Activities

Rizvi Arch Festival
During the first term of the academic year, Rizvi College of Architecture organizes an annual festival of architecture called Rizvi Arch Fest from August 22- 26. It is a time for festivity and informal interaction among the students, faculty and the professionals. Apart from the competitive sports and cultural events, it consists of annual exhibition of students' work and an important seminar devoted to a theme. Foundation Day is celebrated on August 26 with a grand cultural programme.


Rizvi Forum Lectures
Rizvi Forum offers a Series of Lectures for the student and the public on vital issues of architecture, development and environment. Architects, interested citizens, students and faculty members of local architectural colleges are invited to these lectures. Late Prof. Yashwant Shetty Memorial Lecture is held during the Rizvi Arch Fest and Late Prof. Vivienne Japha Memorial Lecture is held during International Conference on Humane Habitat..


Seminars
The college organizes seminars on important subjects every semester. Fresh graduates of other colleges, faculty members and professionals participate in these seminars. A delegation of Rizvi College of Architecture participated in an International Inter-University symposium in Graz, Austria at the invitation of Haus der Architektur, Graz and Technische Universitat Graz in December 1995.


Workshops
Rizvi College of Architecture sponsors workshops on the issues of relevance such as Housing, Urban Architecture, Planning, Conservation, Landscapes and Environment. Some of these workshops are co-sponsored by other professional and voluntary organizations like the Indian Institute of Architects, Women Architects Forum, Urban Design Research Institute etc. The College conducts joint International workshops in association with colleges and universities abroad. International Workshop on Earthquake Resistant Rural Housing for Latur and Osmanabad districts was organised in collaboration with the Technische Universitat Graz, Austria. International Workshop on Metropolis is Transition was organised with German collaboration.


International Conferences
Rizvi College of Architecture hosts annually the International Conference on Humane Habitat in collaboration with the International Association for Humane Habitat during January / February. About 24 speakers from all over the world present their thoughts and works at the ICHH and more than 300 delegates and students participate in these conferences. The theme of ICHH 1999 was "Affordable Housing for All". ICHH 2000 was devoted to the subject of "Sustainable Architecture and Development", while ICHH 2001 focussed on the issues of "Appropriate Architecture, Technology and Development".


Study Tours
The College organizes annual study tours to key architectural sights and centres in India to provide glimpses of architectural heritage and excellence in contemporary architecture. It is proposed to extend the scope of study tours to neighbouring countries in Asia and other continents. A study tour to Austria was organized in December 1995. A group of students and faculty visited Nepal in 1996.


Exhibitions
Every month the college puts up an exhibition of student's current works and studies. These exhibitions are open to public and students of other colleges. It encourages students to excel and invokes a sense of pride in their work. It also gives opportunities to interact with other students and professionals. An annual exhibition of works, projects and studies by the faculty members is organized in the months of December / January. This provides an interesting setting for exchange of views and experience among the faculty members and fosters interaction with the students.


Rizvi Arch Expo
At the end of the calendar year an architectural exposition is hosted by the College. The first ever Rizvi Arch Expo held in December 1993 featured the works and studies by the faculty of the College. It was one pioneering exhibition for the College, which attracted students and faculty from the other colleges. Since then regularly exhibitions are organized. Most recent was the exhibition of 20 design theses entries from 10 architectural colleges in Mumbai region for Charles Correa Gold Medal 2000 which was won by Mr. Sanjay Nayak of Rizvi College of Architecture. The design thesis of the final year is the high point of the entire course, the exhibition of design theses draws students from all over Mumbai. Devika Parmar of the RCA won the Architect V.S.Gore Gold Medal of the University of Mumbai for the best architectural design thesis.


Research & Consultancy Cell
The faculty of Rizvi College of Architecture set up a research and consultancy cell in 1999. It aims to focus its attention on housing, urban design, rural, urban and regional planning. The city of Mumbai and the Metropolitan Region of Mumbai shall be the main focus of its research efforts. The Metropolis of Mumbai is considered as a real laboratory of architecture and planning for the College. Student, graduates and faculty collaborate in the on-going research activities at the College.
The RCA Consultancy cell undertakes research and consultancy projects from public & private sector organizations. It has recently submitted the final report on documentation and conservation of Marine Drive Precinct for the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) which has been highly acclaimed by them. RCACC is engaged with the study and demarcation of the coastal villages of Manori, Marve, Aksa, Madh, Erangal and Gorai. It has been assigned the tasks of identifying the heritage structures in the suburbs of Mumbai by MMRDA. RCACC is engaged in rehabilitation of earthquake affected people of Gujarat and has conducted training programme for local professionals and construction trades-persons in Kachchh.


Related Studies Programme
Rizvi College of Architecture has initiated a Related Studies Programme (RSP). It focuses on the study of rural, urban and regional architecture and human settlements. The College has a programme of research in the fields of housing, urban design, urban and regional planning, architectural conservation and sustainable development in Indian context.
The studies enable the students of the College to understand the complexities of contextual design, appropriate technology, socially relevant strategies, environment-friendly and sustainable development planning. In the long-term these studies shall provide data base for further research. The studies shall also support formulation of future directions of development for the College.
The RSP incorporates special lectures by eminent architects, planners, engineers, artists, social scientists, administrators, managers and other professionals from related disciplines. RSP includes documentation of buildings, complexes, settlements and life-style of people. Workshops on the related issues are organized as part of the programme.
The programme includes curricular and extracurricular studies. The students are expected to participate in the programme during the semester studies as well as in the vacations. Students and professionals from other colleges can also participate in the programme.
The College has collaboration with other faculty and research scholars for the programme. Rizvi College of Architecture has established academic collaboration with other colleges and institutions in India and abroad for the fulfilling the goals and objectives of the related studies programme. RCA has an active collaboration with Technical Universitaet Graz, Austria, Ecole d'Archtitecture, Grenoble and Bordeaux, France.


International Lecture Series
1) Lecture by Ar.Nold Egenter from Lausanne, Switzerland, on Architectural Anthropology. 1992
2) Lecture by Dr.Chang Qing on Architectural History and Contemporary Architecture in China. 1993
3) Lecture by Prof. William Curtis on Aesthetics and Immeasurable Determinants of Form. 1993
4) Lecture by Ar.Patricia Emmons on Residential Architecture and Interiors in the North West, USA. 1993
5) Three lectures by Herr Gerhard Meighorner, Planner, Munich, Germany. 1994
6) Lecture on the works of Ar.Charles Moore & Associates, USA by Ar. Stepher Harby, USA. 1994
7) Two lectures by Prof. Peter Schreibmayer, Institut fur Hochbau fur Architekten, Technische Universitat Graz, Austria. 1994
8) Workshop on Architectural Photography with Herr Gerhard Braun, Technical Universitat Berlin, Germany. 1994
9) Lecture by Nick Wilkinson, Director, MHADA Professional Development Programme, Bombay. 1994
10) Lecture by Ar.Omar Khattab, University of Newcastle, U.K. 1994
11) Lecture by Ar.Nold Egenter, Lausanne, Switzerland on Architectural Anthropology. 1994
12) Workshop & Lecture by Prof. Schreibmayer, Institut fur Hochbau fur Architekten, Technische Universitat Graz, Austria. 1995
13) Lecture on Historic Preservation and Development in Cape Town by Prof.Vivienne Japha, Cape Town University, South Africa. 1995