Welcome to Future Talks by RTF, where we engage in enlightening conversations with the visionary trailblazers who breathe life into the captivating narratives of design. Today, we are honored to introduce our distinguished guest, Ar. Kritika Juneja, an accomplished Architect, Architecture journalist, and the visionary force behind Arch Valor and ArchEmotions. Her tireless efforts are dedicated to bridging the chasm between creators and their creations, thus elevating the realms of art, architecture, and critical discourse.
In the field of design, women require emotional sensibility, which she believes sets them apart from men. Currently she is working as a Consulting editor of Good Homes Magazine(Times of India Group), Consulting editor for Architectural and Builders, Assistant Editor for Interior Exterior magazine, Consulting Editor for Architectural and Builders Magazine and Consultant of Glitz Architecture and Interior magazine. She has also been the former editor of ACE Update magazine.
Also, presently she has been working as a contributing writer for various magazines such as Amazing Architecture, ArchHello, Architecture News, Architecture Time Space and People, and various others. Moreover, she is an established name in the Indian and global media industry across lifestyle, design, art, architecture & construction markets.
She has been lately honoured with the award for Youngest Women in Design Journalism from the hands of Ar. Jabeen Zakarias, President Indian Institute of Architects and Ar.Shiela Sripraksh, Founder Shilpa Architects, the first Indian woman to withhold the architectural practice.
She personally believes that writing allows a person to understand the perception of life and reading is the only door to that ocean of knowledge as beautifully said by Roald Dhal “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it”
Join us on this enlightening journey as we delve deep into the world of design, architecture, and the profound insights of Ar. Kritika Juneja in this edition of Future Talks by RTF.
RTF: Hi Kritika, we are so glad to have you as a guest on Future Talks. Thanks for joining us. What prompted you to come up with Arch Valor? What was the journey from the idea to a real picture like?
Kritika: To begin with, I would like to thank RTF for giving me this opportunity to be a part of Future Talks. It has not been easy, being an architect and venturing into something like writing, there has been much criticism, but the only thing that kept me going was the desire to let people know what I have inside me. The first few years were selfless without any intention of making money out of it, just purely dedicated to passion and architecture. Currently, I am working as Founder and Editor ArchValor and ArchEmotions, Consulting editor of Good Homes Magazine(Times of India Group), Consulting editor for Architectural and Builders, Consulting Editor for Interior Exterior magazine, and the Editorial Advisor of Glitz Architecture and Interior magazine. So, I would say to anyone coming up in this field, please do it only if you have the sheer passion to do it, even in the worst times.
Valor means value in Spanish, and my goal was to bridge the gap between the creator and the creation, thus uplifting art, architecture, and critics. That’s how ArchValor was born. As of today, ArchValor houses thousands of interviews with various Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Indian architects, designers, and artists.
RTF: How would you differentiate Arch Valor from other architecture magazines?
Kritika: In contrast to just the architecture fraternity across the globe, ArchValor is a pure value addition to people’s lives in general. This is a very holistic approach to making people aware of architectural innovations and architects in particular. Our way forward is to bring buildings to life with stories, as humans we enjoy stories, so I personally enjoy narrating them.
RTF: What are some challenges that the interviews and general exchanges with architects present?
Kritika: Everyone enjoys being in the spotlight and letting their projects be known. Until your project can speak for itself, no publication or even the best description can do it justice. The fact that they have been published is contradictory since they don’t bother to go into details with me at times, saying that we are just technical people. Today, I feel that if you know technicality and have the right technique to present yourself, you win.
RTF: What does an ‘off-putting’ pitch mean to you? How would you want a pitch to be so that it succeeds in its idea of ‘convincing’ the editors or journalists?
Kritika: There are two important aspects to convince me in particular. First is aesthetics, the way the photographs are taken. Even the most amazing project could be rejected if it is not shot well. The second thing is how you write to me in order to take up your pitch. It matters a lot how you present yourself and your company. Occasionally, I tossed pitches in the air like a ball saying please find our project attached below. So yeah, small things matter.
RTF: What is your idea of a comprehensive media kit? And how crucial it is?
Kritika: Your media kit reveals a lot about your company just like a mirror does. This document should include details about the company or individual, their contact information, social media statistics, a description of the project, drawings, and high-resolution images.
RTF: What does it take for writers and editors to constantly be on the bandwagon and put up relevant content?
Kritika: So, successful people are not gifted, they just work hard. Similarly, writers should stay on top of all updates, relevant news, and any other developments.
RTF: How did your interest in writing develop? And how has your approach towards it changed with time?
Kritika: Yeah, a very nice question. So I have always been an introvert, speaking less and doing more types. Even in my college days, I was very sincere, but never liked talking unnecessarily to people.
Writing has been my language of loving architecture since the start. Later on, I developed it into a profession but was often misunderstood by many that being a writer, maybe had moved away from the core architecture. Today, I am earning five times more than a normal architect does at my level today just through writing. Additionally, I run a studio in Delhi that undertakes various interior design projects under the name ArchValor but still, I like to call myself an architecture journalist before an architect.
RTF: How has your work influenced you creatively?
Kritika: Massively, writing to me is like air, it flows. It inspired me to paint, to design, and to be alive. I personally believe that writing allows a person to understand the perception of life and reading is the only door to that ocean of knowledge as beautifully said by Roald Dahl “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it”.
RTF: What are the other paths that you stroll on when not working?
Kritika: In the past few months, I have been painting and designing cups. Now, I have been working on the strategy to start selling those.
RTF: What are your scaling plans for Arch Valor?
Kritika: Moving together is the only way forward. We are looking forward to great collaborations with architects, designers, artists, and material and decor brands. In addition, we intend to work on the building material section and innovative construction techniques in detail that are emerging in the field.
