Imagining Heritage in Contemporary Architecture: Ar. Gauri Paprikar on Designing With Pune’s Past

Pune, 10th September 2026: Architecture is often a conversation between a city’s past and its future. For Ar. Gauri Paprikar, heritage is not about simply preserving old buildings or reproducing traditional aesthetics. It is about understanding what older architecture can teach contemporary designers about climate, materials, community and the way people experience spaces.

Paprikar is an architect and Assistant Professor at SMEF’s Brick School of Architecture in Pune, where she is involved in architecture education and design. Her work and academic interests explore the relationship between the built environment, history and public space.

In her article, “Imagining Heritage in Contemporary Architecture,” Paprikar examines how traditional architecture can offer practical lessons for present-day design. She points to elements such as courtyards, verandahs, shaded transitional spaces and locally sourced materials, which were often shaped by climate and the social needs of the communities using them.

For Pune, these ideas are particularly relevant. The city’s older neighbourhoods demonstrate how buildings, streets and semi-public spaces can encourage movement, interaction and a sense of community. Paprikar argues that contemporary architects can learn from these principles without simply copying traditional forms.

Her approach treats heritage as a source of knowledge rather than just an aesthetic reference. Traditional materials, construction methods and spatial arrangements can be reinterpreted to address contemporary requirements, including comfort, sustainability and adaptability.

Paprikar’s work at Brick School of Architecture, part of the SMEF group, places these questions within architectural education, where students are encouraged to examine design through research, experimentation and practical application.

The larger argument is simple: contemporary architecture does not have to choose between heritage and modernity. By understanding why older spaces worked, architects can reinterpret those ideas to create buildings that belong to both the present and their place.