Shajay oversees CODE’s contribution to ZHA’s strategic innovation initiatives and collaboratively develops novel technological solutions to meet the complex requirements of clients and end users. His work with CODE is guided by future-oriented design principles while drawing inspiration from traditional wisdom — particularly vernacular methods in masonry and timber construction, climatic appropriateness, spatial arrangements, and detailing. His current focus is developing design-led innovations that create prosperous and sustainable contemporary urban environments. 

Shajay holds a PhD from ETH Zurich, where he investigated digital design and robotic fabrication at the Block Research Group. He also earned a Master of Philosophy in Digital Architectonics from the University of Bath in the UK, and a Master of Architecture and Urbanism from the Design Research Laboratory (DRL) at the Architectural Association (AA) in London. 

Shajay’s research and prototype projects have been widely published and exhibited across numerous international scientific publications and venues. He teaches and lectures extensively on architectural geometry, digital fabrication, computer graphics, video game technologies, and urban development. He has been teaching as a studio master at the AA DRL since 2006, where he explores the intersection of computational geometry, video game technology, urban development, and industrialised construction. He has also taught at the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL) in London and the University of Innsbruck in Austria. 

Shajay’s passion for cities and urbanism is rooted in his parents’ professional backgrounds in urban planning and geography. His peers and family continue to shape his research interests and professional philosophy, motivating him to become more curious and experimental each day.