In an age where algorithms can generate floor plans in seconds and glossy visuals often overshadow lived experience, architect Monika Choudhary offers a grounded reminder: architecture must begin with intent. As Co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Habitat Architects, her work is shaped not just by form and function, but by emotion, responsibility, and a deep respect for the environment.
“I am aligned to make a design,” she says, “and if I have the feeling, I will make sure it is environmentally responsible, I will make sure it is sustainable.” For Choudhary, sustainability is not an afterthought or a marketing layer added at the end of a project. It is woven into the design process from the very beginning. She is clear about avoiding what she calls “re-washing,” the superficial use of green labels without meaningful action. Instead, she stresses intent. When intent is honest, sustainability follows naturally through material choices, energy efficiency, and long-term usability.
This approach challenges a growing tendency in the design world to rely heavily on automated tools and trend-driven aesthetics. While technology can assist, Choudhary believes it should never replace understanding. “For me, function is important and the emotion behind it is important,” she explains. A building must work well, but it must also feel right. Without that emotional layer, design risks becoming cold, mechanical, and disconnected from the people who inhabit it.
Her critique of purely AI-driven design is not a rejection of innovation, but a caution against designing without empathy. “Designing without intent, designing without understanding the feeling behind it, should not be a dry AI driven design,” she says. Architecture, after all, shapes daily life. It influences how people move, gather, rest, and connect. These experiences cannot be reduced to data points alone.
Choudhary’s philosophy places the user at the center. Every project begins with questions: How will this space be used? What emotions should it evoke? How will it age over time? By focusing on these fundamentals, she ensures that function and feeling work together rather than compete. A well-designed space, in her view, quietly supports life instead of demanding attention.
Environmental responsibility fits seamlessly into this thinking. Buildings that respond to climate, context, and local materials tend to be more comfortable and resilient. They also age better. Choudhary’s insistence on best intent means resisting shortcuts, even when timelines or budgets apply pressure. The goal is not perfection, but honesty in design decisions.
What stands out in her perspective is balance. She acknowledges the tools of modern practice but insists they remain tools, not authors. The real driver of design must be human judgement, cultural understanding, and emotional intelligence. Without these, even the most technically advanced structure risks feeling hollow.
As cities expand and design becomes faster and more commercial, voices like Choudhary’s remind the profession of its deeper responsibility. Architecture is not just about buildings. It is about how those buildings make people feel, today and decades from now. When intent, function, and emotion align, design moves beyond construction and becomes meaningful space.
