CHENNAI: At the Central Business Precinct in Mumbai, a law from the British era called for the construction of an arcade on buildings on the street for the protection of the pedestrians from the harsh sunlight and rain. Modern-day by-laws do not follow this sense of urban responsibility on architects, thereby removing the sense of social responsibility on the profession.
This was one of the exhibits displayed at the Anna University School of Architecture and Planning by 13 architects from across the country. Organised by the Chennai Architecture Foundation, the exhibition, titled ‘Death of Architecture Circa 2000’, had exhibits by these architects on their take on the issue. Besides by-laws, it also focused on current issues in the industry such as the rise of the word ‘local’ and the evolution of architecture in relation with other fields such as anthropology and history.
“Arch has a larger public agenda and we need to focus on how small arches affect larger places in history. The exhibition is for the common man to look at the current issues of the practice and how it affects them. This provocation leads to dialogue and reflection and eventually, progress,” said Mahesh Radhakrishnan, a trustee of the Chennai Architectural Foundation.
This exhibition was conceived in August 2017, where the 13 architects decided the theme. Local architect Pramod Balakrishna, who put up an exhibit on Thiruporur, said, “I’ve seen the area rapidly change, and that change was absorbed by the residents. These places used to be markers for people while travelling...why would anyone destroy it like this?”
A panel discussion was held on Saturday, featuring four people from different professions to offer a different perspective on the theme, said Pramod.