Mapping the Future of Indian Architecture Through Built99 and Archohm
A comprehensive look at 99 emerging practices and the evolution of Indian design identity.
1Documenting Architectural Intelligence
The Built99 guide serves as a foundational archive, exploring the future of the built environment by documenting 99 carefully selected Indian architecture practices. Rather than merely cataloging past achievements, this volume translates decades of regional research, material ethics, and civic impact into a permanent print edition for the global stage.
2Global South Perspectives
By elevating these 99 practices onto international platforms like designboom and ArchDaily, the guide preserves architectural intelligence from India and the Global South. It highlights how these studios are progressing the future of our built environment, moving beyond traditional design boundaries to experiment with an ongoing, meaningful global dialogue.
3Residential Heritage Reimagined
1405 Design Studio demonstrates this evolution in Chennai with the Madras Mise en Scène project. Rebuilding a 10,000 sq. ft. home on its former footprint, the studio integrates a Jodhpur Haveli door and brass detailing. The design uses a tight row house plan to balance communal ground floors with private spaces.
4Courtyards and Light
In Punjab, 23DC Architects designed Residence Ondra as a sun-aligned L-shaped home. The structure utilizes vertical louvres and a double-height 'Crystal Volume' to connect interiors to the landscape. A layered arrival sequence, featuring a waterbody and sculptural canopy, creates a transition from the exterior environment into the private living zones.
5Corporate Luxury Benchmarks
42MM Architecture sets a new standard for corporate design with the APL Apollo Corporate Office in Noida. The project features a bold exoskeletal glass facade and tiered massing with verdant terraces. Inside, a triple-height lobby and suspended glass meeting rooms define a refined, transparent atmosphere for the modern executive workspace.
6Scandinavian Influence in Rajasthan
Ajay Arya of A Square Designs merges Scandinavian restraint with the raw spirit of Rajasthan in the Nokha holiday home. The residence features a 24-foot living space anchored by a sculptural indoor tree. Local stone and exposed concrete frame the desert landscape, extending the living experience outdoors via a pool.
7Experimental Urban Pavilions
Abin Design Studio explores urban density through the Unscripted pavilion at Mumbai’s Architecture Design Film Festival. The structure begins as a disciplined grid before fracturing under a 48-degree shift. This design choice carves diagonals that unsettle straight-lined order, creating thresholds that frame light and human encounter within the restless city.
8Two Decades of Archohm
Studio Archohm’s recent publication compiles 25 years of work, highlighting their role in Indian nation-building. Their multidisciplinary portfolio spans large-scale urban infrastructure and private-sector experimentation. The firm focuses on connecting scales ranging from small objects to entire master plans, aiming to unlock the potential of space through diverse design research.
9Balancing Global and Local
Archohm’s work emphasizes the balance between indigenous practices and global perspectives to reimagine a contemporary Indian design identity. The volume includes project breakdowns and essays from principals and international critics, such as Aric Chen and Neelkanth Chhaya, capturing the firm's core philosophy to celebrate life through intentional, research-based architectural design.
10Material Ethics and Research
Both the Built99 guide and the Archohm retrospective prioritize material ethics and design research. These publications move away from cliché, instead focusing on foundational ideas that drive each studio's portfolio. By documenting these processes, they provide a roadmap for how architects can respond to the specific needs of their regions.
11Civic Impact and Scale
The featured projects demonstrate that Indian architecture is increasingly focused on civic impact and urban branding. Whether through temporary pavilions or permanent corporate offices, these studios are actively shaping the built environment. They utilize light, transparency, and structural shifts to create spaces that are deeply rooted in their specific locations.
12Future Design Trajectories
These archives suggest that the future of Indian architecture lies in the synthesis of tradition and modern technology. By preserving the intelligence of 99 practices and the legacy of firms like Archohm, the industry establishes a benchmark for sustainable, human-centric design that can inform and lead global architectural discourse moving forward.