A message from Prem Chandavarkar: 18/05 — Masters’ Course in Architectural Education: Aζ and Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Ansal University

This is a sorely needed discussion as one of the steps necessary to build a critical culture in the architectural profession in India. This requires action on three fronts:

(1) A regulatory regime designed to provoke excellence and critique as opposed to the current ‘minimum standards’ approach that pushes for conformance to the lowest common denominator.

(2) A curriculum designed to produce personal mastery and provoke critical attitudes, and eschew blind adherence to prevailing fashion or mere vocationalism (and this discussion on a masters course in architectural education is crucial here).

(3) An infrastructure for criticism, including critical journalism, discussions, exhibitions, lectures, etc.

All of this is tied to the regulatory regime on licensing, for a legal protection of the title and services of the architect without a critical investigation into the value an architect can offer will only lead to bureaucratic protectionism that breeds a culture of mediocrity.