Brinda Somaya

Brinda Somaya
Name	Brinda Somaya
Occupation	Architect, conservationist, educator

Brinda Somaya is an Indian architect, urban conservationist, and educator known for combining conservation, adaptive reuse, and contemporary design across projects in India and abroad. Her work spans institutional campuses, heritage restoration, affordable housing, and urban design, reflecting engagement with practitioners, patrons, and civic institutions in South Asia. She has collaborated with architects, historians, and international organizations on projects that interface with cultural heritage, academic institutions, and civic infrastructure.

Early life and education

Somaya was born in India and trained in architecture at institutions that connect to global and regional traditions, including ties to Sir J. J. School of Architecture, University of Pennsylvania, and exchanges with practitioners linked to Bauhaus-influenced pedagogy. Early mentors and influences include figures associated with Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, and practitioners from the Indian Institute of Architects and Royal Institute of British Architects. Her formative years involved exposure to conservation debates in contexts such as Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and interactions with scholars from Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and regional centers like CEPT University.

Architectural career and major projects

Her professional practice undertook commissions across institutional, cultural, and urban projects, engaging with clients such as Tata Group, Bajaj, L&T, and international agencies including UNESCO and World Monuments Fund. Major campus projects include collaborations with IIM Ahmedabad, Xavier's Loyola College, and educational institutions linked to Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Indian Institute of Technology Madras. She has worked on healthcare and community projects related to Indian Railways, municipal bodies like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and civic restorations connected to municipal corporations in Kolkata and Hyderabad. Her portfolio includes mixed-use, residential, and public realm works that interface with firms and consultants associated with Arup, Atkins, and regional practices from Bengaluru and Chennai.

Conservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse

Somaya has led restoration and adaptive reuse projects in partnership with heritage organizations such as INTACH, Archaeological Survey of India, and international conservation bodies including ICOMOS and the World Bank. Projects involved historic buildings and sites in cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Vadodara, Pune, and heritage precincts linked to colonial-era ensembles and indigenous architectures in Goa and Kolkata. Her conservation approach intersects with scholarship and practice from historians at University of Cambridge, curators from Victoria and Albert Museum, and conservationists from Getty Conservation Institute, emphasizing material conservation, structural stabilization, and community participation.

Teaching, mentorship, and professional leadership

Somaya has taught and lectured at academic institutions and professional forums including CEPT University, Sir J. J. School of Architecture, School of Planning and Architecture Delhi, University of Pennsylvania School of Design, and visiting positions associated with Harvard Graduate School of Design and Columbia GSAPP. She has mentored architects who went on to practice with studios linked to Balkrishna Doshi, Charles Correa, and Laurie Baker, and contributed to professional bodies such as the Council of Architecture (India), Royal Institute of British Architects, and the Indian Institute of Architects through lectures, juries, and advisory roles.

Awards, honours, and recognitions

Her work has been recognized with awards and honours from institutions including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, national awards conferred by the Ministry of Culture (India), and citations from bodies such as UNESCO World Heritage Centre partners and the International Union of Architects. She has been listed among recipients of fellowships and prizes associated with Prince Claus Fund, Loeb Fellowship (Harvard), and international grants administered by organizations like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Her projects and leadership have been cited in exhibitions and biennales connected to Venice Biennale, Museum of Modern Art (New York), and regional festivals like Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.

Publications and writings

Somaya has authored and contributed to books, monographs, and articles published by presses and journals linked to Oxford University Press, Routledge, Journal of Architectural Education, Economic and Political Weekly, and magazines such as Architectural Digest (India), Domus, and Indian Architect & Builder. Her writings address themes found in scholarship from Aamir Khan-era cultural commentators, conservation case studies documented by World Monuments Fund, and collaborative research with academics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Mumbai, and Ahmedabad University.

Category:Indian architects Category:Conservation architects