We would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to one of the jury members of the TINY HOUSE 2022 Architecture competition - Ar. Hardik Shah of Studio Lagom.  

After working at various architectural studios across the country, Ar. Hardik Shah was faced with an internal struggle to work as he was or to realize his own vision of a well-managed architectural practice. He chose the latter and Studio Lagom, came into being.

The studio is an ever-evolving space. The seed that was sown in 2011 has now grown from a sapling to a tree. Years of dedicated work and nature to curate beautiful art have resulted in a space that is soothing and inspiring at the same time. 

Today, the practice is involved in creating beautiful residences, compelling retail spaces, sustainable furniture, experiential restaurants, inspiring institutional spaces, and more.

Come take a look at what the Jury of Tiny House 2022 has to say about his evaluation process! For the purpose of this interview he would be referred as HS to responses, however Volume Zero referred as VZ.

"Forgive me, but sometimes I need my solitude to create"- Geoffrey Bawa

HS- What is a tiny house? That needs to be defined first. I would describe a Tiny House as one which fulfills the client brief without resorting to unnecessary flourishes.

On another level, I think every house should be tiny in spirit. I find ostentation, a show of wealth and superfluousness quite distasteful. People should understand that, at the end of the day, erecting a structure means the consumption of resources on so many different levels. So a home that is ‘enough’ and addresses considerations of maintenance properly is the need of the hour — in fact, a need of yesterday.

 

HS- Designing a building is a continuous process — a continuous thought process. And because of that, we are never afraid to question ourselves or fight ourselves when it comes to improving a proposal or thought. The firm’s culture is evident from its name. 

Our design responses will always show restraint, show sensitivity to the environment. Of course, these are in conjunction with the usual benchmarks of customer centricity, etc. Our firm is also both formal and informal. We have a defined framework of rules and regulations, but within those boundaries is a lot of creative freedom.

 

HS- We are a boutique practice. It’s a conscious decision. This means we get the advantage of picking and choosing assignments by and large. Therefore, whatever work we do, we have chosen to do it for a reason — either there’s a scope for formulating a different design response, or the site and/or brief is challenging. Therefore, every single one of our projects is close to our hearts.

HS- At the outset, I feel architects who have recently passed out of college lack the right attitude towards their profession — many consider it as a mere job. It isn’t. Like any other profession, like the medical field, architecture has a social responsibility. We are answerable for the well-being of people, to their safety.

Young architects already approach a task with set boundaries in place. These boundaries impinge upon their responsibility towards their work and their clients. Also, they need to understand that architecture is a team effort — a project is ours, not mine or yours. There’s no effort, I feel, to understand the philosophy of a studio, the philosophy of a particular design, to see whether things are progressing as per plan, or if they’re not, why not… Another big problem is the resistance to re-think something.  

‘Re-do’ is a big no-no. But I cannot blame them entirely. I don’t know if educational institutions are inculcating the habit of self-questioning and self-critiquing. I don’t want to paint a picture of gloom, but when you constantly face the same lacunae in freshers, you wonder what’s happening to the profession in general.

So, to answer the question, I think young architects need to be more aware of their chosen profession, its implications, and its role in society, in shaping the well-being of people. They have to be responsible towards their profession as well as their clients. 

Have the courage of conviction, but never, never be afraid to take a fresh look and question your design should the need arise. The need for that may be internal or external. Your clients may need something changed, or you may think the design response needs to be reformulated. As long as you stay true to the brief, go for it!