AD100 2024: Meet the winners

Project in focus: The David Sassoon Library and Reading Room, a 150-year-old Victorian Gothic structure in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda district, was revived and restored in a matter of 16 months with the help of archival and photographic evidence from the 19th century.

Upcoming projects: Shalimar Bagh, Jammu & Kashmir; Gateway of India Plaza, Mumbai; Alpaiwalla Museum, Mumbai; Victoria Public Hall, Chennai.

Philosophy: Giving back to society through sustainable materials, resilient methods, and CSR projects have been the firm’s core design ideology.

Abhimanyu Dalal Architects, Delhi & Mumbai

Harshita Nayyar

Project in focus: A 9,041-square-foot residential property in Gurugram built for a family of four generations. The home welcomes nature through courtyards, atriums and skylights that not only provide wholesome architectural continuity but also promise personal space to its inhabitants. Dalal worked alongside interior designer Amrita Guha of Untitled Design to develop a palette of materials and craftsmanship to enhance the home’s architectural connectivity.

Philosophy: “Context is the starting point of any good design.”

Abin Design Studio, Kolkata

Abin Chaudhuri

Abin Chaudhuri

Project in focus: AC Pandya Students’ Activity Centre, IIT Kharagpur, is a pavilion inspired by the spaces where the professor whom it is named for taught. Chaudhuri reimagines the traditional roof by extending the ridge line diagonally to the ground. The venue combines metal mesh and glass to optimize natural light and ventilation.

Abraham John Architects, Mumbai

Abraham John, Alan Abraham, Anca Florescu Abraham

Project in focus: Minimal modern Villa Moira in Goa is a sustainable property built as an extension of its natural surroundings. Its core design principle revolves around preserving the existing landscape and its contours, ensuring almost no deforestation. The central courtyard and the single floating roof act as the unifying elements, creating significant oneness with nature.

ALVA Architects | Bona Fide Design, Delhi

Ashwin Alva, Shobhna Batra, Nimeran Singh, Pia Sodhi

Pia Sodhi Photography

Project in focus: The visual softness of materials and textures define an elegant apartment in Delhi, finished with French limestone floors, finely grained white ash and larch timber millwork, and tropical wallpapers.

Upcoming projects: Boutique resorts in Kumaon, Ladakh, and the Andamans.

Philosophy: “To use the right materials for a space that maintains its integrity and individuality.”

Amoeba Design, Pune

Satyajeet Patwardhan, Pashmin Shah

Harshita Nayyar

Project in focus: A traditional Indo- Portuguese weekend home with a contemporary vibe. Inspired by the local heritage, La Gamela comes with a Goa-approved stamp, as seen in the double-height ceiling in the dining room, the sensible use of skylights, arch-shaped openings, and pastel-green doors and windows.

Upcoming projects: A farmhouse in Pawna, Maharashtra.

Philosophy: “Architecture is a response to people, climate and culture. The knowledge and wisdom evolved over generations can’t be forgotten to embrace something in the name of progress.”

Anagram Architects, Delhi

Madhav Raman, Vaibhav Dimri, Shruti Dimri, Subasri Venkataramanan

Project in focus: A villa in Gurugram finds coherence in curves, which can be seen in the form of rounded edges, filleted rectangular openings and vaults. It’s a home where generations coexist, so the design caters to the preferences and requirements of each individual.

Upcoming projects: High-end hospitality projects in Uttarakhand and Goa; Floatel in Goa; a heritage restoration project in Jaipur.

Philosophy: “Architecture that promotes an experiential reconnect with ecology and society.”

Andagere Architects, Karnataka

Ajith Andagere

Project in focus: The Reed Pod champions the use of traditional and local materials to build modern spaces that are extremely adaptable and eco-friendly. The prototype classifies the roof and walls as one monolithic form rather than two separate entities. And because it’s structured on stilts, it can be constructed anywhere. The Reed Pod predominantly features reed and wood, and has been crafted using carpentry and thatching to ensure a minimal carbon footprint.