Segments 04 I September 2023

AVANI WORKSHOPS

Origametria

Wood Workshop

Movie Workshop

Menstural Health Awareness

Workshop with Ar. Sharon Rotbard

OFF CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

The Biennale experience

Korero

Painting Kindergarten

FCA Colloquium 2023

Sem 09: Negotiating the Continuum

YOUNG ARCHITECTS FESTIVAL

Chinta & Bhavana

Reweave Kozhikode Competition

Only Urban Angadi

EVENTS

Dhaara

SPICMACAY

Friction

Avani Sports Meet and League

Disha 2022

Dhi

Kooth

Holi

Avani Essay Prize 2022

ACHIEVEMENTS

Ar. Afifa Nuzhat, Ar. Vivek P P, Ar. Aditya Nambissan, Ar. Krishna Salim, Ar. Niranjan C Warrior, Ar. Vishnu K Ar. Ujjayant Bhattacharyya, Ar. Devakumar T, Ar. Thushara, Dr Soumini Raja.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Joel, Radhika, Uthara, Rose Sarah, Hanna Pathrose, Abhirami, Amith, Sanju Ganesh, Faheema Mariyam, David V Varghese, Sowndarya Sree, Anna, Sreechandana, Gouri Nandana, Rithul Sai, Mary Ann, Ajuvind Shaji, Tom Paulji M, Hafis, Aban, Sharvin, Kishan, Prarthana, Sana Sadik, Nihal, Jacob Allappat, Abhay MJ.

Onam

Nada Vara

Investiture Ceremony

Visit to Green Ara

STUDENT ACTIVITIES GROW

Avani Farm

EDITORIAL NOTE

DESIGN FOR LIFE@AVANI

Where do we come from? Where are we going?

We don’t design life, we design for life, for humanity, for the living, for living.

Design exists in everything we imagine, think and do. We think Design! Design helps us make sense of our daily life.

We design to enrich communities in a nature never outside our lives.

Design thinks, draws, diagrams; design is relational. We talk about building Avani is a design institute; it is a neighbourhood, a community, a school, a practice.

Design with dignity; design like your life depended on it. Design like you breathe.

Avani is a landscape where we design for life.

Written by: Roger Connah Academic Council Member

WORKSHOPS

Origametria

Artist Anto George Faculty

Spatial understanding is a fundamental skill for architecture students, requiring exploration of various forms through paper folding and model making. This medium offers an elaborate visual understanding of design principles. The practice of Origami folding is known to enhance motor skills, spatial perception, logical thinking, hand-eye coordination, concentration, aesthetics, 3D perception, and basic geometry principles. The Origametria workshop therefore aimed to develop spatial visualization abilities, encompassing the mental manipulation and perception of 2D and 3D objects from different perspectives.

Following the workshop, the students continued practicing origami through

the assigned “Act in between” tasks which was part of their foundation studio engagements. They acquired language and diagrams to express origami folding methods, incorporating drawings and utilizing computer software. This progressive learning process culminated in an installation. During the midterm exhibition, participants showcased their folding skills in the form of a still installation as well as in the other outputs. By integrating origami, their ability in spatial understanding was enhanced as well as provided them with valuable skills and perspectives, also fostering creativity. This was deemed effective immediately in their perception and observational abilities.

Written by: Artist Anto George

Students exploring origamy styles and making geometric objects

Wood Workshop 02

Mr. Nandakumar Smaram

The first-year students of Batch 2022 participated in a wood workshop conducted between 29 March to 30 March 2023 as part of their integrated studio project. The workshop was aimed at helping the students understand wooden tectonics and develop a product, which they had designed themselves.

The wood workshop was a unique learning experience for the students. As it was a time bound exercise, the students faced challenges in managing their time and solving context-specific problems. To guide the students and faculty team through this process, Mr. Nandakumar, from Smaram, an interior and furniture designer with a degree in Interior Design from CEPT, Ahmedabad, was invited to share his expertise.

Mr. Nandakumar’s hands-on approach and keen attention to detail helped the students explore various possibilities and understand the material and its properties. Under his guidance, the students were able to take their product from an idea to a piece of art. The workshop was an opportunity for them to work with wood, a versatile material that requires a high degree of skill and precision. It also enabled them to develop a better understanding of the design process and how to translate their ideas into a tangible product.

Written by: Ar. Anupama VJ

Movie Workshop

Ar. Aromal R, Assistant director

Mr. Midhun Madhav, Art director and Graphic designer

of the workshop. The workshop was a perfect blend of theory and practical applications, where Ar. Aromal shared his knowledge and expertise on the fundamentals of movie-making, such as scriptwriting, storyboarding, camera angles, and lighting, while Midhun introduced the students to stop-motion techniques, which is a unique style of animation that involves creating a movie by moving objects in small increments between individually photographed frames.

Written by: Ar. Anupama VJ

First-year students of Batch 2022 got a chance to dive into the world of movie-making through a workshop conducted by Ar. Aromal, an assistant director in the film industry and Mr. Midhun Madhav, an art director and graphic designer with expertise in stop-motion. The workshop was a part of their Integrated Design Studio, where the students were introduced to the basics of movie-making and given hands-on experience to create their own movie by the end

The students were divided into teams, and each team was given a task to create their own movie. The teams brainstormed their ideas, created scripts, developed storyboards and created short movies. One team worked on stop motion animation, where they designed their characters and sets, and brought them to life. The results were truly impressive and intriguing! The movies created by the students were imaginative, engaging, and displayed a high level of creativity and technical skill. The workshop not only helped them to learn the basics of movie-making but also instilled a sense of teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills, which clearly provoked them to apply in the forthcoming motives.

Menstural Health Awareness

Guest: Dr. Shahma Abdul Rahman

Organizers: MHAT and Gender Development Cell

Date: 28 March 2023 at 03:30 PM

Coordinators: Students of Batch 2022

The workshop was conducted as part of a series of events being organized under the Gender Development Cell in Collaboration with MHAT. This workshop was aimed at creating awareness on Menstrual Health among the student cohort at Avani.

The event was coordinated by the first year students of Batch 2022. The session was an interactive one where Dr. Shahma spoke at length about the female reproductive system, the menstrual cycle and menstrual hygiene. This was then followed with a Q&A session for the students to interact, ask questions and debunk the many myths associated with menstruation.

Written by: Er. Nima Viswanath

Workshop with Ar. Sharon Rotbard

A workshop was conducted by Prof. Sharon Rotbard an Israeli architect, publisher and author who is also the senior lecturer at the Department of Architecture in Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem. Few selected faculty from Avani Institute of Design on 24 January and 25 January 2023 attended the workshop.

On day one, Prof. Sharon gave an introductory talk about the notion of “Dérive’’, and explained the theoretical and historical backgrounds behind this concept. The rest of the day was spent discussing various readings related to the theory of “Dérive”.

A site visit to Mananchira and S M Street was organized on day two.

Written by: Ar. Afifa Nuzhat

Faculty team with Ar. Sharon Rotbard at Mananchira

The Biennale Experience OFF CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

As the sun was setting on 20th Jan 2023, the first years of Avani set afoot to make new memories about the infamous Kochi Muziris Biennale. At Aspinwall House, among the Biennale’s main sites, works ranging from massive site-specific installations to video-based works offer thoughtful, care-filled, and sensoriales entries into human experiences and struggles to make meaning of our collective lives. Expressing our views regarding all the artworks would not suffice for this platform, we would like to bring a couple of artworks that influenced us the most to the limelight.

Sahil Naik’s installation, All is Water and to Water, We Must Return, pays homage to Curdi, a Goan village. Swallowed by a dam project, Curdi resurfaces for a month every summer. Every year residents return to clean the ruins and place vessels to symbolically reoccupy their homes. The originality of the bricks, and the darkness created a beautiful folk song that was loud enough to hit our hearts and exposed us to the devastating condition that the villagers went through. On day 2, we started at Darbar Hall.

The interiors of Durbar Hall looked splendid and it had a modern touch to it. This was a biennale site that we were very excited to visit as this year, our visual arts professor Artist Anto George’s artworks were also exhibited. The vibrant use of colours, the inclusion of various lifeforms and the

exclusive style of painting planted a seed of curiosity in our minds. The Biennale has affected our thought process massively. This realization came later on when we started noticing that most of our works after the visit had drawn inspiration from various exhibits.

Written by : Sana fathima, Vaidehi Darshan - Batch 2022

Korero

In Conversation with Architects

Korero is an initiative formulated to create a platform for active interaction between prominent architects, their philosophy and practice with young aspiring students of architecture. So far 5 editions of the program have been conducted by the institution at various selected works in and around Kozhikode. The following are the details of the conducted events :

The program is coordinated by faculty members, Ar Anjali Sujat and Ar Vishnu K with student coordinators, Aneja Benny and Lithin Francis (Batch 2021).

Edition Architect Office Selected Work

Korero 1 Ar. Nimisha Hakkim DAC

Korero 2 Ar. Vinod Cyriac SpaceArt

Korero 3 Ar. Vivek PP DeEarth

Korero 4 Ar. Kirthi Suvarnan Satkriya Tales

Korero 5 Ar. Tony Joseph Stapati

Karaparamba High School, Karaparambu

Sister Lini Memorial Bus Terminal, Perambra

Freedom Square, Beach Road

Udayam, Home for Transition

Malabar Corporate Office

Written by : Ar. Anjali Sujat

Students with Ar. Nimisha Shaijal

Students and Faculty with Ar. Keerthi Suvarnan from Satkriya

Painting Kindergarten

Reviving the “Cresh” kindergarten in Ambayathode, Thamarassery became a remarkable achievement thanks to the joint efforts of students from Avani Institute of Design and the Mhat organization. After being inactive for some time, the students took it upon themselves to bring new life to the kindergarten by organizing an event where they beautifully repainted the building with vibrant drawings and designs. With great dedication and hard work, the students transformed the kindergarten into a colourful and inviting space. They spent several days preparing and planning the design, making sure to create an environment that would inspire young children to learn and grow in a positive way. The inauguration of the revamped Cresh was a resounding success, with many people attending the event. Government officials and education experts were impressed by the students’ efforts and praised their commitment. They assured continued support for the kindergarten, ensuring it would serve the needs of the community effectively. This event exemplified the power of collaboration and community involvement. The students from Avani Institute of Design and the Mhat organization joined forces to create a space that would benefit the children of the community. Their hard work paid off, as the revamped Cresha now stands as a place of learning and growth.

The event to repaint and inaugurate the Cresh kindergarten in Ambayathode Thamarassery was a tremendous success. The collaboration between students and the Mhat organization resulted in a vibrant and welcoming environment for children to thrive. We hope to see more initiatives like this in the future, as they contribute to building a brighter future for our children and communities.

Written by : Shinoy VK - Batch 2020

FCA Colloquium 2023

The Feminist Collective in Architecture Colloquium 2023 on the theme “Explorations in Gender and Space: Academic Perspectives” was held at the Centre for Environment Education at Ahmedabad on 25th and 26th March 2023. Dr. Soumini Raja, Head of Department at Avani was an invited speaker in the colloquium. The national colloquium saw participation of students, tutors and independent researched from across the country share their academic work to bring critical insights and perspectives into understanding Gender and Space. It included documentation, theoretical inquiries, fieldwork, community

engagement and creative imaginations. During the session Dr. Raja pointed out the need for “intersectional approach to feminist spatial practices that calls for revision and articulation of architectural vocabulary through deliberate discursive practices. Feminist collectives in architecture must make attempt to engage in a meaningful dialogue between people of all gender identities, to make progress in achieving equal opportunities.” She emphasized a need for architecture academy and spatial practice to ungender.

Written by : Dr. Soumini Raja

Ar. Soumini with the Participants at FCA

Negotiating the Continuum

A Participatory Studio

Semester 09 - 2018

Negotiating the Continuum: exploring the nature of public infrastructure design in Thamarassery Avani truly believes in offering to the community as the very purpose of education. This philosophy is deeply embedded in every studio that we design at the school. While in semester 04, emphasis is on Rural communities, Semester 05 and 09 demonstrates the architect’s engagement with the Urban. During the Monsoon 2022, students were exposed to the socio-cultural-political milieu of the capital city of Trivandrum in Semester 05 and Thamarassery in Semester 09.

The Semester 09 “Cities and People” Studio for the 2018 Batch students attempted to consciously connect social and spatial through reflections on formal and morphological manifestations that can enhance liveability through critical community infrastructures in small towns. The studio situated in Thamarassery was a conscious attempt to evolve design through active participation of citizens at various stages of the study. Avani became a venue for citizen meetings organized by the Thamarassery Panchayat. The participation of elected representatives of the Panchayat, Members of local NGOs, trade unions, local institutions etc. In several consultation meetings that shaped the direction of the studio, the inputs from the people of Thamarassery were critical in generating a structure plan for the town and for developing spatial responses.

The studio emphasized the agency of citizens in the urban

design processes. Beyond the four walls of the classroom, students undertook evaluation through active engagement with the site to understand ecology, transportation, resource management, demographic patterns, economic factors etc. It served as a pre-thesis studio for the 2018 Batch to build upon students’ skills in critical inquiry, project formulation, design skills and representation skills.

Written by : Dr. Soumini Raja

Discussion with public representatives

Chinta & Bhavana

YOUNG ARCHITECTS FESTIVAL 01

Members of Avani faculty cohort Dr. Soumini Raja and Ar. Vishnu K co-curated the Young Architects Festival - Crossroads 2022 Workshops - Chinta and Bhavana respectively, held on 28 and 29 October 2022. Chinta was a design thinking workshop in which participants including young architects and students were invited to offer design interpretations for reimagining the old corporation office in Calicut. The reinterpretation of the program needed to offer a critique to the city’s tangible heritage. It raised pertinent questions: How do we interpret ‘historical’ in architecture? Is it simply an artifact of ‘a’ past or a being in the present? What can the future offer to such architectural artifacts of ‘a’ past? What is Calicut’s critical vernacular?The workshop saw over 20 participants who were mentored by Imminent architects Ar. Bijoy Ramachandran, Ar. Biju Kuriakose, Ar. Shimul Jhaveri Kadri and Ar. Palinda Kannangara. The workshop was curated by Ar. Simi Sreedharan and co-curated by Dr. Soumini Raja.

Bhavana was conceived as a design workshop for school children from public schools in Calicut under the PRISM project. 25 students from grade 5 to 10, along with five mentors closely looked at the Lion’s Park, one of the oldest Children’s parks in the city, and tried to reimagine the future of public spaces for children.

They were mentored by Ar. Niranjan Warrier (Associate Professor, Avani), Ar. Vishnu K (Co-curator and Assistant Professor), Ar. Shyamkumar P and Ar. Aromal R I. The mentor at large was Ar. Madhav Raman, Anagram Architects, Delhi. The teams used analogue and digital tools to explore the future of the Lion’s Park. Both the workshop outputs were presented to the office bearers of the Municipal Corporation and to the people of Calicut.

Written by : Dr. Soumini Raja 11

Ar. Madhav Raman with one of the young participant at Bhavana

Reweave Kozhikode

Architecture Design Competition

Ar. Afifa was the co-convenor for Reweave Kozhikode, a national-level architecture design competition organized by IIA Calicut Centre that aimed to enable the stakeholders of Comtrust Weaving Factory to understand the possibilities of the dilapidating factory and its surrounding areas as a project of greater civic significance. The competition was looking for creative ideas on how to enhance the connection of the factory site to its wider precinct and the people of Kozhikode. The first phase of the project which was conducted during YAF was seeking contextually sensitive yet visionary and promising proposals for the future of the Comtrust Weaving Factory site and its precinct.

Written by: Ar. Afifa Nuzhat

Only - At Urban Angadi

Handmade Curios

Faculty member, Ar. Anjali Sujat put forward an array of handmade products out of the medium clay, at Urban Angadi, a flea market platform that has been created by the IIA Calicut Chapter as a part of Young Architects Festival 2022 for up and coming entrepreneurs.

Written by: Ar Anjali Sujat

Ar. Afifa with Prof. KT Ravindran

Ar. Anjali Sujat in her stall at Urban Angadi

Furthermore

During the YAF’s inaugural function, Ar. Devakumar and his team performed Shinkari-melam. Meanwhile, Ar. Kailas Unnikrishnan and Ar. Aditya Nambissan took to the stage with their band to represent IIA Calicut at Urban Angadi. Ar. Sreejith also performed flute alongside the Malappuram band.

Dhaara EVENTS

Avani Collective 7.0

It attempted to string together multiple narratives through pandemic semesters highlighting critical thinking rooted in contextual awareness. Dhaara was also a coming together of academicians, architects and artists, to expand on Avani’s pursuit for constructive, collaborative, and integrative approach to design education, making it truly a collective. The two day event included expert subject lectures, panel discussions, academic exhibitions, discussion on pedagogy, SPICMACAY cultural events, movie screenings etc. The event consisted of 6 expert speakers and 50 delegates from within and outside Kerala, with over a total number of 200 participants.

Avani Institute of Design conducted the seventh edition of its collective exhibition event under the theme of Dhaara on 13 August - 14 August 2022 at Thamarassery campus. Dhaara

aimed to create a platform for the convergence of minds to develop an integrated approach to the pedagogical landscape of Avani. It attempted to string together multiple narratives through pandemic semesters highlighting critical thinking rooted in contextual awareness. Dhaara was also a coming together of academicians, architects and artists, to expand on Avani’s pursuit for constructive, collaborative, and integrative approach to design education, making it truly a collective.

Curator : Ar Anjali Sujat

Display Coordinators : Ar Ashya Suresh, Ar William George Kennedy

Installation Coordinator : Artist Usman Pakkath Semester Work Exhibition : Ar Lekshmi Raj

Collective Exhibition

Being the primary focus, the collaborative exhibition set the platform for studios, artists, academicians and students to come forward to portray their works. This was a window which elaborated the themes of Avani Academic Structure : Self and Unlearning (Semester 01), Architecture as a Discipline (Semester 03), Architecture of Collectivity (Semester 04), Architecture and Engineering (Semester 05), Virtual Spatial Design (Semester 06), Architecture and the City (Semester 07), City and People (Semester 09) and Architecture and Critical Inquiry (Semester 10).

Dhaara was a peek into this world of distorted imaginations, subverted realities and expanded territories of an institution not confined to the geography of Ambayathode. It was the collective representation of our entangled stories narrated through documented evidence of student and faculty initiatives undertaken during Monsoon 2020 up until Monsoon 2021. This collaborative initiative also included works from friends of Avani, WCFA, Mysuru and SEA, Mumbai, along with prominent practising architects of the district.

Workshops Film Screenings

A workshop titled ‘Photography and Beyond’ was conducted by Ar. Prashanth Mohan (Running Studio) for students with keen interest or an eye for photography. The students had a great opportunity to learn about the upcoming techniques and various aspects on the subject.

Under the leadership of Avani Film Club (The Roll), the college screened two movies, ‘Another Round’ (2020) by Thomas Vinterbeg, and ‘Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam’ (2020) by Don Palathara, both resonating with the theme of the exhibition, the eternal flow of human connections.

Written by: Ar. Anjali Sujat

.

SPICMACAY

E03 : Carnatic Music

E04 : Koodiyattam

As part of the Annual Exhibition, Dhaara, Avani Collective 7.0, the Institution was privileged to host two events under the SPICMACAY banner.

On 13 August 2022, we witnessed the extravagant performance of carnatic music by the gifted classical musician Cheppad Vamanan Namboothiri. The lecture demonstration covered everything from research to the history of music to their hopes for the future of Carnatic music. Their deep devotion to this art form and their passion to share music with new audiences was the central theme of the event.

The three-hour musical journey was a treat for pure classical music lovers and others alike.

On 14 August 2022, a fascinating performance of the traditional artform of Kerala, Koodiyattam, was put forward by Dr. Kalamandalam Krishnendu, a renowned artist in the field. The performers engaged the audience with a short drama sequence. Two female characters performed on stage with traditional musical accompaniment. Their brilliant role-play included a stylized form of vocal recitation, coupled with a complete gesture language and highly evocative expressions of the face and eyes. The club was coordinated by faculty members

Written by: Ar. Anjali Sujat

Ar. Anjali Sujat and Ar. Thushara K with student coordinators, Tom Paulji M (Batch 2019) and Sreechandana S Nair (Batch 2020).

Friction- Towards a Post colonial Pedagogy and Practice in Architecture

Avani Annual Research Symposium 2022

Avani Annual Research Symposium is envisioned as a platform to conduct critically engaging, honest and fearless enquiries and to provide opportunities to develop original research in contemporary issues of design and built environment with the potential to be translated into a form of scholarship of global relevance. Avani Annual Research Symposium is the cornerstone of Avani’s academic framework. The themes penetrate into our studio’s design and overall design pedagogies. It also offers opportunities for bringing thinkers, pioneers and scholars to engage with the Avani community and to offer critical insights into the way we practise, perceive and teach/learn architecture. The symposium also upholds the core values of collective and sustained shared thinking in diversifying approaches and including other disciplinary thinking into architectural teaching and learning practices.

The Avani Annual Research Symposium 2022 was held on 30 September - 02 October 2022. The symposium adopted the theme “FRICTION: Towards a Post-colonial Pedagogy and Practice” that was spread across three different sub-themeMemories of Friction, Architecture of Subaltern and Community as Method. Under the advisory of Prof. Roger Connah, the symposium was co-curated by Er. Nima Viswanatha, Ar. Ujjayant Bhattacharrya and Dr. Soumini Raja. The session on Memories of Friction saw arguments and perspectives shared by speakers Prof. K T Ravindran and Prof. Biswaroop Das, and was moderated by Ar. Krishnapriya Rajshekar.

The second session, moderated by Ar. Kunjan Garg, saw a deep discourse on Architecture of Subaltern by Prof. Sarovar Zaidi and Prof. Huda Tayob. The third and the final session on Community as Method was moderated by Prof. Roger Connah, that included speakers such as Prof. Aiman Mustafa and Ar. Swati Janu.

The discussion of the Symposium began with a thought provoking question: The question of social politics, sensitivities and inequalities. It became evident to us that it was absolutely necessary, especially in these trying times to generate meaningful discourse over the existing systems in place within our societies. To seek answers for the same, we felt it was important to observe, study and decode the conflicts that give rise to such situations, hence understanding the FRICTION within them. The symposium situated itself across possible Frictions in Ecology, Community and Pedagogy. The Symposium was envisioned with the possibilities of fearless enquiries into causes, natures and outcomes of FRICTION across geographies and cultures. Over the three days, we hosted 30 young scholars from different parts of the world, 10 student researchers and 09 imminent speakers to expand on the discourse on FRICTION.

Written by: Ar. Nima Viswanath, Ar. Ujjayant Bhattacharyya, Dr. Soumini Raja

Avani Sports Meet and League 2022

A week long Avani Sports Meet was followed by the Avani Sports League. Adv. John inaugurated both the events. It was a joyful and thrilling 10 days that passed by. The competitive, yet spirit embracing event was successfully conducted by the Avani Sports Council.

From October 17 - October 27 2022, athletic competitions and games were held for both teaching and non-teaching staff. Numerous indoor and outdoor sports programmes were organised as part of the event. It offered fantastic opportunities for socialising, team building, health and wellbeing, which gave them a new environment in contrast to the academic culture.

Sports have this remarkable, singular ability to positively influence society. The Avani Sports Meet and League 2022, conducted on October 30 - October 31 2022 was organised with the hope to give students a venue to come together and engage in various sports.

Written by: Ar. Lekshmi, Ar. Sharan

Disha 2022

First Year Orientation Program

The eighth edition of the first year orientation program, DISHA, was conducted from November 07 - November 30 2022. The activities including talks, skill development workshops etc. were a genuine attempt to channel the studio theme ‘Thinking Hand, Performing Body’. In sessions that followed the orientation day, the students were initially introduced to an ice breaking workshop, coordinated by the inhouse Mental Health Development Team, MHAT, to help reconnect with the roots, which was followed by a 02 day ola weaving workshop by Artist Asho Samam, which familiarised the students with the new medium, ola (coconut leaves). The students had the opportunity to explore the city of Calicut in a fun and enduring way through the annual scavenger hunt. To inculcate a taste in movies and generate conversations of relation between architecture and movies, the movie club of the institution, The Roll, conducted a film fest pertaining to the theme of the studio. Prof. Roger Connah, Avani’s academic mentor, pitched in at this session with his expertise in helping students decoding the movie scenes. An evening session was spent with the eminent Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya, where he discussed the various possibilities of studio culture. With a 2 day workshop by art critique Artist Sharada Natarajan, students were taken through the paths of forms of attention.The batch also had an opportunity to paint the massive walls of the campus

under the guidance of Artist Anpu Varkey, who is a renowned street artist.

Under the Korero initiative, the first years visited the Malabar Headquarters building, designed by Ar. Tony Joseph, Stapati, to get an introduction to the conversation of designed space and its architects. To free the body and mind, the students were introduced to a theatre workshop by the renowned theatre artist and actor Surjith, accompanied by his team. The 20 day program concluded with a day 03 music workshop by the music band Oorali.

Foundation Studio Team Director : Ar. Niranjan C Warrior

Studio Lead : Ar. Sebastian Joseph, Artist Anto George Studio Mentors : Ar. Anjali Sujat, Ar. Anupama V J, Ar. Kailas

Unnikrishnan, Ar. Pavithra Nelson, Ar. William George Kennedy

Written by: Ar. Anjali Sujat

Dhi

Mid-Semester Exhibition

The mid-semester exhibition, titled “Dhi,” conducted on 22.02.2023, was a culmination of work produced by S1S2 students of Batch 2022 in the former half of their S1S2 studio, which conceptualised an attempt to understand and work with Generation Z. The studio focused on the idea of ‘continuous time’ and data bombardment experienced by ‘Gen-Z’ under the theme “the thinking hand and the performing body.” It was a reflective process for both the studio faculty team as well as the students, where the discourse aimed to generate pauses in our continuous existence. The studio was organised as a combination of continuous engagements and fast short “ACTS IN BETWEEN”, both focusing on the idea of translations across mediums. The continuous long engagements revolved around the gradual continuous method of design and making, starting from the simplest act of drawing lines, to creating spaces. The series of acts in between, which punctured the continuous engagements, acted as physical acts aimed at improving muscle memory and craft. Each of these acts were paused at varying intervals to simulate their (our) own reduced attention span, but these pauses were directed towards exercises that encourage the “Thinking Hand and the Performing Body” rather than digital pauses.

The smaller pauses included tasks such as sketching, photography, reading, and origami. The major continuous engagements explored the translation of bodily movements into paper space and digital space, loss of fluency across mediums, and the necessity of practice in building a craft. Other activities included model making, introducing the poetics and properties of materials, exploring space as a visual and multisensorial entity, and using the medium of videography and screenplay.

The exhibition was reviewed by a jury consisting of Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya, Ar. Tony Joseph, and Dr. Soumini Raja, who provided valuable comments and opinions on the displayed work. At the end of the day, the jury was satisfied with the outcomes as well as the performance of the students. The students were also able to reflect on their work and understand the different perspectives that the jury discussed. Serving as an opportunity for the students to showcase their creative abilities and demonstrate their understanding of the theme, the exhibition was a significant achievement for Batch 2022, S1S2 students.

Foundation Studio Team

Director : Ar. Niranjan C Warrior

Studio Lead : Ar. Sebastian Joseph, Artist Anto George

Studio Mentors : Ar. Anjali Sujat, Ar. Anupama V J, Ar. Kailas Unnikrishnan, Ar. Pavithra Nelson, Ar. William George Kennedy

Written by: Ar. Niranjan C Warrior

Kooth An Unforgettable Cultural Night

One of the most anticipated events of the year is Koothu, the cultural night that concludes Disha and welcomes the new group of hopefuls. It is the one day when everyone organises magnificent shows as a way to celebrate. Even though this event occurs every year, it is always awaited and is packed with surprises.

With the help and participation of many Avanites, the student council successfully organised the concerted event. Students from various batches gathered and worked together during their spare time to produce a variety of performances, including music, dance, and even a fashion show with the topic of the future of fashion in Kerala, which brought in the ideal balance of tradition and modern.

The students used readily available resources and their quick thinking to create the outfits from scratch. The crowd was greatly stimulated by dance performances of students of various batches, which has always proved to steal the show. Faculty and student performances of music, gave us a chance to reminisce and transported us back in time, bringing back memories.How the students were able to plan and practice in such a short period of time was absolutely surprising and enjoyable, only to put up an enthralling show.

The fact that some of the performances were impromptu and spontaneous but were not at all brief is also an unavoidable achievement.

Everyone gathered to dance together till it was time for this unforgettable night to wind up. No one wanted this special night to end because after all it eliminated all our anxieties, even if it was only for this one evening.

Written by: Lavannya K - Batch 2020

Holi

Celebrating Holi: A lively Tradition at Avani

Holi, the vibrant festival of colours, holds a special place in the hearts of students at Avani. This annual celebration brings together creativity, camaraderie, and cultural diversity in a joyous spectacle that embodies the spirit of our institution. The campus transforms into a riot of colours, as vibrant powders fill the air, painting the surroundings with hues of joy and togetherness. Students, dressed in traditional attire, exchange greetings and smears of powdered colour, breaking barriers and forging new friendships.

As the event began, students started playing with colours, smearing each other’s faces with colourful powder and dancing to the beat of traditional music. As the sun began to set, we started off with friendly competitions, fostering a sense of community and mutual respect.

The atmosphere was electric, and the energy contagious. Everyone was caught up in the moment, forgetting their worries and embracing the joyous spirit of the occasion. The celebration was not only a fun way to mark the festival, but also an opportunity to strengthen the sense of community within the college. Students from different years and backgrounds came together to share in the fun and frolic. The celebration acts as a unifying force, encouraging collaboration and teamwork beyond academic pursuits.

Everyone was reluctant to leave as they had enjoyed themselves so much and had created memories that would last a lifetime. The festivities continued into the night, creating a magical atmosphere. The night sky was filled with the sound of laughter, cheers, and music, making the event even more special.

Written by: Darshini A - Batch 2020

Avani Essay Prize 2022

Coordinators: Ar. Athira Balakrishnan and Ar. Monisha V Kunjumon

Jurors: Ar. Riyaz Tayyibji, Ar. Rajshree Rajmohan and Ar. Monisha V Kunjumon

The annual Avani Essay Prize 2022 was set in line with the Avani Annual Research Symposium 2022 titled, ‘Friction; Towards a Postcolonial Pedagogy and Practice in Architecture’. The competition was an attempt to encourage students from architecture and design backgrounds to explore critical writing, largely surrounding the theme of the Symposium. The essay prompt revolved around how communities have thrived and sustained themselves through innovative collaborations with the environment and individuals that surround them. These have often been responses to diverse needs, ranging from celebrations to contestations, formal to informal associations or progressive development to building capacity and resilience.

Agency that these communities gain through such associations empower them to translate their needs to tangible and intangible solutions, each unique to the problem, place and time. Architecture could thus be identified as a tangible solution to community needs that emanate out of a collaborative alliance. The entries received reflected on how collaborative architecture could be a solution to attain good and functional design that enabled diversity and inclusion. Possibilities for design interventions that would involve inter-disciplinary collaborations for community infrastructures were also largely explored. The jury panel was composed of two external jurors Ar. Riyaz Tayyibji and Ar. Rajshree Rajmohan along with Ar.

Monisha V Kunjumon as the internal juror. Avani Essay Prize 2022 received 24 entries from across the world. Avani Essay Prize 2022 received 24 entries from across the world. Alek Iriarte from University of California Los Angeles

Written by: Ar. Monisha V Kunjumon

was selected unanimously by the jury panel for his essay titled Manos de Los Angeles. The essay was an excellent piece of writing that took the reader through lived experiences of the time and place. Ann Brigit Jones from Avani Institute of Design, Sidharth Manoj from College of Engineering Trivandrum and Tushita Basak from Jadavpur University also received special mentions for their entries.

Graphics credits- Hibah Hanif

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS Research

Research has always been an integral part of the Avani pedagogy since the inception of the institution. It believes that research not only enriches the learning experience of its students, but also contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of society. The faculty cohort at AVANI have been actively engaged in research, and several of them have published papers in various journals this year. Their work showcases the depth and diversity of research being conducted at the institution and highlights the commitment of the faculty to advancing knowledge and making meaningful contributions to their fields. Their work covers a wide range of topics, including urban heritage, social aspects of housing design, innovative pedagogical processes etc.

“Impact of Urban Heritage on Social Values in Historic Urban Precincts - Public Perception of the Kuttichira Community, Kerala”, witten by Ar. Afifa Nuzhat in collaboration with two other authors was published in the Journal SCIRES-IT- SCIentific RESearch and Information Technology. The study explores the impact of urban heritage on social values in Kuttichira’s historic urban precincts. The proposed weighted contextual framework based on social criteria related to the urban built heritage fabric aims to maintain the social well-being of the community. The questionnaire survey results suggest the framework’s credibility across gender groups and can aid policymakers in promoting sensitive urban development that meets social needs. Ar. Afifa has also published another paper in the same journal on Role of Street Art and Graffiti in Conserving Cultural Built Heritage in Historic Precincts-a Socio-Cultural Comparative Analysis of Three Case Models in India. The paper questions whether street art and graffiti in historic urban spaces should be viewed as vandalism or a dynamic layer of heritage. It highlights the role of street art in society and aims to inform policy-making for rejuvenating heritage streets.

- Ar. Afifa Nuzhat

Ar. Vivek P P, who is also the GC member of Avani, has published a paper in collaboration with another author on ‘Aestheticization of Poverty’ and ‘Manufactured Consent’: How Power Imbalances Between Stakeholders Led to the Failure of the Kannankund ‘Model Village’ Housing Rehabilitation Project. The paper was a self critique which pointed out how aesthetic language of housing projects are prioritized over actual community needs, especially when participatory design includes marginalised communities.

Ar. Aditya Nambissan’s S6 architectural design studio, called ‘+ or -’, used semiotics to develop a design methodology and thinking process. The studio explored the interpretations and applications of the symbols ‘+ or -’ in architecture and design, analysing the subtractive and additive forces involved in building and construction. The design project, situated in the North Malabar region of Calicut, Kerala, focussed on the region’s timber industrial heritage and its cultural semiotics, with students decoding signs and symbols to create an architectural project based on their findings. The abstract for this study titled “A Process-oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in Design Education using Semiotics as a Tool’’ has been accepted in DISEGNO – Journal of Design Culture, which is one of the very first double blind peer reviewed Hungarian academic journals of design culture studies.

- Ar. Vivek PP

- Ar. Aditya Nambissan

Breathe

Book Publication

The book titled BREATHE is a collection of poems by Ar. Krishna Salim, penned between 2009 and 2022. Krishna explains, “several of them are very personal to me and were never intended to see the light of the day. But words held me when no one did, and by sharing these poems with the world I hope that these very words hold someone else too. I find joy combining words into beautiful phrases that evoke emotions in others. Everybody’s story is different but unique in their own way. However, I hope each and everyone of you are able to connect with the words and find yourselves in between. The book is available on Amazon for purchase.”

Written by : Ar. Krishna Salim

COA-TRC

Revisiting the Role of Associated Subjects in Architecture Education - January 2023

Avani has been proactive in conducting a number of workshops and symposiums in the past few years that attempt to push the boundaries of Architectural Pedagogy. To extend the pedagogical experiments further, an online faculty development program in collaboration with COA TRC Pune was conducted. The main objective of the event was to bridge the gap between architecture and allied subjects, primarily technical subjects like Design of Structures, Building Materials and Construction, and Building Science. It also initiated a conversation on academic crossovers and course integration of allied subjects into the Architecture Studio processes. The course offered to faculty members attempted to interpret the teaching methodology in three stages namely course planning, student-faculty engagements, and review processes. Eminent architects and engineers from academia including Prof. Neelkand Chhaya, Prof. VR Shah, and Prof. Arun Menon delivered lectures. Around 50 architects from different institutes across the country participated in the training program, which was convened by Prof. Jayshree Deshpande, and coordinated by our faculty team including Ar. Devakumar T,

Er. Anshu George and Ar. Ambili.

Written by : Ar. Devakumar T

Collaborations with International Universities

International Architecture Webinar Between Malaysia, Indonesia & India 2023

Keynote speaker: Ar. Thushara K, Assistant Professor, Avani Institute of Design.

Participated as a Keynote speaker in the International Architecture Webinar Between Malaysia, Indonesia & India 2023 held virtually, at the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia on 4th April 2023. This marked the institution’s first International Webinar alongside the Universities from Indonesia and Malaysia, involving Universitas Negeri Makassar (UNM)-Indonesia, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Avani Institute of Design (AVID). The talk was titled, ‘Reinterpreting the Cultural Landscape of Kerala : An Academic Approach’ where the speaker discussed an ongoing academic research and pedagogical approach to investigate and reinterpret cultural transformations in the city core context of Kerala. The presentation covered the reflections gathered from developing the Third Year Semester V ‘Architecture and the City’ studios at Avani Institute of Design through various collaborations. The event was conducted via the Webex platform.

Abstract:

Reinterpreting the Cultural Landscape of Kerala: An

Academic Approach

The urban landscape of the cultural region of Kerala, positioned on India’s Southwestern tip, upholds a testimony of its historic growth trajectory and subsequent cultural processes. The city fabric of Calicut demonstrates the heterogeneous evidence of these cultural exchanges through the presence of tangible and intangible traces. The lecture discusses an explorative academic approach set out to document these distinct physical and cultural manifestations and translate the evidence and relationship between land life, people and place to offer key markers towards responsible and responsive approaches to future urban development. The methodology examines the responsiveness of the design interventions through studio pedagogies in the historic city cores to the heritage, city form and publicness.

Written by : Ar. Thushara K

Educational Ecosystem of Architecture in India

Workshop organised by School of Environment and Architecture Mumbai

The School of Environment and Architecture Mumbai organised a one day workshop on “Educational Ecosystem of Architecture in India” under the aegis of the Transforming Education for Sustainable Futures network in Collaboration with the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bangalore. More than 30 academic and spatial practitioners from across the country participated in the workshop. Dr. Soumini Raja, Head of the Department represented Avani at the workshop. The debates and discussions highlighted the growing number of institutions across the country imparting architectural education and the quality of education. It asked pertinent questions like “Whom does Architects Serve? Why are 90% of the population in the country not reaching out to architects for building services?” The workshop compiled experiments and innovations from across the country where efforts were being made to make education relevant, updated and agile to respond to the various emerging social, climatic, economic, ecological and cultural contexts.

Written by : Dr. Soumini Raja

Architecture Awards

Durgabari and Ashramsthaan

Ar. Ujjayant Bhattacharyya and his partner Ar. Priyanka Mukherjee, were recognized during Young Architects Festival 2022, for their innovative ideas and visualisations by receiving the best young practice award under the categories, Ideas For Future and Architectural Representation and Visualisation. They were also nominated for the Best Young Practice - Socially Responsible Architecture. A brief description of the two works are as below.

Durgabari, a Durga temple was envisioned by the local community for a small neighbourhood of Nagaon in Assam. The temple would also act as a learning/ skill training space for the local pre-primary school students who through a series of drawing workshops arranged by Sthaan, drew their own interpretations of the temple to contribute to the narrative of the built form which helped visualise the temple through their drawings & characterizations. The

project therefore became a proponent of functional multiplicity & holistic participatory processes in Design. Ashramsthaan, on the other hand supports communities in the local context as a spiritual performance retreat that transforms into a geographical, socio-cultural and spiritual marker in the neighbourhood of Nagaon.

Written by : Ar. Ujjayant Bhattacharyya

Durgabari illustration

Ashramsthaan illustration

A Home Liberated

The project - A home liberated Location - Trivandrum

Ar. Niranjan C Warrior, Ar. Vishnu K

A home liberated is a building that has an aura of the past yet is modern in its appeal and rooted to the culture of the place. The architecture of this project celebrates minimum intervention. Through controlled lighting it creates beautiful spaces that remind us that sometimes minimal changes are enough to bring out the essence of a space.

The project won several recognitions including KOHLER BOLD DESIGN AWARDS (KBDA) 2022 under the category Revive and rebuild; shortlisted at the Young architects festival’s (YAF’22) Best young practice, under the category -spaces for living; and was Highly commended at the Monsoon Architecture Festival 2023.

Written by : Ar. Niranjan C Warrior, Ar. Vishnu K

The front yard

TheLightbox

The bleeding tile wall

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS STUDENT THESIS AWARD

Best Thesis Awards

Ar. Jacob Alappatt, a 2016 batch alumnus has received awards and honours for his thesis project titled Architecture with uncertainty and certainty. This includes the Avani Institute of Design Best Thesis Award, Honourable mention in the Architerrax Design of the year award 2022 and for the Architectural thesis awards 2022 conducted by Mango Architecture, and the winner of Kerala Awards for thesis in Architecture conducted by the IIA Kerala chapter, 2022. His thesis was also shortlisted to participate in the Charles Correa gold medal award for thesis in Architecture, 2022 conducted by the Charles Correa Foundation. It was published at DSGN Archive, Singapore. His work was presented at the IES School of Architecture, Thejus School of Architecture, Thrissur and his alma mater at Avani. Most recently, the project was exhibited at the hybrid horizons, conducted by the CAADRIA organisation curated by Ar. Urvi Sheth, Rishav Jain, and Ar. Subin Jameel at the CEPT University, Ahmedabad.

Written by : Ar. Jacob Allappat

Ar Jacob Babu Alappatt

ANDC 02

The theme for the 65th ANDC competition centreed around revitalization of a space of high significance in a context. The team chose to situate the project in the historically significant precinct of Mananchira. The space being located at the heart of the city of Calicut made it well suited as a core for public interaction.

Project 1:

Comtrust was a significant textile mill which provided jobs to many and contributed to the city’s economy. Sadly it’s now abandoned and is encroached by drug peddlers and the anti social. Immense potential can be seen in this site with north light windows and wooden looms that can be repurposed. Adaptive refitted market streets and cafes can be provided inside comtrust reviving it to its former glory. Spaces can be introduced to commemorate the history of the structure.The pavilion bridge the comtrust complex to the sm street. It can be seen as a transition space that connects the old and the new. The form is inspired from that of a rope that is used to tie entities together.

Reimagining Mananchira to something that lives up to it’s truest potential by adapting, repurposing and restoring the existing along with bringing in newer meanings is the goal of the proposed project.

Project 2:

Valiyangadi is a long-standing traditional market of Calicut selling products ranging from rice to soap, positioned in Kozhikode, also known as Calicutin the Malabar coast, and connectsthe beach with the Railway Station at Palayam. The stretch bustles with over one lakhpopulation of wholesale business owners, daily wage labourers, truck drivers, street vendorsand customers along with canine families. A tale may be told about everything from the limestone-plastered walls to the traders and truck drivers as well as the declining business. The Halwa bazaar, which was originally one of the important streets but degraded over time, is surrounded by two prominent mosques and the south beach. It is a vital connection in the trading journey.

Written by : Joel - Batch 2019 Radhika - Batch 2020

OBJECTIVE:

The fall of several business, age old shops and structural deterioration needs an emergingneed of revitalisation of various parts of the street to uphold its heritage and culture and enlightening the lives of the people at Valiyangadi by adaptively reusing the existing site. As the world is moving forward with a whole lot of innovations and technologies, the value oftrade is now deteriorating with time. So instead of trying to elevate the trade within the precinct, we felt that it would be further relevant to uplift the site- Valiyangadi by integrating a lot of other things that would fascinate the attention of the public. Even if the trade gets wholly weakened in the near future, the alterations carried in could still make the site lively by bringing in retail shops and zoning in terms of both day and night. Here originates a collaboration of people even during the night hours which at the present is a dead space later in the evenings. Similarly, the same- day shops could be rehabilitated into night shops in a more flexible way. We used more of an organic form by portraying the already existing language of Valiyangadi.

Ragam - NITC

From the outset, this fest buzzed with an electrifying energy, a blend of competitive spirit and cultural diversity. The twin celebrations of sports and culture created an environment that was both exhilarating and enriching. Participating in various events, be it on the sports field or the cultural stage, allowed students to explore and share their passions in an extraordinary way.

The path to victory was marked by dedication and hard work. Long rehearsals, and constant refinement of skills demanded discipline, but the journey was made worthwhile. The thrill of pushing limits, seeing incremental improvements of the fellow avanites, and seeing that they were part of something greater than ourselves was truly inspiring.

What made this experience even more remarkable was the lesson in unity and diversity it provided. As winners, they celebrated not only the achievements but also the bonds forged with participants from different colleges. The fest dissolved the boundaries of competition, transforming them into connections that enriched various lives.

Lagoon League

The all India cultural and sports meet hosted by NITC – Ragam 2023 was an event that brought out the talents of many young minds here at Avani. The real sportsmanship beyond the walls of our studios was noticed on this day. So, to talk about my achievements in the same, I bagged first place in 50m freestyle, 25m freestyle and 25m backstroke for the lagoon league swimming competition. I had been a state swimmer and had to pause it after I got to college but this event helped me get back to my earlier days of practice with intense workouts. Swimming has been a part of my life and it is one of the things I put all my whole hearted effort to, winning is just secondary, but that happiness of dipping myself into the pool and trying to reduce my stress even by a microsecond every day, brings in motivation for the sessions next day and that’s what kept me moving.

Written by : Radhika - Batch 2020

Radhika - Batch2020

Acoustics

NITC Ragam is one such event where an extravaganza of Music, Dance and Arts has always been its culture that you can never get enough of. We, the students of Avani, were privileged to take part in one of their musical events, under the category ‘Acoustics’. Determined to only aim for the best, a group of 8 was eventually formed merely on a very simple principle: You do it because you want to. We organised meetings after classes throughout the week, only to start from scratch. Throughout the sessions, we had a couple of our friends often turn up, just to listen, which we found very encouraging. The little time we had between class hours was a constraint, nevertheless, I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said we kept true to our ideas and worked towards them.

On this relatively new venture, we were excited, at the same time, nervous about the competition. The competition aimed to award a team that achieved a good narration skill through music, only using acoustic instruments. Keeping that in mind, we rummaged through a couple of songs that were convenient for us and deemed suitable if arranged in a progression.

A team of eight, Sanju Ganesh (ukulele), Faheema Mariyam (vocals), David V Varghese (bass guitar), Sowndarya Sree (guitar), Anna (violin), Sreechandana (vocals), Gouri Nandana (vocals), Rithul Sai (drums), we marched to NIT Calicut, with the same thoughts in our minds. We choreographed and progressed a few songs together from languages we were confident and familiar with. We were the first to have asked to

perform, and we punched above our weights to put up a good show. The immense support from our colleagues who showed up, is unaccountable. We were also enthralled by the other participants who also put their best show.

We bagged the third price, which quite literally took everyone by surprise with the competition that we had. None of us knew that this was one of those experiences, the kind that would be relieved every time any of us met. None of us knew then the gravity of our accomplishment, which was purely a result of just having fun.

Written by : Sowndarya Sree - Batch 2020

Top(left)- Sanju - Batch2020, Gouri Nandana - Batch2020, Sreechandana - Batch2020, AnnaBatch2022, Rithul - Batch2020

Bottom(left)- Sowndarya - Batch2020, David- Batch2022, Faheema - Batch2020

Endurance Run

Marathon is not about speed, it’s about pushing the limits. You have to run miles till you reach the finishing line. Even though there are obstacles that affect your mental and physical barrier, the feeling of crossing the line is something different.

Ragam NIT’23 had given us an opportunity to push our limits. The event was conducted on 11th March 2023. It was a 5km marathon! You’ll see runners all across the state cheering and also running along with you. We had to run all around the campus road till you reached the campus gate. Four of us from Avani who participated bagged one position or the other

Hanna Pathrose- 1st

Abhirami- 2nd

Rose sarah- 3rd

Amith- 3rd

It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

Written by : Rose Sarah - Batch 2019

Ms Ragam

Mr and Ms Ragam is a personality contest conducted every year for Ragam. The competition is a solo event and takes place in 3 stages, screening participants around 30 down to 8. 4 girls and 4 boys on the stage for the final showdown, where you are judged based on your overall performance and personality. At every stage challenges requiring you to solve puzzles or a situation that calls for improvisation is thrown at you and you have to talk your way out. Points are awarded based on creativity, improvisation, wit and confidence. It is a test of oratorical, presentational and improvisational skills.

Mr and Ms Ragam was quite a challenging and thrilling experience. Beyond winning, it’s the experience that is cherished, and it is only right to say that it completed the college fest experience for me.

Written by : Mary Ann- Batch 2020

Amith - Batch2021

Rose Sarah - Batch2021

Abhirami - Batch2020

Hanna - Batch2020

Mary Ann - Batch2020

Badminton - Boys Vedavyasa

Ajuvind Shaji, student of Batch 2022 and Tom Paulji M, student of Batch 2019 have secured the first prize in the badminton competition conducted by Vedavyasa College of Architecture under Karrah ‘22.

Badminton is not only about winning. What is important to us is about playing hard and doing our best. Playing badminton is a journey full of fun, fulfilment, anxiety and pressure. But as usual, the real thrill is only along the way and must be treasured, for you never know, when the eyeballs are on you and the world at large draws inspiration from your play and wonder at your capabilities.

Written by : Ajuvind Shaji- Batch 2022

Tom Paul- Batch2019 & Ajuvind- Batch2022

SEED Track

SEEDTrack was an event that played a pivotal role in shaping the college experience for every participant. Such events go beyond academics, providing opportunities to develop new skills, foster leadership and responsibility, and promote personal growth. From the very beginning, participating in sports fests is a mix of nerves and excitement. The early morning practices, the extra hours spent fine-tuning techniques, and the unwavering support from friends, and teammates were instrumental in building the confidence of the fellow avanites representing the college at the fest. The highlight, of course, was the victorious moment when they all stood on the podium, wearing the college colors and holding trophies and certificates. Beyond the medals and trophies, the Intercollege Sports Fest brought with it a valuable lesson in sportsmanship and unity. This particular experience has not only left us with cherished memories but has also instilled in us a profound belief in the power of dedication and perseverance.

100m Individual Women Sports Quiz and Carroms

SEED college conducted the Inter Arch college meet. 100 meters running race was one among the many events where 15 students participated. Heats where conducted. 3 students from each heats were selected for the final round. A total of 6 students were selected for the final race and the fastest sprinter was awarded with certificate, cash prize and medal.

Written by : Uthara - Batch 2020

SEED Kochi conducted an inter archifest on dates.....The event brought together participants from over 20 architectural institutions, generating a unique spirit of teamwork and sportsmanship among more than 300 students.

Avanites Hafis and Aban secured third position in the quiz competition, which was divided into two rounds, the first of fifteen queries and the second of rapid-fire questions.

Avanites Sharvin and Kishan of Batch 2022 also bagged the second place in the carroms competition.

Written by : Hafis - Batch 2020

Uthara - Batch2020

Hafis - Batch2020 Aban - Batch2020

400m Individual Women

The inter-architecture sports meet (SEEDTrack) was conducted by APJ Abdul Kalam School of Environmental Science on 18th and 19th of March 2023. Being a long distance runner throughout my school days, I have always found an interest in it. I ran 400m past fellow athletes bagging the first position in the event. SEEDTrack was one of the events that helped me push my limits further to achieve the record I wanted. I had to maintain my speed and stamina throughout the race. Although there were many challenges, I have never left a chance go unattempted.

Written by : Rose - Batch 2021

Relay - Women

SEEDTrack, was an intercollegiate athletic event hosted by SEED - APJ Abdul Kalam School of Environmental Design. The competition included a number of events where the Avani Team was able to compete brilliantly. One of them was our relay team, which had both the men’s and women’s teams. Despite tough competition, the men’s team managed to finish in third place. With just a single set, even the Women’s team was able to finish in first place. We were fairly confident in our abilities and were quite happy to have shared this experience as a team.

Written by : Prarthana - Batch 2021

1500 Individual Men

The Inter-Architecture Athletics Meet a.k.a SEEDTrack conducted by APJ Abdul Kalam School of Environmental Design was probably my all time best performance in my track history. Being a former long-distance pacer in my schooling life, I always enjoyed practising running long distances; building up my endurance and stamina at the same time. I clocked 04:48.88 seconds to bag the silver medal by creating the best track record ever in my running period. I had started off well in the 1500m race and stayed alongside the athletes from different institutions, but as weariness began to overhaul my face, I picked up my pace and sprinted past others in the second lap itself thinking it was the last lap. But later, I realised that I had to run one more lap to complete the race. I held neck-to-neck pace with SEED and EKC bagging to grab the silver medal. I was quite disappointed in not focusing on the number of laps to run, but I created the best track record ever in 04:48.88 seconds . And that’s indeed a win I would cherish for a lifetime; until another record breaks off!

Written by : Amith - Batch 2021

Rose Sarah - Batch2021

Prarthana - Batch2021 Uthara - Batch2020 Hanna - Batch2020 Varsha - Batch2019

Amith - Batch2021

NIFT

Street Taal NIFT Yugam’22

Street Taal was an open-court group dance event that was conducted by NIFT as part of the inter-college fest Yugam’22. The competition consisted of two rounds: the first was an elimination phase in which each group had to perform on their chosen songs within the time restriction. Our college was one among the two groups that advanced to the final stage, the face-off round. In this final round, two teams had to compete in a single set to determine the winner. At any given time, only one member of each team was allowed to dance in the final round.Substitution was permitted at any time throughout the round, but the music would not be paused and the songs in this round were played by the organisational committee. Since it was our first experience dancing in an inter-college fest, we kept our expectations low and chose to do our best and enjoy our time on stage through our energetic moves. Much to our surprise, we won second place in Street Taal NIFT Yugam’22, with NIFT taking first place. We were extremely overjoyed since we felt that all our time and effort put into practice had paid off. Going with minimal expectations and returning with the second place trophy was an incredible sensation that we all shared. Furthermore, it increased our confidence and excitement to participate in future competitions.

Written by : Amith - Batch 2021

Top(left)- Vaikashi - Batch2019, Varsha - Batch2019, Uthara - Batch2020, Bottom(left)- Nandana - Batch2020, Sana - Batch2020

Louis Kahn

Winner : Mohammed Nihal

Being a part of NASA has always been my dream as an Architecture student. I have always ensured to engage with friends who are part of NASA and have also participated in various events and competitions every year. Apart from that, having the opportunity to work with the Design and Editorial Team (DET) of NASA was great exposure to me. Getting into the DET (Design and Editorial Team) of NASA is an immense process, as it requires a simple and well-presented graphic design portfolio. The portfolio should speak about how great you are in that field of design. DET mainly focuses on posters, publications, social media posts, and publication covers; and the team works closely with the executive council.

My experience with DET of NASA helped me improve my design skills in many aspects like formatting, organising, and composing the contents of a publication. I mainly focused on the publication area of Louis I. Kahn Trophy and MSL Trophy and was involved in Design, Content Organisa-

tion, Proofreading, and other processes of publishing a publication. As part of this, I also obtained the chance to design a cover for the Louis I. Kahn Trophy. Most importantly, working with NASA gave me an insight into how a professional works concerning time and effort. Moreover, I also had a wonderful time working with students who were greatly skilled designers.

Written by : Nihal - Batch 2019

Louis Khan publication

Thakara Band

Abhay MJ, of Batch 2020 got to be the official photographer of everyone’s all time favourite and the worldwide famous band Thak ara, that has stolen the heart of many of us here with their music.

This opportunity was granted with the help of an ex-faculty at Avani who had a close connection with the team and helped Abhay to expose his works to a larger audience. Beyond the walls of our studio, Abhay realised that his true calling is photography.He has been a freelancer for a couple of years promoting his personal page in Instagram. His contribution to the Avani documentation team cannot be expressed by words as he helped to capture the moment and happiness through his frames.. The comeback of the Thakara band which was held in Kochi was a chance given to him as a trial, and that day onwards marks his journey as the official photographer of the Thakara band. This major milestone opened up many more opportunities for this young talented man. He also got the opportunity to be the official photographer of almost every band in Kerala for one or more events. He was a part of the media team for many events that

happened lately. Apart from this, his freelancing journey still continues in the background capturing the moments of many out there.

by : Radhika - Batch 2020

Photos by Abhay MJ during band performance

Onam STUDENT ACTIVITIES

The Celebration of Flowers

Avani had a huge Onam celebration this year as it was the first one after the Covid lockdown. It included students, faculty, and members of the management team and was a special one. The day started off with a variety of events. Students came up with the idea of decorating the halls and the entranceway with onapookalam. It was both welcoming and created the vibe of the festival. Everybody dressed in the traditional attires, the boys in their elegant kasavu mundu, and the girls in their charming Kerala sarees. The Shinkari Melam brought the entire Avani Family together in the triple-height space, and the programs thus began. Everyone danced together until they got exhausted. Students and faculty enthusiastically competed in a variety of sports, including Uriyadi, tug of war, bursting balloons, and a pillow fight. Everyone had Sandhya together in the canteen, followed by delicious palada Payasam prepared by our own Avanites. Onam is a festival that transcends boundaries between people and brings everyone together, creating a sense of oneness. The Avani festival was undoubtedly exciting and joyful, and this day will be cherished by the community.

Written by : Lavannya K - Batch

Written by : Aliya Jafar - Batch 2021

‘An act of travelling through sketches’ . Anybody could simply map an area but the ability to mentally remap or visualise it in a different way is not an easy task . While the buildings to the eye of the ordinary may seem simple, artists perceive it a different way . Through nadavara, as an architecture institution, Avani gives us an opportunity to take a break from our hectic weekdays and travel to a new location where we create new memories with new people. As we visit any place, the first thing we tend to do is take photographs but through nada vara it focuses on detailing the architectural features which we tend to miss out. Sketching which is an artists identity or a mode to represent their idea helps highlight the prominent features present. The sketching and its importance to academic practices is ensured through this process as it also enhances the communicative ability of the students with the local. Live sketching at the site, indoors or out, capturing what we see from direct observation and transferring the art using any medium which speaks about the story of the surroundings the places we live and travel to and in turn are truthful to the sense we witness. Participating in sketch walks will help one in increasing their sketching and drawing ability and can also be used along with sketchbook as an onsite analysis tool for design. Thus, nada vara is a success ongoing venture executed by Avani .

Investiture Ceremony

Serving as a student representative is a highly rewarding experience, particularly when one witnesses the impact and positive changes they can bring about among their peers. The diversity of backgrounds and professional experiences among the student body fosters lasting bonds and friendships, enriching the overall experience. At Avani College, elections are held annually to elect members of the Student Council, who, under the guidance and supervision of Principal Ar. Tony Joseph, manage college affairs. This provides students with an opportunity to develop and strengthen their leadership skills and contribute to high-level decision making.

To prepare students for this democratic process, a “Meet the Candidates” program was conducted, where candidates shared their vision for the future and explained the purpose of their candidature. The subsequent campaigning involved the application of various strategies and skills to attract voters. The election concluded with a ballot vote, and the results were announced, leading to jubilation. The Investiture Ceremony for the academic year 2022-23 was held on February, 2022, with Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya as the Chief Guest. The event began with a welcome address by Council Staff Advisor, Er. Nima, followed by a speech by Dr. Soumini Raja, the HOD of the college. The elected leaders were then presented with their badges and took their oath, followed by the minutes and felicitation by Ar. Vinod Cyriac. The newly elected Student President, Michelle Mariam Manoj, addressed the audience, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to participate in decision-making and gain invaluable insight into the wider university and institutional scenario. The winners of the NASA SIDC Award and CREA were also congratulated on the dias. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Muhammed Rizin, the General Secretary of the college.

Written by : Michelle Mariam Manoj - Batch 2020

Ar Tony Joseph & Prof Neelkant Chaaya with students during the ceremony

Visit To Greenara 04

A group of students from Avani had an opportunity to visit Greenara at Kondotty, an urban forest created by Mr. Mustafa, a businessman and a landscapist by experince. Some of the beautiful built spaces here were designed by late architects Hafif and Hamid of Zero Studio, Malappuram. The students were accompanied by Ar. Anjali, Ar. Anupama, Prof. Godwin, Prof. Ophilia, and Ar. Aditya. During the visit, which took place on March 04, 2023, the students were able to witness how the once barren land used for laterite mining was transformed into a green tropical urban forest. The visit was a great learning experience for the students, who were able to witness the extensive amount of tropical plants and trees used in the landscaping as well as the use of natural terrain in the site design. It was an excellent example of how human intervention can make a positive impact on the environment.

Written By : Ar. Anupama VJ

Students and Faculties with Mr Musthafa at Green Ara

GROW

Avani Farm 01

In a world where urbanisation and technology often disconnect us from nature, it’s refreshing to see young people taking an interest in agriculture and learning valuable life skills. Grow is one such initiative. What started as a small exercise to develop empathy and ownership in students quickly grew into a successful farming project. With the support and advice of the Panchayath agricultural officer, a group of young farmers from Avani, including students and faculty, prepared a new location near the old volleyball court in the campus.

On the day of Kerala Piravi, the saplings and seeds of vegetables were sown, marking the start of a new chapter for Grow. Despite the project being on a small scale, the initiative is gradually developing into a society that produces and sells vegetables for the Avani community.

Written by : Ar. Devakumar T

Students at Avani farm

Produced from Avani farm

info@avani.edu.in

Avani Institute of Design, Ambayathode, Koodathai Post, Thamarassery,Calicut, Kerala 673573, India

Credits | Content Curation & Editorial : Radhika Krishnan, Ar Anupama,Ar Monisha Kunjumon, Dharshini A, Lavannya K | | Graphics team : Ar Athira Balakrishnan, Remin Peter, Aiswarya PP, Sreechandana S Nair | | Critic at large : Dr Soumini Raja |