India ranks amongst the highest growth real estate markets in the world. It is our conviction that such an assessment would do much to renew the passion for the act and the art of building with which the current architecture of Europe and North America has lost touch, in its present state of stagnation, complexity and confusion.

Now Indian architects are contributing a lot to the nation but I would say that the 'role of an architect must be to improve the quality of life of people at large.' We have a very rich culture and a variety of customs & festivals etc, but the essence remains 'Unity in Diversity".

Over time, we have emerged as the most powerful country in the IT sector in the world. But we are still lagging behind in the usage of latest technology in our built environment.

The idea of India's first 'e-homes' came to my mind as a solution to unidentified occupant problems, solved through an "ideal" home which is automated with a high level of security, reduced energy consumption, leading to a better lifestyle. Eco-friendly & Green Buildings require higher initial investment but you do save for the rest of your life - better indoor air quality & hygienically maintained conditions improve productivity and efficiency of the occupants. Recycling of water & energy efficient systems help in conservation & ultimately contribute to the overall ecological balance.

We live on the land of great religious and political leaders like Mahavira, Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand and Rabindra Nath Tagore who taught the entire world about character building and gave a message of truth, non-violence and freedom. They explained the ways of understanding your inner strength and boldly said that purification of soul must be the goal of life and initially, at least one "should try to be [hu]man."

At last I pay my homage to my guru, Ar. Joseph Allen Stein, a world renowned architect who had always guided me and nurtured a passion for quality, and designing according to peoples' needs in me.

"An architecture concerned with people and place, seeking the character of the solution in the nature of the problem, using the simplest, most expressive means to generate proportional, meaningful & appropriate form and space." - Stein.

Ar. J. K. JAIN
Managing Director, Designarch India
cmd@designarch.in