A Journey Rooted in Intuition and Craft

Celebrated Indian architect Sangeeta Merchant co-founded SPASM Design Architects, a Mumbai-based practice she and Sanjeev Panjabi founded in 1995. After graduating from the Mumbai Academy of Architecture, Merchant has over twenty years of experience creating architectural narratives that are both emotionally and materially honest. Instead of using gaudy adornment, her art relies on the power of constraint to create atmospheres that are both poetic and useful. Her contributions to redefining the Indian residential and contextual design language have been often acknowledged in magazines like Architectural Digest India’s AD100.

Design Philosophy: Architecture as a Living Atmosphere

The basic concept of Merchant’s methodology is that architecture is about creating experiences rather than only creating structures. The experiential clarity, spatial fluidity, and ageability of SPASM’s creations are well-known. Merchant focuses on intuitive design techniques, where the materials, sunshine, and even the feel of the land all play a crucial role in the creative process. While embracing simplicity, her architecture never loses sight of elegance that is based on coziness and genuineness. Her structures, which range from handcrafted brick walls to basalt cliffs, react to both local and global sensibilities while maintaining a timeless elegance.

Signature Projects: Carving Meaning from Material

Under the direction of Sangeeta Merchant, the Brick Kiln House in Alibag, Maharashtra, is among the most famous projects. Blending form, memory, and soil, this home, which was built using locally produced bricks, reimagines the traditional kiln as a living area. The House Cast in Liquid Stone project in Khopoli is another outstanding example. Using local basalt, Merchant and her team created a home that feels like it was created from the natural surroundings. Large stone courtyards and a climate-responsive architecture that strikes a balance between security and tranquility are features of the Black Bastion House in Coimbatore, which takes inspiration from historic forts.

Another notable structure is Ahmedabad’s Secret Gardens House, which is arranged in a cross shape and covered in warm sandstone. Here, individual gardens are synchronized with light, wind, and space to create a breathing retreat. Her most recent building, the Parikrama House in Murud, which spans almost three acres and honors sacred geometry and ceremonial movement, demonstrates a deeper investigation into the circularity of life and architecture.

A Broader Voice in Sustainability and Cultural Dialogue

Sangeeta Merchant’s influence extends beyond private homes. Her work on public installations like “There Is No Planet B”, created for the STIR:ADFF Mumbai pavilion, speaks to her growing engagement with sustainability, climate, and cultural symbolism. Built from bamboo, jute, and clay tiles, the structure frames a sacred peepal tree and offers a contemporary reflection on India’s chaitya spaces. Through such projects, Merchant explores how design can become a language of protest, preservation, and planetary care.

Legacy and Influence

A quiet revolutionary who is redefining what it means to build in India today, Sangeeta Merchant is more than just an architect. Her art envelops, whispers, and draws you in rather than shouting. Every project is an active, living organism that respects the land it is on, the people who live there, and the materials that make it up. She continues to subvert conventions in design and luxury through SPASM Design Architects, creating environments that are both widely relatable and profoundly Indian.

Born in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on October 4, 1923, Urmila Eulie Saksena was raised abroad as the daughter of an Indian representative, attending schools in Australia, Karachi, Shimla, Kobe (Japan), and then New Jersey, USA. At the University of Sydney, she studied music and ceramics in addition to earning her Bachelor of Architecture in 1947.Her versatility and broad design taste were cultivated by her exposure to the world.

Chandigarh & Working with Corbusier

In 1951, Eulie returned to India to join Le Corbusier’s team in Chandigarh—the only Indian woman among the architects. Fluent in French, she acted as translator and liaison between Corbusier and Indian officials, including Prime Minister Nehru. Her work ranged from Capitol Complex drawings (High Court, Tower of Shadows), to designing residential units, educational institutions, and drafting meticulously detailed plans.

Design Philosophy & Notable Work

Eulie, a modernist at heart, placed a strong emphasis on practical elegance. She modified brise-soleil brick patterns, passive cooling, ventilation, and locally sourced materials in close collaboration with Pierre Jeanneret, all of which complemented Chandigarh’s climate. Among her accomplishments are scattered residential patterns, the Home Science College, and the renowned “Chandigarh Chair,” which she co-designed with Jeanneret.

Leadership & Legacy

Cultural Influence & Personal Touch

Eulie also shaped Chandigarh’s cultural sphere—co-founding the Alliance Française de Chandigarh, producing local theater, writing for The Tribune, and even joining public discussions on voluntary euthanasia. Known for her energetic pace and caring personality, she hosted memorable salons at her home in Sector 5.

Recognition & Passing

She was a fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects and the first female Indian fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. She continued to work professionally after retiring in 1981 until her death on September 20, 1995, at the age of 71. Even though her legacy is no longer as well-known, her work is nevertheless praised for its elegance, inventiveness, and humanity in architectural circles, particularly in Chandigarh.

Childhood and Breaking down Barriers

Born in 1913 into Mumbai’s illustrious Bhabha family—her brother was the renowned nuclear physicist Homi J. Bhabha—Perin Jamsetjee Mistri (née Bhabha) defied the conventions of her time. In an era when women’s roles were largely confined to the home, she enrolled at Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, graduating in 1936 as India’s first professionally qualified female architect. This milestone was revolutionary, quietly challenging the gender norms of pre-Independence India.

A Pioneering Career in a Male-Dominated Field

Perin’s journey was marked by quiet determination rather than loud acclaim. She established her own practice in the 1940s, focusing on residential and institutional projects across Mumbai and Pune. Unlike the European modernists then shaping India’s architectural narrative (like Le Corbusier or Louis Kahn), Perin worked without fanfare, blending Art Deco influences with pragmatic, context-sensitive designs. She often collaborated with her husband, Jamsetjee Mistri, a builder, merging architectural vision with on-ground execution—a rarity for women then.

Design Philosophy and Legacy

Though few of her buildings are well-documented, her work reflected a functional, human-centric approach. She designed bungalows, schools, and hospitals, prioritizing livability over grand gestures. Her style bridged traditional Indian spatial planning and modernist simplicity, foreshadowing later sustainable design principles. Unlike her male contemporaries, Perin’s contributions were overlooked in architectural histories, a fate shared by many women pioneers. Yet, her very presence in the field laid the groundwork for future generations—from Brinda Somaya to Anupama Kundoo.

Why She Matters Today

Perin’s legacy isn’t etched in iconic structures but in invisible barriers broken. She proved that architecture wasn’t a masculine domain, inspiring countless women to enter the profession. In a field now grappling with gender equity, her story is a reminder that India’s first women architects were pioneers of substance, not just symbols.

“She didn’t just design buildings—she designed possibilities.”

Early Life and Education

Revathi Kamath was born in 1955 in Hyderabad, India, into a family that valued education and creativity. From an early age, she displayed a keen interest in art and design, which eventually led her to pursue architecture at the prestigious School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi. Graduating in 1977, she was among the few women in her batch, navigating a field largely dominated by men. Her education laid the foundation for her unconventional approach—one that would later challenge the very norms of modern architecture.

Philosophy: Architecture Rooted in Earth and Tradition

The impersonal, steel-and-glass style that dominated Indian architecture after independence was rejected by Revathi Kamath. She instead used stone, bamboo, and mud—materials that have influenced India’s architectural legacy for millennia. Her guiding principle was straightforward yet revolutionary: “Build with the earth, not against it.”She thought that rather than just following international trends, architecture should represent the needs, culture, and climate of its people. Her creations demonstrated that sustainability and beauty could coexist by fusing traditional knowledge with contemporary usefulness.

Breaking Barriers in a Concrete World

When Revathi began her practice in the 1980s, India was rapidly urbanizing, with concrete becoming the symbol of “progress.” Architects who experimented with mud or bamboo were often dismissed as impractical or outdated. But Revathi persisted. She collaborated with traditional craftsmen, learning ancient techniques like rammed earth, wattle-and-daub, and bamboo joinery. Her early projects, though small, were bold statements—homes and community spaces that stood as living proof of her vision.

Landmark Projects: Where Mud Meets Modernity

One of her most celebrated works, the Nalin Tomar House (Delhi, 1990s), redefined what mud architecture could be. With its undulating walls, open courtyards, and natural cooling systems, the house was a masterpiece of climate-responsive design. Another milestone was her Bamboo House in Delhi, a structure that demonstrated bamboo’s strength and versatility. She also designed the TARA (Development Alternatives) Campus, creating low-cost, energy-efficient buildings for rural development. Each project was a testament to her belief that architecture should empower, not alienate.

Teaching and Advocacy: Inspiring the Next Generation

In addition to her construction profession, Revathi had a strong interest in teaching. She encouraged students to delve beyond textbooks and interact with local resources and communities while teaching at SPA Delhi and CEPT Ahmedabad. Numerous young architects were influenced by her articles and talks on craft-based design, sustainable urbanism, and clay construction. She also promoted eco-friendly housing options in rural and tribal communities while working with non-governmental organizations.

Legacy: The Rebel Who Changed Indian Architecture

Revathi Kamath passed away in 2020, but her ideas live on. At a time when sustainability is a global priority, her work feels more relevant than ever. She proved that mud could be modern, that bamboo could be bold, and that architecture could be humane. Today, her projects are studied worldwide, and her philosophy inspires a new wave of earth-centric designers.

Final Thought: Why Revathi Kamath Matters

In an era of skyscrapers and smart cities, Revathi’s work reminds us that true progress is harmony, not domination—of nature, culture, and community. She wasn’t just an architect; she was a storyteller, weaving India’s past into its future, one mud wall at a time.