Kollam

Cultural Perspectives, Entrepreneurial Possibilities

Hosted by The School of Architecture and Design, Bishop Jerome Institute (BJI)

Kollam — The School of Architecture and Design at Bishop Jerome Institute (BJI) hosted an engaging talk and interactive session titled “Cultural Perspectives, Entrepreneurial Possibilities” tailored specifically for the incoming First-Year B.Arch cohort.

Guest Speaker

Mr. Shikama

A distinguished Tokyo-based academician, investor, and global entrepreneur. Drawing from his background as a former professor at Tokyo's prestigious Waseda University and his experience running diverse business ventures across the globe, Mr. Shikama brought a unique blend of cross-cultural insight and entrepreneurial acumen to the studio floor.

Watch highlights from the talk

Bridging Design and Global Enterprise

During the interactive session, Mr. Shikama urged students to look beyond traditional design boundaries and cultivate a truly global perspective early in their academic journey. Key highlights of the talk focused on:

1
Embracing Cultural Diversity Understanding how local heritage, cultural nuances, and global design trends intersect to shape contemporary architecture.
2
Entrepreneurial Mindset in Architecture Encouraging young designers to view spatial design through the lens of business, innovation, and venture creation.
3
Global Opportunities Inspiring students to leverage architectural thinking to tackle complex, real-world problems on an international scale.

The interactive format allowed first-year students to directly engage with Mr. Shikama, asking questions about international practice, global market dynamics, and balancing creative passion with business viability.

Empowering the Next Generation of Architects

The event left the new B.Arch batch with a broadened horizon, highlighting that an architectural education opens doors not just to designing buildings, but to driving global ventures and creative entrepreneurship. The School of Architecture and Design extends its sincere gratitude to Mr. Shikama for sharing his valuable time, global experiences, and inspiring perspective with our academic community.

School of Architecture and Design • Bishop Jerome Institute