When Architects go shopping!

"When do you think the commercial street was formed? How old do you think it is?" Leena and I asked eachother as we juggled through the Saturday evening traffic of Commercial street. The weather was pleasant after some heavy afternoon rain and it seemed like all of Bangalore had come to the commercial street to take advantage of the weather and do some weekend shopping

*

Leena and I spent the last couple of days, in and around Commercial Street of Bangalore - selecting and picking tiles, bathroom and kitchen fittings for multiple clients. We went looking around 4-5 showrooms, checking the various options they had, talking about new materials, and finding new contacts in these showrooms who could possibly help us in the future. It was physically exhausting - but mentally satisfying. We saw it all, tiles that range from Rs.60/ sqft to Rs.900/sqft, decorated bathroom sinks of Rs.30,000 and the many many finishes that they could come in. We saw jacuzzis, automatic kitchen shutters and multiple unique fixtures for various uses. The last two days was spent in acquiring knowledge. 

This whole experience made me realize that this is one area within architecture that is cursed by the internet and technology. While I was familiar with a lot of these materials  through their websites, there was a lot that didn't get conveyed through the screen. It didn't show how engineered granite and quartz felt nothing like the natural stone,how the tiles looked different against different materials, how the spoons clattered when the wire baskets were opened or shut and how they didn't when a specific mat was kept under them. The colors looked different, the material felt different and a lot of the materials that wasn't updated on the website was shown to us. When we physically went in search of a specific tile of a specific colour, it showed us various other options that Google would never have shown us if we went searching for "mauve coloured tile" on it. 

* 

We eventually never found out when the Commercial Street came into existence or how it came up ( Google lacked proper information on that as well), but personally, I found the answers to a lot of queries that was circulating in my head the past couple of weeks. 

Can't wait to get back to Commercial Street or other places and explore further ! What are your stories of Commercial street?

- Ananya

A narrative of Sharada (the office)

As you approach the Sharada, the first sight that you would probably see would be the many mango trees - which surrounds the house from all directions. You would probably also notice that you don't see straight walls - there probably isn't even one parallel to the compound walls. With Mangalore tiles, balconies and terraces, what you will see is a house that was designed to suit the context it is built it in - Horamavu - the mango orchard.

If you are walking in on an extremely sunny day, step in through the gate, and you would instantly feel the shade of the trees. The leaves form beautiful patterns with their shadows on the floor - the patterns being something you would probably notice through the house - whether it be the light falling through the glass Mangalore tiles or the patterns the stairs form as you look up at the glass opening above the staircase

Are walls really necessary to divide the house into different spaces?

As you enter the house, through its little porch - you would be greeted by a floating wooden staircase - this, I would say  is another element along with the trees that the spaces in the house are arranged around. Walls and doors are limited.
Here, levels, angles and within that seating units, steps, and bookshelves divide the spaces between eachother. In the summers, when the mangos are in full bloom, just step into any of the multiple balconies and terraces that is connected to each room and there! they will be right there for you to reach out and pluck. Levels divide the spaces into each living spaces. The dining and kitchen form one level, the living - the next, the bedrooms the next.

Well, along with being a part of the office that designed the house, I am also a part of the office that functions in the house.  From the entrance porch level , step down into the  lowermost level of the house - and you would get into a space that while being a part of house, feels detached from it. Open the door here, and you would be led to garden which takes you back to the outdoors. The office space - so, ideally positioned - functions here.

Come over to the office one, I could show you around!

And they too leave

The last year has been one of the beat times at the Studio. Lots of fun times, lots of work, some exciting projects and fantastic design solutions. The environment has been one of fun, focus, creativity and lots and lots of laughs. Its been one of our most productive times.

A lot of that gaiety has been due to our fabulous batch of interns. Most had started their internship with us last July-August and continued till last month. More joined in Jan and all of them will be leaving by the end of May.

Afreen, Shaz, Kiri, Sid and Kavi have left and the office had quietened down. the next to go was Jamsheed and then Shreya. Ritika has also left and now only Meghna and Drashti are here till the end of the month. Though the new set of interns will start coming in by the beginning of June, those few days in transition will be a huge void.

Shreya, What an inspiration you have been! I have always been a reluctant blogger. Ananya though a contant blogger has been busy as well. You gave life to the sandarbh blogs and before long both of us (mostly because we have you since you are not here) have jumped into the project365 wasgon as well! Keep trying to think in German and finding the 'sexiness' in buildings and if not earlier, we'll see in New York for sure! Sai doesnt often bet on too many people easily but he as well is confident you'll be there! All the best! 

Jamsheed, The first thing I think about when I think of you is the day you joined. I hadnt spoken much to you before that and we all met at Harshita's place that evening. I still remember how you were telling us all about your ... er .... life. We will miss how you smile everytime you are confused! The look on your face when I totally boggled with you colours and tiles and tiling drawings! The most amount of work and dedication I have seen from you is when you were racing to finish the carpentary in Ally's room before her birthday. Kudos to you and all the best! 

Ritika, Ritika, Ritika, being as smart as you are, I always wonder how you manage to say the darnest things at times!! Your punctuality is to be learned from (and clocks set to!) and zest for life to be cherished. Sketch more, design more, travel more and have the bestest of times ahead. Also, we should all visit 'Azer-baijaan' together sometime for sure! 

Drashti, Sweety!! So glad we found out that you are Sweety before your internship winds up! We dont remember to use it enough though! You are the cadd, working drawing expert in office right now and I cant imagine who would do that after you leave! We will miss all the roommate tales as well!  Everything about you is so different from what meets the eye! So many facets to you! Stay that way - its what makes you awesome! 

Meghna, creative to the core and the perfect person to have opted to become an architect! I cant think of a better example of good employee and hard worker right now! You take all the challenges thrown at you head on and come out shining. I love the spirit and dedication! So glad you will be joining Sandarbh as an architect :-) 

Just a week before Drashti and Meghna leave and the void will be felt even if for a little time. I thought I would wait till both of you finish before putting this post up but then again, what better a way to remind you to throw us a going away party! 

Best wishes to you all from the bottom of our hearts! Stay happy, create amazing spaces and be in touch! 

What is your passion?

Yesterday's discussion during the morning meetings was centered around what to focus on our passions and inspirations or the needs of the clients and the daily running of the office.  Among other topics, it was about why we do what we do and the emotional investment we have to give to each of the projects - something I realized while creating a narrative for a house we were working on day before. (You can read about the process here)
What is the difference? The narrative made me look at the space differently. I needed a story, I had to connect, and so I had to notice - not just see. Today, when I think about the spaces I wrote about, I can see it clearly in my head. I can see the lights and how they create patterns on the floor. I can tell you about the window placements, I can tell you the dark spots. And I probably spend the same if not lesser amount of time as I did earlier.

Take that extra effort and enjoy the things you do, not only would the process be a beautiful experience for us, but it would bring in the human connect to every project. Thus making the process a much more enjoyable one for not only us, but for the client as well.

Not very sure if it was as a result of this particular discussion, the evening at office was different from the regular ones. There were more conversations floating around the office. The topics were varied - it went from the customised people we place in our sketchup models to debates about whether singular or multiple plants should be placed in the courtyard. The environment in the office was more chatty, and when this happened, the work didn't seem like work any more. It was back to becoming a group of people just following their passions.

Who is the architect?

It's sometimes fun to get into the crowd and check the type of roles that architects play in various fields.

The first architect I came across as a kid worked in a mall, as a part of it's management team. She overlooked the art installations, the decor and the layouts for the exhibitions held at the mall.  But this, in my point of view was not an architect's job. I carried the same idea even as I entered college. Here, I could see the other architects in and around college working in fields related to, but not exactly things I would call architecture.

Step into Sandarbh, and I was assigned a specific role within the office. It wasn't similar to the roles other architects who joined along with me was assigned - but i couldn't decide which one of it was 'architecture'. As I continued on the journey of discovering architecture, I found things different. Roles were divided, people did one part of the whole. Each role was important, each role had a purpose - that's when I realized, it was all architecture.

A couple of days back, I worked as a part of a team organizing Olam - a creatively curated market set in Trivandrum. As it turns out, the group was one filled with Architects.  realize that there is nothing Architects is meant to do or not do. I met architects who are graphic designers, I met Architects writing history books for their firms, I met Architects who live their life teaching NATA students how to get into architecture. I met project managers - where the projects were not necessarily buildings.
Architecture teaches us the broad set of life skills - design buildings or design logos - all that architecture teaches you is how to go about it. 

So what is your role as an architect?

New Vibes

The interns for the next term have all been shortlisted, confirmed, orientation mails sent out whats more, they have been added to our office watsapp group. The process of selecting this set was tedious. We received more than 200 applications for internship from all over India this term! Sai went through all the portfolios and Ananya has a whole excel sheet with so many criteria to figure out who to take in!

The final 13 are from Kerala to Delhi and everywhere else in between studying in some of the top architectural colleges in India. They are filling big shoes though because the last set of interns we had were superb. They have set a standard for work as well as play and the designs and drawings we have been churning out have been really inspired. Reiterating, biiiig shoes to fill. 

There have been interactions between most of us and the new interns now that they are part of the watsapp group. I can imagine just how lost they must be feeling seeing the number of messages and images coming in and the ceaseless discussions on design and site and meetings, deadlines and everything else under the sun! Sai tries to ease them in by trying to include them in the conversations. Trying to get them to open up a little bit about themselves. Such funny conversations we have been having!! The new kids have been trying to participate and be 'fun and innovative' about it and its made for some fun evenings so far. 

I remember conversations like this with the last set. Theres no Sid this time though to say the darnest things and lead the conversations. No Kavi to bring out her popcorn and sit back to read and laugh at what Sid says. Theres no Shaz who comes alive at night and actually participates in the conversations, no Kiri to be lost in chats. No Shreya to try witty comebacks. No Jamsheed to read everything quietly and not comment. No Ritika to judge the reactions and tell us that. Of  course Afreen was not expected to ever participate in these because the 'intern intros' usually happened in the late evenings and thats when Afreen is most busy! Meghna and Drashti are still around and still part of the group but they are being themselves and laughing quietly, not commenting. 

The new bunch seemed reluctant and confused initially. Now they seem more ready and confident. Mails exchanged with all of them recently had an infectious energy and excitement to them. They have all come forth and told us what they would like to do and they have all been assigned under each of the architects. All of them seem ready to plunge into this .... theres newness in the air .... looking forward to a renewed energy at the studio soon ..... 

Narratives and Designs

I had never thought that Architecture could ever be linked to writing. Sure, writers could describe spaces, bringing clarity to the process, or the end products. Architects, their methodologies could be explained. But can you actually design using words?

Whenever Sai spoke about narratives for design, I have always thought of it as a medium to convey the design rather than to create it. A million scenarios could be imagined for a space. How would creating a scenario help in design?

As part of developing the design for a project in trivandrum we had to develop the interiors for, I was asked to write about the spaces within the house. Confused as to what I was going to write about a house that was under construction, I spent the time I was traveling to the site thinking of a topic I could write about. I didn't get any ideas of  use. But as it turns out, all that preparation wasn't necessary.

As I entered the building, I could imagine the space unfold in front of me. As I began to visualize it, I could see the spaces, not as the half done construction site but as the home it is going to become soon. As began to write the story of the home and it's existence, I could describe the spaces as I saw it. It was like the building spoke to me. Each space had it's own vibe, a reason why it was designed.  I could see the little details on the dining table. I could see the kids playing, I could see the plants in the balcony. The light and the shadows  it created told a story. There I wrote about it, the more it got detailed. With that, the design was formed - not in lines, but in words.