Architecture plays a very important role in defining a space around us.
When we live in a space, it comes alive around us. The colour of the walls reflects our mood. The vibes in the air resonate with our feelings. The energy in the atmosphere mirrors our vibrancy. The time cycling in the rhythms of past-present-future pulsates memories in our nerves. Space impacts us directly and indirectly, forming an integral part of our life. We influence space with our positive and negative discharges. We laugh, cry, live, passes by, imbibing the spacetime in us. The space becomes stories of our entire existence. Apurva Basavaraj looked at design of the spaces with such a creatively compassionate gaze to be user responsive to the context.
“Blurring lines between Architecture design and Construction Practices”.
Apurva believes that there is a thin line between architecture design and Construction Practices. The parallel process creates a strong connect to blur the boundaries between the both.
Born and raised in Bangalore, she is a gold medallist from BMS College of Architecture, Basavangudi, Bangalore.
Coming from a family of Construction, Apurva had a clear vision as to why a design-build firm was necessary in the market. How an Architect with a strong design vision could lead a construction practice better.
She had a distinct perspective on architecture design, that moulded spaces into the personifications of the inhabitants, and always knew that she would want to venture into the construction business and always wanted to found and run her Design and construction practice, with User responsive design approach, innovative design research and sustainable construction practices all under one roof. Previously founded in 2013, she took over the House of Aadimane in 2015 with a completely different approach to design and construction under one roof.
Innovative Visions
Any project at HOA, starts with a process that is completely design-responsive to the context. It starts at a level where we have a strong understanding of design deliverables at the construction level, even at the initial stage of the project itself. This helps us understand the client’s requirements, the budget limitations to consider.
We believe that sustainability is a way of life and this creates a strong resonance between both the design and the build practices we follow.
This is a very responsible profession to be in creating responsive spaces that are user dominant, attractive, and eclectic. A good design has a good influence on people’s lives and the environment. She believes that this profession has much promise to be delivered at every stage of its process, whether by designing spaces that encourage comfort and well-being or constructing a sustainable and environmentally friendly buildings.
Apurva had a strong vision towards creating a community, with a common goal to design and build spaces centred around the user experience housed all under one roof, the advantage being it enables the designer to create and explore various timeless techniques of construction practices along with the design evolution from start to handover.
At the House of Aadimane, there is always active research, innovative tech, services and interactive experiences on achieving cost-effective modes of construction over traditional construction methods.
Initially, the firm started with small-scale luxury residential design and build projects as the main focus, and the commercial, industrial, Institutional and high-rise residential came along in the later years. HOA has been expanding and has built a solid clientele.
Apurva has been heading a wide portfolio of projects ranging from luxury residences, F&B, Commercial, hospitality and institutional projects. Being in the field of design, anything related to design excites her.
Fashion for a Cause
Apart from the construction business that she is in, she was always open to venturing out a business that evokes emotions, that makes a difference in the society,” she divulges, the inspirations behind her venturing into the business arena.
Apurva was always eager to venture out something different to give back to society and make a difference.
One such opportunity came her way. She started working on a construction project for a garment factory infrastructure. She understood the need for the project, ‘fashion for a cause’ initiative to support and empower women.
House of Aadimane launched their first sustainable fashion brand, with a motive towards ‘FASHION FOR A CAUSE’.
A sustainable clothing brand under the MAKE IN INDIA initiative to empower women who make it is the backbone towards creating the brand ‘THE TRUNK COLLECTIVE.’ This brand is involved in innovating and manufacturing sustainable clothing and supports art and various art forms from different parts of India.
About 650+ women are trained and are employed in garment sectors in ‘COMMUNITY STUDIOS’ across various identified locations in rural and suburban locations across the state. Apurva informs, “Marginalised and needy women are trained and are placed in our community studios, which are equipped with the modern industrial sewing machine for making garments and accessories as per our designs and styles.” The centres are provided with a regular supply of fabrics and tools. Organized buyback is arranged at fair per-piece rates.
This Initiative of ‘fashion for a cause’ not only provides Stable Employment and Sustainable income to women. But also allows them to be on board as shareholders of the company.
Women Power
In an era of fashion, clothing being the primary living need, fashion has been the tool for women to feel empowered. This brand is made by the group of women, which in turn is making them the ‘POWER WOMEN’ in society, resulting in a profound socio-economic impact among the communities being served.
This mission will help create a network of self-help groups of women members who employ and train other women in need. Thus emerging as successful entrepreneurs on their own. Apurva states, “Our mission is not only to provide a stable income but also to develop them as micro-entrepreneurs which enables them to take up employment in any part of the world, with the skill developed with this initiative.”
This also enables them to work remotely, without having to travel every day and to work at ease in the comfort of their neighbourhood.
This concept of ‘WORKING REMOTELY’ has enabled hundreds of women to resume work even during COVID-19, without having them stay unemployed. “Yet working towards our initiative and contributing to our line of production. This encourages more and more women to join the initiative, creating thousands of opportunities to empower our women,” she adds.
Surmounting Storms
According to Apurva, despite recent advancements, the field of construction is still dominated by men to some extent. It can be extremely challenging at the beginning, especially in the construction business. People doubt proficiency, especially when you are new in the market in the initial years, which is very common in any given profession. Apurva recollects, “I had the opportunity to work on interesting projects starting with small-scale luxury residences, Commercial spaces at the very initial years of start through internal referrences within the close circle, which eventually led to building a good portfolio and a strong clientele over the years.”
Although Apurva and her team HOA believed in their strong design skills, construction techniques, and promising deliverables through which they could stand through tough situations and tough clients. They learnt and built, in terms of the design language, the evolution in construction practices over the years, the tech team they have, etcetera.
People are more open to new advancements, new talents, technology, and innovative design approaches. “So I believe in ‘if you are good’ all things good come to you. Constant hard work, attention to detail, and understanding of the client’s needs both financially and emotionally is the key,” says Apurva.
Crafting a Lifetime of Experiences
With our evolving design skills and attention to detail, every project is crafted to perfection creating physical environments that are harmonious with the surroundings, with a unique character to every built spaces. Her design style is eclectic yet responsive, context-oriented. Every design we create is unique and has a strong storyline to tell.
Her passionate influence leads to the continuous evolution of the design process at HOA, from concept to completion, the degree of interaction between our design and construction teams ensures every tiny little detail gets the close attention it deserves all under one roof.
Design is a continuous process over the Project construction stages. It doesn’t stop at a certain level. It shall only evolve along with the construction process.
Building Compassionate Panoramas
At HOA, more than considering it a construction business practice, it’s a very responsible profession to be in. We are responsible for the built environment through our sustainable and sensitively designed spaces. The spaces we design and build evokes emotions of the clients over a lifetime. With a host of technological features, we design and build spaces of high quality, self sustaining, long life and efficiency.
From doing everything in-house from design start to handover, we are able to ensure all aspects of quality, and control cost benefits to the clients and we labour over all aspects from initial design to trained workmanships, which sets us apart.
As an experienced professional, in her advice to the budding aspirants willing to enter the business world, Apurva says that any business to consider is not easy. It comes with all sorts of challenges at different levels. Anything new that needs to be created or evolve as a brand takes time. I believe in keeping things simple and less complicated with a clear vision towards YOUR approach. Transparency and Building trust is the key.
On envisioning the Brand HOA’s operations with the emerging technologies and automated tools that are revolutionizing the business world by enabling innovations, she reveals that their business demands constant evolution in terms of emerging the latest design tools, construction techniques, and research on various sustainable methods. New construction materials and innovations in cutting project costs make design and construction practices cost-effective.
Ultimately, we seek to develop relationships building bonds with our customers, as we build spaces.
She concludes, “We also aim to launch our production line for various construction materials that stand apart, in-house all under one roof, that shall enable us to create a material library that are custom made completely in accordance with our functional needs and aesthethic sensibilities.
