Ankur Choksi
Principal
Studio Lotus
Ankur Choksi is one of the co-founders of Studio Lotus, an award-winning multidisciplinary design practice based in New Delhi. Since establishing the practice alongside Ambrish Arora and Sidhartha Talwar in 2002, Ankur has overseen its Interior Architecture vertical, working extensively on large-scale integrated hospitality commissions, branded experiences, and adaptive reuse projects. Ankur follows a narrative-driven design approach that is authentic and contextual to the region and the purpose. Creating crafted spaces with meticulous attention to detail, his design values are reflected in the diverse portfolio of works undertaken at the studio.
A graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Ankur trained and worked as a graphic and exhibition designer, before moving on to interior and architectural design. As a Principal, Ankur has led some of the practice’s most noteworthy projects, including the design for Imagine Studio—a marketing experience centre for Godrej Properties Ltd. at ‘The Trees’ in Vikhroli, Mumbai, the result of an adaptive reuse intervention, Antara, a first-of-its-kind senior living community in the city of Dehradun, the Stepped House, a family home in the Nilgiri hills of Coonoor, and the flagship store for leading couture brand Gaurav Gupta in New Delhi.
Recent projects completed under his stewardship include communal spaces for the luxury hospitality property Taj Theog in Shimla, the world-renowned hotel chain’s first venture in the state of Himachal Pradesh; a members-only clubhouse, the Fields Club, in Whitefield, Bengaluru; and a retail experience centre for electric automobile brand Ather Energy in Chennai. Ankur is currently developing a boutique hotel in the Bandhavgarh forest reserve and a 35-key jungle safari lodge in the heart of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve—Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park.
Ankur is a skilled orator and regularly speaks at trade events and design panels, such as Talking Architecture, a live session by World Architecture Festival 2020, where he joined leading practitioners to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Asian cities and design practices. He was also a part of the international jury at the WAF China Awards in December 2020 and joined industry experts at the WAF jury panel in 2021.
About the Practice:
Studio Lotus is acknowledged as a thought leader in the country for their work in the domain of Architecture and Interior Design. The work of the studio is grounded on the principles of Conscious Design, an approach that celebrates local resources, cultural influences, a keen attention to detail and an inclusive process. The practice has won over two hundred national and international awards since its inception in 2002, including being a four-time awardee at the World Architecture Festival; the JK AYA Architect of the Year 2020; the Supreme Winner at the 2020 Surface Design Awards, London; the Gold Medal in Conservation by The IIA 2019, making India’s AD 100 list for the ninth year running, and a nomination in the Aga Khan Awards.
List of notable projects:
● Taj Theog Resort & Spa, Shimla
● Upstage Club, Roseate House, New Delhi
● Fields Club, Whitefield, Bengaluru
● Ather Experience Centre, Chennai
● Boutique Hotel for Oberoi, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
● Clubhouse at Antara Senior Living, Dehradun
● Stepped House, Coonoor
● Gaurav Gupta Flagship Store, New Delhi
● Masti Cocktails and Cuisine, La Mer, Dubai
● The Quorum, Gurugram
● Imagine Studio at The Trees, Vikhroli, Mumbai
Awards & Recognitions:
● Longlisted, Dezeen Awards 2022 | Architecture Studio of the Year
● Winner, Restaurant & Bar Awards 2021 | Masti Cocktails and Cuisine, Dubai
● AD100 2021 | Architectural Digest India | Studio Lotus is a part of AD100 – the definitive list of the Top 100 most influential architects and designers
● Gold; Western Fashion Apparel; Specialty Store and Transportation; Specialty Store | VM&RD Retail Design Awards 2020 | Gaurav Gupta Flagship Store, New Delhi, and Ather Experience Centre, Chennai.
● AD100 2020 | Architectural Digest India | Studio Lotus is a part of AD100 – the definitive list of the Top 100 most influential architects and designers
● Winner; (Special Prize – Interiors) | Prix Versailles World Architecture Awards, 2018 | Masti Cocktails and Cuisine, Dubai
● Winner (Second Prize – Retail Interiors) | Aces Of Spaces Design Competition 2019 | Gaurav Gupta Flagship Store, New Delhi
● Winner (The Golden Pencil Award for Adaptive Reuse) | Kohler Bold Design Awards, 2018 | Imagine Studio at the Trees
● Winner | Kyoorius Design Awards 2019 | Ather Experience Centre, Chennai.
● Winner | Kyoorius Design Awards (Blue Elephant Award for Design for Space – Temporary/Permanent Installations) | Cousu d’Or, at 2018
● Special Mention | (Eloquent Ways of dealing with Heritage) The Merit List 2018 | Imagine Studio at The Trees, Mumbai
● Winner, Residential; Single Dwelling Category (Zonal Level) | IIID Design Excellence Awards 2017 | Stepped House, Coonoor
● Special Mention | Architizer A+ Awards, 2017 | Imagine Studio at The Trees, Mumbai
● Finalist (Adaptive Re-Use Award) | World Architecture Network Awards, 2016 | | Imagine Studio at The Trees, Mumbai
Juries:
● Curator, Transparence 17.0, 2022
● Judge, World Architecture Festival, 2020-21
● Judge, WAF China Awards, 2020
Talks and Panels:
● FIND Global Summit, Singapore | The Fourth Pillar of Sustainability (Panel Discussion) | September 2022
● AIA New York | IndiaNOW: Architecture in the Contemporary Landscape (with Sidhartha Talwar) | June 2022
● MSU College, Baroda, Keynote speaker | Reflection 2021 – Connecting the Dots | March 2021
● Times of India DesigNXT Panel Discussion | Trending Now: Buildings of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow | March 2021
● Canadian centre for Mindful Habitats | This Thing called Cultural Space (with Sidhartha Talwar) | March 2021
● Design Dekko Musings | Who Moved My Park – Rethinking Our Public Spaces | October 2020
● D/code Design Biennale | The Future of The Home: Design Elements to Take the Home to the Next Level | October 2020
● IIID | Perspectives on Crafting Interiors | October 2020
● Auro Design School | Design is Joy | October 2020
● World Architecture Festival; Talking Architecture, June 2020 | Impact of COVID-19 on Architecture and Urban Planning
● [IN]SIDE (Matter) | Reboot and Refresh | May 2020
● LivingEtc | Adaptive Reuse of Old Buildings | April 2020
● FOAID | Building Brand Matters | 2019
● GreenOtels Convention | The Approach and Mindset of Sustainability in Architecture and Design | 2018
● NineDotSquares | Crafts & Craftsmen | 2017
Social Media Handles:
● Facebook: @choksi.a
● Instagram: @choksiankur
● Twitter: @ankurchoksi
● LinkedIn: @ankur-choksi-0b3b563
Write to Ankur at ankur@studiolotus.in
