Architecture is a gigantic vocation in India.Primarily what began as a modicum of awards to honour this profession has augmented by manifolds today. Whether it is architectural associations, architectural journals, or firms substantiating products ameliorated by architecture; all are coming up with awards for those who have raised the pedestal of this profession.

For me - an architectural journalist, it hasn’t been an experience of mere peeping at the awards from the periphery. Back in 2005-2006, I was the assistant for a leading architectural journal of India- Architecture+ Design. A+D in collaboration with the Paints Masters- Spectrum has been running its annual Architecture+Design and Spectrum Foundation Architecture Awards successfully for the past 7 years. I had the privilege of being in the core team of organizing this event, learning the modus operandi, attending the jury deliberations personally, being cognizant of the smiles and exuberance on the faces of the winners, and last but not the least witnessing the spectacular awards ceremony which was a huge get together from architects of India and abroad.

Construction World, a leading Indian publication, also presents a Top Architect Award. Ditto for the annual Archi Design Awards presented by Montage India Cyber Media Pvt. Ltd. For the uninitiated, the first of these architecture awards was instituted by the Indian Institute of Architects in the 1980’s. The next to follow were the J.K.Cement Awards in 1990’s who formulated the Architect of the Year Awards.

The juries for all these awards include people not from India alone but abroad too. For them, not only is the adjudication important but also it’s a fastidious way of exploring what kind of architecture is happening in India, learning from it besides giving in their own propositions.

Next in line are the firms themselves associated with products that are required in architecture. Pidilite Award for Excellence issued by the Pidilite Industries Limited is an initiative to encourage and promote excellence in students on the threshold of beginning of a successful career in the field of Architecture and Interior Design. In the words of Mr. B.O. Mehta, president of Pidilite Industries Limited,

“The award, which today is in its fourth year, is highly appreciated by students and has built healthy competitive spirit amongst them. It motivates aspiring architects and interior designers to perform well and take pride in doing good work”.

Jindal Stainless holds The Stainless Innovation Awards to reward excellence in use of stainless steel. They term these awards as a “testament of their continued support to the design fraternity.”

There are yet another set of awards which are not totally architecture but which include a component of architecture. In its 23rd year of Publication, Accomodation Times, India’s oldest based newspaper on real estate awards Architect of the Year. The selection is based on around 40-45 entries across the country.

Sanjay Chaturvedi, the Executive Director says, “We at Accommodation Times give highest respect to architectural profession because the professional skills are not only responsible for beautification of elevations and functional layouts but are responsible for human life. We keep the award” Architect of the year” announcement at the last of the list of awardees since these personalities and their skills are above all the real estate professionalism and skills.”

The Cityscape India Real Estate Awards honor leading real estate professionals and companies for their outstanding contribution to the industry annually. Besides presenting the Best Urban Design & Master Planning Award in Architecture they constitute a plethora of awards for developers like the Retail Project Award. The CNBC AWAAZ- CRISIL’s Real Estate Awards is India’s biggest and most credible Real Estate awards. It’s a gesture to celebrate the magnificent architecture and intricate interiors of Indian industry. Indian Developers Felicitation instituted by the leading architectural magazine Indian Architect & Builder has given Corporate Buildings Award in the Real Estate Industry including Residential, Infrastructure, Industrial Townships, Healthcare, Hospitality, Retail, Entertainment and Social Initiatives.

With all such awards in preponderance one is compelled to valorize these awards and their connotation in the profession. Unequivocally, any kind of an award is a morale booster for the awardees and architecture awards are no less. Besides that, they have facilitated the surfacing of the hidden talent and genuine quality of architecture by the country and peers abroad. The plethora of categories covered makes sure every field is acknowledged which includes students on their way to becoming budding architects too. Events like NASA, design competitions held specifically for students are a major booster to the students.

The only hitch in case of these awards could be the fact that the buildings are assessed through pictures, actually through what the pictures convey. Though the better side of this facet is that this encourages the participating architects to document their work more professionally, but a leaner fact still remains that a beautiful space due to its non-photogenic pictures might not come across as effectively as a bad architecture that has been photographed well.

A lot of times it’s only the same building, which ends up getting awarded in different categories in a span of 3-4 years. Is that supposed to mean that the immense resource of architects that this country possesses is not getting into these competitions? A step forward in this perhaps could mean the jurors themselves nominating awards for the different categories.

Things have undeniably changed. Whereas all these awards initially began as just awards for the Indian community; with time these awards are becoming global, as in the case of A+D & Spectrum Foundation Architecture Awards and J.K.Cement Awards.

On a positive note, these awards are also a step forward in bringing architecture to the masses. The organizations orchestrating such events should be appreciated and their efforts to do something for the magnanimous field of architecture should be applauded.

Images courtesy of JK White Cement.

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Architectural Awards in India