As a part of refining and extending academic pursuits at SSPAD, Nagpur, the Research Cell aims at undertaking topics that address methods of teaching, as well other forms of research done in the fields of planning, architecture and design. The scope of SSPAD research includes themes such as sustainable development, urban planning and urban design, design thinking pertaining to products design, graphic design, user experience and user interface design, architectural conservation, urban and rural housing, urban anthropology, history, visual arts, Environmental issues etc.
Our academic cohort consists people from diverse fields such as urban planning, design, urban design, urban conservation, interior design etc. which aims to contribute in the above sated fields of research. As an integrative approach towards architecture and design, SSPAD aims to work in Design by Research, which will fuel both the disciplines collectively.
| Sr No | Name | Designation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Nandini Kulkarni | Dy. Director | Chairperson |
| 2 | Dr. Purva Mange | HOD, Design | Member |
| 3 | Prof. Akshay Revekar | Asst. Professor | Coordinator |
In the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic, multiple levels of city life have been affected. The Standard Operating Procedures that are defined by types of zones are implemented in order to regulate the urban life in order to avoid spread of the virus through contact. The new term ‘social distancing’ has become the norm where people maintaining distance is mandatory along with restriction on gathering in public places in large numbers. This has a direct impact on the socio-cultural spaces in a neighbourhood.
At the neighbourhood level, it could mean less frequency/ flux of people, thereby creating an atmosphere of ‘emptiness’ in the otherwise proactive urban space. In this light, the study of small neighbourhood spaces can enlighten us about the reality of ‘social distancing’ through spatial mapping and interviews. The students have to conclude on how social distancing norms have affected on proximity of people, thereby impacting the quality of interaction of the neighbourhood.
- To understand the regulations of social distancing in and the protocols to be followed in urban neighbourhood
- To understand the architectural nature of a neighbourhood (interfaces/ gathering points/ leisure spots) etc w.r.t. the residences through visual documentation of mapping of the same
- To analyze the impact of social distancing protocols on activities vis-à-vis the spaces of the neighbourhood through visual documentation and spatial mapping
- Learning visual documentation technique through photography and videography
- Learning spatial mapping by on-site observation and visual representation of the same
- Introduction to spatial analysis of a neighbourhood
‘0’ waste house was initiated as a summer research internship to sensitize students to the waste management issue basically related to plastic.
Plastics all over!!!
we have been discussing this even won awards on essay writing or elocution or Poster making
But what else we have really done?
And the excuse we give is
What can I do? It’s not my job …. let government decide and take action
But don’t you ever feel guilty of throwing that empty chips packet to bin and making it waste which was not really a waste. It could have been put to an extended use or upcycling or recycling.
Waste is an attitude
Join hands through SUMMER INTERNSHIP and play your role as a designer and a responsible citizen and take your steps towards 0 waste houses.
- To sensitize individuals to the waste generation and its management issue at residential level.
- To document the systems at residential level and find loopholes
- To identify the verity of stands all over the world
- To create a clipping / product / system to address the issue
- The students did the research and also experimented to reduce the decomposable waste going in the chain of waste collections by converting it to good soil.
They also created Instagram accounts (Pukar Foundation, thegoodscrap_, theminimaldross) to facilitate the upcycling / recycling of the identified things and reduce the waste generation or mange the waste generated in an effective way.
In a western perspective, craft is defined as an integral part of day-to-day human experience, expressed with the skilled manipulation of materials. It has to do with materials, mind and senses all together, many a times with the help of technological tools. It includes tools like, paintbrushes, to potter’s wheel, to computer to 3D printers, all under the tools required and used in crafts, which is in contradiction with the Indian perspective.
Where in India, crafts have been emphasized as a product of “hand skills” with values and tradition imparted, in western context even computers and other technological tools are involved in the process of craftsmanship with ease. This clearly states that, crafts, in India, need to be addressed only in a regional and cultural context. That region can be a local cluster, a state or the country depending upon its relevance, marketability, and cultural background.
- A project report on the study conducted during the internship period.
- A proposal for design development with concept note for each proposed design.
The main objective of the project is to sensitize the students about Indian handicrafts, exploring the various possibilities of design intervention techniques to create new and updated products for a modern consumer.
The students were enthusiastic and showed keen interest in understanding the local and international craft techniques during the lockdown period. They explored interesting concepts and design techniques for uplifting the traditional craft through digital drawings and colour renderings.
Some of the interesting project outcomes were:
- Jewellery design with indo-western fusion of meenakari art and rosemaling.
- Mandala Block printing for western outfits under textile design.
- Bamboo lamps for modern homes using innovative weaving techniques.
The members of the Architecture & Design Consultancy Cell Constitution at SSPAD, Nagpur.
| Sr No | Name | Designation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Nandini Kulkarni | Dy. Director | Chairperson |
| 2 | Prof. Akshay Revekar | Asst. Professor | Coordinator |
| 3 | Dr. Purva Mange | HOD, Design | Member |
| 4 | Prof. Simrandeep Saini | Asst. Professor | Member |
| 5 | Prof. Nivedita Fadnis | Asst. Professor | Member |
- Architecture & Design is a practice based discipline and SSPAD has established "SSPAD Consultancy Cell" within the institute to encourage industry to collaborate and seek consultancy services from our esteemed faculty members. Architecture & Design cell at SSPAD is a group of faculty members which provides creative and innovative training sessions to the corporate. Training sessions or projects are led by individual or a group of faculty members and collaboration is made with external professionals, technical staff and students, based on the requirement of the specific project. The facilities at SSPAD have been planned in such a way that it can function as a large architecture, design & planning domain.
- The revenue generated by this activity is shared with the team that works on these projects. This is an important feature of SSPAD and is a revenue generating enterprise.
- This activity is being run as an independent profit centre with its own annual budget.
| Sr No | Name | Designation | Area of Consultancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Nandini Kulkarni | Dy. Director | Architectural Consultancy, Planning & Design, Urban Renewal, Sustainable Fringe Areas |
| 2 | Dr. Purva Mange | Asst. Professor | Architectural & Product Design Consultancy, Research , Graphics Design, Seminar on Thinking out of Box / Creativity & artefacts |
| 3 | Ms. Simrandeep Saini | Asst. Professor | Interior Design, Design Research, Design Documentation, Interior Installation Design, Architectural Research, Photography, Writing |
| 4 | Prof. Akshay Revekar | Asst. Professor | Inner City Development, Architectural Conservation, Urban Renewal & Regeneration, Urban & Rural Housing, Waste Management |
| 5 | Prof. Nivedita Fadnis | Asst. Professor | Anthropological Research, Urban Design, Qualitative Research, Architectural Research |
| 6 | Mr. Nilesh Shende | Teaching Assistant | Publication Design, Illustration, Sculpture, Fine Art |
