Ar. Aditya Jeswal, CEO of CCBA Designs gave an immersive talk at an architectural event, "K.O.I. - Kaleidoscope of Ideas," hosted by Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Architecture, Navi Mumbai.
Themed, "Diverge, Converge and Innovate", his keynote speech urged to embrace the notion that the path from divergence to convergence finds its way through innovation and therein lies the transformative power to shape the world around us.
Be it through our projects or Prof. Christopher Benninger's books and theories on Architecture (such as the "Principles of Intelligent Urbanism"), our work at CCBA Designs has always aimed to highlight the fundamental principles that underpin our noble profession—the principles of shelter, inspiration, and humanity.
Below are a few excerpts from his talk that are worth contemplating...
Diverge: Embracing Independent Thought
"Our journey begins with divergence—a departure from the beaten path or at least the path that was laid before us, a foray into the realm of independent thought. Divergence invites us to challenge the status quo, question norms, and dare to dream beyond the confines of convention. It beckons us to carve our own paths, explore uncharted territories of creativity, and find inspiration in the unconventional.
Imagine, if you will the work of visionaries like Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Tadao Ando, Shigeru Ban, Rem Koolhaas, Bjarke Ingles, whose designs dance on the edge of imagination. These pioneers remind us that true innovation springs from the fertile soil of independent thought, where the seeds of creativity are sown in the fertile minds of those unafraid to chart their own course…. And yet like all before us, they too will become the tradition from which new ideas will inevitably emerge."
Innovate: From Exploration to Creation
"So we arrive at the threshold of innovation—the follow-through of divergent ideas; the crucible where ideas are forged into reality. Innovation challenges us to push the boundaries of what is possible, harness the tools of technology and tradition in the service of creativity, and reimagine the built environment in ways previously unimagined.
These innovations remind us that the future of architecture lies not in the replication of the past but in the relentless pursuit of new possibilities—the endless quest to innovate, adapt, and evolve."
Converge: Uniting Innovation with Tradition
"Where Divergence and Innovation are exuberant explorations of ideas and forms; juxtapositions and dialogues, they are but alone; a solitary voice in the wilderness—a mere whisper amidst the cacophony of ideas.
It is in the culmination of divergence and innovation that we find convergence and harmony, where disparate threads are woven together into the tapestry of innovation. Convergence calls upon us to find common ground, to bridge the gap between tradition and progress, and to marry the old with the new in a symphony of creativity; to find a new order amidst the noise. It is here that architecture becomes a collaborative endeavour—a convergence of minds, ideas, and aspirations striving towards a common purpose.
In the convergence of divergent ideas; in the innovation born of independent thought, we find not only shelter but sanctuary—not only inspiration but transcendence. And it is against this backdrop that humanity thrives, finding solace, inspiration, and meaning in the spaces we create."
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