Five Best Women Architects: The Change Makers & The Taboo Breakers

Brinda Somaya

Her name is regarded as one of the most successful women architect and conservationists in India. After the completion of her bachelor degree in Architecture from Mumbai, She headed towards pursuing her master’s degree from Smith College in Northampton, MA, US. After coming back to India, she started her career as a professional architect and established her farm Somaya and Kalappa Consultants (SNK) in 1978 in Mumbai. From the same college she received her prestigious Doctorate award for exceptional excellence in the field.

She also received Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement from Indian Institute of Architects and her name was also nominated for the arcVision Prize. Her design always reflects four key feature sustainability, contextualism, innovation, and collaboration. She loves to showcase true essence of unfiltered nature where all the elements of the ecosystem take part to make the design look complete.

She believes nature and society are connected with each other through an invisible string. We need to refurbish or refine the existing piece of art without overshadowing the traditional attributes of classical architecture. She loves to restructure the old buildings which are glorifying part of our Indian heritage. Her farm was appointed to restore and preserve the Rajabai Clock Tower in Mumbai originally designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

Notable Works

She designed The Goa Institute of Management, Nalanda International School, Vadodara, rehabilitation of Bhadli village, Bhuj. She has authored a book named ‘Brinda Somaya – Works & Continuities’ which elucidates her decades of hard passionate work.

Notable Statement

“As an architect and a conservationist, I know that the architectural legacy of the Indian sub-continent is immeasurable.We are linked together socially, culturally and architecturally”, -Brinda Somaya

Sheila Sri Prakash

An internationally acclaimed architect, designer, and conservationist of nature and natural elements, she was born with an extraordinary talent in classical dance and received training in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. As she grew up, her interest in architecture and design grew stronger and she discovered an invisible attraction towards it. She completed her bachelor's degree from the Anna University School of Architecture and Planning and later attended the Executive Education Program at Harvard Graduate School of Design. This was at a time when the society frowned upon women who wanted to pursue architecture as a profession.

She is known for her architectural theories surrounding ‘Reciprocity in Design’. Her work includes designing low-cost reciprocal houses for the socio-economically underprivileged. She designed these houses on invitation from the World Bank in 1987. She has also designed the first-of-its-kind energy-efficient commercial buildings, custom bungalows, residential communities, integrated townships, industrial facilities, art museums, and sports stadiums, centers of education, public infrastructure, and luxury hotels. Her research findings are particularly relevant in high-density rapidly developing economies.

She received prestigious ‘Bene Merenti’ (2017) Medallion by The University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, Romania (est. in 1952) and the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research. She is the first Indian woman to identify and describe the term Spaciology which relates a great significance with Southern Chapter of the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

Notable Works

Few of her notable work of art, include Mahindra World City, Chennai, Madras Art House, Cholamandal Artists' Village, Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai & more.

Notable Statement

“I take my role as an architect seriously because my thoughts and actions are bound to have a lasting impact on people, society and the planet.” – Shiela Sri Prakash