Brinda Somaya

Architect, Works, Philosophy and Contribution to Indian Architecture

Brinda Somaya is an Indian architect, urban conservationist, educator and preservationist whose work connects contemporary architecture with cultural heritage, environmental responsibility and social needs. Her practice has covered institutional campuses, educational buildings, corporate environments, housing, public spaces, rehabilitation projects and the conservation of historic and modern heritage.

Rather than being identified with a single architectural style, Somaya’s work is better understood through its response to place, people, climate, materials, history and use. Her projects demonstrate that conservation does not necessarily mean freezing a building in the past, while new architecture does not have to ignore local culture.

Her practice, associated with Somaya and Kalappa Consultants and today represented by Somaya Sampat, has developed over several decades. The firm’s current design philosophy emphasizes cultural heritage, contextual sensitivity, stakeholders, environment, research, local materials, light, geometry, walls and water.

For architecture students, Brinda Somaya’s work is particularly valuable because it demonstrates how architectural ideas can move from an abstract concept into decisions about planning, materials, landscape, circulation, conservation and community participation.

Quick Answer: Who Is Brinda Somaya?

Brinda Somaya is an Indian architect and urban conservationist known for combining contemporary architecture, heritage conservation, contextual design and social responsibility. She studied architecture at Sir J. J. College of Architecture in Mumbai and later completed a Master of Arts at Smith College in the United States.

She founded Somaya and Kalappa Consultants in Mumbai, with authoritative institutional sources commonly dating the practice to 1978, although the current practice website describes the practice as founded in 1974. Her portfolio includes educational campuses, corporate buildings, public spaces, conservation projects and community-oriented work.

Among the projects strongly associated with her practice are the rehabilitation of Bhadli Village, Nalanda International School, Goa Institute of Management, Rajabai Clock Tower and University Library, and the restoration of the Vikram Sarabhai Library at IIM Ahmedabad.

Brinda Somaya: Education and Early Career

Brinda Somaya studied architecture at Sir J. J. College of Architecture in Mumbai and completed a Master of Arts degree at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Virginia Tech’s International Archive of Women in Architecture records her architectural degree in 1971 and Master’s degree in 1973. Cornell University similarly identifies her as a graduate of Mumbai’s architecture school followed by a Master of Arts from Smith College.

There is some inconsistency among published sources regarding the exact year the practice was established. Cornell University, Holcim Foundation and several architectural publications identify 1978 as the founding year of Somaya and Kalappa Consultants, while the current Somaya Sampat practice website describes the practice as founded in 1974. For a historical article, it is preferable to acknowledge this discrepancy rather than present an uncertain date as an unquestionable fact.

Cornell describes Somaya’s original practice as having been founded in her garden shed in Mumbai, an anecdote that has become part of the story of her professional beginnings.

Her career developed during a period when Indian architecture was negotiating the relationship between modernism, post-independence nation building, local traditions and rapidly changing cities.

This historical position is important to understanding her later work.

Brinda Somaya and the “Bridge Generation”

Brinda Somaya has been associated with the idea of a “Bridge Generation” of Indian architects.

This describes architects who grew up and practiced after India’s independence and helped connect the architectural thinking of earlier modernist masters with later generations of Indian practitioners.

Her work therefore cannot easily be classified as either purely modernist or traditionally vernacular.

Instead, it frequently explores questions such as:

• How should a new building respond to its location?
• How can traditional materials be used in contemporary architecture?
• What should happen when a historic building no longer meets present-day requirements?
• How can architecture support communities rather than simply provide physical shelter?
• How can existing buildings be adapted instead of demolished?
• How should landscape and architecture work together?
• How can craftsmanship become part of contemporary construction?

Her 2018 monograph, Brinda Somaya: Works & Continuities, describes a diverse body of work spanning housing, institutions, conservation, urban design, social design and industrial projects. The book characterizes her architecture as having a “non-stylistic” grammar concerned with order and appropriateness.

Brinda Somaya’s Architectural Philosophy

One of the most useful ways to understand Somaya’s architecture is through her belief that the architect has a responsibility toward both the built and unbuilt environment.

Her frequently cited philosophy describes the architect as a guardian of the built and unbuilt environment.

This idea extends architecture beyond the design of individual buildings.

For Somaya, the architect’s responsibility can include:

1. Understanding the site.
2. Understanding the people who use it.
3. Respecting cultural memory.
4. Working with existing buildings where appropriate.
5. Considering environmental conditions.
6. Working with craftsmen and construction workers.
7. Creating meaningful public and semi-public spaces.
8. Balancing contemporary requirements with existing architectural character.

The current Somaya Sampat practice identifies five important design elements within its design philosophy:

• Water
• Walls
• Material
• Light
• Geometry

These are useful architectural concepts for students because they connect broad design philosophy with tangible elements of architectural design.

1. Context and Site

Context is central to Somaya’s approach.

A building is not treated as an isolated object placed on an empty site. Topography, vegetation, climate, cultural history, surrounding buildings and patterns of use can all influence the architectural response.

This can be seen particularly clearly at the Goa Institute of Management campus, where the natural terrain and views toward the Western Ghats became important components of the planning strategy.

The campus distributes buildings across the site and connects them through pathways, courtyards, plazas and landscape.

Architectural lesson

For students, the important lesson is:

Begin with the site before beginning with the building form.

A site analysis should influence:

• Building orientation
• Circulation
• Open spaces
• Views
• Landscape
• Drainage
• Microclimate
• Material selection
• Relationship between buildings

2. Conservation and Adaptive Reuse

Conservation is one of the most recognizable parts of Somaya’s practice.

Her conservation work demonstrates that restoring a building is not simply a matter of repairing damaged surfaces.

A conservation project may require:

• Historical research
• Documentation
• Condition mapping
• Structural investigation
• Material analysis
• Non-destructive testing
• Services upgrades
• Accessibility improvements
• Fire and life-safety considerations
• Phased construction
• Sensitive integration of new systems

The Rajabai Clock Tower and University Library is a strong example.

The project involved detailed documentation, condition mapping and structural investigation. The existing building contained multiple stone types, historic flooring, timber elements and architectural details requiring careful treatment.

The restoration also had to accommodate contemporary services while protecting the historic character of the building.

Architectural lesson

Conservation is therefore not simply:

Old building + repair = restoration

It is closer to:

Research + documentation + diagnosis + conservation + appropriate intervention + contemporary functionality

3. Architecture and Social Responsibility

Somaya’s practice also demonstrates how architecture can participate in social development.

The rehabilitation of Bhadli Village near Bhuj is an important example.

Following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, the village was substantially damaged. The project focused on rebuilding without unnecessarily relocating the community away from its established surroundings.

The design process documented household sizes, family structures and existing plot conditions.

Instead of treating the village as an empty site for standardized housing, the project sought to maintain relationships between residents, houses, courtyards and community life.

Clusters of houses were organized around shared spaces, while verandas, raised plinths and courtyards contributed to everyday use and environmental response.

Traditional elements and reused components also helped maintain a sense of familiarity.

Architectural lesson

Bhadli demonstrates a critical principle:

Community participation can influence architectural form.

A socially responsive design process asks:

• Who lives here?
• What is already working?
• What was lost?
• What should be retained?
• What does the community need?
• How can residents participate in rebuilding?
• How can architecture support dignity and ownership?

4. Climate-Responsive Architecture

Climate responsiveness appears in several of Somaya’s educational and institutional projects.

The Nalanda International School project in Vadodara, for example, uses courtyards, shaded circulation spaces, pergolas, screens and locally appropriate materials to establish relationships between indoor and outdoor spaces.

An earlier project description of Nalanda’s junior school notes classrooms arranged around courtyards and the use of cavity walls to moderate heat transfer.

This approach illustrates how climate-responsive architecture can be achieved through basic spatial decisions rather than relying entirely on mechanical systems.

Useful passive design strategies include:

• Shading
• Courtyards
• Cross ventilation
• Buffer spaces
• Deep overhangs
• Appropriate wall construction
• Vegetation
• Controlled openings
• Daylighting

Architectural lesson

Climate-responsive design should begin at the planning stage, not after the building has already been designed.

5. Material and Craft

Material is another important part of Somaya’s architectural vocabulary.

The current practice describes local materials as a way of connecting architecture to vernacular traditions, context and sustainability.

At TCS Banyan Park in Mumbai, the design team explored Indian craft traditions and incorporated elements including jalis, handmade tiles, woodwork and other craft-based interventions.

The project demonstrates how local craft can move beyond decoration.

Craft can influence:

• Solar control
• Texture
• Identity
• Interior atmosphere
• Human scale
• Cultural expression
• Employment of skilled artisans

Architectural lesson

A material should not be selected only because it looks attractive.

Architects should also ask:

• Where does it come from?
• Who makes it?
• How does it age?
• How does it respond to climate?
• How is it maintained?
• What cultural associations does it have?
• What construction skills are required?

6. Light and Shadow

Natural light plays an important role in architectural experience.

Somaya’s projects frequently use courtyards, openings, screens, deep recesses and transitional spaces to create changing patterns of light and shadow.

This is particularly relevant in educational and institutional buildings, where circulation spaces can become more than simple corridors.

A shaded walkway can become:

• A social space
• A transitional zone
• A climate buffer
• A place for informal learning
• A visual connection between buildings

This illustrates an important architectural principle:

Circulation space can also be inhabitable space.

7. Water as an Architectural Element

The current Somaya Sampat design philosophy identifies water as one of its fundamental architectural elements.

Water can contribute to architecture through:

• Rainwater management
• Microclimate modification
• Landscape
• Visual experience
• Ecological systems
• Site planning

At the Goa Institute of Management campus, rainwater is managed through recharge pits, swales and other water-management measures.

The broader lesson is that water should be considered as part of the site’s environmental system rather than treated only as a plumbing or drainage problem.

Major Brinda Somaya Projects

The following projects provide a useful cross-section of her architectural practice.

Project	Location	Approx. period	Main architectural significance
Bhadli Village	Bhuj, Gujarat	2002	Community rehabilitation after earthquake
Vasant Vidyalaya School	Bhuj, Gujarat	2003	Education, community space and climate response
Nalanda International Junior School	Vadodara	2004	Courtyards, shaded spaces and contextual design
Nalanda International Middle School	Vadodara	2007	Courtyard-based educational planning
Rajabai Clock Tower & University Library	Mumbai	2015	Heritage conservation and technical upgrading
Vikram Sarabhai Library, IIM Ahmedabad	Ahmedabad	2019	Modern heritage conservation and adaptive upgrading
TCS Banyan Park	Mumbai	2014 onward	Landscape, craft and contemporary workplace
Goa Institute of Management	Sanquelim, Goa	2023	Campus planning, landscape and sustainability
Malabari Hall	Mumbai	2018–20	Heritage restoration and community-oriented reuse

Bhadli Village, Bhuj

Bhadli Village is particularly important because it demonstrates Somaya’s community-oriented approach.

The village had around 325 households and approximately 1,500 residents before the earthquake reconstruction project. The design process sought to understand existing household structures and rebuild homes in relation to their previous locations.

Courtyards, verandas and raised plinths became important parts of the reconstructed housing.

The project received international recognition through the UIA Vassilis Sgoutas Prize process.

The architectural significance of Bhadli lies less in an iconic building form and more in the relationship between community, place, reconstruction and dignity.

Nalanda International School, Vadodara

The Nalanda schools are valuable examples for architecture students studying educational design.

The junior school organizes classrooms around courtyards. Shaded corridors, pergolas and screens mediate between classrooms and outdoor spaces.

The architecture draws from Indian educational and spatial traditions without simply reproducing historical architecture.

The project demonstrates how:

Courtyard + shade + landscape + circulation + classroom clusters

can produce an educational environment with a strong relationship between indoor and outdoor space.

Rajabai Clock Tower and University Library, Mumbai

The Rajabai Clock Tower and University Library conservation project demonstrates the complexity of working with a historic structure that must continue to function.

The project involved documentation, condition mapping, non-destructive testing and structural analysis.

The building includes several historic materials, including different stone types, timber elements and historic flooring.

One of the challenges was integrating contemporary services without visually damaging historic architectural details.

This is an excellent case study for students interested in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, building services and structural intervention.

Vikram Sarabhai Library, IIM Ahmedabad

The Vikram Sarabhai Library forms part of Louis Kahn’s IIM Ahmedabad campus.

Somaya and her team undertook a detailed conservation and upgrading process, with work addressing weathering, water seepage, masonry, concrete, services and contemporary academic requirements.

The project demonstrates an important principle of modern heritage conservation:

Preserving architectural character does not necessarily mean preserving every building system unchanged.

The challenge is to determine which elements define architectural significance and then introduce necessary contemporary improvements without destroying those qualities.

The project received the 2019 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation, Award of Distinction.

TCS Banyan Park, Mumbai

TCS Banyan Park demonstrates another side of Somaya’s practice: contemporary corporate architecture.

The project was developed with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects and Somaya & Kalappa Consultants.

The 23-acre technology campus was designed in relationship with its wooded landscape.

Architectural and landscape strategies include courtyards, earth berms, shading, open spaces and craft-based elements.

The project is useful for students because it demonstrates how a corporate campus can be designed as an interconnected landscape rather than simply as a collection of office blocks.

Goa Institute of Management

The Goa Institute of Management campus is located on approximately 50 acres in Sanquelim, Goa.

The campus combines:

• Academic buildings
• Library
• Cafeteria
• Student housing
• Faculty housing
• Multipurpose facilities
• Plazas
• Courtyards
• Landscape
• Pedestrian pathways

The planning responds to the site’s topography and views toward the Western Ghats.

The current practice documentation also describes rainwater harvesting, recharge pits, swales, solar power and the use of locally sourced laterite.

The project provides a useful example of campus planning integrated with landscape and environmental systems.

Malabari Hall, Seva Sadan Society

Malabari Hall is part of the historic Seva Sadan Society campus in Mumbai.

The hall was inaugurated in 1924 and underwent refurbishment and restoration in 2018–19.

The project sought to retain the building’s heritage character while allowing it to continue serving the community.

The project received the 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Merit for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

This project demonstrates that heritage conservation is not limited to nationally famous monuments.

Community buildings, schools, halls and social institutions can also carry architectural and cultural significance.

Awards and Recognition

Brinda Somaya’s career has received recognition from Indian and international architectural organizations.

Selected documented recognitions include:

Year	Recognition
2000	Recognized as India’s Designer of the Year
2004	UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage recognition associated with St. Thomas’ Cathedral
2007	Wienerberger Golden Architect Award for Lifetime Achievement
2008	UIA Vassilis Sgoutas Prize mention for the Bhadli Village project
2012	Honorary Doctorate from Smith College
2013	Selected among 100 Global Public Interest Design persons
2014	IIA Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement
2017–23	A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University
2018	UNESCO Asia-Pacific Honourable Mention for Rajabai Clock Tower and University Library
2019	UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Distinction for Vikram Sarabhai Library
2020	UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Merit for Malabari Memorial Hall
2025	AIA Honorary Fellowship

The 2025 AIA recognition is particularly important in an updated article: the American Institute of Architects named Somaya among the ten Honorary Fellows elevated that year, recognizing international architects for exceptional contributions to architecture and society.

Brinda Somaya and Women in Architecture

Somaya’s influence extends beyond individual buildings.

She has been involved in initiatives examining the position and work of women architects, including the Women in Architecture 2000 Plus conference and exhibition.

The HECAR Foundation, with which she is associated as a founding trustee, has supported education, research, exhibitions and publications relating to architecture and heritage.

Her professional trajectory is also significant within the history of women practicing architecture in India during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

For architecture students, her career demonstrates that architectural leadership can extend beyond design studios into:

• Education
• Research
• Heritage advocacy
• Public discussion
• Professional organizations
• Community work
• Cultural documentation

Brinda Somaya’s Contribution to Indian Architecture

Somaya’s contribution can be understood through several interconnected areas.

1. Heritage Conservation

Her conservation work demonstrates how historical buildings can be documented, repaired, upgraded and returned to active use.

2. Contextual Contemporary Architecture

Her new buildings frequently respond to landscape, climate, local materials and cultural context rather than relying on a universal architectural language.

3. Socially Responsive Architecture

Projects such as Bhadli demonstrate the role of community participation in architectural decision-making.

4. Educational Architecture

Schools, libraries and institutional campuses form a significant part of her portfolio.

5. Sustainable Design

Her work incorporates passive environmental strategies, landscape, water management, local materials and adaptive reuse.

6. Craft and Local Knowledge

Her projects demonstrate how artisans, traditional materials and regional techniques can contribute to contemporary architecture.

7. Architectural Education

Through teaching, lectures, publications, exhibitions and academic appointments, Somaya has contributed to architectural discourse as well as practice.

What Architecture Students Can Learn from Brinda Somaya

Brinda Somaya’s work provides several practical lessons for architecture students.

Lesson 1: Understand the site first

Do not begin with a predetermined building form.

Study:

• Sun
• Wind
• Topography
• Vegetation
• Existing buildings
• Movement
• Views
• Water
• Local culture

Lesson 2: Design for people

A successful building is not only an attractive object.

Study how people:

• Enter
• Move
• Meet
• Work
• Learn
• Rest
• Gather
• Adapt the space

Lesson 3: Existing buildings have value

Before demolishing an existing structure, investigate whether it can be repaired, adapted or reused.

This is particularly relevant to sustainable architecture because retaining existing construction can avoid some of the environmental impacts associated with demolition and replacement.

Lesson 4: Materials communicate context

Local materials can provide:

• Environmental advantages
• Cultural identity
• Craft opportunities
• Appropriate visual character
• Connection to place

Lesson 5: Conservation requires technical knowledge

Heritage conservation is not simply an artistic exercise.

It requires knowledge of:

• Existing construction
• Structural systems
• Material deterioration
• Moisture
• Services
• Building performance
• Documentation
• Construction sequencing

Lesson 6: Public and semi-public spaces matter

Courtyards, plazas, verandas, streets and landscaped areas can become important social infrastructure.

Lesson 7: Architecture is a process

Somaya’s work illustrates that architecture involves research, consultation, testing, documentation, design, construction and long-term stewardship.

Common Misconceptions About Brinda Somaya

Is Brinda Somaya associated with only conservation architecture?

No.

Conservation is an important part of her practice, but her work also includes educational campuses, corporate architecture, residential projects, master planning, public spaces and social rehabilitation.

Does contextual architecture mean copying traditional architecture?

No.

Contextual design can reinterpret local climate, materials, spatial relationships, craftsmanship and cultural patterns in contemporary ways.

Is sustainable architecture only about technology?

No.

Somaya’s work demonstrates that sustainability can also involve site planning, passive environmental strategies, local materials, landscape, water management, adaptive reuse and long-term building stewardship.

Is heritage conservation simply restoration to an original appearance?

Not necessarily.

Contemporary conservation can involve repair, documentation, structural intervention, services upgrades and carefully considered changes required for continued use.

Why Brinda Somaya Matters to Contemporary Architecture

The importance of Somaya’s work lies in the range of questions it raises.

Her projects ask architects to consider whether progress requires replacement, whether sustainability can be achieved through reuse, whether modern buildings can belong to their cultural context, and whether architecture can simultaneously respond to environmental and social needs.

Her work also demonstrates that architectural quality does not depend on a single recognizable style.

A school, village, corporate campus, clock tower and modern library can look very different while still sharing an underlying concern for:

place + people + material + environment + continuity.

This makes Somaya particularly relevant to contemporary architectural education.

Conclusion

Brinda Somaya’s architecture cannot be reduced to a single formal style. Her practice is better understood as an ongoing investigation into the relationship between architecture, conservation, people, landscape, culture and environmental responsibility.

From the rehabilitation of Bhadli Village to the courtyard-based planning of Nalanda schools, from the conservation of Rajabai Clock Tower to the restoration of the Vikram Sarabhai Library at IIM Ahmedabad, her projects demonstrate different ways architecture can respond to context.

Her work also challenges the idea that heritage and contemporary development must always be opposites. Existing buildings can be repaired and adapted; traditional materials and craft can inform contemporary design; and community needs can become part of architectural decision-making.

For architecture students, one of the most important lessons from Somaya’s work is therefore not a particular building style. It is the process of understanding place, respecting existing conditions, listening to users and making appropriate architectural decisions.

Her career provides an important case study in how Indian architecture can connect cultural continuity with contemporary requirements.