‘The great value system at Apeejay helped my personally & professionally’

He is a true Apeejayite having done his schooling from Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg in Jalandhar. When the family shifted to Delhi, he already knew about Apeejay and the kind of education the institute imparts. The school, according to this alumnus of Apeejay Institute of Technology-School of Architecture and Planning (AIT-SAP) was amazing.

“I still remember my teachers from Apeejay School in Jalandhar. Miss Shayari, Miss Mera, Miss Madhu Madan and Miss Madhulika ma’am to name a few. All of them helped me to develop a great value system; the environment was very conductive as well. This helped me to grow as a person. What I am today is because of the amazing teaching that I have had. The Apeejay brand enjoys a good reputation. When we shifted to Delhi and I wanted to pursue architecture, AIT-SAP was the place to be,” Rajat Sharma, who works in Dubai, said.

Excerpts from the interview.

Tell us about yourself. Where are you working at present?

At present, I am working as a design manager with an architectural firm Lacasa (multidisciplinary Architectural Design firms in the region with a diverse portfolio spanning all types of developments). This December, I would have completed 10 years in Dubai. But with Lacasa, I have been here for a few months only. I have previously also worked with this company. I joined here again as a design manager and done about what you call 500 million-plus projects in the residential, commercial and hospitality sector. So while being taking projects from design to execution. I hold residency here.

How did you get interested in architecture?

My father is an architect; the profession runs in the family. However, I have a knack for this subject.  Also, looking at my father, how he is working inspired me to take this up as a profession. Later when I joined Apeejay Institute of Technology-School of Architecture and Planning, the environment there was conducive enough for me to get sucked into the field. Back then it was a new school; the teachers were great and that really helped me a lot to move ahead.

A lot of credit goes to my first boss as well. He was one of the first Indians to get the Aga Khan Award. He was one of the reasons why I got really interested in architecture. He was my mentor and taught me a lot.

Are there some traits that person should have to pursue this course?

Yes, definitely. You have to use the logical side of the brain. You should have knowledge of spaces. If you understand spaces you will know that some spaces are creative, some display positive energy, and some give you negative energy. If you know this, it helps you to understand when somebody talks about space and volume. Architecture is not just about sketching a design, it is very important to get the correct perspective.

Tell us about your professional journey.

Once I passed out with the degree from Apeejay, I worked in India for the next seven years. So I started my career with Ar Ajoy Choudhury of Ajoy Choudhury Associates. He was a great mentor. He taught us the right way to approach this profession. He told us that there are no shortcuts to hard work. He explained the dimension of architecture works; he was one of the reasons why I am still in this profession. He encouraged me to travel the world, get acquainted with new cultures, and familirise myself with new styles of architecture. He was the one who encouraged me to work outside India.

A good mentorship will help you understand the nuances of architecture. Anybody can make buildings. What is even more important is how to create a good environment inside that space. A good mentor will put you in the field and give you an insight into the workings of how this sector works

–Rajat Sharma,  alumnus of Apeejay institute of technology-School of Architecture and Planning

How important is it to have a good mentor?

It is very important. A lot of children don’t know if they have the traits to excel in this field. A good mentorship will help you understand the nuances of architecture. Anybody can make buildings. What is even more important is how to create a good environment inside that space. A good mentor will put you in the field and give you an insight into the workings of how this sector works. This experience can’t be taught from books.

Some fond memories from your college days.

I had a great time. The school was new and the teachers were young. In school, the teachers are more like your parents. In college everything changes and your teachers become your friends. I was also the union secretary. The best part was that the studios were open 24 hours. We also had engineering students who studied with us. For the entire year we used to study and they would enjoy college life. But when it was time for exams, we enjoyed and they slogged; those were fun times.

We also took educational trips as well with our teachers. We travelled to the South and were acquainted with the architecture of the area. This also contributed to our growth professionally.

How did you end up choosing Dubai for work?

As I mentioned before, Ar Ajoy Choudhury encouraged me to work outside of India. In 2013, 50 per cent of the world’s cranes were in Dubai since a lot of construction work was happening there. The whole world was looking to Dubai. And unlike India that has historical buildings, Dubai was and still offers a dynamic environment. What this city is doing is very futuristic by using technology. So, there is a lot of work happening here and it made sense for me to work here.

How is working in Dubai different from India?

Life in Dubai is better than what we have back home. Yes, I do miss my parents but the good part is that you have the best of everything. There is Europe almost next door. This opens doors to the futuristic buildings to come. Working in Dubai means that you are exposed to cultures and people from different nationalities and yet there is a vibrant Indian culture that you can be part of which is nice.