Janhavi spent her childhood in the Malwa plateau region in Central India, known for its rich black soil and wheat crops. Living in this unique microclimate with blooming Butea monosperma and Cassia fistula, she developed an interest in understanding the cultural associations of these tropical trees that represent her home area as part of a unique natural and cultural ecosystem. Janhavi has also extensively explored ancient temples, forts, and rock-cut caves of Sahyadri’s old fold mountains with her grandfather, which inclined her toward the sacred natural landscapes intertwined with folklore and stories. From these formative experiences, she has been keen on imprinting these unique landscapes in her sketchbook and has learned to observe and appreciate them through her art over the years. She brings this perspective to her work at Living Habitats, where communities, along with flora and fauna, are a part of the carefully designed natural and built environments.

Janhavi joined Living Habitats as a landscape and urban designer after graduating from the University of Illinois Chicago with a Master of City Design. She also completed a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Landscape Architecture degree while in India. While there she worked professionally on cultural landscapes, residential and commercial landscape designs, along with urban-scale planning projects. She also worked as an academic in India, where she explored her passion for educating young minds in architecture and planning school. When not planning cities, Janhavi loves to sketch live and can be found exploring Chicago in search of places to render or reading Agatha Christie novels.

“Since joining Living Habitats, I have enjoyed engaging with the Southwest Side communities of Chicago while working on the South Branch Connectivity Framework Plan. Learning about their diverse culture and shared values gave me insight into the meaning that this river holds for them and reinforced for me that equitable access will remain central in my planning work. I am grateful to have been a part of a comprehensive planning process that has raised awareness around connectivity within these Chicago neighborhoods and the surrounding region.”