Universal Design

Universal Design is a design approach that aims to create environments, technologies, and products that are inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds. It focuses on designing spaces that can be used by everyone without the need for adaptation or specialised accommodations.

Mphasis F1 Foundation & AVAS joins hands with Ethos as the Knowledge Partner to bring to you Project UDita (Universal Design is the answer). 
UDita means an awakening in many Indian languages. 
The first step we take as Team UDita is this 12th edition of Sense N Sensibility Talk Series with Ms. Poonam Natarajan who will be sharing how Universal Design can be the guiding design principle to shape our spaces inclusively, creating a world where every individual's unique abilities are celebrated and barriers are shattered. She is accompanied by Ar. Shivani Shah to initiate our attempt at sensitising the public to a more inclusive built environment.

Universal Design emphasises on the importance of accessibility and user-friendliness, considering factors such as mobility, vision, hearing, cognition, and sensory sensitivity. By eliminating barriers and accommodating diverse needs, Universal Design promotes inclusivity and equality. It encourages the creation of intuitive, easy-to-use designs that benefit not only individuals with disabilities but also enhance the overall user experience for everyone.

Design for Real People

Having a sensitive approach to our designs is crucial as it allows us to create solutions that cater to the diverse needs and experiences of people. By considering factors such as accessibility, inclusivity, and ergonomics, we can ensure that our designs are not only visually appealing but also functional and human-centric. In the 12th edition of Sense N Sensibility, Ms. Poonam Natarajan will talk about, 'Designing for Real People' and empowering persons with disability through the spaces we build. We will first begin by understanding and knowing the disabilities and then the persons who live with these disabilities better!  She will be accompanied by Ar. Shivani Shah to share her expertise on designing for real dimensions, with a focus on ergonomics. Their insights will provide valuable knowledge on how to create designs that seamlessly integrate with the human form and enhance comfort and usability. Join us to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of sensitivity in design and its impact on user experiences.

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Details

  • Date

    14th July 2023

  • Time

    09.30 AM - 11.15 AM IST

About Sense N Sensibility

Sense N Sensibility (SNS) is a lecture series by ACEDGE, to allow access to expert viewpoints, from across the globe. These experts would demonstrate, through their choices, experiments and lessons, multiple vantage points for developing and exploring design.  

Sense N Sensibility is about integration and the big picture. We seek to dishevel the older notions of compartmentalisation of knowledge and introduce learners across the country to collaborative and interdisciplinary studies. Many of our speakers are experts from varied fields- a mayor, a grassroots social worker who works towards community empowerment, an engineer working to resolve water-crisis, sustainability experts, social scientists, travellers, industrial entrepreneurs, and many others.

The inaugural lecture for the SNS series was delivered by Architect George Ferguson, Past President RIBA (2003/5) and first elected Mayor of Bristol UK (2012-16). On the other side of the globe, Architect Ferguson, fought for the rights of a neighbourhood to remain ‘mixed’, against the monoculture promoted by developers. 

The second lecture by Amit Pasricha celebrates the lesser-known built heritage of India and his Journey of the 'India- Lost and Found' Campaign.

The third lecture was by a Pritzker Jury member, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, also Brazilian Ambassador to India. He spoke about Pritzker winning Laureates from the countries of India, Brazil and Japan.

The fourth lecture was by Ar. Rafiq Azam of SHATOTTO Architecture of Green Living on Phenomenal Practice and Thought-provoking Explorations on the field of Architecture and recent Urban Interventions.

The fifth lecture was by Ar. Yasmeen Lari, Pakistan's first female architect. She spoke on lowering the Carbon Footprint: Humanistic Architecture for Post-COVID-19 World.

The sixth lecture by Ar. Krishna Rao Jaisim and Ar Narendra Dengle iterated the relevance and applicability of the underlying concepts of the Gandhian philosophy.

The seventh lecture conducted by Ar. Shirish Beri talked about the importance of architecture in shaping human behaviour.

The eighth lecture by Ar. Prasanna Desai and Ar. Amit Gupta elaborated on Design Research in Practice and Pedagogy.

The ninth lecture by Dr. Anupama Kundoo talked about the social and environmental duties of an Architect.

The tenth lecture by Prof.  Neelkanth Chhaya was an edition to commemorate the Teacher's Day as he shared anecdotes and insights on Learning and Teaching in Architecture. 

The last lecture by Prof. Habeeb Khan, former president of CoA,  was a deliberation to discuss NEP, Admission and, Exit test and much more..

About the Speaker

Poonam Natarajan

Founder, Vidya Sagar and Former Chairperson, National Trust

Ms. Poonam Natarajan is a pioneering figure in disability and development activities in India. In 1985, she established the Spastics Society of India, now known as Vidya Sagar (Ocean of Knowledge) in Chennai. Vidya Sagar currently offers a range of programs and services, including early intervention, special education, therapy, vocational training, and employment opportunities. As Chairperson of the National Trust at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Ms. Poonam was dedicated to developing rights-based and people-centred disability policies, legislation, and programs. She has spearheaded initiatives for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, covering areas such as health insurance, livelihoods, and assisted living. Her contributions, including co-authoring a book on Management of Cerebral Palsy, have earned her numerous accolades, including a Certificate of Honour from the Guild of Service for her outstanding achievements in the field of disability, research, and advisory services.

Shivani Shah

Founder, AxcesAble

Shivani is an Architect, researcher, an Anant Fellow, and a Toilet Fellow, currently pursuing her Masters in Clinical Psychology. She is the Co-Founder of AxcesAble, an early-stage startup that has the vision to make accessibility information on built spaces in the city available to all. Her work majorly is in the domain of accessibility and inclusion, design for all, Inclusive Design, user experience research and Environmental Psychology. She has delivered several talks, and presentations, taken workshops and curated exhibitions for raising awareness about inclusion and diversity, and access for disability. Her work (with the research team) at The Indian Music Experience Museum, Bangalore was selected to be presented in INCLUDE 2022, Royal College of Arts, London. Currently, she is working as a Project Co-ordinator in the Team for Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodation (TARA), Vidya Sagar, Chennai where she is working on home accessibility projects and is also very closely associated with Museums of Possibilities, Chennai

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Previous Speakers

SNS 10.0 &11.0

Habeeb Khan

Former President, CoA

Architect Habeeb Khan is currently the President of the Council of Architecture. He has been involved in teaching since the beginning of his career. He has been taking guest lectures and engaging with design studios in architectural colleges all over the country, apart from juries and examinations. He is currently the Director at Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and Design Studies (PIADS), Nagpur, and Lokmanya Tilak Institute of Architecture & Design Studies (LTIADS), Mumbai. His Design Teaching revolves around sensitizing students towards their own heritage and roots, context and climate within the framework of being contemporary. Habeeb has actively been working with the Govt. of Maharashtra on few policy framing guidelines. He has also been nominated by the Govt. of Maharashtra, on the Council of Architecture.

Neelkanth Chhaya

Mentor

Neelkanth Chhaya has been an academic and practicing architect for nearly forty years. He has taught at the University of Nairobi, the Institute of Environmental Design at Vallabh Vidyanagar, and was a faculty member at CEPT University for over twenty-five years. He retired as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at CEPT University in 2013. Subsequently, he has been an Adjunct Faculty at Srishti School of Design and also holds the position of Academic Chair at the Goa College of Architecture. His professional practice, spanning over 30 years, has dealt with institutional and residential projects across India. His practice has won many Architectural Design Competitions and has also won National Awards for completed projects. The practice is focused on culturally and environmentally appropriate design and has emphasised the innovative application of local skills and materials. He has been invited to be a member of several committees connected to the built environment and is the coordinator of the Architectural Documentation work of the Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission. He is a regular speaker at conferences in India and abroad. He is a member of the Boards of Hunnarshala and Khamir Craft Resource Centre, both of which are involved in empowering traditional knowledge and sustainable practices.

SNS 7.0,8.0 & 9.0

Anupama Kundoo

Anupama Kundoo graduated from University of Mumbai in 1989 and received her PhD degree from TU Berlin in 2008. Her research-oriented practice started in 1990 in Auroville has generated people-centric architecture based on spatial and material research for low environmental impact while being socio-economically beneficial. Her body of works was recently exhibited as a solo show 'Taking Time' at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark till 16 May 2021. She has taught Architecture and Urban Management at various international universities strengthening her expertise in rapid urbanization and climate change-related development issues and was the Davenport Visiting Professor at Yale University in Spring 2020. She is currently Professor at Potsdam School of Architecture, Germany and the Head of Urban Design, Auroville. She is the recipient of the 2021 RIBA Charles Jencks award for her contribution to architectural theory, the 2021 Auguste Perret Prize for architectural technology and the 2021 Building Sense Now global award of the German Sustainable Building Council. Her studios are based in Berlin in Germany, and Pune and Pondicherry in India. Kundoo’s rigorous research and experimentation in new materiality for architecture is the result of questioning basic assumptions, construction habits that humanity has adopted during the long process of industrialization. Rather than focussing on shortage, she sought abundance through investing in human resources and human resourcefulness, such as ingenuity, time, skills, care and sense of community. The act of building produces knowledge just as the resulting knowledge produces buildings.

Ar. Krishna Rao Jaisim

Ar. Krishna Rao Jaisim is an eminent name in the field of architecture. He completed his Bachelors in Architecture from Madras University in the year 1966. Since then he has been practicing architecture under the name Jaisim- Fountainhead. Prof Jaisim has authored and presented over hundreds of papers and his works have been published in international, national and state media. He has made over 1500 presentations on issues regarding architecture on international, national forums and multi-media. His contribution to the architecture field has been acknowledged and appreciated with various awards; JK Architect of the year 1992 award, JK Cements AYA - Chairman’s Award (20th AYA) to name a few among many.

Shirish Beri

Born in November 1950, Shirish Beri graduated in architecture from School of Architecture (CEPT), Ahmedabad in Jan 1974. Instead of pursuing higher studies in the U.S he opted for living and working in the mountains near Kolhapur (with his father and brother's architectural firm in Kolhapur) from June 1974. Ar. Shirish Beri's works, which tend to reflect his values and concerns in life have been bearing their distinct mark on modern Indian architecture since 1975. Shirish Beri feels that issues of sustainability can be aptly addressed only through the right attitudes and goals. His designs try to achieve an inherent sense of unity and harmony with various natural and man-made elements and forces. He has designed a number of campuses for national & regional level institutions for research, rehabilitation, health care and education, along with various other types of buildings.

SNS 4.0, 5.0 & 6.0

Narendra Dengle

Narendra Dengle is a practicing architect, educator and writer. His works, since 1974 include rural and urban projects addressing contemporary cultural, environmental and aesthetic issues. He has been on the CAA's Re validation Committee and was member of the Charles Correa Gold Medal Jury for the best student thesis (2005-2016). His books include ‘Jharoka’(Marathi), 2007. "The Discovery of Architecture: a contemporary treatise on ancient values and indigenous reality" jointly authored with M N Ashish Ganju, 2013, and "Dialogues with Indian Master Architects" 2015. He has made films on Architectural Appreciation. He is on the faculty at the Building Beauty Program at Sant'Anna Institute in Sorrento, Italy, and Co-Chair of its Asian Advisory Board.

Md. Rafiq Azam

Founder, SHATOTTO architecture for green living

Md. Rafiq Azam is one of the internationally acclaimed architects from Bangladesh practicing for the last 27 years and developed a remarkable style of his own. His practice name is “SHATOTTO architecture for green living” since May 1995. In 2004, Rafiq Azam participated in “Glenn Murcutt Master Class” and selected as one of the ten emerging designers of the world by “Urban Land”, USA in 2008. He has won a line of national and international awards for his architectural contribution.

Yasmeen Lari

Architect

Yasmeen Lari, Pakistan’s first female architect, is also a humanitarian and heritage conservationist. She graduated from Oxford Brookes University n 1963. She has built several landmark buildings in Pakistan and is considered among pioneers of Brutalist Architecture. After retiring in 2000 she is engaged in heritage management and humanitarian architecture. She is the founder of Barefoot Social Architecture and Barefoot Incubator for Social Good and Environmental Sustainability devised to empower marginalized sections of society. She is best known as a proponent of zero carbon footprint conceptions that are drawn from vernacular traditions and incorporate tenets of social and ecological justice. She is the recipient of Jane Drew Prize 2020, Fukuoka Prize 2016 and Pakistan national awards Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2014) and Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2006).

SNS 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0

George Ferguson

Past President RIBA (2003/5) and first elected Mayor of Bristol UK (2012-16

George Ferguson secured Bristol’s status as European Green Capital 2015, as a founder member of Rockefeller 100 Resilient Cities and as a UNESCO Learning City. He has recently been appointed Bristol’s first International Ambassador. From his Bristol based practice Ferguson Mann Architects he founded the UK wide group of architects, Acanthus, in 1986. He was also a founder of the Academy of Urbanism during his presidency of the Royal Institute of British Architects. In the 90’s he developed the ‘Tobacco Factory’, a multi-use project, catalyst for the regeneration of South Bristol and a model for culture led city regeneration. He is also a restaurateur, brewer and social entrepreneur. He has an international profile as an advocate for liveable cities and the global environment and has represented the European Commission, Eurocities, ICLEI, including at Paris COP21 and at the G7 2016 summit in Japan.

Amit Pasricha

Influencer

Amit Pasricha is one of the world’s celebrated panoramic photographers. He is well published and believes that photography, as the most powerful modern language of today, must be used to draw attention to those aspects that stand neglected. Amit Pasricha’s lens looks at India the way few others do. One of the foremost panoramic photographers in the country, he uses a technique that stitches together multiple images to create a single image that is far larger or wider than a camera can capture, or indeed the human eye can take in at a glance. A third-generation photographer, Pasricha, 51, has worked on several projects that have been turned into highly acclaimed coffee-table books. They include India at Home, a fascinating account of people from across India captured in their homes, and The Sacred India Book, which examines the role of religion in everyday life, all shot in his signature panoramic style.

Shirish Beri

Born in November 1950, Shirish Beri graduated in architecture from School of Architecture (CEPT), Ahmedabad in Jan 1974. Instead of pursuing higher studies in the U.S he opted for living and working in the mountains near Kolhapur (with his father and brother's architectural firm in Kolhapur) from June 1974. Ar. Shirish Beri's works, which tend to reflect his values and concerns in life have been bearing their distinct mark on modern Indian architecture since 1975. Shirish Beri feels that issues of sustainability can be aptly addressed only through the right attitudes and goals. His designs try to achieve an inherent sense of unity and harmony with various natural and man-made elements and forces. He has designed a number of campuses for national & regional level institutions for research, rehabilitation, health care and education, along with various other types of buildings.

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