‘Architecture is more than just constructing buildings’

June 16, 2008

Meet Cornell alumnus and budding young architect Rooshad Shroff. At the age of 26, he has already completed a stint with the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (now Ramus Ella Architects) in New York and is currently working with star architect Zaha Hadid in the United Kingdom. He discusses his career, personal achievements, the need for creative talent in this line and why exposure abroad is of paramount importance with Sanaya Dalal.

Tell us a little bit about your background…when did you decide to pursue a career in architecture?

I come from a family of architects, starting with my great-grandfather down to my father — and my mother’s an interior designer, so exposure to the design field was pretty much inevitable. My childhood was a continuous initiation into the design world, be it on family holidays or going to my father’s office, there wasn’t much of an escape!

In fact, when it was time for my brother and me to zero in on a career, my father was hoping that at least one of his sons would not take up architecture, but in vain — we’re both architects now. I remember when we were abroad and Dad would drag us to see interesting museums and buildings — at the time we called it ‘Daddy’s Day Out’, but I guess it was that initial exposure that got me fascinated with the profession.

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