Nature and technology may seem like opposing forces in architecture, but for Apoorva Shroff of Mumbai-based studio Lyth Design, they offer cohesive design possibilities. Her practice explores the intersection of sustainable materials, innovative construction techniques and contextual design. With over two decades of experience, including 16 years as a partner at reD Architects, Shroff has designed projects ranging from her family home, Airavat, to the technologically fabricated kitchens nestled beneath bamboo structures at Ashoka University.
She has cultivated a design language that balances experimentation with a sensitivity to the environment.
In this conversation, Shroff reflects on the ideas that shape her practice, whether it’s her exploration of bamboo construction through a workshop in Bali, or taking on pro bono projects such as the transformation of the Ashray orphanage in Bandra. She reflects on the lessons nature offers architecture and the evolving relationship between form, function and responsibility.
Design Pataki: Airavat is a striking home—dramatic overhangs, courtyards and French windows—yet it sits remarkably gently on the land. What was the design journey like, and how did you balance the architecture and maintain a relationship to the landscape?
Apoorva Shroff: So, I think it was really hard, contrary to what most people would think, because in most cases, when designing for a client, they have to live with the mistakes, but in this case, I had to live with all my choices. Because it was a family home, I had to consider so many people. In fact, the brief for a large home came from my husband because we have a huge family, and we wanted everybody to be comfortable and feel at home. That was the only brief; everything else was me. It was actually my first project of that scale. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I wanted to experiment with everything, and a lot of research went into it, especially the materials. I have used concrete and steel, which are not materials that you bring together. I think my learning curve has grown exponentially from things that I did there. But it was a really exciting time in my life, and I’m grateful for it.
DP: How did you bring so much warmth into a space that would typically feel like a sterile office? What inspired you to rethink the workplace this way?
AS: For one, the clients were extremely receptive to all my ideas and trusted me. Secondly, it’s a private equity space, which is typically white-collar and very set in their ways. The name itself, Chrys Capital, speaks to the evolution of a chrysalis into a butterfly, so in the interiors we try to blend the new with the old. So we have old Victorian floors as one enters the reception, which beautifully merge with exposed brick walls and concrete floors, tying the old with the new. The firm has older partners and a lot of fresh blood, so we needed to move with the times and make the office young and energetic.
DP: You once said nature is your eternal inspiration. How do you translate the lessons of nature into these high-rise environments, and why do you think that connection matters now more than ever?
AS: I feel holding on to nature today is more important than ever. Have you seen that Apple TV show ‘Silo,’ where they’ve built this underground world as a protection against some nuclear threat—it’s amazing. It’s an entire world underground, but the one thing missing is that it’s green. In today’s world, where everything is moving to artificial, I feel it’s important to hold on to these little pockets of wealth. We have already lost most of our trees, but we must bring that back in some way and hold on to it.
I try my best in all my projects to consciously incorporate greens, depending on the scale of the project. In Chrys Capital, I do have a lot of little islands that constantly produce oxygen. In high-rises, there are so many ways to do it; we need to break away from our glass boxes. One can have balconies where people can step out for fresh air, atriums covered in green that connect visually, recreational spaces and things like that are so important.
DP: At Ashoka University, how did you bring together bamboo, sustainability and technology in the food street, especially with bamboo?
AS: I had just been introduced to this material—bamboo—and I was having so much fun using it. During that time, I came across a robotic arm in Ahmedabad that was 3D printing concrete bunkers for army bases. Since we needed kitchens for the food street, I thought, why not explore this technology? It is almost poetic where there are these extremely futuristic, architectural, modular kitchens nestled under the ancient method of bamboo construction.
DP: You recently completed a bamboo workshop in Bali. At a stage in an established career, what drew you to go back into a learning environment, and how did it add layers to your education from before?
AS: It was mind-altering. So, I admire the work of Elora Hardy with bamboo and one day I was mindlessly scrolling Instagram. I came across an advertisement for a bamboo workshop in Bali, and I signed up. Then, as the day approached, there were questions like: What am I thinking? Why do I need to do this? Why am I leaving the children for this? But I went, and it was the best thing that I’ve ever done. There were 45 people from 12 different countries, and the best part was I wasn’t even the oldest. There were people aged 17 to 77, with the oldest being 77 years old, and they were not all architects or designers. They were there to explore bamboo and learn. It was about understanding the material for people who were curious about working with bamboo and wanting to make sustainable housing for their communities back home—people from Ecuador, Hawaii and other places. I would recommend it to anybody in a heartbeat.
DP: You spent years as a partner at reD for 16 years before establishing your own practice. How has it been building your own practice?
AS: I have become Ravan wearing 10 heads. So, from that cushy, comfortable life, suddenly I am the employer, the office boy running errands, and the HR head. I need to inspire the kids who work with me. I was never a speaker before this, but doing this podcast, I have grown immensely as a person. So, while I loved my 16 years there, these four years have been a learning curve.
DP: You designed the Ashray Foundation orphanage in Bandra. What made you take on this project?
AS: So, here’s the thing, a lot of us do charity, and it’s very easy to take out your chequebook and write a cheque. But at the back of our minds, there’s always a concern about the donation’s reach—has it gone to the children that need it or the people affected by floods? We are always wondering: Is my hard-earned money going where it needs to go? However, here I said, let me do something tangible and give them my time instead of money.
There was an orphanage my mom used to take us as kids to cut our birthday cakes, and it immediately came back to me. I went there and asked them, “Is there anything I could do for you?” That’s when they showed me this vacant and dilapidated storeroom. They wanted it to be a place where the kids played in the monsoons. I took it up, reached out to some amazing people, and everybody said, “yes,” without a moment’s hesitation. Then, we had new bathrooms for the kids, a beautiful place to play, a library, and a Lego wall with hexagonal nooks to climb up into and find themselves. We also took the names of the kids who had been through school and painted them on the walls so they could find their names, and it was so special!
