Know us
PATH - Planning and Architecture Towards Holistic development - is an architecture and planning studio in Auroville led by Lalit Kishor Bhati and Shailaja Sudhalkar Bhati that endeavours to create sustainable and harmonious designs in planning, architecture and interiors.
Beginning
PATH was formed in Auroville, in 2004 with the intention to manifest creative expressions stemming from the journey of self-discovery and an ever evolving understanding of life.
Being in Auroville, PATH has a wonderful opportunity of getting constantly inspired from the works of the pioneering architects of Auroville. The quality of the design, the detailing of the spaces, the element of inherent beauty and the joyful experimentation of materials in the precedents in Auroville constantly frames the brief of any project that PATH undertakes.
Approach
It is through Beauty that the Divine manifests in the Physical - The Mother
Our work is centered on the belief that beauty and harmony in the built environment inspires corresponding harmony and wellbeing in life.
We strive to create spaces that respond to climate while exploring the various possibilities with materials and redefining elements to create forms that flow with the requirement and the essential spirit of the place. The built forms then become places one can be inspired in; the connection to the elements outside facilitating and mirroring the connection to the spaces within oneself.
While the built spaces communicate unobstructed with the nature and its elements, they provide appropriate protection from the same. The shading elements thus conceived form the basis of the visual language of our built works such as large overhangs on corbelled walls, spouts that bring down the rain water at points of easy collection, openings for cross ventilation and roofs that rise up to catch a piece of sky for every space enclosed.
Thus, our buildings are varied; follow no one particular style except that of honesty and creativity and the joyful celebration of the essence enclosed.
Our Team
I took up the study of architecture in M. S. University at Baroda, Gujarat and stepped into this adventure of creative imagination.
I graduated in 1995 and moved to Chandigarh. It was very fortunate for me to start my life as an architect in Chandigarh, as visual impressions have a tendency to get absorbed and formatted in one’s mind and I couldn’t have asked for better inputs! The built and the green forms of Chandigarh constantly revealed to me their beauty of proportion, material and the play of light and shade and thus introduced to me the facet of intuition in architecture, which generally does not come forth in conventional education. Inspired by the Mountain ranges in the background and the visually interactive built environment carved out by Le Corbusier, it became clear to me that harmony has a very high influence on the minds of the observer, and that an architect’s role goes much beyond ‘building’.
After a couple of years there, and with a mind heady with strong architectural imagery and language, I decided to give myself the possibility to take my understanding to a deeper level by taking up teaching. Thus I worked with zest as a lecturer in a college of architecture in Bangalore for a year and then came to Auroville in 1999 to learn anew.
In Auroville, where work in every field is a meditative exploration, I found myself in the midst of a rich legacy of experimentation and innovation. Slowly it became clear to me that the answers and inspiration are not to be searched for outside; neither are they to be brought forth from within. The quest, the path and the answers are existent - and reveal themselves to one when one aligns with one’s true nature and with the forces. Thus inspired, my work in Auroville started with a look inward, a search within my soul, for depending on the quality of inner space, was the expression of outer forms.
I worked shortly with two senior architects here and then in 2004, Lalit and I started PATH, an architecture and planning studio which would have inspiration, creativity and experimentation as its basis and would shape and evolve with a joyful flexibility to mirror our insights in the path of life.
With this ideal since the very foundation, it can be challenging to find ways to give form to the concepts but I firmly believe that if one has the quest, then a teacher and guide is given to one. My path has been guided by interactions with different teachers who have helped develop and deepen my understanding of design, structure and construction.
Here in Auroville, life is a rhythmic progression of reflection and expression. And thus my journey here as an architect continues as I continue to refine myself and explore new ways to mould spaces into holistically designed architecture. I believe that it is the attempt to rise above oneself, go beyond personal limitations and walk with faith into the unknown that the unfolding and creating is all about.
Lalit had an inherent interest in the unseen patterns that link different fields of experience and it was here in Auroville that his yearning for integrality was reciprocated. He first came to Auroville in 1998 to study the alternative model of Auroville Economy. He was deeply influenced by the effect that Auroville’s Charter has on the people here and the active roles they play in giving form to this dream of Auroville.
Towards the end of 1998, he joined Auroville’s Town Planning office as a consultant. During this period, along with other team members, he worked on Auroville’s Perspective Master Plan. After being here for 2 years, it became evident to him that this was his home & he formally joined Auroville in 2001.
Coming from a conventional academic background, the encounter with Auroville initiated a transformative process of unlearning. His work as a planner helped him to develop insights about the dynamics of societal growth and the real-life challenges of collective organization. This experience also made him realize that planning, by definition and especially so in Auroville, embraces collectivization and necessitates a synthesis of diverse viewpoints. Inherently, planning is a field of intensive churning that requires a wide range of skill sets.
The experience of working with Roger Anger, and subsequently with B.V. Doshi, on the planning of Auroville helped him gain different perspectives & approaches in planning & developmental matters. He realized the relevance of an empowered and educated public participation and opted to channel his energy in creating awareness about Planning & allied activities. His facilitating work on Integral Sustainability Platform (ISP) was an initiative responding to this understanding. This gradually steered him towards the field of education and learning which led him to take steps towards developing the Auroville Integral Sustainability Institute (AISI).
Auroville has given him an opportunity to experience a wholesome living environment with interconnectedness of self & society and helped evolve a holistic perspective of life, offering him a wide canvas to explore, to learn & to be. His work is guided by the desire to communicate the need and relevance of the Auroville model as an example of integral society. Thus, he continues his quest for Integrality and acts as a facilitator of this insightful experience.
Haritha B Nair
Junior Architect (Support Team)
Haritha joined PATH Studio in January 2022.
She earned her degree at RIT Government Engineering
College, Kerala, 2021.
Sunita Vasu
Intern
Sunita Vasu joined PATH studio in February 2022.
She is Studying her Bachelors in architecture at Dayananda Sagar Academy of Technology and
Management (SOA-DSATM), Bangalore.
Maitri Doshi
Intern
Maitri Doshi joined PATH Studio in June 2022.
She is studying her Bachelors in Architecture at IPSA,
Rajkot.
Devarsh Chothani
Intern
Devarsh Chothani joined PATH studio in June 2022.
He is studying his Bachelors in Architecture at Ganpat University, Mehsana.
Gurmehr Khurmi
Intern
Mehr joined PATH studio in July 2022.
She is studying her Bachelors in Architecture at Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurugram.
Parth Neelabh Bhati
Student, Enthusiastic learner
Neelabh is our youngest member and inspires all of us to learn and unlearn. His questions and insights keep us simultaneously thoughtful and entertained! We break out into Rubik's cube spree, cricket frenzy and riddles galore when he is around.
Collaborators
Helmut Schmid
Mentor, advisor
Helmut Schmid is a senior architect at Auroville and is involved in architectural designs and construction mainly of institutional buildings and housing. He believes and quotes Louis Kahn that “the architect’s greatest worth is in the area where he can claim no ownership – the part that doesn’t belong to him is his most precious’. Helmut has been involved in various planning and urban design related topics in Auroville and is actively involved in the resolution of the Line of Force and International Zone plan in Auroville. He has been instrumental in bringing different consultants’ inputs on the mobility aspect of Town Planning.
Helmut has been one of the Mentors at PATH and we find his inputs at the different levels of work in design, structure and construction as educative, enriching and invaluable.
Bhavya Gaur
Architect, Support Team (online)
Bhavya Gaur, Architect from MNIT Jaipur is an Independent Architect. She joined PATH first as a trainee in 2016 and then as Junior architect in 2018. She was team leader for the works at PATH and in documentation of Nandanam Kindergarten for Awards. Now she reconnects with PATH to share her insights and experience in different works.
Sindhuja TJ
Architect, Urban Designer
Urban designer with an interest in nature-based solutions & amp; experiments to explore a more-than-human approach in Cities. She is experienced in master planning for public housing and also interior design.
Rajeev Shankar
Media Support
Rajeev is a passionate freelance Photographer and Videographer from Auroville, India.
PATH Crossed with
Name | Role | School | Period of work at PATH Studio
Neeraja Dharwadkar |Architectural Intern |Sinhgad College of Architecture, Pune| June-Oct 2008
Saili Malpani| Architectural Intern| University School of Architecture and Planning, Delhi | June – Nov 2009.
Veena |Architectual Intern |Dayanand Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore | July-Nov 2011
Harshwardhan Saini| Architect|Dehradun institute of Technology, Dehradun| Aug-Nov 2015.
Bhavya Gaur| Architectural Intern |Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur| Dec 2015 -June2016.
Ramya Khare| Architectural Intern | School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi| Jan-May2016.
Aditi Bhargava|Architectural Intern|Buddha Institute of Architecture and Town Planning, Udaipur|May-June 2016.
Anjali Joy| Architectural Intern| Srinivas School of Architecture, Mangalore| July-Oct 2016.
N. Aghash| Architectural Intern|Rajalakshmi school of Architecture, Chennai| July 2016-Mar 2017.
S. Kokhil | Architetural Intern| Rajalakshmi school of Architecture, Chennai|Nov 2016- Mar 2017.
Arshita Yadav | Architectural Intern |Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur|Dec 2016-June 2017.
Saumya Gangwar | Architetural Intern| Aayojan school of Architecture, Jaipur | Dec 2016 – June 2017
Nidhi Parikh | Architectural Intern|Buddha Institute of Architecture and Town Planning, Udaipur|Mar 2017-May 2017
Rohit Chawla | Architectural Intern| D.C.R. University of science and Technology, Sonepat |June- Dec 2017.
Bhavya Gaur | Architect | Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur | July 2017 – Sept 2018
Simran Sharma | Architectural Intern | SAL School of Architecture, Ahmedabad | July – Nov 2017
Manasa Vinodkumar | Architectural Intern | Acharya’s NRV School of Architecture, Bangalore | Aug – Dec 2017
Niyati Gala | Architectural Intern |Academy of Architecture – Rachana Sansad, Mumbai | Dec 2017 – May 2018
Sherly Irene | Architectural Intern |Measi Academy of Architecture, Chennai | Dec 2017 – May 2018
Chakshu Chopra | Architectural Intern | School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi|Jan – June 2018
Rishabh Agarwal | Architectural Intern | SMEF’S Brick school of Architecture, Pune | June – Oct 2018
Kripa Mehta | Architectural Intern | Indubhai Parekh school of Architecture, Rajkot | June – Nov 2018
Arya M.S. | Architectural Intern | Government Engineering College, Thrissur | July-Dec 2018.
Ashish Kumar Das | Architectural Intern| CMR University of Architecture, Bangalore | Aug – Dec 2018
Pratyusha Malla | Civil Engineering Intern | Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur | July 2018 – Jan 2019
Shreya Khetan | Architect | SMEF’S Brick school of Architecture, Pune| Oct 2018 – March 2019
Sujithra Ranganathan | Architectural Intern | School of Architecture and Planning, Chennai | Dec 2018 – June 2019
Mohana Priya P | Architectural Intern | Chennai Academy of Architecture and Design, Chennai | May – Nov 2019
Krishna Priya | Architectural Intern |Department of Architecture, Satyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai | June- Nov 2019
Nishant Doshi | Architectural Intern | SAL School of Architecture, Ahmedabad | June 2019.
Vyoma |Architectural Intern | Indubhai Parekh school of Architecture, Rajkot| June- Nov 2019
Anju Devasia | Architect | KMCT School of Architecture, Calicut| Oct 2019-Feb 2021
Nihaal| Architectural Intern |Sir J.J School of Architecture, Mumbai | Nov 2019-Mar 2020.
Jaivignesh T J| Architectural Intern |Marg institute of Design and Architecture, Swarnabhoomi| Dec 2019-Mar 2020
Kajal Munoth| Architectural Intern |Aditya College of Architetcure, Mumbai| Nov 2019-Mar 2020.
Aanchal Bansal| Architectural Intern |Aayojan school of Architecture, Jaipur| Dec 2019- June 2020.
Rishika Jain| Architectural Intern |Navrachana University, Vadodara| Dec 2020 – June 2021.
Pranav Shirish Joshi| Architectural Intern | Aditya College of Architetcure, Mumbai|Jan-Oct 2021.
Jaivignesh T J| Architect| Marg institute of Design and Architecture, Swarnabhoomi|Aug – Sep 2021
Devesh | Architect|| Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai |Aug – Oct 2021
Krishna Priya | Architect | Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai | Aug – Sep 2021.
Karen Elizabeth Varghese| Architectural Intern| College of Architecture, Trivandrum | Aug – Nov 2021.
Jay Bhanderi | Architectural Intern | Indubhai Parekh school of Architecture, Rajkot | Jan – May 2022
Aarya More | Architectural Intern | Pillai HOC College of Architecture, Mumbai | Jan – May 2022