Minal Dubey is an architect, entrepreneur and founder of the architectural firm- Spaciux. Throughout the years. Ar. Minal Dubey has paved a niche for herself in the architecture industry in India and the rest of the world. Being a part of the NSRCEL programme at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) allowed Minal to explore the Indian architectural fraternity and expand her brand. Not only has her firm excelled in the field of design and execution, but it has also made its impact in the online streaming world with a dedicated multi-season architectural web series. Today, the firm is a pioneer in the architectural documentation and networking community and brings architects closer to their future clients.
The Genesis: From Minal Dubey to Spaciux
Ever since she was a young child, Ar. Minal Dubey dreamed of constructing buildings and designing cities. However, after actually realizing her dream, she realized that society did not recognise or value the efforts and work carried out by a practising architect. She believed that people were not sufficiently educated about the profession and that architecture lacked representation in the modern world.
Breaking all stereotypes and preconceived notions, Minal Dubey went on to set up her practice- Spaciux, an ecosystem for architects in the country. The firm aims to create a network of architects and professionals in the industry and provide a platform to document their work through architectural photography and videography. By allowing the architectural fraternity to leverage online platforms and social media, the firm aims to leave a digital footprint that can boost the potential to attract clients and connect with other industry experts. The firm also stresses the importance of practising sustainable architecture and reducing the carbon footprint. Spaciux organizes the “Spaciux Design Awards”, a design challenge that allows architects and interior designers to be facilitated for their outstanding innovations and creativity.
The firm currently employs nearly twenty photographers and is focused on expanding its network throughout India. Architect Minal Dubey and her team at Spaciux are in a relentless pursuit to capture and showcase art and architecture, one architect at a time.
Strategy and Operations at Spaciux
Quoting Minal Dubey,- “Youngsters make most of the decisions in the house today and they mostly tend to refer to online sources”, the architect and entrepreneur believe that the current market sustains on tech-savvy approaches and that the millennial generation is the prime market. She feels that allowing architects and other professionals to gain exposure through online platforms and social media gives them a chance to be discovered by upcoming millennial clients. While also attracting new customers and gaining traction, architects also have the chance to interact with and take advice from fellow professionals and experts.
Minal Dubey realized her dream of setting up this one-of-a-kind architectural start-up through the Women’s Start-Up Programme (WSP) at the NSRCEL incubation programme at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB).
The NSRCEL programme is an initiative taken to bring together entrepreneurs, startups, industry mentors and eminent academicians through social and profitable ventures. It is a tailored programme to help women entrepreneurs, startups and the unique challenges they face in the market today. The Women’s Start-Up Programme (WSP) provides support in terms of tangible assets like physical space as well as intangible assets like expert guidance and counselling from industry mentors.
With the constant guidance and motivation she received from the mentors at the WSP, NSRCEL at IIMB, Minal went on to successfully establish her firm Spaciux. She was able to build a commendable network of architects, designers, photographers and working professionals and gradually witnessed a rise in leads and recognition. According to the NSRCEL database, Spaciux has also recently received funding to carry out its expansion processes to build an exhaustive network of architectural photographers in the country so that any request for documentation of work can be immediately addressed with expertise.
Philosophy at Spaciux
The idea and concept behind Spaciux lie in the motivation to bridge the gap between architects and clients. The firm brings the work of architects all around the world to the common man and allows the audience to build a more intimate relationship with the architect rather than relying on word-of-mouth references and industry referrals.
The firm’s major milestone has been executing this philosophy through an intricately planned architectural web series. The show, titled “Spaciux Incredible Architects” is an attempt to bring the architectural fraternity of India closer to the rest of the world. The show goes through a wonderful collection of architecture and art by Indian Architects, explained. The show educates the common public about the work carried out by architects and facets of their daily life. Essentially, it is a simplified approach to showcase what goes on behind the scenes to create some of the most stunning spaces in India. The show is shot with aesthetic filmography of buildings and cities and brimming emotions of both the architects and the users. The two-season show was released in 2020 and is available to watch on Amazon Prime: US and UK.
References:
Norzom, T., 2021. This woman entrepreneur is helping define the work of architects and interior designers. [online] YourStory.com. Available at: <https://yourstory.com/herstory/2020/05/woman-entrepreneur-digital-architect-interior-designer/amp> [Accessed 9 September 2021].
Spaciux: About Us. 2021. SPACIUX DESIGN AWARDs 2021 for Architects and Interior Designers. [online] Available at: <https://spaciux.co.in/about-spaciux> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
Iimb.ac.in. 2021. Spaciux: NSRCEL. [online] Available at: <https://www.iimb.ac.in/spaciux-nsrcel> [Accessed 12 September 2021].
IIMB. 2021. About Us – Women Entrepreneurs – NSRCEL | IIMB. [online] Available at: <https://www.nsrcel.org/about-us/> [Accessed 12 September 2021].
Spaciux, 2021. Spaciux Incredible Architects.
Available at: <https://youtu.be/mgRuBs9P41s> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
