Finding My Way as a Teacher

I have encountered a few exceptional teachers at pivotal moments in my life. Among them, my time at CEPT University, pursuing a master’s in Theory and Design under Prof. Kulbhushan Jain, was particularly transformative. His teaching was subtle yet powerful, awakening each student’s potential with the lightest touch. In design discussions, he listened patiently, offering brief yet deeply insightful comments. He treated students as equals. For someone naturally introverted like me, this approach gave me the confidence to open up and grow.

Prof. Jain often quoted his teacher, Louis I. Kahn, and shared anecdotes from his time with him. These stories gradually sparked my interest in teaching. I was especially struck by Kahn’s perspective: “I am a teacher, which means really I am teaching myself, and whatever rubs off, the student gets.” Over time, I came to realize that teaching is itself a form of learning - it keeps the mind curious and alive, and that curiosity, in turn, keeps one young at heart.

This understanding was further shaped during occasional visits by Prof. Balkrishna Doshi to our studio. He often spoke about the value of peer learning and informal exchange beyond the classroom. The CEPT campus, which he designed, embodied this spirit through spaces for chance encounters and interdisciplinary interaction. He often seemed to come not only to teach, but to learn alongside us. His habit of sketching during reviews, whenever something caught his attention, reflected this openness. His curiosity and willingness to remain a learner left a lasting impression on me.

These early influences deepened further during the workshop Opening Doors... Nurturing Minds, led by Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya and organized by the Vastushilpa Foundation in memory of Prof. Doshi. Held at Sangath, it brought together educators from across India for reflection and dialogue. The workshop raised questions that continue to guide my teaching: How can learning environments sustain curiosity? How can architectural education reflect the relationship between people and place? How can students engage more deeply with material and embodied experience? And how can education move beyond theory to shape the way we live and build?

Teaching Practice (Unfolding Architecture)

Over the years, my studio teaching has been grounded in values central to architecture. The studios emphasize the study of architectural precedents - traditional and contemporary, monumental and modest. Through analytical drawings and models, students explore how architecture responds to climate, materials and cultural context. The capacity to make architecture is developed through careful study of built work and direct engagement with places, materials and form.

Field visits are an integral part of this process. Students walk through spaces, sketch, measure and record observations. They study vernacular and historical architecture not to replicate it, but to understand how it evolves over time through climate, material, culture, and use. Tradition, in this sense, is not static but shaped continuously through adaptation and change. Architecture becomes rooted not through imitation, but through a sensitive continuity with place and ways of living.

Sustainability remains a recurring theme across all studios. Students are encouraged to reflect on where and how they build, often drawing on Christopher Alexander’s idea of “site repair” - building on already altered land rather than untouched landscapes. Alongside climate responsiveness and material awareness, there is an emphasis on cultivating care for land, landscape and the broader ecological context. Through this, students begin to understand architecture as a responsibility toward both society and environment.

Ultimately, education should nurture independent and critical thinkers rather than merely technically competent professionals. When students are grounded in both theory and practice and encouraged to think for themselves, they become better equipped to respond to change and contribute meaningfully to the world around them. As Vitruvius wrote of the ideal architect, they should be well-rounded individuals - intellectually curious, ethically grounded and committed to excellence. The role of a teacher, then, is not simply to impart knowledge, but to inspire through example, curiosity and a lifelong commitment to learning.