Gandhinagar, 23rd August 2024: The Swarrnim Institute of Design and Planning, affiliated with Swarrnim Startup & Innovation University, recently organised an exhibition focused on the architectural and cultural study of the coastal town of Udvada situated in Pardi taluka of Valsad district. The exhibition was held at the Central Plaza on the university campus in Adalaj, near Gandhinagar. Findings of the architecture students who explored the coastal town and its rich heritage, known for its significance to the Parsi community, were showcased in the exhibition.
Students presented their research, designs, and proposed interventions, the students seek to raise awareness about the preservation and sustainable development of Udvada’s built environment, fostering a deeper understanding of its cultural and historical value.
The opening of the exhibition saw presentations and discussions led by Shweta Kapoor, Associate Professor and Principal Incharge,Swarrnim Institute of Design and Planning. Academic deans and principals from different institutes of Swarrnim University remained present at the event. Some 48 students from the Swarrnim Institute of Design presented their research, highlighting Udvada’s unique architectural features, urban layout, and the importance of sustainable preservation.
The idea behind organising the exhibition was to showcase the students’ findings about Udvada’s rich heritage and raise awareness about the importance of conserving it while setting up facilities to enable modern development in the quaint town. Meaningful discussions took place between students, faculty members and local stakeholders to build potential strategies to develop the town while keeping its cultural identity intact.
Faculty members Ar. Jagat Joshi, Ar. Aseem Shaikh, and Ar. Pratik Lohiya, Mr. Jatin Patel and Ms. Hiteshri Patel from the Swarrnim Institute of Design and Planning mentored the students, who displayed their work through drawings, photographs, and models.
“The idea of design is to ideate, innovate, implement and improve to attain efficiency and aesthetic. I am proud to see the depth and perspective about Udvada and its heritage that has been analysed and presented by our students in this exhibition. One of the key focal points of architecture and design is conservation of the rich and diverse heritage, culture of India and the identities associated with it. In our humble attempt at building the workforce for such projects, raising awareness among aspiring architects about India’s heritage and providing them with a platform to explore, engage with and conserve India’s heritage, we, at Swarrnim Startup and Innovation University, are committed to integrating such projects into our curriculum. These projects enable our students a platform to explore the domain of heritage conservation and community engagement,” said Mr Adi Jain, vice president, Swarrnim Startup and Innovation University.
