CP Kukreja Architects

Company Name

CP Kukreja Architects

The roots
Dikshu Kukreja calls architecture the largest unwritten historical document, one he used to wonder at and peruse even as a young boy. “I was fascinated by the longevity and permanence of the tombs and forts I visited.” Of course, education also began at home – where he was exposed to his father, legendary architect CP Kukreja’s work. “However, oddly enough, my father was never too keen on me following the same profession. I was determined to prove my talent and ability to him, and this was the catalyst that propelled me to pursue architecture.”

The nurturing
Kukreja completed his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (Honours) as a gold medalist at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in New Delhi, before moving to the United States to pursue his Master’s in Urban Design at Harvard University. He also attended the Taliesin Fellowship at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, where he was exposed to unorthodox yet profound teaching methods. “I have vivid recollections of my time here, including being left in the Arizona desert to create a shelter using whatever we could find and undertaking construction works.”

As clichéd as it may sound, Kukreja’s father has always been an inspirational figure for his commitment to design. At a time when terms like ‘sustainability’ and ‘environment friendly architecture’ were yet to be coined, the senior architect emphasised the need to be responsive to site and climate.

The fruits
Established in 1969, CP Kukreja Architects (CPKA) shot into prominence on winning the national design competition for the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Since then, the firm has grown from strength to strength, and now offers a range of multidisciplinary services. “Through these years, it has been our commitment to create meaningful spaces. From creating landmarks in architecture to being touted one of the top 100 architectural firms in the world, the journey has been nothing short of incredible.”

The turning points
Gautam Buddha University and East Delhi Hub represent  significant turning points for the firm – not only for their scale, but also for the ideology that was embodied in their design. The 500-acre Gautam Buddha University campus underlined the importance of a harmonious coexistence between man and his natural surroundings. Believing this relationship to be the key to fostering intellect, creativity and dissemination of ideas, their aim was to create a “centre of learning” that would embrace Mother Nature. East Delhi Hub in Karkardooma is conceptualised to be a new Transit Oriented Development (TOD) that imbibes the core values of a sustainable ‘smart city’. It introduces extensive vertical mixed-use development to tackle the issue of high density and ensure 24-hour active, safer spaces. This includes an iconic 100-storey LEED Platinum-rated tower that is expected to be a new landmark in Delhi.

The destination
With so many bold, innovative ideas coming up for the shaping of our cities, Kukreja opines that the vertical city movement is by far the one with the most momentum. “However, while we see skyscrapers and business hubs reach new heights, we are yet to see entire cities touch the clouds. My dream project is to design a socially inclusive and sustainable vertical city in India.” The future is uncertain, but the architect hopes that CPKA gets the opportunity to create more landmarks and path-breaking architecture across the globe.