SANJAY PURI ON APPLYING GLOBAL DESIGN STANDARDS IN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE

Q Your firm has consistently featured on global rankings and award platforms. Beyond recognition, what do these international benchmarks actually mean for the way you practice architecture in India?

International benchmarks act as a constant mirror, allowing us to measure our work against the best practices globally while remaining rooted in the Indian context. They push us to question conventions, refine our design processes, and remain rigorous in our response to climate, materials, and social use. More than validation, they create accountability—to design responsibly, innovatively, and with a global standard of excellence while addressing local realities.

Q Sanjay Puri Architects has won awards across very different categories, from housing to industrial and logistics buildings. How do you maintain a clear design identity while working across such varied scales and typologies?

We work across all typologies & different scales. Whatever the typology or scale, our design is derived as a direct response to the climate, site location, sun direction, functional requirements & social habits of the users in an innovative way.

Q Sustainability is central to your work, and your f irm was named Overall Sustainable Design Firm of the Year in 2024. How do you ensure sustainability is embedded in the design process rather than treated as an add-on?

The way a building is oriented can make a difference of almost 25 % in reduction of heat gain pertinent to climates in most Indian cities. The way spaces are internally planned can reduce dependency on artificial light. The sourcing of locally made materials can reduce transport costs and thereby reduce the carbon footprint. These are just a few of the multiple ways one can create sustainable and energy efficient design solutions. Rain water harvesting , water recycling , solar power harnessing , planning in a way that does not entail site cutting or filling are some more aspects of creating sustainable designs .

Q You have designed projects across multiple countries and climates. What aspects of your design approach remain constant across geographies, and what must always change in response to local context?

Our commitment to climate-responsive design, human centric spaces, and innovation remains constant everywhere. What changes is the response—materials, construction techniques, cultural patterns, and climatic strategies must be specific to each location. Architecture must belong to its place; without that sensitivity, it loses relevance regardless of how well designed it may be.

Q Having served on juries for major global awards such as the World Architecture Festival and Dezeen, how has evaluating other architects’ work influenced the way you critique your own projects?

Serving on international juries sharpens critical thinking and exposes us to diverse design approaches from across the world. It reinforces the importance of clarity of intent, strong narratives, and contextual relevance. This perspective makes us more self critical, encouraging us to question whether our own projects communicate their ideas clearly and perform meaningfully beyond visual impact.

Q With a large team and projects underway in dozens of Indian cities, how do you balance experimentation and innovation with the practical demands of scale, timelines, and delivery?

Experience in design grows through active engagement—participating in forums, visiting diverse and inspiring buildings worldwide, taking part in exhibitions, and attending talks. The more varied and immersive these experiences are, the faster a designer develops clarity of thought and the ability to evolve meaningful designs, enabling them to lead multiple projects across different locations within demanding timelines. At the same time, innovation must remain grounded in feasibility: experimentation is encouraged during the conceptual phase, where ideas can be rigorously tested, while strong systems, collaborative teamwork, and clear processes ensure that creativity coexists with efficiency. Ultimately, successful architecture lies not only in generating ideas, but in realizing them responsibly within real world constraints.