Harshad Bhatia examines contrasting architectural desires—urban nostalgia for vernacular forms versus rural aspiration toward concrete modernity. He critiques sustainability rhetoric and Smart City initiatives as quantitative exercises divorced from qualitative human needs, advocating instead for indigenous wisdom and stakeholder engagement.
Richa Malhotra writes about VKollective 2025: VK Group’s 3-day event, that explored future Indian cities, celebrating 50 years of urban transformation through an exhibition of VK Group’s projects, expert panels, presentations, and workshop.
Those wondering why the design of contemporary Indian cities is such an arduous and joyless affair will find Ranjit Sabikhi’s book of immense interest. Many may even find themselves jolted to action within their spheres of influence despite the book’s unflappable tone. Most importantly, this book is an invitation to liberate oneself from the valorised image of western or imperial city planning towards a more nuanced, indigenous, and flexible approach to our cities. – Sudipto Ghosh
This essay delves into how municipal corporations envision creating Western cities (instead of responding to the Indian context) and end up creating cities that only appear to work, instead of actually being more socially inclusive, dynamic and publicly active. The Smart Cities Mission then caters only to the rich and this becomes evident in not just the visuals they use, but also the manner in which they describe their vision of a World Class Infrastructure. This essay by Avani Mittal is amongst the shortlisted essays.
Vivek Rawal argues that architecture—as a profession—is structurally aligned with political and economic power rather than social justice. He critiques how architectural education and practice prioritise developers and real estate over communities, turning housing into a market commodity. Even movements like sustainability and participation, he says, often become tools for elite consumption rather than genuine empowerment. True moral reform, according to Rawal, would mean architects relinquishing control and enabling community-led design and housing decisions.
Prof. Kavas Kapadia reflects on the intersection of urban planning, human creativity, and the transformative impact of Information Technology and AI.
VKollective, an exhibition by VK Group in Pune, February 21-23, 2025, looks at over 50 years of VK Group’s works that have shaped Pune and beyond.
The essay titled, ‘The case of Phalke Smarak : Nashik’s untapped potential with existing urban public space’ – discusses how a promising urban scale public space project for Nashik city in the late 90s has slowly turned desolate, despite all the possibilities and potential the architectural design, site and overall context offers. It further tries to highlight the gap between the public and failed public spaces based on this case, and points towards public engagement for successful urban design, renewal and development. This essay by Asmita Raghuvanshy is amongst the shortlisted essays.
The essay titled ‘Beyond the Skyline: Public Utilities and Their Influence on the City’ discusses the most fundamental requirement for the floating population, i.e., adequate public utilities. The persisting utilities are in a desolate condition with inefficient services and infrastructure. Progressing towards a livable Jaipur city, which is inclusive, safe and secure and prioritizes the holistic well-being of its inhabitants; an investment in utilities for the public is imperative. This essay by Simran Gandhi is among the special mentions.
When BuildingDesign compiled a list of the 100 largest architectural firms in the world, only 3 firms from India made the cut – Hafeez Contractor,
The current Indian government replaced Edwin Lutyens’ bust with freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari’s at Rashtrapati Bhavan, framing it as decolonisation. But symbolic gestures don’t dismantle colonial mindsets embedded in governance, caste, and institutions. Geethu Gangadhar raises an important question: whether this removal is a way to eradicate colonial baggage or systemic removal of history.
Ravindra Punde, architect and academician, calls for a fundamental reimagining of architecture education in India, arguing it must shift from colonial pedagogies to address climate change, social inequality, and ethical responsibility through ecology-centred, community-engaged, and culturally diverse learning.
Dr. Prof. Anand Achari advocates for transforming Indian architectural education to integrate climate sustainability and digital technology (“code”), moving beyond traditional aesthetics to emphasise ecological design, community engagement, and interdisciplinary approaches that address India’s climate vulnerability and social equity challenges.
Despite the prevalence of vast housing projects, architects often overlook or neglect designing for them. Dwaipayan Chakravarty advocates for prioritizing innovative, empathetic design in this sector, highlighting competitions like the Open Ideas National Competition to foster solutions.
Richa Malhotra and Tanuja Vartak write about how VK Group’s growth of 50 plus years has also shaped Pune, through architecture, urban planning, interiors, environment, and policy.
Stories that provoke enquiry into built environment
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