EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON ARCHITECTURE IN TERMS OF DESIGN, BUSINESS & EDUCATION IN INDIA | AR. MOHSIN SHEIKH


HELLO EVERYONE!!!

India has started to resume from the pandemic, and as offices start working with minimum requirement of staff and as operations start taking place a lot of the areas are affected that will leave a scar on Indian Economy. For all of us this was something that changed our perspective. Several events took place which we did not expect, from laborers walking till their villages to education and exams being halted to facing difficulties getting basic grocery. Mainly to critically analyze this situation (in terms of architecture) we can define it in 3 major categories where the key effects will be observed i.e., education, design & business.

Every single person has his/her own version when describing this lock-down. Let us know how was your experience in the comment section below. We can create logical analogies that are based on the current situation and our first responses. Architects around the world have put their knowledge to use in the fight against the corona virus and have created innovative solutions that might stick around for a while. In the following section we will try to elaborate on how the profession can evolve, on the focus of future projects and adaptable cities.

DESIGN:

This will be the radical period where major design changes will be done for at least a decade and then the evolution of design would develop as per the scenario in the future. For now, we can term these as public, semi-public and private spaces. A new ‘NORMAL’ of maintaining a social distance will be observed at public spaces. New standards are going to be set.

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Along with the “new normal” the requirements of our private spaces will change as per these times. People will tend to give more and more priority to quality and comfort of their homes. Creating different zones in the same house will be the new requirement, like green areas, terrace gardens. Factors such as natural light and ventilation will be the utmost priority.

Semi-public spaces getting converted into containment zones giving a rise to pre-fabricated structure, lightweight, flexible partitions and modular structures which are low in cost and fast to construct. Open grounds and many public spaces are utilized for making these kinds of structures. To make an optimum utilization of every space schools and other similar structures are being utilized to quarantine people.

Metro cities are the worst affected with more than 80k people just in Mumbai. Now the majority chances of people getting affected will be public spaces. For that same reason, access to public spaces was restricted for quite a long time. Though there can be enough laws for social distancing and to restrict corona virus but the major role still is in hands of individual. A responsibility of taking measures of social distancing needs to get adapted by people. As Indians, we normally have a laid-back attitude towards our rules and regulations (P.S: Chalta hai attitude) and if we don’t take measures to control this, we can’t blame our governments also. So, lets pledge to follow our rules and regulations.

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EDUCATION:

Architecture, as an education is more of a conversational course, in which interaction is an important aspect. For the students who are in college studying architecture a switch from offline to online education would have been difficult. As a practice we are always used to sketching for our design, now as on online education, it is not impossible but a lengthy task I must say. This is difficult on both ends for students and for teachers. Imagine if you are used to doing something on a daily basis for more than a decade, immediately getting on another medium is a bit of a task. In this situation we are not only getting used to new technologies and options but also checking our patience to support each other.

Jury has been an integral part of the architecture education system. Now, crucial decisions have been taken to promote students without exams because of this pandemic. But, what about students who are in final year of architecture. They are stuck as clearing them without exam is a risk. A major risk is in taking exams and accumulating students at a single place. Now this is a complicated situation and a court case is in process in which they are yet to take a decision on if they should take final year exams or not. In this whole flux students are being stressed over whether to give exams or not to, because of difference in ideas in the system.

A lot of jobs have been lost in this critical situation, for young graduates having a strong portfolio with the best works would help to get a job. Being open to different opportunities is the key which are related to architecture. Also, by the time you get a job using that time to develop a skill would be a perfect use of time. If you want to know more about websites where you can develop a skill, we have written a detailed blog for which the link is below. If you can’t invest in these courses then you can learn something about architecture on weekly basis for free. Checkout our website for more after you are done reading this blog.

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BUSINESS:

Majority stake in real estate is played by the residential component, and that’s the deal breaker for the industry. Housing sales in the country’s top eight cities fell by 54% year-on-year (YoY) to a decade low of 59,538 units during the first half of 2020 on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Knight Frank India report. 

In terms of business growing in different sectors, real estate is the last industry to grow, but to get affected it’s the first one. As we are being encouraged into the sustainable model of business in terms of products ranging from interior and exterior of the building, using local products will enhance the economy of the state resulting in more development and ways to support local craftsman.

As our COA haven’t provided with any guide for the architecture firms in managing during these difficult times, we found the architect’s guide to business continuity by The American Institute of Architects (AIA) to assist firms in trying to manage their business. This guide helps us to understand the elements of a business continuity plan and its value on reducing risk and protecting profits. Assess hazard and climate risks that can disrupt your ability to conduct business. Apply a methodology for analyzing business impacts triggered by various hazards and identifying actions that reduce vulnerability and minimize disruptions. Click on the link below to download this guide:

In a nutshell, these times are a test of not just our and our system’s patience, but also adaptability, flexibility and resilience. While adjusting to things is one aspect of it, don’t you think it is also high time that we put on our thinking hats and reinvent the conventional ways? In design, education and business, these challenges also have another side – the one of opportunities! Lessons have been learnt, but how clearly, that time shall tell.


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