- How is Resonate Designs responding to the evolving expectations of Indian homeowners and the growing demand for personalized residential spaces?
The biggest challenge in designing homes today is that the homeowner is very much aware of what they want from their homes. Be it aesthetics, functionality or costs, with access to Pinterest and AI, everyone comes with their own ideas and thoughts on what they would want their ideal home to be. Today, people want their homes to complement their lifestyle and not just be a conventionally designed space.
At Resonate Designs, we’ve always believed personalization goes much deeper than choosing colours, materials or furniture. It starts with understanding who is actually going to be using the spaces, their routines, how they interact as a family, how they entertain and even how their requirements may change over the next few years.
Two families living in an identically sized home will have different lifestyles and completely different requirements, that’s why the way we approach planning for both must be different. What works for one family, might not work for the other.
I also think luxury itself is being redefined. Its becoming less about how expensive a space looks and more about how thoughtfully it has been designed. Our focus has always been to create homes which are visually appealing, but more importantly, comfortable, functional and relevant to the people living in them.
- Can architecture strike the right balance between aesthetic appeal, functionality and construction feasibility? How does Resonate Designs approach this challenge?
Absolutely! In my opinion, good architecture IS what balances aesthetics, functionality and construction feasibility. As architects, its very easy to get carried away with a design concept, especially with the kind of visualization tools available today. But at the end of the day, a design has to work in the real world. It has to be comfortable to use, structurally feasible, financially viable and possible to execute with the resources available.
At Resonate Designs, we try to address these things right at the planning stage rather than treating it as a problem for later. We try to look at the functioning of spaces and how the materials have to come together, what the construction challenges might be and whether the design can be executed within the client’s budget.
Having worked closely with construction teams and being involved in real estate development ourselves has influenced how I look at residential architecture. I don’t see aesthetics, functionality and feasibility as 3 separate requirements but elements which compliment each other in creating a beautiful home.
- What are the biggest challenges in translating architectural vision into on-ground execution, and how can better collaboration between designers and construction teams address them?
One of the biggest challenges in our industry is the gap that sometimes exists between what is designed on paper and what is actually happening on site. A design can look excellent on paper but bringing it to life has a different set of challenges. There are structural constraints, coordination between different services, material limitations, workmanship issues and unexpected site conditions. I think a lot of these problems arise when design and execution are treated as completely separate processes.
Having worked on both sides, ive realized how important it is for architects to understand construction and for the construction teams to understand the design intent.
At Resonate Designs, we focus quite heavily on technical detailing and coordination. We also believe in maintaining a direct line of communication between the design team and the people executing the project. Sometimes, a relatively small decision made on site can have a huge impact on the final outcome.
It is also very important to be open to suggestions. Not every solution has to come from the architect’s desk, sometimes the experienced contractors and craftsmen bring valuable insights that can improve execution. Ultimately, the Architect, consultants and construction teams together bring out the best in any project rather than working independently.
- How are material innovation, sustainability and emerging design practices shaping the future of India’s residential architecture landscape?
I think people today are looking beyond how a material looks. They’re thinking about how long it will last, how easy or difficult it will be to maintain it and whether it makes sense for their home in the long run. With all the advancements in materiality options and construction techniques, we have a lot more freedom to experiment while also making practical choices.
When it comes to sustainability, I personally feel we sometimes make it more complicated than it needs to be. Things like natural light, cross ventilation, building orientation and adding greenery wherever possible can make a huge difference. And these aren’t new ideas, these are principles which have been followed in traditional Indian architecture for generations and I think we can learn a lot from it.
Technology and AI along with newer designing tools are helping us explore ideas faster and communicate them better to clients. But at the end of the day I feel these are tools which are helping us improve our efficiency and not really replacing an architect’s understanding of how a space is used.
The future of residential architecture is about making smarter choices and making homes which are not just aesthetically beautiful but something which continues to perform well and remain relevant over time.
- What is Ayush Gulati’s long-term vision for Resonate Designs, and what opportunities does he see for India’s architecture and design industry over the next five years?
When I started Resonate Designs, the intention was to create a practice that could strike a balance between what a client wants and what the client needs. Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to work across different scales of residential projects and that has gradually shaped how I see the future of the company. My long term vision is to build Resonate Designs into a strong residential design practice known for design quality, technical understanding and the ability to deliver to on ground reality.
I also want to continue expanding our involvement beyond designing services. Having worked closely in construction and development, I see a natural opportunity in bringing these disciplines together, and its something im already exploring through our involvement in real estate development. The larger ambition is to continue to grow both as an architect and an entrepreneur, while building a practice where design and practical execution remain equally important.
I think the next 5 years for the industry present great opportunity for architects to play a much larger role in the real estate sector. Rather than only being involved after the major decisions are taken, architects and designers can bring a lot more research oriented view on the table regarding site feasibility, product positioning, planning and the overall experience a development offers.
