Here's to you.

If I started to give you anecdotes about the way technology has handicapped us every single day, I probably would have enough content for the rest of the year.

But alas! That is not how this project works.

I am pretty sure that over the course of over 300 blogs, it would have come up quite a few times that generating a blog every single day is not easy. What ends up happening, more often than not, is that the writer of the blogs goes around asking everyone in office if they have any ideas or suggestions and will most definitely receive variations of the same threat:
"I swear, if you ask me this question one more time..!"

Alas, desperate times call for desperate measures and those are exactly what these incessant questions count as. But some times, these encounters can give rise to some pretty interesting, amusing or even perfectly mundane blogs.

I would've never thought that I'd ever write about Bougainvillea or Cab rides or even, more recently, scrubbing the floors. So here's a shout out to the crazy stories each member of this office comes up with.

And here's to you looking forward to the answers that come because we keep bugging others with the same question,
Always.

Namitha.

Elitism and Eclecticism

The two words written in the title mean things that are far from each other. The former talks about exclusivity bordering on snobbery and the latter talks about diversity and heterogeneity. But the funny thing about architecture is that it can be expressed through either of the extremes- sometimes even both.

As designers, it isn’t uncommon for people to become a little haughty and believe that their aesthetic is the best and it is equally common to experiment so much that the building looks like a mash up of too many things that you, as an individual, wouldn’t probably put together. But that is the beauty of a creative field, isn’t it? Each person seems to have a different perception of what works and what doesn’t; this idea can vary by a few degrees or by miles and this also makes it the most frustrating part of this creative field: There is no pleasing everyone. And sometimes, there is no pleasing anyone (including yourself).

This is one thing I’ve realised we all struggle with. The discussions in office regarding everything starting from the placement on one tiny half wall to the grey lines on a white marble can get incredibly interesting and sometimes, even exhausting. But that is what makes brainstorming among a group of ‘creative’ people so interesting, especially if you’re someone like me who is inclined towards conversations, especially ones that have some heat to it.

This, for me, is one of the reasons the 3 weeks in office seem to have gone so fast.

Hope to see you tomorrow,
Namitha.

The Home Office.

Oxymora are my thing. I’ve always been amused by the clear contradictions that govern our lives. So, when Sai sat us down and explained the implicitly explicit house rules, I couldn’t help but spend some time thinking about the stark contrast between the offices I’ve seen and heard of and the one I’m in right now.

Yes, most of it probably stems from the attitude with which Sai and Leena deal with everyone around them; but it also has to do with the biggest oxymoron of them all- ‘the home office’.

The home office takes one look at the cliché that asks you never to take your work home, and chucks it right out the window. Irrespective of whether or not you have worked in another office, this idea of doubling your house as a home and an office can either make you slip right into the thick of things or completely unnerve you; not just because of the difference in the way things work but also because you’re slammed with a realization that you are accountable for what happens within someone else’ home, let alone the fact that it is your boss’ home.

But then again, maintaining a ‘professional’ demeanour when you’re literally at home is difficult.  You do end up being more ‘yourself’ and that is where quirks start to show. And quirks are important; they not only help you understand the people you work with faster but also teach you to adapt and learn how to align yourself with the varied personalities that are now entangled in your web of day-to-day life.

The point I’m trying to make is that this home office of ours seems to be well on its way to prove that work doesn’t always have to be a dreadful affair. It can sometimes, maybe even occasionally, be a cackling mess of productivity. How? That is something I hope to figure out over the course of my time here.

So long,
Namitha.   

Architecture a 24/7 job

Writing a blog post is a little like driving. You could study for months, read a billion articles on the driving, regulation and how to change the gear. But nothing could prepare you for the real thing. That is sitting behind a wheel and driving through the city traffic, i.e. the Indian city traffic.

I would say Architecture would be the same in this matter. You can spend five years learning about this profession but nothing really prepares you for the 24/7 commitment the job requires. This has come to my notice as I continue my internship at Sandarbh. Recently Sai went out of town with his family to celebrate Vishu. And though he was away he still was always in contact, messaging on our group and giving instruction. Same went for anyone in our office. Even though we would take an off we would volunteer to work on our assigned duties.

Yes, people "volunteer" to be the key word here. We opted to work from home. And I realized it was because not only was each one of us is dedicated to our duties but it is because we cared.

Architecture is a 24/7 job. It is something you hear everyone say. But what they don’t tell you is that it isn’t a 24/7 job that you have to do, it is a 24/7 job that you would want to do.

Find your Tribe

In general terms inspiration is thought of this mystic force that hits you from time to time and just all the problems in your life gets sorted. It’s something that “comes along”, something you have no control over. Of course you can always wait for inspiration to strike and just work on other things, however what happens in case of a deadline? Or you need to get a project started? You can’t just sit around for this mystic force to strike! You have to go and make things happen.

You can find inspiration in almost everyone and everything.

Here is what I propose.

Surround yourself with people who share your passion.

At Sandarbh, believe me when I say, no two people are the same. Everyone is different, with different talents and hobbies.

Drashti makes amazing drawings.

Meghna is the sketcher.

Rambo wants to start with this carpentry hobby.

Ananya is the well read one.

Aafreen is the hustler.

And the list goes on and on and on.

However no matter how different we all may be we share the same love and passion for architecture. And so working in a symbiosis we not only achieve our goals but also have fun while at it.

We inspire and motivate each other constantly. And that is what keeps us moving forward.

So find yourself a group of crazy people who share your passion. 

Find your tribe. 

No matter how colorful they maybe, it will be worth it!

Ideally Ideal

 Recently in the office we have been discussing about the idea of an ideal office space.

Being architects, obsessed with space planning naturally the discussion was a little over the top and frankly insane. Some want to paint the walls full of murals. Some even suggested to put up a workshop and have an art cafe. For some it is conditional, having the fridge stacked with beer, for others it was locational, with a corner office in a New York skyscraper overlooking the central park.

The bug really got into our ear when Meghna and Drashti sat on the tree house and overcame their creative block, coming up with an efficient strategy.

Anyone in a creative field understands the importance of an absorbing working space. The condition of your work space has a huge impact on the quality and productivity of your work.

But what is productivity? Is it sitting in a corner and completing your work for the day? It’s certainly no longer sitting on the desk and work with your head down all day long.

It might be about creating ideas, solving problems, and help team—mates get their next big idea.

In the past people used to have to sit on their desks and answer to calls and mails, but today one can do that— and any other work— from anywhere.

So does that mean, from a creative and logical point of view, having a desk is not important anymore?

Isn’t it more crucial to make sure people are connecting and brainstorming, like Meghna and Drashti on the tree house?

Aren't the walls with incomplete stories waiting to be filled more exciting than a coffee machine?

Isn’t a design for human potential, or for the intellectual and emotional intelligence more important than any corner office?

So let me ask again, what is this ideal office anyway?

Introducing the Interns

We have been busy busy busy here at Sandarbh this season with the Banarhalli, KnK, Linu’s and so many more. Six new interns including me joined this year. And counting the old four, the total makes it ten! And so on behalf of the interns I would like to introduce all of us new to the Sandarbh family, and congratulate those who opted to continue for another semester.

Starting with the old interns, and by old I don’t mean grey hair I mean the ones continuing working with us for another semester.

The first and foremost our guardian angel Kavi. She is the oldest and the youngest intern of Sandarbh. The sweet, helpful Kavi. Be it sketchup or hunting for flats, Kavi is you gal. Apart from being the go to savior Kavi has a dark streak and Jamsheed knows it pretty well. With her regular teasing and mean comments that we all love, Kavi Bharathi is the one to hang out and know will be taken care of.

Then comes Kiri, he likes to call himself the “visionare” of the firm, though I keep on telling him the word he is trying to find is “visionary”. Of course he disagrees… every time. One could describe him to be a sweet thing but in reality he is a slippery thing who is best in getting away with his escapades by his sweet smile and cheeky words. (Of course Sai is immune to all that and sees right through his beguile).

Next would be the fearless Aafreen. She may look like your regular competitive, plucky, energetic, tenacious, who does most of her work on the phone, but she is just so much more. She is also a caring individual with a soft heart, but she makes sure it doesn’t affect her work. (You wouldn’t want to see her when she is angry).

And then the brooding Shaz. The tough guy who is so sure he has all the answers. However realized he was Jon Snow the moment he met Sai, as did we all. It is not often we get to see Shaz in the office. He works off the site mostly. However when we do he is mostly sitting with people having a heart to heart. (We see through you Shaz! You marshmallow!).

And with that we are done with the old interns and will be moving on to the new ones.

It has been almost a month all of us have been together but believe me when I say it seems longer. So let’s go alphabetically shall we?

Drashti Meena is the working drawing expert of the office who makes mean autocad drawings. Apart from being scary efficient in her work she is a funny but blunt individual who goes after a problem with a club. There is only one problem she has yet to solve and that is her overbearing roommate who may remain anonymous.

Jamsheed or as he liked to be called Jamshy is like a teddy bear of the studio. He has a heart of gold who wants to start being capable enough to start taking care of his parents as soon as possible. But that is not enough. As it may turn out he has dreams of going for a long bike ride across the Himalayas and live in tents. Always be your forgiving self Jamshy.

Meghna is a workaholic. Period. If she gets work and she is unable to do it during work hours, she will make sure to take it home and do it all night until it is finished. But work aside. She is an observant person who knows very well what’s going around in the office. That’s why her hair is so thick… they are full of secrets. Jokes apart she is highly sensitive and is able to find the best in people and help them in adversities.

And then there is Ritika, the smartest of the all. She is always on time, be it for a deadline or be it leaving office. According to her it is mostly because she is dead scared of Bengaluru traffic. But we all know it’s because she has a life… the girl with the strangest talents also tells us she can form the Olympics logo with my bendy fingers. Truly strange.

Siddharth a.k.a Sid is barely seen in the office. He is out running around from site to site. Or off works “hangs with his friends” that we all know don’t exist. There was a time when he was in office but now his Sheldon spot has been taken by Drashti… and he does not like it. He has a strange ability to say all the wrong things and then get blasted for it. But it is also his best quality so I guess we will let it pass.

And last but definitely not the least, it is yours truly Shreya Singh. I like to think I am a multitasking superstar who would be great with everything thrown towards me. Of course my Jon Snow moment came a little late, becoming a humbling instant to know that’s not true. The rest of the interns like to call me the critic of Sandarbh, I like to call myself insightful. (And with that my self-praise should end or else I would be on top of the Empire state once again.)

And so in the end, I, on behalf of the interns, would like to thank the incredible team for making us feel welcomed to the firm.