To translate your imagination into reality with the right kind of materials, colours, design and layout is not what everyone can do. Conceptualising is one thing and executing is another. Here is where architects come to the picture, trying to create a utopia. It is no cakewalk though, putting the imagination into paper while keeping the practical aspects and user convenience in mind and then converting them into structures. These structures could be residential, commercial, hospitals, infrastructure or urban space development.
We came across one such multidisciplinary architectural firm Sthapati Associates whose projects speak volumes of its tradition of excellence.
Founded in 1989 by Ms Vipul Varshney along with Anuj Varshney (Founder-Directors) at Lucknow as an architectural firm, they gradually started designing projects of state and national importance. With master’s in Urban Planning, Vipul was Professor-Design Chair at the University and also had the opportunity of designing and executing some of India’s most renowned projects, like Resettlement of Bhuj after earthquake to India’s highest altitude Leh Airport and Imphal Airport, a township in Mumbai for an urban diaspora to state buildings like redevelopment of National Institute of Drama, New Delhi.
As Convenor – INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), Lucknow and also as Adviser, National Scientific Committee of ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites), India, she authored three coffee table books, namely – Lucknow – The city of culture and heritage published by Niyogi Publications in 2017, Shaam e Awadh by Bloomsbury in 2017.
Overcoming Teething Problems
There were many problems initially like entrusting the young designers with projects. These were overcome with patience and hard work. Understanding the clients’ needs and trying to provide to them the required solutions to the best of the ability was another challenge that Sthapati overcame and delivered what the client wanted.
“We have developed this approach by operating beyond the traditional precincts whilst addressing the user’s aspiration and building to perfection,” stated Vipul.
Dynamic Founders
Ar Vipul Varshney is an avid art, culture and heritage enthusiast. She is also an activist with a passion for writing. Er Anuj Varshney has a special interest in structural and highway engineering and had been a great sportsperson since his IIT days. Their passions and interest and pursuit for perfection have helped Sthapati earn the reputation it has today.
Currently the company is headed by Anuj Varshney and Vipul Varshney with directors Harsh Varshney and Khushboo Bansal.
Conforming to Environmental Impact Assessment and Related Laws
The first thing is to determine the carrying capacity and define a target population based on the water and renewable energy potential. It determines the human capacity of the land.
The design process begins with creating an environmental master plan. Analysis of the local geology and natural resources and ensuring their protection as far as possible.
Second, a geotechnical analysis that would tell about soil conditions and the bearing capacity of the land. In combination with a seismic evaluation of the land, it would give a clear idea of the kind of structures one should be building. Then a hydrological analysis, where the idea is to close the water cycle between rain, aquifer and extraction (avoiding extraction as far as possible). All these will give a clear indication of where to and where not to build.
“Then we come to urban design where we start focusing on how the buildings should be configured; where you go high rise-low density or low rise-high density; all models being valid. The model emanates from a combination of the environmental master plan and the carrying capacity, essentially telling you what the urban form of the city should be. Tying that all together is mobility, configuring the city around transit-oriented development. Having done all the above, what is key is to design a building – to be safe; a city that has eyes on every democratic, public space,” explained the environment-conscious founders.
Incorporating Green Spaces in Architecture
Urban Green Index is an indicator that allows the amount of green area per inhabitant in urban areas to be calculated, as well as the surface area of green areas in a city. According to the World Health Organization, between 10 and 15 square meters of green space per inhabitant are needed to ensure a healthy urban ecosystem.
Each project is conceived through a research-oriented approach to policy, planning, design, technology, passive and low energy design. “Our endeavour is to design in a manner that reduces consumption of resources and energy resulting in buildings consuming up to 50% lesser energy than certified Green Building benchmarks through passive design and microclimate creation, proven through post-occupancy evaluation. Green roofs, sky bridges and vertical greens with green inside out are some of the active methods in our design with other passive methodologies,” said Vipul.
Designing Client Needs
All projects are examined, based on its first principles on how to passively provide the fundamentals of comfort, safety, liveability and yet sustainably respond to the local climate and ecology while remaining economically viable and globally pertinent.
Use of Latest Technology
Green roofs act as sinks for CO2, the gas responsible for climate change. For each 100 square meters of green roof, the gas responsible for the greenhouse effect is reduced by 1.8 tonnes per year. In addition, installing 100 square meters of green roof on top of a building can produce the oxygen needed by 100 people in a year. “We understand that we are often working in an environment with limited resources hence, we deploy passive strategies by responding to the local climate and ecology and address comfort, safety, livability parameters and are mindful that projects remain economically viable and globally pertinent. With a socio-cultural response to design, our works reduce energy and water dependence by increasing the number of comfortable habitable hours with minimum reliance on mechanical means,” shared Vipul.
Challenges with Current Trends
“Architecturally, we celebrate identity and diversity versus visual homogeneity. We think of our buildings and cities as places of human interaction along with being places of human habitation,” said Vipul. This ensures all their projects are unique, whilst responding to the client, climate, context and the end-users. “The current trend of copying western parameters without considering our climate and environs with our cultural needs are not very advantageous to our country,” she added.
Away from the Herd
All the design solutions of Sthapati are rooted in sustainability, satisfaction, uniqueness and comfortable liveability. These parameters define the enquiry process that shapes the architecture.
Looking Ahead
The end-user is always at the centre of Sthapati’s design process in its approach to building smart environments. “We consider mobility, security, outdoor comfort, technology, health and well-being, ease of facility management and disaster readiness to create spaces that work equally well for all users. Thus, creating many more such unique spaces in future is what we foresee,” said Vipul.
