And I’m back….Oh dear! Snow….

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Pollyanna

So I am back from my trip. There are many promises to my self that I did not keep and then others that I did a lot better on, than expected.

For instance- DID: Meet many people, Travel locally, Enjoy every moment, Just CHILL, Eat a LOT of good food, and Shop but only for myself (something I have not done in a while).

DID NOT: Blog as much as I would have hoped- but simply because some places did not have internet connectivity, or I was just too busy doing the “DID” List (see above). Sketch for my sketchbook project (ah shame, again the DID list is to blame). Meet my grandma one last time before I flew.

Of the DID NOT list, I apologize to myself and the readers for not keeping promises. But to my grandma- I am truly truly sorry. I wish I could duplicate myself, but I have wished for that many times these past two months.

Still, it may help you to know while you stay warm and toasty in that lovely room of yours- it is snowing here…!

Louis I Kahn: IIM Ahemdabad

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Pollyanna

Blast from the Past. In my recent (and ongoing trip in South Asia) I have been visiting many places. Ahmedabad, in Gujarat is one of them. It is the only city in India that can boast to having the works of two of the three Great Masters of Modern Architecture. Louis I Kahn and Le Corbusier. It is rumored that Frank Lloyd Wright was also supposed to have a commission here but that project fell through…Otherwise it would have been the ONLY city in the WORLD that has projects designed and built by all 3 great masters of Modern Architecture.

A bit about A’bad. It is HOT. Brutally. Even in the winter, the sun and glare is merciless. So Kahn has a peculiar challenge. How to make the buildings cool and stay cool without using power. And of course how to let the brick be itself!

(I’m sure you know that anecdote about Kahn. When asked for his inspiration for IIM and other marvelous brick buildings he built here and elsewhere, he has said, “I asked the brick what it wanted to be, and it said it wanted to be an arch.or something like that!!)

Without further ado. here is Indian Institute of Management (IIM), old and new campus. Fascinating sun protection, deep seated classrooms to keep them cool, marvelous brickwork- then and now of modern architecture and the best of Louis Kahn!

Sunshade (New campus. Not Kahn but very good all the same)

Sunshade Detail with concrete

Walk to the old campus

I am an arch today

LKP: Louis Khan Plaza

Deep windows mean less sunlight

A building in a building

Corridor

For more goodness visit my flickr photostream

Lohri Chairs

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Pollyanna

There is a festival called Lohri here in South Asia-particularly in the north sometime around January 13th. It is called Lohri. It signifies the end of winter, the coming of spring and the time to plant (or harvest-I cannot remember which) of the wheat crops. We wish our friends and family “happy Lohri” and burn a bonfire with fresh and scrap wood in the house.

Lohri time is also a good time to spring clean your home of old furniture, (non VOC of course!) when many an old piece finds its way into the Lohri Fire.

This is a story of some dining/lounge chairs that were on its way to the Lohri fire of 2011. There were saved from the flames since someone just could not see them burnt. Then they were lovingly tended to by some wood worker, an upholsterer, and a polisher. And the before and after is below. They have since been rechristened Lohri Chairs. Obviously.

Before.

After.

In another world

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Pollyanna

So as promised, here is the first of many posts from a new land. Where I grew up, I was surrounded by good, nay, great design. Colorful and full of life. Vibrant.

Taken with the phone camera but you’ll see the beauty of the idea regardless.

A nook in my old home

Seating area with handmade tapestry on display

Centre table made from old block printing blocks-gorgeous!!!

Upcoming Plans

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Pollyanna

Silence on the Blog means that the non-blog life has been hectic beyond imagination! As it turns out, it is quite a lot of work to travel overseas if it involved more than one person…especially if that one person is doing most of the organizing!

We look forward to posting more regularly, of travel, of unique and fun design, and just musings over the next few weeks. In the meantime, you all have a great holiday season and you’ll hear from me much more regularly. I promise.