Activity: Architectural Reviews published in Mainstream Media

At the last meeting of the Architectural Collegium, it was felt that there was a lack of critiques/ reviews/ analysis of architecture in India - both within the profession and among the public in general. The aim of this project is to choose 12 contemporary buildings (one for every month) in India and have them reviewed by Indian architects. A review will be published each month in a well known mainstream magazine or national daily starting January 2012. It is hoped that the reviews will also be translated into regional languages for wider distribution.

How you can participate 
a)   Interested members are requested to email a list of contemporary buildings in India that they think should be critiqued.
b)   Email the Collegium if you would like to write a critique and which building you would be interested in discussing

List of buildings & reviewers will be finalised at the next meeting.

email: architecture.collegium (at) gmail.com

Activity: Monograph on Architectural Education in India

Interested members are requested to email a short opinion piece on this topic. It does not need to be a researched article and even a 500 word paragraph will do. Please include a short biography of the author. Everyone’s write-up will then be compiled in a small publication that will be freely distributed and published on the web. Members can photocopy and circulate the document within their institutions/ among colleagues etc.

Some issues that can be addressed (among others) 
a)     Change of format from a 6month training within the 5 year course to a 1 year internship at the end of it 
b)    CoA proposal to have an additional registration process after the 5 year degree that includes written exams & interview 
c)     The need for practising architects in teaching (attached article from BD Magazine discussing the pro & con of this topic in the UK) 
d)      Is it necessary to have a higher degree to be able to teach architecture 
e)      The entry of foreign education institutions into India and its impact on quality, research and affordability of professional education including Architecture etc.

How you can participate 
Email your opinion piece & short (2-3line) biography on this topic to the Collegium by February 15^th 2012. All inputs received by this date will be compiled and formatted into one simple publication. It is hoped that it will be ready and distribution can start by March 01, 2012. It will be freely available online – perhaps on a blog. The blog can be set up to include more opinions and issues. This collection of thoughts will be sent to the CoA, the main regulatory body for Architectural education in India. An effort will also be made to get it published in an architectural magazine. 

email: architecture.collegium (at) gmail.com

Activity: Presentation & Article on the Bidding process/ Corruption

At the meeting, it was discussed how architects are awarded projects in India. The conversation started with how foreign architects/ firms in recent times have appeared to bypass the regular tender bid/ competition process.

However a deeper problem lies in the bidding process itself where the judging is based on financial quotes. Related problems include undercutting fees, going overtime/overbudget to make money, expecting cutbacks from contractors, bribing middlemen to secure projects etc. (The CWG games exemplified all of these problems)

The Central Vigilance Commission actually lists 8 different ways of awarding projects of which submitting financial bids is just one. It is worthwhile to study the other ways and make a proposal as to how this process can be changed or improves.

The presentation will be made at an open forum that will include all members of the AEC sector (Architecture Engineering Construction) especially Builders, Contractors & Real Estate Agents. It is believed that there needs to be a discussion & interaction on the issue between various members in the sector and not just limited to architects.

The view was expressed at the meeting of how architects can be perceived as living in their ‘ivory towers’ and how no suggestions about changing the profession will occur or be sustained unless other stake-holders are involved too.It is hoped that the related article will also be published in the mainstream media, or at the very least, in an architectural magazine.

How you can participate 
a)   Interested members are requested to email their thoughts on this topic to the Collegium, for possible inclusion in the final article

b)      Email the Collegium if you are interested in writing or collaborating on this article

Date of Presentation and Author/ Deadline for the article will be finalised at next meeting.

email: architecture.collegium (at) gmail.com