What inspired you to pursue architecture, and how has your journey to founding your firm shaped your approach towards urban design?
My journey into architecture began in the ninth grade when an aptitude test introduced me to the field in 1998-99. My travels to my native place, exploring the contrasts between urban and rural architecture, further deepened my curiosity about the factors shaping these differences. I pursued my B Arch at Sir JJ College of Architecture, Mumbai, which laid the foundation for my career. During my apprenticeship, I developed a strong interest in urban design and excelled in working on large-scale township projects. This passion led me to pursue my master’s in urban design at the Bartlett UCL, London.
After gaining international experience, my partner and I made a conscious decision to return to India and apply our knowledge and skills for the country’s growth. This vision led to the inception of Raagin Karman, where we are dedicated to design sustainable, innovative, and contextually relevant urban spaces that meet modern needs while fostering progress.
How do you incorporate spatial experience and storytelling into your conceptual process to ensure a holistic and meaningful outcome for your projects?
Spatial experience enhances our senses, shaping connections between the community, built environment, and transitions between interior and exterior spaces. Context and exposure profoundly influence well-being, highlighting the impact of thoughtfully designed spaces. Every design, whether a home, office, factory, product or even a graphic piece, tells a story. There is a narrative rooted in the project’s requirements, cultural background, and environment, adding value through thoughtful design. We emphasise collaboration, involving clients and their teams to align the design with their vision, ensuring the spaces we create are meaningful, functional and reflective of their needs.
What unique design approaches do you use to create innovative, sustainable, and impactful projects, and how have architects or trends influenced your style?
We prioritise responding effectively to the functional needs of spaces, focusing on natural light, light quality, and the connection between indoor and outdoor environments to foster innovation and sustainability. When using steel, we emphasise efficiency, optimising column grid layouts and reducing material waste, which shapes the overall spatial design.
I admire projects like the Pompidou Center by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, and the Follies at Parc de la Villette by Bernard Schumi, both of which showcase steel in innovative, dynamic forms. These projects blend poetic expression with urban organisation, inspiring my steel-based design approach.
How would you describe your relationship with steel and advocate for its use while balancing client needs, cost, and time efficiency to ensure successful outcomes?
Steel is a versatile material, offering strength and flexibility in design. I’ve worked with steel in various forms—furniture, doors, and factory buildings—and believe my relationship with it will continue to evolve. Steel inspires innovation, with each project’s unique brief guiding my creative process, in manufacturing facilities of diverse products.
When proposing steel or PEB structures, we educate clients on its durability, sustainability, and aesthetic versatility. Many clients are open to innovation, and my approach begins by understanding their vision and recommending steel solutions that balance design and functionality. We collaborate with structural engineers to ensure cost-effective, structurally sound integration. Its pre-manufacturing capabilities reduce construction time, enabling simultaneous site development and foundation work, offering clients significant efficiency.
Among all the projects you’ve worked on, which one stands out as your favourite, and what made the journey memorable for you?
I do not have a single favourite project, as each begins with a desire to create value and innovative solutions. I enjoy both product design and large-scale projects like exhibition centres and factory buildings. However, industrial architecture, particularly factory buildings, holds a special place for me.
One standout project was for a PEB manufacturing unit, focusing on SIN beams — sinusoidal web beams with corrugated webs that reduce steel weight while enhancing strength. The project introduced a curved form to the beam, showcasing structural advantages and resulting in a distinctive architectural form. Though approved by the client, it was never fully realised due to client-related reasons, leaving it as a memorable, though incomplete, experience. Despite this, the project remains close to my heart, as it was also one of the initial works at Raagin Karman.
Highlight what inspired you to teach and how it influenced your journey. How have your experiences helped students realise their potential in architecture?
The vibrant, creative environment of JJ College of Architecture deeply inspired my teaching journey. The campus’s energy motivated me to share insights I felt were missing during my own learning. Guiding students from across India was fulfilling, sparking both my creativity and theirs. Over seven years, teaching became a two-way process of growth, enriching both my students and myself. Even after relocating to Ahmedabad, many students continued to seek my guidance, which remains a rewarding affirmation of my contributions. Seeing them succeed fills me with pride and gratitude.
Architecture goes beyond traditional design, fostering empathy and encouraging exploration in photography, journalism, product design, research, and material innovation. The five-year course can be overwhelming, emphasising the need to ignite curiosity and help students discover their potential. I hope to return to teaching, contributing to architectural pedagogy in India and supporting students as they thrive in this evolving field.
What challenges and opportunities do you foresee in urban development, and how will public spaces and master planning shape architects’ roles in city transformation?
As urban populations continue to grow, cities face increasing pressure on infrastructure, housing, and environmental sustainability. The challenge lies in creating resilient, adaptable urban spaces that address climate change, resource depletion, and social inequalities. Unfortunately, ‘development’ is often misunderstood as wide roads, high-rises, and urban sprawl, overlooking the importance of pedestrian-friendly streets, reduced reliance on private vehicles, and clean air, water, and soil. True progress prioritises greenspaces integrated throughout the urban fabric, rather than confined to parks and squares. It’s essential to replace these superficial notions of development with policies that focus on sustainability and learn from the mistakes of some Western countries to avoid repeating them.
These challenges present architects with opportunities to innovate and transform cities through public spaces and master planning. Architects must prioritise inclusive, multifunctional, and flexible spaces that foster community interaction while balancing social, environmental, and economic needs. Adopting climate-responsive, eco-friendly materials is crucial in creating sustainable urban environments that promote resilience and adaptability.
How did you incorporate urban development, public spaces, and master planning into your teaching to shape your students’ roles in the future?
While teaching, we follow a structured approach that immerses students in real-life scenarios to enhance their learning. For example, we take students to site locations resembling real-world conditions, such as areas prone to monsoon flooding, where they’re tasked with designing solutions like senior citizens’ enclaves. This challenges them to address issues such as accessibility and safety, encouraging innovative thinking and pushing their design boundaries.
Our role as educators is to guide students, refining their concepts and supporting further research to bridge any gaps in their understanding. By fostering this process, we help students develop well-rounded design solutions, equipping them with the skills to tackle complex architectural challenges.
What challenges or setbacks have you faced and how did you overcome them, particularly as a female architect and a teacher in this field?
Throughout my career, I’ve faced challenges that have shaped my approach to design and leadership. Managing complex projects with tight deadlines and limited resources taught me to view architecture as a continuous process of learning and problem-solving. At our practice, we see challenges as opportunities for innovation, fostering open discussions and valuing diverse perspectives to develop creative solutions. Resilience and collaboration are key, with my partner and I leveraging our strengths to promote an inclusive culture where all team members, including interns, contribute ideas.
Gender dynamics, in my experience, are secondary to the value one brings to their work. Early hesitance from clients faded as they recognised the quality and innovation in my work, reflecting a broader shift in mindsets. The increasing presence of women in leadership roles and on-site project management highlights their valuable contributions. My journey as a woman in architecture has been empowering, and I’m proud to witness the profession’s growing inclusivity and evolution.
How would advanced technologies, methodologies, and emerging trends shape the field, and how can storytelling enhance client engagement moving forward?
Emerging trends are revolutionising traditional methods, and introducing innovative variations that are reshaping design and construction. The rapid pace of development has led to a surge in advanced building technologies, such as PEB houses, which are mobile and adaptable, reflecting a future where the perception and utilisation of spaces will transform. At our studio, technology and advancements play a key role in shaping our designs, but storytelling remains central. We view storytelling as the philosophical foundation that brings life to each project, weaving together necessities, technology, and aesthetics into a cohesive narrative. By emphasising the story behind a project, we ensure it resonates deeply, resulting in meaningful and innovative creations.
Anecdote
My thematic artworks, such as ‘Exultant Clouds’, the ‘Sources of Energy’, and the critical introspection of Development: ‘MEND’. This series questions the current trajectory of urban growth, challenging architects, designers, landscape architects, and environmentalists to reconsider what true progress means. Development, once a positive term, now often masks environmental degradation. My abstract paintings depict cities seamlessly integrated with natural ecosystems rather than fragmenting them into isolated green patches. Resonating with clients, engineers, and young designers, the artwork sparks conversations and awareness. Its purpose is fulfilled if it inspires accountability and promotes mindful, inclusive urban growth.
