All About the Chennai Edition: A Day of Ideas, Identity, and Innovation

Intelligence Series 2025 – 47th Edition

13 july , ,2025

Setting the Stage in a City of Stories Chennai has always had an architectural rhythm of its own — rooted, thoughtful, and quietly confident. On February 6th, 2025, this rhythm found new energy as the iDAC Intelligence Series 2025 returned to the city for its 47th edition. The event brought together architectural & designer minds from across the country to reflect, rethink, and respond to one essential question: Where is Indian architecture truly headed? This wasn’t just another stop in a national series. Chennai’s edition was distinct in how it merged legacy with modernity, asking not just how we build, but why we build the way we do. Ideas That Moved the Room The afternoon opened with a warm and honest talk by Ar. Prashant Sutaria of Prashant Sutaria Architecture. As part of the 20/20 session—where each speaker shares 20 slides, each shown for just 20 seconds—his presentation felt less like a formal speech and more like a personal conversation. His candid responses to real questions around design, responsibility, and future-proofing architecture made the session instantly relatable, especially to young architects and designers in the room. Following this, Ar. Mahesh Waghdhare from Studio Pod delivered a talk that blended empathy with expertise. His theme — “People-Centric Design: Transforming Spaces to Places” – struck a powerful note in a city that deeply values the human experience of space. His presentation reminded the audience that buildings are not just structures, but vessels of life, memory, and movement.

A Panel that Asked the Right Questions The central panel discussion was nothing short of electric. Moderated by Ar. Ravindra Kumar, the conversation focused on a subject both timely and timeless: “The Future of Indian Architecture – Global Modernity or Local Vernacular?” With panelists like Anuja Sawant, Dinesh Anand, Ekta Agarwal, Milana Miladkar, Prajwal M N, and Saurabh Chatterjee, the room was filled with voices that brought different geographies, generations, and design sensibilities together. While no single answer emerged, what did surface was a shared belief — that India’s architectural identity cannot be borrowed or imposed; it must be cultivated from its context. The session was honest, unfiltered, and refreshing. No one tried to impress. Everyone tried to express. Honouring Vision and Craft: The Infinity Awards As twilight settled, the spotlight turned to emerging talent through the Infinity Awards. Four young architects presented their built works, each revealing not just design brilliance, but courage and clarity in their architectural choices. XS House by Harish Ramakrishnan (Studio R+R) stood out for its compact yet contemplative spatial planning. The Grey House by Himabindu Rao (Burgundy Red Projects) explored minimalism with material warmth. Vaazh by Venkatesh (VY Architecture Studio) was deeply rooted in its cultural context. Luxe@One74 by Bhargavi Raajah (The Space Editors) pushed the idea of luxury into more meaningful terrain. These projects were evaluated by a prestigious jury of seasoned architects and educators — including names like A Venkat, Ajay Sethi, Deepak Rao, Ponni Concessao, Prashant Sutaria, Vikram Phadke, Shripal Munshi, V.S. Vigneswar, Praneeta Varma and Ravi Meenakshi Sundaram. Their presence not only validated the work but also signaled the importance of mentorship in a rapidly evolving industry. Among them, Himabindu Rao and Venkatesh were selected as City Winners of the Chennai edition’s Infinity Project Presentations. Their work stood out not just for its design quality, but for its sensitivity to context, materiality, and intent. Both finalists now move ahead in the national journey, representing Chennai at a larger stage.

A Thank You to Our Partners The success of the IS Chennai edition would not have been possible without the support of its forward-thinking brand collaborators. Powered By: Hindware Italian Collection, a name synonymous with luxurious design and contemporary bathroom innovations. Associate Partners: Osum, known for redefining home automation with a design-first approach. Knest, leading the way in aluminium formwork and innovative construction systems. AGL (Asian Granito India Ltd.), bringing surfaces to life through tiles, quartz, and bathware solutions. TOSTEM India, delivering premium Japanese aluminium windows and doors systems. Sirca India, offering premium Italian wood coatings that combine technology with craftsmanship. Delegate Partner: GS Marbles, enhancing architectural expression through exquisite natural stone solutions. These partnerships reflect a shared commitment to quality, innovation, and growth in India’s architectural landscape. More Than Just an Event What made the Chennai edition special wasn’t just the line-up or the setting — it was the tone. There was humility in the air. Architects & Designers listened as much as they spoke. Aspirants approached experts without hesitation. And everyone left with the same sense of fulfilment: that they’d been a part of something that mattered. From critical debates to coffee-table chats, the Intelligence Series in Chennai reminded the architecture fraternity that progress isn’t always about building taller or faster. Sometimes, it’s about going deeper. Slowing down. And asking better questions. That’s what Chennai gave us – not just insight, but intention.

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