One of the key aims of the Smarter Urbanisation project from the very start has been to achieve a mutual knowledge exchange, and a framework of reciprocity that did not simply confine the platform to London circles. Therefore since our first SCAD/URBED Eco-house was nearing completion in Tirunelveli, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take the stage of our third Indian Urban Futures conference to Southern India.

The conference was hosted by our partners SCAD in Tirunelveli, and The Urban Design Collective in Chennai, and was oriented around the inauguration of the pilot Eco-house. Chairman and founder of SCAD, Dr Cletus Babu, gave the keynote speech alongside the District Magistrate and Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish, amongst many other regional representatives. Presentations then followed by Brian Love, Richard Simmons and Nicholas Falk from London, and the project architect Vidhya Mohankumar from Chennai. Other speakers explored the themes of sustainable materials, affordable housing, community cohesion, and the challenge in responding to the rapidly changing aspirations and livelihoods of people across India today.

This report outlines the events of these few days, and summarises the key findings. We want to express our thanks to the many who have helped us so far, and welcome any comments on our evolving Smarter Urbanisation project.

Read the full report here.