Q A lot of your role models, from what I have read, are musicians. Is there a personal tie between architecture and music for you? Perhaps their music inspires you to create?
A I love music and Goethe has even described architecture as ‘music that is frozen’. However, my role models are mainly social and religious activists like Aung San Suu Kyi, Daisaki Ikeda and Arundhati Roy. Architecture is a complex socio-cultural art but also a fundamental human need. It is intimately connected with society and thus all permutations of society produce different types of architecture.
Q What came about first for you, your interest in architecture or the environment?
A Certainly my interest in the natural environment has come first but as I lived in very difficult environment- in one room with my parents and two sisters in New Delhi, the issue of proper housing was never far from my mind, even from a young age. I used create houses out of old sarees and boxes to play with.
Q I noticed that you have done a lot of work in India. Do you find inspiration from India to bring to your projects here in the UK?
A I was born and brought up in India (and also worked in India) and so India can never be out of my thoughts. Indian way of using spaces is very different from the Western model and so I can’t really bring it so directly here. However, I use colours, use of natural light and multi-functional spaces as inspirations from India. As I teach, I also take my students to India every year and we try to understand the concept of spaces and architecture from an Indian point of view.
Q Having once been the Chair of Women in Architect, have you noticed an increase in females pursuing this career path?
A Yes, when I became Chair in 1999, there were only 8% women in Architecture but now there are 17% female architects. Various incentives, awareness and campaigns including those undertaken by Architects For Change, the Equality Forum at RIBA that I set up, have enabled this to happen. I was the first and up to now, only woman from minority ethnic background to chair both organisations, and this definitely helps others to think that it is possible to do what I have done.
Q Does being a mother affect your decision making in your designs and consultations?
A Only if the client is a mother and they ask me for child friendly designs. I have worked for a wide number of clients ranging from corporate, disabled, and childless clients- I don’t think being a mother (any more than being a father) should affect design decisions. However, being a mother, has made me much more aware of environmental issues and consequences and so my designs reflect that.
Q What would be your dream project and where would it be?
A My dream project is a real project that received the UIA: UNESCO international award. It remains un-built due to political problems. It is a low cost, energy conscious housing design for 350 craftsmen and their families in West Bengal, India. This would be my dream project to complete.