Held under the theme “Building Resilience into the City,” the conclave was organised in association with five leading professional bodies; Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), Institute of Urban Designers India (IUDI), Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA), Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), and Maharashtra Association of Schools of Architecture (MASA), reflecting a shared commitment towards fostering more adaptive, inclusive, and environmentally conscious urban environments.
The conclave served as a dynamic knowledge-sharing platform featuring experts from organisations and institutions spanning architecture, urban planning, ecology, landscape design, biodiversity conservation, infrastructure, and sustainability. Key speakers included Ar. Prasanna Desai, Urban Designer, Pune; Jitesh Brahkshatriya, Associate Vice President & Head of Planning, Adani Group; Sandeep Menon, MLA Program Co-Lead, Manchester School of Architecture, United Kingdom; Mayura Patil, Senior Landscape Architect, NParks, Singapore; and Parveen Shaik, Scientist, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai. The conclave also featured experts from organisations and institutions including Urban Design Collective, CDSA Pune, Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo, and Variables Mumbai, among others.
Discussions focused on some of the most pressing questions confronting contemporary cities, from integrating ecological systems into urban planning and leveraging data-driven decision-making, to strengthening governance frameworks, biodiversity conservation, community participation, and climate adaptation strategies. The sessions highlighted how collaboration across sectors and areas of expertise is critical to building cities that can effectively address environmental and socio-economic challenges while enhancing quality of life.
“At VESCOA, we believe learning is most impactful when it connects knowledge with real-world experiences. This conclave was envisioned to foster exactly that, while encouraging conversations around the future of sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally responsible cities.” said Dr. Anand Achari, Principal, VESCOA.
VESCOA, one of the largest architecture colleges under Vivekanand Education Society (VES), continues to strengthen its role as a thought-led academic institution. It remains committed to enabling knowledge exchange that shapes the future direction of architectural and urban discourse.