Ar. Chitra Vishwanath: Pioneering Sustainable Architecture
- October 8, 2024
- By: Yukti Kasera
- INFLUENCERS
Bengaluru-based Indian Architect Chitra Vishwanath focuses on ecological and architectural construction topics. Since 1991, she has run her architectural practice and collaborated with other architects on numerous projects throughout Africa and India.
Early Life and Education
Chitra completed her diploma in civil engineering from Nigeria and BArch from CEPT Ahmedabad. She started her practice in the year 1990. Most of her design styles focussed on natural and eco-friendly materials. Amongst all, mud was the basic element which was used for construction.
Career Beginnings
Vishwanath has come a long way in the field of architecture. She has completed a lot of projects which follow the principle of raw aesthetics. In the year 203, she was announced as one of the esteemed judges for the Dezeen Awards. At the moment, Vishwanath serves as the Managing Director and Principal Architect at ‘BIOME Environment Solutions'. Her involvement in almost 500 projects includes the construction of buildings of all sizes as well as water harvesting and sanitation systems that are specifically relevant to the sites' ecosystem. She has planned and curated several constructions using earth as the primary building material.
Philosophy and Approach
A great believer in serendipity, Chitra’s approach is different and simple. She feels a kind of connection with the earth and has applied this love in her buildings as well. By designing buildings from indigenous materials and sourcing from the local radius, she has been involved in zero waste design strategy. Her philosophy believes in the fact that design is a form of service to nature.
Notable Projects
There are a lot of influential projects curated by Ar. Chitra Vishwanath which is worth admiring. Some of them include Swastika Dance School, Bengaluru; Buddhi School, Bengaluru; Oland Estate, Tamil Nadu; Govardhan Eco Village, Maharashtra and WRI Bengaluru Office, Bengaluru.
Innovations and Techniques
The innovative approaches and techniques used by Chitra in her projects are unconventional. She has worked on buildings of almost all sizes while giving the most importance to rainwater harvesting and sanitation structures. The major materials used in her projects are all eco-friendly, creating a sustainable ambiance.
EARTH: The Opportunity was the topic of Ar. Chitra Vishwanath's presentation at the most recent SMARTEX 24. The main concern is that catastrophes like heat waves and biosphere overshoots are caused by climate change. But the question is, can these problems be solved by a building material?
The "Permaculture" solutions should be available to us through the building materials. Materials that could be used include earth, debris, ecological bonding materials like low carbon cement, and bio-resins. The architecture of the buildings ought to be such that it assures lower energy expenses. Even though architects design buildings with longevity in mind, they also need to provide space for skills that will endure, as skills are the engine of decent employment.
Awards and Recognition
Donning many feathers to her cap, Chitra has been awarded with a lot of accolades throughout the years. In 2017, she was under the category: Hot 100 by Architect and Interiors India. She received the Realty Plus Scroll of Honour in the year 2019 and was a jury member of the Asia Edition of YTAA in the year 2020. In the year 2021, she was also selected as the judge at Dezeen Awards.
Future Vision
Chitra’s vision is long-term. She aims to create an impact through mindful architecture that considers people and the planet together. She believes in breaking the conventional notions of architecture by embracing the fusion of art and science.
Building Material Reporter believes in serving the best! Stay tuned with us for more ideas and news related to construction technology, green buildings, home decor, interior design, new projects, architecture, and innovative materials in the industry.
