Ashiesh Shah, architect and interior designer
Painting was something I did since before I can remember, I think my love for design started there. I studied dentistry for a year and realised that I needed to be creating something. I shifted to studying architecture and that’s when I really began to develop my interest in design.
I may have worked on a lot of projects, but the one I’ve most enjoyed — from concept to execution — is my home. It’s an expression of what I do and who I am. I feel like it was mine from start to finish. I have worked on some very exciting projects, with clients who were keen to experiment, but when you’re designing your own home, there is this artistic freedom that you don’t have the liberty to fully use when you’re working on someone’s home.
Among the architects I admire is Bijoy Jain. I love how he uses organic and natural materials in such a contemporary way. I also love the aesthetic of Axel Vervoordt. What really inspired me was his studio space and home — a gorgeous castle near Antwerp.
A philosophy that guides my approach to design is that of “Wabi Sabi”. It is the aesthetic of a beauty that is imperfect and incomplete. Asymmetry and asperity play a major role in my practice. I appreciate spaces that incorporate natural objects and processes and I try to maintain this principle in my own practice. Nothing is permanent, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect. I don’t believe in trends. I think everything should be done with reference to content, context and relevance.
To me, “design” means life.