Interview with Kuber Patel

I was born into a family of designers and was gradually groomed into having a creative pursuit right from childhood. As any kid, i had several interest in most bizarre professions and it took me time to realise what I was good at and what I am interested in. Since than I have ever looked back!

I feel each design project has its own unique challenge. However there few aspects I always like to keep in mind. The design process for me always begins with a clear understanding of clients/project requirements. Accumulation of research and understanding of materiality in order to influence the form along with climatic consideration in order to address sustainability is what goes next. Finally, I try to optimize all that in order to come up with design solutions.

For every designer the process of designing always begins with a sense of overwhelm. At this stage you are excited and optimistic to the highest level. Following that comes the phase of Sincerity, where you try to find solution, function and rationality to the work. Finally is the feeling of satisfaction. This when you have tried you give do your best, to find the very best of what works as a designer for this project. The fact that your imagination can now be tangible and visually acceptable to everyone makes you humble.

I like to believe that each aspects can be quantified. These can be rationalised into parameters. In a way, I can break out down any task in do steps and stages. This help be look into more detailed in depth manner. At the same time it helps to simplify the overal complex designs into more simpler form.

Presently I am interested in pursuing a doctorate in architectural materials through selective laser sintering. I am really fascinated with a particular material called “Vantablack” absorbing up to 99.965% of visible light. His best digital platform to explore is Grasshopper3D a visual programming language and environment due to its parametric potential. I would like to immerse myself in digital fabrication tools like 3D printing and architecture materials developing such arterials.

I realized that passion should also be inclined towards reality with the constant for financial stability one needs to support one's shelves and family. As well as use it to grow your knowledge by traveling or anything else that makes them inspired. So the young designer must be ready to take up this challenge and live life as it comes!

Being up-to-date with the most recent technological advancement related to the field of architecture in order to stay at the top in the present time has now become a very important factor.

My day begins early at 4:30 usually with a cup of coffee, looking at the stock markets, and worshiping god. At the office, I usually start my day meticulously cleaning my desk and begin with a delegation of work and site visits. The other half of the work is designated for creative and design work. At the end of the office hours, I focus on physical fitness, meal, and early bedtime at around 10 pm.

I keep up with the latest design trends by teaching. I think being a visiting design faculty has helped me brainstorm to the otherwise very rational and pragmatic design solution that we must do professionally. I think it is very important for every designer to keep up with the latest trends.

The performance quality of a building is an aspect to judge the design as good or bad. The basics such as daylighting, material usage, and energy consumption should be inspected.

Requirement are fulfilled, basic performance is statisfied and full team votes for one design

Bucky has been one of the large design work I have been a part of. Various aspects of this project are quite innovative and the fact that this project might lead to a scope for development in portable deployable temporary structures, makes me quite proud.

Some of the architects that I look up to are Frei Otto, Buckminster Fuller, Santiago Calatrava, Kenzo Tange and Zaha Hadid to name a few.

I love travelling and exploring, and as designer it helps me look at the culture, architecture, city, landscape and lifestyle in a symbiotic manner. It makes my exploration much more fun and exciting. One of my favourite city is Florence, Italy. When I work in the comfort of my home, I like to work with some lightheaded funny sitcoms, they in a way give me company and a sense of coziness. They make me realise that, in this intensively creative work, it okay not to take every bit of my life too seriously when it doesn’t work out sometimes.

It is actually very subjective, however, this project was teamwork. I was engaged in a major part of designing as form-finding, performance optimization of the project, and fabrication. At KPA, we design everything with heart, intelligence, and skill possessing sensitivity to the highest standard in the profession with concern for the environment for a better tomorrow to the everlasting triumph of human desire and achievements. We provide services in architecture, interior and landscape design, urban planning, and design and build projects. Our design philosophy is taking complete joy in this life as an architect as they strive for a holistic design approach.

The group was founded in 1981 as Kamal Patel & Associates now lead under the flagship partnership company; KPA Deesign Studio with KPA 789°, Nipa Patel Associates and an NGO Nivedita Foundation operating at their good studio in Anand recognized as the Greenest Studio in India. Having its base in Anand, Ahmedabad, London, and Atlanta KPA has executed projects spread in India, the USA, and the UK. Guided by the needs of their clients, culture, context, climate, and resources they generate innovative environments, both material and spiritual. We believe and practice with an understanding that meaningful architecture arises from a synthesis of all the elements that comprise it, its response to the way you move in and around, and its ability to lift the human spirits.

Knowledge is the greatest form of selfless giving. And I can say that I do my share of sharing whatever I have learnt and experienced in my career by teaching as a visiting faculty in the school of architecture. Apart from this, my family and I have been involved in social worker back in India. Our NGO focuses on education for underprivileged kids and empowerment for girls.

I am very grateful to be a part of this award. I feel very humbled by this recognition that is given to me and I hope it opens up opportunities for some great new innovating and inspiring design projects in the future.

Every experience from a human’s life is a pursuit for art and design. Inspiration can be found intuitive, observation from nature, geometry and even science.

I was born into a family of designers and was gradually groomed into having a creative pursuit right from childhood. As any kid, i had several interest in most bizarre professions and it took me time to realise what I was good at and what I am interested in. Since than I have ever looked back!

Overall, my architectural style mostly revolves around Performance orientated design that has a strong response to material, structural, social, and environmental behavior. My graduate thesis reflects on a similar system using agent-based methods to work on developing a flood resilient system that has a coherent spatial configuration between climate and the socio-economic fabric of informal settlements in an urban context. In the future, I wish to pursue work in Architectured materials through selective laser sintering techniques.

I think you should have faith in your design and trust your process and growth. Appreciate everything you have learnt from this process and never give up.

A Good designer just looks into the work very rationally on how it will fit the clients needs and a great designer sees climatic response and what higher purpose can it serve in the future. A lifespan of a building is long and it can adapt to the changing functionality.

Design is very subjective, what is pleasing to some, might disgust others. Art cannot very be justified and evaluated or even compared. We can just appreciate its beauty as it is.

A good design can serve immense value to the society. It has the applied to transform a city, a home into completely different ways. People seek beauty in everything, nature, jewellery, clothing etc, it seems a good design gives you happiness is all sorts of manner.

If had the time and opportunity, I would like to design the pavilion at the burning man festival and serpentine gallery.

I am really fascinated with a particular material called “Vantablack” absorbing up to 99.965% of visible light. His best digital platform to explore is Grasshopper3D a visual programming language and environment due to its parametric potential. I would like to immerse myself in digital fabrication tools like 3D printing and architecture materials developing such arterials.

There is no such secret to what we design. I like to look at each project independently and try to the best of my creativity and knowledge.

Some of the architects that I look up to are Frei Otto, Buckminster Fuller, Santiago Calatrava, Kenzo Tange and Zaha Hadid to name a few.

One of the most fascinating design for me is the Olympic roof by Frie Otto due to its innovative use of lightweight structure covering longer span.

My most beloved design is the A’ Design Award-winning project Darwin Bucky “Bucky is a parametric dome tent anchored to the ground which is inspired from a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller. The structure is made of 1mm thick laser-cut bent metal sheets and bolted together to create an isolated space without columns. Multiple blocks of Bucky can also be linked to create a Bucky cluster. It can be assembled or disassembled in a few days for storage and can be transported via shipping container. Bucky was envisioned to be easy to carry around the globe. Bucky is a lightweight structure. It’s a flat-pack structure that can be used in any season including monsoon."

Being up-to-date with the most recent technological advancement related to the field of architecture in order to stay at the top in the present time has now become a very important factor.

If I would not have become a designer, I would have become a software engineer due to my inclination towards technology and algorithm in general.

My skills work best in parametric modeling through algorithmic design techniques using advanced computational tools and digital fabrication. I hope to add more value to design by introducing a more data-driven design process through computer science, mathematical thinking, and philosophy. As we live in a post-digital world, this data, if given the right manifestation, can lead to a well-informed architecture representing a better reality and a responsive future. I would like to add to his design studio a more concise approach to the translation process of architectural representation rather than the invention of a new architecture.

My biggest support is my father, as he is an architect. My dad has been my constant support. He mentors me right from the time I came this profession and even teaches how to sustain in it.

My Exposure to ARchitectural association, London broader my prerspective in designing and innovative,y find solutions like we did at our masters course of Emergent technology in design.

One of the biggest obstacles was Trying to find right kinds of projects to work in that drives my passion. Such projects require positive clients, budget and quantitative time for designing process.

With the advancement of technology designer should present their working with help of augmented and virtual reality tools that are available today.

I am currently invested in an interesting project called the SPUR concept. It consists of diversifying and implementing different facets of community living that combine providing stability and opportunities to its inhabitants like food through vertical farming, rehabilitation, medical care, and other services. It also focuses on providing job opportunities and entrepreneurship.

I aspire to learn more about culture all around the world that pushed me to have one landmark project that I get to design in all major city around the world.

Expectations now go beyond just satisfying the needs of the clients, they now expect from us something unique
, innovation in some aspects and that the project shall serve a larger purpose beyond architecture or design.

If we talk about large scale architectural design complexes, such as cultural centres, educational centres, museums, community century, parks, gardens etc, these are the heart of the city. Amalgamation of Corporate complexes, business centres, and housing units with recreational centres gives good harmony, to various aspects of society.

I am currently invested in an interesting project called the SPUR concept. It consists of diversifying and implementing different facets of community living that combine providing stability and opportunities to its inhabitants like food through vertical farming, rehabilitation, medical care, and other services. It also focuses on providing job opportunities and entrepreneurship.

Any projects that comes into realisation gives me equal satisfaction

I think architects as professional are undermined in the construction industry. The amount of work, efforts and creativity that is invested by an architect for the project is hugely under-paid relative to the other professionals involved for a construction project. Globally, the average pay scale of an architect is bare minimum in comparison to the amount for education, work is to in

Designs nowadays have become interdisciplinary. The more use of scientific methods, computational methods, advanced digital fabrication, AR, and VR technologies have evolved the design field. In the future, the designs will sustain singularity. With the advancement of technologies, the design will evolve in real-time not just during the design phase but right through construction.

It usually depends on the scale of the project and the complexity involved in it. However, I can say it’s up to 1-2 weeks of conceptualizing and designing.

The design process for me always begins with a clear understanding of clients/project requirements. Accumulation of research and understanding of materiality in order to influence the form along with climatic consideration in order to address sustainability is what goes next. Finally, I try to optimize all that in order to come up with design solutions.

Always be cost-effective while maintaining a certain aesthetic value through form, scale, proportions, and materiality.

This is a very debatable topic but personally design sets the trends.

Our design style is influenced more by the process of emergence. The advancement of computational tools like Generative, Algorithmic and Parametric Design we now have ability to look at designs quantitatively rather than qualitatively. The idea is that during the design process we have local-level control over each aspect of the design. Through a parametrically driven model, you have a schematic idea of the final result and the final output is always emergent. Here the design is controlled through criteria and parameters at various scales setting up a process of emergence.

Rhino and Grasshopper have been my go-to tools in software as they help me enhance geometrical control over the design.

All these aspects governs how the architecture appeals to them. The role of Color is to stimulate different moods, the role of material is that it adds tangibility to our design, and ambience of a space controls visibility influences all our senses.

I really wish people would ask me quantitative aspects of my design rather than the qualitative aspects.

How was it built? why was it built? What are the reasons behind the use of material use?

I learned that it is important to identify the different skill sets and strengths of each team member in order to get the best out of the project. It is actually very subjective, however, this project was teamwork. I was engaged in a major part of designing as form-finding, performance optimization of the project, and fabrication.

Clients have the most influence on my design.

‘Growth and form’ by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson are one of the books I am quite intrigued to read it often.

Religious practise of tools and skills and day to day professional experience help me have better control over my design.

I’ll like sit with Neri Oxman. I’ll like to say to her that I am really intrigued about her work and that I could be a part of her project where she is brings singularity in design

I am very grateful to be a part of this award. I feel very humbled by this recognition that is given to me and I hope it opens up opportunities for some great new innovating and inspiring design projects in the future.

My favourite Color is blue, food is Dalbatti and my favourite city is Florence.
I love Spring the most. I like cars and I admire Nike as a brand.

One of thing most designer often hear from clients is that our work is an Easy task.
One time a clients asked me justification for the work I’ve done by stating that “ why would you charge such hefty fees for such simple plan?”

A great day is when I am able to achieve all my days targets that I set for myself and have less creative blockage during designing tasks. When I do stuck during designing, I simply stop working and given myself a break by cleaning my desk and sleeping over it and and sometimes even stress eating.

It wasn’t obvious that I would become a designer when I was a child because I lacked in the basic essential of being good at sketching as a designer.

With advancement of AI and 3D construction I think it would be as quick as printing out on a paper. Materials we use today will than have the capabilities of being manipulated by changing it’s properties and structure behaviour as per the needs of the design

Good luck to all the new designers. It’s never to late. I can always be available through email for any collaboration and innovative design prospects worldwide. I think in this digital era, collaboration are possible with anyone and everywhere.
I am currently based in Atlanta, USA, and have ventures in India as well.

Under the blue sky anywhere on this planet, at KPA, we design everything with heart, intelligence, and skill possessing sensitivity to the highest standard in the profession with concern for the environment for a better tomorrow to the everlasting triumph of human desire and achievements. We provide services in architecture, interior and landscape design, urban planning, and design and build projects. Our design philosophy is taking complete joy in this life as an architect as they strive for a holistic design approach.

The group was founded in 1981 as Kamal Patel & Associates now lead under the flagship partnership company; KPA Deesign Studio with KPA 789°, Nipa Patel Associates and an NGO Nivedita Foundation operating at their good studio in Anand recognized as the Greenest Studio in India. Having its base in Anand, Ahmedabad, London, and Atlanta KPA has executed projects spread in India, the USA, and the UK. Guided by the needs of their clients, culture, context, climate, and resources they generate innovative environments, both material and spiritual. We believe and practice with an understanding that meaningful architecture arises from a synthesis of all the elements that comprise it, its response to the way you move in and around, and its ability to lift the human spirits.

My skills work best in parametric modeling through algorithmic design techniques using advanced computational tools and digital fabrication. I hope to add more value to design by introducing a more data-driven design process through computer science, mathematical thinking, and philosophy. As we live in a post-digital world, this data, if given the right manifestation, can lead to a well-informed architecture representing a better reality and a responsive future. I would like to add to his design studio a more concise approach to the translation process of architectural representation rather than the invention of a new architecture.

Overall, my architectural style mostly revolves around Performance orientated design that has a strong response to material, structural, social, and environmental behavior. My graduate thesis reflects on a similar system using agent-based methods to work on developing a flood resilient system that has a coherent spatial configuration between climate and the socio-economic fabric of informal settlements in an urban context. In the future, I wish to pursue work in Architectured materials through selective laser sintering techniques.

My most beloved design is the A’ Design Award-winning project Darwin Bucky “Bucky is a parametric dome tent anchored to the ground which is inspired from a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller. The structure is made of 1mm thick laser-cut bent metal sheets and bolted together to create an isolated space without columns. Multiple blocks of Bucky can also be linked to create a Bucky cluster. It can be assembled or disassembled in a few days for storage and can be transported via shipping container. Bucky was envisioned to be easy to carry around the globe. Bucky is a lightweight structure. It’s a flat-pack structure that can be used in any season including monsoon."

The first thing I designed for a company was to develop a nomination dossier for INTACH-Delhi Chapter. The project has been submitted to UNESCO for nominating Delhi as a world heritage city.

My favorite material is Vantablack claimed to be the “world's darkest material”, absorbing up to 99.965% of visible light. His best digital platform to explore is Grasshopper3D a visual programming language and environment due to its parametric potential. I would like to immerse myself in digital fabrication tools like 3D printing and architecture materials developed through laser sintering technology.

I feel most creative when I get a client who challenges my potential and trusts me to deliver their vision. I believe a visionary client who is sensitive to the local community, culture, and environment drives the project beyond design.

I focus on the building performance keeping in mind all its environmental factors. Moreover, my top most priority is client’s ethos that incorporates understanding all their social and cultural requirements.

I treat every design like a kid that needs constant nurturing until project completion.

I feel fortunate about the fact that I was capable enough to manifest my client's vision into reality.

A good team that focuses on the tiniest details throughout the course of the project that results in repeat clients is what we call design success.

The performance quality of a building is an aspect to judge the design as good or bad. The basics such as daylighting, material usage, and energy consumption should be inspected.

Being responsible towards society and the environment is our focus through design by making them as utilitarian as possible while maintaining their aesthetic value.

Designs nowadays have become interdisciplinary. The more use of scientific methods, computational methods, advanced digital fabrication, AR, and VR technologies have evolved the design field. In the future, the designs will sustain singularity. With the advancement of technologies, the design will evolve in real-time not just during the design phase but right through construction.

As an architect by profession we don’t have exhibits, however as an academicians and the faculty for Master’s in Architecture, Algorithmic thinking, my course works was published and exhibits at the university last year.

The advancement of computational tools like Generative, Algorithmic and Parametric Design we now have ability to look at designs quantitatively rather than qualitatively.

Our design style is influenced more by the process of emergence. The idea is that during the design process we have local-level control over each aspect of the design. Through a parametrically driven model, you have a schematic idea of the final result and the final output is always emergent. Here the design is controlled through criteria and parameters at various scales setting up a process of emergence.

Cultural heritage of the country does affect the design. It will speak louder if it respects the cultural context. One of the pro during designing keeping in mind cultural heritage is essentially it adds a good start point to your approach rather than inventing new architecture. Though the cons is that following the heritage of your country can even add lot of restrictions and make the design process rigid to explore.

We work with companies in a more collaborative process where client is involved in each stage of design.

I think companies should choose a designer or architect on the bases of its merits and design quality rather than their infrastructure such as the scale of the architectural firm etc. At the end of the day, it may open doors for new talents and opportunities.

The design process for me always begins with a clear understanding of clients/project requirements. Accumulation of research and understanding of materiality in order to influence the form along with climatic consideration in order to address sustainability is what goes next. Finally, I try to optimize all that in order to come up with design solutions.

Most Apple products are something I feel are very appealing, the office desk that he got a chance to design and build like a little form-finding experiment; I call it seamless, and our family travel wall that elaborately summarizes different cultures and shapes of the travel dishes all together into a mural, Pichwai painting represents art and historical eras of Lord Krishna.

My day begins early at 4:30 usually with a cup of coffee, looking at the stock markets, and worshiping god. At the office, I usually start my day meticulously cleaning my desk and begin with a delegation of work and site visits. The other half of the work is designated for creative and design work. At the end of the office hours, I focus on physical fitness, meal, and early bedtime at around 10 pm.

I realized that passion should also be inclined towards reality with the constant for financial stability one needs to support one's shelves and family. As well as use it to grow your knowledge by traveling or anything else that makes them inspired.
A proper work-life balance is also very crucial which I think is quite difficult in a creatively inclined profession.

Positive: Being an architect/ designer helps you be a part of manifesting others' vision. We as architects are able to represent cultures and society.
Negative: The profession blossoms late in terms of being “finding your design style and financial success” as they say.

Always be cost-effective while maintaining a certain aesthetic value through form, scale, proportions, and materiality.

Being up-to-date with the most recent technological advancement related to the field of architecture in order to stay at the top in the present time has now become a very important factor.

Rhino and Grasshopper have been my go-to tools in software as they help me enhance geometrical control over the design. ‘Growth and form’ by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson are one of the books I am quite intrigued to read it often.

Well, I still juggle in trying to manage my time when it come to the designing phase of any project. However, I try time bound technique at each stages of design in order to avoid delays.

It usually depends on the scale of the project and the complexity involved in it. However, I can say it’s up to 1-2 weeks of conceptualizing and designing.

Most often I am asked about the project cost considering construction, and how much time will the project take for execution. I am also asked whether I have experience in a similar style of a project base.

I learned that it is important to identify the different skill sets and strengths of each team member in order to get the best out of the project.

We have worked with a diverse group of people like Reliance Industries, Adani, Sopariwala Exports, and Gujarat Cricket Association.

I am mostly drawn to generative design and digital fabrication. This is because they help me look at a design in a more pragmatic manner. This kind of design technique gives a designer better control over manufacturing accuracy in the early stages of the design process. It relatively reduces the time and gives one the ability to create feedback between construction analytics and design form in real-time.

Presently I am interested in pursuing a doctorate in architectural materials through selective laser sintering.

It is actually very subjective, however, this project was teamwork. I was engaged in a major part of designing as form-finding, performance optimization of the project, and fabrication.

I am currently invested in an interesting project called the SPUR concept. It consists of diversifying and implementing different facets of community living that combine providing stability and opportunities to its inhabitants like food through vertical farming, rehabilitation, medical care, and other services. It also focuses on providing job opportunities and entrepreneurship.

I can always be available through email for any collaboration and innovative design prospects worldwide. I think in this digital era, collaboration are possible with anyone and everywhere.
I am currently based in Atlanta, USA, and have ventures in India as well.