VKollective 2025, a three-day event by VK Group, brought together experts from diverse fields to discuss the future of Indian cities. Through a curated exhibition, panel discussions, and thought-provoking presentations, the event celebrated five decades of VK Group’s legacy in transforming Pune’s urban fabric. It explored sustainable urban growth, cultural integration, and innovative planning strategies for shaping resilient and inclusive cities.
VKollective 2025, an immersive three-day event organized by the VK Group, Pune, celebrated five decades of their contributions to the city’s urban landscape.
It brought together experts from architecture, urban planning and design, governance, economy, heritage, and business sectors to reflect upon the issues surrounding Indian cities, with a key focus on migration, livability, housing, growth opportunities, and economy. In addition to a curated exhibition of VK Group’s legacy and work, the event featured multiple panel discussions, an architectural illustration workshop, a city reel competition, insightful presentations, and a musical concert.
The exhibition featured their designs, visualizations, architectural models, interactive urban design solutions, and research-driven strategies, showcasing the firm’s vision for future cities. Thoughtfully curated, the exhibition’s design ensured an immersive experience, seamlessly guiding visitors through the evolution of VK Group’s work and its impact on Pune’s urban fabric. The structured narrative of the exhibition, divided into The Horizontal, The Vertical, and The Diagonal, allowed visitors to explore VK Group’s legacy through multiple lenses—historical evolution, specialized expertise, and the values that drive their work.
More than just a celebration of VK Group’s work, the event served as a platform for critical discussions on city-building, emphasizing collaboration, research, and the role of design and planning firms in shaping urban development. By involving policymakers, architects, urban planners, business leaders, and cultural influencers, the event sought to redefine how Indian cities can grow sustainably while maintaining their unique identity.
“People-centric urbanism is necessary for nation growth, and nation-building begins from cities, town centers, and at the street level primarily.”
– A statement by Vijay Sane, Director at VK Group, resonated throughout multiple discussions, emphasizing the integration of innovation and cultural richness into urban planning.
Engaging Conversations: A Holistic Approach to City Development
Urban development is a complex process that involves architects, urban planners, policymakers, environmentalists, sociologists, and economists. The necessity of inclusive urban conversations and interdisciplinary collaboration in building a city is crucial. The panel discussions reflected this diversity, with experts from different backgrounds contributing their perspectives on shaping cities beyond infrastructure planning.
Building the City of Tomorrow
Featuring prominent figures such as Shri Vikas Achalkar (Chairman, IIA Pune Centre), Ms. Pooja Misal (Founding Director, SMEF’s BRICK School of Architecture) and Shri Ranjit Naiknavare (President, CREDAI), this panel focused on how economic drivers, policy frameworks and the right education influence the urban fabric. It reinforced the idea that urbanization must balance real estate development with long-term sustainability.
Community-led Heritage Initiatives
This discussion, moderated by Ar. Anagha Purohit Paranjape featured experts like Jayesh Paranjape (Founder, Western Routes) and Ar. Yashoda Joshi (c/o Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav), emphasized that cities must not lose their cultural heritage amid modernization. Cities need more than just roads and buildings; they require thriving cultural hubs, heritage preservation, and people-friendly spaces.
“Soft infrastructure (cultural infrastructure) is necessary for a city to thrive apart from the development of infrastructure,” said Anagha. Integrating cultural elements into urban planning ensures that cities remain vibrant and inclusive. A city’s identity is not just about its physical development; it is also shaped by its traditions, festivals, and communal spaces that foster a sense of belonging.
Architectural Illustration Workshop by ArchArt
Conducted by Ar. Shweta Hingane, this engaging session introduced participants to the nuances of architectural illustration, emphasizing its role in visual storytelling and conceptual representation in urban planning.
Data-Driven Urbanization
With insights from Shri Abhishek Kiran Gupta (CEO & Co-founder of CRE Matrix) and Shri Rahul Vaidya (Senior Director, Alternatives- JLL India), this session explored how technology and urban analytics can inform smarter decision-making in city planning. “Updated and relevant data is necessary for the planned growth of Pune,” stated Gupta, underscoring how data can guide more effective and equitable urban policies.
Advancing Urban Mobility
Shri Brijesh Dixit (Managing Director, MSIDC) discussed Pune Metro’s role in sustainable transportation, highlighting how well-integrated public transit can ease congestion and reduce pollution.
Integrated Urban Planning for Sustainable Growth
Prof. Utpal Sharma’s presentation on Urban Planning through the case of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region brought forward crucial points about planning beyond the city center. He emphasized that peri-urban areas and rural nodes must be better connected to the city to reduce unnecessary migration and ease urban congestion.
“A well-connected city fosters balanced development. We must integrate urban villages into the planning process and ensure that development is faster than migration,” he noted.
His discussion reinforced the need for satellite cities that are not just extensions of urban sprawl but well-integrated, self-sustaining hubs tailored to Indian contexts.“Our work is not about merely providing infrastructure but creating spaces that nurture communities and inspire a sense of belonging by people-centric urbanism” added Vijay Sane, highlighting the need for developing satellite towns holistically.
Smart Cities Mission – Achievements and Future Directions
Shri Kunal Kumar, IAS (Joint Secretary & Mission Director, Smart Cities Mission, MoHUA) delivered an insightful presentation on the future of India’s urban growth. He highlighted the nation’s ambitious goal of becoming a developed economy by 2047, which necessitates both quantitative and qualitative advancements in urban infrastructure. His discussion reinforced the importance of innovative, climate-conscious urban design that moves beyond traditional infrastructure to create inclusive, people-centric spaces.
“Smart cities are journeys that have to continue till we are able to achieve these objectives. And when we achieve these objectives, there will be newer challenges,” he noted, emphasizing that urban evolution must be continuous and adaptive.
Another key argument presented was that India must not try to replicate Western models of urban development.
“It is necessary to create our own templates for urbanization and not blindly follow the regulations of the West. Urban literature in the context of India is necessary for planned development.” – Kunal Kumar, IAS
The West developed its cities in a different era—one without the looming threats of climate change and resource depletion. European and American cities had access to abundant resources, allowing them to expand without significant constraints. However, India, with its burgeoning population and limited resources, must chart a unique path for urban development—one that balances economic growth with sustainability.
This is where research and technological advancements play a crucial role. CuMiLab (Curious Minds Laboratory) showcased their work on prototypes for sustainable and eco-friendly urban design elements, further reinforcing the need for innovative, locally driven solutions.
The intellectual depth of the panel discussions was a major highlight. The invited experts provided valuable insights into city-building, policy-making, and the future of urban development in India. Their discussions helped bridge the gap between theory and practice, shedding light on the real challenges faced by professionals and architects in city development. “Our cities have to be at the forefront of the energy transition and the climate debate,” says Hrishikesh Kulkarni, Director at VK Group.
Additionally, VK Group’s contribution to not just Pune’s urban development, but to reflections on urban planning and discourse is truly commendable. Their event was a true success, with their work being effectively showcased, and their ideas being discussed. It allowed attendees to appreciate their legacy and ongoing efforts and acted as a source of inspiration for young architects and designers.
The event was dazzled with a mesmerizing musical concert by Reeshabh Purohit and his band. Their soulful performances added a cultural dimension to the discourse, reinforcing the idea that cities thrive not just through infrastructure but also through arts, music, and community-driven experiences.
Looking Ahead: Expanding Public Engagement and Discourse
The event expanded beyond the confines of architecture – with public participation. Through such a proactive initiative, VKollective set an excellent precedent for design and planning firms to play a more proactive role in urban discourse. The event demonstrated how firms can go beyond project execution to contribute to larger conversations on city-building. The role of architects, planners, and developers is no longer limited to designing spaces; they must actively participate in shaping urban policies and engaging with the communities they build for.
As Indian cities expand, engaging a diverse range of voices—including cultural experts, local communities, technological innovators, and many others—will be critical in ensuring sustainable and people-centric development. The conversations sparked at VKollective are part of a much-needed shift in urban planning, one that embraces innovation while staying rooted in the local context. If more architectural firms and city planners step forward with similar initiatives, India’s urban future can be shaped with foresight, resilience, and inclusivity.
By hosting events like this, architecture firms can showcase their work, facilitate important discussions, ask the right questions, and involve a wider range of professionals in the city-building process. Given our digital era, the potential for outreach is immense. Social media and online platforms provide an unprecedented opportunity to engage with a global audience, bringing greater awareness and impact to urban design initiatives.
One key takeaway from the event was the importance of integrating technology, culture, and policy to create cities that are not just well-planned and sustainable but also reflective of the communities they serve. VKollective was a step in the right direction, and with further refinements, similar forums can play a pivotal role in shaping the urban future of India.
Feature Image: VKollective Exhibition, by VK Group. © Tanuja Vartak
