“Academic contribution is the reason why I accepted the invitation to be on the jury of the Aces of Space Design Awards. I hope to see some trending concepts, and I expect the nominees to be more relevant to the requisites in their submissions. I don’t expect to gain anything personal from this experience, except a good awareness of the happenings in different zones.”
ABOUT PREM NATH
Given the backdrop of India’s Partition and its gut-wrenching aftermath, it’s almost a miracle that Prem Nath (who’s originally from across the border) got to where he is today – but that’s a story for another day. Suffice it to say, he showed great zeal and doggedness in the face of overwhelming odds – firstly, to give himself a basic education and, secondly, to follow that with a specialisation such as architecture. His drive to learn all that life had to offer, brought him in touch with the celebrity elite – and from then on, the only way was up. Prem Nath and Associates (established in 1967) soon started looking for newer concepts in architecture – thus, many firsts. Mumbai’s first revolving restaurant, India’s first health spa and body rejuvenation centre, the country’s first multiplex, India’s first fast-track IT building… the list goes on. All through, he ensured a design philosophy of “keeping it simple and non-acrobatic.” That the veteran architect is still keeping up with the times is seen in the Smart Tower for State Bank of India at GIFT Smart City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, a 3,00,000sq-ft development that will be a green (Platinum rated) office building with an intelligent BMS, and a slew of measures for safety, security and user comfort – all integrated within.
