Architecture needs to be dynamic, versatile, pro-people and adapt to the changing times.

- Sumit Dhawan

Founder & Principal Architect, CitySpace '82 Architects

How do you assess the critical role of design & architecture in transforming cities into more green and sustainable habitats without negatively impacting the inhabitants?

The residents of a city are who make the city truly resilient. Cities are not only becoming smart but are actively trying to improve the lives of people. Historically marginalized communities and disabled people's needs will be taken into the fold before making any major changes or plan to develop the city. Herein is where the role of architecture comes in. Architecture has to be actively pro-people. It has to be versatile and adapt to the changing times, and thereby it will be more fluid. Small changes that will go unnoticed like the inclusion of trees on intersections and planting evergreen flowers in public parks will make for a greener city. Government offices can have active rainwater harvesting technologies put into place so that the need for safe drinking water can be addressed. Architecture needs to be dynamic and it needs to be versatile so including ramps with stairs are a case where architecture is directly aiding people instead of negatively impacting people's lives.

According to you, what are the major pain points in this space - from ideation to construction and maintenance?

The Internet of Things and the advanced AI developed by major tech conglomerates have always helped in the development of smart cities. On the basis of such technology, a city can truly become smart. This holds true only for the developed western nations where they have unrestricted access to all these technologies. One of the major pain points when it comes to the development of a smart city is the unequal access to the newest form of technology that the rest of the world has. There is also a lack of participation by the different stakeholders of the government bodies. The Indian population is less receptive to changes when it comes to the creation of smart cities, making it hard for planners to gauge what the residents of a city truly desire. While small scale projects have allowed some areas of public spaces to be more advanced in terms of technology, it has been exceptionally difficult to scale these projects vertically. It is one thing to make a walkway or a park a part of the IoT, and a different thing altogether to integrate a city (along with its population) into the IoT. Due to the large Indian population that exists in a small city, undertaking a project of this magnitude requires conviction and a lot of manpower.

How critical is the role of tech-enabled solutions, especially integration of different solutions to ensure seamless flow of communication between all stakeholders?

With the given pandemic at hand, it is next to impossible to physically meet new people. While all lines of communication have not been halted, it has been observed that alternative virtual forms of communication have been gaining traction. While there is something very important about conducting an in-person meeting, virtual communication like Zoom and Skype have taken precedence in the last two years. There needs to be a collective Internet of Things (IoT) that requires to be connected to a cloud in order to preserve and hold all the data for a particular company. This makes the connection of people and the spread of ideas much more seamless.

Compared to the international construction practices in developed markets, how do you evaluate the future of the construction industry in India and the scope for tech-enabled solutions?

When compared to the international market, the processes in India are comparatively behind yet not age old. There is a gradual pick-up of smart solutions and tech-driven options seen in the interior design and architecture design industries. For instance, there is the use of modular construction, which has been prefabricated. Kitchens, wardrobes, and bedrooms are being manufactured, and just like Lego blocks, they fit into the right spaces on-site. In countries like India where unemployment keeps on skyrocketing, and there is plenty of cheap labour available, technology will always be a second choice when compared to that of other nations where labour is more expensive than developing technologies.

There is a growing demand for environmentally sensitive construction, specifically creation of Smart Cities in India. What is your take on this?

More than half of the world's population is living in cities. It is projected that by 2050, rural areas will be virtually non-existent, and urban cities will contain a vast majority of the world population. If handled correctly, urban cities have the potential to accommodate and address the needs of all their residents, but the sad reality is that poor urban planning has led to an increase in social inequalities, traffic congestion, and water contamination. One of the ways to create a sustainable setting is by designing a grid layout wherein energy is equally distributed and electricity can be easily controlled as well. The quality of life for the residents will remain unchanged, and so will the power output, but the consumption of energy will be cut down drastically, making for a greener city. AI-based data patterns can also be implemented in the creation of smart cities so that they can analyse traffic patterns and configure the use of energy patterns. Lastly, the creation of smart cities can also help in the mitigation of disasters. Disaster-prone areas that are more susceptible to earthquakes or flooding, can adapt to the use of technologies to predict disasters. On the basis of these predictions, homes, public spaces, and buildings can be fortified to minimize the loss of life and property.

How can the Indian construction industry benefit from advanced technologies and processes used abroad?

As mentioned before, modular and prefabricated construction is becoming more common in majorly all metropolitan cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Warehouses and factories are constructed on this principle alone, but at the same time, it is seen that the construction of commercial buildings and homes need to be developed as well, before they can fully utilise modular and prefabricated construction techniques.

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