Design Is Not Decoration: How Studio 0522 Is Reimagining Architecture in Lucknow
This episode features Rishi Singh in conversation with architects Shipra Singh and Rohit Parmar, the co-founders of Studio 0522, an architecture and interior design practice based in Lucknow. Both architects share how their careers evolved through education, exposure to different design cultures, and professional experience before they chose to return home and build something of their own. Their academic journey took them from architecture school to the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad and further to Hanover, Germany - experiences that opened them to diverse approaches to design thinking, user research, public space design, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube - 4:24
“Design is not decoration. It is the process of understanding people and solving the real problems they face every day.”
Academic Journey - NID Ahmedabad & Germany
The name Studio 0522 carries deliberate meaning. 'Studio' represents creativity, experimentation, and open-ended design thinking a space where ideas evolve through collaboration. '0522' is the STD code of Lucknow. By embedding their city's code in the name, the founders intentionally rooted the practice in Lucknow while expressing a clear commitment to contributing to the city's built environment. Before launching the studio, both architects worked in Bangalore, gaining hands-on experience across a variety of architecture and design projects and refining their own creative philosophy through exposure to diverse design environments and teams.
The Story Behind the Name Studio 0522
A significant highlight of the conversation is their work on the Natural History Museum at the Lucknow Zoo. The project went far beyond conventional architectural planning - the team had to design the entire visitor experience, including movement and circulation, exhibition planning, display systems, lighting, sound design, information graphics, and interactive learning experiences. Rather than creating a static museum, their goal was to build an environment where visitors could learn through thoughtfully crafted sensory and spatial experiences. This project exemplifies how architecture, interiors, graphics, storytelling, and technology can integrate into meaningful public spaces.
Natural History Museum at Lucknow Zoo
Shipra and Rohit emphasize throughout the conversation that design influences everyone's daily life - whether they are consciously aware of it or not. The buildings people occupy, the roads they walk on, schools, parks, public transportation, workplaces, and homes are all shaped by design decisions. Good design improves everyday experience, while poor or neglected design creates friction and inconvenience. They describe design not as aesthetic decoration but as a process of problem-solving understanding human behaviour, context, functionality, accessibility, and long-term usability to create spaces that genuinely serve people.
Design Philosophy - Problem Solving over Aesthetics
The episode closes with a strong call for greater design literacy across society. The architects argue that design awareness should not be confined to professionals it is equally essential for students, teachers, engineers, government officials, policy makers, and citizens. Many failures in public infrastructure, from inaccessible footpaths to inefficient public spaces, arise not from a lack of resources but from design being overlooked during planning and execution. Their message is clear: thoughtful design must be integrated into every stage of a project, and a society that understands design will make better decisions about the spaces it builds and inhabits.
Key Takeaways
- 01
Studio 0522 is named after Lucknow's STD code - a deliberate expression of local rootedness and commitment to contributing to the city's built environment.
- 02
Both founders studied at NID Ahmedabad and in Germany before returning to Lucknow, bringing global design thinking to their local practice.
- 03
The Natural History Museum at Lucknow Zoo required designing a full visitor experience sound, light, graphics, movement, and interactive learning - not just the building.
- 04
Good design is problem-solving: it starts with understanding how people interact with spaces, not with aesthetics or visual appeal.
- 05
Design affects everyone - roads, schools, parks, workplaces, and homes are all shaped by design decisions, whether people recognise it or not.
- 06
Many public infrastructure failures are caused by design being overlooked during planning, not by a lack of funding or resources.
- 07
Design literacy should be part of education and public policy - not just a skill for architects, but a collective value for all citizens.
Disclaimer: This podcast and its summary are intended for educational and informational purposes only. The discussion, design philosophies, and project summaries do not constitute official professional consultations or binding architectural specifications. Project requirements, guidelines, and construction regulations vary widely by locality and jurisdiction.