When CP Kukreja stepped into the world of architecture, little did he realise he would leave a lasting impact and his humane vision in architecture would pave the way for modern India. At 32, he won the first National Architectural Competition to be held in post-Independent India – selected as the best from 68 entries submitted by the nation’s top architects at the time and went on to design Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Decades later, his son is carrying forward his vision of defining India through its architecture, having added sustainability and inclusivity in his core values. Dikshu Kukreja, managing principal at CP Kukreja Architects, and the Honorary Consul General for Albania in New Delhi, calls India a ‘transformative space on the verge of being a developed nation.’
Their projects are futuristic, modern, sustainable yet borrow from India’s rich architectural history. From the new Yashobhoomi Complex in Delhi to Gurugram’s Pathways School, their designs are inclusive of nature. Their 2012 project Greater Noida’s Gautam Buddha University won the award for Innovation in Institutional Architecture – India & Best Eco-friendly Indian Institutional project by BUILD 2016 Architecture Awards.
At the upcoming ‘Re-imagining Architectural Transformations in Post-Independent India’ exhibition, CP Kukreja Architects will be outlining India's post-independence architectural journey, tracing the evolution of the nation’s-built environment over the past 50 years—from the modernist designs of the 1970s to today’s sustainable innovations.
The exhibition is supported by the ICCR and the Indian High Commission, running from September 30 to October 4 at the Nehru Centre in London. Through sketches, concept notes, and photographs, the exhibition challenges western perceptions of Indian architecture, highlighting a dynamic landscape that reflects the aspirations of a post-independent India.
THE WEEK caught up with the architect to discuss the exhibition, his father’s legacy and his own vision for India. Excerpts:
Q/ How does the exhibition plan to present Indian architecture to the world?
A/ India is in a transformative stage where we are moving towards being a developed nation. With such enormous changes taking place, there’s advancement in every sphere, including that of architecture. While people around the world appreciate Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, they also need to realise that post-independence India is making iconic architectural buildings that are unique from the point of view of scale, technology and how they imbibe and interpret our history and culture in a contemporary manner. Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) that falls under the ministry of external affairs and the Indian High Commission in London have chosen to showcase this aspect of contemporary Indian architecture through the works of CP Kukreja Architects. Our firm has a legacy of over half a century, and we have been able to represent and participate in the transformation in India in the last five decades.
The exhibition will also be an eye-opener for the western world. We are celebrating our own identity, yet are modern, future ready and fast paced, no longer tied down to the shackles of history.
Q/ How do you view contemporary Indian architecture?
A/ In any part of the country, one would see that even an uneducated man has a practical and environmental approach towards architecture, whether it is own hutments or small buildings in rural areas, vernacular architecture has always been very sustainable and used local materials like the brick works in Bengal. The world is talking about sustainability only today but we have had our own ethos of sustainable design. With the British coming in and with the sway of modernism and modernist architecture, we started looking at the west while imbibing glass buildings. We want to showcase that contemporary Indian architecture is inspired by our own approach traditionally towards the publicness of spaces, be it the stepwells where women would discuss marriage proposals or the streets of old Delhi, Jaisalmer or Jodhpur where the elders gather to chat. The jaali (net) design found in many ancient architectures helps control heat, the chhatri (umbrella shade), tall ceilings in palaces, homes, has been contemporised and given new meaning.
Q/ In India, we see most urban cities aping the west when it comes to office building designs – the glass-walled buildings are not conducive to the Indian summer. What is your solution to this?
A/ The Ambadeep Tower in Janpath, Delhi is the best example of a high rise that has been Indianised with its design. Completed in 1993, it was the first built structure in the city to use glass elevators and was the tallest in Delhi at one point. But, rather than designing a skyscraper, we got inspiration from our traditional Indian art motifs composed entirely of 1 inch by 1 inch glass mosaic which creates artistic patterns on buildings. The mosaic tiles which we have used were found in Isfahan and Mughal architecture. We have designed a high rise building but given it an Indian context rather than importing a skyscraper design from New York.
Q/ How are your design sensibilities different from that of your father’s?
A/ There are similarities and differences but our real core and values are very similar – that’s creating very humane architecture. Architectural buildings last beyond our lifetime and we have to therefore demonstrate that amount of responsibility when designing a building. It has a huge impact on the environment. We believe that buildings must get absorbed into the natural environment and not vice versa. This is my core philosophy derived from humane architecture that my father spoke about. While he talked about humane architecture, I talk on the lines of sustainability and contextualism – which means the architecture should refer to the climatic, cultural and historic context of the place.
Q/ A number of brands in the hospitality sector and real estate are designing sustainable properties – what’s your take on this?
A/ In the coming time, we will start looking down at buildings not responsibly designed – people are proud they are designing sustainable buildings now. Designing should also be universally inclusive – we cannot exclude ramps or toilets meant for the disabled, which many architects and engineers forget about. Pathways World School in Gurugram (designed by them in 2003) is India’s first Platinum rated institutional project for its environment friendly design (It is the world’s first school serving all grades K-12 in the world to achieve LEED-EB Platinum certification from US Green Building Council). Delhi’s Yashobhoomi Complex designed by us in 2023 has also received the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) platinum rating.
Q/ The urban cities today look like concrete jungles – often unplanned and chaotic. Will bringing back traditional Indian designs also make our cities more aesthetic?
A/ There’s concretisation, disharmony and sporadic, unplanned development in every Indian city, deeper than we can accept. It is a cultural issue wherein we are selfish and don’t think about our neighbours and future. Encroachment, covering of drains, parking illegally, points to lack of citizen awareness and corruption. If we have a zero tolerance policy, there will be effective consequences.
