A moving experience

Amrish Patel and Darshan Soni came together to share a common vision that has since come alive through striking explorations of kinetic art

What role has a formal design education played in your career?

AP: I pursued a Master’s in Marketing Management, but had an inclination towards design from a very young age. Our family business is in real estate and I often used to visit construction sites during my school holidays. I would learn about design, be a part of the conversation, and get involved in the process of planning. Over the years I would see things start to take shape. When I finished my education I designed my home and felt that I could do much more if I had my own design studio - that’s how things fell in place. Not having a formal education in design makes me curious about things and makes me explore things in my own way.

DS: I pursued a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology in Ahmedabad. The School of Architecture provided me the environment to grow as a person, architect, artist, and individual. It provided me the perception to experience the beauty of the world. It taught me to develop the tools for learning and keep learning. The great institute had great faculty, seniors and juniors, and exposed me to so many aspects of design and art - I could keep becoming better by questioning and understanding the design world.

How did Apical Reform come about?

DS: Amrish and I met through a common friend in 2010. We did a couple of pilot projects and realized we complemented each other’s strengths - the results were very exciting. We realized that we made a great team and eventually decided to form a company together where we both could share our ideas and vision and create work which had impact in various ways. Apical Reform, started in Ahmedabad in 2011, is a collaborative design studio dedicated to creating immersive experiences led by art and innovation in production technology. The core identity of our work methods and interests are ‘the introspection and constant effort of reforming to become better’. This is a perpetual process for us, and hence the name - Apical Reform. It is a constant process of reforming and moving towards the apex as a never ending process.

What makes your partnership work?

DS: Amrish is Creative Director – he has a very good understanding of the design world, materials and esthetics. His formal training in business gives him a very vital role in the company. That is a great relief for me and as Design Director I can put my heart and soul into the process of design. He leads the business front and I handle the design. This brings in a great balance.

What drew you to kinetic art?