Seminar focusing on preserving city’s historic areas for vibrant future held

Kolkata: “Buildings are not just structures, they are reservoirs of materials and memories,” said Mukul Agarwal, Founder Trustee of the Calcutta Heritage Collective (CHC), as she inaugurated the Sovabajar Urban Conservation Exhibition and Seminar at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC) on Saturday.

Her remark encapsulated the essence of the event, which explored how Kolkata’s historic neighborhoods can be preserved not just as relics of the past but as living, integral parts of the city’s future.

Organised by CHC in collaboration with CEPT University, Ahmedabad, the exhibition showcased proposals developed through CEPT’s Conservation Studio. Students work went beyond nostalgia, offering strategies for adaptive reuse, sensitive restoration, and policy frameworks that reimagine heritage as a driver of sustainable urban growth.

Gurmeet S Rai, internationally acclaimed heritage practitioner and Founding Director of Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI), said: “It was inspiring to see how CHC is not only advocating for the city’s heritage but also building meaningful partnerships with educational institutions.”

The panel also included Vikas Dilawari, veteran conservation architect with 19 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards, Sonal Mithal, academic and practitioner from CEPT University, and Ayan Sen, Kolkata-based architect and urban designer. Industrialists Hemant Bangur and Darshan Dudhoria provided practical, on-ground perspectives.