From blueprint to reality: Neena Shah’s impact on global industrial design

Neena Shah is the principal architect of M.R. Warerkar and Associates, one of India’s leading design consultancies for industrial and warehouse design. In her illustrious career, Neena has completed thousands of projects across Asia, Africa and North America for eminent clients such as PepsiCo, Britannia, Relaxo, Maruti Suzuki, Supreme and Alpla to name a few.

Belonging to the male-dominated field of industrial design, Neena has paved the way as one of the only women heads in the space. Despite facing adversity at every step of the way throughout her 25-year career, she has let her work speak for itself and has managed to become one of India’s leading voices in the design of factories and warehouses. A champion of feminism, she has also trained several women who have since gone on to make their own mark in the industry, inspiring more and more women to enter this traditionally male space.

A firm believer in the company’s philosophy of SWIFT, i.e. Sustainable, Worker-friendly, Industry-leading, Finessed and Time-bound delivery, every design made by Neena is based on these principles, with the word itself standing for a strife to take swift and accurate actions.

Aligning with the honorable Prime Minister’s vision for a carbon net-zero country, each project designed by her incorporates the best sustainable practices to optimise water, electricity and embodied energy. By embracing these requirements, Neena has delivered numerous green factories across the country.

Furthermore, one of the fundamental design philosophies followed by her is to humanise industries; ensuring optimum conditions for the people working in each factory. From providing proper changing facilities and worker toilets to ensuring good lighting, ventilation, breakout spaces, fatigue areas and recreational spaces, she understands that worker productivity and satisfaction are integral to business and national growth.

Additionally, Neena is a futurist who firmly believes that any new method and technology that can be deployed to ensure the betterment of working conditions, quality of construction or faster turnaround times must be used, whilst sticking to client prescribed budgets. Whether it is adopting Revit and BIM in design or using newer construction techniques and materials, she champions the company’s ethos of using the best possible tools at hand.

Lastly, a piece of advice Neena gives everyone is that there is no substitute to hard work. Every new employee who starts under her is told that talent will only take you so far — it is hard work that separates the good from the great. And she practices what she preaches, as she is always the first person in the office and the last person out, ensuring she gives each client and project the attention needed.

Operating in 12 countries across 3 continents, Neena and the entire team at M.R. Warerkar and Associates work tirelessly across technical disciplines to contribute to the growth of the country, one factory at a time.