I'M
nEHa
AURora
.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER | INTERIOR DESIGNER
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
About Me.
Hello there! I'm Neha, and I'm happy to e-meet you!
I'm an internationally trained Architectural and Interior Designer with 8+ years of experience across countries, cultures, and a wide range of projects, from homes and retail spaces to healthcare, institutional, and commercial design. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Architecture, with postgraduate degrees in Architectural Conservation from Carleton University and Construction Project Management from Centennial College in Toronto.
My professional journey began by learning and working alongside talented teams at renowned firms, including Sanjay Puri Architects and Khatib & Alami. I learned by doing, made mistakes, figured things out the hard way, and grew with every project. That journey eventually led me to run an award-winning design studio for over six years, where I led two teams across two countries and delivered turnkey projects from the first idea through construction management and final handover.
Along the way, my team and I were proud to be recognised among India's Top 30 Interior Designers in a UAE garden design competition. I was also interviewed about these projects and my design journey for a two-page feature in Bombay Film Fame magazine.
Now academically certified by the CACB in Canada, I bring together architecture, interiors, conservation, and hands-on construction experience. I'm proficient in AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, V-Ray, Enscape, Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Project.
At heart, I love good design and bringing it to life. I'm drawn to spaces that feel thoughtful, functional, and full of character. As I continue my architectural journey in Canada, I'm excited to learn, collaborate, and bring my international perspective and years of hands-on experience to what comes next.
WORK EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
Carleton University, OTTAWA
Graduate Diploma in Architectural Conservation
This course fuelled my passion for sustainable preservation and conservation through its courses on heritage documentation techniques and adaptive reuse strategies.
Worked on research on colonial sculptures; one article from that research is being published in an upcoming book, In Granite and Bronze: An Unofficial Guide to the Monuments of Canada's National Capital, a public history book co-edited by David Dean and Tonya Davidson, published by McGill-Queen's University Press (MQUP)
I'm currently researching facadism, its causes, its impact and policies that result in the growing trend.
Centennial College, Toronto
Graduate diploma in Construction management
The course focused on Canadian construction contracts, project planning, estimation, and scheduling with hands-on training in cost control, documentation processes, and stakeholder coordination.
Mumbai University
Bachelor's in Architecture
This intensive 5-year bachelor's program in architecture includes a mandatory internship and covers architectural design, interior design, building technology, and urban planning.
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Completed a thesis on the topic "Interfaces between natural and manmade environments", focusing on Tiger Conservation through advocacy, sustainable eco-tourism, and education.
AURORA ATELIEr, Mumbai & Dubai
FOUNDER, PRINCIPAL AND SR. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
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Led two design teams across two countries to successfully deliver 11 projects, including retail stores, residential villas, and landscape design for multiplex and mixed-use developments in the UAE
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Managed projects end-to-end, overseeing design development, construction documentation, consultant coordination, contractor management, and on-site execution
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Bridged retail design and construction management to deliver efficient, brand-aligned, and buildable spaces within schedule and budget.
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Recognised through an interview feature in Film Fame magazine and listed among the Top 30 Interior Designers by Spaces India, with additional features in GoodHomes magazine
SANJAY PURI ARCHITECTS, Mumbai
ARCHITECT (LICENSED IN INDIA)
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Worked on architectural design across institutional, residential, retail and commercial projects, preparing architectural drawings and tenders using Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp and Photoshop.
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-Worked on an award-winning design for an institute building in Raipur called Learning Curves (WA 33rd Cycle award)
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-Received a raise within 6 months of joining the firm based on performance.
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- Led a research team for a competition entry for the Durgam Cheruvu waterfront project in Hyderabad.
Ground 11 Architects, Pune
ARCHITECTURAL INTERN
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Contributed to the architectural and interior design of retail stores, mall planning, and luxury condominium developments.
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Developed bespoke interior design solutions for Sydney cafés and commercial office spaces, tailored to each project's functional requirements and brand identity.
KHATIB AND ALAMI, Sharjah
ARCHITECTURAL INTERN
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Worked on planning, architectural design, and modelling for healthcare and large scale projects at Khatib & Alami, gaining exposure to healthcare planning standards including air change requirements, corridor widths, patient circulation, sanitation considerations, and code compliant documentation.
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Worked on Sharjah Tech park and a couple of neighborhood gardens as well.
FIrst ferry Architect, Dubai
ARCHITECTURAL INTERN
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Worked on planning, architectural design, and modelling for healthcare and large scale projects at Khatib & Alami, gaining exposure to healthcare planning standards including air change requirements, corridor widths, patient circulation, sanitation considerations, and code compliant documentation.
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Worked on Sharjah Tech park and a couple of neighborhood gardens as well.
Bric Design Group, MUMBAI
ARCHITECTURAL INTERN
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Led a team of five interns documenting façades, interiors, MEP systems, and layouts for Dariya Mahal, a 1930s Claude Batley heritage mansion, and developed a driveway redesign preserving century old trees while enabling luxury vehicle access and subdivision for two co owning brothers in the mansion.
