“Throughout Smita’s career, she has been honored with prestigious accolades, including the Narotam Sekhsaria Award in Mumbai and the Jerold Ruth Award in Chicago, along with a strong online presence reflected in over 80 five-star Google reviews and 35,000 Instagram followers. These recognitions not only validate the work at reNNovate but also inspire us to continually innovate and redefine architecture in India.”
- Could you tell us which award(s) you have won throughout your career?
I have been part of the prestigious narotam sekhsaria award-Mumbai , Jerold ruth award, Chicago, Schiffs award, Chicago womens architect award, honorary mention in addition to 80+ Five star google reviews, 35k followers on instagram which are highly prized for us at reNNovate!
- For which project did you win your most significant architectural award?
We won both Chicago womens architect award and Jerold ruth loebl award for the Maritime museum proposal at Waukegan,Illinois.
- How has winning this award impacted your career and approach to architecture?
Attempting international awards is itself daunting as the authenticity and rigor is an eye opening process. Besides being a huge confidence booster, it always brings so much exposure to international methodologies, trends and practices which can be applied in multitude of ways to ones practice in india. The design incorporated natural lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation design into a sail like roofing structure over the museum space set on revitalizing a brownfield shipping yard.
As discussed earlier, our online awards in the form of followers and reviews have fueled innovation and constant stream of projects ,fantastic opportunities and recognition. In our short span of 10 years we have been able to finish 200+ projects that is an unimaginable feat for a company focused in only 1 city.
Being from Delhi and starting a practice in Mumbai without any connections or referrals would have been an impossible task, however, branding and customer faith was made possible through our online presence.
- What architectural trends or innovations do you think are shaping the future of architecture today?
I think major innovations are happening on the materials innovation side and the software side enabling wonderful usage of textures and colours with effective communication to client side and execution teams. The most innovations can be seen in interiors based projects where the project cycles enable quick application of new trends and innovations.
Moreover, smart home technology seamlessly integrates with interior design, incorporating smart devices and voice assistants. Interactive lighting systems, including color-changing LED lights, enhance ambiance and functionality. Virtual and augmented reality technologies revolutionize the design process, offering immersive experiences.
As technology advances, we can expect even more innovative solutions to transform interior design, redefining the way we live, work, and interact with our surroundings.
- Are there any other upcoming or recent projects that you’re particularly proud of?
Our Instagram is teaming with great new projects that we feature. We are intensely proud of our 10 years in practice and can’t believe that we have finished over 200+ interior projects in Mumbai alone. We integrate international trends and material practices into homes in India and love the “glocal” design that we are able to achieve.
Talking about our recent project, this 700 sqft house in RNA Royal Park, Kanjurmarg is a complete renovation of an old flat into a new one sporting wabi-sabi influences and minimalist styling. Interiors feature wood and white combinations throughout the entire house, along with vinyl plank flooring that’s budget-friendly! The light cane furniture and ethnic summery soft furnishings give this old house a breath of fresh design. In the dining area, the wabi sabi molding conceals a sliding full height door that leads into the passageway with archways that conceal deep structural beams. All windows extended with storage yet maintaining that lightness is the essence of this home. Many column and beam offsets have been transformed into design elements like archways and bed back highlights with very little paneling or budgeting
The kitchen is a true oasis with the minty sage kitchen cabinets set to a lovely handmade black and white flooring tile and chic black handles. The counter top is a homogenous full body tie from quoting which saves a lot of budget with stain free properties. The dado is continued with the terrazzo chipped tile to create clean lines. The most refreshing part is the open shelves on one side like a breath of fresh air. Light utilitarian and oh so modern!
- What advice would you give to young architects aspiring to achieve similar recognition in the field?
Look for market gaps, don’t walk the traditional path that was there before you! Markets, design, trends, marketing and recognition are changing landscapes today.