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The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism is now present with a permanent office in India. INTBAU India was formally launched on 14 January 2005 and has its headquarters in the Indian capital, New Delhi.
A permanent base in India will enable INTBAU India to promote education in the economic case for traditional building skills and to help to maintain their relevance in the twenty-first century.
The launch of was honoured by the presence of a number of Indian Professors of traditional architecture. At the same event, ICTP member and founder of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Andres Duany, and INTBAU Committee of Honour member Elizabeth Plater Zyberk, Dean of the Miami School of Architecture, lectured on 'The New Urbanism'.
The official launch
A formal lamp lighting ceremony was undertaken by Professor Arvind Krishan, Mr Rana, Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater Zyberk (above) and the founders of INTBAU India. Afterwards, the Charter of INTBAU India - the 'birth certificate' of the new chapter - was signed (right).
The speakers focused on the critical problems of planning in India and gave a short overview of what should be done.
Kruali Uplekar, the Chair of INTBAU India, read out a message from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, which was warmly received. The full statement is available here.
Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater Zyberk focused on the Indian urban conditions in general, relating these issues with their own experience from this trip to India. It was also stressed that INTBAU represents a strong network supported by other organisations which do similar work, such as The Prince's Foundation, Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America, the Congress for the New Urbanism, Council for European Urbanism, and A Vision of Europe.
INTBAU India committee
INTBAU India is run by a Management Committee formed of 8 members. Six of them have been appointed so far: Deependra Prasad (Director, Delhi), Pashim Tewari (Secretary), Shirish Gupte (Director, Mumbai), Jyoti Soni (Treasurer) and Suneet Mohindru (right, pictured at the launch in New Delhi). The Chair of INTBAU India is Krupali Uplekar.
INTBAU India will try to engage the business community to stimulate demand for traditional methods and products. It will also work with individual craftsmen to develop best practice and adapt to the demands of business and commerce. This will ensure that crafts are sustainable and that individual craftsman have a viable way of life.
Mumbai Mills
The first project INTBAU India will be involved in will be the Mumbai Mills Design Workshop, to be held in Mumbai / Bombay, India, in March 2005. The purpose of the Workshop project is to assist in preparing a strategy for the long-term sustainable development of the textile mills district of the city.
The participants will analyse the qualities of the vacant mills sites and associated workers' housing colonies and produce New Urbanism-based proposals for a future integration of heritage preservation and sustainable development.
Participants in the workshop will develop a draft masterplan for a future development of the textile mills district of Mumbai, producing guidelines for the integration of the substantial existing mill buildings, and design guidelines for new traditional buildings within the sites and in their future extensions.
- Krupali Uplekar and Aura Neag
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© INTBAU 2001-8
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