Abha Narain Lambah Associates, Mumbai
Abha Narain Valley
Project in Focus: Ranbaas, Punjab's first luxury palace hotel, is located at Qila Mubarak in Patiala. Lambah and his team designed the interior design of this hospitality project, which is now a luxury boutique hotel operated by The Park Hotel. What was once the official guesthouse of the 18th-century fortress is now a 28-room luxury stay. The company worked with Lucent Worldwide for the lighting design. Qila Mubarak was built by the first Maharaja of Patiala and is located in the heart of the city.
Upcoming projects: A Good Earth Store in Dubai; an Indian gourmet restaurant in France; Redesign of interiors of Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru.
Material you're obsessed with: Brass
Philosophy: “Design in context.”
Grounded, Goa
Anjali Mangalgiri
Sanjeet Wahi
Project in Focus: A contemporary restoration of a 150 year old Portuguese house in Goa. Larger, updated openings invite light and breezes, creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Earthy surfaces and thoughtful details complete the home's feeling of barefoot luxury. There is a river flowing nearby and a lovely walk connects the house to the river. The restoration is a combination of historical and contemporary design elements.
Upcoming projects: A rammed earth house in Goa; a home in Washington, D.C.; an apartment renovation in Manhattan; Interiors for a penthouse in Singapore.
Material you're obsessed with: Natural boulders
Philosophy: “Build what is necessary, build in harmony with nature and the land, build spaces that evoke strong emotional responses.”
Pavitra Rajaram Design, Mumbai
Pavitra Rajaram
Hashim Badani
Project in focus: A project to restore cultural heritage in Mumbai – planned as an art and cultural space for Sarmaya, a non-profit art foundation. The 3,400-square-foot space is located in the iconic Lawrence and Mayo Building in the Fort area. “Over the years the building fell into disrepair due to lack of maintenance. We have made it our mission to breathe new life into this abandoned site.”
Upcoming Projects: A state-of-the-art new age hospital in Hyderabad; a four-hectare settlement of weekend houses in Nilgiris.
Material You're Obsessed With: Salt! I've seen it used in architecture in so many interesting ways.
Philosophy: “I want to create beautiful spaces and objects that are carefully and mindfully designed, with attention to detail, accomplished storytelling and a tribute to craft and culture.”