Karman N.

Hailing from a close-knit military family with exposure to different cities, both in India and abroad, gave me the opportunity to closely interact with different sections of society, including the diplomatic community. It provided me with an insight as to how area-specific factors influence the development and consequently impact the human psyche Also, the military way of life has made me extremely adaptable, flexible, righteous and a team player with the confidence to take on any challenge in life. I am an evolving Sustainable Designer. Having commenced my professional studies at Srishti, with a multi-disciplinary exposure to different facets of design, I choose to major in Public Space Design(B.Des). While working with The Bengal Institute of Architecture, Landscapes, and Settlements(BI), Dhaka, I was part of large scale city redesigning projects. Real-time projects and short courses in architecture at the institute helped me learn the finer nuances of intricate planning, in particular, the complexities of integrating economic, social, and cultural factors for evolving sustainable urban spaces in developing countries. Post-graduation from the University of Edinburgh in Advance Sustainable Design ([login to view URL]) gave me a wider understanding of concepts and intricacies of sustainable design. With exposure to the challenges of pursuing sustainable processes in developing countries, and learning from the best practices being followed in developed nations, it is my considered view that there is a lot both can learn from each other. While the developing nations can adopt the sustainable concepts of the developed nations, the latter in turn can learn from the challenges of spurt in urban growth being experienced by the former. Having an understanding of both perspectives, I am confident that I can play a role in bridging this gap. For me sustainability is not just about architecture or construction, it is about building a living space in harmony with nature and sync with the societies’ milieu. It is sheer common sense, invisible yet innate to every design solution; interdisciplinary and supported by futuristic thinking; innovative planning; its collaborative implementation; and well-thought follow-up management.