well. He insisted Harshitha starts working on mood boards, Ananya made sure Reenu was put on a pure design assignment, and Akshay and I will be starting making models in office soon. It feels great to have something to look forward to...

-Mannat 

And the countdown begins...

Today was a hectic day. HECTIC! By the end of the day we were all drained and tired. As much as everyone just wanted to head home and crash, but instead we all stayed back to kickstart this Diwali season. Biryani, drinks (Thanks Arjun!!!) and Teen Patti - it was the perfect start to bring in some Diwali luck. While Sai, Leena and I were familiar with the game, Tanvi and Reenu piked up on it pretty quick. Tanvi's poker face was quite something! The others too kept themselves busy playing games of their own and those who weren't playing at all made sure that the space was full of music and conversation. We're all counting down to Diwali now and hopefully more such evenings are on the cards.

Another countdown began today too... The countdown to the next batch of interns. After the extremely thorough process that Sai and Ananya put applicants through, we have started finalizing the next set. Two confirmations have been sent out already and Inesh and Namitha were added to the Sandarbh whatapp group too. This is the same process that was followed with us - being on the group helps to familarise oneself with the people, the work and the overall vibe at Sandarbh. I'm rather curious and excited to see who else will be a part of Sandarbh!

-Mannat

A conversation about aesthetics

It is a given that different clients have different wants and needs. But today an interesting discussion led me down another chain of thought - don't different clients also have different aesthetics and tastes, which is an integral part what makes the end product so unique everytime.
It is a clearly understood at Sandarbh that space planning is Sai's thing and interiors are what Leena does best. But beyond this comes the third part of built space - the aesthetic of the client. It is what essentially makes the space theirs. And this aesthetic changes from person to person too - I may be in love with a certain light fixture that you might think is completely weird or you might prefer a shade of curtains that I would never even dream of. These differences always pose an interesting challenge to us as architects. We don't just understand the clients needs and preferences but also their tastes and do our best to combine these in a space. Some clients have a very clear idea of what they want, while some others are not so sure. In these cases we step in with suggestions, ideas and images to share. This entire process helps to take us (the architect) and the client (the end user of the space) a little bit closer to the idea of a space that both looks and feels good!

-Mannat

A Glitch in Communication : Part 2

We're heavily reliant on technology for communication nowadays and in case technology fails us (it happens, read A Glitch in Communication and you'll see what I mean) it is definitely a glitch in communication. But one must not forget that technology is just a means of communication. As architects, our primary means of communication are our drawings and our words. Yes, with the advent of technology, images and videos make it a lot easier to convey information but these can sometimes become glitches in their own sense. However, even when all else fails a simple sketch will still succeed to explain the issues or the solutions that we face in our day to day designing and execution.

This is exactly the discussion we were all having today. While on site it sometimes is much easier to simply click a picture, highlight the issue and share it on a Whatsapp group for all to see. However, the people in the office may not have the same context as those on site and may not understand it in the same way. Particularly in these situations a plan, section, elevation or sketch works best. And the best part is that the sketch doesn't have to be a masterpiece - even if its an average sketch, it works as long as you're able to convey what is to be said...

-Mannat 

Serene Surroudings

I don't know about you guys, but something about beautiful surroundings definitely makes me feel a lot more creative. Whether its being surrounded by lush greenery, or sitting at the beach with the waves lapping at your feet, or inhaling the crisp mountain air laced with the scent of pinecones. Just something about these settings gets me going. Of course it helps, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a fancy locale. You can find spots like this within your immediate surroundings too. Back in college when the studio got too much for me, it was the amphitheater sheltered by thick green canopies - a space where I loved to sit alone and work (provided there was enough charge in my laptop)

At Sandarbh, I feel like my creativity has often stemmed from the people around me. But these days since most people are on site or at the workshop, its only a few of us in the office and I find myself looking out to my surroundings for inspiration. Today as I leaned back in my chair, this is the exact view I saw. The earthy mangalore tiles contrasted by various patterns of branches and leaves set against the azure sky. Immediately, I knew what had to be done.

I picked up my laptop and moved to the swing outside. The swing swayed in tune with the gentle breeze as did the trees and plants around and I was just as much in harmony as the elements around me. I felt at ease and yet I felt this rush - a kind of creative surge to keep moving, to keep working... except it had stopped feeling like work in that moment

-Mannat

Drawn to Bathrooms

In many of our office discussions, we talk of a lot of things regarding work and beyond it too. Beliefs, hard facts, theories or sometimes just simple senseless chatter. We had discussed on such theory sometime ago, which comes to my mind today.
Sai has this theory - no matter what kind of work is given to interns, they always have a tendency to gravitate towards toilet drawings. And I have observed that it is partly true too. Perhaps part of the reason is all the jokes (and some true accounts) going around about how interns are only made to design and detail out toilets. Today as I sat and made a revised tiling drawing for a bathroom wherein we decided to change the tiles, I couldn't stop thinking about this. Why are bathrooms and interns so synonymous with one another? As per Sai's theory - Interns only get stuck doing toilet drawings when they believe that is all that they can do. When you believe that you can do much more, you end up doing much more! Yes, all of us here have encountered a toilet drawing in some capacity or the other - Tiling, plumbing or at the very least designing bathroom undercounters! But we have also done so much more. Designing and drawing, interacting with clients, dealing with vendors, supervising sites. When I look at the whole picture and all the other opportunities I've grabbed, I don't mind making a toilet drawing or two, every now and then!

-Mannat 

Red Max Images

Photography started out as a hobby for Sai and Leena and soon it took a more professional turn, thus was born Red Max Images. The idea of it was to freeze and capture life's moments and they have been doing this for the past 8 years and you can check out some of their lovely candids here.

As a part of Sandarbh we are also exposed to many other opportunities - the chance to volunteer with Red Max for shoots is one of them. Ananya and Nayana often cash in on this opportunity and have been for a couple of shoots in the short span that I have been here. Even yesterday the two of them accompanied Sai for a shoot. Read on for Nayana's experiences...

" I have always enjoyed photography but somehow I was never proactive about it; other than the occasional family trips where my dad would bring his camera and I'd get excited to try it out. There's barely any exposure I'd had to photography apart from that.

The first time we went for a shoot with Leena came as a rather unexpected opportunity. Rambo was the one who usually accompanied Leena for all her shoots, but he had left and that's how we came into the picture.  It was the shoot at a temple of a pooja being held by the bride's family a few days before the wedding. We reached early and familiarized ourselves with the different cameras, and Leena explained to us how to take photographs keeping the client's requirements and preferences in mind but at the same time to be careful not to get in the way of the activities and people. After the pooja we had gone over to their house for some pictures with the rest of the family. 

I had assumed that the people will get conscious with us hovering around and that it'll be much harder to take candid photographs, surprisingly it wasn't. The people seemed to be at ease and unaffected by cameras pointed at them. Every once in a while, in between chasing the bride and ducking out of each other's frames, we'd ask some of the people to pose (which they happily did!). It felt like a pretty long and tiring day, but it was a lot of fun!

I've been to three shoots till now, and over time we got much more comfortable. It didn't really feel awkward to be chasing people and trying to capture moments without them noticing. The second shoot was one of Ally's friends' birthday party and the experience was absolutely nothing like that of the first! This time it was all kids - running around, hiding under table, covering their faces with food from their plates, some shying away and then some making all sorts of faces for the camera.

I'd definitely love to be a part of more and more such shoots... "

Seems like each of the shoots has been a different experience for Nayana each one rather memorable. But that's exactly what Red Max Images focuses on too - helping people capture the memories from different experiences of life!

-Mannat 

A Little Bit from Everywhere

In a Project 365, coming up with content for daily blogs can be kind of hard sometimes. And in these times when I feel lost about what to write, I turn to the people around me.
Whoever is around me at the time when I'm preparing to write my blog inevitably gets faced with questions about their day or about what I should write. All of this in an effort to generate some content. It's got to a point where before I can even ask they know what's coming their way (I'm trying to be more sneaky about this though. I start off with casual questions first rather than hitting  the nail on the head!)
When Shreya was blogging, she too would pester everyone for ideas at the end of the day. The people in the office didn't mind this so much, but those who would come back from site simply did not want to deal with that.
Even today just before I started with this, I asked Sulu and Harshitha and pretty much just got a 'Not again' sort of a response. However, sometimes just asking the question leads to answers which become inspiration for my blogs whether directly or indirectly (I've already got ideas in my head for tomorrow's blog). This way I get to ensure that it's not just about me and that you get a peak at the collective experiences of Sandarbh

-Mannat

Project 365

After what seemed like forever, I met my aunt this weekend. The conversation flowed over lunch as we spoke of the various things each one of us was up to. She had recently taken up the 'Inktober' challenge and was telling me about her process for coming up with ideas for the prompts. The premise is simple- come up with a drawing or illustration based on the prompts given for each day of the month of October. Some prompts were easy to draw out while others left her completely stumped. The consistency of keeping up with one drawing a day was something she was kind of struggling with but wanted to keep up with. And if I really think about it, it's the same with blogging daily too. The whole idea started off with Project 365- picking one thing you like or enjoy and doing it everyday. While Inktober lasts only a month, Project 365 is a long term undertaking. It is a real commitment and I'll admit I've had a few slip ups here and there but it's still something that I look forward to everyday. Some days I draw a complete blank, other days I have so much to say and some days I have ideas but I just don't feel like putting them together. But by the end of the day, something or the other comes together for sure (the amount of effort certainly varies though!)

-Mannat 

And it goes on...

Over the past month or so there has been so much talk of whose internship is ending when and who is leaving when. With Purva and Kruti having left now these questions have actually started to feel a lot more real. On the other hand though we've also been talking about the next batch of interns - we have been receiving so many applications for both jobs and internships. If Ananya had a hard time keeping up with the applications last time, it's definitely way harder now. She has been tweaking her system of selection - a system to ensure  that we have someone to fulfil each of the job profiles we have created in the office. Just the other day she jokingly told me that Sai had interviewed one of my replacements. I responded with a look of mock hurt but at the same time was very curious to know who it was. It'll be exciting to see who will take our places and perhaps even more exciting if we do get a chance to interact with them while we're still here!

-Mannat

Let's Jam

Sandarbh is filled with a whole bunch of talented people - artists, writers, sculptors, photographers and my latest discovery has been a whole bunch of musicians. It all started off with Rithik who is actually a part of a band (coincidentally I'm typing this out just as we're on our way to go watch him perform). Just last week I got to know Sai and Sulu both play the violin. One morning the two of them headed out to site and when they came back Sai had got back with him a violin. As he practiced upstairs we could hear him down in the office. The start wasn't so great (I couldn't tell but Sulu clearly could) but he definitely improved through the evening. When Ananya's parents came to Bangalore this Friday they brought her guitar and she was super excited about it. The same evening Harshitha told us that she'd signed up for a weekly drum class. She had some background in drums but she wanted to start again from scratch. I had absolutely no idea that we had so much musical talent in office. We've been joking around about having a Sandarbh band. Now the band may not work out, but we're definitely going to be jamming every now and then!


Note : Rithik's performance last night was AMAZING! He admitted to having a bit of a stage fright but you really couldn't tell once you heard him sing on stage. We had a great time listening to him play and sing and if the applause and the cheers are any indication so did the rest of the audience

-Mannat 

Adios Kruti

One of the first interactions on the Sandarbh whatsapp group and Kruti greeted everyone with a 'Hola' Wondering how we came across a Gujarati Spaniard we started pulling her leg in jest. But she was just as quick on her feet and came back with a 'Kemcho' From then to now, its already been four months. Four months of new experiences, of learning, of exploring and now its time for her to head back home. Let's hear directly from her what she has to say about her time at Sandarbh...

' My very first month at Sandarbh and I already felt like I knew everyone. We had been in contact over mail and whatsapp and after joining I developed an attachment towards both the people and the work. I was lucky that I got to see different aspects of the work too - project management, purchases and vendor interaction, estimates, drawings. I learnt the practicality of the profession. I did not just learn about architecture but also about what it takes for architecture to materialise. I know for a fact that my other friends have not had the same exposure as me in their internships.
One thing that Sai told us about and I have observed on site is the 80-20 ratio. Its taked 20% time to get the initial 80% done and 80% time to get the final 20% finishing. This is something that has definitely stuck with me and I'll remember through my life
For the past month in fact everyone has been reminding me that my internship is about to come to an end and now it finally has. 4 month went by even before I realised it and now I'm ready head back with packed bags and unforgettable memories! '

-Mannat

In the Air

The flu is in the air and it has struck many of us in office. While part of the Sandarbh team couldn't make it to office at all owing to ill health, the others who were in office could be heard occasionally coughing or sneezing or at the very least sniffling at regular intervals.
The few people that were in office this morning got slowly sent out too - one team to site, one to the workshop and I myself ended up going to select tiles with Leena and Nayana. By the end of it the office was literally empty.
When we got back, it was just three of us in office - Nayana, Clarence and me. It was super quiet and not much was happening - a complete contrast from a regular office day which is full of discussions and the silence in between is filled in with music.
Let's hope that the coming week everyone is feeling better and we're back to office in full strength with full energy!

-Mannat

Purva's Parting Words

As I sit on my bed wondering what to write about today, I can see Purva across the room finishing off some last minute packing before she heads out. 4 months have gone by in a blur and it feels like only yesterday when we all started at Sandarbh together. It's been quite a journey and I couldn't help but ask her how she feels about the whole thing - about the internship, about the work, about her experience, about the times we all spent together, about leaving and going back to Gujarat now. Here's what she had to say...

" My time at Sandarbh was a completely different experience. It wasn't the typical office I'd expected. We worked had but we were also offered a lot of flexibility in terms of how we worked. The work too was mixed in with a lot of good times. I learnt a lot about the profession and practice while having fun too. This is something that I value a lot. There was no monotony in terms of the work. Even as I think about m work life in the future this is something that I wish would stay with me. I've also learnt now that yes the drawings are important but the understanding on site is equally important too if not more. Sometimes its better to have a human connection, to go and explain on site instead of just trying to convey it through drawings. I've definitely opened up a lot more after this experience too. I got to experience the culture of a metropolitan city- something I would never have had the chance to do had I stayed at home. But then again I'm really looking forward to going back too. The past four months have been full of ups and downs but all in all I would look back at my experience here with fond memories! "

-Mannat

Goodbyes are not forever!

As I came back to office today after a long weekend, something didn't feel quite the same. It felt kind of empty. Not as many seats in the office were occupied and it was much quieter too. With people out on site and in the workshop, there is a lot more space in office now as compared to last month.
Add to this that Kruti, Purva and Sashank have ended their journeys at Sandarbh and are moving on to the next chapters of their respective lives. After being so used to having them around its strange to think that we won't see them in office after this. It'll be strange to not count on Purva for resolving designs on CAD or to call Sashank regarding the work on site or to ask Kruti for an excel file regarding some material calculation or the other. It feels strange to turn around to the table behind me and not see these guys sitting there.
Now the realisation is sinking in that a lot of us will be leaving soon too. Time has literally flown by us but goodbyes aren't forever and Ritika's presence in office today is proof of that. Even though she finished her internship many months ago, she was back today to catch up with everyone and enjoy lunch with all of us at Donne Biryani. It was great to see Ritika and Sulu bond over the super spicy chilli chicken gravy at Donne (you should have seen the smiles etched across their faces even as their mouths were on fire!) There was laughter and chatter and questions about the projects that she was involved with while she was here. Even though she no longer works here, it still felt like she is a part of Sandarbh. And I can only hope that stands true for all us too. I know for a fact that even once I go back I will see myself as a part of Sandarbh and Sandarbh as a part of me!

-Mannat 

Vivid Imagery

One of the first blogs written by Ananya (and one of the first few that I read on the Sandarbh Blogspot) was titled 'Why Sandarbh?' It explains the idea of 'Sandarbh' which literally translates to Context in many different ways. A part of it was dedicated to describing the context of the streets of Pondicherry. The vivid description was something that just kind of stuck with me and stayed with me somewhere in the back of my memory.
On a short trip to Pondicherry with family this weekend, the memories of Ananya's description surfaced as we strolled around the streets of Pondicherry. Everything I saw around me, I could relate with her words. The tree lined streets, the sounds of the ocean, the colourful buildings, the people cycling around me - the words were coming alive in front of my very eyes.
The power that words have is really interesting. Ananya took the streets of Pondicherry and with her words spun a story of context. These same words in the context of the streets brought back to me a vivid description, an architecture of the space shared by everyone who visits. Fascinating isn't it?

-Mannat 

Of Antiques and Intricacies : An experience from Site

I had previously written about a project of ours - one that is in its penultimate stages. The energy on site is buzzing as everyone is working towards a common goal and a deadline. Rithik has been the one supervising and coordinating - he's been our eyes and ears on site. Curious about his experiences on site, I decided to have a conversation with him. Here's what he had to say...

" The whole experience was definitely a first for me. This was the first time I was given full responsibility for a site and was a little nervous at first. Since the building itself was in the penultimate stages, the major focus was on the finishes and the landscape around. Sai would come by every now and then to see the progress and give his approval but at the same time there was no hand holding, I also had to take decisions on site. The project and the site itself was very interesting which just added to the excitement on site. It was a collaborative effort - the office team, the site team and the client. We all worked well together and were all hands on - which is why we were able to keep up the pace on site. This is just the beginning though. There's a lot more that needs to be done and we're all working towards it "

-Mannat 

Ally says!

Today, just as Ally (the 7 year old bouncing around the office) got back from school, I asked her suggestion for a topic to write about for today's blog. 

"Okay sure Ananya. I'll help you", she told me and joined me as I went back to my desk in the studio. She pulled up a high stool, sat right next to me and looked around the studio. 

"Hey you could write about how I call each person different names! Like Akshay is the silent boy, Tanvi is the earphone girl, and Nayana the blue girl!". 

Ally, every time she gets into the studio has a habit of observing and naming people in the office based on their characters.  She sometimes observes behavior patterns that we adults normally miss out. 

No two people are called the same, and like she observes, our office is filled with characters of various kinds - silent ones, extremely talkative ones, pessimistic ones, extremely optimistic ones, people who like to work in organized patterns, people who like to work in chaos, the list just keeps going. There are no two people who are similar to eachother. The office is a melange of characters. 

You could call it a coincidence - we just happened to hire extremely different personalities. But if you look a little deeper into the office structure and our hiring process, I realised that it is no coincidence. Along with their proficiency in architectural practices, each person who joins the office is also scrutinized for their personal strengths and weaknesses. Their role within the office is determined based on these strengths and weaknesses. So when the teams come together, it is a mixture of people, who compliment eachother's strengths. Nikhil's sketches enhanced by Mannat's writing is put together using Dhruvi's presentation skills. 

Cheers to the people who have been a part to the journey of Sandarbh and the many more who are going to join us!

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