Hafele-TFOD Profile Of The Week: Zero9, Mumbai

Established in 2005 by Prashant and Anu Chauhan, Zero9 first started out as Zero – an entity the architect connected with and took pride in, as India’s contribution to the world! As the firm evolved, so did Prashant’s thinking – and thus Zero became Zero9 – a beginning of a creative process. With a tagline ‘design is boundless’ Zero9 plays on the concept of numbers going towards infinity!

And, as the name suggests, Zero9 is a design studio with a difference! Going beyond the standard purview of an architectural firm, the Zero9 repertoire includes exhibition design, graphic and website design, branding, corporate communications - and even art direction and set design! 

After interning with well-known firms like Architect Hafeez Contractor and Talati & Panthaki, Prashant’s design journey veered towards television and movies – first assisting art-director Jeena Shetty and later working with film directors Tanuja Chandra and Ram Gopal Verma. 

Creativity, after all, emerges from a single source. The creative mind is inquisitive and analytical; it applies itself to varied projects/products/problems with a view to develop the most appropriate solution – regardless of the scale and situation! Experimenting and exploring diverse mediums strengthens Zero9's core competencies, which include Conceptualization, Visual Communication including Exhibition Displays, Architecture and Interior Design. A holistic approach towards a design problem enables them to add value to their clients’ ventures. 

Anu spearheads the design front with a goal-oriented vision. Her background in advertising and visual merchandising enhances the creative outputs of the Zero9 team. Prashant’s design ideology sees him explore a rather unusual blend of Zen minimalism and zingy opulence! The cumulative experiences of the two principals of Zero9 manifest in all of the studio’s work - which is distinctively stylish and charming, or wacky and fun, or staid and corporate - as appropriate to the client and context. 

Guided by a spiritual sensitivity, Zero9 designs and spaces have a serene, meditative quality with timeless appeal. Intricate detailing and flamboyant finishes transform spaces into the realm of soulful jazz.