CHANDIGARH: Modern architecture should be focused on making a comfortable living and working environment, where the building structures need to be environment-friendly, stated Mr. Aman Arora, Minister for Housing and Urban Development.
He was presiding over a function to launch PHD Chamber’s first of its kind: Architecture Excellence Recognition at Ins & Outs: 8th Edition ArchiBuild Show 2022, at Hotel Mountview here, on Friday late evening. The theme of this show was “Towards Smart and Sustainable Spaces’.
Architects shape buildings, and afterwards these buildings shape life of people, said Mr. Aman Arora while adding that architecture industry has a big responsibility on its shoulders.
Calling the architect industry to be a torch bearer in shaping up smart and sustainable cities, the Cabinet Minister said that Punjab is one of the fastest urbanizing states in the country with immense opportunities available for this industry. SAS Nagar (Mohali) and it's peripheral areas have massive potential and the state government needs support and guidance of architecture community to create iconic infrastructure, he added.
The architecture of city beautiful Chandigarh and heritage buildings such as Khalsa College, Amritsar designed by Bhai Ram Singh and other famous religious buildings and quilas of the state may be used as concept models, said the minister.
The Cabinet Minister said that PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry's this initiative would recognize brightest Architects for their work. During the function, Mr. Aman Arora and other dignitaries felicitated Lifetime Achievement awards in different categories i.e. Educator Architect to Prof. (Dr.) S S Bhatti, Practicing Architect to Ar. Shivdutt Sharma and Public Service Government Architect to Ar. Kaushal Sham Lal.
Architects accorded awards for Residential Designs under Group Housing with Open Spaces Project to Ar. Sushil Sharma, Small Independent House Project to Ar. Ajay Gulati, Large Independent House Project to Ar. Badrinath Kaleru, Affordable Group Housing Project to Ar. Ponni M Concessao, Commercial Design for Office Building Project to Ar. Mohita (Garg) Vashisht, Industrial Building Design Project to Ar. Ashish Rathee, Retail Design Project to Ar. Gurpreet Singh Shah, Hospitality Design– Hotels, Project to Ar. Sheetal Sharma, Hospitality Design – Resorts, Project to Ar. Ponni M Concessao, Contextual Design Project to Ar. Kanwar Preet Singh, Harbinger of Change – Architect under 40 to Ar. Badrinath Kaleru.
On this occasion, Mr. Madhu Sudan Vij, Chair Chandigarh Chapter, PHDCCI, Mr. Anand Sharma, Chair Architecture & Interiors Forum, PHDCCI, Suvrat Khanna, Co-Chair Chandigarh Chapter, PHDCCI, Mr. Kapil Setia, Chief Architect, Punjab Ms Sapna and Mr. R.S. Sachdeva were also present.