THE NEW AGE PURIST

with everything veeram Shan does, ne aims to find equilibrium between luxury and earthiness. From architecture to fashion to product and landscape design, his prowess is impressive and innovative. We meet up with one of the future torchbearers of Indian design

- AVRIL NOEL D'SOUZA

Veeram Shah is the proverbial reluctant designer. If you try and peg him down as an architect or product designer, he immediately shrugs off these titles. "I am not sure if I ever wanted to be a designer or if I would call myself one. I am in this constantly evolving state. It stems from my rebellious phase in college where I started questioning how the world was generally perceived. I wanted to be a filmmaker when I finished architecture school and I still want to be one." Push him for a term, and he settles for, creator.

"I would like to be called a "creator". For me, there is no greater joy in life other than "creating", whether it's a building, furniture, products, bikes, a musical composition, growing food, contemplating my thoughts or for that matter, expanding and resolving my circle of life." It is this pure and unadulterated quest to build that has navigated him through his design journey.

While he harbours dreams of becoming a filmmaker, in the interim, he is busy creating. Design Ni Dukaan is the eco-system in which he nurtures a constant dialogue between context and aesthetic. With everything he builds, the need or function is studied from every conceivable, and then not so obvious, angle. Veeram and his team of highly-talented creative minds are a rare breed of curators of design and his Design Ni Dukaan is a think-tank of sorts.

From just a backyard project where a bunch of likeminded creatives from different backgrounds converged to create pieces of furniture, over the years, this idea of a cultivating a community of creatives has evolved into a haven where aspiring designers and students can gather, bounce off ideas and create. Veeram calls it a finishing school. And every school needs a mentor, but he doesn't see himself that way.