Creativity, vision and technical proficiency: 3 must-haves in architecture

Rajeev Kumar Verma is an architect working at Gian P. Mathur and Associates Private Limited in Delhi. He is an alumnus of Apeejay Institute of Technology – School of Architecture Planning (AIT-SAP) from where he completed his Bachelors in Architecture.

Taking out time from a day lined up with many client meetings and project discussions, the Apeejay alumnus reminisces about his alma mater as well as throws light on some key skills that make one a good architect! Read edited excerpts:

Please tell us about your work? What does a regular working day look like?

My day begins with exercise (30 minutes at least). For all students reading this, it is essential to keep yourself fit if you want to survive in any field. After exercise, I do my daily prayers before heading to the office. But before I head to work, I make sure to spend some time with my daughter, Avya, who is just nine years old.  

At the Gian P Mathur and Associates,  I am working as a team leader and am currently working on a 1000 seater inter college-cum-residential facility project ( at Moradabad and Bareilly). I am also working on a Forensic science lab project at Gurugram. I am also the Design Director for Kanpur Central Railway station redevelopment project and the Senior Architect for Tirupati Railway station redevelopment project. 

These are some high profile projects! Do you owe your success to the Apeejay student years?
Yes, my journey began from there. I have many good memories, the fun time spent with the seniors. I made many amazing friends like Nishant Gupta, Shashank Dixit, Manoj Sonkar, Amal Sukla, Alok Maurya, Tanu Bhatt Anoop yadav, Akshat Jain, Priyanka yadav, Vinkta, Dinesh, Gurpreet, Miraj and Karan Malhotra. They were all a great part of my B. Arch journey. We recently lost our dear friend Karan in an accident. It was very hard for all of us. As you can understand, we were a solid group of friends. 

How did the faculty guide you well through this journey?
The faculty is etched in my heart for their guidance. I have learnt a lot from Ar. Ashutosh Agrawal, Ar. Vijay Garg, Ar. Mukul Gupta and Prof. Ved Mittal, they were my thesis guides.

1. Creativity and Vision: Architects need to have a strong sense of creativity to design innovative and aesthetically pleasing structures. They must envision how spaces can be used effectively and imagine the final look of a project, translating ideas into practical designs.

2. Technical Proficiency: A deep understanding of architectural principles, building codes, and construction methods is crucial. Architects must be skilled in using design software, understanding structural integrity, and integrating sustainable practices into their designs.

3. Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication skills are necessary for architects to articulate their ideas clearly to clients, engineers, and construction teams. They must collaborate well with diverse teams, listen to feedback, and coordinate various aspects of a project to ensure successful completion.

Finally, one piece of advice for the current students?
Enjoy your field and be focused towards creativity and vision with technical proficiency!