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I will always remember Dr. Priya Ranjan not only as the Chairman of JK Monitor, but as a mentor, guide and elder brother whose kindness shaped my life and work. Write a tribute at AWANTIPORA: The Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), today inaugurated second edition of its Annual Architecture Festival, “Nairang-e-Tameer: Celebrating Craft, Culture and Community: Traditions in Practice,” bringing together academia, practitioners, heritage professionals, entrepreneurs, craftspeople and students to explore the deep connections between architecture, traditional crafts, culture and community.
The three-day festival being organised from September 8 to 10, provides a platform for students and practitioners to showcase their work, exchange ideas, build professional networks and explore the relationship between traditional architectural knowledge and contemporary practice. While welcoming the participants, Mehraan Qureshi, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, described Nairang-e-Tameer as a platform, where students and architects can come together to share their work and learn from one another.
In his presidential address, Vice Chancellor, IUST, Prof. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, emphasised the need to preserve the character of Kashmiri architecture while responding to contemporary challenges. “There is a growing homogenisation of architectural forms including the proliferation of similar building types and hence a need to integrate modernity with traditional practices,” he said. He also stressed on taking greater account of disaster resilience too.
Prof. Romshoo called for architecture students to be exposed to emerging technologies, so that modern technological tools can be meaningfully blended with traditional architecture. He emphasised on the need to make such initiatives more student-centric.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kuldeep, Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Government of J&K, highlighted ongoing efforts towards developing an ethnographic gallery documenting artefacts and cultural materials. Dr Kuldeep also pointed out that J&K currently has only two schools of architecture, at IUST and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, underscoring the importance of strengthening opportunities for students and professionals in the field.
Earlier, Qazi Qammer Iqbal, Dean, School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics, in his opening remarks, reflected on the significance of the festival’s Persian derived name. He noted that both Nairang, associated with deception and magic and Tameer, meaning construction, hold a particular relevance to architecture. He said that architecture too involves an element of “deception” through the ways in which spaces, forms and perceptions are created.
While delivering her address, Dr Ruheela Hassan, Dean Outreach, IUST, congratulated the Department of Architecture, participants and organisers for the initiative and appreciated the theme of the festival. Emphasising the wider social role of architecture, she quoted that meaningful work emerges, when knowledge meets society. She remarked that architects do not merely construct buildings but also “give us hope.”
Dean Research, IUST, Dr Abid Hussain Shalla, delivered a special address and appreciated the initiative and the efforts of the Department of Architecture in creating a platform for academic and professional exchange.
The festival, organised by the Department of Architecture, IUST, in collaboration with the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology & Museums, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, seeks to create a sustained dialogue between architecture, culture and community while encouraging young architects to engage critically with the region’s rich architectural and craft traditions.
The first day also featured a series of engaging Architects’ conclave sessions, academia-industry interactions, competitions and exhibitions where accomplished architects and professionals showcased their work.
