DESIGN INNOVATIONSEGAL DESIGN INSTITUTE
at the McCORMICK SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Hemmant Jha is an architect and designer, machinist and strategist, entrepreneur and educator.

Hemmant believes that design is creative problem-solving. His interest has always been in finding elegant solutions to complex problems and bringing these ideas to life. His holistic approach is informed by wide and varied professional work in architecture and design, consumer products and electronics, engineering and manufacturing, logistics, IP and product strategy. Through his work, Hemmant demonstrates that design / strategy / innovation / sustainability and the need for profitability can work together to benefit people and planet.

With an M.Arch from Yale University School of Architecture, Hemmant designed the Museum of Jewish Heritage, NYC with the team at Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. In 2018, he established Honest Structures, the company that makes the cleanest, most responsible line of furniture products in the world.

As Chief Design Officer at the Godrej&Boyce Manufacturing Company Ltd., Hemmant established their Design Innovation Center, articulated the mission and business goals, and created the Design Vision and Implementation Strategy. Subsequently, he worked with the Office of the CEO at TATA Steel to establish their Innovation Group. Prior to this, he was a designer, innovator and strategic consultant to Nike, FEDEX, United Airlines, Sony Electronics, Amgen and Abbvie. 

Hemmant taught his human-centered approach at the Institute of Design, IIT, Segal Design Institute and Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Most recently at Segal, Hemmant has taught DTC, DTD and established a new course DSGN395 Design Objects: Furniture Design.

Hemmant is an audiophile who also restores vintage audio equipment. He is a proud supporter and collector of well designed objects, however humble - and he publishes a (mostly) weekly newsletter on Design, Culture and Technology.

What’s next? Re-thinking the nature of the built environment for our time, and a fundamentally different and cleaner way of making buildings.