Design… and a little of that human touch!

Projects

In the city of Xian, Tomoko Ikegai designs the YJY Maike Flagship Store - a bookstore and commercial complex that celebrates the intersection of people, cultures and books.

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Editorial Dear IAnDian, We are currently enjoying a phase, where technology and its positives have spearheaded us into a futuristic aura that is at once appealing and adaptable. But with its several plusses come the little niggers of a life well spent before the onslaught of all things technology. An era that most of the millennials are not even aware of. The very fact that they are kickass about the remix of an old melody, are intrigued by a traditional and detailed process, or are happy to adopt a tried-and-tested formulaic solution... shows that the new generation needs to be introduced to choice segments of our past, exactly like we would refill a new bottle with aged wine! Look a little closely at our stories this week - a palatial home that caters to different personalities yet finds its balance via the overall design approach. A small café in Shanghai that uses the juxtaposition of opposites to carve out a niche space for a product (coffee) and an audience! A made-to-measure store that ups the oomph quotient of a bespoke, traditional craft. And our cover story that features a book store cum library cum café cum event space speaks of a cultural hangout that seems the need of the hour to bring the human touch back into the hands-on, jet-setting world! A little introspection goes a long way! Enjoy the issue. Warm regards, Savitha Hira Editor								sponsored

Luxury Homes Special: Do plush residences mean evolved lifestyles?!

IAnD Exclusive

By designing a beautiful house nestled into Arizona’s mountainous rock, Kendle Design Collaborative celebrates the quiet and serenity that nature has to offer.

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Editorial Dear IAnDian, This week, we started out to talk about plush residences and evolving lifestyles in this Luxury Homes Special. As we documented the projects, we realised that they were not just plush - in the various connotations of their application - but had a lot to do with communing with nature. While on the one hand, people seem to want the best in terms of a contemporary home; on the other, they also want that connect with nature that our concrete jungles have made increasingly elusive. So, when we speak of evolved lifestyles - we speak of a more-aware, more sensitive-to-the-times vocabulary that comes from an erudite mindset, wanting and making the most of available resources to make a difference to the environment in their own small way. So, can a plush residence be equated to an evolved lifestyle? Yes, it can; in more ways than one. We hope you enjoy the projects as much as we did, collating them for you. Warm regards, Savitha Hira Editor								sponsored Brinda Somaya: a woman for all seasons!

A conscientious design approach can define the essence of an educational institute

Thought n Impact

UNStudio blueprints the world’s ‘Smartest Neighbourhood’ in Helmond’s Brandevoort District in the Netherlands - a prototypical initiative that epitomises adaptable planning and future living.

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Editorial Dear IAnDian, IndiaArtnDesign.com is all about you - the designer - the architect - your thoughts, your design approach, your creative juices... your work. Given the constraints on your time and the priceless nuggets of knowledge that you continue to garner every day, we have this section Thought n Impact especially tailored for your voice. Feel free to contribute to this section by airing your views on a topic close to your heart. It could be a learning that you'd like to share; or a design experience that could benefit the fraternity, and so on... This week, we have Ar. Shailesh Veera of SPIRIT air his insight on the changing interiors of schools. Please feel free to comment on his post and interact with him. Besides, our stories this week are diverse and thought-provoking. Browse through and leave us your views... Warm regards, Savitha Hira Editor								sponsored The interconnected life of Brinda and Alfaz Miller In case you missed it earlier.

Hospitality Special: Changing face of hospitality design!

IAnD Exclusive

Prepare to be amazed by Alberto Caiola’s latest project, Nyx, as it marks Shanghai’s skyline with a spot of electric blue.

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Editorial Dear IAnDian, The food business is a booming enterprise. And the hospitality industry has been quite gung-ho about trying new things in terms of offering diners a memorable experience. Seeking an appetising gourmet spread and experimenting with different cuisines apart, what does a diner look for in a dine-out? With food at no. 1, ambience and experience come close to deciding where one would like to dine. This special issue on the changing face of hospitality brings to the fore that as gregarious and ever-seeking as we all are, eating-out offers diverse options that regale and engage a diner and a fine-dine affair. New ideas are freely experimented with, given a largely receptive mindset. In fact, it seems like an open field of competitive ideas that vie to hold out the longest on a very fickle and trend-driven notion of upping one's lifestyle. Browse through our offerings this week and come back to us with your feedback on - what is the one thing that you seek in a dine-out? Warm regards, Savitha Hira Editor								sponsored

Does looking back in time make an impact on good design?

Heritage

In the heart of Old Delhi, Spaces Architects@ka designs a Heritage Park - a cultural and symbolic ode to the grandeur of the historical city.

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Editorial Dear IAnDian, The problems that society faces today are as intense as they have always been. The key lies in the approach, awareness and desired solution. So how does design address this? Does it benefit to go back in history? Does contemporary intervention wrapped in historic tried-and-tested solutions assure better results? These and many more questions are addressed as design uses a cumulative to forge new steps each day. Our stories this week bring you urban interventions and building design seeped in socio-cultural impact. Architecture does not exist alone, is a given. Yet, how it interlaces with life and living is like a beautiful and intriguing lesson that unfolds a little a day. While we enjoy and imbibe as we go along, we invite you too, to this journey of revelations. Enjoy the issue. Warm regards, Savitha Hira Editor