208 JUNE - JULY 2019
VIEW FROM THE ROOFTOP WITH A CLOSE-UP OF THE INSTALLATIONAMEET MIRPURI, 39 GAJASTAMBAM (TRANSLATING TO ‘ELEPHANT PILLAR’)
Founder of Design Studio
You have worked with contemporary hotel groups like Novotel
and Radisson in the past. Why did you take on this project?
Over the years, I’ve been involved in the renovation and
revamping of the Palm Beach hotel in Vizag, of which the
handicrafts hotel is an extension. We started with a few rooms,
lightly based on this concept of handicrafts, five years ago,
and that was when we first began our research. We brought
on board a crafts designer, Krupanand Karthik, and it evolved
into the idea of creating a whole new wing about 15 months ago;
there was no real eureka moment.
What are its USPs?
Andhra crafts are not very well known, so this is a big draw. The
location on the beach is another. Nowadays, a cross section of the
public prefers heritage boutique hotels; unlike the inaccessible
five-stars, they are priced to attract and tap into the desires of
millennials and professionals keen on a personalised experience.
Luxury, these days, is defined by the space, amenities and decor,
and it is also gauged by the overall experience and attention to
detail. Hence, each piece of furniture comes with meticulously
incorporated details. For instance, the room doors are made to
look like the ones in Andhra puja rooms, typically decorated with
bells; the benches are inspired by jhulas (swings), although in this
case, they are fixed to the ground.
Could you explain the thought behind the design curation
of one of the rooms?
In the Tholu Bommalata or the leather puppetry room, we took
inspiration from the wandering artists and performers who used
to go from village to village setting up fairs or carnivals (jatra in
Telugu). They would sing songs, tell fortunes, sell wares, perform
stunts and tattoo local people in exchange for money. One of
the main attractions was the puppetmaster, who would recount
religious stories based on epics. This ancient custom passed
along mythological and local folk tales and news to the most
remote corners for centuries. The decor was intended to reflect
the backstory of this craft and the craftspeople.
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
We created thousands of mockups during the trial-and-
error phase, and every aspect was challenging. Choosing
fabrics for each room — there are about 24 — was quite a
task. Then there were instances when, say, the paint would
react to the lacquer coat, and we had to work out these
kinds of kinks on the spot. In a hotel like this, there is the
possibility of vandalism; guests might be curious about
something they see on the walls and want to touch it. So,
we had to ensure that the fabrics are not hard to maintain,
that the finish on the door is not difficult to look after. All
the art is removable, so if the hotel needs to be repainted
in five years’ time, which it probably will, everything can be
detached, preserved and put back. It’s easy to make a place
look alluring, but to design it in a way so that it’s also easy
to maintain is not.Your takeaway from working with the artisans?
We often take the term ‘handmade’ for granted while we
readily give credit to retailers or middlemen, and the actual
creator ends up earning just a fraction of the revenue. I
found that keeping it real and authentic is very important.
For these artisans, preserving their dying arts is crucial, and
the kind of passion with which the older generation wants
to pass on their knowledge and skills is something I have
not seen anywhere else. Their children on the other hand
treat it as a business.How has the city contributed to the hotel’s innovative
design elements and overall aesthetic?
Vizag is one of the biggest cities in India, and the greenery,
the beach, the crafts — all of these inform the hotel’s mood
and feel. We hope that visitors will absorb the energy of
the setting and engage with the state’s culture, whether it is
by observing minute details or by requesting meetings with
the artisans. We wanted to be faithful to the culture and
core values while attempting something novel.