core sector communique

Measi Academy bags INSDAG

architecture competition

Kolkata, December 21^st 2011: The first prize of 12^th National Competition for Students for the Best Innovative Use of Steel in Architecture (2010-11), organised by Institute for Steel Design & Growth (INSDAG), has been won by Measi Academy of Architecture, Chennai, while Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, won the second prize.

INSDAG, a non-profit body established by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, had flagged off the Competition for Students for the Best Innovative Use of Steel in Architecture (2010-11) on December 15^th 2011 at a function inaugurated by Brigadier Y S Sirohi, Additional Chief Engineer (Works), HQ, Eastern Command, Fort William, Kolkata, in the presence of eminent architects and other dignitaries.

The competition recognizes and rewards talented students of architecture in India. This year a total of 71 teams from East, West, North, South Zones of India submitted their Expression of Interest to participate in the Competition, out of which 12 teams have been selected for the final round. A total of 40 students are participated in the final round.

The theme for this year was `Steel Intensive Martyr Memorial' in which architecture students from from 12 leading architecture colleges of India participated after being shortlisted from 70 different colleges across the country.

“The tragic AMRI incident has highlighted the significance of planning and designing hospital architecture in India. Better architectural design structure can provide greater space for ambulation and natural ventilation and lighting that could save precious lives at times of crisis like the one is AMRI. The use of steel structures allow greater flexibility to architects to plan and design hospitals and other super structures,” said Mr Sushim Banerjee, Director General, INSDAG.

Rapid technological advancements, space constraints and need for multiple functionality have made the designing of steel-based structures like bridges, buildings, fabrications, industrial structures, housing complex etc., a challenging task. Engineers and architects have to design the best structures by combining technology, quality, aesthetics, functionality, ergonomics and ecology.

Leading architects of Kolkata, including Gopal Mitra who was a member of the World Trade Centre designing team in 1963, urged students to pursue career in professional structural designing in steel which is very promising. The competition challenges students, working individually or in teams, to explore a variety of architectural issues related to the use of steel in design and construction of martyr memorials that have an impact on the viewer.

“The objective is to appreciate the use of steel as medium of architectural expression in designing a martyr memorial in India factoring in parameters like aesthetics, durability and cost,” Mr Sushim Banerjee said.