Piyush Mehra’s training in architecture began under the tutelage of his father, who taught him the basics of construction when he was a child. A gold medalist from The Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, where he completed his B.Arch, Mehra kickstarted his career in Paris with renowned French architect Dominique Perrault before joining PS Design in 2012. His thesis on the Navi Mumbai International Airport was selected for the World’s Best Thesis Showcase in Moscow in 2013. Today, he spearheads the Architecture studio at the firm, and the practicality of exemplary design is obvious in his work. A skilful communicator, Piyush is known for his dexterity in the initial design phases and for his strong client connection throughout the design development. With keen interest and an exploratory approach towards architectural interiors and building facades, he strives to create lasting and impactful designs that shape the places people live and communicate in together. To make a space look luxurious, Piyush would pay attention to the choice of furniture and soft furnishings, lighting as well as sensory elements like music and scent. He believes that luxury is freedom – “… freedom from worrying about getting your white furniture spoilt, freedom from confined spaces, freedom of choice,” explains the architect who would choose to travel to Paris at the drop of a hat – for the history it bears and the past he shares with the city. Piyush Mehra Principal Architect, PS Design “LuxeBook is a brilliant repository of everything luxury. I treat it as a ready-reckoner for everything luxury” Pravir Sethi Thanks to his early aptitude for sketching, mathematics and physics, Pravir knew when he was fairly young that he wanted to be an architect. He would prefer to think, however, that it was due to his predisposition to never build Lego sets as per instructions given. The design icons who shaped his sensibilities include Bjarke Ingels, Carlo Scarpa, David Chipperfield and Zaha Hadid – each for different lessons. Sethi trained at the Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture in Mumbai, during which time he interned with Sameep Padora and PG Patki & Associates. After he graduated, he went on to do his Master’s in Architectural Design under Professor Peter Cook at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London. He has also worked with big names in British architecture including Archer Architects, Marks Barfield Architects and David Chipperfield Architects. On his return, he spent almost four years with Sanjay Puri Architects. Studio Hinge, which Pravir founded in 2014, is an international award-winning architecture, interior and furniture design practice, offering design consultancy along with turnkey execution on interior projects. The studio’s work spans cultural, institutional, leisure, residential, commercial and retail projects and has been published globally in over a dozen countries. Pravir’s fondness for furniture, lighting and surface design informs the studio’s focus on bespoke detailing and flexible design solutions. Studio Hinge’s work has won recognition at some highly-coveted international design awards. Principal Architect, Studio Hinge “LuxeBook, for me, is the A-list – the who’s who and what’s what of luxury in India” | 35 | 34
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