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Jain Heritage School, Hyderabad.

Prasanna house, built on an area of 2,700 sq ft, was the first house they did; and it remains a special one for them. It reverberates with fluid surfaces and geometry of a sensual nature.

“Since we are interested in the issues of experience and effects, we always try to reduce the brief of the client to two aspects: utility and pleasure. Since tight urban sites in India don’t offer much in terms of surroundings, we try to find pleasure through choreographed spaces,” points out Smaran.

The firm will complete around six projects by the middle of this year. Among their ongoing projects is the showroom of Ramcharan Jewellers in Bengaluru, which has an ornamental albeit contemporary look.

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“Using ferro concrete on the faceted surface was a big challenge in terms of construction,” reveals Smaran. The upcoming commercial complex at Jayanagar also has an interesting form inspired from a diamond.

With three partners handling the firm, there are no explicit outlines as to who would handle which project. The only criterion for selecting a project is their comfort level with the project and the client.

In every project, one aspect becomes the driving force or highlight – programme, form, space or materials. Among materials, their philosophy works better with concrete, brick and plastered surfaces; but the firm is now working on an elaborate material palette.

Amongst their upcoming projects is the tallest residential building in Mysore for Skytop builders, on an area of 1,25,000 square feet.

They also have a factory set-up for Bentley at Manur and a proposed 7,000 sq ft residence in JP Nagar, Bengaluru. The consideration is the relationship between the figure and the ground on which it stands, and it has been designed to accentuate horizontality by integrating the land with the building. As Smaran puts it, “It is as if the building is hugging the ground.”

Equally interesting is Petals, a furnishing lifestyle showroom. With its sculptural and poetic lines, this store is
truly reflective of the aesthetic acumen of the designers.

Prism Lights, a lights showroom in Bengaluru, is indicative of how the firm questions clichés. A diagram resembling a bar code with an insertion of display panels unfolds a path that directs visitors.

The recently-completed commercial complex at Davangere (with a Hero Honda showroom on the ground floor and offices atop) is another example of their unusual approach to design. Fenestrations are treated as patterns and not just openings. With articulated facades, the trio has successfully achieved the task of attaining fluidity on a plane.

Bengaluru is a Mecca of architecture today. With emphatic designs and a wide range of materials being used, it is the style, commitment and perseverance of a firm that helps them to create a niche for themselves. Cadence is among the few who have succeeded in giving a contemporary twist to traditional architecture.