From material experimentation to novel sustainable practices, from harnessing AI profitably and securely to championing indigenous building methods, these 10 multi-disciplinary design firms across India are providing a unique perspective on building and design. They are also the winners of the ID Honours 2024, under the category of Emerging Design Firms.

1. Neogenesis+Studio0261

Founded by Chinmay Laiwala, Jigar Asarawala and Tarika Asarawala, this multi-disciplinary, award-winning design practice from Surat, has carved an enviable niche for itself in the field of residential, industrial, recreational and commercial developments alongside interior projects. They are known for creating an authentic “sense of place” by using building materials in their natural form and texture. The Jungalow 2, on the outskirts of Surat, balances nature and sustainability with its profuse use of linear forms, concrete and vegetation, while the Sarpanch House, located in a rural village is designed as a stack of concrete cuboid forms that encompass open courtyards and plenty of greenery within.

2. Aslam Sham Architects

Aslam Karadan and Sham Salim of the eponymously named practice based in Kozhikode have a unique approach to their work;  their endeavour is to not follow a signature style. The only constant thing about them is their shape shifting. This philosophy is reflected in their projects which sees a diversity of styles ranging from classic to ethnic to contemporary and rustic. For instance, their Hidden House with its atypical but linear form is a masterclass in contemporary style while Lilly House celebrates sustainability through a harmonious interplay of wood and vernacular-inspired forms.

3. A Threshold

Founded in 2020 by Avinash Ankalge and Harshith Nayak, the Bangalore-based multi-disciplinary firm is experienced in handling housing, institutions and hospitality projects. The firm’s philosophy is to create buildings with timeless appeal. They are heavily inspired by the vernacular environment and seek to bridge the gap between the local and the global, the traditional and the modern, all the while ensuring nature is at the centrefold of their creations. All their projects, whether it is the Light House or the aptly named Subterranean Ruins, a multi-functional free community centre on the outskirts of Bangalore, are about blurring boundaries between the inside and outside and establishing a co-relationship between humans, nature, and the built environment.

4. Studio Organon

Delhi-based Studio Organon, founded by Saurabh Dakshini has already been featured multiple times on ‘top design studios list’ by various publications in the country, since its inception in 2006. Their core belief is that every design limitation is an opportunity and that every design solution must engage the local at its centre. They also believe in asking countless questions of the client to be able to deliver the perfect customised product. This approach remains constant as the studio opens itself to different types of projects – including bars, cinemas, stores and schools. Using locally available materials in non-traditional ways is their modus operandi as can be seen in the Pea House, Gurgaon, that juxtaposes timber and concrete with natural light as a third medium; or ISkate, a skating rink in Gurgaon, that has been designed with such thoughtfulness that it turns a sports arena into a hospitality spot.

5. Loop Design Studio

This design practice, founded by Nikhil Pratap Singh and Suvrita Bhardwaj, boasts a portfolio of a number of restaurants and cafes in Chandigarh notable for their sustainable design and vernacular architecture with a touch of whimsy for good measure. Bodega Restaurant, for instance, emphasises the use of a natural material palette comprising stone, wood, bamboo, and brick, staying true to their design aesthetic. Another of their projects, Baba’s Restaurant draws inspiration from the architecture styles of rural havelis in Punjab and employed local artisans to create and apply the mud plaster on walls as is traditionally done in village homes.

6. Humming Tree

Established in 2016, this interdisciplinary firm won the Indian Institute of Interior Designers  ‘Young Practice of the Year’ Award in 2020 as well as the ‘Commercial Workspace’ award. Co-founders, Mohammed Afnan and Arun Shekar, are firm believers in building sustainably and following eco-conscious practices while welcoming new technological trends, such as advanced materials and AI to influence their aesthetics and functionality. Amongst their noted projects is a boutique resort in Wayanad that celebrates their particular brand of tropical minimalism – earthy and raw and derived almost entirely from the landscape itself.

7. atArchitecture

Since its inception in 2014, atArchitecture founded by Avneesh Tiwari and Neha Rane, is already the recipient of several awards, including the prestigious ‘Affordable Housing Design Challenge’ organised by the BTI, United Nations (UNDP Cambodia) in 2018 and the Lafarge Holcim Awards Gold, Asia Pacific in 2017. The firm’s methodology strives to maintain a balance between tradition and innovation, each project serving as a testament to their commitment to celebrating India’s rich heritage. The studio’s reverence for vernacular craftsmanship and context is evident in their creation of the North East Pavilion, a permanent exhibition space at the International Crafts Fair, Surajkund, that is made entirely out of bamboo using traditional bamboo construction techniques.

8. SEALAB

SEALAB is an architecture practice based in Ahmedabad and led by Anand Sonecha. Known for working with simple materials and local techniques, they have built housing, cultural buildings and an educational campus, that includes a school for the blind and visually impaired children in Gandhinagar. The school has a simple building typology that allows the students to create a mental map of the spaces. It is designed to be navigated with the help of the five senses with the thoughtful use of varied textures, sound and light, and aromatic plants and trees. SEALAB’s works were part of the 2023 Summer Exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts, London, and were included recently in a travelling exhibition,  Architectures of Transition: Emergent Practices in South Asia by Laxmi Mittal South Asia Institute.

9. Kiron Cheerla Architecture

Hyderabad-based Kiron Cheerla’s design philosophy is best defined as creating ‘effective design through the simplest of means’. His work stands as a testament to it, where simplicity in form meets critical functional needs without compromising on beauty and ambience. The firm’s contextual-contemporary design language is best seen in one of its projects – the Pott House in Hyderabad, that showcases sustainable design, innovative construction, and natural materials by using wood as the primary building material. The Screen House, also in Hyderabad, uses Shou Sugi Ban charring on the exterior, a technique of charring wood that offers maximum and low-maintenance durability.

10. Thumbimpressions Collaborative

Established in 2103 with offices in Surat and Hyderabad, Thumbimpressions Collaborative is helmed by four partners: Sankalpa, Nikhil Patel, Milind Jhaveri and Manu Narendran. They believe that good design should not only be visually pleasing but also serve a purpose; hence their work – that spans different cities of India – aims to bridge the gap between functionality and aesthetics. One of their most recent projects is Yogashala in Mulugu, that uses spaced bamboo in a system that enhances its lightness, staying in tune to the purpose it was built for – the practice of Hatha yoga which employs minimum force, thereby instilling a sense of lightness in the body. Yet another, the Flying Roof Restaurant in Surat, is a testament to resourceful material use – it uses perforated metal rafters that eschew the need for a false ceiling, while allowing an interplay of light and shadow to create a visual tapestry.