A home is a feeling and one that reflects your personality, makes you feel secure, happy and peaceful. Engineering gives you the structure on which architects work to design your dream home that speaks volumes about your personality. Hence, it is rightly said that architecture begins where engineering ends – a famous quote by world renowned architect, Walter Gropius.
Recognizing the need of the client as well as the context is the primary requirement for design. Thinking out of the box to suit the needs of the clients and producing exquisite designs and stunning projects are, however, not the forte of every architect. We at, The Insights Success, handpicked some bright architects for our latest edition 10 Most Promising Architecture and Designing Firms, 2021 and selected Mumbai-based Studio Osmosis.
Excerpts from the interview:
Please share your journey in this field and the inception/history of your firm?
Founded in 2010, Studio Osmosis is a multidisciplinary design practice formed by Sameer Balvally and Shilpa Jain Balvally, Partners and Principal Architects. The Studio’s foundation is based on the genesis of the ‘Osmosis’ phenomenon where the ultimate design is a product of client collaboration and intricate aesthetic detail. The firm has to its credit, many award-winning designs and clients. Within a short span of time, Studio Osmosis has become a venerable name in the design and architecture space. Staying true to its name, the design philosophies of Studio Osmosis exhibit a sense of fluidity and dynamism. A more adaptable and flexible approach to design is followed by not sticking to one particular formal style of design but instead, by understanding and absorbing the client’s needs and developing tailor-made solutions to projects.
Studying and working abroad has been a gaining experience for our careers and life. We have realized the importance of being open minded, sustainable in practice, and the impact of cross culture as well as past influences on design. These encounters have become an important part of our personality and today we constantly merge the pros of both cultures and experiences, into our lives and the way we practice at Studio Osmosis. Being part of a passionate academic and work environment and interacting with students, faculty, employees, and peers from different cultures with a wide range of ideas, led us to understand that the most important part of architecture was the ability to absorb, assimilate and extrapolate information and ideas. Thus, was born the idea of Studio Osmosis true to the genesis of the word.
Did you face any teething problems? How did you overcome these?
We started against all odds; a slow economy that hit the market and virtually no contacts or leads. It was obviously challenging at the beginning of our own establishment compared to working for someone as there is so much more at stake and we are also clear of our own work philosophies as well as ideologies. We have been lucky to bag some very good work and design opportunities and especially repeat clients which are always an honour. As far as working environment is concerned, the methodologies are different here and in the U.S. – from dealing with clients, employees, pitching a design idea, budgeting schedules and many other things. We are constantly merging the best of both the work experiences and cultures to form the crux of our practice which helps us create an experimental, experiential and fun work environment based on interaction, research, and assimilation of ideas at all levels. Initial challenges were also to get a good set of peers, consultants and vendors who understand our open-ended, collaborative and macro to micro approach. But with time and experience we have been lucky to get those on board and continued collaborations which lasted a decade.
Please tell us about the person (founder/CEO/Director) behind the success of your firm?
A dreamer with an eye for detailing, Sameer finds inspiration in ironies. His passion for design is his unique signature that Sameer exudes into every project. Sameer’s forte is his innovative application of materials and technology, which eventually churn design concepts into reality. He believes in stretching the boundaries of design with constant experimentation while adapting with site, context, strategies, materials and budget. Sameer is an avid fan of music, adventure and cycling. He enjoys photography and loves capturing nuances of life from behind the lens.
Shilpa is an ardent glocal traveller who strongly believes that every new adventure, historic and cultural and food experience helps a creative mind breed newer ideas and this in turn gives a fresh perspective to design. She also has a keen interest in holistic growth of children and learning process via experiential travel. Shilpa’s interest in Healthcare Design, design for well-being and the whole process of story-listening and storytelling for spaces get beautifully combined to create environments that improve the way we live, work, play, heal and enhance the experience giving it a unique and memorable story. Studio Osmosis was influenced by a similar core approach and genesis which can be applied across genres.
Green spaces have become an integral part of residential and commercial complexes. How do you incorporate these in your designs and architecture? Or what innovations are you making to incorporate green spaces in your architecture?
It is important to realise the effects that outdoor spaces can have on the human mind, wellbeing and the entire lifestyle and wherever possible it is imperative to give access to green spaces be it residential, commercial, hospitality or importantly healthcare where it actually affects the healing of the patients. Seamlessly merging the indoors with the outdoors is the best way to do the same. Integrated and sustainable self-sufficient neighbourhoods are need of the hour. Sometimes we become very inward looking and end up creating best public spaces within our complex and forget the rest of the area. The community area, green spaces, public interaction space is very important as you need to give spaces to people to interact amongst themselves and for all levels of society thus uplifting them as a whole.Â
What aspects do you keep in mind while designing for your client/s?
Each project is unique in its own way in terms of design, concept and details. What does remain constant is the methodology of our collaborative as well as interactive approach based on research, site and context. The diversity of each project be it big or small, has a new experience and it opens up a variety of ideas. There is a constant experimentation of design and technology, adapting to different clients, site, materials and budget.
The conceptual stages we take for each project is unique so that it comes with its own identity. But yes, whilst preparing drawings, executing and during marketing stage, we have a common approach, streamlined systems and processes for every project which makes it better in the long run. We believe in personal attention to every project and site with constant adaptability as required through the project irrespective of the scale. Attention to detail, proportions and scale, together with creative common sense and sustainable solutions ensure that the finished product fully develops the potential within the concept.
What are the latest technologies that you incorporate in your designs?
While Studio Osmosis has a contemporary and flexible approach towards design and technology, we derive inspiration from various walks of life, art, culture, history and people. We believe in stretching the boundaries of design along with constant experimentation while adapting with site, context, strategies, materials and budget and understanding the limitations or extents of all. We enjoy the diversity of each project be it big or small. Each one becomes a journey and a learning experience. The key is to be dynamic and to constantly reinvent ourselves.
What are the major challenges in this field at present – with respect to the market and also with respect to the current trends?
It was challenging as well as a good self-realization and learning experience to work on very small projects to a much larger scale ranging between 400 sq ft to 40,000 sq ft. We slowly realized each of those ended up being important milestones and learning experiences. When ideas and thoughts are reinforced by a coherent philosophy, they transcend scale. Enquiry and growth are an inseparable part of the creative and analytical mind, and so is the urge to challenge the boundaries of one’s own comfort zone. This exploration can take place at many levels, from typology to material to process to scale. These became the building blocks to a very strong foundation at Studio Osmosis and this is what set us apart.
Getting our team involved in every detail of the project whilst collaborating at all levels and understanding the requirement of each space, client, resulting in a unique solution which is just meant for that client without following any specific trend or style is what we believe sets every space apart. There is always a new learning while trying to balance the creative and the business aspects of design, yet always feeling content with the final outcomes to keep going. The idea of growth, in this case, is to keep outdoing your own self while building relationships with people and spaces.
What makes you stand apart from the others?
Over the years we have found recognition within the design community, received both national and international awards, been invited on various design jury panels, talks and presented our work in architecture schools and it always feels good to give back to the society. We have designed for numerous kinds of repeated clientele in healthcare and hospitality other than residential and commercial, thus building lasting relationships with our clients. Irrespectively, we are grounded and like to approach every project like it is our first, only adding to our learning and experiences. While every project is unique in itself, our experience helps us to solve problems and propose solutions to create spaces that are cherished. Rather than just keeping with the latest trends or trying to be a trendsetter, we have dialogue and evolve design with our clients thus creating projects which stand out and yet are a reflection of our client’s personality. We intend to keep doing this better, evolving our own designs and processes and step by step making a difference and helping create change in our own small ways.
Where do you see your firm in the future?
Team Studio Osmosis looks to continue to design spaces that are enriching and go beyond the physical program given by the client. For them, it is important to challenge themselves to critically examine the context and respond meaningfully. Visions are constantly changing, evolving with each project. End goals will not just be the outcome but also the process and the journey that has been made, something that the team can look back and feel gratified about. We strive to be a practice where professionals enjoy what they do – building relationships and spaces. As a firm, we believe we will have to continually research, experiment, learn, innovate, and absorb further from the failures and tough situations. We also see a lot more collaborations currently as well as in the future at various levels of the design process, execution, art, architecture with other designers as well as creatives, craftsman and technical persons from other allied fields. That is the way to go.
