Architecture often reveals more about a society than its politics or its fashions. It tells us who we value, how we care for each other, and what futures we dare to imagine. Few emerging architects embrace this responsibility with as much clarity and conviction as Keerti Nair, the Los Angeles–based architectural designer and project manager whose work spans continents, cultures, and communities.
Our conversation moved between the experiences that shaped Nair’s worldview and the practical decisions that now define her work, especially her focus on housing projects serving communities too often overlooked by mainstream development.
Martha Gutierrez: You were born in Kerala, spent your childhood in Riyadh, and later moved to Mumbai. How did that constellation of places shape you?
Keerti Nair: My childhood moved between extremes. Kerala felt grounded, familiar. Then suddenly, I was in Riyadh in the 90s, where being a girl meant navigating restrictions that boys didn’t have to think about. I became aware very early of how differently society treats people. When we returned to Mumbai as I entered my teens, it felt like stepping into color and possibility again. Those shifts helped me see systems from the outside, how power and access work, and I think that sensitivity planted the seed for the kind of architect I wanted to become, even before I knew it.
MG: And yet architecture wasn’t your first dream. You once wanted to be a journalist.
KN: That’s true! I loved writing, research, and investigating stories. I actually got into a mass media program. But at the last minute, something pushed me toward architecture school, maybe curiosity, maybe intuition. And then everything opened up. Suddenly I was in a world where creativity and logic coexisted, where research had a physical outcome, and where design could fundamentally influence how people live. Architecture ended up being a form of storytelling I hadn’t considered.
MG: Your early career in India includes heritage research for a UNESCO site and a housing project for unhoused seniors. What did those experiences teach you?
KN: At Somaya & Kalappa Consultants, working on UNESCO heritage research was humbling. You’re dealing with centuries of history, culture, and identity. There’s no room for ego. Then at SDM Architects, I worked on Home of the Aged, a housing project for unhoused senior citizens. That was formative. These were people who had lived full lives but fallen into extreme vulnerability. Designing for them required empathy and practicality in equal measure. That’s when I learned that architecture is always, always about people. I visit the project every time I go back, spending time with the residents and seeing how the space is utilized is like a continuing lesson in ‘lived space’ as the philosopher Otto Bollnow put it when he wrote about phenomenological experience of space.
MG: You moved to the United States for your master’s at the University of Michigan. How did that period influence your thinking?
KN: Michigan sharpened my focus on housing justice. A studio project I was extremely passionate about, regarding affordable housing and food insecurity in Detroit, was selected to be part of the publication Re: Housing:Detroit. This exposed me to the long-term effects of redlining, disinvestment, and urban neglect. It was academic, yes, but it was also deeply human. I began to understand that affordable housing design isn’t just a professional niche, it’s advocacy.
MG: After Michigan, you worked with OOMBRA Architects in Philadelphia and contributed to award-winning Detroit housing proposals. What stands out from that chapter?
KN: The Carriage House project stays with me. It was a relatively modest housing development, but the way we presented it, the clarity, the optimism, gave the community something to rally behind. The firm’s ethos and focus on affordable housing, without losing sight of a design’s impact on the urban fabric, really inspired me in my short stint there. That project won an AIA Award, but for me, the real takeaway was how representation shapes public imagination. If people can see themselves in a design, they believe in its future.
MG: Today, you’re a project manager and designer at FSY Architects in Los Angeles. What does affordable housing mean to you now?
KN: It means everything. In LA, the housing crisis is visceral. Working on permanent supportive housing for unhoused individuals, survivors of domestic violence, low-income families, and seniors feels both urgent and necessary. Projects like The Pointe on La Brea, Solaris, Rosa de Castilla, and Peak Plaza challenge the misconception that affordability must equal blandness. We work hard to make these buildings sustainable, dignified, and beautiful. Architecture should uplift, not punish, people with fewer resources.
MG: Who are your architectural influences?
KN: From early on, Laurie Baker and Charles Correa shaped my belief that architectural beauty should be accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy. More recently, I’ve been inspired by Lacaton & Vassal. Their social housing work is grounded in generosity, large spaces, natural light, adaptability. They re-center the resident in every decision. That’s the kind of honesty I strive for.
MG: You balance practice and research effortlessly. Do you see yourself pursuing more scholarly work in the future?
KN: Absolutely. Research deepens practice. My undergraduate dissertation explored socio-spatial structures in Indian villages and was shortlisted for the Kurula Verkey Design Forum. That passion never left. With climate change reshaping our possibilities, I think architects must engage with research on materials, energy, density, and health. The future demands it.
MG: Speaking of the future, what do you believe is architecture’s responsibility in the age of climate uncertainty?
KN: A profound one. Every building leaves an ecological footprint. Our decisions, from material sourcing to passive cooling strategies, have long-term consequences. Climate change disproportionately affects low-income communities, so sustainable design must include affordable housing. It can’t be a luxury reserved for high-end projects. We need to rethink construction at every scale.
MG: What keeps you inspired in such a demanding field?
KN: The resilience of the communities we design for is incredibly motivating. Seeing someone move into safe, stable housing, someone who may have spent years without it — is one of the most powerful experiences an architect can have. It reminds me that design can be a tool for justice.
MG: And finally, how do you envision your next chapter?
KN: I want to deepen my work in designing healthy, sustainable environments. I hope to contribute to broader conversations about adaptation, climate resilience, and social equity. My goal is simple: to build spaces where everyone, regardless of income, background, or circumstance, can experience dignity, comfort, and belonging.
Keerti Nandakumar Nair stands out not only for her technical mastery, but for her unwavering belief that architecture must serve humanity. In her hands, buildings become more than structures; they become acts of care, expressions of justice, and blueprints for a more equitable future.
By Martha Gutiérrez for The Status Life
