ARK Reza Kabul Architects

Company Name

ARK Reza Kabul Architects

The roots
“Being an architect was quite unplanned,” says well-known architect Reza Kabul. “After completing my 12th grade, I went for an engineering entrance exam to Baroda (now Vadodara). During this time, I stayed with a friend, a final year student of architecture. I was totally fascinated by the sketches and the representations made by him. Before I realised it, I cleared the entrance exam for architecture at MSU Baroda.”

The nurturing
Though he cherishes the years at his alma mater, Kabul firmly maintains that his education continued beyond a paper degree and into the actual ‘practice’ of architecure. “Architecture that is taught in universities and architecture that is applied practically are two completely different things. Learning begins outside the classroom.” This is also why he seeks inspiration from the most unlikely of places: the structure of an ant hill, the complexities of our planet… Life, in its own way, has also been a great influencer, personal and professional. “There have been several people who have marked their influence in words, thoughts and actions – each in their own way have taught me to dream big, with the feet firmly grounded,” he says.

The fruits
After a brief stint at a prominent architecture studio in Mumbai, Kabul set up ARK Reza Kabul Architects in 1988, and further expanded to Pune and the USA. ARK is a full-service architectural, interiors, landscape design and planning company with proven expertise in project design – ranging from masterplans and townships, to industrial, hospitality, commercial, institutional, educational and residential segments. “I don’t believe in confining spaces between four walls; on the contrary, I believe in open spaces – both for the interiors and exteriors,” says Kabul of his design philosophy. “Every space needs to have a good optimum, be it a small-sized apartment or large commercial office. Functionality and aesthetics play a key role as a design philosophy for any space.”

The turning points
Each project, in its own exquisite way, is a milestone, contributing to the learning curve. One such initial project was a five-star property in Mauritius and Kabul’s “greatest moment”. The big break, however, came with Sagar Classic, an 18-storeyed tower in Byculla, Mumbai. “We made the model and a perspective, which itself achieved an overwhelming response, and the client’s satisfaction. The growing fame brought along an array of well-known developers, who approached me for their projects.” Marine Plaza, Mumbai, was one such – an existing residential structure that had to be turned into a five-star hotel without demolition. The light-starved central atrium had no open space for a swimming pool, leaving the architect with the only option – the terrace – which he pressed to advantage by creating a glass-bottomed pool, one of the first in the city, and resolving the need for natural light in the atrium as well in one brilliant masterstroke. Bharat Diamond Bourse at BKC was another milestone, with the main challenge to give the existing incomplete structure a fresh look with added amenities and revamped design considerations.

The destination
Kabul, who says that his dream project is to redesign all of Mumbai with well-organised infrastructure and efficient re-use of the existing landmass, opines that the future beckons radical revolution in structural design; where creativity and resolution of intent can build cities. “The vision to rank among the topmost players in the world has fuelled and sustained our drive to deliver pioneering benchmarks in design aesthetics. Our constant endeavour remains to be counted among the topmost architectural firms in the world.”