Veteran urban designer warns against capital-intensive constructions in Lakshadweep

He also highlighted how the islanders lived a sustainable life, which is reflected in the construction practices they adopted

Capital and water-intensive construction works do not augur well for the Lakshadweep Islands, since the region is ecologically fragile and highly vulnerable to sea-level rise, K.T. Ravindran, advisory board member of UN Capital Master Plan, and founding president of Institute of Urban Designers India, said here on Sunday.

He was delivering a talk on ‘Urban Design’, organised by Madhavan Nayar Foundation and Institute of Urban Designers - India, at Kerala Museum, Edapally. The title of the talk was POISE IN CONTEXT - Collaboration, Confluence, Co-production. The award-winning urban designer highlighted how the islanders lived a sustainable life, which is reflected in the construction practices they adopted.

Referring to three key projects he undertook, including one at Lakshadweep and the Rajiv Gandhi Ninaivakom in Sriperumbuthur, he dwelt at length on the philosophies that are elemental to design decisions and architectural/urban design practice processes of KTR Studios. A panel discussion on the topic “Is Modernism dead?”, followed.

Going back in time, Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Vigilance) V. Venu, spoke of how Mr. Ravindran’s intervention 25 years ago helped develop sustainable tourism infra in Bekal.

Vice president of Institute of Urban Designers -India, Biley Menon spoke of how Mr Ravindran helped usher in the concept of urban planning in modern India. Aditi Zacharias, museum director, Kerala Museum, Madhavan Nayar Foundation, Edappally, was among those who spoke.