Neither a particular curriculum, nor a certain pedagogy could be said to be an apotheosis, for changes in time, place, people, technology and practice exercise their dynamism, changeability and obsolescence upon the relevance and competency of any particular kind of education. We strive to supplement our continually evolving pedagogy with the involvement of eminent practitioners, academicians and area-specific experts within our hierarchy who understand and assist in our need to adapt and evolve.
The crux of any Architectural Programme is the Design Studio, where students apply their accumulated knowledge to their uninhibited imagination to produce works of Space. At ISArch, we are working towards a far greater synthesis between the various streams of thoughts, subjects and workshops with the design studio and treat the discourse within the individual modules as part of a single design problem. We firmly believe that such efforts constitute an application-based learning, allowing for a better synchrony within the curriculum.
Stressing further upon our philosophy of creating an application based system of Architectural education, ISArch tailors its Studio discipline to the needs of the hour, to the changes in society and culture, to addressing an opportunity or responding to a crisis, and from educating the students to gain insights into the transformative nature of the world around them and formulate their subsequent conscious design response. It is important for us to look outward and address the need for a global perspective in Architectural education; however, we also believe in a grounding within the practices of Architecture which are indigenous, local and native, for this is without a doubt, the way forward to a sustainable future.
Our endeavour towards harnessing the informed perspectives of the global leaders in Architecture, Construction, Digital technology and Sustainability reflects within the work done by us towards building associations with international institutions and organizations (like the USGBC, which was a successful chapter within this story), which would soon culminate in closer co-operation with the large Academic ecosphere and student exchange programmes.
Equivalent focus upon Research and Praxis is deemed essential within our didactic philosophy, for two reasons. Firstly, it allows a student to reinforce their imagination with precedents, pragmatism and the ability to be provocative-that is to be able to ask difficult questions or develop informed opinion in order to address real world challenges in Architecture arising out of pluralism to the best of their abilities. Secondly, an exposure to these two streams of Architectural thought within the Undergraduate course allows the student, in our opinion, to work within the area best suited to their natural talents.
Learning is a way of community-building, with a blend of discipline and freedom, where the students and teachers are partakers of ideas and techniques. At ISArch, the students first learn to learn, before advancing into the depth of what Architecture has to offer. Upon doing so, a world of close interactions with the industry and profession, evolving digital techniques of designing, perspectives, polemics and communication await the students at ISArch.
