'Mod' or what?

Times in Vogue Mumbai | Saturday Oct 07, 2006 By Savia Rajagopal

Has the word ‘modernistic’ confused you? Take a look at this style of interiors. By Pushkar Pingle, architect, Ideas and Infinity

What is it: The modernistic set up incorporates ‘minimalism’, straight lines, a lot of open space and contrasting colours.

The essentials: These designs involve the use of materials that lend a lot of visual space like glass, mirrors and reflective surfaces. Dark-coloured veneer like wenge can be used in contrast with whites and off-whites. Straight lines and squared corners give a neat look.

Have a seat: Low seating occupies less space and gives an open appearance. Seating also needs to be simple-for example, a mattress spread over a very low wooden platform placed against a wall or a low couch.

Lights on: Allow for maximum natural light as it is most important. This can be achieved by using glass and mirrors near windows. Artificial lighting has to be diffused. White (fluorescent) light can be used for all diffused lighting and each room can have jute or paper floor lamps, ceiling pendants or table lamps with yellow (incandescent) light. These lamps define the space by being focal points.

How to choose the right colour for your home

Times Rouge Mumbai | Saturday March 04, 2006

How to choose the right colour for your home(to give out positive vibes...) By Pushkar Pingle, Architect, Ideas & infinity

Yellow inspires the intellect and stimulates the brain and is most suited to study areas or in offices where intelligence or creativity is expected. Shades between deep-yellow and ochre-yellow are best suited for this purpose.

A person who is slow and inactive should paint a part of a wall or corner in her home or office in red or orange. On the other hand, a hyperactive or stressed-out person should use some amount of blue.

Anything but Ordinary

Education Times Mumbai | Thursday May 24, 2007 By Savia Rajgopal-Shah Anything But Ordinary

Pushkar Pingle and Shoaib Qazi, the young creative team of “Ideas & Infinity” Share their custom-designed success story with
Savia Rajgopal –Shah .

Fresh graduates from an architectural programme who have done their internships always settle into conventional situations of employment. Right? Wrong! Not if you’re Pushkar Pingle and Shoaib Qazi, who decided to tread the path that not many ‘freshers’ would opt for.Upon completing their six-month internship, after graduating in 2005, they decided to launch their independent architectural design firm, quite aptly called ‘Ideas & Infinity’.

Compact spaces, King-sized lifestyles

The Design Source | June - July 2007

Pushkar, Shoaib & Neha have that rare talent, which is a boon in metros like Mumbai, where every square inch of space burns huge holes in the pocket. They, characteristically, use very unconventional ways to convert small apartments into comfortable interiors. Here is a delightfully successful endeavour of theirs, of an apartment located at Vakola, Santacruz East in Mumbai, in a posh neighbourhood, abutting the Grand Hayatt, which shows its uniqueness in all aspect of design, ranging from the treatment to the volume, cost factors, maintenance ease and speed of execution-

The neat open kitchen has its space demarcated by the overhead beam, which is reflected in the flooring pattern, allowing it its exclusivity at the same time. The beautiful artist’s rendition of Christ is a great blend of tradition and lifestyles.

Let us start with an introduction of the client from the designers. “The client, Mr. Ivan Bayross runs a software solutions company in Mumbai. He has recently shifted into this new apartment designed by us with his wife and teenage daughter. The family is partying sorts where friends come over on weekends. The couple is very outgoing with their design ideas.”

This in itself can be a huge challenge to an average designer. While ample space goes well with a larger than life style, the confines of a modest apartment can be quite a dampener on lifestyles pivoted around entertainment and socializing. Besides, the Bayrosses love to have houseguests, who are over as frequently as every weekend. How did this design team get around this problem?

Conventional methods, unconventional approach

The Design Source | Oct - Nov 2006

IDEAS & INFINITY, set up by three fresh graduates Pushkar Pingle, Shoaib Qazi and Neha Sivaprasad from Sir JJ College of Architecture stand apart from the flock for their wonderfully refreshing approach to design. Although in practice for just two years, the trio shows a remarkable capability for soundness in design basics and material handling.

The home in question belongs to a businessman from Mumbai, who lives a full and dynamic life and whose son, who is in his twenties and in the family business, also lives with him. The compact flat is located next to the plush, seven star, ITC Grand Central hotel in Parel, in the heart of Mumbai.

The design of the home keeps in the space crunch and is therefore very minimalist in its approach, thereby making space, which is at a premium here, amply available to the residents. The living room itself uses very little furniture, where a lowered window cill and an Indian baithak against it form the main area of seating. This helps to avoid visual clutter in the narrow confines.

'Mod' or what?

How to choose the right colour for your home

Anything but Ordinary

Compact spaces, King-sized lifestyles

Conventional methods, unconventional approach

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