Q. What qualities or features do you think an iconic design should possess? What according to you makes a design iconic?
Q. Out of all your projects, please enlighten us with details of your most unique project and what made it stand out?
Self expression has become the central theme of almost every design in the informed world we live in. User experiences are centric to the process of design be it a home or an arena.
To meet these expectations if a design is to be noticed it has to offer a sense of ‘difference’.
One of our most recent projects ‘Dancing with Nature’ is symbolic of that. Taking our client’s simple and minimalistic philosophies in life to heart, we gave it our own unique twist in the design. The entire house was designed to mimic dancers in an intimate embrace and we started by creating a union between the home and its surroundings.
The palette – Grey, Lightwood, Bianco Beige marble and Brass – repeats itself over the home, in unique and interesting patterns. The interior feels light and airy and is regularly punctuated by a lush green; either indoor palms or outdoor trees. Ceilings are white, only accented by subtle cove lighting in some spaces or statement pendant lighting.
The lift wall cladding is a Bianco marble stone wrap with a minimalistic control panel. As the core is centrally located, the subtle onyx lighting and combination of light and dark stone makes an elegant setting. The puja room door has been inspired by the natural phenomenon of light filtered through foliage. The combination of light coloured heavy grained timber and inset triangles of brass bring in an aesthetic that is modern with a tinge of antique. The puja room is located adjacent to the formal drawing room and hence this design is an apt portal that takes you from the realm of everyday living to a spiritual space.
Q. What are the new signature styles or trends that you have been noticing in the field of designing today? Is there anything exciting that you haven't done yet and planning to incorporate the same in your future projects?
Q. Are there any designs you look up to? If yes, what do you admire the most about it?
Q. What message would you like to give to your audience, in terms of planning, inspiration and your overall execution strategy?
Inspiration for my work is sought through a sense of self belief, determination and perseverance. The self belief that we, as Urban Zen, have set out to change the world we live in. We look to follow the three E’s – Environment where we look to keep to a minimum the carbon footprint we generate; Equitable where we keep things equitable because we come from a country that’s disparate; and Experiential where we look to make all our designs aspirational. All our projects are grounded and firmly routed within the saga of creating dramatic difference. Urban Zen has always had a single vision in mind; to bring designs that are dramatically different to realization through flawless design and execution.