SDCA Chennai 2025: An Ode To City's Charm And Its Ever-Evolving Architecture

• November 25, 2025
• By: Sanyukta Baijal
• NEWS

The Smart Design Conclave & Awards (SDCA) – Chennai Edition unfolded in full energy on November 15. The event was the 17th edition of SDCA which brought together the city’s leading architects, designers, developers, and game changers under one roof. Organised by Building Material Reporter (BMR), the conclave highlighted Chennai’s evolving architectural ethos, its future-ready vision, and the latest advancements redefining the built environment.

Took place at the Taj Wellington Hotel in the vibrant capital of Tamil Nadu, the entire program featured a series of discussions including an immersive blend of fresh ideas, design perspectives, and community networking.

A Warm Beginning: High Tea, Registration & Lamp Lighting

The conclave began with a welcoming High Tea & Registration session which set the vibe for the upcoming segments for the evening. This was followed by the traditional Lamp Lighting ceremony by esteemed members of the fraternity including Ar. Murali Murugan, CR Raju, Vergis Oommen, Ravi Meenakshisundaram, Ar. Amin Nayyar, Ar. Sanjay Singh and K Nirmal Kumar. This ceremony stood as a symbol of wisdom, positivity, and a bright future for Chennai’s design fraternity.

Welcome Address by CR Raju, the Curator

Ar. CR Raju, the curator of the event highlighted the significance of the Smart Design Conclave’s Chennai edition. He emphasised how architectural awareness is growing across India, especially among young designers who are experimenting with fresh ideas and community-driven projects. He gave a shout out to the platforms like Building Material Reporter which identify and showcase such emerging talents.

The ace architect also spoke out gaps in national policies, noting that uneven development and excessive urbanisation stem from weak planning frameworks, and called for a more cohesive, sustainable approach to the built environment.

Material & Innovation Presentations: Roca

Mr. K. Nirmal Kumar, MD of Roca Bathroom Products Pvt. Ltd., our title partner for the event spoke at length about the transformation of bathrooms. He elaborated how the bathrooms of urban city like Chennai have transformed over the years, right from purely functional spaces into meaningful experiences centered on wellness, comfort, and practicality. He further stated that how Roca, headquartered in Chennai, is catering for urban buyers with modern designs and human-centric innovation. He ensured products that anticipate user needs, protect the planet, and highlight the company’s commitment to smart technology.

X-Talk by Ar. Pavithra Sriram 

Ar. Pavitra Sriram delivered an thoughtful presentation where she showcased her prominent projects under her firm, Design Co:Lab. The architect's powerful and eye-opening X Talk, dived deep into the research-driven, community-centered initiatives of her practice. Sriram highlighted the urban challenges like public infrastructure audits, accessibility gaps, and the experiences of women and gender-diverse individuals in Chennai.

She shared her transformative on-ground projects, including riverfront and lakefront revitalisations, pedestrian-first street pilots in Coimbatore and Chennai, and hyperlocal engagement models like the Thiruvanmiyur Mada Street exhibition. Her talk further touched upon Design Co:Lab’s acclaimed film project 'Level Up', which highlighted the daily struggles of the specially abled due to lack of proper infrastructure.

X-Talk by Ar. Anoop Menon 

Unlike Pavitra Sriram, Ar. Anoop Menon chose to deliver his X Talk without any visual presentation. Rather he tried to glue everyone's attention only with this words. Speaking on “When Architecture Walks Again,” he poetically explained the invisible fourth dimension of design which was all about how a single step can divert the chaos of the mind to something meaningful. He tried connecting this idea to Chennai’s everyday rhythms like Marina’s sand, verandas, thinnais, red-oxide floors, and the sensory memories that shape how we experience space. As per him, architecture is not just lived; it is remembered through footsteps, pauses, light, breeze, and the subtle transitions that stay with us long after we leave a place.

He urged designers to move beyond scales and measurements and start “drawing with empathy,” paying attention to how things navigate naturally, where it slows, where it turns, where it feels calm etc. With technology now capturing steps, pauses, and heartbeats, Ar. Menon said we can understand better how people truly experience the architectural landscape.

Panel Discussion: Designing Chennai 2035 – Vision for a Global City

The panel discussion, moderated by Ar. Shripal Munshi, brought together the industry leaders with over 150 years of combined experience to explore Chennai’s evolving urban landscape. Setting the context with powerful data, Ar. Munshi highlighted why the city’s fundamentals remain dependable and able to bounce back. Right from Chennai’s expanding metropolitan population to its booming startup ecosystem and strong housing demand, the city has faced multiple infrastructural challenges. However, yet it continues to tick all the critical boxes for sustainable long-term growth. One-by-one, the panellists echoed their insights mapping Chennai over all development in past, present and future.

Mr. Jones, MD of Jones Foundations Pvt Ltd addressed the realities of urban density, stressing the need for improved drainage, wastewater systems, and traffic management. Whereas, Mr. K Nirmal Kumar, the MD Roca Bathroom Products Pvt Ltd emphasised on how bathroom spaces are growing into high-experience zones, driven by aesthetics and technology.

On the architectural and urban front, Ar. Xavier Benedict shed light on Chennai’s extraordinary heritage as Asia’s first planned city. He urged the new architects to do the future planning rooted in environmental sensitivity. Ar. Arvindan Rangan reinforced the Chandigarh's unique strengths like education, manufacturing, healthcare, talent and further stated that government norms and efficient execution will decide how quickly the city progresses.

Meanwhile, bringing in a climate-responsive lens, Ar. Harini T Raja stressed that water must be the true master planner, and that microclimate-driven design should form the foundation of all future development. Lastly, closing the discussion, Ar. K Senthil Kumar said that a truly developed city is one where even the wealthy prefer public transport and spoke about the urgent need for smarter mobility options. Together, the panel painted a clear vision of Chennai 2035: a city with immense potential, provided planning, governance, and design evolve in harmony.

Keynote Address by Ar. Sanjay Singh

Ar. Sanjay Singh of Arcop Associates Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, delivered a visually rich and engaging presentation that shifted the focus from future-city conversations to the core of architectural thinking which is ideation and inspiration. He explored how creativity often emerges from observing the ordinary, highlighting how architects have a unique ability to notice patterns, behaviours, and moments that others overlook. Through a presentation including a series of pictures and references, he explained how everyday scenes, natural elements, and spontaneous human interactions can become powerful triggers for design concepts.

He emphasised that architecture is not just about creating something or solving problem, but about staying sensitive to the world around us. Through his presentation Singh tried to encourage designers to stay curious, reconnect with their core sources of inspiration, and let everyday observations naturally guide their creative process.

Jugalbandi: A Powerful Thought Exchange By Ar. Amin Nayyar and Ar. Kosalaraman CJ

The engaging Jugalbandi of Ar. Kosalraman CJ from Chennai and Ar. Amin Nayyar from New Delhi compared the architectural landscapes of the two cities, discussing differences in work culture, client expectations, and the mindset that shapes design outcomes. The duo emphasised that while Delhi tends to be design-forward and expressive, Chennai’s sensibilities lean toward practicality and grounded solutions. It is ultimately professionalism and choosing the right clients that help you grow as an architect.

The two discussed their experiences in their respective regions of North and South. Apart from their free-flowing humorous exchange of words, the conversation also touched on larger issues in the profession, right from poor construction standards and the role of non-qualified practitioners to the rising influence of technology and AI. They discussed creativity with sustainability through a practical lens, acknowledging the gap between ideals and real-world implementation.

Closing Address by ID Praneeta Varma

The closing note was addressed by our curator, ID Praneet Varma. She appreciated team BMR who managed everything to put the entire event together while expressing gratitude to the partners including Roca, Panasonic, KEI for being a part of SDCA Chennai. Emphasising on takeaways like “put people first” in shaping Chennai’s 2035 vision, the note ended with appreciation for the energy and warmth that kept the audience engaged throughout the long and fulfilling evening.

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