Apurva Purandare, 34

Apurva Purandare has mastered the art of diplomacy. As a project architect for Gensler, that’s a crucial skill for success, as she must juggle clients’ demands, colleagues’ vision and local building codes. 

“To me, the job is about getting everyone on the same page from the get-go,” Purandare said. “That means clarifying goals from the get-go, so we never design something that doesn’t work.” 

This past year, while working in Los Angeles, an unexpected curveball came from the Hollywood labor strikes. Purandare and her team were designing a 300,000-square-foot office for Warner Bros. As the movie industry faced turmoil, the studio modified its requirements for the project.

It downsized the number of office suites from 10 to five and changed the functions of a few floors, while holding firm on the original construction timeline. Not only did the team have to redraw the plans, but the changes also forced Purandare to apply for permits floor by floor. 

“We had to pivot very quickly,” Purandare said.

Purandare has used her diplomatic skills to help other immigrant architects. She grew up in Mumbai and earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture in India. Yet when Purandare moved to the U.S., she found she needed yet another architecture degree (which she earned from UCLA).

“It did feel, at some point, repetitive — I was already a licensed architect back in India — but I still needed recognition in the U.S.,” Purandare said. “If I had the right resources when I was going through this, the process would have probably been a lot smoother.”

Putting words to action, she’s been working with a nonprofit organization called the Immigrant Architects Coalition. Since 2022, Purandare has contributed to a how-to manual for immigrant architects and a book chronicling her saga along with those of other immigrant designers. 

The books are “meant to raise awareness,” she said.