Welcome, one and all, to the “Celebrities as Architects” article series. Today’s feature is the man, the myth and the IT legend himself— Sundar Pichai. That’s right, folks, today we are going to delve into a new world of possibilities, in which we are going to find the answer to the question “WWSPTAD?” — “What would Sundar Pichai, the architect, design?”
To analyse what kind of an approach Pichai might consider, we shall firstly learn a little something about the IT master. Sundar Pichai was born on June 10, 1972, in Madurai, Chennai, to the couple Ragunath Pichai and Vani Pichai. Upon finishing his twelfth grade at Vana Vani School in IIT Madras, he pursued metallurgical engineering in IIT Kharagpur, topping his university. He then went on to obtain a master’s degree in materials science and engineering from Stanford University and an MBA degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Pichai was always passionate about the science of technology. He was acutely aware of the groundbreaking potential of the digital revolution and wished to gain a thorough understanding of the subject, which led him to take up engineering. Upon completing his education, he started working for Google, quickly rising through their ranks to become the CEO of the company in 2015. His passion and dedication to his stream emboldened him to pitch his idea of developing Google’s very own web browser to the directorate board. Although his proposal was dismissed initially, Sundar Pichai worked hard and prepared an extensive report to convince the team of his vision. Finally, after several years of toiling hard and numerous iterations, Google’s very own web browser—the Google Chrome—was launched on September 1, 2008. This transformed Google’s outlook in the industry and paved the way for many more platforms such as Maps, Play Store, Google Plus, Hangouts, etc. — all the apps and websites that are used extensively by people worldwide. (Heck! You might be reading this very article on Google Chrome right now!) Pichai’s visionary thinking and his willingness to take risks have contributed to Google’s remarkable growth over the past decade, enabling it to outpace its competitors by several milestones.
Owing to his formidable academic background, Pichai has acquired a proper, definitive understanding of the technicalities involved in the design of every product launched by the company, which has helped him immensely to explore innovative and highly advanced solutions. Furthermore, his simplicity, humility and effective leadership, coupled with his boldness, inventive approach and outstanding calibre, have propelled him further, resulting in him becoming the CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, in 2019. He has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan—the third highest civilian honour—in the category of ‘Trade & Industry’ by the Indian Government in 2022.
In accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Digital India’ initiative, Sundar Pichai has also voiced his support, emphasising the need for the digital movement in a modern India. In many of his interviews, he has also advocated for AI, effectively detailing its many roles and advantages in various fields. He has aimed to make technology more accessible so that more users can benefit from digital advancements.
On the whole, Pichai’s worldly, experimentative and transformative approach within his industry has garnered him great acclaim from his peers and admirers alike. Interestingly, these characteristics have the potential to make him a bold, visionary architect that could rival the likes of modernist masters. Given his expertise in metallurgy and his futuristic approach, his designs could resonate with the Deconstructivism Movement—fragmented, abstract, alien forms shattering architectural norms and creating structures that are bold and unique. Additionally, his designs could evolve into highly complex, sustainable forms, benefitting from developments in AI and generative computational designs. Let us look at some inspirations and experimentative designs that could comprise Sundar Pichai’s architectural oeuvre.
Design Inspirations from Related Architects
Conceptual Design Renders
References List:
- Desk, T.L. (2025). From a small town in India to Google CEO: Sundar Pichai’s inspiring journey, education qualifications, personal life, and success tips. [online] The Times of India. Available at: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/work/from-a-small-town-in-india-to-google-ceo-sundar-pichais-inspiring-journey-education-qualifications-personal-life-and-success-tips/articleshow/118758362.cms [Accessed 25 Mar. 2025].
- From (2020). Happy Birthday Sundar Pichai: Here are 5 videos of Google’s CEO that reveal his other side. [online] The New Indian Express. Available at: https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/Jun/10/happy-birthday-sundar-pichai-here-are-5-videos-of-googles-ceo-that-reveal-his-other-side-2154796.html [Accessed 25 Mar. 2025].
- Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Sundar Pichai. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundar_Pichai# [Accessed 25 Mar. 2025].
- Hook. (2023). The Poor Boy Who Became CEO of Google. [YouTube video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbTQxcrxSeo [Accessed 30 Mar. 2025].
