Build 2016 Sustainable Building Awards 34 Company: STUDIO DECODE Name: Ashok Dutta, Meghana Dutta (Principal Architects) Email:
[email protected] Web Address: www.studiodecode.com Address: 151, 20th Main, 12th Cross, 2nd Phase, J.P.Nagar, Bangalore -560078, Karnataka, India Telephone: 91-80-26591709 tudio Decode is an international, award-winning architectural design firm, which has a green and technology centric initiative and seeks sustainable transformations through architecture. Our key sectors of work in the past include institutional, healthcare, housing, residential, industry, government, retail and commercial, F&B, interiors, planning and infrastructure. Works of the firm have been showcased in national and international publications, and also on national television. Studio Decode has a strong team of 23 staff, which bring an experience of over 15 years in the field of design, interiors, planning and sustainability. The team comprises of architects, interior designers, technologists, administrative managers and assistants. Within the sustainable building market, Studio Decode have undertaken work for the government as well as other sectors in India. The buildings which we have designed, are currently under construction and will be among the greenest in India. We have designed two office buildings for Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL), both of which are expected to be certified LEED Platinum, (LEED being the rating system followed in India). In addition, we have successfully designed PUMA Group’s first sustainable flagship retail store globally. It became the first retail store in India to receive a LEED platinum rating. As a highly populated country, India is in a unique position where a large middle class is evolving with immense purchasing power and high levels of consumption. With greater means come higher consumptive and economic aspirations. There has been a tendency in India among the design community to overlook geographical and cultural context. As designers, it has been our effort to plug the gaps and design responsibly to include context and culture. Our challenge has been to produce contextually sensitive projects where we are able to include traditional concepts and execute with quality. Also with pace and speed comes erosion of quality, standards and skills. These are some of the challenges we are trying to overcome. Our overall mission has an experimental, design approach and seeks to provide solutions which are contextually relevant and delivered responsibly. We look at aesthetics beyond the cosmetics of application and more as a response to context as well as a problem solving essential. Part of our mission is sustainability. As we seek to create sustainable transformations in the built environment, we approach sustainability as a mechanism to include and integrate. As the current global scenario demands a high level of efficiency in how we use resources, it becomes imperative that we look very closely at including localised knowledgebase, techniques, materials and planning principles. Therefore, we put a lot of emphasis on research, analysis and solutions bound together by the client’s brief and requirements. Studio Decode have taken steps to adapt to the trends and legislative developments in the sustainable building market. Firstly, at the beginnings of adopting green building standards in India, many buildings were planned devoid of architecturally creative solutions and much was lacking in the quality of experience. Many such buildings were mostly approached as a check list where the emphasis was to meet rating standards and to attain certification as a green building. Although these buildings succeeded in achieving green ratings, they were poor examples of creative solutions. Also, as the industry has evolved, well designed buildings are equally a requirement so that quality of spatial experience for the inhabitants is equally taken care of. All large scale buildings in India need Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF) clearance before it is approved for construction. Many of the rules and regulations adopted for larger buildings are now being considered to be made mandatory for all sizes of constructions. At present, it is optional for mid-scale or small projects to incorporate green buildings norms or get clearance from MOEF. From the beginnings of the firm we have made a conscious effort to adopt such standards and it will be a welcome move to see such changes incorporated as regular practices. The building industry in India is victim to loosely enforced codes and in turn it leads to low quality of public spaces, poor standards of services and neglect of essentials required for good standard of living. Studio Decode is well-placed in Bangalore. The city is known as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’ and is home to a highly educated and well-exposed populace. This makes the residents a highly aware community and hence makes it relatively easier to articulate solutions which may help in building a better city. Many of our cities in India are a victim of diluted administration and this makes it more difficult to make many successful solutions. In the future, Studio Decode plans to surpass many of the challenges they face, such as the erosion of traditional craftsmanship, quality of construction and depleting natural resources. Technical evolution becomes an important tool for the company to solve many of the imperfections they are trying to check. Many tasks traditionally manually performed could be replaced by automation and by mechanizing delivery processes. Best Green Architectural Design Practice 2016 – India & Best Indian Retail Project: Puma Retail Building, Bangalore Founded in June 2006, Studio Decode is headed by architects Ashok Dutta and Meghana Dutta. The firm is focused on creating cutting edge design for green, high performance and smart buildings with an aim to deliver responsibly and commitment to efficiency. S