Success is the most aspired, wanted, and needed aspect of every business enterprise. Success is the result of many direct and indirect factors influencing together. Modern entrepreneurs are aware of their core business domains, however, the influencing factors are often overlooked or kept on second priority. One of the prominent influencers is the business infrastructure.

On many occasions, due to work priorities business gets started functioning automatically without proper planning of the workplace design and arrangements. Smart futuristic entrepreneurs consult professional architects for the designing of their business infrastructure. Architects play an important role in organizing the business structure in a planned, systematic, scientific, and ergonomic manner that infuses energy into the work operations thereby increasing work efficiency.

Sarayan Architects is a modern architecture firm that offers best-of-the-business workplace designing and implementation solutions influencing business growth, indirectly.

Having provided world-class infrastructure solutions to hundreds of business organizations, Sarayan Architects, guided by its MD, Ar. Pankaj Lad—has surged as one of the most reliable and prominent architecture firms in the Indian business skyline.

In the engaging interview with the CIOLOOK India team, Ar. Pankaj unfolded his entrepreneurial journey of starting Sarayan Architects, objectives, ideologies, challenges countered, his advice to young architects, and his plans on the vision for the future.

Please brief our audience about Sarayan Architects, its USPs, and how you are currently positioned as one of the best Architectural Designing Solution Providers.

To craft amazing and wow experiences for SMEs, medium and large corporates by offering complete design and build solutions for office interiors with optimum space management, and quality workmanship within the prescribed time and budget creating a flawless world-class working environment resulting in profitability and growth of the organization.

Tell us more about Sarayan’s offerings and what aspects make it stand out in the cutthroat competition.

In-depth research and analysis of the organization’s (Client’s) culture and workflow to help create the right workspace solutions to increase the performance and wellness of employees. Also, we believe in Optimum space management and value engineering whereby we provide world-class services and Interiors which fit into clients’ budgets without compromising on the quality of work.

Please brief us about your journey in the industry and how you have made Sarayan Architects excel in its niche.

I am a privileged national and international award winner, currently on a mission to help businesses in India and Southeast Asia, increase their productivity and efficiency at their workplaces through optimum space management, quality workmanship, and world-class designs.

Over the past twenty-two + years, our team has supported me in changing the face of over 550 SMEs and corporates through innovative and creative workspace strategies and in-depth knowledge of space management with a functional approach toward designs. We are called for by businesses to transform their workspaces and enhance their efficiency and productivity. Sarayan Architects has changed the faces of over 5.5 lac sq. ft. of offices pan India.

I have been invited as a jury member at various design competitions and was recently awarded by IEDRA for excellence in interior design and architecture. The International Achievers Summit, Thailand also awarded the most promising architect of Southeast Asia in the year 2018.

I have been always a design strategist, perfectionist, and go-getter who strongly believes that any space on this planet can be transformed as per human needs and that “architecture is the mindset of a civilization.” I have authored an upcoming book, upcoming Book – ‘Rewarding Spaces.”

I am also an editor-in-chief of www.infraleaders.in, and www.pankajlad.com / www.sarayan.in through my role as a design strategist, workspace optimizer, and wow space creator.

Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies like AI and ML is impacting the Architectural Designing Solution space and how Sarayan Architects is adapting to the change.

Changes, flexibility, and constant innovation are keys to sustainability. Modern technologies do play a very important role in easing things for us. but the key here is to focus on the basic functions that are needed and to amalgamate the same with modern technology. The use of AI and MI has made the job easier for architects from an overall perspective and for the clients to visualize and understand the spaces faster and better.

Considering the current pandemic, what initial challenges did you face and how did you drive Sarayan Architects to sustain operations while ensuring the safety of your employees at the same time?

Although the pandemic majorly affected every business worldwide, we managed to carry out our operations with all safety measures and protocols on Site and were able to complete more than five major projects in pan India by ensuring that all our employees were working from home and contributed their best possible services to complete the Projects. Some of the projects were Godrej Agrovert Pvt. Ltd at Bundi, Rajasthan spread over one acre of area, Warehouse and Office for Shubh Plastics at Ahmedabad, Office for Aries Technology Group in Mumbai, and almost three major branches for Axis Bank in Maharashtra.

What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the architectural designing solution space?

My advice to budding designers would be to understand and listen to the client’s requirements totally and then offer an adaptable and sustainable solution. The use of more energy-efficient and eco-friendly designs is the key to a modern and co-habitable greener world.

How do you envision scaling Sarayan’s operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond?

Our firm’s vision is to bring corporate and MSME India on the global map with sustainable and zero-carbon solutions. To make the workspace a place where every Indian would want to be and not have to be.