Masters of Architecture in Urban Conservation
Master
In Mumbai
Description
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Type
Master
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Location
Mumbai
Facilities
Location
Start date
Start date
Reviews
Course programme
Masters of Architecture in Urban Conservation
The forces within urban agglomerations put great pressure on existing physical and non-physical resources. They add unbelievable pressure on the built form and the environment in the way that they rapidly transform existing systems. However, many of these transformations create violent disjunctions and force violent transformations when sometimes a gentle intervention might suffice.
The field of conservation attempts to build a framework through which the existing is seen as a potential for development rather than a hindrance. Historical areas and their physical, social and environmental relationships are seen as assets that can be integrated in the creation of a strategy for sensitive development.
So far the subject of conservation is historically linked to merely the preservation of monuments. While monuments of archaeological interests were chosen and preserved, living historic structures within city limits were decaying. To arrest such a process the city of Mumbai formed a heritage list in 1995, which was used to protect important city landmarks from the pressures of development.
There is an urgent necessity to launch debates to establish a methodological apparatus apt for cities in this region for determining the importance of an urban resource as a cultural resource. There is also a need in our context to make the process of conservation relevant and beneficial to the needs of communities and involve them in a more participatory process rather than a "top-down" one.
Thus the course intends to address transformations within existing settlements. It seeks to address not only transformations in the built fabric but, cultural, infrastructural, ecological, economic transformations as well. This would consequently involve not only physical planning, but also a greater involvement with preparing guidelines and frameworks for urban management as well as legislative processes.
Masters of Architecture in Urban Conservation