Ar. Avanii Dhotre: A Trailblazing Architect and Philanthropist at CREATRIX
Ar. Avanii Dhotre is the Principal Architect of CREATRIX, a Pune-based architectural studio established in 2012. With a graduation from Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture, Pune University in 2008, Avanii leads the studio’s diverse portfolio of architectural, interior, and landscape projects.
From an early age, Avanii displayed a penchant for various art forms, including singing, dancing, painting, and dramatics. Her artistic pursuits extended to Bharatnatyam classical dance, in which she completed her graduation (Arangetram) in 2003. Avanii has garnered numerous accolades for solo and duet singing, drama competitions (Ekankika), and Natyavachan competitions. She is an accomplished classical dancer and choreographer, captivating audiences on various platforms. Additionally, Avanii has a passion for teaching and serves as a visiting faculty member, imparting design knowledge in architectural colleges. Her expertise is sought after as an examiner to evaluate architectural and interior projects in different educational institutions.
Ar. Avanii also held the position of President for the year 21-22 at the Rotary Club of Pune Pashan. As an international service organization (NGO), Rotary aims to provide humanitarian service and promote goodwill and peace worldwide. During her tenure, Avanii spearheaded impactful humanitarian service projects, earning prestigious awards. Noteworthy initiatives include the Best Global Grant Project involving the donation of 100 cows to impoverished women farmer families in Bhor, Velhe taluka, the Best Women Empowerment project focused on raising awareness and providing reusable sanitary napkins to 1600 women in slum areas, and the Best Happy School Project, which involved the construction of two classrooms, benches, a 1500-liter water tank, and a library at Kirkitwadi village school. Her exceptional contributions to Rotary and humanitarian endeavors have been recognized through awards such as the Best Impactful Service Project and the Best Rotarian Award, among others.
Avanii’s versatility and sensitivity are also reflected in her architectural work at CREATRIX. The studio’s design approach encompasses a holistic and detailed analysis of projects to produce sustainable designs that seamlessly integrate with their cultural, social, economic, and urban contexts. Indigenous natural resources, both actively and passively, form the basis of CREATRIX’s evolving architectural designs. Light plays a vital role in their creations, while authentic materials, sustainability, pure geometry, proportion, and a harmonious connection with nature are essential elements that define their architectural philosophy.
Words like beauty, joy, inspiration, serenity, tranquility, silence, and solitude deeply resonate with Avanii and her team. While acknowledging that they haven’t fully captured the essence of these concepts in their work, they serve as guiding lights for the team’s creative endeavors. With a strong commitment to humanitarian services, culture, and sustainability, Avanii and her team strive to incorporate these values into their projects. Their focus on sustainable materials, such as stone, bamboo, mud, and bricks, contributes to ecological preservation and fosters greater awareness in society.
CREATRIX Architects, under Avanii’s leadership, designs buildings, interiors, landscapes, and various other spaces. They meticulously select materials, recommend suppliers and contractors, and oversee site execution to ensure sustainable and cost-effective project outcomes. Their mission is to create buildings and spaces that not only meet clients’ needs but also reflect the culture and values of the communities in which they are situated. Prior to embarking on any project, the team invests time in understanding the psychology of the clients or end users, enabling them to create functionally seamless and aesthetically pleasing
designs that align with the project’s sustainability goals. Embracing green design principles, the team continually explores innovative ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
At CREATRIX Architects, the team strives to inspire, innovate, and transform the built environment. Their vision is to be recognized as a world-class architectural firm driven by a passion for design, excellence, sustainable innovation, and client satisfaction. Their solutions are characterized by uniqueness, functionality, and beauty, exceeding clients’ expectations through exceptional service and quality. Green design principles are ingrained in their work, as they continuously seek ways to minimize their environmental impact.
As a woman entrepreneur, Ar. Avanii acknowledges the challenges she has faced in the industry. Despite encountering doubt from others during the execution of her designs, she has learned to persevere, drawing upon her extensive knowledge and experience gained over the years. Avanii’s artistic background, including her proficiency in painting and Bharatanatyam dance, has cultivated a keen aesthetic sense and color sensibility, which she applies to her projects. Her involvement in drama competitions and singing has honed her presentation skills, composition sense, and the ability to comprehend and address clients’ psychological needs and requirements.
To aspiring entrepreneurs, Avanii’s advice is to embrace every opportunity, no matter how small, as it may lead to significant breakthroughs in the future.
Ar. Avanii Dhotre’s notable achievements include being shortlisted for the WADE Asia 2022 award in the best interior design category and receiving the India Icon Award for the Most Aspiring Woman Architect in 2023. Her dedication to humanitarian service earned her the Best Rotarian Award and recognition for the Best Service Project of the Year 2021-2022 across multiple categories, including disease prevention and treatment, economic and community development, and environmental initiatives.
