JayashreeChandrasekaranAssistant Professor

Jayashree Chandrasekaran

Assistant Professor

Vidwan Profile

https://vidwan.inflibnet.ac.in/profile/355929

Interests

My interest lies in creating places that are people-centric while rooting for the history and culture of that place. I am strongly inclined toward finding sustainable and innovative solutions to issues plaguing contemporary cities. My specialization has provided me with an edge to work across different scales and analyze spaces within the cities through different lenses. I treasure the influential ability of designers in creating better living environments that are sensitized to human needs. My research work has primarily been focused on creating resilient cities through an ecological approach that intersects with community-led development. My Master’s thesis titled ” An ecological approach towards shaping urban peripheries: the case of urban flooding in Chennai city” endeavored to throw light on ecological and socio-spatial transformations that have led to changing dynamics of peri-urban areas, making the city vulnerable. It focused on improving the ecology, imageability, and livelihood of communities through multi-leveled strategies interwoven to bring ecology and city within a common realm.

Pedagogy

I am an Architect and urban designer. Prior to my association with KRVIA, I worked extensively towards participatory planning and community engagements, demystifying spatial planning process in Indian cities, large-scale urban analysis, etc. to explore the field through a combination of urban research and on-ground projects. I hold a master degree in Urban Design from School of planning and architecture, Bhopal and Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Anna University, Chennai. I believe in the power of storytelling as a mode of understanding places and people leading to a better approach to designing spaces. My approach is driven by research that is grounded and intersectional as a way to understand the everyday urbanism of cities. I would encourage students to learn from their everyday experiences which would expand their spectrum beyond classroom learning and lead to a more practical design approach. I feel that sharing ideas is the key to personal growth and better designs and hence eager participation in group discussions holds the utmost importance.

Milestones

1. Received Medal of Excellence for Excellent Academic record and University Rank holder in B. Arch from Anna University, Chennai in 2018 2. My Urban Design thesis titled “An ecological approach towards shaping urban peripheries: the case of urban flooding in Chennai city” was shortlisted for the DAIDA Foundation Global Urban thesis award under the “Water and development” theme. 3. Worked with the Urban planning team of Eastern Waterfront Project at Mumbai Port Trust, Mazgaon dock, Mumbai. 4. Worked in the CITIIS program (supported by MOHUA, AFD, EU, and managed by NIUA) primarily for two projects - Haora Riverfront development, Agartala and Green Mobility Corridor, Hubli-Dharwad as part of the Urban Design Collective, Chennai team. 5. Conducted an intensive capacity-building workshop on NMT (non-motorized transportation) for municipal corporations and municipalities across Tamil Nadu 6. Article titled “Beyond brothels: More than just a caged showpiece” was published in City Observer magazine, Volume 7, Issue 2 in December 2021. 7. IGBC Accredited professional with the Indian Green Building Council since April 2022