We’re delighted to speak with "Soumitro Ghosh", partner at Mathew and Ghosh Architects, a partnership founded by Nisha Mathew in 1995. Educated at the School of Architecture CEPT Ahmedabad. Soumitro Ghosh has earlier worked with Pritzker Laureate B.V. Doshi, R.J. Vasavada, Neelkanth Chaaya, K B Jain and others before beginning this collaborative multidirectional practice. He has received several prestigious awards, including AD India - Award for Excellence 2025, Tostem Asia Design Award - Tokyo 2024 , EDIDA – Elle Decor Light Design Award and IDA International Design Awards 2021 Gold , reflecting his continued recognition in the field.
He is the present Design Chair for the Kamla Raheja Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies, Mumbai. He has taught at the Bengal Institute, Dhaka; been the Charles Correa Design Chair in 2018; been a juror, panellist etc. at numerous occasions and forums. He began his journey of teaching with Kumar Vyas, founding member of NID.
His interest lies in the crossings of politics, philosophy, culture, and history to understand the society we live in and design for.
The practice of Soumitro with Nisha Mathew covers public parks and memorials, hospitality, conservation, industrial facilities, corporate offices, educational, religious, and residential buildings, exhibition, interiors, furniture, jewelry, art, and installations.
We're excited to speak with him about his perspective on the field of architecture and his expectations from the participants of the
Tiny Library 2025 Architecture Competition. For the purpose of this interview, he would be referred to as SG in responses, however, Volume Zero is referred to as VZ.
RBANMS School by Mathew and Ghosh Architects
VZ- What are some of your favorite projects/projects that you worked on? (What were the most exciting parts about it)
SG- Each project is a challenge and an opportunity. Some projects succeed and become more endearing than others to oneself and many others. And it is this part that intrigues me. For sometimes (and often enough) this is a moment in retrospect that triggers learning for the next projects.
There have been diverse projects that have been loved and have come to define the identity of the city of Bengaluru / Bangalore: The National Military Memorial, Freedom Park, Museum of Art and Photography, Byg Brewski Hennur, Bob's Bar Indiranagar, Cinamon (1870's) conservation, RBANMS Primary School small extension, RBANMS (1870's) conservation of 4 class rooms, the House of Stories, The Wildgrass house Coonoor, Sua House corporate office, Stuber Hall boutique hotel Fort Kochi (VOC1740AD), Bethel Baptist Church, House of Fragments, Mary Mathew House and so on in this three-decade practice with Nisha Mathew.
VZ- What has been your most challenging project? (What were the challenges faced with topography, local climate, structure, clients, people, etc.)
SG- When practice and the approach to architecture is intentionally not intent as a signature style or as an act of willfulness, it becomes a practice of creativity that is seeking unique resolution as an uncompromising core set of values – social and architectural. In the center of this core are 'people' – that includes the city, neighborhood, the street to the smallest of things in the private realm. Our architecture situates itself in this challenge, uniquely and is rewarding every time.
House of Stories
House of Stories by Mathew and Ghosh Architects
VZ- What would be your word of advice for all the young budding students and architects who are looking to make a mark in this professional world?
SG- Learn on, never stop. Enrich yourself with an understanding of the world of the past, present and future. Architecture like literature, poetry, cinema and art touches people, it does so more literally. Its slowness and solidity of reality cautions is to be more responsible and is an opportunity to open new possibilities every time, endlessly.
VZ- What are you expecting from the proposal and the participants for the Tiny Library 2025?
Example: Concept, Spatial Design, Site-Selection, Functionality
SG- I am looking forward to a wide spectrum of entries that are diverse in their approach, thought, architecture, structure, material among other things. More so with what creates the intangible spirit of learning and the love for books / knowledge.
Wildgrass House in the Nilgiris
Wildgrass House in the Nilgiris by Mathew and Ghosh Architects
VZ- Is there any aspect of the brief that appeals to you the most or do you find it the most challenging? Example: Area restriction, Spatial Adaptability, Functionality, and The overall experience of a Tiny Library.
SG- Challenges are instigators of thinking and negotiation, leading to creative outcomes. Architecture, though we break it up with as form, structure and so on, if this outperforms the shelter-making act to make a place of inspiration, community bonding, safety, and joy is how I would imagine it to be. For this, there is no set formulae.
VZ- Explain your perspective when designing a Tiny Library in today's day & age. Example: How would you approach this?
SG- A place of learning of slow joy and solid growth are some of the abstract qualities that I could work with at this moment. Tomorrow will be different.
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