RAHUL KADRI: ARCHITECT OF IMPACT

From leading IMK Architects to chairing initiatives like the Mumbai Architects Collective, Rahul Kadri unpacks the urgent need for policy reform, pedestrian-first cities, and a bold reimagining of the Maharashtra Town Planning Act, offering a visionary roadmap for sustainable, people-centric urban design

- Ankita Rathod

Meeting Rahul Kadri feels less like stepping into an architect’s studio and more like walking into a philosophy in motion. He greets me with a disarmingly nonchalant smile, the kind that exudes quiet confidence without a shred of pretension. His glasses hang loosely from his chest—a detail so effortless it echoes his approach to life and work: measured, grounded, and refreshingly genuine.

As we navigate his studio, a lived-in haven of character, it’s hard not to notice the stories embedded in every corner. Old furniture pieces carry the weight of decades of thought, while a striking monochrome Husain in his father's cabin reflects a legacy well-preserved. Marble curios lead the way to an expansive garden, offering a sweeping view of the Coastal Road, the iconic Haji Ali Dargah, and the junction where Worli truly begins, just across from the Nehru Planetarium.

Kadri dives straight into the heart of what drives him. “Architects today are stepping into roles they weren't trained for—like urban planning,” he says with a thoughtful pause. “Designing spaces between buildings—spaces that shape the very life of a city—requires a completely different thought process. And yet, India lacks the infrastructure to support real urban planning. Departments like the BMC’s urban planning wing are defunct, and while MMRDA may create master plans, they lack actionable micro-plans that respond to on-ground realities.”