The Eraa: Crafting Innovative Design Experiences
In the world of interior design, there are firms that follow established trends, and then there are those that break boundaries and create bespoke designs that resonate with their clients. The Eraa, founded by the dynamic duo Naren Sen and Sangeeta Iyer Sen, firmly falls into the latter category. Their journey is a testament to the power of vision, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to design excellence.
Educational Roots
Before we dive into their inspiring story, let’s get to know Naren and Sangeeta’s educational backgrounds. Naren Sen pursued a Bachelor of Arts and then honed his interior design skills with a short course in interior design. Sangeeta Iyer Sen, on the other hand, holds a Bachelor of Interior Design degree from the prestigious CEPT (Center for Environmental Planning and Technology) University in Ahmedabad. Their diverse educational backgrounds set the stage for a harmonious fusion of creativity and innovation in their professional lives.
Origins and Family Background
Naren Sen, born in Kochi and hailing from a Bengali family, was nurtured by an engineer father who worked with HCC, a renowned infrastructure development company. In contrast, Sangeeta Iyer Sen was born in Ahmedabad and belongs to a Tamil family. Her father is a successful businessman. These diverse cultural backgrounds added a unique flavor to their personal and professional journey.
Challenges Faced and Commencement of Professional Careers
As with any great endeavor, both Naren and Sangeeta faced their share of challenges. The transition from childhood to adulthood and the challenges they faced during their education instilled in them resilience and determination.
Naren embarked on his professional career in 1997, gaining valuable experience with organizations like Essel Group (Zee) and HM Leisure before venturing into The Eraa. Sangeeta, a highly skilled interior designer, kicked off her professional journey in 2007. Her work experience included stints with ZZ Architects in Mumbai and CDE in Bangalore.
The Eraa: Redefining Design
The Eraa is synonymous with innovation in design. Their philosophy is refreshingly simple: design for the market. Instead of adhering to a singular design style, they believe in customizing ideas to suit the client, place, and function. Their hallmark is a research-based design process, where clients, designers, and contractors become equal contributors in a cohesive team. The Eraa offers comprehensive interior design services, including environment conception, enhancement, design consultancy, and turnkey solutions.
Their range of services includes layout planning, design, detailing, and full execution of projects, including project management consultancy. To enable clients to visualize their projects, The Eraa employs cutting-edge presentation software, such as 3D-Studio Max, Photoshop, and AutoCAD. Their extensive network of contractors, craftsmen, and material suppliers ensures projects are executed with quality and precision, from concept to completion.
Milestones and Achievements
The Eraa has successfully carved a niche for itself in the South India market over the last 15 years. Their impressive portfolio includes prestigious projects such as Hotel Ramada in Trivandrum, MRF corporate offices in Cochin, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, Honda’s corporate office, Kerala High Court cafeteria, and the Amoeba chain of gaming zones. Each project reflects their commitment to design excellence and quality.
Challenges and Learnings
For Naren and Sangeeta, one of the key challenges they encountered was bridging the gap between their envisioned designs and their successful implementation on-site. Synchronizing the requirements of multiple agencies to create clean and seamless spaces was another challenge. However, they view these challenges as valuable opportunities for growth.
Advice for Aspiring Professionals
Naren and Sangeeta offer sage advice for upcoming professionals in the field: “Design and taste cannot be taught—travel more, explore more to widen your horizon. Designing on paper is important, but designing on-site is crucial for perfection.”
The Honda Corporate Office, Cochin: A Masterpiece
Among their many achievements, the Honda corporate office in Cochin stands out as a masterpiece. The client’s vision was to create an office with a strong interior-exterior connection, a close-to-nature work environment that is both soothing and efficient. The resulting design exemplifies their ability to transform a client’s vision into reality.
The Eraa, with Naren and Sangeeta at the helm, is more than an interior design firm; it is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of design excellence. Their journey serves as an inspiration for aspiring designers and professionals in the industry.
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