Renowned Indian architectural journalist and author Apurva Bose Dutta shares with us her knowledge of writing as an area of pedagogy and profession within Architecture. Apurva’s engagements in her journey of 15 years have also included training students and professionals in architectural writing. A recently started initiative is an online certified six-week course in the subject that has witnessed several batches of learners since August 2020. The course has grown in recognition for its exploratory and effective study of a subject that has been largely untapped, especially in India. The course contents and methodology have been founded on Apurva’s expertise and experience as an architectural writer. Titled “WRITING/S IN ARCHITECTURE”, the program’s teaching model is Apurva’s brainchild, making the wealth of knowledge within the niche of architectural writing accessible in a clearer light. This helps everyone aspiring to learn, develop, and implement their writing skills.

Apurva took up architectural writing as a full-time profession in 2005, within two months of completing her B.Arch from Chandigarh College of Architecture. She has also spent the last 15 years carving a path for herself as an architectural journalist and author. Through global collaborations, she has worked with multimedia publication houses, firms, organisations, and educational institutions affiliated with architecture, design, and building. Besides, she is among the pioneers to advocate for the subject of architectural writing in India, and train interested minds globally too. 

Apurva has also obtained a diploma in freelance journalism from Stonebridge Associated Colleges, UK. Apurva has been associated with multiple architecture and design magazines in India and abroad, architecture and design firms, organisations, and institutions in various writing, curation, and communication capacities.  World Architecture Community is thrilled to hear from Apurva some insights and anecdotes from her career. She discusses some crucial areas of study and work associated with the development of Architectural Writing and Journalism.

“Writing” versus “Architectural Writing” 

Varun Kumar: Writing is known to find a special place amongst an architect’s skill set. How does writing aid personal development? Would you feel that writing skills also complement visualisation, thereby playing a crucial role in architecture?

Apurva Bose Dutta: Architecture generally communicates through visual imagery and is thus open to diverse interpretations. In some cases, spaces could be their silent narrators without the need of interlocutors. However, the fact remains that writing aligns with architecture in many other ways than just communicating and interpreting visual ideologies. On the one hand, writing could act as a tool to share information about architects, designers and spaces, but it could also critique a design, leading to its enhanced understanding. Writing could also analyse the relevance of good architecture to society and make the masses aware of it. It could also work as a catalyst in establishing good architecture and design as prerequisites for efficient societies, cities, and nations. Insightful and stimulating writing need not end on the paper! It should lead to discourses.

Considering a full-time job in architectural writing to influence architecture is one aspect of it. Another critical aspect that escapes focusing on is the need to make primary writing skills mandatory for architects.  Writing is the most effective form of communication, and it introduces clarity in thoughts and helps one read their mind – this could act as a great mode of personal development. Practising architects could start using writing as a tool to connect their theories to their practice.   

SOURCE -https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/egnff/-writing-could-analyse-relevance-of-good-architecture-to-society-says-apurva-bose-dutta.html

https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/egnff/-writing-could-analyse-relevance-of-good-architecture-to-society-says-apurva-bose-dutta.html

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