NEW DELHI, June 26: Rich heritage and quality manpower are the two strengths on which India can build upon to realise its potential in the design and architecture sector, feels international lifestyle and hospitality designer Tony Chi.
The New York and Buenos Aries-based designer, who has wowed the design world with stylish, functional and aesthetic concepts on space, lighting, architecture and public art among others was recently on his first visit to India.
“It would definitely be a fascinating experience to work in a country which has a vast cultural heritage ranging from the Qutab Minar and Old Fort in Delhi to the Taj Mahal in Agra which are all an epitome of excellence in design and innovation,” says the 45 year old designer
Designing chic spaces is his forte and with his attention to detail Chi has orchestrated rich compositions of shagreen and lacquer, aqueous glass mosaics and textured wood veneer along with super graphic-laminated glass and prismatic mirror.
“Conceptualising a project for a new cultural setting is an immersive experience. India, being a land of deep heritage and a multitude of cultures steeped in rich traditions, offers a highly stimulating environment to work in,” says Chi.
The Taiwan born designer who has tied up with a realty major’s project in Gurgaon stresses on the importance of sustainability of design and the various deficiencies that have crept in because of the unbalanced development of big cities, including he says those in India.
“Sustainable design is the need of hour and we take ample care of environmental concerns. We are trying to beat the ‘lopsided development’ tag of Gurgaon by providing a design concept that combines basic amenities with good infrastructure,” says Chi.
With a 30-year-old design career, Chi is famed for designing about 700 restaurants across the world including the Harley-Davidson Cafe in New York, restaurants for Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong, and Hyatt projects in Chicago, Osaka, and Sydney, among others.
Tony Chi is full of praise for the rich heritage of Indian architecture which he points provided a base for the modern architectural and design innovation upsurge.
“History of architecture in modern India began with the advent of the colonisers. Colonisation of India had a massive impact in the architectural style. The buildings and monuments that were constructed during that age were influenced by the Dutch, Portuguese, French and English architecture.
“Initially the colonisers gained control over the classical prototypes and their architecture was known as indo- Saracenic architecture. The Mutiny Memorial church at Kanpur and the Garrison church in New Delhi are among the important colonial architecture. There also built many cathedrals of the Portuguese-Gothic style,” points out Chi.
Besides, he says “the qualitative and quantitative manpower that India has again contributes greatly to the modern architecture development in the country. There are some really good colleges for architecture here and Indian students are doing good all over the world”.
Chi says he believes in what he calls “invisible design, the notion that, much like good service, a hospitality space should elicit a positive response without necessarily making you aware why”. Tony Chi is full of praise for the rich heritage of Indian architecture which he points provided a base for the modern architectural and design innovation upsurge.
“History of architecture in modern India began with the advent of the colonisers. Colonisation of India had a massive impact in the architectural style. The buildings and monuments that were constructed during that age were influenced by the Dutch, Portuguese, French and English architecture.
“Initially the colonisers gained control over the classical prototypes and their architecture was known as indo- Saracenic architecture. The Mutiny Memorial church at Kanpur and the Garrison church in New Delhi are among the important colonial architecture. There also built many cathedrals of the Portuguese-Gothic style,” points out Chi.
Besides, he says “the qualitative and quantitative manpower that India has again contributes greatly to the modern architecture development in the country. There are some really good colleges for architecture here and Indian students are doing good all over the world”.
Chi says he believes in what he calls “invisible design, the notion that, much like good service, a hospitality space should elicit a positive response without necessarily making you aware why”.
Chi’s US firm is currently undertaking several prestigious international projects like of Ritz-Carlon in Singapore, Park Hyatt in Moscow, Inter Continental in Geneva and the Mandarin Oriental in Guangzhou.
Meanwhile in India he is part of project that is a joint collaboration between the Ireo group and Hyatt International and slated to be operational by 2017. (PTI)
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