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dipti bhaindarkar

Assistant Professor - Architect - Urban Designer - IGBC AP 
Miniatures - Writings - Journeys - Research - Studios - Academic Administration

Miniatures

An art practice which began in 2006 and hoping to continue further through my learnings over the years. Miniatures worlds are something which I have engaged with throughout my early days. It all began with making miniature diaries and the keen interest in collecting miniature objects. I make, collect, engage with these miniature objects, arrange and rearrange them to imagine alternate worlds, construct stories and string narratives with these tiny objects. These narratives have become a part of my everyday. Microfolio - An Archive    Miniature As World/As Method - Coursework
Collection of some of my writings and contributions to the chapter in the field of architecture, academics & urban studies. 
I have cherished numerous journeys in my life, school life, some evening strolls, five years of architectural education, numerous trips to several places, two years of masters in urban studies, my first exchange programme to Istanbul or the most recent and intriguing past seven years of my life at a SEA, Mumbai as an assistant professorn along with individual projects. I must admit I have been more of a student than a teacher here. Adding to these journeys were some eye opening travel experiences which helped me explore various places and made me enjoy some time with myself. I am beginning with this blog on the 60th day in COVID 19 lockdown period in May 2020, to look back at some wonderful memories and learnings, to build on some newer itineraries for the future. 

A process of unlearning and learning, a place of production of new knowledge, experimentation, exploration with students and co-members. Throughout my journey of seven years at the School of Environment and Architecture, I am involved in Technology (Construction, Services & Structures), Form and Space Studies (Design), Allied Studies & Settlement Studies Courses. Over the years, these studios have evolved to take on new challenges and learnings to make the learning-teaching process more relevant to the times. The focus of Technology studies at the School of Environment and Architecture is to learn through experience and making. Form and Space Studies investigates the articulation and crafting of form through environmental lenses for the third year. As part of allied studies courses, the attempt was to take ahead individual practices with a team of collaborators (students) thus facilitating a collaborative and co learning environment. Settlement studies ventured into investigating environmentally sensitive terrains, to construct a new language of drawing and intervening based on the context. These are a collection of blog posts archiving these trajectories through the years.
We, at the School of Environment and Architecture have been working with a few questions to evolve new ecologies and ecosystems for institutional and administrative frameworks. Some of these questions are: Can digital systems and new ecologies help us to create slender systems to navigate this labyrinth? What would be new emergent ecologies which can smudge the hard boundaries?  What role does the hierarchy play in any institution? Can we work with a network of people who hold equal responsibility? Can such a network be multiplied? Can institutional frameworks be based on friendships, collaboration, networks and not on hierarchies? What would be an institutional framework that would allow such friendships to emerge and sustain?