Our Studio Culture and Design Philosophy
Architecture is more than just construction. Explore the space where we research, co-create, and redefine how design shapes our daily lives.
Our office is a space for co-creation. We follow a hybrid model with no designated desks, encouraging a shared sense of ownership. The long central table serves as a hub for team discussions, material exploration, and collaborative work.
We are proud to be featured in Commercial Design magazine for our work in crafting cultural narratives through architecture. Our leadership team, comprised of four women partners, is dedicated to refining our practice through research, innovation, and cultural context.
We are honored to be included in the prestigious Architectural Digest AD100 list for 2024. This group photo celebrates our entire team, the talented individuals who collectively contribute to our success and our thought-forward design journey.
Our office is designed to connect with its surroundings. The dining area opens onto a balcony overlooking the trees, providing a space for our team to pause, connect, and draw inspiration from the natural light and energy of the city.
As recognized by the INDE Awards, SJK Architects is stronger than ever, with three female partners joining our founder to explore and showcase our practice. We are proud to be an inspiration in what is often a patriarchal environment.
Our Founding Partner, Shimul Javeri Kadri, explains our ethos: "Beyond celebrating their inherent beauty, our work seeks to employ crafts as a tool for problem-solving." This philosophy guides every project we undertake.
Beauty matters. In our own office, we stripped away the excess to reveal beauty in the way natural light shifts through the day. The space transforms from the bright morning light to the warm glow of custom brass pendants in the evening.
We were featured in Livingetc magazine, discussing our journeys in architecture and the experience of leading a women-led practice. The feature highlights our commitment to creating work that is both personally and professionally meaningful.
Our studio is filled with light and inspiration. A large bookshelf displays our library of architectural books and material samples, while a hammock chair by the window offers a place for quiet thought, reflecting our belief in the importance of pause and reflection.
Details in our office reflect our design philosophy. Custom and sourced brass elements, like these pendant lights and side tables, cast a soft, diffused glow, quietly shaping how the space is experienced and adding a layer of timeless elegance.
About Our Studio: People & Philosophy
Our office in Colaba acts as a living prototype of our hybrid design philosophy. We stripped back the interiors to focus on shifting daylight patterns, using brass pendants sourced from Chor Bazaar to ground the space in history. It is the exact kind of intentional, light-filled environment we create for our clients, inviting you to think clearly and collaborate freely.
A Laboratory for Living Architecture
We believe a building must make friends with its neighbours and invite conversation. Our own studio is the first project where we test this ethos. By removing unnecessary layers, we allow natural light to become the primary material, shifting through the day to change the energy of the space. This is not about aesthetics alone; it is about performance. When the light hits the terrazzo floor at a certain angle, it tells us how to orient a window in a client's home. When we gather at our central table, we are practicing the same collaborative workspace solutions we propose for our corporate projects.
Designing with Purpose
Architecture is a tool for problem-solving. We bring a research-driven approach to every commission, whether it is a textile factory or a luxury retail flagship. Our process involves digging into heritage—Hampi, banana fibres, black pottery—and blending it with contemporary climate-responsive techniques. We do not work in isolation; our partners and team members are deeply involved in every decision, from selecting the right quarry for the stone to refining the final texture on a wall.
Recognition and Responsibility
Our journey over the past 30 years, from a small wooden setup to our current practice, has been about refining our craft. Being recognised by the AD100 list and receiving international honours like the INDE Awards validates our direction, but our real measure of success remains the comfort and joy of the people who inhabit our spaces. We are a women-led practice committed to sustainable living, questioning conventional paradigms, and ensuring that every project we undertake is a meaningful chapter in the stories our clients live.
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