Nothing Is Permanent, Finished Or Perfect

Ashiesh Shah believes that nothing is permanent, finished or perfect - a philosophy he brings to his architecture and interior design practice with great success

- Ashiesh Shah

What role has formal design education played in your career?

AS: After studying architecture at Rachana Sansad - Academy of Architecture in Mumbai, I went on to Parsons School of Design, New York for a degree in Interiors and Architecture. I worked in New York for several years before moving back to Mumbai in 2006. My time there was an incredible learning experience and proved to be an introductory course into the practicalities of an architectural practice. There are several aspects of the profession that are impossible to learn in university and I think my time there was very important in shaping everything from my approach to design to what inspires me.

Whilst I was in New York, I had the opportunity to redesign my friend’s loft space. She was studying fashion technology at the time and wanted the space to act both as a studio and home. The apartment needed a full scale renovation and was far beyond the point of limited interventions and upgrades. Not only is this my favorite memory of the city, but it helped me develop my language and find learning about my esthetic and capabilities early on.

What did it take to establish your own architecture + interiors practice?