A Multidimensional Career in Architecture ft. Ruchi Sabale, Associate and Project Manager

This Architecture Social CPD features Ruchi Sabale, Associate and Project Manager at CallisonRTKL, in conversation with Stephen Drew. Approximate listening time 48 minutes.

In an industry where the blueprint of success is often as complex and multifaceted as the buildings it produces, the journey of Ruchi Sabale stands out as a testament to the versatility and dynamism inherent in the field of architecture. From her initial steps as an eager architecture student in India to her evolution into a seasoned project manager in the UK, Ruchi's career is a narrative of exploration, growth, and the pursuit of excellence.

A Multidimensional Career in Architecture

Ruchi Sabale's architectural journey began with a deep-rooted interest in understanding and shaping the urban fabric. Her education, marked by a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and a Master's in Urban Planning, laid the foundation for a career that would span continents, cultures, and the full spectrum of architectural practice. Working under the mentorship of B.V. Doshi, a Pritzker Prize laureate, Ruchi was introduced to the philosophy that would guide her professional outlook: the architect as a master builder who integrates diverse elements into a cohesive whole.

Bridging Cultures and Disciplines

Ruchi's move from the Indian architectural landscape to the UK's diverse and demanding environment reflects her adaptability and appetite for new experiences. At Benoy, she worked across retail and urban design, contributing to projects that ranged from India to developments in the Middle East. Her work on projects such as Yas Island and Ferrari World demonstrated her ability to navigate international practice, blending cultural understanding with design. She continued to deliver through the 2008 to 2009 downturn, a period she describes as challenging but formative.

The Shift to Project Management

The pivotal moment in Ruchi's career came when she recognised her natural inclination towards the organisational, communicative, and strategic aspects of architecture. Moving into project management was not merely a change of role but a realisation of her potential to influence projects from a different vantage point. At CallisonRTKL, where she was trained internally as a project manager, she applied her architectural knowledge and people skills to lead projects to completion. Her journey underlines the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and the confidence to explore new territory within a career.

Championing the Architectural Profession

Ruchi Sabale's reflections on her career and the profession carry a clear understanding of the architect's role in society. She champions the idea that architects contribute to the prosperity of people and nations, a perspective that lifts the profession beyond design and construction alone. Her path from architect to project manager shows the many forms architectural practice can take, and how each person can find their own way to make a meaningful impact.

Who this is for

Architecture students, Part 2 and Part 3 candidates, and practising architects who are curious about project management as a career path, as well as anyone in a small or large practice who wants to run projects more calmly and communicate better with clients and consultants.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this session you will be able to:

1. Describe how a career can move from architecture and urban design into project management, and the transferable skills that make the move possible.
2. Explain why communication sits at the centre of the project manager's role.
3. Build a contingency mindset into a resource or financial plan rather than bolting it on later.
4. Identify the strengths within a project team and delegate accordingly.
5. Recognise the link between fair fees, resourcing, and project quality.
6. Decide whether a project management route suits your own temperament and interests.

Key takeaways

Project management is priority management. Ruchi frames the discipline as ordering what matters, day by day, rather than sitting behind a Gantt chart. No two days look the same, which suits people who dislike routine.

Communication is the core skill. Much of the value comes from keeping clients, contractors, and subcontractors aligned. Technical knowledge matters, but a project manager who cannot communicate clearly will struggle.

Always hold a plan B. A contingency plan should be formed in your head while you draft plan A, because something usually shifts once a project is on site.

Know your team and delegate. Understanding who is a researcher, a doer, a planner, or a communicator lets you place people well and trust them with the work.

Value the work, and price it. Ruchi notes that architects often absorb extra work without asking for additional fees, which quietly erodes the profession's worth. Fair fees protect resourcing, morale, and the final quality of a building.

Key terms

• Project manager in a practice: an architect-trained lead who steps back from lead design to deliver the project on time, on budget, and to brief.
• Contingency plan: a prepared alternative for when a resource, cost, or programme assumption changes.
• RIBA Plan of Work stages: the framework, from stage 0 to stage 7, that structures a project from strategic definition through to use.
• Delegation: assigning tasks to team members based on their strengths while retaining overall responsibility.

Reflective prompts for your CPD record

1. Where in your current projects are you carrying out extra work without agreeing an additional fee, and how could you change that conversation?
2. Think of a recent setback on site. What contingency, planned earlier, would have softened it?
3. Which parts of the project manager's role appeal to you, and which do not, and what does that tell you about your next career step?

About the guest

Ruchi Sabale is an Associate and Project Manager at CallisonRTKL, a global architecture, planning, and design firm. She studied architecture and a Master's in urban planning in India, gained early experience with the practice of B.V. Doshi, then spent close to nine years at Benoy working across retail and urban design in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and India before moving into project management. She has since completed her Part 3.

Watch or listen using the player above, or on YouTube. Explore more guests and practices in the CallisonRTKL profile and the Ruchi Sabale profile on the Architecture Social.