Architecture is a field od study, that combines techniques and vision, to design and build structures. Leading architectural institutions, produce skilled and inventive Architects that, uphold the technical expertise and creativity, to design facilities, that are aesthetically pleasing as well as well as functional and sustainable.
This field also boosts the economy and generates employment opportunities. It is an educational domain, that demands both artistic creativity and technical proficiency. The top architectural institutes worldwide produce highly skilled and innovative architects, with the knowledge and competence to design visually stunning, functional, and sustainable establishments.
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning in Mumbai is amongst those educational treasures. The institute has been at the forefront of nurturing ideal professionals under the innovative direction of Mr. Karan V. Singh, CEO of Thakur Education Group (TEG).
Thakur Education Group (TEG) was founded by Shri V.K. Singhji, Chairman of the Trust. The trust began with the first school in 1989 and operates more than 21 institutions, spread over 4 Campuses. It has about 50,000 students enrolled in various programs and levels ranging from kindergarten to Ph.D. programs. This institute has State-of-the-art infrastructure that meets international requirements. Thakur School of Architecture & Planning is part of the Zagdusingh Charitable Trust, that oversees five other institutions imparting professional programs.
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning is a rapidly growing institution of Architecture, that holds the ISO 21001-2018 certification. The institute was established in 2014-15 in the suburbs of Kandivali, Mumbai, as a self-financed Hindi Linguistic Minority Institution under the Thakur Education Group. In 2018-19, the institute initiated a B. Voc program in Interior Design, affiliated with the University of Mumbai.
The Thakur Education Group is committed to the nation’s development by providing high-quality education standards. They offer their students a competitive and challenging environment to learn and excel. All institutions affiliated with TEG have a brilliant record of graduate placements. Alumni are gaining recognition and securing prominent positions, nationally and internationally.
Cultivating the Values of Environmental Consciousness
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning believes in cultivating the values of ‘environmental consciousness’ in students by introducing them to the profession’s nuances. The institute believes that an environment-conscious approach to design is a ‘smarter’ way to provide solutions, that go beyond the agenda of ‘green design’ while delving into the nuances of ‘complete solutions.’ The approach respects the uniqueness of each ‘design situation’ and aims to provide the most appropriate stakeholder-centric solution.
Vision is to emerge as a distinguished institute, that nurtures Socially Responsible, Creative, Innovative, and Competent professionals, through Universal Human Value-based education.
The institute is on a mission to achieve the following objectives:
- To emerge as a pioneering Institute.
- To facilitate and nurture virtues of Research, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership.
- To develop competency in the application of appropriate contemporary technologies.
- To provide Sustainable, Environment-friendly & Affordable solutions for the benefit of society.
Enhancing Learning with Technological Integration
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning prioritizes innovation and digital transformation, leveraging the profession’s performance by implementing modern technologies and providing advanced infrastructure.
The institute designs the teaching plans using the three pedagogical learning methods:
Experiential Learning, Participative Learning, and Problem-solving methodologies using ICT tools. Institutional curriculum conduct policy defines the mode of conduct and pedagogy through the teaching plan.
The ICT-enabled tools, such as online resources for effectively implementing all student-centric approaches, have improved academic delivery and students are better suited to industry requirements.
The Institutional focus on the advanced use of software, technologies, and online curriculum conducted through a pedagogical approach that extensively uses ICT-enabled tools and services has been well received and appreciated by the industry.
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning is actively working towards creating a conducive environment for digitization. The institution has created a dedicated student portal to uploadand access assignments, journals, lecture notes, study material, and other academic content. This has enabled free access to a repository of institutional knowledge and information sources for all its students.
The advanced library software enables students to access e-books, e-journals, periodicals, and reference materials through password-protected Institutional access. The online Alumni portal has now been closely integrated and supports their bonding with the institute, providing them with institutional citizenry updates and access to knowledge resources.
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning has implemented the ‘Stay Safe Online’ policy and conducts regular awareness programs to teach the virtues of protocols to be followed as netizens.
Overcoming Educational Barriers
Thakur School of Architecture & planning has been striving to overcome the following challenges:
- The adoption of latest nuances from practice & industry expectations, as a result of the technology revolution with the existing university’s prescribed course guidelines.
- The institute has to keep up with the best industrial practices to stay ahead of the curve, by continually upgrading and setting up advanced labs.
- Identifying resource persons that can impart technical skills and are industry-renowned; is rare, thus, locating and engaging with the Institute is challenging.
The Strategies the Thakur School of Architecture & Planning uses to solve the challenges are as follows:
- The institute exercises the flexibility of electives, college projects, and allied design courses, having almost 25 percent of the course content to develop a curriculum at par with the industry and incorporating the latest technological advancements.
- The Institute has streamlined an optimal resource utilization plan by involving industry for collaborative networking and immersion programs with industry as well as continual upgradation and setting up of digitally equipped labs and infrastructure.
- It has formed collaborative ties with Advanced training Institutions, Industry Consortiums, and Associations to exchange resources and knowledge through Institute industry-collaborated initiatives of Research, Consultancy, and training.
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning has established academic connections with authorities conducting specialized training programs. It collaborated with certified training programs to offer the graduates of TSAP an advanced lead in the professional domains and credit benefits while pursuing a master’s program. It has conducted certified training programs with Hunnarshala (Bhuj), Laurie Baker Centre (Chennai), IIT (Kharagpur), CEASID (Pune), Footprints Earth (Ahmedabad), Manav Sanghralaya (Bhopal) to identify a few.
The Institution has explored global destinations, including immersion programs in Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Milan, Rome, Venice, Florence, and Dubai. It has a Memorandum of Understanding with ETSAB in Barcelona, Spain, and has already hosted a certified workshop at Politecnico di Milano, University of Milan, Italy.
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning has always strived to fill the institute industry gap by involving professionals and experts from the industry by actively participating in decision-making, while shaping the institutional pedagogy. The involvement of architects viz, Ar. Yatin Pandya, Ar. Arvind Kanetkar, Ar. Shyam Khandekar, Ar. Nitin Killawala, Ar. Tushar Desai, Ar. Vijay Kale, Ar. Sanjay Patil, Ar. Shakti Parmar and others have contributed as industry experts and given direction through their involvement and visits to the institution.
The institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fire Safety Association of India (FSAI) to promote collaboration and exchange between the two organizations. Through this partnership, the institute participates in industry activities and engagements. Additionally, it has launched a ‘Students Chapter’ in collaboration with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) to engage in various industry-collaborated activities, that aim to enrich the curriculum and promote the values of environment-conscious initiatives. The institute has recognized the need to produce environmentally conscious professionals in the specialized domain & has been accredited prestigious membership of United Nations Academic Impact Institution (UNAI).
The institute is associated with more than 85 professional firms located across India and overseas that offer internships and employment opportunities in architecture. The Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry also assists the institute in placing its graduates and interns in vital roles within the real estate sector.
A Rewarding Journey
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning has earned many prestigious awards. A few of them are as follows:
- It was accredited with NAAC A grade in its first assessment cycle, 2023.
- It has been awarded Best Architecture Institute. At the Star Education Award 2023 by ESFE in Collaboration with the Education Department, Government of Maharashtra.
- It has been awarded the Best Private Institute in Maharashtra for Teaching & Course Curriculum 2023 at the 22ndRashtriya Shiksha Gaurav Puraskar Ceremony by the Centre of Education Growth & Research.
- Times Education Group has awarded Thakur School of Architecture & Planning, Mumbai as the Best Institute for Architecture for the 5th Consecutive Year.
Excelling in the Future
Thakur School of Architecture & Planning is currently focusing on strengthening its existing program, to serve as a strong foundation for launching multiple certification programs that align with market requirements. It has identified specific gaps in the expectations of the industry and the institute, which cannot be addressed within the framework of the prescribed curriculum. It plans to establish itself as an autonomous institution with the flexibility to invest entirely in industry-ready programs.
There is a growing demand for industry professionals that can take up the challenges of the industry backed by thorough market knowledge, acquired proficiency, and certified skill sets. The Institute collaborates with established professional bodies, international certification authorities, and institutions of excellence to create short-term, intense, market-ready programs clubbed with industry immersions, that offer its learners, the opportunity of on-field experience, while developing core competencies.
In the future, Thakur School of Architecture & Planning plans to set in a position to engage with dual degree programs, at par with International Standards and Collaboration with topranking Global Universities.
