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Architectural Journalism - A View Point
Architectural Journalism - A View Point
Yes, I do agree that we should – whether that’s verbal or written. My foray into architectural
refrain from saying anything I noticed during my thesis that a journalism might not have spanned
negative about the interiors of a number of students were hit by a lot of years, but whatever I have
house, because that is the user’s the fact that they weren’t able to gained has been very precious
choice. Maybe in that case the task explain their designs to the jury. creatively. Looking through buildings,
of the architectural journalist is Abroad, you would find these talking to architects, speaking to
reduced to exposing facts about facilities with the McGill University architectural stalwarts has augmented
buildings to everyone, so that they School of Architecture in Canada. my passion for this aberrant field.
could further debate on it. You could also choose to pursue the Architect Sangeet Sharma in his
And there are those magazines Goldring Arts Journalism Program book ‘Architecture, Life and Me’
today which concentrate more on at Syracuse University, New York, writes: “Buildings must have a silent
pictures than text, which I again feel which has a special year-long narrator. They must hold your hand
is an offence to our profession. architecture track for students to and take you along the journey while
Abroad, too, though the profession develop their skills in architectural narrating all those violent flushes of
might be in a better state than it is in writing. Other than that, there are the heart that made the architecture of
India, it is still lagging. Reports have few major universities in the US that building come alive. I do not build
shown that there has been a 30% with certification programmes in to exemplify the philosophy of my
drop in the number of architectural architectural journalism. life and I am not on the path to prove
magazines in the US. However, a When it comes to recognising myself; I am here to please myself. I
number of architectural websites have architectural journalists, India leave a silent narrator on my buildings
contributed to the field. Architectural lags behind again. Other countries so that he does the talking, and works
magazines in the Middle East are have come up with awards, some of as a mute guide. While I, the architect,
rare, but they are again compensated them being the Richard Solomon will slowly be shunted into oblivion… ARCHITECTURAL
by real estate magazines that focus on Award for Architectural Journalism, until the user of the space is compelled
architecture and urban development. International Building Press to inquire about its architect, the JOURNALISM
There are no significant architectural National Journalism Awards, the endeavour is incomplete.”
magazines in Egypt. President’s Award in Architectural As an architectural journalist I SHOULD BE A
I happened to attend a counselling Journalism (by the Royal believe it is this silent narration that
held by the British Council about their Architectural Institute of Canada) we have to pick up and write about, PART OF THE
institutes. It came to me as a surprise and the Haskell Awards for Student it’s we who can actually design this
that there was not even one institute Architectural Journalism. narrative further. A&I CURRICULUM
offering anything remotely connected To pursue freelancing, one needs
to architectural journalism. To top an enterprising and disciplined
it, there was even faculty from the nature and a good network. One Note: Bangalore-based Apurva Bose
institutes who confused it with plain must keep abreast of the recent Dutta is an architectural journalist.
architecture or plain journalism. architecture happenings through After graduating in Architecture
It is also a fact that architectural books, magazines, the internet, in 2005, she went on to do a
journalism in developing countries is conferences and symposiums. It is diploma in Freelance Journalism
far behind that in developed countries; very easy to feel stagnated or jaded from Stonebridge College, UK. Her
and if we talk about architectural in this field if you are just sitting and other article can be read on www.
criticism, then India doesn’t even waiting for projects to come your fivefootway.com/2008/08/04/
practise it. Awareness here is lacking. way. You definitely need to take are-you-cut-out-to-be-an-
It’s disappointing to realise that an unrestrained initiative. A good architectural-journalist. Currently,
the International Committee of architectural piece should not only be she freelances for various national
Architectural Critics doesn’t even have a conglomeration of the facts about a and international architectural
one Indian as a member. building or an architect, but more so and interior publications. She is
In India, too, writing should be an experience of the user – and the the recipient of the “A3 Award in
reintroduced and architectural experience could stem from various Architectural Journalism” instituted
journalism should be made a elements of architecture: the form, by the A3 Foundation for the year
part of the core curriculum. Any the materials, the design concept or 2009-2010. She can be contacted at
design needs good communication the key planning. [email protected]
The Chandigarh College of Architecture, which offered an elective in Architectural Journalism when the writer was a student there.