India – the world’s most populous nation, the fastest-growing economy among the G20 nations, future market not only from a German perspective.
“My country needs houses, hospitals, schools, and factories. The question is not if we build them, but how.”
What visions of the future drive the people in India? How much are social mobility, prosperity, and wealth tied to material possessions versus spiritual values? Are there limits to growth? What role do climate change and finite natural resources play? What are the implications of such rapid transformation? How is it all reflected in urban planning? Is Germany (or Europe) a model to follow? Is the sustainable building transformation, as we are debating here in Germany, relevant for India? What role does “Less, but better” — understood as a focus on the essentials — play in a country as dynamic as India?
Brinda Somaya is one of India’s most renowned architects. Since founding her practice SNK | Somaya & Kalappa Consultants in Mumbai in 1978 (Somaya Sampat since February 2025), she has worked across a broad spectrum, including urban planning, new building projects such as educational institutions, and the restoration of heritage structures. She has lectured in the US, UK, Australia Pakistan and India amongst other countries. Her many accolades include the Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement from the Indian Institute of Architects.
welcome:
Dr. Klaus-Peter Potthast, Bavarian Ministry of Economics
Nadine Vicentini, bayern design
moderation:
Nadin Heinich, plan A
Christele Harrouk, ArchDaily
