#NTPeople: Parthavi Patel
Parthavi is one of the most enigmatic women I’ve ever met. We worked alongside on a project of a beautiful café, where she was the design and architect lady and I in charge of the kitchen. An impossible to ignore is her intense beauty – she exudes confidence in her stride, her piercing gaze, the “don’t mess with me” attitude, which is instantly followed up with the most contagious laugh, luscious thick hair flick, and strides with long legs that seem to go on forever.
Parthavi owns the design studio Studio Patternmaker for architecture, interior architecture and sustainable adaptive reuse + renovations, with the goal to “design for people” with soulful minimalism. Their forte is creating custom pieces of furniture, lights and wallpapers to create to create one of a kind and unique vision.
Working constantly in construction zones, Parthavi still manages glowing skin amid the dust and cement, and always turns up with her signature winged eyeliner and infectious smile that makes everything all right! Her attitude to work and life balance is inspiring – perhaps that’s the most beautiful thing about her – she has no idea how inspirational and motivating her personality rubs off on everyone around her.
In my first conversation with her, I felt the warmth within seconds, the straight forward honesty, saying things the way they are, her great sense of humour and she allows her delicate vulnerability to shine through. She also gives the most genuine and tightest hugs that touch you to the core and are instant cures to the blues. She is proof of inner and outer beauty coexisting in perfect synchrony.
As I read her answers, I see there is even more depth in her, she’s a woman who is in control of her life, understands her life path, is genuine and honest, and the quiet source of inspiration is her passion to learn and achieve.
Today we find out more on how she does it ALL!
Tell us your relationship with skincare and how it has evolved over time?
I have been regular with skincare since past five to six years. This comprises of the basics – moisturizing, sunscreen and getting help from a skin care professional if need be, as my work involves me being on construction sites with maximum exposure to sun, dust, cement and harsh summer conditions. At one point, I did get a little lost trying to integrate the 100-step routines from online videos, but eventually circled back to my original routine.
What’s your typical morning and evening skincare routine?
After morning showers, clean my face (mostly t-zone) with a gentle cleanser as I have a highly sensitive skin, apply a light vitamin C moisturizer and top it with sunscreen. The evening routine involves washing my face with a slightly stronger cleanser, applying a mild moisturizer with salicylic acid. It is not a very elaborate routine, but any form of such with consistency bears results.
What is one beauty advice you would like to share with us?
Less, but meaningful, is definitely more, in beauty rituals or life.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
My day starts at 6 AM. I sit amongst the greens and stare out into the trees with a warm bottle of water and my dog for company. Oil pulling is not a regular activity, but I try to integrate as much as possible, which is done before drinking warm water. A cup of chai is essential every morning, and after that I cut back on caffeine intake. I would love to be regular with breakfast which I am not. When I am I like to have oats with raisins, cranberries and walnuts.
How did you choose architecture as a career option?
If I look back in retrospect, I was always creative with interest in arts and its various forms. Architecture was a more lucrative in terms of feasibility of an art form converted to physicality of it. Initially I was more interested in set designing, and then gradually came towards architecture.
What inspires you to do better in work?
I guess it’s the desire to “create”. Create and design for people. As what I create is something of a direct environment that the user is going to live in, thrive in, grow in and live their moments of life in. It is a huge responsibility, and I get to be the one to play such an important role in this. It feels rewarding.
#WomenOnTheGo: How do you balance your work and personal life?
I don’t! haha. I try to. But I would say I’m still learning, I get better with time about it, but I still have to find a balance. This is because as a person I’m terribly passionate about anything I do – work or life. And I feel as of now I need to be more passionate about my work.
How often can you carve out your ‘me time’ and what does it entail?
I try to keep an hour in the morning for me where I squeeze in a form of work out after my morning ritual mentioned above. Sometimes I keep that hour in the evening after work to unwind, get my game of tennis in. But that hour is a must. I also try and do some sort of a self-care activity twice a month, such as a body massage or foot reflexology. It is good to release anxieties and body fatigue.
How do you deal with setbacks in/at work?
I act the way I am feeling at that point; basically, allow myself to process my feelings – sad, anxious, cranky, etc. But then once I let go, I let go. Then I get back to work to take up the next challenge.
I feel fortunate that I have grown to this point in life.
What advice do you have for aspiring architects?
There are no short cuts. Be honest with your intent. Be true to yourself. Persistence and discipline every day, every second is a must. Work hard, no one cares. Don’t take yourself seriously, take what you are creating and why you are creating seriously.
What do you hope to achieve by the end of the year?
I hope to achieve a growth as a person and in work both. I wish to do more of what makes my soul happy and I wish to work harder in terms of innovation in design and educate myself more about it.
Follow Parthavi and Studio Patternmaker travails at:
Instagram: @studio.patternmaker
Facebook: @Parthavi Patel
Linked In: @Parthavi Patel