Padmanabhapuram Palace, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Technically, it falls within Tamil Nadu now in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. Padmanabhapuram was the capital of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore that spanned parts of the modern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The palace was built around 1600 AD by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609. It is believed that the Thai Kottaram was built in 1550.

In the late 18th century, precisely in 1795 the capital of Travancore was shifted from here to Thiruvananthapuram, and the place lost its former glory. However, the palace complex continues to be one of the best examples of traditional Kerala architecture, and some portions of the sprawling complex are also the hallmark of traditional Kerala style architecture. The Palace though surrounded entirely by the State of Tamil Nadu is still part of Kerala and the land and Palace belongs to the Government of Kerala. This Palace is maintained by the Govt.of Kerala Archaeology Department.

It is about 20km from Nagercoil, and about 50km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The palace is complex inside with an old granite fortress around four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills, which form a part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby.

The Travancore kings were known for their extreme simplicity, generosity and support of the arts, especially music. They were very wealthy, but saved their wealth in the form of gold, rather than squandering their resources on ostentatious living.

This palace looks like anything but a palace – it is probably the most spartan palace in the world. It is just a large and rather sloppily architectured building with many extensions and rooms within rooms that were likely added on over a few generations. It is basically a brick and mortar building with a simple wood roof. The internals are look no different from an average middle class house of that era, except for extensive wood carvings used as decorative accents.

Lavasa Hill Station, Mose Valley, Pune, India

Built around a lake, Lavasa is a lifestyle development and India's first post-independence "hill station," or second-home community. Lavasa is poised to be a world-class urban and economic center built in an area of 8,000 acres / 3,240 ha.



The development defines a new way to support human habitation while preserving and improving India's important natural ecosystems. The intent is to provide a new sustainable community, both in its relationship to the environment and in how people live, learn, work and play. Combining longstanding patterns of historic Indian development with vernacular building forms, the plan preserves open spaces while establishing a dozen compact, walk-able villages along the lake.

Oberoi Tower, Mumbai, India,

This 28-story tower is a part of a master-planned area that includes office space, hotel, retail and residential towers in a 175,000 sq. ft. / 16,260 sq. m. of area.

The top four levels house the headquarters of the Oberoi Development Company, with the rest of the tower available for lease. The tower is oriented with its broad facades facing north and south to maximize solar control. The southern exposure incorporates horizontal sunscreens for sun protection. The building's gentle, sweeping curved form presents a landmark image to the major north-south Mumbai highway.

Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India

The master planning and design for this world-class, high-tech terminal for India's second-busiest airport is built on a 2.7 million sq. ft. / 250,000 sq. m. This international terminal will add more than double the airport's current passenger capacity. Passengers will experience a terminal that maximizes the use of natural light, giving a feeling of openness.



The arrivals experience, especially, has been designed to provide a memorable welcome to India. The new terminal will open in time to accommodate the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India. The team designed 1.3 million sq. ft. of renovation projects to refurbish and extend existing terminals. The concept design also includes a multi-story car park and an airport village commercial center.

Estra IT Park and SEZ Master Plan

The plan for the 4 million-sq.-ft. development includes four IT office buildings, a 150-room hotel with conference center and penthouse executive club, and a central food court. A two-level underground parking podium and 11-level garage accommodates 7,800 cars and 60 buses.



The site is adjacent to the Chennai Express Highway, connecting the project to the Chennai City Center and the Chennai International Airport. The plan orients the IT buildings toward the highway and breaks up the main facade with the hotel and conference center. The parking garage behind this facade encloses the space and creates a central boulevard.