For years, we have been dreaming of these times.

FOR decades, after the Colony left behind monumental & stunning architectural marvels crafted to perfection & glorifying the classics, we were struggling to evolve an architectural language which bridged the gap between imperialism & realism.
'Architecture' was a terminology grossly misinterpreted amongst most enthusiasts. While, in most parts of the country, local contractors defined styles of building design based on concoctions of scraps of architectural trivia known to them, some great minds, in the more evolved metros, labored to give shape to relevant & individualistic design.
The focus in the 70s & 80s was on the increasing demand in residential space. The traditional classical & art deco styles gave way to India's version of modern architecture.
Proud design firms flaunted their creations in high rise design in cities like Mumbai. This due to the high land cost, as against which, other cities boasted of stylistic individual homes.
Architects were now recognized & started replacing the home grown, self appointed contractor-designers.
The following years saw the commissioning of prestigious institutional projects by some Government departments, embassies as well as private entities.
As students, in the 80's, we were fascinated by Charles Correa's various interpretations for the Bharat Bhavan, his revolutionary high rise residential tower in South Mumbai & his visions for the Mumbai twin city.
Other architectural marvels like the Tata Theatre on the then southernmost tip of Mumbai, the Lotus temple at Delhi , Uttam Jain's vernacular architecture, B.V. Doshi's philosophical structures- all made for an interesting spectrum.
Others caught up gradually & an array of well designed, up market residential colonies sprung up in cities like Bangalore & Chennai.
And then there was total fast forward. Suddenly, with the IT boom in the 90s, the context & scale changed.
Beginning with humble IT stand alone offices, the demand moved on to large designer campuses & IT Parks housing multiple organizations. Everyone wanted to make a statement & architects suddenly found an outlet for their creative skills.
The volume became overwhelming & this slowly changed the architectural approach from individualized edifices to standardized solutions. Time was of essence & the simplest solution was to build the shell & dress it with a glass or ACP envelope.
Simultaneously, residential architecture also went through a metamorphosis. Exposure to the western world changed living styles for most of the upwardly mobile techies. And they were the target segment. Swanky condominiums with the promise of a luxurious lifestyle became the marketing mantra. And we were all busy creating post modern, neo classical or more contemporary versions based on how deep into his pocket the developer would be willing to reach.
Clearly though, the customer is king & most reputed developers have been sporting a far more open approach to design & specifications.
To support this economic boom, retail, entertainment & hospitality started ramping up. Starting with developers 'versions' of shopping malls which were no more than commercial complexes with some of the external jazz picked up from consumer bonanzas in Dubai & Singapore, we moved onto huge, more mature retail outlets backed by solid 'consumologic'.
Multiplexes & entertainment centres, mostly part of such malls, have changed our ways of spending our evenings.
Modern, posh hotels, some amalgamating historical architectural elements, housing expensive rooms & restaurants were now dotting the streets.
The trend was now towards architectural globalization. The yearning to be truly international & in pace with evolving styles defined by master pieces the world over.
The design texture is now a weave of the modern & crisp Manhattan skyline, glimpses of the Thames riverside, subtle space definitions & eye soothing landscape concepts from Singapore & flashing images of glamorous Dubai.
The trend continues-the architectural explosion has left us all wide eyed. We continue to define & re-define design in our own language. We are fast learning our lessons on urban planning & design of townships-the next big thing. Learning the intricacies of socio-economic patterns & their impact on architecture. Learning the advances in technology. Learning the importance of environmental issues in an unprecedented growth like ours-the absolute reason to think Green.

And we, the architectural fraternity continue our endeavors to strike the balance between our architectural aspirations, the country's projections, the developers' perceptions & nature's invocations.