Xpressionz of an Architect

This was one of my favorite projects to work on. Designing it was an educating experience in itself. The client was Micro Technologies, a software firm which did business globally. The function of the office spaces was to adapt to its ever changing needs. The concept was of a circular lobby entrance opening to a series of offices with a central corridor. As the concept evolved with the clear geometric forms , InfoTech park got a character of its own. The internal floor beams were tried to be kept consistent as the internal wall locations were not fixed and the spaces wanted flexibility. If you compare my original sketch and see the actual completed structure u could come to know the whole process.

Location: Vashi, Navi Mumbai

Client: http://www.microtechnologies.net/index.asp

Initial Sketch

 

Finished Project

 

I began my career in Bombay, India. I worked for Late Architect Satish Haware for 5 years at the beginning of my career. I knew Satish as I had been an Intern in my vacation time at his Vashi office. He was more of mentor to me and has an influence over my career in more ways then one. The firm grew from a 5 person firm to a whole some 200+ employees in a matter of3 years. The construction scene at that time in Bombay was very interesting. The real estate rates were touching the sky and the market was under recession during late 90’s.Bombay was bursting out of its seams and had all the problems faced by a growing city. This was right around the onset of software boom which changed the whole face of the economy. There were a lot of facilities and commercial office spaces designed for the new era professionals in the software industry. Massive software parks which were essentially huge buildings with glass facade. I see it clearly in my head when I had started working on my first project in Kharghar, New Mumbai which is the satellite town for Mumbai we had to find our site from a site marker wooden stick. This was all based on assumptions; there were no roads or street lights. There was acre and acres of land as far as your eyes could see. Slowly and steadily over the years we had done many residential towers (approx. 10 per year). I have seen this city grow in front of my eyes. I see after 3 years the city is close to being a concrete jungle. I see how globalization has imbibed thru the texture of the society. It’s a global city with upscale fashion boutiques and malls along with hotels and designers all around the globe. I was talking to myself when I was visiting it after staying almost 2 years in US, wait a minute is this the same city!!!! Gosh its changed a lot. It has a definitive skyline. I am proud to say that I had a say in defining the skyline of this city. What else could an Architect’s soul ask for? Kudos to a mesmerizing city and thanks a bunch to everybody who made it possible.

I visited Miami last week of December ‘06. Miami was full of surprises. It’s one of the fast growing fashion hubs with its diverse cultural influence. The feeling I got here was similar to European places like Paris, Milan. The Lincoln road mall is a series of shops lined along couple of city blocks which has world renowned brands from apparel to accessories mixed with restaurants, European style seating outside on the side walks. This was all at a walking distance from the beaches. South beach has incredible clear deep blue water.

To my amazement I found out that the area marked between 5^th and 15^th street at Miami Beach houses art deco style architecture. The structures here are unique examples of good preservation. Lot of use of cast in place concrete to achieve the art deco style. This was reminiscent of Bombay, India where I grew up, there is an evident influence of art deco style throughout. Another interesting thing I thought would share with you is the hotel which we were staying in, The Royal Palms hotel was initially built in 1939. When they had to renovate and rebuild it in the late 90’s, the building codes were so laid that they had to build the new hotel from the original plans and elevations of the 30’s. It’s so unbelievable that this hotel is built in the 90’s, doing perfect justice to the art deco architecture. The original stone front desk is still preserved and used in combination with glass. The hotel lobby gives a good example of mixing the art deco style with modernist ideas.