Following the success of the Lucknow Architecture Festival 2022, the City of Nawabs—Lucknow—played host to the succeeding Lucknow Architecture Festival 2.0 (LAF 2.0). Organised by the Lucknow Architecture Association, the festival was held between January 10th, 11th, and 12th, this year, at Ekana International Stadium.
The emerging theme at this year’s festival was “Emerging Architects Think Tank for Sustainable Urban Development & Vision SCR – U.P. (State Capital Region – Uttar Pradesh)”. The events ranged from seminars and keynote presentations to panel discussions with representations from the government, practitioners, academicians, policymakers, and various stakeholders from the construction industry.
“This time we have made the event even bigger with series of activities for you to indulge in and be part of the celebration. As Lucknow is undergoing a significant transformation of being developed into the State Capital Region there shall be a lot of brainstorming sessions and presentations regarding promotion of balanced regional development across Uttar Pradesh.”
– Ar. Prashant P. Singh, President, LAA
This three-day festival attracted a far more diverse audience besides the architects, designers, students—government officials, and the general public, all exploring innovative ideas, practices, and products in the field of architecture.
The festival’s narrative began with an insightful panel discussion that set an ambitious tone for what was to follow. Dr. (Ar.) Vandana Sehgal moderated a distinguished panel featuring key government officials, including Divakar Tripati (Retd. IAS), Prathmesh Kumar (VC, LDA; IAS), Dr. Balkar Singh (Housing Commissioner, IAS), Inderjit Singh (Municipal Commissioner, IAS), alongside prominent architects Sabina Singh (Chief Architect, UPPWD), and Shubhra Mittal. The panel discussion centred around transforming Lucknow into a regional epicentre of growth, by underscoring the pivotal role of the architecture and the construction industry that could drive both economic development and sustainable urban growth of the city.
Following the discussion was the launch of the book titled, Strengthening Capacities for Climate Resilience, a collaborative work authored by Ar. Abirbhav Sanyal, Ar. Farheen Bano, Dr. Ritu Gulati, and Dr. Vandana Sehgal.
The day continued with engaging panel discussions on “Bridging Worlds: The Impact of Global Architectural Practices on India’s Built Environment“, moderated by Ar. Anupam Mittal. Emerging from a question of what would happen to the built environment if all architects suddenly disappeared one day, Ar. Rajesh Advani highlighted the need for a wake-up call for the architects that culminated in the panel “The Architecture of Practice: Unfiltered Stories from Lucknow“, moderated by him.
Another highlight was the presentation by Ar. Anuj Kale and Ar. Shreya Khandekar from Leewardists. Through their usual quirky humour portrayed via illustrations, Anuj navigated through important and complex topics relevant to architectural practice, capturing everyone’s attention in the arena.
As the festival progressed into its second day, discussions deepened around pressing topics affecting urban environments. The second day began with insights from Ar. Sanjay Kavinde and Ar. Tanuja B.K. A crucial panel discussion on “Campus Planning in India“, moderated by Ar. Rajat Kant Mittal addressed the growing need for thoughtful educational spaces across the country. The second day also witnessed another keynote presentation
The day’s program expanded to cover various technical aspects, including discussions on “Envisaging Building Infrastructure and Services for Urban High-Rise Buildings” with the Indian Plumbing Association, moderated by Ar. Devesh Mani Tripathi, exploration of “Architectural Vision and Industrial Dynamics“, moderated by Madhurima Chowdhary, and “Lucknow as the Gateway to the future of the hospitality industry“, moderated by Ar. Mukul Goel.
The festival’s final day opened with an urban sketching walk led by the Leewardists, followed by another highly anticipated presentation by Prof. Shubrajit Das. Known for mentoring many of Lucknow’s practising architects, Das shared insights from his select key projects like SIDBI Terrace Apartments, Low-Cost Housing in Kolkata, and Faizabad Road Housing, emphasizing the fundamental importance of “Building Ideas.”
The day culminated in yet another significant panel discussion moderated by Dr. (Ar.) Ritu Gulati, featuring Ar. Gurmeet Sangha Rai (who was another keynote presenter of the day). The discussion tackled the critical balance between preserving cultural heritage and facilitating urban development—a theme that resonated throughout the festival.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak’s presence at the closing ceremony emphasized the government’s commitment to architectural innovation and urban development. The festival concluded with a valedictory function that recognized excellence through Architecture Design Competition awards, Best Thesis Awards, acknowledgements for the exhibition stalls through competitions, and speakers, panellists, and partnering organizations.
The Build Expo was a standout feature of LAF 2.0. Showcasing over 80 companies, they built stalls that presented their latest innovations in architecture and construction. Attendees including more than 3000 walk-ins were treated to an array of stalls featuring handicrafts, artworks, home decor, and local culinary delights, all celebrating Lucknow.
A significant highlight of the festival was the engagement of young architects through various competitions. Students from around 30 architecture colleges participated in challenges that tested their creativity and technical skills. From photography contests to model-making competitions, these events provided a platform for emerging talents to showcase their work.
In our conversation with Ar. Rahul Jadon, the coordinator for events and conferences, he highlights that the festival was meant to celebrate architecture and its stakeholders, besides creating a platform for dialogue between different sectors of the architectural community.
The impact of LAF 2.0 extended beyond mere discussions; it catalyzed collaboration among architects, government representatives, and industry leaders. The emphasis on sustainability resonated with many attendees who recognized the urgent need for environmentally friendly practices within urban planning frameworks.
“We want people to come to Lucknow and enlighten us through these conferences. We need constant upgradation in the learning. As an association, LAA has the shared responsibility to allow people an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to understand. It’s more about gauging everybody from different segments of architecture and construction, engaging them, learning from them, and celebrating this whole idea.”
He also mentioned how the event was a way to recognise people and their contributions to the field of architecture and the fraternity. Elaborating further on the core theme of the 2.0 event, he mentions the increasing development of the urban area resulting in an adverse loss of green and public space. Hence, the themes for keynote presentations, panel discussions, and competitions, were based on the idea of wanting to reclaim the space sustainably while engaging all the “dimensions of the industry”, without hampering Lucknow’s development.
“Since Lucknow is a city that is still growing, LAF 2.0 was our way of understanding what the city ultimately needs,” he elaborated on the diversity of the panel in terms of stakeholders, “So, LAF 2.0 was also an interface between the government and the architecture bodies.”
As Lucknow continues to grow as an economic centre with a rich cultural heritage, events like LAF 2.0 will play an essential role in shaping its architectural future bringing the construction industry and architects together for sustainable growth of the region—an aspiration that will undoubtedly shape the city’s architectural narrative.
