DIKSHU C. KUKREJA

ARCHITECT , URBAN DESIGNER, PLANNER,ENVIRONMENTAL and INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERT TEDx Speaker Managing Principal, C P Kukreja Architects, New Delhi, India

Dikshu C. Kukreja received his B.Arch Honours as Gold Medalist from School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi. He attended the prestigious Taliesin Fellowship at Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, USA and received his Masters of Architecture & Urban Design from Harvard University. He was elected the founding Vice President of Asia GSD, which grew to become one of the largest student organizations at Harvard University. He has worked in India, France and USA and has lectured and taught at institutions both in India and abroad. He was awarded as “Top 100 Architects of Year 2021” By International Union of Architects(UIA).

India Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 designed by Mr. Kukreja got recognition by American Institute of Architects (AIA), USA as one of the most iconic designs.

He has been Guest Writer for India’s foremost English newspapers, the Times of India and Hindustan Times on Urban Issues and featured by CNBC TV on the program ‘Young Turks’. He was selected as Cultural Ambassador by Govt. of Finland. He is Member, Governing Body, Sushant University and elected as the youngest President of Harvard Club of India and the first architect to achieve this distinction.

His firm C.P. Kukreja Architects (CPKA) is a premier architectural and engineering organisation headquartered in New Delhi. CPKA is ranked amongst the top 100 architecture firms in the world and top 5 in Asia. CPKA has achieved the unique distinction of being the first design firm in India to have acquired a US-based design practice, specializing in Sustainability. Mr. Kukreja has designed significant projects such as the tallest building of South Asia in Sri Lanka, New Financial Capital of Malaysia, the tallest building in India, the world’s third largest convention centre where India shall host the G-20 summit in Delhi. He has been involved in projects and clients from over 30 countries across the world.

Dikshu C.Kukreja has been selected as the ‘Young Icon of the Decade’, ‘Best Citizen of India’, ‘Face of 21st Century Architecture in India’, and featured in ‘Who’s Who of Asia’. He is a passionate designer and has recently hosted a TV Series on design called ‘Deciphering Design with Dikshu’, telecast on Disney + Hotstar.

Mr. Kukreja with his experience at Harvard Business School has been active in business both in India and abroad. He has been closely associated with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India. He is also involved with various business organisations such as Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industries, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Entrepreneurs Organisation. He has been advising state governments across India on trade and investment. His firm CPKA has international design offices in US, Japan & Vietnam and has encouraged import of world class technologies from different nations to India on large scale projects.

Mr. Kukreja holds strong interest in International Relations particularly in Africa. He is producing a series called ‘Tale of Two Cities’ to foster dialogue with policy makers from across the world. He has travelled extensively across the world understanding and appreciating the nuances of people and nations. While qualified as an Architect, he has taken courses at Harvard University at the School of Business and Kennedy School of Government. He is actively involved with various Foreign Missions in India. He has held business relations with various countries including US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Russia, China, Japan, S. Korea, Australia, South East Countries, Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Brazil, Mozambique.

Aparna Dhareshwar

Associate Principal at Sameep Padora and Associates, Mumbai (tenure: 2009- current)

Aparna Dhareshwar is Associate Principal at Sameep Padora and Associates, Mumbai (tenure: 2009- current).

She completed her undergraduate studies from Academy of Architecture, Mumbai in 1994. Currently based out of Chicago, she is exploring new opportunities for the Studio on the American continent.

She has close to 25 years of experience in commercial and residential architectural and interior projects across varied typologies and scale. She has been responsible for developing uniformly high production standards and monitoring projects to ensure quality are met for all design and contract documents, across the Studio.

She has been involved closely in the execution of Award-winning projects such as Temple of Steps, Jetavan and Maya Somaiya Library in rural Maharashtra, and the Lattice House in Jammu.

Aparna has been associated with School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP), Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee as Adjunct Professor- AD Studio, as well as jury for their Master’s Program. Whilst in Mumbai, she was a visiting faculty at Academy of Architecture, Mumbai.

Tony Joseph

Tony Joseph graduated from MIT Manipal and completed his masters in design from the University of Texas, Austin, in the Charles Moore program. Interactions and travels with Moore and his views on regional architecture had a strong influence in the direction of Tony's design. He returned to India and started Stapati in 1989, which has steadily grown into a multi-disciplinary practice emphasizing values of integrity, sustainability and innovation.

Stapati’s architecture emerges from a sensitive understanding of the context; one where the evolution of design is firmly rooted in the region’s traditional narratives, while interpreting the elements in a modern context. There is an underlying acuity in the design approach, which responds to the site uniquely, rendering it relevant and timeless.

Stapati, under Tony’s able leadership has won numerous awards and recognitions over the years and has been selected as one of the Top 50 Most influential design firms in South Asia by Architectural Digest for eight years continuously, from 2014 to 2021. The Enchanted Island Resort designed by Stapati has been chosen as the World’s Leading Private Island Resort 2020 & 2019 by the World Travel Awards. In 2015, ORO Editions from San Francisco brought out a monograph on the hospitality projects designed by Stapati. Entitled ‘Timeless Resorts’, the book examines the evolution of eleven captivating hospitality projects. ORO is one of the reputed international publisher of art and design books, and ‘Timeless Resorts’ is one of the few monographs of an Indian architect published by ORO.

Tony is the Founder Chairman of Avani Institute of Design, a Center of Excellence in Architecture and Design education located in Calicut, promoting a holistic approach to design education to develop well-rounded professionals equipped with the sensitivity, empathy, social and technical skill sets to address the ever evolving concerns of our environment. Tony was an invited artist in the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016, and had designed the Biennale Pavilion.

Goonmeet Singh Chauhan

Goonmeet is an architect, urbanist, author & futurist with boundless enthusiasm to push the frontiers of possibility & bring forth ‘Newness’ that is both ‘Delightful’ & ‘Useful’ into everything he does. As the Founding partner at DFI, he believes in an architecture that is unshackled by ‘ism’s’; A contemporary, green architecture that belongs to its people & its place, where urban aesthetics, city skylines & streetscapes present a coherent contextual visual character that are delightful physical portraits of cultures & times.

Chauhan has worked on large-scale projects that have become landmarks across major cities pan India. He has contributed towards the “Nation Building” process through public projects such as VanijyaBhawan (New Delhi), Ministry of Commerce for the Government of India, NIT Delhi, New Integrated Terminal Building (Guwahati), Amritsar Railway Station, Multi-Modal Logistics & Transport Hub (Dadri), & the Cycle Walk in the National Capital.

A firm believer in the “People First” approach to design, Goonmeet channels his creativity into providing innovative solutions for ‘Reforming of City Architecture’.

Neeraj Manchanda

Neeraj Manchanda is Managing Partner at NMA, a highly regarded and award-winning architectural design practice based in New Delhi. His work focuses on progressive, sustainable planning and design for education, hospitality, healthcare and residential developments which to date are spread across fourteen Indian states, Nepal and Vietnam. NMA has worked collaboratively with India’s leading organizations and institutions in innovating to create exciting new environments.

Neeraj is recognized as one of India’s leading Architects, and has lectured and presented at various national and international forums in the US, UK, Canada and Germany. He has taught at the TVB School of Habitat Studies and the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He has contributed centrally to pioneering social development projects pertaining to health and education in India and was responsible for creating India’s first office-building built in raw-earth blocks and associated sustainable technologies and techniques.

Neeraj’s and NMA’s work has earned recognition from institutions such as the Indian Institute of Architects and the French Institute of Architects, and through awards including IIA & Times of India Excellence award for Institutional Architecture 2020, Intex Award 2019, ‘Architectural Practice of the Year Award - Design for Education’ in 2012 and the national award at IIID in 2011 etc., through competition-winning projects and, most importantly, through a positive acceptance of physical environments by their users and inhabitants. Before setting up NMA in 1990, Neeraj was the Lead Architect at the ‘Shelter Group’ of the ‘Society for Development Alternatives’. Neeraj earned his professional degree from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi in 1985.

John Alok Decruz

Director, Morphogenesis Mumbai

Alok graduated from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi. He has years of comprehensive experience in design and execution of multiple projects and currently heads the Mumbai studio. His body of works spans across a diverse range of typologies such as Commercial, Residential, Hospitality, Offices and Institutional projects. Over the past few years, he has developed a vision to deliver a new generation of design which is Sustainable, Global and Timeless.

Nilesh Dongre

Edifice Consultant, Mumbai

Nilesh has been a valued member of Edifice and heads the Developer Projects Vertical within the Company. His team thrives to consistently exceed performance benchmarks on the projects.

Extremely hands on, he insists upon intimate involvement with the design development of every project he handles.

He believes that a deep understanding of the context and the typologies is instrumental to the delivery of quality projects. He has, over the years, developed a deep understanding of the underlying commercial dynamics that power his projects.

His attempt is to ensure that the projects that he oversees, in addition to delivering high quality designs, exceed prevalent benchmarks for the project.

Vinayak Thorat

Vinayak Thorat, Associate Architect – Head Western Region, Venkataramanan Associates and an expert in the field of Green Buildings.

He is a rank holder graduate from Pune University and SPA Delhi.

J P Agarwal

Agrawal & Agrawal Architects

Architect JP Agrawal graduated from MS University of Baroda in the year 1986 with two gold medals. He started his professional practice in 1988 under the banner “Agrawal & Agrawal”. Architect Monal Agrawal (spouse) joined in 1990..

Several project designed by the firm are widely considered as the “Landmarks” of Kolkata. By now in last 35 years, the firm has completed more than 800 projects across 12 states of India. The practice is largely committed to the environment & user friendly design approach. In this endeavor, the firm has designed various platinum rated & Gold rated Green Buildings. The firm is awarded “Green Champion’s Award” for designing the highest green floor space in the country by “Indian Green Building Council”..

Jp and his team’s work is recognized time to time by various national level magazines & publications. The testimonial includes prestigious awards comprising of “A+D Spectrum Architectural Award”, “Ultratech Excellence Award” & “Achiever’s Award”. Their various recent projects also received CNBC & CREDAI awards in different categories..

JP was honored with “Better City Better Life” award for his contribution in the field of “Green Architecture for Kolkata City. .

Sukanya Dasgupta

Principal Architect | Director, SUKANYA & ASSOCIATES

Sukanya Dasgupta is the co founder, principal architect and lead designer of Sukanya & Associates, an award winning architectural , urban design and engineering consultancy office working on multi scalar projects that impact local communities and urban spaces across India and Bangladesh for the past 25 years.

She has strived for innovative and environmental friendly design solutions and has created design in harmony with environment and life. Aesthetics and engineering, fine tuned with function and environment leads to meaningful architecture that stands the test of time and elevates the standard of life. Over the last 25 years, through different types of projects, she has tried to realize this simple and meaningful architecture.

The office has been awarded the World Architecture Award (WA) UK for the Sky Villa project at Dhaka in 2018, for the International Hotels Complex at New Delhi (an International Design Competition), the East West Metro Kolkata Envelope National Design Competition, the Science Center at Kokrajhar, Assam, WRIDD Office Building, Kolkata, the EWS housing township National Design Competition at Tadepalligudem, Andhra Pradesh, amongst others.

Her work has been exhibited in myriad institutions in India and Bangladesh. She has collaborated with architects from India, Singapore, Bangladesh and USA for the development of various projects in the country.

Lalit Narula

RSP, Bangalore

I am a 1992 graduate from School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi.

I have worked with renowned architectural practices in Delhi and Bangalore. Currently, I am leading a team of professionals in RSP Design Consultants, Bangalore. My focus is primarily on various typologies of residential developments along with Commercial, Mixed-use and Institutional projects.

Apart from my work I enjoy reading, running and conversations with friends.

Mehul Patel

CnT, Bangalore

Mehul Patel is an architect with vast industry experience, working on projects of various typologies around southern parts of India. He graduated from CEPT, Ahmedabad and spent three formative years at Bijoy Jain & Associates, Alibaug where he got hands-on experience of craft and construction.

Mehul has been practicing and mentoring architecture as a Principal at CnT Architects, Bangalore since 2005. His focus has been architecture, which is pragmatic, sustainable and reflect the ethos of time, place and context. He has won several design competitions and awards for architecture, notably the 20th J K Cement Architect of the Year Award in 2010 for the Tata-Dhan Academy, Madurai. He is also involved with various academic institutions as an adjunct faculty and a guest teacher.

Judy Vinodhini

L&T EDRC

The Firm

EDRC (Engineering Design Research Centre) - B&F (Building & Factories) has the ability to manage the entire planning, design and construction process for projects, however large and complex, with a single point responsibility and through innovative methods & cost effective solutions. It has an enviable history of delivering projects on time and within budget adding value for the customer by meeting all the requirements and by creating environments that go beyond pure functionality enhancing the quality of life.

EDRC has expertise and competency ranges from Soil Exploration to Architectural Design & Detailing, Structural Design and MEP Design in varied fields like IT Parks, Industrial Parks, High Residential projects and Townships, Hospitals, Stadiums, Airports, Institutional and Commercial, Malls, Retail & Hotels, Statues, Datacenters & other Special projects.

Providing appropriate solutions for complex projects requiring comprehensive engineering services, aesthetics, innovative design and quality services has made EDRC one of the most reliable design organizations in the country.

The Architect

Ms Judy Vinodhini M Ravikumar has over 20 years of experience in Design, Construction and Business Development. She is Chief Architect in EDRC - Buildings and Factories IC - L&T Construction. She is the lead Architect for award winning projects like Gem & Jewelry Park - Kolkata and Serene County Residential Township at Hyderabad. She has several Large Scale Residential Townships, High rise buildings, Public Buildings, Industrial Parks and Multi-use projects to her credit. She has worked extensively in the Capital City Development projects for Amaravati and PMAY housing projects across Andhra Pradesh.

She is a certified PMP, IGBC AP, ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor and GRIHA Evaluator & Trainer. Apart from Bachelor of Architecture from Madras University she also done her Management Education Program from IIM Ahmedabad.

Alex Jacob

Based in Bangalore , my practice commenced in 1992 and together with eight years of work experience with eminent architects such as V.K.Girdhar and Charles Correa along with a scholarship stint in Shirahani Architctural Design Office, Hiroshima , I carry a wealth of experience.

Our work is characterized by our endeavour for excellence in both design and the follow up in execution of work to exacting standards. The clients requirement and their satisfaction is our ultimate goal in any project.

A deep rooted respect for nature manifests itself in all our Architectural work. Water and landscape form a recurring theme and there is a conscious effort to increase the green cover. Our design expressions are an amalgamation of various influences, however the climatological and cultural factors of India dominate in residential work. Greater emphasis is laid by man’s interaction with his internal spaces. The accent is on creating pleasing orderly buildings with creative use of materials.

Our designs in interior spaces are more expressive, vivid and colourful. There is a tautness to our eclectic creations and the focus is on durable, classy material usage. Hospitality is our strength. Style and substance, optimal usage of space, mood lighting all epitomize our work.

Have served as Chairman of the Bangalore chapter of The Institute of Indian Interior Designers, besides being ex faculty at the Department of Architecture of BMS, BIT, RVCE colleges, Bangalore and the Jain school of Interior Design.

Sujatha Shankar

Sujatha Shankar is a well-known, Chennai-based architect. A multifaceted personality, Shankar made a film on the city of Madras (now Chennai) in 1992, highlighting the evolution of its architecture and exploring the city’s wealth of heritage. Clearly in love with Chennai, Shankar is well versed with its history as well as contemporary architecture. Born to Maharashtrian parents originally from Tanjore, her maiden name was Sujatha Nagoji Rao. Her father was an actuary with UK qualifications and her mother a homemaker, greatly interested in reading, needlework and gardening, among other things. Her great grandfather was the dewan of the state of Travancore and Indore as well as Baroda in colonial times, two other ancestors were also dewans and another great grandfather was the first Indian commissioner of police in Chennai.

Vikrant Bhatkar

Director CRE at DSP Design Associates

Hands-on design and interior construction expertise with a total experience of more than 2 decades... delivering highly technical and complex projects across India. Completed his B. Arch from Bharti Vidyapeeth College of Architecture, Navi Mumbai in year 1998.

Abhishek Dutta

Founder. Principal Architect, ArcOn Design B.Arch. (Hons.) Gold Medalist (Thesis) J.U. National Award for Excellence In Architecture, CoA M.A. (Environment & Development) J.U.,

Abhishek Dutta graduated from Jadavpur University with a Gold Medal and National Award for Excellence from NIASA, Council of Architecture, India for his thesis on Transformable Multi-functional Residence. The research-based unique design was showcased in NDTV Goodtime's Next Big Thing show. He served as a Senior Research Fellow for a DRDO research project at CHSP, JU on Strategic Deployable Shelter in Hilly Terrain for Indian Army for 3 years. Abhishek continued his research on sustainable habitat and affordable housing by means of semi-prefabrication and an innovative kinetic functional package of architectural spaces. Abhishek was awarded the National Grand Winner for Housing for Smart Cities Housing Innovation Challenge by Saint-Gobain in 2016.

Sneha

DEPUTY PLANNER @ MMRDA, MUMBAI IFSC in BKC

To continue learning and research in the field of Architecture and Planning that inspires continuous development as an Architect Planner and into a world class professional, by which I could offer my specialties in design skills and knowledge to assist wide range of projects and optimize the effectiveness of a community's landuse and infrastructure.