# DEspotlight // interview
By ANIRUDH DATTA DESIGN ESSENTIA MAGAZINE // DEINDIA
Pallavi Dean , principal architect at ROAR has won multiple awards for work across a range of sectors including commercial , hospitality and residential . She was born in India , raised in Dubai and spent years working in London ; her designs reflect these eclectic influences .
“ Roar ’ s design philosophy is simple : 50 % Wild , 50 % Tame
The wild side is the artistic free spirit that gives a building its wow factor – literally letting the imagination run wild . The tame side is the scientific , evidence-based , data-driven design that makes a building work . The magic happens when these two worlds collide .” says Pallavi .
AD : WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN ?
PALLAVI : I was drawn to design for two reasons . First , I love solving problems – and designers are first and foremost problem-solvers . Second , design can be such a wonderfully self-indulgent form of self-expression . I ’ m Indian but I ’ ve never lived in India ; the UAE is home but I ’ m not Emirati ; and my husband and kids are British . My multicultural background has had a strong influence on both my identity and my work . This has taught me that life is richer and more vibrant when cultures collide . It ’ s cultural tension . Three cultures have collided to shape me as a designer and a person : Indian , Emirati and British . They ’ ve often pushed and pulled me in conflicting directions , creating what are sometimes pretty raw emotional tensions . Thankfully , as I get older , cultural tension is giving way to cultural balance .
AD : WHO WERE YOUR EARLY DESIGN HEROES AND ROLE MODELS ?
PALLAVI : My mentor and ex-boss Isabel Pintado has always played a pivotal role in my professional and personal life .
AD : TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY IN THE INCEPTION OF ROAR .
PALLAVI : The UAE did not need another design firm but as a young mother I wanted the flexibility to pick and choose my hours . I also wanted a space where I could really plug some experimental and academic design ideas , which sometimes don ’ t show commercial returns in the short term and are not always feasible when you are a fee earner in a large corporate company . Sadly , I was also passed up for a promotion while pregnant – this kind of setback led me to realise I wanted to create an organisation that offered both flexibility and equality . I ’ ve been at this for 9 years now .
( on left ) Early Chilhood Authority HQ , Abu Dhabi by ROAR Photographer : The Oculis Project
32 | September - October 2021 Edition // Design Essentia // DE INDIA