SHALINI CHANDRASHEKAR & G.S MAHABOOB BASHA

Our mood board creation process has evolved with digital tools. It has become much easier and quicker to iterate, giving us more options to explore and refine our concepts.

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How has your mood board creation process evolved with digital tools, and what balance do you strike between physical and digital elements in your conceptual phase?

The ability to conduct research online and access vast imagery has made the process faster and allows us to fine-tune details more precisely. However, we also recognise the importance of maintaining the analogue side of design. There should be a balance between both. We like to start with physical materials— cutouts, sketches, textures—because they give us a tactile connection to the project. Then, we move to digital tools to refine and bring the mood board to life. Digital tools, especially AI-generated imagery, are incredibly helpful and make things much more efficient, but they don’t replace the essence of the analogue approach.

Walk us through your thought process when you begin a new mood board - what elements do you consider first, and how do you layer colours, textures, and materials to build your narrative?

Our first consideration is context when we begin a new mood board. The site’s context plays a pivotal role in shaping the direction of the design. We think about the environment, the local culture, and how to incorporate elements that reflect the surrounding area.