Architects Divya Khullar & Ashwath Narayanan of 1405 Design Studio

Architects Divya Khullar & Ashwath Narayanan established 1405 Design Studio in 2016 at Chennai. 

Curated by: Rupali Sebastian 
Photographs: Courtesy 1405 Design Studio

Architects Divya Khullar & Ashwath Narayanan

Design process = 90% common sense + 10% aesthetics. This is formula Khullar and Narayanan believe in, with the added corollary that aesthetics is not an add-on but a by-product — which is what makes design timeless. Driven by the quest for logical solutions to a problem helps them rediscover themselves continually.

Quick Five

Your USP
Clients tell us they’ve come to rely on our contrasting personalities to clash, hash out problems and ultimately bring forth the best solution!

Your advice to younger architects or peers who are contemplating going independent…
Be fearless! Either train to swim or dive straight in — but do it with utmost confidence and conviction.

Americano or Cappucino… or gooood old chai?
Gooood old chai, always!!

If you had to collaborate with a design firm, which one would it be?
Anyone who brings something valuable and exciting on board.

A design nightmare that has scarily come true…
During heavy rains, water flowing through an electrical socket!

Favourite Project Picks

ADC involved the transformation of a 150-year-old building with a long history of multiple avatars into a ‘re-invented’ and ‘re-imagined’ diagnostic scan centre with a calm Zen-like atmosphere.  (Photographs: taken in-house)

Not A Box, an experience centre for kids (and adults!), is created by channeling childhood memories. This is a story of how a tiny dot becomes a line, a shape and eventually an object in space, making the space itself.  (Photographs: taken in-house)

Project Array, a workspace for a jewellery brand, was informed by traditional jewellery workshops. This is an atypical, ‘not-so-commercial’, functionally smart, visually quirky and highly personalised workspace. (Photographs: Sreenag Pictures)