During a discussion of architectural masterpieces on a recent podcast, renowned architect Sanjay Puri shared his opinion on three of the most unique and impressive buildings in India. These structures, which listeners may never have heard of before, attracted attention due to their unusual aesthetics and design.
The first building Sanjay Puri highlighted is the Kanchanganga Apartment in Mumbai. This residential complex was designed by architect Charles Correa about 30–35 years ago and remains an outstanding example of architecture. Puri emphasized that despite Mumbai's tenfold development over the last three and a half decades, the Kanchanganga Apartment retains its uniqueness. The building has a cubic shape with a complex color combination inside each cube. Particular attention was drawn to how one floor connects to another in a way that visually resembles a sandwich.
The second spot was taken by Chand Baori, located in Rajasthan. This stepped well looks very beautiful. Puri recounted that centuries ago it served as a public place for the residents of Rajasthan, where they rested from the heat. Since Rajasthan is a very hot state where water evaporates quickly from the surface, Chand Baori was designed to a depth of about 12 feet to ensure coolness, as evaporation occurs more slowly at this depth.
For the third on the list, Sanjay Puri named the Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. It was designed by American architect Louis Kahn. This building looks magnificent and is entirely constructed of brick, while the concrete is left exposed, without any panels or ceiling structures on the roof and walls. It is equipped with large circular windows and, despite its age, maintains its beauty. Puri jokingly suggested that the building was originally intended for architecture students.
