National Association of Students of Architecture

The National Association of Students of Architecture, commonly referred to as NASA, is one of the largest communities of architectural students in Asia. Over 120 colleges of the architectural community are members of this organization. Every year NASA witnesses participation from various colleges in countries under SAARC in its annual conventions. Architects across the SAARC nations have an opportunity to interact with each other and come up with productive solutions. NASA provides an interactive platform for students all over the country by holding conventions both at the national and zonal levels. Colleges all over India compete for the prestigious trophies which cover various aspects of architecture. The ideas that materialize during this conglomeration are also used to provide technical assistance to the economically backward sections.

Conventions

Annual

NASA holds annual events or conventions which are the highlight of the organization. Conventions are generally held for about 3-5 days. The first ever convention was held during the academic year of 1957-'58 hence this organization is more than 50 years old. The whole organization and its conventions are funded by the students themselves along with the respective member college administrations. An annual registration fee according to the number of students in the college is collected which easily amounts well over 1,00,000 (One Lakh - Indian numbering system) (or) 100,000 (One Hundred thousand) and above per college. Various sponsors and associate partners fund for the event. These events can have additional guests as visitors but only a pre-decided number of college students are allowed as participants. The number of participants per college in an event is a percentage of the total number of students who are admitted into the respective college every year. A college that admits 40 students per batch can take 30 students from all 5 years of study to the event as per current regulations.
Pre-convention meets are held well before the event and various colleges bid for a chance to host the NASA Annual Convention. Bidding is done to convince the other colleges that this particular bidder has the infrastructure and facility to provide food and accommodation for the large number of students, staff, architects and other dignitaries who would turn-up for the event. If all the representatives of various colleges are satisfied then the bidder is allowed to host the event. The host now sets the date of the convention within an accepted period (usually December-January) and also collects an amount from the NASA fund to host the event with expenditure details to be approved beforehand. It is the hosts responsibility to find additional sponsors and to organize on-the-spot events at the convention. The host also needs to invite dignitaries and other entertainers or performers for the cultural programmes.
Conventions generally include cultural programmes, on-the-spot competitions alongside evaluation of sheets done for various trophies and the prize distribution for winners of different trophies on the last day. These annual conventions usually witness performances by pop icons and popular bands in India during the evenings. Popular DJ's spin tracks in various stalls alongside food stalls and other miscellaneous sponsor stalls. Prominent architects, interior designers and engineers from countries across the world are invited to present papers or for exclusive seminars during these events. On-the-spot events include competitions by the host college for participation points to the participating colleges. The college with the maximum participation points is announced on the last day. Cultural programmes by students of various colleges are also judged and awards are given at the last day for the best ones.

Zonal

NASA has divided all its member colleges into 6 zones and each zone holds its own convention much like the annual convention. These Zonal Convention are not for more than 3 days. The Zonal convention also holds pre-convention meets for bidding of venue and discusses trophy briefs. Zonal conventions have at least one overall design trophy for all colleges in the zone to participate and get a citation for the best in zone design. Zonal trophies are different from Annual convention trophies and are not considered as important as the trophies of the annual conventions. Zonal conventions have on-the-spot competitions just like the annual convention and participation points are given to colleges for participating in them and on the last day of the convention, the college with maximum participation points is congratulated. Zonal NASA conventions are fondly called as ZoNASA's by students. Cultural programmes by students of different colleges are also judged and the best ones are awarded.

Trophies

NASA facilitates the competition and exchange of ideas and skills between students of member colleges, under a range of trophies. Each trophy with its own specific aim enables students to hone their talent in a particular aspect of architecture and present them on a national level platform.
Trophy descriptions or briefs (as they are commonly referred to) are uploaded to the NASA's official site every year. Briefs of some trophies like the ANDC are proposed by students while some others are provided by sponsors. Briefs are updated and added from time to time and submission dates for trophies with submission dates are posted online. Other trophy sheets are generally brought to the venue by the respective team members of colleges. Registration for all trophies are done well in advance of the event. Winning entries are awarded Citations and 1,2 or 3 citations maybe selected per trophy as per the standard of submissions. Instances where the same college grabbed 2 citations for different are many. Special mention of 3 other entries are made after the citations are awarded. Citations and special mentions may receive cash prize or other rewards in case the trophy is sponsored.
Jury for evaluation of entries under different trophies generally consist of eminent architects and pioneers in the field of building construction. In case of sponsored trophies, sponsors appoint their own representatives to the jury panel. The sheets are arranged for display in 8 feet by 4 feet standard panels initially and then the jury views them. Students and visitors at the NASA convention can also view them. Entries are shortlisted for detailed scrutiny from these panel displays. Shortlisted entries are called over to present their sheets once again in front of the jury panel. Citations and Special mentions are announced and awarded in the last day of the convention. A citation or special mention in NASA is coveted for any college or student of architecture. Even a shortlist is generally considered good.

Reubens Trophy

The very first trophy of NASA, the Reubens trophy intends to display the standard of teaching and the quality of student work in every college. Along with the above criteria, it is also judged on the basis of the growth of the architectural student in their journey of becoming an architect. More than for the competition, this trophy is to allow students to learn and share ideas on varied topics from diversified regions that the colleges come from.
The trophy requires the students of respective colleges to submit their academic work of their previous year for evaluation by jury. The presentation can be in any format and there is no limit to the number of sheets that can be submitted. The trophy is given to the college and not to any team or person. The academic work including design sheets, building construction plates, basic design and art sheets (of the first year), case study reports for designs, thesis, dissertations etc. in hard-copy can be submitted with additional panel decoration or arrangements made in display.

Annual NASA Design Competition (ANDC)

The Annual NASA Design Competition(ANDC) is NASA’s own design competition, which touches upon issues ranging from current trends to theoretical approach of architectural design. The brief is set by the professors and students of a select college. The brief is discussed over in the first pre-convention meet and finalized in subsequent meets. The requirements could ask for any design mostly in accordance to the theme of the meet. A Citation or Special mention in this trophy is a valued asset for the students even after they become architects. The trophy sets down a deadline date for registration and sending in the entries unlike most other trophies which need to brought directly for display at the convention. The registrations and entries are handled by the college whose brief proposal for ANDC was accepted at the meet. ANDC competition is a mandatory entry for all colleges in the organization.

LIK Trophy

Officially known as UNESCO NASA LIK Trophy and commonly referred to as LIK Trophy; it was established in 1981 by the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation, Sri B V Doshi and family.It was named after famous Architect Louis Isadore Kahn. UNESCO New Delhi office, through IHCN has been providing technical advice in the organization of the LIK Trophy since 2007. This collaboration between UNESCO and NASA has been fostered to improve the quality of architectural education in the context of the historic environment, and the legacy of knowledge, skills and training required to better protect and conserve this heritage. Through joint activities, the parties wish to increase the awareness of India’s rich, diverse and unprotected historic environments.
This trophy has been generally accepted as the toughest of all trophies with no limit on the number of sheets that can be submitted per entry. Number of participants per team and number of entries per college are not restricted. This trophy needs extensive manual work from the participants and till very recently computer-generated sheets were not eligible for submission in this trophy. The brief would generally detail a type of building from the historical period to be documented. The direct site study documents and rough sketches must be submitted along-with detailed plans, elevations, sections views and intricate details. 50-60 sheets per entry is a general norm. A long report justifying the selected building and detailing its history etc must be submitted. Buildings that were awarded citations in the past were tourist places like Padmanabhapuram Palace etc.

Analysis Trophy

As the name suggests the analysis trophy is given for the best analysis of an architecturally important building. It was instituted with the aim of helping the architecture students to analyse and document un-noted but valid buildings across the nation. The brief generally asks for documentation of buildings constructed during a specified period. It might be public, private, industrial or any other type of building as required by the brief. It helps in bringing to fore the buildings that are not generally considered as architecturally notable.

Redesign Trophy

This trophy involves documentation, analysis and redesign with an integrated approach to the design process.Redesign of any degenerated structure or precinct is generally the brief given. The students need to go through a rigorous process of site selection in accordance to the brief given. Students are required to produce site analysis, concept and design drawings, with due knowledge of computer software's and hand-done sketches. It aims to understand and appreciate the existing built form of a building and redesign on that basis satisfying given theme. Usually the theme is in keeping with the general theme of the NASA convention. Redesign trophy is also known as G.Sen Trophy and Urban Redesign Trophy.

HUDCO Trophy

This trophy sponsored by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO).The trophy aims at designing for the informal sector. Housing and Commercial sectors are generally included in the design. The briefs are generally open ended with lots of opportunities for the students to play with their design. It is generally considered as one of the more prestigious trophies to win. Students need to select a site and submit detailed site-plans, plans, sections and views. Brief might ask for report. It is considered to need some extensive research to do well.

Landscape Trophy

This landscape ideas competition seeks to explore the use of landscape as a medium for change to revitalize and reactivate the public sphere within urban spaces. Participants are encouraged to create submissions that demonstrate new types of nature-friendly development that offer choices for sustainable living in our communities and throughout our region while creating a strong genius-loci – the spirit of a place.

Industrial Design Trophy

This trophy is also known as Product design. The Brief requires the participants to design a product for common use by people. The material for design and conditions are described in the brief. The reward generally includes commercial production of the winning product. Team mebers for this design are generally limited from 1-3 as per different briefs and number of entries are generally restricted to 5 per college. This trophy might also include a 10 day trip for the winners alongwith the usual cash prize.

TATA Sustainable Steel Design Trophy

This trophy is sponsored by India's largest multi-national business giant Tata Group. It generally includes the participants to design a sustainable building or group of buildings with steel. The design is fairly open ended allowing for play with forms and concepts. There is usually a long list of judging criteria for the trophy.

NASA Journalism Trophy

This trophy is sponsored in association with Akar info-media private limited. The aim of the NASA Journalism Trophy Competition is to inculcate the intrinsic observation capabilities of students to be aware of the real World around them, and make propositions and express their thoughts in the form of written matter in line with a particular theme. Entries may be in the form of articles, write ups, essays, abstracts for thesis, dissertation, research documentation which have been published or may be unpublished. This trophy also sets registration and entry deadlines. The registrations and entries are handled by the college which proposed the selected brief in the pre-convention meet. As the content of the article could be for or against the idea given in the brief, this trophy alone gives out 3 proposition and opposition citations and 3 propositionand opposition special mentions, totally awarding 12 winners. The trophy is officially known as Akar Trophy for Architetcural Journalism (ATAJ) Trophy.

Associations

NASA is associated with many institutions across the world

• Architectural Review Magazine
• Indian Heritage Cities Network - UNESCO or IHCN-UNESCO
• AKAR Info-Media Private Limited
• Housing and Urban Development Corporation of India (HUDCO)

References

• NASA India official Website
  
• Official NASA Trophies page
  

See Also

• IHCN-UNESCO official site
  
• HUDCO official site
  
• Official site of AKAR info-media Private Limited
  
• Vastu Shilpa Consultants and Vastu Shilpa Foundation
  
• Video: Interview of BV Doshi by Christopher Benninger