Amrita Vinod is an architect and student of Architecture/Art History, Theory and Philosophy. Before joining HAA at the University of Pittsburgh in 2023, she completed master’s in architecture history and theory from the University of Washington, Seattle and a 5-year bachelor’s degree in architecture (B. Arch) from Kerala University, India. She has worked as an architectural designer, curator, educator, volunteer, and apprentice since 2014. Her work and their details are listed on her website.
Amrita focuses on the histories of human aspects of architecture and landscape confluence in South India before European Colonization— specifically, looking into complex relations between self (personhood) and the world building process. Her current research is on Sarpa Kavu (meaning ‘abode of snakes’) of Kerala, focusing on the history of the relationships among human beings, non-human agents and landscapes. She is also interested in historiographies and how histories are made or written because she believes that it is a tool to decolonize the way we think and create the world around us.
- Ph.D. History of Art and Architecture, University of Pittsburgh (in progress)
- Master of Science in Architecture History and Theory | 2021-2023, University of Washington
- Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.), University of Kerala
Education & Training
- Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences Pre-Doctoral Fellowship | 2023- 2024
- John Morse Graduate Fellowship Endowment for International Travel | 2022
- South Asia Studies Student Research Materials Grant | 2021
Vinod, Amrita. Architect-Ing as World Building: Knowing the World through Kaḷiyāṭṭaṁ of Malabar Coast, India, University of Washington, United States -- Washington, 2023. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/architect-ing-as-world-building-knowing-through/docview/2839630615/se-2.
Vinod, A., Kini, M.K. (2022). Disaster Resilience and Rehabilitation in Kerala: A Critical Review of CARe-Kerala’s Housing Scheme. In: Ghosh, C., Kolathayar, S. (eds) A System Engineering Approach to Disaster Resilience. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 205. Springer, Singapore. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-16-7397-9_20
Chapter 2, “Perceiving the meaning of Vernacular Architecture in Mattur Village, India,” in Conference Proceedings of the International Seminar on Vernacular Settlements
Chapter, “A working Strategy for Preparedness in Kerala schools: A Suggestive Study” in the book “Multi-hazard Vulnerability and Resilience Building: Cross Cutting Issues.”
