About
Dharatal is a Sanskrit word which means the surface of the Earth.
We are an Indo - European design collective with a focus on local communities, their heritage and landscapes. The atelier was established in 2016 and embarked upon a diverse range of work, from design to policy making to speculative research projects.
As a design and development agency we provide innovative case specific solutions while trying to harness the constraints of the projects. The atelier engages a distinctive group of experts based on the need of each project. Dharatal has an extended network in form of international collaborations and ongoing projects in and around India.
We follow a strict no-discrimination policy and respect and engage with individuals belonging to all social or religious backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.
Vision
We strive to conserve and interpret local cultural and traditional wisdom while catering to the contemporary need for development. This vision is reflected in our design of landscapes and buildings.
Team members
Nishant Upadhyay is a conservation architect trained at KU Leuven, Belgium, as a recipient of the Erasmus Mundus EXPERT scholarship where he is also a doctoral researcher. He is a TEDx Speaker, Executive Committee member and Central zone representative (MP and UP) of ICOMOS India.
He is presently an International Heritage Expert to UNESCO New Delhi & Dhaka office and member to ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes.
Viorel Acsinte
DESIGN LEAD
DHARATAL BELGIUM
Anjaneya Sharma is presently working as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, AKTU, Lucknow, India.
He is a landscape architect and a doctorate from IIT Roorkee, India. His research interests are landscape and conservation. He is Hon. Research Advisor for the academic collaborations and research projects.
Hannah John
CONSERVATION
ARCHITECT
Viorel is the proprietor of Dharatal Belgium. He is trained as an architect at the Faculty of Architecture and Art in Hasselt University, Belgium. He is a V-Ray user officially certified by CGworld with strong ray tracing and 3D modeling knowledge combined with a good understanding of parametric design.
As a Romanian - Belgian architectural designer, sculptor and painter, he has an expertise in visual language and a skilful eye for proportions and a sensitive use of material for designs.
Ravi Kumar Kawre
URBAN DESIGNER
Hannah is an architect hailing from Bangalore who graduated with an M.Sc in Conservation of Monuments and Sites from the Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation, KU Leuven.
Her experience includes design, heritage research and outreach projects in Bangalore. Hannah has a keen interest in the urban heritage of India and its complexities.
Harshita Srivastava
ARCHITECT
Ravi is an architect with a degree in urban design from SPA Bhopal.
He has worked on urban design and research projects in Bhopal, Amaravati and Hyderabad. He has keen interest in making urban level maps, data analysis and infographics.
Martin L.
ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGNER
Harshita is an architect from Gorakhpur, who graduated from Abdul Kalam Technical University. Her interest lies in ecologically sensitive architecture using traditional building techniques and vernacular materials for the creation of comfortable spaces. She believes that being connected to our roots is essential to create something beautiful.
She has previously worked on projects in Delhi and her hometown where she was involved from design to implementation.
Dr. Harsh Pathak
LEGISLATION ADVISOR
Martin has been working as an architectural designer since 2001 following a decade as a carpenter and other site trades. He is holder of a master in environmental design and has been/ is working and associated with various offices in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Montréal.
His disciplinary interests lie at the junction between spatial and system design in the context of the built environment projects. System implies the pursuit of the appropriate energy (embodied and maintenance), water, social and cultural approach for a sustainable outcome.
Dr. Harsh Pathak is a legal counsel by profession with keen interest in natural, cultural and historical heritages.
With his exposure and experience of two decades in profession, he has been associated with various educational institutions in India and abroad as legal counsel or visiting faculty and also engaged in various conservation projects of natural, built, tangible and intangible heritages, underwater sea heritages, Indian Himalayan Region for conservation of glaciers and culture
Dr. Pathak is an associate member of ICOMOS India.