About

Architecture BRIO engages actively in the creation of contextually appropriate, sustainable design solutions within an increasingly dynamic world. Set up in Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Mumbai (India) in April 2006, it is a design-based practice focusing primarily on the fields of Architecture and Interior Design bestowed with numerous national and international awards. Its principals are Robert Verrijt (TUDelft, the Netherlands) and Shefali Balwani (C.E.P.T, India).

The seed of Architecture BRIO was planted in Sri Lanka, where the founders met in the early start of their life as architects. They immersed themselves in the tremendous body of work by the late architect Geoffrey Bawa. His work is often situated in the most breathtaking, but sensitive environmental settings. His interventions are nonetheless bold and often intensive.

Contradictorily, this does not lead to the overpowering of its surroundings. This duality has become one of the main themes in the work of the practice. The studio strongly believes that architecture should remain a backdrop to life rather than taking centre stage. Yet it is a life full of awareness and imagination. Our architecture has the potential to weave ourselves within the world of the past and future. It mediates between necessity and luxury, frugality and poetry. And more so it embeds us within the unpredictability of the natural world and shapes the one we want to live in.

Design Process
The practice currently has a broad range of projects both in the public and private realm. It thrives on the idea of a wide variety and various scales of projects which are not defined to a particular genre. The practice approaches a design brief with the lens of contextuality and client requirements. The site and its surroundings take the forefront during the design process, ensuring that every project and design is bespoke. Every project has a strong conceptual identity that drives the direction the project takes. A deliberate open ended design process in which sourcing, material sampling, model making and site mock-ups heavily influence design decisions places “building culture” at its centre.

Diversity
Over ten years later, Architecture BRIO’s work field spans a vast variety of cultures, climates and landscapes across the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. The project portfolio has an emphasis on residential design of private houses and weekend homes where the architectural challenge and the opportunity to innovate is extensive. However the studio brings more and more their hands on experience and attention to detailing to hospitality, educational, humanitarian design , as well as cultural and institutional projects. An architectural project is never an isolated exercise. Therefore interior design and landscape design are natural extensions of the practice and often core services for projects as well.

Each project is seen as a challenge. But it also is an opportunity to uncover the unique characteristics of these specific conditions. It becomes an opportunity to investigate which intervention has a potential for positive change. We often ask ourselves which approach can have an impact on the way we deal with our natural and built. However appropriateness is not necessarily the most self evident. Often an inherent conflict between the context and climate of a project and its chosen typological and functional approach, generates solutions that unexpectedly turn out to be favourable solutions

Interdisciplinary Design
The practice works with a thorough understanding of Architecture and its related fields. It seeks to develop design as its core strength and primary focus. An energetic team of around 30 architects works intensively with engineers, consultants, designers and the client. In this multidisciplinary approach it welcomes new insights that can lead to specific innovative solutions. It believes strongly in design as a process with an intensive dialogue. It uses models, both physical and virtual, as tools for communication between clients, engineers and architects. This encourages programmatic and engineering concepts to be fully integrated into the design right from the conception.