Twenty Years of Design: Avinash’s Journey with Godwin Austen Johnson

In an industry often defined by fast-paced turnover and fleeting tenures, longevity has become a rarity. Rarer still is the kind of quiet, consistent leadership that doesn’t seek the spotlight but earns respect through years of steadfast contribution.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Avinash Kumar, our Executive Director, to reflect on a remarkable milestone: twenty years with Godwin Austen Johnson. His journey is not marked by dramatic leaps, but by purposeful growth built on deep commitment, unwavering values, and a design philosophy that has evolved in tandem with the studio.

In architecture, sustaining vision over two decades is no small feat. For Avinash, it’s more than a professional achievement it’s a quiet testament to what can be built when purpose, passion, and place are fully aligned.

He still remembers his first day clearly. It was the 5th of July, two decades ago, when he walked into GAJ’s studio for the very first time nervous, uncertain, and coming from a small practice of just five or six architects. His early days were marked by a steep learning curve and a thick 100 page CAD manual. “I thought I wouldn’t last a month,” he recalls, reflecting on the firm’s rigorous systems and standards. “I had no idea what an xref was, or how the layering system worked,” he recalls. “It took me months of coming in on weekends, reviewing old drawings, and trying to catch up.” Rather than be overwhelmed, he leaned into the discomfort. Fridays then was part of the weekend were spent quietly in the office, poring over archived drawings, decoding details, and slowly absorbing the standards that defined the practice. It took three to four months of self-driven learning to catch up, but the process became a defining chapter in his professional foundation.

His first project was a school in Dubai Sports City half-designed and abruptly handed over when a colleague left. Thrown into the deep end, Avinash took ownership of the scheme, redesigned critical elements, and saw it through to detailed development. That experience set the tone for a career defined by responsibility, resilience, and resolve.

Over the next two decades, Avinash has been both a witness to and a key contributor in GAJ’s evolution. He reflects on the early days when the firm had just over 30 staff. Within a few years, that number had surpassed 100. The projects grew just as rapidly. He has led more than 25 projects across various sectors, ranging from modest AED 2 million developments to landmark commissions valued at AED 2.5 billion. While the scale has changed, the principles haven’t. “We design better. We detail better. But our design ethics they’ve stayed the same. Stronger, even.”

Avinash doesn’t romanticise his path. It wasn’t glamorous but it was grounded. The lessons weren’t framed as being “learned the hard way”; they were simply part of the process. “If you enjoy architecture, there’s no such thing as hard,” he reflects. “You just keep learning, asking questions, staying curious.” When asked how he’s managed to stay the course, his answer is simple: commitment. Beginning and finishing every project. Embracing each challenge. Remaining steady. “Some people leave too soon. They start something, don’t finish, move on, and repeat the cycle. But I stayed. I completed what I started and that made all the difference.”

Did he ever imagine being here 20 years later? “I didn’t have time to think that far ahead,” he laughs. “One project would end, and the next would begin. There was no pause. No downtime. The opportunity was always here.”

To young architects, his advice is clear: “Ask questions. Keep learning. Gain as much experience as you can.”

And what does GAJ mean to him after all these years? “To me, GAJ is home - life. It’s everything.”

For those who’ve worked alongside Avinash, his journey is a quiet testament to what endurance, humility, and long-term commitment look like in practice. His story reminds us that growth isn’t always loud and true impact rarely seeks the spotlight.

Leadership, at its best, is built in the details: in trusting the process, staying the course, and making the consistent decision to keep going one drawing at a time. Greatness in architecture is never instant. It’s shaped through consistency, care, and a deep-rooted sense of purpose.

Two decades on, Avinash’s legacy speaks volumes not only of personal achievement, but of the enduring spirit that defines the culture of Godwin Austen Johnson.

In a world that moves fast, he reminds us: architecture isn’t a race. It’s a journey measured in lessons, projects, and the quiet stories we build along the way.

Here’s to the next chapter and to all those who build not just structures, but legacies.