Sunday, June 22, 2025
Newsletter
SUBSCRIPTIONS
All
spot_imgspot_img

Top 5 This Week

spot_img

Related Posts

Techno Architect

Design with Steel
Editorial Team
Author: Editorial Team
5 min.read

He believes in embracing innovation… He is leveraging steel’s advantages to address construction challenges, embracing new technology to create aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly, yet cost-effective solutions…
C.S. Raghuram, Partner, Trilogue Studio LLP,
offers a sneak peek into his thoughts on the industry…

What are the major advantages of using steel vis-à-vis conventional materials?
Steel is an inherently unique and versatile building material that is available today. The advantages of steel over conventional building materials have been well documented and most of us are well aware of it.  Having said that, I would like to highlight a couple of real-world practical issues and the current status of the building industry which will push steel to become the mainstay of the construction industry.
A major issue facing us is the acute shortage of skilled labor and attendant labor issues. This was quite evident during the pandemic, which resulted in delays and hindrances in numerous projects across the country. There were budget and schedule overruns, and all stakeholders, whether the clients, designers, or the contractor, were affected equally. Steel by its inherent nature of being manufactured or pre-engineered has the unique advantage of offsetting these labor problem that India faces; in addition, automation will further improve the situation. It is only a question of time before steel becomes a mainstay of the construction industry.
Added to that of course is the advantage of steel being lightweight when compared to other conventional materials with the same span and same design and project challenges. As construction becomes fast-track today where time is money, what better way to address that than turn to building material that automatically lends itself to easy and fast construction. The only challenge that I see is perhaps life safety and fire protection of steel and in that aspect as well, we are seeing a lot of recent trends and innovation.
How structural steel can be innovatively used in construction to provide design aesthetics and at the same time offer an economical solution?
The fundamental advantage of structural steel is well known. With the rapid technological advancement that is prevailing in the construction industry, architects are and will be able to explore form, space and materials in the design stage using structural steel. We architects can completely model the building through all various 3D software and export them to either CNC cutting machines or to 3D printing.  No other material lends itself to this kind of computational construction method and technology-driven prefabrication as much as steel will lend itself. There is tremendous potential for steel in the coming years to become the forerunner of path-breaking architecture.
Another way that structural steel can be innovatively used is not just as a primary structural element but also as a secondary structural element in façade screens, innovative 3D cladding, etc. and with steel’s inherent flexibility it can lend itself to prefabrication when compared with related materials. This advantage will be explored at great length by architects in the coming years through 3D visualization and building information modeling.
What is your take on the variety of sections/grades provided by our steel producers for various demands of creativity?
The sections available in the market today are highly standardized. As we encounter new and unique problems or unique design challenges, we as designers need to have a lot of flexibility in terms of larger span, more economical sections and more efficient consumption of materials. There is a tendency to revert to or opt for built-up sections, especially in long spans or if one is designing forms that have certain creativity beyond the regular rectangular box. The standard sections available in the market today do not offer the right section modulus or do not address the bending moment in an efficient way.  If we choose the standard section, we end up with a heavier section than what is required to solve the bending moment. Hence, the main challenge for the sections available in the market today is to offer range and flexibility.
What trend are we going to witness in the next 5-7 years, as far as designing structures with steel is concerned?
Over the next 5 or 7 years we are going to see two major trends. One is the convergence of technologies and materials into a hybrid medium. Steel is going to be designed and built in combination with other traditional materials such as concrete, brick, different façade elements, etc. and we are going to see the lines that have so far been dividing the different technologies, different materials disappear. This convergence is a very positive trend. The construction industry is now reaching a point of maturity where it is able to derive the best aspect for each of the different materials and technologies and further combine them together to give us a very futuristic and holistic solution.
Another that I foresee is the emergence of energy-efficient measures incorporated into steel buildings. We traditionally know that steel is a highly energy-consuming material, both in terms of production as well as consumption even though it has a huge potential for recycling.  The question that needs to be addressed now is, how can steel buildings also become environmentally responsible so that the overall move is towards a more sustainable future.
We at Trilogue Studio are looking at designing steel buildings that are environmentally responsible through the use of computational methods for solar heat gain and daylight analysis, passive techniques, water recycling and reuse and renewable energy generation integrated with the steel design and construction.
What should be the strategy of the industry in promoting structural steel construction in India?
The strategy of the steel industry in promoting structural steel construction in India should be through an acknowledgment that collaboration between different materials and technologies is vital, not just for the health of the construction industry but also for India to emerge as a leader in design and construction in the next 15 to 20 years. Today with so many labor problems and the threat of a future pandemic. It is pertinent that the inherent advantages of steel construction reach out to buildings that are not just in the industrial sector or in manufacturing but extend to commercial, housing, as well as other sectors as well.
We are already seeing commercial buildings and car park structures being built with steel. Now the time has come to cast the net wider and explore the potential of collaborating with other technologies and industries in the construction sector to see how the benefits of steel pass on to other building types as well. This will help the influence of steel as a building material spread much wider than it is currently seen.
Previous article
Science Park, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
Next article
Convention Centre Cum Cultural Centre, Prayagraj, UP
Editorial Team
Editorial Team

222 COMMENTS

  3. Awsome article and right to the point. I am not sure if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you folks have any thoughts on where to employ some professional writers? Thanks in advance 🙂

  4. An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you become expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is highly helpful for me. Big thumb up for this blog post!

  5. Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more from this post. I’m very glad to see such wonderful information being shared freely out there.

  7. Simply want to say your article is as surprising. The clarity in your submit is simply excellent and i can suppose you are an expert in this subject. Well along with your permission let me to grasp your RSS feed to keep updated with impending post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.

  8. What i do not realize is in truth how you are no longer really much more smartly-favored than you may be right now. You are very intelligent. You know thus considerably in the case of this topic, produced me in my opinion consider it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men aren’t interested except it is something to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs excellent. Always deal with it up!

  10. It’s really a nice and useful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.

  12. My husband and i have been very fortunate when Peter managed to complete his homework by way of the ideas he grabbed while using the web page. It’s not at all simplistic to just happen to be giving out facts that many some people could have been selling. Therefore we understand we’ve got the website owner to give thanks to because of that. The specific explanations you’ve made, the simple blog menu, the relationships you assist to instill – it’s got everything awesome, and it’s really helping our son in addition to us reason why that matter is enjoyable, which is quite essential. Thank you for the whole lot!

  13. I feel that is among the such a lot important info for me. And i am happy studying your article. But wanna remark on few normal things, The website style is ideal, the articles is truly nice : D. Excellent task, cheers

  25. Este site é realmente demais. Sempre que acesso eu encontro coisas incríveis Você também pode acessar o nosso site e descobrir detalhes! conteúdo único. Venha saber mais agora! 🙂

  47. Hello There. I discovered your weblog the usage of msn. That is a very neatly written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thank you for the post. I will definitely comeback.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Popular Articles

About us

Stay informed and inspired. As a monthly publication, SSMB delivers the latest news, trends, and technical advancements in steel construction. From in-depth articles to insightful case studies, we empower architects, engineers, and industry professionals to make informed decisions and push the boundaries of design.

Latest Articles

NTPC Signs Lease for India’s Largest Green Hydrogen Hub in AP

News 11205
NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) recently inked a land...

Dehradun Airport Unveils Modern Terminal, Boosts Air Connectivity

Airports 3256
Uttarakhand achieved a significant milestone in its aviation infrastructure...

Chandigarh Rly Station’s Redevelopment Progresses Smoothly

News 617
The Chandigarh railway station, an iconic landmark, is undergoing...

TECHNICAL ARTICLES

A Deep Dive into PSG Convention Hall’s Roofing Design

Technical Sessions 430
This case study delves into the heart of the...

Fabricated Steel Structures in Indoor Substations

Technical Sessions 12
The significant development of fabricated steel structures helps solve...

Exploring Boundless Shapes in Modern Architecture

Technical Sessions 235
Modern architecture is undergoing a transformative shift, embracing free-form...

Subscribe

© Copyright - 2024 SSMB