The Blue Khirki is an architecture practice with a fascinating backstory, that begins about a decade ago in a basement with a blue window (khirki). As of 2026, it is run by three principal architects Rijul Singh, Samridh Chaudhry and Shambhavi Singh, with their headquarters based in a very-much-above-the-ground house in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. I visited them a few months back and was completely mesmerised by both their office space. It has a certain quality of being ‘handmade’, full of warmth.

Knowing that Rijul, Samridh & Shambhavi have been friends way before they ever became business partners, I was curious to know how they’ve structured the practice and how they navigate what others often find challenging: working together with friends (and as a couple, in the case S & S). 

So I asked each of them the same question, which they answered separately without comparing notes. Here are their delightfully honest answers, completely unedited:

Q1. Business or practice: Which word does the studio use first, and would your two partners agree?

Rijul: Practice. We really want to move towards it being a better business but for now I think these guys would agree that the word is Practice.

Samridh: Practice. I think they’d agree too. Business-wise, we’ve made some wonderfully questionable decisions.

Shambhavi: Practice. We see design as our core, and the business naturally follows. The studio was founded on a clear design philosophy, and we’ve stayed closely involved in both design and execution to preserve that vision. All three of us would agree that staying hands-on in the process is what defines the studio.

Q2. What’s the most fun thing about how the three of you run the studio?

Rijul: I think for me it’s how much freedom we give to each other and the team in terms of choosing our styles of work based on our strengths.It makes us enjoy the work we do. For example, Sam enjoys the process of production and getting things done, Shambhavi is a great administrator and the most pragmatic thinker and I am good at dealing with clients and coming up with design schemes. This synergy is hard to find and I’m grateful for it. It really makes the work enjoyable.

Samridh: Work and design should be fun. Outside stress stays outside. Inside, we stress only about making the design better. Good vibes first. If we can’t make our own studio a fun place to be, how are we supposed to make spaces that people enjoy being in?

Shambhavi: We’ve built a studio where calm beats chaos. Even during deadlines, we focus on doing good work instead of creating unnecessary stress. And I think that makes the process far more enjoyable for both us and our team.

Q3. One word for how it felt when your first project was completed on site. 

Rijul: Bittersweet. We were glad we managed to finish it, but it wasn’t exactly what we’d designed.

Samridh: Potential.

Shambhavi: Unreal. There’s something special about seeing a space move from drawings to reality. It reminds us why we do what we do and inspires us to keep raising the bar.

Q4. What’s something you’ve learnt about running a business with friends?

Rijul: I’ve learnt that we are blessed that we never had to deal with trust issues with business partners. The trust was and will always be there because I know these people care about me the way I do about them. Also learnt that the only way to successfully run a practice with friends is to remember that friendship comes first.

Samridh: Nobody is going to assign you a role. You have to step into it yourself. Trust each other’s design instincts, keep getting better at your own thing, and know what you’re bringing to the table.

Shambhavi: Friendships don’t get in the way of business, unclear roles do. Giving each person ownership of their strengths while coming together to solve bigger challenges or when someone is asking for help has worked well for us.

Q5. What’s the one myth about running an architecture practice you wish would die?

Rijul: That it’s about good design. It really is all about good communication. Everything falls apart without it.

Samridh: That architects make a lot of money by default.

Shambhavi: That architecture is only about creating beautiful spaces. Good design is just as much about understanding people, context, budgets and execution. 
Another favourite is the belief by many that caring about money somehow makes you less of an architect. We believe design excellence and financial sustainability should go hand in hand.

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Explore more of The Blue Khirki’s work on their website & Instagram.