Srimoyee Sinha on Monumental Ephemera, Humility, and Indian Classical Music

Srimoyee Sinha is currently in the M.Arch 2 program at SCI-Arc. Originally from Calcutta, India, Sinha received her undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to joining SCI-Arc, Sinha interned at TPG, New York and Studios Architecture, San Francisco, where she was introduced to high-end retail design and tech clientele from Silicon Valley. In the summer after her first year at SCI-Arc she interned at Florencia Pita & Co. where she was a design intern for a high-end retail store design. Sinha is currently in her final semester of graduate studies. In her free time, she likes listening to various stand-up comedians from around the world.

How has studying architecture impacted how you view the world?

Architecture has a sort of poetic sentiment attached to it. The narrative and the thought process behind every design decision, irrespective of field (art, architecture, fashion, etc.), is a fascinating story that eventually leads to a concrete design idea. Studying architecture and its broader discourse has helped me visualize these nuances in a different perspective altogether.

Which living architect do you most admire, and what is the quality you most admire about them?

I would say Elizabeth Diller from DS+R is a woman and a professional in the industry that I look up to. Her interdisciplinary approach to design and her innate artistic sensibilities carried out in all of DS+Rs projects are simply fascinating.

If you were to die and return as a building, which would it be?

Hmm, I think I’d love to come back as The Albert Frey House II! Its subtle placement amidst the mountains and the bizarre boulder separating spaces in a rather simplistic space would be a great place to hang out.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Indra Nooyi, ex-chairman of PepsiCo. I identify with her ideologies on success and outlook on life. She often says, “An important attribute of success is to be yourself. Never hide what makes you, you.”

What is your most treasured possession in your workspace?

Umm, it's a 2” by 3” photo frame containing a picture of me and my family. It's important to embrace your roots in order to truly move forward.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue, both personally and in architecture? The most underrated?

The most overrated virtue, in my opinion, would be the constant need for perfection. Sometimes a work in progress is equally fascinating if not having more market value than the finished, perfected product itself. People often only focus on the end product, so much so that they forget the beautiful journey pursued to achieve that level of novelty.

The most underrated virtue, rather underappreciated I would say is humility. Greatness and novelty can also be achieved by staying grounded.

Which talent would you most like to possess?

To speak multiple languages fluently.

How has your experience as an architecture student influenced your taste in music, and what is your current studio soundtrack?

I’ve grown up playing the harmonium, which is a traditional instrument used to play Indian classical music. When I’m working, I mostly like to listen to mellow music that helps me concentrate and think creatively. As an architecture student at SCI-Arc, where I’m constantly exposed to multidisciplinary ideas and concepts, my playlist also includes multicultural tunes ranging from mellow jazz to hardcore rap to Bollywood tracks and instrumental Indian classical music.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I often use the phrase “That's interesting!” I’ve been lucky to have peers and faculty who constantly challenge me to be at my creative best and have conversations “that are interesting!”

What are you most excited to be working on?

I’m really excited and looking forward to thesis. My project Monumental Ephemera is about analyzing scenography in relation to a theatrical set and how that can translate to an ephemeral architectural language.

What are you most proud of?

I’m proud of learning new things every day. Being a part of a creatively charged, multidisciplinary environment that excites and inspires me to push my boundaries is something that I am both grateful and proud of.