Introduction: Celebrating Architectural Poets

The Drafting Table India is Rezovate’s canvas for honoring architects who weave stories into spaces, crafting designs that connect people with their world. This series celebrates visionaries who see buildings not as structures, but as living backdrops to life. Today, we spotlight Architecture BRIO, a Mumbai- and Rotterdam-based studio led by Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt, whose work redefines sustainable architecture with grace and grit.

Architecture BRIO’s designs, from hilltop retreats to flood-resilient schools, embody a profound respect for nature and community. Their work is essential to feature for its innovative approach to sustainability, its seamless integration with the environment, and its global influence, earning accolades like the AD100 and a place in Taschen’s “Homes for Our Time.” They don’t just build—they breathe life into landscapes.

An Overview: A Journey of Harmony

In 2006, Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt, inspired by their early days working under Geoffrey Bawa’s legacy in Sri Lanka, founded Architecture BRIO. With Shefali’s roots in CEPT, India, and Robert’s training at TU Delft, Netherlands, they blended Asian warmth with European precision. From their dual bases in Mumbai and Rotterdam, they’ve grown into a globally recognized studio, crafting homes, schools, and retreats across India, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Their impact is vast: over 18 years, they’ve completed dozens of projects, earning 10 consecutive AD100 listings by Architectural Digest India (2014–2023), the Trends Excellence Awards 2014, NDTV Design & Architecture Awards 2014, and international honors like Archiprix 2004 and Europan 2005. With a LinkedIn following of over 23,000 and features in BBC’s “World’s Most Extraordinary Homes” and Taschen’s books, Architecture BRIO is a name that echoes innovation and purpose.

The Common Thread: Contextual and Sustainable Design

At the heart of Architecture BRIO’s work lies a deep commitment to contextual and sustainable design. Every project, whether a home in Alibag or a school in Malaysia, is a dialogue with its environment. They use natural materials—bamboo, local stone, upcycled eco-board—and eco-friendly systems like green roofs and flood-resilient structures to ensure buildings blend seamlessly with their surroundings. Their frugal approach maximizes impact with minimal resources, creating spaces that feel intrinsic to their sites. This philosophy doesn’t just shape aesthetics; it fosters resilience, addressing challenges like flooding and urban density while inviting occupants to connect with nature.

Details of Their Work: Crafting with Nature

Architecture BRIO’s portfolio is a testament to their ability to let landscapes lead. The Riparian House in Karjat, Maharashtra, is a hilltop retreat that melts into the Western Ghats. Its green roof and concrete form hug the terrain, offering river views while minimizing ecological disruption. This project adds value by creating a serene escape that feels part of the hillock, but its architectural complexity—balancing a heavy concrete structure on uneven terrain—required precise engineering. Sourcing sustainable materials for the green roof in a remote area was a logistical hurdle, yet BRIO’s meticulous design, praised in Taschen’s “Homes for Our Time,” achieved a chameleon-like harmony.

The Mumbai Artist Retreat in Alibag, featured on Dezeen, is a steel-and-bamboo cabin elevated on stilts to combat coastal flooding. Designed for artists, it opens to Alibag’s serene vistas, adding value by offering a sustainable model for Mumbai’s flood-prone shores. Architecturally, it was a tightrope walk: the lightweight structure needed to withstand monsoon floods while maintaining an airy aesthetic. Bamboo’s flexibility demanded innovative joinery to ensure durability, but BRIO’s ingenuity created a retreat that’s both resilient and poetic.

The Etania Green School in Malaysia, built for marginalized children, uses decommissioned containers to prevent riverside flooding. Its vernacular-inspired design, noted in Green Building Taiwan, adds value by empowering communities through safe, sustainable education spaces. The architectural challenge lay in transforming industrial containers into a welcoming school under tight budgets, requiring creative insulation and ventilation solutions in Borneo’s humid climate. BRIO’s collaboration with BillionBricks delivered a space that’s both functional and uplifting.

The House on a Stream in Alibag, a concrete home straddling a waterway, won the NDTV Home Design of the Year 2014. Its bridge-like form integrates with the Western Ghats, adding value by preserving the stream’s flow while creating a unique living experience. Architecturally, designing over a stream demanded sophisticated structural engineering to ensure stability against flooding, with precise concrete casting to maintain aesthetic fluidity. BRIO’s mastery, lauded by ArchDaily, turned a challenging site into a seamless masterpiece.

“Architecture should be a gentle frame for life’s moments,” Shefali and Robert share, a vision that guides their eco-conscious designs.

From an architectural critique, BRIO’s contextual approach is flawless, but their reliance on site-specific solutions can limit scalability for urban contexts. Their material palette, while sustainable, occasionally risks aesthetic repetition in concrete-heavy designs. Yet, their ability to address complex environmental challenges—flooding, remote sites—with frugal elegance is a triumph, setting a benchmark for architecture that honors both planet and people.

Why Architecture BRIO Stands Out

Architecture BRIO’s work is a beacon of sustainable innovation, blending natural materials like bamboo and stone with cutting-edge eco-solutions. Their projects, from the flood-resilient Mumbai Artist Retreat to the community-driven Etania Green School, showcase a rare balance of beauty and purpose. Recognized by AD100, Dezeen, and BBC, they’re shaping the future of Indian architecture with designs that respect nature and uplift lives.

Explore More Sustainable Architecture

Interested in eco-friendly design? Discover how Architecture BRIO’s projects like the Riparian House and House on a Stream redefine sustainable living. Learn about their work with BillionBricks to create model villages or their contributions to Mumbai’s public spaces through the Bandra Collective. Their designs offer inspiration for anyone passionate about architecture that treads lightly on the earth.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Living Landscapes

Architecture BRIO, led by Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt, is a studio that designs with the heart of the land. Their homes, schools, and retreats don’t dominate landscapes—they dance with them, using bamboo, stone, and green roofs to create spaces that feel alive. From Alibag’s flood-prone shores to Malaysia’s riversides, they tackle the toughest challenges with elegance, proving architecture can be both sustainable and soulful. Their work is a promise: that buildings can nurture the earth and its people.

We at Rezovate are proud to feature Architecture BRIO in The Drafting Table India. Shefali and Robert’s vision is a gift to the world, a legacy of spaces that breathe, inspire, and endure. Here’s to a studio that shows us architecture’s true power—to be a gentle, living frame for life.

Join Rezovate to celebrate more architectural pioneers. Have a favorite Architecture BRIO project? Share it with us at info@rezovate.com, and let’s keep the story alive!