Living in an active ecosystem!|Mumbai’s newest night lounge| Entertainment beckons at home| and more

Dear IAnDians, If there is any industry that can really stretch exploration of material and design, it is the hospitality sector. The urge to experience something new each time one eats out is rooted to a more basic need – that of assimilating something novel that rekindles one’s intrigue quotient and has the adrenaline pumping anew. Interior designer, Sumessh Menon does a lot of this. His material explorations border on the unthinkable; yet the cohesion he accomplishes is commendable. Creating narratives in tandem with hospitable surrounds with generous doses of intrigue and the vibe of youthfulness thrown in, in good measure seems to have become second nature with the designer. Do check out Mumbai’s latest night scene designed by Sumessh. Having a finger on the pulse of the client is indeed an art. Studio UnTAG endorses this with a simple and rustic ambience rising from the earth itself. The farmhouse project is a beacon of ingenuity in the middle of nowhere. Casa Clara is another example to the same effect. Speaking of ingenuity, the eco-system proposed by MINI LIVING in collaboration with So_IL Architects is on the radar to test its success as a futuristic nomadic living pod. Only time will tell how successful this experiment has been. Let me leave you to discover the rest for yourselves. Warmly, Savitha Hira Editor

Metaphors in Design| Mapping technology with architecture| Colour can be as potent as design| and more

Dear IAnDians, Colour like design is omnipresent, omnipotent! Whether specks or blocks, each hue holds a distinct charm. Two corporates – two approaches – a common thread! Whilst the Halaman Printing office comes alive with playfulness, filling the atmosphere with high energy; the use of colour in Architecture Discipline Studio infuses a note of vibrancy in an otherwise neutral envelope. In both instances - bespoke dynamism to the fore! Moving from the vibrant to the metallic palette, Anand Jewels by DCA reinstates that opulence can be subliminal with just the touch of gold. The architect makes a statement with a simple iridescent ceiling and its shimmering chandelier; other elements of course make their presence felt, building on the thematic. Tastefully designed, simple interiors get transformed into story-telling ambiences as Masquespacio once again weave their magic – this time with a casual restaurant in Valencia. Simplicity rules as the café can be attuned to varying moods of the day and night. Do check it out. Speaking of metaphors in design and mapping technology in architecture, Zaha Hadid Architects translated Samsung’s new phone, Galaxy S8 into a fluid exhibit at Milan. Can fluidity, organics permeate and demonstrate just about anything? We are adding on to the coffers of our right brain. Ciao! Warmly, Savitha Hira Editor

‘Take-make-waste’ to sustainability| New vision of a collective housing typology| Portuguese-inspired restaurant| and more

Dear IAnDians, Food and ambience are big tickets; always have been. With ‘eating out’ as a major entertainment avenue, designers put their best in reinventing… thematic, materials, play of light, colour… you name it! Check out Minnie Bhatt Designs’ Portuguese-inspired eatery in Mumbai. And stay tuned in for a few more coming up next week. Considering the steadily-growing importance attached to the environment, Arup Associates have prototyped and tested their offering to ‘circular economy’ – definitely a do-able option that can perhaps make a huge impact, when implemented across the board. Whilst their study on the subject is rather in-depth, we have featured the basics of their proto that debuted at the London Design Festival last year. Do check it out. On a similar note, the collective housing typology proposed and executed by Metaform architecture office is another subject of interest and debate. With urban multi-storey housing reaching extremely dense proportions and the lack of breathable spaces mounting, could this typology actually work across footprints? Surely, when adopted and adapted variously, we should have that answered! Enjoy the issue. Until next week… Warmly, Savitha Hira Editor

Impact of design on small spaces| Home in the panoramic Vienna basin| Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort and more

Dear IAnDians, Open spaces are few and far between in the dense urban jungles that we live in. It therefore becomes the prerogative of our architectural vocabulary to help sustain the environmental connect. Our features this week seem to focus on this bringing in the outdoors and rising beyond the given, to charter out spaces that breathe in the vistas; and usher in as much natural light and ventilation as possible. Whilst the remodeled villa in Vienna is based on identifying and uplifting its vantage points on the scenic mountainside; the home in a dense urban neighborhood in Bengaluru stands out – not as much for its vertical typology (this is a given in our urban tight-spots called plots), but for its compositional spaces that are chiseled out without compromising on the feel-good of pseudo-spaciousness! And amidst visiting the rest of our stories, do check out the new TV cum wall art option – quite a novel idea! Until next week… Warmly, Savitha Hira Editor

Homes with environment at their core| Istanbul’s Watergarden – every gastronome’s dream| Guide to redecorating | and more

Dear IAnDians, A new tolerance is infiltrating the fabric of our beings. Whilst we rejoice in the benefits of a smart environment, more and more of us are acknowledging the innate advantages of the way our ancestors lived. Whether it is food habits, posture, or the composition of living spaces, ‘traditional’ is the new buzz word and it is being eclectically redefined in the modern idiom. In fashion, the palazzo rage is nothing but the loose pyjamas that our ancestral grandmas wore, revisited in a style statement.Traditional architectural typology is being increasingly adapted to the contemporary format. In this issue, we bring you two homes that are designed around the internal courtyard, taking effective care of the environment. Greenery as an integral part of the built form is commendably illustrated in Casa Poly – a home for an artist in Barcelona by ERA Architects. And making full use of ‘space’, which is an exceptional commodity in the burgeoning urban scenario, Istanbul gets its gastronomy and entertainment hub – Watergarden! Enjoy the issue! Warmly, Savitha Hira Editor