Before the Kochi Muziris Biennale (KMB) made the language of contemporary visual arts familiar to every denizen of the city, 2012 onwards, the idea of design and aesthetics did not enter mainstream consciousness as it now prevails. It is seen ubiquitously in fresh and striking approaches in architecture and interior décor, bringing in a sense of novelty and excitement. It is also reflected in fashion design originating from here, as it is evident in seed product design and cuisine from these parts. This is not to say that pre Biennale did not throw up instances of novel designs, but they were few and far between. A phase of high design, it seems, is currently at play.
A few obvious examples are visible in the design of public spaces—parks, walkways, malls, Metro and bus stations—but some come with deadpan uniformity and a few with a downright far-from-elevating look. And yet, some spaces—art galleries, hotels, cafes, boutiques, clinics, schools—are using traditional architecture, current context and modern import to create aesthetically done functional spaces.
The gentrification of a warehouse in Mattancherry using industrial design at Xanadari Harbour, highlighting the antiquity of 400-year-old walls with distressed, weathered finish of an art gallery at Beyond Malabar in Fort Kochi, the dramatic use of staircase at Malabar House in Fort Kochi and Tea House in Jew Town, the stylish use of skylight in intelligent spaces in Infopark and allowing a free flow of the outdoors to indoors are some new facets of design in the city.
Arundhaty Nayar, who named her firm ‘Better By Design’ in 1998, way before contemporary design become common speak here, did so only to stress this factor. She says, “While we appreciate the splendour of creations by great men of varied genres such as Louise Kahn (who used only geometrical shapes) to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, for the ordinary individual, what should it mean? It means, we have to understand, an object or building is ‘better by design’ when the plan is produced, incorporating elements of style and decoration or embellishment, of ‘aesthetic appeal’ fulfilling a functional requirement. It’s not a lot to ask if you learn to ‘look’,” she says.
“Though people have lost a bit of clarity on this count,” says George Seemon, Partner, Stapati Architects, on the rampant duplication of certain designs, chasing a trend, he adds, “Kerala is still catching up; we were always conventional and sceptical about experiments with design. It is finally happening.” Of Xandari Harbour, one of his signature works, where he has used glass and steel, cement and wood bringing in a retro factory look, Seemon says, “the design had to be worked around the idea of new and old, where steel and glass—the add ons—were new, the structure is old. It was a good approach for a space that was a warehouse; steel sections were inserted without intruding into the old building. The entire industrial look came about quite organically. We were very conscious of the fact that we did not want to rebuild history. Our design originated from that.”
Kozhikode-based architect Nikhil Mohan who used the distressed look for the walls of the art gallery in the heritage zone says that the space demanded the look. The core value of his firm, Top Parallel, is to consciously stay away from trends. Though he used salvaged wood and concrete to enhance the gallery walls, Nikhil believes in modernism in design, “of course not for its sake. We cannot hark back to the past always. We are using a Smartphone and not the old pencil box now, aren’t we? Like that the language of design should change,” adding that old architecture must be conserved.
For Bose Krishnamachari, founder of KMB, and one who has designed bus and police stations in Mumbai, says design for public spaces must originate from functionality and cleanliness. “Design, of course, is generated from context. As far as urban design goes, policy makers should remove the clause ‘lowest tender’. A good design needs great application.” In the city’s aspect he believes that Fort Kochi and Mattancherry being historically relevant, are public spaces and every single stakeholder should be aware of their richness. Designs for these spaces should be organic, green and clean.
“No one is playing safe with designs—colours, finishes, textures,” says Devi Nayar, who set up Advanced Design Consultants in the city in 2011. Her store ‘Indian By Label’, Panampilly Nagar, showcases her concept that combines the classic with the contemporary. Nayar says that currently there is a surge in the desire to have the distressed-look finish, straight line furniture and bringing the outdoors in.
Sanjai Damodaran, who has put together his tearoom at AB Salem Road, Jew Town, with much romance says that one can be better by design only if it’s original. “Design is like a flower in a woman’s hair. It should give a jump start.” He has transformed curios into functional pieces altering their utility—the uruli sink, for example.
Interior designer Shabna Nikhil directs her clients to spend time and travel before zeroing in on one. “To know what’s good one must have exposure; we must move away from Pinterest and find our self in décor for our homes.”
Specific to Kerala, Seemon says that traditional architecture commands respect and building designs could originate keeping that in mind. Krishnamachari says that in yore hoardings in public spaces were hand-painted with strong design element.
Wherever one stands in this discourse, these eclectic designs stand out in the visual assault of vanilla.
A charming glasnost in there, however small.
