Vinod Singhi from BASICS Architects
Our role as architects is to share knowledge, showcase evidence, and inspire trust. When clients see that biophilic design is not an indulgence but an investment in well-being, enthusiasm follows.
Vinod Singhi
Principal Architect
BASICS Architects
Biophilic design has often been reduced to the idea of adding greenery indoors, but it’s really about creating multisensory environments that reconnect people with nature through light, ventilation, texture, water, and spatial proportions. When design engages sight, sound, touch, and air in harmony with natural patterns, the built environment becomes a living extension of the outdoors.
Beyond Superficial Greenery: Authenticity in biophilic design emerges only when nature is considered from the very beginning of the design process. It is not about token planters or decorative walls, but about how spaces breathe, how daylight is harnessed, how air circulates, and how materiality evokes warmth. When natural elements are intrinsic to form and function, they feel organic rather than imposed.
Biophilia in Urban Contexts: In dense cities, space constraints demand innovation. Vertical gardens, pocket courtyards, shaded balconies, skylights, and green rooftops create an oasis within tight footprints. We often design interventions that serve both human and ecological needs, such as a green screen that filters light or rooftops that double as social and environmental zones. These multipurpose insertions transform urban spaces into places of pause and renewal.
Transformative Experiences: As cities grow denser and lifestyles accelerate, bringing nature indoors is no longer optional, it is essential. By weaving natural systems into our built environments, we create spaces that not only sustain but also heal, nurture, and inspire. One of our office projects exemplified the power of biophilia. By introducing daylight shafts and an internal courtyard, we saw immediate changes: employees felt calmer, more collaborative, and less fatigued. Natural materials softened the environment while the courtyard became a place of gathering and reflection.
The Next Decade of Biophilic Design: As cities densify and lives become more digital, biophilic design will shift from aspiration to necessity. The future lies in hybrid models: green rooftops paired with solar shading, smart facades regulating daylight, and shared gardens fostering community interaction. Technology will not replace nature but amplify its presence, ensuring that daily life remains rooted in natural cycles even within urban density.
Materiality with Meaning: We gravitate toward natural finishes like timber, stone, clay, lime plaster, and woven fabrics that age gracefully, and bring authenticity, grounding spaces with tactile honesty. They remind us that sustainability often lies in simplicity, choosing what endures and resonates with our collective memory of natural environments.
Reconciling Constraints with Authenticity: Even in tight urban sites, meaningful connections to nature are possible. A single framed view of the sky or a textured wall that recalls natural surfaces can have more impact than multiple superficial gestures. In biophilic design, quality outweighs quantity, one authentic connection can enrich an entire space.
Technology as an Ally: When thoughtfully integrated, technology enhances biophilic design. Smart lighting can mimic circadian rhythms; intelligent climate systems balance comfort with fresh air; adaptive façades connect interiors to changing weather. Technology, in this way, strengthens rather than substitutes nature.
Team, Compartment S4
When spaces can stretch, compress and adapt, they gain longevity. They stay relevant, cherished and alive. Flexibility and resilience aren’t design trends — they are acts of care.
Team, Compartment S4
Our cities are no longer be labelled as home, office, school or a public space. A courtyard might host schoolchildren in the morning, transform into a craft market by noon, or become a music venue by night. A cafe might moonlight as a co-working hub. A public staircase might double as an amphitheater. This is not chaos; it’s life evolving in real time. At Compartment S4, we believe architecture should not resist this energy; rather, it should enable it.
Flexibility is not an afterthought for us; it is the foundation. When we begin a project, we ask ‘what all could it become?’ Rather than designing a sealed, single-use structure, we create robust frameworks where people can improvise. Strong structural grids, fluid circulation and materials that age with grace are not aesthetic decisions alone; they are invitations. We believe that a successful space is one that welcomes reinterpretation. This approach naturally lends itself to adaptive reuse. Instead of demolishing the old in the name of progress, we ask ‘what if the past can carry us into the future?’
In Monokuro, an old industrial canteen was transformed into a contemporary workspace. Its original modernist geometry and bold proportions made the project successful. We didn’t overwrite its identity; we amplified it.
Public spaces demand an even higher degree of elasticity. In Nepean Greens, we found beauty in what others saw as neglect: a forgotten staircase and an abandoned garden. By layering terraces, lawns, ramps and varied seating, we turned it into a stepped plaza that can adapt to yoga at sunrise, a flea market by noon, and a place for quiet contemplation at dusk. There is no single program; only endless possibilities.
In small towns, flexibility is about dignity and inclusivity. Our proposal for the Champawat Market Plaza offers more than a place to shop. It becomes a cultural stage, a social hub, a cafe-lined hangout spot. Crucially, the architecture mirrors local craft traditions, ensuring that while the function evolves, the identity remains.
In Nainital, a British-era cemetery was reimagined as a public park. We preserved the monumental gate, and introduced sensory installations and winding pathways through the pine forest. Today, it functions as a memorial, a nature trail, and a place for gatherings. Silent enough for remembrance and alive enough for community.
Ar. Arjun Sara & Ar. Wamika Bansal from Design Dual
The most successful offices are the ones that accommodate evolving needs rather than resisting them. Over time, what looks fresh isn’t the building’s façade or colors, but its ability to support new modes of work.
Ar. Arjun Sara & Ar. Wamika Bansal,
Co-Founders, Design Dual
In an era when work patterns shift faster than ever, a workspace must deliver more than visual appeal, it must be built to evolve. A resilient workspace is flexible in layout, robust in construction, and keenly attuned to human needs. Rather than settling for a static arrangement, designers today embed capacity for change from day one: movable partitions, modular furniture, multi-purpose zones, and smart infrastructure become the vocabulary of longevity. Seats, surfaces, and partitions are selected not for trendiness, but for durability, ease of upkeep, and capacity for reuse or reconfiguration.
Hybrid working models have amplified the need for fluid spatial planning. The idea of a dynamic office is no longer optional but essential. Rooms once fixed as meeting spaces can double as workshop rooms; quiet booths can adapt to video calls or concentration pods. Designing for modularity means that as demands change, the physical environment doesn’t become obsolete; it simply flexes.
Technology infrastructure must also stay ahead of change. Wiring, data networks, power access and smart controls should be designed to scale. Overprovisioning conduits, access floors, or flexible cable paths guard against future disruption. In many offices, sensor systems and app-driven space allocation allow real-time responsiveness and optimization. Through such foresight, emerging technologies impose not a renovation, but an upgrade.
Sustainability and lifecycle thinking inform material choices and construction strategies. Low-VOC finishes, reclaimed wood, recyclable metals, modular flooring systems and reuse protocols reduce waste and make maintenance simpler. In lieu of tear-downs, parts can be replaced or reconfigured.
Swathy Sivaraman from Storeyboard Design
As architects and designers, our role is to create workspaces that are human-centric and future-ready.
Swathy Sivaraman
Principal Architect Storeyboard Design
Workplaces today are living ecosystems that shape culture, productivity, and well-being. They represent a brand’s ethos, celebrate legacy, and embrace cultural context, while balancing sustainability, flexibility, and technology.
Timelessness: Timelessness in workspace design is not about permanence but about relevance. A timeless office feels as fresh decades later as it did on its first day. This is achieved through principles of simplicity, adaptability, cultural resonance, and human-centricity. Natural light, biophilia, clean lines, and ergonomic planning create spaces that nurture well-being while transcending fleeting trends.
Equally critical is sustainability. By sourcing durable and local materials, we extend the lifecycle of spaces. To me, timelessness also means accountability, designing responsibly to reduce waste and environmental strain. A truly timeless office evolves, adapts, and stays relevant.
Designing for Hybrid Realities: Today’s workplaces must flex between collaboration, focus, and wellness. Quiet pods, open lounges, and wellness zones coexist within a single framework, supported by smart technology, from plug-and-play systems to AV-enabled collaboration hubs.
But adaptability is not just functional; it is cultural. When we designed the corporate office for Kalyan, every layer reflected heritage while offering flexibility. Hybrid-ready spaces are those that carry a vision, embody legacy, and remain agile for the future.
Materiality: Material choices shape not only durability but also identity. Use of engineered wood, recycled metals, modular flooring, and low-VOC finishes reduce the environmental strain. Local sourcing allows us to celebrate Indian craft traditions while minimizing carbon impact.
Symbiosis of Beauty and Function: A workplace that looks beautiful but ignores ergonomics fails its users, just as a purely functional office without cultural identity is uninspiring. Balance lies in purpose-driven design: ergonomic layouts, biophilic interventions, and sustainable systems forming the foundation, with aesthetics layered through textures, narratives, and context.
Adaptability: In a tech office that we designed, modular flooring, reconfigurable partitions, and multipurpose lounges allowed the space to transform seamlessly during the pandemic. What could have been an expensive renovation became a smooth adaptation, saving costs and reducing waste. Even small details, like huddle rooms furnished with just playful seating, a bookshelf, and a writing board, proved transformative, shifting easily between intimate brainstorming zones and formal meeting spaces.
Culture as a Design Anchor: Workplaces must embody inclusivity, wellness, and identity, whether through gender-neutral restrooms, wellness rooms, or locally inspired art. A breakout zone with foosball, coffee corners, and funky artwork integrated into the work floor can become a source of motivation, collaboration, and belonging.
Modularity and Technology: Modular design is the architecture of agility. Movable partitions, stackable seating, and reconfigurable pods allow organizations to scale or restructure without waste. Technology, meanwhile, must integrate quietly rather than dominate. Raised floors, flexible panels, and sensor-driven systems enable upgrades without design disruption. Sustainability adds another layer: when energy-efficient lighting, HVAC, and low-consumption systems are embedded in a strong design theme, technology and modularity become allies of adaptability.
Diplomacy in Design: Clients often arrive with aspirations for bold, trend-led aesthetics. Trend elements can be layered through movable furniture, surface finishes, or graphics. However, workspaces often age prematurely because they chase trends, compromise on material quality, or neglect ergonomics. Spaces designed on strong design themes grounded in functionality, sustainability, and context remain fresh, even as styles and tools evolve.
Malay Doshi from Studio Sarnash
The most radical act we can take as architects is also the simplest: to let architecture step back, so life in all its forms can step in.
Malay Doshi
Principal Architect & Partner Studio Sarnash
Our office, aptly called Oasis, is designed around courtyards, sunken gardens, water bodies, and green pockets. Inside, daylight enters through north-facing glazing, workstations open to garden pockets, and the scent of wet earth after rain filters through the air. On the other end of the spectrum is MS House, a Brutalist residence in Ahmedabad that began with a resolution to protect nine existing neem trees on the site. Here, architecture is about listening, responding, and often letting nature draw the first lines. Both illustrate a spectrum of possibilities with biophilic designs: one where the boundaries between architecture and landscape are blurred.
Sandeep Singh from Brawn Globus Turnkey Solutions
Workplaces today are no longer static spaces defined by desks and walls; they have evolved into dynamic ecosystems shaped by people, purpose, and technology .
Sandeep Singh
Managing Director
Brawn Globus Turnkey Solutions
In recent years, architecture and interior design have undergone a remarkable transformation, driven by rapid digitalization and changing perceptions of how, where, and why we work. Having spent over two decades designing and delivering corporate environments across India, I’ve witnessed technology transition from being a functional enabler to becoming the very foundation of the modern workplace.
Technology’s most visible impact lies in how workplaces are conceived and brought to life. Advanced digital tools such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), virtual walkthroughs, and real-time visualization software have revolutionized the design process, enabling faster decision-making, precise cost estimation, and seamless collaboration among designers, clients, and contractors.
The second dimension of technology’s influence lies in redefining the workplace experience. Modern offices are increasingly responsive, smart lighting adapts to occupancy, HVAC systems monitor air quality, and IoT sensors optimize energy consumption. Even space planning has become data-driven: insights from sensors and access systems help identify underutilized areas, which can then be redesigned as collaborative or breakout zones. This convergence of design intelligence and digital insight makes workplaces not only efficient but genuinely human-centric.
A third, and equally critical, aspect is flexibility. The post-pandemic era has brought hybrid work to the forefront, making adaptability a central design principle. Modular furniture, reconfigurable layouts, and plug-and-play meeting zones have become standard in our projects. Technology amplifies this flexibility- through robust wireless infrastructure, digital booking systems, and cloud-based tools that enable employees to work seamlessly, whether at their desks, in meeting rooms, or remotely.
Ultimately, the modern workplace is more than just a space, it is a strategic asset, a tangible reflection of a company’s culture, efficiency, and innovation. As we continue to partner with global organizations across India, one thing is evident: the future of workplace design lies at the intersection of architecture, technology, and human experience. The more seamlessly we integrate these elements, the more meaningful, productive, and resilient our workplaces become. And when leveraged thoughtfully, technology remains the most powerful catalyst in realizing that vision.
Mukul Pasricha from Spring House Workspaces
Architects and designers are quietly rewriting the narrative of the modern workplace through an ever-evolving understanding of flexibility, operational efficiency, community, and environmental awareness.
Mukul Pasricha
Founder & CEO
Spring House Workspaces
From Static Offices to Adaptive Ecosystems: The reality is that the modern workplace does not operate on permanence; it operates on possibility. Designers are exploring the utility of modular furniture, movable partitions, and multi-function spaces to allow spaces to change with the day and its purpose. For instance, a morning huddle zone can now easily become an afternoon pod for focus or transition to a lounge area later in the evening. But this flexibility tells a bigger story - workspaces are no longer dictated by attendance; they are now focused on experience. Flexibility is fast becoming the new architecture of productivity.
Sustainability as the New Structural Core: Successful design is no longer just about aesthetics; it has to be good for the world too. Sustainability in the workplace through mechanisms such as passive cooling systems, energy-efficient fixtures, natural ventilation, and aesthetically recycled materials has become very important in how we think about workplace design.
Biophilia and specific approaches to biophilic design have had major outcomes in design. The incorporation of natural elements, all types of natural light, greenery, textures, and materials, can be correlated to mental health and productivity indicators. Sustainability is no longer only a statement regarding the environment; it is a choice that results in better spaces and a more efficient overall experience.
Designing for Connection and Community: The new interior spaces are centered around community touchpoints - cafes, lounges, open stairs, or event corners that invite spontaneous interaction. Simultaneously, the design should still honor personal boundaries by establishing focus zones and privacy pods. Striking this balance between togetherness and solitude is what defines thoughtful workplace design today.
Operational Efficiency Through Intelligent Design: A workspace acts as a functional system - and the better it operates, the better it feels. Smart technology, IoT, sensors, and automation can all assist with tracking energy consumption, employing lighting controls, and arranging space based on occupancy levels in real time. But technology should be an invisible facilitator, not a distraction. When deeply embedded in design, it is capable of allowing spaces to respond intelligently to the needs of humans while maximizing resource use.
The Human-Centric Future: Ultimately, the future of workspace design is not about looks or trends; it’s about empathy. The most successful workplaces of the future will be those that merge the human with the intelligent, and the tactile with the digital. Because in the end, the true measure of a workspace isn’t how it looks -it’s how it makes you feel.
Gaurav Sanghavi from Pentaspace Design Studio
With AI-driven tools, architects now enjoy unprecedented freedom to explore bold, innovative designs.
Gaurav Sanghavi
Co-Founder & Principal
Architect
Pentaspace Design Studio
As architects, we are standing at a turning point where artificial intelligence is no longer just a technological tool; it is becoming a design partner. One of the most prominent architectural trends is likely to be the continued evolution of parametric design, bolstered by the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). The fascination with parametric architecture has not waned, and with AI-driven tools, architects now enjoy unprecedented freedom to explore bold, innovative designs.
Commercial Interiors: In commercial interiors, AI has the power to reframe how we conceptualize, plan, and execute projects, pushing us toward smarter, stronger, and more sustainable outcomes. The integration of AI is not about replacing creativity, but about augmenting it with precision, foresight, and efficiency.
When we think of commercial interiors, the starting point is almost always space planning. Traditionally, this process is both time-intensive and iterative. With AI, we can now generate multiple layout options instantly, tailored to function, usage, and movement patterns. This accelerates ideation and ensures that efficiency is built into the design from the very beginning. AI-driven data analysis adds another dimension. It studies occupancy, circulation, and even behavioural patterns, allowing us to design with greater empathy for user comfort, acoustics, lighting, and zoning. The result is not just a well-planned space, but an environment that truly responds to the people who use it.
Beyond Design Ideation: AI has tremendous potential in project execution. Commercial interiors are service-heavy: data cabling, HVAC systems, electrical wiring, and more coexist in complex interdependencies. AI can streamline this coordination by detecting clashes early, much like BIM has done in architecture. Automated clash reports ensure inefficiencies are resolved before construction begins, saving both time and resources. Material optimization is another crucial area, where AI can recommend efficient material usage, helping to bring down costs while also supporting sustainability goals.
Potential: Previously, architectural tools often limited visualization and creative expression. However, AI has transformed this landscape, empowering architects to push boundaries in form, functionality, and aesthetics. With AI, architects can experiment with better forms, refined operations, and intricate design solutions that were once constrained by traditional methods.
For example, AI tools now enable the generation of multiple design options almost instantaneously. When an architect inputs a prompt, the AI provides a diverse array of visualizations, offering a broader spectrum of choices for clients. This capability enriches the design process, allowing architects to focus more on refining and materializing their concepts.
One of the most exciting applications of AI is in energy management. With real-time data on lighting, HVAC loads, and occupancy, AI can predict energy requirements and optimise resource use dynamically. This makes workplaces more sustainable, not just in design intent, but in daily operation. As sensor-based systems become more prevalent, AI can help commercial interiors evolve into living, adaptive spaces that reduce waste while enhancing comfort.
Challenges: However, the integration of AI is not without challenges. Data privacy and ethical use are immediate concerns. Over-reliance on machine-generated solutions can also risk diluting creativity, leading to designs that feel repetitive or disconnected from cultural and contextual nuances. For me, this is where the line must be drawn. AI can provide logic, but the narrative, emotion, and storytelling must come from us. Without human insight, architecture loses its essence.
Looking Ahead: I see architects transforming from sole creators into curators. AI will provide platforms, options, and efficiencies, but it is our responsibility to filter, contextualize, and elevate these into meaningful spaces. Collaboration, too, will be reshaped as AI will allow architects, contractors, and clients to work with real-time updates, reducing errors, improving transparency, and streamlining decision-making. This will not only save time but will also foster trust across the ecosystem.
Inclusivity is another domain where AI can make a difference. By referencing accessibility codes and minimising human error, AI can help us design spaces that are more equitable and usable for people with diverse needs. This is where technology aligns with the ethics of architecture, ensuring that innovation serves everyone.
Ultimately, the promise of AI in commercial interiors lies in balance. It will give us efficiency, precision, and sustainability, but it cannot replace intuition, cultural sensitivity, and storytelling. The future, as I see it, is one of co-creation, where AI handles the logic of space, and architects bring the emotion and meaning. Together, we can shape commercial interiors that are not only smarter and stronger, but also deeply human.
AI’s Assisting Role: Architects will face the challenge of applying meaningful restraints—whether for energy efficiency, sustainability, or aesthetic harmony. While AI assists in generating ideas, the architect’s role will be to channel these possibilities into cohesive, purposeful designs that align with both functional and environmental considerations.
In terms of facades, materials, and perforation techniques, AI facilitates the exploration of various configurations. Yet, despite the abundance of options AI provides, the ultimate responsibility of selecting and refining the best design rests with the architect. This balance, between leveraging AI-generated possibilities and maintaining human judgment, will define the architectural practice in the near future.
In essence, there will be a collaborative relationship between architects and AI, where technology serves as a powerful enabler, and architects remain the ultimate decision-makers in shaping the built environment.
