Bengaluru: Fellows from the Anant Fellowship in Sustainability and Built Environment recently presented innovative proposals aimed at enhancing the resilience of India’s coastal communities at the Singapore International Water Week 2024.
These proposals were developed as part of the “Unbuilding Architecture” module under “The Archipelago Agenda,” which was first introduced at the UN Water Conference in New York City in March 2023, the institute said in a press release.
This year, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) hosted the “Condensations” programme, where Anant Fellows Mishal Desai and Gopika Rao actively participated, contributing their insights to a student workshop.
Mishal Desai, a hypnotherapist and farmer from Gujarat with expertise in psychology and clinical hypnosis, and Gopika Rao, an economics graduate from Thiruvananthapuram with aspirations in Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG), represented the Fellowship at the workshop.
Initially established by Pratt Institute (NY USA – has an on-going partnership with Anant), Pace University, and Singapore University of Technology and Design, the Archipelago Agenda brings together stakeholders to develop scalable, nature-based solutions for water scarcity and safety in urban archipelagos.
India’s Daman/Diu Islands were added to the agenda through Anant National University, the only Indian University partner in the initiative, the institute said.
Diu, an island region, faces critical challenges such as water scarcity, reliance on mainland resources, and vulnerable water access.
Divided into teams focusing on both micro and macro scales, the Fellows created localized interventions and masterplans. Micro-level solutions incorporated traditional knowledge in an integrated design project, while macro-level analyses examined existing and proposed developments to create a comprehensive plan for sustainable development. These proposals, spanning urban and residential spaces, advocated for multi-use areas that promote collaboration, community engagement, and sustainability. The synergy between built and unbuilt environments was central, aiming to address inefficiencies and promote a resilient future.
The Anant Fellowship in Sustainability and Built Environment is Anant National University’s flagship one-year residential programme, empowering future aspirants to design and preserve an equitable built environment. The programme has trained over 160 Fellows from 18 countries across 6 continents, offering hands-on learning guided by experts in academia and industry.