Our Team
Members
MARIYAM ZAKIAH
Architect | Sustainability Consultant
Mariyam brings over a decade of experience in sustainable design, energy-efficient buildings, and green development across Asia, Africa, and the UK. With a foundation in architecture and environmental design, she spent 9 years at Environmental Design Solutions (EDS) leading high-impact projects such as the Unnati Office (India’s first LEED v4 BD+C building), Qatar National Museum, and the ongoing Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.
Her expertise lies in integrating passive architectural strategies with MEP systems to optimize building performance. She has contributed to national energy policies, led capacity-building workshops in remote Himalayan villages, and trained professionals across the country as a BEE Accredited Master Trainer in ECBC and Eco-Niwas Samhita.
At Dwellers, Mariyam champions design that is thoughtful, climate-responsive, and deeply rooted in context. Her approach to interior projects emphasizes adaptive reuse and minimal intervention, ensuring sustainability is embedded at every scale.
She is also the co-founder of Hera’s BnB, a chain of boutique stays that reflects her commitment to conscious living and design.
ABU TALHA FAROOQI
Architect | Sustainability Consultant | Educator
Abu Talha Farooqi is an architect, sustainability consultant, and educator with a deep commitment to energy efficiency, institutional design, and community-driven architecture. With 14+ years of experience spanning consulting, academia, and research, he has worked with diverse national and international institutions focused on educational empowerment and community building.
A Master Trainer for India’s Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), Abu has trained government officials, practicing architects, and professors in sustainability, energy efficiency, and climate-responsive design. His approach to architecture extends beyond buildings—he designs institutions as enterprises and systems, ensuring that they are socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable.
His research and practice explore non-human and material agencies in architecture, prioritizing dwelling and inhabitation over static imagery. Recognized as the Best Faculty Mentor at Solar Decathlon India 2022, he guided students in designing a net-zero energy school building.
As a consultant, Abu is dedicated to creating context-sensitive, energy-efficient, and people-centered environments that balance innovation with cultural and ecological responsibility.
ISHITA MITTAL
Architect | Interior Designer | Artist
Ishita Mittal is a graduate in architecture with a minor in interior design from the class of 2024, where she secured the third rank in her batch. Her interests lie in designing environmentally conscious spaces that integrate sustainable practices and materials.
She has been part of two finalist teams in the Solar Decathlon India competition—The Builders (2021–2022) and Sunergon (2022–2023)—gaining experience in developing net-zero energy building proposals that address real-world challenges in climate-responsive design.
Alongside architecture, Ishita is the founder of Imcraftesy, a personal art initiative through which she creates paintings intended for spatial settings. Her artistic practice supports her architectural work by adding a thoughtful visual coherence to interior environments.
At Dwellers, Ishita contributes to sustainable design and project detailing. Her role involves exploring appropriate material choices, supporting conceptual development, and integrating artistic elements into spatial planning. Her multidisciplinary background supports the firm’s broader efforts toward creating functional, responsible, and well-considered design solutions.
Collaborators
Metacity
METACITY is a full-service construction and engineering firm comprising a team of highly motivated and enthusiastic professionals from the fields of architecture and engineering. The firm is driven by a singular focus: to achieve client satisfaction through the consistent delivery of exceptional service. Every decision made is guided by an unwavering commitment to getting it right.
METACITY serves as a single point of contact for clients, eliminating the need to coordinate with multiple agencies, vendors, and contractors. The firm places paramount importance on time, cost, and quality, ensuring added value to every project it undertakes. Exceptional client service remains at the heart of everything METACITY does.
Geed Simulations
GEED is a multi-disciplinary engineering and building science firm that provides building and systems assessment and consulting services. Since the company’s formation in 2005, GEED worked with a different scope of customers over a few markets including Engineering simulation for life safety energy efficiency & build environment
Aqua Explorers
Aqua Explorers provides reliable, cost-effective environmental and engineering services. With a team of experienced scientific, technical, and environmental professionals, the firm specializes in groundwater studies, water treatment, soil analysis, pollution control, and impact assessments. Combining technical expertise with practical execution, Aqua Explorers delivers sustainable, data-driven solutions tailored to diverse project needs across urban and rural contexts.