The Higher Education Review

Today, R V College of Architecture (RVCA) has become a force to be reckoned in the field of architectural education and research in India. The institute started the B. Arch. Course in the year 1992, initially as Department of Architecture within the premises of the R.V.College of Engineering, and an initial intake of thirty students. It shifted to an independent building within the RVCE premises in 1995. At present, the college has a unique and diverse community of designers, architects and practitioners from allied fields that collaborate and engage in critical discourse in Architecture. The goal of the college is to equip students with multi- faceted skills and best practices in the field and to find ways to transform the profession to meet future challenges. The college is part of a reputed group of educational institutions managed by Rashtreeya Sikshana Samithi Trust (RSST), Bangalore.

“From its inception, the department maintained an expert teaching panel composed of reputed architects, whose contribution as visiting faculty and expert reviewers have been invaluable. The department has made a mark by its academic rigor and earnestness to the cause of architectural education,” states Dr. Om Prakash Bawane, Principal, RVCA. The course was accorded autonomy status by Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) and University Grants Commission (UGC) in the year 2009.
The college added new program in postgraduate studies in Urban Design under the aegis of VTU in the year 2006.

The college attracts top ranking and meritorious students from across the country to its undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in Architecture, all programs are approved by Council of Architecture and affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi. “This provides an opportunity for under-graduate students to learn alongside post-graduate students, thus promising a plurality of views, encouraging diverse research interests and fostering productive debate in Architecture” opines Dr. Bawane. This overall framework provides an opportunity for intense research, a chance for experimentation and possibility of integrating new ideas between undergraduate and post-graduate programs. RVCA provides the ideal environment that encourages students to explore varied approaches to design thinking through its emphasis on history, theory and design. At RVCA, the creative and critical thinking methodologies are integrated in the teaching process from the earliest design studios. The syllabus offers the right mix of knowledge and studio based subjects, with a balanced focus on creativity, technical know-how and current issues like sustainable development and rapid urbanization. Guided design collaborations and partnerships amongst students to improve learning from peer groups are other important teaching approaches at RVCA. The seminars, talks, interactive sessions with renowned architects and consultants keep students abreast of current practices in the industry. The students have actively participated and won design competitions, presented papers at national and international forums.
The college strongly believes that the learning process, for a discipline like architecture needs to be interactive, participatory and creative at its core. The expertise of the faculty in various fields like interior design, history and theory, urban planning and building systems management contributes to the diversity of the teaching panel and encourages collaborations with experts in the field.

“Interaction with architects from the field, eminent academicians and illustrious alumni can vastly impact the quality of education, and hence another important practice at RVCA, is the intense involvement of practicing architects to help provide students an insight of various facets of the profession” says Dr. Bawane. Thus, practicing architects form a large section of the faculty teaching the B Arch and M Arch core courses like design studios and building construction.

Academic rigor, devotion to the cause of learning architecture and altruism towards education are the core values at RVCA, which distinguish it from other institutions across India and create an ideal environment for learning architecture. “The college is pledged to the mission of leadership; the tradition of research; and innovation in architecture propelling it ahead. My team strives to articulate this mission and help RVCA to spread its wings and look towards the future,” concludes Dr. Bawane.