Ahmedabad architect wins RIBA International Fellowship

A house built on the concept of a mosquito net, a door designed to open like a curtain and a luxury abode developed using low-cost materials.

These are few of the 25 innovative buildings designed by city-based architect and visiting faculty with Cept University, Gurjit Singh Matharoo that have helped him earn the lifetime honour of International Fellowship of Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

At 46, Matharoo is among the youngest in the world, only the third Indian and second Gujarati after BV Doshi to have been conferred with the honour that recognises outstanding architectural enterprise outside of the United Kingdom.

While 81-year-old Doshi received the honour last year, Mumbai-based Charles Correa won it when he was 63 years old.
Interacting with the media at Cept University on Wednesday,

Matharoo said he wasn’t expecting the honour. “Our work has evolved into projects that exhibit an overt expression of the occupant’s personality in relation with his space,” said Matharoo as his teachers and faculty at Cept University – Prof Mickey Desai, Prof Leo Perriera, Prof Pratyush Shankar and BV Doshi looked on.

“We see our projects as not merely edifices, but harmonised with immediate surroundings of natural landscapes, light and interactive spaces. RIBA International Fellowship will go a long way in encouraging our design philosophy,” said Matharoo, who runs his own architecture firm in Ahmedabad.

With him now being a recipient of the international fellowship, RIBA will allow Matharoo to use initials ‘Int FRIBA’ after his name.

“The fellowship is awarded on basis of stringent evaluation of an architect’s work and its impact globally, considering aspects of concept, innovative design and technology, and their execution, implementation and sustainability. Selection for the fellowship is only through a distinguished international jury,” he added.

Matharoo has also won several national accolades for his innovative architecture. 

What is RIBA?
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom (UK) but recognises international architects as well with International Fellowships. Established in 1834 as Institute of British Architects in London, the fraternity was given its current name in 1894.

Functioning from Portland Place, London since 1934, RIBA is a member organisation with 44,000 members who call themselves chartered architects. They affix initials RIBA after their name but students aren’t allowed to do so.