Architectural Poem Writing Competition Series is the third Initiative of the Architectural Journalism Organization to spread awareness about this subject and sow the seeds of inspiration to explore and to write about Architecture from a lyrical perspective. (Maximum No. of Lines for the verse shall be 20)

Themes for Series 1.0 and 2.0 are as follows:

Series 1.0: “An Architect’s Life”

Touching infinity is indeed the travesty of nature. That our minds have such ability has made architects reach this point. Skyscrapers seem touching the sky; architecture has been brought to such a level, and we have to take it higher than this. This evolution is the result of our needs and wants. Art is huge while time is short. We have brought ourselves to this level, and we still have to raise our levels and build many more structures that are not only beautiful but also provide utmost comfort to its inhabitants without compromising the respect for Mother Nature.

Series 2.0: “A Building worth Applauding”

Buildings enhance the quality of life and heighten visual delight. The contextual importance of a building should be considered appropriately according to climate, site and wind direction before starting the construction. A form of a building holds its importance as it signifies its functional requirement; conditions such as earth, the sun, trees, and winds determine the former. The Buildings should be worthy of looking at as well. Thus, they must be created as self-explanatory in their designs.

Series 3.0: "Urban Issues"

The Architectural world is surrounded by a lot of urban issues that go beyond the six planes. Some of them may have bothered you or given you sleepless nights. On this platform, you can give a voice to your concerns from a lyrical perspective to bring them out for a larger audience.

Series 4.0: “New Trends in Architectural Practice”

 Architecture in relation with contextual approach has a great history, from caves to mud houses to brick houses and finally, to the present modern houses. Our human greed, to make a shelter that is more durable and appealing, has brought us to this point. Now, we are all geared up to learn and let our thoughts go wild and convert our imaginations into beautiful structures. Change in time has brought change in our thinking, ideas wants and, of course, the building wherein we live.

Series 5.0: “Hybrid Thinking”

The need of the hour, suggests towards hybrid thinking as only traditional practices or the high-tech ones individually will not serve the purpose. Thus, new trends in architecture are focusing on an admixture of the both. Modern buildings are inclusive in design and accommodate all types of users irrespective of the age, gender, or any physical disability. The proportion of open to built up determines the breathability and cross ventilation in the designed space, so it is an important consideration.

Series 6.0: “Contextual Architecture”

Contextual Architecture is the biggest form of subjective art. For instance, the city of Chandigarh has brought an architectural discourse in the country, yet enigmatic, as the responses to it are extreme and variable. Conversely, Indian tradition is unmatched to any other in the whole world, because of its involvement in holistic humanism architecture. Moreover, holistic approach toward building technology is important as it defines the hold on humanity and creativity in architecture.

Series 7.0: “Bamboo Magic”

Bamboo is an aesthetically beautiful material, thus can be extensively used for lattice windows, pavilions, railings, partitions, wall paneling, false ceiling, furniture, and lighting fixtures etc. Also, as it has a little more tensile strength than tor steel; it can be efficiently used to cast slab or foundation with bamboo reinforcement. There are a lot of bamboo varieties available in our nation so it is widely available in abundance for ground experimentations.

Series 8.0: “Building Blocks”

The choice of building material makes a huge difference in our approach towards construction activities. The contextual response to understand the site requirements and conceive spaces while bringing in versatility with the use of unexplored sustainable building materials could be the simplest way to not only save on embodied energy nut also think to reduce energy consumption as far as its operational cost is concerned.

Series 9.0: “Steel Buildings”

Steel buildings are a symbol of contemporary architecture. Carbon Steel since 1920 to date is the third most popular material used in buildings after concrete and timber. Steel as a building material is best known for its diversity in modulation and the architectural expressiveness which makes it more reliable than any other building material. The major applications of steel are façade treatment, erecting bridges, roofing, entrance gateways, fenestrations, interior ceilings, railings, staircases, cladding, furniture, and other aesthetic embellishments.

Series 10: “Fenestration Goals”

Fenestrations are important elements in the passive cooling system of any structure; thus, the orientation of the same is a major factor. Passive solar design strategies may vary with the building’s location and regional climatic differences. However, the primary window guidelines remain the same: choose, orient, and position openings to minimize solar heat gain effect in the summer season and maximize the same during winters.

Jurors Panel for these Series Comprises of

Prof. Krishna Rao Jaisim: Principal Architect Jaisim-Fountainhead

Ar. Pappal Suneja, Principal Architect, Pappal Suneja & Associates

Ar. Jinisha Jain, Professor at McGAN’S Ooty School of Architecture

Ar. Sangeet Sharma, Practicing Architect & Author Chandigarh

Ar. Surinder Bahga, Chairperson B&C IIA Punjab and Principal Architect, Saakar Foundation

Winning Prizes for the Competition are

For Each Series, Prizes are Autographed Books by the following Architects

Citation_1: ‘ Architectural Musings: I Do’ by Prof. Krishna Rao Jaisim. 

Citation_2: ‘Exploration of Architectural Journalism in India’ by Ar. Pappal Suneja.  

Special Mention_1: ‘Castles in the Air Misadventures of a Profession’ by Ar. Sangeet Sharma.

Special Mention_2: ‘Architectural Journalism & Criticism' Competition Proceedings (2017-18)

Besides this, all the entrants shall be sent E-Certificate attested by all the jurors and the winning stories shall be featured on an online architectural portal.

For more Information, Visit the Facebook Page of the Initiative.

Top Image © Pappal Suneja (Hotel All Season; Alleppey, Kerela)

> via Architectural Journalism Series