Satyendra Pakhalé
Principal / Founder
Multifaceted designer Satyendra Pakhalé established his practice SPA — Satyendra Pakhalé Associates — in 1998 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He trained both in India at the IIT-B Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and in Switzerland at the Art Center College of Design Europe. Subsequently he became part of the pioneering ‘new business creation’ team, conceiving some of the first product ideas for new technologies in the area of digital communication, healthcare and mobility at Philips Design, NL, in the mid-90’s. Themes such as the culture of making, poetic analogy, perception, sensorial design, atmosphere, social modernity, secular humanism, craftsmanship, technology and more, in which his thinking and his practice are rooted. All these themes are closely connected and are vital for the continuous development of the studio’s ‘culture of creation’. Woven together through thinking and making, these topics are part of the SPA practice which is active in several fields, ranging from architecture and design, to healthcare, mobility and editions.
Pakhalé cultivates ideas and critical thinking about what he calls ‘social modernity’. These are rooted not only in his knowledge of history, but also in his own life experiences. With his continued curiosity about the human condition, and the socio-cultural awareness, he highlights a new perspective on social modernity in contemporary societies around the world. Keeping in mind the idealistic views of the early modernist movement, and at the same time with a keen awareness of the problematic side effects of those early modernists on society at large, Pakhalé takes the view that: ‘The project of modernity is still a work in progress in most societies seen from the point of view of social cohesion. Design has to help to bring the disintegrating elements together and unite them in a given society. It ought to rebuild society on the foundations of “social modernity”.’
Pakhalé has always deeply focused his interest in and attention on the realms of design, art, and architecture. His approach to creation transcends conventional boundaries, seamlessly blending elements that often appear as opposites – be it high or low tech, industrial production versus traditional crafts, or the balance between functionality and poetic expression. He explores diverse cultural roots while creating contemporary objects and architectural spaces with the awareness that being a designer means being socially and culturally responsible. In Pakhalé’s view, ‘Creation is indeed part of tradition.’ This is the refreshing view that stands out against the conventional notion of modernity, and with this approach he articulates a view of social modernity, in which these notions are built upon social cohesion rather than social charity for the third millennium.
Pakhalé’s works open up the realm of poetic analogy by reflecting larger imaginative entities beyond themselves and offer a continuous invitation to self-identification by allowing the mind to think analogically and matching the acquired knowledge with memory and imagination. Narrative meaning creation through design is the core of his practice and is manifest through the many gallery pieces, from design to architecture.
Pakhalé’s design approach does not reject rationality, but invariably takes it a stage further, pushing the boundaries to create truly human, multi-sensory designs. Taking the cultural context into account, he creates designs based on a sense of responsibility that is rooted in his experience and world view. His commitment to secular humanism results in designs that connect humanity and that aspire to be universal. At the heart of his work are two key concerns. The first of these is his conviction that cultural influences have to be factored in, which leads to design solutions that draw on past forms of expression without succumbing to either nostalgia, false narratives or traditionalism, since only then can their positive value be protected and used. The second is his perception of the rational, the emotional and the multi-sensory as one. By revisiting and then synthesizing these two aspects, Pakhalé has developed a body of work rooted in social cohesion that is at once contemporary and forward-looking.
Over the span of 25 years, Pakhalé has honed his design craft through a myriad of innovative projects for prominent international clients and industries. He has shared his insights by delivering global lectures and notably he served as the founding dean of the Master of Design for Humanity and Sustainable Living program – now called ‘Social Design’ at the renowned, Design Academy Eindhoven from 2006 to 2010. In 2008 he was selected as one of L’Uomo Vogue Magazine’s 80 most influential creative people in Design and Architecture worldwide. His works are featured in the permanent collections of prestigious museums worldwide, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Clients
Alcantara / Italy
Alessi / Italy
Al Sabah Gallery / Villamoda / Kuwait
Bosa / Italy
Ca’lyah / Denmark
Cappellini / Italy
Colombo Design / Italy
Corian / USA
CorUnum / NL
CRAFT / France
C-Sam / USA
C-lection / NL
De Vecchi / Italy
Dupont / USA
Erreti / Italy
FIAM / Italy
Flaminia / Italy
Franke / Switzerland
Hästens / Sweden
Heren2 / NL
Lille 3000 / France
L’Etoile Properties / France
Magis / Italy
Material ConneXion / USA
Messe Frankfurt / Germany
Moon Life Foundation / NL
Moroso / Italy
Museum Grand Hornu / Belgium
Novartis / Switzerland
Offecct / Sweden
Philips / NL
Poltrona Frau / Italy
RSVP / Italy
SCA / TORK / Sweden
Tubes Radiatori / Italy
TOD’s / Italy
Vaghi / Italy
Väveriet / Ludvig Svensson / Sweden
Galleries
ammann//gallery / Cologne, Germany
Rademakers Gallery / Amsterdam, NL
Exhibitions
2024
PAD London – Art + Design, Berkeley Square, London, UK
“Universo Satellite” 25th Anniversary of Salone Satellite, Triennale di Milano, Italy
“Cerámica Contemporánea”, ammann//gallery, Köln, Germany
PAD Paris, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France
2023
PAN Amsterdam, RAI, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
“Legends and Legacy”, cor unum ceramics, 70th anniversary celebration, Alcova, Salone del mobile, Milano
“The Butterfly Effect”, H+O apartment gallery, Brera Design District, Fuorisalone, Milano
2022
“Design for Healthcare”, World Design Capital Valencia, Valencia, Spain
London Design Festival 2022, London, UK
2020
From Thonet to “Dutch Design” 125 years of living at the Stedelijk, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Netherlands
‘Mountain Rains’ by Satyendra Pakhalé Auction, Auction Design Miami
Colours, Gallery Ammann, Cologne, Germany
2019
IN-Possible ALESSI, Museo Alessi & Design / Museum Holon, Israel
2018
Made in Holland: 400 years a global brand, Princessehof Ceramic Museum Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection, Legno Arredo ITS Rosario Messina Foundation Study Centre, Lentate sul Seveso, Italy
2017
Ceci n’est pas une copie, Centre d’innovation et de design, Grand-Hornu, Belgium
Alessi IN-possible, La Triennale di Milano, Italy
SaloneSatellite. 20 Years of New Creativity, Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan, Italy
Ghost Memory – what a joy! 30° Ghost Anniversary, Milan Fair, Italy
The value of design, Red Dot awarded products, Cité du Design Saint-Étienne, France
2016
Time Space Existence, Venice Architecture Biennale, Global Art Affairs, Palazzo Michiel, Venice, Italy
Houselife, Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Bordeaux, France
2015
Looking ahead. 9 stories from Veneto: digital – not only digital, Venice Art Biennale, Italy
Das Bauhaus #itsalldesign, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany
Wirkkala Revisited, Design Museum Helsinki, Finland
Alessi IN-possible, Design Museum Holon, Israel
2014
Design at Fairchild, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables Miami, USA
Sydney Indesign, Habitus Home Exhibition, Sydney, Australia
Modular system – Add-On Radiator, Paris Designer’s Days, France
100% Tobeus: 100 Designers for 100 New Toy Cars, Canada National Design Museum, Toronto, Canada
Cappellini 2000-2012, ICFF New York, USA
Industry City, New York, USA
Tom Vack. Vanity of Object, Die Neue Sammlung, The Design Museum, Munich, Germany
Modularity – Add-On Radiator, Malta Design Week, Fort St Elmo Valletta, Malta
2013
Outset Design Fund, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
Meet Design Around the World, Triennale di Milano, Italy
2012
International Design for Children, The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Design & Technology – 15th Anniversary SaloneSatellite, Milan Design Week, Italy
2011
Daily Future, Moon Life Concept Store, Moon Life Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Can you imagine? Alcantara, power of a material, MAXXI Museum, Rome, Italy
2010
Meeting of Minds, Hästens Flagship, Stockholm, Sweden
10 Years of Via Milano, Oude Kerk Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In Progress, CID Grand-Hornu, Belgium
2009
Design Lounge, ammann // gallery, Cologne Fine Art & Antiques, Cologne, Germany
The Clue Design, Gwanju Design Biennale, South Korea
Satyendra Pakhalé – Architecture & Design, MIPIM Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier, Cannes, France
2008
Satyendra Pakhalé – OriginS, solo exhibition, ammann // gallery, Cologne, Germany
Urban Compatibility Iittala, Design Boost, Malmö, Sweden
2007
Personal Shopper. We can’t afford to buy CHEAP things, Ambiente Frankfurt Fair, Germany
Satyendra Pakhalé – Selected design works, Design Boost, Stockholm, Sweden
2006
Bombay Maximum City, Co-Curation & Design, Lille3000
European Cultural Capital, Lille, France
Bamboo architectural elements, Transformation: Nature & Beyond, Material ConneXion Flagship, New York, USA
2005
Satyendra Pakhalé – three projects, Future Design Days, Stockholm, Sweden
Ole Palsby Retrospective, The Danish Museum of Art and Design, Copenhagen, Denmark
2003
Satyendra Pakhalé – Design by Heart, solo exhibition, OTTO Gallery, Bologna, Italy
un:Usual – Satyendra Pakhalé, Entrata Libera, Milan, Italy
2002
From Projects to Products, solo exhibition, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Panther Off-Scale – 50 Projects, Moroso Golden Jubilee, Milan, Italy
2001
Work ‘n’ Play by Satyendra Pakhalé, SaloneSatellite, Milan, Italy
World Wide Design, Atelier Renault, Paris, France
2000
Design works, group exhibition, Gallery Arte e Industria, Parma, Italy
1999
Beyond European Design, Abitare il Tempo, Verona, Italy
Young designers in Milano, Alterpoint Milano, Italy
1998
Vision on move, Evoluon Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
1997
Pangéa Concept Car, Geneva International Motor Show, Switzerland
Lectures
Talk at New Parsons School. On invitation of John-Michael Ekeblad, Visiting faculty
Industrial Design, Tucker Viemeister, Designer, Assistant Professor / New York / USA / 2022
Aggregates as uncommon senses / Back to early discoveries / Uncommon Senses III: Back to the future of the Senses | Center for Sensory Studies Concordia University / Montreal / Canada / 2021
Primary need of our times: ‘Social Cohesion’ / Keynote at the International Seminar Week /
HfG University of Design / Schwäbisch Gmünd / Germany / 2021
Social Cohesion as a planetary norm / IDEC 2021 Annual Conference / Interior Design Educators Council, Inc. / USA / 2021
Can Design create a Global Impact? / Keynote at Design Fusion / Lille / France / 2021
Continuity of Creation / Need for introspection / IDC School of Design / Industrial Design Centre IIT Bombay / Mumbai / India / 2021
Culture of Creation, The atmosphere of objects / 4th International Congress on Ambiance / University of California Santa Barbara / USA / 2020
Creating meanings with materials / Keynote at Material District / Rotterdam / the Netherlands / 2019
Between Memory and Oblivion – Between Tradition and Innovation / Keynote TraditioNow Chinese Handicrafts / Masters in Residence / Nanjing University of Arts / Nanjing / China / 2018
Four Architectural Design Projects – the Netherlands Switzerland and India / Vos & Partners Developers / Rotterdam / the Netherlands / 2018
Creating Lasting Impact / H2 Shanghai / delegation of various professionals from Shanghai / Amsterdam / The Netherlands / 2017
Culture of Innovation / The new frontiers of the design radiator: aesthetics and functionality at the service of energy efficiency Tubes Workshop / Venice / Italy / October 2016
Culture of Creation / Evoking Senses Sensibilia / Colloquium on Perception and Experience / Museo Hendrik Christian Andersen / Rome / Italy / May 2016
Sensorial Design / Istituto Europeo di Design / Rome / May 2016
Design in Culture of Manufacturing / India Design Forum / Mumbai / India / February 2016
Design Opportunities for one of the largest Rail Networks / Railway & Mass Transit Interiors / Technology and Design Expo / Cologne / Germany / 2013
Future Digital Lifestyles looking at the Past / CeBIT Global Conferences / Design for Digital Lifestyles / CeBIT Hannover / Germany / 2013
Design as Universal Poetry / International Seminar on Creative Economy and Design / Belo Horizonte / Brazil / 2012
Curiosities… / IITB / Indian Institute of Technology Bombay / IDC / Industrial Design Centre / Bombay / India / 2012
Industrial Design with Cultural Content / MCBW / Munich Creative Business Week / Die Neue Sammlung – The International Design Museum Munich / Germany / 2012
Awards
Distinguished Alumnus Award / Industrial Design Centre / India / 2020
Red Dot Award / Red dot Gmbh & Co. KG Essen / Germany / 2016
Green Good Design Award / European Centre for Architecture Art Design Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design /Chicago / USA / 2016
Distinguished Alumnus Award IITB 2013 / Indian Institute of Technology Bombay /Mumbai / India / 2013
Bharat Samman 2013/ New Delhi / NRI Non Resident Indian Institute London / UK / 2013
NRI Institute Award 2012 / NRI Non Resident Indian Institute London / UK / 2012
Red Dot Award/ Essen / Red dot Gmbh & Co. KG Essen / Germany / 2008
International Design Award / LA Interiors Los Angeles / Los Angeles / USA / 2007
Editor’s Choice Award / ICFF – International Contemporary Furniture Fair New York/ New York / USA / 2003
International Design Distinction Award / International Design Magazine New York // New York / USA / 1998
GOLDSTAR Design Award / Goldstar Co. Seoul / Seoul / Korea / 1993
Janus De L’Etudiant ’91 / IFDI International Young Industrial Design Talent Promotion Award / Paris / French Institute of Industrial Design / Paris / France / 1991
Teaching
2021
“Exploring interactions” Masterclass – TU Delft
Project with RHIA Rotterdam – TU Delft
“Well-being for urban birds” – Design workshop at Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. On invitation of Prof. Matthias Held, Deputy Chairman of the University
Masterclass at New Parsons School, New York, USA. On invitation of John-Michael Ekeblad, Visiting faculty
Industrial Design, Tucker Viemeister, Designer, Assistant Professor
2014
Guest faculty – Design workshop. On invitation of Mr. Cees de Bont, Dean of School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HK, China
2012
Guest faculty – Design workshop. On invitation of Prof. A. G. Rao, IDC – Industrial Design Centre, IIT – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
2011
Guest faculty – Design workshop. On invitation of Prof. Kim, Myung-Su, Industrial Design Department, KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea.
2011
Guest faculty – Design workshop. On invitation of Mrs. Cheng Wai Kwan Vivian, International Liaison Manager, Hong Kong Design Institute, HK, China
2006-2010
Head of the Master of Design for Humanity and Sustainable Living at Design Academy Eindhoven, NL. On invitation of Mrs. Li Edelkoort, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2009
Guest faculty – Design workshop. On invitation of Mrs. Liz Davis, Head of the International Studio, Les Ateliers – ENSCi – Ecole Nationale Superieure de Creation Industrielle, France
2008
Guest faculty – Vitra Design workshop. On invitation of
Mr. Alessander van Vegesag, Domaine de Boisbuchet, France
2005-2006
Visiting faculty on invitation of Mr. Gijs Bakker, Head of Man and Living Department, Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2001-2005
Visiting faculty on invitation of Mr. Oscar Peña, Head of Man and Activity Department, Design Academy Eindhoven, NL
2002
Guest faculty – Design workshop. On invitation of Mrs. Stesuko Nagasawa, Head of Ceramics Department. Haute Ecole d’Arts Appliqués Geneva. Geneva, Switzerland.
2001
Guest faculty – for China project. On invitation of Mr. Norman Tropman, Head of Ceramics Department, Hogeschool Den Bosch, NL
Collections
V&A / Victoria and Albert Museum / London / United Kingdom
Centre Pompidou / The Centre national d’art et de culture Georges Pompidou / Paris / France
Stedelijk Museum / The Museum of Modern Art Amsterdam / Amsterdam / The Netherlands
M+ / Museum of Visual Culture / Hong Kong / China
MAKK / Museum für Angewandte Kunst / Cologne / Germany
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / The Liliane and David M. Stewart Program for Modern Design / Montreal / Canada
Foundation of the Sparda-Bank / Münster / Germany
Die Neue Sammlung / The International Design Museum / Munich / Germany
F.N.A.C. / Fonds National d’Art Contemporain / Paris / France
Museum het Kruithuis / ‘s-Hertogenbosch / The Netherlands
Sotheby’s London / AJC Designs / London / United Kingdom
gabrielle ammann // gallery / Cologne / Germany
Musée départemental d’art contemporain de Rochechouart / Rochechouart / France