The Space of Intuition with Anuradha Chatterjee| AG 44

The Space of Intuition

In this episode, we speak to Prof. Anuradha Chatterjee, who is presently the Dean of Faculty of Design at Manipal University Jaipur.

She shares her journey from Architecture to Academia and teaching across the world. We dive deep into the Architectural Education system in India, the various challenges it faces, integrating more of Site into Studio, tips for final year students working on their thesis, how do we teach Architectural Design, plagiarism in PHDs, Architectural Journalism, the importance of writing in Architecture, the future of Architectural Education, advice for young architects and a whole lot more.

Professor (PhD) Anuradha Chatterjee is Dean, Faculty of Design, Manipal University Jaipur. She is a registered architect in India, with M. Arch and PhD from the University of New South Wales, Australia. For close to two decades, she has taught at and has held leadership positions in premier higher education institutions in Australia (University of New South Wales, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, University of Tasmania, and University of South Australia); China (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University); and India (Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Srishti Institute of Art Design and Technology, and Pearl Academy). Prior to joining Manipal University Jaipur, Dr Chatterjee was the Dean Academics at Avani Institute of Design, where she was responsible for establishing culture and systems for academic excellence. 

Dr Chatterjee is the Area Editor for Asia, Bloomsbury Global Encyclopedia of Women in Architecture 1960-2015 (edited by Karen Burns and Lori Brown, forthcoming in 2021), and has edited and authored three well received and endorsed academic books, Surface and Deep Histories: Critiques, and Practices in Art, Architecture, and Design, (Cambridge Scholars Publishing); Built, Unbuilt, and Imagined Sydney (Copal Publishing); and John Ruskin and the Fabric of Architecture (Routledge). Her recent prestigious appointments include

1) Member of Board of Review for CEPT University’s M Arch / MA in Architectural History and Theory Programme;
2) Elected Companion to The Guild of St George;
3) Member of Editorial Board for Architecture, Cambridge Scholars Publishing;
4) Senior Research Fellow (Honorary), Centre for Architecture Theory Criticism History at the University of
Queensland;
5) Regional Editor (Asia Pacific), Textile; Journal of Cloth and Culture. For more information, see: https://jaipur.manipal.edu/fod/schools-faculty/faculty-list/Dr_Anuradha_Chatterjee.html and https://anuradhachatterjee.wixsite.com/architecture 

Podcast Shownotes

02:10 How Anuradha got into Architecture? An Accidental Architect
03:40 Studying at TVB School of Habitat Studies in Chandigarh 
06:10 Pursuing Masters in Architectural History & Theory at University of New South Wales

08:30 “Whatever you haven’t mastered, do that. Don’t do something you’ve already done before.” 

10:20  A PHD in Architecture. 
14:00 Balancing & Teaching in a PHD Program.
15:00 Anuradha’s book – John Ruskin & The Fabric of Architecture
17:30 Time Management & saying yes to a lot of opportunities. 
20:00 Working in Shanghai at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.
22:00 Challenges of working in India
24:10 Architectural Education in India
26:30 The increase in Architecture Schools & Graduates. 

“Growing beyond quality towards Excellence.

29:20 Reducing the course duration from 5 to 3 years in Architectural Education.
31:30 The importance of embedding more technology & new forms of technology in Architecture.
33:40 Integrating Site with Studio.
35:30 How do we teach Architectural Design?  

“If you don’t love design, don’t teach design.”

37:30 Working as a Dean at Avani Institute of Design
40:10 Bridging the gap between the faculty & the student.
43:10 Tips for Final Year students doing their Thesis
46:40 Plagiarism & Outsourcing Work in Thesis
48:30 Plagiarism in the PHDs

50:00 “As Architects, we’re not trained to write.” – Anuradha on language being a barrier in Thesis Writing.

51:00 More on John Ruskin & The Fabric of Architecture & Future Plans
54:20 Importance of Architectural Journalism
56:50 Advice for students just getting started as an Architect

“Restlessness is an intellectual state of mind.”

58:30 The future is an hybrid between online & in the field education.
1:00:35 Integrating BIM into the Architectural Education system.
1:05:00 Women in Architecture

 

The Quick Fire Round

Connect with Anuradha

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