From Low-Cost Housing to Conservation - My Architecture Journey

Three Decades of Architecture: From Low-Cost Housing to Conservation

As the time ticks by, our lives are getting closer to the inevitable impact of our actions on the environment. The things we thought were a blessing have become a blight. We must slow down and take steps to heal the environment.

Such was the conversation in the 1970s during the school days of Benny Kuriakose. He imagined life back then, when no one understood the terms sustainability or environment.Traveling, reading, and learning from his gurus have taken him a long way.

Low-cost housing, conservation, and vernacular architecture—what ties these three words together is their root cause, i.e. sustainability and climate-responsive design.

From exposed brick to museums, Dr. Benny Kuriakose has tried it all, despite not having a degree in architecture. From getting the lowest mark in architecture to designing and planning, his life had turned out in unexpected ways. Even after more than three decades of practice, he continues to design and take on experimental projects that align with his objectives.

The talk by Dr. Benny Kuriakose is a meandering walk into his life, from an aspiring photographer to a designer, and the influences and triggers in his surroundings that came along his way, connecting the dots despite the backlash he faced throughout. His story is an inspiration for those who need the courage to experiment with their potential and be open to discovering new pathways.