Dean D’Cruz belongs to the generation of architects who has helped set up the sustainability movement in India long before there were any rated benefits of doing so. For the first 10 years, he designed mainly low-cost houses in a Laurie Baker approach before moving on to small, low-cost hotels, which were, by their uniqueness, termed ‘boutique’, and then went on to design large luxurious homes and high-end hotels. However, in the last few years, he underwent a major introspection and started the journey back to where it all began. D’Cruz firmly believes that architecture has a larger role of imparting values, which can only be fulfilled while working with the communities. He is the principal architect of Mozaic, an architecture and product design firm based in Goa, and is also involved in the state’s regional plan for 2021. D’Cruz talks to Bhawna Jaimini on the future of residential architecture in India, and how it has helped shape the sustainability movement in the country.