The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : University of Architecture sought

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Tuesday, Sep 04, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

University of Architecture sought

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Architects Act of 1972 requires necessary amendments, Madras High Court Justice A. Kulasekaran said, at the triune celebrations of the Architects Day, Indian Institute of Architects Day and Teachers Day, organised by the Tamil Nadu Chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) here on Saturday.

He said that though the Act concentrated on protecting architects through registration, it neglected to give them other privileges. “Each and every building unless certified shall not be allowed ratification — such an amendment is required,” he added.

The IIA (TN) chairman R. Ramaraju said that even 35 years after the Act had been passed, the architectural profession was struggling to gain importance.

The profession was being inundated by people who were not architects but were still allowed to design architectural projects. “The greatest violators of the Architects Act are none other than government sectors,” he said. He also made a demand for setting up a University of Architecture in order to improve architectural education.

Prof. Joseph Newman Fernando, Head of the Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchi, was presented with the ‘Honourable Teacher Award’.

Prof. Fernando appealed to the IIA to pay special attention to the architecture departments in government engineering college as they were starved of funds and freedom.

Vinod Kumar, Registrar, Council of Architects, announced the setting up of a campus office for the registration and renewal of certificates for architects on the IIA Tamil Nadu Chapter premises. He said that the council was striving to improve architectural education.

The ‘Honourable Architect Award’ was presented to R. Chakrapani, who said that the rapid pace of development in the city was forcing architects to compromise on quality as they were not able to devote enough time to each project.

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