Best Architects in India

Architecture plays a very important role in the construction process of a building. We find many amazing architectural features in various shapes and sizes. Examples of manmade architectural wonders include the Taj Mahal, Big Ben, the Empire State Building, the Burj Khalifa, Sydney Opera House, PETRONAS Towers, Lloyds Building, etc. The Taj Mahal, in particular, is considered to be one of the best architects in India. All these marvelous buildings were the outcome of the wonderful efforts of the architect who designed the building’s structure.

An architect is the person who plans the entire design, including the shapes and sizes of the planning and structure of the layout of the building. Every minute detail of a building is planned by an architect. There are various new architectural projects in India which are considered to be examples for pure architectural excellence. There has been a rise in the demands for extravagant and luxurious designs in the building structures in recent times. Moreover, Indian architecture is also in great demand in foreign countries. Many Indian architects are being invited to foreign countries to design buildings.

Top Architects in India

Some of the top architects in India have been listed below:

• Prem Nath & Associates – This is a Mumbai-based full design organization, practicing architecture and interior designing and other engineering services. It was established in the year 1967, and covers a wide range of architectural and interior designing projects of commercial complexes and home architecture and malls, institutions, hospitals, 3- to 5-star hotels, etc. They have in-house 3D Computer Aided Design & allied computer-oriented facilities to manage Total Design Services for Architectural & Interior Design, Structural, MEP, and Project Management (PMC) including all the associated services of the client’s requirements. They build eco-friendly & energy-efficient Building Architecture and are members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
• Sanjay Puri Architects – Sanjay Puri Architects have many projects in India and other parts of the world like Mauritius, Montenegro, Spain and U.A.E. They have won 3 MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards in Cannes in 2013, and also the A+Architizer Award in New York in the same year. They specialize in evolving innovative design solutions which are contextual, sustainable and create space which revolutionize the way in which they are experienced. This is the main design philosophy of this firm. They have a diverse portfolio of urban planning, residential, hospitality, commercial, and retail and office projects.

• Charles Correa – Charles Correa is an urban architect, an activist and a planner. He is considered to be India’s greatest architect and is also well-known for his modern architecture in post-independent India. His very famous and very first important project was the 'Mahatma Gandhi Sanghralaya' at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad (1958-1963). He was the main architect for NewMumbai (Navi Mumbai), which was an urban growth centre of over 2 million people across the harbor of the existing Mumbai city. He has also done pioneering work in low-cost shelters and urban issues of the third world in the last few decades. Some of his major projects include National Crafts Museum, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Bharat Bhavan, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, etc.

• Sheila Sri Prakash – She is an urban architect and designer and is the founder of Shilpa Architects in Chennai. She is the first woman in India to have started her own architectural firm. She has the credit of designing more than 1000 projects in Indian and other foreign nations in the past 35 years and has been a major part of establishing the Indian Green Building Council. She is also considered to be one of the pioneers of Indian architecture because of her usage of a combination of principles of Classical Indian music, Bharathanatyam, architecture and sculpture in many of her award-winning projects.

• Nitin Shrimali Associates - They are a team of dedicated architectural professionals involved in the execution of architectural, structural and interior designing projects in various fields. They provide complete architectural solutions including complete CAD solutions, 3D-Modelling, turnkey projects and project management, etc. They provide designs for both commercial and residential complexes. Some of their best home architecture includes Navbharat Kuteer in Panchmari, Bungalows in Indore, and Kalindi Kunj in Indore, etc. 

Indian Realty Experiencing More Foreign Investment

Foreign Direct Investment

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an investment made directly into any production or business in India by a company or an individual from another country, either by purchasing the company or expanding the operations of an existing company or business. Foreign Direct Investments include acquisitions & mergers, building of new facilities, reinvesting profits from overseas, or any kind of property investment in India.

In India, foreign investment was introduced in 1991 under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), by the then-finance minister Manmohan Singh. India has been ranked in second place by the Global Foreign Direct Investments, and is said to remain among the top destinations for international investors, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD). A foreign direct investor acquires the voting power in any enterprise by incorporating a completely-owned subsidiary or company in India or by acquiring the shares in that enterprise or by participating in equity joint venture with another investor etc. An NRI buying property in India is also considered to be an example of real estate foreign investment.

Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB)

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board or otherwise known as the FIPB is a government body which offers single window clearance of proposals on all the Foreign Direct Investment in India which do not have the access of getting approval through automatic routes. FIPB plays a mandatory role in the implementation and administration of Government’s Foreign Direct Investment Policy in India. It is said to have an excellent record of actively encouraging the FDI into the country via quick and transparent processing of all the documents and also in providing proper clarification.

Latest Updates on FDI Policy in India

The Indian government has liberated FDI limits and rules in several sectors including telecom, oil & gas etc. This relaxation on most of the FDI has been made in order to bring in more capital inflows and also to prop up the sliding currency in India. The government of India has allowed 100% of FDI in Telecommunications, Commerce and other Industries. This move has allowed companies like Vodafone Group, Telenor, and Sistema etc to operate in India without having to form a partnership with an Indian citizen. Apart from this, the Indian government has been taking up initiatives for relaxation in FDI policies pertaining to real estate in India. With the reviving financial markets, and strong economic growth, India is slowly transforming into an investor-friendly property destination. It is estimated that FDI in India will rise by more than 15% in coming times, with regards to the policy initiatives undertaken by the Indian Government. Foreign Investment in India has increased by 6% year-on-year. Therefore, property investment in India is estimated to go up in the near future.

Indian Economy and Benefits of Foreign Investment

Foreign Direct Investment brings in lots of growth opportunities and advantages of cheap wages, tax exemptions etc. FDI inflow speeds the growth of GDP in India as huge foreign investments inject big cash flow in Indian economy. Foreign investment decreases the government’s expenditure as foreign companies with huge cash inflows invest in backend infrastructures and their business needs etc.

FDI usually increased the employment opportunities in India as with high FDI, the growth rate of industrial sector of India also increases as a result of huge employment opportunities.

FDI also brings in more & more real estate growth in India owing to the developing economy and as a result many properties in India are being purchased by NRI’s and other foreign investors.

FDI Trends in Delhi Real Estate

Real estate in Delhi has been attracting huge investments with the recent developments of FDI rules and events and it is estimated that the prices may shoot up in the near future. The Indian government is said to be working on 2 main bills, namely the Real estate regulation bill and also the Land acquisition bill. Apart from this, the government has also approved FDI in many multi-banded retail outlets and other investments in India. Therefore with the new foreign investments coming up, the prices are bound to rise, especially in the commercial property sector, which will directly impact on the residential property sector in India.

Even though most of the prominent cities in India have been experiencing a price appreciation with regards to residential properties, Delhi, being the capital city has experienced the highest rise in property prices. It is said that real estate in Delhi has increased by up to 5 times within the past few years, with the more number of properties being purchased by NRI in Delhi and its surroundings. The metro rail network in Delhi and excellent infrastructural developments has also been the major factors for booming real estate in Delhi. The real estate in Delhi is considered as the hottest property in the Indian market attracting more & more foreign investments in near future.