Interview with Ariane Thakore Ginwala

We design all kinds of furniture- chairs, coffee tables, beds, consoles and wish to design more of the same.

A good designer can design beautiful things but a great designer will design beautiful things which are also functional and agronomical.

A perfect balance of proportions, form, function and comfort.

I am currently realizing my dream project with a Wildlife Experiential Project.

Imagination.

The ‘Forest Collection’ is my greatest collection. The translation of the micro-ecology of the forest into the furniture was not only an exhilarating design process but I enjoyed every bit of the execution too.

I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

It’s my family, my team at work, the craftsmen I work with. It’s a lot of people.

I don’t believe I have already become a great designer.

Again, I don’t think I am a master of my craft yet.

I don’t abide by people’s expectations of me. I trust my instincts and go with it.

Design should not just solve the problems of today but of the future too. I particularly detest the machine-production of furniture because we are losing age-old traditions and techniques. To be a better society, designs should be sustainable not in terms of the materials but also in terms of the craft and help give craftsmen their due that allows them to push their limits as well.

We are working on a new wildlife experiential hotel project which is going to be really interesting for the Indian market.

The ‘Forest Collection’ is my greatest collection. The translation of the micro-ecology of the forest into the furniture was not only an exhilarating design process but I enjoyed every bit of the execution too.

The ‘Forest Collection’ is my greatest collection. The translation of the micro-ecology of the forest into the furniture was not only an exhilarating design process but I enjoyed every bit of the execution too.

It’s headed in multiple directions. One, is of course being more sustainable through upcycling and repurposing. And secondly, going back to old techniques and crafts that seemed to be fading with every coming generation of craftsmen.

It varies.

Start with inspiration.

The motto evolves as you evolve as a designer. Currently, I am in the phase where sustainability is my primary motto

OF course design sets the trend. It can never be the other way around.

I keep my technological use to be as minimum as possible. I believe in hand drawings and hand-crafting and that’s how I work.

We use the basics- AutoCad, Photoshop, SketchUp and traditional methods of drafting.

I mean, the material and colours are pre-requisites for a design to take place and what material and colour we use would depend upon the ambience.

I wish people would ask about the source of the design. Not just in terms of inspiration but also in terms of material and sustainability.

It’s admiration for the designer.

I am yet to experience the process of co-designing but I am open towards it.

I don’t think it was the people, it comes from nature, travel, heritage etc.

I am yet to come across one.

I feel I am still working on my skills.

I am not famous.

I knew I’d be a designer, I am not sure about the great part though.

After coming back from Kent, I went back to the very designer that had inspired me as a child to gain some work experience for a couple of years and then started my very own deisgn studio.

Aesthetically functional, ergonomically efficient and above all, sustainable.

Furniture rooted in vernacual design but reinterpreted for a contemporary space.

There are too many, you can’t ask a mother to pick a favourite.

We designed chairs for my very own company.

Wood with techniques like inlay & mosaic.

When I am out in the nature, when I am in heritage spaces or around antiquities.

Ergonomic form, Aesthetic yet functional and sustainable.

Nervousness and apprehension yet a sense of positivity and excitement

Sense of satisfaction and personal accomplishment

A perfect balance of proportions, form and function

Being as sustainable as possible in their designs and to not deplete the resources they are offered by nature.

It was in April of 2019 in Chennai & Bangalore. My next exhibit is going to be the Architectural Digest Design Show tentatively in October.

At the end of the day, nature is the ultimate source of inspiration for any artist. Our most acclaimed collection, ‘The Forest Collection’ was inspired by my recent travels to the Borneo Rainforest. The Turkey Tail Table itself was inspired by the mushrooms, fungi and the micro-ecology of the forest

Vernacularly contemporary and that’s my instinctive approach to design and my own style.

I live in India in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, INDIA that is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It influences me heavily in every aspect.

I begin with observation. If something catches my eye, I explore the form, colors and textures and translate those into furniture pieces.

I wake up early and have a cup of coffee. Do breathing exercises, go for a walk. Have the most important meal of the day, breakfast. Get to work and shuttle between the studio and the workshop. Evenings are for Pilates and end the day with some Netflix and reading.

Trust your gut. Work on your instincts. Don’t get swamped up in trends but forge a path for your own style.

There are no negatives. You get to start every day with a blank canvas and have such creative freedom that ultimately it liberates and heals me as a person.

Sketching, understanding of proportions, Creative and functional visualization and the knack for business and execution.

I am very old school. I use paper and pencil, even an eraser because we all make mistakes.

With extreme focus, immaculate coordination and an impeccable team that is the backbone of the company.

It varies. Sometimes, you get it right at one go, sometimes it can take several reiterations

Furniture work that has its basis in hand-crafting techniques. I am not a huge fan of technology and machine production.

To develop more collections for This and That and eventually build a vocational center to breathe life into dying techniques of hand-crafting like inlay, mosaic and metal-work.

I develop them myself

We are working on a new wildlife experiential hotel project which is going to be really interesting for the Indian market.

Instagram: thisandthatindia
Facebook: thisandthatindia
Website: thisandthat.in
Email: connect@thisandthat.in