Advaita Jalan
Associate Professor
Advaita Jalan is an academic and urban designer with a keen interest in questions of city, built environment and a firm believer of research-based practice. Her strength lies in the knowledge acquired from international professional experience and research oriented academic background. Profoundly, interested in questions of development of regulatory mechanisms, and planning of cities especially over last 40 years. Exploring the possibilities of relevance of various paradigms of urban design codes in India. Believe in advocacy-based initiatives for improving quality of built environment and towards protection of heritage.
She has over 13 years of teaching and 8 years of professional experience working in the public & private sector in the field of urban design, planning & urban conservation-based projects. Public sectors experience accounts for working at Birmingham City Council (UK) and Nottingham City Council (UK). Where she was primarily involved in formulating ordinance, form-based codes, regeneration, urban conservation, master-planning, design guidelines formulation and advocating good design and high-quality built environment initiatives. Coordinated and conducted capacity building workshops for planners, staff training and developers’ training workshops promoting better quality of built environment.
Academic background/Qualification
- Currently, pursuing Doctoral Program (Ph.D.) in Urban Design (Part-Time) Ongoing School of Planning and Architecture, Urban Design Department, New Delhi, India.
- M.A. Urban Design (Graduated 2004) University of Central England, Birmingham, U.K.
- Diploma in Architecture (Graduated 2002, Five years program at par with degree) D.C. Patel School of Architecture, APIED, Vallabh Vidyanagar, India.
Professional or Industrial Experience
Teaching
Primarily involved in teaching research-based courses such as pre-thesis, research methodology, University level reading and writing courses, inter-disciplinary / multidisciplinary KHOJ Winter School, electives on urban studies and regulatory frameworks, collaborative research project (CRP), and supervising thesis.
- Reading and Writing Courses: Use of concept map for idea generation to develop an understanding of the various steps required in developing a written text.
- University Level Elective on Urbanization: Public Polling on urbanization- perspective building. To generate awareness about role of various stakeholders in the city building process.
- Courses on City, Governance and Regulatory Frameworks: Using workshop and field visits-based approach. Introducing students to pragmatic aspects of respective area of study.
- KHOJ Winter School 2023: Generating a Public Platform to reach out to larger audience for public engagement process. Preparation of Website for Public Participation for “Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) of Impact of Flyover On Urban Life”. Website served as a platform to share information and collect feedback from public.
Professional Experience: Advaita’s professional ranges from working for public sector experience accounts for working at Birmingham City Council (UK) and Nottingham City Council (UK). Where she was primarily involved in formulating ordinance, form-based codes, regeneration, urban conservation, master-planning, design guidelines formulation and advocating good design and high-quality built environment initiatives. Coordinated and conducted capacity building workshops for planners, staff training and developers’ training workshops promoting better quality of built environment. Conducted public participation as part of various projects undertaken at Birmingham, Nottingham, and Philadelphia.
Area of Expertise and Research
- Primary Area: Regulatory Frameworks and built environment, impact on built environment and exploration of alternate tools.
- Secondary Area: Study of Impact of flyover in Vadodara City on Urban Life, Typological Study of buildings constructed over last 30 to 40 years and relation to policies and regulations.
Publications
Journals
- Ambekar , P., & Jalan , A. (2023). Understanding the Dynamics of India’s Bazaars. URBAN DESIGN 165 – Winter 2023 | URBAN DESIGN Journal Issue | Urban Design Group, 165, 14–15. https://www.udg.org.uk/publications/journal/urban-design-165-winter-2023
- Jalan, A. (2023). Celebrating Public Library – The Central Library Baroda. Dharohar Heritage Trust Newsletter, 5(4).
- Jalan , A. (2021). Role of Form-Based Codes as Determinants in Reclaiming Threshold Spaces: A Case Study of Walled City of Vadodara. Design for All Institute of India, 16(11).
Conference Proceedings
- Jalan , A. (2023). Metamorphosisof Cultural Identity of Traditional and Non-TraditionalGatedCommunities:A Study ofVadodara, India. XXIX International Seminar on Urban Form. ISUF 2022 Urban Redevelopment and Revitalisation. A Multidisciplinary Perspective. XXIX International Seminar on Urban Form ISUF 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/11652/5021
Chapter/s in Books
- Jalan, A. (2024). Re-interpreting Rules of Vernacular Practices for Contemporary Built Form within an Urban Setting. In Potency of Vernacular Settlements – Recent Scholarships in Vernacular Studies. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Conferences/Seminars
International:
- Paper presentation at ISVS 11 International Seminar On Vernacular Settlements, SEDA, Navrachana University, Vadodara. Paper Titled “Re-interpreting Rules of Vernacular Practices for Contemporary Built Form within an Urban Setting.”
- Paper Presentation at ISUF 2022 XXIX CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON URBAN FORM: Urban Redevelopment and Revitalisation: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on 9th September 2022 on paper titled “Metamorphosis of Cultural Identity of Traditional and Non-Traditional Gated Communities: A Study of Vadodara, India.”
Training/Workshops
- Invited as an expert for Panel Discussion on 13th March 2024 on “Educational Approaches to Multidisciplinary Learning – Academicians from India and UK share experiences and best practices in fostering collaboration among students. Other Panelists were Prof. Jakie Norton, Disha Gupta, Prof. Indrapramit Roy, And Dr. Shishir Raval.
- Conceptualized and part of the Team for Heritage Sensitization Workshops – An Initiative by Heritage Trust Baroda; for School Children of 6th, 7th and 8th Grades based on National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. The workshops were conducted during the academic year 2023-24.
- Delivered Lecture on Program Development and Phasing For Riverfront Development at CEPT University on 29th September 2023 for BUD Program.
- Delivered Expert Lecture to BUD students at CEPT University, Ahmedabad on: 17th November 2022 on “Regulating Mechanisms for Urban Designers” and on 22nd September 2022 “Program Development and Phasing For Riverfront Development”.
- Conducted a course at CEPT University, Summer Winter School (SWS) – Winter 2022 on “Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change ” with Nishi Shah.
- Conducted writing workshop at NUV -Reflections – A workshop on writing during National Library Week Celebration 17th November 2021.
- Attended Course “The Code School” by Urban Design London, U.K. (online) (May – August 2021)
Professional Affiliations /Membership
- Associate Member of Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) (Membership No. A28995)
- Member of Research & Development Committee of IIA (2023-25)
- Member of Urban Design Group (UDG) UK, since September 2021 (Membership Number 9439)
- Associate Member of Institute of Urban Designers India (IUDI), since July 2021(Membership No. A-529)
- Associate Member of Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) (Membership No. A28995)
- Member of Executive Committee (since 2022) and Special Invitee to Heritage Trust’s Executive Council, Vadodara for 2021-22.
- Member of Council of Architecture (COA), India since Dec 2012 (COA No. CA/2012/57825)
- Member of American Planning Association (APA), U.S. since Jan 2010 (APA ID# 236315)
