Back in the 1960s and ’70s, when Louis Kahn built the Institute for Management in Ahmedabad, American architects rarely worked in India. But the country's economic transformation, gaining momentum over the past decade, fueled a building boom, with design firms from abroad contributing conspicuously to the nation's bristling skylines—its new Western-style corporate campuses and glimmering air hubs. Just a couple of years ago, India seemed like the next China. But the tides have ebbed as the country contends with a deeply devalued rupee and an economic slowdown preceding its 2014 elections. While some ambitious projects continue without discernible setbacks, others have been pinched. In August, The New York Times described “cranes on Mumbai's skyline perch[ed] nearly immobilized as developers struggle for cash . . .” At the very least, questions hover about the challenges and opportunities ahead, about whether the change is transitory or more enduring.
“Working in India is complex and colorful, frustrating and exhilarating,” says Stephen Johnson, president of Cannon Design, an American firm with a Mumbai office. “We see this downturn as a passing phase, though nothing moves very quickly there, so we expect it will take some time after the national elections to rebuild momentum.” His team completed the Tata Medical Center in Kolkata in 2011 and a major phase of Kalinga Park (an IT campus in Bhubaneswar) in 2013. “But the economic climate is causing some reassessment across the industry,” Johnson reported last summer. “We've begun seeing projects delayed until after the elections.” Still, he emphasizes Cannon's commitment to stay in India “for its long-term potential as the world's largest democracy.”
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.