Annkur Khosla has graduated from the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai. She has done her Post Graduate Diploma in Indian Aesthetics at Jnanapravaha and a brief stint at the NYSID ( New York School of Interior Design), New York.
She has her bespoke design studio in World Trade Centre, Mumbai. The firm has undertaken architectural building, bungalow and interior projects in India and abroad. They also have ventured into designing for hospitality and wellness spaces.
The firm has been nominated as one of the 50 Next Generation Architects of India in 2012, Space Explorer Dynamos of 2013 by “Vogue” magazine, one of the 100 Leading Architects of India by “Architect and Interiors” 2015 & 2016 and one of the fifteen Upper Crust designers by “Casa Vogue”,2015. The firm has won several nominations for awards in India and abroad and has been featured in Indian and international magazines.
The philosophy of the firm is to create soulful and meaningful spaces with unique and path-breaking designs.
What projects do you enjoy working on the most?
Architecture – of bungalows and retail or hospitality spaces
Interiors of residences.
How do you describe your work style as an architect?
Avante-Garde, Experimental and non-conventional.
What factors led to your success as an architect?
The design heart, head of technological expertise and drive to see a vision to reality.
How do you balance function with the aesthetic appeal of a house?
It’s a tedious process. I am very passionate about the minute of detail so that helps with solving all the logistics and services of the space. The aesthetic sensibility is something I’ve inherited from my mother and it’s honed through the experience of several years.
Describe a time you dealt with a difficult situation and how you handled the situation.
Difficult situations are the result of having a profession that deals with an army of people. Unfortunately, as no two faces are the same, so are the natures of individuals and sometimes a difference in opinions or directions can take shape. I think the most important thing was to first have the level head to understand that there is a situation that is not going as per plan. Since I follow the spiritual practice of Nichiren’s Buddhism which is based on praying for the happiness of the person and the ability to have a dialogue from the realm of Buddhahood. It then led to a more concrete and resolved conversation and it led to a great working relationship.
Tell us about your experience working on celebrity Shahid & Mira Kapoor’s new abode in Mumbai
I’ve worked with Shahid for more than a decade and on several of his projects by now and each time it’s a growing relationship. Shahid and I possess the same passion as artistic and creative people and hence we like to have discussions related to design. A fact not known to the world is his passion for lighting and music and his profundity of thought and conversation on both these matters are impressive. We have also worked on this project during the most trying times the world saw in terms of the pandemic. It had several challenges – in terms of organizing Shahid and Mira’s visits on site in times they were residing in Beas and ensuring all covid protocols of meetings matched so no labour, agency, or team member suffered the illness. In fact, we had no covid reporting due to strict policies followed by the building and site agencies.
Mira – I’ve grown to know and our star signs also mystically match. We both have a drive for organizing and aesthetics.
The house is an intense labour of love and it’s been an extremely enjoyable process for our firm.
What types of projects could you see yourself working on in the near future?
The architecture of villas and interiors of interesting heritage spaces
