In conversation with Ashiesh Shah

What inspired you to be an architect?

Growing up, I spent a lot of my summers at my grandparents’ home in Ahmedabad designed by the Modernist architect Hasmukh Patel. In hindsight I feel that the furniture I played around with, the materials I was surrounded with subconsciously edged me towards design and architecture.

Where do you seek your inspirations?

I think any creative field has its backbone supported through sources of inspirations, whether visual or virtual. I usually derive my inspirations from art and nature. Though I feel it’s more the practices of the artists as opposed to an umbrella term like art.

What are the five things we would find at your desk?

It’s a pet peeve, I cannot have anything on my desk, I prefer it completely empty. But on the station next to it, you will always find a jar of water with lemon slices, a candle, a stationery box (with 2B pencils that are sharpened every morning), rulers, erasers, a big box of tissues (I am terrible with tissues, I overuse them), and a hand sanitizer.

After a long day at work, what’s the first thing you do when you come home?

I put on some music. I need music 24x7. In fact my friends can guess what mood I am in depending on the music I am playing. If it’s deep house they know I have had a great day, if it’s basenova they know it’s been a terrible one.

What are you listening to these days?

Nothing in particular, I normally log on to Soundcloud and choose a genre, and let the playlist flow from there.