Soft power in architecture & interiors

Ar. Nirmala Banaji

As a woman in architecture, I’ve often been asked what a “feminine approach” to design means. The answer is not about visual cues, it is about a way of thinking. One rooted in empathy, balance, and the ability to listen to a space before shaping it. My education in architecture, textile design, and business management has taught me to design through both structure and sensitivity. Since stepping into the role of Principal Architect at Banaji S Associates, my focus has been on interiors that do more than function; they feel. In that feeling lies what I believe is feminine power: not ornamental, but intuitive, layered, and enduring.

In our practice, we approach each project with the intention to calm rather than command. Whether it is a home or a retail space, proportion is never accidental. Furniture is scaled for comfort, not just for effect. Materials are chosen for their ability to age beautifully, and light is used not only to highlight, but to hold emotion. This perspective is not gendered as much as it is sensitised. Feminine intelligence in design is about observing how people move through space, where they pause, and what comforts them. It is about quiet transitions, warm textures, and the absence of visual clutter.

When we speak of soft power in interiors, we refer to the quiet strength that lives in the details, the measured rhythm of proportion, the thoughtful restraint in ornamentation, and the calm confidence in simplicity. It’s about giving materials room to breathe and letting them speak their own language: the grounding weight of natural stone, the familiar warmth of aged wood, the comforting touch of soft textiles, all layered with intention, never excess.

Nothing demands attention, yet everything holds meaning. These spaces don’t perform for the eye; they hold space for presence, for stillness, memory, and human connection. Soft power lies in how a room embraces you without announcing itself. It is felt in the ease of movement, the quiet harmony between surfaces, and the unspoken sense that you belong.

In designing with this kind of sensitivity, we’re not just shaping interiors, we’re crafting experiences that endure in emotion as much as in form.

This philosophy of “simple but different” has allowed us to craft spaces that aren’t loud, but deeply personal. We have found that when a space is composed with care, it doesn’t need to shout. It resonates. As a woman leading a family-run practice, I see my role not just as a designer, but as a bridge, honouring legacy while allowing space for evolution. Feminine perspective, in this context, is a quiet rebellion against the rigid and a gentle invitation toward the human.

Perhaps the question isn’t whether women design differently. Perhaps it is how feminine sensitivity can reshape the very meaning of good design, not through dominance, but through depth.

Ar. Nirmala Banaji is Principal Architect, Banaji & Associates