A sneak peek into Vert – a pathbreaking solution and possibly a gamechanger in the continued effort to battle the effects of global warming – all set to be unveiled at London Design Festival 2024. A modular triangle-based ‘greening machine’ made from red oak glulam, and greened exclusively by climbing plants; Vert is projected to reduce the ambient temperatures by up to 8ºC, and cast four times more shade than a 20-year-old tree. Besides offering an urban-cooling solution and lending itself to the enhancement of the urban streetscape, Vert explores the high potential of red oak glulam for use as an alternative to wood-based materials typically used in design and construction, encouraging greater diversity and resilience in the world’s forests.

Would the austere aesthetic that has in recent times been so widely popular in décor ever get edged out? It seemed unlikely that the mindset could change anytime soon. However, just when we thought the world had started to embrace minimalism and the ‘less is more’ ideology had started pervading, a new wave has been spotted!

In this segment we pick up three different typologies – Residential, Corporate, and Hospitality – and showcase some brilliant work being done by Gujarati architects based out of Mumbai! The ravishing villas in Surat, the stunning corporate office interior in Bhuj, and the luxury hotel in Junagadh, are representative of the growth that India, and particularly Gujarat is witnessing.