Guardian of the built and unbuilt – Brinda Somaya, SNK

Ecogradia Podcast – Series 4 Episode 6

Guardian of the built and unbuilt – Brinda Somaya, SNK

Ecogradia Podcast – Series 4 Episode 6

In this podcast, Brinda Somaya,Founder and Principal architect at Mumbai-based Somaya and Kalappa Consultants (SNK) – and a former member of the Holcim Foundation Board - emphasised the importance of reusing these buildings to enable sustainable urban growth in the country: “the most important way to conserve is not to demolish and not to build new, but to restore and repair.”

Last updated: April 09, 2024 Mumbai, India

Navigating conservation and social equity, Brinda Somaya reveals how these considerations blend into a position on sustainability in India. She offers a blueprint for design that is low-impact, contextual, and compassionate.

Ecogradia Series 4

In 2019, SNK restored and modernised Louis Kahn’s Vikram Sarabhai Library at the IIM (1974) while preserving its architectural integrity. Photo: courtesy SNK.

Since modest beginnings in a garden shed, Brinda has become the force behind more than 200 projects at her firm SNK. Her work bridges the gap between tradition and modernity. It shows how mindful design can impact community well-being and environmental integrity.

Embracing India’s complexity is second nature to Brinda. In this podcast, she discusses the delicate balance between heritage and innovation, top-down and bottom-up design strategies, and the nuances of urban and rural development.

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