Interviews with Nischal Abhaykumar

My association with the design world started way back in 1999 when I entered the Architecture school and since then there has been no looking back. I have been privileged to study in design schools of high rankings and learn from the most prominent designers in the industry. Ben Van Berkle (UNStudio) was the dean at SAC. His design ideologies to some extent continue to influence me even today.

I consider design abilities to be my super power. We as designers have the ability to influence the way people live their lives. We also have the ability to make dreams come alive.

I find myself very comfortable in spaces which stimulate senses of see, touch, feel and smell. These senses are pretty much the basics of human behaviour. I try to bring some of these qualities to the spaces we design.

Each scenario is different, unique to location and end user – it is almost like problem solving. It is important to bring timeless quality to design relevant to changing lifestyles – one that lives and ages well.

I am a keen observer and a good listener.

My design approach is very context driven. I want to be able to look at design beyond the confines of culture, location and prevalent acceptable norms and be able to freely explore and contribute. My wish is to work on projects in different parts of the world and design the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion someday.

The biggest learning over the years has been to accept the limitations of the chaotic construction industry and adapt them to design solutions. We tweak the design based on the capabilities of the executing team to achieve a good outcome. A good design falls flat if its not executed properly.

Sincerity and hard work go a long way.

I don’t have a very exciting routine as such. First thing I do when I walk into the office is nurse the plants. We are a small team of 8 designers, so sitting with them and charting out the work schedule, site work progress, issues to be resolved, etc. drives a regular work day.

Design blogs are good for news and awareness of whats going on in the design world. I don’t really believe in design trends.

The CMRU Admin and Academic block has been most fun to work on. Its also because I am drawn to steel constructions more as they are very precise with minimum room for error and its fast. We finished that building in 5 months.

Award meets are very motivating. They help you meet like-minded people, talk about your work and experiences and learn from theirs.

From design to execution, everything in 75 days.

The client used to run the garden café with a small kitchen in the old residence. But she desired to convert this informal café into a community space for movie screenings and art events. They shared the idea with us over a casual conversation that evolved into a design brief – to optimise utilisation of the space and cater to a variety of art performances.

The Art and design community.

Redefining a space brings with it infinite perspectives – one that binds the various aspects with utmost practicality and utility. The Courtyard manages to create an arena of materials and finishes that not only resonate with the activities but also complement the purpose of the space.

We won a national design competition in India called FOAID Architecture Ideas and the winning entry was sent further for this international design competition.