Pioneer of Sustainable Architecture Design

An architect with a commitment to energy-conscious architecture and eco-friendly design, Ar. Chitra Vishwanath is the founder and principal architect of Biome Environmental Solutions, a Bangalore-based design firm that focuses on creating environmentally conscious buildings. Chitra has dedicated her career to creating a sustainable future.

Born and raised in Varanasi, Vishwanath holds a diploma in Civil Engineering from Nigeria, on completion of which she returned to India to study Architecture at CEPT, Ahmedabad. “My father, a sculptor, was very specific that I study at the School of Architecture in Ahmedabad. In fact, I never tried to obtain admission anywhere else,” she says.

Vishwanath believes that architecture should respond to the local climate and culture, minimizing its environmental impact. One of their most notable projects is the Rainwater Club in Bangalore. The building showcases various eco-friendly features, such as rainwater harvesting, solar panels, natural ventilation systems, and a green roof. The design not only reduces energy consumption but also promotes water conservation in a city facing a water crisis. She has also worked on several residential, commercial, and institutional projects, incorporating sustainable elements into each design.

Further, to maximize the earth available Vishwanath designed her residential projects with basements and later, as her practice evolved, she realized the earth excavated for larger homes could also supply mud blocks for other homes. Other materials used in her buildings came from a local radius around the building keeping the overall footprint of the project to a minimum.

Meanwhile, she also minimized the use of machines and equipment, opting instead for human labor for which allowance was made at every point. For instance, prefabricated concrete beams would be consciously specified at dimensions that could be easily lifted by masons without depending on forklifts.

In keeping with GreenPly’s vision of sustainability, we share the work of well-known architect Chitra Vishwanath, Founder and Principal, Biome Environmental Solutions, Bengaluru.

An architect with a commitment to energy-conscious architecture and eco-friendly design, Ar. Chitra Vishwanath is the founder and principal architect of Biome Environmental Solutions, a Bangalore-based design firm that focuses on creating environmentally conscious buildings. Chitra has dedicated her career to creating a sustainable future. Born and raised in Varanasi, Vishwanath holds a diploma in Civil Engineering from Nigeria, on completion of which she returned to India to study Architecture at CEPT, Ahmedabad. “My father, a sculptor, was very specific that I study at the School of Architecture in Ahmedabad. In fact, I never tried to obtain admission anywhere else,” she says.

Vishwanath started her practice ‘Chitra Vishwanath Architects’ in 1996, which was later merged with her husband S Vishwanath’s NGO Rainwater Club to form Biome Environmental Solutions in 2008. Social responsibility, energy efficiency, water management and overall impact on the land are some of the essential components of any project that the practice undertakes. With a vision to create buildings that harmonize with nature and prioritize sustainability, the architectural practice is known for its innovative and green building designs. “We are a team which works specifically on ecological architecture and sensible water designs,” she explains.

Reflections on Sustainable Design

Chitra Vishwanath’s design ethos is to integrate Nature with the physical space, while providing a low-energy building. Inspired by the British-Indian architect Laurie Baker’s approach to designing low-cost, high-quality and energy-saving houses, Vishwanath introduced a whole new perspective to the world of architecture where she preferred using mud as the basic element in her architectural designs. The earth that was excavated for the foundation of the building was then converted into mud blocks to build the walls of the structure.