My review-2008

Finally, the class review of the year that went by was available for scrutiny. I was asked how I could consistently manage negative feedback page after alternate page. But I say it was disappointing…

…disappointing to see that most of the batch had decided not to comment and were content using tickmarks on the review form. The noticeable absence of absolute criticism/ critical appraisal was indeed saddening. This confirmed my opinion of this batch as “play-it-safe fence sitters”.

I really (sometimes stupidly) look forward from those who benefitted or felt short-changed, to give feedback for the improvement of the course for subsequent batches. Even negative comments - distinct from whining- are insightful. That’s why Thomas-Ridhima- Rutwik’s batch and Kunal-Aparna-Paras-Prachi’s batches have been valuable, though our journeys were definitely not hunky-dory/ cool. Sadly, whining comprised a majority of "comments" this time.

Characteristic one-liner responses pointed to my “absence” and the “two lectures” esp. the one before the exam “becos the faculty was only concerned whether we would pass”. Well, You study…You pass. The University format is indeed that simple. And we do not cover rocket science in our curriculum so the whine is indeed strange.

For a batch that made a lot of noise for a lot of petty things, the strongest individual message to the college was to “throw ganesh out”. I must have REALLY got on that person’s nerves.
Yes, this school attracts the best of talent and minds from the profession and allied fields, and it is not difficult to fill up a vacancy (created by chucking me out) if the college decides to. In the view of the course co-ordinators and faculty, I must be doing something right- no matter how small- for the college to not take this action, apart from the fact that very few landscape architects actually teach. Eitherways, I am grateful.

Strangely, the whine about lack of exposure towards international landscape projects/ not being allowed to study them in detail/ not knowing what the rest of class was studying or something on those lines is completely baseless. For a class which took almost the entire year to compile generally pithy powerpoint presentations, despite reminders, with the “Internet zindabad” attitude and had to be shown work done by students from another college on a similar exercise a few years ago to underscore the term "learning for oneself", they sure seem to have selective and short memory.

Some of the work (7 to be precise) was so good that I had suggested minor corrections such as keeping font size constant, picture location and sizing etc and wanted the Post Graduate Urban Design programme to use it, as a lecture series and as Library reference. No one heard that i guess. Ainsley reminded me a couple of times about getting the 7 to make their presentation. Even he gave up after that. After a long wait, the "Streetscapes" series was finally chucked for the PG course. Everyone lost out.

Will be very careful with vertical knowledge dissemination henceforth. Why should the more committed ones suffer?

To Prachi and Pooja (from the previous batches) for insisting that this be a compulsory foundation level exercise initiated at the beginning of the year- Thanks! We are going to do it this year too, with a different brief.

One acknowledgement that the 5th sem study of Nature and City focusing on Bandra Land’s End, was too big for the batch to handle- despite the data made available to them by faculty - perhaps sends signals that smaller exercises may have better learning curves. This was a unanimous point of view- so we -the faculty- will this take this into account while outlining the course for the subsequent batch.

Esquisse and detailing, and dovetailing AD with LD were popular requests. Yet, how many reverted back to us after we gave them feedback on their concepts. I refrain from naming the candidates, and personally, I am the poorer since I do not know how the ideas finally shaped up.

Dhanashri and I have been very clear about not making this a site-plan rendering course. Yet there were some who felt that we were doing just this throughout the year. I think the solution to this to organize an intensive landscape graphics session to show what real rendering entails. For this, the batch was required to assimilate reference graphics and come prepared for an esquisse. They felt it was too elementary for them- 3rd Yr KRVIA- so not even one person turned up with the photocopy references. So how would they learn to layer their designs and drawings in AutoCAD when they get there? My guess is that they will manage.

Site Visits- another complaint. “we want more site visits”/ “we did not go to Kaifi Azmi park as was promised”. I say- GROW UP!
Kaifi Azmi Park – designed by Dhanashri - is just across the road, and is one of the few that have an interesting premise for its structuring and its details. It is also a good study in open space management. So those interested could have gone there by themselves, investigated, formulated their questions and referred it back to Dhanashri/ Vidya/me for discussion.

Everyone waited to be spoon fed.

Shreya (I have yelled at her so many times and thrown her out of class too, but she still has a smile in her Hello!) is a bit off mark when she said that I just simply hate her batch. I tried telling her Hate is a strong word and it was the collective attitude of choosing not to make a difference for oneself that ticked me off.

Yet, I wish all of them well.