If only I could be a writer for a day- or two..

-Dhwani Sanghvi

It took me just three days to go from a bad writer to a good one. Yes! I had the opportunity to attend one of the theory electives for the ongoing batches “Architectural Writing”. Of course, I attended as an alumnus by requesting this chance. It was conducted by a published author Ar. Pappal Suneja who joined us from his hometown of Ludhiana, perks of the pandemic.

Over five years of architecture, we read more about architecture and hardly ever wrote. This tamed us to critic more and create less. I don’t remember writing debatably about my designs as a student of architecture. This workshop helped me correct that. It was a task bases workshop wherein we were given two tasks over three days -- the first one being a summary of an architectural book and the second one, to write a descriptive essay about a building one likes or has visited.

The first day passed in getting used to the tutor, his exercises-- short tasks of taking pictures from one’s terrace or street, making a collage of city furniture, discussing pictures one took on travels in the past. This helped us build a vocabulary that was simple yet effective.

The second day began with a discussion of homework given to us. The task was interestingly designed to keep us occupied and begin the deep dive into writing. Participants chose from a movie or a book and wrote about the architecture in them. I took the book ‘Aalto’ penned by Louna Lahti. It was rather confusing when a third person writes about an author’s perspective. It was a task to keep the architect intact and not quote the author. The conclusive paragraph included my opinion about the famous Finnish architect. This brought to the surface an age-old question ‘Who am I to comment on a celebrated architect?’ When commenting on the artist who stands tall, it humbled me down, and I was no exception. Naturally, Ar. Pappal lifted my spirits by making me write “me” on the same.

The final day was when all the fun began. But alas we didn’t have more time. The day began with content faces of having done a task well. It was time to discuss the essay on a building visited by the participants. Few took familiar, few a well-read one while I took the one I had the chance to see firsthand: Swarovski Kristallwelten, Austria. Collages were made to enhance the visual contexts for others. This is when most of us were inspired to write, to express, and read with a soft spot for the authors.

What started as a compulsion for the students and an interest for the alumni turned out to be a skill I would pursue in the future. Electives are not just curriculum. They are the seeds to an alternative career path, a road less taken. A road I was terrified to take. What if words aren’t architecture? However, it depends on us to build an image with bricks or with words. It should all lead to a finer world. As you read this, I write my first article- a seed already being planted.

Personal Images clicked at The Garden, Swarovski Museum in 2019 with Nikon Coolpix L120.