Sumita Singha, founder of Ecologic Architects, Charushila environmental design charity, RIBA's Equality forum and Architects For Change.

About this Event

‘There are shadows in the darkness, but people cannot discern them. There are trails in the sky where birds fly, but people cannot recognize them. There are paths in the sea along which fish swim, but people cannot perceive them. But they are visible to the heavenly eye.’ Nichiren, 13th century Buddhist monk.

The invisible connections between life and the natural world manifest in our daily lives during moments of intense turmoil. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the unseen was made visible in the suffering of the living. In her talk architect Sumita Singha will discuss how architects can embrace the uncertainty that the world offers while continuing to create value for society. Architecture’s social function embeds itself in the way communities are engaged and empowered through the act of physical interventions. These interventions can be gentle yet comprehensive in the manner that they connect personal health, environmental and economic sustainability. An ‘autotelic architect’, using a term made up from the Greek words ‘auto’ (self) and ‘telos’ (goal) is someone who makes use of the opportunities offered during such moments of upheaval and continues to advocate architecture as a tool for not just riding the waves of change for themselves but creating lasting positive changes for society. A sense of purpose for a bigger gain drives the strength of agency for an autotelic architect. This big picture is the 'heavenly eye' of architecture.

Inauguration of community kitchen garden by Dr Rupa Huq, MP for Acton and Ealing, for a project done by Charushila with Energy Gardens, TfL and Arriva, local businesses, May 2018. Photo: James Jordan.

Eco-friendly community centre refurbishment by Ecologic Architects, ongoing, carried out in collaboration with volunteers and SMEs.

Pathfinders Series
The Temple Bar Trust’s Pathfinders series showcases and celebrates architects and urban designers exploring issues of identity and meaning in their work. We place a focus on practitioners’ engagement of diverse communities, narratives and languages – resilient and equitable cultural drivers of placemaking for London in the 21st century as it transitions through the COVID crisis into a new era.

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