https://samirarathod.com At the heart of the studio's practice is a playful yet deeply ethical philosophy. Rather than approaching a building as a rigid structural puzzle, Rathod views architecture as an evolving narrative and a "work of art".

• The B.L.I.R.S. Manifesto: The studio operates on the guiding acronym B.L.I.R.S., which prioritizes designs that are Beautiful, Local, Indigenous, Recycled, and Small. This acts as a self-imposed boundary to ensure ecological mindfulness.

• Tactility and Material Experiments: SRDA is famous for using materials in unexpected ways. They routinely experiment with pigmented concretes, waste material aggregates, hand-woven bamboo, and scrap metal, viewing the imperfections of construction as elements of soul and character.

• Light, Shadow, and Spatial Play: Their layouts often play with lopsided arches, angled roofs, and heavy massing designed to shade internal courtyards, letting light breathe and shift through spaces dynamically over the course of the day.

• Critical Discourse: Beyond practice, Rathod is heavily committed to the academic and research side of architecture. She founded SPADE, a critical design magazine and research cell that explores contemporary Indian architectural discourse.