Mihir Desai

For Ar. Mihir Desai, architecture has never been just a profession—it has been a journey of discovery, resilience, and continuous evolution.

His story began in 1992, when he first stepped into the world of architecture as a student. At the time, the industry was still finding its footing, with limited exposure and fewer opportunities than today. Yet those formative years instilled in him the values of patience, perseverance, and the importance of learning from every experience. He graduated by 1997–98, ready to step into the professional world.

The early years of his career were spent under the guidance of seasoned professionals. For three years, he immersed himself in hands-on work, gaining practical exposure and sharpening his skills. “During those days, you couldn’t skip the grind. The experience you earned on the job was your biggest teacher,” he reflects.

By 2001,  Ar. Mihir’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found his first partnership practice. The firm quickly found its niche in commercial interiors, a segment witnessing explosive growth fueled by evolving corporate cultures and fast-paced project timelines. Residential interiors naturally followed, but it was interiors as a whole that remained the central canvas of his creativity and expertise

The defining shift came in 2017, when  Ar. Mihir parted ways with his partner and founded MD&A Architects (Mihir Desai & Associates). What started as a solo venture has since evolved into a versatile design studio with a presence in both Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Over the past eight years, MD&A has expanded its scope beyond interiors, taking on projects in warehousing, hospitality, commercial spaces, residential design, and architectural developments. This growth reflects  Ar. Mihir’s belief in not confining design to a single domain. As he puts it: “We tell our clients that we do anything in design. We don’t believe in restricting ourselves.”

From the early years of navigating a profession with limited exposure to leading a dynamic, multi-city practice,  Ar. Mihir Desai’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and an ever-expanding vision of design.

When asked if his practice is open to every kind of project, be it commercial, architectural, or even warehousing.  Ar. Mihir Desai’s answer comes without hesitation: “yes, we are doing everything as such.”

True to his words, Desai and his team have embraced a canvas as wide as imagination allows. From elegant private bungalows and dynamic commercial buildings to sprawling factories and specialized architectural ventures, their portfolio reflects a philosophy of versatility and a refusal to be confined by labels.

One of their proud milestones includes a factory project in Mundra, a venture that blended functionality with thoughtful design. Currently, their creative energy is shaping new projects in Ahmedabad, further proving that their architectural journey is always evolving and expanding.

What began nearly 25 years ago as an independent practice has now become a story of resilience, growth, and design without boundaries. Looking back, Ar. Mihir Desai reflects not just on buildings created, but on the legacy of a journey that continues to unfold—brick by brick, idea by idea.

Some architects chase grand philosophies. Others chase trends.  Ar. Mihir Desai chose something far more enduring—loyalty, humility, and human connection.

As the Principal Architect & Founder of M D & A Architects, his journey has been defined not just by the structures he designs but by the relationships he builds. For him, practice is not about drawing lines on paper; it’s about drawing trust in people’s hearts. Clients often turn into friends, and collaborators become partners in growth. This sense of belonging and togetherness is what fuels his work.

At the design table, he doesn’t treat architecture as a mechanical formula to be solved quickly. Instead, every project begins with listening, understanding, and aligning with a client’s vision. From there, ideas take shape, driven by concept, guided by function, and nurtured by empathy. Functional planning may be the framework, but human experience is always the heartbeat.

What sets Mihir apart is his unwavering belief that being a good human comes before being a good architect. Integrity in practice, loyalty to clients, and respect for every contributor—these are the quiet philosophies that shape his architecture.

For Ar. Mihir Desai, buildings aren’t just about walls and spaces. They’re about creating connections—between people, ideas, and emotions. And in that, lies the true legacy of his practice.

His philosophy is disarmingly simple: great design cannot be born from stress. Instead, it emerges when timelines are respected, responsibilities are clear, and collaboration is celebrated. At his studio, efficiency isn’t measured by how quickly drawings are churned out but by how meaningfully each idea matures. Projects are delivered on time, not because of relentless pressure, but because the team understands its role, its limits, and its collective power.

Step into his studio, and it feels less like a corporate office and more like a school that never stops learning. There is a time to sketch, a time to debate, a time to laugh over lunch—and in that rhythm, creativity thrives. Desai believes discipline isn’t about rigidity; it’s about knowing when to focus and when to let loose, much like the play-and-learn cycles of childhood.

Behind every building that carries his name stands not just an architect but a collective of minds working in harmony. For Desai, architecture isn’t a solitary pursuit—it’s a shared journey. And that, perhaps, is his quiet revolution: proving that when discipline and empathy shape the process, the outcome is always timeless.

Every architect begins with a vision, but few carry the conviction to keep learning long after their foundations are built.  Ar. Mihir Desai belongs to that rare tribe. For him, architecture isn’t a destination—it’s a journey of exploration, risks, and constant reinvention.

His biggest takeaway from decades in practice which he wants to pass on to others – “Never stop learning”

In an industry where new materials and technologies appear almost every week, Ar. Mihir believes no one can claim to know it all and that’s exactly what keeps the craft alive. He urges his peers to embrace curiosity, to meet new partners, to question possibilities, and to take risks with fresh materials. Because the moment one stops exploring, the design begins to stagnate.

Ar. Mihir often compares architects to doctors, not for bodies, but for spaces. Clients come seeking not just creativity, but trust. It’s the architect’s responsibility to recommend solutions that don’t just look beautiful but also endure the test of time. And that responsibility can only be fulfilled if one keeps expanding their knowledge and staying open to what’s new.

His message to the community is simple yet powerful: keep your curiosity alive, welcome collaborations, and treat every project as an opportunity to discover. Because true architecture, as he sees it, is less about what we already know and more about what we are willing to learn.

Every architect has stories of tight deadlines, restless nights, and projects that test patience. For Ar. Mihir Desai, these moments aren’t setbacks as they are the crucibles where creativity takes shape.

One of his biggest challenges has always been the ticking clock. Deadlines often loom while the perfect idea lingers just out of reach. Instead of forcing solutions, Ar. Mihir allows the process to breathe. He believes that once inspiration strikes, the momentum carries the work forward with extraordinary energy even if it means burning midnight oil. His way of overcoming time pressure is not speed, but trust in the spark that eventually arrives.

Distractions form another battlefront. In the past, design meant uninterrupted hours with pen and paper. Today, constant calls and digital noise fragment attention.  Ar. Mihir overcomes this by carving sacred pockets of focus moments where the world pauses and creativity takes the driver’s seat.

Execution brings its own complexities. Technology has changed the game: where site issues once took days to resolve, today, a simple WhatsApp image gets a solution within the hour. Mihir embraces this speed, using it as a strength rather than resisting it. Materials have multiplied into overwhelming choices. Instead of confusion, he sees opportunity as a chance to experiment, to refine, to elevate concepts with finishes that were unimaginable a decade ago.

And then there’s the human factor: labor challenges, shifting timelines, rising expectations.  Ar. Mihir navigates these by leaning on newer methodologies, preferring factory-finished solutions that guarantee quality and precision while easing site pressures.

Through every challenge, Ar. Mihir’s approach remains constant—see the obstacle, adapt to it, and use it as fuel for better design. His story is a reminder that architecture isn’t about avoiding hurdles; it’s about turning them into stepping stones toward excellence.

Challenges have been a constant companion on Ar. Mihir’s journey but technology helped to overcome those. He leaned on technology as a tool, never as a replacement. He understood early on that software could aid execution, streamline processes, and even inspire new possibilities. But he also knew something machines could never replicate: the emotional depth behind true design.

He reflects that a space isn’t born out of codes, algorithms, or formulas. It’s born from human thought, layered with feeling, and refined with intention. Ar. Mihir believes design is emotion and that is where the difference lies. While technology may generate patterns, it cannot weave the story of a place.

Over the years, Ar. Mihir has embraced the balance: allowing technology to support his craft while ensuring the human essence remains the heartbeat of every creation. To him, the future of architecture isn’t about machines replacing designers, it’s about designers using machines wisely, while preserving the timeless respect for human imagination because when design carries emotion, no technology can ever outshine it.

Ar. Mihir concluded, every project begins with listening because architecture, at its core, is never just about buildings, but about people.

He believes that clients don’t simply come to architects seeking walls, plans, or drawings. They come seeking solutions. And while every project has its own story, there are a few constants that shape the way his team designs:

• Efficiency First: In workspaces, clients expect seamless planning—layouts that maximize space without compromising comfort or character. Efficiency, after all, is the backbone of a productive environment.
• Personalized Living: When it comes to homes, every client’s lifestyle becomes the blueprint. From functional needs to emotional aspirations, residential design is always rooted in the individual rather than the architect’s personal style.
• Contextual Architecture: No matter how ambitious the design vision, Mihir stresses the importance of blending with the environment. A building must respect its city, village, or neighborhood—it should never feel out of place.
• Social Responsibility: Architects, he says, are custodians of culture and context. Designing is not only about meeting client needs but also about contributing positively to the surrounding landscape.
• Professional Trust: In recent years, clients have begun to value architectural expertise more deeply. While they bring their preferences and ideas, they increasingly trust professionals to refine, challenge, and elevate those choices into something timeless.

Ar. Mihir often compares his role to that of a doctor. Just as patients rely on medical advice despite personal preferences, clients lean on architects to diagnose design needs and prescribe solutions that are right for the long term.

For him, design is not about imposing a vision but about creating harmony—between efficiency and aspiration, individuality and context, client needs and professional wisdom. And it’s this balance that makes his work not just buildings, but living stories etched in form and space.