In this conversation, Jayanaveena opens up about:
The Relatable Conflict: Play it safe or go out of the box
Like many architecture students, Jayanaveena’s early days were marked by studio projects, juries, and academic rigour at SPA Delhi. But while her peers focused mainly on conventional form-making, she found herself increasingly drawn to unconventional designs. In the third year of her undergrad, she came across Rhino and Grasshopper, tools that promised the freedom to shape complex, fluid forms she had only imagined till then. But with that freedom came criticism.
“I remember being told my designs were too experimental, too different. So I did five extra sheets just to explain my logic,” she laughs.
It wasn’t defiance. It was determination; to communicate her process better, to show that her choices weren’t random. They were rooted in curiosity and intent.
The Turning Point: Design beyond forms
In a space where everyone followed a fixed brief, Jaya decided to question it. She learned the tools no one else was using, experimented late into the night, and spent her weekends testing ideas others found “too unconventional.”
Grasshopper became more than software; the new approach led to a mindset shift.
It taught her how to think in systems, not just forms and shapes. Her early experiments weren’t perfect, but they sparked something deeper — a belief that computation could give form to intuition.
The Leap to AADRL: From Curiosity to Clarity
After graduation, Jaya made a bold move — pursuing her master’s at the Architecture Association Design Research Lab (AADRL) in London.
The shift wasn’t just academic; it was mental. The pace, the depth of research, and the rigor of questioning every design decision felt overwhelming at first.
“At AA, you can’t just say something looks good — you have to explain why. Every decision has to be backed by logic, research, or method.”
For Jaya, this was a transformation. The same instincts that once made her an outlier in India became her strongest tools abroad. She learned to balance intuition with analysis, emotion with precision, discovering that computation wasn’t about replacing creativity with code. It was about refining intuition through logic and designing with both heart and system.
Dealing with Self-Doubt
Jaya admits that walking into AA DRL and later working at Zaha CODE felt intimidating at first. Surrounded by some of the brightest computational designers in the world, it was easy to feel small. But she learned something that carried her through:
“You might start behind, but time and consistency catch you up. The hours you put in and the knowledge you gain eventually meet in the middle.”
It wasn’t about instant mastery; rather, it was about resilience. Each struggle with a new tool, each failed experiment, became a step toward confidence.
Designing with Tools, Not for Tools
For Jaya, computational design isn’t about worshipping algorithms or parametric models. It’s about knowing when to step beyond them.
“The tool is not the artist, you are.”
She believes that tools are only as powerful as the intent behind them. A designer must lead, interpret, and sometimes override the algorithm. That’s where innovation lies — in the friction between what’s possible and what’s personal.
Reflections: Advice to her younger self and future designers
Looking back, Jayanaveena wishes she had embraced experimentation earlier and sought mentorship actively.
“I’d tell my younger self: don’t fear uncertainty, it’s where growth begins.”
She also addresses misconceptions new designers hold:
“Computational design isn’t about mastering code overnight; it’s about curiosity, iteration, and integrating technology with design thinking.”
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