Interview Times 
Ar. Swagat Jena is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of S & J Associates. He has persued B.Arch (Hons.), under Utkal University, and M.Arch in Habitat Design, under BPUT, both from the famous Piloo Mody College of Architecture, Cuttack. From his childhood Mr. Jena always had an interest in drawing, sketching, painting and had a lot of passion for temples and other buildings. His thinking, reasoning skills and excellent verbal communication has helped him to earn several accolades for his firm.
He has a passion for space and environments, Project Envisioning, Formulation, facilitation for Value Oriented Integrated Project and Design. Planning & Project Management, Physical Planning & Urban Design – layout, land use, activity structure, Urban Design guidelines, landscape design, related infrastructure planning, common facilities and amenities planning are some of his expertise. He has also participated in competition projects in national level. The Interview Times had an opportunity to have a conversation with him through questionnaire, below are the answers he responded to The Interview Times questionnaire –
Q1- What made your mind to go for Architecture?
Answer – From my early childhood I always had a keen interest in temples and all monuments, how they looked with light and shade, how they looked from different angles, i find joy in drawing, sketching, imagining different ideas and getting inspired by the creation of something unique and beautiful, travelling all that i can do is in this royal field. Moreover , there aren’t many careers where you can see your hard work erected as a real monument with your creativity and imagination.
Q2- What are the foremost things you have learned from all these years of work?
Answer – Architecture is less of a profession and more of a world-view lens with which we interpret all of our surroundings. It reflects culture, enhances our Creativity, teaches us precision and upgrades our skills through many creative mediums that finally conceptualize space.
Q3- What is your future vision?
Answer – My future vision through Architecture would be designing habitable, adaptable and sustainable places for everyone with less consumption and more of social and psychological factors, like emotions and perceptions with quality-of-life to promote the psychophysical well-being of our citizens.
Q4- What are your best hobbies?
Answer – Sketching Painting, photography, gardening, listening to old Hindi film songs, spending time with my best buddies and no phone calls.
Q5- How do you manage work pressure as well giving time to the family?
Answer – It of course is very difficult to manage both, but from the very beginning of my struggle, my friends and family have been my strength. They have always stood by me, they bear with me, and to be frank they take away my pressure. So they have always been rather helpful to me.
Q6- Would you please like to share about any of your good work memories?
Answer – Getting appreciation of our work from many institutions, people believing in us and choosing us for a second time, my office staff supporting me, giving presentations before the honourable Chief Minister, etc.
