Shivangi Narke has worked on prestigious design projects that included Apple retail stores, Coach Stores, Nokia flagship stores and a seating system for a major furniture manufacturer in USA.
Her heart was however set on coming back home, so armed with an international design sensibility and work across architectural and multi-disciplinary design firms, she launched
Kaleido Architecture, in Mumbai. “This is a channel through which I am continuously amalgamating my learnings from the west and the east – and producing innovative thoughts and designs.” With a deep design love for furniture by Jean Prouve, who really established the idea of modern form and design aesthetics to interiors in the 60s. She has tried to bring this kind of intelligence to the spaces and furniture she designs as well.
While enjoying using a lot eco- friendly materials she utilizes techniques of incorporating sustainable material and then adapts this for the Indian climatic context. Like the home shown in the image, this 5000 sq ft home in Nasik, a single family residence, which gave Kaleido an opportunity, to design a structure that juxtaposes the natural character of the site and the client’s requirements to create beautiful experiential spaces that interact with each other.
In the case of furniture design, she feels we still have a long way to go, “furniture design in western countries use bamboo plywood for contemporary furniture which is not seen in India yet and that there is growing emphasis being given to LEED certified of environmentally sustainable projects”, which is something Shivangi feels she would like make people aware of, and convince them to use. But she ads that since here clientele is becoming more aware and well travelled, discussing these ideas while commissioning a design, can be made possible sooner rather than later. But in true desi style “everyone wants it inexpensive!” exclaims, Shivangi.
Her enthusiastic and drive while working on any project to help her do justice. “For example I am currently working on renovating an old villa into a modern luxurious one. It is exciting because I don’t have blank sheet of paper here to draw. I have to work with lot of limitations to produce something beautiful.”
Jean Claude Biguine Salon in South Mumbai, by Kaleido Architecture - Image Courtesy KaleidoArch
This young entrepreneur and mother understands the intricacies of drawing a fine balance. “People who are immersed and passionate about the work they do and not afraid to tread the difficult path are a constant source of inspiration for me. I am especially drawn stories of successful women entrepreneurs especially in design filled and those who are moms.” I stay inspired by studying people, or my clients and their behaviour to figure out what they need.
Creation Process
Speaking of working on her skill as a designer, something that extends from Architecture, into Interiors as well Product and Furniture Design – she says, “I have learnt that designing is an elaborate process. It is not as a doodle on a napkin. It has a lot of research behind it. You have to come up with lot of different ideas and variations and then finalize the best and only then applying that to your research for the final piece. When I start a project, I spend significant amount of time visualizing the final output. It is almost like meditating, until every aspect of it is internalized in me.”
After this she gets immersed into materials, lighting should and production processes. It also involves talking to experts, basic academic study, reading examples of successful implementation and path breaking ideas. Next, it comes to project planning and execution – the best person for the right job and believes in dealing “only” with experts.” My quest for perfecting this craft is perfecting and innovating various approaches of this process.”
A Spa by Kaleido Architecture - Image Courtesy KaleidoArch
Timelessness
I think any authentic and pure technique is timeless. For example woodwork with joinery details is timeless. Patterns of basket weaving are timeless. Hand-woven textiles are timeless. If one uses these technique with contemporary aesthetics then the byproduct will be timeless. That’s the reason some of the most beautiful furniture pieces by some famous mid-century architects and designers look perfect in an interior setting even today.
On Innovations
I think, today, because of the immense information available on the internet, you get to see amazing innovations almost everyday. But what I like most are simple but very innovative ideas like how a fold of card paper can be a locking system for a ‘Cool Mint’ box. Or how ‘Rin’ (which is used in almost 80% of households in India has a net and nylon pouch so that the soap does not drain off. I am looking forward to working on two diverse fields of design.
Innovative cash table for JCB Salon by Kaleido Architecture. Image Courtesy - KaleidoArch
Mentors
I admire how these people in various aspects of designs have helped me imbibe this characteristics as well as instigate during my journey as a designer I admire and have an immense respect for Professor Steve Visser at Purdue University for pushing me beyond what I thought was my limit to come up with some unique design Ideas . In fact he guided me on a project which won me an International student design award in 2006. Also, Professor Dalvi in architecture school who developed the lovefor design in me.
I really admire the wide range of projects that my former boss at eight Inc, Tim Kobe has worked on. In the international arena, I also admire Patricia Urquiola Spanish furniture /product designer for the unique and innovative furniture she designs. In India, I think that the team of Serie Architects are doing some good work.
Material
I try to use LEED certified materials as much as possible and try to educate my clients about them. Many of my clients most of the times agree but some are skeptical because usually in India LEED certified materials are bit more expensive. Yes apart from them being basically safe and ideally LEED certified I look for materials that are unique and many times but also try to explore conventional materials in a unique format.
Future Plans
I feel that every designer should always aim at making their work timeless and relevant to the user. Kaleido is also involved with some exciting architectural design, interiors and also furniture design. I will be posting some interesting blog post based on these three diverse design projects I have taken up. On one hand I will be working on architecture design of private villas and on the other hand I am developing a line of kid’s furniture.
