These clients were very clear about what they did not want. “What function does it serve?” was a frequent thought Shashank Shetty and Sanjan Hoode had to deal with in the design of this three-bedroom apartment in Bengaluru. “The clients had an aversion to unnecessary beautification,” recalls Shetty. “What is the need?” was an oft-heard refrain. No frills, nothing over the top. A clean palette, conservative design choices which would age well, underlined by an India-Modern aesthetic and a connection with the unending forest outside the windows, was the brief given by the owners — a couple in their 40s with an 18-year-old son.