dec 13_interwoven past and present-rajiv (3)

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THE INDIAN DESIGN MAGAZINE www.insideoutside.in ISSUE 342 DECEMBER 2013 `10

RNI No. 31940/77 Reg. No.MH/MR/South-83/2012-14 Date of Publication: 1st of every month. Posted at Patrika Channel Sorting office, Mumbai-400001 on 8th & 9th of every mon

COVER STORY

Rajiv Saini creates a plush pad

in his customary contemporarystyle at an iconic Central Londonlocation

RETROSPECTIVE

We delve into the work oflegendary architect Raj Rewal

ALSO FEATURING

Kapil AggarwalGaurav RoyChoudhuryUmang Soni


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80 inside outside december 2013

Interwoven:Past and Present


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interior

Taking charge of anapartment in an iconicCentral London building one that has stood thetest of time for close to200 years, Rajiv Saini,principal architect at RajivSaini + Associates, waveshis magic wand to createa space that is crisp,plush and smeared in hiscustomary contemporarystyle, even as it retains theaura and historical appealof its glorious past.

Text: Mitalee Kurdekar

Photographs: Delphine De Syon,

courtesy the architect


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Off the corridor, a six panelled wood and glass door leads to the dining room, where contemporary furniture

looks up to an intricate cornice detailing that has been carefully restored to its original glory.


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The Bulthup kitchen is a

generous area, perfect for

entertaining and replete with

storage space. It is finished

in matt lacquer and back

painted glass on the walls

above the counter.


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The living room boasts bronze-trimmed silver leaf panels and floor lamps placed at its corners, and

mirrored in the dining area to make the space appear as one seamless whole. A Frank Sinatra black

and white photograph hangs on the eucalyptus veneer clad-fireplace, while a rust armchair lends

warmth to the otherwise muted furnishings.


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Most

avid admirers of London will tell you

that one visit to the city is enough to

fuel a love affair that lasts a lifetime.

And at the heart of that attraction

lies Central London steeped in a

history that is almost tangible and

with architecture so dramatic and

poignant that it speaks to chance

passersby and residents alike.

It is here, smack in the middle of

Knightsbridge, that the Royal AlbertHall Mansions stand tall. Statu-

esque, stately and with a distin-

guished poise about it, this apart-

ment block, which gets its name

from the famed Royal Albert Hall

located next door, is one of Lon-

dons most iconic and sought after

residential addresses. Its easy to

see why. Upon entering, one walks

past a concierge and up a majes-

tic wooden staircase, through a

regal hallway and straight into theuber chic apartment that Rajiv

Saini, principal architect at Rajiv

Saini + Associates, has recently

refurbished, managing to clear

the dust off a piece of history and

transform it into a luxurious urban

abode, whilst preserving every

bit of the grandeur and spirit of a

long-gone era.


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The study comprises a long desk, a television and a state-of-the-art audio-video

system. It also includes a sofa-cum-bed, in case it ever needs to be converted to

a guest bedroom. Black and white photographs of the apartment, taken before

renovation, cover a wall by the desk, which also has mounted shelves that are

bronze lined as is the base of the table.

FACT FILE:

Location:61, Albert Hall Mansions,

London SW7

Covered area:3337.03 sq ft

Name of the firm:Rajiv Saini + Associates

Principal architect:Rajiv Saini

Design team:Lubna Shujatali, Kiraan Aggarwal

Date of completion:August, 2013

Duration taken:9 months


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01 Entrance Hallway

(4'-4" + 5'-6") x 53'-9"

(1.32 + 1.70) x 16.40m

02 Inner Hallway 4'-10" x 43'-0"

1.48 x 13.12m

03 Guest Bedroom

14'-10" x 11'-9"

4.52 x 3.59m

04 Guest Bathroom

4'-7" x 9'-0"

1.40 x 2.75m

05 Guest Cloakroom

4'-5" x 9'-5"

1.35 x 2.88m

06 Kitchen and Utility

25'-5" x 15'-2"

7.74 x 4.63m

Length of utility closet

5.18m (17'-0")

07 Living and Dining

20'-5" x 30'-10"

6.24 x 9.40m

08 Bedroom 1

20'-8" x 12'-3"

6.30 x 3.74m

09 Bathroom 1

7'-3" x 6'-3"

2.23 x 1.93m

10 Bedroom 2

14'-11" x 12'-4"

4.56 x 3.76m

11 Bathroom 2

4'-0" x 8'-10"

1.23 x 2.70m

12 Master Bedroom (excu ng assage)

17'-3" x 25'-3"

5.27 x 7.70m

13 Master Bathroom

11'-2" x 21'-8"

3.40 x 6.62m

Gross Internal Area:

310.02 sq.m.

3337.03 sq.ft.

I have used dark woods andbronze accents throughout theapartment. Bronze was chosenbecause its one of those oldfashioned materials that canbe used in a contemporarymanner and always lends asense of luxury, says Rajiv.


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The master suite is all contemporary chic, with a free-standing element the bed placed in the middle of the room. Its

headboard has leather elements with a bronze detail (similar to the wardrobes at the back) The rear offers more storage in

the form of a bookshelf.


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The luxurious, but

odd-shaped master

bathroom has been

cleverly divided into

wet and dry zones.


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This cosy space includes intriguing,

textured shagreen (sting ray leather)

panels interspersed with wire brushed

and stained black timber verticals

above the bed.


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This apartment had been

acquired by London-based

developers, who are in the busi-

ness of obtaining prime, CentralLondon properties prestigious

locations, iconic buildings which

may be old and run down; and

then introducing good design and

leveraging them to boost their

price, putting them on the market

thereafter, says Rajiv. He quickly

adds that he was at first reluc-

tant to work with a developer,

since he doesnt usually take on

projects of that nature. However,

he got to know his future clientswell through another source and

found that they were not typi-

cal developers who cut corners

and merely made things appear

presentable. They were willing

to invest time, money, energy

and meaningful design to cre-

ate something worthwhile. So we

started like that and it has grown

into a healthy relationship wherein

we are now doing multiple proj-

ects together, explains Rajiv.

The clients hands on approach

is amply reflected in the finished

product, with immaculate designreigning supreme at this 3,300

sq ft plus apartment. Their brief

to Rajiv was clear: create a four

bedroom all ensuites plush

pad with a large kitchen fit for an

international client whos not nec-

essarily going to reside there per-

manantly, yet will entertain heav-

ily. Thats a lot of boxes to tick

off, Rajiv admits to me. Especially

when youre trying to please a

faceless client as was the casehere, since Rajiv wasnt aware of

who the ultimate buyer would be.

But thats not all. Owing to the

historic nature of the building, he

also had to contend with other

limitations. The English take their

architecture seriously and there

were restrictions imposed by the

local heritage committee, regard-

ing what could and could not be

done to the flat, even internally. It

took Rajiv and his team close tofour months to get requisite plan-

ning permissions, following which

the place was completely gutted

and reorganised into the look that

it sports today.

And some look that is! One

walks into a grand entrance cor-

ridor that transports you into

another realm, with mirrored

arches and a honed, cross-cut

travertine marble floor. Running

alongside in what was earliera service balcony that was later

incorporated into the flat to afford

a conservatory-like feel are tri-

ple bays, where three planters are

placed in a way that they stand

reflected in the antique, back lit

mirrors with bronze detailing and

surrounding plaster moulding.

The walls here are clad in French

limestone with beveled edges,

finished in a matt polish. If thats

not enough to whet ones appe-

tite, a wooden parquet flooring,

in an elegant herringbone pat-

tern, welcomes you to the inter-nal passageway. The planning

officer insisted on herringbone,

something that Rajiv states then

governed the rest of the design.

He has coupled it well with walls

in polished plaster, which is an

expensive route to take, but

lends a more long-lasting and

satiny-smooth finish than plain

old paint. A monochromatic, ink

drawing of a bare tree by the end

of the hallway, sourced from alocal gallery like the rest of the

art in the house makes for a

dramatic visual.

Leading off this corridor are six

panelled wood and glass doors

(the planning officer didnt allow

Rajiv to go all-glass), through

which one enters the resplendent

formal reception area. The liv-

ing and dining rooms have been

combined into one large space,

and adding to the old world feelis an intricate cornice detailing on

the ceiling that has been carefully

restored to its original glory. A wall,

with openings on either end, lies at

the centre of the room. An island

in eucalyptus veneer with boise-

rie holds twin fireplaces on both

sides of this wall. The material

palette consists predominantly

of beiges, browns and whites,

chosen because windows were

small and there was a need forspaces to feel naturally well-lit,

says Rajiv. Bronze trimmed sil-

ver leaf panels and floor lamps,

placed in all four corners of the

room, are visible through the wall

openings and help connect the

space into one seamless whole.

A welcoming rust chair and a

Frank Sinatra black and white


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The second bedroom is modest with a

simple bed, its back wall in eucalyptus

veneer, clad in a thick textured hemp

fabric panel with edges in trimmed

bronze. This panel separates the space

from the small bath area, which is also

a study in simplicity with its pentilikon

stone clad flooring and matching walls.


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photograph lend character to the

space. The dining room, on the

other hand, is simple clean lines

with a minimalist eight seater tak-ing pride of place. It is this blend

of the old and new that is most

striking about this home and also

what drew Rajiv to the project.

I enjoyed the process since it

was a departure from the regu-

lar work we do. With these proj-

ects you are restoring or creating

like for like where elements are

listed. You then add a contem-

porary edge or twist by bringing

in design components that willcomplement those elements.

We introduced those contempo-

rary concepts in a very traditional

shell. And I like that juxtaposition

between different styles. It makes

the end result more dynamic,

says Rajiv.

Speaking of dynamism, the

powder room is a true revelation.

It is quite ornate compared to the

rest of the home. Theres a santo-

rini red stone basin counter and

shelves clad in polished bronze

sheets, which hold renaissance

prints on canvas and gildedframes. These perfectly comple-

ment the mirror-lined alcove with

its brass lights that create multiple

reflections. The adjacent study,

with its ensuite bathroom, has

maccassar ebony veneer walls

with a long desk, a television and

a state-of-the-art audio-video sys-

tem. It also includes a sofa-cum-

bed, in case it ever needs to be

converted to a guest bedroom.

Black and white photographs ofthe apartment, taken before reno-

vation, cover a wall by the desk,

which also has mounted shelves

that are bronze lined, as is the

base of the table. I have used

dark woods and bronze accents

throughout the apartment. Bronze

was chosen because its one of

those old fashioned materials that

can be used in a contemporary

manner and always lends a sense

of luxury, says Rajiv.The Bulthup kitchen comes

next. It is a generous area, perfect

for entertaining and replete with

storage space finished in matt

lacquer and back painted glass

on the walls above the counter.

The grey veneer central island has

multiple fridges and a wine cooler

fitted in. A utility space lines the

back, with a cloak closet at the

end. A breakfast nook is included

to allow for some quiet, qualitytime with the family.

The family that resides here

will also be spoilt for choice with

some rather well appointed bed-

rooms. While there is a certain

uniformity of language that runs

through the entire house, each

room has its own character,

says Rajiv. For starters, the first

room is a cosy space with intrigu-

ing, textured shagreen (sting ray

leather) panels interspersed with

wire brushed and stained black

timber verticals above the bed.

Its amarula and alpine fort brownstone bathroom includes a mir-

ror clad wall and sliding door. The

second bedroom is more modest

with a simple bed, its back wall

in eucalyptus veneer, clad in a

thick textured hemp fabric panel

with edges in trimmed bronze.

This panel separates the space

from the small bath area, which

is a study in simplicity with its

pentilikon stone clad flooring and

matching walls. The master suite,in contrast, is all contemporary

chic, with a free-standing element

the bed placed in the middle

of the room. The headboard has

leather elements with a bronze

detail on the surface. The rear

offers more storage in the form of

a bookshelf. Walk behind the bed

and you are faced with a series

of leather panelled wardrobes, all

lined with bronze custom-made

trims. The odd-shaped masterbathroom has been divided into

wet and dry zones. The vanities

are kept to one side, with the

WC tucked into a corner, while

the verde aqua stone floored wet

room houses a huge tub and

accompanying shower. Sliding

glass screens connect the bath

area with the passage as well as

the bedroom, in effect letting suf-

ficient light stream in.

As with everything else, thetreatment of lights is also differ-

ent. With the planning officers

looking down on ceiling lights and

spotlights, the house is peppered

with plenty of lamps, in addition

to cove lighting and the odd pen-

dant fixtures in each room. Art is

suspended from hooks placed in

channels running in the cove, so


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as to preserve the polished plas-

ter and keeping in mind that thefuture residents may want to hang

their art in different spots. Rajiv

has kept the apartments design

more or less neutral to ensure

that it appeals to a myriad poten-

tial buyers at once.

Youve got to be a little more

universal in your approach. With

an end client, you can interact

and bounce off ideas. But when

you do a project like this, you

have to create something that will

have a relatively broader appeal.This apartment is on the market

for a lot of money, so you cant

take risks and you cant gamble,

he adds.

Yet he admits that it is more lib-

erating working without an end

user because you are not getting

caught up in the little things like

finding storage for their collec-

tion of CDs or suitcases. Which

is probably why, once he had

the approvals in place, it tookRajiv just six to seven months to

execute his plans. The result is

a beautifully crafted, cohesive

space that could cater to anyone

with a cosmopolitan sensibility

and an affinity for history. In the

process, Rajiv too has earned a

newfound respect for the laws

that govern building processes in

London. In India, we are always

trying to fight the system, find a

way around it. There, people gen-

uinely like the city and understandthe larger picture. Nobody here

thinks about the larger picture.

Youve got to have that sensitiv-

ity and understanding for the cul-

ture of the city, along with more

effective implementation of rules.

Thats lacking here in India, he

complains. Hes right, of course.

A similar approach here would

mean better planned buildings to

look forward to. And some clas-

sic weds modern amalgamationstoo. But the interweaving of ideas

and styles takes understand-

ing and patience. Rajiv seems to

have nailed the subtleties of this

art. Hopefully, there will come a

time when the rest of the country

can follow his example. Well only

be architecturally and culturally

richer for having done so.

interior

Rajiv has refurbished this

space, managingto clear the dust off apiece of history andtransform it into aluxurious urban abode,whilst preserving everybit of the grandeur andspirit of a long-gone era.

IO

dec 13_interwoven past and present-rajiv (3)

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