The Jury, while debating on the project selections for the 2018-19 Merit List, inferred that although the eleven projects in the final list represent a cross-section of quality contemporary architecture, these ‘Special Mention’ projects exemplify commendable approaches towards resolution of critical concerns that contemporary architecture must address and in their wake, raise critical issues worth discussing in the larger forum.
With this intent, The Merit List attempts to articulate the core issues raised by the Special Mention projects and their relevance in the discussion on practice and pedagogy of architecture in India. The clusters chronicled here are an attempt to provoke thought and discussion on the ambition of architecture practice in India.