Designer Speak: Shilpa and Sameer Balvally

The third round of our testimonial Q and A brings you expertise from Shilpa and Sameer Balvally. It is something remarkable. It revolves around creative office spaces and was taken during an event at Rise – Mumbai, a co-working office space designed by the duo in collaboration with foreign architects and the client.

Shilpa and Sameer founded Studio Osmosis in January 2010. From big entrepreneur homes to the hippest of restaurants, commercial spaces and Hospitals, Studio Osmosis, in its 7 year journey, has transformed spaces with a knack for providing that X factor that makes them stand apart from the rest. Following is an extract from the said interview with Shilpa and Sameer Balvally.

BFT: Kindly tell our readers about yourself and your work.

SB: We founded Studio Osmosis with an aim to transform quality of lifestyle through the spaces we design, be it interior or architecture, the firm beautifully balances its youthful enthusiasm with experience gathered by working with clients all over the world. The Studio’s foundation is based on the genesis of the ‘Osmosis’ phenomenon by absorbing the individual needs of the client, working cohesively on the design and collaboratively arriving at a solution which is not only creative but also tangible and sustainable.

BFT: How would you quote something for Creative Work Spaces?

SB: “Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works.” by Steve Jobs.

And “You don’t think your way to creative work. You work your way to creative thinking.” by George Nelson.

BFT: What office spaces have you done using Bharat floorings?

SB: At SJ contracts office Pune, we used it extensively to bring out the character and ethos. At Barclay's Rise coworking center in the heart of Mumbai  we collaborated along with Paul Croft Studio and Born Design as Designers and recommended bharat flooring. We've also used it at restaurants like Eddie's Bistro bandra and Pizza express as well as residences.

BFT: What made you choose BFT for Rise co-working space?

SB: We recommended BFT for RISE  to the client and the foreign designers as soon as we saw the original RISE global culture in other world cities. The Indian pioneer  needed a contemporary yet Indian touch with versatility, fun, colour and a unique character to the space and bharat flooring did exactly that.  It help create zones without boundaries. For the office, it resounded and augmented the company's logo and branding, construction industry  significance,  the working culture  and flow as well as ethos. 

BFT: What kind of feedback have you received regarding the flooring from your friends and family?

SB: The feedback has been very positive. BFT patterns are loved and appreciated by all. BFT provides a variety of flooring options to choose from and also the possibility for customization as well as flexibility thus leaving a lot to designers’ imagination and creativity.

BFT: What trends do you see in office spaces?

SB: Efficiency in planning, zoning and flexibility is the key to designing small office spaces.

BFT: How should be smaller offices with less space designed? 

SB: Offices with less space need to be planned well keeping in the client, his working culture and philosophy, work relationships as well as site constraints or opportunities in order to ensure optimum utilization of the space.

BFT: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when we say Bharat Floorings, and how is your relationship with the brand?

SB: ‘Make in India’ and contemporary Indian ethos is synonymous with Bharat flooring. The relation is one which always says- ‘Give me more ‘

BFT: Your personal favourite collection of tiles from BFT.

SB: Terrazzo tiles- very flexible and love the art deco feel that it has plus tile is as versatile as your imagination.

BFT: One word to describe Bharat Floorings would be…..

SB: ‘Versatile’

The above conversation is from an interview during a past event on Creative Work Spaces. More interviews coming soon.