Faculty
Jigna Desai
ProfessorInstitutional Roles: Head, Center for Heritage Conservation CRDF
Jigna is an architect with an expertise in working with existing and historic built environments. She has, for over a decade, worked towards consolidating conservation education at the Faculty. The Masters Program in Conservation and Regeneration that was introduced by her in 2018 is widely recognized and was presented as a 'commended case' of global innovation in World Heritage Education in the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2021. Her previous roles at the University include Head of Undergraduate office and Head of Gender Parity Mission. Jigna's overseas work include heritage monitoring missions, evaluations and advice for International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), World Heritage Committee and World Monuments, and has also been a Visiting Professor at Nottingham Trent University, UK and has lectured on international platforms. She is selected as the Getty Guest Scholar for the year 2024 - 25 for her distinctive work on 'Unintentional Monuments', Addressing Challenges of Conserving Modern Heritage of South Asia. Jigna is founder, head, and principal researcher at Center for Heritage Conservation, one of the expert heritage bodies identified by the National Monuments Authority, India. In this role, she collaborates on pioneering international research projects, engages with government, city administration, industries, and communities to inform best practices and policies for heritage conservation. She has written extensively on architecture, heritage conservation and world heritage issues in India. Her most notable book is, Equity in Heritage Conservation, The Case of Ahmedabad (Routledge, Oxon and New York, 2019). Jigna is also a co-founder of a small, award-winning architecture practice, JMA Design Co. where she brings resource conservation perspective to architectural design processes at all scales.
Education
| Degree | Institution | Field | Year of Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | Cept University | Conservation | 2017 |
| MSc in Theory and Practice of Sustainable Design | Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University | Sustainable Design | 2008 |
| Dip. Architecture | Cept University | Architecture | 1996 |
Areas of Expertise
Architecture, Heritage Conservation, Sustainable Design
Courses Taught
| Sr No. | Course Name | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Equity, Agency and Proximity in Architecture | S-2024 |
| 2 | Political Economy of Conservation | S-2024 |
| 3 | History, Theory and Legislation of Conservation | M-2023 |
| 4 | Sustainability and Conservation | M-2023 |
Research/Design Projects in Areas of Expertise
ONGOING WORKS:
Art and Architecture of Vadnagar: Directorate of Museums and Archaeology, Government of Gujarat.
Conceptual Vision and Heritage Based Tourism Perspective Plan for the Bundelkhand Region: Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Conservation Site School Initiative: Center for Heritage Conservation, CEPT Research and Development Foundation.
COMPLETED WORKS (only relevant projects added since 2012)
Conservation Strategies for Master Plan of National Institute of Design: Center for Heritage Conservation, CEPT Research and Development Foundation.
Conserving Modern Heritage, Repairs and Rehabilitation of the Faculty of Architecture by B.V.Doshi: CEPT University (2018 – 2022).
A study of stepwells of Gujarat: Department of Tourism, Government of Gujarat (2021).
Heritage Impact Assessment for the Ahmedabad Mumbai National Highspeed Rail link Project on the World Heritage Site of Ahmedabad. CEPT Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), (2018 – 2022).
Technical Advisory for Heritage Management of Agra, Uttar Pradesh: Agra Municipal Corporation.
Heritage Impact Assessment for the Ahmedabad Gandhinagar Metrolink Project on the World Heritage Site of Ahmedabad. CEPT Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), February 2018 - June 2018.
British Council sponsored Erasmus+/International Credit Mobility Teaching Exchange Programme at the University of Sheffield School of Architecture (May 2017, July 2018)
Curator of Five Decades of Documentation at CEPT, Mapping Ahmedabad's Historic Places. An exhibition for CEPT Archives (2016 - 17).
International Design Competition for the Rejuvenation of Badami Town Precinct, JMADC Consortium, received a commendation award (May, 2016).
Research Coordinator, World Heritage Nomination Dossier for AMC, Centre for Conservation Studies, CEPT Research Development Foundation (December 2009 – December 2012).
Research Articles and Book Chapters in Areas of Expertise
Book Chapter, Decoding a Craft Habitat, in Plural Life Worlds, Editor, Gauri Bharat, Routledge (under review).
Monograph, Documenting Serampore. Editor, CEPT Press, 2023.
Book Chapter, A City Doesn’t Forget, in Amritsar, Editors, Gurmeet Rai and Raghu Rai, Om Publishing, 2021.
Book, Equity in Heritage Conservation, the Case of Ahmedabad. Research in Architectural Conservation and Historic Preservation, Routledge, Oxon and New York, 2019.
Article, The Paradox of Protection - Ahmedabad: the city and her soul. Seminar, the monthly symposium, ed. Tejbir Singh. Publisher, Romesh Raj Trust. ISSN 0971-6742/ 707, July 2018, p. 26.
Article, Gendered Encounters, Engendered Places - Democratising Heritage. Seminar, the monthly symposium, ed. Tejbir Singh. Publisher, Romesh Raj Trust. ISSN 0971-6742/ 705, May 2018, p . 41.
Monograph, Hriday Reflections - A study of cities under Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana. Curated and Edited with Gurmeet Rai and Dr. Rutul Joshi, 2017. Prepared as a collaboration between ICOMOS India and CEPT University with support from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India for the ICOMOS General Assembly 2017.
Book Chapter, Another way of designing public places, Hriday Refections A study of cities under Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana. Curated and Edited with Gurmeet Rai and Dr. Rutul Joshi, 2017. Prepared as a collaboration between ICOMOS India and CEPT University with support from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India for the ICOMOS General Assembly 2017.
Leporello, Ahmedabad Cross Section, A Dossier for the participants of Archiprix Workshop, 2017, co-edited with Inigo Cornago Bonal (2016 - 17).
Book Chapter, The Ahmedabad House, Shop house – Town house, Asian Perspective. Edited by Wong Yunn Chii, Johannes Widodo, 2016. National University of Singapore, ISBN 9789810910655.
Aesthetics of Sustainable Design, Indian Architect and Builder (ISSN - 0971 – 5509), Vol 28 (10), June 2015.
Conservation; in context of Sustainability, Journal of Architecture (ISSN – 2249 – 9326), December 2012, Chandigarh College of Architecture.
Building with Local Resources, Co-authored with Sanjay Chikermane. Context – Built, Living and Natural, DRONAH, India, Volume III Issue 1 – Spring/ Summer 2006. www.dronah.org
Presented Papers and Invited Lectures in Areas of Expertise
Invited Speaker, Situated Knowledge and Production of Meanings, SAMVAD Conference, Tata Steel Foundation, 16th November 2022.
Invited Speaker, Decolonising Conservation for an Indian Context, UCL, Bartlett, UK, June 2022.
Invited Speaker, Ethics in Digital Documentation, Discussing Informed Consent, Nottingham Trent University, UK, June 2022.¯
Paper and Presentation, Digital Documentation and Public Participation, Can the two meet?, International Scientific Committee for Historic Cities, Towns and Villages, ICOMOS Belgium, June 2022.
Invited Speaker, Radical Proximity, Discussing the Conservation Site School Model, Society of Architectural Historians, USA, 8th June 2022.
Invited Speaker, Sustainable Conservation, American Association of Civil Engineers, 14th May 2022.
Policy Brief and Guidance Document, A framework for earthquake assessment, re-construction and risk mitigation of buildings in historical settlements by using advanced recording technologies. Co-authored with Berndette Devilat (et al), 3D4Heritage India Project, funded by Arts and Humanities Funds, UK in collaboration with Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management, 2022.
Paper, Towards a Sustainable Re-construction Method for Seismic-prone Heritage Settlements of Gujarat, India, based on Advanced Recording Technologies, Co-authored with Devilat, B., Jigyasu R., Abdelmonem, G. Lanuza, F. and Mane, M. WIT Transactions on the Built Environment (pp 185 – 197), WIT Press, 2021.
Seminar Proceedings, Conservation and Local Development, Agakhan Foundation and CEPT University, Co-Editor with Dr. Raj Issar; Co-Authored with Ratish Nanda, K T Ravindran, Neel Kamal Chapagain, Poonam Verma Mascernhas and Benny Kuriakose.
Paper and Presentation, Counter Stories, a case of conservation site school at Ahmedabad, co-authored with Pithawala, Z. and Shaikh N.. Diversities and Genders: Our World Heritage Initiative, 2021.
Paper and Presentation, Role of Cultural Institutions in Urban Resilience, the case of Ahmedabad, co-authored with Bafna, J.. ENGAGE papers, Case Study – South Asia Hub, Heritage Borders of Engagement, 2021.
Invited Speaker, India’s World heritage Cities and Living Sites, Quo Vadis, talk at Habitat Forum, INHAF, August 2021.
Published Interview, Theory, Practice and Standards, A conversation about Built Heritage Conservation and Training, for Conservation Perspectives, Getty Conservation Institute Newsletter (Fall 2020, page 22-28), with Tony Barton, Chair of Donald Insall Associates, UK; Frank Matero, Professor and Chair of Historic Preservation at University of Pennsylvania; Jeffrey Levin and Jeff Cody of Getty Conservation Institute. December 2020.
Invited Speaker, The Conservation Praxis, Lessons from Ahmedabad and Agra, Indology Festival, Tamil Heritage Trust, 6th December 2020.
Invited Speaker, Geddes in India, Observations on Conservative Surgery of Indian Cities, Invited Speaker, Urban Heritage Conservation: Issues and Challenges. TEQIP III Sponsored Short Term Training Program at Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Sural. 2nd September 2020.
Invited Speaker, Conservation and Sustainable Development, Invited Speaker, Emerging Trends in Architecture, E-Faculty Development Program, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow. 23rd June 2020.
Invited Lecture ,The Impossible Burden of Conserving Heritage, A Case of Amritsar India, University of New South Wales, Built Environment. 20th June 2020.
Invited Speaker , Dilemmas and Directions: Heritage Conservation in India, Urban Design and Architecture Sessions at Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai, 3rd February 2020. Curated by Kaiwan Mehta.
Keynote speaker, About Heritage and Conservation in India, APIED, Vallabh Vidyanagar, February 2020.
Speaker and Discussant at the public meetings organised by The Ahmedabad Project. In collaboration with Alliance Frances, Ahmedabad. 29th January 2020.
Invited Speaker, Heritage Conservation and Sustainable Development, Scientific Symposium of Internationals Scientific Committee of Historic Towns and Villages, ICOMOS. 15th – 16th November, 2019 at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Invited speaker, Equity and Accessibility in Heritage Conservation, International Workshop on Social and Economic Impacts of Heritage and its Potential for Development, 21st May 2018, Vadodara. Organised by Department of Archaeology and Ancient history, MSU and UNESCO Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage, Durham University.
Co-Chair of the Scientific Committee for the Symposium: Heritage and Democracy; Theme01 - Integrating Heritage and Sustainable Urban Development through engaging diverse communities. ICOMOS General Assembly 2017, 11 - 16 December 2017, New Delhi.
Invited speaker, (Co) Production of Space - A case of Ahmedabad, Colloquium on Assessment of Intangible Heritage in World Heritage Sites. Organised by International Committee in Intangible Cultural Heritage, ICOMOS General Assembly. 9th December 2017, New Delhi.
Invited Speaker, Why Communities Matter, Public Outreach Series towards the 19th ICOMOS General Assembly, Integrating Heritage and Sustainable Urban Development by including diverse communities. IIC, Delhi (26th August 2017).
Scientific Committee Member for the Symposium, History and Conservation, As if People Matter. Jointly organised by CEPT University, Sushant School of Arts and Architecture - Ansal University and ICOMOS, India (1st - 2nd August 2017).
Paper and Presentation, Heritage and Equity Principles, Examining conservation processes in Ahmedabad. School of African and Oriental Studies and Presidency University, Kolkata. Kolkata – February 20 – 21, 2017.
Paper and Presentation, Pedagogical Explorations in Urban Conservation: Towards a ‘people-centric’ process. ‘Informal Settlements in Indian Cities - Impulses for Innovation in Architecture and Urban Planning Education’, September 1-3, 2016, Karpagam University, Coimbatore.
Paper and Presentation, Gendered Encounters/ Endangered Places: A Study of ‘heritage projects’ in the Walled city of Ahmedabad, India. Invited speaker for LANES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS IN CITIES IN ASIA | 30 JUNE – 1 JULY 2016, Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore.
Invited Speaker, Conservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage for Sustainable and Resilient City (Goal 11.2 for Sustainable Development Agenda), International Conference on Education as a Driver for Sustainable Development, 11th to 13th January, 2016, CEE, Ahmedabad.
Paper and Presentation, Whose History? What Heritage? International Conference on ‘Conserving Living Urban Heritage’ by ICOMOS and Shrishti Institute of Design, 26th to 28th November, 2015, Bangaluru.
Invited speaker, Problematizing Heritage in Context of Sustainability; Arriving at Principles of Ethical Engagement, OWHC – AP, Geongju, September, 2015.
Exhibition Panel, Pedagogy of the courses: ‘Streets for People’ and ‘Designing with People’, presented at the World Environmental Education Conference, with Madhavi Joshi, 29th June to 2nd July, 2015, Gothenberg, Sweden.
Paper and Presentation, Future Directions for Conservation Studies; integrating Sustainability, Co-authored with Prof. R. J. Vasavada, York Conservation: 40th Anniversary Conference, 6 -7 th July 2012, University of York, UK.
Paper and Presentation, A Study of the Architecture of Walled City of Ahmedabad as a Dynamic System; Accessing the codes of Sustainability, Economy Conference, 5-6 th July 2011, Cardiff University, UK.
Paper and Presentation, The City and the Shop house – Historic City of Ahmedabad, The Shophouse Symposium at Melaka, 28-31st March, 2011, National University of Singapore.
Professional Honors, Prizes, Fellowships, Grant-in Aids
Grants and Fellowships
Conservation Management Plan for Faculty of Architecture Building, CEPT University. Principal Author with CEPT URP Grants.
Endangered Wooden Architecture Project, UK Grant, Documenting 100 Wooden Havelis of Gujarat. Principal Investigator with Center for Heritage Conservation, CEPT Research and Development Foundation.
Imaging ancient images: Digital preservation, risk assessment, spatial simulation & chronological interpretation of rock art heritage using multiple technologies. Co-Investigator with Indian Institution for Science Education and Research, Mohali in Department of Science and Technology, DST, Government of India Grant.
A sustainable re-construction method for seismic-prone heritage areas of India based on advanced recording technologies, Co-Investigator with the Center for Architecture, Urbanism and Global Heritage (CAUGH), Nottingham Trent University in Global Challenges Research Fund and Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK, Grant, with ICCROM, Rome and Hunnarshala Foundation, Kutch.
Part of the India Hub of Heritage Borders of Engagement Network, Mobilising cultural heritage for building partnerships and institutions fir sustainable networks.
Grant from National Museum of Denmark to carry out students work in the former Danish Colony - Serampore, Kolkata. (2016 - 2018).
Independent Research Grant received from IIT, Mumbai for research on Sustainable Modular Housing in Steel (2008 – 2010 - through engagement with jmadc).
Awards (through engagements with JMA Design Co.)
2015 . Weekend Residence at Alloa, Gandhinagar (Winner, Economic Times/ St. Gobian Smart Green Awards; Second Prize, HUDCO Design Awards)
2016 . Rejuvenation of Badami Town Precinct, International Competition (Commendation).
2017 . Paramdham, Chinmay Mission, Ahmedabad (Winner, HUDCO Design Awards)