INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day Special… Architect and Academic Dr. H.S. Champa speaks about shaping young architects, preserving Mysuru’s heritage and designing cities in harmony with nature.
As cities expand rapidly and natural landscapes come under pressure, architect and academician Dr. H.S. Champa advocates a context-sensitive, nature-conscious approach to design. With over two decades of experience in architecture and design education, she has contributed to urban design, conservation initiatives and academic leadership in Mysuru.
A graduate of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bengaluru, Dr. Champa holds Master’s degrees in Ecology and Environment and Urban Design from New Delhi and the University of Mysore (UoM). She earned her Ph.D from UoM for her research titled ‘Refurbishing the Identity of a City in Transition: An Urban Design Intervention into Development Paradigms of Mysuru.’
Currently Dean and Director of the Mysore School of Architecture (MSA), she has earlier served as Principal of the School of Design, UoM, taught at the Birla Institute of Technology, UAE and headed the SVS School of Architecture, Coimbatore.
Born and raised in Mysuru, she is also involved in heritage and environmental initiatives related to the Purnaiah Canal and Kukkarahalli Lake. Star of Mysore caught up with her for an exclusive conversation on architecture, cities and education. Excerpts:
By Shadan Muneer
Star of Mysore (SOM): How are you shaping the next generation of architects? What qualities define a good architect?
Dr. H.S. Champa: Architecture goes beyond designing buildings; it shapes how people experience spaces and everyday life. At MSA, we encourage students to understand context and learn from both traditional knowledge and modern tools, including AI.
A good architect must balance innovation with culture, sustainability and strong technical skills, along with ethics and social responsibility. Real learning comes from observation and experience, not just textbooks. Ultimately, architecture is about how spaces make people feel a human connection, turning design into meaningful architecture.
SOM: What drew you to climate-responsive architecture and heritage studies?
Dr. Champa: My interest comes from growing up in village settings and traditional courtyard homes, where life was closely connected with nature.
Being from Mysuru also influenced me deeply. The city’s heritage, shaped by the vision of the Maharajas, encourages a different way of looking at architecture. Over time, these early influences, along with my education and research, naturally led me towards climate-responsive design and heritage studies.
SOM: Many buildings in Mysuru are deteriorating due to poor maintenance. What are your views?
Dr. Champa: This is a concern shared by many Mysureans. While we take pride in our heritage, we must also recognise our responsibility in preserving it. The decline of heritage buildings has been discussed for years, but meaningful action has been limited.
Conservation requires collective effort from the Government, professionals and the community. With timely awareness and coordinated action, Mysuru’s heritage can still be restored and sustained as part of a living city.
While we take pride in our heritage, we must also recognise our responsibility in preserving it. The decline of heritage buildings in Mysuru has been discussed for years, but meaningful action has been limited.
SOM: What do Mysuru’s heritage buildings mean to you, and how do you use them to guide your students?
Dr. Champa: Heritage, for me, goes beyond buildings. It includes culture, craft, traditions and ways of living. In Mysuru, architecture is part of a larger urban system where streets, public spaces and civic elements shape the city’s identity. The city is distinctive enough to be recognised even without signboards, from Agraharas to clock towers and gateways. When I take students around the city, often on cycling tours, we study its layers of planning, materials, context and craftsmanship.
SOM: How does outdoor and site-based learning help students?
Dr. Champa: Architecture becomes meaningful when learning goes beyond the classroom. Site visits help students observe how spaces function in real life, understand materials and engage with the surrounding environment.
It allows them to connect architecture with nature, people and place rather than limiting learning to lectures. We often use parks, courtyards and places like Lingambudi Lake as living classrooms.
SOM: How are you contributing to the restoration of Kukkarahalli Lake?
Dr. Champa: My role is both as a concerned citizen and a professional, supporting nature-based approaches rather than heavy engineering solutions. The focus is on restoring the lake while retaining its natural character and addressing issues such as pollution and encroachment. It is a collective effort involving citizens, institutions and local groups, balancing public access with ecological protection.
SOM: You have worked on conserving the Purnaiah Canal. Why is restoring this historic water system important?
Dr. Champa: At MSA, we have studied Mysuru’s natural drainage and canal systems through mapping and field exploration. Along with the Mysuru Water Forum, we see the Purnaiah Nala not just as a canal but as a potential ecological spine for the city.
Mysuru lacks adequate green lung spaces and this 25-km stretch could become a green corridor supporting biodiversity, improving the microclimate and creating community spaces.
Purnaiah, the Dewan of the Mysore Maharajas, designed this system to manage water efficiently as the city grew. Over time, urbanisation and encroachments disrupted it.
Historically, the canal network fed Kukkarahalli Lake. Reviving it can improve groundwater recharge, reduce flooding and restore the lake’s natural inflow, crucial for Kukkarahalli’s long-term survival and Mysuru’s sustainable future.
SOM: You have worked on diverse projects such as resorts, residences and institutions. What kind of projects excite you the most?
Dr. Champa: Early in my career, I worked with architects in Goa and Bengaluru, where I learned to view projects not as isolated buildings but as part of a larger urban context. That experience later led me to start my own independent practice, with projects across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
What excites me most are projects that engage directly with people and the city, particularly public spaces and urban interventions such as junction redesigns. Kurumba Village Resort in Coonoor remains a significant project in my portfolio and continues to be appreciated for its design.
SOM: The MSA redesigned Bogadi Road with a focus on safety and community participation. How important is accessibility in street design?
Dr. Champa: The redesign emerged from observing how people actually move through the city. As someone who cycles regularly, I have experienced how unsafe and inaccessible streets can be for pedestrians and non-motorised users.
The project involved students, residents and community groups. Its proximity to institutions like the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) made accessibility important, as many children and persons with disabilities use this route. The goal is to create streets that are safe, accessible and dignified for everyone.
SOM: Sunlight and fresh air are natural sanitisers. How do you design buildings that reduce dependence on artificial lighting and air conditioning?
Dr. Champa: We focus on natural ventilation, cross-ventilation and daylight while preserving vegetation and minimising disturbance to the site.
Traditional architecture followed these principles through courtyards, proper orientation and material choices. Today, we are rediscovering and adapting those ideas to create buildings that “breathe” naturally and reduce the need for artificial cooling.
SOM: Architecture and leadership can be demanding. How do you balance professional and personal life?
Dr. Champa: I am fortunate to have a supportive family, which makes a big difference. For me, work is something I genuinely enjoy and see as part of life rather than a rigid routine.
I also believe in fostering independence within the family, where responsibilities are shared. That naturally creates a balance between professional and personal life.
This post was published on March 31, 2026 6:05 pm