Dear Architect friends, Quick Thoughts for the Discussion on Architecture - Education today for the Profession tomorrow .........by Prof. R. Ramaraju DEAR Institute, Trichy, Tamilnadu. 31.08.2014 Preamble Architectural Education is based on natural and practical process, often tuned to the current trends of Industry. However, now, it may call for some tinkering mostly on the process of implementation. But I herein prefer to look at the issue broadly at policy level in order to strengthen the structure of the Education to upgrade the Profession by filling the gaps with most appropriate and suitable human resources. Only few countries like Malaysia legally recognise subordinates to Architects, as in the case of other professions like, Advocates’ Clerk, Nurses, Compounders, Apprentice of Auditor, etc. My quick suggestions are broadly as follows: Architecture Education Programmes 1. Design Stream at +2 Levels A new Design Stream is required to be introduced at the +2 level with the subjects of various aspects of creative professionals as follows: • Maths shall be as ‘Creative Mathematics’ with geometry and trigonometry, calculations and combinations of forms and shapes, along with theorems and formulas of areas and volumes. • Science shall be in its usual parts - Physics may contain force, light, Colour, sound, energy, etc. and Chemistry with materials and their properties. • Environmental Science is to cover earth, geology, land patterns, climate, plants, life cycle, pollution, green effect, ozone, population and migration, general health and living standards, etc. • Social Science on the importance and matters of history, heritage, fine arts, architecture, culture, socio-economics, humanities, human behaviours, art of communications, personality development, etc. • Art & Design Studio covering creative exercises including free-hand drawings, sketching, colouring, paintings, basics of design principals and elements, modelling making using various materials, sculptures, murals, etc. • A Language. This stream would be as a ‘foundation Programme’ for higher studies in the fields of creativity like architecture, fine arts, sculptures, planning, product design, graphic design, fashion design, textile design, interior design, Journalism, advertisements, cinematography, etc. This may also even consider for Civil Engineering. This suggestion needs to be placed before the CBSE / State school authorities. 2. Diploma level Intermediate Programme - D. Arch (3 years after 10th std) This programme shall be framed as an intermediate programme in such a way to meet the employment requirements of assistants for various purposes to Architects as well as eligible to continue graduation from the second year of B.Arch. Specialisation on Drafting & Modelling, Estimation & Quantity Surveyor, and Execution to assist Architects as Architectural Draughtsmen, Architectural Assistants, and Architectural Supervisors. These candidates shall be trained in such a way on appreciating and understanding the art & architecture in order to ensure finer aspects of architecture in their attitude and approach. The syllabus is required to be included to fulfil the requirements of employment as well as higher studies. The Architects Act and its Rules/ Regulations are to be amended accordingly to include their roles, responsibilities, and restrictions thereby making others legally ineligible. By this amendment, majority of unqualified persons shall be removed from the scene of construction. 3. UG Level – B. Arch (5 years after +2) It continues to be in general as of now. The Practical training should be for one Semester (100 days) immediately after the Basic level (after 3 years). The intention of practical training is to know the nature of professional working and definitely not to deliver works as professionals. The balance 4 ½ years are necessary to cover the fundamental subjects of Architecture with thorough coverage on technological and structural aspects as Architects are required to be equipped in today’s context. Unless Architects are trained to deal with all aspects of Building including structural, they cannot be called as ‘architects’, but may be called as ‘artists’ who created some sketches, drawings. The three factors, ‘Arts + Technology + Execution’, should have full-fledged and thorough coverage for learning and training Architecture. 4. PG Level - M. Arch (Full time – 2 years & Part time – 3 years) Options may be made widely available for both modes, and for both people from teaching and practice, in order to encourage studying PG Level programmes. Full time should be only as full-time. Part-time should be constantly throughout the week to learn, understand, and enlarge the vision on the subject matters in depth. The Week-end programmes for two days should not be allowed even as part-time. However, many such week end programmes are now being conducted for two days as full time programme at many Institutions / Universities. 5. Research Level – Ph. D (Minimum 2 years for full time and 3 years for part-time) The research level programme needs to be liberalised and should be opened up for Architects from practice. Candidates with 8 to 10 years of professional experience (after registration) may be allowed directly to undertake research in Architecture. The academic unit of NIASA may be upgraded as Research Centre offering academic research programmes and also honouring Architects with Doctorate Degree for the life-time achievers / contributors. NIASA should acquire the status of Research University under the UGC Act. Status of Universities It is an ideal situation to have exclusive University for Architecture in every State / Union Territory to maintain its special and different nature of education, very much varying from Engineering. The Council of Architecture (CoA) does conduct periodical inspection on the Institutions, but not on the affiliating Universities. Many Universities do not have an exclusive Office and Head of the department. Many of them don’t have even a single Architectural Faculty working in the University, but offering architectural programmes. The syllabus and curriculum are mostly not framed by the body of Architects. It is required to be checked at the level of Universities for its course contents and minimum standards. The syllabus and curriculum committees should have majority of Architectural Experts as its Members. Every University should have specialised vision and approach on a particular area of architecture. There are no or very few architectural books in the most of affiliating University Libraries for reference. Universities are very silent on this matter which should be made available at larger level reference materials to the affiliated Institutions as well as to the students. Very rarely the Universities are periodically upgrading their facilities which should be based on the no. of affiliated Institutions and the total students’ strength. Academic Councils or the decision making Body of the Universities do not have Architectural Experts as Members but they offer architectural programmes at all levels. The examination systems and methods of many Universities are many times not suitable and appropriate for Architectural education. Affiliated Institutions have a very ‘less say’ on these academic matters of the Universities. Therefore, a system or a tool for checking Universities to ensure their minimum standards is a must, as they are also governing the Architectural Education, and very much coming under the ambit of CoA. Registration Only on completion of one year Professional Apprenticeship after Graduation, a graduate shall be made eligible to apply for Architectural Profession (Entry) Exams – APE. Successful completion of APE and 2 years of Professional Apprenticeship are required to get registration as ‘ARCHITECTS’ with CoA. Automatically both for teaching and practice, Minimum 2 years of Professional Apprenticeship shall become the order of the day, ensuring minimum exposure before becoming as teachers. The proposal of Certificate of Practice (CoP) shall only end up in hurdles and create one more class of people violating the Law... that too by the registered Architects. There shall be two sections, practicing and non-practicing architects, discriminating the status chaos between two fellow individuals. On the other hand, the Faculties are necessarily to be encouraged to practice for updating their professional knowledge and on professional trends. Therefore, the proposal of CoP needs to be dropped. I would like to contribute in details, if required, further on any of the policy matters as suggested above.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 03:19:40 +0000
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