The 9th Charles Correa Memorial Lecture was held at the Royal Bengal Room in City Centre Salt Lake by Ambuja Neotia Group in collaboration with The Charles Correa Foundation. It brought together architects, students, designers, and thought leaders for an evening devoted to architecture, ideas, and legacy.

The yearly lecture series, which was started in honor of Charles Correa, one of India’s most important architects, has developed into an important forum for discussion on design, urbanism, and how architecture shapes communities. Renowned American architect Marlon Blackwell, whose work is praised worldwide for its profound connection to landscape, culture, and place, gave this year’s keynote address.

Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of the Ambuja Neotia Group, Madhu Neotia, Marlon Blackwell, and notable members of the architect community lit lamps ceremoniously to start the evening. Mr. Neotia greeted the audience and introduced Marlon Blackwell, who gave a presentation of some of his most well-known pieces as well as insights into his design philosophy and career path.

One of the most important voices in modern architecture, Marlon Blackwell is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Arkansas, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), and the 2020 AIA Gold Medal recipient. Over the course of his more than three-decade career, his practice has won more than 215 design awards and been recognized internationally for projects that prioritize people, place, and purpose.

Blackwell said, “Charles Correa understood something many architects spend a lifetime pursuing: that the most meaningful buildings belong to the people who inhabit them. It is a privilege and an honor to speak in his honor in a city that honors his legacy”.

Blackwell is the latest in a distinguished group of speakers who have taken part in the lecture series since its beginning. Globally renowned architects like Peter Stutchbury, Andra Matin, Brinda Somaya, Bibhuti Man Singh, C. Anjalendran, K.T. Ravindran, Sanjay Mohe, Yung Ho Chang, Kashef Chowdhury, Uday Joshi, Richard Hassell, Kamal Hadker, Solano Benítez, and Rahul Mehrotra have all participated in previous editions.

Renowned architect, writer, and main organizer Ashish Acharjee, who had collaborated closely with Charles Correa on significant projects like the Jawhar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, served as the evening’s host.

Priyanka Dutta