Throughout history architecture has emerged and has been shaped by fundamental factors like climate and availability of natural resources. Since this practice of construction has continued for many millennia, the art of building has evolved over many trials and failures. The climatic orientation of the buildings, natural

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Green building architecture is about using the principles of design, orientation and material science in a way that it strikes the right balance to reduce the impact of building activity, and aligning it with the broader objective of sustainable living. Eco-friendly structures, sensitive to local climate have always

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India has rich traditions and history in holistic strategies for buildings and construction. Despite this, the sustainable buildings agenda currently receives limited attention in India. While there are some local initiatives promoting sustainable buildings which include research, pilot or advocacy projects, there is no

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The key concept behind sustainable architecture is to build in a way that reduces or minimises harmful impact to the environment. I believe India has a strong history of creating sustainable and climatically sensitive architecture. Open building designs and local / climatically sensitive materials have been extensively

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Sustainable architecture is at the epicentre of our practice. Through simulations and creating real time feedback loops, we look at optimizing primarily the form of the building deal with parameters relating to eco-friendly architecture. The second stage is careful selection of materials and specifications. The intent of

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The Indian subcontinent has historically been at peace with nature for a very long time, principally because we have a much more equitable climate than most western countries. Vernacular Indian architecture has been extremely eco-friendly throughout most of recorded history, and it is reflected in the social fabric

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Architectural design in accordance with sustainability principles like lesser use of resources, energy and water efficiency without compromising on the quality of indoor environment, is Green Architecture. There has always been sustainability in the roots of Indian architecture; refer to the old ancient buildings

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Our lifestyles are becoming more and more carbon intensive each day. In the haste of our modern ways of life, we have consistently breached the limits set on us by our own planet. To quote Terri Swearingen: “We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go to.”

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The modern era has flooded India with a sense of globalization and standardization. Concrete and brick have become the most used materials in our buildings today. Skill has followed suit and one can find teams for such type of construction readily in most of the places in India today. A recent import has been to imbue

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The concept of sustainability is not a new-age phenomenon, but is an age-old tradition. Being a sub-tropical country, Indian architecture is inherently climate responsive. Verandas, courtyards, buffer zones, terraces and sun shading devices are not new to us. Today, we live in an age of pseudo sustainability. When we started

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Nowadays, eco-friendly, sustainable and green are buzzwords. However, defining them in relation with building design is complex. There is an urgent need in India to extend the understanding of sustainable architecture with socio-cultural aspects in its production. Indian builders and architects have failed to recognize

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The Sofitel Tamuda Bay's architecture and interior design were conceived by us as a smooth and seamless transition between indoors and outdoors. Moroccan culture and craftsmanship are rich in colour and texture and are highly characteristic of this Mediterranean civilization which has evolved over many centuries. The use of innovative materials and methods allowed me to reinterpret this traditional lifestyle into a contemporary language. A telling example is the use of Plexiglas to create the moucharaby screens of the Sofitel Tamuda Bay – Galal Mahmoud.

A contemporary and multicultural approach

Born to Egyptian parents and having an English grandmother and Lebanese citizenship, Ar. Galal Mahmoud lived in France for several years after fleeing the civil war in Lebanon with his family in 1976. He graduated from the Ecole d'Architecture de Versailles in 1986, opening his first architects' practice in Paris the following year. In 1996, he founded GM Architects in Beirut, specializing in the luxury hotel and upscale seaside resort markets. During his many trips to Asia, Galal Mahmoud witnessed Asian societies' lifestyles that are equally comfortable in an outside environment as inside a house. These experiences are at the root of his philosophy and approach to architecture where the concepts of 'well being' and multiculturalism are the key.

'Contextual immersion' therefore lies at the heart of GM Architects' way of thinking. Galal Mahmoud steeps himself in the geographical, historical, and cultural environment of each project. He makes these contextual components his own, reworking them in a way that is relevant to and easily comprehensible by contemporary society, but also respectful of the identity and culture of the location in question.

GM Architects is managed by Galal Mahmoud in partnership with Randa Chahine, Anwar Hajj, and Elie Waked. The firm has bases in Beirut and Abu Dhabi and is active worldwide with projects in France, Africa, the Middle East and throughout the Mediterranean region. The firm's expertise encompasses interior design, landscape architecture and site evaluation and analysis in seafront locations. The Museum of Civilizations designed by GM Architects was selected for the 'Future project of the year' category at the World Architecture Festival Singapore in 2014. In March 2015, it scooped the 'Cultural Regeneration' category at the 26th MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects awards before winning an 'International Architecture Award' in 2015.

Renesa Studio and architectural & interior design consulting firm based in New Delhi, is led by Sanjay Arora, Principal Architect & Founder, along with his son Sanchit Arora, Studio Head Architect. Renesa Studio has partnerships with industry leaders who include landscape specialists, contracting firms, furniture manufacturers, etc. The added benefit of these partnerships is that Renesa ensures on-time and on-budget completion of projects.

Sanchit Arora holds a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Sushant School of Art & Architecture, Gurgaon, Educational Scholarship Programs from AA school of Architecture, London, and Politecnico Milano, Italy. He has won top honors in the University and Dean's List for his thesis on 'The Shadow Spaces'- an architectural look at the existing cremation spaces of New Delhi. He was also winner of the 'NASA THESIS of the Year', NDTV Students Awards and Jury Commendation for the Best Thesis Project, amongst others.



While the basic planning of spaces has to be always simple and logical, but for their ambience, the architect should always try to create something different; this will ultimately lead to innovation. As there's always going to be a better way of doing the same design, we as architects need to be hungry for new solutions" - Sanjay Arora



The best way to move forward in designing a space is to critique your own design after every step. To quote Henry David Thoreau: Since most of us are going to be doing ordinary things in our lives, the most important thing is to do those ordinary things extraordinarily well" - Sanchit Arora

Each project designed is unique to its site and setting, planning and purpose, having a strong sense of belonging. My designs seek inspiration from real life" Ar. Rajiv Khanna

I believe in Leonardo Da Vinci's "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Besides, "Life is short so lets build stuff that matters" Ar. Sabeena Khanna

KIA stands for Kreate, Inspire, and Achieve. The team at the design studio seeks inspiration from nature, which offers a varied palette of colors, shapes, forms, and textures to innovatively create specific design solutions for each project. Over the last 30 years of its existence, KIA has designed projects of all types and magnitudes. It is spearheaded by Rajiv and Sabeena Khanna, graduates from the prestigious school of architecture, Chandigarh, the world famous city created by the renowned master architect, Le Corbusier.

Founder Principal of KIA design studio, Ar. Rajiv Khanna has nearly 35 years of experience in the interdisciplinary fields of Architecture, Design, Management, and Real Estate. His work spans across the country as well as engages with international concerns. The magnitude and type of projects include master planning, urban design, residential developments, mixed land use projects, hospitality, retail recreational, institutional and educational projects as well as corporate interiors.

The firm's international alliances include the Dubai Lifestyle City, Dubailand for ETA Group, Concept Creation of a mixed land-use development at Sharjah on a land lot measuring 9 sq.kms, hospitality project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and a 500 acre mixed land-use cum residential development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Creative head of KIA design studio, Sabeena is the mastermind behind each project undertaken. Recipient of Le- Corbusier Gold Medal, Sabeena also topped her University with her creative intellect. Fellow member of Indian Institute of Architects (IIA ) and Associate member of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), she is on the Jury for many renowned architectural awards recognizing fresh talent.

Some of her known projects include the Timber Trail in Himachal Pradesh, Umrao Boutique Hotel on National Highway-8 in Delhi, District Headquarters in Goa, and the prestigious Cottage Industries Emporium at STC building, Janpath, New Delhi. Some of the recent projects include Al Wathba and Mussaffah schools in Dubai, UAE; Housing projects- Palm Drive, Emaar MGF, The Grand and The Petioles based in Gurgaon (NCR).

Prashant Chauhan scales beyond the boundaries of architecture to explore other design disciplines. His belief 'Design is Boundless' is at the core of his Zero9, which deals with projects in architecture, advertising, interior, and exhibition design. Winner of national and international design awards, he enjoys sharing his thoughts with aspiring architects at Rizvi College of Architecture, where he began his quest for lifelong learning. He also has a passion for travel, photography, and technology. His curiosity towards scriptures and spirituality is reflected in his minimal and clutter-free approach to design.

Anu Chauhan's academic qualifications as an architect combine with her practical experience in advertising and retail visual merchandising, as she takes on diverse projects in her studio Zero9. She scales seamlessly between architecture and interior design. Anu's strength lies in her balanced approach and her expertise in developing and refining concepts into innovative, workable solutions. Her love for travel helps her explore architecture and art across the globe.

"d6thD refers to the 6th dimension to "feel good". The 6th dimension is not restricted to measure the physical world but to explore the Feel Good Spaces. Any object or space can be measured in 3-D, but to feel good about it, is the 6thD. We design to let one feel good, and we are interested in exploring ways in which spaces can create experiential happiness. So we are passionate about design, but driven by ideas rather than personalities. We visualise the practice as a sheltered and collaborative place for reflection, where a community (including clients and other collaborators) can reflect on how to make life happy and feel good through architecture." – Ar. Himanshu Patel

Orange Architects was established in 2010 by Michiel Hofman, Patrick Meijers and Jeroen Schipper as a multidisciplinary design firm, working in the field of architecture, interior design and urban planning. The goal is to create inspiring, powerful and rich environments in every design-scale from urban (re)-development to product design; collective housing to luxurious villas; and office planning to private interiors.

The firm has been working on ambitious projects in The Netherlands, Russia and the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The designs draw great inspiration from both local culture and cutting-edge design techniques. The team's rational approach is tempered by its sensitivity to local character, the setting and the users. The projects display Orange's prime merit: the ability to embrace local traditions – and fuse them with new, innovative ideas and forms – creating synergy between the present and the future. The firm develops appealing, conceptually sophisticated responses to complex spatial challenges.

"I like materials like Aluminum and Corian that can bend and flex, and offer performance, making the home cooler in the heat and dryer in the rain. It’s not just art, it’s the expression mixed with building science. There is also the opportunity to explore lush variation, intricacy and taking the lines and directing them with out the limitations of scale or format. I want to draw the lines wherever I want to... wherever they want to... lines can attract to release... like music.. or more importantly... the grandiose lines of nature are the ones we emulate."

Mario Romano is an artist specializing in architecture, design and digital fabrication. He is committed to advancing the language of complex geometries and manifesting them into the physical world. He blurrs the lines, from floor to roof, from wall to floor, by building facades that undulate like ocean waves and interior carved walls that blur into floors, calling his architecture a "Second Nature". Trained in construction methods, and having studied at UCLA university, he blends machines and computers to literally Print his design.

With an affinity for Nature’s forms, Mario has pioneered his own design-build systems incorporating customized digital tools, CNC machining technology with hassle-free construction techniques. He has designed and built over 50 million dollars worth of high-end residential projects from the ground up.

Mario literally sculpts his homes, sometimes standing across the street directing the building process. In one instance, he composed a facade to emulate the intricate weave of bird feathers. In another building envelope, he wrapped a home with monolithic white-metal ribbons. In one way, Mario is rocketing into the future, in another, he is returning to the organic. With Three more large project to come, each one will be unique, but like a snowflake, recognizable.

GRID plc is a leading International Architects & Interior firm based in New Delhi, under the Leadership of Architects RAJIV & MEENAKSHI KHANNA.

Specialist in Contemporary Architecture, RAJIV KHANNA – B.ARCH. (Hons.) IIT Kharagpur' 85, has a vast experience of Project Management / Coordination and designing of Commercial spaces as well as Malls, Hotels, Resorts, and Social Cultural Project.

MEENAKSHI KHANNA – B.ARCH. (Hons.) IIT Kharagpur' 88, also comes with a bundle of talent and wide experience in designing of Houses, Township, Institutional and Industrial complexes.

In its 22+ years of experience, the firm's portfolio encompasses Hospitality, Commercial / IT and Housing / new cities projects – Pan India, with Clients including DLF, Ansals, Parsvanath, Best Western, Ambience, Cosmic, Logix, Railways, ITDC, NBCC and many more. Also, the firm is in the process of extending its footprints into the International territories.

Some Prestigious Projects by Rajiv and Meenakshi include Ambience Corporate Tower, Vasant kunj, New Delhi / Campus CRPF, Uttaranchal, are masterpieces reflecting the Architects' varied style of architectural & master planning expressions.

"GRID's approach is based on….. 5'S inspirational methodology to meet user's aesthetic and business needs."

Design Café aims to make good design accessible, quick, and affordable

Award-winning architects and designers, Gita Ramanan and Shezaan Bhojani, bring more than two decades of national and international design experience to the construction industry. Design Café founded by the duo in 2011, today has a team of 45 professionals and a portfolio of over 500 completed projects across the country. These include homes, apartments, offices, restaurants, showrooms, schools, and hotels ranging from 1000 sq.ft to 1.4million sq.ft.


In April 2016, the company launched a simple 9-step online process to showcase the best designs to its clients, using easy, quick, and creative design and material selection processes. Users can seek expert consultation, select the elements, and complete the project within 60 days under the guidance of the architects. Till date, the team has helped add the sensibilities of design to over 51 homes in Bangalore.

"We can design spaces in just one minute from our design styles and give a custom 3-D and estimate in the same time, reducing what used to take days to just minutes. We have filed for a patent for our online process. It will change the design industry by letting home owners design their homes online for free, without the need of a designer for the initial look, enabling us to design thousands of homes in a year, and make our designers ten times more efficient," says Shezaan Bhojani.





Good design has the power to change the way you live, work, and play, and this change should be accessible to everyone, irrespective of the project's size, budget or location




Shezaan Bhojani, Entrepreneur, Architect, Traveler
After graduating from BMSCE Bangalore, Shezaan worked with some of the best design firms in India, designing premium homes and 5 star hotels. He was awarded IIID-special mention for Design in the Hospitality sector in South India and his work has been published in Society Interiors, Home Review, and CW Interiors. He co-founded Design Cafe with Gita Ramanan in 2011; since then, DC has grown over 200% year-on-year. He travels the world to source the best design materials and ideas. Fondly called 'Chief Astronaut' by colleagues because he believes that Design Café can expand it's presence across the globe and maybe even build a home on the moon some day!

Gita Ramanan, Entrepreneur, Architect, Tedx speaker, National Athlete
A top student and an athlete during her college years, she chose design as her career. After graduating from BMSCE Bangalore, she worked with world renowned architects with specific exposure to premium homes and recreational design. She is also a graduate of ISB, Hyderabad, and was selected by Goldman-Sachs for its worldwide 10,000 Woman Programmer. She has spoken on many national platforms on design and interiors like TEdx, NID, Design Open, to name a few, and has been an integral part of IIID Bangalore chapter and in organizing Bangalore's first Designuru. She heads the Design Team at Design Café and is instrumental in creating innovative designs across the country.

Backed by Kanwaljit Singh (ex-MD of Helion Ventures), the Salarpuria Group through Apurva Salarpuria and others, Design Cafe has merged technology in its innovation and design processes to offer contemporary design solutions. In 2015, they had raised a round of funding for the online venture from investors like Sidharth Pansari of Primarc Group and Sunil Jain of Sprout Capital. Coming up are four Design Experience Labs in Bangalore and Mumbai, which will showcase innovative design concepts in the home décor and build space.

Giving an example of how the online process works, say for designing a kitchen, Gita Ramanan elaborates, "We have derived a unique approach to give every home-owner their dream kitchen in 6 easy steps. We first ask the client to choose their preferred style (Modern, Classical, Minimalistic, Industrial, Rustic, etc.) from our vast library of styles, finishes, and textures. We then cross- check the primary equipment (hob, chimney, sink, fridge) and their locations given by the builder. We input all these parameters in our (patent pending) DC A.I. Bot, and within a few seconds, the kitchen design is generated with all the modular components and details, along with instant 3D views and a cost estimate."

Ramanan adds, "At our DC Experience Centres, customers are encouraged to touch and feel every component and understand how it works before the kitchen design is finalized. We make them walk through the design and customize it as per their unique habits, gadgets, and lifestyle. We finalize the cabinet handles, colours and finishes after the client has seen, touched, and felt the finishing of every material that is proposed. The final design is then executed in our factories with the best quality hardware and components."

Profile

RENESA is a firm dealing in Architectural & Interior design consulting across India. Renesa provides services in all formats as needed. Based in New Delhi, our design studio and project plan office, comprising of a number of associate architects and several architectural assistants, is led by Mr. Sanjay Arora – a highly experienced and qualified licensed architect. Renesa also has a number of partnerships with industry leaders in the architectural, interior design, furniture manufacturers. The added benefit of these partnerships is that the client receives Renesa's oversight to ensure on-time and on-budget completion of the projects to provide better buying leverage to its clients.

Principal Architect- Founder- RENESA ARCHITECTURE DESIGN INTERIORS.

Sanjay Arora

Sanjay is the Founder & Principal Architect at RENESA. Sanjay acquired a bachelor's degree in Architecture from University of Roorkee (now I.I.T. Roorkee), cum laude in 1987 and was awarded one of the top design honours on the Dean's list.

In a career spanning almost 30 years, Sanjay has handled many prestigious architectural projects for a list of marquis clients. Ranging from large commercial projects such as airports, sport complexes, head-office buildings, multi-unit commercial, print media production facilities, and multi-unit residential projects, Renesa has successfully completed many projects under his leadership.

Prior to starting Renesa in Jan 2006, Sanjay worked for several Indian architectural firms and headed the architectural arm of TURNER MORRISON LTD, a large multi-national and multi-discipline firm, where he oversaw some of India's largest and prestigious projects.

Studio Head Architect- RENESA ARCHITECTURE DESIGN INTERIORS.

Sanchit Arora

Sanchit is the Studio Head Architect at RENESA. Sanchit acquired a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Sushant School of Art & Architecture,Gurgaon,India with scholarship programs from some of the most prestigious universities in U.K. and Europe.

• Sushant School of Art & Architecture,Gurgaon,India(IP University)- B.Arch
• AA school of Architecture, London,U.K - Summer Scholarship Program.
• Politecnico Milano, Milan,Italy - Scholarship Program.

Sanchit Arora qualified as an architect with top honors in the University and Dean's List for his Thesis on 'The Shadow Spaces'- an architectural look to the existing secluded cremation spaces of New Delhi. Academia Link-
https://www.academia.edu/7986210/SPACES_OF_CREMATION__THE_INVISIBLE_SACRED_LANDSCAPES_IN_INDIAN_CITIES

• Winner of the 'NASA THESIS of the Year'-V Position(National Association of Students of Architecture)
• NDTV Students Awards and Jury Commendation for the Best Thesis Project
• Top-11 Charles Correa Award for Student Project
• KAJARIA TILES Student Scholarship Award
• Featured in 'SuperArchitects Blog Media'- a U.S based Architectural Magazine for Students.
• DESIGNBOOM feature THE City of Future Feature - The Shadow Spaces, New Delhi.
• ARCHDAILY feature KooZArch feature.

Under the guidance of Mr. Sanjay Arora, Sanchit Arora has handled many prestigious architectural projects for a list of marquis clients. Ranging from large commercial projects such as airports, sport complexes, head-office buildings, multi-unit commercial, print media production facilities, and multi-unit residential projects.

At RENESA ARCHITECTURE DESIGN INTERIORS STUDIO, as the name suggests (Renaissance of Architecture Design - A rebirth of design), RENESA tries to innovate and value add to the requirements of the clients.

Sanjay Arora( Principal Founder Architect at RENESA) feels that the basic planning of spaces has to be always simple and logical but when it comes to the feel and the mood(ambience) of the space , an architect should always try to be different according to the different requirements of the client which ultimately leads to INNOVATION.

"As there's always going to be a better way of doing the same design , we as architects need to be hungry for new solutions."

Sanchit Arora(Studio Head Architect at RENESA) on the other hand feels that the best way to move forward in designing a space is to critique your own design after every step. He follows the design principles set by his dad, Mr.Sanjay Arora but in his own manner where he quotes Henry David Thoreau's statement :-

"Since most of us are going to be doing ordinary things in our lives, the most important thing is to do those ordinary things extraordinarily well."

"We have to make the right choice for our today and tomorrow for a better livable future." Ar. Nilesh Gandhi, Metadesign (India) Pvt. Ltd.



There is so much noise about green, that as advocators of green, we are continuously working to make sure that this revolution does more good than bad. While a lot of issues are emotionally driven, and there are a lot of debates and discussions on the pros and cons, the facts and figures are convincingly inclined towards necessitating sustainable development.

Environmentally responsible design is not rocket science and is more than just a trend.
An environmentally responsible design directly/indirectly creates a less damaging impact on the environment as a whole. The theory of the planet being finite and the ever increasing population putting immense pressure on natural resources, pushing us towards breaking point, where the balance of the earth would collapse, is an inescapable truth.

As designers, we have to be responsive to the climatic considerations towards the geographical location of a project, else, we will end-up paying through our nose to maintain the human comforts (the benchmarks of which itself are on the rise!). The luxuries of yesterday are the necessities of today, and tomorrow's existence seem to be impossible without today's luxuries. Environmental responsibility would not germinate without questioning and reasoning the need for the development in the first place. While we are defining our needs on account of social, and/or aspirational growth factors, we need to pause and ask: Does the project really need this/that?

Curtailing development to the optimum required level with a forecast for future expansion and without affecting the function, planning spaces for effective utilization of every cubic unit of volume, is the key starter towards achieving sustainability, for instance (while the predominant orientations have to be taken care of mandatorily), exploring natural cooling methods and options before simply super imposing mechanical cooling systems. The mention of thermal cooling here is important because of the weightage it has on the overall energy consumption in a building. We have to adapt to a greener lifestyle and this belief would drive down to every action and choice we make.


Judicious choice of materials and solutions is our responsibility
There has been an advent of new age materials such as glass, aluminum, and steel, due to technological innovations and to address the dynamic needs of the society. However, the choice of every material that goes into building construction is ours, and we have the right to, and are responsible for the choices we make. Yes, this involves an element of awareness towards the right material being used as the market is flooding with data on recycled and renewable content, industrial and consumer recycled content, photometric data, test reports of chemical constituents, etc. While being aware of the performance of materials under critical conditions is important, one doesn't always need to be at the top of all the technical analysis in order to choose the right material. Would it be a difficult choice for one to make while opting for a local marble flooring material over an imported marble shipped across oceans?

Sometimes, we blindly adopt materials of the western world that have no relevance or significance in our culture, surroundings, or even our functional requirements. Many times, we try to play safe and hide behind the choices of others in order to justify our own actions. This 'me too' strategy has a limited shelf life and almost kills the creative designer within us. As humans have evolved over the ages, so have materials, and while we have invented these materials, there ought to be an obvious choice towards materials that are bio-degradable and cause less harm to the environment in the short or long-term. Materials that evolve along with consuming natural resources, but which, within a reasonable period of time, are replenished back to the life-cycle, and which complete the 'cradle to cradle' approach, have to be one of the top most material selection criteria.

Choice of technology is comparably easier to make
We have seen an immense development in technology which has aptly been used to increase our efficiencies across sectors. While the building construction sector has adopted technology in some areas, the most important and critical aspects of time and cost savings have yet to adopt technological advancements. Our projects seldom finish on time and rarely within the budgets.

The drive to adopt a time or cost-saving technology is surprisingly absent. Probably, because we rarely question the value of our own time, hence, there is a resistance and inertia in adopting or exploring, for example, a pre-fab technology. The commitment towards today's savings, and turning our back towards expensive propositions leading to tomorrow's saving, is so deeply rooted in our ideology, that we are not even aware of our penny wise pound foolish choices.

The IOT and building management systems have changed the way we perceive, manage, and control our real estate. Technologies like CCTVs, dimming, lighting controls, biometrics, access controls, fire/gas leak detections, automated water level indicators, variable frequency drives, intelligent water and energy meters, motorized equipments, etc, have become more user-friendly than elitist, and are slowly but steadily approaching the bottom of the pyramid.

The choice of technology is comparably an easier choice to make, since the results of a technological adaptation are experienced immediately. Would recommend this with a word of caution though, since it is important to not go overboard and always make judicious choice of the right platform in sync with the project requirements, and having sufficient redundancies.

Quite a disruption in the old school of construction has occurred on account of technological innovations. Mechanized tools have drastically reduced the labor required for construction whilst offering superior execution quality and finishes. Technologies to control loss of conditioned air; thermostats to auto control the ambient comfort temperatures, carbon dioxide sensors to maintain and control fresh air intake, motion and occupancy sensors to affect electrical shut offs, low flow fixtures, dual flush tanks, drip irrigation systems that help in saving water anywhere up to 70%, externally, intelligent vapor curing mechanisms, ready mix design concretes, weather-proof shield external surface coatings, water proofing, etc, are all contributing towards optimal utilization of natural resources.

No discussion on an environmental subject would be complete without sustainable solutions like Solar and Wind energy, Rain Water harvesting, Solid waste management, Reed Bed systems, Sewage Treatment Plants, Waterless Urinals, Precast concrete members, Rubber wood, Bamboo, cork, use of Agrifibres in ceiling materials, et al. A fine blend of climatological orientation, use of eco-friendly materials along with the choice of apt and essential technology, is by far a workable recipe for the making of a structure which is a boon to the environment, humane to the occupants, and defined as 'green in nature'.

Mr. Sushant Verma (M.Arch. Em.Tech. - AA London, B.Arch. SSAA New Delhi, MCoA India), an architect & computational designer, is a founder of a leading research organization rat[LAB] - Research in Architecture & Technology, an independent research organization and network of designers & researchers specializing in computational design or similar technology-related domains. Operated as a cloud-based organization with an international network of researchers & computational designers, spread across UK, USA, Europe, and Asia, and a studio in New Delhi, India, the research cell functions as a global collaborative and multidisciplinary laboratory facilitating design research that leads to novel spatial tectonics and smart built environments.

rat[LAB] specializes in Facade design systems using Parametric and Computational techniques, incorporating environment criteria such as heat, light, wind as well as material and structural intelligence. Mr. Verma stresses on the need for computational technology and aims to bring in the new breed of designers - computational designers - to the country. This can change the way architects and designers conceive a project and how designs are realized in the industry. rat[LAB] uses cutting-edge computational and parametric techniques and works with designers to facilitate them on projects of all scales and typology.

Earlier worked as an architect at Zaha Hadid Architects, London & a Sr. Editor at Arch2O, Mr. Verma holds teaching positions at a number of international universities and is involved in education for computational & parametric design. He is the founder of rat[LAB] EDUCATION, which is an initiative to spread the idea of computation in design profession & education in India.

Recipient of MAK Schindler Award from Vienna / Los Angeles and a finalist for AIA Emerging Leaders Fellowship from Chicago, his work is widely published and exhibited in London, Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, San Francisco, Taipei, and New Delhi, among other places. Mr. Verma was recently shortlisted in New Delhi among 5 architects for '20 under 35' Exhibition at Alliance Francaise de Delhi.

He has previously worked at RoboFold London, focusing on development of advanced fabrication and software systems for use of robotics in architectural fabrication. His current research interests are focused on relationship studies between simplicity and complexity, 'super-complexity' and parametric design. His work also investigates in computation involved in digital fabrication & computational tool development for optimizing architectural processes.

"Architecture in India, in my opinion, is just coming of age where a select few are experimenting and accepting their own visions with open arms. Hopefully this should result in a strong creative wave to preserve the heritage that we have and recreate strong design sensibilities."



Shabnam Gupta believes that each space has its own energy which demands a certain type of design. We just need to be aware and be receptive to it. The design cannot be about the designer it has to be about the client, their requirements and the space itself.

The Orange Lane is a design firm that undertakes interior and architectural projects as design consultants and also provides complete turnkey design solutions. The firm was born in the year 2003. It is the brainchild of Principal Designer, Shabnam Gupta. A Mumbai-based interior designer, Shabnam conjures up visual wonders and is recognized for her personally tailored, client specific interiors that use bursts of colours, textures and other unique elements within a contemporary design palette.

Shabnam Gupta, the designer has actually been about evolving as a person as much as about design. The practice has evolved with younger talent being infused with fresher ideas. The one virtue that she continues to hold on to naturally is her enthusiasm and motivation for experimentation.

Shabnam has completed her Interior Design Diploma from L.S. Raheja School of Architecture in the year 1994. Gupta honed her skills in various architectural and design projects by working with architect Tushar Desai before setting up her own private practice,The Orange Lane in the year 2003. She has worked under various architects and designers, including a short stint in a film production house. Driven by her energetic style and spirit, the label grew steadily in stature, getting her prestigious projects, initially in the city and later across the country.

She believes Design always has space for innovation.Drawing inspiration from nature, tradition, art, etc. keeps her going and helps her in maintaining the balance in her individual style while letting in some current trends.Vibrant hues and an affinity for nature are recurring elements in all of Shabnam's designs.

She firmly believes that "one's journey in life is a continuous process. It is the journey that matters and not the final destination. Success for different people has different meanings. I am fortunate to be getting the kind of work that gives me the creative freedom and satisfaction to do what I want to do. Personally I do not take these tags seriously at all. I believe that I am a learner and the day I stop learning that will be the end of my creative hunger. More than anything else, the journey so far has taught me to be a calmer person. In our line of work where you have to interact with so many different teams including your own, it teaches you how to handle human relations. Sometimes I joke our job is half of that of a psychiatrist."

Shabnam has developed her own unique style, but she has adopted it across categories and cultures. From urban residential to weekend countryside homes, and from lifestyle stores to hospitality projects, her canvas of work encompasses a wide spectrum. She has created an environment of trust with her clients, utilized her close relationships with traders and executed detailed project management; in all making a seamless project experience.

She is also the owner of a retail venture, Peacock Life, a one-stop lifestyle store that offers a flavor of her eclectic inclination. Peacock Life specializes in designer furniture, lifestyle and interior products. The store offers a collection of earthy, recycled and environment-friendly products that reflect the aesthetic of both the old and the new.