What is good design? A question which is frequently answered by designers, architects and visualizers in which they try to explain form, function, innovation and many other terms that come by. Personally, being a part of this field of architecture and design, the question that I really think of (and I’m sure many others do, too) is ‘How can we put forward what we visualize in front of the world?’ which further branches out into creating our own identity as a designer or finding the key to establishing a successful start up and to simultaneously inspire others, as well. At TYS, we understand all of these dilemmas and want to help you get your answers from the best designers and architects across the nation.
These creative Indian designers have established their names as unique, successful and most of all as the pioneers of creativity across India in the world of design, treading on their path with the same questions we carry today; Just that, they will share their answers and certainly guide us all, as we walk on this road of self discovery, ourselves.
Here’s our personal guide on the most creative Indian designers you just cannot miss.
1. Amardeep Behl
Director, Design Habit
Amardeep Behl has been involved in working with space to merge various media, like architecture, graphic design, industrial design, and audio-visual, and digital multimedia, into a common language.
Having specialized in Exhibition Design at the Department Of Visual Communication of the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India, he founded the design firms, Oriole Design, and eventually, Design Habit, his present firm. His area of professional practice over two decades has been in varied design domains: from museums of spiritual teachings and corporate experience centres to exhibitions, events to film production design, envisioning real estate development to the reuse of existing heritage sites.
Have a look at some of Design Habit’s creations below.
Fountain of Oneness at Nirankari Sarovar Complex, Delhi
Image courtesy: ArchiExpo
Stained glass double globe of the Earth in the middle of the Fountain of Oneness at Nirankari Sarovar Complex, Delhi
Image courtesy: Wikimedia
Virasat-e-Khalsa, Khalsa Heritage Museum in Punjab
Image courtesy: Wikipedia
Inside the Virasat-e-Khalsa, Khalsa Heritage Museum in Punjab
Image courtesy: Desi Traveler
2. Anthony Lopez
Founder and Principal Designer, Lopez Designs
Anthony Lopez nurtured a passion for design during his growing years in Ahmedabad. His father, who worked in the field of printing and typography at National Institute of Design (NID), introduced him to this field. Lopez also dappled with photography for a year at Dalwadi’s studio. In 1983, he joined the NID and specialized in graphic design. After completing the design program, Lopez collaborated with two other NID designers in the early 1990s, starting Whisper Design for product, environment and graphic design. After a hiatus, Anthony began Lopez Design independently in 1997 from a studio apartment in Noida, building it up with cumulative vision. Anthony also started Lopez Sivan Design for environments, retail areas and spaces with fresh original designs that bring a vivid graphic quality to space.
Lopez has won several accolades including the American Design Award and The Business World Design Excellence Award. The studio won India’s Best Brand Design Studio at the Pool Magazine Awards. In 2014, Lopez Design was felicitated by the CII with the Design Excellence Award for Environment Branding.
Here’s a selection of Lopez Designs’ projects.
Installation for Sterling Tools Limited at the 2014 Auto Expo – a massive grid of bolts that weighed several tons but appeared as light as a cobweb.
“‘The World of Mercer’ at the cafeteria with 305 images from all over the world sparking conversations.”
Award-winning design for the Mercer Noida office.
Brand Strategy and design of identity, website, print collaterals, signage system and social media for the Bihar Museum.
Images courtesy of Lopez Designs
Check out their website for more.
3. Kriti Monga
Founder, Turmeric Design
Kriti Monga is the Founder and Director of Turmeric Design, New Delhi, a studio noted for its spirit and unique voice, that draws from a range of influences.
Set up in 2010, Turmeric Design crafts complete brand stories: effectively combining creative strategy and brand identity with its signature, painstakingly hand-crafted illustrations and lettering, that create richer customer engagement and memorability. In its short five years, Turmeric has worked with brands that have consistently become distinctive and well-recognised in the country: Smoke House Deli, Smoke House Room, The Hungry Monkey, Perch, Mantra Ayurveda and Namaha Healthcare, to name a few. Turmeric Design was recently judged India’s Best Graphic Design Studio 2015 by Indi/Pool Magazine.
Kriti has 13 years of professional experience in design, branding, communications, typography, print and illustration, that she combines with her interests in travel, food, literature, science, art and music, to work mainly for the hospitality, F&B, boutique retail, and now healthcare sectors. She has received multiple prestigious awards and publication features, both Indian and internationally.
Kriti also teaches typography and illustration courses at India’s foremost design institutions, including her alma mater, NID, and at multiple international design schools. She is invited to speak, present her work and lead creative workshops at events around the world.
Here are our favourites from Turmeric Design’s works.
Cover illustration and custom icons design for Time Out Delhi’s anniversary issue
Identity system, branding, signage, print collateral for Smoke House Room
Illustrations for Thapar House, Kolkata
Cover illustration, lettering and design –
Degree Coffee by the Yard, Aleph Books.
Images courtesy of Turmeric Design on Facebook
4. Madhav Raman
Partner, Anagram Architects
Madhav Raman is an architect and urbanist. He founded Anagram Architects in 2001, an architectural practice in partnership with Vaibhav Dimri, that offers expertise in urban design, architecture, sustainability and research. Anagram Architects is internationally recognised as amongst the top emerging practices in the world with a commitment towards delivering deeply contextual designs that encourage sustainable lifestyles.
The practice has garnered much international acclaim including a nomination for the Aga Khan Award 2010 and inclusion in the Wallpaper Magazine’s “Architects Directory 2009”. Its work has been premiated at the Architectural Review’s World Emerging Architecture Awards 2007 and many more publications.
He also serves on the Area Advisory Board of the Amity University, NOIDA. He moderates the annual Design X Design roundtable in Delhi which aims at building discourse around Indian design across disciplines. He writes regularly for the Architectural Digest and the Times of India in addition to being published in the Bahaus Magazine and Indian Architect and Builder.
Here are some of Anagram Architects’ most creative projects.
Interiors of The Digit – Corporate offices
Office of the South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre
Art installation ‘Kalpavriksha’
Office of Anagram Architects
Images courtesy of Anagram Architects
5. Ajay Shah
Founder, Ajay Shah Design Studio
Ajay Shah is an award-winning designer and the founder of Ajay Shah Design Studio (ASDS) and Rubberband, a stationary and products brand.
A graduate in furniture design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Shah began his journey at Exemplar Systems Private Limited and followed it by founding the Circus Design Company (now known as Ajay Shah Design Studio) in 1990.
We’ve picked out a selection of ASDS creations below.
Via South – take it easy diner’ – the first branded food court in the city of Chennai.
Rebranding Gemini cinema and production house
Retail design for accessory brand Carbon’s 7th store
Concept and packaging for the chocolate brand ‘Something Like’
Inspired yet by these creative Indian designers and their works? Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome!
