Award-winning architect Senthil Kumar Doss delivered an inspiring lecture titled In a Flow – Dialectical Conversation recently at the varsity campus.
The lecture introduced the attendees to his work, especially the material, structural and typological forms used. The lectured highlighted how his works incorporates the Aurovillean tradition with a deeper exploration, mostly hands-on, into the essence of materials and structural expressions that stem from nature. The lecture also familiarised people with his endeavours at establishing a deeper connection between design and the human spirit.
The lecture proved to be a unique creative design process, finding its inspiration from martial arts. It borrowed valuable philosophical learnings from Taoism and shifted its focus towards ‘Limitlessness’, a constant questioning and learning approach practised by Bruce Lee.
About Ar. Senthil Kumar: An academician, researcher and guest lecturer with a passion for martial arts, he is a true adventurer and works through a process of discovery where failure is a welcome stepping stone as a means of learning. An alumnus of (NIT) Regional Engineering College, he has interned with Pritzker Laureate BV Doshi and worked with his mentor, Architect Dominic Dube. He has established Play Architecture, an international award-winning experimental design studio.
About Play Architecture: The inclusive, ever-evolving architectural practice has roots in modernism and has shown immense interest in testing various architectural ‘Isms’, including minimalism, deconstructivism, parametric thinking and critical regionalism. Their recent focus comprises nature-centric, regional design involving analog and digital processes.
Speaker achievements and awards
1. World Architecture Festival – Winner, Best Small Project of 2022 and Highly commended Hospitality and Leisure Project of 2022
2. ADF awards, Japan – Winner, Excellence awards – Best Hospitality project of 2023
3. Monsoon Architecture Awards 2023
4. ID Honours – Emerging Practice of 2023 and Best Hospitality Project of 2023
5. Invited speaker – UNESCO Forum, Valencia, Spain
6. Exhibition of Play Architecture works at Salone De Mobile International Exhibition 2023 in Milan, Italy
