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    • Design

    The Young Architects Festival Awards 2022—A crossroad of design, culture and hospitality

    NOV 15, 2022 | By Shriya Goyal
    Formal inauguration with invited executives of the Indian Institute of Architects. From left, Ar.Noufal C. Hashim, Convenor, Crossroads- YAF 2022; Ar.Lalichan Zacharias, Past Chairperson, IIA, Kerala Chapter; Ar.Muhammed Afnan, Joint Honorary Secretary, IIA, Calicut Centre and Country Representative - Arcasia Committee of Young Architects; Ar.Sathish Mane, Joint Honorary Secretary, IIA National; Ar.Jabeen Zacharias, past Chairperson, IIA Kerala Chapter; Ar.Leena Kumar, Joint Honorary Secretary, IIA National; Ar.Vilas Avachat, Vice President, IIA National; Ar.Vivek P. P., Chairperson, IIA Calicut Centre; Ar.C.R.Raju, President, IIA National; Ar.Divyakush, Immediate Past Chairperson, IIA, National; Ar.L. Gopakumar, Chairperson, IIA Kerala Chapter; Ar.Brijesh Shaijal, National Convenor, YAF 2022; Photograph courtesy IIA
    Jury for the National Design Competition: Reweave Kozhikode- Reimagining Comtrust and precicnts, visiting the site and the dilapidated buildings. From left, Ar.Soumitro Ghosh, Ar.Peter Rich, Prof. K. T. Ravindran, Ar.Prasoon, Co-convenor, Competitions, Crossroads- YAF 2022, Ar.Afifa Nuzhath, Co-convenor, Competitions, Crossroads- YAF 2022; Photograph courtesy IIA
    Reweave Kozhikode finalists presentation being remarked upon by public dignitaries. Also promising to have inclusive discussions on the same. From left is seated honourable District Collector, Shri. Narasimhaguri T. L. Reddy, Dr.M. K. Muneer, MLA and Shri.Pradeep Kumar A., Ex-MLA, along with moderator Ar.Vinod Cyriac; Photograph courtesy IIA
    A session in the Forum: Architectural Journalism. On the dias from left; moderator Ar.Lalichan Zacharias; Ms.Mrudul Pathak; Ms.Vertica Dvivedi; Ar.Mukul Goyal and Ar.C.R.Raju, President, IIA, National; Photograph courtesy IIA
    Ar.N. M. Salim being honoured with the Ponnada, by Ar.C.R.Raju, President, IIA National, in context to celebrating his 50 glorious years of architectural practice; Photograph courtesy IIA
    YAF Awards being distributed on stage; Photograph courtesy IIA
    The winner of the National Design Competition being bestowed the certificate and memento, in the presence of the Jury members and distinguished guests; Photograph courtesy IIA
    The honourable minister for Public Works Department and Tourism, Kerala, Shri.Mohammed Riyas, launches the Manual of architectural practice for the Council of Architecture; Photograph courtesy IIA
    The Colloquium 02: Shikshan. On the dias from left, moderator, Ar.Soumini Raja; Ar.Neelkanth Chaaya; Ar.Rupali Gupte; Ar.Habeeb Khan, President, Council of Architecture; and finally Ar.Shruthie Shah; Photograph courtesy IIA
    Culmination of the workshop- BHAVANA, with mentors from left, Ar.Vishnu, Ar.Madhav Raman, Ar.Shyam Purvankara, Ar.Niranjan S. Warrier, Ar.Aromal, and the participating children; Photograph courtesy IIA
    Team YATRA after the promotional cycle ride through the city early morning of day zero; Photograph courtesy IIA

    2500 delegates, 200 guests, 10000 footfall and 350 volunteers. The CROSSROADS- Young Architects Festival, 2022 hosted by the Indian Institute of Architects, Calicut Centre under the aegis of IIA, Kerala Chapter, was all this and much more!

    Serene Sarovaram biopark and Calicut Trade Centre lit up the Canoly Canal stretch in mesmerising grandeur. What more can a festival be, we wondered! It was three days of intellectual satiation with all the fun, frolic, local shopping and hospitality.  

    Students installation, as part of CREA, getting the last touches. It was set in the public venue of Urban Angadi; Photograph courtesy IIA

    The Young Architects Festival Awards 2022 was reformatted this time to commend young practices and not just projects. “A whopping 100 entries showcasing around 450 projects were received to be deliberated, discussed, evaluated, and shortlisted to 40 entries” says Ar. Sujith G. S., Convenor, YAF Awards. 

    The National design competition aspired to bring the best of young minds to tackle a design solution for the precinct of Kerala. Impressed by the young minds in the fraternity addressing core issues, being empathetic, contextual, responsive, responsible and pursuing sustainability, the jury panel engaged in discussions to wane down the number of entries.

    As jury panellist, Ar. Bharat Ramamrutham mentioned, “the future of Indian architecture is indeed in safe hands.” The jury panel discussion for Architectural Journalism was moderated by Mrudul Pathak Kundu, editor of ELLE DECOR India. 

    A full house Sabha witnessing Ar.Pallinda Kannangara’s presentation of his works, during Colloquium session, “When East meets West”, a discourse between Ar.Peter Rich and Ar.Pallinda Kannangara; Photograph courtesy IIA

    It was a festival for three days in the land renowned for its hospitality. Its beaches, markets, streets, culture and food, recharged, rejuvenated and revived its delegates and guests from all over the country Three days of programmed events were curated to provoke thinking. From workshops to yatras to local delicacies, it was a cultural extravaganza. 

    A full house venue Bodhi, with he YAF Awards 2022 presentations by shortlisted participants; Photograph courtesy IIA

    Ar. Sham Salim, Co-convenor, YAF 2022, joint honorary secretary, IIA, Calicut Centre and principal architect, Aslamsham architects, remembered that “We wanted to make it a festival in its full essence, which had something for everyone! Be it architecture, art, culture, cuisine, or just the relations you build.”

    The main venue, SABHA, in full strength during the Colloquium session; Photograph courtesy IIA

    A new benchmark to the conduct of events in the nation. A new paradigm to the curation of the celebration of architecture, art, culture, food, music and much more. Calicut, rising to be a design Metropolis and paving the path for an architectural renaissance in “God’s own country”- the State of Kerala, has done it all!