Institute of Architecture and Planning, Nirma University organised a three day international conference on Future is Urban 2022 from 16th to 18th December 2022. The conference concurs to the U20 agenda highlighting urban challenges in G20 where India holds the Presidency for 2023. The main themes of the conference were Urban Planning and Resilience, Nature Based Solutions and Capacity Building as part of the ERASMUS funded Urban Resilience and Adaptation for India and Mongolia: curricula, capacity, ICT and stakeholder collaboration to support green & blue infrastructure and nature-based solutions (URGENT Project). The chief guest for the occasion was Dr. D. S. Meshram, President Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI) and Guest of Honour was Dr. Hitesh Vaidya, Director National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). 20 academicians from partner countries Germany, Estonia, Italy, Mongolia and India were present at Nirma University for the conference that was conducted in hybrid mode. The two day conference saw paper presentations from over 250 authors through 5 technical panels running parallelly with 2 sessions in each one every day. Overall, in 20 technical sessions, 105 papers were presented and saw participation from USA and Srilanka also along with 5 partner countries. Presenters from over 45 cities deliberated on conference themes and presented theoretical and application based approaches during this academic discourse.
All the participants along with the international delegation were taken on an exploratory tour to GIFT City on 16th December 2022 to showcase its unique planning and approach. They were taken to AWCS Plant, Utility Tunnel and District Cooling Plant to showcase the state of art development at GIFT CITY.
The institute on this occasion also held an exhibition of student’s work showcasing the innovative projects undertaken by the students of Bachelor of Architecture Program. This exhibition included models prepared by students for Architectural Design Studio, History of Architecture and Structure. Metal workshop models and drawings were also put on display. The exhibition reflected a diverse pedagogical thinking and approach of the Institute.
The two day technical sessions were followed by a visit to historical and contemporary Blue and Green infrastructure in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Ahmedabad. The Heritage walk early in the morning to the dynamic old city of Ahmedabad was followed by a visit to Sarkhej Roza complex, the Medieval Era perceived as the Acropolis of Ahmedabad. Gandhi Ashram along the Sabarmati River added a sense of serenity and belonging. The visit culminated at Adalaj step-well that showcases awareness about water conservation for many centuries.
