EDITORIAL
We, the ISOLA Rajasthan chapter, are happy to present to you the 9th Newsletter of ISOLA!
This newsletter is a short compilation of updates from the happenings at the ISOLA Centre and Chapter levels since August 2020 till May 2020. Newsletter also offers a few insightful articles on the theme ‘The change in nature of nature‘.
we hope it makes for an interesting read.
EDITORIAL
We, the ISOLA Mumbai MMR Chapter, are happy to present to you the 8th Newsletter of ISOLA!
Based on the theme of FRAGILE LANDSCAPES, the newsletter is a short compilation of updates from the happenings at the ISOLA Centre and Chapters along with some students works and event reports pertaining to the fragile ecosystems of our own city of Mumbai. We hope it makes for an interesting read and we eagerly await your feedback on the same!
Newsletter Amended on 26/06/2019.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE:
Dear Members
Greetings to you all !
It has been quite a busy year since we all met at Bangalore, especially with this very active and committed team in the EC. Neelima and team have been working hard to bring out this EC’s 2nd edition of the newsletter.
This year we co-opted Nidhi Madan into the council, who in the last few months has been working tirelessly on first reorganising the membership list and then to get ISOLA to go online. Now you will be able to update and renew your memberships and register for conferences online. We are doing the trials for setting up an online voting system. Also please do visit the new look ISOLA website.
This time after the very successful conference at Bangalore convened by Mohan Rao and team, with no chapter volunteering to host the next, the EC is hosting the 2017 conference at Panjim, Goa in January with the support of various members and Chapters.
We have introduced a new category of Unbuilt Projects Award this time, and have received a huge response! In memory of the two founder members that we lost , it has been decided to rename the ISOLA NASA TROPHY as the Mohammed Shaheer Trophy and the ISOLA student’s award as the Prabhakar Bhagwat Trophy.
Please do read the secretary’s report at the AGM, Shilpa has
elaborated on all the activities taken up by the EC.
A warm welcome to the new Kerala Chapter and all the new members who have joined ISOLA.
Hoping to see you all soon at Goa in January.
EXPANDING THE BLUE REVOLUTION
Excerpts:
The upcoming conference in Bangalore is positioned to deliberate on Water and its multi-dimensional roles in planning, development and design. The central idea is to critically examine the multiple facets of water as the determinant for interventions at all scales.
Landscape Architects engage with water at multiple levels; from understanding regional level natural systems to backyard gardens, the profession addresses water from its most intangible forms to its most experiential.
Excerpts:
From President ISOLA
Dear Members,
Greetings of the season. Pray that the year ahead will bring you all happiness and prosperity. In the decade that was and though ISOLA remains a small community, we have been able to create a mark in the industry and beyond. The performance of this committee whose term is ending soon is enumerated in the secretary’s report. Please do visit our website www.isola.org.in for detailed information of the all happenings in ISOLA…..
Excerpts:
Dear Members,
Greeting’s from the Executive Council !! We are pleased to bring out this issue of the newsletter with Dr. Abhijit Natu as editor. On behalf of the Executive council, I wish to thank the LOC Gujarat Chairperson, Prof. Deepa Maheshwari and her team for having successfully hosted the 2011 ISOLA conference in September at Ahmedabad.
This January, Dr.Abhijit Natu on behalf of the education board, successfully initiated and convened a workshop on ‘Teaching of Landscape Architecture at UG level in Architecture” at Mumbai with venue support from Rachana Sansad’s Academy of Architecture. For the first time in ISOLA s history a competition hosted by the government, The National Police Memorial competition hosted in 2011 specified an ISOLA membership requirement in its eligibility criteria
Excerpts:
PERSPECTIVES guest lecture series 1
LEARNING AND TEACHING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE | TRAINING OR EDUCATION?
Mr. Shishir R. Raval, PhD.
Introduction
This seems to be the age of Asia. The nature and pace of “economic growth”1 in large parts of Asia and, especially, India are unprecedented. Such single minded growth often negatively affects the ecologies of landscapes, livelihoods, and lifestyles2 . Urgency and anxiety seem to be in the air as this dynamic process unfolds. Landscape architects, in conjunction with decision-makers and other professionals, will need to meet the trials and prospects of the 21st century and help shape a more holistic and hopeful future by design. Educating and engaging the current and future generations of students and practitioners of landscape architecture is thus a big challenge and opportunity. The purpose of this initial note3 is to instigate a serious and sustained deliberation that would lead to some consensual direction and appropriate action for learning and teaching landscape architecture at different levels.
To begin with, we need to reflect upon the purposes, contents, and structures of what shall we learn or teach. This, in turn, demands us to think about what kind of end result we want through learning and teaching. Also, it requires us to determine which kinds of attitudes and approaches will help us achieve the desired end result. Therefore, it is necessary to consider whether training or education is the way forward and what types of judicious combination of these will be prudent and necessary in India and other Asian countries.
What are education and training and what are their purposes?
Etymologically, from its Latin root, “e-ducere”, the word “education” means: “leading out or drawing out the latent powers of an individual.” 4 Dictionaries tell us that, as a verb, it is teaching a particular skill, type of behavior or performance through practice and instruction over a period of time. In the early verb sense it means to cause (say, a plant) to grow in a desired, predetermined shape.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Excerpts:
Dear Members,
It gives me great pleasure to see ISOLA’s second newsletter in circulation. At the outset i would like to thank the Editorial Board headed by Anuj Malhotra for their meticulous effort. This Newsletter provides us with a platform to share thoughts and articles by our members. Features on best practices and innovation in our field will be very welcome in the forthcoming issues ………
For more CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE NEWSLETTER
FROM EDITOR’S PEN:
Ill keep it short. Every voice needs a medium. This is a potent medium for all the fraternity of landscape architects. We hope it grows its roots soon. Our society has undertaken and accomplished quite a few milestones in terms of memberships and organizing of society’s structure. It now needs to be given a big push for it to gain substantial momentum to make it run and add value to the practice of the profession…..
Editorial
In this inaugural issue of the ISOLA Newsletter, we begin by presenting two profound essays by eminent international professionals, taking stock of the position of landscape architecture in today’s world and suggesting insights and directions for the creative challenges that this century is likely to offer.
Identity – or the specific relationship between place, culture and design – is always a concern wherever artistic expression is involved. Of late, increasing international influences, in a sense, moves towards all-pervading global attitudes and preferences, have attracted increasing attention to the search for regional identity and meaning.This was the theme of the ‘4th Joint Studio for Landscape Architecture’ students held at Ahmedabad recently, covered in detail elsewhere in this news letter.
It is a worthwhile and relevant subject, a topic which we would like to explore extensively with the help of our readers as the newsletter progresses into the next few issues. Here we make a beginning with Dr. Priyaleen Singh’s note, gently pointing out that in our country at least, for various very sensible reasons the conventional image of a designed landscape as a manicured and grassy sward need not be as pervasive as it has become. We welcome your comments, observations and letters, as well as articles and notes, either on this theme or others which are of interest to the profession.
Prof. M. Shaheer – Editor
Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA) has been keenly following the developments on the redevelopment of the Central Vista.
Based on the details available in the public domain, we submit the professional views of the landscape architecture fraternity on this issue for your kind consideration.
ISOLA STANCE ON THE CENTRAL VISTA LANDSCAPE
ISOLA is concerned about the design approach to the Central Vista. An endeavor of this magnitude needs to reflect ecological stewardship in its planning and design, resource consciousness in detailing and materiality, and use of innovative research and technology to create a benchmark of best practices for India and the world.
The Indian Society of Landscape Architects or ISOLA (www.isola.org.in) has members who are qualified Landscape Architects*.
As professionals, they are trained to take decisions not at the cost of, but by enhancing natural systems and safeguarding the built environment.
This note is the response of ISOLA to the excerpt from the Government of India circular which includes the following:
This note is the response of ISOLA to the excerpt from the Government of India circular which includes the following:
‘AND WHEREAS, the Central Government hereby publishes this draft notification in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 3 and section 23 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, read with clause (d) of sub-rule (3) or rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 and in supersession of the notification number S.O. 1533 (E) dated the 14th September, 2006 read with subsequent amendments, notification numbers S.O. 190 (E) dated the 20th January, 2016, S.O. 4307(E) dated the 29th November, 2019, S.O. 750(E) dated the 17th February, 2020, except in respect of things done or omitted to be done before such supersession. 1. Short title and commencement: -i. This notification may be called the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2020 (hereinafter referred to as ‘EIA Notification, 2020’). ii. This notification shall come into force on the date of publication of final notification in the Official Gazette. 2. Application of the notification: -This notification is applicable to whole of India including territorial waters
ISOLA submitted a bulletin to IFLA towards raising the profile of the profession in our country.
It was a detailed compilation of events and endeavours undertakenby ISOLA in the years 2014-2015.
Chronologically, setting out events organised by our National body as well as the various Chapters and projections for the year 2016.
Response to report on the “Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ) – Boundary and Development Guidelines DUAC (Delhi Urban Arts Commission), July 2015)
The Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA) Delhi Chapter reviewed the Report on Lutyens Bungalow Zone- Boundary and Development Guidelines”, submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development (Delhi Division), and issued for inviting objections/suggestions on 28th August, 2015.
As per the new Guidelines the character of the LBZ would change dramatically (to its detriment), with significant impact on the environment and character of Central Delhi. ISOLA Delhi Chapter submitted observations and objections to the report, prepared by DUAC for due consideration, through a landscape heritage perspective.
