(“Text as submitted by architect”)
Biju Kuriakose
Biju Kuriakose co-founded architectureRED along with Kishore Panikkar, and brings crucial sustainable planning, urban design and international expertise to the firm. With over 2 decades of experience, Biju was an associate with FXFOWLE, a leading architecture design, planning and urban design firm based out of New York. He led the design efforts for many of the firm’s large scale planning and urban design projects, including developing the master plan for Hunters Point South in New York, a 500 acre Dubai Waterfront, East Beach in Queens and the Tern Landing Waterfront in Elizabeth, New York, among others.
Biju studied architecture at the Rizvi College of Architecture under the guidance of Prof. Akhtar Chauhan from 1992 to 1997. He then went on to study Urban Design in New York and has a Masters in Architecture and Urban Design from Pratt University, New York. His early career included working with several prestigious firms in New York including Design + Urbanism and Terrance O’ Neal Architects.
Biju is a USGBC LEED accredited professional. He has also been invited as a guest speaker in many architecture and planning conferences and seminars around the country. He is part of an invited team of multi-disciplinary professionals set up by the Goethe Institute, Chennai to advice on restoration of waterfronts in urban environments.
Kishore Panikkar
Kishore Panikkar co-founded architectureRED along with Biju Kuriakose, and brings robust and varied design and implementation expertise to the firm. Prior to founding architectureRED, his previous experience includes 10 years with Edifice Consultants Pvt. Ltd. – a leading architectural and interior design practice based out of Mumbai, including serving as Regional Director of their operations in Tamilnadu & Kerala from 2005 to 2008.
In 2003, Kishore was bought on board as a Director in the firm. He played a pivotal role in many key projects under the firm’s umbrella, including large offices for clients like Asian Paints, Ventura (UK) and Patni Computer Systems. His stint as Regional Director from 2005 included overall responsibility for the firm’s operations and projects, which included leading a project team of over 20 architects and engineers to deliver critical projects like the Syntel Global Development Centre in Siruseri, Dow Chemicals, Tata Consultancy Services, Standard Chartered Bank and Pfizer among others.
Kishore studied architecture at the Rizvi College of Architecture under the guidance of Prof. Akhtar Chauhan from 1992 to 1997. He is trained under architects Salil Ranadive and the late Prof. Yashwant Shetty in Mumbai. He also briefly worked with Architect Karan Grover in Mumbai and Baroda.
Practice Ideology
Architecture, for us, remains a fascinating exploration. To be able to define a healthy environment, to be participative in its evolution, to seek joy in its existence, to do this with the essence of enriching the context, and eventually, to do this better all over again the next time around is an irresistible driving urge for us.
To rationalize design, capitalizing on the opportunities and untangle the constraints from the context and the program, to weave with the exciting design fabric, to evolve a built form strategy which captures the essence of the project, forms the crux of what we do.
To be participative in a process that defines living environments, with distinct and permanent physical and spatial qualities, we believe, is a privilege a few are offered. To live up to the challenge, and to do it responsibly, is the essence of the firm’s ethos.
