Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Architects in Mumbai

When you think of buying a flat or bungalow, the first thing that comes to mind is money. It is no doubt a substantial investment, no matter what part of the world you live in. After making such a big commitment in terms of budget, it is natural to feel that this home should be perfect. While transforming the space into a home can be an energizing and uplifting experience, doing it all by yourself and making your thoughts and images about what it should look like a reality can be quite intimidating. This may be the chief reason to hire an architect. There are plenty of architects in Mumbai that may be ideal for your job. You can simply run a search online to come up with a list of names. Visit their official websites and select a few that seem appealing. Contact them immediately and get started.

Many of you may not be convinced about why it is important to hire an architect. Some even think that it is a waste of money. On the contrary, hiring a good architect may be the cheapest path toward achieving the house of your dreams. You might have a notion that architects only associate with big projects, and want to first consult a contractor. But the fact is that since architects have many projects running at the same time, they can be more helpful in terms of potential costs involved. Also, while a contractor can give you an estimate on the presented design, an architect can discuss various design options and give you a number of choices that will fit into your budget and at the same time be stylish and contemporary. This stage comes under consultation, which is usually free. So, again no costs are involved. Plus, if you are extremely happy with an architectural firm and decide to carry on with them, you will have access to their contractors.

Architects typically strike a balance between aesthetic beauty, code compliance and your budget. This may sound easy, but it isn’t. A good architect can save you a lot of time by reducing the overall timeline of the project by having set plans. Once you have hired an architecture and design firm, rest assured that your complete vision will first be jotted down on paper, created in design and plans and transformed into reality. You can count on them to be fully aware of your vision and committed to hand over a satisfactory end result.

Architects in Mumbai are especially celebrated for their timely delivery. These professionals know what supervision and staying on schedule is all about and its importance in this field. They manage this aspect by delegating teams to keep everything in check.

Monday, 25 June 2012

Best Architects in Mumbai, India

The architecture of the city is said to be a beautiful blend of Gothic, Victorian, Art Deco and Modern. While the best architects in Mumbai, India are working to change the skyline of the city, it still holds on to its many architectural marvels that exude other influences. If you take a walk anywhere in the city, you are bound to come across a couple of commercial complexes with retail shops, a number of office buildings, one mall at least, a big or small hotel, a multiplex theatre, a number of new residential buildings, a school or college and some skyscrapers. Another thing you might notice is that behind all this is the hard work of some world-class architects, builders and developers, interior designers and real estate professionals. If you even look back at how the city looked a decade or two ago, the difference is simply mind boggling.

Today Mumbai is packed with architecture and interior design firms. Some of the country’s best professionals are based here with swanky and stylish offices. With so much continuous urbanization and developments in infrastructure, there is definitely a wider scope of work available not only in the city and its outskirt areas, but all over the country and even abroad. Many leading architects are now choosing to concentrate on specific projects like residential and commercial, urban design, hospitality, hospital design, malls, educational institutes, etc. Leading firms are expanding their teams to make departments for specific categories in their companies that can help the firm branch out and take on more work. This change has opened the doors of opportunity for a lot of fresh architecture graduates that have innovative ideas and a knack to produce unique designs. In fact, there are many architect firms that have interior designers on the team so as to help a client plan the home from start to finish.

A number of developers and builders nowadays are on a constant hunt for expert architects to add a special touch to their real estate projects, as they have realized the importance of looks, design and sustainability in the real estate market of the country. The metropolitan population that has a load of disposable income, loves beautiful and attractive things, want their money’s worth, and are smart investors. They want all modern amenities, state of the art design and stylish interiors, and won’t settle for anything; obviously architects and builders oblige.

Meeting the high demands of the investors and going above and beyond is what has made the difference and created a new breed that is known as the best architects in Mumbai, India. These are the few professionals that have understood what the clientele really wants and provides it without compromise.

Thursday, 14 June 2012

Get Your Dream Home

Buying the first home as a couple can be quite challenging. In view of the fact that each person has a good idea of how he or she wants the house to look, this is at least the merging of two dream projects. The conversations about this topic are long, and sometimes end up in arguments. Well, that is if you don’t read this article. There are some basic tips that can be followed in order to be on the same page with your spouse. The first is to be considerate. Even if you want to look for houses which are in close proximity to your work, it might turn out to be a long commute for your spouse. So, it may be best to find an area that is convenient for both parties, especially in a place like Mumbai. And always pick a place that has good connectivity to other areas of the city. This means a railway station close by, a bus stand within a short walk and a rickshaw stand near the building.

Once you have an area in mind, start looking at new or up and coming projects. The best way to do this in case you don’t already live in the vicinity or visit it often is to look for advertisements in the local newspapers or ask around. Call the developers up to get a better idea of what they offer. Many leading developers and builders offer good deals and discounted prices from time to time. If you find something both like, make an appointment to see the site first hand. This can give you a clearer idea on the whole deal. There are many couples that prefer buying a pre-owned house in slightly older buildings. The main reason for this is that these houses may be a bit cheaper than brand new residential constructions that have most modern day amenities like elevators, gardens, gyms, swimming pool and high-tech security systems. Either way, seeing the rise in real estate prices these days, you are bound to need a home loan.

There are a large number of banks that offer home loans. It may be a good idea to get price quotes from a few banks and compare to find the best deal possible. When doing the comparisons pay attention to things like the bank’s reputation in the market, interest rates, EMI, eligibility amounts, payment schemes and down payment amounts. While applying for a home loan there are some factors that you must keep in mind. Get your own credit report. This can be done online too, as some websites offer this facility. It is imperative that you check the report for any errors as this may reduce your chances of getting the loan approved. Also, finalise the property before finalizing your home loan lender, because banks reserve good rates for customers that want immediate disbursement. You should be prepared to lose out on the processing fee even if you decide on not using the loan sanction. Make sure you completely understand the interest rates charged to you as even the fixed costs quoted by the lender can be revised after 12 to 60 months. So read the documents carefully and do not hesitate to ask questions if you have any doubts.

Once you have bought the house, it is smooth sailing from there on. All you need then is home design interior magazines for ideas to make it look fabulous. If you need professional help to do up the place, there are plenty of celebrated interior design firms in the city that will be more than happy to help.

Thursday, 7 June 2012

Historical Sites in Mumbai

If you are visiting India or even a resident of the country, you haven’t seen it all unless you visit Mumbai. The city is deemed the commercial Capital of the country and houses some of the many marvels it has to offer. Quite the metropolitan in every sense of the word today, Mumbai has come a long way since the time a collection of seven small islands on the west coast of India were known as Bombay. It is amongst the most populous cities in the world. Through history this small island has been under the rules of the Maurya Empire and the Silhara dynasty, who built a number of Buddhist and Hindu monuments, the Islamic rule, Portuguese rule and lastly the British monarchy, who built a large number of buildings that have a then trendy gothic and Victorian influence. Thus, it comes as no surprise that you come across historic monuments and sites that are worlds apart from each other.

The Elephanta caves are one of the must-see ancient sites in Mumbai. Located about 10 kilometers from the Gateway of India by waterway, there are many waterboats at Apollo Bunder that can take you right to the temple. The site is renowned as an architectural marvel, as the entire temple is a huge sculpture carved out of a single rock. The whole temple is dedicated to the praises of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva. The built site covers a large area of about sixty thousand square feet. This includes the main chamber, two lateral chambers, courtyards and a number of subsidiary shrines. There is a fascinating hall built with 20 pillars, the Shiva Linga at the western end of the temple, and an enormous 20 feet tall carving of Lord Shiva at his Sadasiva manifestation at the north south axis that are worth a visit. The temple has three entrances and bears a natural rock on the peak.

Fully functional even after two centuries, the Victoria Terminus which is now known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only standing functional structure in the world making the UNESCO list. The Victorian Gothic style architecture style of this structure is unparalleled in magnificence. In fact, even today many architectural design firms of the country yearn to recreate this style for their clients and fail. Designed by architect, Frederick William Stevens, the huge structute was made to look like the St Pancras Station in London. While the construction of the site started in the 1878, it was fully operational only after ten years and opened to the public in 1882. The building has spectacular stone domes, pointed arches, wood carvings, brass railings and an unusual ground plan.

No article about historical sites or architectural design in Mumbai would be complete without the mention of Gateway of India. Located in Apollo Bunder, it overlooks the great Arabian Sea. This monument way built during the British Raj to commemorate the landing of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary at Mumbai in 1911. The architectural style used to build the structure is Indo-Saracenic. The monument is also symbolic of the end of British rule as the last British troops that left the country following independence passed through the gateway. The central dome is 15 metres in diameter and 25 metres in height with large halls on both sides that can hold up to six hundred people.

There are many architectural design firms in Mumbai that take inspiration from the city’s history. The various influences Mumbai has had from its many rulers are intriguing to locals as well as visitors.

Thursday, 24 May 2012

Best Interior Designers in India

If you are looking for the best interior designers in India, Mumbai is one of the places that won’t disappoint you. Packed with a large number of leading developers, builders, architects and interior designers, it is the number one real estate playground in the country. The real estate market of the city is soaring and this commercial ever-expanding Capital is enjoying every minute of these developments in urbanization as well as infrastructure. In the past twenty years or so the complete skyline of the city has changed, thanks to the efforts of innovative developers and builders. But this is not all. Today even the smallest of homes has interiors done up by professionals of the field. People no longer compromise on comfort or style, and want a beautiful blend of the two in addition to functionality of every inch and sustainable design.

Interior designing has become a thriving career path today. The many renowned interior design institutes of the country are churning out hundreds of students into the workforce. While some fresh designers, who have the financial capacity and ecological backing, start their private practices, a majority of them prefer joining an already established firm to provide their career with a head start. With the constant increase in demand for architects and interior designers, there are quite a few well-established firms that are eager to hire such graduates to be part of a team of talent. In fact, interior designers are not only employed by large interior design firm, but also by architects and architecture firms in order to provide a one stop shop for the clients that walk through their doors.

These days you can also come across companies established as a collaborative venture between well-known architects, developers and interior designers. This is typically the case for huge projects in major cities of India. There was a time when such partnership was limited to developers and architects, but in view of the fact that interior design is now become an integral part of the end product presented to the investor, even interior designers are included as well as given credit for their work. Today the big names in interior design are branching out to take on projects of various interests and sizes like institutional, commercial, retail and corporate, and are no longer restricted to only designing the interior of houses. You can find names of some of the best interior designers in India by simply searching online or flipping through a good interior design magazine. They are ideal in providing all the basic information you need about the different firms in the country. A majority of the magazines also offer tips on home décor, inform you about the latest trends in designing, and so on.

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Architecture and Interior Design

You are sitting on your favourite side of the living room couch, flipping through an interior design magazine you picked up from the roadside just to get some ideas for your redecorating. The next thing you know almost two hours have passed and even though you are happy to have found and ticked that animal coffee table that looked so interesting, that curtain that was just the right shade of brown and the light fixtures that were so unusual and beautiful, you just didn’t want to not get started on cooking dinner earlier. Well, this is the scenario in most homes that are thinking about buying a new home or redecorating. Everything about architecture and interior design planning is time consuming. More so these days as there are an endless number of options in every department of the field. No matter whether you are looking at light fixtures, centre tables, paintings or art work, or even furniture styles, the options you have in front of you can be quite overwhelming. And decisions have to be made and quick. So, who takes it on, responsibility and all the work that goes into it? Your architecture and interior design firm does, of course!

Everyday more and more people around the world hire the services of architecture and interior firms to deal with everything that comes after the long tiresome real estate dealings that take forever and exhaust you to the core. Are you wondering why architecture and interior design firms? Chances are that you have heard of the two separately. But, wake up and smell the coffee. These two are very much interconnected fields that work better together. In fact, this may be the primary reason why many celebrated architects and well-known interior designers are collaborating together on projects and starting companies and firms wherein teams from both respects come together to create something exclusive for the client.

There are many advantages to having your property created by a reputable firm that does architecture as well as interior design. While architects are best at making sure your villa or apartment is safe, secure, naturally well-lit, etc, interior designer take care of the aesthetics, styling and beauty aspects of the space. Contrary to popular belief that you don’t need an architect in the process of interior design of a flat, the truth is in most cases you do. Imagine you want to break a wall and create a bigger room instead of having two smaller rooms. Now an inexperienced interior designer would just give you a go-ahead, but this may not be safe. On the other hand, a firm would take all things under consideration and try to get the result you desire, and at the same time keep the balance between safety and aesthetics.

There are plenty of famous architecture and interior design companies in cities like Mumbai. In view of the fact that these firms are considered among the best in the country, they have projects ranging from commercial to residential at various cities in India. Some companies are also in the news for their project abroad. So, if spending a little extra money is not a big issue for you, it may be a good idea to search out one of the best in this business rather than settling for the first name that pops up. A good way to find some names could be by browsing online, checking out official company websites, go through images of some well-known buildings, etc. Once you have found that firm, take the earliest possible appointment and get started. And, don’t forget to take that interior design magazine along.

Monday, 2 April 2012

Top Architects in Mumbai

With the increasing advent of globalization, there is a need for projects in cities like Mumbai to be a step beyond the rest. The two main reasons for this to be felt are that firstly, the city is the commercial face of the country and is welcoming brands and multinationals from all over the world; and secondly, it has always been a trendsetter for other smaller cities in India. Some of the top architects in Mumbai today are deemed to be among the best our country has. These few architects are the ones having well-established architectural and interior design firms in the city, with ongoing projects in and around the city as well as other parts of the country. While all architects working in the metropolitan are striving to fulfill the ever-increasing demands of the consumers, these may be the only ones that are in tune with the customer’s pulse.

Today architects have their work cut out for them. The unparalleled growth and fast changing trends have architects and interior designers pushing at the boundaries of creativity, to produce something that is unique and has a clear exceptional quality about it. The newer architectural concepts that can be seen these days have a blend of contemporary styling, minimalism, traditionalism and abstract design to appeal to the various clientele that are included in the segment of buyers. Architecture is no longer just about building a sustainable good-looking structure that can house a number of people. Now it is all inter-related spaces, exterior-interior visual connections, and aesthetics and functionality coming together. Another principal role of architects is to create a structure that can achieve maximum FSI and saleable area for the developer. If you take a drive down the roads of Mumbai in the night, you will be stunned at the different styles of buildings you come across. And mind you, this is not accidental, even the lighting techniques used to illuminate the structure in the night are well-thought through by the architects.

In today’s time architecture is fragmented into different parts. These are mainly Structural design for the framework, landscape design for the outside area, interior design for the inside space, lighting design for illumination purposes, utility design for networking, branding design for signage and graphics, and audio design for sound and acoustics. With so many aspects to take care of, most leading architects now choose to work with teams of professionals, rather than bear the brunt alone. This is the reason why most top architecture firms in the city are in partnership, and even have fresh professionals from the various fields of architecture to help in giving valuable input on projects. While all fragments of architecture are put to use when designing commercial complexes, most residential designs do not need audio designers, branding designers and utility designers.

In the past decade or so the role of an architect has changed for building functional structures to those that show creativity and innovation. This fact has brought about a new league of top architects in Mumbai. To these architects are striving to change the very skyline of the city. The city is now home to some of the highest towers in the State. This trend is not limited to commercial projects, but also residential buildings. Of course, when it comes to high rise residential projects a lot more thought has to be put in, in terms of security and parking. For this, many architects have come up with designs that allow comfortable ramps for maneuvering cars, drop off points for security, well planned landscapes, space for in-house gymnasiums and swimming pool, gardens, and so on.