Chennai :

Eminent personalities from different fields gathered at the Indian Institute of Architects, Southern Chapter, to participate in the think-tank event organised by the Institute as part its golden jubilee celebrations recently. They discussed the link between society, environment and architecture.

Speaking of society’s perception on architecture, Prabhu Chawla, the Editorial Director of The New Indian Express Group, stressed the importance of architects in designing an aesthetic and calming environment. “Buildings are a mirror of society, and architecture needs to reflect an Indian identity. Everyone sells buildings by foreign names and prefer Italian marble, but we need to learn from our tradition,” he said.

“To me, a green building is one which has good ventilation, I should be able to see the sky from my building,” he said. Ashalatha Thampuran, an educationist and architect, Mili Majumdar, director of Sustainable Habitat, The Energy Research Institute, architects Sanjay Mohe and Dean D’Cruz spoke about striking a balance between nature and design. They also stressed the importance of going back to the traditions.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Express News Service / October 21st, 2014