Q: Where are you from?
I am from Bangalore (locally called Bengaluru), India. It is known by many names: the Garden City of India, The Silicon Valley of India, etc.
Q: Where did you go to school?
I earned my Master’s of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Prior to that, I went to M.S Ramaiah Institute of Technology for my Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture.
Q: Tell me about your family.
I am the only child of my parents, so it’s safe to say that I am spoiled by my dad. My parents were neighbors, they fell in love at an early age and got married. My dad is a senior manager at a public utility company and my mom is a teacher for secondary and higher-grade kids. Teaching is her passion, and she would love to do it all her life. I have grown up around animals for most of my life – I have a rescued dog and cats, and I cannot imagine my life without them!
Q: What is the most interesting aspect of architecture to you?
The first time I fell in love with architecture was when I participated in the Centre for Laurie Baker workshop, Kerala. Architecture is art that comes to life for people to experience and live in, and I am grateful to be one of the many creators of such art. I am drawn to ‘Tropical Modernism,’ especially by the buildings designed by the famous Sri Lankan architect Geoffery Bawa. I was truly lucky to have experienced Sri Lanka and Bawa’s architecture during my undergraduate years when I interned at a firm in Colombo for six months. My love for architecture has been growing ever since.
Q: What is the last show you binge-watched?
Broadchurch. A combination of small-town detective mystery AND David Tennant was too tempting to pass.
Q: What kinds of projects do you most enjoy working on?
My priority would be Residential, I thoroughly enjoy learning about the client’s interests and vision. There is always potential to envision extraordinary things when designing an ordinary seeming residence. The fact that our clients will be inhabiting and living in these spaces makes it very personal and intimate.
Q: What are the top three things on your bucket list?
Slow travel in New Zealand and Vietnam, start a rescue animal shelter, and do a yoga headstand (haha).
Q: Have you ever won a contest or award?
I have won multiple awards for watercolor painting since I was in school, including a contest conducted by the Times of India (a national newspaper publication). I also take pride in mentioning that I was the youngest artist to exhibit at Chitrakala Parishath (a well-renowned art gallery in Bangalore) at the age of 16. I have continued to hold professional art exhibitions since then.
Q: What question would you not want to be asked in an interview?
“Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years from now” – I like to think of myself as constantly evolving as a designer and as an architect, and the idea of limiting myself in the pursuit of a particular position/role does not appeal to me.
Q: What are five features you would include in your dream home?
I love this question because I’m always planning beautiful things in my head for “my castle in the air”
- A huge green courtyard inside the house
- Lots of skylights and a terrace that can house a home garden for my plants and vegetables and of course a rainwater harvesting system
- Vernacular materials (yellow oxide and laterite stone and timber); wire-cut brick masonry with no plaster and some beton brut
- A room for messy artwork
- A lotus pond
Q: Where are you most excited to travel next?
I am going to say this in my sleep too – it’s Japan. I am in love with the country. I have been learning things about Japanese culture and way of life, and saving money for a long time now so I can connect to the place better when I visit. I know in my heart that Japan is going to be a place I will remember for a lifetime.