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SMEFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BRICK GROUP OF INSTITUTES, PUNE

BRICK NEWSPAPER A Thinking L ab I nitiative

brick 10 on 10

BRICK 10 ON 10 is an initiative taken at Brick Group of Institutes, Pune to increase interactions within design faculties as well as students. An exchange of design ideas and methodologies... This initiative aims at stimulating enthusiasm at the start of semester and keep the students inspired throughout the semester. This may instigate a healthy competitive spirit amongst the students to do their best so as to get selected in the top two designs of the class. From both the schools; Architecture and RDID, two students from each batch; 10 in total, were chosen to present their selected design project of previous semester in any form of audio visual presentation for 10 minutes to all the students and faculties of Brick. The event was conducted at PVG Auditorium, Pune Vidyarthi Griha, Satara Road. The event was graced by eminent architect Shirish Beri from Kolhapur, who has recently been awarded with the J K Cement Great Masters award. The students also got his feedback on their design and guidance through the presentation on his projects. The selected 10 students were felicitated at the hands of Ar. Shirish Beri. events

Brick Open Day!

BRICK Group of Institutes conducted a work-shop on Architecture and Interior Design as professional options, for prospective students, who've just completed their 12th grade, on 17th June 2017 at the Brick campus. Students were oriented on the complexities and demands of Architecture and Interior Design as professions for the future. They got a sneak peek into the many possibilities and opportunies which these professions can open up.

EFFECTIVE TEACHING Ar. Jayashree Deshpande, Academic Director of the Council of Architecture at Pune, conducted a workshop for the faculty members at Brick on sensitization towards new approaches to teaching and towards recent advances in education technology. Approaches towards Pedagogy were also discussed. The different modules which constituted the workshop were: Qualities of an effective teacher, Learning styles, Classroom management and anger communication and Mentoring.

SAFETY AND SECURITY The ICC (internal complaints committee) at SMEF's Brick School of Architecture conducted a workshop on 'Grievances and Sexual harassment in Institutes' on 27th February 2017.The Chief guest for the workshop was Adv. Shaila Dawre, who is an Assistant Professor in law at ILS Law college and Research Associate in Institute of Advanced legal studies. The workshop had a lecture, a presentation, an exhibition and was concluded by a skit presented by the students.

lectures

how to guide a thesis student Prof. Banani Banerjee, a faculty member at Sinhgad School of Architecture, conducted a guest lecture on effective ways and approaches towards Guiding a Thesis student, together with better approaches towards planning and structuring a semester, so that targets can be effectively accomplished.

in the news

PMC organised a graffiti wall painting competition as a part of Ganapati Utsav. Our chosen theme was "Culture of Pune/ Heritage of Pune." Enthusiastic students of Brick actively participated in the event, with students across all years and departments (Architecture and RDID) to come together as a team and display a fantastic graffiti.

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PAPER PRESENTATION AT BALI conferences A paper on 'Dimensions of water scarcity:A tussle between supply and demand' written by Ar. Sharduli Joshi got selected for Oral presentation in International Conference on Studies in Architecture, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (SACCEE-17) scheduled on Jan. 10-11, 2017 at Bali (Indonesia). It was organized by Eminent Association of Researchers in Civil & Environmental Engineering under Eminent Association of Pioneers(EAP).

academics

THE BLACK BOX:

MAKING HISTORY INTERESTING This exercise in the History of Architecture course was an attempt to introduce architecture under Islamic Rule in India from Qutb-Uddin-Aibak to Shahjahan, to the students.

Each Black box that is on display represents either a Ruler, a Province or a dynasty. As one opens the box, She also chaired one of the they encounter the architecture, sessions at the conference. Her paper was published the socio-political background, in the printed conference the cultural background about the selected category and we are aware proceedings. of the circumstances under which the production of architecture took place

PAPER PRESENTATION AT SINGAPORE

Shraddha Mahore Manjrekar's paper titled as 'Sustainability Practices Ingrained in Indian Culture' had been accepted for Oral presentation at the conference and publication in Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Civil, Architecture, Environment and Waste Management (CAEWM-17) scheduled on March 29-30, 2017 Singapore. The research done for this paper is based on the observations and thinking about the relation of Indian traditional cultural beliefs and their relation to the sustainable environment.

Under Imperial Style students explored the works under the Rulers like Qutb-Ud-Din-Aibak, Mohammad Khalji, Tughlaqs, Sayyids and Lodis. Under Provincial Style students explored the change in style of architecture with different regions like Bengal, Gujarat, Jaunpur, Malwa, Deccan and Her research has been around certain houses and temples in Bijapur. Under Mughal style they explored the architectural works Madhya pradesh and Maharashtra. done by Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan.

PAPER PRESENTATION AT BARAMATI

By Yatin Moghe

Paper titled as 'Learning and Practice as Pedagogy for Architectural Education' written by Shraddha Manjrekar and Manali Deshmukh was selected for National Conference on Architecture & Beyond, February 25th 2017 at The paper talks about the Vidya Pratishthan's School of historical development Architecture, Baramati, Pune. done in architectural The paper has been published education in India. Paper in March 2017 edition of highlights on the theories International journal called and processes of training IASTER (International Academy that are applicable for for Science & Technology architectural education Education and Research). that are timeless in nature.

The novel approach towards representing these works, in the form of a black-box, serving as a compendium of information panning various aspects around the architecture of an era, was greatly appreciated.

on a lighter note...

The paper was presented to the academicians on the thematic discussion on 'Pedagogyand Architecture' and was well recieved by the dignataries present. A THINKING LAB INITIATIVE

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TRANSLATION OF REGIONAL PLAN INTO T.P. SCHEME academics

VISITING CARD DESIGN BASED ON ORIGAMI academics

Shri Ramachandra Gohad, former assistant director of town planning department of Maharashtra conducted a lecture on how Regional Plans are translated into Town-Planning schemes. He started his lecture with a background of Town Planning in India, giving an example of villages of India, where regional planning concept has been a part of culture from ages. Commercial activities and administration were linked with these planning procedures.

The students of S. Y. B. Arch of Brick School of Architecture studying Technical Communication as a subject were given an innovative assignment to explore the subject. The assignment was to understand the importance of a visiting card in professional life and how it defines the person and his style. Students were asked to come up with a creative and unique visiting card for the assigned professions and every medium of expression was allowed. Pinak Naik from Orange batch was assigned with the profession of an Origami Artist and had to design a visiting card that captured the essence and beauty of this art form. Pinak chose the name InfiGami for an Origami Making firm. The name InfiGami expressed the infinite possibilities of Origami Art

Starting with History of Town Planning in 20th Century India, he presented some case-studies on Town Planning schemes which were designed post 1965 and successfully implemented. His presentation on Pimpri-Chinchwad made the importance of town planning, for development, pretty clear for the students to understand. He then went on to elaborate the rigorous processes employed such as land surveying, plotting ownership boundaries, assessment of allotments and dispute resolution between different stake-holders. As a closing note, he inspired students to travel a lot and experience how people live, settlements work and cultures evolve, first hand.

A single sheet could be used to make wonderful artworks through different permutations and combinations. The tagline Pinak used for this company was 'Art is about YOU', which suggested that this art is all about the user/individual as the person was free to use his creativity, logic , imagination and good craftsmanship to transform a simple sheet of paper into a magical forms of artworkHere, the Logo worked in two steps. Firstly, the central lines defined the abstract representation of the 'Infinity' symbol which hints towards the name 'Infi' and secondly, the outer circle which contained this infinity or infinite possibilities to the user itself, which again brings us to the tagline 'Art is about You'.

THE URBAN SCALE: UNDERSTANDING THE CITY BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENT

academics Fourth year students of architecture were given an exercise of Study of a Planning theory and its application in the given town/ city in Town Planning subject. Planning theory emphasises on certian features, however a city is a body of a number of functional organs. Objective of this exercise was to understand the city in terms of these functional organs including planning features, housing, infrastructure, and integration of transportation system with this planning phylosophy.

Ishaan Keskar and Pranali Tingre had choosen Washington DC for application of theory of City Beautiful Movement.

City Beautiful movement dates back to 20th century when American architects, urban planners, and policymakers came together for making the cities grand and beautiful for betterment of life of the citizens. Their work focussed on Historical development of Washington DC, the 1st expression of the City Beautiful movement in the United States, where the planners had focussed on making Washington DC grand and monumental, just like many European capital cities. The monumentality also encompassed a lot of symbols, which would reflect the spirit of the nation, its constitution

and the people and their values. The research further talked about Washington DC's pioneering railway system, which catapulted the city's transit capacities, together with its highway systems. The work concluded on how the city planners overlooked problems of impoversihed belts and instead, focussed on building a grand, monumental image of the city as the Capital of the United States.

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THE ARCHITECTURE OF BHUTAN

They all feature similar materials and method of construction, stylistic expressions, details and elements belonging to traditional wooden construction.

It is a mystery entwined with stories of flying tigers and unruly demons. This peaceful Buddhist culture embraces global development steadily. The influx of tourists forcing them to redirect their attention towards greater development of the cities and towns. Low accessibility has preserved the higher towns and even higher up sacred monasteries and fortress like dzongs.

Entire walls are covered with detailed, extensively carved and painted wooden panels, all supporting the large roofs that shelter them. The richly articulated wood, painted in gold, black and ochres, and the towering whitewashed walls reinforce the sense of established power and wealth.

An exceptional example of this splendor is the Paro Dzong, the administrative seat of the district of Paro. Built in 1644 under the travelogue order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, its full name is Rinpung Dzong, By Aditi Agarwal which means 'the fortress of the heap of jewels'. The massive buttressed Bhutan, the happiest mountain kingdom in the world. Sitting walls are visible from throughout the valley and form the focal point above the rest of the sub-continent, the people seem to have of the city. It was formerly the meeting hall for the National Assembly learnt to rise above the pull of worldly pleasures and and now, like most dzongs, houses both the monastic body and district instead focus on the wellbeing of the self. government offices, including the local courts.

The unique architecture sits comfortably in the picturesque landscapes' vast fields of paddy, snowcapped mountains and passes shrouded in fog. Expansive valleys of croplands in a multitude of greens juxtapose with the large, lime washed buildings topped with the most intricately carved wooden frames. All architectural expressions are in perfect harmony with the landscape and the culture.

The scale of the structures and the strict protocols enhance the sense of mystery, respect and awe for the people's dedication to their religious beliefs. Notwithstanding this intense architectural experience and visual grandeur, one finds themselves looking within, towards the essence of their life.

By Minu Joshi and Poorva Keskar Role of an Architect is much more than just being a designer. Needs of the modern society are way more complex than what they used to be. Information and solution are available very easily and keep changing rapidly suggesting the users to constantly think and re-think. Developing the ability to think critically and contemplate, switch directions, and change the problem solving strategies, has become inevitable. The aim and focus of the Contemporary architecture seminar was to develop critical and reflective thinking abilities in students. This helps them to develop strategies to apply new knowledge to the complex situation in their projects as well as day to day activities as professionals later in life. Students were given guidance to choose and arrive to specific topics within the area of their choice that they read and researched. This generated a wide spectrum of topics ranging from parametric architecture to consumerism in architecture, from biographies of architects to detailing in specific materials, from universal architecture to architecture for disaster management, etc. Students not only read books and literature but also interviewed professionals and consumers as well as did live case studies

Post study they shared their findings by the means of a seminar presentation and a detailed report to the others, increasing the level of exposure of the entire class. Reflective learning helped them to develop higher-order thinking skills by prompting them to relate knowledge obtained to past experiences and understandings, think in terms of abstract and concept, co-relate various methods of research and the data obtained from it, understand and formulate their own thinking and learning strategy. Many of them continued researching on their topics in the following semester for the dissertation and are also applying their research in their Architectural Thesis Projects. Thus the aim of developing critical thinking abilities helped the students to read, think, apply and re-think.

team brick! letting their hair down

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by Karan Rane

CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE SEMINAR

BRICK SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

OPINION: CONTEMPORARY PUNE

CONTEMPORARY PUNE: EMBRACING THE NEW AND REJOICING THE OLD opinion

By Manali Deshmukh

Urbanization is a well-documented phenomenon. An exponential growth in productivity and population beckons to those whose ambitions move them deterministically closer to the pursuit of income. The road from the country side to the town grows wider and the numbers that traverse them rise while the promise that awaits them on the other end becomes all the more lucrative. However, the tale of economic prosperity holds all but some keys to a holistic engagement with the concept. What happens to the cultural and social structures built through the years? The transformation that urbanization encompasses also includes a fascinating socio-cultural component. This component is not, contrary to popular belief, lost in the concrete and tarmac. In fact, there are traces of this cultural component despite the rhetoric about urbanization causing a westernization of our existence. It is these traces, these fragments that we can either choose to ignore and forget or recognize and empower. This is the challenge of urbanization. Today, the city that we have grown to love may not have grown to love us. Pune, the land that at one point cradled the nascent reforms of education and served as a political fortress, is now inhabited by a populace who seem to have forgotten the silence of gardens in the clamour of midnight rave parties. Our city is a land of contradictions. The 6-lane expressway, the high rise constructions of koregaon park and the young man with a tattooed arm selling coffee at Starbucks on one hand and the garden pathways in empress garden, the trembling wadas of shukrawarpeth and the ageing tea seller on the other, contemporary Pune is a fascinating domain of coexistence between those who embraced urbanization and those who hung on despite it. Yet it is not the fascination of the present but the concern of the future that must be held in high regard. Contemporary Pune is a comma at the end of a beautifully crafted sentence. A comma that calls upon the authors to either resume the rhythm of the words that precede it or break into the tempo of completely new ones. Of course, the demonization of the products of urbanization is not entirely fair. An urbanized Pune has its own tale to narrate. A triumphant surge in the standards of living coupled with the creation of a modern middle-class driven consumer economy are objectives of great value. Urbanization possesses the ability to transform a land bereft of opportunities into one that has a plethora of them. Today, Pune has its own identity beyond the hills that surround it. Known as the city that attracts students from all across the subcontinent, contemporary Pune seems to be on a path that builds upon its historical legacy.

A brief stroll on F.C. road or a drive through vimannagar and kalyaninagar gives one a taste of this identity that has been proffered to our city by those who wish to visit it and hear stories from those who have. The common man rhetoric has placed this new identity in conflict with the one that was supposedly lost somewhere in the transformation. However, we must ask ourselves, can such identities be lost? Or can they only be forgotten by choice? Contemporary Pune sure has a 'new and improved' identity but the old one need not necessarily be lost in oblivion. It must be of utility then to devise methods and processes that produce a symbiotic coexistence of identities both old and new. What these processes and methods could be is a question that deserves its own space in academia. However, it is the critical value of asking for their existence that seems to be the need of the hour Can we as a city generate a curiosity toward the land we inhabit? After all, nobody will rejoice the survival of something their curiosity does not embrace. Such is human nature. Curiosity begets appreciation. It is the sources of such curiosity that hold incredible amounts of untapped potential. The act of identifying such sources is indeed a toil. However, it is in the institutions of influence that the simple answer to a complex question lies hidden from embrace. Of course, it is not the only answer and intellectuals have prescribed others in a similar state of affairs in myriad contexts. These institutions of influence appear in the theoretical congruence of sociology and psychology. Both disciplines agree that it is through the acts of families, schools and social networks that the mind is influenced and shaped. It is within the environments of these institutions that processes, events and facts can be either cemented into memory or hidden behind veils of ignorance. A mother who expresses exuberance at the idea of an erected skyscraper over the tombs of a fallen wada prevents the magnificence of the fallen structure from entering the wonder of her child. A school that fails to cradle a curiosity toward their city fails to create a discourse of value. Curiosity is a conscious choice made in the presence of the option to pursue multiple ends. One cannot force it into existence but one can arrange for its voluntary pursuit. Pune has undergone transformations as fascinating as they are influential. Transformations that transcended the social and geographical expanses of the city. Like any Indian student who pursues his academic interests in the campus of a foreign university, Pune as a city is at a crucial juncture of its tale. Will the city choose to adopt a new identity or huddle up in its older one? Or will it take on some sort of glorious combination of the two? What decision is ideal is not a question with an objective answer nor it is fair to award it one. It is the ability to make the decision that is of considerable consequence.

REQUIRED BABY-SITTERS TO TAKE CARE OF KIDS AND HUSBANDS OF THE FACULTY MEMBERS! In essence this is what contemporary Pune is all about: the power of choice.

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OPINION: CONTEMPORARY PUNE

PARANOIA IN PARADISE opinion

By KARAN RANE

In present day Pune, on one hand, we have a surplus of capital, goods, commodities and opportunities and on the other hand, we have an atmosphere of paranoia, against some invisible forces which can potentially de-rail our endeavour to achieve the pinnacle of a comfortable, consumerist lifestyle. Thus, on one hand we live a life of material and experiential indulgence and on the other, we are constantly plagued by insecurity, fear and anxiety about the possibility of this indulgent life to suffer or even end. This duality creates a never-ending chain of contradictions. We (here, 'we' means the upper middle-class, either working decently paying jobs or having our own businesses) spend five or six days a week, being a part of the larger system of capital production, serving as IT professionals, architects, bankers, office staff, retail staff, cafeteria owners, traders and so on; contributing towards a constant capital flow, which keeps the city running. These economic activities attract a lot of population from other towns, cities, states and even countries, making Pune a sought-after destination for a potentially 'good life'. To add to this, we have an abundance of Educational institutions, inviting thousands of students as well as professionals to the city, year after year. To support this economic structure, we have countless low paid staff members, workers, servants and attendants. They make our lives here easy and at the same time, they are able to make a living for themselves. This 'system' allows us to afford a lifestyle where our needs are met, we can go shopping every now and then, we can eat at pricey cafeterias and restaurants and we can manage to buy ourselves an apartment or in some cases, even a bungalow, together with cars as well as two-wheelers and expensive, geared bicycles. Our kids can attend good schools, colleges and hobby classes. We can go on vacations every summer or at least, every alternate summer. This seems picture-perfect! What more can we ask for? We can ignore and overlook the wreck this city and its public realm is becoming, because that is not in our direct control. We can forgive the impoverished roads, lack of parking spaces, too many vehicles on the road, congestions & traffic jams as well as the near absence of well-connected, reliable and affordable public transport. These are all failures of the State and we'll have to adjust to them, but they certainly can't stop us from achieving our never-ending goal of a better lifestyle.

are cut-off and isolated from the city around. It seems like we want to keep away certain things from our homes, our families, ourselves and our priced material possessions. An easy way to look at this would be that we are afraid of criminal elements (thieves, robbers, burglars, killers, kidnappers and fraudsters) and we obviously don't want them near our lives. Thus, the gated community! It will keep them all away, at least when we are spending quality family time and having a good night's sleep. We are aware that these people exist in the city, and we can't escape from their gaze (or hands) whilst we are outside, but at least we can feel safe when we are inside, therefore the CCTV cameras, uniformed security guards, 30 feet high walls around and the numerous gates. They will most likely protect us and our dear possessions from these dangerous elements of the city. But are we, the hard-working upper middle class, also seeking protection from a different kind of urban elements? Perhaps we are. Hence, our gated communities have large signboards at the entrances which read 'bachelors not Allowed', 'students not allowed', 'foreigners not allowed', 'single women not allowed' and sometimes, even 'pets not allowed'. Will all these also harm us, our children and our possessions? Haven't we at some point in our lives been students, bachelors, single women (some of us), and foreigners (to a different country)? Did we assault, loot, steal, plunder or kill anybody then? This is when the paranoia transcends from threat to our lives, families and possessions to threat to our culture.

We, the hard-working upper middle class, living in secure environment, think that students, bachelors, single women and foreigners will infect our children, our elders, us and our culture, by their transgressive thinking and lifestyle. Their late night partying, their disorganized living rooms, their friends coming over, their smoking and drinking, their indulgence in adult behaviour (as if we are not adults ourselves), the absence of a place of worship in their homes and their coming home late nights, will all contribute towards disruption of our family life and our culture, and we can't allow that. We are, after all, an economically and culturally homogenous group. How can we allow 'them' inside our safe havens? Morality is our weapon and culture is our shield. Now that we are inside our fortress and have kept out the low life elements of the city around, how do we celebrate our 'one, big, homogenous, happy family'? Since we don't really talk to the person next door or the family living on the upper floor because we're too busy earning our lifestyle, how do we come together and celebrate our cultural homogeneity? We will celebrate festivals, the traditional way of people coming together and participating collectively in a set of activities. We will perform a grand pooja, dress up in traditional clothing, have a dance competition for kids, eat sweets, have a grand dinner and go back home and sleep. The next day, back to routine! Thus, we live a life of modernity; by earning a secured home, an automobile, a lifestyle and education. At the same time, we haven't forgotten our culture either, thus, we keep away all those who will infect it and celebrate our traditional festivals so that we don't forget who we originally are.

So, we make our way around these systemic obstacles, which are beyond our control, and work towards enriching our own lives, at least materially. Fair enough! There's nothing problematic about all of this. But, here comes the contradiction.

This is not city life, where you experience the multiplicity, heterogeneity, complexities and contradictions, all together. This is living on an island, with barriers all around, so that, your unified economic and cultural identity, along with your life, is secured. You are living in a gated paradise, but inside We are afraid of and paranoid about something, constantly; your head, you are paranoid. therefore, we are settling ourselves in highly secured gated communities. We want to experience the material pleasures of the city, but we want to reside in safe, fortified islands, which A THINKING LAB INITIATIVE

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OPINION: CONTEMPORARY PUNE

building. The temple was carved out of stone whereas Pune University building had a distinct colonial influence.

PUNE AS I SEE IT opinion

By DIVYA MALLAVARAPU

Pune has been through so many changes since the time I remember it to be alien and new to me (2003) 'till the time when it's known to me (2017).

Contemporary as a word, was introduced much later to me. I started looking at buildings like the Gera Legend which was a mix of glass facades with a combination of Aluminum cladding. I placed this more in the category of - imitation of the west than a true identity of contemporary.

I started understanding Architecture in a different light. It was first introduced to me through the Pataleshwar temple on Jangli Maharaj Road, moving towards the Pune University building. The temple was carved out of stone whereas Pune University building had a distinct colonial influence.

My history classes then drew me towards the traditional Wadas of Pune. Vishrambagh wada is one such example which has been restored since its construction. The typical courtyard planning, inward-looking plans, verandahs spoke about the true essence of climate-responsive planning. Pune's culture has been through a journey as well. Though we have a mix of people from different backgrounds, Pune has moved from "A pensioner's paradise" to "Oxford of the East". I understood Contemporary Pune, when I visited the Khadke house designed by Ar.Girish Doshi. It was an example which showcased climate sensitivity inspired from the traditional Wadas. Pune has been through so many changes since the time I remember it to be alien and new to me (2003) 'till the time when it's known to me (2017). I started understanding Architecture in a different light. It was first introduced to me through the Pataleshwar temple on Jangli Maharaj Road, moving towards the Pune University

This house takes you to a journey in time where comfort, architecture and climate weave in together.

REQUIRED A RAT TRAP TO TRAP â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EM ALL! AND KEEP THEM AWAY FROM FACULTY ROOM

CONTEMPORARY PUNE: IMPRESSION OF THE FIRST GLANCE opinion

By SHRADDHA MANJREKAR

Indian cities in various states have different essence and its a joyous journey to experience the geographical, climatic, architectural and cultural diversity in all Indian cities. As we have a rich political history and tendency to accept changes, all these cities inherit the historical and contemporary parts in their fabric. The changing patterns in Cities are not only defined by architecture and urban design but also by the people, culture and trends. After spending first 23 years of my life in Indore, and 7 years in Ahmedabad, Roorkee, Delhi and Mumbai it was the first opportunity to come to Pune City in year 2009. I came here from Delhi with my team at TERI for a project on Energy Efficiency Improvement in Street Lighting and Promotion of Green Buildings in Maharashtra. Though there can be numerous arguments about the true picture and meaning of Contemporary, I would like to leave you with an image which was stuck in mind since the time I visited this place. A glass clad building next to a temple, located on one of the most busy and commercial roads in Pune. We are trying to find peace with the ciaos we created. Such an irony! Though the temple was built earlier, there was little consideration of the visual comfort of the user in either of these spaces.

Pune has been through changes and alterations which don't do justice to the image it carries along. Not all hope is lost though, Architects across Pune have taken it up as a task to design responsibly owing to the increased awareness about global warming, designing in a more environment sensitive way. Before coming to Pune I had many notions about the cities, some of the feelings like Maratha's Capital or cultural capital of Maharashtra, retired people's home or bicyclers' paradise were because of the readings in the school academics.

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OPINION: CONTEMPORARY PUNE

The second notion was a kind of regard for this city was generated through my profession of research on sustainable building science. We were aware of the programs of MEDA (Maharashtra Energy Development Authority), Eco-housing program of IIEC (International Institute of Environment Conservation), and its adaptation by Pune Municipal Corporation, and the statistics on green buildings' footprint in the city. Our organization in Delhi used to deal with the scientists, environmentalists, landscape designers and architects of Pune. Along with the people the points of discussions and study were the townships and the green building rated projects like Suzlon too. That year Suzlon had been constructed and had gone for GRIHA rating. We knew Pune also for the Energy Saving Companies (ESCOs). These companies did not only manufacture energy efficient and renewable energy based products but also developed mechanism to popularize the same and promote use of these. All these experiences had created image of the city as an educational, research oriented and technological hub of the region. Third notion and Some more curiosity to see the cityscape had been created by Marathi movies of that time, like 'Mumbai Pune Mumbai' or 'Saat cha Aat Gharat' etc. These movies depicted youthful urban life in this typical city of Maharashtra. Apart from all these the liveliness of the cultural activities, i.e., theater and other shows in its auditoriums and the festivals were major points of attraction. After coming to Pune, the feelings came in a little different way. After landing on Pune airport, it was surprising to see half of the view of the city obstructed with the huge hoardings of advertisements of real estate projects, jewelry show rooms, TV serials and also with the birthday wishes to the politicians. At a first glance, it was difficult to find out the Pune specific character of the city. Though we were here for a project but, apart from our office project, there were a number of points of attraction of contemporary Pune for me to visit and study as a researcher, an architect and as a shopohlic female. These points of interest had included Magarpatta city, Peshwe Urja Udyaan, Osho Commune, Nala park and Tulsi Bagh. We used to travel in a cab, and found it challenging to avail public transportation services. Also walking on road was difficult as there are very less footpaths and most of them had pavements that were not pedestrian friendly.

STREETS FOR PEOPLE By SHARDULI JOSHI The old city of pune is rich in culture and heritage. It has a unique character of its own with heritage buildings and dense residential and mixed use neighbourhoods. It has streets which are vibrant with different activities. The streets sometimes are the only breathing spaces due to lack of designated open spaces or parks.

On the very first evening we had tea at 'Amruttulya tea stall' where I was happily surprised to see an old lady in her late 60s, wearing nauwari sari and running that stall. People were calling her Aaji with respect. Through her conversation and a bicycle parked outside the stall, we could guess that she commutes on that bicycle. This picture gave an idea that females in this city must have respectful, healthy, safe and free working environment unlike any other Indian City. While moving in the city we realized that the real estate developers in the city share a big role in shaping the city. A number of residential projects have been designed with architectural perfection. However these buildings along with our initial attraction points in the city looked like pieces of design, art and architecture scattered without any order in the city. Regarding shopping, Pune functions like a unique place of availability for traditional Maharashtrian costumes, jewelry, accessories, things required for celebration of festivals, flowers and food ingredients. City market conserves the rich heritage of the Maharashtrian culture. It has also become a shopping paradise for the Marathi speaking brides and grooms living in all over the world. We were there for a week for our project. We saw construction industry as one of the most important activity of the city. Whole city looked like a huge construction site with a number of buildings under-construction and roads under modification. It was observed that buildings came first and later the road network was identified within the buildings. The core area maintains its own character whereas the rural areas converted into urban agglomeration have completely lost their originality in terms of their inherited architectural chanter and also in terms of professional identity. The traditional rural professions (farming, horticulture, dairy, weaving, pottery, metallurgy, gold smithy, and handicrafts etc.), that would have been the identity of the space too have been disappeared now. The spaces of these professions were occupied by real estate firms, mobile phone shops, chicken and egg shops, beer bars, hardware shops and bakeries.

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HERE Finally, benches were installed, walls were painted in vibrant colours, paths were paved, public awareness posters were put up. Along with children, elders appreciated the efforts. The residents saw from their very own eyes how a neglected public space was transformed into a beautiful, vibrant, clean and lively stretch.

This year, NASA's annual ANDC trophy encouraged students to reactivate desolate public spaces and return them back to people. Students selected a neglected pedestrian street in Rasta peth area of old city. Their aim was to reactivate the street so that a sense of ownership is created for it in the community around. When the work started there was a sense of resistance and apathy from the community around. The street had acted as a dumping yard for them, but students worked with determination and having core principles of collaboration, citizen led change, cost effectiveness etc. Slowly, students started getting help from different stakeholders of the society in terms of some left over building material, paints, equipment etc.

This effort led to personnel from Pune's Smart City initiative approaching Brick School of Architecture, seeking their help and participation in coming up with smart, cost effective and simple solutions to bring alive dead public spaces for a Smart City zone of Pune city.

A THINKING LAB INITIATIVE