AN EXPERIMENT IN THE MAKING

Birju Shah, Pooja Shah and Dhaara Shah converge to form Studio-in-Dtale, an Ahmedabad-based design atelier that crafts, creates and pushes the boundaries when it comes to AvantGarde design

- AVRIL NOEL D'SOUZA

Fresh out of design school, Birju Shah, Pooja Shah and Dhaara Shah were young, restless designers who jumped into formal experimentation and "aesthetic" outcomes the moment a new project came in. Back in the day, design was understood from a very linear, problem solving, 'create beautiful vignettes' approach.

Over the years, the trio have learned to view any problems they may face in design, as an opportunity to democratise problem solving. As Birju says, "We evaluate it through a very nuanced approach to our projects where the form indeed follows function, and program precedes vanity." Taking us back to what drew them together and how they formed Studio-in-Dtale, Pooja narrates, "The three of us go way back to our college days, where we were pretty much at loggerheads most of the time.

Each of us had a contrasting approach and understanding towards the discipline. It was later when we realised that our differences were strengths and that we began collaborating on projects. Many successes and failures later, we consolidated our collaboration as one design firm."

EVER EVOLVING

When it comes to a design formula, the architects believe there is no one path to take. It is because of their eagerness and willingness to experiment that they have been able to reinvent the conversation around innovative design. "We, at Studio In D-tale, define a design narrative as a process. Over the years, our process has become more democratic than focused. We do not position ourselves to be central to the conversation, but we do find ourselves to be facilitators when it comes to manifesting our client's vision and aspirations into spatial stories.

By being committed to an honest process, we let the narrative evolve by itself. When we seek the right client and the right narrative, we can only reflect on the magic that happens, retroactively," says Pooja.