Vice-chancellor says new arm will help in creation of state-of-the-art facilities required for high-tech courses
The campus of the Sir JJ School of Art, which was established in 1857, in Fort. file pIC
The Sir JJ School of Art, which obtained de-novo deemed university status two years ago, is now looking to set up a campus in Vikhroli. With its heritage architectural campus standing tall near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the proposed out-campus is to sprawl over five acres near LBS Marg. A proposal of nearly '235 crore is to be submitted during the Legislative Assembly winter session, according to officials from the Directorate of Art Education.
“The move is to encourage more admissions to existing courses and extension of the type of courses provided under each wing — art, architecture, and design. Other credit courses under the directorate, be it user interface/experience design, or photography and more, can be extended to the new campus, too,” Dr Kishore Ingale, director, Directorate of Art Education.
After getting the university status, Sir JJ School of Art also began new courses — Commercial Art Practice, Visual Communication Design, Typography and Type Design, Metropolitan Architecture, along with Art Education, Design Education, and Architecture Education. These courses, with a rough intake of 25 each, have been running within the constraints of the South Mumbai campus too. Moreover, with a new university status, the institute is also eyeing the possibility of starting new-age courses such as VFX and Game Design, all of which need robust architecture.
“It is very tricky to expand within the current heritage campus of the Sir JJ School of Art. The new arm will help us create more state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment that are required for high-tech courses,” said Prof. Him Chatterjee, vice-chancellor of the institute. “At the moment, the land is being cleaned and we can soon announce a competition of ideas for architects who can come and design the new campus once the proposal goes through,” he added.
At the moment, the art school has nearly 1300 fine arts students, while the newly minted university status gives it the ability to expand the campus strength to 2000, said officials from the institute. In this backdrop, the university is also eyeing a new state-of-the-art museum that is to house a multipurpose hall, gallery sections, a rare paintings section, and even a restoration space.
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