An interview with Mr. Aman Nath, architect, interior designer and art restorer.

What are the basic principles of designing you consider when you take up a project?

I do the projects for myself as the client. So the dialogue is a silent one. Costs are important and all frills are made redundant from the start. The principles are simplicity, an authenticity or more correctly the creation of a heritage environment since the Neemrana hotels were all constructed from the 14th century to the 20th century. I try to keep as many traces of the past as possible without making visible intrusions; even when modern comforts and facilities are concerned.

When an interior designing project comes to you, are there any stock themes that you follow?

The Neemrana projects come as readymade ruins. They span around seven centuries so stock solutions are unlikely. Inventiveness and even ingenuity has to be used to turn small unfriendly spaces as storerooms, stables, and underground chambers into livable spaces.

Is the designer allowed a free reign or does he have to comply with the wishes of the owner?

In my case, when one is both the client and the designer, the process of bringing each other to one wavelength is eliminated. One is not always, however an easy client to satisfy; I am seldom totally satisfied with what I do. There are many constraints of money, time and other factors and most often a lot of waste has been used or propped up and recycled so the choices are actually limited.

How does a designer balance his creativity with the practical requirements of the resident? Or is there a constant conflict between the two?

A decorator cannot choose one's clients since you cannot fight your own bread and butter. You can gradually reason and educate the clients to see your viewpoint. Conflicts and challenges when conducted in a healthy positive environment can lead to original previously un-thought of solutions.

Do you use the principles of Vasthu when you are doing the interiors of a house?

I am not a disbeliever of Vasthu but so far I have kept it in the back of my mind, almost in the realm of superstition and have not practiced it. With age however, who knows what path does wisdom lead one on to, maybe to some new and old beliefs.

How does the physical structure of the building influence the interior design?

In the case of Neemrana, the two are intertwined. Nobody will want to live in a 14th century hole in ground, so modern plumbing and fittings become essential. Since they are a hidden facility that doesn't show from the outside it becomes a necessary and welcome intervention. It is not an aggression to the heritage aesthetics both on the facade and the interior courtyard and corridor spaces. In Neemrana we have treated the 15th century rooms in a more Indo-Islamic way and the 19th century rooms are more colonial in design.

With people becoming more aware and the corporate houses insisting on professional interior designers, what is the scope of the industry?

As people have less and less time and more money they will have to rely on interior designers. There are interior designers and there are interior designers! These words don't spell instant magic for all solutions. In fact, renowned interior designers have done some of the worst interiors that I have seen. Some people can just convince others with their personal style and flourish but in reality have no aptitude for this profession. Some interiors of mud houses have more consistency, relevance, dignity and individual style than any opulent stuff.

How does one creatively do the interiors given the modern day space constraints?

On the contrary, space constraints lead one to come up with original designs. Even monetary constraints can be a very positive challenge for thinking along new lines.

There are a number of private institutes that offer interior designing courses. How does one ascertain the true worth of these courses?

These private schools are like typing schools, they can standardise and lay rules for a thought process but they would hardly be expected to create geniuses. Just as typing schools don't produce literary giants.

Any interesting incidents that happened during your projects?

The Neemrana fort palace project began in 1986 and work is still going on. Its incidents are being made into a book on which I am working. Previously Francis Wacziarg and I had restored an 18th century haveli and our first compliment came from a villager after it was completed. He said, ``You have spent a lot of money, but there is no show!''

MALINI SURYANARAYANAN

malini-s@indiainfo.com