Svetlanazrc at 06:53, 24 February 2026

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{{Short description|Indian architect (born 1950)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox architect
| name = Hafeez Sorab Contractor
| image = The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Bhushan Award to Shri Hafeez Sorabe Contractor, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 28, 2016.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Hafeez Contractor (left) in 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|06|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Mumbai, Maharashtra]], India
| awards = [[Padma Bhushan]]
| alma_mater = {{ubl|[[University of Mumbai]]|[[Columbia University]]}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Pearl Contractor|1962}}
| practice = Architect Hafeez Contractor
| significant_buildings = {{ubl|[[23 Marina]]|[[The Imperial (Mumbai)|The Imperial]]|[[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Goa Campus|BITS Goa ]]|[[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad Campus|BITS Hyderabad]]|[[Infosys#Training centre in Mysore|Infosys Training Centre]]|[[The 42 (Kolkata)|The 42]]|Delhi Airport Terminal 1|[[DY Patil Stadium]]}}
| significant_projects =
| significant_design =
| website = {{URL|http://www.hafeezcontractor.com/}}
| children = 2
| parents = Sorab Contractor<br>Roshan Contractor
}}

'''Hafeez Sorab Contractor''' (born 1950) is an Indian [[architect]].<ref>{{cite news |author=TNN |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Architect-for-conserving-rare-heritage-monuments/articleshow/7119677.cms |title=Architect for conserving rare heritage monuments |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |date=2010-12-18 |access-date=2011-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104110854/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-18/vadodara/28226048_1_city-areas-high-rise-buildings-heritage-buildings |archive-date=4 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> He has designed many [[skyscraper]]s in India, primarily in the city of [[Mumbai]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/company/173|title=Hafeez Contractor – The Skyscraper Center|website=skyscrapercenter.com|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922002725/http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/company/173|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2019, he is the architect of the [[List of tallest buildings in India|three tallest buildings in India]] – [[The 42 (Kolkata)|The 42]] in [[Kolkata]],<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-42/14870|title=The 42 – The Skyscraper Center|website=skyscrapercenter.com|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922002244/http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-42/14870|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/the-42-in-kolkata-becomes-indias-tallest-building/articleshow/68900814.cms|title='The 42' in Kolkata becomes India's tallest building|date=16 April 2019|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-04-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429000219/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/the-42-in-kolkata-becomes-indias-tallest-building/articleshow/68900814.cms|archive-date=29 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and the twin towers of [[The Imperial (Mumbai)|The Imperial]] in Mumbai.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-imperial-i/889|title=The Imperial I – The Skyscraper Center|website=skyscrapercenter.com|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002115210/http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-imperial-i/889|archive-date=2 October 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-imperial-ii/890|title=The Imperial II – The Skyscraper Center|website=skyscrapercenter.com|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911031137/http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-imperial-ii/890/|archive-date=11 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] in January 2016 by the [[Government of India]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=135783|title=Padma Awards 2016|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329211831/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=135783|archive-date=29 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
Hafeez Contractor was born in [[Mumbai]] on 19 June 1950 into a [[Parsi]] family.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Veer |first=Peter van der |title=Handbook of Religion and the Asian City: Aspiration and Urbanization in the Twenty-First Century |date=2015-05-19 |publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-28122-6 |pages=167}}</ref> He attended Boys' Town Public School Nasik before moving on to the University of Mumbai's [[Academy of Architecture]] in 1975. He then won a scholarship to [[Columbia University]], where he completed his master's degree.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/magazine/the-slumdog-millionaire-architect.html|title=The Slumdog Millionaire Architect|last=Brook|first=Daniel|date=2014-06-19|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-09-21|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622171203/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/22/magazine/the-slumdog-millionaire-architect.html|archive-date=22 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career==
While pursuing his architecture degree, Contractor began working in 1968 as an apprentice under the supervision of his uncle and mentor Tehmasp Khareghat.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Manohar |first=Prathima |title=Architect Hafeez Contractor |date=2006 |publisher=Architecture Publishing |isbn=978-81-901758-0-7 |pages=61–62}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=43832635&privcapId=49531279|title=Hafeez Contractor AIIAGD ARCH. MS ARCH. & UD (USA): Executive Profile & Biography – Bloomberg|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922050533/https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=43832635&privcapId=49531279|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> He joined his uncle's company T. Khareghat in 1977 as an associate partner.<ref name=":1" />

In 1991, Contractor was enlisted to add buildings to [[Infosys]]' [[Bangalore]] campus.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tfod.in/photo-space/1792/garden|title=Infosys Bangalore|date=2017-09-21|website=The Future of Design|access-date=21 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922051054/https://www.tfod.in/photo-space/1792/garden|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> He went on to design that firm's first software-development park outside [[Pune]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tfod.in/photo-space/1774/exterior-at-night|title=Infosys office at I T Park at Pune|date=2017-09-21|website=The Future of Design|access-date=21 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922051103/https://www.tfod.in/photo-space/1774/exterior-at-night|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> and its corporate educational facility near [[Mysore]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tfod.in/photo-space/1809/exterior---infosys-global-education-school--mysore|title=Exterior – Infosys Global Education School, Mysore|date=2017-09-21|website=The Future of Design|access-date=21 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922051059/https://www.tfod.in/photo-space/1809/exterior---infosys-global-education-school--mysore|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> His most famous project is [[Hiranandani Gardens, Mumbai|Hiranandani Gardens]], a township in [[Powai]], a suburb of Mumbai.<ref name=":0" /> In 2005, Contractor designed the twin-tower residential skyscraper, The Imperial, whose {{convert|254|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} Tower I became the tallest residential buildings in India (with Tower II slightly behind) upon completion in 2010 – a distinction it held until it was displaced by [[One Avighna Park]] (266 metre) in 2017. That building was, in turn, displaced by The 42 in Kolkata, which was also designed by Contractor and [[Topping out|architecturally topped out]] at 260m.<ref name=":3" /> He also designed [[23 Marina]] in [[Dubai]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/dubai/23-marina/247/|title=23 Marina – The Skyscraper Center|website=skyscrapercenter.com|access-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922002712/http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/dubai/23-marina/247/|archive-date=22 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> which was briefly the world's tallest all-residential building, and is currently third behind the nearby [[Princess Tower]] and [[432 Park Avenue]] in [[New York City]].

Contractor's other projects include the [[Domestic flight|domestic]] [[Airport terminal|terminal]] at Mumbai's [[Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport|Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stoneworld.com/articles/85979-awardwinning-airport-renovation-relies-on-indian-granite|title=Award-winning airport renovation relies on Indian granite|website=stoneworld.com|access-date=9 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702230606/https://www.stoneworld.com/articles/85979-awardwinning-airport-renovation-relies-on-indian-granite|archive-date=2 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[DY Patil Stadium]], which serves as the home stadium for both the [[Mumbai Indians]] [[cricket]] team and [[Mumbai City FC]] [[Association football|football]] team. He also designed the [[Turbhe railway station]] in [[Navi Mumbai]] and in 2018 offered to 19 railway stations for free.<ref>{{cite news |title=Architect Hafeez Contractor Offers To Design 19 Railway Stations For Free |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/architect-hafeez-contractor-offers-to-design-19-railway-stations-for-free-1816958 |access-date=16 December 2020 |work=NDTV.com |date=25 February 2018}}</ref> He was the architect for [[Chief Minister of Telangana]]'s official residence, [[Pragathi Bhavan]] completed in November 2016. He has been assigned to design the campus of Indian Institute of Petroleum & Energy, Visakhapatnam. An interview of his was published in the official<ref>CBSE</ref> Class 8 English book.

==Architectural style==
Contractor has referred to the standardized ratings used in Western countries for certifying [[green building]]s as a "joke".<ref name=":2">{{cite news | url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/chennai/Green-buildings-are-a-joke-Hafeez-Contractor/articleshow/9973928.cms | title=Green buildings are a joke: Hafeez Contractor | date=2011-09-14 | access-date=1 April 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021052903/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-14/chennai/30153762_1_green-buildings-rating-system-rating-agencies | archive-date=21 October 2011 | work=[[The Times of India]] | url-status=live }}</ref> In his view, conditions in India require a rating system that takes into account the unique problems faced by that country, such as the loss of [[Agricultural land|farmland]].<ref name=":2" />

In a ''New York Times'' profile he was described as [[Bollywood]]'s "[[Starchitect]]". The article described Contractor's style as having "no signature, save a penchant for glitz." Contractor said of his own work, "[Y]ou definitely like a woman with lipstick, rouge, eyelashes. So if you make your building more beautiful with some appliqués, there’s nothing wrong."<ref name=":0" />

== List of works ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Name
!Year
completed
!Image
!City
!Notes
!Ref
|-
|[[Apollo Hospital, Indraprastha]]
|
|[[File:Apollo Hospital Indraprastha.jpg|100x100px]]
|
|
|
|-
|Sarala Birla Academy
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| ITC Grand Central
| 2004
|
| [[Mumbai]]
| [[Art Deco|Art deco]] styled Hotel skyscraper
|
|-
| [[ITC Royal Bengal]]
| 2019
| [[File:ITC_Royal_Bengalz.jpg|100x100px]]
| [[Kolkata]]
| [[Art Deco|Art deco]] styled Hotel skyscraper
|
|-
|[[DY Patil Stadium]]
|2008
|[[File:D Y Patil Sports Stadium.jpg|100x100px]]
|[[Navi Mumbai]]
|
|
|-
|[[The Imperial (Mumbai)|The Imperial]]
|2010
|[[File:The Imperial Towers SP.jpg|151x151px]]
|[[Mumbai]]
|[[List of tallest buildings in India|Tallest building in India]] between 2010 and 2018
|<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />
|-
|[[23 Marina]]
|2012
|
|[[Dubai]]
|
|
|-
|[[One Horizon Center]]
|2014
|
|[[Gurgaon]]
|
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=One Horizon Center – The Skyscraper Center|url=https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/one-horizon-center/27293|access-date=2022-12-04|website=skyscrapercenter.com}}</ref>
|-
|Mantri Pinnacle
|2016
|[[File:Mantri Pinnacle Bangalore.jpg|150x150px]]
|[[Bangalore]]
|[[List of tallest buildings in Bangalore|Tallest building in Bangalore]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mantri Pinnacle – The Skyscraper Center|url=https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/mantri-pinnacle/14522|access-date=2022-12-04|website=skyscrapercenter.com}}</ref>
|-
|[[The 42 (Kolkata)|The 42]]
|2019
|[[File:The 42 - Residential Building 01.jpg|133x133px]]
|[[Kolkata]]
|[[List of tallest buildings in India|Tallest building in India]] between 2018 and 2019
|<ref name=":3" />
|-
|[[Lokhandwala Minerva]]
|
|
|[[Mumbai]]
|
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lokhandwala Minerva – The Skyscraper Center|url=https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/lokhandwala-minerva/10431|access-date=2022-12-04|website=skyscrapercenter.com}}</ref>
|-
|[[Turbhe railway station]]
|
|[[File:Turbhe-Railway-Station.JPG|100x100px]]
|[[Navi Mumbai]]
|
|
|-
|CIDCO Spaghetti Housing
|2005
|
|[[Navi Mumbai]]
|
|
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Colaba apartments.jpg|Buckley Court in [[Colaba]], Mumbai
File:Saya Gold Aveune in Indirapuram Ghaziabad.jpg|alt=Saya Gold Avenue|Saya Gold Avenue in Indirapuram, [[Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh|Ghaziabad]].
File:Turbhe-Railway-Station.JPG| Turbhe railway station in [[Navi Mumbai]]
</gallery>

==Awards and recognition==
* '''2016''': Hafeez was awarded India's third highest civilian award, the [[Padma Bhushan]], in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Padma Awards 2016: Complete list {{!}} India News – Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/padma-awards-2016-complete-list-of-padma-vibhushan-padma-bhushan-and-padma-shri-awardees/articleshow/50719773.cms |work=The Times of India}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website|http://www.hafeezcontractor.com/}}
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=IG85li6h8_0C Book: Architect Hafeez Contractor: Select works (1982-2005)]

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2010–19}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Contractor, Hafeez}}
[[Category:Architecture firms of India]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation alumni]]
[[Category:University of Mumbai alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian architects]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in other fields]]
[[Category:Parsi people from Mumbai]]

Hafeez Contractor - Revision history

Svetlanazrc at 06:53, 24 February 2026