Architects In Mumbai – At A Glance

By Author: Loknath
Total Articles: 22
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Till about early and mid 90s, there were about 4- 5 architectural colleges in Mumbai. So the number of architects these colleges were producing were 200 - 300 architects every year. But today, this number has gone upto 8 – 10 times more than that. So we have many more architects in Mumbai every year.

Besides, in those days the opportunities which existed for architects were few and far between in Mumbai. Today the opportunities that are present is ten times more. The reason for this is primarily due to the real estate boom which has taken place. That was the time when the number of real estate developers were limited to 4 - 5 big ones. Whereas today, probably there are a countble number of about 20 – 25 such big developers across the city and then innumerable small and medium size developers across cities, not only Mumbai but also across satellite towns like Navi Mumbai and Thane as well.

This reflects the explosion in terms of opportunities for architects in Mumbai. Firstly, there has been an increase in the number of projects in the city and secondly there is also an increase in different types of projects. ...
... Now architects have become smart enough to create niches for themselves where they can specialize in an area of their personal interest. For example, in the early 90s architects were mostly designing buildings, whether institutional, residential or commercial. Today the scenario has changed dramatically. If we look at the practise that the architects are doing, its no longer limited to only designing of buildings but new concepts like the need for lanscaping, world class interior design and the need for green building solutions are new areas of opportunities for architects in mumbai. So, one there has been an increase in the number of projects, while the nature of the industry has also changed.

Now there is a wider scope of work available for architects as compared to the scenario 15 – 20 years back; architects have much more to choose from today. However having said that, it is noteworthy that the biggest of opportunities come from the private developers and some key government projects.

When it comes to private developers, it works in the sense that developers have their own set of dedicated architects they like to work with. They repeat those architects across several projects, so in a sense the large developers are already associated to the set of renowned architects of the city. As a result, the not so big or large architectural firms have found niche areas by associating with green building projects or niche retail designing projects or may be corporate office interior design projects.

Today looking at the market for architects in mumbai, the young and upcoming new architectural firms focus on specializing in certain specific areas and this is where iDream has found its calling; in the sense that it is a well known design firm across the city as well as in other parts of the country. iDream is a corporate interior design firm with a strong focus on developing sustainable projects.

The way things are shaping up, this is one sector of the industry which is not likely to dip, it is only going to grow because across the globe the buzz word is “Green Buildings” and this is not only about constructing a structure according to sustainable standards but creating a sustainable living space.

About Loknath Swain:

Loknath Swain is a Mumbai based writer. He writes on subjects related to architects in mumbai and interior designers mumbai