Jaipur - the Pink City of India will host the 19th Arcasia Forum on 23-25 May, 2017. Arcasia Forum is the major regional forum held every two years that take the form of a large international forum for fostering intellectual exchange and strategic discussion on regional challenges, initiatives and development amongst thousands of architects.

Arcasia, the Architects Regional Council Asia, is an assembly of the National Institutes of Architects of Asian Region consisting of 21 member countries. These countries include Bhutan, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The organisation itself serves as an extension for each member institute's regional programme and relations.

Aims and Objectives of Arcasia:

• To unite National Institutes of Architects on a democratic basis throughout the Asian region, to foster friendly, intellectual, artistic, educational and scientific ties;
• To foster and maintain professional contacts, mutual co-operation and assistance among member institutes;
• To represent architects of the member institutes at national and international levels;
• To promote the recognition of the architect's role in society;
• To promote the development and education of architects and the architectural profession in their service to society;
• To promote research and technical advancement in the field of the built environment.

The theme for the 19th Arcasia Forum is, "Happiness Through Architecture"

Happiness in life has been a constant pursuit of the mankind through the ages. Towards that goal man has been in search of better food, better clothing and better shelter. The latter has provided a very creative inexhaustible form of expression and will continue to do so in times to come. Happiness Quotient has become a measure of a nation's well being. Design of the built form through the discipline of architecture offers ample opportunities to the creative minds for significantly enhancing the "Happiness Quotient" in the lives of the people through Architecture.

Research Papers are invited from the interested contributors on this theme by 28th February, 2017. The authors may touch upon the role of the following sub themes:

1. Urban Spaces.

2. Designing for the 'masses.'

3. Vibrant Indoors.

4. Sustainable Architecture

The inauguration ceremony of the 19th Arcasia Forum will be held on 23rd May in B.M. Birla Auditorium,  and the technical sessions will be held on 24th and 25th May 2017 in the Hotel Jaipur Marriott.

The Indian Institute of Architects, Jaipur, Rajasthan cordially invites the architectural fraternity to participate in the Conclave.

Venues for the event will be the B.M. Birla Auditorium -Statue Circle Jaipur, Rajasthan, India and Jaipur Marriott-Ashram Marg, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Even though the speakers have not yet been announced, the schedule of the event can be seen from the website with Online Registrations.

The Arcasia Awards for Architecture 2017

The Forum will also held the Arcasia Awards for Architecture (AAA) for 2017. Arcasia in its endeavors to raise the standard of the built environment throughout Asia in general and in its member countries in particular, has instituted the Arcasia Awards for Architecture (AAA) in order to encourage and recognize exemplary works done by architects working in Asia.

Aims and Objectives of Arcasia Awards for Architecture

The aim of the Arcasia Awards for Architecture (AAA) is to acknowledge exemplary architectural work and in doing so encourage the sustenance of the Asian spirit, the development and improvement of the Asian built environment and enhancement of the awareness of the role of architects in the socioeconomic and cultural life of Asian countries. 

The Arcasia Awards also intends to demonstrate that good architecture is a major component of the positive influence on the human environment, and that physical development in Asia need not be in disharmony with the cultural values, national identity or the natural environment of developing countries in Asia.

Categories of Awards

The Awards will be given in the following categories; Category A: Residential Projects, Category B: Public Amenity Buildings, Category C: Industrial Buildings, Category D: Conservation Projects, Category E: Social Responsible Architecture  and Category F: Sustainability.

Awards Jury 

The independent Arcasia Master Jury shall consist of the following:

• President of Arcasia
• An eminent Non-Architect personality from the host country of Forum/Congress where the Awards are to be adjudged
• Two eminent Architects from Arcasia Zones other than the country represented by the President of Arcasia
• An eminent Architect from any region other than the Arcasia Region

Deadline for Applications: February 22, 2017. 

All images courtesy of Arcasia Forum

 > via Arcasia Jaipur