Sunday, June 29, 2008

gma radio - viability of this concept in India

23rd UIA world Congress in Torino , June 29rd to July 3, 2008
The theme of the congress is Transmitting Architecture , Since i cant visit the place , i am just relying on their website for information . Another interesting thing that's happing at the congress is the launch of the first web radio in streaming dedicated to the world of architecture . That's interesting concept and i was thinking what about having a dedicated radio for architects in India ....anybody listening !....anyways my mind will work on that .....Those are few initiatives to make the architecture world more connected . We will see more of these in developing nation as our economies move towards progress. Lot many venture funds are available in India but the thing is

- How big will be the market for such a new concept .
- How receptive Indian architects will be for such a concept .
- what will be the content so that it will be usable for the working professionals (as nobody can waste time on useless stuff).
- Will architectural colleges ,studios be interested in contributing to it ( That can be a platform to promote upcoming architects and create a visibility for established studios ).

Friday, June 6, 2008

Indiabulls raises Rs818 cr from Singapore Reit offer

Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd, India’s fourth largest listed real estate developer, raised S$262 million (Rs818 .7 crore) from its offering of a real estate investment trust (Reit) in Singapore, less than the S$285 million the company had sought.

The initial public offering (IPO) of 262 million shares closed on Friday.

Indiabulls Properties Investment Trust fixed the price at the lower end of the price band at S$1 per share, the company said in a filing with the Singapore stock exchange. It had sought between S$1 and S$1.10 a share.

The offer was to close Thursday, but Indiabulls had to extend the share sale by a day, after it failed to attract the 1,000 retail investors required for a listing.

“There is not much appetite for property trusts.,” David Lum, an analyst at Daiwa Institute of Research in Singapore, said. “The last IPO we had was in November and we dont expect one to happen in the next few months. I think the poor demand is reflective of the weak market conditions,” he said.

Company officials declined to comment because of a rule requiring them to observe a “silent period” ahead of the listing on June 11.

L.N. Mittal, chief executive of Arcelor Mittal, the top global steel firm, had earlier acquired 91 million shares in the unit as an anchor investor, meaning Indiabulls Real Estate raised a total of S$353.5 million. Deutsche Bank AG and Merrill Lynch (Singapore) Pte arranged the share sale.

Monday, June 2, 2008

RMJM Founds Business-Focused Program at GSD

Source: ARCHITECT Magazine
By Amanda Kolson Hurley

On March 17, the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announced a $1.5 million gift from U.K.-based architecture firm RMJM to support a new integrated design program at the school. The RMJM Program for Research and Education in Integrated Design Practice will emphasize business management principles and a thorough understanding of the construction process to round out students' design skills.

Speaking to attendees of Harvard's Design Firm Leadership Conference, who filled the GSD's Piper Auditorium, dean Mohsen Mostafavi said, “We believe very strongly in the role of transdisciplinary research. We believe it's the future of design education.”

RMJM CEO Peter Morrison told the crowd that “architects must regain the status of master-builder” and that to do so, they must learn “to generate proper reward for the value [they've] created.”

GSD professor Spiro Pollalis told the audience that although the details have not been worked out yet, the program will entail collaboration between the GSD and the Harvard Business School.