‘Working in Dubai is exciting since city is expanding on land, air, and sea’

“There is something that Apeejay instils in its students that even decades later, we remember the days with such fond memories. In every Apeejayite – past or present – each one has memories that are close to the heart. I passed out from Apeejay Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning (AIT-SAP), Greater Noida back in 2010 but I am not only in touch with my seniors, juniors, and batchmates but I am also in touch with my professors,” says Bharat Bhushan who works as assistant project manager, Sheikh Zayed housing programme at United Arab Emirates – Dubai.

In a candid interview, he talks about why he chose to move to Dubai and his favourite buildings globally.

What made you work in Dubai?

In the last 15-20 years the city has expanded in every direction. There is a boom taking place even today, especially in the construction sector. It is amazing. It was and still is an amazing experience to see the buildings that are being made here. Back then, everything was taking to the skies, Burj Khalifa being one of them. Everything is so alive here.

I wanted to explore this world and be part of the work culture here. When I was working in Delhi, I never got the opportunity to be part of something that was exciting. In Dubai, construction is taking place everywhere – air, skies and water.

Tell us about your work.

For the last six years, I have been working in the UAE. I worked with a couple of private companies in Dubai itself. Later, I shifted to the government sector and started working as an urban designer. Dubai is not a stickler for designations and as such, I don’t have a designation. The project that I am working on at present, is for the locals. We have different housing projects in the nine Emirates. Each Emirate has 900 villas. For now, I am associated with three projects.

How did your association with Apeejay begin?

I am from Ghaziabad and after completing Class XII, my father insisted that I pursue BArch. We looked at a few institutes and zeroed in on AIT-SAP for its infrastructure and faculty. At first, I was not very interested in architecture and wanted to pursue Civil Engineering. But then my father sat me down and explained to me the advantages of pursuing BArch; he told me that there were far greater opportunities in this sector and it was creative as well. Slowly, my interest built.

What is the best part of being an architect?

Once I started developing an interest in the subject, it was an amazing experience to study this. The best part of being an architect is that it sets your mind free. This makes you think out-of-the-box. The profession is exciting, it commands respect and you explore your creative side. Architecture is more than just designing buildings; you tend to understand human psychology since you deal with people. Not only do you develop your skills, but you also grow personally.

Every architect has a favourite building. What is yours?

We study so much history of building that each one ends up with a favourite building or architecture from a particular era or even country. So, it is tough to pick one since there are so many. When I was pursuing my master’s in the UK, I saw the architecture there. I went to Jordan and saw their buildings; there are so many of them that are deemed world heritage sites.

India has some amazing structures. I want to see each one of them, especially the Southern architecture. I am enamoured with Greek architecture as well.

How has architecture changed since you started working?

 I have been working for 12 years now. Even while doing my master’s I was working part-time for my previous company in India. The region determines the architecture of the place. When you are designing for a metropolitan, the design is totally different from what you would design for a tier-III city. People also determine the kind of buildings found. As these two things, so does the design.

In the last 15-20 years, Dubai has expanded in every direction. There is a boom taking place even today, especially in the construction sector. It is amazing. It was and still is an amazing experience to see the buildings that are being made here

–Bharat Bhushan, Assistant Project Manager, Sheikh Zayed housing programme, Dubai

What are some of the things that determine the shape of the building?

The first thing that determines the shape is the lighting – sunlight – of the area. Wind, air and even temperatures determine the design. An architect has to keep all these things in mind even before he hits the design board. The building material used will be based on the elements of nature.

What advice would you like to give to present Apeejayites?

I would say make the most of the time that you spend in college. Make friends with your seniors and juniors as well. Explore your creative side, don’t restrict yourself. Have faith in the faculty, learn from them and be in touch with them. Be innovative and use technological advancements made to the fullest. Always think about what new things you can bring to the table. It is important to leave a legacy.