Top 10 Best Architects in India 2023 & Their Works

Since childhood, we have been listening to the 7 Wonders of the World. But ever wondered why only these 7 monuments are listed as the Wonder of the World, though there are many others? 

The general public often overlooks good architectural design, and they don’t even realise the elements that make it look good. For most of us, it’s simply just another building. 

Architecture is something that has a rich legacy in both the palaces and the mud huts of India. However, its importance cannot be overstated. This is true in the case of the 7 Wonder of the World.

So, let us know some of the doyens of Indian Architecture who have crafted wonders in stone and cement and showcased India’s majestic and proud towers to the world.

To get inspired by some of the best architects in India, we have prepared a list of the following famous architects in the country.

1. Hafeez Contractor

Hafeez Contractor is known for designing skyscrapers and India’s three famous tallest towers. He is known to bring glitz and glamour into the field and is behind several noted projects in the country. He is one of the best architects in India.

Early Life & Career

• He completed his Graduate Diploma in Architecture from the Academy of Architecture at the University of Mumbai.
• Pursued the Master’ from Columbia University and won a scholarship.
• Designed numerous skyscrapers in India, mainly in Mumbai.

Major Works

• 42, Kolkata
• 23 Marina
• The Imperial
• DY Patil Stadium

Awards

•   Padma Bhushan award by the Government of India.

2. Brinda Somaya

Brinda Somaya is another brilliant Indian architect. She is known for astounding vernacular architecture. She firmly believes that development and progress must go hand-in-hand without causing any damage to culture and the historic environment.

Early Life & Career

• Completed Bachelor of Architecture from Mumbai University.
• Pursued Master of Arts from Smith College, Northampton, United States.
• Popular as an Urban Conservationist.
• She is a member of –
  •  Editorial Board for MARG Architectural Books
  • Committee Impact Assessment of New Construction Projects
  • New Industrial Estates under the Ministry of Environment & Forest.

Major Works

• St Thomas Cathedral
• Bhadli village of Bhuj
• Nalanda International School
• TCS House

Awards

• She was awarded the Indian Institute of Architects – Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement.
• She was named Andrew Dickson White Professor at Cornell University in 2017. 

Also Read: Full History of Interior Design With Timeline

3. BV Doshi

Balakrishna Vithaldas Doshi is one of India’s greatest architects. He is a well-noted architect because of his contribution towards the evolution of architectural discourse in India. He is considered a Brutalist and Modernist Architecture pioneer in Indian architectural design. He had worked closely with architectural legends like Le Corbusier, Anant Raje and Louis Kahn. 

Early Life & Career

• Studied at J J School of Architecture, Mumbai.
• Known for his contributions to the architecture of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
• He is considered a significant figure in South Asian Architecture.

Major Works

• IIM Udaipur
• NIFT Delhi
• CEPT University
• Aranya Low-Cost Housing Development
• Sangath in Ahmedabad

Awards

Dr Doshi has received numerous national and international awards and honours-

• Padma Shri by the Government of India.
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.
• France’s highest honour for the ‘Officer of the Order of Arts & Letters and Architecture for Aranya Community Housing.

4. Raj Rewal

Raj Rewal is a distinguished architect whose works truly depict nature. His approach to work concerns climate sensitivity, cultural traditions and the promotion of craftsmanship and technologies. He is a leading Urban Design Consultant in India.

Early Life & Career

• Attended Delhi School of Architecture, New Delhi.
• Joined the Architectural Association School of Architecture for one year and the Brixton School of Building, London.

Major Works

• Nehru Pavilion
• Scope Office Complex
• World Bank Building
• Central Institute of Educational Technology
• The Parliament Library and Asian Games Village are all located in New Delhi, India
• National Institute of Immunology
• Ismaili Centre in Lisbon, Portugal

Awards

As one of the top architecture designers in India, he has several awards under his arms-

• Gold Medal by the Indian Institute of Architects.
• Mexican Association of Architects award for regional values.
• Robert Mathew Award by CommonWealth Association of Architects.
• Lifetime Achievement Award by the Institution of Engineers, India.
• Architect of the Year Award by J. K Trust for the design of the World Bank Resident Mission building in Delhi.
• Ordre des Art et des Lettres award by the French Government.
• Great Masters’ Award by JK Trust for lifetime contribution to Modern Architecture.

Also Read: What Are The 7 Interior Design Principles?

5. Laurie Baker

Laurie Baker, one of the most famous architects in India, is known as The Gandhi of Architecture. He was known for his unique style of combining low-cost materials and regional practices to design organic buildings. 

Early Life & Career

• Studied Architecture at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design.

Major Works

• Indian Coffee House, Thiruvananthapuram
• World Leprosy Mission
• CDS- Thiruvananthapuram
• Literacy Village

Awards

• Padma Shri by the Government of India.
• Order of the British Empire, MBE.
• Indian Institute of Architects Outstanding Architect of the Year.
• Nominated for Pritzker Prize (considered Nobel Prize in Architecture).

6. Bimal Patel

Bimal Patel is one of the preferred architects in India. He has over 35 years of experience in architecture, urban planning, and urban design. 

Early Life & Career

• In 1984, Patel completed his Professional Degree in Architecture at the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad.
• During the degree program, he was apprenticed to Frei Otto, a famous German Architect at the Institute for Lightweight Structures in Germany.
• Pursed M.Arch, M.C.P and PhD from College of Environmental Design, Berkeley, California.
• With deep city and regional planning knowledge, he has worked at CED with many professional architects, such as Prof. Mike Teitz, Prof. Manuel Castells, Prof. Donlyn Lyndon, and Prof. Allan Jacobs. This working experience helped him to explore the arena of architecture and city planning beyond its confines.
• He has been involved in institutional development and leadership as the President of CEPT University since 2012.
• Appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the SPA (School of Planning and Architecture), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• He leads an architecture firm, HCP  Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd, founded by his father, Mr Hasmukh Patel.

Major Works

• The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India
• Sabarmati Riverfront and Kankaria Lake Development, one of his popular urban design projects and the first of their kind in India
• Gujarat High Court Building, Ahmedabad
• Vishwanath Dham, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, Varanasi
• Ministers’ Blocks and Secretariat Campus Development, Government of Gujarat, Gandhinagar
• Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad
• Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar
• Tata CGPL Township, Mundra,2009
• New Campus, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

Awards

• Awarded Padma Shri, 2019
• UNCHS, Best Practices Award, 1998
• He was honoured with the Prime Minister’s National Award in 2002 for his contribution to urban planning and design for his Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project.
• World Architecture Award, 2001
• Aga Khan Award For Architecture, 1992, for the Entrepreneurship Development Institute.
• Distinguished Alumnus Award at College of Environmental Design in Berkeley,2008.
• Emerging Architect Commendation Award, AR+D, 2001.

Also Read: Top 8 Indian Celebrity Home Interiors With Trendy Designs 2023

7. Charles Mark Correa

Charles Correa was a famous Indian master architect, urban planner and activist. He is well-known for introducing modern and post-modern architectural marvels in India’s post-independence era.

Early Life & Career

• Started his higher studies at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
• Completed his Master’s from the University of Michigan In Ann Arbor and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts.
• His first project was Mahatma Gandhi Sangrahalaya at Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad.

Major Works

• British Council, Delhi
• Mahatma Gandhi Sangrahalaya
• Kala Academy
• Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly

Awards

• Awarded the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
• The Government of India awarded Padma Shri and the second highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan.

8. Sameep Padora

Sameep Padora is a practising architect and a principal of the design studio sP+a, Mumbai. His interest lies in typo-logical research and history, consequently taking his architectural skills to the next level. 

Early Life & Career

• Completed Diploma in Architecture from the Academy of Architecture
• Studies at SCI-Arc, Los Angeles, completed Master’s from Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, 2005.
• Recently he has collaborated on a research project, Uneven Growth Tactical Urbanisms exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Major Works

• Maya Somaiya Library, Kopargaon, Maharashtra
• Shiv Temple, Pune
• Sanskriti Vihar, Mumbai
• Craft Deli, Mumbai

Awards

• Architectural Reviews Emerging Architecture Award, London.
• MARMOMACC International Award in Stone in Verona.
• WAN 21 for 21 Award for 21 Emerging International Practices for the 21st century.

Also Read: 10 Most Expensive Houses In India 2023

9. Rahul Mehrotra

Rahul Mehrotra is considered one of the best Indian architects. He is the Professor of Urban Design and Planning and Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He is also one of the founders of the Kala Ghoda Rejuvenation Movement.

Early Life & Career

• Studied at the School of Architecture, Ahmedabad and Graduated with a Master’s degree in Urban Design with distinction from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard.
• Member of IIHS (Indian Institute for Human Settlement).

Major Works

• KMC Corporate Office, Hyderabad
• Hathigaon, Jaipur
• Taj Mahal Visitor Centre, Agra
• Visitor Centre at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai
• Hewlett- Packard Software Campus, Bangalore
• Campus for Magic Bus, Panvel
• Extension to The Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai

10. Rajeev Saini

Rajeev Saini is a well-known self-taught architect. He is known for his classy and modern design that reflects desi tradition and culture.

Early Life & Career

• Studied Computer Science Engineering, and in 1995, he shifted to the architecture field by setting up his design studio.
• Pursed Diploma in Architecture.

Major Works

• Devigarh Palace, Udaipur
• Kasauli House in the Himalayas
• Carma Fashion Store, New Delhi
• The Marriott Hotel, Goa
• Resto-bars like Senso, New Delhi
• Rain and Velvet, Mumbai
• Several high-end homes are spread across the country and overseas in places like Dubai, Thailand, U.S. and Europe.

Also Read: Top 15 Interior Design Colleges In India 2023

Conclusion

Architecture began 5000 years ago; even today, it is India’s greatest glory. As crucial as Indian architecture is, so are the maestros. Every piece of architecture, regardless of its form and features, serves a specific purpose and shapes India’s history.

We hope the above list of top architecture designers in India has inspired and positively impacted you. We know we have missed out on several other titans, do let us know about them.