Prakrithi R.
 The University School of Design | Mysore

Wildlife and habitat conservation has become increasingly important in the 21st century. Destruction and loss of habitat, illegal use of wildlife, overexploitation of resources, and lack of conservation awareness, have a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. The wildlife carrying capacity in many protected areas will significantly reduce due to global warming, pollution, invasive species, and illegal hunting. One of the concerns is the rapidly increasing human population on the planet with 7 billion individuals. For global conservation a sustainable approach means that strict legislation and ethics have to be developed, together with regulating human attitudes.

Indian wildlife has been neglected and if India is to save its vanishing heritage, active endeavors are essential for conserving the Indian forests. The conservation of India’s biological diversity depends critically on sound professional management of significant areas in the future. Despite substantial investments allotted to the conservation of India’s biodiversity by governmental and international agencies, effective conservation has been hindered by a lack of professionals who can design, implement and monitor. It becomes my responsibility as an architecture student to make an attempt to pay attention to this issue. This Thesis on Wildlife Conservation Centre provides a place for the practicing wildlife biologists, conservationists, who can actively promote and advance science-based conservation of wildlife. 

The Architectural Thesis on Wildlife Conservation Centre has an important role in conserving the bio-diversity. A conservatory is required to monitor the forestry and the wildlife and it cannot be treated as a conventional project. This makes the project all the more challenging and looks into how this problem can be architecturally addressed. Efforts have been made to bring a radical thought of reusing of an existing structure in order to keep the forest resources intact becomes one of the main agendas. The huge dams may be functioning or nonfunctioning can be reused and it’s an opportunity to explore nonconventional methods of building.