Design and Dialogues

P24 - Architecture That Heals You? | Healing Homes ft. Kuntal Vyas Aggarwal

What if your home isn’t just where you live…but something that actively shapes your mood, your energy, and your everyday decisions?In this episode of Design and Dialogues, I sit down with interior designer Kuntal Vyas Aggarwal, founder of Resaiki, to explore the deeper side of architecture — healing spaces, energy alignment, Vaastu science, Reiki philosophy, and Japanese minimalism.We go beyond surface-level wellness trends and Pinterest aesthetics to unpack:• Can a home actually affect your mental state?• What is the difference between “wellness design” and truly aligned spaces?• How does energy translate into real design decisions?• The story behind her dream residence Yutori• Why clients struggle to trust designers• The biggest mistakes homeowners make• Simple changes you can make today to create a calmer spaceKuntal shares her personal design process — from meditating on-site before beginning a project to blending functionality with deep emotional intent. We also talk about burnout in the design industry and why architects must look after themselves before designing for others.If you’re an architect, interior designer, homeowner, or someone curious about how space influences psychology — this episode will shift how you look at your own home.🎙️ Welcome to Design and Dialogues.—📌 Follow for more conversations on architecture, design philosophy, and the future of spaces.📩 For collaborations & inquiries: designanddialogues@gmail.com#DesignAndDialogues #InteriorDesignIndia #HealingSpaces #WellnessDesign #Vaastu #JapaneseMinimalism #ArchitecturePodcast #HomePsychology #LuxuryInteriors #DesignConversations

P23 - Hourly: Democratising Access to Design Expertise with Gunjan Sharma

Is the traditional design consultancy model broken? What if you could consult a top architect, interior designer, waterproofing expert, or landscape consultant — by the hour — without committing to a massive retainer? In this episode of Design and Dialogues, I sit down with Gunjan Sharma, Founder of Hourly, a platform rethinking how design consultancy works in India. From cross-border internships to recruitment in the AEC industry, to building a design consultation marketplace — Gunjan’s journey is rooted in one thing: impact at scale. We talk about: ⏳Why the lump-sum design model quietly bleeds money ⏳How the hourly system increases transparency & efficiency ⏳Why India has a dampness epidemic (and how bad design affects your health) ⏳Why most people see design as “cosmetic” instead of essential ⏳The gap in the Indian design market that nobody was addressing ⏳How Hourly works (B2B & B2C) ⏳Who it’s for — and who it’s not for ⏳Whether Hourly is the “Urban Company for Designers” ⏳And what success looks like in the next 3–5 years If you’re: - Building a home - Renovating your space - Running a retail showroom or restaurant - A consultant tired of chasing payments - Or a young designer curious about new business models This episode will shift how you think about design forever. Because design is not just aesthetics.It impacts your health, business, longevity, and quality of life. 🎙️ About the Guest: Gunjan Sharma is an architect-turned-entrepreneur and founder of Hourly — a curated platform connecting clients with vetted design consultants across disciplines through a transparent, structured hourly model. 🌐 Explore Hourly: https://www.hourly.design/ If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your thoughts 🔔 Subscribe to Design and Dialogues New episodes every week featuring architects, designers, industry leaders, and changemakers shaping the built environment. #DesignAndDialogues #ArchitecturePodcast #InteriorDesignIndia #DesignConsultancy #Entrepreneurship #BuiltEnvironment #StartupIndia #Hourly #DesignThinking

P22 - Designing Hospitality That Heals, Lasts & Gets Revisited with Ar. Love Choudhary (AND Studio)

Hotels and resorts may look effortless — but behind every serene view and silent corridor lies years of design decisions, operational complexity, and architectural restraint.In this episode of Design and Dialogues, host Atharva sits down with Love Chaudhary, Principal Architect at AND Studio, to unpack the real anatomy of hospitality architecture — beyond glossy renders and Instagram aesthetics.From designing wellness-led resorts and managing owner expectations, to understanding timelines, per-key costs, guest experience, and the hidden consequences of poor planning — this is an unfiltered conversation on what it truly takes to design hotels that age gracefully and get revisited, not just remembered.🧠 What this episode covers:- The shift from loud, spectacle-driven hotels to quiet, human-centric hospitality- Why wellness today is an architectural mindset, not a spa feature- Boutique vs large-format resorts — and where each actually works- Average timelines & realistic per-key costs for resorts in India- The true cost of bad MEP and back-of-house planning- Designing for silence, pause, and emotional experience- Managing the tug-of-war between guest experience and ROI- Lessons from failures, site realities, and hard-earned mistakes- Why repetition, restraint, and natural materials matter more than trends- Advice for young architects and first-time hotel developersLove also shares insights from current projects, including Alila, Lansdowne, and reflects on global hospitality benchmarks that have shaped his thinking.If you’re an architect, interior designer, hotel owner, developer, or simply fascinated by how meaningful spaces are created — this episode will change how you look at hotels forever.🔗 Guest:Love Chaudhary, Principal Architect – AND StudioWebsite: https://www.andstudio.in/ 🎙️ About Design and DialoguesDesign and Dialogues is a podcast exploring architecture, design, construction, sustainability, and the systems that shape the built environment—through honest conversations with industry leaders.Follow Design and Dialogues on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/designanddialogues/📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from the design & construction world📌 Drop your thoughts in the comments—agree or disagree? Let’s talk.

P21 - Why India Builds Fast but Not Right | The Truth About Construction with HAACE Contract

India is building more than ever—but are we actually building better? In this episode of Design and Dialogues, we sit down with Navneet Kaur from HAACE Contract, a premium civil construction company with over 26 years of experience, to unpack the real state of the Indian construction industry—beyond glossy renders and marketing brochures. This is an unfiltered conversation on construction quality, accountability, German engineering systems, monolithic construction, exposed concrete, GRAP in Delhi NCR, and why India continues to struggle with long-term durability despite rapid growth. We discuss: 🏗️ Why speed has overtaken quality in Indian construction 🏗️ How cost-first thinking hurts long-term asset value 🏗️ The real reason buildings fail within 20–30 years 🏗️ How GRAP regulations disrupt construction in Delhi NCR 🏗️ What monolithic construction actually is—and where it wins🏗️ Why German engineering systems outperform mindset-driven execution 🏗️ The truth about exposed concrete—history, execution & common mistakes 🏗️ Why India struggles with skilled labour, accountability & systems 🏗️ What the future of construction in India should actually look like This episode is for: Architects & interior designers Contractors & project managers Builders & developers Architecture & construction students Anyone interested in how India is being built—and how it should be builtIf you care about quality, longevity, sustainability, and system-driven construction, this conversation will challenge how you think about buildings in India. 🎙️ About Design and Dialogues Design and Dialogues is a podcast exploring architecture, design, construction, sustainability, and the systems that shape the built environment—through honest conversations with industry leaders. Follow Design and Dialogues on Insta [https://www.instagram.com/designanddialogues/] Follow HAACE Contract on Insta [https://www.instagram.com/haacecontract/] 📌 Subscribe for more real conversations from the design & construction world 📌 Drop your thoughts in the comments—agree or disagree? Let’s talk.

P20 - Architecture of India's Railway Stations with Ar Amin Nayyar

🚆India is building stations for the future — but how do you design a space that millions pass through every single day? In this episode of Design and Dialogues, Atharva sits down with Ar. Amin Nayar, Founder of ANA Design Studio, the team behind some of the most complex public infrastructure and transportation projects in the country. From the science of crowd flow to designing chaos-proof layouts, from bullet train readiness to the future of high-speed mobility, this is a masterclass in how architecture shapes the way India moves. 🎙️ In This Episode You’ll Learn: 🚇 How modern railway stations are actually designed 🚂 What architects consider when planning for huge crowds 🚆 How public behavior affects design decisions 🚄 The truth about bullet trains & high-speed rail in India 🚇 How services (MEP, safety, circulation) evolve in public buildings 🚂 The roles of consultants, engineers & specialists in mega-projects 🚆 How firms land government & infrastructure projects 🚄 What the railway stations of 2040 will look like 👤 About the Guest — Ar. Amin Nayar Ar. Amin Nayar is the founder of ANA Design Studio, a multi-disciplinary firm known for its work in public infrastructure, industrial projects, and complex transport systems. His team has worked on railway stations, airports, mobility hubs, campuses, and high-tech facilities across India. 🌎 Website [https://ana-design.com/] 🌐 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anadesignstudio_/] 🎙️ Hosted by Atharva Lath 📌 Podcast: Design and Dialogues — Exploring design, architecture, ideas and everything in between! 🌐 Instagram [instagram.com/designanddialogues ] 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations with design leaders! Subscribe for more conversations on architecture, design, and the future of cities.