In view of addressing the professional difficulties being faced at Municipal Corporation as well as at Government offices, the practising architects from this region collectively decided to form an “Architects’ Association” in the year 1988. Ar. R.V. Bhide was unanimously elected as the President of the said Association. They successfully organised the number of meetings with the Collector of Thane and the Municipal Commissioner of Kalyan Municipal Corporation regarding implementation of various Bye-Laws, Rules & Regulations pertaining to the architectural practice.
Membership of this Association was increasing day by day. Many more architects realised the importance of coming together under this umbrella. And it was about this time that members began to seriously consider on improvement in status of this Association. As a result, it was decided to approach The Indian Institute of Architects for the formation of Kalyan Centre. After completing necessary formalities, Kalyan Centre was established on 11th November 1990. Initially about 25 architects from Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Titwala were members of this Centre.
At a grand function arranged at Dombivli, our Kalyan Centre was inaugurated at the hands of Ar. Prof. Madhav Deobhakta, the then President of The Indian Institute of Architect. Ar. Prof. C.K. Gumaste, one of the founders of Academy of Architecture graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. On this occasion senior-most architects from this region, Ar. Rambhau G. Tamhane and Ar. Govindrao Sathe, Retired Chief Architect of Bombay Municipal Corporation, were felicitated.
The first Executive Committee of Kalyan Centre was formed under the Chairmanship of Ar. Aroon Bhagat for the term 1990-1992. As per the constitution of The Indian Institute of Architects, elections are being conducted at every two years to elect an Executive Committee. During last 25 years 13 architects were elected as Chairman.
Our Kalyan Centre has remained all the time quite active. As of now there are more than 130 architect-members on the roll of this Centre. With active participation and contribution by enthusiastic members we have been organising various programmes.
Get-togethers, picnics and meetings with Municipal/Town Planning Authorities to discuss professional issues are being held regularly. Sponsored one-day seminars have been organized on varied themes such as Waste Management, Rain Water Harvesting, Solar Passive Energy, Service Tax, Lady Architects’ Day, Foundation Day, Heritage Conservation, Vastu Shashtra etc. Our Centre also has hosted Executive Committee meetings of IIA Maharashtra Chapter.
“ARCHEX 2000”, an exhibition of Building Materials and allied works was held under the aegis of Kalyan Centre, at Dombivli in the year 1999, which was the first of its kind in Thane District.
XII Maharashtra Chapter Convention, was successfully hosted by Kalyan Centre in the year 2006 at Matheran with a theme “Sustainable Development of Hill Stations”
Recently XXII Maharashtra Chapter Convention, also was successfully hosted by Kalyan Dombivli Centre in the year 2016 at Dombivli with a theme "Smart City & Sustainability"
Visits to the manufacturing plants of M/s. NITCO tiles at Alibaug, M/s. Bell Ceramics at Baroda and Godrej Mangroves, Vikhroli were organised.
For last 9 years, felicitation of the students of Architecture from 10 Architectural Colleges situated in Mumbai & Navi Mumbai, is being organised under the aegis of Kalyan Centre, in the fond memory of Ar. S.L. alias Baburao Gokhale, first ARIBA from this region.
