UHA, a global architecture and design studio, today announced the appointments of Gurvinder Singh Chowdhury and Ashwin Navelkar as Senior Associates, bolstering its senior team with nearly 60 years of combined Indian experience. The hirings mark a significant milestone in UHA’s growth with the company’s long-awaited establishment of a hub in the capital region.
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From left to right: Gurvinder Singh Chowdhury and Ashwin Navelkar
Since its launch in India in 2012, UHA has delivered projects across the country, adding to the urban vocabularies of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow and Gurugram. With more than 25 projects currently on site in Delhi NCR, these new appointments point to UHA’s expanding footprint.
“We may be London-based, but our beginnings truly are in India, and this expansion of team and geography further validates our work and success here,” said Jonas Upton-Hansen, the firm’s Founding Partner. “We’ve worked with both Ashwin and Gurvinder over the years as partners, and their market expertise and networks are a boon to UHA. We’re very much set up for further success, and it says a lot about the work we’re doing that we’re attracting such prestigious talent.”
Along with the growth of its Mumbai team, UHA’s recent focus has been establishing a presence in the capital to reflect its growing collaborations in the region. UHA recently exhibited its pop-up pavilion, Pentad, at India Art Fair 2026, and has also designed Delhi’s tallest residential tower. Chowdhury, a graduate of SPA Delhi with more than 30 years’ experience working across the full value chain from design to delivery, will serve as Regional Director for Delhi NCR, bringing his technical rigour and timeless aesthetics to sectors including high-rise, residential, commercial and hospitality.
“What excites me most is UHA’s honest design ethos—sensitive to the Indian context while delivered to international standards. This resonates deeply with my belief that architecture must be guided by sensibility and sustainability, creating spaces that are human, inclusive, and future‑ready,” Chowdhury said.
Navelkar completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Sir JJ College of Architecture in Mumbai and has worked with top design firms including Bijoy Jain + Associates, KAPl & DPA-Mumbai, as well as with real estate firms like RNA Corp, Runwal and K Raheja on high-rise residential, hotels, commercial offices and IT parks. He will be joining the expanding Mumbai team.
“Having collaborated previously with UHA on projects across India, I know both the expertise and creativity they bring to projects,” Navelkar said, “And it brings me immense pleasure to have the opportunity to join the studio firm on this next journey of expansion.”
“It’s an exciting moment for the firm for us to appoint our first Delhi-based leader as it’s obviously a key market for us,” said Zachary Dominitz, UHA’s Head of India. “Gurvinder and Ashwin bring the wisdom and field experience only time can teach. Even more, they bring a commitment to mentorship that’s fundamental for growth. Our Mumbai team is exceptionally talented, and wonderfully driven, and adding the likes of these two gentlemen to the office will exponentially increase what we’re able to offer our clients in terms of skill, creativity and service. We’re thrilled.”
About UHA
UHA designs and delivers projects that vary in context, function, and scale, encompassing architecture, masterplanning, landscaping, environmental services and interior design. From concept design to turnkey challenges, we have projects on-site from London to Taipei, covering boutique residential towers and luxury villas to high-tech workspaces and educational institutions.
Our asynchronous approach means that somewhere we are always open. Distributed across seven time zones, our team of architects, designers, urbanists, visualisers, sustainability consultants, and project managers design and deliver projects around the clock. As office hours draw to a close in Tokyo, work continues in Mumbai and construction sites open in London. With multiple projects currently under construction across three continents, our multi-nodal studio provides a variety of services within an accelerated timeline.
For more information, visit www.uha.global
For press inquiries and interview requests, please write to mumbai@uh-architects.com
