A VK Group monthly newsletter

- March 2023 -

‘Golden Dialogues’ on Climate Action for Sustainability 

The second session of ‘Golden Dialogues’ was successfully conducted on 11th March 2023 on the topic ‘Climate Action for Sustainability’. ‘Golden Dialogues’ is a series of panel discussions on the topics central to the changing urbanscapes of India, organized by the VK Group, Pune, as a part of their 50th year celebrations. The panelists consisted of stalwarts in the climate action plans and policies: Prof. Amitav Mallik, Head of EECC and Founder Trustee of Pune International Center; Dr. Sunita Purushottam, Head of Sustainability at Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd.; and Abhishek Rajurkar, Asst. VP at National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Ltd., moderated by Dr. Anagha Purohit, Partner at VK:e environmental. Dr. Poorva Keskar, partner at VK:e, opened the session reminding the listeners of the adverse effects of climate change experienced on a daily basis, including floods, droughts and unpredictable weather. While cities occupy only 2% of the earth’s surface, they consume almost 78% of the world’s energy and produce almost 60% of the world’s GAG emissions. As a pioneer in bringing the issue of environmental protection into the forefront of National Security, Prof. Amitav Mallik has developed a vision for carbon-neutral PMR and convenes the Climate Collective at Pune. His talk centered around reimagining climate secure cityscapes. Dr. Sunita elaborated about her experience at the COP27 and India’s stand on the climate action policies. Rather than focusing only on ‘net-zero’ concepts, she stressed on the need to ‘reduce’ the use of resources and energy on an individual level and for the people to demand for environmentally responsible products. A financer in the construction sector, Abhishek Rajurkar gave an insight about the carbon market, where carbon credits are traded as a commodity and the impact it can have on the global carbon emissions. During the session, Sustainability Initiatives, a sister concern of VK Group also launched their book ‘SI Imprint: Confluence’ which is a compilation of the work done by SI in the last 10 years. The report was released at the hands of the Chief Guest, Pradeep Bhargava, Chairman of Automotive Stampings and Assemblies Ltd. Pune.

Seminar on Earthquake Safety

On the occasion of National Safety Week, SI organized an awareness seminar on Earthquake Safety for VK Group employees on 16th March, in association with Walter P Moore Leading diagnostics engineering division. This hour-long in-person seminar aimed to spread awareness about safety tips before, during and after an earthquake. Ashish Sapre, a senior associate at Diagnostic services started the session by busting some common myths about earthquake. Contrary to what many people believe, earthquakes cannot by accurately predicted. We have no control over the intensity or place where it would be affected so one should be always prepared to reduce our vulnerability to the hazard. Using clips of live reactions of people during earthquakes in different scenarios, he explained how an actual earthquake feels like and what one should and shouldn’t do in that situation. He also advised to have a survival kit ready at all times and shared some simple tips to earthquake-proof one’s home to reduce the damages. By educating common people about how to respond in an earthquake, with little effort one can prepare themselves and their family to reduce chances of injury and improve the capacity of survival.

International Women's Day Celebrations

What Do Competitions And Awards Mean For An Architectural Firm?

Some Competition Designs Done by VK:a and VK:u

Competitions push architects to explore beyond the ordinary and how to successfully represent those visually. It gives an opportunity to learn and to find where one stand amongst national and international peers. In the case of IMS Katra competition, Ar. Vijay Sane has rightly stated the VK:u team got a chance to explore transportation design, circulation studies and economics of such large projects, providing the team with a newer skill set for bigger opportunities.

With a keen interest in experimenting in design, Ar. Vishal Deshmukh was instrumental in establishing the Design Cell under VK:a in 2015. It comprises of a few talented architects dedicated to working on competition projects and developing innovative proposals. “The lack of restrictions allow a free-flow of ideas beyond the constrains of material, form, structural possibilities, service requirements and budget” he says, “which often limits the imagination in the real world practice.” But beyond that, competitions have exposed VK:a to different ways of design, approach presentation, and to take inspiration from fellow practices. Internally, it has improved coordination between multiple teams and the research done always spilled over into the on-ground projects, enriching their output.

Especially in India where architects are not allowed to advertise their work, competitions and awards become a platform to showcase your expertise or to venture into a new area of work. For VK:a, such proposals also became a gateway into the realm of Government buildings and projects, which was not a strong forte of the firm till a few years ago. The Design Cell team has participated in over 20 competitions and brought many accolades to VK:a. Their proposal for place-making in the Pune Smart City plan has also placed VK:a amongst the most noted architectural firms in the city. 

VK:u urban Featured by Silicon India Magazine

Why Architectural Awards Matter 

Earlier this month, British architect, Sir David Chipperfield was awarded architecture’s highest honor - the Pritzker Prize. I have looked at architectural awards with a certain skepticism, a feeling shared by Kate Wagner in her article, because they often "continue to foster the myth that architecture is the solo pursuit of a handful of geniuses rather than a multibillion-dollar enterprise in which millions of nameless, often underpaid practitioners power the creative engine and do the brute labor of getting it done."

But whether we like it or not, these top-shelf awards guide a global culture of architectural excellence and set standards that impact users. So seeing names like Diébédo Francis Kéré (2022), B.V Doshi (2018) and Shigeru Ban (2014) on the list, is definitely a relief. This year David Chipperfield’s works was noticed for ‘honouring the pre-existing built and natural environments’ referring to his many re-use and retrofit projects. Hopefully, this will accelerate the much needed shift towards reviving existing structures rather than building new ones.

My personal favourite, Diébédo Francis Kéré, is the first and only architect of African origin to win the honour. His work in his village Gando in Burkina Faso is a testament to his community driven practice with low-tech, sustainable techniques. First the Primary School and then the subsequent additions have not only provided them with a sociable learning environment, but also created a space that the community is proud of and has transformed the life of the inhabitants.

The project was also presented with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) in 2004. Though it focuses on the Muslim community, the AKAA winning projects have fascinated me more, probably because it recognizes projects, teams, and stakeholders in addition to the architect.

With multiple competitions and accolades in various levels, architects and their work, especially smaller newer ones, get a better chance to be recognized in a highly competitive field. Beyond trophies, they give a chance to break traditional typologies and change the idea of what constitutes architecture.

What Makes An Architect/ Architecture Award-Worthy?

Most of the highest honours - The Pritzker, RIBA Stirling Prize, AIA Gold Medal and the lot - are not or for a specific building, but rather for a body of built work. The Pritzker is awarded to a living architect or architects (not to an architectural firm) “whose built work demonstrates a combination of talent, vision, and commitment; and has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.”

Unlike most prizes that appreciate the accomplishments of individual architects, the Aga Khan Award selects projects and recognizes all those who have a role in realizing them. This includes clients, builders, artisans and decision makers. Architecture is viewed as a collaborative endeavour in which architects play a vital role. 

In India, the IIA awards acknowledge and appreciate “the creative contribution” of members in different typologies. Rethinking The Future Awards 2023 offers more than 60 award categories, including concept and built categories. A plethora of smaller awards have been introduced to acknowledge the constant innovation by architects down to the minutest details that go into a building, including products.

With the power to change the urban landscape and architectural designs lasting a lifetime, creating something that ‘stands out’ can often seem important. But a successful design also needs to take the context into consideration to maximize positive impact.

By now, most, if not all, architects would agree that environmental performance is a collective and urgent priority, and many firms are now creating green buildings, aiming to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Beyond energy use, attention to factors such as the health and experience of people in and around a building is becoming more prevalent. But various award-winning projects have been criticized of aiding in social iniquity and greenwashing. 

While formal certifications like LEED, GRIHA etc are incentivizing incorporation of sustainable technology, award platforms also need to acknowledge community engagement, social justice and connection to occupant health and well-being, as project performance criteria.

CABKOMA Strand Rod 

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- Athulya Ann Aby

This newsletter has been edited and compiled by Ar. Athulya Ann Aby, Architectural Writer, VK Group

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