Sankalp Architects

Down in the Kanyakumari district, you’ll find us at Grace Cottage in Seynamvilai. Sankalp Architects is where we draw up plans and try to turn ideas into actual buildings. It’s a quiet spot in Bethelpuram, which is nice because it gives us a bit of peace to actually think about the designs. Architecture isn't just about drawing pretty pictures; it’s about figuring out how a house won't fall down and how the wind will blow through the rooms. We spend a lot of time hunched over tables with pencils and scales. Sometimes we use the computer for the final drafts, but the old ways are still very useful to us. Being in Tamilnadu, we have to think about the intense heat and the local materials that are available. It’s a small practice. We don't have dozens of assistants or fancy interns. It’s mostly just us doing the work from start to finish. We talk to the clients, visit the sites, and argue with the contractors when they don't follow the drawings properly. It can be frustrating when people don't understand why a wall needs to be a certain way, but that’s just part of the job. We aren't trying to be famous architects with awards. We just want to design houses and buildings that work well for the people living in them. Grace Cottage is our base, and it’s where all the sketches and the mess happen before a building ever gets started.