insi

te 0

4/12

24

Kamal Sagar, principal architect and chiefexecutive of Total Environment Building SystemsPvt. Ltd., redefined apartment design with hisemphasis on minimal walls, water bodies, lushlandscaping, flowing spaces, intricate detailing,automation systems, natural materials andfinishes, and eco-friendly technologies. His firm’singenuity has altered the perception of real estate

Text: Ar. Apurva Bose Dutta Photos courtesy: Total Environment Building Systems Pvt. Ltd.

The year 1996 was a landmark one in thelife of Kamal Sagar, principal architectand chief executive of Bengaluru—basedTotal Environment Building Systems Pvt.Ltd., an award-winning architect-ledreal-estate design and development firm.The year gave birth to Total Environmentand Kamal Sagar Associates, whichsubsequently changed to Shibanee &Kamal Architects (following his marriageto Shibanee Sagar, his partner, in 1996).Their first project - Cirrus Minor (12 flatsspread out on 8,000 sq. ft.) also took offthe same year.

Sagar, an enthusiastic learner whograduated from IIT Kharagpur in 1992,admits that the institute’s 11-storeylibrary (Asia’s largest technical library)

has been his greatest source of learningon architecture. The works ofrenowned architects like Alvar Aalto,Malcom Gladwell, Mies van der Rohe,Walter Gropius and Frank Lloyd Wrightinspired his approach to architecture.He also admires Charles Correa, LaurieBaker, B.V. Doshi and Nari Gandhi for alot of their design aspects. “A largepart of my inspiration has been FLW,with his buildings close to nature,hugging the ground and blending in withthe background,” he says. He recallshow he frantically searched the entirecollege library for three hours to find a1908 journal containing a 65-pagearticle on FLW.

It is precisely this inspiration thatoutlines Sagar’s adept approach todesign. He overcame the problem ofabsence of gardens in apartments (oneof the major facets people associate withbungalows) through terrace gardens(with severe layers of waterproofing).By treating every apartment as abungalow, Sagar redefined apartmentdesign. Minimal walls, water bodies, lushlandscaping, flowing spaces, intricatedetailing and automation systems are theprotagonists in the firm’s designs.Exemplary of the same approach is thefirm’s most famous and ongoingapartment project Windmills of YourMinds (WOYM). This award-winningproject is renowned for its slick design,level of detailing, use of smart technologyand rich use of materials.

Sagar’s passion to create “crazybuildings” in his college days with “treesgrowing all over” convinced his friends

kam

al s

agar

indian insight

insi

te 0

4/12

25

from Kharagpur to coax him into buildinghouses for them. Following that, Sagar,along with three of his friends, formedKamal Sagar Associates in 1996. He hasalso had a work stint with Architects Renuand Sharukh Mistry.

Before 1996, Sagar worked on PoonawallaStud Farms at Pune, during his careerwith Pune-based Poonawalla Group.Exposed to extensive international travelfor this project, Sagar got it built byliterally standing on the site. His ventureinto real estate evolved from a numberof reasons — one of them beinginvolvement with the nuances ofconstruction of Poonawalla Stud Farms.Others included the overcoming ofchallenges of getting clients to payarchitects their fees and the fact thatsince a project was a contractor’s bidthe quality of work would be compromisedto gain a cheaper contractor. Sagar’ssearch for a one-bedroom flat in 1996 ledhim to conducting a full sojourn ofBangalore, adding to his zest of venturinginto real estate. The emphasis of the firm,however, has always been architecture;the rest being elements and aspects toimplement it.

Exterior greenery is as much a part ofinteriors as is the client’s need fordetailing everything as per his wishes —the reason why the firm believes incustomisation and has developed asoftware called ebuild. ebuild is an onlinetool that incorporates customisation oflayouts, furniture, materials, textures,light points, automation systems etc;thus giving birth to completely furnishedand customised “Dream Homes” that areready to move in.

As opposed to what many feel, Sagarstrongly detests the fact that he isassociated occasionally with only“luxurious housing or high-end living”. Hisaim is to create high-quality spaces; thefocus is not the clientele, it is on creatinga comfortable space. Though the firmdabbles in commercial and corporateprojects, its affinity is with residences.Total Environment offers 15 yearsmaintenance on each project. Sagar isquick to add that they “take care” oftheir projects throughout their lives.

Sagar’s designs today are recognisableeverywhere, thanks to the elements hehas patented and made famous — apartfrom his terrace gardens and waterbodies, the “doka system” of shuttering(which leads to a form finish for RCCwork), wire-cut bricks made in Calicutwith their symbolic layout in a straightline (which require no plastering andpainting, hence no maintenance), earth-covered villas, smart homes and use ofnatural materials. His office exemplifiesthe firm’s philosophy of associating withgreen. In lush green surroundings withworkspaces/cabins enjoying the visualgreenery, the office is rejuvenating.Sustainability is fundamental to the firm’sdesign process. Apart from focusing onattaining maximum natural light andventilation, the firm replaces aluminiumwith wood for doors and windows. Theaffinity to natural materials (whichabsorb less heat) is devoted to the factthat “they age beautifully with time”,the reason you won’t’ find plaster andpaint in the firm’s projects. Elements likeflush walls and occupancy sensors are alsoregular fixtures.

Sagar’s passion for music is well reflectedby the names of the apartments hedesigns — Windmills of Your Mind, TheMeadow Dance, Raindrops Keep Falling onmy Head, etc. His apartments revel inthe mandate of open kitchens, a conceptthat was tough to sell to clients initially.

But he also managed to convince hisclients about Kota stone, a soft and non-slippery stone that ages well with time.The only disadvantage of Kota, he says,is that being dark green in colour, itcannot be used in bathrooms where alighter shade is required. He maintainsthat traditional Indian marble is relativelyporous and harder than Italian marble forwhich he has visited specific hills in Indiato discover them.

Sagar has his own prolific team, whichensures the best of every aspect ofbuilding, thus ensuring the quality ofworkmanship. He joins hands withmanufacturers for lighting, and hasinvested in Bengaluru-based QuetzelDesigns for furniture. He works with alot of craftspeople from Gujarat,Rajasthan, West Bengal and Maharashtra.His soft side is visible when he mentionsthat a school for children of theseconstruction labourers has been made onthe WOYM site (managed with supportfrom the Azim Premji Foundation).Thefirm’s upcoming projects include TheMagic Faraway Tree and Van Gogh’sGarden in Bengaluru; The Meadow Dancein Hyderabad; and the Orange BlossomSpecial and the BHAU Institute at CollegeOf Engineering in Pune.

Sagar’s modesty leaves an indelibleimpression. It stems from his belief in hiswork, even if it meant paying from hisown pocket for patented concepts hisclients didn’t agree with initially. It alsogerminates from his clarity of intent andfocus. He’s candid enough to mentionthat “The customer is right even if he iswrong” and “It is ok to swallow your egoand ignore an incident to win over thecustomer”.

insi

te 0

4/12

26

Orange Blossom Special, Pune (Ongoing)

The firm’s first residential property in Punehas an interesting plan and accommodates44 apartments (1,500 sq. ft. each) in a 11-storey tower. The massing of the blockscatches your attention at the first go. Inthe basic form of a circle, the central coreis reserved for services while the fourcorner arches have been converted intocantilevered customised terrace gardensstaggered at alternate levels and attachedto built-up units that now assume a Lshape. Car parking has beenaccommodated in the basement and stiltfloor. Filtered light and airflow is ensuredin apartments and the central service coreby connecting pergolas between adjacentapartments at alternate levels on the North-South and East-West direction — this alsooffers an interesting play of light and shade.Eight circular openings at the top of theexterior facade punctuate the calmnessof the verticality of the tower. Thebuilding pulls together a rich set ofmaterials — composite brick wallcomprising table-moulded bricks on theinside, exposed wire bricks on the outside,Kota stone and Jaisalmer stone, windowsand French windows in polished wood.

The temperance with brick is of note inthis project. While shear walls are clad withexposed bricks, bands (at the same levelas the pergolas) have been designed withsoldier bonds and vertical bonds with wire-cut bricks. Natural light and ventilation isat its maximum through large French doorsand windows while terrace overhangs wardoff direct glare.

kam

al s

agar

indian insight

insi

te 0

4/12

27

Time, Bengaluru (2004)

Located in one of the most poshareas of Bengaluru, Time is hard tomiss. Total Environment’s f irstlifestyle project, it consists of 16apartments, with the f i rm’strademark customisat ion andfurnishing. The project covers atotal area of 24,180 sq. ft. andcomprises two blocks on four levelswith amenities provided betweenthem. The apartments range fromsingle, duplex to tr iplex unitscover ing diverse areas. Theexterior curved facade with full-length windows and woodenlouvers i s hard to miss. Aninteresting chajja detail in the formof twin-wal led polycarbonatesheets replaces the usual pergolas.The swathing vert ical creeperpanels in mild perforated sheetsare also conspicuous.

A wooden deck between the pool and the gym has two layers with sectionsplaced at different spacing to ensure that the water falling on the surfacedoesn’t remain stagnant and is washed away. Continuing with designphilosophy, all apartments have openings on three sides and are awash withnatural light and greenery. Terrace gardens have literally been made a partof the living and dining spaces.

insi

te 0

4/12

28

Webb India, Bengaluru (2001)

Built on a two-acre site elongated on theNorth-South axis, the corporate campusof Webb India Limited has a exteriorfacade in a combination of hand-dressedgranite masonry and wire-cut brickmasonry in soldier bond. Intermediaterows of glass bricks that have beenincorporated using a steel frame andprovide diffused light over the workspace.The slickness is furthered by woodenlouvers in specially treated rubber wood,which provide ample light, concurrentlykeeping heat at bay.

An eye for detail has been the architect’sforte and this project brings this to light.One such highlight is noticeable in thegreen courtyard, marked by a series ofglass fins, each crafted with computerisednumeric controlled mechanism.

Natural lighting and ventilation are amplein the form of skylights at regular intervalsin each bay. A beautiful interplay of lightand shade keeps the aesthetic quotienthigh. The visual verticality and the scaleof the building have been controlled withthe planting of large earth berms on thesouth of the office block and to the eastof the workshop.

A complete manufacturing unit in theworkshop for conveyor systems forautomotive assembly lines has beenplanned in a layout that ensures anefficient workflow. The workshopcolumns, covered with ipomoea creepers,mark a soothing contrast to the greengrass on the earth berm and the boldstone masonry in granite.

Bengaluru-based architect Apurva Bose Dutta is anarchitectural journalist and can be contacted onapurvabose@yahoo.com or www.apurvabose.com