The Better Architecture Project

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 10: Reinvent Yourself, suryan saurabh

suryan saurabh deep-dives into photography in episode ten of this season. Listen to the episode to hear his thoughts on how he managed to make a business out of photography in the design world, and his word of advice for the folks: to be innovative, to grab the opportunities, and to make the best out of oneself!

Guest: suryan saurabh

Designation: Artist & Photographer

Bio: "Man who lived at the airport ".

suryan practices as an artist and co-founded "studio suryan//Dang" based in Delhi, India. He trained as an architect. Passionate about design, he explores the tools of photography, films, creative direction, books, and exhibitions. He has worked with studios like Studio Mumbai and Sameep Padora during his early years and uses the learnings to shape better communication in design. Intrigued by the Indian landscape and self-made design, he always explores new mediums to better express himself and the world around him. In a constant hunt for new design languages, people, and practices to meet, he spends most of his time.

⁠Website⁠ | ⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 09: An Open Mind, Suneet Paul

Suneet Paul shares his views on media in design in this energetic conversation. Listen to the episode to hear his thoughts on how the culture of magazines have changed over time, and his earnest request to the youth to have an open mind that accepts feedback and embraces change!

Guest: Suneet Paul

Designation: Author & Architect

Bio: Author/architect Suneet Paul has been in the profession of architecture, academics and writing for over forty years, and was for twenty-five years the editor-in-chief of the national Indian magazine - Architecture + Design. Also, a former faculty of the School of Planning & Architecture, Delhi, he has participated in seminars and conferences and has written numerous articles on architecture and design.

Having authored three books in architecture and short fiction, painting is a hobby for him and he has won awards for his dedicated contribution to writing and journalism.

LinkedIn⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 08: The Comicverse, Anuj Kale

Anuj Kale gets candid while discussing his journey in architecture and comic making. Listen to the episode to hear his thoughts on simplifying stories for the common folks, running a business, and a lot more!

Guest: Anuj Kale

Designation: Founder, Leewardists

Bio: Anuj is an architect and an urban designer who prefers to write and draw about the profession rather than talk about it. Anuj has been writing and illustrating comics for the past nine years and has conducted over 150+ workshops in colleges across India in collaboration with his partner, Shreya. He has been part of making comics at Leewardists which caters to 3 lakh + viewers across the globe.

⁠Website⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠X/Twitter⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 07: Strategic Communications, Tanya Khanna

Tanya Khanna talks about strategic communications in the built environment in this episode of the talks. Listen on to know her views on how content has evolved in the AEC sector and to know her views on a lot of the contemporary issues of the media sector in the architecture industry.

Guest: Tanya Khanna

Designation: Founder, Epistle Communications

Bio: Indian Architect and Curator, Tanya Khanna has committed herself to Democratising Architecture –– giving a global voice to design and to all those who practice, influence, or experience it. She is the founder of Epistle, the first and largest communications consultancy for architects and designers in South Asia. Through her work with more than 150 leading architects, design practitioners, real estate developers, artists and design brands, Tanya has been passionately advocating good design for over 16 years. Trained as an architect in India and London, Khanna brings with her an intrinsic understanding of what businesses in the design and AEC domains need to Be Known.

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 06: The Mainstream, Shiny Verghese

Shiny Varghese talks about the status of the representation of built environment in the mainstream media in India today. Listen on to get important points on the entrypoints for the mainstream media in the country, and how she advices prospective candidates to approach the entrypoints.

Guest: Shiny Verghese

Designation: Senior Editor, The Indian Express

Bio: Shiny Varghese is Senior Editor at The Indian Express, New Delhi. In her 12 years, she has been following design and architecture in the country, lending her voice to urban issues and tracking new approaches to design.

Her stories have evaluated the relevance of design and promoted the need for thinking about it as a way of life. From interviews with architects to stories on new materials and experiments in practice, she has attempted to present the connect architecture has with people and society.

In her 18 years as a design journalist, she has developed a keen sense of design, asking the simple yet important question: ‘Is it necessary?’ She has helped edit books and journals on design and architecture for practices and organisations and has been on the jury of national design competitions.

In the past, she has worked with the India Today Lifestyle group, the Deccan Chronicle and Down To Earth.

Trained at the Asian College of Journalism, Bangalore, she completed her Masters in English at Stella Maris in Chennai, and her schooling from St Mary’s Convent, Mumbai, and Our Own English High School, Dubai. She lives and works in Delhi.

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 05: Writing Architecture, Apurva Bose Dutta

Apurva Bose Dutta lays out architectural writing in the current context for my audience. Listen to the episode to know why she expresses the need for fluidity in 'design media' while reminding the fraternity to be mindful of what content it produces and call it 'architecture journalism'.

Guest: Apurva Bose Dutta

Designation: Author, Architectural Journalist, Curator, Editor, Educator

Bio: Ar. Apurva Bose Dutta is an Indian author, award-winning architectural journalist, curator, editor, and educator based in Bengaluru. An alumna of the Chandigarh College of Architecture (2005), Apurva's professional journey of 18+ years has seen global collaborations with architecture-design multimedia publication houses, firms, organizations, and institutions.

Recognized for her pioneering initiatives in architectural design writing in India, Apurva works at the intersection of architectural design writing, curation, critique, discourse, communications and thinking. She is passionate about writing, curating architecture-design content and discourses, professional speaking, offering training initiatives in architectural writing, and consulting for academic and professional platforms. 

Apurva has been invited by the Australian and Finland Governments to represent the Indian delegation at the International Media Visits of Architectural Writers in Melbourne (2016) and Helsinki (2018). Author of Architectural Inheritance and Evolution of India (2023) and Architectural Voices of India (2017), Apurva is widely published and holds advisory positions with several renowned global architectural and design platforms.

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 04: Simple Narratives, Mahafuj Ali

Mahafuj Ali gets candid about the power of simplicity and small actions. He isn't someone who minces with his words. Or, his cartoons! Listen to learn about how he focuses on simplicity when making his pieces and how simple narratives can do wonders!

Guest: Mahafuj Ali

Designation: Landscape architect & Cartoonist

Bio: Mahafuj Ali, better known as MAli is a self-taught cartoonist, illustrator, and landscape architect by profession. Presently based in Newcastle, Australia for the past few years and working as a landscape architect. He was born and raised primarily in Krishnanagar, India. He studied Architecture at BESU Shibpur and Landscape Architecture at CEPT Ahmedabad. He has been awarded various cartoon and architectural awards both on Indian & International platforms.

He has been awarded one of the top four cartoonists of India by the Times of India in 2017.

Over the past few years - MAli, as he is lovingly called by his friends & followers, has evolved into a creator of innumerable viral trends on virtual platforms, currently popular in India and reaching about 2 million people every month. He is a regular contributor to the cartoon section of AARO ANANDA, a digital version of Anandabazar Patrika.

⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 03: Keep Writing!, Rahul Saini

Rahul spills the beans on how to approach life as a writer as a designer/architect and shares some sweet and hard truths. He also sheds light on how the various mediums are evolving in today's context, along with other relevant pointers on how the entire media industry in the ACED sector is functioning in the present times.

Guest: Rahul Saini

Designation: Architect & Novelist

Bio: Rahul Saini is an architect from one of the finest architecture colleges in India and also holds a master’s degree in English Literature. His book Those Small Little Things was translated in Hindi and won the award for best translation by The Federation of Indian Publishers in 2011. Paperback Dreams won the A3 Foundation Award for Best Satire in 2019. He has authored seven books and his latest, The Part I Left With You is winning readers’ hearts across the country. Apart from writing, he teaches creative writing and mentors students for Scholastic Writers Academy. He also runs a YouTube channel called Writing Rahul where he talks about book, movies, music and more.

Website⁠ | ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media Studies

Ep. 02: Criticality 404, Rajesh Advani

Rajesh's experience brings candor to this conversation. He reminds the media fraternity to step out of the standard architect-led narrative that has flooded the market. Listen on to learn his perspective on the absence of critical media in the built environment as well as the necessity to embrace alternate and innovative forms of content. This would be a great listen for my colleagues in the media domain now, some great pointers await.

Guest: Rajesh Advani

Designation: Architect, Founding Editor: ArchitectureLive! and Unbuilt Ideas.

Bio: Rajesh Advani is an architect and the founding editor of ArchitectureLive! and Unbuilt Ideas – two online platforms dedicated to making architecture and design accessible to all, while providing equal opportunities for professionals to share their stories.

Since launching these portals, Rajesh has been actively engaged in addressing diverse issues surrounding the architecture profession, practice, and education worldwide. His work has significantly influenced the industry and inspired numerous young professionals.

Rajesh's initiative to showcase Unbuilt Architecture in India has had a profound impact, encouraging professionals, academics, and students to discuss the value of unrealized ideas within the field. This platform has fostered insightful conversations and appreciation for conceptual architectural works that might otherwise have remained unexplored.

Moreover, Rajesh's efforts to promote gender parity in the architecture profession in India have initiated a new discourse around this long-ignored issue. His advocacy has raised awareness and sparked meaningful dialogue, challenging traditional norms and paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable professional landscape.

Through his online platforms, initiatives, and advocacy work, Rajesh Advani has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to promoting inclusivity, knowledge-sharing, and the advancement of architectural discourse on a global scale.

ArchitectureLive!⁠ & Unbuilt Ideas | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠X/Twitter⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter: https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better Architecture Project.

Season 2: Architecture X Media StudiesEp. 01: Media as a Mirror, Rohan Shivkumar

Rohan Shivkumar gets candidly surgical while discussing the status of media and communications in the architecture industry in the country in the first episode of this season. Listen on to know his viewpoint on how he believes that media should be acting as a mirror for self-introspection and self-check, and his cautions on what's happening otherwise in India.

Guest: Rohan Shivkumar

Designation: Filmmaker & Educator

Bio: Rohan Shivkumar, an architect, urban designer, and filmmaker based in Mumbai, serves as the Dean of Architecture at the Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute. He is a principal at the 'Collaborative Design Studio' and part of CRIT, an urban research collective. His diverse portfolio spans architecture, urban research, film, and visual art, focusing on housing, public space, and city representation. Notable projects include the Churchgate Revival and Tourist District projects. At KRVIA, he leads the Research and Design Cell, working on initiatives like Dharavi development and infrastructure access. Co-editor of 'Project Cinema City', he curates film programs and writes on cinema, architecture, and urbanism. His films like 'Nostalgia for the Future' and 'Lovely Villa' have garnered attention globally, featuring in events such as the Chicago Architecture Biennale, the Sharjah Architecture Triennale, the Seoul Architecture Biennale, the World Social Forum, and the Dhaka Art Fair and Documenta, showcasing his interdisciplinary approach to art and urbanism.

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | X/Twitter | Facebook

Website: www.betterarch.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/betterarch/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/betterarch_org/

Twitter:https://www.x.com/betterarch_org/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/betterarch.org/

Copyright 2024 @ The Better ArchitectureProject.