India’s architecture and design sector is undergoing a transformative evolution driven by advancing demands of the modern well-read, well-traveled, and conscious clients. Urbanization and the booming real estate sector are also leading to the rise in demand for architectural services. However, the key drivers of the industry’s transformation are the creative architects who are blending traditional aesthetics with contemporary design principles and functionality features to develop unique and one-of-a-kind structures. A rising focus on smart home integrations and incorporation of sustainable elements is also leading to transformative change in the sector.

With a large number of young firms being established as design brands, delivering international quality work, the competition in this domain is fierce. Nevertheless, Studio Humane, by Sunil Hu’mane, a boutique design studio based in Pune is emerging as a leading player for architectural and design services. Focused on architectural solutions, interior design solutions, and landscape design solutions, Studio Humane has grown from humble beginnings, to Pune’s most sought-after firm in a short span.


From Modest Beginnings to Excellence

Studio Humane’s journey started with Sunil, who, after completing his graduation from Sir J.J.. College of Architecture pursued an early career under the guidance of renowned architect Christopher Charles Benninger. Shortly after working with him, Sunil laid the foundation of an architecture and interior design studio in a tiny garage-like space in Pune in 2005, and four years later, Shruti Humane joined Studio Humane and initiated a landscape division, thus expanding the firm’s expertise to include landscape design solutions.

Ever since, the firm has not looked back, rather, it has adopted a forward-thinking attitude, which it leverages to design unique and stunning structures and sprawling landscape designs for upscale villas, farmhouses, group housing projects, institutional buildings, as well as hospitality projects like resorts and hotels. Starting from small interior jobs in Pune, back when it started, the firm has expanded its project capabilities across diverse structures throughout India, and now even in Seattle. Resulting from its dedication to deliver extraordinary projects, the firm has built a distinctive reputation for its designing expertise, earning it exemplary recognition, and accolades.

“Ours is a young firm of qualified, committed and sensitive professionals offering innovative design solutions. Within four years of starting our practice, we were honored with an IIID award for the Box House project at the national level. I believe that was a crucial turning point in our practice. Also, we tried to stay true to our philosophy of creating spaces with context, concept and content, giving us an edge over other players in the industry. We have also been honored with IIA Awards, A+D Awards”, shares Sunil Hu’mane, Founder, Principal Architect, Studio Humane.

A key element which has enabled the firm to achieve such remarkable feats is its foundational values of uniqueness in design. Built on the principles of truth, trusteeship, openness to new ideas, embracing knowledge, the firm hones uniqueness from understanding the distinguished requirements of its clients, materiality, respect for the context, and design idioms. These values have helped shape the company’s design philosophy, which helps it stand out.

Design Philosophy

Studio Humane boasts a modern and contemporary approach to design, envisioning a concept before designing any space, focused on its context and content to ensure every design not only fulfills the client brief, but elevates their living experience. The firm believes that a building itself should reflect the identity of the location where it is to be built, the story behind its construction, as well as the people who were trusted with the responsibility of making them, and the people who transform a structure into a vibrant community living together in harmony.

Building a culture of agility, Studio Humane has fostered an industry-leading attitude within the teams that translates into success for the firm

“In search of new forms and principles to develop an architectural language with universally intelligible metaphor, we believe in five principles: ⁠design should emerge from existing contexts to create new metaphors and contexts for the life within, design should evolve from a strong concept into varied spaces with individualistic characters, design should set into motion physical and emotional events within the built environment, design should incorporate an external mass with a significant and purest form, and design should stimulate human emotions and memories over time”, further shares Sunil.


With the purpose of identifying a unique concept, personalized to reflect the client’s unique vision, the firm collaborates extensively with clients, with multiple discussions going into evolving a concept that embodies their aspirations, requirements, and their past, giving shape to a uniquely designed space that is aesthetically bespoke, materially rich, and functionally seamless.

Within this fiercely competitive domain, where technological tools have overtaken most of the designing processes, Studio Humane takes an academic approach to design, starting its process with scribbles on paper, development of a paper model, and conducting a study of 3D computer-generated views. As a final step, the team works on drawings which bring life to the design idea. When the time to implement the design on ground arrives, the team of experts at Studio Humane supervises and guide throughout the process, ensuring that every single process of development is carried out as planned, leading to meticulous outputs, as exactly planned.

In addition to architectural as well as landscape designing prowess, the firm also houses dedicated teams and divisions for liasoning and 3D rendering, which helps it enhance the customer experience further, but delivering comprehensive solutions under one roof, resulting in better results for the customers.

Behind The Success

Strengthened by a team of dedicated and passionate professionals with exceptional design ideas, Studio Humane is armed with the skills and capabilities that have enabled the firm to thrive over the past fifteen years. Building a culture of agility, Studio Humane has fostered an industry-leading attitude within the teams that translates into success for the firm.

“We think, to succeed in practice today, one needs to be flexible and have good planning and organizational skills. We stand for putting our clients first, treating everybody with respect, collaborating smoothly with our colleagues, thinking creatively to solve problems, and maintaining a fully inclusive workforce. Clients’ needs, aspirations, their past and their family becomes an integral part of the design process, highlighting the same during every stage of the project”, adds Sunil.

With a successful track record of delivering exceptional spaces, Studio Humane has established a strong foothold in the industry, and has big aspirations for its future endeavors. The firm is currently working on the architectural design of highend villas in prominent areas of Pune, resorts in the Western Ghats of India, a marriage destination and hotel in Jaipur, a resort in Seattle, USA, institutional buildings for TBMSG, and various landscape projects including a five-star hotel, resorts, and villas for leading architects from Pune and Mumbai.

Along with such a vibrant repertoire of projects, the company’s aspirations for the coming decade is to distinguish itself as a premier designing solutions firm within India by continually boosting the quality of its project designs as it grows over the years. Moreover, the company is dedicated to fostering an inclusive holistic and rational approach towards its projects and personal endeavors with the aim of aligning its growth with sustainability initiatives, which is the key to future development.