Driven by the notion ‘design is where art and technology break even’, Amarjeet Syali and his team of designers set up the design solution company, Locus Design Arbeit.
Delhi-based design studio Locus Design Arbeit, which is the outcome of an amalgamation of construction and design expertise, specialises in construction, project management, architecture and interiors.
The architectural company has recently designed a residence using a fusion of traditional and contemporary design elements. Over the past decade-and-a-half, Locus Design Arbeit has earned itself the reputation of always delivering merit and quality-driven results.
Amarjeet Syali, the design head and principal architect of Locus Design Arbeit, attributes this success story to the process of evolving the design and concept with the client’s long term goals as the focal point. The latest addition to the design studio’s long list of successful interior design projects is a residence, situated in a posh South Delhi locality, owned by an eminent Supreme Court lawyer, named Aman Lekhi.
As always, Amarjeet and his team of designers wove up a design scheme in sync with the client’s brief of creating a space that could celebrate his exquisite and mammoth art collection. Every single space in the house – from the lounge to the living area, home theatre, bedroom and even the stilt and terrace – were designed to accentuate the majesty of this unique art collection.
Speaking of the extent to which the client’s collection of antiques and artworks influence the scheme of design, Amarjeet says, “One hundred percent! The brief given to us was to work around the collection and we stuck to it. At the very beginning, the client handed us a catalogue of all the artefacts that the family possessed and it was made clear that each one had to be suitably accommodated. And that was our biggest challenge. Therefore, special spaces were created to highlight each and every piece.”
A key element of the interiors is the use of large-sized wall art in the way of paintings and mirrors.
So, how did he ensure that these artefacts stood out as the foci of the design? “Some of these artefacts, such as a 100-year-old chandelier or the silver furniture in the living room are objects of grandeur. We were able to highlight their full glory by reducing everything around them to the bare minimum.”
The heavy use of artefacts and antiques from the client’s collection alone would have lent a rather traditional and yesteryears’ look to the interior spaces. This monotony was broken by using a fusion of traditional and contemporary design elements. The seamless fusion of the two styles has been arrived at by blending the classical-traditional on the lower levels with the high-end contemporary on the upper levels.
Explaining the fusion of classic-traditional and high-end contemporary, Amarjeet says, “While the formal entertainment areas were kept traditional, the personal living spaces were largely styled in a contemporary and minimalistic fashion, giving a feeling of openness to the spaces. The bedrooms and bathrooms are extremely modern and functional too.”
Spaces like the bathrooms have been kept extremely modern and functional.
He continues, “Also, the house is a modern smart home so the design concept had to be evolved keeping the aspect of functionality in mind. In order to camouflage the large number of tech devices, spaces were created such that conflict between the traditional and the modern was minimised, resulting in a peaceful blend of the two styles.”
Another key element of the interiors is the use of large-sized wall art in the way of paintings and mirrors. Despite the sumptuous space in the house, these could still impart a cluttered feel to the entire ambience.
How was that averted? “Some of the pieces used in the design were really huge, so we had to be especially mindful of not overcrowding the space and have a situation where nothing is able to speak for itself. The fusion strategy worked well to achieve what the client had in mind. A successful project is one that is able to strike the right balance and we managed to do just that by adopting the fusion theme,” explains Amarjeet.
The house is a modern smart home so the design concept had to be evolved keeping the aspect of functionality in mind.
This was the only strategy that could do justice to the client’s vast collection of artefacts and paintings in a city house. They had to ensure that the traditional elements did not become overpowering and at the same time had to make them stand out in all their grandeur.
The use of lighting has played a crucial role in making the entire space more aesthetically appealing. Amarjeet agrees, “Absolutely! Lighting starts casting its spell right at the entrance gate and makes a visible impact throughout – be it in the niches on the way in the stilt or in the terrace or on the facade. Lighting is a very important element that has the potential to raise the ambience several notches higher. A wall with a nice texture, washed by a light in the right shade and intensity is in itself a complete piece of art.”
Text By Arushi Chaudhary
Photographs By Kabeer Lal
Contact
web: www.designarbeit.in
