Praveen Bavdekar wins Architect of the year award for Gangubai Hangal Gurukul

Belgaum noted architect Praveen Bavdekar has won the COMMENDATION AWARDS under the Public building category for the Gangubai Hangal Gurukul built at Hubli at the 22nd Architect of the year awards instituted by JK Cements Ltd.

Architect of the Year Award (AYA) began way back in the year 1990 (1st Architect of the Year Award). Awards were subsequently extended to architects of neighbouring countries from the year 1996 (7th Architect of the Year Award). To encourage state level architecture, State Architecture awards were also introduced from the award year AYA-98 (9th Architect of the Year Award).

Praveen Bavdekar will get 75,000 cash, Citation and Trophy as a part of the award. This is the oldest and among the most prestigious architecture awards in the country. It was constituted by JK Cements in 1990 and the commendation winners have been some of the biggest architects in the country.

The main ‘architect of the year’ award is given to mostly a senior architect who has consistently outperformed in the profession and the commendations are given to individual projects in various categories.

Praveen speaking to AAB said, “The Gangubai Hangal Gurukul was about weaving two strands of pedagogical philosophies, the eastern and the western, into a spatial fabric. Here, traditional elements are also subverted by changing their contextuality vis-a-vis one another. Gangubai Hangal gurukul is quite innovative with its forms and spaces, as well as the way we have used traditional forms and materials in a contemporary way.”

Praveen further said, “It feels nice to be recognized like this by ones peers , and to know that what work you are creating is being seen and appreciated across the country. The JK AYA awards were constituted in the year 1990, the same year I first entered the architecture college as a B.Arch student, so many of the winners throughout the years have been my mentors and heroes.” 

The awards will be presented in a glittering ceremony later this year.

Congrats Praveen Bavdekar…….

Read an earlier interview with Praveen Bavdekar done in 2011