2 0 A D A R C H I T E C T U R A L D I G E S T J U L - A U G 2 0 2 3 T his year, at the prestigious PAD Paris art fair, a daybed designed by Valériane Lazard for Æquõ won the prize for contemporary design. Named Ajanta, the daybed exerts an imposing presence in any setting. It also highlights Æquõ’s year-long practice of creating highly covetable objects that shine a light on traditional craft practices from across India. “The prize encourages us to continue our aim of introducing international designers to India’s artisanal heritage,” says Tarini Jindal Handa, founder of Æquõ. The showing at PAD Paris marked the international fair debut and first anniversary of the Mumbai-based gallery dedicated to contemporary collectable design. “In many ways, the daybed exemplifies the global nature of the pieces we commission: a young French designer, wonderful carpenters from Bengaluru, weavers from the village of Gadag, edited by the gallery in Mumbai, and shown in Paris,” she adds. Hewn from solid teak by carpenters at Woodlabs, a furniture maker in Bengaluru, the daybed’s hollowed proportions and curved profile are reminiscent of the Buddhist, rock-cut Bedse and Ajanta caves in Maharashtra. When the French Ajanta in Paris Mumbai-based gallery Æquō bags the award for the best contemporary design at PAD Paris for their Ajanta daybed designed by Valériane Lazard. THE LIMITED-EDITION AJANTA DAYBED DISPLAYED AT ÆQUŌ, MUMBAI. DESIGNER VALÉRIANE LAZARD FIRST CAME ACROSS THE TECHNIQUE OF MOODA RICE PACKAGING—USED TO MAKE THE MATTRESS— IN THE BOOK CRAFTS OF INDIA : HANDMADE IN INDIA , EDITED BY ADITI RANJAN AND M.P. RANJAN. designer Valériane Lazard encountered section drawings of these monuments in a book by the architectural historian James Fergusson, she knew she had to channel their solemn grandeur in her piece. The result is a striking piece of furniture that elicits admiration but not—at first glance— the daring to sit on it. When you look closer, however, you understand how Lazard deliberated upon structure and comfort in equal parts: A roped straw cushion, which may appear as a bed of haphazardly arranged straw, inhabits the hollow form. It is a meticulously conceptualized piece created using the mooda technique of rice packaging, hailing from the village of Gadag in Karnataka. Originally used for transportation within paddy fields, mooda was selected for its rustic aesthetic to complement the carved daybed. A keen study in considered contrasts, the piece effortlessly balances bold solidity and material lightness. “While the solid teak wood forms the foundation, I introduced softer elements to enhance comfort,” says Lazard. Their addition not only provides a tactile delight but invites individuals to engage with the piece, linger, and unwind.” TEXT: SWAREENA GURUNG. PHOTO COURTESY OF ÆQUŌ.