CAAD – Chennai Academy of Architecture and Design is a standalone college for Architecture located in Thumbakkam, Near Periyapalayam Amman Temple, Chennai. CAAD recently inaugurated its sprawling new building with specialized facilities to cater to a world class architecture education.

CAAD is emerging as one of the finest architecture colleges in the region with its state of the art infrastructure and its industry focused teaching methods. Numerous public events are conducted to create a general awareness about the architecture profession to the general public and the architecture students in the region. The CAAD Monthly Public Lecture Series and the CAAD Architecture Journal are among the successful public outreach initiatives of the institution that have garnered support of the architecture fraternity at large.

CAAD was selected as one of the five Zonal Centres in India to host the jury for NATIONAL Awards for Excellence in Architectural Thesis 2016, The 11^th Annual Awards Programme of Council of Architecture, New Delhi. Best thesis from over 50 colleges in Zone- IV was displayed in a public exhibition and the top two contestants were selected through a rigorous critique session for representation in the national jury.

25^th August 2016: The public exhibition commenced ceremoniously with traditional music and dance. Architect Shri. Senthil Kumar, Chairman, Indian Institute of Architects ,TN Chapter, inaugurated the exhibition. Senior office bearer of the IIA, TN Chapter and renowned academician Shri. S. F. Rajarathinam graced the event as the Guest of Honour. The exhibition enabled the architecture students and school students aspiring to join architecture to witness the quintessence of architecture education.

26^th August 2016: The exhibits of all the participants from over 50 architecture colleges were displayed in the CAAD Multipurpose hall. Expert members representing COA, Prof. Dr. Rupa Raje Gupta from New Delhi, Prof. Partharanjan Das and Architect Anindhya Basu from Kolkata shortlisted the 10+2 entries for presentation.

27^th August 2016 : The jury session was held at the CAAD – Rajamannaraiah Hall, an in-house Air Conditioned facility to where expert members selected the top two presenters for the national jury. Mr.Navin Lucas Sebastian, from Sathyabama University, Chennai and Mr.Karan Anand, from SPA, Vijayawada were the shortlisted candidates for the National Jury.

The valedictory function was well attended by dignitaries and doyens in the field of architecture. The entire event was conducted under the guidance of Prof. Jayashree Deshpande, Director of NIASA and Prof. Aneerudha Paul, Convener of NIASA Thesis Awards Committee. Both the members appreciated the professional manner in which the event was conducted with a special mention to the staff co-ordinators of CAAD, Ms. Misba Saravanan and Ms. Latha Gunasekaran. Prof. Dr. Monsingh D Devadas, Dean – School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University honoured the valedictory session as the chief guest and also released the Yearbook of CAAD.  Shri. K.Subramanian – Director, Vectorworks and Shri. Ashok Kumar, Senior Manager TIIC, Chennai graced the event as the guest of honour and wished all the student participants for success in their endeavors. Smt. V. R. Roopa Rajendran, Chairman, CAAD and Prof. Dr. V. R. Rajendran, Honorary Advisor of CAAD felicitated the guests on the dais with traditional garlands, shawl and mementos. The expert members of COA presented the certificates and mementos to the top two shortlisted candidates. Prof. Vinodh Vijayakumar, Director, CAAD presented the certificates to all the student participants and thanked the student volunteers and the faculty members for making the event a grand success.

The event was well covered in the local media and had visitors from local architecture colleges and the general public patronizing the event. Mr.Navin Lucas Sebastian who represented Zone IV at the National Jury with his thesis topic “Consolation through Architecture – A new Journey through the abandoned landscapes of Varanasi” also emerged as the National winner of the NIASA Thesis Awards 2016.