Sandeepsingh R. Sisodia
Dean
Sandeepsingh R. Sisodia is a Registered Architect with the Council of Architecture, India, and Founding Principal of the Architecture, Design and Personal Growth firm “Contesting Architecture”. He is highly active in design education, presently teaching as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Architecture (IOA), as well as serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Design & Planning (FADP) at Ganpat University (GUNI).
Prior to joining Ganpat University, Sandeepsingh served as the Dean of the Faculty of Design, Planning and Architecture, Uka Tarsadia University (UTU), Co-Chair of the Raman Bhakta Research and Development Cell, UTU, Member of the Academic Council and Academic Development Cell, UTU, and Programme Coordinator of the Bachelor of Architecture Programme at Raman Bhakta School of Architecture, UTU. He is currently on the International Advisory Board of QASPIR UK, the Governing Council of FADP-GUNI, Chair of the Board of Studies and Faculty Committee at FADP-GUNI, and on the Internal Review Committee for B.Arch. Design Thesis at IOA, FADP-GUNI.
Sandeepsingh received his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from SCET, Surat, and his Master of Architecture from The Ohio State University, USA. He has over thirteen years of experience in the practice and teaching of Architecture and Design, and has had his work presented at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia (Venice Architecture Biennale) 2012 under the mentorship of internationally acclaimed architects Peter Eisenman, Jeffrey Kipnis, Jose Oubrerie and Stephen Turk.
Sandeepsingh believes in a blend of synchronous as well as asynchronous teaching and learning as part of his pedagogy, and is a certified Digital Leader by CPD, UK. He also has a strong inclination towards research and documentation, with a focus on the Unseen and Undocumented Heritage of erstwhile Rajputana. This has further led him to design strategies for imbibing new functionalities into historic palaces and forts. He is also affiliated with various organizations, including as a Lifetime Associate Member of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), Associate Member of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), a Primary Member of the IBBI-recognized Registered Valuers Organization Estate Managers & Appraisers Foundation (RVO-ESMA), and an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Beyond teaching, practice and research, Sandeepsingh has conducted multiple academic and public exhibitions and installations, a few noteworthy ones of which are:
– A Field of Dreams, part of the Piranesi Variations exhibit at the Arsenale, in the Venice Architecture Biennale 2012
– Exhibition and curating the works of acclaimed Indian architect Yashwant Mistry at the Science Centre, Surat
– Project exhibit at the Godman Guild in Columbus, Ohio, USA
– Public exhibit of curated students’ work of courses taught at various higher education institutions
Sandeepsingh enjoys developing interactive and critical content that is bathed in the idea of Positive Growth, focusing on how we as a species can choose to upgrade ourselves and the world around us through sheer optimistic tenacity. He believes in transdisciplinary learning as the way forward in all domains, especially in design education – to that end, he has initiated an inter-, multi-, trans- and cross-disciplinary lecture series “प्रबोधन” (Sanskrit for “enlightenment”) at FADP-GUNI, and is presently teaching a course on Design Thinking for MBA Start-up & Entrepreneurship students at Ganpat University.
He is also a certified Life Coach.
Education
- Master of Architecture (M.ARCH.): 2010-12, Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 3.513 CGPA (on 4.000 US GPA Scale)
- Bachelor of Architecture (B.ARCH.): 2003-08, Faculty of Architecture, Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology (FA-SCET), Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India, First Class with Distinction and Certificate of Merit
Experience
13+ Years of Professional, Academic and Research experience
Memberships
- Registered Architect, The Council of Architecture (CoA), India, CA/2010/49368
- Associate Member, The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), A19742
- Associate Member, Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), AM4994
- Associate Member, The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- Primary Member, RVO Estate Managers & Appraisers Foundation (IBBI-recognized Registered Valuers Organization), RVOESMA/PM/2021/0596
Areas of Specialization
Architectural Design; Interior Design; Design Research; Exhibition & Installation Design; Architectural History, Theory & Discourse; Architectural Drawings & Documentation; Physical & Digital Modelling; Graphic Design; Design Thinking; Architectural Writing; University Teaching; Educational Leadership; Public Speaking; Holistic Life Coaching
Department
Institute of Architecture