In the element

Designing excellence

A boutique company which focuses on quality, is how Amit Gehlot, founding partner of Architects Shalini Amit, popularly known as ASA, describes his architecture and interior design company. And excellence is definitely priority for the only Indian design company to have been recognised by the Leading Hotels of the World. By Gayatri Vijaykumar

Rambagh Palace guest room before renovation

An architectural design thesis on the upgradation and expansion of the Taj Rambagh Palace in Jaipur as part of a project at IIT Roorkee piloted the setting up of a boutique company which specialises in architecture and interiors design for the hospitality industry. As Amit Gehlot, founding partner of Architects Shalini Amit, popularly known as ASA, puts it, the royal family was so impressed by the thesis taken up him and Shalini Gehlot, his wife and founding partner of ASA, that the they were invited to implement the designs and undertake the renovation project of Rambagh Palace. Thus begin their long and eventful association with architecture and designing for the hospitality industry.

Building foundations

Amit Gehlot

Shalini Gehlot

ASA consists of a 12 member team who believe in excellence and attention to details. "At ASA, we have always focused on quantity rather than quality. The Taj Rambagh Palace project took nine years for completion," says Gehlot. A testimonial to this is the fact that the Taj Rambagh Palace has been recently voted the best hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveller. The newly launched Jiva Grande Spa at the Taj Rambagh Palace which recreates the luxury and opulence of the Mughal era with its couple spa suite tents, wooden floors, chandeliers and love swings, has also won ASA the Pevonia Asia Spa Award for the Best Spa Architecture.

Set up in 1997, over the years most of the projects that ASA undertook has been for heritage properties in and around Rajasthan. Though the central focus of retaining the heritage aspect of these properties remains, some trends have evolved over time. "Royal families who want their palaces converted into hotels have started to realise that the hotels have to cater to the world class traveller. Hence we need to ensure that we leverage on technology to provide that experience without disturbing the look and feel of the hotel," explains Gehlot.

With a growing awareness of the need to travel and live eco-friendly, implementing ecologically sound and energy efficient designs right from the concept stage of a project has become vital. ASA focuses on building sustainable designs. "I think that in the future, it will become mandatory to stick to eco-friendly and energy efficient designs. Customers are also conscious about these issues and we have put it in our design ethos to suggest to the owners methods for conservation of energy resources," states Gehlot. Using local materials while designing is also top-most on the agenda. According to Gehlot, ASA makes sure that all projects undertaken have a distinctive local flavour utilising local materials and artisans. "Art is an important aspect for us, at Taj Rambagh Palace, the royal family wanted to use the services of local craftsmen as much as possible. This has helped revive a lot of the local art and culture which was otherwise dying. We got local artists to undertake work such as gold leaf frescoes, furniture work, zardosi etc," Gehlot states. These local artisans are still a part of the project and take care of the maintenance aspect. The colours and textures used also depend on the local architecture to a large extent, for eg, in Rajasthan the company uses vibrant colours while in Hyderabad, the colours used are more subtle.

According to Gehlot, designing a hotel is a very precise science. In-depth knowledge is required while designing all spaces including the back of the house. Gehlot explains, "You need clear information about the interaction between the back of house and front of house, especially in the case of old buildings and palaces. We have to tackle it right at the conceptualising stage."

Rambagh Palace internal courtyard facade	Rambagh Palace guest room
Rambagh Palace Jiva Spa	Rambagh Palace renovated Toilet

Designer dreams

The Gehlots have been fortunate to have been exposed to major international design firms in hospitality design who have forayed into the Indian market. The company has also worked with big names in the hospitality industry such as the Taj and Hilton as well as some smaller boutique properties. A highpoint and one of the biggest recognitions that the company has got has been from the Leading Hotels of the World and its Leading by Design programme. The company has been listed as one of 20 top international hotel design companies and is proudly the only Indian company to be featured on the list.

Though most of the projects that ASA has undertaken have been heritage properties, the company has also taken up designing for contemporary hotels. ASA has taken up the master planning, architecture, interior designing and lighting design of the upcoming property Double Tree by Hilton in Jaipur. "The project will have a modern cutting edge look," Gehlot states. So how much scope of innovation does the design company have? "A lot of design decisions depend on what the owner/operator wants. We have to listen to the owner and educate them too. A lot of owners are first time entrants into the hospitality business hence we have to educate them and introduce them to the nuances of hotels. For example, if a developer wants a historic set-up in a modern contemporary building or vice versa, we have to make them understand that it is not possible," he says.

Gehlot has his hands full with projects this year. "We are looking at a big expansion project at Rambagh Palace. Other projects include Hilton Jaipur and Ramada, Hyderabad. We are also looking at strengthening our base towards South India," he concludes.