Ar. Gurjit Singh Matharoo - Matharoo Associates

The massive upward trend in architecture is in terms of quality of design, experimentations with materials/forms, and unconventional approaches to standard problems.
The days of the grandmasters as undisputed leaders is declining, and there is beautiful work happening around the world; so centers are finally shifting. Countries not labelled ‘first world’ are doing work that is sensitive to human occupation, emotionally charged, and reacting to regional concerns. The ratio of meaningful to insensitive design is moving up through the ages and that is a positive. The massive upward trend in architecture is in terms of quality of design, experimentations with materials/forms and unconventional approaches to standard problems. The world is slowly shedding its inhibitions with the best possible results.

The economic surge has created a lot of potential for architects today. However, sensible architecture always comes in after the first and immediate rush, like a starving man at a buffet, to do anything that has now become possible. Yes, it is always a concern that before this sensibility awakens, we would have already destroyed many cities, and for a long time to come.

Unlike other animals, human occupation in buildings destroys that part of our limited earth forever. Therefore; this inherently destructive process must be made as creative as possible! ‘Sustainability’ has been frequently discussed, but do not take concepts at face value – like a hybrid car established as the most polluting vehicle, cotton the worst eco choice amongst fabrics, and agriculture the most destructive activity on earth –- current ideas on sustainability may be completely warped and require to be looked at afresh.