GITAM architecture students take classroom to coast

Students of the School of Architecture, GITAM Deemed to be University, took part in an immersive field exercise titled By the Bay at RK Beach on Tuesday to understand the relationship between natural landscapes and the built environment.

Led by Prof. Vibhuti Sachdeva, Dean of Architecture, the programme brought students and faculty together for a site-based learning experience along the coastline. The day-long exercise focused on observation, analysis, and contextual interpretation as key aspects of architectural learning.

Students undertook a context walk along the beachfront, studying topography, climate, light, and spatial patterns. Sketching and study stations helped them document architectural elements, textures, and surface patterns, translating on-site observations into design ideas.

Design dialogue sessions enabled interaction across year levels, with students sharing perspectives with peers and faculty mentors. Organisers said the exercise aimed to strengthen observational and analytical skills, encourage design reflection, and improve visual and conceptual communication.

The programme also sought to deepen understanding of site-specific dynamics and the role of context in shaping architectural responses.

Addressing the participants, Prof. Sachdeva said architecture is a dialogue between space and experience, adding that the exercise encouraged students to interpret place beyond form and let curiosity guide spatial thinking.