Wanting to know design behind a design
Wanting to know what goes behind a beautiful design, the screw behind the wheel; I went to search for something about industry. I came back fascinated with these stunning industrial photographs instead. These are works of very talented Indian photographers: Rohinton Irani, Sanat Ghosh, Ian Pereira , K L Raja and Studio Neon.
image courtesy Rohinton Irani
image courtesy Sanat Ghosh
image via Rohinton Irani
image via Ian Pereira
Modern Indian architecture and interior with traditional twinge
“None of the homes we design have screaming facades. They have nothing to prove to anyone”, says the architect Sandeep Khosla.
Architect Sandeep Khosla, based in Bengaluru uses tropical residential architecture with local and new materials turning traditional concepts into innovative interpretations. The way he blurs the line between indoors and outdoors is clever and adorable.
He with his associate Amaresh Anand (khosla associate) creates spaces which are heady mix of ideas, layers, textures, levels, water bodies and pebbled planes. He balances basic energies with natural and luxe materials, solid walls and glass expanses side by side.
restoration-1864
mtv office, Bengaluru
“None of the homes we design …. says the architect. Agree; a solid rustic bench, blushing pink, Indian colours, raw silk overhead lamp, a tree inside the house, ‘neel blue’ accent door creates such a seamless whole you think you have best of both the worlds.
Zero bags- Shunya bags
Zero or shunya as called in Hindi has its origin in India. Indian astronomer, mathematician Aryabhatt in 5th century AD gave impetus to mathematics by his contribution of zero. Later its usage was detailed by another Indian scholar Brahmagupta.
This shunya bag is created by Indian graphic artist and designer Divya Thakur of Design Temple. Personal items like laptop, wallet, and notebook can be carried in this leather bag.
Mumbai based Divya’s desire to transgress the limitations of medium, origin and time has resulted in products which speaks Indian influenced contemporary design language. Her paper products are quite eclectic too.
When we stored water that too we did in style. Style is incorrect. Splendour or magnificence is the right word for it.
We stored water in stepwells. Stepwells (bawdi or baoli or vav) are in essence wells in which the water can be reached by descending a set of steps.
Stepwells are most certainly one of India’s most unique, but little-known, contributions to architecture.
Stepwells were most common in western India, especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
stepwell- Adalaj, Gujarat
stepwell-Adalaj-Gujarat
Stepwells were built deep into the earth about 5 to6 storeys in height. These wells were designed to bring people & god and water & life together. These wells meant to entice everyone to leave their abode for a cool drink of water and retreat.These were for dependable, year-round groundwater.
Stepwell-Bundi, Rajasthan
Stepwell carvings
stepwell-Pushkarni,Vijayanagara-Karnataka
Rani ki vav, Patan, Gujarat
The vavs or baolis (stepwells) consisted of two parts, a vertical shaft from which water was drawn and the surrounding it were the inclined subterranean passageways, chambers and steps, which provided access to the well. The galleries and chambers surrounding these wells were carved generously, which became cool retreats during summers.
Walls of stepwells were lined with blocks of stone, without mortar, and created stairs leading up to the water.
While appreciating the carvings let us not forget the science and engineering skills behind these. So many pillars and lintels are made to support the five or seven storeys and that too everything under the surface of the earth.
Stepwells have also withstood the earthquakes in the range of 7.6 on the Richter scale – the large flat stones joined superbly are hard to move.
These were rainwater harvesting methods of that period.
(An immensely practical idea, the stepwell lost out with the advent of British Raj, who were extremely unhappy with the quality of hygiene that existed in these wells, they installed pipes and pumps.)
Stepwell-Imambara and Adalaj
click to enlarge
Fern
Lily
A garden too lazy to grow up. Or if we are too lazy to look after a garden then the answer is provided by Alex Davis.
Indian designer Alex Davis creates poetry in his designs. He takes a tender fern and lily pond and then he takes a hard, stark material steel and creates a garden!
In his lazy garden bamboo sings, Olivia swirls, lily spreads, fern shy away and creepers just sit on window sill.
4 categories of ‘architectural plants’ like bamboo, lily, ivy and monestarial take root.
His creations are made of steel with laser cutting, hand craftsmanship and hand polishing.
These creations can be used indoor as well as outdoor and in water bodies too.
creepers
pebbles
Please Do Not use or reproduce any of these images without written permission of the designer Alex Davis.
This is a game. If you guess it right then you will be awarded with a stunningly beautiful prize from me.
exploision by John Crowley
Guess what this beautuful box is made of.
chair by Rodrigo Lima
Could you guess the material of the chair.
sitting by Bernie Estep
Guess right and take this beauty home.
bird-house by Kate Heckman
This bird-house is all yours if you guess correcrtly.
keeping tabs by Patsy Davila
Keep guessing & win this beautiful necklace
