Seventeen remarkable years led to this moment, undeterred even by the challenges posed by the pandemic. As the calendar turned to August, the CW team, yet again, stood poised to deliver to this industry its long-awaited and richly deserved celebration. With unwavering determination, the industry convened once again to bestow recognition upon the paragons of industry excellence. Amidst the echoes of achievement and the resounding applause, the 18th CONSTRUCTION WORLD Architect and Builder (CWAB) Awards, enthralled, yet again. 

The 18th edition the CWAB Awards and the international conference, based on the theme of ‘Responsible design’, was organised by the FIRST Construction Council. As expected from an event of this magnitude, it was a scintillating, opulent affair with top dignitaries and top brass from multinational companies from across India and the world in full attendance. Every year after a meticulous process that recognises architectural and building firms for their excellence, the design-build fraternity comes together to celebrate their achievements in different categories. This year before the awards could be handed out, a discussion on sustainable urban development unfolded with a rich exchange of insights from key industry experts. In a gathering brimming with visionary perspectives, professionals from various domains illuminated the challenges and opportunities of building a greener future for our cities.

Pratap Padode, Founder and President, FIRST Construction Council, sounded a subtle word of caution that seemingly small lapses could lead to deadly disasters and lamented how – “Lack of design integrity can have far-reaching consequences that can not only blemish a nation’s image in delivering precise and dependable results but can also cause death and destruction. The Leaning Tower of Pisa built over 199 years suffered and tilted due to negligence in soil examination, the architect of Citigroup Centre in New York made a blunder by not calculating the strength of the structure to withstand winds beyond 125 kmph and similarly poor road designs in India are causing nearly 500 deaths a day due to road accidents. The FIRST Construction Council is constantly working to raise the construction standards by creating awareness through its research and events.” About design, in keeping with this year’s theme, he added a point to ponder, “Good design is harder to notice since good design fits our needs.”