- Can you give us a brief insight into your design journey?
My initiation into design was pure chance. I was all set to follow my mother’s footsteps and become a surgeon. But life had a different plan for me. While helping my cousin make architectural models in the summer between Grade 12 and professional college, I absolutely loved what I was exposed to. On a whim applied to Architecture School and surprisingly got in! From then on Design has been a love I couldn’t get over.
I went to KRVIA for my undergraduate Degree and subsequently worked with Ranjit and Associates. Further went on to do a MArch with Theory and Design as my major from UPENN, Philadelphia. Spent a summer semester through Grad school in Paris learning about construction methodologies through time. Thereafter was a stint in New York with Renfro Design Group for about 2 years.
In 2004 I moved back to India and started reD (researchIIenquiryIIDesign) with Rajiv Parekh.
- How did you get your first projects?
After moving back from the US with a Master’s Degree and a ton of hopes and aspirations, our first project at reD was a 100 sqft bathroom. It was truly a reality check! We did take it on of course and gave it literally everything we had. Now when I look back at the space, of course I feel it’s overthought and overdesigned.
The next few projects were for friends and family, who were willing to trust their small spaces with a young practice. That started reds journey.
- Any one turning point in your career that you wish to highlight?
There have been many turning points in our design journey at reD, but probably the one that we hold closest to our hearts is the one at the beginning of our story! When we were a fresh practice, we were doing a decent amount of work in the interior design segment, but hadn’t had a breakthrough with an architectural practice. A dear friend of ours asked his brother to examine us for an educational project they were doing under the Manjra Trust. We presented a design concept for a rural school using local materials for construction and energy efficient ways of circulating air and light through the spaces such that minimal artificial light or ventilation would be required within the building. This was our very first break towards building something from scratch. From then, we went on to build 5 rural schools for the same Trust and later an educational campus as well. This pivotal turning point and the blind faith given by our client to a young practice, is something we will never forget!
- What is the one mistake in your career that you’d like to go back and change if you could?
There are numerous mistakes I have made personally and the firm has made as a whole looking back at our career path. But to be honest, I have not thought of them as things to hold you back or have regrets over. They were always lessons learnt on how you can improve what has been done or have a different approach to doing something in the first place. One of our largest and most important learnings has been the power of collaboration. The understanding that we may not have all the answers and it does not belittle you to work with someone who might have a stronger grasp of the subject, it only enriches your knowledge and experience and surges you in an unchartered direction you could only have hope to achieve on your own.
- The industry is still largely male-dominated – why do you think that is?
I think not only the design industry, but industry in general has been male dominated for a long time. It was the way of the world! It all stemmed from our forefathers having roles specific to our gender. However, that is changing slowly but surely. Not only are a large number of women at the forefront of design, it is actually a profession that is encouraging gender as a spectrum. To having the conversation which is not only specific to male or female.
- With changing times, what would be your advice to upcoming architects on how to navigate the architecture world?
My advise or mantra for any young practice or even our own is to always stay relevant! The moment you think you know it all or know enough, starts the decline of your knowledge and journey. The emphasis should always be to innovate and reinvent yourself and that’s the only way to keep the practice thriving.