Hasta La Ideas

Movie: in our next exclusive interview from Inside Festival, Aman Aggarwal explains how his studio Charged Voids combined traditional designs with modern construction techniques to create the interior of Tashya, a high-end Indian bridal store in Chandigarh. 

Tashya by Charged Voids, a local studio founded by Aggarwal and Siddharth Gaind, won the Shops category at last month’s Inside Festival.

Aggarwal says that the idea for the interior came from the Indian fashion industry itself, where the intricate embroidery of traditional craftsmen is still used in combination with modern industrial machinery.

“The concept emanated from the approach that has been dominant in the Indian clothing industry for quite a while now,” he explains. “You have these high-power machines and looms and everything, but you [also] have these traditional Indian craftsmen.”

He continues: “It’s not the same in the construction industry [where] the artisans are losing work. So the store is actually an attempt to revive those craft practices and integrate them with the modern construction industry.”

The store interior makes extensive use of jalis, traditional wooden screens with ornate patterns cut into them.

“We started with four motifs, which are the basic elements of a lot of jali patterns,” Aggarwal says. “Then we started using those motifs on different scales. The jalis we designed, which were actually cut using a laser, were a combination of all these motifs at different scales.”

Charged Voids combined these jali screens cut using a computer-controlled process with traditionally crafted decorative metalwork. “We wanted these craft practices of India to come into the mainstream of construction,” Aggarwal claims.

The store also features a number of private lounges, where those less interested in shopping can take a break.

“Bridal wear in India is a big thing,” Aggarwal explains. “It’s always a big family affair where you have eight to nine people coming in just to select a couple of dresses. The focus was to get the people who are really interested to shop and the people who are not really interested to entertain them in a different place.”

This movie was filmed at Inside Festival 2013, which took place at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore from 2 to 4 October. The next Inside Festival will take place at the same venue from 1 to 3 October 2014. Award entries are open February to June 2014.

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craft practices with modern construction” appeared first on Dezeen.

Indian studio Khosla Associates used a modular concrete framework, bold colours and perforated terracotta screens to create this climate-sensitive kindergarten in Bangalore, which topped the education category at the Inside Festival awards earlier this month.

Khosla Associates designed the Delhi Public School kindergarten as a prototype for a series of school buildings that will be rolled out around southern India in the future.

“We were asked to create a simple and cost-effective language that could be adapted easily to different site conditions and slightly varying programs,” explained architects Sandeep Khosla and Amaresh Anand.

A modular concrete framework provides a standard size for the classrooms, which in some places are stacked to create a second storey.

There are 25 classrooms in total and they are arranged around a pair of courtyards that can be used as either playgrounds or outdoor learning spaces.

“The central linear open-to-sky court is the soul of the school and facilitates learning outside the classroom,” said the architects.

Rather than adding air-conditioning systems, Khosla and Anand wanted to make use of natural light and ventilation throughout the building, so they installed a series of perforated screens.

Constructed from two standard types of perforated brick, these decorative screens – referred to locally as jaalis – reduce the impact of direct sunlight and enable cross ventilation.

In places where more solid walls were needed, the architects added corrugated metal sheets in vivid shades, intended to reference the colours of traditional Indian textiles.

“The simplicity of the repetitive exposed concrete structure is what eventually dictated the design outcome as we added flexible layers onto it,” they explained.

Corridors run around the central perimeter of the school, while a bright red staircase connects the ground floor with classrooms on the upper level.

The kindergarten is the first of four blocks proposed for this site and will be followed by construction of junior, middle and senior school buildings.

Photography is by Shamanth Patil J.

Read on for a project description from Khosla Associates:

DPS Kindergarten School, Bangalore, India

The brief called for us to design a franchise for a popular north Indian school chain called Delhi Public School.

Since the model was to be potentially replicated across several schools in South India, we were asked to create a simple and cost effective language that could be adapted easily to different site conditions and slightly varying programs.

While the overall master plan currently under construction comprises a kindergarten, junior, middle and senior school block that will eventually cater to 4000 children; the current kindergarten facility has 25 classrooms, and with 40 children a class, a total strength of 1000.

The primary challenge was to design and complete construction of the first 35,000 sft. Kindergarten block within a 6-month time span at an efficient cost of Rs.1200/sft (USD $20/sft). The efficiencies of designing and constructing a building so rapidly had to be balanced with what we believed in; creating a warm, playful and welcoming environment for these young children that would be filled with natural light and ventilation. We set out to achieve our goal by creating an efficient modular system that we could use as building blocks. We looked at the basic module of a 700 sft classroom (35ft x 20 ft.) that could be repeated horizontally, or stacked one atop the other.

The classrooms on either side flank an 8ft wide single loaded corridor and open up to a central open-to-sky courtyard.

The simplicity of the repetitive exposed concrete structure is what eventually dictated the design outcome as we added flexible layers onto it. We added a corrugated metal wall on all corridors, which would serve a dual purpose; facilitate speed of construction and be durable for the wear and tear school corridors usually take. The corrugated sheets also gave us the opportunity to play with pattern and use tropical colours typical of the vernacular architecture of the region.

Other contextual references are in the vernacular terracotta jaalis (shading and ventilation screens used traditionally in India) that wrap around parts of the building and are included on both sides of each classroom to facilitate adequate cross ventilation from NE to SW. The jaalis cut down the sun especially on the western face of the building where we have effectively used them in breakout areas.

Judging the sun directions we played with a number of devices: horizontal and vertical pergolas and a combination of two different patterns of jaali on the exterior that create interesting patterns on the building at different times of the day.

The central linear open-to–sky court that runs the entire length of the building is the soul of the school and facilitates learning outside the classroom. The temperate climate of Bangalore allows for open to sky discussion on benches surrounding the courtyard trees or on the steps of the corridors.

In an age of air-conditioned schools becoming increasingly popular, we have attempted an energy efficient and cost-effective approach that utilises minimal electrical load during the day due to effective harnessing of breezes and adequate natural light during the day. It is our hope as architects that we are able to take this simple yet effective typology further to other franchises in the region.

Architects: Khosla Associates
Principal Designers: Sandeep Khosla and Amaresh Anand
Design Team: Sandeep Khosla, Amaresh Anand, and Bijeta Bachaspati
Structural Engineers: S&S Associates Civil
Contractors: Gomini Constructions Pvt. Ltd.
Project Management: Kris Cooper Pvt. Ltd.
Landscape: Garden World Pvt. Ltd.
Date completed: 31st May 2013
Area: 43967 sq ft

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by Khosla Associates appeared first on Dezeen.

Concrete canopies shaped like leaves shelter the rooms of this house in the coastal town of Alibaug, India, by SJK Architects (+ slideshow).

Mumbai studio SJK Architects designed the home for a family, dividing the living spaces into five rooms that fan out around a central courtyard and large tree.

Supported by angled steel columns, the concrete roof canopies shelter all five rooms, which include four spaces surrounded by glazing and an open-air living room bordered by a lily pond and pool.

“The client enjoyed the idea of pods [that were] overlapping but distinct to house each part of the home,” the architects said. “They [wanted] the journey between pods to be a sculpted open space encompassing native trees.”

One of the pods accommodates a second living room, while the others house a kitchen, a childrens’ room and master bedroom. The two sleeping pods also have their own private courtyards.

Wooden doors fold back to open rooms out to the garden, plus glazed walls could be removed to create more open spaces.

“The lack of symmetry allows for walls to move as needed, open as needed and break into skylights or movable walls when required,” said the architects. “This allows sun and wind to enter the pods in the right amount, so that the quality of indoor light and air is dramatic and comfortable.”

Polished concrete floors feature throughout the house. The architects also tried to retain most of the existing plants on the site, including a number of coconut, neem and mango trees.

Other tree-like architecture on Dezeen includes a pavilion in Australia with roof sections that resemble fallen leaves and a house in London covered with hand-crafted bronze leaves.

See more architecture in India »

Photography is by Rajesh Vora.

Here’s a project description from the architects:

The Leaf House

Across the harbour from the chaos of Mumbai lies the coastal area of Alibaug – a 45 minute boat ride away from crowds, 22 million people and the lowest open space ratio in the world.

Our project – to create a family home of 650sqm on a 1.3 acre plot of land at the base of the hills, but far removed from the sea. Land lush with the native coconut, mango and neem trees, and peers up at the sunrise on the eastern hills above it. It was a beautiful property – we wanted to include the hills and trees and the gentle winds – the leaves strewn over the earth were the perfect cue.

The form of the leaf – gentle but sloping was perfect and our very first sight of the plot yielded a site plan made of dried leaves. The Client enjoyed the idea of pods – overlapping but distinct, to house each part of the home, and the journey between pods, to be sculpted open space encompassing native trees. The clump of neem, bhend and coconut became the centre – an unstructured but designed courtyard, and each pod was created with an eye to the sun and the winds.

The “leaf” roofs open and rise to the north and the east and protect lower and deeper on the south and the west – the southwest monsoon is a formidable factor as is the sun on these faces. The critical design of the leaf – structurally, climatically and then ergonomically entailed innovation at every step.

The first-structural, involved the use of dense concrete and a steel web, to generate beamless, leaf-shells, supported over steel columns filled with concrete. Retaining the natural colour and texture of every material- concrete, steel, to endure the tropical rain and sun required research into clear chemical coatings that would endure and embellish.

The roofs were 3D modelled extensively to ensure that sun & rain and overlapping heights worked seamlessly. And then the ergonomics to allow doors, windows and cupboards that still adhered to orthogonal principles to sit cozily in the unorthodox leaf.

The pallet of materials – concrete, steel, linseed oil polished wood and natural limestone was kept subdued to focus on the light, the form and the enthralling nature around encompassing the structure. The simplicity of every other element to ensure the pure experience of space, form light and nature was a deliberate pursuit. However, there was a constant dialectic between creating rules and breaking them. We enjoyed the form but never allowed it to play dictator.

Each pod has played with different rules depending on need and circumstance. The lack of symmetry allows for walls to move as needed, open as needed and break into skylights or movable walls when required. This allowed for sun and wind to enter the pod in the right amount, so that quality of indoor light and air is dramatic and comfortable. The landscape for the house was carefully designed to augment the existing natural flora and fauna.

Local plant varieties were used – and nothing exotic was even considered lest it compete for attention or resources with the existing mango, coconut and neem. We used lemon grass extensively to counter mosquitos, and retain the simplicity of language. Rain water harvesting was important on this land where the bore wells ran dry most of the year. We have gathered all rain water run off into underground trenches and canals, and fed the bore wells to very good results.

The house began as an exploration of natural forms, built and designed to sit in nature. It encountered the manmade constructs of doors, windows and domestic gizmos – the orthogonal products of an industrial economy. Navigating and refining this encounter, into a serene and natural environment for a family to live in complete comfort, embedded in nature, was the challenge of this project.

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SJK Architects appeared first on Dezeen.

Le photographe Rakesh JV réalise des clichés magnifiques, y compris des moments de la Shivaratri festival, à Maha en Inde, une célébration annuelle hindoue afin de vénérer Shiva. Une sélection de photos et une très belle série de « Face Painting » à couper le souffle, sont à découvrir dans la suite de l’article.

News: architect David Adjaye has unveiled his design for a facility to house master silk weavers in Varanasi, India.

The building will provide a hub for training artisans in silk weaving, as well as offering classes in business development. Facilities will include clean water, green energy and communal areas to help improve the quality of life for residents of the world’s oldest living city.

The project was commissioned by luxury clothing and accessories brand Maiyet, who asked David Adjaye “to respect the integrity of the location and partnership” in his design.

“This project is an amazing combination of context, place and tradition. It represents the reinvigoration of an extraordinary craft that is knitted to the heritage of Varanasi: its diverse culture, religion and architecture,” said Adjaye, adding on his website: “The building aims to engage with this legacy – while offering a new contemporary typology for an artisanal workshop that will provide a much needed space for a wider community.”

We spoke to David Adjaye earlier this year during our Dezeen and MINI World Tour visit to Design Indaba in South Africa, where he told us about the opportunities available to architects in Africa.

Adjaye has also designed an exhibition of work by Indian architect Charles Correa that is currently on show at the RIBA in London – see all architecture by David Adjaye.

Here’s a statement released by Maiyet:

Maiyet announces Varanasi project

Maiyet launches a limited edition capsule collection with Barneys New York, featuring the exclusive collaboration between Maiyet, Nest and master silk weavers from Varanasi, India

May 9th, 2013- Maiyet is deeply committed to forging partnerships with artisans to promote sustainable business growth in challenging global economies. The brand who pioneers new luxury by celebrating rare skills from unexpected places found in Varanasi, India, the perfect place to launch a strategic partnership with Nest – an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to training and developing artisan businesses. “During our first trip to India, we recognized the amazing potential of the hand woven silks of Varanasi as true artisanal luxury, with the help of Nest, we are now capable of partnering with an inspiring group of artisans to consistently create unique, modern and beautiful materials.” said Kristy Caylor Creative Director and President of Maiyet.

Varanasi, India is the oldest living city on earth with the incredible historic tradition of ancient hand-woven silk. In order to keep this rare skill alive Maiyet and Nest have worked together with the Varanasi weavers to rethink, redesign and redefine their craft production in a way that is revolutionary. As part of the strategic partnership program, Maiyet and Nest develop training programs, business and leadership development. The implementation of a weaving facility in Varanasi will create the first hub to centralize the program.

Paul van Zyl, Co-founder and CEO of Maiyet believes “this silk weaving facility will help preserve a cultural treasure and allow a community to earn sufficient resources to lead a life of dignity.” The facility will improve the capacity and the ability of the weavers as well as be a place to train the next generation of artisans. The facility will also be a community center providing clean water, green energy, training and communal spaces for meetings and events. This is a full circle moment for the young luxury brand and the group of weavers who have been working together since Maiyet’s first debut collection in October 2011.

Maiyet has commissioned renowned architect David Adjaye to design the facility – challenging him to respect the integrity of the location and partnership. “This project is an amazing combination of context, place and tradition. It represents the reinvigoration of an extraordinary craft that is knitted to the heritage of Varanasi: its diverse culture, religion and architecture,” said Adjaye. Adjaye has won a number of prestigious commissions; he was recently selected in a competition to design the $500 million national Museum of African American History and Culture, part of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Some of his past work includes the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo and the private home of Alexander McQueen.

Maiyet’s limited edition capsule collection of ready-to-wear pieces and accessories are available exclusively at Barneys New York.

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