It all started when Shilpa and Pinkish met at the JJ School of Architecture and got married in 1993. Ornella D'Souza visits the couple's Juhu home, where amid chatter, chai and hummus, the senior-most family member, Avinash Gore, narrates the family story:

Avinash: When I was in class five, I built a cottage with a godown and a tool room in our garden. When I was completing my SSC, I learnt about architecture upon meeting my elder brother's friend, who was studying architecture at Kala Niketan in Baroda. Impressed, I enrolled into Sir JJ College of Architecture. By the time I graduated in 1962, I had worked with architects RK Chokshi and Parelkar Dallas Architects before joining Piloo Mody. I then got an opportunity to build for Indian Cotton Mills Federation. My family and friends suggested I start my own practice – which I did. I called it A.gor.a Architects.

(Wife) Geeta joined JJ in 1961. When she wanted to do an internship, her uncle asked my father if I'd take her on. She was very attractive and good at her work. We married in 1967. We're first generation architects in our family.

Shaila: Both families (Gores and Shahs) have brother-sister siblings who are architects and have gotten married to architects.

Rahul: In such a family, one has many discussions on art. Our weekend home in Lonavala influenced my decision to become an architect. But I did go through a phase of rebellion during which time I didn't want to do architecture...

Rujuta: I too went through that phase.

Rahul: I wanted to be different from my parents. I even considered engineering but while studying for the entrance exam, I realised that numbers didn't make sense to me. Lines did. By that time, my sister Shilpa was studying architecture. Her friends, including Pinkish, would come over. He suggested I go to the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad. I broke the JJ tradition in our family.

Shaila: Pinkish, Shilpa, Geeta, Avinash uncle and I went to JJ.

Rujuta: Ushma, Manoj and I are from Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies (KRVIA).

Rahul: ...And that's where I met Sonal.

Rujuta: All of us met our partners either at college or at work. As an architect, you don't really have a life outside college or work because you are working so hard (laughs)!

Manoj: That makes it sound really bad (more laughter follows).

...

Ornella: What are family discussions like?

Sagar: ...never about design. This is the first time we are talking about architecture (laughs).

Ashok: Each one has his/her unique style, so we don't interfere. There's no competition between us. We even refer clients to each other.

Pinkish: We've collaborated with one another at some point. Manoj and I did a house together. For a school project, there was a crucial meeting and I realised we needed a lot of grey hair so I dragged them (Ashok and Jagdish Shah) to just sit beside me. They were there to support us.

Ushma: Growing up in this family has been inspiring. This house was my first role model. The staircase as a slide, the sloping roof, a semi-circle dining table... We also stayed at Ashok mama's beach-facing bungalow. Every time we would visit, something would've changed... the sofa became a platform with a gadda. That was what prompted me to get into architecture. Many people tell me this is easy for me because my whole family is into architecture...

Ornella: ...but is it actually easy?

Ushma: When I was in Kamla Raheja (college), everyone knew Rujuta and Manoj, who were toppers! And he (Ashok) used to teach me, so it was 'mama ki class'. I was part of a legacy.