Building a space, be it for residential or commercial purposes, is one of the most significant events in one’s life. It is more than mere construction; it is about crafting a sanctuary, and interior designers remain an integral part of this transformative process.

Humans have always had an innate desire to personalise and adorn the spaces they inhabit. Although interior design was formally recognised as a profession in the early 1900s, its roots extend back to ancient Egyptians who adorned their mud homes with basic furnishings, textiles, murals, sculptures, and painted urns.

With cultural and societal changes throughout the ages, interior design has also evolved. Today, it involves transforming empty spaces into environments that blend aesthetics with functionality. The modern convention takes inspiration from the times and stays true to its roots. Metricchant Design Attributes is a name synonymous with luxury interior design, maintaining quite a legacy.

Founded by the dynamic duo Rohit Surendra Nagia and Apeksha Nagia, Metricchant Design Attributes Pvt Ltd has been operational since 2001, offering interior design services to home and business owners alike from their design studio in Delhi. Over the past twenty years, MDAPL has been engaged in various design disciplines, including retail, residential, and commercial spaces.

MDAPL’s prime forte is Luxury Home Design, focusing on creating spaces that are low-maintenance and green yet high on luxury. They have successfully completed over 590 projects, including High-end Residences, Farmhouses, Corporate Offices, Factories, and Farmhouses.

Rohit Surendra Nagia and Apeksha Nagia- The Creative Brains Behind Metricchant Design Attributes

Rohit Surendra Nagia, a graduate of CEPT School of Architecture, and Apeksha Nagia, a graduate of CEPT School of Interior Design, have been leading their Interior Design firm, Metricchant Design Attributes Pvt Ltd, for over two decades.

Rohit, a qualified GRIHA trainer and evaluator, ensures that their built forms prioritise sustainability, energy efficiency, and low maintenance. He has authored two books: “CREATING URBANE HQ’s: THE 1ST STEP,” which focuses on clean, green construction awareness, and how to select the Right Architect for your new Building, and the second Book, “MONEY GENERATING BUILDING 2.0,” which is a guide to green and sustainability in modern construction. Apeksha, with a passion for Indian arts and crafts, has authored “GETTING THEM STARTED,” which explores corporate design for startups. A Curious learner and a plants passionate, she integrates diverse green varieties into their projects.

Based in New Delhi, India, their practice helps businesses achieve returns through sustainable and green design, prioritising breathability, low maintenance, and self-reliance. They strongly follow their book MONEY GENERATING BUILDINGS, to make their buildings Evolve and Perform for their clients

How it All Began

Apeksha, as a child, was captivated by the process of building her family’s new home. Observing the architect’s discussions and interactions sparked her interest in design. However, once the construction was complete, the excitement turned to disappointment as the empty shell lacked the essential interiors needed for livability. The process of transforming the house into a usable living space without professional interior support proved to be challenging. This experience led to a realisation: completing the structure was only the first step. The second phase of making the building usable and liveable was through interior design.

Their journey began at CEPT University under the mentorship of excellent faculties, where Apeksha and Rohit realised their shared dream of practising design that transforms spaces into perfect dream environments for clients. Following graduation, they got an opportunity to collaborate on a 600 sq ft saree showroom project in Jaipur alongside a senior architect colleague. Maximising the space usage was the focal point for design, and the project proved to be a resounding success, which led to multiple inquiries for more projects.

Navigating the early stages of their careers was not without obstacles. With limited experience and a modest portfolio, they struggled to secure projects. Despite the hurdles, their Strict Ideals and Professional Ethics propelled them forward.

Reflecting on a pivotal moment, they recall facing a daunting project negotiation early on. Faced with client bargaining, contractor bribery attempts, and critiques of their design plan, Apeksha and Rohit chose to defend their vision. Rohit shares, “We lived by our ideals and decided to lose that project. It was like the Universe was testing us, but we stuck to our ethics.”

Today the residences they design range from 7K-20K sqft and that too in record time. Their craft has evolved to incorporate textures, materials, colours, technology, and innovative concepts. They attribute their success to the support of faculties, mentors, peers, clients, and each project that has enriched their journey in the design world. “The journey in this design world has been amazing. And it feels like a new journey to explore with every new project,” adds Apeksha.

MDAPL’s USP

There are different ways of practising interior design. One involves doing what the client wants, delivering a design they “like.” Another way involves delving deeper into the “unsaid”—the exact feelings and real requirements of the client. This requires deep communication with the entire client family to understand relationship dynamics, the need to revive forgotten hobbies, or simply a space where they can truly be themselves in their own home. These unspoken messages await the right space to make them come alive. This second type is what MDAPL’s practice is all about.

MDAPL recently incorporated a sitar podium in a double-height family space to reignite a homeowner’s passion for playing the instrument. This focus on creating spaces that nurture positive growth of the human mind and strengthen relationships, alongside crafting luxurious homes, is what sets MDAPL apart in the world of interior design. But this is not possible without creating systems to support the design intent.

“If we claim to be designing the “REAL HUMANE LUXURY”, then we must have the right process to follow through.” - Rohit Surendra Nagia

They have meticulously crafted Systems to run the business, so they can spend time serving clients rather than being stuck in operations, like most design professionals do. Rohit and Apeksha explained the process they take in a very simple manner…

The creative process at MDAPL begins with an initial client meeting where they delve into understanding the project’s nature and site conditions. A comprehensive site analysis follows, identifying positive attributes and potential challenges such as views, weather conditions, ventilation, noise, wind, and pollution. Rohit says, “Each project is analysed on Orientation, Openings, the Oxygen content of spaces, Ventilation, Views, and Human Growth. Let’s say making the project more humane is more important than the design itself.”

Next, MDAPL conducts individual interviews with each and every member of the client’s family, from young children to seniors, to uncover their “unspoken needs” and desires. “We understand clients in deep detail, so we can actually be them to design for them. It may sound weird, but clients are the best designers for themselves,” explains Apeksha.

The result of MDAPL’s client-centric method is highly satisfied clients who experience personal growth and stronger relationships through their designed spaces. Notably, MDAPL has over 75% repeat clients over the past 20 years, which is indicative of the enduring success and impact of their approach.

“They always come back”, says Rohit happily, “for their next Farmhouse, or Factory, or Retail, or Corporate office”

To ensure the delivery of promises, MDAPL’s office operates with rigorous systems and checklists. Each project is broken down into thousands of tasks assigned to team members with clear responsibilities and timelines. This structured approach results in clarity, accountability, and efficiency within the team. Apeksha claims,

Crafting Sustainable Luxury

MDAPL’s mission is to conceive and design joyful spaces through best practices and conscious use of materials and technology. The company aims to nurture mankind by designing sustainable spaces that inspire people to be productive, purposeful, and creatively fulfilled, contributing to the enrichment of India and the world.

MDAPL’s design philosophy is simple: to design and promote super-luxury green homes for their clients. Apeksha emphasises, “The key lies in Our Unique interpretation of Luxury, which is laser-focused on High-Performance Interiors. When we engage with clients, we ask about their definition of “ultra-luxury.” Once we present our interpretation, they often adopt our perspective.” Rohit goes on to explain,

MDAPL’s Most Innovative Projects

Over the course of 23 years, there have been many notable projects for MDAPL. Among these, a few remain that, in spite of being very challenging, hold a special significance due to the innovative and unique solutions devised by the team.

#1 Retail space in Chandani Chowk

One such project includes the Surya Sarees showroom in Chandni Chowk, which spans 50,000 square feet and was awarded the MSME Best Retail Project of the Year 2020-21. This project exemplifies tackling significant site challenges to achieve super luxury in retail.

Imagine a large, closed, air-conditioned space with limited ventilation hosting over 200 occupants daily in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. Conventional ventilation solutions would entail high electricity consumption and maintenance costs. However, MDAPL devised a simple, effective, sustainable solution using Nature at it’s best, at a one-time cost of 3.6 lakhs that uses zero energy, and ventilates 365x24x7.

They strategically installed a glass pyramid over the main central staircase to harness the sun’s heat. Sunlight heats the pyramid, drawing natural cool air from dedicated courtyards into the building, eliminating dust and infusing fresh outside air into the retail spaces, creating a lively and breathable atmosphere.

Rohit proudly asserts, “Spaces are designed according to the requirements, but something like this defines the real solution to an invisible problem that needs to be identified and solved. Now, this is a real Luxury. And we were so glad to be awarded for it.”

#2 Corporate Office space in Jaipur

Another notable project was a corporate office located in the hot city of Jaipur, situated within a glass box building facing extreme heat from the south and west facades. To make things worse, there were no openings on the facade, and the office was situated on the second floor between tenants on the first and third floors, making vertical punctures challenging. Adding to it was the low ceiling height, which meant minimal false ceiling. Despite these challenges, the goal was to create a comfortable, productive workspace for the client’s team.

To mitigate heat and glare from the south and west facades, they strategically incorporated buffer zones along the south and west facade - those spaces that would be sparingly used like meeting and conference areas. These spaces created a heat barrier to the internal workstation hall. This approach significantly improved air conditioning efficiency and overall usability of the workspace, enhancing Productivity. They also redesigned workstations with built-in lighting systems to minimise electrical loads. Apeksha explains, “Each workstation had its own lighting system, which was more controllable. Individual light control meant a very powerful thing—habit! When you are responsible for your own workstation light, you are responsible for switching it off and on. This, combined with a smart altered VRV air conditioning system, led to a whopping 43% reduction in electrical load.”

Now, to ensure optimal oxygen levels, MDAPL integrated a hydroponic plant scheme into workspace partitions, generating oxygen and requiring minimal maintenance. This comprehensive approach earned the project the MSME Best Corporate Office of the Year 2020-21 award, showcasing MDAPL’s commitment to innovative, sustainable design solutions.

Honours and Accolades

For their outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of architecture and interior design, both Rohit and Apeksha Nagia and the firm have received numerous awards, including,

• Eldrok India Architecture Awards 2021 (Metricchants Design Associate) - February 19, 2021

• Eldrok India Architecture Awards 2021 (Rohit Nagia as Speaker) - February 19, 2021

• Time2Leap National Awards - MSME 2020-21 (Best Commercial Project of the Year) - June 22, 2021

• Time2Leap National Awards - MSME 2020-21 (Best Retail Project of the Year) - June 22, 2021

• Global Business Reconnect Nexion - Apeksha Nagia as Speaker at Architect Reconnect Summit - May 27, 2022

• Architects WOW Awards 2022 for Best Residential Spaces - May 27, 2022

• Architects WOW Awards 2022 for Best in Designing Temples and Farmhouses - May 27, 2022

• Fempreneur 2023 - Fempreneur Award - Interior Designer (Apeksha Nagia) - March 8, 2023

• Fempreneur 2023 - Experience the Power of Women Entrepreneurs - March 8, 2023

• Startup Growth Show - Eminent Speaker - Apeksha Nagia - January 7, 2023

• Fempreneur 2023 - In the Talk Show Fempreneur Saturday - February 25, 2023

• Eldrok-HTL Aircon - IAA 2023 MDAPL (For Excellence in Redesigning Residential Spaces) - April 12, 2023

• Eldrok-HTL Aircon Rohit Nagia as Eminent Speaker - April 12, 2023

• Time2Leap Awards - Best Apartment of the Year - April 17, 2023

• Time2Leap Awards - Best Upcoming Innovative Project of the Year - April 17, 2023

• Architects WOW Awards - MDAPL for Excellence in Designing Luxury Farmhouses - April 28, 2023

• Master Training in Tobacco Cessation (MTTC) - August 13/14/15, 2024 - Chairperson & Speaker

What Lies Ahead for MDAPL

MDAPL envisions redefining the concept of “Ultra-Luxury” in interior design, shifting the focus towards simplicity, effectiveness, sustainability, and creativity. Rohit himself believes that true luxury lies in functionality rather than superficial aesthetics alone. He asks, “How do you define luxury in your new home? Is it flawless beauty with high-quality materials and ineffective air-conditioning, or flawless beauty with effective, low-maintenance services and energy-generating features?”

Rohit’s book, “THE MONEY GENERATING BUILDINGS 2.0,” also raises awareness among clients, guiding them in planning their dream projects with an emphasis on effective, responsive and creative design solutions. MDAPL plans to approach each project and decision with a focus on Simple, Effective, Sustainable, and Creative Solutions, utilising their Master Checklist Systems to achieve Net Zero and Net Effective Interiors.

Exploring skills from various parts of India, empowering artisans, and integrating new technologies that enhance the quality of workmanship on site, is another focal point on MDAPL’s design checklist.

Leadership Mantra

Advising aspiring interior designers, Rohit shares, “First, identify the potential and challenges of each site and project. Be simple, effective and creative—innovation is key. Design with empathy. Be the client to design for the client.”

In every design project, collaboration among the building owner, designers, and fabricators or vendors is essential for success. As individuals grasp this broader perspective, they contribute to the emergence of a new India in which every sector experiences growth. By aligning design projects with more than five Sustainable Development Goals 2030, we can create employment, promote energy efficiency, and contribute to a circular economy. What’s required is the conglomeration of the ideas and vision of building owners and designers. So, it is very important to choose the right clients and teams who are Visionaries to make INDIA SHINE. JAI HIND!” Concludes Rohit.