THE JOURNAL
From the Studio — page 3
Hiring Guides
Meet the Principal Architect: Sumana Kumar's Approach to New Town Projects
Meet Sumana Kumar, principal architect of Studio Contour in New Town, Kolkata: how she reads a plot, works within NKDA, KMC and Bidhannagar sanction processes, and designs.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar on NKDA Rules for Basement Ventilation
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar breaks down what NKDA actually expects for basement ventilation in New Town homes, from shaft sizing logic to the mistakes that get plans sent back.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar on NKDA Rules for Compound Wall Setback
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar breaks down NKDA compound wall setback rules for New Town plot owners, from boundary height limits to corner-plot traps and rejection risks.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar on NKDA Rules for Terrace Coverage
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar breaks down how NKDA calculates terrace coverage in New Town, with a worked example, common rejection triggers, and the sanction sequence plot owners actually need.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: How to Hire an Architect for Your NKDA Building Sanction
Studio Contour breaks down how to hire an architect for NKDA building sanction in New Town, with a worked example, a hiring checklist, and what happens after sanction.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: What to Ask Before Hiring an Architect for NKDA Work
Studio Contour on the real questions to ask before hiring an architect for NKDA sanction work in New Town, from FAR and setback math to timelines, documents and site-visit habits.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour's Sumana Kumar on the NKDA Drawing Scale Most Owners Get Wrong
Studio Contour's principal architect Sumana Kumar explains the drawing scale mix-up that stalls NKDA sanction in New Town, and how plot owners can avoid the resubmission cycle entirely.
Hiring Guides
Sumana Kumar on the Three Questions Every Kolkata Plot Owner Should Ask First
Sumana Kumar, principal architect at Studio Contour in New Town, on the three questions every Kolkata plot owner should ask an architect before any design work begins.
Hiring Guides
The Studio Contour Method: How Sumana Kumar Structures a Residential Project
How Sumana Kumar and Studio Contour structure a residential project in New Town and Salt Lake, from plot envelope study to NKDA sanction, working drawings and interiors.
Room Guides
25 Two-Tone Modular Kitchen Colour Combinations That Always Work
25 two-tone modular kitchen colour combinations that hold up in real Kolkata homes, with materials, finishes, price bands, and layout-specific advice from Studio Contour.
Hiring Guides
A Day on Site With Sumana Kumar: How Studio Contour Supervises Builds
A day on site with Sumana Kumar of Studio Contour: how we supervise builds in New Town, Salt Lake and Kolkata, and what to ask any architect before you hire.
Building Guidelines
Building a Bungalow or Duplex in New Town: What NKDA Rules Allow
What NKDA actually allows for bungalows and duplexes in New Town, Kolkata: FAR, ground coverage, setbacks, height limits, and the sanction process explained plainly.
Building Guidelines
How to Get HIDCO Permission for Transfer, Mortgage or Sale in New Town
A practical guide to HIDCO permission for transferring, mortgaging, or selling property in New Town, Kolkata, covering when you need it, the process, and common delays.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: Red Flags When Hiring an Architect for NKDA Sanction
Studio Contour breaks down the real red flags New Town plot owners miss when hiring an architect for NKDA sanction, from vague FAR math to "guaranteed approval" promises.
Cost Guides
Studio Contour: The Real Cost of Hiring the Wrong NKDA Architect
Studio Contour breaks down what a poorly handled NKDA sanction actually costs New Town plot owners in time, money and stress, and what to check before hiring an architect.
Hiring Guides
Sumana Kumar on Designing for Kolkata's Climate, Not a Pinterest Board
Sumana Kumar of Studio Contour on designing for Kolkata's climate: which Pinterest details fail in the monsoon, what passive cooling really costs, and how to hire an architect in New Town.
Hiring Guides
Sumana Kumar's Design Philosophy: Why the Brief Matters More Than the Style
Sumana Kumar's design philosophy at Studio Contour: why the brief beats the style when building in New Town, Salt Lake or Kolkata, and how it protects your budget.
Practical Guides & Ideas
Buying a Plot in New Town or Rajarhat: What to Verify Before You Pay
Buying land in New Town or Rajarhat looks simple until the paperwork starts. Here's what we verify on every plot before a client signs, and why it matters before you build.
Building Guidelines
HIDCO vs NKDA: Who Controls What in New Town
HIDCO built New Town, NKDA regulates it, and Salt Lake answers to Bidhannagar entirely. Here's who controls what, and why the mix-up costs homeowners real time.
Building Guidelines
Plot Amalgamation and Subdivision Rules in New Town Explained
A practical New Town guide to NKDA plot amalgamation and subdivision rules, what drives setbacks and coverage, and how to sequence records before you design and build.
Room Guides
Sage Green Kitchen Cabinets: 18 Design Ideas for Indian Homes
A Kolkata studio's real-world guide to sage green kitchen cabinets: shades, finishes, materials, countertop pairing, layouts, and pricing for Indian homes.
Local Guides
Salt Lake House Elevation Design: Rebuilding on an Old Block Plot
A practical guide to rebuilding and redesigning a house elevation on an old block plot in Salt Lake, Kolkata, covering Bidhannagar rules, materials, and process.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: A Checklist for Choosing Your NKDA Architect
Studio Contour's plain-language checklist for New Town plot owners choosing an NKDA architect, covering sanction paperwork, site visits, fees, and what deep NKDA process experience actually looks like.
Hiring Guides
Studio Contour: Our NKDA Client Onboarding Process, Explained
Studio Contour walks New Town plot owners through the full NKDA client onboarding process, from site visit and documentation to sanction, construction coordination and the occupancy certificate.