Environmentally responsible architecture: the future

“It is our responsibility to reduce the carbon footprint, and our commitment to energy efficient design should have the highest priority,” says Ponni Concessao, Principal Architect, Ponni & Oscar Architects
Architecture requires talent, no doubt; however, architecture also demands experience. Award-winning architect Ponni Concessao, who has honed her skills in India as well as in US, shares her philosophy, work ethics and tips for young architects.
What is your philosophy on architecture?I believe that architecture matters in history and continually guides our design philosophy. Architecture of all building types can inspire, influence and enhance the lives of both users and communities.
My commitment to architecture compels me to study contextual character, which influences my design which in turn provokes dialogue among the vernacular, sustainability, technology and the innovative. All of my designs incorporate sustainable design strategies and techniques, contributing to the sensitive, thought-provoking and award winning design that has characterised my work.
A client is best served when the architect shares a common set of values with the client. The architect by intent must adopt a position of advocacy for the client. I believe that the strong collaboration among architects, clients, consultants, contractors and craftsmen, combined with an alignment of goals and business objectives makes a successful project solution.
How do you approach your projects?Beginning with client aims, program review, site analysis, contextual considerations and evaluation of all credible planning and design options are first principle approach. This method of design is applied to all projects, whether small and simple structures or large and complex facilities.
Architecture that is environmentally responsible is of prime importance. True economy in construction takes both capital and operating costs into account. For both practical and ethical considerations, sustainability has always been a central principle of our design approach. Our practice has, as a consequence, established benchmarks in this field. Our approach to design includes a significant social dimension: how do our end-users feel and interact in our spaces; how do our spaces motivate constructive/positive thinking and behaviour? Our designs are shaped to ensure the achievement of such outcomes.
What projects are you working at this moment? Could you please tell a little bit about your current activities?We are handling affordable housing projects, hospitals, luxury homes, hospitality projects, transportation projects, large auditoriums, schools and college projects, malls and religious institutions The project sites are all over India and some are abroad.
What advice would you give to young architects?Architecture, I think, requires talent, but it also needs experience. It is important to be stubborn and not get discouraged quickly but work on it continuously so as to be in the business for the long haul.
It is important to travel, see things and experience them. Architecture is more than just making images. It is the fact that we provide a service which is vital. It is about shelter, creating environment and making environment that works. I suggest that upcoming architects shouldn’t be moved by instant satisfaction of designing things too quickly. There is a process of learning what it takes to design a building and not just the design of the building itself. It is important to understand the business aspects of architecture like risk and client management. Most of these practical issues are never taught in college.
Green building is the emerging concept. How important is it to build green?In today’s age, it is important to understand the practical aspects of green building. Clients in recent times are well travelled and highly knowledgeable in current trends of architecture, energy-efficient design. It is certainly advantageous to have a working knowledge of green building concepts. It is our responsibility to reduce the carbon footprint, and our commitment to energy efficient design should have the highest priority. Present day expectations of architects have changed. Today’s architects are perceived as the driver of the project, team leader and the protector of the environment.
What is the most challenging aspect of bringing together sustainability and architecture?Commercial and residential buildings are responsible for a sizable portion of any country’s conventional energy use. While the size of this portion varies by region, reducing energy use in buildings has the potential to substantially reduce carbon emissions of that country.
Ensuring that new buildings do not compromise our energy and water challenges is a requisite first step. This must be followed by much larger efforts to reduce energy use in existing building stock. Sustainable architecture can also play a positive role in reducing water use, encouraging the use of public transportation, and reducing the impact of a development on global resources by considerate use of materials and on local ecosystems by careful planning.
One of the main challenges in bringing sustainability and architecture together is the basic contradiction between the processes of creating new buildings. It is an energy and resource intensive process with an ecological footprint beyond its site boundary as well as conserving natural resources and the environment. However, given that population growth and economic development are creating a continuous demand for new buildings, the challenge here is accepting the need for development but trying to reduce its ecological footprint.
What role do you play in developing green buildings?I believe architect can contribute to developing green buildings if we can consider the interrelationship among building site, design elements, energy and resource constraints, building systems, and building function and follow an environmentally responsive design process in the execution of a building project. Our roles, which are pivotal, are recommending and implementing green building principles in a project. It is important to educate the client and bring in specialised experts and consultants on board on the day one of the project.
Tecpro Corporate Office is an eight-storey building in 140,000-sq.ft. area, with basement being designed for engineering services and parking. The arrival lobby is in the stilt area, the remaining area has been planned for stilt parking. All the floors above have been aesthetically designed for all the different departments of the Tecpro Systems.
Oscar and Ponni Architects, ChennaiRaghavan Complex, a stately elegant building, is a beautiful blend of contemporary Zen and organic architecture. The concept was an urban edifice designed with traditional elements such as a courtyard in the third floor and contemporary green design. Each element was designed using natural materials, and there is a clear integration of the outdoor space of the courtyard with each indoor architectural space.
The ETL BPO Park is conceived as a cutting edge technology park. This building is linked to a main approach road with a grand entrance to this prestigious IT development. The proposed building is initially planned to construct two stilt floors + 7 upper floors for a total built up area of 1.2 million sq. ft.

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