What does it really mean to be an ideal student of architecture or design in India today?

In this first part of a five-part series on Design & Architecture Education, I sit down with Prof. Abu Talha Farooqi—Associate Professor, Associate Dean at JSAA, OP Jindal Global University, BEE-certified ECBC Master Trainer, and recipient of the Solar Decathlon India Outstanding Faculty Award. Abu brings together academic depth, industry engagement, and a rare sensitivity towards ecological and human-centered thinking in architecture.

Together, we explore education from the student’s point of view.

We unpack:

• The gap between expectation and reality in architecture colleges

• Why students feel lost, anxious, or underprepared

• What students expect from education vs what the profession demands

• The emotional, financial, and career pressure on young designers

• What an “ideal student” should really look like in today’s world

This episode is for:

• Architecture & design students

• Aspirants planning to join design colleges

• Parents trying to understand this profession

• Educators shaping the next generation

This is not theory.
This is a real, honest conversation about what students deserve—and what they must take responsibility for.

What does it really take to design a safe high-rise in India?

In this episode of The CODE – India’s No.1 Construction Podcast, Rishabh Aggarwal sits down with Mr. Ajay Gupta, Founder & Principal Consultant at Perceptive Ideas Consulting Engineers Pvt. Ltd., one of the country’s most respected structural engineers behind landmark projects such as JW Marriott (Shimla & Sohna), AIIMS Faridabad, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Taj Amer Jaipur, and Krisumi’s Waterfall Residences.

With over 20 years of experience, an M.S. from IISc Bangalore, and more than 300 projects across hospitality, healthcare, public buildings, residential towers, and mixed-use developments, Ajay Gupta brings rare clarity to how great structures are actually conceived, tested, and built.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How high-rise buildings are designed for seismic safety, drift control, and human comfort

• What value engineering truly means—and why it is not about cutting corners

• When a building should be retrofitted vs rebuilt

• How BIM, cloud computing, and AI are transforming structural design

• Why peer reviews are critical in preventing failures

• The most common site-level mistakes engineers make

• Why constructibility matters as much as calculations

• What civil engineering students must learn beyond software

This episode is essential listening for civil engineers, architects, builders, developers, project managers, and students who want to understand the thinking behind safe, efficient, and future-ready structures.

If you care about structural engineering, high-rise design, seismic safety, BIM, AI in construction, durability, and ethical engineering, this conversation will change how you look at every building around you.

Build it right. The first time.

In EP135 of The CODE, we sit down with Anil Badan, Founder & Principal Architect of Studio B Architects, to unpack a journey that mirrors the evolution of India’s luxury hospitality industry itself—from a first salary of ₹3,000 to designing some of the country’s most prominent 5-star hotels.

This episode goes far beyond motivation. It is a technical, insight-driven conversation on how hotels are actually designed, planned, and sustained in India. We dive deep into hotel planning and circulation, guest flow vs service flow, material performance over 15–20 years, and the real economics of luxury and sustainability. Anil breaks down where most hospitality projects fail, how poor planning increases operating costs, and why net-zero hotels begin with design decisions—not technology add-ons.

Whether you are an architect, hotel owner, developer, operator, or architecture student, this episode offers practical frameworks, honest numbers, and hard-earned lessons from real projects across India.
This is not a philosophical discussion—it’s a masterclass on hospitality design, materials, money, and long-term thinking.

🎧 Listen in to understand what truly separates hotels that merely look luxurious from those that work effortlessly for decades.

On a random Sunday, while I was driving by one of our national highways, I noticed people sitting on cots (chaarpaai) in their farms (khet) and having food, smoking a hukkah and talking. I particularly noticed how relaxed and happy they looked.

I thought why not recreate that in Cities, perhaps in a farmland, get people together and have a light, happy and informative conversation about my favorite topic- Construction and Design.

Which started out as an idea to inform and educate contractors, became a self initiated quest for genuine knowledge and real solutions where the contractors came up with the day to day challenge they face on sites. Their queries are very real. Every contractor must go through the same troubles. Answering the queries were Civil Engineers Vishal Attri and your favorite Dr. Concrete Suneet Gupta.

It was a light, fun and genuine conversation.

Hope you enjoy it!

www.linktr.ee/indiasno1constructionpodcast

In EP133 of The CODE – India’s No.1 Construction & Design Podcast, I speak from the student’s side, while Nien Siao, Dean at JS Institute of Design, presents the educator’s reality.
We unpack design education in India—why colleges chase toppers, not problem-children, the business of education, colleges driven by money vs intent, real ROI on expensive design degrees, and whether design schools truly prepare students for industry.
A raw, honest, and necessary conversation for every design student, parent, and educator questioning the system.

India is building the future — but what if the foundation of that future lies in the wisdom of the past?
Welcome to Episode 132 of The CODE – India’s No.1 Construction Podcast, where Rishabh Aggarwal sits down with Shibani Dasgupta Jain, Founder & CEO of Baaya Design, the visionary studio behind some of India’s most iconic airport designs, corporate headquarters, luxury residences, and public spaces.

Shibani has spent over 20 years reimagining Indian artisanal crafts within modern architecture and interior design — creating large-scale innovations like:
✨ Textile & 3D mural installations at Lucknow Airport
✨ Cultural storytelling at Gwalior Airport
✨ Art-driven spaces at IIM Ahmedabad
✨ Corporate identity through art at Tata Bombay House
✨ Bespoke craft-infused luxury homes across India

In this power-packed conversation, discover:
🔹 Why craft is design intelligence developed over centuries
🔹 How airport art, corporate environments & hospitality spaces use design to influence human behaviour
🔹 Why design thinking must lead construction — not follow it
🔹 How to create ROI from art & craft in commercial spaces
🔹 What architects & interior designers can learn from India’s craft ecosystem
🔹 The future of India’s cultural identity in the built environment
🔹 How storytelling can transform places → into meaningful experiences

Shibani breaks down her Art-of-Design methodology — designing for identity, emotion & context, not just aesthetics.
If you’re an architect, designer, builder, developer, real-estate professional or design student — this episode is a masterclass you can’t miss.

🔥 If you love architecture, interiors, construction, Indian craft, sustainability & design innovation — watch till the end!

EP 131 – Design Explained: The Viral 20x60 Slender House in DelhiWhat if a home built on just 20x60 ft could feel as grand, open, and connected as a villa?In this episode of The CODE – India’s No.1 Construction Podcast, host Rishabh Aggarwal sits down with Ar. Kapil Aggarwal, Principal Architect at Spaces Architects@KA, to decode the architecture behind the viral “Slender House” — a masterpiece that’s redefining how India thinks about home design.📍 Project: Slender House, Delhi📏 Plot Size: 6m x 18m (20x60 ft)🏗️ Architect: Ar. Kapil Aggarwal, Spaces Architects@KA🏠 Built-up Area: 6,550 sq. ft.📅 Completed: 2024🔍 What’s Inside this EpisodeHow to design a 20x60 ft home that feels infiniteUsing skylights, voids & vertical volumes to bring light and ventilationThe emotional story behind the Tree of Life artwork in the houseWhy Kapil believes “light is the real luxury”What homeowners can learn from this project before building their ownLessons from 30 years of architectural mastery at Spaces Architects@KA💬 Top TakeawaysThis episode blends real architecture education with relatable insights for every home builder:→ How to make a small plot feel spacious→ How to bring emotion into design→ Why “quality over quantity” defines modern luxuryIf you’re an architect, interior designer, civil engineer, or a homeowner planning your dream home, this is a must-watch episode that demystifies great design — explained simply.⏱️ Chapters📸 Follow & Subscribe📺 YouTube: @indiasno1constructionpodcast🎧 Spotify: The CODE Podcast📸 Instagram: @indiasno1constructionpodcast🔖 Why You’ll Love This EpisodeIt’s not just a house — it’s an idea.A home where light connects generations, art becomes memory, and architecture becomes emotion.Welcome to the Slender House — where design proves that even a narrow plot can hold infinite stories.

What does it take to design a space that feels like a story?

In this episode of The CODE: Construction. Design. Engineering., Rishabh Aggarwal sits inside one of Delhi’s most extraordinary interiors — PVR Home, Vasant Kunj — with the visionary behind it, Architect Smriti Raheja Sawhney, Founder of DesignEx.

Together, they decode the architecture, materials, and lighting that shaped this luxurious, emotionally intelligent space.
Smriti shares how brass, marble, and glass were layered to create warmth and drama, why lighting is not just about visibility but emotion, and how design can make people feel even before they understand why.

She also opens up about her journey — building DesignEx, the challenges of being a woman in architecture, and the reality of balancing creativity with business.

Whether you’re an architect, designer, builder, or design enthusiast, this episode is your front-row seat to the making of one of India’s most talked-about hospitality interiors.

🎙 Inside PVR Home — where architecture becomes experience.

EP129 — Doctor Concrete Part 6: The Science of Curing

In the final episode of our Doctor Concrete series on The CODE – India’s No.1 Construction Podcast, Er. Suneet Gupta — Civil Engineer, Concrete Technologist, and affectionately known as Doctor Concrete — breaks down the most misunderstood and overlooked step in concrete making: Curing.

We’ve talked about Batching, Mixing, Transportation, Placement, Compaction, and Finishing.
Now comes the step that ensures all of that effort actually works — Curing.

Curing is not just sprinkling water; it’s a controlled process that helps concrete gain its true design strength, durability, and resistance to cracks. Yet, it’s the step most people rush or skip.

In this episode, Doctor Concrete explains:

• What curing really does inside the concrete structure.

• Why continuous moisture is critical for cement hydration.

• The right duration for curing as per IS 456:2000 (7–14 days minimum).

• The best methods — ponding, wet gunny bags, sprinkling, curing compounds.

• What happens when curing is delayed or insufficient.

• The link between curing, durability, and life span of RCC structures.

Because the truth is simple — you can do everything else right, but if you skip curing, your concrete will fail.

🎧 Watch EP129 – Doctor Concrete: The Science of Curing now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

#DoctorConcrete #TheCODEPodcast #ConcreteTips #CivilEngineering #ConcreteCuring #ConstructionBasics #SiteWork #BuildingStrong #RCC #Infrastructure #ConcreteScience

EP128 — Doctor Concrete Part 5: The Art of Finishing

In this episode of The CODE – India’s No.1 Construction Podcast, we continue our 7-part Doctor Concrete series with Er. Suneet Gupta, Civil Engineer and Concrete Expert — widely known as Doctor Concrete.

After exploring Batching, Mixing, Transportation, Placement, and Compaction, we now move to one of the most visually defining and performance-critical stages of concrete work — Finishing.

Finishing isn’t just about how your slab looks; it’s about how it performs. Done right, it prevents cracks, improves durability, ensures better bonding for flooring, and gives concrete its final strength and character.

In EP128 – The Art of Finishing, Doctor Concrete explains:

• What finishing actually means in concrete construction.

• The right time to start finishing after compaction.

• How to avoid bleeding water and laitance on the surface.

• Tools and techniques — from wood floats to power trowels.

• Common mistakes that lead to surface cracks and weak layers.

• IS code guidelines for finishing and curing practices.

• Why finishing too early or too late can ruin the top layer’s strength.

Doctor Concrete simplifies how proper finishing is not just an aesthetic step but a scientific process — one that directly impacts the life and quality of the structure.

🎧 Watch EP128 – Doctor Concrete: The Art of Finishing now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

#DoctorConcrete #TheCODEPodcast #ConcreteTips #CivilEngineering #ConcreteFinishing #SiteWork #ConstructionBasics #BuildingStrong #RCC #SurfaceFinishing