Now heritage in virtual reality| Fitness do’s get a new footprint| Focus: Ceiling design |A ‘surprise building’ by MVRDV| and more

Dear IAnDians, Our trending story for the week – accessing Indian heritage in virtual reality is an excellent way of keeping pace with the now with all due respect to our roots. Interaction designer, Sitara Shah’s VR app (nearing-launch) that enables you to tour the Ajanta caves from the comfort of your sofa, if worked out right, can open up to VR the remotest historical and heritage sites with complete details, empowering educationists and knowledge-seekers alike. Moving on to our other stories, we see that when art is integrated into interiors – there isn’t just one connotation to its application. It manifests in various forms and formats: an organic sculptural or undulating ceiling; mural highlight in a public space; openings in the façade; spatial play of long with wide and the like… each with its distinct contribution to the vocabulary of design. And getting playful at it, our team scoured through the web to pick out car frontals that often bring to mind a human visage, deciphering its expression – sharing with you the fun we have collating our mix of design stories. Tell us which story appeals the most. Happy reading! Warmly, Savitha Hira Editor

Now live and work from the Himalayas| European classical designs reinvented| Art in Architecture - from building skins to interiors and more

Dear IAnDians The word that recurrently came to mind this week was ‘spirituality’. A oneness that seemed to underlay everything that we were writing about – the graffiti artist Sen2 and his urban muse; the collaborative effort that went into the sculptor Jacek Jarnuszkiewicz and architects Marie-Claude Hamelin and Loukas Yiacouvakis’ play of form and matter for the former’s home; the fusion of epoch styles in the Delhi farmhouse by Renesa Architects and so much more… for it is spirituality after all that “includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves…a universal human experience that touches us all” like the Carlo Ratti home in the bed of the Himalayas has just accomplished! It’s the thought that counts. The many perspectives that shape almost everything. When the creative hankers after that one material thing that connects with his inner being, he has reached the zenith of the moment. I hope you enjoy our stories and get inspired. Warmly Savitha Hira Editor

Learn to ‘wear-your-attitude’ with LFW |Who better than Arzan Khambatta to review scrap (book)!| Step wells inspire landscape design in Hyderabad and more

Dear IAnDians, Last week has been celebratory in many ways. With sensitivity as the core ingredient of good design, our stories have taken us on a wide jaunt from visiting Mumbai’s Lakme Fashion Week and its brood of young achievers to the Chintels Corporate Park in Gurgaon, where the architect has ingeniously brought in the outdoors with gardens at almost every level of the multi-storey building. Its stepped green tables are a welcome sight in the usually-seen, closed, box-like structures that dot the skyline. German industrial designer, Carlos Schreib caught our attention with his walking stick-cum-restive-seat-at-will as a sensitised gesture towards the senior and infirm. His prototype awaits productinisation. After traipsing across Riga in Latvia admiring the modular facade of the strategically located wedge-shaped multi-purpose building, we were once again floored by how our heritage of step wells and water mazes has inspired Penda Architects; their landscaping for the Hyderabad residential block is simply outstanding and rightfully our trending story. Last but never ever the least – Architect and sculptor Arzan Khambatta reviews the book Trashures - giving you his insights along with some gems on ‘Best from waste’. Let’s leave you to it as we get busy with more intriguing design stuff coming up in our next issue. Warmly Savitha Hira Editor

Unique LED lighting aids surface inspection| Hospitality trending on raw appeal| Hands-on education with industry exposure and more

Dear IAnDians, The highlight this week is on hospitality. We bring you three restaurants – one in Mumbai, second in Russia and the third in Hyderabad. Three different design sensibilities but the result is almost similar – industrial grunge; heritage-inspired; raw appeal. So this brings us to the question – what does a person look for on a night out, besides the cuisine of course? Is gleam and finesse - being mingled with the raw - a deliberate attempt to reposition our roots? Is it being done to empathize with and revitalize our legacies? Or is it a mere design statement that is for now ‘trending’? Do write in with your comments; we would love to hear your views… Student projects that are refreshingly innovative; a laconic farmhouse in far off Delhi; unique LED lighting that aids surface inspection and a vivante spread on luxury in the wash room keep you tuned in to the buzz around design this week. Keep the comments coming. Your perspective matters! Warmly Savitha Hira Editor

CEPT Archives’ new exhibition| For the love of coffee!| Vintage charm| Bluemotion for handle-free furniture and more

The onset of the festive season in India according to the Hindu calendar bestows upon us the great opportunity of loving and giving, besides heralding a large round of forthcoming celebration. Rejoicing brings to mind enhanced home décor, replenished wardrobes… the works! Kicking off this seasonal mood, we bring you the interiors of a refurbished French Chateau that oozes luxe levels; a café and a bar and restaurant that revive thematic and classic lines, exuding sweet nostalgia and an office that thrives on connectivity. Besides a peppered offering, we get serious with the CEPT Archives highlighting the commendable contribution of Ar. Arvind Talati to the modern makeup of architecture in Independent India. This is a must see exhibition folks and you can have a glimpse of it through our pages. Wishing you a joyous Navroze; a warm Rakshabandhan and fun-filled moments generally. Warmly Savitha Hira Editor