Into The Open

- Nicole Newby

It was word of mouth that led the new owners of a 1,500 sq ft apartment in the suburb of Juhu, Mumbai to Shilpa Gore-Shah and Pinkish Shah, principals of award-winning architectural firm S+PS Architects. The forte of the architects of the 20-year-old firm lies in the open-minded approach to their projects. Their design process involves a deep consideration of the surrounding environment and an innovative approach that incorporates various influences to create a unique space that showcases an astute understanding of their clients’ needs.

The apartment in question is situated on the second floor of a building in a quiet tree-lined bylane of the posh neighbourhood. But what cinched the deal for the client when purchasing the house was the 170 sq ft terrace that accompanied it — undoubtedly a rarity in cramped Mumbai homes. The initial brief was concise — the terrace was to be the star of the home, and there needed to be three bedrooms: for the client and his wife, their daughter and the grandmother.

When the architects began work on this eight-month-long project, they were presented with a structure that was completely bare. “Even the walls hadn’t been built yet,” informs Shilpa. This allowed them a free hand in designing an open plan in which the living and dining areas flowed seamlessly into each other to accommodate for the family’s propensity to spend most of their time in the public spaces of the house. “We don’t believe in limiting ourselves to a single style, but we do make an effort to keep things contemporary and infuse our designs with a lot of Indian sensibilities so that one feels grounded and connected to the ethos of our country,” says Shilpa when asked about the overall aesthetic of the apartment.