Chitra Vishwanath Biography 
Chitra Vishwanath is an Indian architect based in Bangalore. She is best known for her contributions towards earthen architecture and water harvesting. She also owns an architectural firm since 1991, and accepts projects from India and abroad. She focuses on ecology and architecture, and earth in the form of compressed stabilized blocks and stabilized rammed earth is used for load bearing structure, arches, vaults and domes. Eco friendly homes can attract local plants and birds, thus making them unique and comfortable living spaces. Her husband S. Vishwanath is a civil engineer by profession, specializing in water harvesting structures and water management.
Chitra hails from Bangalore, Karnataka. She holds a diploma in civil engineering from Nigeria and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the CEPT University in Ahmedabad. She began her professional career in 1990, and started her own firm the following year. In the career spanning to more than 25 years, she has constructed many eco-friendly living spaces. She gives importance to earthen architecture (mud houses with mud architecture and mud walls) and water harvesting, and has created a niche of her own over the years.
She also gives emphasis on natural resources for her constructions, and uses greywater in a better way for plants. A bio mass heater at the terrace, terrace garden, partial electricity by photovoltaics and water harvesting facility are other specialities. An alumna of CEPT University, she is the Principal Architect and Managing Director of BIOME Environment solutions Private Limited, which she started in 1991. Her husband is her managing partner. From a proprietary firm of two people, Biome has grown to a team of 30 employees in the past 25 years.
Published: October 16, 2018
Updated: October 16, 2018
