A Look at Indias Leading Architects

A good architect is the backbone of a good construction plan. The often looked over profession is actually one of the most integral parts of residential and commercial construction.

The Big Ben, Burj Khalifa, Empire State Building, Sydney Opera House, Petronas Towers, Lloyds Building, the Taj Mahal Hotel of Mumbai, others Imperial Towers and many others are examples of manmade architectural achievements. This is mainly due to the efforts of the architect who has designed the structure of the building. It is the architect who plans out the design which includes the shape and size of the structure and planning the layout of the building. It is the architect who plans each and every minute detail of the building. For example, the architect is responsible for the direction of the bedroom, the place of the kitchen, etc.

An architect has a lot of things to consider before he draws out a plan for the building like what the building will be used for, the number of people who will be using the building at the same time and the activities that will be done by these people.  Just as different painters like to use different colours, different architects like to implement experimental shapes and designs in his building. Interior designing is another aspect in the modern architecture.

Today, there are innumerable projects in India which stand as examples of pure architectural brilliance. With more money in the hands of the common Indian, a lot of details on the architecture including the shape and size are being witnessed currently. There is a rise in demand for luxurious and extravagant designs. The Indian architecture is currently in huge demand even in the foreign lands. Architects from India are being invited to foreign lands to design their buildings. Some of the famous architects in India have been discusses below.

• Hafeez Contractor- He is an Indian architect who is also a member of the Bombay Heritage Committee and New Delhi Lutyens Bungalow Zone Review Committee. With an MS in Architecture from the Columbia University, he started his firm in 1983. Some of his other well renowned projects include DY Patil Stadium in Nerul, DLF Aralias in Gurgaon, Morya Regency in Bandra, Aditya Birla Corporate Head Quarters,  New World Patna City, Hyatt Regency, ITC Grand Chennai and many others. One of his biggest achievements is the design for the Imperial I and II which is at present the tallest building in India.
• B.V. Doshi- Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi is considered one of the most prominent figures of South Asian architecture due to his contributions to the evolution of architectural discourse in India. He is famous for his contributions to the architecture of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. Doshi is a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He has received several awards like the Padma Shri, Honorary Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. Some of his works include the designs for Centre for Environment and Planning Technology, IIM Bangalore, NIFT Delhi and Amdavad ni Gufa.
• Sheila Sri Prakash- Sheila Sri Prakash is an urban designer and architect, who is the founder of Shilpa Architects in Chennai. She is the first woman in India to have started and operated her own firm. She has designed more than 1000 projects in India and other countries in the last 35 years. She has also been a key player in the establishment of the Indian Green Building Council. Some of her projects include Mahindra World City, Madras Art House, Kuchipudi Art Academy, World Bank funded housing development programme for the shelterless. She is considered to be one among the pioneers of Indian architects due to her use of a combination of principles of Bharathnatyam, classical Indian music, sculpture and architecture in some of her award winning projects.
• Charles Correa- Charles Correa is an architect, urban planner and an activist. He is an influential architect famous for his modern architecture in post-independence India. His first important project was the Mahatma Gandhi Sanghralaya. Some of his well-known projects are Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, National Crafts Museum, Bharat Bhavan, McGovern Institute for Brain Research. An exhibition was held by the Royal Institute of British Architects namely, “Charles Correa- India’s Greatest Architect” focusing on the influences of his work on the modern Indian Architecture.
• Christopher Charles Benninger- Charles Benninger is an American-Indian architect and planner. He came to Ahmedabad on an invitation from B.V. Doshi from his tenured post at Harward. He has been an integral contributor in the Indian architectural scene. Some of his notable projects include the Center for Development Studies and Activities, Mahindra United World College of India, YMCA International camp, IIM Calcutta, Bajaj Science Centre.He was awarded the Architect for the Decade. He has also been honoured as the first recipient of the Recognition of Excellence in Design Award (RED) in 2006 by the Royal Society of Designers.