Mahesh Nampurkar

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Mahesh Nampurkar ("MN") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

MN : Completing architecture in 1993 my design journey started in 12th class along with my farther who was a BSC Agriculturalist and winning a competition along with him for Bird Sanctuary in Pune city is where my interest into design evolved. I had an opportunity to work with masters in industry such as Mario Botta, Tadao Ando giving me an opportunity to learn. In this entire journey every single person maybe a technician or a craftsman at site has contributed to enhance my qualification.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

MN : The motivation is always the challenge that is put forth by a client in form of a project. Design is where you get an opportunity to express your heart with a combination of the feelings of owner. The clients feeling and your heart is merged together to derive a design of a project. No other profession gives you liberty to render dreams and so I opted to become a designer.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

MN : I had chosen to become a designer on my own.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

MN : "Give me square inch, and I can design it for you" had always been my baseline. I love to design every bit of that square inch that comprise of function as well as aesthetics

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

MN : The young designer should always follow and search passion in their work, learn and work taking responsibilities on them, thus probably they can reach their dream which they fear.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

MN : A good designer is one who designs well theoretically, and great designer is one who designs with soul and heart.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

MN : A good design is a design which stands on a firm foundation of functional aspects of the project and really good design is a step further where the functionality as well as soulfulness of the design is derived in the perfect proportion.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

MN : The value of good design is that it gives you an opportunity to work better and better every time you attempt it. The investment in good design is truthful or worth any creation and hence one should invest in good designs.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

MN : I would love to design a monolithic architecture inspired from Kailash temple and I would design that for any quarry owner who wishes to lift negativity filled with soul and aesthetics. A design where monolithic sculpting of the rocks should give back to earth.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

MN : As mentioned earlier sculpting a monolithic piece of architecture is my dream project. A design that is dreamed of giving back to mother earth or turning negative to positive.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

MN : The secret ingredient to my success is my soul or dedication to design.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

MN : I'm always inspired by legends such as Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Architect Geoffrey Bawa

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

MN : Barcelona Pavilion designed by Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is one of my favorite design for its simplicity clean contemporary lines of architecture. Hotel Kandalama by Architect Geoffrey Bawa has always inspired me. Modern steel and glass Farnsworth's house designed by Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is also one of my favorite designs.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

MN : One should work hard to be better designers.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

MN : I would have loved to be a Chef if not a designer.