Practicing Architect

I work out of Nilesh Apartment, which is just behind Vijay Nagar Colony in the Panchavati area of Nashik. It’s a fairly straightforward setup in a regular residential building. Being a practicing architect here means a lot of different things on different days. Some days I am stuck behind my desk for ten hours straight, working on floor plans and sections. Other days I’m out in the sun at a building site, checking if the pillars are in the right place or talking to the masons. The apartment is my workspace, so it’s filled with samples of tiles, bricks, and stacks of paper. It’s not a big corporate office, just a room where I get things done and meet people. Panchavati is a busy part of Nashik, but my corner is relatively peaceful most of the time. I’ve been here for a while, and I’ve seen a lot of houses go up in the neighborhood. I don’t have a big team; it’s mostly just me and occasionally some help for the bigger drawings. It’s honest work. I have to deal with a lot of regulations and local rules, which can be a real headache, but that’s just part of the job. People usually call me or just come by when they need something drawn up for a permit. I don't use fancy software for every little thing; sometimes a pencil and a ruler are still the best tools to start with. It’s a modest way to make a living, and I like being my own boss in this little apartment.