Dr Ruchit Purohit — on Small Changes in Urban Societies

Sunshine streams through the window as I enter Dr Ruchit Purohit’s house. Warmth fills me in as I take in his beautiful house; it is the kind of house you see on Architectural Digest — which is how I know that I have entered an architect’s home.

I am welcomed with a warm handshake and an introduction of his partner, who gracefully excuses himself paving my way towards the impending interview with this architect turned urban planner. One of my very first requests to him is to ask him his definition of urban planning — so, when I ask him to explain urban planning in one sentence, he smiles a ‘oh, I get asked this a lot,’ smile and says: “Urban planning is planning what goes in the space between two buildings.”

Initially, Dr Ruchit Purohit’s shift from architecture to urban planning intrigued me, but as the interview progressed, I realised he is so much more than that — he is a wine aficionado, he likes old buildings, he wants communities to stick together, has a PhD in Design Research Planning and loves his eccentric-coloured sofas.

“Wow, this is a beautiful house,” I say as make myself comfortable on those baby pink chairs. He smiles nervously and thanks me.

As a budding architect, Purohit played all his cards right — he gave pre-course exams, got into Bombay’s architecture university, and during his graduation, he realised his passion for urban planning. He thanks Bombay, the city of dreams, for making him realise this. Bombay’s gentrification intrigued him. “I was interested in people’s livelihood, their working and family lives and the all the other spaces you create to complement their lives.”

Purohit came to London 16 years back as an aspiring urban planner. Now, as we sit in his luxurious apartment, he apologises for digressing a little too much. But I didn’t mind him talking his way through the interview — I didn’t mind how he unintentionally explained me the butterfly effect; or how he once worked as a waiter and incorporated small changes to make the workplace more effective. In fact, I liked these quirks — it describes his love for his work and that somehow makes me want to be more like him.

Dr Purohit grew up in the suburbs of Bombay, now Mumbai, in the late 80s. He always knew that he wanted to do something different. After he started studying architecture, he gradually realised he didn’t want to give in to stereotypes. Stereotypes? I ask.

He immediately paints me a picture of Bombay’s architectural-scene in the late 80s, he says: “You sit with a cigarette in your hand and sketch. All of that in an egotistical way which is somehow supposed to boost your self-esteem.”

Despite Bombay changing in the late 90s, he decided didn’t want to be a part of this norm — and while he appreciated star architects, he didn’t want to become them.

Purohit is witty and confident but not a narcissist. He casually says that coffee motivates him but also gives an example of what drives him — he talks about a card he received from his former boss: “I really appreciate that you always had the attitude of making the planet better.”

Purohit emphasises on being at the backend, he talks about how he doesn’t want to take the stage but be the person who stands behind and appreciates the people on the stage — his humility motivates me.

Throughout the interview, Purohit several times mentions the concept of small changes, and how making small changes in life can help you achieve your goal in the long run. Purohit’s semi-philosophical approach to the butterfly effect stems from his strong beliefs that any change is change — big or small. He says: “There is a power in small changes which can influence the livelihoods of people over a period of time.”

Out of everything he told me in those 50 minutes, his work where urban planning aimed to reduce loneliness intrigued me. As a researcher working in Participatory City, his team got the community to come together as a whole. His love for bringing the community together led him to work as a research associate for a project — Community Consultation for the Quality of Life — where in his research team created urban rooms for people to participate in real-life consultations and become primarily involved in planning of certain areas within their vicinity.

Just as I wrap my interview with Dr Ruchit Purohit, I soak in at this noon sunlight and his exquisite home for which he gracefully gives his partner the sole design credit. I leave his Hounslow flat with two things: 1) A question: Can small changes really change the course of your life? 2) An afterthought: I would want to buy a ruby red sofa similar to his.