Precinct making through Urban Design within Ward A, Mumbai, By Plural

S.B. Somani Park, a community-driven urban space in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, designed by Plural, transforms an underutilized area into an inclusive, sustainable park. Designed with input from local residents, it offers amenities like a sunken amphitheater, yoga pavilion, fitness trail, and play zones for children. This revitalized park serves as a model for urban renewal, promoting social interaction, health, and environmental sustainability.

The case of Phalke Smarak

Asmita Raghuvanshy

ArchitectureLive! - Art Architecture and Urbanism Magazine 66

An Architect Eats Samosa

ArchitectureLive! continues with Alimentative Architecture – The fifth in a series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.

An Architect Eats Medu Vada

ArchitectureLive! continues with Alimentative Architecture – The fourth in a series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.

ArchitectureLive! - Art Architecture and Urbanism Magazine 69

An Architect Eats Chapati

ArchitectureLive! continues with Alimentative Architecture – The third in a series of articles, An Architect Eats Chapati, by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfaces architecture with food via geometry.

An Architect Eats Vada Pav

ArchitectureLive! celebrates UN World Food Day with Alimentative Architecture – The second in a series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.

An Architect Eats Jalebi

Alimentative Architecture – A series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.

ArchitectureLive! - Art Architecture and Urbanism Magazine 19

The Blind Chase for Master’s in Architecture

As quite a few architects pursue post-graduation studies in architecture for job market opportunities, firm dreams, or specialization, despite unclear benefits and high costs, Saumya Bansal talks about alternatives that offer practical skills and less financial risk.

The Rock Garden Wall Dilemma: Heritage, Power, and the ‘Right to the City’

Mehar Deep Kaur and Asees Prab critically raise the issue surrounding the demolition of Rock Garden wall in Chandigarh for additional parking space for the High Court. They highlight the tension between heritage preservation and elite-driven development, questioning the city’s modernist planning and the impact on citizens.

Highrise in Mumbai. Image Courtesy - Reuters.

The Silo of the Ultra High-Rise

Ameet Singh writes about how even though the Indus Valley Civilization was an early urban centre, the megacities of India face quite a few challenges, despite modern India’s governance. He further talks about a few solutions that could help enhance the quality of life in Indian cities.

“If the intent of architecture education is to create office ready students, then that is the biggest failure.”—Pramod Balakrishnan

Pramod Balakrishnan paints a stark picture of the architectural profession, highlighting its internal divisions and its focus on serving the elite. He argues that this, coupled with a flawed educational system churning out compliant technicians rather than innovative visionaries, is stifling the field’s potential.

ArchitectureLive! - Art Architecture and Urbanism Magazine 24

The Dargah and the Darwaza of Kolegaon: Nari Gandhi’s Final Legacy

Rahul Kadam, Architect at The NGK Studio, Pune, recounts his visit to Nari Gandhi’s final project in Kolegaon, Ahmednagar—the Dargah and Darwaz—discussing the incomplete project in brief.

Cover - Architectural Inequality in India. © Kanai Shah (1)

Inequality in Architectural Education in India | Academic Research by Kanay Shah

Kanay Shah in his post-graduate dissertation titled “Inequality in Architectural Education in India”, investigates structural disparities in architectural education across government and private institutions. He explores how financial constraints, faculty quality, curriculum design, and technological accessibility shape students’ experiences.

ArchitectureLive! - Art Architecture and Urbanism Magazine 11

“As much as this book may help young students to become good architects… it seeks to restore the idealism that was once the hallmark of the profession.”—Praveen Bavadekar reviews Five Architectural Fables

Praveen Bavadekar, in his review for Five Architectural Fables by Edgar Demello, opines how the architectural fables ingeniously critique urban design through non-human perspectives, transforming complex environmental and design challenges into provocative, imaginative storytelling.

“…this book can also be considered as the Bible for housing—especially for the Konkan region.”—Sheikh Intekhab Alam reviews Sheltering Angle

Sheikh Intekhab Alam reviews the book “Sheltering Angle” by Asha and Prabhakar Baste that is a four-decade legacy in Indian architecture, featuring their distinctive approach to housing design and regional influences.

Vernacular template of the three-layered threshold. © Emmanuel Guddu

“Space reflects people’s deep-rooted attitude to placemaking and is part of a civilisation’s core values.”—Jaimini Mehta

The essay is the third and last article of a three-part series of preview essays for Jaimini Mehta’s forthcoming book, Sense of Itihasa; Architecture and History in Modern India. He explores how Indian architecture embodies memory through two knowledge streams: classical Sanskrit traditions and vernacular oral traditions, each influencing architectural design and cultural preservation differently.

“He was a humanist who aspired to have a city that was ‘just and fair’ to all.”—Vidyadhar Phatak’s tribute to Shirish Patel

Vidyadhar Phatak, in his tribute to Shirish Patel, writes about his work on Navi Mumbai and critical urban issues.

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