Architecture is a matter of creativity with scientific thought process. So, an architect is known by his projects itself. I, Mahesh Nampurkar, Partner of ‘Suman Shilp’, have been in the field of Architecture, Interior & Landscape designing for the past 28 years. The range of projects i handle is from 5000 sq. ft to even more than 400 acres. Suman Shilp is well known as an expert in defining the client's ideas to conceptual designing. Mrs. Uma Nampurkar, Partner of Suman Shilp and my wife, is also having a significant contribution in this successful journey so far.

Architecture is all about creating, crafting and safeguarding the culture. This creation for someone with details of crafting gives real satisfaction because of its cultural connection. This is the only profession, where you get an opportunity to craft someone’s dream into reality. The motivation is always the challenge that is put forth by a client in form of a project. Design is where you get an opportunity to express your heart with a combination of the feelings of owner. The clients feeling and your heart is merged together to derive a design of a project. No other profession gives you liberty to render dreams and so I opted to become a designer.

We incepted Suman Shilp around 12 years back, this inception was on the footings of a thought which we wanted to bring to reality. The footing of our works was based on reliability, loyalty & experience. We always take an effort to give a reliable service to all our clients. Loyalty is very important thus we always craft a sense of being a part of a particular project & give our clients an assurance that we always desire to work for their benefit. Experience is all about giving the conceptualization to the clients who wanted to thrive & bring their dreams to reality. Thus, in totality & togetherness these were the three main support system or we can call them as foundations for inceptions .Our inception of Suman Shilp had started way back in 2006 but before that we were executing lots of project & we have the total experience of around 27 to 29 years starting from 1994.

Like love, even design is mutual, it's an emotion. The creator and the receiver have to put their complete soul into creating, and into living that design to see its true beauty. A design is not a mere rendering, it is a journey of emotions on that piece of land and that should be felt by the reader.

Like any relationship, design that works is essentially a two way relationship. It encompasses the understanding and imaginations of the creator and at the same time, fulfils the aspirations and elevates the experience of the receiver. For me, landscape design has a deeper relationship. It is a medium connecting the resident of the space with its natural surroundings, making the two seamlessly one. Both breathing life into each other.

A good designer is one who designs well theoretically, and great designer is one who designs with soul and heart. A good design is a design which stands on a firm foundation of functional aspects of the project and really good design is a step further where the functionality as well as soulfulness of the design is derived in the perfect proportion.

Although the USP of each project is different, the common thread running throughout is the balance of simplicity, functionality and elegance. My design style focuses on these factors and they could be achieved through means of landscape elements, spatial transitions, integrated planning and variety of plants.

Basically the design process is very simple. Initially, it's very important to understand the language of any project. Once we are aware of the language of the project then we need to really understand the essence of the project, once it is understood and the rhythm is followed, we can really create and craft that project very easily. Afterwards, the functionality and the requirement of the clients need to be analyzed. After analyzing and understanding that, the crafting becomes very easy and we can really play an important role to derive design.

Yes, the cultural heritage of our country India, is very established and that always inspires us to really craft, create and understand the functionalities in our project. All the structures which have been distinguished and established in our country have perfect values of our culture. And this gives us a correct understanding of redefining design with cultural values.

Winning the MUSE Awards 2022 is really a big honor. This has increased our moral and also helps us in understanding where we stand in our design fraternity all over the world. So this award indeed has given us a big boost in terms of thought, in terms of creating and understanding how we need to process our future projects and give correct direction to our thought of evaluating and designing better projects in years to come.

This years winning entry which we had submitted and was chosen for the Golden MUSE Awards was a project from the north of our state in India. We chose this particular project for one reason, because it is an establishment which has gained a lot of values as well as it really cherishes the values and heritage of our country. Along with the crafting of the design what we wanted to intend and match with the functionality of the project. It’s a wellness property and we always wanted to create and craft that particular property without forgetting and without missing out the values of design. So, the strength of this particular design is simplicity and soulfulness with a perfect blend.

The biggest challenge with this particular project was that it was a flat farm land and surrounded by the hillscape around it. We wanted the wellness arenas to be crafted with all the five senses to be enriched as an experience. Thus, this particular brief and thought really gives us the correct directives to design this project on that line. The challenge with this particular project was that it had stipulated budget as well as the flat land and creating beautiful places within that flat land was a big challenge. It really helped us and i think so we were successful in writing correct derivations for this design.

Winning an award is always a big appreciation. It really boosts the moral of the entire team and really helps us to create better and better. This gives us enrichment to really speak about the forthcoming projects and give it a better direction so that we can create, craft and culture our design.

Top 3 favourite things about our industry is materials, variation in projects and space derivatives and thirdly everchanging ideologies and opening new avenues in terms of designing.

Our country is a developing country and thus absorbing good things from the world around has always been accepted in our design fraternity. This gives us an opportunity to see variations in terms of materials and approach of design as well as intermingle with various worldwide brands which have come to our country. So the brands and their belonging in this country has given us an opportunity to work with variations for our designs.

Also the art, culture in our country is one of the most unique thing which embraces the design of our country. Along with new upcoming technologies and the materials still have the value of those designs which can be framed very well and liberally used in our design philosophy.

In coming 5-10 years design industry and its evolution is going to prove next heights. Minimalism is always going to be the ruler of coming years, where people have understood that creating spaces and rendering dreams with minimalism will always ensure the design to live more and that is what I feel is going to be path which can lead to the express thought ways of years to come.

As a MUSE Awards winner i would like to express that all students should really framed and opt for challenges. Unless and until you put yourself in the challenging arenas you will never ever understand what your lacunas are and how you need to grow, so i will always express that one should go for these kinds of challenges in terms of proving themselves in this world of art, culture and creations.

It is really very important to follow certain principals in the profession. Firstly, keep in mind that you are spending someone else’s money which needs to be honored. Secondly, be sensitive towards the environment that you are working into, because finally that is going to make the project successful. Thirdly, understand your client’s expectations patiently and correctly. Also, remember that if you have chosen this profession to live better, you need to live for that profession and create better. I think these principals shall definitely help all the design professionals

I want to really compile my thought process of giving a great experience to the people. I wish to state that i wish to provide a consolidated easy approachable library of thoughts to people which will give them great vision statement & easy functionality to bring their dreams to reality. I want to give the best to the people in the best of the cost so utilizing their money, time & efforts to the best is my vision.

I'm always inspired by legends such as Ar. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Ar. Geoffrey Bawa. Barcelona Pavilion designed by Ar.t Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is one of my favourite design for its simplicity clean contemporary lines of architecture. Hotel Kandalama by Ar. Geoffrey Bawa has always inspired me. Modern steel and glass Farnsworth's house designed by Ar. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is also one of my favourite designs.

For me every new project is my first one. Probably that itself is the key to success. Secondly, any kind of creation has to be with your heart and soul. An architect must keep this in mind that even if it’s your fiftieth project, it is the first one of your clients who comes to you. Thus, if honesty, hard work, passion and creativity are followed/pursued simultaneously, success is bound to be yours!

This profession is about giving back to society. Because it’s like giving away our best creation to enhance the quality of life. And that is motivating me to do better and better.