The village is situated on the lush green terrain of The Nilgiris belonging to the KAGGUCHI  taluk.

Accommodating a population of around 130 households, the village was a fruit basket of unbelievable stories and customs.

The people of Thiruchikadi village gave an overwhelming response for the students and were very much interested in elocution of the stories about their tradition and lifestyle.

People of the village were mostly scattered in terms of occupation.

There were Potters, Blacksmith, Farmers & Govt. Employees.

The students were not only able to witness the pottery exhibits but also had their hands-on experience with the making of pots during their first day of the survey.

Interacting with new people, Learning their traditional dressing, lifestyle and observing the typology of the residential spaces, has greatly benefitted the students to observe and understand the character of a community settlement.

The student groups were assigned to study the settlement pattern along with its evolution, characteristics and many such parameters and were guided by the faculties who accompanied them throughout the survey.

The entire village survey was a refreshing studio exercise carried out off campus held with proper protocols on account of the pandemic.

The Art Event was conducted on a rainy noon (8.10.2021) with more than 50 students participating in both poster design and face painting competition. The aim was to create CONSCIENTIA (meaning Awareness in latin) if a pandemic like covid existed for a longer period in the future.
We gave another on the spot theme ‘HALLOWEEN’ for the face painting competition.

Students came up with creative posters in a variety of mediums!
The winners were awarded with medals and shields along with participation certificates for all the participants.
On the day of prize distribution, a watercolor demo was given by @artist_velraj
All the posters were exhibited.

which help them understand the basic aspects of human built environment and what goes into its making and influences it. It gives an insight into the particulars and universals of architecture.

This year, the 2nd year students surveyed the village of Udaiyalur, Kumbakonam and studied its historical, cultural and architectural significance. Udaiyalur, being the final resting place of Raja Raja Cholan, is a place of great cultural and historical significance and a part of the evolution of the Chola dynasty.

The survey was carried over for a period of five days, during which the students analyzed different aspects of the village including the building construction techniques, materials, the socio economic aspects, amenities and facilities available etc… and came up with proposals to develop the rural community.

species this sensitive eco system is home to the mighty bison, the symbol of the force that these mountains possess. The students of McGAN’S mentored by Ar.R.Midhun created an installation of bison through recycling waste materials and dead machinery parts, inorder to showcase how creativity can be nurtured and aesthetically demanding products can be created through material what is generally perceived as waste. Such an endeavor is entirely sustainable.

allowing it to appear loose and free. I constructed the life-size metal sculptures made from metal scrap that’s based on the silhouette of human body, exploring an emotion or experience. By using discarded man-made metal items- which have been so skillfully made and used to create their own mechanical energy I hope to extend to their life into another form, reuse that energy for a different purpose, and exchange their purpose to create a new entity.

the collector’s office in Udhagamandalam on Monday. The wall, is where the first year students of McGAN’S painted the structure in an abstract manner leaving a beautiful impression Art.

The coconut shell pavilion, an art installation done by the students proves this right. Coconut shells were suspended to different levels imitating the curves of wind and water while soothing the atmosphere around it with chimes. Walking under this constant flow of shadowy coconut shells provoked one into deep contemplation of the inevitable passage of time. Time is indeed an illusion and so is art.

The study was done based on topics covering, history and culture of the place, geography of the terrain, demography, road network and traffic pattern, architecture, landscape and vegetation, climate, infrastructure and the issues on the urban level were addressed in the master plan policy guidelines. Proposals related to generic and specific study were addressed and designed by the students in the form of infrastructure projects, street design and open space design.

The technical aspects of elasticity and flexibility of the tensile structures and its implementation were elaborated. The workshop highlighted the importance of developing a deep understanding of the behavioral properties of materials as well as the technical aspects related to structural analysis, construction and installation of tensile membrane structures. Also students made prototypes of these structures using fabric materials.

area of village is 5059.68 hectares. Kiranagi has a total population of 5,465 peoples. There are about 1,020 houses in Kiranagi village. At first glance, the visitor is struck by the consistent use of Shahabad stone slabs for both flooring and roofing in the houses. Even the streets were stone paved in some Batch 2016 places. There are many striking features of the houses there but the one which stands out is the ornate entrance doors and the pair of horses which adorn their sides symbolising prosperity and growth. The house thus becoming a chariot. Students traveled from Gulburga to Kirangi in private coaches each day and had to leave the hotel premises after breakfast by 8:00 am every day.They went prepared with check-list and instructions from the faculty.At lunch which was organised at the local Math in the village, the students gathered to clarify any of their doubts and went back to work. In the evening their work progress was reported by faculty member Architect Dharani each day and they were also marked for their site visit work. The village was divided into 8 zones, each to be handled by a group of nearly 10 students.

who guided the first year students in making the clay models, bring the sketches to life by putting up our 2D ideas into 3D with clay. The clay model workshop was a part of our fluidity design development. The brief was to link dance with architecture by understanding the fluidity of movements in dance and later translating it to a teo dimensional sketch and later into a clay model. The concept of fluidity was explained by Ar.Sabu Francis. The design had to evolve in four stages: first the dance movement, second the movement in the body, third the architectural transformation of the above and fourth the reflection and the generated architectural space in 2D. After this the ideas were transformed to 3D clay madels with the input of Mr.Ramesh Katti.

imbibe a sense of negative and positive area and how a negative area could be a subject rather than a mere object in composition. It was an open competition for all. Some interesting entries were received from vivid locations ranging from Hampi to Udaipur. The entries and the on lookers had  new insight to the theme of the competition and the many ways that they were interpreted in the play of light  and the absence of light to the formation of the shadow by obstruction as well as the mere silhouettes.

was given to McGAN’S Ooty School of Architecture in the year 2017. The students numbering 33 and 7 faculty took over the task of visiting all the 100 buildings as per the list given by CMDA authorities. The project stretched over 10 days during the time of which students stayed in Chennai and did site survey by taking the photographs of heritage buildings and by interviewing stake holders and users of the particular sites. Students were divided into groups of three and did archival studies in libraries and museums in Chennai. They also met historians and collected the latest information on certain sites. Some of the building typologies covered were palaces, temples, graveyards, hospitals, colleges and museums etc. Our students and faculty documented 100 heritage buildings in Chennai for the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority. The book published on Conservation Guidelines that can serve as a handy book for all Architectural colleges in the country and for conservationists too.

students and the documentation of the village – houses and important public buildings were done. The village community their lifestyle which influences their living spaces, buildings and architecture were also studied. The inferences of the study suggested that there is a need for a primary school and a community center with basic facilities like clinic, shops, multipurpose hall, library and training centers. And the proposals were designed by the students considering and reflecting the local architecture, materials and construction  techniques.

expressed in the formal language; the form requires a particular material; the space is given shape. Architecture is created. Described in this manner, the design process seems simple and straightforward. But for students of architecture, it is in most cases a difficult learning process. Still designing can be learnt.

MODEL MAKING IN ARCHITECTURE:

A physical representation of the structure is important in order to study the aspects of an architectural design or to communicate design ideas. It helps in understanding the interaction of volumes.

This constitutes a meaningful challenge for the school design , which has adapted relatively slowly to today’s fast moving society. The concept of designing a multiple-school complex is not rare in Coimbatore. Hence facing this challenge , the second years had designed a primary school in coimbatore and the students did come up with a lot of innovative ideas ,dealing with unique forms respecting of their functions.

Proposal for a Community Center in the village Kiranagi,Karnataka. The design featured basic facilities like clinic, shops, multipurpose, training center, library, dairy soceity, community storage, day care, and dormitory.vernacular architectural elements were inculcated in the design.

of the brick workshop conducted in McGAN’S. The workshop planned for the students by the college was proposed by our faculty Ar. Panogiotis kostoulas.

The design was planned and executed to impart knowledge on the various types of arches, vault and dome. Each of the four walls held a different arch viz. segmental, corbelled, semi-circular and pointed. The front wall consisted of the pointed arch which would subsequently carry the vault in its shape. Students from first, second, third and fifth year students were chosen, mixed and made into groups. Each group was asked to work on one of the four walls with arches and the foundation. Further the groups were re shuffled to work on dome and vault. The mixture of students from different years made them to interact and share the knowledge they have gained at their experience levels.

The whole workshop was held in two phases each phase in one semester. The hardships involved in the actual making of a structure were understood at every point. The geometry of each arch had to be strictly adhered to, to ensure the proper transmission of load within the structure. The principles of brick bonding had to be maintained and the required angles had to be exactly symmetric on both sides of the arch. Periodically the level on two sides was checked using the water level in a pipe which works due to the equilibrium property of water.

Awareness of the changing climate during the day helped in shielding the structure. The climate changes from pleasant in the mornings to hot and windy in the noon to rainy evenings followed by more rain and strong winds in the night. Plastic sheets were tied onto the scaffoldings and tube lights were fitted on two poles to work for a little longer in the evenings. The teams constructing the dome and vault especially were slowed down at many points as it had to be monitored very carefully for interior and exterior had to align precisely for aesthetics and structure.

In course of the work, students learned to use the various tools for measurement, levelling and chamfering of bricks. The mortar ratios of brick masonry for walls, dome, vault and seating were analysed and worked out based on the needs for the structural components. Sieving sand, combining cement, sand, soil and water in their right proportions to make mortar, cutting and pasting bricks according to the needs from 8.30 am to 9.00 pm made each day at the site. Despite various downfalls, each time the guides brought students back on track even if it required removing bricks which had been constructed inaccurately. However at the end of each day everyone felt satisfied at the way the structure was rising up elegantly.

Placing of keystone for the vault and the last brick for the top-most portion of the dome were times people can never forget. The last moments before placing the keystone were challenging which was planned and executed accurately. After much waiting, the structure turned out successfully to our joy. Memorable and cheerful moments, it was celebrated as an expression of satisfaction achieved due to the coordination of students by the professors. It would be a treasure for the college and a privilege for the students from various batches who were a part of it.

Enthusiastically we started towards Perar .Our site is located opposite to the government bus stop.The natural scenario surrounding our site set a beautiful backdrop for the bus stop. The junk collected included glass bottles,plastic cups,chocolate wrappers and stones.

The next day was quite sunny, providing us with the necessary weather conditions for working. It was an exciting experience as a team. Work was at its best that day ,as we finished constructing the main column using wooden poles, ridges,rafters and L-clamps.

We worked as two teams, in which one took up the task of constructing and elevating the main and the support columns. The other team collected “The kotagiri maar” a kind of shrub used as a base for the roof tiles. Whereas, the others bundled these shrubs using ropes.

In the meantime, the first team had constructed supporting beams and columns for the main frame. Now all we had all the resources, which needed to be installed into the frame.

On 14 of September, the weather conditions were extremely unfavourable. Despite the harsh weather, Students continued to work . By the time the rain stopped, they completed the main structure of the bus stop and installed the roof tiles and the seating of the bus stop. The roof was layered with chicken mesh, on which the stacks of kotagiri maar were placed.

“Pineuc” – was tipped off on top of these shrubs, only to give a refined layer of protection for the bus stop. Now the seating was easily fixed using wooden planks which were nailed to the skeleton structure of the bus stop. This entire project was one hell of an amazing experience. It taught us a very valuable lesson that “What we put into something, we get that back.”

Thus “Our Bus stop” stands beside the roads of Perar, waiting for a Bus to stop by. We take pride in the fact that, the very construction of this bus stop goes down as an achievement in the history of McGAN’S.

The principle elements which make a form are: Point, Line, Planes and Volumes. The initial exercises of Basic Design are based on the understanding of these primary elements .For a new comer in the world of architecture, the understanding of these elements is a must. The following exercises are in tented to make basic elements clear to students.

POINT AND LINE:

The origin of any pictorial form is a point. The basic function of a point is to mark positions in space and when the point moves, it makes a line, which provides a sense of direction. The first exercise gave students the opportunity to convey their understanding of the basic elements in the form of an abstract model depicting point and line. For the students, understanding of abstract was limited to creating something they cannot explain, but looks aesthetically appealing. This was very well manifested through their models.

PLANE:

When lines shift in space, it creates a plane. The second exercise was an entry to flat land. The students were asked to make planes, using the ratios from the Fibonacci series. Intersecting two planes and getting back to the origin i.e. ´Point & Line´, was an exciting exercise for the students. The students played with these flat surfaces to make planes, and create some interesting spaces. The understanding of light and shadow developed itself as they progressed further. The final result of the exercise was some exciting models which were inexplicable but were exhibiting the thoughts of the burgeoning architects.

OBSERVATION SKETCHING:

The students were asked to find any object of their choice and then they have to understand the function of the object and they are asked to redesign the object with the other possible shapes and forms. The students were restricted to primary colours in this exercise.

TEXTURE GALLERY:

The students were asked to choose a painter and the paintings to be collected. Then the students were asked to apply texture to the composition they found in the paintings, with the materials of their choice.

MY SPACE DESIGN:

The students were asked to design a small space for any famous personality of their choice and the end product of the design was a real scale model of the designed space.

There we wish to create an “alternative space”. The site selection is all about reviving a space that can be more efficiently used by the citizens of the locality. The site is the pathway from Charring Cross to Modern Stores. The pathway is around 100M to 150M long. On the other side of the pathway there is an open drain that flows from the site to across the road. As children use the pathway more frequently to commute from their households to the school; this isn’t one of the brightest and most inviting place they get to view every morning.

Therefore, with all considerations of the people that use the pathway, the team came up with an idea to revive the space for the further and proper use of it without hindrances that cause disturbance to the local people. With the initiated work, NGO’s like The MOB Project has started working on various other sites within the locality- a reflection of the work that now exists. It has not only been a beginning for many other organizations to come forward and do the same, but also has been an eye opener for the people sitting in power to finally be able to go down to the level of the working class that use the pathway to understand the problems and chaos that relevant sites such as hold.

The event occurred for 5 days continuously. The trophies we participated were ANDC, Reubens Trophy, Writing architecture, HUDCO, LBC Trophy with a total of 2 delegates being the UD and the USEC. On the 1st day the registration of participation took place. Accommodation for the delegates were arranged in the campus. Announcement for the panelling of sheets was announced followed by the preparation for the Panelling of Rubens and LBC trophies which was later panelled by the USEC and the UD in the midnight. At the end of the day there was a General Council meeting for council members. Day 2 started with a talk series by architects like Raj Rewal which was followed by the host colleges performance. There was a zonal council meeting with a general council meeting towards the midnight. The 3rd day was started with exhibition where various sheets were exhibited for everyone to view. Cultural events took place followed by the announcement of the shortlisted entries for LBC. Sheets where panelled for HUDCO. Later there was meeting for the Zonal Council and the General Council. On the 4th day shortlisted entries for the Reubens and HUDCO trophies was announced. There was a meeting held for the Zonal Council and the General Council. Repaneling of the shortlisted entries took place in the midnight. On day 5, Exhibition of the shortlisted entries to the place. The entire event was ended with a closing ceremony followed by the valedictory function for the ExUSEC. The event concluded with thanks giving for the 60th Executive Council. The introduction of the 61st Council members took place. Last but not the least, the trophies were distributed for the respective winning entries and we got shortlisted in Top 15 in Reubens Trophy and got Juror’s Choice for HUDCO Trophy. The overall trophy was bagged by SKET, Surat.

showing evolution and growth of the provincial styles, some of them even demonstrating exemplary structural feats. Conservation architect Jinisha explained the students how symmetry, planning along central axis and using ornamentation techniques such as Arabesque, Calligraphy and geometrical designs was critical to the development of Indo Islamic architecture. She also told them how layers of history could be analysed by looking at systems of construction and details.