Influx of Foreign Architects in Indian Realty Sector
Several Indian property developers in their quest to outshine competitors are venturing abroad to secure the services of renowned architects for their latest projects. Despite the current downturn in the real estate market, several prominent international design firms are establishing Indian offices to cater to this burgeoning market.
Notable developers like Godrej Properties, Unitech, Omaxe, Hiranandani, and others are increasingly engaging foreign architectural firms. Just last year, Godrej Properties commissioned DP Architects of Singapore to design their 50-story residential project in Mumbai's Mahalaxmi area. The US-based Hellmuth Obata Kassabaum Inc (HOK) has collaborated with Indian builders such as Unitech, Hiranandani, and other major players. Will Roes, programme manager of HOK India, states, "They bring a global perspective and diverse expertise to a project."
Advantages and Challenges of International Collaboration
While there are numerous benefits to employing international designers and planners, there are also potential drawbacks. Devinder Gupta of realty advisory Century 21 India notes that some foreign firms struggle to grasp the complexities of Indian business practices, encompassing tax laws and cultural nuances.
In an interview, Niranjan Hiranandani, managing director of the Hiranandani Group, highlighted the differing approaches between Indian and foreign design firms. Mr. Hiranandani perceives international firms as being more attuned to a developer's specific needs and aspirations. “They find a solution which is required for a particular site, location and land. They are also more in tune with the land use demand,” says Hiranandani. He further emphasizes the open-mindedness of these international firms to innovative concepts. He contrasts this with some Indian firms, whom he suggests often adopt a trial-and-error approach to design and planning and may also impose their ideas on developers. “They are more open to new ideas. On the other hand, Indian firms have a trial and error approach to design and planning. They also try to impose their ideas on the developers.”
Singaporean firms such as RSP Architects Planners and Architects 61 Ltd are also designing projects across major Indian cities and are actively pursuing further opportunities within the country. RSP has established offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, and they designed the International Tech Park in Bangalore. The company has also designed offices for IT giants like Wipro, Satyam, and Microsoft. Devinder Gupta mentions that the Unitech Group employed the legendary golfer Greg Norman to design the golf course for their prestigious Unitech Grande project in Greater Noida. This clearly demonstrates the trend among Indian real estate firms to leverage foreign expertise and elevate the appeal of their projects.
Balancing Global Expertise with Local Insights
While acknowledging the design prowess of global firms, several Indian architects have pointed out potential discrepancies. They note instances where initial designs by foreign firms proved impractical, requiring Indian architects to rectify the issues. Rohtas Goyal, CMD of the Omaxe Group, emphasizes the necessity of incorporating global architectural best practices and expertise given the increasing investments in the Indian real estate sector. He acknowledges the appeal of foreign-designed projects for customers, creating a strong marketing and sales advantage for developers. It's worth noting that Omaxe recently hired Indian Davis Cup star Leander Paes' company to design tennis courts for its residential projects. Market observers believe that as competition intensifies and property developments grow in scale, the trend of hiring global architects will only accelerate. Furthermore, builders are increasingly entrusting the design of commercial projects and master planning of mixed-use developments to foreign firms.
Reports suggest that many developers specifically choose foreign architects only for large-scale projects. Anil Sharma of the Amrapali Group explains, “It is affordable to hire an international firm to master planning if there is a big volume of work. Time is never an issue with them. They keep their words”. Some industry insiders, however, maintain that foreign firms will primarily be engaged for specific purposes, such as creating master plans, while the execution stage of projects will likely remain under the purview of Indian firms.