Sadly, all our cities with their new Central Business Districts are aping the West and taking on an identity of a nameless, faceless modernism. We wish that our environment looks like New York or the like, while we forget the precious heritage within which we were born and nourished. We believe that we should seriously relook at our older traditional buildings and forms and try to reinterpret them to match our new lifestyles. Lower buildings enclosing landscaped courtyards with terrace gardens to incorporate nature in our lives could be our key approach. Use of exterior screens, jallis which cool the building, glass facades that protect us from the harsh sun, maybe the image that we wish to project.

We believe that we should seriously relook at our older traditional buildings and forms and try to reinterpret them to match our new lifestyles

If we truly understand the genesis of the building elements which complement who we are and the culture we come from, it will be naturally reflected in what and how we build. This does not make us old-fashioned or backward, rather, it inspires us to promote the value of the environment as we have always done.


Today's technology has promoted, endorsed and encouraged the notion of sustainability to lengths that were inconceivable several years ago. For example, we can day light our work hours with large openings which connect to the outside without all the negative features of allowing the outside sun to heat our interiors.


We must integrate the values within our tradition. We must strive to promote contemporary Indian Architecture as a sustainable seamless continuation of the 2000 years of building which is the heritage of our existence.