INSITE INTERACTION

Chai & Chat @ Ar. Behzad Kharas

The BNK Group, Mumbai

Graduating from the Rizvi College of Architecture in 2002, Behzad Kharas started his independent journey in 2005 – with his own firm ThinkBNK. Over time, the firm metamorphosed, got rebranded and is now known to everyone as The BNK Group. Since its inception the firm has been handling varied projects in the residential, workspace, health care and hospitality sectors. Today the firm boasts of a project portfolio with over 500 projects.

LIFESTYLE INSIGHT

Falguni & Shane Peacock

Designer Duo Falguni and Shane Peacock Unveil Their Artistic Home Décor in the Latest Episode of Asian Paints Where The Heart Is Season 7

Having left an indelible mark on the fashion industry with their creative prowess, Falguni and Shane Peacock, the celebrated fashion designers, now reveal their home, showcasing their artistic brilliance in Season 7 of Asian Paints Where The Heart Is.

INSITE INSIGHT

Beat the heat

Vert - a red-oak based, modular urban-cooling system; developed by AHEC, Diez Office and OMCºC

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.

INDIAN INSIGHT

Café culture

Glimpses of three stunning cafés from Bangalore, Vadodara and Chandigarh

Caffeine shots and animated conversations in a cozy corner of a cafe seems irresistible to a majority of young Indians today. But was the scene always so? Historically, chai tapris were seen at the corner of every other busy street; where a few friends or even total strangers bonded and chatted over chai. Delving into history, one finds that the Britishers brought the café to India. The British left, but the cafe culture held its roots in India. The aftermath of Covid-19 saw the café getting a new lease of life. Earlier perceived as a standoffish eatery, now it is an adaptable, welcoming space that doubles up as a working and meeting place! Besides delicious cookies and brownies, the free WiFi offered by all these cafés gives them extra brownie points.

INSITE FOCUS

Nestled in nature

Taj Vivanta, Pakyong by Prashant Pradhan Architects, Gangtok

A CEPT graduate, Ar. Prashant Pradhan went back to his homeland Sikkim to set up his independent practice - a multidisciplinary studio Prashant Pradhan Architects (PPA) in Gangtok. The design philosophy of being rooted in the context of the site reflects in all the work done by the studio. Here, we present one of the studio’s finest hospitality projects – and Sikkim’s first luxury hotel - Taj Vivanta, Pakyong.