shahana dastidar
Shahana
Dastidar
Architect & Planner
AREAS
OF INTEREST
Disaster rehabilitation/condition assessment, Conservation and adaptive-reuse
of built heritage, Development planning/ research/ analysis, Project formulation/
management, LFA methodology
EDUCATION
Sep
2006 – present - M.Sc.
Development Administration & Planning (Otto Koenigsberger Scholarship),
Development Planning Unit, The Bartlett-Faculty of the Built Environment,
University College London
1998
– 2004 - Bachelor of Architecture (First Class)
- School of Architecture, Ahmedabad (Gujarat, India), Centre for Environmental
Planning & Technology; RIBA recognized equivalent to Part 1 & 2
WORK
EXPERIENCE
Sep
2006 – present
Postgraduate
• Dissertation – Transition Housing as part of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation
(ongoing)
• Simulated research consultancy project with field-trip to Mbarara, Uganda to study government policies for Poverty Reduction using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (Team Leader). Team outputs included an inception report, multiple presentations and recommendation report identifying areas for institutional strengthening
• Simulated infrastructure consultancy project to design a pilot Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Management system for Makindye Division, Kampala (Uganda). Team outputs included an analysis of the project for inclusion in the UN-Habitat Local Agenda21 programme, project logframe, stakeholder analysis, gantt chart (schedule) and budget
•
Selected Research Topics
- Aid-effectiveness of de-centralized aid to urban governments
- The poverty of environmental planning
- Weakening of state enterprises in the provision of basic urban infrastructure services
- Spatial planning for informal urban settlements
- Analysis of the ‘Mutual Self-Help’ approach for low-income housing finance in Brazil & Venezuela
-
The participatory planning approach for historic inner city areas
back
to tophome
Nov
2005 – Sep 2006
Consultant Architect
• Research, design and editorial assistance for a book about energy-efficient
building technologies and environment-friendly building materials with Experience
Design Limited (EXDL), Ahmedabad
• Training workshop facilitation for LFA (Logical Framework Analysis) methodology for Department Heads in the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology, Government of India with Images India, Delhi
• Conservation, design & research for tourism development of 18 built heritage sites as part of a “Freedom Trail” tourist circuit across Punjab - including documentation, drawings & budget. Report prepared for the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India with Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI), Delhi
Mar 2005 – Oct 2005
Architect (Volunteer) for Indian Ocean Tsunami
(Dec. 26, 2004) rehabilitation
• Design & Site Architect for rehabilitation housing construction
in the affected village of Konayampattinam, Tamil Nadu (India) with ARTES
(Human Settlements Development Centre)-Chennai, Fondation de France &
ISCOS (Istituto Sindacale per la Cooperazione e lo Sviluppo)
• Supervision of Mason Training Project in affected villages of Sirkali Taluk, District Nagapattinam as part of Livelihood Development program with ARTES, Fondation de France & ISCOS
• Detailed documentation and condition assessment of the affected villages, Konayampattinam and Thenampattinam, with ARTES, Fondation de France, ISCOS and A&D (Architecture & Développement)
• Design of rehabilitation housing in affected villages of Akkarapettai, District Nagapattinam and Keezhamanakody, District Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu with ARTES & TATA Relief Committee
• Design of multipurpose Community Centre/ Cyclone Shelter/ Rural Knowledge Centre (tele-health and tele-education) in affected villages of Akkarapettai and Kovalam with ARTES & TATA Relief Committee
July
2004 – Mar 2005
Associate Architect - Cultural Resource Conservation
Initiative (CRCI)
• Detailed documentation, Conservation & Adaptive reuse report for the Quila Nabha Fort for its conversion into an institute of higher education - including project budget and implementation strategy, for the Nabha Foundation and Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, State Government of Punjab
• Detailed documentation, Conservation & Urban Regeneration report for the Quila Mubarak Fort and surrounding historic core of Patiala city in Punjab for the World Monuments Fund and Department of Culture, State Government of Punjab
• Project proposal using Logical Framework methodology titled Poverty of Choice: Gender Discrimination in Patiala for the UNESCO Small Grants Programme for Policy Research, 2005
•
Research & detailed analysis of all existing Heritage protection and Urban
planning legislation in Punjab including the Punjab Ancient Monuments, Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act 1964, the Punjab Town and Country Planning Act 1995,
the Punjab Municipal Act 1972, the Punjab Municipal Council Act 1911 and the
Punjab Town Improvement Trust Act
May
2001 – Nov 2001
Intern - Central Design Office, Diwan of Royal Court, Muscat
• Design and architectural detailing of the Auditorium, Library, Barracks,
Mess and Mosque for the Royal Guard in the Qasr Al Alam Guest Palace Complex
in Muscat, Oman (under construction)
Mar
2001 – May 2001
Volunteer for Gujarat Earthquake (Jan. 26, 2001) rehabilitation
• Documentation & condition assessment of affected Bhadreshwar village
and historic Alfred High School in Bhuj (India) for rehabilitation by the
State Government of Gujarat with School of Architecture, Ahmedabad
July
1998 – June 2004
Undergraduate
• Dissertation – Architectural Conservation in India (Research,
Analysis, 3 Case studies)
• Final year design project - International Airport for the city of
Sohar (Oman)
• Pre-final year project - Urban regeneration & low-income housing
on brownfield sites of old textile mills in Ahmedabad (India)