What attracts you to using steel as a primary building material in your architectural projects?
Steel is lightweight, recyclable, and highly suitable for prefabrication, making it a key material for faster and more efficient construction. In today’s organised construction projects, whether in urban areas, smaller towns, or rural regions, steel is indispensable. While some buildings might rely on alternative materials like bricks or wood, steel remains essential in most modern projects for its strength and versatility.
However, the trend of showcasing structural steel has diminished over time. Earlier, buildings often celebrated their structural elements, but now, permanent cladding conceals the framework, leaving only a polished facade. I believe steel’s natural aesthetic and structural expression deserve recognition. Designing with exposed steel—whether using box sections, hollow pipes, or parallel flanges—must be intentional from the start. When planned well, steel can reveal a building’s character, combining functionality with visual appeal.
Can you share any specific examples of how you have used steel in your designs or projects?
In one of our recent projects at SMRJ School in Lucknow, we designed a steel tensile structure to create a 12,000 sq ft covered area. This multifunctional space accommodates morning assemblies, sports activities, and events, while also supporting spillover from the adjacent school café during meal breaks. The design prioritises functionality and comfort, especially in India’s subtropical climate, where shaded, naturally ventilated spaces are vital for schools with high student densities. Unlike Western schools with smaller class sizes, Indian schools often host thousands of students, making such spaces essential.
The structure comprises steel columns and trusses supporting a tensile fabric roof. Steel was chosen for its efficiency, allowing us to fabricate and test components off-site before quick assembly during the summer break. The steel design eliminated the delays associated with concrete curing and allowed for a 30 m span, ideal for this application. The tensile roof was designed for optimal drainage, meeting functional and aesthetic requirements. This project was both challenging and rewarding, demonstrating how steel construction can improve functionality while adhering to strict timelines.
Are there any architects or architectural projects that have inspired your interest in steel design?
One example that immediately comes to mind is Norman Foster’s Renault Centre from the 1980s—a striking yellow cable-stay structure that is both highly structural and incredibly light. It is a remarkable demonstration of how steel can be used to create expressive architectural forms.
Internationally, steel is the predominant choice for construction due to its assembly-friendly nature, reducing on-site labour and speeding up construction. Similarly, Richard Rogers’ Lloyd’s Building in London exposes its services and stainless-steel elements, embracing a raw, industrial aesthetic that celebrates the material’s structural and expressive capabilities.
In what ways does designing with steel impact construction timelines and costs compared to other materials?
Proper planning of procurement and the availability of structural elements can significantly reduce construction time. Steel buildings are prefabricated off-site, with only assembly, bolting, and welding required on-site. This process can save up to 15–20 days per slab, depending on the project size, as slab decking can proceed while steel columns and beams are being erected. However, fire protection, including the necessary coatings and treatments, adds to the cost of steel compared to concrete.
In the SMRJ school project, we saved three months by using steel fabrication. The steel components were fabricated off-site and shipped for on-site assembly, which was much faster than the traditional concrete process. Concrete columns would have required lengthy curing periods, delaying progress. Using steel allowed for quicker assembly, reduced overall construction time, and resulted in a lighter, more efficient structure. The final design was also enhanced in terms of expression compared to a concrete alternative.
How do you stay updated on the latest developments and trends in steel-based architecture and design?
I stay updated on architecture through periodicals, online content, and discussions with peers, like structural engineers and architects. While I do not consciously dedicate time to research steel construction, I occasionally come across useful information in industry publications or social media. Real learning, however, comes when tackling challenges on a project. Whether it is working on something unfamiliar, like a museum or steel structure, the process of solving problems and researching solutions is where the true knowledge intake happens. Over time, experience teaches you to navigate challenges independently, staying open to new ideas and approaches.
What challenges have you encountered when working with steel in your architectural projects, and how did you address them?
Initially, the availability of the right-sized structural elements was a challenge, especially for specialised sections. A decade ago, delays occurred due to limited production and pre-orders. This issue has been resolved, with multiple suppliers and the ability for fabricators to custom-make sections. Today, the main challenges involve fabrication details, especially for exposed steel. Fabrication drawings often include stiffener plates, gusset plates, bolts, and angles that architects do not prefer, leading to multiple revisions and slightly higher steel quantities—up to 10to 20% more.
Proper rust protection is also crucial, especially for mild and stainless steel. Sandblasting and coating steel ensures durability. Stainless steel, like SS304, can rust without proper pickling and passivation, as seen in one of the previous projects we had worked on. We worked closely with the steel manufacturer’s R&D team to resolve the issue. In cost-sensitive projects, balancing aesthetics and structure is crucial. Reducing stiffener plates lowers costs and boosts efficiency.
What is your opinion on the future of steel in architecture, considering emerging technologies and sustainability trends?
As building lifespans shorten, the demand for materials that can be recycled and repurposed will increase. Land prices and utility will also play a larger role in deciding the type of buildings constructed. This shift will test the recyclability of steel, as currently, only a small percentage of steel in the construction industry is recycled. In the future, we anticipate better grades of rust- and fire-resistant steel with coatings that not only protect but also enhance the material, driving steel’s greater use in buildings.
In the past, buildings would last decades before demolition. Today, buildings just 20 years old are being torn down due to changing needs, rising land prices, and the demand for higher returns on land investments. As land value becomes a key factor, buildings will be designed as assemblies for easier disassembly. Steel plays a key role here, as it can be endlessly recycled and repurposed. Unlike concrete or brick, which often end up in landfills, steel is ideal for reuse. Its easy disassembly and recycling make it a perfect material as the industry shifts towards more sustainable, prefabricated solutions.
Are there any specific projects or areas within the steel construction industry that you hope to explore in the future?
I believe modular, affordable, and composite housing projects are areas where steel can be effectively utilised. There is potential in exploring modular housing, whether for affordable or mid-market segments. This is a sector that has not been extensively explored yet. While large airports and office buildings are being constructed with steel, housing, especially the high demand for it in our country, remains largely untapped. Various technologies are being tested, such as concrete construction, but I think mid-rise to low-rise, prefabricated steel buildings with well-insulated thermal walls should be explored further.
