Interview with Prashant Chauhan

ZERO9, is a multi-faceted design studio with prime expertise in space and graphics. Under the studio we offer design and build services for architecture, interiors, exhibitions and advertising. The team comprises of designers from various design streams creating a very fertile design environment for the design aspirants. We constantly listen to the client to gather about them and their lifestyle which eventually reflects into the design.

Design is an exploration. The deeper you explore, you are bound to achieve the higher self.

I absolutely love doing expo stands for it combines the expertise of temporary architecture, interior design, branding, advertising and a tight scheduled project management which brings out the best in us by combining the dynamics at our design studio.

Dimexon Expo Stand is my favourite design where we have explored simplistic architectural forms. The Double Height space with a Spider Glazed wall communicated the inner space to the visitor almost at the beginning making it visually transparent and more accessible. The sleek staircase with glass railing brings the brands ideology to details. Moreover the entire stand was made on nut & bolt system which ensured the use of the expo stand for more than three years.

The first thing we did for a company was a modular exhibition stall which could be broken down into smaller stalls and placed an any venue as a self contained kiosk. This modular design led us into exploring more with exhibition stalls.

We explore almost every material and technology around it. I prefer exploring with glass as it allows maximum rendering possibilities. With the inclusion of PVB films glass can actually used as a building material without any hesitation for its strength.

I feel most creative when i am close to the nature. Holidays, Weekend breaks and Daily gazing at sky energises me with the immense creativity available in the nature. Observing the intricacy with with each element of nature via my camera also leads to this creative explosion.

We design for people. And i think we usually focus on the user, his lifestyle and his taste. If the user connects with our designed product, that is the biggest achievement. Hence apart from the basics of form, pattern and functions our prime focus is always the client.

When designing, the sense of joy is always cherished. The process of design is extreme fun and makes the entire journey desirable.

delight. Its always such a delight to see your sketches transform into drawings and drawings into spaces.

The client using the design the way it has been designed is the success of every design.

Visual Aspect is a prime necessity in addition to a functional design. I would always prioritise visual aspect as i feel a design can be functional for sure but the end user always needs the visual charm to communicate to him its story.

The designer influences the next generation to think more logically, designer today are hence responsible to not only design for their clients but also create an awareness of minimal environmental impact.

design awareness is ample these days. Every client know what they are looking for. Hence the future of design lies in making the future more sensitive and environment friendly. The future of design is not just smart but also sensible.

The last exhibition i held was of my photography explorations of travels around india. The next i would love to do is very soon with my explorations around South of France and Italy.

Nature. The rhythm in which a flock of birds make their own pattern, The intricate patterns on every single butterfly, The leaves, the stones, the river. the sources are immense when we simply look around us.

My personal design style would be clutter free, minimal. I think my inclination towards scriptures and spiritual content has influenced me to live in the moment and not prioritise the future or live in the past glory. what is now is here and thats the ultimate truth. Simplicity in design is more about this.

I live in the hustle bustle of Mumbai, the dream city. The city is a magnet which attracts almost everyone from every corner of the globe for its busy city life. I think my life in Mumbai has led me to value space and volume as its in scarcity.

We have had a very memorable journeys with most companies we have worked with. We often extend to their needs in design arenas apart from the one we are already appointed for like advertising, residence interiors, exhibitions and sometimes even their family logos. We usually work with clients on a long term association which makes us an extension of their company as their design partners.

Companies simply need to hire a designer whom they can trust. Later its the designers job to understand the company and its brand philosophy and reflect the same in his design.

Our design process is quiet simple. We listen and understand client's requirement with which we first resolve the basic layouts. Once the basic layouts are in place, we bring in a layer of clients lifestyle with our value addition suggestions. These VA proposals are usually optional and we try and understand clients reaction to them which gives us a good feedback on how we should proceed.

Window Seat, UnPolished Local Stone in Floor, Stone Wash Basin made in-situ, Niches that display my fond items and off course candles that light up my life.

A day in my life starts with my sunshine (my son) smiling at me wishing me good morning. Later we have a healthy and lengthy breakfast together as family which is the perfect boost for the day thereon. At work i usually prioritise the days tasks and then take it from there.

The road to success is never easy. There will be lots of challenges on daily basis. The ultimate winner is the one who rises after each defeat. So never give up is the only mantra. Remember 'the obstacle is the path'

Well being designer can be really addictive. You might end up watching a movie and only notice those perfect blue curtains.

Always listen to the client.

Persistence is the prime most important skill for a designer.

Pencil 2B and any hard surface to sketch on.

I usually believe in making a list and prioritising the tasks. Eventually everything falls in place once you start prioritising things a moment by moment.

At times about 20 minutes and at times can even take about 20 years to shape up.

Can i get a discount?

The entire process of fabrication for Dimexon Expo Stand was the most memorable and important job experience as it involved a lot of skill by multiple agencies.

We have a couple of Multinational clients with whom we have been associated for more than a couple of years. These clients include Yudo, Dimexon, Marzoli, SMS, Au Finja, Abrol Group, Steelmades, Eden Group and many Private Clients.

I personally enjoy every kind of design work, since we believe design is boundless. Although Exhibitions always have a soft spot since it involves multiple design skills to get together to produce the end result.

We believe in constantly performing. So we stay at it and keep performing.

We usually work as team since thats our strength. Once we conclude the design, everyone in the team know what their individual roles are.

We are currently working on a couple of apartment buildings in Mumbai which are mini experiments as far as materials are concerned.

We can be contacted easily by our website which is very user-friendly as designed by ourselves. The Connect page on our website ( www.zero9.in ) even allows you to leave us a message which we usually respond within a couple of hours of receipt. If a prompt response is what you look for do call us on +91 22 42661709 we would be waiting to answer you.

No. Mostly everything is covered. Thank You.