Marketing and business expert, Steven Jeffes once said – Innovation is the unrelenting drive to break the status quo and develop anew where few have dared to go.

Nothing could be truer for Utssav Gupta, partner, and CEO of Creators Architects who has rewritten the way innovative and strategic design can be used to create mindful architecture. This kind of architecture focuses on sustainability of the project right from the conceptualisation till the completion rather than just as an afterthought.

Utssav is renowned in the field of architecture for his ‘Diagnostic Innovation’ and holistic approach. Passionate for architecture and driven by the impact of innovation, the company works on strategic designs that enhance their clients’ business cases in every solution it offers.

As an innovation expert and strategic thinker, Utssav does not believe in limiting innovation only to the aesthetics of architecture. He finds that a very limiting way to define it and does not extrapolate what innovation can truly do for humans.

In his book Rebound, Utssav talks about the relationship between business and ‘Diagnostic Innovation’ for a successful outcome.

“At Creators Architects, we don’t see our work just as design but as a way of crafting client’s vision into reality. When the solutions we design give a creative edge to our clients and help them disrupt their space, we take it as an achievement,”

His approach of going beyond the ordinary and sowing innovative ways into client solutions has transformed his clients’ vision into reality. “To create architecture as a tool for transformation, is our pursuit,” says Utssav.

Nurturing Passion to Profession

Born and raised in a family of architects, Utssav was exposed to the field of architecture from a young age and was fascinated with it. “As both my parents were architects, our family atmosphere and dining table conversations were naturally built around everything related to this way of life.” shares Utssav. Pursuing his passion, he studied architecture in Delhi and completed his post-graduation from the United Kingdom.

Utssav says, “I feel included and driven by this profession. I constantly look for newness, problem-solving approaches, and trends to understand changing demands for the architecture to respond towards.” His words express his passion for architecture that encourages him to return to work with the same zeal every day.

Leading with the Science of Innovation

After completing his post-graduation, Utssav forayed into the architecture space as a professional and has been diligently leading Creators Architects by blending technology and art. As an ambitious and visionary leader, Utssav brings innovation as a science to the table.

His framework of ‘Diagnostic Innovation’ helps the company to incorporate a holistic approach and creative ways to the architectural processes and in understanding business case of the client. The company’s emphasis on holistic innovation to understand the client’s pain point and think beyond aesthetic architecture has helped Creators Architects stand out from their competitors.

The Genesis of Creators Architects

Founded by late Mr. Rajiv Gupta and Mrs. Mukta Gupta in 1986, Creators Architects has always focused on delivering an experience with honesty to the clients. Over the years the company has evolved as the customer-centric service provider in the architectural field by emphasising on in-depth understanding, avoiding preconceived notions, and rigour in work.

From the start, precise work and clear communication have been the bedrock of the company’s success. “As most of our projects were out-of-station, my parents made sure that the whole design be conceptualised and clearly communicated with the clients and teams at remote sites,” Utssav explains.

Utssav further shares the company’s expansion in several fields. Over the years, Creators Architects has experienced organic growth in several sectors from the private sector to the public sector and in the field of education.

As a second-generation architect, Utssav shares his gratitude towards the team at the firm. “Most of the team members have been with us for years. I can remember having seen some of them around since I was 10 years old,” he says, “When I joined the firm, earning respect from such senior associates mattered to me.”

Utssav further shares that the experienced associates collaborating with fresh talent bringing new technology to the table, have helped the firm to grow. The team’s contribution and collaboration towards delivering quality work in time have helped the firm complete 35 successful years, catering to an array of sectors today.

Crafting Client’s Vision into Reality

Creators Architects has thrived on delivering high-quality work since it was founded and led by Ambitious Architects. Following the customer-centric philosophy, the company has always sought to better understand and build solutions around customers’ needs. This zeal of delivering quality and constantly bringing freshness to the work has built the foundation for a sizable portfolio of one-of-a-kind projects that the firm holds.

Over the last decade, technological revolutions and new business models have changed the needs of clients in every industry, talking about which Utssav says, “At Creators Architects, we enjoy picking up such challenges, which require out-of-the-box solutions and innovate for new typologies.”

The work culture with holistic innovation, the team’s efforts to go beyond conventional means and methods to create architecture that fulfils the client’s dreams and solves their pain points have given a strong edge to Creators Architects in today’s market.

“At Creators Architects, we don’t see our work just as design but as a way of crafting client’s vision into reality. When the solutions we design give a creative edge to our clients and help them disrupt their space, we take it as an achievement,” shares Utssav.

Facing the Pandemic with Technology and Innovation

Over the years, the company has been a pioneer in incorporating technology to streamline processes and improve business operations. The company has long been a proponent of cloud computing for the efficient management of business processes. Thus, when the lockdown was enforced in India due to COVID-19, the entire Creators Architects team was able to work from home. However, design is a subject requiring high degree of interpersonal communication, which had to be entirely replaced by Zoom and Google meets.

Utssav shares how the company managed to tackle that challenge as well, “Our team has always shared tight-knit bond at the workplace. The culture is very grounded using physical tools like sketches and quick models to inspire each other, and that is what supported the communication across a virtual desk with the same efficiency.”

Advancing with this technological approach combined with basic tools for team communication and collaboration enabled the company to perform reasonably well during the pandemic.

Financial disruption caused due to the lockdown was yet another issue that nearly every industry encountered during the pandemic. The company leaders at Creators Architects faced similar challenges, which they met with candour and integrity.

“Openly talking about the situation with the team helped us all move through the tough time together,” Utssav shared, “We maintained our optimistic attitude, which was needed more than ever. The team focused on the work at hand, delivering their best even during such circumstances.”

Additionally, Utssav emphasizes how the core practices established by his parents as co-founders of the company served as the backbone of the organization during COVID-19. By focusing on creative necessities, being transparent, and avoiding luxury from the start, Creators Architects was able to stay afloat with everyone on board during the crisis.

Creators Architects: Tool for Transformation

“Can you imagine a world without virtual meetings today? The technological revolution that we have seen over the decade has changed things forever,” says Utssav when asked about the company’s future approach, “It’s time that the field of architecture to also step up, adapt and evolve for the needs of future India, and that’s where we are gearing towards.”

“Creators Architects is making strong statements by fusing innovations into architecture,” he further says, “It is our objective for architecture to serve as a tool of transformation for the people, communities and businesses. As a practice, we have had a keen eye towards emerging needs that we believe architecture must respond towards including climate change  and human empathy.”

The seed of ‘Diagnostic Innovation’ in architecture that the company sowed long back has now reaped the fruits for its clients. Staying true to its holistic innovative culture and customer-centric approach, Creators Architects is moving forward with a mission of collaborating innovation and architecture to transform India’s visions into reality.