With over 40 brands, Build HQ is a new retail space for architects, interior experts and homeowners to come together
With over 40 brands, Build HQ is a new retail space for architects, interior experts and homeowners to come together
For those taking Madras, Air India in the 1960s and 70s, the booking office in Egmore was a familiar landmark. That iconic building now has a new façade.
Architects Sunil Philip and Siddharth Ninan, partnered with VL Venkatasubramaniam, envisioned Build Headquarters, a one-of-a-kind building materials marketplace with a clear focus on brands for consumers, architects, interior designers and the building materials industry. Curated on 55,000 square feet. Over two floors in the heart of Chennai, you pass by big names like Kohler, Doramcaba and St. Gobain’s, unique offerings of marble, wood, stonework and glass, highly functional solutions for floors, screens, cabinets and windows and furniture brands Such as Featherlight, Kaizen and Bab Living.
Build HQ aims to be accessible to a wide audience with a focus on building relationships. Designers, architects, brands and consumers – everyone starts talking to each other. “It is a springboard for brands to showcase their products,” says Philippe; They have 60 now and will eventually have 80. You may not feel like going to the outskirts of town to see your options for marble, but a stop at the build headquarters will do.
What sets the Build Headquarters apart from a trade fair complex or mall-type landscape? Formed in the midst of two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the founders had enough time to think independently, Prasad came together. Philip explains the basic premise: “We are not a place of commerce. We are an experience center.”
Materials and Equipment
This is where you are also introduced to wood alternatives with new materials and innovative blends such as architectural aluminum, Eurobond’s aluminum composite panels (ACP) and uPVC, economical solutions for windows and doors. Nitin Wire manufactures architectural mesh frames for fences and building facades. In Floor Sketch you can get Acacia Exterior Deck Tiles, Pergolas of Extruded WPC (Wood Plastic Composite) with Mild Steel Interior Structure. INDOWUD NFC, a natural fiber composite board made from rice bran, natural minerals, PVC and other fillers, offers an eco-friendly alternative to wood. Versatile offerings are displayed on a single platform: Equipment manufacturers such as Emperor Lifts install a lift, while Mountundt manufactures equipment, building cleaning and safety equipment, as well as cranes and scaffolding.
luxury and technology
Consider PranaSleep, where in addition to natural luxury beds and mattresses, a 10-ft. The wide seamless mosquito screen magically folds onto a roll mechanism. Then there’s Hygri, which specializes in Jacuzzis and shower cabins, both readymade molded and custom-built. On the first floor, walk into a bespoke approach to elegant cabinetry by Englewood Furniture Solutions, an Ambattur-based manufacturer. Exclusively for the trade, they fabricate everything that is assembled on site, allowing for high quality customization in fabric shutters, wood and composite materials. Their paint-booth process ensures a dust free coating. Discover Hunter Douglas’ premium range of window coverings and architectural products; The double-mesh blinds made for variable opacity are eye-opening. While St. Gobain’s glass shutters rest on a bright blue aluminum frame, Wurfel Kuche’s kitchen is a delight to look at: the floor sample shows a modern take on antique shutter designs.
artist and craftsman
Some of the most tempting offerings at the center come from Rajasthan, a state famous for its crafts. The Stone of India has the most amazing collection of elaborate stone inlays, carvings and tile-work, ranging from scalloped sandstone walls to organic designs on marble with 0.4-micron gold leaf, more than the last is more detailed. Jaipur Rugs displays a lavish collection of hand-woven rugs with an emphasis on innovation by 40,000 artisans and a fascinating scroll of designers ranging from Indian stalwarts like Ashish Shah and Vinita Chaitanya to Italians Matteo Cibic and Lorenzo Vituri. Erisco of Gujarat offers both hand made and mosaic tiles.
food and friends
Typically, an architect visits the center and spends an entire day with his client and vendors before drawing conclusions on various aspects of the design. “F&B is integral to the experience,” says Philippe. The other central objective for the architect founders was to create a discussion and to provide a forum where the fraternity could connect without boundaries.
Their inauguration today hosts India’s leading architect Raj Rewal and Malaysia’s Jimmy Lin, who have won several awards for architectural excellence.
future deal
Just like buying on Amazon is easy, partners want shoppers to walk into Build HQ, experience the products firsthand, but have the freedom to buy through a specially designed app accessed via a QR code. “If I can access a doorma handle, view the product, understand the benefits, have a tactile experience, pay for it online and then have one set at my doorstep. So what else do I need?” Philip asks.
After Chennai, the team is looking to open centers in Bengaluru and Hyderabad and 10 to 15 cities across India over the next five years. The concept remains the same: strategically located in the heart of a metro with convenient access to do business anywhere in the country. Featuring a hand-picked roster of designers in co-working spaces with the freedom to meet, think, create and create is on the cards.
The author is a brand strategist with a background in design from SAIC and NID.