AL-Taha Architects

EXPERIENCE

Al-Taha Architects began its creative story with Architect Taha Padrawala in 2008 whose early work in Vadodara City, explores relationships between people and landscape to create a sense of belonging. The architecture studio started based on a very simple idea; if a building can feel like it naturally ‘belongs’, or fits logically in a place, to an environment, a time and culture, then the people that inhabit the building will likely feel a sense of belonging there as well. This methodology connects theories of beauty, confidence, economy and comfort.

In 2015 Artist Kurma Nadham and Mr.Hussain Padrawala joined the firm as Associates, taking it to another level of creative exploration and helping it grow into an architecture studio with an international reputation. We now has clients and projects as far afield as Gujarat, Maharashtra and across india as well.

DESIGN

We deliver bespoke and global standard buildings with no two being the same. The variety is made possible by an inventive spirit common to all. Contemporary forms, rooted in strong consideration for building usage, are underpinned by sound environmentally sustainable building principles, finished with an informed use of materials with elegant and robust detailing.

Our team is united and motivated by architectural innovation, we bring our diverse expertise together to collaborate on work. A broad range of disciplines come together in our architectural work; including resource management strategies, model making and digital technologies, landscape architecture, sustainable design initiatives, urban planning and interior design. Each project comes from selecting individual talents to create the right ‘super team’ for particular projects.

ENGAGEMENT

Stakeholder liaison and management

We are skilled in the complex negotiations and public relations exercises necessary to gain project acceptance and support. We identify stakeholder user groups and direct facilitation using workshops, testing, reporting and assessment. This is carried out to research diverse issues such as design sizing, scoping of facilities and relationships to existing built infrastructure. Each building is tailor-made as a strong representation of the client’s aspirations.

Collaboration — Reverse Brief

We spend a great deal of consultation time with our clients at the beginning and provide a Reverse Brief process as a standard part of our service. A Reverse Brief is a word picture of the building, a definition of the core tests the design must achieved. The Reverse Brief enables clients to check our thinking is aligned before the design work starts.

Responsibility

We believe a beautiful project is delivered through good service, detailed drawings and specifications with excellent project management. We have a broad quality assurance programme, information data library and learned integrated design methodology that generates quality solutions.

Partnering

The more complex a design challenge, the more it benefits from multiple voices and philosophies. Our design process is an inclusive ‘conversation’ that involves all the people who might build, use, sell or prove the project concurrently and cross-functionally. This conversation is across clients, planners, developers, consultants, engineers, market experts, citizens, public officials, specialist consultants, suppliers and contractors. We use an integrated process model which aligns community and ecological impacts at the outset. This produces high performance, high value solutions with fewer variations and faster consenting times.

URBAN DESIGN

We believe in a holistic approach to the study of cities and environments. By looking at the trends influencing cities today we can create communities for the future. We are interested in the patterns of behaviour, demographics and the hidden systems that influence the built environment, from the property market to underground infrastructure.

Pattersons are skilled in the complex negotiations and public relations exercises necessary to gain project acceptance and support. This often involves the facilitation of identified stakeholder user group workshops. Testing and assessment is carried out on design sizing, scoping of facilities and relationships to existing built infrastructure.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

We have designed some of Gujarat’s most sustainable buildings, methodology is integral to our work and for us a cohesive sustainability strategy is a central component of design. We believe that sustainability encompasses good urban design, efficient transport design, careful selection of materials and construction methods, energy efficiency and considered management of resources. Our history in integration of environmentally sustainable design (ESD) into our work has resulted in specialised in-house skills. This allows us to develop and implement cohesive sustainability strategies for each project. Through delivering a number of buildings awarded for their ESD credentials, we have developed a strong understanding of cost-effective sustainability measures, and of the productivity implications of incorporating ESD principles into our projects. We are always actively engaged in looking for new and innovative sustainable technologies.

Over the Past years, it has become clear that the risk associated with climate change will pose serious challenges to society. Architects are constantly presented with the challenge of creating durable buildings that respond to a changing environment. Architects have a major role to play, given the fact that 75 per cent of global energy consumption is produced by buildings and transportation. Buildings, neighbourhoods and cities can be designed to minimise pollution and carbon emissions. This implies not only using renewable energy sources (including wind, sun and water), but designing energy efficient buildings and masterplans that encourage vegetation and biodiversity.

New urban developments need to be designed with the ultimate aim of achieving carbon dioxide neutral environments and biomimicry. We want to do our part in in creating and implementing this technology.

HERITAGE & CONSERVATION

We are experienced in developing conservation and maintenance plans for heritage buildings. Research to understand the existing building is important to develop sensitive and appropriate strategies for adaptive reuse. Rather than demolishing and replacing existing infrastructure, we believe that the best of modern technology can be used to strengthen, restore and modify buildings to extend their working life.

SPATIAL DESIGN

We look at the entirety of a project to create a seamless experience from outside to inside. We can also concentrate on the interior alone. By understanding our client’s needs and the way in which a room, or sequence of spaces will be used, we can create interiors that meet these needs. The spectrum of work spans private residences to office towers; art galleries to industrial buildings, innovative retail fit-outs to trade exhibitions or pavilions. The quality of light, the choice of materials, the use of colour, and the selection of furnishings and works of art are coordinated as part of the overall scheme.

Al-Taha Architects provides dedicated solutions in GIS and resource mapping including Concept to accomplish solutions, Logical support and consultancy, Resource Management and Mapping, Decision Support Systems, Spatial Database Analysis, Digital Cartography and Surveys, GIS Development and Customization, Capability Building Mechanisms and GIS training.