PS Architects: Redefining Urban Spaces Through Visionary Design

In a world where cities evolve faster than ever, architect and entrepreneur Prital Shukla, AIA, is proving that progress and preservation can coexist. Through her Secaucus-based firm, PS Architecture & Design Inc., Ms. Shukla is leading a quiet but powerful movement, one that turns aging buildings into opportunities, and outdated spaces into catalysts for community growth.

Design with Purpose

For Ms. Shukla, architecture has never been only about structures. It is about people, their dreams, their constraints, and the places that bring their stories to life.

“Architecture shouldn’t feel intimidating,” she says. “It should be transparent, collaborative, and rooted in purpose.”

That conviction inspired her to establish PS Architects, a practice that serves as a bridge between creativity and practicality. She saw too many homeowners, small developers, and business owners struggle to navigate zoning codes, permit processes, and the maze of city approvals. Her solution was to reimagine the role of the architect not just as a designer, but as a guide who helps clients move from idea to occupancy with clarity and confidence.

Today, PS Architects has become synonymous with trust, accessibility, and people-centric design throughout Northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area.

The Power of Adaptive Reuse

At the heart of Ms. Shukla’s work is a profound belief that the future of cities lies in adaptive reuse, the art of giving existing buildings a new purpose. It is an approach that conserves resources, preserves cultural identity, and revitalizes entire neighborhoods.

“Adaptive reuse isn’t just about saving a building,” she explains. “It’s about saving opportunities and seeing potential where others see limitations.”

In Jersey City, Newark, and neighboring municipalities, PS Architects has transformed underutilized warehouses, aging storefronts, and single-family houses into vibrant multi-family residences and mixed-use spaces. These projects provide affordable housing while breathing new life into neglected urban corridors. Each one reduces environmental waste, respects local character, and strengthens the social fabric of the surrounding community.

The firm’s projects demonstrate that sustainability can be elegant, attainable, and impactful when guided by vision rather than trend.

BEFORE: Exist. single-family house    AFTER: Proposed 3-family affordable housing

A Human Approach to Leadership

Ms. Shukla’s leadership style reflects both her entrepreneurial drive and her empathy as a mother of two. She understands that behind every floor plan lies a personal story, a family seeking stability, a developer pursuing a dream, or a small business owner hoping to create local impact.

This perspective shapes the way she leads her team and serves her clients. Collaboration, communication, and education are central to every project. From the earliest zoning review to the final construction inspection, Ms. Shukla ensures her clients understand each step, empowering them to make informed decisions that align with both design excellence and real-world feasibility.

Recognition and Community Impact

Since its inception, PS Architects has earned respect for its pioneering work in adaptive reuse and affordable housing. The firm’s consistent success with planning board and zoning board approvals has made it a trusted partner among developers, city planners, and municipal boards throughout the region.

Ms. Shukla’s contributions as a woman-led business owner have also been recognized in various professional and media circles, highlighting her as both a thought leader and a role model in an industry where women remain underrepresented. Her firm’s work bridges the gap between private development and public benefit, an achievement that continues to inspire young architects across the state.

Scaling Impact, Not Size

When asked about the future of PS Architects, Ms. Shukla is clear that growth for her is measured not by office size or number of employees, but by the impact each project leaves behind.

“I want to scale PS Architects by building a team that creates meaningful change - one building project, one city block at a time,” she says.

Her long-term vision includes expanding the firm’s influence through design-build partnerships, sustainability research, and community education initiatives that make the process of architecture more inclusive and transparent for everyone involved.

Transforming Cities, One Building at a Time

At its core, PS Architects represents more than architecture, it represents possibility. By reimagining forgotten buildings and unlocking their potential, Ms. Shukla is reshaping what urban living can look like: sustainable, inclusive, and profoundly human.

Each project is a step toward a future where cities are not just built better, but built smarter for people, for purpose, and for generations to come.

To learn more about how PS Architects are transforming communities through design innovation, visit psarchdesign.com.

Name: Prital Shukla, RA, AIA
Title: Founder & Principal Architect
Firm: PS Architecture & Design Inc., Secaucus, NJ
Licenses: New Jersey & New York
Specialties: Adaptive Reuse, Affordable Housing, Mixed-Use Urban Redevelopment
Mission: To make architecture accessible, transparent, and community-driven through purposeful design and adaptive reuse.
Website: https://psarchdesign.com