Urbanity in India is a multi-century process in India, one of the world’s more ancient civilizations. While we have much to learn from how our ancient cities from the vast regions of India have contributed to the plurality that is India’s diaspora, contemporary ideologies of Urban Design in India emerged in the 1960s. This was a reaction to the perceived insipid homogeneity of rapidly developing “modern” cities that tended to deprioritise the public realm in the onslaught of growth and change. Now, in the mid 2020s, we are faced with more complex issues of climate, identity, culture, real-estate economics, the loss of public space, unchallenged growth of building forms and the general loss of urban aesthetics.
Our city’s base platform needs good urban design, and various Urban Designers from across our country, representing institutions both old and new, have been contributing to its many-layered challenges for over half a century. IUDI is borne out of this contribution in 2006, almost 20 years ago. An institute for Urban Designers, not just urban design. IUDI becomes India’s only legitimate body that continues to champion the professional engagement of urban designers in India’s growth story… working with LUBs, Governments and even major private organisations, to raise the legitimate concern of incorporating good urban design in our growing cities. We engage with academics and the profession to confront issues, connect urban professionals and raise shared knowledge.
As per the Memorandum of Association, some of the Objectives for which the Institute is established are:
