The India Initiative, a five-year design research initiative conceived and directed by Professors Phoebe Crisman and Peter Waldman, expands the boundaries of architecture at UVA. Through the critical lens of our regionally grounded school we speculate about the foundations of architectural thinking in a context beyond the familiar. While applying a perspective at two scales of dwelling—the emergent megacity and the enduring village, we make connections between vernacular or cultural practices that persist today and yet are far removed from our own. Each year of the five-year study will focus on one of the five pillars of Creation or panchabhuta: Earth (Prithvi), Water (Jal), Air (Vayu), Fire (Agni) and Ether or Void (Akasha). This first studio in Summer 2012 investigated water as a spatial generator. We bring lessons learned back to influence our community, teaching and research through exhibits, symposia and publications.

Exhibit: August 20 - September 15, 2012

Elmaleh Gallery + East Wing Gallery

Phoebe Crisman + Peter Waldman, UVA Profs. of Architecture

Harsh Vardhan Jain, Nicholas Knodt, Catharine Killien, Amelia Einbender-Lieber, Rebecca Hora, Phoebe Harris, Elizabeth Kneller, Whitney Newton, Judy Chang, Michael Goddard, Sarah Buchholz, Christopher Barker, Mariam Rahmatullah, Victor Hugo de Souza Azevedo

Final Fridays Reception: August 31, 6:00 PM

Elmaleh Gallery + East Wing Gallery

Symposium: September 14, 12:30-5:00 PM

Campbell Hall 153/158

Pankaj Vir Gupta, Vir Meuller Architects

Vikramaditya Prakash, Chandrigarh Urban Lab + University of Washington

David Turnbull, Atopia Innovation + Cooper Union

Tod Williams, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects

Majida Bargach, UVA Center for International Studies

Richard Cohen, UVA Asia Institute

Sheila Crane, UVA Department of Architectural History

Daniel Ehnbom, UVA Department of Art History

Edward Ford, UVA School of Architecture

David Germano, UVA Center for Contemplative Sciences

Russell Katz, MOMIDC

Jeff Legro, UVA Office for Global Affairs

Gallery Reception: September 14, 5:30

Elmaleh Gallery + East Wing Gallery