Mitali Aharam Fascinated by her grandparents’ ancestral home, Mitali became aware of design at a young age and often spent her summer vacations exploring, sketching and painting there. She eventually did her B.Arch from CSIIT (JNTU Hyderabad). “An architect has the power to transform a space from nothing to something sacred for someone, and that is a huge responsibility,” she believes. Mitali interned with Shilpa Sindoor Architects, Bengaluru, under the guidance of architects Shankar Kanade and Navnath Kanade for a year. She supervised the new phase of their work for Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication in Hyderabad with them where she discovered her love for mixing Indian aesthetics with a play of materials. Returning to Hyderabad, Mitali worked with Aparna Karve Design Consultants – a well-known firm established in 1992. She was primarily tasked with the design development and execution of several hospitality, residential, commercial and retail interior design projects. Along with spearheading all the architecture projects, she got the opportunity to work on the prestigious Sound and Light Show at Ross Island Andamans. After the tragic and untimely demise of her mentor and boss at that time, she completed some of Karve’s projects – which led to the birth of Crafted Spaces in October 2014. Her mentor’s quirky, eclectic design aesthetic now lives on in Mitali, who advocates high-quality materials, attention to detail and customised accessories to make a space luxurious. Managing Partner, Crafted Spaces “LuxeBook is your ultimate resource for everything luxurious” Nandini Somaya Sampat She is a law unto herself, for Nandini arrived at architecture via a circuitous route and brings to the table a unique blend of qualifications and experience. After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Smith College, USA, she qualified as a solicitor from the College of Law, London. While working in India as a corporate lawyer, she decided to pursue her passion for design and change professions. She completed her post-graduate diploma in Architectural Interior Design from the Inchbald School of Design, London and joined her mother’s dynamic firm SNK upon returning to Mumbai. Then she did her B.Arch from Rizvi College of Architecture and the GSD1x: The Architectural Imagination online course by ‘HarvardX’ (a Harvard University initiative). Quoting her grandfather’s words: “No education is wasted,” Nandini declares that Law laid the foundation of a research-based process for her. “Architecture is also a business,” she adds, “… my legal background has enabled me to navigate the contractual and management side with ease.” While switching tracks, she was inspired by the life of legendary Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa who also transitioned into Architecture from Law. Nandini’s biggest inspiration remains her mother Brinda Somaya’s journey of building her own studio through the wider lens of viewing architecture and design as a nation-building activity that can contribute to society. Principal Architect, SNK | Somaya & Kalappa Consultants Pvt Ltd “LuxeBook is a platform where we learn about the latest in architecture, travel, fashion, food, technology and culture” | 31 | 30
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