Introduction: In this edition, we speak with DHIRAJ CHILAKAPATY, Senior Associate Architect at Venkataramanan Associates (VA), whose work reflects a grounded yet forward-thinking approach to design. With a rich portfolio spanning industrial, commercial, and institutional typologies, Dhiraj discusses how steel as a material is not just an engineering decision but a design enabler, especially in a fast-changing built environment where timelines, adaptability, and structural expression are key.
VA has delivered corporate and institutional environments. How do you leverage steel’s flexibility and strength to achieve both aesthetic expression and functional efficiency?
Over the last five decades, we have developed a strong sense of how different materials shape not only the performance, but also the perception of a building. Steel has stood out because it allows us to work with large spans, thinner profiles, and quicker build times, all without compromising design.
Earlier, steel sections were often perceived as bulky or industrial-looking. But with advances in technology, today’s steel is versatile and refined, supporting a wide range of architectural expressions. Its strength-to-weight ratio makes it ideal for creating visually light yet structurally robust forms. We have used it in everything from warehouses to intricate R&D labs, appreciating how it adapts to both utility-driven and design-forward spaces. It offers us the ability to think beyond the box, literally, and deliver solutions that meet the tight timelines and high aesthetic expectations that contemporary clients demand.
“Steel is not just a structural solution anymore; it’s become a part of our architectural vocabulary.”
Can you share an example where a steel element became the defining feature of a project you led?
One of our most compelling experiences with steel was during the design of a large R&D campus for a US-based aerospace company in Bangalore. The site is located beside an operational runway, and our brief included creating a central glass atrium that offered transparency while maintaining energy efficiency. We addressed this by designing an expansive, dramatic shading structure on the rooftop. This steel canopy crowns the entire complex and is visually iconic. It features cantilevers upto 11 m on the southern and western sides, not only focussing on performative building design but creating a landmark.
Steel was the only feasible choice here. It allowed us to work with long spans and lightweight profiles, ensuring fast execution and design integrity. The structure is visible from aircrafts during takeoff and landing, so it needed to be striking, precise, and elegant, and steel gave us all of that.
Highlight:
Long-span steel canopies provide performance, form, and identity in one stroke.
When do you choose steel over concrete or timber?
Material decisions are always contextual. In dense urban locations or constrained sites, construction time and logistics become crucial. Steel, with its capacity for off-site fabrication and rapid assembly, is ideal for such scenarios. It minimises disruption, reduces on-site labour requirements, and accelerates the build process.
Moreover, steel performs exceptionally well in time-sensitive developments like corporate offices, labs, or retrofit projects where speed and precision are paramount. Concrete, while strong and durable, often doesn’t allow for the same adaptability or lightness of structure. Timber, on the other hand, is emerging as a sustainable alternative, but its load-bearing and fire safety considerations still limit its widespread use in India. Steel often offers the best middle ground – fast, durable and versatile.
In hospitality or public spaces, where storytelling and experience are key, how does steel help shape spatial narratives?
Steel’s ability to vanish into the background or take center stage is what makes it special in hospitality and public projects. Take, for instance, the glass atrium we designed for the aerospace campus. It was intended to evoke openness and connection with the surrounding landscape. To support the glass at that height of 30 m we needed a structural system that was both invisible and resilient.
By employing metal framing, we were able to avoid horizontal support members that would obstruct the view. The result is a transparent vertical space that feels uninterrupted, airy, and contemporary. In another instance, we designed a feature staircase for a corporate lobby that required not just structural performance but visual drama. Steel allowed us to achieve a seamless, floating form that became an artistic centerpiece.
“Steel lets you reduce structure to its essence – light, clean, and expressive.”
Healthcare projects demand hygiene, adaptability, and integrated services. How does your steel strategy respond to these needs?
A notable project that comes to mind is the head office for a steel manufacturing company that also included a manufacturing floor with an advanced 3D printing setup. It was an unusual yet exciting combination, a facility where steel was both the medium and the message. The commissioning of the 3D printer overlapped with our structural execution. Steel allowed us to fast-track the shell while commissioning was underway. It gave us construction agility, erecting the frame above ongoing activities without interference. Also, because of the large spans needed for equipment movement, overhead cranes, and uninterrupted working zones, we needed a material that allowed for strength without bulk. Steel answered all these demands while also showcasing the company’s ethos of innovation.
With complex geometries and multidisciplinary teams, how crucial is early BIM coordination?
BIM is now embedded into our design methodology, particularly for steel projects. When you are working on advanced projects like pharma labs or aerospace campuses, precision is non-negotiable. BIM enables us to resolve coordination issues before reaching the site, especially around MEP systems and steel junctions. This proactive clash detection leads to more efficient construction, fewer reworks, and better integration of design intent. It brings fabricators, consultants, engineers onto the same page early on. For steel structures, where tolerances are tight and misalignments costly, BIM is not a choice but a necessity.
Are you using parametric or generative design tools to optimise steel performance?
We do use parametric tools during concept development to explore structural systems and responsive forms. These tools help us balance loads, optimise material use, and integrate performance metrics early. However, the real value lies in a collaborative ecosystem. There’s tremendous potential in bringing fabricators, architects, and engineers into the same loop at the design stage. If fabrication feedback enters early, the result is more buildable, efficient, and intelligent architecture.
Highlight:
Parametric design can define smarter geometries, but true value emerges when it’s tied to fabrication.
What are your thoughts on embodied carbon in steel and its communication to clients?
We are at a tipping point where embodied carbon is beginning to influence design decisions. While awareness is still growing, the discourse is encouraging. At our firm, we have started incorporating recycled steel where possible and are exploring lower-carbon production alternatives. Communicating these efforts to clients often requires translating sustainability into tangible benefits like future compliance, certification targets, or even long-term maintenance savings. As the regulatory landscape evolves, so will the demand for data-driven sustainable choices. We are committed to being part of that evolution.
Steel is often perceived as expensive, how is that perception shifting in India?
This is a conversation we have frequently. Traditionally, steel was viewed as 30-40 per cent more costly than RCC. But when you evaluate cost holistically, factoring in reduced build time, precision, reduced wastage, and lifecycle savings, the economics of steel begin to look more attractive. Also, in India’s evolving regulatory and urban landscape, where timelines are shorter and urban land is more expensive, steel helps unlock value faster. The perception is changing, and I believe we are not far from steel becoming a standard choice in mid to high-end developments.
How do you see architectural design changing with newer materials and tech innovations?
Architecture today is more multidisciplinary than ever. New materials like high-performance steel, advances in digital fabrication, and evolving delivery models like IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) are reshaping how we work. We are not just designing walls and roofs anymore, we are designing processes, systems, and experiences. With the help of digital tools, we can simulate, iterate, and build more intelligently. Steel, with its adaptability and technological compatibility, plays a critical role in this evolution.
“This is an era where architects are not just visionaries, but also system designers.”
| Why It Matters?
Steel in architecture today is about more than load bearing, it is about agility, performance, and future-readiness. As architects face tighter timelines, climate imperatives, and aesthetic expectations, steel allows for a material that performs structurally, expresses visually, and builds efficiently. For young architects and multidisciplinary teams, the takeaway is clear: early integration, digital coordination, and cross-disciplinary dialogue are key to harnessing steel’s full potential. As the built environment embraces complexity, steel stands as a material built for tomorrow’s challenges and Dhiraj Chilakapaty’s work is a compelling proof of concept. |
