We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Divya Ethirajan ("DE").
Divya Ethirajan is the Founding Partner and Principal Architect. She graduated from R.V. College of Engineering, Bangalore. Her Architectural Thesis on Rejuvenation of Russell Market, Bangalore, won all India best thesis award in 2007 at National Institute of Advanced Studies in Architecture (NIASA). Divya has interned with Arya Architects in Ahmedabad and continued working there post her graduation and thereafter with Hundredhands from 2006 to 2010. During this time she got to work on residential, commercial, hospitality and several award winning competition projects. In 2010, she teamed up with Pramod Jaiswal to start BetweenSpaces. Her keen sense of punctuality, simplicity and immense patience has been instrumental in developing the ethos of the practice. You will always find her smiling but don’t get deceived by her silence or her smiles because she is listening to every word you speak, processing it and working on the design solution. She is a multitasker.
Divya Ethirajan Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Divya Ethirajan.
Designer Interview of Divya Ethirajan:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
DE : I am an architect from Bangalore, India. I grew up visiting my uncle's house where he also had a studio attached to his house. My early memories of wanting to be an architect came from playing in his studio every summer.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
DE : My partner Pramod Jaiswal and I cofounded BetweenSpaces in 2010. We operate from our own studio in Bangalore Our work is an expression of our beliefs. We believe Architecture is about conversation, a dialogue between spaces. Between Spaces could be bricks in the wall, the mortar between bricks, glass, water, light or even air. Between Spaces defines the street between houses, the fence between the buildings, the stairs between floors, the space between walls, the wall between rooms, the threshold or even a fold between pages. The making of these spaces and something between spaces through simple strategies of orientation, scale, volume, proportion, spatial and material manipulations and manipulation of light to get these unique spaces forms the core of our practice. As architects, we endeavour to create buildings that are respectable and responsible, are cost effective and makes living comfortable and gratifying. As much as the practice loves to explore these intimate spaces and work on construction details, it also has its interest in how the building sits on the site and interacts with the street and its surrounding. Our design evolves as a response to a clear understanding of our client’s requirements and aspirations. We question, we debate and analyse the brief to come up with ideas which are unique and native to the context.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
DE : Our most favorite design of our firm is our studio cum house. We had a very modest approach to this design and is a reflection of who we are as people.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
DE : The first thing we designed as a company was house interiors for Mr Vinod Madappa, a simple house for an entrepreneur couple and their 2 sons inspired from their native ancestral house in coorg, India.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
DE : Our favorite material is Brick.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
DE : I feel the most creative when I visit old building like palaces or temples in India. They are very inspiring.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
DE : Excited, zelious
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
DE : Elated, gratitude
DI: What makes a design successful?
DE : Design is successful if the end product is true to its core concepts at the beginning of the project.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
DE : Good design have a deep sensory experience. The experience of being in a building should leave an exhilarating feeling. Bad design is when flashy materials are used to clad a building just to grab some attention.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
DE : Designers have to be sensitive to both the immediate surrounding and the city itself. In a city like Bangalore, incorporation of openings, courtyards and skylights can avoid mechanical ventilation. Unnecessary usage of curtain glazing walls can be avoided to prevent heating up of building.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
DE : Integrating lifestyle changes of people in building has become vital. We are constantly incorporating new materials and technology in our design and trying to find new meaning to traditional and local materials.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
DE : BetweenSpaces was one of the 10 young architectural practices in Karnataka selected for Architecture Praxis Exhibition held in 2016 at YMCA Bangalore.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
DE : Design inspiration comes from everyday life. From the uninhibited creativity of my 3 year old son to masters in architecture. Our first inspiration for each project comes from the client themselves, the stories they want to tell and in what way our design could impact and enhance their life.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
DE : We refrain ourselves from any stylistic approach to a project and like to keep it simple. In all our works, irrespective of the size and nature, we endeavour to achieve a balance between ever changing, pluralistic milieu and the rich traditions we are rooted to. The search is for a contemporary expression with a soul deeply embedded in traditional sensibilities which could produce an architecture that belongs to its time and place.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
DE : We live in Bangalore, India. Our cultural heritage affects us deeply. Pros - Our design is rooted to the sensibility of the sub-continent. We have developed an understanding of locally available materials. We do not incorporate traditional motifs or styles but are influenced by traditional concepts and ideas. Cons – Because we are so rooted to our heritage, we try to refrain from using materials that aren’t sensitive to our environment. This may not always be acceptable to clients looking for buildings that need to ape the west.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
DE : We don’t have a set rule and the nature of our work makes each day different. Typically my day starts at 9:30 in office. We discuss project schedule and deadlines with respective seniors and target to finish it by 6:30. I try to keep site meetings in the mornings.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
DE : When you set out on a long journey, don’t count on the number of thorns you will encounter on your path. They are just the reality checks and indications to tell an individual about so many things they didn’t know about until then and that they have so many things to learn. Patience is another virtue, a design entrepreneur have to have. Stick to your core design values. Its always good to go back the them for each project.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
DE : Positives – design process for each project is always engaging. There are no mundane days, each day is exciting and something new to look forward to. Negatives – Its not a lot of money to start with. Process for each project can be a slow and requires patience.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
DE : Never compromise on design process. We don’t take it to site till we are completely sure of it.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
DE : Hardwork and aptitude for design
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
DE : We make sure the client is aware of the timeline for each project. We also deligate enough time and people at the beginning stages of the project, so that we have enough time for the development. Our process is very rigorous and thorough for every minor details of the project.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
DE : We will continue to have a small and dedicated team of like minded people. We are working on a few institutions and houses. We want to explore hospitals and public architecture in the future.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
DE : We work as a team. The initial sketches are done by the principal architect and developed by the entire team
DI: How can people contact you?
DE : They can mail us at touch@betweenspaces.co.in or call us at 91 80 40902769