Luxebook August 2022

M umbai-basedarchitectandlightingdesigner Arjun Rathi is a celebrated name within the design industry. His multi-disciplinary studio — Arjun Rathi Design, changed the way we look at lighting within our spaces. Using exploratory and imaginative approaches to design, Arjun Rathi Design aims to interpret a space through the lens of lighting that manages to inspire and capture one’s imagination. Yet despite its artistic inclination, the studio claims to be undefined by one particular style. His practice draws its inspiration based on different contexts and cultural overtones associated with his surroundings. As Arjun Rathi completes ten successful years in the industry, the designer spoke to LuxeBook about his decade long journey in the industry and shared his thoughts on the development of the art glass culture in the country. From architecture to design The beginning of Arjun Rathi Design, was a rather interesting one claims Rathi. The studio was initially incorporated as a traditional architectural practice in 2012, but was later developed into the design studio it is today. The decision to transform the company into a lighting design studio came after Rathi designed a lamp made from an upcycled Ambassador headlight, for a close friend’s birthday. “The lamp was very well received,” adds Rathi. “It even got published in a few magazines which gave me an opportunity to design my first custom lighting installation.” Rathi recalls the experience as a memorable one, supported by a hands-on experimentation with materials and designs. Soon enough the studio evolved into a customised lighting design studio with new lighting experiments, that became more complex, and installations that only got bigger. According to Rathi, his background in architecture helped transform the studio to what it is today. “My background helped give me a different perspective while I designed installations specific to interior spaces.” His studio would apply the execution processes from both, the architecture and interior designing industries to their process of lighting design, which allowed the studio to manage projects, while also collaborating with designers in India and internationally. Over the years, Arjun Rathi’s studio has created some of the most remarkable designs, which are on display at places like Mumbai’s Lodha World Towers, The Lodhi in New Delhi, and the Nutcracker restaurant in Lower Parel. And while these are magnificent creations, Rathi shares that it’s not the easiest process. “We have our fair share of challenges when creating these installations,” says Rathi. “A lot of our work is customised and designed on the fly to meet tight project timelines. It often involves designing something new and then figuring out ways to execute it; that is what drives us and keeps us innovative. The process, thereafter, involves a lot of failed prototypes till we reach the desired structure and quality, which can often be tedious.” ARJUN RATHI on the rise of art glass in India BY SCHENELLE DSOUZA “Lighting plays an important role in defining how we live and function within a space” —Arjun Rathi Arjun Rathi Principal Architect & Lighting Designer, Arjun Rathi Design 26| L U X E B O O K | A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 | L U X E B O O K | 27 LIGHT & GLASS