Beyond the walls: Architecture gives you the licence to get creative Hailing from a family of doctors, Ashiesh Shah almost became a dentist before taking up a career in architecture.“I thrive on creative freedom and was always interested in architecture and design. While studying dentistry, I realised that it wasn’t something I was passionate about. Moreover, it had no scope for free thinking and creativity. So I followed my heart and switched over to architecture,” says the 33-year-old Mumbai-based architect. Shah, who graduated from Parsons The New School for Design in New York, set up his first studio in a garage. Today, he has come a long way and has an impressive array of entrepreneurial ventures such as Le Mill (a lifestyle store) and Otlo. He has been featured in the cover articles of reputed periodicals and newspapers, including the New York Times. He’s also designed homes of Bollywood actors, workspaces for multinational conglomerates and state-of-the-art boutiques (across the subcontinent). Talking about the initial days of his career, he says, “I worked in New York for several years and after I moved to Mumbai I worked with Nozer Wadia’s firm. I believe that good work experience, particularly in the initial years of one’s career, is critical to future success and should not be measured in terms of fiscal gains.” Describing a regular working day, Shah says, “I usually use the mornings for ideation, after which I head to the studio to oversee ongoing projects and attend meetings with clients.Visits to design stores and sites are an inevitable part of my day. I dedicate my evenings to research and writing my columns.” For Shah who was named as the 20 People to Watch Out For in the year 2011 by CNN GO, Nido was the most interesting project he has worked on. “Since I was designing a restaurant for the first time, there was lot of scope for experimentation. It is necessary to keep the client’s preferences and needs in mind but with Nido there were very few restrictions,” he says. According to Shah, achieving a balance between a client’s expectations and one’s aesthetic sensibilities is one of the major challenges in this field. A collector of art (his home has specially commissioned works by 15 artists from around the world), Shah thoroughly enjoyed the experience of designing his own house in south Mumbai. “My home is a culmination of ideas over several decades. It was fun being the client for a change.” When asked about the best part of his profession,this suave architect says, “There is no monotony. Every day is a new challenge and you never stop learning. I am constantly researching new technologies, design practices and art. Reading design blogs and visiting art galleries has affected my work in a constructive way.” Architecture is a fast growing sector in our country. Be it construction, designing buildings, urban planning and even interior designing, there is a wide range of options available for those “who have sketching proficiency, imagination, practical sense, accuracy and the capacity to observe and conceptualise,” concludes this talented architect. All you need to know about a career as an architect Lowdown Architects design buildings – from homes to commercial and retail spaces. Architecture studies insist on efficient structural and climatic designs for which one needs to understand the use of water, light and air. After a basic course in architecture, familiarising yourself with the ‘green’ ratings will help you build structures responsibly Institutes # School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi; spa.ac.in # Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; jmi.ac.in/fae/courses_foarch.htm # CEPT University, Ahmedabad; cept.ac.in # IIT Kharagpur; iitkgp.ac.in Eligibility Take up science and mathematics in Class 11 and 12. To get into an architecture college, you will be required to clear exams like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA), Rajasthan Pre-Entrance Test (RPET), or Punjab Common Entrance Test (CET), among other tests Skills and traits # Awareness of environmental issues and a desire to ensure environmental well-being # Good designing/drawing skills and an ability to provide cost-effective solutions to clients as ‘green’ planning is expensive # Good communication skills as you deal with clients who spread the good word about you What gets you there Good drawing skills, a head for calculations and being observant help Rs. I take home Rs. 20,000 - Rs. 40,000 a month I love my job becouse.. I am constantly researching new technologies, design practices and art Expert gyan Follow your passion! This is easier said than done as the field requires dedication. If you feel passionate about design, don’t be deterred by challenges
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 02:19:11 +0000
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