Modern Learning

At the head office of educational institution Learn, in Hyderabad, architect Shamila Meeran and interior designer Faisal Vohra of F+S Designs meld functionality and smart, contemporary design with an artistic bent.

- Rashmi Karanjekar

“Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design,” said architect Charles Eames. Architect Shamila Meeran and interior designer Faisal Vora of F+S Designs seem to have used this statement as a benchmark in the case of Learn, the head office of an educational institution in Hyderabad, which underwent a structural expansion. The young firm, F+S Designs was established in 2014 and has designed many residential, office, hospitality and institutional spaces. “Our core belief is that great design is a catalyst that enhances the way people interact with their surroundings. This drives us to constantly look for newer means and materials to provide the very best in design with a keen understanding of the cultures and communities we serve. After all, good design is all about bringing people together,” say the duo of their design philosophy.

The brief from the client was to make an educational research office and a business centre as an extension of the two floors of the existing head office of Learn. “With 8,000 sq ft of space as the canvas, our primary considerations while developing a concept was to provide a contemporary design with free-flowing spaces and panoramic views of the interiors, and to provide a young and vibrant workspace,” says Faisal. Although the clients were actively involved in the planning stage of the project, they gave the design team free hand in conceptualization of design, budget and execution.