HOW TECHNOLOGY IS REDEFINING LANGUAGE OF DESIGN

Architecture is no longer only about materials and methods; it is about digital intelligence, immersive realities, and a fresh design vocabulary that blends creativity with computation. “Two decades ago, technology was just a tool, like software aiding design. Now, it’s a thought process. In the early 2000s, software was largely about replacing hand drafting with faster, more precise digital drawings. Tools like AutoCAD or early rendering programs were still auxiliary; they helped an architect execute an idea but rarely shaped the idea itself,” said Amit Agrawal, Founder & Director of Pinakiin Designs.

"We’re in an era of co-creation, where ideas are no longer one person’s prerogative. Amit Agrawal"

Vipul Tapke (CEO & Chief Architect, JTCPL Designs stated, “Today, Algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) can generate designs from a simple input, running through hundreds of options that would have taken months by hand. But this is not about replacing creativity but enhancing it by removing the friction of laborious trial-and-error.”

"The Architect as orchestrator is the shift that redefines the role of the architect. Vipul Tapke"

This mindset is critical: technology is not just an addition to the architect’s toolkit—it is now the toolkit itself. For Kush Bhayani, Founder & Creative Director of KUL, “It’s a layer between what we do and what we’re able to deliver,” he said. Where previous generations of designers often thought in terms of finished drawings, today’s architects increasingly think in terms of immersive processes.

"Instead of static drawings, there will be shared immersive models where architects, clients, and contractors refine designs together. Kush Bhayani"

Shoaib Shaikh, Sales Head – Nemetschek Architecture & Design Business at Nemetschek India, emphasized that in a field where clients may not understand technical processes, language shapes perception. BIM (Building Information Modelling), for instance, has been transformative globally but remains underused in India, partly because it feels too complex and dry at the conceptual stage. By reframing the narrative, solution providers can make clients more receptive to innovation. Language that captures both efficiency and emotion is therefore a powerful catalyst.”

The convergence of technology and design doesn’t just change how buildings look—it changes how they are imagined, approved, and built. Nandita Agnihotri, Senior Associate at Mandviwala Qutub and Associates (MQA) said, “Technology is best understood as an enabler.

Frustrations and Realities

Adoption is not without friction. Amit Agrawal pointed out the overwhelming array of software tools on the market. “It’s like needing a universal charger for everything,” he said, citing monopolistic pricing and interface incompatibility as barriers. Shoaib Shaikh countered by stressing that open platforms now allow different tools to “talk” to each other, reducing friction. Kush Bhayani recalled the agony of rendering software crashing at 2 a.m. before client presentations. Satish Vayuvegula stated that real-world execution remains harder to control. Nandita Agnihotri quipped, “If a software could track the rework hours and bill the client, that would be ideal.” Vipul Tapke concluded, “Data can suggest possibilities, but only a designer can sense the emotional resonance of a space—the feel of wind on a terrace, the warmth of light on stone, the comfort of proportion. Machines calculate; humans interpret.