Mona Doctor-Pingel

Principal Architect

After her graduation in Architecture from School of Architecture, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, Mona worked in Auroville for two years with architect Poppo Pingel, before moving to Germany for her Masters in Appropriate Technology as a DAAD scholar. There she was introduced to Baubiologie (Building Biology), the science of holistic interactions between life and living environment. She also had a chance to learn earthen dome construction techniques from German architect Gernot Minke, at Kassel University.

Since 1995 Mona has her independent practice, Studio Naqshbandi, based in Auroville where she lives and works.

Rooted in the essence and philosophy of Auroville, her Studio offers a holistic approach to the science of building by using biologically enhancing and environmentally friendly building technologies which are rooted in the local context of climate and culture. Working with architecture, interior design and landscaping simultaneously on every project allows the studio team to enhance the sensory experience through the built form and create a space that responds to the surroundings, bringing in Nature and a sense of wellbeing.

Her current field of exploration also includes teaching, writing and research.

Research: From 2012-17, under the umbrella of Auroville Center for Scientific Research (CSR), she has been part of a 5-year joint research project funded by Indian and American governments as part of the Obama-Singh Treaty headed by CEPT, Ahmedabad and LBNL, Berkeley on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. As part of this consortium of 10 eminent institutions, Studio Naqshbandi data logged 7 naturally ventilated buildings for the warm humid zone in and around Pondicherry for one year. The results of this research are published in scientific journals such as Elsevier’s Building and Environment and Elsevier Encyclopaedia of Sustainable materials. Publications: She is the author two books on the works of Poppo Pingel and Piero & Gloria Cicionesi as part of the Series of Monographs on Auroville Architects, published by Mapin publishers in 2012 and 2018. Academics: Currently she is Adjunct faculty at Europa University’s Environment and Energy management (EEM) Masters program at Flensburg where she co-teaches a course on Rational Use of Energy with Prof Wulf Boie. She has been visiting faculty at CARE school of architecture at Trichy and MIDAS, MARG Swarnabhoomi, Tamilnadu. She has been joint secretary of the Planning Team at L’Avenir d’Auroville/ Town Development Council, which is the official body for guiding the development and planning of Auroville, from 2010- 2012. Mona is President of ANGIRAS - a registered NGO for Indian Alumni from German Universities working towards sustainable solutions, since 2011. She is a registered architect with COA, Indian Council of Architecture, a fellow of IIA, Indian Institute of Architects and Life member of IIID, Indian Institute of Interior Design. She has written on the architectural practices of Auroville for journals and other publications and her work has been published in several Indian and German magazines and has won several awards

NAQSHBANDI FAMILY, AUGUST 2021

CURRENT TEAM

URJITA GOEL

Junior Architect

Urjita joined Studio Naqshbandi in September, 2024. She completed her bachelors in Architecture at the DCRUST, Haryana in 2022.

Drashti Nadoda

Intern

Drashti joined Studio Naqshbandi in Mid June 2024. She is studying Bachelors in Architecture at Nirma University , Ahmedabad.

Anjalakshmi Amma

Caretaker

Ever smiling and always eager to help; Anjlakshmi is the caretaker of Studio Naqshbandi.

Harshitha

Junior Architect

Harshitha joined Studio Naqshbandi in July 2024. She completed her Masters in Advanced Sustainable Design at the University of Edinburgh , Scotland ,UK.

Divy Jajodia

Intern

Divy joined Studio Naqshbandi in July 2024. He is studying Bachelors in Architecture at Nirma University , Ahemdabad.

Mocca

Mocca was born in Auroville, is 6 years old, self-taught, cookie lover.

COLLABORATORS

Madhivanan Gnanavel

Landscape Designer

Madhivanan is born in Auroville and worked 4 years as Junior Architect with Studio Naqshbandi. He earned his degree at McGan'S Ooty School of Architecture, 2018.

Shrishti Dangi

Visual Artist

Studied at International Visual Art School, Last School, Auroville (2009). She is currently collaborating with the studio for Temple Tree retreat Extension and SAIL.

Online presence: Behance, Instagram

Mohan Ayynarppan

Contractor

Self taught from Alankuppam Village, constructed projects including Cottage Showroom, Fish House, Studio Naqshbandi and Temple Tree Retreat.

Rene Janssen

Building Biology Consultant

Rene Janssen is an electrical engineer and Building Biology consultant from the Netherlands. He is living in Auroville since 2004 and is involved in various construction projects which promote sustainable building solutions and social well being. In 2014 he founded the Centre for Building Biology in Auroville, with the aim to bring this needed science to a wider audience in India.

Prakash Raj

Model Maker

Prakash Raj is a professional model maker from Auroville. He is self taught and has worked extensively with us on several projects. Key project models include Cottage Showroom, UTSAV and Kalpana Apartments.(Unbuilt).

Tushita Gandhi

Interior Designer

Tushita assists in the interior designing and execution of several projects of the Studio. She earned her degree at APIED, Vallabh Vidya Nagar in 2000.

Baskar

Contractor

Self-taught, Aurovillian, constructed projects including Elizabeth House, currently constructing Utsav mixed-use development.

Vinayagam

Contractor

Self-taught, Aurovillian, constructed projects including White Peacock and Aikido Dojo.

Puneet Brar

Ceramist

Puneet Brar is a ceramist based in Auroville. She studied Ceramic Design from the National Institute of Design and Art Ceramic Atelier De la Rue, France. Her studio Windglaze studio pottery is a design led ceramic studio that has been producing functional and decorative objects and art pieces for the international market for over two decades.

Late Arusha Shridhar Drouin

Architect

Arusha had worked on several of the studio's major projects from 2007-2012. She earned her degree at BNCA, Pune, 2001.

NAQSHBANDI FAMILY

Name | Role | School | Period of work at Studio Naqshbandi

Jahanvi Tripathi | Interior Architecture Intern | Indian Institute of Art and Design, Delhi | June 2024 - September 2024

Sanjithi Meda | Design Intern | Srishti Manipal Institute of Art Design and technology | May 2024 - July 2024

Yash Indane | Architectural Intern | School of planning and Architecture, Bhopal | December 2023 - June 2024

Sheel Mutha | Architectural Intern | Navrachana University , Vadodara| December 2023 - June 2024

Swetha Prakash | Architect | Rajalakshmi College of Architecture, Chennai | July 2023 - February 2024

Mathangi M. | Architectural Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | July 2023 - December 2023

Rishabh Falodia | Architectural Intern | Nirma University | July 2023 - December 2023

Urmi Godasara l Architectural Intern | APIED College, Anand | October 2023 - December 2023

Lipi Maun l Architectural Intern | Manipal School of Architecture and Planning, Manipal | January 2023 - June 2023

Mihir R. Desai l Architect | Aditya College of Architecture, Mumbai | August 2021 - June 2023

Keerthana Arun l Architect | C.A.R.E School of Architecture | July 2022 - July 2023

Shrinivas Tele l Architectural Intern | CTES College of Architecture, Chembur | January 2023 - May 2023

Ganesh S. l Architect | VIT University, Vellore| January 2022 - January 2023
Naga Sai Santhan l Architectural Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | June 2022 - December 2022

Narmadha l Project Manager | Annamalai University, Chidambaram | January 2021 - December 2022

Krishi Jhaveri l Interior Design Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | January 2022 - June 2022

Madhivanan Gnanavel l Architect & Landscape Designer | McGan'S Ooty School of Architecture | August 2018 - June 2022

Maitri Shah l Architectural Intern | Navrachana University, Baroda | December 2021 - June 2022

Pavni Porwal l Interior Design Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | July 2021 - December 2021

Priyanka Salunkhe l Architectural Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | June 2021 - December 2021

Mathura Maathangi l Architect | VIT University, Vellore| February 2021 - November 2021

Ridho Cairns | Architect | University of Melbourne, Australia | September 2019 - August 2021

Abinaya Varshni | Architectural Intern | Wadiyar Centre For Architecture, Mysore | March 2021 - August 2021

Shyambhavi Shukla | Interior Design Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | December 2020 - July 2021

Almitra Roosevelt | Architectural Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | December 2020 - July 2021

Ralph Sequeira | Architect | MIET, Gondia | March 2019 - March 2021

Abishek P | Architectural Intern | CEPT University, Ahmedabad | June – December 2020 | June - July 2023

Ibn Talib | Architect | John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, University of Toronto | July - September 2020

Geetika Tyagi | Architectural Intern | AIT School Of Architecture & Planning, Greater Noida | January - August 2020

Saloni Mahajan | Interior Design Intern | SID, CEPT, Ahmedabad | September - December 2019

Renuka Gupta | Architectural Intern | MBS School of Planning and Architecture | Delhi, August 2019 - April 2020

Shaan Lyngdoh Lakshmanan | Architectural Intern | Syracuse University, United States of America | July - August 2019

Henrik Dutz | Architect | TU Dresden, Germany | December - March 2019

Abhishek K. Ramesh | Architectural Intern | CMRU School Of Architecture, Bengaluru | July 2019 - January 2020

Anshul Rathore | Architectural Intern | IIT, Roorkee | February - July 2018

Aakansha Jain | Architectural Intern | Manipal University | April 2017 - May 2018

Vishnu Vardhan | Research Engineer | VIT Mechanical Engineering,Vellore | November 2017 - November 2018

Nancy Agarwal | Architect | RV College, Bengaluru | September 2017 - September 2019

Nitya Kalyanaraman | Architectural Intern | Sushant School of Art and Architecture | Gurugram, June 2017 - November 2017

Ines Dahl | Architectural Intern| ETSAM Madrid / CEPT, Ahmedabad | June - July 2017

Divij Bhardwaj Architect | MNIT, Jaipur | April - May 2017

Ipsita Mallick | Architectural Intern | Balwant Sheth School of Architecture, NMIMS, Mumbai | February - Sept 2017

Roshita Sudhir | Architect | NIT Trichy | December 2016 - June 2019

Sukirth Gowder | Architect | SAP, Anna University, Chennai | December 2016 - May 2017

Yann Robichon | Research Engineer | ESIROI, Reunion Island | August - September 2016

Malvika Singh |Interior Design Intern |SID, CEPT, Ahmedabad | June - December 2016

Nehaa Bhavaraju | Architect | NIT Trichy | February - December 2016

Chandana Reddy | Architect | SAP, Chennai | January - December 2016

Pratha Bhagat |Architectural Intern | Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies | Mumbai, November 2015 - April 2016

Akash Puthuparambil | Architect | Kerala | August 2015-March 2016

Anant Mairal | Architectural Intern |National Institute of Technology | Raipur, June 2015- April 2016

Tanushree Charan | Construction Intern | SBST, CEPT, Ahmedabad | June - July 2015

Melina Wiedera | Interior Designer | HfT Stuttgart, Germany | June - July 2015

Hugo Lavocat | Research Engineer | ESIROI, Reunion Island | May - August 2015

Eleanor Figueiredo | Architect | Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, United Kingdom | May - June 2015

Suraj Dwivedi | Junior Architect | College of Architecture, SVIT, Vasad | December 2013 - May 2014

Ana Antunes | Architect | Porto School of Architecture, Portugal | August - September 2014 & February 2015

Aashna Agarwal | Architecture Intern | CEPT, Ahmedabad | June - December 2014

Pankti Mehta | Architecture Intern | Navrachana University, Vadodara | June - December 2014

Aanchal Subbaiah | Architecture Intern |RV College of Architecture, Bengaluru | March - May 2014

Darpan Arora | Architectural Intern | College of Architecture, SVIT, Vasad | February 2014 - January 2015

Anjali Ramachandran | Architecture Intern |School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Mysuru | November 2013 - May 2014

Anna Alma Bakhlina | Architect | Moscow Institute of Architecture MARKHI , Russia and KTH, Sweden |November 2012 - August 2014

S. Kishore Rajaram | Architecture Intern | Architectural Intern | SAP Anna University, Chennai |Dec 2012 - May 2013

Niharika Sanyal | Architecture Intern | SA, CEPT, Ahmedabad |May 2012 - Jan 2013

Parth Pandya | Interior Design Intern | SID, CEPT, Ahmedabad |June - December 2012

Rakesh N.M. | Architect | Manipal University | December 2011 - June 2012

Sachin Patil | Architect | Sir J. J. College of Architecture, Mumbai | June - December 2011

Kriti Gupta | Interior Design Intern | SID, CEPT, Ahmedabad | May - Dec 2011

Tejal Bafna | Architect | Academy Of Architecture, Mumbai | March - May 2011

Ojas Vyas | Architect | IPSA, Rajkot | January 2011 - January 2012

Sonam P. Kesarkar | Interior Designer | BNCA, Pune | January 2010 - January 2011

Sindhu Gopal | Architecture Intern | SRM University, Kattankulathur | July 2010 - January 2011

Shashank Achanthodi | Architecture Intern | NIT Trichy | June - December 2010

Annam Vaishnavi | Architect | CSI Institute of Technology, School Of Planning & Architecture, Secunderabad | June - December 2010

Sneha Bakshi | Academy Of Architecture, Mumbai | March - June 2010

Deepti Gangwal | Planning Intern | SP, CEPT, Ahmedabad | May - June 2010

Kaushal Jajoo | Planning Intern | SP, CEPT, Ahmedabad | May - June 2010

Swastika Mukherjee | Architecture Intern | Aayojan School of Architecture, Jaipur | January - June 2010

Prakash Raj | Architect and Model Maker | Self taught | October 2009 - January 2010; February 2016 - Present

Nidhi Dixit | Architecture Intern | University of Mumbai | December 2008 - March 2009

Joana Marques | Architect | Porto School of Architecture, Portugal | August - September 2009

Kanika Puri | Interior Design Intern | SID, CEPT, Ahmedabad, | May - August 2009

Akshaya L.N. | Architecture Intern | TVB School of Habitat Studies, Delhi | July - December 2009

Marcia Oliviera | Architect | Porto School of Architecture, Portugal | March - October 2009

Noble George | Architecture Intern | Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology, Surat | August - December 2008

Abhiruchi Anand | Interior Design Intern | SID, CEPT, Ahmedabad | May - November 2008

Venu Sivan | Architecture Intern | College of Engineering Trivandrum | June 2007 - January 2008

Tushita Gandhi | Interior Designer | APIED, Vallabh Vidyanagar | 2006 - 2009

Vishal Chudgar | Architect | APIED, Vallabh Vidyanagar | June - October 2007

Nithya E. J. | Architecture Intern | College of Engineering Trivandrum, | April - June 2007

Aamir | Architecture Intern | University of Lucknow | August - December 2004

Garima | Architecture Intern | University of Lucknow | August - December 2004

Pallavi Gopalkrishnan | Architecture Intern | B. M. S. College of Engineering |March - June 2003

Samir | Architecture Intern| Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology Surat | July - November 2002

Deval Gandhi | Architect | School of Architecture, CEPT, Ahmedabad | June 2000 - April 2001

Amorette Pereira | Architecture Intern | BNCA, Pune | January - April 2000

Arusha Shridhar | Architect | BNCA, Pune | January - April 2000

Batul Raaj | Architecture Intern | SA, CEPT, Ahmedabad | June - December 1995

Kanal Shah | Architect | MSU, Vadodara | June - December 1995