Nov. 10-25
A conversation with the Founding Partners and Principal Architects of Confluence on what sets Indian design apart, how traditional and global influences shape their work, and why balancing a clear brief with creative freedom matters.
As Founding Partners and Principal Architects of Confluence, Vineeta Singhania and Vishal Sharma lead a practice shaped by more than 26 years of architectural, interior, and landscape design across India.
Their perspective reflects the firm’s values-driven, context-responsive approach, and their own belief that Indian design stands apart for its ability to integrate natural context, cultural heritage, and functionality into a cohesive experience drawn from multiple historical and regional influences.
Since its founding, the New Delhi-based practice has grown into a thriving team of more than 170 architects and designers.
Across their projects, the founders emphasize the importance of a balance between a clear brief and creative freedom, seeing architecture as both an act of service and imagination.
This aligns with their commitment to creating spaces that are socially responsible, economical, environmentally sustainable, and inspiring – principles they view as interconnected components of meaningful design.
In this conversation, Vineeta and Vishal discuss what distinguishes Indian design, how traditional and global influences converge in their practice, and the opportunities they see for designers working at the intersection of sustainability, culture, and urban growth.
Indian design distinguishes itself globally through its ability to integrate natural context, cultural heritage, and functionality into a unified and cohesive experience. At Confluence, we see this as a practice of creating spaces that are visually compelling and deeply rooted in site, climate, and tradition.
Unlike many global styles that follow a singular aesthetic language, Indian design draws from a plurality of influences, historical layers, regional crafts, and climatic responses. This enables us to create environments where art, architecture, and landscape are interwoven, offering depth and resonance that extends far beyond surface aesthetics.
Unlike many global styles that follow a singular aesthetic language, Indian design draws from a plurality of influences, historical layers, regional crafts, and climatic responses.
For us, what sets Indian design apart is this balance of innovation with tradition, the capacity to absorb global ideas while remaining grounded in context. It is a design culture that thrives on human experience, adaptability, and sustainability, and it is this ethos that continues to guide our work across diverse typologies.
Traditional Indian design influences our work profoundly through its climate-responsive wisdom and cultural symbolism. Elements like courtyards, jaalis, and stepped landscapes remind us that design is as much about comfort and sustainability as it is about beauty. We reinterpret these ideas in contemporary ways, whether it’s balconies designed as personal green oases or façades that filter light and air, so that our projects feel both rooted and forward-looking.
At the same time, our design practice is enriched by global perspectives. We draw inspiration from the refinement of Japanese minimalism, the material honesty of Scandinavian design, and the fluidity of organic forms seen in cultures across the world. This dialogue between India’s layered heritage and international influences allows us to create spaces that are contextual, innovative, and universally resonant.
When we approach a project, we value the clarity of a set brief because it gives us a strong foundation: a clear understanding of the client’s aspirations, the programmatic requirements, and the realities of the site. At the same time, we believe that true design excellence comes from the flexibility of creative freedom, which allows us to question conventions, explore new possibilities, and weave in cultural and contextual layers that a brief alone may not articulate.
When we approach a project, we value the clarity of a set brief because it gives us a strong foundation: a clear understanding of the client’s aspirations, the programmatic requirements, and the realities of the site.
This balance is important because architecture is both an act of service and an act of imagination. Too rigid a brief risks reducing design to a checklist, while unbounded freedom can lose sight of client needs. By combining both, we create work that is efficient and pragmatic, yet also emotionally resonant and transformative—spaces that not only meet needs but elevate experiences.
At Confluence, we believe that architecture must transcend the idea of buildings as mere enclosures. It should respond to the needs of people, society, and the planet, while leaving behind experiences that inspire and motivate. When we talk about creating work that is socially responsible, economical, environmentally sustainable, and deeply inspiring, we see these not as isolated principles but as interconnected drivers of design.
Social responsibility entails designing spaces that cater to local cultural contexts and community needs. Whether it is through education-focused initiatives or creating inclusive public spaces, our aim is always to enhance quality of life and social equity through design.
Economy, for us, extends beyond budgets. It is about designing intelligently, using resources efficiently, ensuring long-term adaptability, and creating solutions that deliver lasting value to both developers and end users.
Environmental sustainability is embedded in our SWIFT design philosophy. We adopt climate-responsive planning, biophilic principles, and material intelligence to reduce environmental impact while promoting wellness. Projects like NIT Sikkim, built for the Himalayan terrain, and County 107, with its green terraces and natural ventilation, exemplify this approach.
Finally, inspiration is what transforms a functional space into a meaningful one. In projects such as the Gaur NYC Experience Centre, we sought to create an immersive environment where fluid forms and natural light evoke emotion and memory. Together, these values ensure our work is not just functional architecture, but a catalyst for positive change, balancing responsibility with creativity, and efficiency with aspiration.
Yes, we believe Indian consumers are becoming more aware of sustainable design. What’s encouraging is that this awareness isn’t just about certifications or checklists; it’s about a genuine desire for healthier, more thoughtful spaces. People are increasingly valuing natural light, ventilation, greenery, and the comfort that comes from using locally sourced, climate-responsive materials.
In many ways, India already has a legacy of sustainability. Our stepwells, courtyards, verandahs, and jaalis were all clever responses to climate and community needs. What we’re seeing today is a revival of those ideas in a modern context. That, to us, is the exciting part: sustainability is no longer a trend; it’s becoming an essential aspect of how we live and design.
In the next decade, the biggest opportunities for Indian designers lie at the intersection of rapid urban growth and sustainable transformation. As cities expand, there will be a growing need for affordable housing, climate-resilient infrastructure, and public spaces that foster community well-being.
Most importantly, remember that design is about people—listen closely, observe deeply, and let empathy guide your work.
At the same time, the revival of traditional building knowledge, combined with advances in technology, offers Indian designers a chance to create models that are not only globally relevant but also deeply rooted in context.
For young designers, our advice is to balance curiosity with discipline. Learn the fundamentals of climate, materiality, and construction systems, because these form the backbone of responsible practice. At the same time, remain open to new technologies, digital tools, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Most importantly, remember that design is about people—listen closely, observe deeply, and let empathy guide your work. If you can hold creativity and responsibility in equal measure, your designs will solve problems while also inspiring lasting change.
Projects that we would love to highlight that have a meaningful impact in our portfolio are County 107 and Gaur NYC Experience Centre, each for very different reasons.
County 107 spans 4.9 acres in Noida. This IGBC Platinum-certified residential project integrates regenerative architecture with urban living. Inspired by the adjacent Sector 47 Central Park, the design extends greenery vertically, incorporating over 600 trees into the towers through planters, terraces, and vertical jaalis. The master plan positions four slightly C-shaped towers along the site’s linear layout, with only two flats per floor, ensuring openness and exclusivity. Each apartment, ranging from 3,500 to 6,500 square feet, features expansive 10-12-foot-wide balconies and accommodates three trees, blurring the line between indoors and outdoors.
Sustainability is embedded through materials and systems, including aluminium cladding, CNC-cut jaali panels, laminated glass railings, and high-performance glass that balances aesthetics with performance. Structural systems use Mivan walls and AAC blocks, with 30% recycled content and 95% of materials sourced within 400 km. With landscaped skywalks, wellness zones, and elevated walkways, the project creates a biophilic environment that prioritises comfort, privacy, and long-term ecological value.
The Gaur NYC Experience Centre, on the other hand, is a project located along NH-24 in Ghaziabad, designed around the principles of fluidity and biomimicry. The building’s façade combines angled glass panels in wave-like patterns with vertical metal louvres, creating a balance of transparency and texture. Inside, a double-height atrium with curved plaster-finished walls on a mild steel framework establishes a sculptural centre of circulation. Amorphous shapes and irregular offsets define the transitions between lounges, cafés, and model rooms, ensuring spatial continuity and functional clarity.
The material palette reinforces this organic approach, with sinuous white walls, polished diagonal stone flooring, and refined furniture selections. A customised sculptural glass chandelier acts as a focal point, while the surrounding green landscape and natural light enhance the spatial experience. Designed as both functional and visually engaging, the centre brings together architectural precision, sustainable elements, and sensorial details to create a cohesive environment that reflects contemporary design ethos.
Together, these projects capture the dual spirit of our work: one that delivers aspirational living through precision and scale, and another that celebrates creativity, narrative, and emotional resonance in architecture.
India’s intangible fabric is interesting and complex, shaped by the diverse weather patterns throughout the year. Since time immemorial, we have observed spaces that result from and respond to various factors, including climate, socio-economic backgrounds, and inspiration drawn from nature.
We encourage everyone to visit all four corners of India: north, east, south, and west. This will help people understand the range of experiences and the strikingly different, yet surprisingly similar, built environments. Travel to the most remote areas and see how globalisation has not yet influenced those beautiful details, where a sense of local identity remains sacred.
India has a rich design legacy, making it challenging to pinpoint a single source of inspiration. We are often drawn to creators who blend craft, context, and modern relevance. Artists like S.H. Raza and M.F. Husain changed modern Indian expression by incorporating indigenous traditions. Architects such as B.V. Doshi showed that design can be deeply rooted in culture while looking to the future.
One prominent example is the Hussain-Doshi Gufa in Ahmedabad. This amazing underground, organic space represents the lifelong collaboration between M.F. Husain and B.V. Doshi. It illustrates how storytelling, art, and architecture can come together into a powerful experience. Across India, many unique and evolving storytelling forms continue to reflect our diverse art traditions.
For us, working with designers and artists focused on material, storytelling, and craft traditions would be especially meaningful. Whether collaborating with textile artisans to incorporate handwoven elements into interiors or joining forces with contemporary installation artists who evoke emotion in spaces, these partnerships help architecture go beyond its basic function and become an experience.
Personally, we would love to work with painter Jayanti Bose to create frescoes for public spaces. This would continue the legacy of art-filled environments that connect to both local identities and universal emotions. What inspires us the most is the spirit of Indian creators. Their ability to transform local stories into something timeless and globally resonant drives us forward.
For us, collaborating with designers and artists who work with materiality, storytelling, and craft traditions would be especially meaningful. Whether it is working with textile artisans to integrate handwoven elements into interiors or collaborating with contemporary installation artists who bring emotion to space, such partnerships enable architecture to transcend its functional role and become experiential. What inspires us most is the spirit of Indian creators, their ability to transform local narratives into universal expressions.
Being in India and especially in Delhi is a constant stimulus. If one looks closely, the diverse nature of its people and the way Delhi acts as a cultural melting pot make it almost impossible not to be inspired. India itself is an ever-expanding canvas, where the past, present, and future constantly overlap. Walking through the narrow lanes of an old city, seeing how communities adapt spaces over time, or visiting ancient forts, stepwells, and temples where light, proportion, and geometry are timeless, all shape the way I think about design.
Equally, India’s living traditions of craft and materiality, stone carving, handwoven textiles, terracotta, bamboo remind me that innovation is most powerful when rooted in continuity. These traditions are not static; they evolve, adapt, and find contemporary expression, offering a vocabulary of detail and tactility that feels deeply relevant.
What excites me most is when these inspirations translate into the third dimension, installations and artworks that break barriers of thought, inviting us to engage differently. This is where my own work as a designer finds resonance: creating projects that are fresh yet relatable, deeply rooted in the Indian context but speaking to a universal audience.
To learn more, visit www.confluenceworld.in
All images provide by Confluence
