Pinakin Patel's 50-year retrospective features 11 of his iconic furniture pieces

On display are some of his most important designs, objects and art from his personal archive. Also part of the exhibition are Patel’s furniture creations—11 pieces that merge the essentialism of his design philosophy with clever engineering and technical grounding. “While the inspiration comes from a sense of Indianness, these pieces also use the best of science, technology and engineering to make viable, transportable and installable creations,” says Patel. He offers insights into the ideas and inspirations behind these creations.

Jhoola Bed

This multifunctional piece is a contemporary cubist creation. The bed within a lacquered frame is suspended from high-tension steel cables. “There were many practical and technical aspects to its making. We had to ensure it didn’t bang into its frame when occupants sent the bed swinging. My guru, the late Dashrath Patel, suggested pulling the tension in four different directions as a simple solution. Whichever way the force takes the jhoola, the corresponding angle on the diagonal side will pull it back.” Sound engineering ensures that rocking on it will be wholly secure and accident-free.

Baroque Dining Table

This version is a contemporary incarnation of the original piece, which featured hand-carved legs in beaten silver. “That one was very regal and ornate. But we invented a wittier avatar in red with lacquered legs instead of silver. The tabletop in back-painted glass gives it a glossy look.”  

Brahmaputra Dining Table and Paro Centre Table

Both the pieces were part of a series in which Patel explores tactility and sensorial connections between object and user. “When one sits for elongated periods at a dining table or gathers around a coffee table with friends, the table in front should be interactive.” The dining table has a water channel running across the surface, while the centre-table comes equipped with a central trough. “They invite user participation. You can float flowers, oil lamps, tea lights—use it however you choose. The Brahmaputra Dining Table even has concealed plumbing; once you’re done, water can be drained out from the bottom.”

The Paro Centre Table is handmade in solid wood, and its central canal is of flamed granite. The dining table has charcoal-stained solid oak legs and a surface inlaid with semi-precious silver pyrite, a particularly challenging material. “It’s a very hard material; it was almost like cutting a diamond or glass.”  

Takht Sofa 

“Gujarati homes didn’t start out with a sofa; there was instead a gadda, which is basically a giant mattress. Sometime in 1999, I placed a gadda on a low wooden platform and established it as a central piece of furniture.” This versatile seating arrangement is great for conversations, playing cards or board games—even accommodating the occasional guests staying over. “Pavitra sees this as a more contemporary, regal interpretation and named it ‘Takht’.”

Deco Chairs (a pair)

Among Patel’s earliest pieces, these chairs are classic and comfortable. “It is a timeless, effortless design for a chair—not too bulky, not too light, easy to move around. They work well in a bedroom and are formal enough for a living room too. The armrests are contoured to hold your arms nicely. We reinvented them in black lacquer and polished chrome to celebrate Mumbai’s art deco centenary [last year].”

Diwan Sofa

Made with recycled Burma teak and with handwoven cane at the back, the Diwan Sofa is another archetypal Indian furniture piece. “People use that extra depth to use this as a daybed. You can take your afternoon siesta on it, or sit cross-legged in a different way. It’s unlike the Western model of a sofa with shallow depth.”