(“Text as submitted by architect”)
Dhruv Sachala
Dhruv Sachala is an architect based in Mumbai, graduated from School of environment and architecture. He is the founder of Rust Collective, a multidisciplinary design studio, and Chesha, an experimental textile label. He explores the intriguing overlap between these two practices, finding inspiration in their shared nature.
Pratik Shah
Pratik Shah is a Mumbai-based entrepreneur and partner at Rust Collective. With over 25 years of experience in stock trading and mathematics, he brings a unique analytical and intuitive lens to spatial design. His non-traditional journey allows him to read and shape spaces differently—guided by curiosity, instinct, and a deep personal interest in architecture.
Practice Ideology
Rust Collective is a Mumbai-based collaborative design studio that works at the intersection of art, architecture, and design. Dhruv Sachala and Neel Shah (Principal Architects) are graduates from the School of Environment and Architecture, Mumbai, and founded their studio in 2022. Pratik Shah oversees business strategy, client relationships, and operations. With a commerce background, he ensures each project runs smoothly—aligning creative vision with practical delivery.
Rust Collective is a practice of longstanding collaboration with artists, engineers, and craftsmen. Research and teaching are a continuous backdrop for the studio. Sometimes described as ‘Bricoleurs’, the studio works with materials, tools, histories, and cultures in hand, recombining them to find new connections between them. The studio’s approach is grounded in the search for contextually appropriate solutions. We strive to create things that are simple, beautiful, and timeless.
