Inspired by Family, Shaped by Cities: Mayank Sharma’s Architectural Journey
Kelly Sheldon October 6, 2025
From left to right - Professor Miguel Guitart, Mayank Sharma (MArch '25), Abha Joshi Sharma (Sharma's mother), and Behnoush Nikparvar (MArch '24, fellow UB alum)
As Mayank Sharma (MArch ’25) stepped out of the UB School of Architecture and Planning’s Spring 2025 graduation ceremony, his mother, Abha Joshi Sharma—a seasoned architect herself—walked proudly beside him. In the lobby of the UB Center for the Arts, they approached Associate Professor Miguel Guitart to say hello and get a photo together.
Sharma had traveled across Spain with Guitart during a study abroad program the previous summer, and in this celebratory moment, he found himself eager to share the story of his family’s multi-generational bond with UB and his architectural heritage rooted in the vibrant city of Chandigarh, India.
Dr. Vijay Kumar Joshi, Sharma's granduncle, doing labwork as a UB student
When Sharma applied to the School of Architecture and Planning, he had a strong advocate in his family urging him toward Buffalo—his granduncle Dr. Vijay Kumar Joshi, who had earned his doctorate in chemistry at UB decades earlier. That degree helped launch a successful career at Revlon, and he came to deeply value the UB education that he had received.
While Dr. Joshi was still a doctoral student, he had urged Sharma’s mother to consider entering the master’s program at UB. She had a bachelor’s degree from the Chandigarh College of Architecture in India, but having recently married and started working, she chose to stay where she was.
Born and raised in Chandigarh, Sharma fondly remembers spending afternoons in his mother’s architecture office after school, where he was captivated by the physical models and the creative atmosphere that surrounded her work. “I still remember the woody, musky scent of the models and drawing piles,” he recalls.
In the evenings, she would sometimes bring her work home with her, sitting on the couch with a big black drawing board in her lap. Occasionally he would even accompany her on site visits, which taught him a valuable lesson about working in the architectural field. “It was inspiring to see that architecture is more than just an individual’s vision,” he shared. “It’s a big, complex undertaking that requires collaboration and teamwork.”
Growing up in Chandigarh was a unique experience for a future architect. The city was famously designed by renowned Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier following India’s independence from British colonial rule in the mid-twentieth century. “While we were driving, my mother used to quiz me on Chandigarh’s ‘V’ road system,” Sharma remembers.
“I have a love-hate relationship with Corbusier,” he admits. “On one hand, I really admire him for creating the wonderful and peaceful city where I grew up. His design still stands the test of time with wide roads able to handle rush-hour traffic and with beautiful parks that are a ten-minute walk from most homes. I personally believe Chandigarh is the most livable city in India. But at the same time, he failed to acknowledge that cities are not a collection of isolated cells but living organic entities that evolve with the needs of their inhabitants.”
This is felt deeply today as the population of Chandigarh grows and capacity needs to expand along with it. Devotees of Le Corbusier have created bureaucratic hurdles that make it difficult to replace old dilapidating structures that are no longer serving their purpose well.
Inspired by the architecture that surrounded him and his mother’s work, Sharma began sketching skyscrapers when he was young, proudly sharing his designs with her. By high school, he discovered a natural aptitude for architectural design, which led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in architecture at Chitkara University.
Following graduation, Sharma found himself at the same crossroads his mother had faced decades earlier—but he chose the other path. Encouraged by his granduncle, he opted to pursue a master’s in architecture at UB. This decision was shaped not only by family advice, but also by UB’s affordable tuition, Buffalo’s rich architectural legacy, and the city’s manageable cost of living. And with trusted family guidance, he even felt well-prepared to take on Buffalo’s famously snowy winters.
At UB, Sharma was introduced to a new style of learning that challenged his thinking and broadened his approach to design. Thought-provoking conversations with professors—like Guitart—pushed him to see architecture from fresh perspectives, while faculty support helped him sharpen his presentation skills and communicate his ideas with confidence.
Sharma in his new home: Pasadena, CA
Through the School, he also secured a nine-month internship with local firm Kideney Architects, which gave him an invaluable introduction to American office culture.
Sharma now lives in Pasadena, CA and works as a project designer at D.S. Ewing Architects, where his current focus is the redesign and rebuilding of residential structures following the devastating fires in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Reflecting on his childhood in Chandigarh—a city celebrated for its architectural legacy—Sharma recognizes how its design principles have subtly influenced his own style. “The Secretariat building and Chandigarh College of Architecture (both designed by Le Corbusier) are notable in the way they manage and play with light and shadow. That has inspired me to give special attention to louvers and window screens and how my designs let light in depending on the orientation of the sun.”
When Sharma introduced his mother to Professor Guitart on that graduation day, the moment reflected how UB’s global network fosters lasting connections—linking personal histories, academic journeys, and professional experiences across continents. As Sharma continues to navigate his career as an architect, it will be compelling to watch how his diverse influences—across generations and from Chandigarh to Buffalo to Pasadena—converge to inform his distinctive architectural vision.