DNA Sir JJ Architecture Awards 2018: Key takeaways from the panel discussion

Rajiv Mishra: The concepts of learning and teaching have changed over a period of time. We need to reflect on the concept of architectural practice when you started as an intern and concept of practice now, because the feedback will help young teachers to understand how best to teach our students. How it was then, now and how is that you wish to see the progress of architecture education now onwards? This panel discussion has been organised to help and enlighten us by suggesting various ideas and opportunities for improving architectural education thereby having its impact on architecture profession and for this we have the luminaries joining us.  

Ar. Prem Nath: We have seen a lot of changes happening in these last 50 years of practice starting from the small office to large kind of practice. Now as an architect, I think its everybody’s job to stay ahead. I must be smarter than other people and have lot of knowledge about technologies, material, resources. Teaching system has to be more than making drawings, it’s a competitive world. Students coming out of college should not be handicapped, they should be smart. Five years is a  long time, we learn a lot. We have all the commands available. Nothing is faster than the head and hand. Teachers should consider new technological trends so that they can produce good students.

Ar. Shirish Sukhatme: I started teaching basic design; I started understanding that more the subjectivities more the norm descriptive part, your dispensability in the society is getting reduced. When Auto CAD came architecture design changed. Technology has changed which has forced architects to change. Thinking colour scheme in 3D, these are one of the basic mental abilities some institute need to take. I am happy that Sir JJ College of Architecture has the autonomy to design its own syllabus and not compromise so that other colleges should understand the syllabus. That cannot be the parameter but there has to be one single way of teaching design in the best manner.  

Ar. Gurunath Dalvi: I would like to thank DNA AAJJA and JJ college of Architecture for giving importance to the teachers. Awards are usually given to professionals and this is the first time we are witnessing awards given to teachers. When I started my career as a teacher 45 years back, the scenario was different.They used to give sketches on the board - right from plinth or foundation to the top. They were simultaneously giving lecture and completing  sketches within half or one hour. Now, they just project the image using power point presentation and students don’t take it down they just snap it with their mobile and class is over.

Ar. Ratan Batliboi: It is important for architects to be sensitized to what is needed today in our society, buildings and cities. There is a huge lack in students now, in terms of sensitivity to other strata of society and current needs of city. In the early 80s there was seriousness, architects was interested in the vocation. Today its more about tools, software, skill set rather than basic intelligence. It’s critical for us to widen the practice base from just architecture and aesthetics sciences towards building institutions and structures to slightly larger perspectives of sociology, legal and business framework.