--- title: "SDM Architects | Thoughtful Architecture and Urban Design in Mumbai" description: "Explore sustainable architecture, adaptive reuse, and urban design by SDM Architects. We create meaningful spaces through dialogue and site-specific solutions." canonical: https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/featured last_updated: 2025-09-30 --- # Our Architectural Philosophy and Work Tribe Verified · Recognised at 2019 Dezeen Awards By [SDM Architects](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects) · Takes projects across India; Visit office in Bandra West, Mumbai · ₹350 per sq. ft. (estimate) Part of [Architectural Design](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design). [View full gallery](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/gallery) We believe architecture transforms how we live and interact with our city. Explore our approach to design through a selection of our most meaningful projects. ## Photos and videos - ![The open-air bar of the Queensline Sea Yah floating restaurant, silhouetted against the Mumbai skyline at sunset. This sculptural element, inspired by a whale skeleton, serves as the centerpiece of the upper deck, offering panoramic sea views.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/694549cd-7aa0-4bb6-a869-1f8c2773d83c) - [Video: A walkthrough of the revamped Bandra Station area, a key tactical urbanism project I led. The design introduces pedestrian-friendly wide walkways and organized, sheltered rickshaw stands to reduce traffic congestion and create a more user-friendly transit hub.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/322b2b10-d8cc-4ff8-bdcd-26491e9ea88c) - ![An architectural render of a weekend retreat at Pavna Lake. This design for a lakeside bungalow features an expansive open dining patio under a structured wooden roof, seamlessly blending the living space with the panoramic natural landscape.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/a0921b05-be87-4dc6-a4e2-7fb0eb56568b) - ![The vibrant entrance lobby of JOY Preschool in Mumbai. This space was designed to be multipurpose, featuring natural wood elements, a bright yellow accent wall with a mini climbing feature, and child-safe furniture to create a playful and engaging learning environment.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/794b3158-7fe5-4b6c-bd4b-cdfb79597455) - ![The main dining hall of the Queensline Sea Yah. To address the long, low-height space, I designed a tree-like ceiling structure from teak wood, creating a rhythmic and organic form that defines the restaurant's interior character while preserving views of the water.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/6fc3ac01-0bba-445e-a95e-7574f356384e) - ![A hand-rendered masterplan for a residential bungalow on a contoured site near Pavna lake. This drawing illustrates my approach to site-responsive design, carefully integrating the hexagonal building footprint with the existing trees and sloping terrain.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/78ac232d-b331-4178-bc45-17bd4e0f5962) - ![My adaptive reuse project, the Queensline Sea Yah floating restaurant, was longlisted for the prestigious Dezeen Awards in 2019. This international recognition highlights my firm's capability in delivering innovative and globally acclaimed restaurant and bar interior designs.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/f683add6-9b34-482b-af66-42da3b936a4f) - ![A typical design discussion at my studio. Here, my team and I are reviewing architectural blueprints, a crucial part of my hands-on, collaborative process that ensures every detail is considered from concept to execution.](https://assets.mytribe.in/insecure/raw:1/plain/s3://mytribe-assets-production/5de1716b-f128-4f56-a973-a3738019a982) ## About Featured I believe architecture is a dialogue between the site, its history, and the people who will inhabit it. My process relies on physical scale models and hand sketches to explore possibilities before moving to digital tools, ensuring that solutions like climatic site analysis or adaptive reuse are integral to the design, not an afterthought. Let us discuss how we can approach your project with this level of rigor. ### A Process Based on Dialogue At SDM Architects, we view architecture as a method of critical thinking. We do not start with a predetermined style or look. Instead, we begin with conversations about what the space needs to do and who it is for. Whether designing a private residence in the hills of Pune or a public transit hub in Mumbai, our design development phase involves creating physical scale models. These allow us to test massing, levels, and structural logic in a way that flat digital drawings often miss. ### Adaptive Reuse and Sustainability Sustainability is not a buzzword for us; it is a practical necessity. We champion adaptive reuse architecture, turning existing structures into functional assets. Our work on the Queensline floating restaurant is a testament to this—transforming an old river cruise boat into a high-end commercial space required complex structural modifications and deep technical integration. For residential projects, we utilize climatic site analysis to study sun paths and wind direction, incorporating passive cooling techniques to ensure the building remains comfortable without over-reliance on artificial climate control. ### Urban Impact and Public Space We are committed to tactical urbanism. Projects like the Bandra Station improvement illustrate our belief that architects have a responsibility to improve the shared urban environment. By focusing on pedestrian circulation and clear, user-friendly layouts, we create spaces that solve daily logistical problems for thousands of people. We bring this same attention to detail to every institutional, industrial, and residential project we take on. ## About SDM Architects I am Samir D'monte, the principal architect at SDM Architects. My team and I build through debate and discovery, treating every site as a puzzle that requires a unique, context-driven solution. We are here to help you turn your spatial requirements into functional, thoughtful architecture. [See all of SDM Architects's services](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects) ## More from Architectural Design by SDM Architects - [Adaptive Reuse: The 'Queensline' Floating Restaurant](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/adaptive-reuse-the-queensline-floating-restaurant) - [Urbanism & Public Spaces](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/urbanism-public-spaces) - [Residential & Retreat Architecture](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/residential-retreat-architecture) - [Institutional & Industrial Structures](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/institutional-industrial-structures) - [Our Design Process](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/our-design-process) - [Press & Recognition](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/architectural-design/press-recognition) ## More services by SDM Architects - [Interior Design](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/interior-design) - [Urban Planning & Public Spaces](https://mytribe.in/sdmarchitects/urban-planning-public-spaces) ## Similar work from other experts - [Our Signature Architectural Projects](https://mytribe.in/studio_thirdspace/architectural-design/featured) by Thirdspace · Architectural Design · Studios in Pune & Belagavi; Projects across India - [Featured Architectural Projects](https://mytribe.in/s.a.k.a.studio/architectural-design/featured) by Saka Studio · Architectural Design · Takes projects across India; Visit studio in DLF Phase 3, Gurugram - [Featured Architectural Projects](https://mytribe.in/cityspace82_architects/architectural-design/featured) by Cityspace’82 Architects · Architectural Design · Takes projects across India; Visit studio in DLF Phase 2, Gurugram - [Featured Architecture Projects](https://mytribe.in/treelightdesign/architectural-design/featured) by Treelight Design · Architectural Design · Takes projects across India; Visit Architecture Studio at Indiranagar, Bengaluru - [Featured Architectural Projects & Spatial Design](https://mytribe.in/studioiaad/retail-institutional-design/featured) by Studio IAAD · Retail & Institutional Design · Takes projects across India; Studio in DLF Phase 3, Gurugram - [Architecture Rooted in Context and Human Experience](https://mytribe.in/team3_design/residential-architecture/featured) by Team3 · Residential Architecture · Takes projects across India; Visit studio in Lado Sarai, New Delhi ## Book To book SDM Architects, message mytribe on WhatsApp: [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/916360004054?text=Hi%2C%20I%20saw%20your%20work%20on%20mytribe%20and%20would%20like%20to%20discuss%20an%20architecture%20project.) 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