Smriti Pant

Born in 1983; M.A., B.Arch.; Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) from School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi and Master in World Heritage Studies (M.A.) from Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus; Architectural intern at Kuldip Singh and Associates, New Delhi (2005) and Rüdiger Lainer + Partner, Vienna (2005); Graduate intern at Blair Castle (Atholl Estates), Scotland (2007) and Department of Management, United Nations Head Quarters, New York (2008); From 2009, work as Research Associate at BTU Cottbus, Project Officer for Culture at UNESCO New Delhi Office, Visiting Faculty at SPA Delhi, as well as freelance cultural heritage management consultant and editor on projects in Asia, Europe and Middle-East; From June 2013, Research Associate at Chair of Architectural Conservation at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, and member of DFG Research Training Group since April 2014; Co-opted Bureau Member of ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage since May 2018 and Membership Secretary of ICOMOS ISC20C since January 2019; Research associate and project coordinator for “Great Spas of Europe” transnational serial UNESCO World Heritage nomination at Department for World Heritage Nomination and Urban Design, Municipality of Baden-Baden since May 2019.

Professional Memberships: Council of Architecture, India (since 2009), International Association of World Heritage Professionals e.V., Germany (since 2010), ICOMOS-UK (since 2010) and ICOMOS-India (since 2014), ICOMOS ISC20C (since 2013), The Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain (since 2017), The Royal Historical Society (since 2017), The Lutyens Trust (since 2018), European Association of Urban History (since 2018), Association of Critical Heritage Studies (since 2019), ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Historic Towns and Villages (CIVVIH) (since 2019).

External Reviews and Specialist Assessments: ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage (since 2014), World Monuments Fund, USA (since 2015), British Council Cultural Protection Fund (since 2016).

Research Focus: Twentieth Century Architectural History, Planning History, British Imperial and Indian History; Postcolonial Studies; Transcultural Heritage; Shared Heritage; Colonial Heritage; Architectural Conservation; World Heritage; Management Plans; Heritage Impact Assessment

  

Research project:

The Making of ‘Lutyens’ Delhi’: A Post-Colonial Perspective

  

Publications:

Pant, Smriti (2019): Capital Planning and State Formation: Examples Outside Europe. In: Rethinking Modernity: Architecture and Urban Planning of the 20th Century – Between Avant-garde and Tradition (ICOMOS – Journals of the German National Committee LXIX), Stuttgart 2019, pp. 59–65.

Pant, Smriti (2017): International Expert Meeting "World Heritage Potential of Testimonies to Aerospace". In: German National Committee of ICOMOS e.V. (ICOMOS Germany) Members' Newsletter, No. 1/2017, May 2017, p. 6.

Pant, Smriti / Schmidt, Leo (2016): Post-Conflict Rebuilding. Guidelines for Safeguarding the Cultural Significance of Historic Cities Damaged in Armed Conflict. In: BTU News, No. 46, September 2016, Cottbus 2016, p. 22.

Pant, Smriti / Schmidt, Leo (2016): Shaping the Future of Syrian Cultural Heritage. In: BTU News, No. 46, September 2016, Cottbus 2016, p. 23.

Pant, Smriti / Korensky, Vladimir / Kuban, Sabine (2016): Die Entwicklung von Eisenbeton im internationalen Vergleich. In: BTU News, No. 45, May 2016, Cottbus 2016, p. 59.

Pant, Smriti / Schmidt, Leo / Merbach, Anja (2014): Göbekli Tepe Site Management Plan. Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, Lehrstuhl Denkmalpflege, März 2014 (unpublished).

Pant, Smriti / Merrill, Sam: World Heritage for Tomorrow (2011). In: Schmidt, Leo / Pant, Smriti / Türk, Haiko (Eds.): Forschen, Bauen & Erhalten. Jahrbuch 2010/2011, Bonn/Berlin 2011, pp. 110–113.

Pant, Smriti (2011): Denkmalkultur – Attitudes to Heritage. In: Schmidt, Leo / Pant, Smriti / Türk, Haiko (Eds.): Forschen, Bauen & Erhalten. Jahrbuch 2010/2011, Bonn/Berlin 2011, pp. 116–119.

Pant, Smriti / Schmidt, Leo (2010): Toddington Manor Conservation Management Plan – Part 1 and Part 2. Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus, Lehrstuhl Denkmalpflege, September 2010 (unpublished).

Pant, Smriti (2010): The Conservation Plan Dichotomy: Can the Gap between Theory and Practice be bridged?. In: Schmidt, Leo / Kuhrmann, Anke (Eds.): Forschen, Bauen & Erhalten. Jahrbuch 2009/2010, Bonn/Berlin 2010, pp. 77–81.

Pant, Smriti / Das, Surobhi / Mathur, Mani / Roy, Kingkini / Udayshanker, Akhila / Zutshi, Aditi (2006): Sahibs or Nabobs? Delhi 1803–1856. In: Seminars in Architecture. School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi 2006, pp. 5–24.

   

Presentations:

“Imperial New Delhi = ‘Lutyens’ Delhi’? Revising a Modern Myth”. European Association of Urban History (EAUH) Conference 2018 ‘Urban Renewal and Resilience: Cities in Comparative Perspective’ (Special Session ‘Alternative Narratives on Capital Cities, from the 19th to the 21st Centuries’) – organised by EAUH, Rome, 29th August – 1st September 2018.

“WWI, Dyarchy and the Design of Interwar New Delhi”. Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain (SAHGB) Annual Symposium 2018 ‘Architecture, the Built Environment, and the Aftermath of the First World War’ organised by the SAHGB in cooperation with the 20s30s Network and the Twentieth Century Society, London, 8th–9th June 2018.

“Creating (Imperial) New Delhi: Factors and Actors”. Guest lecture at Seminar ‘Global Perspectives on Geographies of City Production and Its Actors’ for students of Master’s Programme ‘Historical Urban Studies’ (WS 2017/2018) at Centre for Metropolitan Studies, Technical University (TU) Berlin, 31st January 2018.

“The Making of Imperial New Delhi or: How I learnt to understand the Politics behind Colonial Architecture and Urbanism”. Colonial / Post-Colonial New Researchers’ Workshop, part of Imperial and World History Seminar series at Institute of Historical Research (IHR), London, 22nd January 2018.

“Capital Planning and State Formation: Examples Outside Europe”. International conference ‘Rethinking Modernity: Architecture and Urban Planning of the 20th Century – Between Avantgarde and Tradition’ organised by the Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing, and Berlin Authority for the Preservation of Monuments in cooperation with Academy of Arts (AdK) and ICOMOS Germany, Berlin, 10th–12th September 2017.

“Deconstructing some ‘Myths’ about ‘Lutyens’ Delhi’”. Inaugural Architectural History Workshop 2017 organised by the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain, London, 20th May 2017.

“Aerospace Heritage in India: The Case of Safdarjung (former Willingdon) Airport”. International Expert Meeting ‘World Heritage Potential of Testimonies to Aerospace’ organised by the German National Committee of ICOMOS (ICOMOS Germany) and German Commission for UNESCO (DUK), Berlin, 6th–8th April 2017.

“20C Colonial Heritage as “Modern” Heritage: Addressing Practical and Theoretical Challenges in Post-Colonial India”. International Scientific Conference ‘Modern Heritage: Identifying, Assessing and Managing its Protection and Conservation’ organised by the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee (ISC) for Theory and Philosophy of Conservation and Restoration (TheoPhil) and ISC on 20th Century Heritage, Florence, 10th–13th March 2016.

“Relevance of Buffer Zones in Managing World Heritage Cities”. Training Course ‘Management Plans for World Heritage Cities’ organised by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Heritage Academy, New Delhi, 3rd–6th September 2014.