AN EXPERIMENT IN THE MAKING

Birju Shah, Pooja Shah and Dhaara Shah converge to form Studio-in-Dtale, an Ahmedabad-based design atelier that crafts, creates and pushes the boundaries when it comes to Avant- Garde design

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We steer clear from conformative styles. This quest for avant garde design strategies has inadvertently become our USP. – Birju Shah, Partner, Studio-in-Dtale

Fresh out of design school, Birju Shah, Pooja Shah and Dhaara Shah were young, restless designers who jumped into formal experimentation and “aesthetic” outcomes the moment a new project came in. Back in the day, design was understood from a very linear, problem solving, ‘create beautiful vignettes’ approach. Over the years, the trio have learned to view any problems they may face in design, as an opportunity to democratise problem solving. As Birju says, “We evaluate it through a very nuanced approach to our projects where the form indeed follows function, and program precedes vanity.”

Taking us back to what drew them together and how they formed Studio-in-Dtale, Pooja narrates, “The three of us go way back to our college days, where we were pretty much at loggerheads most of the time. Each of us had a contrasting approach and understanding towards the discipline. It was later when we realised that our differences were strengths and that we began collaborating on projects. Many successes and failures later, we consolidated our collaboration as one design firm.”

EVER EVOLVING