Ar JP Agrawal Unplugged

A HEART-TO-HEART TALK WITH ARCHITECT JP AGRAWAL, A STALWART IN THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN. IN THIS INTERVIEW, HE SHARES HIS PHILOSOPHY ON GREEN DESIGNS, HIS WORK ETHICS AND THE SECRET BEHIND HIS SUCCESS.

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Growing up in a small town and studying in a Gujarati medium school didn't deter JP Agrawal to follow his dreams. His resolute attitude, combined with hard work and commitment, is the only reason why he is a name to reckon with in the field of architecture and design today. As a child, he may not have understood the concept of architecture, but he was blessed with an innate aesthetic sense. Besides, design was also in his genes - his grandfather being the "unofficial official" architect of the town they lived in. Cut to today, his firm, Agrawal & Agrawal, which he established in 1986, is not just one of the largest architecture firms in Kolkata, but has its presence across 12 states in the country, with over 500 completed projects of various scale and nature in its kitty. The practice is largely committed to the environment and user-friendly architecture. Many projects designed by them have achieved USGBC'S platinum rating for its green features. So far, more than 10 million sq ft of green space has been made available through various projects. Apart from being bestowed with several honors, Agrawal & Agrawal takes pride in the fact that several projects designed by them are considered landmarks in the city of Kolkata - Infinity, Technopolis, Millenium City and Forum Mall being some of them. Over the years, their clientele has come to include leading builders of Kolkata, corporates and large institutions.

SUMISHA GILOTRA gets into a candid conversation with Architect JP Agrawal, Founder, Agarwal and Agarwal Architects, a man of simple tastes, with an eye for good design, a commitment towards creating green spaces and fulfilling client wishes with his magic wand of design.

SG: Mr Agrawal, you have changed the way India looks at architecture and the world looks at architecture in India with your honest designs and smart and simple planning. Do you want to start off by telling us about yourself and your firm?