Architect Ponnachanda Naresh Medappa has won the Architect of the Year Award at the 36th JK Architect of the Year Awards (JK AYA) for the Bagchi Karunashraya Palliative Care Centre in Bhubaneswar. The award ceremony will be held at a later date, which is yet to be announced.
The award is part of the Indian Architecture Awards (IAA), which recognises outstanding contributions to architecture. The 36th edition also recognised architects in categories including private residences, public buildings, group housing, infrastructure architecture and young architects.
Medappa’s award-winning project is a palliative care centre designed to provide a peaceful and comfortable environment for people requiring Palliative Care. The architectural approach integrates buildings with greenery, landscaped spaces and water features to create a calming atmosphere for patients and their caregivers. The project also incorporates passive cooling measures to reduce dependence on mechanical air conditioning.
Over three decades of architectural experience
A graduate of Malnad College of Engineering, Medappa has more than 35 years of professional experience. Before joining Mindspace Architects as a partner in 2008, he worked with architect Sharad Padalkar and subsequently spent about 11 years with Chandavarkar and Thacker.
His professional portfolio spans institutional architecture, research facilities, housing and healthcare-related projects. Among his notable works are faculty housing at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), research laboratories at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), and residential developments for Rohan Builders.
His approach to architecture emphasises human needs, climate-responsive design, sustainability and the integration of nature into built spaces. Natural light, ventilation, the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces, and sensitivity to the surrounding environment are recurring elements in his work.
The award adds to Medappa’s earlier professional recognitions, which include the A+D Spectrum Award for Institutional Architecture in 2006, JK AYA commendation awards in 2008 and 2010, and the NDTV Design and Architectural Award in the institutional category in 2014. He was also recognised at the 32nd JK Architect of the Year Awards for the Karunashraya Institute of Palliative Care Education and Research (KIPCER) project in Bengaluru and won the The Plan Award 2025, Milan.
The JK Architect of the Year Awards were instituted by JK Cement in 1990 to recognise excellence and encourage higher standards in architecture.
Medappa’s latest recognition highlights the role of thoughtful architectural design in creating spaces that combine functionality, environmental sensitivity and human well-being.
Join our WhatsApp Group for News and Article Alerts
Congratulations on being honoured with the Architect of the Year Award Naresh. Wishing you continued success and many more milestones ahead.