Brutalist India | Asiad Tower, New Delhi
As part of Brutalist India series Bhawna Dandona writes about the Asiad Tower on Khel Gaon Marg in New Delhi, originally designed as a revolving restaurant, but now used as a venue for functions and weddings. The structure stands in close proximity to the Asiad Village and Siri Fort Complex and was designed by the Architectural Department of the Delhi Development Authority.
Recollecting Hassan Fathy on his 126th Birth Anniversary — Conversations in Cairo & Mumbai
H. Masud Taj recollects his memories and conversations with Hassan Fathy in Cairo & Mumbai on the occasion of his 126th Birth Anniversary.
Book Announcement | City Limits – The Crisis of Urbanization from series Rethinking India, by Tikender Panwar
Book City Limits – The Crisis of Urbanization from series Rethinking India, by Tikender Panwar is a compilation of essays by experts exploring deep and widening fault lines within India’s urban transformation since the 1990s.
“Changing The Statue Does Not Change the Room”—Geethu Gangadhar on Edwin Lutyens’ Bust Removal
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.
Architecture, Power, and the Poor | “As a profession, architecture lacks moral position and has become complicit in the neoliberal dispossession of the poor.”—Vivek Rawal
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.
“The new architect must be an environmental thinker, a social listener, a technological innovator, and an ethical actor.” – Ravindra Punde on reimagining architecture education in India
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.
The Conundrum of Context and Contemporaneity—Lilavati Lalbhai Library, Ahmedabad, by RMA Architects
Architects R. Ramalakshmi and Surabhi Shingarey, in their review of the Lilavati Lalbhai Library at CEPT University by RMA Architects, dwell on its dual challenge of addressing contemporaneity and context responsiveness—standing as a definitive, self-contained, contemporary object in Doshi’s accretive campus.
A Polemical Essay on Climate Crisis: How and Why We Got There
Snehanshu Mukherjee, in his polemical essay on climate crisis, writes about how the crisis has and continues to stem from a system built on exploitation and profit, driven by the need for comfort.
Court Fort, Nandoli, Gujarat, by Compartment S4
Court Fort in Nandoli is imagined foremost as a home, an everyday retreat on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where slow living meets meaningful solitude.
Rice Museum, Mandya, Karnataka, by RC Architects
Nestled amidst the verdant landscapes of Mandya, the Rice Museum emerges as a profound tribute to one of humanity’s most vital resources — rice. Thoughtfully
Sangam, Pune, Maharashtra, by Alkesh Gangwal & Associates
Sangam is a 3,300 sq. ft. canteen near Pune, Maharashtra, designed by Alkesh Gangwal & Associates, blending recycled materials and innovative design to create a flexible, light-filled respite within an industrial landscape.
Elevated Dining Deck at RMV Club, Bengaluru, Karnataka, by Funktion Design
Amid the spatial constraints of a recreational campus, Funktion Design was tasked with an unusual challenge: to extend the dining capacity of the Rajamahal Vilas
House of Material and Character, Lonavala, Maharashtra, by SHROFFLEóN
House of Material and Character, Maharashtra, designed by SHROFFLEóN, is an adaptive reuse structure merging brutalist and modern design.
Drishti, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by Hiren Patel Architects
Drishti, a residence in Ahmedabad, by Hiren Patel Architects, is a manifestation of that balances luxury, personalisation, and multigenerational living.
Future Trajectories | Dialogues
The Practice of Timeless Architecture, Earthling Ladakh, Future Trajectories | Dialogues
Future Trajectories | Dialogues is a series dedicated to the people behind Promising Young Architectural Practices identified in Future Trajectories and Future Trajectories 2.0. In this interview, Ladakh based Earthling Ladakh reminisces its ethos, approach and journey.
Blurring the lines between built and unbuilt- The Purple Ink Studio | Future Trajectories | Dialogues
Future Trajectories | Dialogues is a series dedicated to the people behind Promising Young Architectural Practices identified in Future Trajectories and Future Trajectories 2.0. In this interview, Bangalore-based The Purple Ink Studio reminisces its ideology, approach and journey.
From Delhi to Ladakh: Contextual Sensitivity and Traditional Wisdom- Emara | Dialogues | Future Trajectories
Future Trajectories | Dialogues is a series dedicated to the people behind Promising Young Architectural Practices identified in Future Trajectories and Future Trajectories 2.0. In this interview, Delhi-based Emara reminisces its ethos, approach and journey.
A Confluence of Varying Experiences- flYingseeds |Dialogues | Future Trajectories
Future Trajectories | Dialogues is a series dedicated to the people behind Promising Young Architectural Practices identified in Future Trajectories and Future Trajectories 2.0. In this interview, Delhi-based flYingseeds reminisces its ethos, approach and journey.
Ode to First Contact with Architecture: Studio Mohenjodaro | Future Trajectories | Dialogue
In extension to the Future Trajectories series, Studio Mohenjodaro reminisces about their journey in a conversation with Megha Pande.
Architecture, a Motley of Diverse Groups- Studio Motley | Dialogues | Future Trajectories
In extension to the Future Trajectories series, Studio Motley reminisces about their journey in a conversation with Megha Pande.
Architecture
Wall As a Public Space
“To read public space only as a spatial condition, as a matter of square footage, zoning, or physical access, is to miss half the picture.”—Reshma Esther Thomas
Reshma Esther Thomas examines how Hyderabad’s flyover pillars, painted with Cheriyal-style murals under the GHMC’s ‘City Art Scape’ initiative, reveal the paradox of managed public space. What appears to be beautification is actually cultural assertion in the wake of the 2014 bifurcation, bureaucratising a surface that once belonged to those without institutional power.
Stepped Well House, Bangalore, Karnataka, by A Threshold
The “Stepped Well House” draws inspiration from the dense, organic neighbourhoods of Bangalore, where homes evolve over time to suit narrow sites and compact conditions
Pétra, Nileswar, Kerala by Ta-Da Design Collective LLP
Pétra, Nileswar, Kerala, by Ta-Da Design Collective LLP, is a residential project that integrates both form and function. Inspired by a banyan tree’s roots and the client’s passion for geology, this project aims to create a dynamic, living environment.
Design
The Souk – Installation at the Dubai Design week, by Collaborative Architecture
The geometry of the pavilion is derived from the most common element, seen widely, in some of the most popular Islamic murals / patterns that adore some of the iconic architecture in the Islamic world- The Decagon. – Collaborative Architecture
डिझाईनच्या दुनियेत: The World of Design
The World of Design: डिझाईन म्हणजे काय ? हा प्रश्न समोर आला म्हणजे आपल्या मनात अनेक समज-गैरसमज निर्माण होतात. कपड्यांवरचे डिझाईन, रांगोळीचे डिझाईन, बाटलीचे डिझाईन, घराचे डिझाईन, मोबाईलचे डिझाईन अशा एक ना अनेक मानवनिर्मित गोष्टींचे उल्लेख करताना आपण डिझाईन हा शब्द सहज वापरतो.
A short history of the selfie stick – Story by Peeyush Sekhsaria
A short history of the selfie stick – Story by Design Dalda
Interior Design
Hearing Aid Centre at Chennai by Murali Architects
This 2000Sq.ft interior project has a bright and inviting colour scheme off-white, yellow and grey. The colour scheme and the use of glazed and partly glazed partitions is to create a feeling of spaciousness. The design approach here was to go beyond rigid compartmentalized sterile interior design. The focus was exploring curvilinear forms and spaces.
62 Jorbagh, Delhi, by common Ground practice
Designed by common Ground practice, 62 Jorbagh is a developer apartment building in Delhi, designed as a scaled vernacular idea at an urban level.
The Riparian House, at Karjat, Maharasthra, by Architecture Brio
Architecture Brio designs Riparian house in Karjat, Maharashtra
News
Opinions / Views / Thoughts
Wall As a Public Space
“To read public space only as a spatial condition, as a matter of square footage, zoning, or physical access, is to miss half the picture.”—Reshma Esther Thomas
Reshma Esther Thomas examines how Hyderabad’s flyover pillars, painted with Cheriyal-style murals under the GHMC’s ‘City Art Scape’ initiative, reveal the paradox of managed public space. What appears to be beautification is actually cultural assertion in the wake of the 2014 bifurcation, bureaucratising a surface that once belonged to those without institutional power.
The Map That Was Never Yours
“If publicness is reduced to what is legally accessible, then these landscapes were never public to begin with.”—V.V. Kusum Priya
As part of our editorial: What makes a space public?, V.V. Kusum Priya argues that Section 39A of Goa’s 2024 Town and Country Planning Act this isn’t just a legal issue, and that it’s the erosion of an unrecognised but collectively sustained commons, and a question of what “public” really means and who benefits from the legislations surrounding this.
“Appropriation of public spaces is the genesis of political movements, of ideological apparatus, and of endangering the city’s multi-dimensional fabric.”—Dr. Seema Khanwalkar
Dr. Seema Khanwalkar, explores how the public spaces in India are dynamic, contested areas shaped by informal economies, migration, and social negotiation. She reveals how the transactional activities democratise ownership of these spaces, while the political and religious appropriation increasingly displaces this organic vitality, creating exclusion and anxiety. This shrinking of inclusive public space threatens urban social fabric, yet remains largely absent from city planning conversations, making it a far deeper crisis than mere encroachment.
Photoshopped Architecture
Popular Stories
The Level House – at Lonavala, Maharashtra, by Kanhaiya Architects
The project was evolved keeping in mind the various climatic and on site conditions, which majorly affected the creation of the elevation. The site in
The Mandapam and the Shamiyana
Jaimini Mehta, on the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam, history, identity and the collective memory
Achyut Kanvinde: The man behind sustainable designs
The late Achyut P Kanvinde, along with his friend Shaukat Rai, designed some of the country’s most prominent buildings
Art
Institutional Buildings
“A good understanding of the modes of habitation and engagement of the learners and teachers is critical.”- Jinu Kurien on Euro School, Jodhpur.
Decoding: Architecture of the Academic Environment discusses the design of Euro School, Jodhpur by Design Works with Jinu Kurien.
Vedanya School, Gurugram, by Vijay Gupta Architects
Designed by Vijay Gupta Architects, the Vedanya School, located in Sector 48, Gurugram, sets a precedent for how architecture can positively influence children’s schooling experience. With the intent of designing a school where children are excited to learn, the design initiates a playful environment with diverse opportunities for exploration and activity.
The Courtyard School, Mandal, Gujarat, By Manayan Architects
Designed by Manyan Architects, The Courtyard School blends sustainable architecture with practicality. Elevated on stilts for flood protection, it features a central courtyard, flexible classrooms, and shaded outdoor spaces, ensuring adaptability for future growth.
Public Buildings
Small Residential Projects
Spituk House, Ladakh, by Earthling Ladakh
Designed by Earthling Ladakh in Spituk Valley, Ladakh, the Spituk House is a passive solar house that relies on ecological solutions to keep warm during Ladakh’s winter.
Paliam Veedu, at Chendamangalm, Kerala, by Meister Varma Architects
The Paliam family patriarchs were hereditary prime ministers to the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin, Kerala. Today the ancestral home and palace of this family is a heritage complex about an hour’s drive from the city of Cochin. The client who got a small parcel of 160 sqm in the family partition decided to build a vacation home on it. – Meister Varma Architects
Anahat, Noida, by ANT Studio
ANT Studio designed Anahat, a residence in Noida, as an experimental fusion of futuristic and traditional architecture.
Landscape Design
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