The Indian Arch '13 by NASA India

INDIAN ARCH 2013

ISBN 978-81-924268-1-5

INDIAN ARCH '13 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Team: Magazine Coordinator: Neeruja Gupta Editor: Adwait Limaye

The editorial team takes immense pride in presenting you the 2013 issue of the esteemed magazine INDIAN ARCH. The team would like to thank NASA, India for the confidence and faith they showed in us, without which the publication of this issue would have been impossible. We would also like to thank all the distinguished personalities, renowned architects and faculty members who had put in their words to make INDIAN ARCH a promising entity. We would like to mention the commendable hard work implemented by the team mates who at no point backed down from their words and kept on supporting us throughout the preparatory phase of the magazine. We hereby take an opportunity to thank our teachers for their overwhelming supports Prof. Ketan Kimmatkar Ar. Abhas K. Maldahiyar Ar. Harshal Ganorkar We acknowledge the help reimbursed to us by the President (NASA INDIA), Samruddhi S. Chaphale, the Secretary, Salman Shaikh, the Treasurer, Saajan Varanasi, Zonal presidents BMN Chakravarthy, Waqar Abid and Abhishek Gwaskoti. We would also like to thank the convention host college Gateway College of Architecture and Design, Sonepat. We thank our college, "Institute of Design Education and Architectural Studies (IDEAS)" for letting us participate and to give us the freedom to work on this magazine diligently. Last but not the least we thank one and all, each and every person associated with the publication.

Associate Editor: Amruta Vaidya Magazine Correspondent: Aditi Pradhan Yatra Patel Associate Correspondent: Sandeep Pathe Harshal Bopardikar Prathamesh Waliokar Amol Wanjari Cover Photograph: Prateek Sarve Credits: Back Cover Poem Tanishk Nabar (L.S.Raheja School of Architecture, Mumbai) Photography: Rachita Todi

Post Composition : B.M.N Chakrvarthy Waqar Abid. A.Z Abhishek Gwaskoti Samruddhi S. Chaphale Saajan Varanasi

“Art is, afterall, only a trace, like a footprint which shows that one has walked bravely and in great happiness.” The word “Footprint” itself delivers a strong meaning out of it. Leaving a footprint is something which is closely associated to create a mark, an impression on the eternal canvas of the sphere. That mark initiates the time and acts as an endless presence on the pages of history. “A FOOTPRINT IS A DOOR TO A NEW CREATION.” Music, poetry, dance, painting have been the myriads of expression. Art is a subject where freedom of expression limits no boundaries, no conflicts. It ensembles the relationship of the person with the externalities of the outer space. Each and every topic has a different vision, a different opinion, and a different reason. Art can never be bound in a psyche, thus leaving a space for history to be made, footprints to be incarnated. Many a times, we are inspired by life’s simple elements; these elements help us in treading our own paths, helping us forth to make a mark in the society. Prof. Uday Gadkari has been an inspiration, a guide and remains so forever. It is very interestingly portrayed by Ar. B. V. DOSHI how the inner self strikes the connection with the spaces, a face of the defined volume. Thus, giving an insight on the Eternal Architecture and discussing its fine nuances. Sometimes we judge a building by its face, its outer character but this doesn’t unravel the integration of interior spaces of a structure. This is an issue we believe that would help the budding architects to understand the complexity of the outdoors and indoors. Quite a thought streaming article by Ar. Sanjay Puri. INDIAN ARCH 2013 is an attempt to lay down some aspects…which were unsaid of. A prospect we have tried to compact through the articles in this publication. We had a very great opportunity as the theme “FOOTPRINT” allowed us to pioneer thoughts that might aim at making a mark, to build a respectable society; a self-motivated and morale boosted civilization. We hope that this issue makes the folks understand the exceptional facets of the architectural community and help in fabricating a better future for the humankind. Best luck! Regards, Amruta Vaidya Adwait Limaye

Prof. Abhay Purohit II Footprints

PRINCIPAL’S DESK

It gives me immense pleasure to note that students of IDEAS-Institute of Design Education and Architectural Studies, Nagpur, have taken the responsibility of compilation of Indian Arch , the annual magazine of NASA. It is more appreciable as the foundation batch of IDEAS is only in Fourth Year. NASA as a unique organization of students of Architecture of India, has effectively demonstrated its strength and capability of showcasing the skills and talent of students of Architecture from all over India over last 54 years.. In that sense, NASA has matured as majority of Indian Architects were associated with NASA at some point or other. NASA occupies a special status in the heart of Architectural fraternity. ‘Foot Print’ seems to be a very apt theme selected for this annual issue of Indian Arch. It reflects Evolution, Conquest and Continuity. I hope, this issue of Indian Arch would be a mile stone on the path of publication efforts of NASA. I congratulate the Editorial Board for their enormous efforts inspite of hectic academic schedules and hope that the readers would enjoy the contents of the magazine. I wish NASA Convention and Magazine publication a grand success and wish all the very best to young budding Architects. Prof. Abhay V. Purohit Principal IDEAS, Nagpur

NASA INDIA

Prof. Milind Gujarkar II Footprints

FACULTY’S DESK

It’s been four years since IDEAS Nagpur took its leap in professional education. Since then, we at IDEAS have always strived for imparting and exposing our students to ventures in all possible projects in Architecture Education. How could NASA be not a consideration for them? It gives me immense satisfaction and pleasure that on the very first year of being a permanent member of NASA, our students have taken this responsibility of ambitious project of the annual magazine of NASA. NASA, a national student’s body, gives a unique platform to demonstrate student’s abilities in many facets of Architecture Education. It gives students an opportunity to work as a member of a group and as a leader too. The making of annual NASA magazine has given the students, confidence and strength to work as group. The name ‘FOOTPRINT’, the theme selected mirrors the work of students and also the scholars. It highlights the relevant issues for the current scenario, keeping in context the cultural background. I extend my best wishes and congratulations to all the students, who have worked for it, especially the editorial board. May this be a great FOOT for NASA, and expect that the readers would gain and enjoy the assorted works in the magazine... I wish NASA Convention and Magazine publication a grand success.

Prof. Milind Gujarkar HOD IDEAS, Nagpur

NASA INDIA

ARCHITECT’S LEAN ON ETERNITY Pune is home to this MIT and Harvard educated, ‘Great Master Architect’ awardee since 1976. He is designing new campuses for IIT, Hyderabad; IIM, Calcutta; Supreme Court of Bhutan; and Azim Premji University. His Pune creations include Suzlon and Bajaj corporate headquarters; Forbes Marshall Business Park; COEP; Kirloskar Institute; and Mahindra United World College. His book, ‘Letters to a Young Architect’ is amongst the top ten bestselling, non-fiction books in India. Prof. Christopher Benninger

ife is a puzzle that unfolds both organically and through intended strategies of self-definition. Less curious people just let life happen, and blame the outcome on fate! Foolish people, like me, try to mould their futures, and live in the fantasy that we can shape our world, or maybe design our own lives! I find myself in this precarious category, leading me to ask what I am doing; where do I want to go; questioning if there is a vision enlightening my short life? Can that vision be stated as a mission, or even detailed down into a set of principles to follow? I think so! When I awake in the still of the night I ponder over these questions. My work is grounded into an evolving philosophy that has matured over the years. My design philosophy emerges from the design process itself in a few “starting points.” That sounds easy and nice, but underlying every new project is uneasiness about what the unique value of the project will be? Will it be “art?” Or, will it be meaningless? So, behind the easy starting points are the difficult searches for poetry, and that is a mystical search! Here’s where I awake at night tossing and turning, from this way to that, in confusion. I suppose this anxiousness about life, and my search for truth, makes me ask a question each time I start a new

“Who am I? Is my design a contribution to the advancement of civilization? If so, what is my contribution, and how am I going about it?” I suppose every thinking person occasionally wakes up in the middle of night and poses this philosophical project:

doubt about themselves; about their own meaning; about their own being. But this question is also thrust upon me every time I lift my pen! Everyday in the studio I am confronted with the impact of what I am doing, and what kind of legacy I am leaving. All of this questioning links into a kind of inner journey, or a “travel of self-discovery,” seeking a kind of a truth in oneself. If that truth is meaningful, it must be “universal.” It must be every man’s truth, and every woman’s truth too. As a youngster, the urge “to know” lead me to serious studies, and then to wandering across the earth in search of wise people! It led me to living in alien, and even exotic, places from which I learned more about myself, and what I might contribute. Settling in India I found fertile soil from where the tree of my life could grow. I could now create things that will be there forever. My truth would confront all those people through eternity who dare to enter my secret worlds; worlds dwelling within my spaces, my inner courtyards, and my darkened pathways, suddenly filled with my light. They will share my creative moments, and they will know my darkness and my light!

That is the wonder of being an architect! We have a lean on eternity! We can leave a “footprint on the earth” that may be uncovered centuries, or even millennia later. That footprint, shape, or that plan, may arouse people to ponder and question sometime in the distant future, “What kind of

Prof. Christopher Benninger II Footprints

of people must these have been who conjured up such amazing spaces and meeting places?” At least if I lie awake at night, gazing into nowhere, I can be pondering this distant hope! Our contribution to civilization must be in the form of celebrating people “coming together!” It could mean coming together in a chowk, an amphitheatre, a spiritual space, or a large hall! But only architecture can gift real public domains where real gathering takes place. Perhaps we have invented “anti-public domains?” Maybe civilization is moving backwards? That too I ponder while staring out at the scary nothingness of the night. So here are the architects, and our entire studios, jointly armed with only our craft to create a better future. In each campus, and in each building, lie the opportunities to glean a unique kernel of truth about humanity; about civilization; about the meaning of a society; about life itself. We have the great gift of instilling meaning! Every single building has that incredible potential. So when I am studying Fatehpur Sikri, or the great Chola temple complexes, I am confronted by the strength of these “domains” and how these great spaces communicated with the people for whom they were built. They communicate with all of us who have wandered through them even centuries later. They not only raise our spirits, but they enlighten us as to the heights of human creativity, and of the transcendental awareness the human race is capable of? They draw into question our darker nature, and raise our lighter spirits. They make us proud to be human and to be a part of these experiences. Any student with an eye can claim these spatial systems as his or her own. In the end we are just chroniclers of the known! To me there are two kinds of people on this earth, and maybe two kinds of architects also: there are those who “labor,” prodding along like millions of honey bees, keeping this great machine going, maintaining our settlements and keeping our society running. Then there are those who are “working!” Those “working” are people who are trying to add quality to what we know as civilization! After all, “the civilization project” is only a couple of thousand years old, and it may still prove a huge failure? People “working” are questioning what “is,” and asking, ”what can be?” People are working in teams to create better medicines, better habitats, and more effective civil societies. Here the architect’s role is critical in crafting more human, more ecologically sensitive, more artistic and more compelling built fabrics that call out to all of us to create a better tomorrow. When I awake confused in the emptiness of the night, wondering who I am and why I am here, I try to think of the history of civilization and the great public spaces in which beauty unfolded for mankind. I try to imagine who were the creators and why? My mind often wanders on, into the central brahmasthan of a campus I am designing, and I find peace in my spirit. With those images floating in my imagination, I fall off to sleep dreaming of a yet to be imagined future.

PRESIDENT’S NOTE

“It is not enough to take steps which may someday lead to a goal ; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise....” Likewise connecting the dots we realize that architecture has a lot more than mere designing and defining of spaces. The society looks up to us for delivering responsibility along with designs. A challenge we, the architects, accept by the choice of this profession... So is NASA a personification to architecture as defined above where the true spirit of architecture is kept alive and that the real architectural vibe gets the frame of ventury to lay an impact that indeed is as effective as a spark spreading all across. It is thus time for us to leave behind our distinctive mark - our unique FOOTPRINT! “Start wherever you are and start small”...keeping this in mind we started the journey of FOOTPRINTS to embark upon the 55th year of NASA INDIA. We pledged to take it to a step higher than before and by keeping our ambitions to the limit of its true spirits and not let it go topsy-turvy we finally can say , “YES WE DID IT! “ You shall get to read more on the happenings in NASA’s 55th year in the coming article on the journey of FOOTPRINTS. This year one thing that was really special was that the THEME FOOTPRINT was not just convention oriented but it personified every act that we did and that it reflected in the spirit of NASA everywhere.

“Start wherever you are and

start small” 08

Samruddhi Chaphale II Footprints Indian Arch is another element of NASA, I should say; that has always made us (NASA INDIA) feel proud. With the tremendous effort being put forth in the making of INDIAN ARCH, it is yet another year that we are blessed to witness one of its beautiful edition that talks on the lines of our THEME 55TH – FOOTPRINTS –LEAVING BEHIND A MARK! The Magazine, we hope, shall turn out to be an eye opener to discover the perception within; by which you shall start exploring the MANY FOOTPRINTS THAT WERE BEING LAID FOR US TO FOLLOW AND CLIMB THE LADDER. We as budding architects are always amazed by the work done by our respective heroes. But did we ever try to find the MARK THAT OUR HEROES LEFT? Were we ever inspired to lay down our own footprints? Did we ever try to imbibe what we learn and traced the GOLDEN FOOTPRINT? I really hope that the INDIAN ARCH 2012-13 turns out to be so impactful that you end up finding answers to all these questions. The magazine is not only informative and full of exposure but also leaving a message for all young readers that “Architecture is not a shear art of building but it is a wholesome responsibility for the very soul to take care of everything around. Its NOBLE for its IMMORTAL. “ It’s thus a fact that in terms of an architect; AGE is a blur silhouette which never puts one into a sense of regret; for a twenty years old youngster or a sixty years old man architect would have the same eagerness and zest to EXPLORE learning more and more.Ironically, the age factor in terms of

architecture is like a relay wherein phase-wise ; one gets to see the variety and essence of the time yet the very desirable elements are carry forwarded. Thus, we see that with time changing at constant pace; an architect's ultimate desire has always been to have eternal glory and leaving behind a legacy for the future to be in complete awe of. Our forefathers left their mark and created history! We desire to leave back ours! I thus hope that with this INDIAN ARCH, apart from the knowledge and information you get, you shall carry some thought in your mind... in your heart that would always upbeat you to aim high and leave YOUR FOOTPRINT! On this very concluding note I would like to thank the entire team of INDIAN ARCH 2012-13 for the 55th year of NASA INDIA for their hardwork and efforts in order to make this magazine a great success. I would like to thank the host college of INDIAN ARCH – IDEAS, NAGPUR, and Director of College –Prof.Uday Gadkari, Principal of college -Prof. Abhay Purohit , all the esteemed architects covered in the magazine to share their knowledge , students to write such beautiful articles for the magazine and my special thanks to the Editor of the magazine , Adwait Limaye for everything that is done to make this publication possible. Happy reading and happy Architecture! -Samruddhi S. Chaphale President, NASA INDIA

Prof. S.A. Deshpande

NASA - A UNIQUE BODY OF STUDENTS OF ARCHITECTURE It is through the haze of fading memories that I venture a journey to the years when a student organization was about to be born. In fact, students of Architecture in Bombay had taken the initiative to form a group in 1929 or so, that ultimately led to the creation of the Indian Institute of Architecture (IIA). The issue that brought the students of Architecture together, once again, on the lawns of the SIR J.J. SCHOOL OF ART in Mumbai sometimes in the year 1953-54,was to seek the transfer of the govt. diploma in architecture from the directorate of higher art examination to the directorate of technical examination in Mumbai. The number of architecture students then was quite small in comparison to what we have today. The intake being only 13, the senior students in the 3rd and 4th years taken together, was not more than 50 or 60. And as I now vaguely remember, the number of girls was not more than 5 or 6! So we elected one of them to lead our delegation. Yes, I remember, she was Dolly Talpade in the 4th year! Incidentally, her father was then a senior architect in the CPWD in Delhi. We drafted a memorandum of demands, formed a ‘morcha’ and walked to the secretariat, then called the ‘sachivalay’ in the back-bay area. Naturally Dolly was chosen to lead the morcha! Our demand was accepted by the government and a couple of years later the architecture course was handed over to directorate of technical education and much later to the University of Mumbai. As result of this effort, a B.ARCH course in the J.J. was started. In the meantime, I completed the 5th year government diploma in architecture (GD ARCH) in 1956 in the 4th and 5th year, most of the students also prepared testimonies of designs prescribed by the RIBA and appeared for the part II of the examination conducted in India by the ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS as part I was given Start of NASA

NASA INDIA

Prof. S.A.Deshpandes II Footprints

equivalence to the GD ARCH by the RIBA. Professional experience of one year was required before appearing at the final part III of the RIBA exam. After which the associate ship of the ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS (ARIBA) was granted. In the early 60s, there was no course in India to offer a post graduate degree in Architecture. As such, ARIBA was the only qualification considered to be the highest that one could obtain.

Looking back, I still remember one Peres De Costa, a junior student of B.ARCH then, took up the task of forming an all India body of the architecture students and named it the National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA). Later on, some more schools of architecture were established and NASA units were to become part of studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities. All was not well however, in hosting of the annual convention of NASA and a few years passed without any. It was, I think in 1976 that a NASA convention was held in VRCE Nagpur on a very short notice as the school which was to host it backed out. As the then head of Architecture department, we appealed to the principal, DR. V M DOKRAS to permit us to host the NASA convention on the VRCE Campus. Our students then, worked vigorously, day and night to successfully give one more life to NASA. Today, as I look back, NASA is the only national level body of students of architecture, and a NASA unit in every school. With over 250 schools and the intake rising from 80 to 120, I think there is no parallel anywhere in the world! The baby I saw being born has now a strong body and growing healthier. I wish NASA a healthy and a meaningful long life! NASA INDIA

Pictures of 4TH ANNUAL NASA CONVENTION AT BENGAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE, SHIBPUR

DUST WIND

IN THE

Ar. Keshav Gangadhar, Commenced Indian ARCH

Last month in the year gone by, I was back in SPA for a Reunion across batches who crossed paths between ’87 and ’92. Treasurer Saajan Varanasi proudly showed me the hard gained NASA office in the first floor of the Architecture Building, where next door I was trying to help put up an exhibition of Alumni work ‘bees saal baad’ with posters from an era gone by. The immediate reaction to the cultural and election posters was to quote a student in SPA : “You mean you actually used to sketch, draw, letter and colour the posters you used to make ?”. Incredulous as we did, it struck me that we represented an era before the Computer revolution or the Internet. It also struck me that the tendency today was to design in the matrix of computer aided drafting and draw in the anonymity of ‘copy and paste’ graphics from sources unknown and unacknowledged. Had the perfect machine won over the imperfect handicraft ? Surely there was still some beauty left in the beast. It was in such times in the mid-eighties that ‘Indian Arch’ was born, with much labour and love over a summer vacation, which was probably the only time NASA could be attended to since schools then as probably less now, refused to pay attention give time for student activities in any organized national body. An office for NASA in SPA was as much an achievement like putting man on the moon ! A bunch of us had only the previous year introduced a student's rag-mag called ‘Spaghetti’, to feel the need for a similar but more serious and academic platform on a national level... In as much as time available or given towards NASA was a premium, the fact was there was absolutely no means of funding an attempt to document students work from all over the country or print a magazine of any scale or cost. The effort to produce anything of the sort would require a herculean effort of raising money for a first time venture that had no history to fall back upon. Besides the task of corresponding by snail mail and STD calls between at least the 30 odd schools of architecture that were there at the time. Somewhere around the beginning of 1986, we began writing letters to the “Unit Secretaries” and a few architects soliciting their support through documenting notable student work and writing articles respectively.

Excerpts of First INDIAN ARCH

Ar. Keshav Gangadhar II Footprints

. We also began looking for building industry related companies to buy advertising space in a magazine that we promised to be of quality and coverage through students who could be caught young and influenced as future consumers of their services and products. The semester and academic year got over by mid-May and as most students went home for their summer vacations, a bunch of us decided to work on making ‘Indian Arch’ a reality in the heat and dust. The present editor of Indian Arch, Adwait Limaye sent me a soft copy of the 2009 edition produced by Chandigarh College of Architecture for reasons of comparing and understanding how far the magazine had travelled, and I was happy to note that the concept of a ‘Team’ that worked together on producing Indian Arch was still very much alive. The idea being that we all worked as equals like ‘egalitarian proletariat of the world’ unlike the bourgeoise ! Some ideals have survived, though communism may have largely not. And so we laboured for advertising revenues and gathered contributions from almost 15 schools of architecture and a dozen architects across the country in the days before computers, the internet and mobile phones impacted and assisted our lives in any significant way. Not to mention that the entire production of the magazine was ‘in-house’ … including designing ads for those who didn’t have one, besides graphics, cartoons and all the contents that went into the making of a magazine. It was all about pushing a frontier that had never been explored before, and looking back we did a commendable job of it, and can be justifiably proud of having made a mark where there was none before. We had to set the standards from scratch, and that I’m sure we made benchmarks that will take some matching ! However, it’s a sad note to add that our HOD Prof. M.R. Agnihotri who had encouraged us to bring out the magazine then, just passed away at the turn of the year. Just as ‘architectural writing’ wasn’t a category in NASA competitions then, nor was Indian Arch mere wishful thinking than its clearer and more defined avatars now. Going by the ’09 edition produced by CCA, it was evident that Indian Arch now has the support of faculty in articles, interviews with leading architects and even works featured by eminent practices in the country. Vidhu Saxena, the NASA President then did hint at Indian Arch becoming a monthly by 2015, but given the nature of our hectic academic lifestyle I don’t see that happening. A quarterly 4 page newsletter is a distinct possibility with updates on the NASA schedule of activities and competitions at the zonal and national levels. As for Indian Arch … I believe it has to continue as a yearly publication with both quality and content. This is assuming that in the 26 years since it’s inception there have been an equal number of Indian Arch’s ! While on the matter of the future of Indian Arch, I would like to point out that the arch that was rendered for the the inaugural issue cover, was distinctly Indian quite unlike the present arch in the logo for NASA which could just as well be Roman! It is hoped that as global as the annual issue of Indian Arch could become, as rooted and grounded we need to be as Indians and our cultural context. It was Gandhiji who said, ‘I will let the winds of all cultures blow about my house; but I will refuse to be blown off my feet by any’. Globalization in design tends to become monocultural and universal in practice, with no heed of culture or climate. Diversity needs to thrive instead of the tendency to conform to global practices, since architecture can never become a standardized product that is ‘suited and booted’ for all climes and cultures.

Lessons with Arts and Craft - Ar. Pradnya Chauhan The Urban Challenge Ahmadabad: Compact city planning achievable.

EVOLUTION

Every mans' memory is a private literature Inner voice - Chandrakant Channe Devising a boulevard for the billionth LBC- NASA Collaboration

IDENTITY

The Window - Ar. K. Jaisim Eyes as an Impression Threshold: The journey of a wall through time

IMPRESSION

INSIGHT 17 30 35

22 41

54 62 71

Contemporary Vernacular: In search of context based Architecture - Ar. Habeeb Khan The innumerable faces that are merely faces - Ar. Sanjay Puri Carrying the weight of life .

CONTEMPORARY

Eternal Architecture: Give time a break.. - Ar. B.V.Doshi Components of Natures' fan: Traditional Houses in Central India - Ar. Ajay Thomare

HERITAGE

Sri Lanka Scape Footsteps to Immortality

LEGACY

Biting cold... over a cup of pineapple icecream - Interview with Prof. U. Gadkari Wishlist - Ar. Gita Balkrishnan Time indeed is God - Ar. Aabhas Maldahiyar

GUIDE

59 65 79

Ar. K.Jaisim II Impression

"THE WINDOW" MY Footprints on the Sands of Architecture in Time and Space My Practice Five Decades of Architecture - Ar. K Jaisim

Inspirations

journey that started in 1961, entering the portals, the School of Architecture, Madras, the fifth or sixth school in the whole country. The only context I had to join was, I learnt from my mother that my grandfather was the Palace Architect to H. H. the Maharaja of Mysore; and also that I would get the Triumph Tiger Cub a four-stroke fabulous motorcycle, as an alternative to joining mechanical engineering in MIT. Decision made and I thoroughly enjoyed my five years and the later years as student leader Secretary and President; at the same time as The Editor and Publisher of Student TIMES and playing sports and rarely in class, to the utter discomfort of my HOD, if there was any!

During the second year came Prof. Sheila Tribe and she made me aware of the three dimensional aspect of Time and Space. Come 1963, Ayn Rand walked into my life, and my perception of Architecture took a NEW meaning. I have since then walked many paths with many legends in real life as well as icons lighting the way, but all of them shone brighter by the awakening in me through the book THE FOUNTAINHEAD. The FOUNTAINHEAD in a manner of speaking became my RELIGION. As others refer to the BIBLE, the KORAN or the BHAGVADGITA, to seek solutions or to find answers, I turn to these pages and there shining with bright clarity like a beacon all and more than what I sought. Very often in my practice there are moments when I find it difficult or frustrated to continue, but one look at the BOOK which always is somewhere around and the spirit enlivens and the strength returns with vigor. A surge happens and all the doubts disappear. Not a day passes when one is confronted, by students, clients, builders, contractors, suppliers and the many fronts of the building industry, and the architectural profession, who thrust to push me into the gutter of the everyday practice. These gutters are full of easy returns.

Jaisim has enjoyed the practice of architecture for over four decades now. His early years in the field were inspired by greats such as Buckminster Fuller, Koenigsberger and Geoffrey Bawa. And in the sixties, Ayn Randâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Fountainhead gave his aspirations a whole new meaning. He started Jaisim Fountainhead in 1970. Since then he has created and recreated innumerable homes, institutions and commercial enterprises. He has written over 150 papers and articles, serves on several boards and councils. His iconoclastic views and individualistic endeavours are the hallmarks of his creativity. Today, he still continues to pursue the adventures of the built environment, searching and researching beyond the boundaries of time and space.

BUT it takes a smile and very little effort to say NO- and continue one's journey. This path is very often lonely. Oftener than not, events and associations like me to become a part of them, adding a perceived value. Not all of them seek the depth one stands for. Initially I used to stay away and fight them off. BUT later I found, it was a waste of my energy and like JOHN GALT, let them flow past and the gutter often turned into a fresh stream. I learnt to live and enjoy the bitter with the sweet. Yes, it is tiring and troubling, but if one pauses and looks around it strengthens one's convictions EGO- My Home and the smile returns. I am not a prophet standing on a rock or peak and sending out sermons. I am me, just going on my journey, this journey is joined by the few rare clients and builders and the industry who then give me the reason to explore, experiment and experience new environments of the built space, adding immense value to the limits of understanding Man-Life and purpose. WELL...! Life changed. Objectives clear. TWO other GIANTS passed my narrow path during these years at school. And they were to have an impact as to how and why of my practice. ONE was the phenomenal BUCK MINSTER FULLER. One day I had a call from my sister from the tourism department that some elderly architect was stuck in the Madras airport as his flight was delayed, will I keep him company. Little did I know that in the next TWO hours a world of geodesic and Tetra hedra will open before me to compete and complete unimaginable steel structures of large and intricate spans of spaces in my practice. A little later but with a difference, I met another father figure, Otto Koenigsberger, of the school of tropical studies, London, and a mentor of many a garden capital in this country during the glorious princely era, as also a mentor to my grandfather who succeeded him as the palace architect. My world of climate influenced design changed. I made study after study in depth and width of nature and the great integration, which today influence every aspect of my architecture.

Formative

With so much of the above, I somehow scratched through the mundane classes and joined L. M. Chitale & Son as an intern and later as an Assistant Architect under the admirable Sri Krishna Chitale learning and grappling the fundamentals of this profession for four years.

He taught me, and I learnt the Details. Every line mattered.

Each decision is DESIGN. FOUNTAINHEAD

Come 1970, got married, left work, all I had was her income and a rattling Rajdoot motorcycle and little else. Scraped all I had and on a site bequeathed from my father, on the sands of the Sea Side Kalakshetra Colony, built with my hands with professional assistance EGO, my home. The architecture of this was the inspiration drawn from my interaction and in depth study of the Great Master Mies van der Rohe. The home is an innovation in concrete hollow block walls and filler slab with low ceiling heights, all floating with pads on the sand. It got to be admired and studied much to my surprise. The next step as a wandering architect with an inspiring and innovative structural engineer P S S, was getting anchored to a place on Haddows Road, by the grace of

Ar. K.Jaisim II Impression a successful advocate, who gave us space to run an office and put up the board JAISIM FOUNTAINHEAD all gratis. Suddenly the practice took off and soared beyond the wildest imagination. Students and spirited youth flocked in and many milestones just flowed by. The Cochin Stadia with its large inverted umbrellas, The TAJ Fisherman's Cove, Holy Cross

Institutions, the Dinathanthi large Spans press, unthinkable those days, the many bungalows, the Geodesic BUBE an exhibition centre and many more. Well the practice inspired youth, but became envy to the established as it followed no known norms or methods of Design, Detail and Development. A whole new scenario of architecture was revealed. I did not notice it; I just carried on as also the motor cycle evolved to fascinating cars like the VW Beatle, the 2CV Citroen and the Mercedes Benz. Name it I had to have it. And into FOUNTAINHEAD walked in The legendary Geoffrey Bawa , made me see and sense beyond the obvious, hidden meaning and value in every day and waste objects. Waste turned into Wealth. It was a high. Well a pause was needed and it came.

Exploration

After three near coincidental learning disasters in 1975 came an invitation by the IIT to visit the unheard of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman to offer consultancy. The fortnight run turned out to be a Four year Odyssey. Architecture took second seat. Construction management, project

planning, contracting, fabrication, running a crusher and sand and cement processor, import and export of building materials, labour management, name it and I had it. I comprehended that even as the East had much to learn from the West, our concepts were eons ahead. In 1978, Ashwini was born and thus the call to return.

Continuum

Back to Motherland but this time to Bangalore. To rest and retire. ANTHEM the new home built in 1980 in the Ideal Homes Neighbourhood Township as a quiet space once again inspired and got invaded by architects of all ages from all over the country.

It became a must visit on any student tour agenda. Peace exploded, exciting projects, invitations to talks and participate became the order of the day. ANTHEM explored every aspect of SUSTAINABILITY and GREEN that today is bandied about with immense success.

The Present

1980 to 2012, three decades, many explorations, President and Director of Cooperative Housing, Chairman IIA, Professor Design Chair, Advisor and board member of many a professional educational institutions. Awards galore, anything presented won an award or an acclaim. A whole new venture into innovative materials and innovative structures, Exploring space beyond time and culture, Homes, Housing, Industry, Health, Entertainment, Hospitality, became the order of everyday. But the students and the young took priority. A few years of dedicated internship with FOUNTAINHEAD transformed to new sprouts all over. The associates flourished beyond the founder. The clients were and are a spectrum. Travel Exploration Experience to Evolve and accept the challenges and change with the times and yet strongly led by a philosophy of objectivism in every aspect of the built environment. A realization that the unbuilt spaces are stronger than the built and that space expressed all the senses and that psychology played a significant part for joy and happiness. THE HUMAN TOOK ON A GREATER MEANING. TECHNOLOGY RACED AND ART FOCUSED. In 1999 the fusion of professionalism by launching JFPPL (Jaisim Fountainhead Projects Private Limited) gave new measure. The lonely journey became a space time travel for anyone who showed even the least of interest in the world of architecture. The professionals acknowledged and revered and respected. The media had and has a field day. The journals give it depth.

Rebel

Over the decades I have been called MAD, CREATIVE, ORGANIC, ICONIC, BOLD, INNOVATIVE, IMAGINATIVE, PROBLEMATIC, ORIGINAL, CRAZY, LAZY, difficult but NEVER ORTHODOX. An enigma to the architects of the day. To Rebel, reflect and respond with an ethos in the built living environment became the script. These days the Mind wants to race, the Body smiles and lazily strides. New materials inspire new structures to create unimaginable spaces in a moment of Time to realize an Architecture that makes me smile with pride. Anger stills. Patience conquers. The young wants to tread these footsteps, but time does not linger and the space is a wandering wonderland. I firmly believe with total conviction that today Classrooms can only offer tools of expression. Architecture is an individualistic and lonely journey. Where alone you can do nothing and together it can be a cacophonous mess. The Messiah of today can inspire and edge these spirited youth and launch them beyond boundaries. My footprints are today in my mind as new tools of expression allow me to metaphorically swim the skies for designs beyond definition and yet realize the virtual into the real. I am today within that whirlpool. Watched by the traditional old and egged on by arrogantly sublime youth, each thinking they can pave the way to the future. And neither knows where or what Time and Space will tell. As I edit these lines from my SUVIDHA cottage 126 for THE WINDOW and attempt vainly to close, spirited away by youthful thoughts, THE WINDOWS OPENED TO VIEW THE WORLD; THE DOORS OPENED, INVITING TO STEP INTO THE WORLD OF ADVENTURE AND TO FOREVER MARK ONE'S FOOTPRINTS THAT OTHERS MAY LEARN TO FLY.

Every day is today, every project an adventure. 20

Threshold

Rachita Todi

The journey of a wall through timeâ&#x20AC;Ś

I remember the day when we were shown a movie on Mumbai and then asked to visit

one of the very famous places called Saat-Rasta starting from Jacob circle till the end which was allotted in accordance to teams (mine was Sane Guruji Marg). Formally it was called Gadge Maharaj Chowk, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better known as Jacob circle and this is the name, I was hearing from my upbringing days. The seven roads and surroundings it connected were unidentified to me but all I knew was that put together it was called Saat-Rasta. Saat-Rasta, I knew as a child was an unimaginable space. Being naĂŻve I could have never postulated possibility to connect seven roads, I had an opinion that it was just like one of the other names from the British time, whose reason behind, was long forgotten. (Probably something like Teen Batti, which no longer is the only place that has the three lights, better known as the traffic signal or Kala Ghoda which had once upon a time a statue of horse and its rider made in black stone.) After having given the site, I found a map of concerned area and I was quite astonished to see that seven roads could actually exist at one time. It was not like Teen Batti or Kala Ghoda but like Hanging Garden which still has a tank below. Another interesting thing about area that I found after looking at the map was that it connected very singular places across Bombay (as it was earlier called). Going on site, I discovered that it was a very well organized space and could possibly have come into existence to ease travelling. The area, as it was earlier, had lots of working mills and all roads led to different parts of the city. It may have been planned in that fashion, so that the mill workers could reach their work place at an ease, as most of them did not live near the mills. The roads also had a lot of chawls and small shops catering to their residents and other local habitants.

Rachita Todi II Impression The place, as it is today, has high rise buildings coming up throwing away the mills and chawls. Builders have been persuading tenants of chawls by throwing on them the ploys by promising a furnished house with basic amenities in place of their un-conditioned homes in the same spot where the chawls stand today at no extra cost. Builders are succeeding to get more and more land at the cost of lollipops they have been floating in front of chawls residence. And who does not dream to get future lifestyle even before good education.

While strolling onto the road allotted to me, I saw my contrast like a chawl and high rise buildings (some under construction and some completed), mills and shops, garages for taxis to an automobile showroom, petrol pumps to office buildings, gardens and a garbage dumping area, a taxi stand, hawkers, marble workshops and top o all lots of traffic. These contrasts really flabbergasted me as it was not everyday phenomenon. Looking all around or a site to work upon I shortlisted two (We were supposed to find a place that we either liked or disliked or just any other space that we wanted to study), one being the wall between a chawl and a mill (now three high rise residential buildings under construction) and the second being the garbage dumping area.

Mumbai Location Map

As I mentioned earlier, I was really taken aback by the various contrasts and therefore decided to go ahead with the wall. That wall was actually an industrial wall and was built as a boundary for the mill land long ago when it was constructed. In earlier times children used to play on the other side of wall. It was about two storeys tall and still remains unchanged by height. Today although the wall remains and so does its purpose, the mill for which it was constructed has blown away. The significance of the wall is still there amid cerebrum of the populace on either side of it but nobody really remembers its derivation. Think over it, ‘An industrial wall actually classifies the people according to their income’. It feels very strange when you actually think about it. Doesn’t it? It is only after a thought that you realize that’s reality of life, described so well.

Saatrasta Location Map

Is it not the industrial sector which actually differentiates between people based on their income? It is always that the rich keeps ascending while the poor sing the song vice versa. Thinking about this, another thought crosses my mind. What have we the ‘privileged ones’ done to deserve the life we lead or to not lead the lives of the people on the other side of ‘the wall’. Most of the times, the answer is nothing. It is just that we have been blessed to have been born where we are. Leaving the philosophy for the time being and looking at the wall as a passerby, it feels so ordinary. There seems to be nothing special about it. It is only when you try to observe your surroundings that you actually notice these little things that may be worth a thought. With a desire to learn more about the wall and the activities happening around it, I thought about going to the chawl. Upon entering the chawl, I felt I was in some extraterrestrial place. It was not a surrounding that I was familiar with. The first thing I saw was children playing around. Moving further I looked at the wall from where I was standing all I could see was a wall mounted toilet block, the chawl building a little away from it on the side I was in and three tall structures covered in blue on the other side. Hoping to learn something about the wall and know what the residents of the chawl had a vision about it; I went upstairs to first floor of the chawl. There, I was lucky enough to meet an old lady who had been born and brought up in

that very chawl. Talking to her I came to know that the chawl housed people in general and was not specifically built only for the mill workers. When I asked if they ever got disturbed because of the mill, she told me that there were many such instances but all they ever had to do was to go and talk to the people there and their problem used to be sorted out. She said that, they have more of a problem during the ongoing construction of the high

rise in place of the mill; because of it, the entire first floor vibrates with the vibrating of machines used for construction which makes it difficult for them to live at peace. On inquiring about her views on the wall, she told me that it has not changed since the time of its construction and the only change it has undergone is that iron beams have been added as reinforcement (retrofitting) by the current builder. She also pointed out to a â&#x20AC;&#x2122;kind of shelterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; between the mill wall and the outer wall of the building. She said that due to recent phenomenon of space crunches, people have been forcibly living like that. (This entire conversation was in English and she was really fluent with it.) After having heard everything she told me, I wanted to go to the other side and see how things were. I wanted to see the other side of the wall. I wanted to know, if the grass was actually greener on the other side. Going there, merely disappointment touched my feet. All my excitement was drowned in a flash. The watchman was not at all co-operative. Even after requesting him to open the gate a wee bit he very rudely refused. He told me that no outsider was allowed to enter without permission and that I would have to go to the site office in order to seek permission for the entry. With a little bit of enthusiasm left in me, I went to the site office which was a good ten to fifteen minutes walk away from the wall. To my dismay, I found that the only person who could grant me the required permission had gone on leave and would not be available for few weeks. With all the effort gone waste, I almost felt like giving up. I decided to leave everything and come back home. Sitting at home, thinking with a calm head, I started comparing the two places. Since they were both residential places in the same locality, sharing the same compound wall, I thought that the comparison was fair enough with a unit dimension matching among the subjects. Though I was a little partial towards the chawl at the beginning, later I realized that it was only natural for the watchman to behave like that as after all it was his job. Even the difference between the mentalities of people at the cost of change in income and the feeling of superiority had started becoming clear. It was not like this was something new but it was probably the first time I had experienced it. Not allowing such instances to rule over, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continue with my views and understandings of the wall and its surroundings. Entering the chawl, I found that the main gate of the chawl (if it exists) was nowhere to be seen. A sense of belonging encompassed me. There was certain warmth in the air. The everyday life seemed really pleasant and made me want to be there. No one was really bothered about who came in and who left, yet there was a sense of unity. People knew about their neighbors but did not really interfere in their lives. It seemed like they lived together like a big happy family but minded their own business. It can almost be compared to a small town or village where everybody knows the other but does not try to rule over the other. They share their moments of sorrow and joy and maybe even their everyday lives yet can easily draw a line when it comes to their family and other personal matters.

The older part

Contrasting realms

On the other hand, I mean on the other side of the wall, a huge land mass exists. It is way bigger than the land the chawl stands on. From far it felt like a dream space. It could be used for anything, maybe a bigger chawl or only a maidan which is free for all. How could that be? In the present scenario, who would not want a space as big as that? So there it goes to the highest bidder. Now, the entire plot area has not one but three high rise buildings underway. The entire perimeter is bounded by six meter high corrugated metal sheets even where the walls exist. Somewhere towards the centre of the plot are the three high rise residential buildings under construction. These, on completion I feel (though I hope I am proved wrong) will be like a huge monster, a miniature city, as far as its residents are concerned.

Going by the records and a bit of personal experience (unfortunately or fortunately I also reside in one such monster, only it is not as big in size), it seems to me that the life of the people who will stay in the high rise will be very different. These residents will without a doubt be those belonging to the other end of the social structure. They will probably be social animals to the world but actually loners at home. Forget about knowing everybody in the building, they may not even know their next door neighbors. These new residents to come will probably have everything in the world but will still not be as satisfied as those living in the chawl. They will mostly be competing with one another (individually or at a community level), only in an attempt to prove their superiority. This wall I feel shows the harsh reality of the world we live in. It is a screen on which one can see a true picture called life. I am really glad that I took this as my site and even after not getting a chance to actually see the other side, I did not give up. The entire process of going to a place with some impression which was very different from the actual, seeing the place first as a passerby and then slowly beginning to be able to understand it was magical. It was almost like someone had cast a spell on me thereby transforming my views and ideas about the place. I think it was a wonderful learning experience and I would suggest that anyone who is actually interested in understanding themselves and their surroundings better should pack their bags and head to an unknown destination that they have preconceived notions about.

K.R. Dinesh II Identity

EVERY MANS MEMORY IS A PRIVATE LITERATURE Why should I start with such an abstract saying while writing about footprints? It’s because my psychological eye just tries to correlate this with footprint. To me, footprints are nothing but flow of thoughts through memory lane. But the sad thing is that most of the footprints have become frozen thoughts. But if we just trace the history of each thought, we will find some impeccable values engraved within them. The demise of each thought is a birth of another and it’s the rebirth that takes places; there comes the footprints into scenario. But from where does this evolution takes its root and why or what should we learn from these footprints! The ultimate thing we gain, is the experience. Right from the prehistoric age to the modern age, man has undergone a subsequent series of positive and negative changes that has resulted footprint in various strata. As Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon for the first time he said “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Same way each and every massive innovation by humankind has marked an inevitable footprint on the lifestyle of people in all walks of their life. What do you think when you see all the pictures here? It is obvious that each of these buildings have created a marked impression in the society during its construction. Begin with small stones to literally the first shelter that has been great example to project the revolutionary thoughts. If we see the pages of the past, their curiosity to have a change has been continuing all the time to satisfy their needs.

“Man has his own rules When it’s hot, he wants it to be cool When it’s cool, he wants it to be hot The all he wants is a change.”

The footprints of these revolutionary thoughts had been carried from the primitive man to the times of Renaissance who were very particular about the “Rebirth in art.” They were never the first rebellions. Their small thoughts of “change” had been nurtured in human mind which had been passed on through generations in the form of footprints.

“From listening comes knowledge, From speaking comes the act of repentance And from researching the footprints Comes the true wisdom.” These footprints gave an eternal meaning to architecture. As often referred “architecture is the mother of arts”, this art not only refers to painting or sketching. It’s the art that teaches us to have a view of critic over our own life. And it is this behavioral theory of architecture that thought as the “Art of making footprint not just in the sands of time but an irremovable mould in human past”. So with or without our knowledge it’s an unavoidable truth that we have been making footprints all the time for our followers and we have been learning from the footprints left by our ancestors. But it just differs with each individual by their thoughts and as mentioned in the first line “EVERY

MAN’S MEMORY IS A PRIVATE LITERATURE”, which is not an abstract but an indelible footprint.

“Experience is a good school, but its fees are very heavy.”

INNER VOICE

Through times and experience, this dream of raising emotions to a form is realised by the architect. Is it a realisation worth giving a soul to? What is the soul of architecture? What is the meaning of architecture? As an architect, we learn the three principles: Utility, Stability and Beauty. But, do the masses for whom we build feel the same way? This has been a classic question ever since the industrial revolution; do the people evolve at the same pace the architects do? And the commoner asks, are t he architects expressive enough to evoke the eclectic emotion of the architecture?

DEVISING A

BOULEVARD FOR THE BILLIONTH

Priyanka Hansda

rchitecture has been a part of the civilisation and vice versa. It is the physical form of the conceptual manifestations of the epoch. Every creation is an exten sion of stimulating contemplation, which governs the existence of a world. This contemplation is the dream of a civilisation, that o f an architecture, of the world. The eccentric idiosyncrasy of such an idea is that a civilisation comprises of individuals with distinct predilection s. It is a single origin that models the assorted min ds, that is the collective ideal. This con cord of a vision is w hat unites the in tangible piece of numerous contemplation s of that of architecture. Architecture doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand for a purely exclusive feeling; it is deeper than, as deep as the sou l. Architecture lives, for a civilisation, beyond a civilisation, imprinted like an iden tity .

Priyanka Hansda II Identity

Glimpses of a yesterday are detailed on each element of a structure, monument, spatial arrangement; our histories are etched on these convoluted archetypes that instigate a strong sentiment from within. It is a conduit to the devout orb o f the contemplation s which makes us feel the belongingness; it is a stream of commonality that binds this e cosystem of corporeal an d quin tessential notions, w hich is architecture. Every prin ciple of architecture is not only the in terrelatio n between material en tities, forms, shapes; it is the lin k of specie to another, a thought to another, an iden tity to anoth er. It is sacred and as architects one believes in it. The doctrine of materialising a vision into realism makes it whimsical. It might seem a selfish intention of an individual to have the authorization to bu ild a permutation of space, bu t that devout orb of contemplation s links each individual within the spatial permutation: the co mmo n thought-process. Architecture is a means of communicatio n and questions do arise in a con versation. It is not the inability to understand a materialisation of abstracts by an individual, bu t the renounce of it. One abandons the effort to communicate. They think it is complex, but it is the mo st primitive of emotion s. It is this primitive understanding that allow s for the strange flow of emotion when we get a gift. Peculiar it may sound, bu t one gets attached to certain inanimate object because of that â&#x20AC;&#x153;not thought ofâ&#x20AC;? flow of the souls that passed it down, their contemplations, an d the common vision. There is a stream o f commonality between everything; all of us are existen t in the same universe, united. In simple words, everyone is alike how mu ch ever a certain individual denies and tries to

be revolu tionary. There should not becau se it is the unity of logic and visual influence, it is a co ntrast to the forced upon fervour of a pure art or a science. Architecture becomes a linked part of the civilisation, the arts, the sciences and each billionth individual . Coming to ground reality, India has been rich with architectural developments ; it ju st n eeds the insight into the vernacu lar. The Billion people live in a labyrinth of architectonic acropolis without a hin t of it. Those cultural practices of thousands of years are a contemplative incarnation o f the origins of life, the soul, and sp atial arrangement. Only becau se the Europeans infiltrated this land of culture, did the architectural scenario have to be attached to the variou s tragedies and “movemen ts” realised in a region outside? This is not a paradox to the paradigm of spiritual unity or the diversity in the eco system. It is an inevitable fact that as geographical isolation took place, so the different cu ltures surfaced, this cu lture carries the civilisation forward and the scrambled terrain of “necessity is the mother of all inven ti ons” aspect. A s a certain kind of shelter was required in the geographical, cultural and personal connotation, India e merged in her own way to tackle the problem.

Time passed, urbanisation brought a horde of cataclysm, namely, pollution, increase in population densit y, congestion resulting in a low standard of living. Problems are everywhere, it is the spirit of solving them that needs to be exercised. Answers cannot be squeezed out forcefully; it takes studies, understanding, and a free approach. And a shortcut, like emulating ideas, mars the trickle of convenience, comfort and the growth; it takes one to a nightmare, it is a monster of counterfeit.

this spectre of a world civil isation unites this system. It is this identity that resides within every design. This collective dream of an embryon ic architecture for a civilisation is what the art and scien ce o f living is about. This is only a minute interaction with the fraction of a civilisation, the nature’s ecosystem, bu t unless a detailed revision is not apprehen ded, a stoppage is laid. Once the lessons of the inheritance are learn t for a deemed contemporary and ignorance is thrown away, that boulevard o f lined expressions would b e perceived by the billionth of a people, the people, carving an identity on each edifice.

It is unavoidable that differences lie, from nation to nation, culture to culture, though

revolution

architecture,

LBC Report II Identity

NASA â&#x20AC;&#x201C;LBC DESIGN BUILD COMPETETION 2012-13

The Laurie Baker Center for Habitat Studies (LBC) had a successful collaboration with NASA. Participants were invited at the Laurie Baker Center.

The Program: LBC Design-Build Competition for a new dormitory to be built on the LBC campus in 2013. The winning design will be built by the NASA design team with COSTFORDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support. These architect-builders (winning group of students) will be achieving the goal of Sri Laurie Baker by having themselves mastered not only the design, but also the construction of costeffective buildings that respond gracefully to the climate and culture of the region. This competition provides students a unique opportunity to get away from the academic classroom into the classroom of the community; and to bridge the virtual world of design with the tactile world of materials and construction. "Students will learn from the expertise of the skilled

building craftspeople, engineers and architects at COSTFORD. This will be invaluable experience to future architects who will enter a world that is beginning to recognize the value of the architect-builder in creating innovative, affordable and environmentally sustainable architecture."

Born in 1950, studies at CEPT Ahemdabad for three years and then passed out from Bandra School of arts, Mumbai. She is a practicing Architect, Planner and Designer of MACRAME WORKS. She has been teaching at Rizvi college of architecture since 1992. Basic design has remained her passion for last several years. She has conducted many workshops for students for basic design from other institutes and presented papers in seminars. She conducts teachers training workshop for basic design at NIASA, PUNE. She received her honorary Ph.D. from council of architecture for her work in basic design.

Ar. Pradnya Chauhan

LESSONS WITH ARTS ANDCRAFTS

ndian society is deep rooted in traditional arts and crafts and sad to say that we are witnessing the entire process of deterioration of traditional arts and crafts and replacement of the same with insensitive industrial products. This entire drama is happening in front of our eyes, only if we keep our eyes open and our minds absorbing enough to understand the beauty and value of our arts and crafts. With the advent of British Raj our traditional arts and crafts had taken a back seat, they were relegated to the ranks of handicrafts and the position of high art was taken by the art produced in the art schools. Traditional crafts of wood works, metal works, stone carvers and weavers were flung back into the dark alleys of remote villages and their entire skilled knowledge base was slowly wiped out within few generations. Our handloom textile was taxed heavily and “imported” textile from Europe was tax free. Mahatma Gandhiji’s struggle for Swadeshi movement unfolded to fight against this injustice towards our weavers. However, systematic attack on our traditional arts and crafts for last 200 years has already damaged and destroyed the entire fabric of traditional arts and crafts. In the last 60 years Crafts council of India, has taken many initiatives towards bringing back the glory for our traditional crafts and now our fashion designers are taking keen interest in the field of weaving and embroidery works. Traditionally when any king established his kingdom, he invited about 12 different kinds of artisans to settle down, he allocated them space for working and living. In Middle Ages barter system for their established for their services. In Maharashtra when Shivaji Raje established his kingdom in Pune, Kasba Peth, he invited “12 Balutedars” and allocated different lanes. We can still witness remains of “Tambat Ali”, “ Burud Ali”, and ”Shimpi Ali”. These artisans settled down in Kasba Peth and slowly their trade and business flourished under the patronage of the ruling king.

Rich Indian heritage of handloom industry

These tradesmen consider Vishwakarma as their original native deity. Lord Vishwakarma is believed to be the son of Brahma and he is the God of Architecture and God all creations. We can find Brahma temple in Pune built during this period. These craftsmen were skilled and their work was valued and was needed by the society. Here are some of the trades listed below. Carpenter (sutar) he and the stone worker, (patharwat) were the master builders, together they made buildings, Image of Indian Dari

doors and windows, staircases and furniture. Potters (kumbhar) made clay pots, metal workers (tambat) made copper and brass metal pots and plates. Cobblers (chambhar) made shoes and chappals from leather. Cane workers (burud) used bamboo and cane to make baskets. Tailors (shimpi) stitched clothes using silk and cotton cloth. Gold smiths (sonar), iron smith (lohar), flower girls (mali) are some other trades in the same category. These artisans used their skilled fingers and simple tools to execute their work. The processes are almost similar in all the trades; this would involve using natural materials, such as clay, metal, cloth or leather etc. Then the artisans would create products, using tools and their skilled hands. They would mould, cut, hammer, shape materials into functional products. Natural materials and skilled hands plus tools would get you finished functional products. These products were needed by the society for storing, for ease of operations, for comfort and sometimes for decorations and fashion.

Pots Similarly let us take a close look at sari weaving. When the sari is woven, as a process one needs to strengthen both the edges (in fact all four edges) with thick border on longer sides and with pallu on smaller sides. During the process of weaving, the designers might add different colours or threads for the border, as in case of temple sari; the weaver would make more elaborate designs for pallu.

Intricate patterns of Patola saree weaving Process of dyeing threads for Ikat weaving

The beauty in copper vessels is deeply rooted in its shape, in its small and thick mouth; so that while carrying water, the water does not spill over, the round shape of the pot sits snuggly on the side the hips, and beauty is hidden in the process of shaping it, in its denting, in shining it and periodically lining it with nickel from inside.

Therefore, first, there is need to thicken the edges, and in the process, one adds patterns and design. Paithani sari from Maharashtra would have smaller patterns for border to create repetition and larger patterns in pallu to create rhythm. This sari would have contrasting colours for the body and border and the border would be thick and would have emphasis in terms of peacock or birds in pallu design. Similar type of thickening of edges can be seen in bamboo baskets, chic curtains, and copper pots and so onâ&#x20AC;Śif we start analyzing these products from design principles point of view, we will realize that many such products would pass t he test of simplest design principles such as repetition, rhythm, balance and

Ar. Pradnya Chauhan II Evolution emphasis. Traditional wooden door frames and stutters of old courtyard houses would have thick border, would have emphasis with Ganesh Murti placed in the center on the top of the frame, the door shutter would be decorated with elaborate brass disks and would have wooden carved out frames with repetitive motif. The point is all these products were handmade, hand crafted; artisans would use very simple tools and processes to create these products. The most important aspect about this entire range of products is the close relationship between function, materials used and tools and methods involved in making these products. There was a good fit in these processes and therefore the final form that emerged was very pleasing to the eye.

Process of dyeing threads for Ikat Carpenters job was to create wooden posts for weaving

construction, wooden rafters for ceiling, and wooden steps for staircases, doors and windows and furniture. With advent of new tools and techniques the scene has changed drastically. Using wooden posts and rafters has become unaffordable (the building heights have increased dramatically to accommodate population explosion and rapid growth of urbanization)…Solid wooden planks are getting replaced by plywood and sometimes by block boards. Using wooden flooring has become more elite or ethnic. Wooden cupboards are getting replaced by steel …and we are witnessing this change in every field. What was sustainable in the last century is becoming unaffordable and out of reach of common man. In last 50 years of independence and development has dramatically affected our artisans, whether it is the carpenter or potter or weaver or cobblers.

Increasingly we are adopting and using products that are unsustainable, costly in the end. Plastic bottles to store water have

replaced every-day clay pot; “kullad” (promoted by Lalu Prasad Yadav) is replaced by plastic throw away cups. Melamine wares have replaced brass or stainless steel dinner plates! The process of change is inevitable; sometimes it is a welcome change from the drudgery, as in the case of mixers or washing machines, but most of the times old things are getting replaced by insensitive and sometimes downright ugly things. We are talking about products that are now seen either in museums or brought out during festivals or Puja or they are used as decorative items in the households by interior designers.

Traditional Kolhapuri chhapals

Traditional arts and crafts is our heritage and as students of architecture one must study these products in detail, if not for using them every day but at least to understand the underlying layers of beauty hidden in its structures. The beauty is in understanding the potential of raw materials may it be bamboo, leather, or bricks. Then we must look at the tools and methods used in creation, and then we must understand the skills involved and then the finished product. This product is the result of the

the processes; one cannot imitate the final shape using different materials and varied processes. In this century building construction methods and masonry work has undergone massive changes, what started as load bearing masonry brick construction has changed to R.C.C. framework with brick infill work. The brick arches, vaults, deep windows, alcoves, built-in-shelves have been replaced by thin walls, and aluminum sliding windows, etc. When industrial era brought revolutionary ideas in Europe, our craftsmen were busy decorating the sword handles for their patron kings. Even independence could not change the feudal system in India. Lack of patronage from the ruling class towards traditional crafts and lack of modern industrial training for our craftsmen our artisans suffered heavily under the pressure of illiteracy and poverty.

Bauhaus philosophy of simplicity of form which was founded by Walter Gropius in 1919 came to India only in 1960s, almost after 40 years! 100 years of foreign rule and neglect towards our Macramé necklace by traditional arts and crafts Pradnya Chauhan and 40 years of delay in understanding and integrating industrial processes has created a huge rift between our artisans and industrial products. In the process of modernization

Ceramic pottery by Uma Pandit

Glass Bowl

I quote Gurucharan Das “Industrial revolution completely bypassed India”. Our educated people from higher caste would not take tools in their hands, would not dirty their hands by grease plus they would look down upon manual work. However, that is not the case with computer age, everyone wants to climb on to the band wagon, because it is considered as “clean” job. As a nation we are going through a flux. There are not just two sections of the society, Bharat and India but many more. In India we can still witness different waves of civilization living simultaneously. We are not fully industrialized, and every section of the society has not benefited from the process of modernization and computerization or automation.

our traditional arts and crafts have not thrived and we have still not imbibed the new philosophy of “good fit” through adoption of simplicity and clean lines. What is definition of good fit? Good balance between function (actual or perceived) and form (which would take care of materials and process of making). Let us focus our attention on function. What is the purpose of making this product? Who is going to use it? Where will it be mostly used? What is definition of good form? How do we achieve good fit? One cannot make a wine glass from clay! Wine glass shape is part of the process of blowing glass; you cannot copy the shape in clay. Clay is a wonderful material but has limitations in terms of shaping it into a thin layer. There are certain constrains within which one has to work out the shapes for products from clay, or wood etc. and precisely these restrictions help the artisans to select the shapes most suitable for that material for making these functional products. However, this kind of limitation is not seen in materials such as moldable plastic. This material is so flexible and pliable; therefore it is actually very difficult to figure out the most appropriate shape and form suitable for this material. Precisely at this point training in industrial processes, study of ergonomics and design principles play a very important role for the designer.

Ar. Pradnya Chauhan II Evolution In last 60 years we have seen some products which are beautiful to handle and very pleasing to look at. These are our everyday objects and some of them are so striking that we would remember either using them or seeing them. The list is very long starting with products which were very popular in late 80s. As architects we have seen the intricate parts of Rotring ink pens, Steadler pencils and other instruments. What is most fascinating in these products is the attention to detail and connections of different materials. In these years we have seen well designed watches, spectacles, toys, radios, cameras, telephones, record players, television sets and walkmans. While as after the liberalization the market is flooded with computers, VCD players and music systems. Household items showcased by IKEA follow design principles, and their inspiration from Bauhaus philosophy is quite evident. Steve Jobsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attention to meticulous details and his keen interest in clean lines and pure design is legendary. Steve Jobs was inspired by Bauhaus philosophy of simplicity and he followed the design principles for all his Apple products. All the household appliances, furniture and accessories are industrial products; and as architects we have to carefully examine the form and shape, simplicity of lines, external finish in terms colours and textures. As architects we have to be careful and sensitive to all design aspects of the project, right from primary elements such as floors, walling, and roofing; secondary elements such as doors and window details, steps and staircase detailing, and tertiary elements such as lines and dots, colours and textures etc of the building project. For example, while designing the doors and windows, one has to take care of not only the door proportions, but also select

the hardware for handles, locks and hinges or pivots. Even staircase railing, balcony parapet wall and toilet details are of crucial importance.

Interior design and detailing is the greatest challenge for architects where they have to employ all the knowledge of Basic Design Elements, such as lines and dot, forms and shapes, colours and textures. They have to employ their knowhow of design principles such as repetition, rhythm and balance. They have to take care of proportions and lastly they have to take care of interface between two different materials. We have to be critical about these aspects of industrial design and these are the lessons to learn from arts and crafts.

Folding table : Project by Archit ( 2004)

Sweta Sharma PMCA

Aadish Nargunde II Evolution

Ahmadabad-

COMPACT

City planning achievable.

s cities grow, they need more and more area to accommodate the added population and allied services,

amenities and infrastructural facilities. The urban planning approach in India has always been, to project future population for a city along with the surrounding areas that form an urban complex, and then compute the necessary area to accommodate the added population purely based on the current growth pattern. During the urban planning process, the current growth pattern is given maximum importance and very limited consideration is given to intensification of land use. Indian cities have much higher densities as compared to the cities of Western countries but still, we do not achieve the benefits of compact development, why? To understand this paraphernalia, the city of Ahmadabad is studied, as it is highly dense and compact as compared to other Indian cities. In view of urban development, sustainable development is becoming an important aspect; the form of a contemporary city has always been perceived as a source of environmental problems. With the pace, our cities are growing, more than 50 per cent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population is supposed to live in the cities/ urban areas after the year 2006.

There are more than 20 megacities in the world (cities with population more than 10 million) & many cities will be added to this list in the upcoming future. As population keeps on increasing day by day, cities require more land to accommodate the added population. The very obvious ways of resolving this issue till date has been â&#x20AC;&#x201C; annexation of areas adjoining adding new areas, surrounding the existing urban area; and provide the necessary services like roads, sewage/ water supply network, solid waste management, transportation facilities, etc. in the newly annexed areas. Further it increases dependency on vehicles that in turn affects the air quality, addition of land in form of peri-urban areas; which causes premature loss of farmland, wetlands, and open space, soil pollution and contamination of resources. Thus cumulatively, the urban form directly affects habitat, ecosystems, endangered species and water quality. This cycle never ends as we keep on growing, adding more areas to accommodate the population. Considering this scenario we need to be more careful while planning for urban areas in the future to avoid such impacts.

Some main parameters of this compact form can be said stated as: 1. More efficient ways of transport; as cities are highly dense & follow mixed land use, people are living close to their work place & leisure activities. Thus reducing dependency on transport. At the same time higher densities support public transport. 2. By maintaining high density, we can achieve the goal of sustainable use of land also. Thus by reducing sprawl, we can also preserve the land on the peri- urban areas. 3. As cities are highly dense, social cohesion & cultural development is said to be given encouragement. It is also considered more equitable as it is easily accessible. 4. These cities can be considered as economically viable; as the infrastructure such as roads; streetlights can be provided more cost effectively per capita.

5. The main characteristics of compact city concept talk about sustainability. Thus sustainability was well thought much earlier, even prior to the international promotion of the sustainable development. The concept was proposed

Analysis shows that the range of rise in Urban Population for Developing Countries is 2500 - 5000 millions whereas for Developed Countries is estimated to be merely 100 millions.

Unsustainable urban development. In some of the cities of western countries, land intensification, mixed land use, optimized use of infrastructure & reduction in transport dependency have been considered as key parameters for urban planning, leading them to a sustainable urban development. Such urban development approach, which emphasizes on mixed land use, land intensification, higher population densities, optimum use of infrastructure & reduction in transport dependency, is globally referred as ‘Compact City Concept or Compact Development’. This paper aims to investigate how urban planning in Indian context overlooks the ill effects of spatial spread of an urban area; while planning to attain other needs of the city in terms of infrastructure, socio-economic growth etc to identify an urban planning approach that will intensify land use and avoid sprawl. The city of Ahmadabad has selective decisions in its development plan (DP) and are analyzed, in order to understand how the planned decisions affect the dispersal or compaction of the city. This analysis would help to understand the role of urban land use planning in determining the growth pattern of the city. And thus, it would be possible to comment on the possibility of adopting any particular urban development strategy. The paper focuses on searching the answer to the question- is compact development achievable in case of Ahmadabad? Apart from the planned decisions there are certain externalities attached to this planning procedure such as market or developmental pressure. ‘Several of these barriers are related to how the planning system works, how it is resourced, and its operation, and several lie outside the system and can be described as ‘ external barriers’. Similar is the case of Indian cities where there are certain barriers outside the system. The world has been urbanizing for centuries currently at the rate of 1.85% per annum More than 2.5 billion people live in the urban areas & metropolitan regions nearby. Not just this but more than 40% of human activities and energy

Aadish Nargunde II Evolution uses are concentrated in the cities. Analysis shows that the urban population in the developing countries will cross 5000 million in 2050 from the 2500 million in the 2005; almost the double in 45 years. In order to plan for increasing population in a sustainable manner, and tackle issues mentioned earlier, there has been an increasing interest in ‘how the form of cities can contribute to their sustainability’ e.g. their densities, size, building forms, configurations and layouts. One such urban form is a ‘Compact city’, in which the main focus has been on the ‘impacts of urban forms’ on travel behavior and transport provision, resource efficiency, social equity, accessibility and economic viability. The concept can be said to be evolved in Europe, US & Australia in early 70’s

In the late 19th century Ebenezer Howard, came up with concept of the Garden City. He envisaged the growth of small self-sufficient towns where the city people might live in close contact with nature. This idea gained importance as people were trying to find ways to improve the growing urban blights, the so-called factory towns. After this, there came a concept of ‘modernist city’. It aimed for larger and more populated cites with an efficient, workable environment. From the 1970s onwards, there was a growing disenchantment with the uniform and monotonous modernist style of development.

They mentioned following three as fundamentals of compact city concept. 1. Form of space: high dense settlements, less dependence on vehicles, clear boundaries 2. Characteristic of space: mixed land use, diversity of life 3. Function of space: social equality, self sufficiency of daily life, independency of government. Studying the evolution of different urban forms would help us to understand the necessity of developing the concept of sustainable urban form.

From the 1990s onwards the concept of New Urbanism rose as the reaction to the growing problem of ‘urban sprawl’ or the increasing ‘sub-urbanization’ of cities with the richer population in cities moving off to relatively less congested outlying areas and a subsequent decay of inner city areas, leading to increasing dependence on automobiles and long commutes for the people. New Urbanism encourages transit-oriented development and more pedestrian friendly communities. They encourage smaller and more compact neighbourhoods, with commercial areas and workplaces also close to the residential areas. And sprawl is to be kept in check by working on re-densification of inner city areas. Thus initially urban planning encouraged spatially spread urban form, influenced by invent of technology. Further when the demerits of such urban form were seen, importance was given to more dense urban forms. Resulting into evolutions of urban planning concepts such as: •Compact cities—the distinctive concepts of the compact city are high density and compactness. It proposes mixed land uses like the approaches of new urbanism or neo-traditional development. •The eco-city—It emphasizes urban greening, ecological and cultural diversity, and passive solar design. In addition, it emphasizes environmental management and other key environmentally sound policies. •Neo-traditional development— It emphasizes sustainable transportation, diversity (e.g., of housing types), compactness, mixed land uses, and greening. •Urban containment— it emphasizes policies of compactness. The concepts of the compact city, and of sustainable urban forms, have changed and evolved over the past two decades, a number of them have relevance to developing countries. In the cities of these countries, most of the growth is taking place, hence new theory or new concepts should emerge in these cities. Planning in the context of most of the mid-sized Indian cities is implemented by a macro-level plan covering the city and its surroundings.

1. Project future population for a period of 10 or 20 years; based on existing & past growth pattern/ trend, socio-economic activities/ parameters. 2. Analysing the existing land use pattern, in terms of land holding/ per capita land availability & then predict quantity of additional land required for accommodating the projected future population along with the necessary supporting services. 3. Based on these steps, plan a network of infrastructural & social services, transportation facilities.

Thus the urban planning process in India mainly focuses on fulfilling the increasing requirements of land, resources, and infrastructure. In Indian context most of the cities

AHEMDABAD : REGIONAL SETTING

are highly dense, and also exhibit mixed land use, especially as compared to cities in Europe or US. But still we face problems like increasing travel distances, increasing dependency on vehicles, loss of fertile agricultural land especially in the peri-urban areas and many more, that degrade the environmental quality; making cities less sustainable.

The reasons which shaped the current urban form of many Indian cities could be said as, the products of self grown cities over a period of time, rather than the outcome of the well planned decisions that emphasize on high densities and mixed land use. There has been very less emphasis on planning areas, with higher densities and mixed land use- main components of compact city concept. It is not a mammoth task to consider compact city concept while planning our urban areas especially, when a city like Ahmadabad has shown successful planning efforts like town planning schemes and efficient implementation of development plans for last few decades. As a result, the spatial spread of the city has remained less in comparison of Bangalore or Hyderabad- cities of similar population. Being a prime city of Gujarat, Ahmadabad has been accommodating maximum urban population in the state. As per the 2001 census, 4.5 million people are residing in Ahmadabad; 3.5 million are residing within the AMC limits. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS AHMADABAD:

PLANNING

PROCESS IN

1. A development plan is prepared every 10 -15 years with necessary revisions during that period. 2. This is an overall plan for the whole city, keeping the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future growth in mind. It inculcates a broader outline of works to be carried out under various sectors in order to the efficient functioning of the city. 3. Authority prepares TPS for the areas to be developed as per the development plan. These are usually the areas which are adjoining the city and growing at a very fast rate. 4. The authority prepares plans to develop necessary infrastructure to these newly developed areas. SCHEMATIC MAP SHOWING PLANNING PROPOSAL BY AUDA FOR DP 2011

Aadish Nargunde II Evolution

5. The implementation of the town planning scheme is done through formal procedure adopted by the town planning authorities for speedy development of the region.

It is very obvious that as cities grow, they need more area to accommodate more population and the necessary services. But the question here â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;is it possible to slow down the process of acquiring surrounding land (may be vacant or agricultural or forest) for satisfying city needs?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Land intensification could be one of the ways of achieving this.

Aerial View

Markets of Ahmadabad This piece of writing is originally from a Post-graduation level Thesis work by Ar. Aadish Nargunde. The article aims at procuring the main focus as the concept of compact city planning and the proposal laid out for the relative cities.

Common Courts

Editing Courtesy: Nikita Korgaonkar

Prof. Uday Gadkari II Guide

President of Council of Architecture, India; Chairman, Board of Advisors, Archipidia and also the Director of Institute of Design Education and Architectural Studies (IDEAS), Nagpur. Awarded with the Best Teacher Award by IIA, Nagpur Center and has a wide contribution towards the field of architectural education with the teaching experience of 30 years.

over a cup of pineapple ice cream Prof. Uday Gadkari After a myriad discussion over the topics, an undistinguished excitement and a bit of hesitation and a little nervousness, we finally came on the day to interview or more appropriately have an interaction with the most experienced person, a faculty to us, an affectionate person and our dear teacher Mr. Uday Chandrakant Gadkari; currently president of COA(Council of Architecture). * This piece of work is in the form of Artiview. An arctic and enlightening evening with an endearing person… On architecture as a footprint on the society:

“One of the very idiosyncratic things of our profession, architecture as a discipline is that it’s a science field; an art subsumed under the arts or fine arts. The footprint intimates that there was someone who had already walked on those paths. And the person who walked away left behind the footprints which are the guidelines in paraphernalia which led you away, otherwise unknown. The footprint directs you to the Bigger

Scenario which is a goal or destination”.

So in his opinion, Gadkari sir notioned that society and architecture couldn’t be separated; in fact architecture is nothing but a manifestation of different people, character of people, from various walks of life. So architecture is always responding to the society and vice-versa therefore society and architecture are inseparable from time immemorial. Our civilizations confabulate about the people then, the technology used, the socio-political system in action, and vice- versa, the physical built environment, was considered to have a happy living.

ARTIVIEW An impromptu jist of the theme footprint defines architecture a a deep imprint on the mankind. A little more thinking made us relate the phrases architectural footprints and factual views and fuse them together to make a new concept. The factual views come from an article complemented with oneto-one conversation with the impressive personalities. Such a combination of intelligent words and genuine thoughts, we termed it as ARTIVIEW.

Prof. Uday Gadkari II Guide

Our next point reflected that culture and tradition form the society and in turn reflect into architecture also, which has a deeper impact on architecture. Sir retorted, “There is a slight difference between culture and tradition; the words sound similar but they are not the same. In my opinion though, they do have the connectivity. For example, what is culture?” In his view culture is, which is not perceptible but it is to be felt and expressed by a person’s behavior, group of persons or large number of people. That is why we say culture of every society is different. Not only from rural to urban alone but also from poor to rich then….. That’s a society comprising of people of such similar attributes. They come together and share whatever they have…an impromptu way of presentation which is termed as “the culture”. Culture - the characteristic of particular community through its rendition, behavior, embodiment.

On how architecture responded to the needs of the society: Gadkari sir: Architecture is meant to serve the needs of the society. That is what it is meant for. In fact the entire town forms, townscapes, urban forms, urban designs, evolutions are formed to serve the basic needs; just like Le Corbusier’s architecture was created for well being of society and people, architecture is need of society. A pregnant pause for a half hour or so, exposed us to a person filled with great enthuse who has a deep insights in all aspects of life. For a few minutes, it didn’t feel if we were sitting in front of our faculty member. We were unveiled altogether to a new identity. The next question had been an outcome of the varied observations keeping in mind the ongoing thoughts of the student civilization…..

(Paused)

THOUGH A SCIENCE FIELD,

“The thing considered good and performed repeatedly is termed as “tradition”. A Culture is for particular period of time whereas tradition performed is eternal. An activity which is done in a particular way irrespective of time is “tradition”. Tradition is the way by which people intermingle, interact, and communicate according to the physical design and planning of a thing. Tradition is formed due to cultural changes over a long period of time but continuity of that is tradition. It has a great impact on what we built, how we interact with people, how we live, how we administer. These entire things are incorporated in design. So, I say Tradition has strong impact on design or architecture.”

ARCHITECTURE IS BEING RELATED TO THE ARTS IN THE SENSE THAT; IT ALSO INCORPORATES PASSION AND SELF MOTIVATION AS IN ANY OTHER ARTS RELATED FIELD. What acknowledged back was a matter-of-fact and straight from an architect. Interesting…read on… “Architecture is a combination of arts and science. If science, it is related entirely to physics, chemistry, contraction, mechanical, structural, engineering. All the building materials we use, unless you have a good scientific learning throughout the materials and processes, you cannot imply those materials; otherwise you will wrongly put into those materials. The materials might not achieve the desired effect.

Prof. Uday Gadkari II Guide

“An Architect is on a better part because architecture is not poetry which is written on the paper, sung and enjoyed.” It is a dance which is performed on stage and the time it is gone it is gone.

nation by 2040. You can see hundreds of projects going on in every town, district and state. In the works like road network, railways, bridges, flyovers etc works where development is under the architect strata especially technocrats, work together to make wonders. This we term as mass psychology.

Why do we imbibe a heritage? Basic reason is that we see century old structures!!! We come to know so many things, the construction technology then existed, the political system. All that is seen disappears from those old structures and thus mass architecture remains for a prolonged period as an imprint on the mind.

A man as big as his footprints..

In arts, we don’t have to give reasons; it is a nonreasonable thing since it is a living art, an artist in particular mood feels something and passes on color on the canvas. It is his psychology and then here.. the psychology changes with every person. Architecture is the fragrance which is not seen but we are enjoying it for years forgotten. “It is a living art”. Change is the law, growth is optional; choose wisely. This adage is being followed by all in the society; but in which plausible way is the key to live. Wisdom applied, result bounty! The above dealt heavily with change in a common man’s life. A commoner’s thinking, his capability to appreciate a structure. The next question figured around the same, what spells a bound around the common man; talking about the right elements.

CHANGEEEE -COMMON MAN CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE LIKES IN A SPECIFIC STRUCTURE. Today the infrastructure is better; the development of our country is really massive. It is estimated that India will be a very strong infrastructural developed

“And with mass psychology came this man’s own footprints.. “FOOTPRINT IN YOUR LIFE”

“Though being from a small village and a economically poor background, I had the wonderful privilege to have such parents and neighbors surrounding me. I lived in a culture where getting educated had as much as importance as that of educating others. My grandfather used to teach students from 1st to master MA philosophies, while he was 10th class pass; but he was an excellent teacher and very knowledgeable person. My father used to be happy, took pride in teaching the neighbors’ kids. Probably such things imprinted on my heart. As a teacher you can do a lot for the society and you get to learn a lot throughout your life. Words like Simplicity, humbleness, sincere to job, honest involvement, and co-existent were the highlighted words in my dictionary and these words have always helped me in my life. Whatever I did, I was successful in making some mark of mine. These qualities are the footprints, my elderly people, my neighbors, my teachers left behind and which I walked on to.”

(Paused) When I was 5-6 years old I used to deliver speeches. My father used to write for me and thus with time the communication skills developed. When there are good people around you, it isin’t necessaryto learn good things or increase your knowledge but in that case you can always extract good things from them and use them intelligently.

“The time I entered architecture I dint knew the word “architecture” itself. (At this point we all looked each other in eye and guffawed at this incredible joke!!)” I was good at painting, sketching. Appreciative. Probably it was an accidental entry, into architecture. One of our family doctors, came to my place and saw me sketching, he said, “Oh you have such a good hand at this art, what do you do?” I said,

“Iam studying in 1st year BSC”(at this point, may be the doctor and we exchanged the same reactions) “But why don’t you try architecture?” the doctor said. I was like, “what is that?” His daughter was studying architecture. I saw her portfolios, drawings and felt it was what I could always do and the next year I tried the entrance exam. Came architecture. By the time I entered the field, I realized this is the line I would love to be in.!!!!!! JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL, HOW DO YOU RELATE THIS WITH YOUR LIFE… Jonathan Livingston Seagull, this one book became force of motivation all these years. I read it probably when I was a young teacher and it has made a permanent footprint on me. This is a simple story giving such a big moral. People keep saying that you got to play politics, manipulate the things I need not have to do any of those things in my life, never for any job, for any assessment, for any work. I never had any such shortcut or compromises. What I feel like, I appreciated, understood, accepted and was always true to my feelings. “Dare to dream the moral of the book inspired me. It was my story, every reader must be feeling that way, I was also one such bird in small village not knowing my world and would have ended up there itself.” Probably, that’s why I feel that the doctor left some footprint on me and that is what it has been an inspiration to me. THERE HAD BEEN AN INCIDENT WHERE-IN YOU HAD WORKED AT A PIZZA SHOP HOW DO YOU DEFINE THIS FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE? Wisdom comes only through experiences. Every experience is first-hand experience, it makes a person wiser. You get to learn new things at a greater extent, you meet new people, know their backgrounds, specialty, society, culture and many other things. Self exploration is also a first-hand experience. Every experience teaches you in some or the other way it might be not related to architecture but it might be important to you.

Prof. Uday Gadkari II Guide

TRAVELLING IS A SELF LEARNING PROCESS It is a universal truth which says’ Travel makes you learn new things, make you happy and thus also indulge you in the new place exploring the unexplored’. You get to know new things, meet different people, new faces and you yourself start exploring the new places. Many things are learnt, observed, calculated and also sometimes applied in architecture. I myself want to go to Jammu and Kashmir again. OUT OF BOX THINKING The solutions have to be simple, working simple solutions to situations. You should therefore have an understanding to the analysis; which is basically wisdom generated out of thinking, analyzing and understanding. It is the best process which holds a strong foot for any relevant issues. The term “out of the box” thinking is only a concept. For every solution found, there is an important concept. However, it appeared that the conceptual thoughts were different and to be honest, they have to be. This all depends on the different approaches that a student applies.

ANY MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE TO THE YOUNG ARCHITECT’S….. Every subject has the footprint and should be taken seriously it might be even the subjects which you study till your +2. Approach has to be different and the level of work should satisfy yourself. All the subjects in this profession should be given same amount of hard work. In future it helps you in correlation with the other things. Also talking about NASA which in itself is a self-learning place (improve). The problems introduce in the for the NASA trophy’s like LIK,ANDC,GSEN,LANDSCAPE,PRODUCT DESIGNING, should be guided in the class as a part of curriculum as this are very challenging and helps in thinking the budding young architects to different level.

Wish List of a young architecture student for his/her college 1. A professor who says a bus is all that a college needs so students can learn on the field.

2. Faculty that understands the importance of recycling - even stuff like models, thesis and reports.

3. Abolition of the concept of minimum attendance since after all

Ar. Gita Balakrishnan A graduate from School of Planning, New Delhi; completed practical training at the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics at the Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA. She underwent a training programme on Stabilized Mud Blocks and other alternative methods of construction at Institute of Science Banglaore.

an architect is learning from his experiences all the time. Education on the move. 4. Why study structural mechanics when your structural engineer will do the job for you. 5. Printers, printers, printers early in the morning on submission date 6. Design juries that were kinder - in fact we should be allowed to pick our jury from among our college mates. A popular choice vote would be even better. 7. I wish the studio director would not say - all you have to do is move this here, cut this up into two spaces, stagger this, open this up and you have a terrific idea going. 8. Dear Faculty - I could live without Light, Air and Sun but allow me the computer to design and I will make sure that there is light and ventilation in my buildings! 9. I wish Banister Fletcher, McKay and Koenigsberger never went to college. 10. Classes beginning in the afternoon

Ar. Gita Balakrishnan II Guide

Facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wish list for his/her class 1. Wish Form did not follow the Internet. Be original. 2. Ban computers! (I wish I had CAD in my times) 3. Only line drawings - no presentation techniques to make the drawing prettier and take oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention away from the flaws. 4. I wish they would tell me before they decided to mass bunk my class 5. I wish they would read more than just their SMSs and FB posts. Books and Magazines, I mean. 6. I need a translator to understand her explanation of his/her design. In fact, I think she does too!! 7. I labour over teaching them about the Great Masters and I see only Zaha Hadid and Gehry in their designs! 8. I wish they wouldn't play cricket in class with masking tape and glue bottles 9. He is probably the only one who likes his design - Look at that proud expression on his face as if he has won the Pritzker Prize. I wish he would wake up to reality. 10.I wish there were only straight line and no free form

Sketches: Harshal Bopardikar

TIME

Having studied Architecture at PMCA, Cuttack amid 2006-11, he is currently associated with IDEAS, Nagpur as a Research Scholar and Assistant Lecture. He portrays his research well into varied professional projects. Apart from architecture he has abundant contribution towards Indian Literature as well. “Restart” is his debut novel, while “Crossing the Line” is second, which has released recently.

indeed is GOD AAaabbhhaass K KM Maallddaahhiiyyaarr

Yet again earth completes a rotation, enchanting a new trail called New Year, 2013. I’m glad to witness twenty fourth of my life surpassing the biggest spam, which had declared end of the world in past month. It has been very long time from when elders have been telling me- be focused at your goal and don’t let any diverse idea befall it. I being an admirer of moral education always did as they said, and kept my eyes darted at an image of an Army Officer. But, for the matter of fact both my elders and my determined focus lost the mêlée, and the frontrunner was no other than the Time. I couldn’t become an Army Officer and the attire spread on me is that of an Architect plus an Author.

“The time is always right to do what is right.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

aving lots of faith in what Mr. Luther quoted, I have been swaying in this rollercoaster ride and let me give you trust, my smile is turning wider. Being good in works of fine arts and being equally good in Mathematics, I aspired of a career which could let me apply both to full During UG-Thesis on “Role of Applied Geometry in Deriving Architectural Forms” extent though the word “Architecture” was pretty mysterious to the small town boy with an ever simple family background. Till when I was fully drenched in the moistness of great subject taught by the University, I had a belief that indeed someday or other Mathematical and Scientific Applications will come to play along with amalgamation of various art forms. But, leaving me surprised, no way, there arrived the expected synchronization. Yet, somehow the technicalities of subjects like Building Construction Technology, Surveying, Working Drawing, Architectural Acoustics and other Building Services kept me going. Time was yelling aloud for a future as a hard core Architect, but you never know if those footprints of time are virtual or real. But virtual or real, it always leaves a mark as an adjective of expression.

Ar. Aabhas Maldahiyar II Guide I never knew how it happened and I was sworn in as leader of college, the Unit-Secretary as called in NASA. And to be candid that was the turning shift of my life. For the early times, it was all very precise. The unwanted conspiracy of time and many known portraits forced in the characters of outspoken within me. Though immaturely, I was getting knowledge about the system from root, sparse idea came flowing within me about the sweet melodious politics which ran among teachers and students. The insight of education system was even coming translucent to me, and the upcoming facts were deeply harassing to my mental state. Also it is said- right things must come at right age, this wasn’t same for me. I started attempting against the ills of the system, which was yet not transparent. Credits to the saying, I messed up with my onset goal. The dream to become a hardcore Architect got willingly drowned into the fire like a firefly, as a consequence of taunting circumstances. The determination of not to finish up with study of Architecture was high; my eyes were searching for an escape route and I was home. The patch spent at home, came out as a real awakener for me and I got from the slumber. Staying there, I witnessed many social issues, concerns and even the pain spread all around. My eyes interlaced with the helplessness in the actions of populace. They all had pain, which had higher magnitude than that of mine, yet they didn’t have any action other than a smile, to keep the hope running within themselves and the connected. The naïve eyes of escapist wished to find worth of own living, I was embarrassed to get away from the problems. Now there were two questions upfront- Will the socio-economic problems ever be solved? How can I restart my paused life? Both were indeed big questions to me. Time was again demanding few exceptions, and as the cause of action I was resolute to make a comeback holding the ladder called socio-economic problem.

Pen is the mightiest weapon, and knowingly I had that in my wings which had somehow got invisible amid the frost and fog ascertained by Mother of all Arts academically. I floated the proposal of starting a college journal which would help to generate awareness about socio-economic problems along with the needed reforms in education system, because all the problems of globe can be solved with the help of substantial education. Nevertheless for the past deeds of mine (which was perceived wrong by whole college including many fellows), I never found any support for the proposed cause. Once my father had reminded- Tough times don’t last but tough people do. I had found my long forgotten catalyst. I said to my heart, “Why a journal? Why not a book itself? Why not to convert failure into an opportunity?” I started penning my first book “Restart” during the even semester of fourth year, gradually the news about my book had spread like a forest fire throughout the college campus and most astonishingly the lost praise had again started being chorused. For the first time, my college fellows made me realize that I was truly acclaimed an achievement. The journey had initiated, as Time had yield me another noun that was of an “Author”. Having scripted half lakhs of word, my confidence had attained a respectable level. The old quest to do something which holds relation between Mathematics and Architecture had again found eruption in my mind; finally I ended up doing my UG-Thesis on “Role of Applied Geometry in Deriving Architectural Forms” which was superbly guided by Prof. Sanjadhi Chatterjee. Again the mockery of system saw various resistances at the hands of numerous Professors of my college during initial reviews, though later they agreed to my findings. The biggest of the ridicule I witnessed was that external juror declared my thesis a Non-Architectural piece owing to the mathematical expressions involved in the sheets. I never felt disheartened, as it further added colors to my courage, following which I started researching onMathematical Aspects of Architecture, which is still continuing. Prof.S.A.Deshpande(Center), Prof.U.C.Gadkari(President, CoA) unveiling “Restart”

I joined IDEAS, Nagpur as a Research Scholar to keep my investigations going and at the same time, I kept experimenting mathematical aspects through few professional projects. In the meanwhile, my try to get “Restart” published was running at a great pace but pessimistic results were falling at all hands. Finally, it got a move as a publisher from Kolkata agreed to publish it in return of some publishing charges. My eagerness to be seen as an author as young age broke the bars of my patience and I accepted the proposal, and “Restart” was released Nationwide in May 2012. “Restart” got few reviews, some appreciated it wholeheartedly , few found storyline great while language being poor, some totally dejected to see it as a piece of literature. And, I knew that reviewers were right as the time I wrote the first book my perspective about literature was not ripe, with very little knowledge of “Grammar and Lingo” and apart from it, it was indeed a creation of rush. I wrote, just because, I had to find a direction for my own restart and the true purpose of literature was not fulfilled. With the progress in clock, I came across many authors, met them, and even shared thoughts with them. My understanding towards literature started finding clues and codes begun to be broken. I briskly read books like- Immortals of Meluha, Chanakya’s Chant, Angels and Demons, The Kite Runner, The Alchemist, Aleph and many other fantabulous literary creations with the aim to improvise on my style of writing. As I also worked as Teaching Assistant at an Architecture college, the translucency of the education system had started being transparent to me. My analysis of past had briefly given me a conclusion that nothing good can be done for this globe, unless education is spread at a large scale. I always wondered if a stream is same, then why to have different syllabus at different universities? This clearly states that there will be indifference of thoughts and knowledge among professionals coming up as bi-product from those schools.

Sketch of an ongoing Project

The bug kept troubling me a lot; I started working on a new project, which is still on and is termed as- Redefining Education System of India. As a first step of the project, I prepared a universal syllabus for UG-Architecture Education in India along with first draft of Education Bill but as a sad fact, it was a very tough ask to raise it to statutory bodies and government. So, I thought of conveying the message through my own weapon that is pen. I wrote my second book which has been titled- Crossing the Line, which has released Nationwide this year. This book has been penned only with the intention of spreading awareness about an ideal education system and gain bundles of support from the young generation of today, who are indeed professionals of tomorrow. I’m very hopeful that someday our country will have a system in which innovation will be the priority over earning a degree.

Though I haven’t seen as many dawn and dusk as greatest of the philosophers, yet I wish to deliver best for the society through the medium I own, i.e. Architecture and Literature but candidly, I’m not sure what I would be doing the next dawn. Today, I’m what I was never focused to be and journey is yet on. Time, time, time…probably he is the God. So, I have finally concluded, goal is something, what we are on the last moment we breathe, and all the happenings through the way is nothing but various trace passing stations of the eternal journey. As of now, I’m engaged with my research and penning my third novel, which talks about the contradiction between God and Science, hence finding the link amid the duo .

NASA Events II Guide

NASA DAY Celebration

NASA was established on 13th September 1957. Venue : PVR SAKET Enclosure and District Park

Activity : Flash Mobs to 1. Spread Awareness and promotion of Barrier Free Architecture : City For Disabled 2. Youth Awareness : Eradication of Drug addiction 3. Changing social perspectives and social Imagery of Architecture as a profession : Promoting architects as carriers of social change About a 100 students actively participated in the event.

Richard Alves II Legacy Richard Alves II Legacy

SRI-

LANKA SCAPE -Richard Alves

As one walks past mighty Bodhi trees and sees the varying cultural integration nature, links with tradition in this land, one notes that indeed, it’s the Enchanting destination

– Sri Lanka.

hat started as a means to figure an Architectural vocabulary seemed to distinct itself as realization of a self consciousness of the kind of spaces we design, back in our studios in India. Native to the Indian state of Goa, putting up to fore with a culture, I was born into, was not indeed challenging. Goa dominant with Portuguese mansions and their lasting legacy having touched all aspects of our lives, Sri Lanka was a mere extension to the same. So, when the group of students threw themselves at relating Colonial spans in this traditionally South Eastern region, my instincts were puzzled to note that this land was touched by three dominant Colonizers and yet the gentleness and simplicity of Buddhism prevails in every aspect of their lives, literally inculcated in their behavior. Philosophies linked to age old customs and beliefs, run over by time yet harmonious with oneself. The sense of Architectural spaces puzzled my imagination. The style used down here is a literal example of ‘Tropical Modernism’. It emphasizes bringing together elements from different times and places in order to create something new and original, with a local aesthetic. Geoffrey Bawa, one of Sri Lanka’s noted architects since the 60’s has had a tremendous influence on design and construction. Today, many of his trademark embellishments have now become typical in Sri Lankan homes and buildings. The boundaries between indoors and outdoors are often erased, moved, or made more subtle, in Bawa's work. Older Sri Lankan influences, like reflecting pools, colonnaded passages, and terra-cottatiled roofs, are fused with the modernist emphasis of flowing spaces and clean lines. His work has also been a significant influence on architecture across South and Southeast Asia. Bawa's legacy is felt in the work of many Sri Lankan architects, who continue the traditions of Tropical Modernism. Architects, like Channa Daswatte, continue to design in this style, paying close attention to how the designed environment interacts with the climate and the needs of the users. Having moved across Sri Lanka in a motorized vehicle, the very aspect tickled my senses that we were to descend on Galle, a historic fortification

Richard Alves II Legacy of the Dutch, a good time to walk around, discover, relate and yet savor local delicacies. The efforts by the local government to pave most of this area was one that was not really taken well by me, but then it did help me realize that Architecture does not stop boundaries. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indeed about Moving ahead with time. What did catch my imagination were the varied profiles of buildings lining roads across the island. All linked by a common visitors and residents alike was captivating. The link it played in bridging the gap between the green and the grey still inspires me to date. Architecturally this nation is like a pile of cards strewn on a table. Its adored for its varied characters yet placed on one land pulled apart by its maritime borders. This birth place of religion seems like a heaven for the religious visitor. The temples were serene spaces thrown away from the hustle and bustle of city life in secret pockets of nature, with each one having its own link in its time yet preserved in an inward bliss in ours. Yet if one relates age old scenarios or rather the newly built forms, one can say that the stratification of adding layer to layer yet retaining the charm of each space is well appreciated.

Sri Lanka is indeed the land of the wild, and be here for its pristine nature or its heritage charm, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d not miss the eye catching moment when modern life stands still across busy markets in temple; towns at the sight of a wild creature â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Komodo dragon. One will be taken aback by the way locals respect the space definition of the wild. And just as you are still captivated by the mere sense of nature meeting architecture, in a click of the camera, its back to modern again. Our forest friend has moved. Being a nation progressing into a modern society with its rustic charm is amazing. Though one still runs by a few modern constructions that re scale the very idea of our fore fathers. The island country has more to the eye than one can see. Connecting with its people and their livelihoods were felt by us when we walked the shopping districts of Kandy. The old town retains a colonial era charm, yet boasts a modern stream of brands one may note in any mall. The factor that catches your mind is the evening spree, is a walk with brands well seen in our

Richard Alves II Legacy traditional streetscapes. One may not be wrong in stating that modern has hit cities like Colombo, but at its pace it keeps the rustic villages and towns asleep. Tall blocks serve commerce for a thriving nation, yet the presences of the colonial structures are felt throughout streetscapes.

Few places in the world can offer the traveler such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, all linked to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years. This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon which has capitulated my senses.

Lunuganga - House of Sri Lankan Master Architect: Sir Geofarry Bawa

Taraknath Chaterjee II Legacy

FOOTSTEPS TO IMMORTALITY Taraknath Chaterjee

Etched in my memory are some distinct thoughts lit up by the memories of the childhood and boyhood days, immortalized by the tender joy which they imbibed in me...

As a small kid, I remember I held his hand in mine and walked down the golden sea-beach during the early morning hours; I gently followed the footsteps of my dad filling them with my own and enjoying the task as sincerely as I could. Being a kid I remember it was his footsteps that I followed and since then, I am still doing the same…trying to attain the perfection with which he used to live.

She was a small charming lady with a friendly, cozy smiling face, so much welcoming that she made the school a “home away from home” for all those kids like us. She was my first teacher who taught me my lessons, etiquettes, manners and most importantly she taught me to “Share” my happiness with others…Running and merry making all around her in the small humble school courtyard filled with the warm sunlight, is a bright imagery of my childhood. She was a person whom I looked up to and I still imagine running behind her, following her footsteps all around my sunny kindergarten.

As a kid, his actions tempted me the most; his stylish haircut, his way of whistling, his potential of making chewing gum balloons and his actions to convince dad for family picnics were something which took me to wonders and I always wished to be like him, copying him and imitating him to an utmost level. His footsteps were like pebbles I used to collect and follow during my school days.

Taraknath Chaterjee II Legacy

As one gets older, he takes his own shape, mounds himself within the motif of

his

own choice and like most other boys of my age I too followed the rebellious footsteps of “teenage god” and experienced the “thick and thins” of life. I learnt once again…”All that glitters is not gold”.

Unto my fortune, my fate gave me a gift one day. I started to learn the craft of creating retreats for mortals….”Architecture”…they say. Each and every day taught me a lesson, each and every night I fought to strengthen my destiny in this new world...

As a matter of fact, the path along which we have travelled in life has not always been sunny and green; but when we look back at the bygone days we certainly feel happy and the afterglow of the happy days shakes us from within. Every experience enriches our knowledge and knowingly and unknowingly we follow the footsteps of certain people or places who influence us strongly as in my case they all did...

But as mortal beings, we do wish to leave behind some eternal memories which would let people remember us; which would inspire them to follow our footsteps. But this happens only when we contribute something important towards the good for the humanity.

“Looking back in the boyhood years even unhappiness acquires a certain glow”

-Ruskin Bond.

“If your contribution has been vital, there will always be someone to pick up from where you left off, and that w be your claim to immortality.” -Ar. Walter Gropius

B.V. Doshi II Heritage

ETERNAL

ARCHITECTURE

Give time a break -Ar. B.V.Doshi I was born into an extended Hindu family. Several generations lived together; some members were 80 years old and some just a few days old. Birth, growth and death were recurring and natural events. So were the celebrations of festivals, birth ceremonies and extended rituals during and after the death, and trips together to temples or pilgrimage places. Everyone accepted and shared these inevitable events. Days, months and seasons passed through good times and bad. Over time, changes in lifestyles, changes or breaks in the social, economic, and cultural structure within the household became a living part of each of us. With the evolution, the character, form, and style of the house in which we lived were also transformed. It grew organically, from just a few rooms to many and from one floor to several. Modified functions and revised movements appeared strange, and at times new, yet they were accepted and absorbed naturally. The expanding structure of the house and its evolving functions were like a big sponge - porous and forever absorbing, constantly providing us with new spatial and aesthetic surprises. However, the focal points - the kitchen, the dining room, and the prayer room, maintained their positions, dominating the overall ambiance and remaining the foundation for the shifting plan and functions. Such continuous evolutions and transformation have become part and parcel of my perceptions of life as well as my aesthetic experience.

I often went with others to nearby villages and temples to attend various ceremonies. Even though the rituals appeared to be similar, their purpose, manner of performance, scale, and location differed. They took place in diverse places: on a riverbank, in the open court of a house, or within the precinct of a shrine. These scattered events, set in both modest and profusely decorated settings, did not seem odd, but rather gave one a chance to learn more about uncertainty and constant flux.

The rituals emphasized the sacredness of each event instantly and deepened the understanding of our relationship to the cosmos. With these tenuous connections of the unknown, the newly acquired sanctity of a normal space and the shifting of local time to cosmic time, the externality was dematerialized. Everything became part of the ritual with the chanting and soon the invisible but omnipresent Gods arrived. They participated and after the chanting of the final aarti, they blessed each individual present and departed. Though these rituals lasted between 15 minutes to more than eight hours, we did not realize the passage of time, space or the individual. Psyche, emotions and faith combined to make each event and experience mythical. I now sense the how and why of this continuing acceptance of life. It is actually the experience of constant Likewise, in traditional Indian architecture, each space can be perceived independently to complete a unique sharing. Sharing multiplied the effects of joyous events and diminished those of sad ones. It added new experience. One can be transformed through a proactive dialogue with space and time. One can cross a threshold dimensions to our understanding of life as a constantly turning wheel or a broken circle, whether we performed into another space, another time, and another phase of psychological and spiritual experience. Walls, columns, the planned or the unexpected religious or social ceremonies. Living together helped us understand the surfaces, rhythms, light, etc., are instruments that activate these spaces. Such experiences can be had throughout uncertainties in life, the successes and failures. These increased our tolerance and changed the perception of life India, in places both small and large, and in social religious, or royal complexes. In these complexes there exists a from material to spiritual values. Even the conception of life after death and reincarnation brought about hope. natural pattern, in which the normative activities connected to specific functions are transcended and surrounded An unending chain of construction and destruction, where "present", is only a phase in transition. These by an immense number of peripheral links and areas with no apparent function. Even in the conventional temple experiences made me realize that life is full of surprise and paradox. Everything that occurred in the past can complex, the zone of activity and the interaction with the participants in marginal. While the open, pillared happen again in another time, anddark form. Once past, events become unrealities, memories, sabhamandap invites assembly; theplace, enclosed, garbhagriha admits few, thus establishing an inner awarenessorof visions.void, Such fluctuation of experience between the oneself others,circumambulation of the immediateonworld and silence, andendless timelessness. However, when a devotee undertakes theand ritualistic the plinth beyond,the of external good andface bad, and are simply concealing his game, his lila. even around ofand the then shrine of now, the hidden deity,God his revealing perceptionand of time and space is transformed, though the physical space remains the expresses same. Traditional Hindu architecture, which through movement - whether fast or slow with several pauses - is perceived not Ionly a part of this Temple instant or also complex as an intimate experience. Architecturally, the When visitasthe Meenakshi at eternity, Madurai,but a vast built over seven centuries, the spatial broken experiences wheel of time is expressed as a sequence of of juxtaposed long simultaneous and short corridors with a variety pauses, continually reveal the duality life through co-existence of theofextremes, scales, namely interspersed and unexpectedby visual barriers, as including in structural expression in spacecourtyards, organization characterized the informal well as changes formal, structured with loose andor finite the quality light. These spatial attributes are also intrinsic to traditional towns and villages of India. The built withofinfinite. forms and open spaces enrich both the private and public realms. Corridors of various scales are designed

Ar. B.V.Doshi II Heritage

Likewise, in traditional Indian architecture, each space can be perceived independently to complete a unique experience. One can be transformed through a proactive dialogue with space and time. One can cross a threshold into another space, another time, and another phase of psychological and spiritual experience. Walls, columns, surfaces, rhythms, light, etc., are instruments that activate these spaces. Such experiences can be had throughout India, in places both small and large, and in social religious, or royal complexes. In these complexes there exists a natural pattern, in which the normative activities connected to specific functions are transcended and surrounded by an immense number of peripheral links and areas with no apparent function. Even in the conventional temple complex, the zone of activity and the interaction with the participants in marginal. While the open, pillared sabhamandap invites assembly; the enclosed, dark garbhagriha admits few, thus establishing an inner awareness of silence, void, and timelessness. However, when a devotee undertakes the ritualistic circumambulation on the plinth around the external face of the shrine of the hidden deity, his perception of time and space is transformed, even though the physical space remains the same.

When I visit the Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, a vast complex built over seven centuries, the spatial experiences continually reveal the duality of life through simultaneous co-existence of the extremes, namely space organization characterized by the informal as well as formal, structured with loose and finite with infinite. These spatial attributes are also intrinsic to traditional towns and villages of India. The built forms and open spaces enrich both the private and public realms. Corridors of various scales are designed to instantly recall our ancient history through columns or walls elaborately decorated with stories and myths that immediately connect to other worlds with different times, even though the clock continues to tick normally. The varied sizes, scales, and typologies of the open and semi-covered courtyards extend my vision t o the eternal passage of the sun or the moon, the changing patterns of the starlit sky, and the rhythms of the seasons. The saturated, diverse, and simultaneous experiences at the temple, as well as the deities in the niches of the walls surrounding the shrines, intercept my movement through the depiction of social context similar to those in towns. Nevertheless, these diverse experiences do not distract me from the goal instead; they simultaneously connect me to the main and multiple centers and peripheries in this complex. Strangely, this vast complex becomes condensed into one experience, its diversity appearing simultaneously both close and far. For example, watching a statue of a deity hidden in the corner of a dark room adjacent to the corridor, I constantly sense the presence of the main deity across a great distance and through the layers that surround it. A universal energy seems to be generated by the dynamic relationships among solids and voids, built and unbuilt.

Another significant and completely different architectural example is the observatory at Jaipur, known locally as jantar mantra, which implies magical contraptions. Here, the visitor enters into a totally different time frame. All of the architectural manifestations are sculptural interpretations of scientific instruments employed to measure cosmic time through the movements of the

planets and stars. These devices represent a condensation of all celestial movements in a permanent stage set of precisely located and oriented architectural forms. These casual observer may experience the enigmatic quality of their geometry, but for the an enquiring mind the shadows, moving over time, somehow convey silent but certain connections with the sky, the cosmos, and the larger order of time. Yet another example is the Islamic complex at Sarkhej, Ahmedabad, built around 1466. Here, a summer palace, a mosque, and several tombs are organized around a tank. It is the most frequented monument in the city. Some visit this complex simply to go to the mosque, some only to the tombs, while others sit under the pavilions in the arid climate. In the end, they all sit around the steps that enclose the vast water tank, performing the daily chores of washing clothes or bathing. Even though the complex has designated areas for the tomb, the mosque, and the pavilions, there are several unassigned, in-between spaces that have become unique allowing for spontaneous activities ever changing with seasons, festivities and intensity of visitors. Rather than physical architectural linkages, the visual, emotional, and psychological connections have become important and contribute to the popularity and compelling force of this complex. The buildings have a strong relation to sun, the moon, and the water. The famous step wells that connect the changing levels of drinking water are our unique architectural monuments celebrating the presence of and access to water. Narrow, long, and often more than five floors deep, these underground wells are located mostly in hot, dry climates where the water level changes drastically during the monsoon and summer seasons. Going beyond mere functionality, the sequence and process of the task of fetching water is elaborately designed to exalt the ceremonial and sacred aspects of water. The introduction of several pauses and the provision of underground rooms for resting accommodate gatherings away from the hot sun. The passage of time is conveyed to the relaxing crowd through the daily movements of the sun and shadows, which filter through the lattice of beams and columns, as well as through the seasonally changing water level. In this ceremoniously designed, inclined, and horizontal space, planned and unplanned encounters with other

Ar. B.V.Doshi II Heritage community members encourage one to discuss - and absorb or efface - personal experiences of daily family life. In the shadows and the silhouettes against the sky, one discovers the story of a period full of myths and realities. In the Indian subcontinent, towns and cities that grew over time narrate similar physical and metaphysical stories. For example, the juxtaposition of linear, meandering streets with multifaceted, irregular open spaces at Delhi, Ahmedabad, and other cities, or the high plinths of the houses with deep verandas at Benares, or the open-sky terraces and extra-large gargoyles in the desert of Jaisalmer, or the finely carved jharokhas at Jaipur, Rajasthan, simultaneously express the need of a very complex way of life and the aspirations of a particular people and place. Layers of forms, surfaces, and architectural styles vary in relation to climatic conditions, suggesting the continuity and prolongation of time. The architecture expresses a life style that has existed and will exist as long as the context does. While recalling these experiences, one realizes how much one has drifted away from those so-called immeasurable activities and spaces that are essential to society's physical and social balance. It seems that we have to find ways to compel inhabitants to notice the changes in the seasons, the phases of the moon and their link to the rise and flow of tides, or the rising and setting of the sun in order to enable the inner self once again to perceive and unpredicted pauses which contain timeless energy. Measuring the utility of buildings by months or years does not reveal the quality of one's experience of a building. It is really a disconnected and personal, time-bound experience. If the design has provided for a separation of time zones, a layering of external and internal worlds, or alternate modes of movement with elements to slow down, break-up, and change the course of the time and movement relationship, would that not provide choices and unexpected joys? Does the absence of a sustained order not lead to more memorable experiences? This is always true of great architecture. Sadly, it is not true of our present time. With the passage of time, new dimensions have entered our perceptions. Our measure of time is accelerating, and events are now coupled with rapid change and uncertainty. The relationship of man to built form has become transitory, and identity has become synonymous with quick, resultoriented action. Symbols are now dependent upon a constantly changing and increasingly uncertain worldview. Against this myopic worldview and the resulting well structured, extremely regulated, mechanized architectural spaces, the only constant that can recover our sensibilities is the introduction of the pause, the "gap" or unexpected, ambiguous link. This gap, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;open-ended ambiguity,â&#x20AC;? through its momentary sense of repose in time and reorientation of space, helps counteract stressful activity. In architecture, this gap or pause is the unassigned loosely superimposed space, the corner or corridor or irregular courtyard accidentally discovered. In these spaces use is undefined and choice is unlimited. The spaces may not have tangible, measurable, or material value, but they have a permanent experiential and immeasurable value because they contain the possibility of spontaneity. In the academic and cultural complexes and the townships that I have designed, I have included these currently ignored architectural elements, whose only functions are to break the circle of time, to allow opportunity to pause, meander, or just to go astray. Because time can stop. And when time is still, we can discover the joys of getting lost in space, in time, or in a place, effacing the traces of a linear, stressful life by registering the changing nuances of This is the challenge I have taken up in my projects. In our Aranya housing for the "have-nots" at Indore, a multidimensional use of time and resources was employed.shadows and rhythms in space, the quality of light, color, texture, or the sound of falling rain or the smell of flowers. This in turn connects us to our primordial, timeless self. This is the challenge I have taken up in my projects. In our Aranya housing for the "have-nots" at Indore, a multidimensional use of time and resources was employed.

To encourage unexpected but accepted participation, the form and pattern of flexible dwellings with growth potential, is integrated with the street patterns. Pauses in the form of open spaces are provided, allowing the residents to choose time, contact, or activity before reaching a destination. As a result, Aranya offers residents a choice to live at either the pace of a village or small town, or at that of a neighborhood on the fringe of a metropolis. Similar to Fatehpur Sikri near Agra or the Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, unassigned open and semi-open architectural connections mark the passage of time at the Indian Institute of management in Bangalore. Over twenty years in the masking and with several directors modifying the academic program, architecture of uncertainty helped to add new dimensions to the flexibility of the campus. The passage along the spine is modulated with changing light, spaces, and scales in the covered and semi-covered pergolas, which encourages the academicians to pause and reconsider the existing and new interactive modes of communication. Sangath distils both the experiences of my ancestral home and those in Le Corbusier's architectural studio in Paris. Its form and plan raise haunting questions about form and formality and ambiguity. To reach the partially buried design studio, one has to pass through several meandering, pen and enclosed passages that are intermingled with natural elements such as the sun, the moon, water, flora, and fauna. When passing from one point to another, one is compelled to recognize the connections between the manmade and the cosmic, and to acquire a glimpse of the enigmatic or the immeasurable, the essential parameter of creation. Underground, dimly lit, and unfathomable space is what gufa (literally, "cave") means. Its fluid space, which has now become a natural garbhagriha, or "golden womb," is where one is able to discover previous births and reincarnations. Such unexpected experiences make one ask: Who am I? Where do I come from? What time is it? How much and whose time do we have? Yet these questions become irrelevant as one delves deeper, as in a yogic trance. In the gufa, the past, present, and future are fused into a seamless continuum. There is no beginning and no end: in that space, time stands still.

[Type Ar.Ar. Habib II Contemporary AjayKhan Thomare II Heritage Ar. Habib Khan II Contemporary text] Ar. Habib Khan II Contemporary Ar. Habib Ar. Habib Khan II Contemporary Khan II Contemporary Ajay S. Thomare, Graduate (1994) from Dept. of Arch., VNIT (former VRCE), Nagpur and Post Graduate (1996) from School of Planning, CEPT, Ahmadabad. Presently working as Associate Professor at IDEAS, Nagpur and involved in Research, Design and Implementation of alternative eco-friendly built habitat techniques; especially using Soil and Bamboo. Travelled across rural India, actively involved in artisans movement, founder & executive member of different NGO’s and Educational Trust.

Ar. Ajay Thomare COMPONENTS OF NATURE’S FAN TRADITIONAL HOUSES IN CENTRAL INDIA Fan, as everyone understands, is an electromechanical device most commonly used at many places, a must in all types of mechanical ventilation. This device has motor, blades, axel, capacitor, regulator and many more parts which act as components. The FAN works only if these components fall in, at required sequence with associated harmony within them. The efficiency of any FAN depends on the associated harmony of these components and failure of any one result in underperformance or the complete halt. Similarly, the traditional houses in central India’s Vidarbha region have natural ventilation system working in harmony with built and open spaces. Many great architects, including the masters have failed to incorporate this simple yet intermingled process of natural ventilation in hot and dry climate. If, one has to understand this process, details of space character, use of building material & technology along with surrounding landscape is to be studied in detail. All this associated with thermodynamics of the air generated inside built space; various level of solar illumination, adds the required depth to this understanding.

The components of nature’s FAN in traditional houses are as follows:

1. Breathing Roof. 2. Leaking or frameless openings. 3. Connectivity or overflowing character of built spaces. 4. Dark, unexposed central core. 5. Built mass, open space fabric of surrounding landscape. 6. Air movement above roof level.

The roof of traditional houses in central India is of country tiles supported on heavy timber understructure. This roof establishes a crucial connection between the vertical expanse of built structure and space. It ensures the vertical exchange of air from closed built space to open sky. The leaking or frameless openings with double panel doors establish the horizontal connection between the various built spaces within the house. This also ensures the air movement from open courts to built mass. The built mass in traditional house is actually an expanse of central core, keeping intact the connectivity of added mass to the central core. This horizontal expanse has hierarchy of activities, lumen levels, volumes and floor height. This order along with overflowing character of spaces ensures the generation of required pressure difference for flow of air. The expanse around the central core blocks the exposure of its thick wall from day light and heat. This dark, unexposed central core has the high density cool air, surrounded by areas with low density cool air; setting hierarchy in air pressure. This core is vertically connected either through narrow, dark stairs sandwich between two walls or an opening in intermediate floor to approach top storage space. The built character and open spaces in immediate surrounding like front & back yards, trees, other houses and narrow lanes also contribute in effective circulation of wind. The lateral shading of walls and open yards set the direction to wind flow. This fabric of positive and negative spaces reforms the wind The footprint of settlement, land profile along with other.

Ar. Ajay Thomare II Heritage The footprint of settlement, land profile along with other landscape features like river, mountains, valleys, and plains govern the velocity of wind approaching the settlement. The velocity of wind flowing at roof level largely depends on the vertical expanse of this composition of built character and open spaces in that settlement. It is very important to note that this feature (component) is beyond the scope of designer.

All the above components work in harmony and specific order generating the air flow within the house. It is worth reminding here, that the moving air has low density / pressure than the stagnant air; and it always prefers to move from greater density area to lower density area. Aerodynamics state that one can not invite air inside a built space, unless the air inside is exhausted or dragged out by some means. a

Backyard (Paras)

Store

Kitchen

Central Core

(Kothighar) (Swayampakghar) (Maajghar)

Verandah (Osri)

Entrance (Padvi)

Forecourt (Aangan)

TYPICAL SECTION THROUGH A VERNACULAR HOUSE

It all starts with the desired velocity of wind above the roof top; creating a low density zone, immediately above breathing roof (shown at a). The warm air stacked at top storage floor is dragged out by this wind through the breathing roof (shown at b). This creates a low pressure at top floor dragging the used air from central core below it, which is at high pressure (shown at c). The connecting expanse around the central core enables the air to fill the vacated space inside this core (shown at d). This is facilitated by the leaking or frameless openings in thick walls. The cycle gets completed when the cold, heavier air in open shaded yards moves inside the built mass from all sides (shown at e). This cycle is repeated several times to set the air flow inside the traditional house. It does not ensure ventilation at all times as the desired velocity of wind above roof top could not be guaranteed. The human skin can feel the breeze at various spaces in these houses, especially near the openings in central core. Even if, designer understand this phenomenon; it is difficult to set in present design parameters with modern life style, building bylaws, material and technology.

Ar. Habeeb Khan II Contemporary Ar. Habeeb Khan II Contemporary

Architect Habeeb Khan graduated from VNIT and completed his masters in architectural design in 1988 from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Initially, his firm Smita and Habeeb Khan Associates worked on many interior design projects; but he later shifted to working on major projects viz. Institutional and hospitality projects and exclusive residential bungalows. He is also involved in teaching and has been taking guest lectures and engaging design studios all over. He is currently at a Design chair at Priyadarshini college of Architecture, Nagpur.

Ar. Habeeb Khan ‘CONTEMPORARY VERNACULAR’ In search of a Context based Architecture Keywords: traditions & cultural heritage, vernacular continuity, evolution of a language, contemporary framework The focus of the paper is the current contemporary architectural scene in India and the sorry state that we feel it is in. The loss of context, tradition and cultural heritage from Indian architecture constitutes the thrust area of this paper. Our architectural practice is an attempt at devising & implementing an architectural language assimilating the tradition and its context within a contemporary framework. This paper briefly deals with it and outlines the methodology to achieve the same. Preamble: The advent of ‘Internationalism’ in post independent India resulted in, like elsewhere in the world, a systematic erasure of the local aesthetics & craftsmanship, for the machine, resulting in breaking of the link to the rich traditions & cultural heritage. This vital link produces an architecture that respects its people, culture, craftsmanship & climate while retaining a vernacular continuity. Lifestyles also underwent considerable change. Advent of new building materials and construction technologies gave rise to a new order of community development, building and city planning. These new models were not conceived on local climate or socio cultural order. The import was senseless and the wisdom of the historic past was forgotten, resulting in a

Pastiche model of Western & Indian hybrid imagery

Ar. Habeeb Khan II Contemporary context-less architecture. The continuity of cultural heritage and the legacy of our tradition were lost in the new found imagery of a perceived new selfrespect. The problem today is more severe. With the advent of communication systems and the Internet, it is very easy to find and visually see, may be virtual, alluring western models and architectural developments. This imagery has no rooting to their own heritage and tradition. This is the image of the outside world, which the younger generation carries with them. This alarming situation coupled with an irrelevant academic curriculum, helped develop a breed of architects whose main interest revolved around a real estate developer and a pastiche model of western imagery and iconography. The contemporary architectural scenario in India is a result of these impacts.

The Need: There is an urgent need for evolving a language based on the rich traditions of the past and assimilating traditional Indian principles encompassing freedom & responsibility, creativity & common sense, continuity & growth, problem solving with creativity, aesthetic aspirations & construction technology, crafts & craftsmanship. Architecture should respect and bridge this gap between the past and the present. There is a need to pick up the threads that modernity served, the need to reinvent a new and more responsive architecture, which will be a continuum of the vernacular, yet respect the time it is built in. We call this continuum “Contemporary Vernacular”. It assimilates culture, climate, local craftsmanship & people within a contemporary framework. Continuance of tradition is not of a fossilized reintroduction of old forms, but on the contrary is a question of penetrating the underlying, generating principles of the past, realizing where they are relevant and irrelevant, and then transforming them into present modern day circumstances. This thought process is fundamental to “Contemporary Vernacular”. Pre industrial architecture had the strength and nerve to serve the physical and spiritual need of a person,

his family and the entire community. At the physical level it embodies centuries of learning with respect to climate, orientation, building material and construction techniques. At the spiritual level, the built-form conveyed total harmony with life style, its rituals, unifying socio-cultural aspirations of the individual and the entire community. To achieve this physical and spiritual unity, due importance was given to nature and its laws. Lifestyle followed in consonance with nature and so did architecture. Respect for nature, concern for resources and conservation of energy was natural and was reflected in every day’s rituals, social actions and, but naturally, in their architecture. Architecture should see past as a series of layers of inventions from the nomadic huts to the spiritual temples to the refinement of the Moghuls. It should also respect the colonial framework, although painful to national pride, but an essential part of Indian Architectural Identity. It should also encompass merging the spirit of the imported with the cultural ethos of our soil and embodies the travails of our climate, local material, craftsmanship and geography. The thought process for architectural design in “Contemporary Vernacular” shall transform traditional forms so that they are appropriate for the changing social order of the present. There is need to sense beneath the surface and search for the soul so that architecture has a certain timeless character, which fuses the old and the new, the regional and the universal.

The Response: From its very inception the thrust of our design practice has been to address with a proactive approach this felt lacunae in the architectural developments. It is an attempt at devising & implementing an architectural language “Contemporary Vernacular” which attempts at restoring the broken link. We feel the need to reinvent a new and more responsive architecture, which can be implemented by means of a thoughtful and innovative use of materials responding to climate, people, local craftsmanship, culture, geography and context while simultaneously respecting the modern needs, functions and technology available, with innovative &

Ar. Habeeb Khan II Contemporary

9 10

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE 10 COMMANDMENTSâ&#x20AC;?: 1. Continuum of tradition. (Refer PIC 3) 2. Imaginative use of traditional building techniques, space & volume. (Refer PIC 4) 3. Recycle, reuse. (Refer PIC 5) 4. Innovation in finishes, materials & traditional building vocabulary. (Refer PIC 6) 5. Use of natural materials and an ecological approach towards them. Their intelligent use with respect to their nature, characteristics & limitations. (Refer PIC 7) 6. Respect & rejuvenation of local people & their economy. (Refer PIC 8) 7. Respect for local climate, context & culture.(Refer PIC 9) 8. Respect for man and nature. (Refer PIC 10) 9. Non-industrial building methods. (Refer PIC 11) 10. Reinventing and reintroduction of traditional building construction techniques. (Refer PIC 12)

Ar. Habib Khan II Contemporary traditional construction techniques. It also means an innovative synthesis of modern technology with traditional yearnings-a synergy for a new language. Over a period of more than 20 years in practise we have arrived at certain methodology, which helps us achieve this synergy. We have christened these as “The Ten Commandments” The range of projects handled in the studio is large; from institutes of higher education to nature resorts for tiger tourism to private residences. The scale & detailing of projects is thus varied on a wide spectrum. This has made the application of contemporary vernacular even more challenging. The process of implementation was not without hiccups; from convincing the clients, to enlightening the various consultants and educating the workman at site. The language is all encompassing & can be applied across many typologies very successfully, as demonstrated above. The built environs as a result of such a marriage of local materials, technology & contemporary vision is a humane eco-friendly & sustainable habitat for our contemporary times.

of western modules needs to be revamped. The research fraternity needs to rise up to this challenge and evolve a new system and frame-work for teaching. 3. There is also a need to understand the dying arts, craftsmanship and construction techniques and preserve, restore and conserve them through extensive patronage and use. The craftsmen and their traditional vocational skills also need rejuvenation, while analysing and improvising them through advance contemporary technical knowhow. We endeavor to practice all of the above. The effort is very miniscule in comparison to the volume of architectural work happening in India. As a Head of Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and Design Studies, I have incorporated the same in our academic curriculum as well. Even this effort is minute, considering that there are more than 200 colleges across the country. It is here that an effective synthesis and assimilation of academics, researcher and practice assumes importance which shall pave way for evolution of a new language: “The Contemporary Vernacular”.

How this shall be done is a question? Practice & academics need to be reflect upon and address quickly. The damage being done needs to be contained 1. There is a felt lack of data in terms of proper and technical documentation of the vernacular in India. Systematic, extensive and thorough approach in mapping the entire vernacular and traditional architecture needs to be taken up and the data available dispersed. The methodology of the dispersal also needs to be discussed and debated, for it is important that the vast bank of knowledge that will be generated is available to practicing professionals and for pedagogical use across the country. 2. Another issue to help achieve this language is the incorporation of the same and its principles in the academic syllabi, to help the younger generation of architects, on whose shoulders lie the sole onus of containing the damage and changing the future course of action, to be sensitized to this language.Present academic syllabi, which is largely based on an imported and fragmented pastiched copy

REFERENCES: Lang, J. etal (1998). ‘Architecture & Independence-the search for identity-India 1880-1990’: Oxford and India, Oxford University Press Oliver, Paul. (2003). ‘Dwellings’ : London, Phaidon Jain, Kulbhushan etal (2000). ‘Architecture of the Indian desert’. India, AADI Giles, Henry, Rupert, Tillotson (2001). ‘Stones in the sand’. India, Marg Publications Steil, Lucien. (1987).’Tradition & Architecture’Palaces, Public buildings & Houses. Architecture Design Publication

Ar. Sanjay Puri II Comtemporary

INNUMERABLEFACES

That Are MERELYFACES !

Ar. Sanjay Puri Sanjay Puri graduated from the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai in 1988 and established his firm SANJAY PURI ARCHITECTS in 1992. Completing an extensive range of projects including townships, software parks, residential buildings, retail malls, hotels and entertainment centers, the firm strongly believes in exploring new territories of design. Their works have been extensively featured in Indian and International design magazines with over 20 International publications in the last year.

She leaned towards me observing the arrangement of tiny cubes within a frame and said “Interesting! The way you have balanced the positive and negative spaces together”. After she moved on I mulled over what she had said without arriving at a conclusive decision to the meaning of her words. What was positive and what was negative in terms of the spaces in these cubes? I looked at the random arrangement of cubes lying on my table in the first year classroom of Rachana Sansad’s Academy of Architecture. I did not decipher the meaning of my design professor’s words and just dwelled on the fact that she had found it interesting so I was presumably on the right track. Later, that day I went to the library and finally found the meaning of what positivity and negativity meant in terms of spaces and the true meaning of her words unraveled. I reflect on those years of the beginning. The beginning of learning about architecture. The first two years where we were constantly being enlightened and simultaneously being instilled with “the importance and quality of space being the essence of architecture. In the twenty years that have elapsed since those enlightening formative years, numerous clients with numerous projects have approached me and as yet none have requested or even alluded to the kind or quality of space they would like to create or inhabit.

Ar. Sanjay Puri II Comtemporary

They have always evinced interest in only one aspect, the face of their project. Their briefs have always evolved from market driven sizes and numbers when the client is a developer and from what a neighbor or a family member or a holiday visit has created imagery from, in the case of a private client. Somebody wants their house to look like “The White House “. Somebody wants their office to look modern which basically in their mind, revolves around extensive use of glass facades. Somebody wants a Spanish feel and somebody wants a minimalist look. It is always the face and never what lies within or what constitutes its essence. It is never about the space that is within. An interrupted flow of space or spaces that change volumetrically as one unravels their path through them or spaces that seamlessly integrate the indoors with the outdoors is some of what we as architects are taught to create and yet there are none who understand this. What do we architects do in the face of this obsession with the faces of architecture that people want? We need to go far beyond the faces, remembering always that what we create affects human behavior at many levels in myriad ways. Architecture affects human behavior at both the physical levels and the emotional levels. The essence of architecture will always be in the creation of meaningful spaces taking cognizance of the requirements of varied age groups and how each will utilize the spaces in their own ways while alluding to the location and orientation of the site, its contextuality, the climate of its region and various social aspects.

INFINITY AT WORLI

Everything at the macro level from the way one approaches one’s house or office or school or entertainment depends on the way a town planner conceived the city’s layout. Everything that is experienced within one’s home from the openness or feeling of enclosure to what one sees from their windows to the level of heat that is absorbed by the house due to its orientation with respect to the sun is dependent on the architect who designed the house. Thus architects are not only responsible for the spatial relationships within a building but also for the amount of air conditioning the building requires. By simply orienting living and working spaces towards the north in most of India, the architect can reduce the air conditioning required by 30 percent. The architect is thus responsible even for the bills paid on monthly basis towards electricity amongst many other aspects.

Ar. Sanjay Puri II Comtemporary

OCEANIQUE HOTEL, GOA 2010

The use of a garden area too is dependent on the way it is oriented with respect to the sun. In many projects which are built and where large numbers of people stay, if the garden is towards the south it is not usable most of the year in a city like Mumbai or Ahmadabad. On the other hand if buildings are placed on the southern side while being oriented towards the north, the garden is protected by the shadow of the building and becomes a cooler, more usable space. Architects thus by their planning and insight affect human behavior to a very large extent physically. At an emotional level, color, scale, complexity, each affects human behavior and this too is attributed to the architectural planning and the interior design.

TRIOSE PLAZA

CHROME HOTEL, KOLKATA 2009_

People in general may reduce architecture to innumerable faces that are just faces and yet we as architects have to delve much deeper in more profound ways creating the spaces within that are the reality of the faces that are perceived by the rest.

Rishika Shah II Contemporary

arrying The Weight Of Life - Rishika Shah

“We all leave footprint in the universe, the question is, will we be a big” heal, or a great soul.”

The carbon footprint measure the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted as a result of our daily activities. When we drive to work, run the appliances in our home or sneak off for a weak end get away, we cause the burning of fossil fuels, which provide the energy needed to power our lifestyle. Everything we do has an impact --- positive or negative --- on the environment. That’s the concept behind the carbon footprint, which is one method of measuring the environmental effect of our lifestyle. A carbon footprint, measured in terms, indicates the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are produced as a result of our daily activities. We can reduce our footprint by changing the way our lives. Even tiny changes can make a significant difference. Many of the action we take on a daily basis can measure the carbon footprint. As our power usage increases so does our environmental impact. Cars, homes and possessions all contribute to this impact by easing energy, most of which is produced by burning fossil fuels. However, renewable and sustainable resources can help lighten our ecological footprint, even more so when combined

The alarming question is, “what’s the use of a house, if we haven’t got a tolerable planet to put on it?” While architects are known to be good at thinking out of the box, the issue before us are- the first issue has to do with adaptation. How can architects design buildings, neighbourhood, indeed entire portions of our cities to make them more resilient to the risks and threats of more extreme weather or more frequent floodings. The second aspect is mitigation. How can architects help reduce the carbon footprint of human activity through greener buildings, more intelligent use of building materials, more pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods, and less dependence on nonrenewable sources of energy. Both the aspects, I believe, are not just the matter of strengthening design standards and building codes. They are also matter of creativity in design.

Rishika Shah II Contemporary

How do we reduce a carbon footprint? Why should we be worried about the way we lived our lives and the impact it is having on the earth? Are we too big for our boots? Are we leaving a carbon footprint too big for our own good? So many questions, but hopefully some answers in our carbon footprint facts. “We have plenty of open spaces and unused lands”, I hear you say. Yes we do, but are ecological footprints, that is dictated to by what we consume in the form of utilities, food and travel is getting bigger and bigger. We cannot keep on living same lifestyle if we want to conserve resources for the following generations. So, how is our ecological footprint made up, and how can we reduce our carbon footprint? 1. We all need shelter, but when renovating, buying new or an existing property considers how we can improve its water and energy consumption and go for greener build. 2. We can use local building materials with recyclable content. 3. Don’t use fossil fuels and attach water tanks to our roofs to store rain water for our garden. 4. Use solar power and wind turbines. 5. By buying near public transports we can leave our car in the garage and save even further. Climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability are some of the most pressing issues in the world today. We need to realise that, “pursuing sustainable design is not only ethical and in the long run the most economical thing to do, but also the smart thing to do to make buildings look and perform better”. Most efficient building design is one of the most cost effective opportunities for large scale reductions in carbon dioxide reductions on a national and a global scale. Thus, more emphasis on integrated building design or the full life cycle of a building can lead to dramatic improvements in building performance. Let us also not forget that we design also becomes part of the urban landscape for generation to come. And the users of what we design will either love us for it or curse us for it.The role of architecture is critical to our quest for sustainable urbanization and for sustainable development. Contrary to many other professions, architecture is by definition holistic. It involves creativity and the harnessing of technology. It is informed by the social sciences and forms part of the arts and culture. It is a driver of the construction industry that generates more jobs and economic opportunity is than any other sector of the economy. It is this ability to think holistically that places the Architect in a unique position of being able to work with a wide range of stakeholders, a wide range of professions and most importantly, with people. As Architects, we have an ethical if not moral obligation to health confront the urban challenge ahead .While Architecture is a reflection of social and economic values of a given society and acts as a mirror of cultures, it is also a deliberate act of design. As Architects, each time we draw a line, we define a space. That space can either be perpetuate the existing reality or help create a new realty that is socially more inclusive and environmentally more sound. We are very much aware that the clock is ticking. We have very little time left.

“TUNING ARCHITECTURE” Remo has directed title songs in two films, Bejoy Nambiar's "David" and Joe Rajan's "Luv U Sonyo". Both of them are slated to release in early 2013. Besides that, he is re-recording his first album – “Goan Crazy”. He is also working on a couple of other albums of his own simultaneously. Including awards at international music festivals he has been honored with the prestigious Padmashree by the hands of President Abdul Kalam. . The Indian Posts and Telegraphs have announced that they would release a postage stamp with his image soon.

Remo Fernandes Ques.1 What kind of Music left a footprint in your life or, your style of music? In Goa, I grew up to a lot of Portuguese and Latin music. I never heard English music or rock/pop till I was about 10. Together with Latin, of course I also heard a lot of Goan music. So Latin and Goan would be my earliest musical exposures. After that, I must say that all the experimentation and fusion which took place in the 70s were also very influential in my formative years. And of course, some of the music I hear when I travel around the world always leaves a great impression.

Ques.2 Is there any connection between the genre of music you practice and architecture you were associated with? Consciously, no. Sub-consciously, certainly. Art is a matter of aesthetics. And each artist has his/her own. The same sense of aesthetics I would apply to architecture, I'm sure I apply to music. But if you ask me what they are in material or practical terms, they would be impossible to explain.

Ques.3 Do you think architecture should have a collaboration with music and should influence people in socio-political life? Everything should help people in their lives. Today the world is full of consumerism-oriented products which do just the opposite. Quick easy food which is worse than the traditional, quick

Remo Fernandes II Footprints medicines which leave side-effects which traditional ones didn't, music and paintings and books which are produced for consumption, not out of inspiration, architecture which makes people live in tiny boxes hundreds of feet away from Mother Earth, artificial gardens, artificial nature... the list is endless. And then we wonder what's wrong with our lives.

Ques.4 While studying architecture, did you ever feel the urge of incorporating music based concepts in your design? No. This is never a conscious effort. I think the phrase "Architecture is frozen music" is a beautiful poetic line which has been taken too literally by architects down the ages. That way we can also say "Painting is music in colour". Or "Poetry is music in ink". Or vice-versa, we can say that "Music is architecture in sound". These things are all poetic, figurative, not to be taken literally... yet they are all true.

Ques.5 Any message you would like to give that would inspire the world, we architects are going to make for ourselves! Don't forget that, as architects, you are going to make a world for others! And it is your responsibility to give them a better world. 'Better' is a relative term of course. Each one of you will interpret it your own way. As far as I'm concerned, the further we take humanity from Mother Nature, the worse the world we're building for them. But that is a paradox: the more we build in Mother Nature, the more we destroy of her. The balance is what we need to find. Good luck!

8585

ZONASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Z O N A S A 1 ZONAL PRISEDENT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SAHIL SHARMA CONVENOR-RAHUL GANGULY

ast year the National Institute of Technology,

Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh witnessed a golden semester being a host to the wonderful extravaganza Zonasa-12 zone-1. The seeds of hope had germinated in the minds of the students from the very beginning of the year; we put our best foot forward and tried to make those three historical days- a dream come true. The three days 13th 14th 15th of the month April were a result of the tremendous hard-work, sleepless nights, ideas, theories, arguments and a number of such inexpressible moments and feelings. The pre-convention meet held on 24th of March made us clear about the dos and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ts for the event which even helped us in decision making, and fulfilling them. The Best about this Zonasa 2012 was to complete all the events successfully in the best possible manner. This made the students actively participate in every other task.

The event witnessed 11 major trophies which included Reubens, ZNDC, Landscape, Hypothetical, Journalism, PowerPoint Presentation, Photography, Short Film Making, Graffiti, Dance and Fash-P. It had another 60 informal events which included guest lectures from prominent personalities like Ar. Oscar Concessao from Chennai, Ar. Manoj Mathur, Ar. Sangeet Sharma, and Ar. Anurag Roy. Mr. Navneet Saxena, a renowned photographer from Chandigarh took the workshops on photography, video making, model making. Adventure sports like Zorbing, Rappelling, river crossing, etc. were organized.

The cultural nights was a rocking affair, performances by the host college; Natty (the folk dance of H.P.), college band performance. Raving up the mood was an excellent performance by the band “Local Train’. While DJ Emn had set the stage on fire, there were other band performances, the Dance Trophies. A beautiful “sky lantern” event had been organized which had been well participated and applauded by one and all. Here’s a mention to all the respective colleges and their students for their innumerous contribution and support towards the event. We also proved the challenge of organizing such an event in a very short frame of time from the date of bid confirmation and convention. On the behest of the host college, we thank all the teachers and the faculty members without whom this event would have impossible!

Thank you!!!

Z O N A S A 2 ZONAL PRESIDENT - ABHISHEK GWASKOTI CONVENOR-SHAILENDRA BHADOURIA

CONTINUUM Hosted by Hitkarini College of Architecture and Planning, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh from 1-3 OCTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2012 .With 800+ delegates, faculty, guest and 22 colleges, Zonasa Zone 2 Continuum was held successfully with help of EC members, College Management (Director, HOD, Faculties) and most importantly HCATP Volunteering Team. Shailendra Bhadouria (Convenor) and Anuraag Dutta (U-sec) with their continuous efforts and hard work made the convention run smoothly. Moreover the support of U-Secs was applaud able to make the convention move in right spirits. The overall response from colleges/delegates regarding the convention was positive and cheerful. The convention was highly interactive, informative and fun-filled with about 30 on the spot events and numerous seminars on various topics. The guest lectures and seminars were taken by renowned personalities viz. Ar. Gita Balakrishnan, Ar. Ashima Charnalia, Ar A K Shrivastava, Dr R.K. Pandit and Ar. Rashmi Dawe.

The various trophies and their winners are as follows:

Reubens: Citation: z216 IPSA RAJKOT, z206 IED Vidyanagar. Special Mention: z214 SCET Surat, z210 Rizvi Mumbai, z212 IPSA Indore

Photoney (Photography Trophy): Citation: z230 BCAP Bhopal, Z219 SDPS Indore Special Mention: z212 IPSA Indore, z210 Rizvi Mumbai, z212 IPSA Indore

Trophy Convention Trophy (Redesign): Citation: z231 GC Patel Surat, z224 Spa Bhopal Special Mention: z218 Asmita Mumbai, z232 Growmore College, Himatnagar, z206 IED Vidyanagar Fashion: Winner: Z206 IED Vidyanagar Runner: z230 BCAP Bhopal Dance: Winner: z217 SVIT Surat Runner: Z216 IPSA Rajkot

Z O N A S A 3 ZONAL PRESIDENT - OMKAR THUBE CONVENOR - AKSHAY INAMKE

CORNCAKE Last year the ZONE3 ZONAL NASA ’12 was held at Loni, Maharashtra and was hosted by PRAVARA RURAL COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE. The theme conceived for the ZONAL NASA was “CORNCAKE”. The theme imprinted exploring rural and eco friendly architecture. The event had been organized for three days i.e. 14th, 15th and 16th of July ’12. Omkar Thube and Akshay Inamke were the zonal president and convener respectively. It was one of the most successful and remarkable event for zone 3. 20 colleges all over Maharashtra and 600+ delegates participated in this convention. The convention was interactive, educative as well as entertaining. Hats off to the managing team of P.R.C.A. who made such efforts and added some sweet and beautiful memories in the participants' mind.

TROPHIES Overall performance trophy winner-P.I.A.D.S, Nagpur  Overall performance trophy runner up-S.C.O.A, Pune 1) Reuben’strophy Citatio n-B.K.P.S, Pune Specialmention- 1) V.N.I.T, Nagpur 2) S.C.O.A, pune 3) P.I.A.D.S, Nagpur 4) S.M.C.O.A, Kol hapur 2) Redesign trophy Citatio n-P.I.A.D.S, Nagpur Specialmention-1) M.M.C.A, Pune 2) S.C.O.A,Pune 3) Cul tural trophy Citatio n- V.N.I.T, Nagpur Specialmention-M.M.C.A, Pune 4) Shortfil mtrophy Citatio n-P.I.A.D.S, Nagpur Specialmention-S.C.O.A, Pune 5) Landscap e trophy Citatio n-B.N.C.A, Pune Specialmention-V.P.S.O.A, Barama ti JURY1) Reuben’s- Ar.Raj iv raj e ,Ar.SuhaasChoudhary 2) Redesign-Ar. Shirishkembhav i,Ar.anura g Dosh i 3) Cul tural trophy-Ar.ShitalJosh i, Ar.Subhash Fegade 4) Shortfil m-Ar.Pradeep Bal ote, Ar.PankajBankar 5) Landscap e trophy-Ar.Abhij eetDesh mukh, Ar.Abhij eetShinde Theguestpresi dentofthe conv entionw asHon. CabinetMinist erShri Ba l asa heb VikhePatil , Hon. minist er Shri Ra dhakrishn a VikhePatil (minist erforagricu l ture Maharasht ra),Ar.HemantMahaj an,ArtistPramod Kambl e,

Z 0 N A S A 4 ZONAL PRESIDENT - B.M.N. CHAKRAVARTY CONVENR - NILENDU BALA

ARYAHI The fragrance of the eve when I was labeled as the Zonal President is still fresh in my mind and the feeling of immense joy and thrill hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sunk in me yet. This zonal convention has marked a great leap in its own history. The strength of the zone shot up to the total of 24 colleges. The U.SEC s of new colleges showed up with an appreciable active response and the colleges which were inactive for past few years came up with commendable performances. Zone 4 took the initiation in submitting the bid papers. "A large and hearty group of 1080 delegates visited the B.E.S.U. campus for our annual Zonasa conducted on October 26th- 28th of 2012. The event turned out to be an exemplary and a laudable affair which was kick-started with a warm reception by our

companion hosts. The programs were beyond excellent. The hosts extended many courtesies to us. The U.SEC of Bengal Engineering and Science University [B.E.S.U]. - NILENDU BALA administered the accommodation of 19 colleges though the prior estimate was announced as 15 colleges. The dates of the convention collided with my exam schedule, so I could not be present on the first day. Nevertheless the present treasurer SAAJAN gave me a helping hand in co-coordinating the U.SEC.s in my absence. Although all the planned events - the formal & informal events, trophies, meals, various programs and the thankworthy hospitality and service - all occurred immaculately, it was the number of delegates who came that made our event such a great success. The number of

the delegates boomed up to 1080, which was 600 in the previous year. Including guests, total attendance exceeded to 1100. This could be made possible only with sincere efforts and the hospitality of our hosts towards our guest colleges and our zone, also to mention the members of BESU who worked tirelessly to encourage delegates to attend. A real challenge was taken by B.E.S.U. as the estimated strength of the colleges had been drastically increased from the zero hour to a few weeks prior to the convention. An active response was showed up by the newly added colleges as soon as the briefs were released. Registrations came pouring in from all the colleges. The 3-day convention was filled with memorable events, wonderful exhibits, astounding performances and knowledgeable seminars. True mosaics of rare thoughts were embedded in the exhibits of the formal events. The informal event exhibits measured a great number on the scale of creativity. Fun events attracted a great flock. Astounding performances were exhibited in the Culturals. My collision with Reuben’s trophy, fashion trophy, cultural exhibit was an unforgettable experience. The convention witnessed several seminars by profound architects which filled the students with fresh knowledge and confidence. The Archumen quiz conducted by Smt. Geeta Balakrishnan happened to be a huge success. I express my heartfelt gratitude towards NILENDU BALA , the U.SEC of B.E.S.U and her team who skillfully organized the event and also for their warm hospitality; The present treasurer SAAJAN for being the greatest source of aid and assistance; The E.C.Members for being an enormous support ; The HOD of Architecture Dept.,BESU, who diligently presented us with an office headquarters and supervised the event. Also, thanks to all the USECs for such a ready response and active participation. Everything was made possible as an outcome of the strong alliance among the U.SECs and their diligent contributions making it a splendid affair. Last learning on the termination of this event, “The great secret of true success, of true happiness, is this: build each other up by finding something you appreciate, therefore encourage each other and together succeed.” Finally I conclude my humble gratitude and sincere appreciation to all the participating delegates for making the event a grand success.

Z O N A S A 5 ZONAL PRESIDENT-: WAQAR ABID.A.Z ZONAL CONVENOR-SREEVIPULA V

APODOSJS In the mid of August, there had been a group discussion of the General Council of Zone 5, with scanty hopes of any college taking up the responsibility to host the Zonal Convention, C.S.I.I.T then came forward to take up this charge. The title of the convention "APODOSIS" means "to give back". C.S.I.I.T wanted to give back the NASA experience to the zone with gratitude to its association with NASA for years. Zone 5 would have a year left without hosting a Zonal Convention! Sounded just too impossible to be true. Faraaz Ahmed (ex-president, NASA India) was concerned about Zone 5 and made sure that he persuaded C.S.I.I.T to host a convention. After being convinced, TheU.Sec(S.Manisha),and

The U.D (Ivan Abhishek) had convinced their faculty and director who had given them immense courage and support. Samruddhi Chaphale (President-NASA, India) and Saajan Varanasi (Treasurer-NASA, India) had sent the confirmation letter to the U.Sec in the first week of September. They had faith in the Institution and the council. They had encouraged C.S.I.I.T throughout the process of hosting the convention by being their strength and back bone.It was indeed challenging for me to persevere throughout the process of hosting this very event. Keeping a check on every minute detail of the convention and ensuring smooth running of the same.

Dharmaraj Sir (Director of C.S.I.I.T), Suman Rekhamaam (The H.O.D), the faculty of C.S.I.I.T, and the Assoc. Prof.Mervyn Daniel Raj (NASA coordinator) were the main support system, of the convention. It is completely because of their support that APODOSIS gained the recognition that it did. The core team of 8 people with the NASA coordinator have worked day in and day out to make APODOSIS possible.

The convention dates were then scheduled to Oct 15-17,2012. Alterations had been done during the pre-con meeting in U.S.D, Mysore which was attended by Mervyn Daniel Raj (NASA Coordinator of C.S.I.I.T), Ivan Abhishek(U.D of C.S.I.I.T), SandeshKrishnakumar and Prasad Ch (representatives of C.S.I.I.T). With assistance from the Zonal Council, C.S.I.I.T was well supported with decision making. All the agendas fell in place systematically. Briefs were made for different categories so that every student from a college has a chance to stand out with their creation and talent. Competitions were conducted for the following category:-Design -Reubens -Photography -Short film making -Dance -Fashion show -Journalism -Sports (basketball for boys and Throw ball for girls)

B.V.Doshi Sir has promised C.S.I.I.T to attend APODOSIS but due to his ill health, he persuaded Prof.NeelkanthChayya (Director of CEPT) to attend the convention.

All work and no play makes jack a dull boy, this applies not just to jack but to all of us! APODOSIS was probably the first Zonal Convention that has hosted sports. This was indeed a refreshing event. Apart from competitions, Formal, Informal and casual on spot competitions were hosted for the delegates. Various kinds of workshop activities (i.e. Clay Modelling by Ar. Haji Sir) and Seminars (Ar. Sanjay Torvi) have been conducted. Various eminent personalities graced the event. To name a few Prof.KavithaDary, Ar. Yeshwanth Ram Murthy, Ar. Ramanjeneyaluhave attended the convention. Some of these assisted as jury members for various events.

During the three day convention, On-spots and Jury happened in the morning hours while cultural activities were hosted in the evening hours. Students flared with enthusiasm while the flash mob was being done by the students of C.S.I.I.T. The first two days were successful, the culturals and on-spots were being conducted smoothly without any hassle at the convention. Certain Issues were discussed during a meeting on the third day. Samruddhi Chaphale (President-

The students also had the opportunity to meet Prof.NeelkanthChayya who talked about various activities that are being hosted for students of architecture around the country. Prof.NeelkanthChayya also picked up insightful points regarding Life and principles of Sir B.V Doshi, thus it was a very informative session. NASA, India), Saajan Varanasi (Treasurer, NASA, India), SreeVipula (Convenor, APODOSIS, C.S.I.I.T), U.Sec (S.Manisha, C.S.I.I.T), Ivan Abhishek (U.D, C.S.I.I.T) were present in the meeting. The meeting started with a warm discussion. Later the queries were put forward to which the council have responded positively. At the valedictory function, trophies were given to the winning colleges.

M.S.R.I.T college of Architecture won the overall trophy. A D.J night was held during the last hours of the convention. The highlight of the last day was the Nizami feast which was hosted in gratitude by C.S.I.I.T to the zone 5 colleges for their precious presence in the convention. This indeed turned out be a memorable one. All’s well that ends well. With positive response of the delegates from various colleges and the Council members, APODOSIS was claimed to be a successful convention! Kudos to C.S.I.I.T! I would also like to quote a short poem which I wrote while returning from the Convention;

“Looking back down the memory lane, I see the great many changes made; Intro of the International trophy, LBC workshops ‘n’ the Newsletters, Gave new heights to NASA INDIA’s lore. A lot has been done, A lots been achieved; Dreamin’ of new heights, ‘N’ greater goals now, Macchi. Thou sleepless nights, workin’ in zombie mode, Thru funny moments, cheering and the Shor; Made it all worthwhile, at the conventions, for sure. If you ask me to sum up, These words may not be enough; We Came. We Made It Happen. It Rocked! So let’s all scream… “Idly Wada Sāmbhar Maccha, Zone Five Sexy MacchA… - Waqar Abid.A.Z Zonal President

Z O N A S A 6 ZONAL PRESIDENT-ASWIN SHUNGMUGAN

THE STREET The management, Staff and Students of RAC – Ranganathan School of Architecture in association with NASA India hosted the Zonal Convention of Zone 6 – “The Street” (Losing our Identity) from 20th of September 2012 to 22nd of September, 2012.The Convention started on 20th September, 2012 at 5.30 P.M with an Invocation dance by the host college followed by the message of the Chief Guests for the student architects. After this came the host college performance. This was followed by DJ Night by DJ Harsh of McGan’s School of Architecture, Ooty. Students enjoyed the DJ night with a splendid dinner.Next day started with the Seminars, Workshop, Fun Games, On-the-spot events and many more. The evening was the time for the Culturals and Fashion Show. Students from other colleges performed well and a special performance was done by MES, Kuttipuram for Fashion Show and a dedication dance by Prahar School of Architecture, Coimbatore. The third day and the last day of the convention was arrived. The winners of the respective trophies were awarded with the Mementos and Certificates by Ar. Brijesh & Ar. Ramaswamy. And a special memento for the U.Sec’s, U.D’s & the respective staff coordinator of the colleges. The time arrived to announce the Overall Winners. SAP, Chennai (Z601) received the overall trophy followed by CET, Trivandrum (Z602) as the first runner-up and NIT, Calicut (Z615) as the second runner-up.Valedictory function was followed by Rock Concert by “INCARCERATED”.

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Trophies 1. South Indian Design Competition [SIDC] Jurors – Prof. Shaji. T. L & Ar. Oscar Concesao. Citation – SAP, Chennai Special Mention – McGans, Ooty Hidusthan University, Chennai 2. Reubens Trophy Jurors – Ar. Oscar Concessao& Ar. Gita Balakrishnan Citation – SAP, Chennai Special Mention – MES, Kuttipuram Hidusthan University 3. RAC Trophy Jurors – Prof. Eugene Pandala& Ar. Ganesh Nandan Citation – CET, Trivandrum Special Mention – McGans, Ooty SAP, Chennai 4. Urban Streetscape Jurors – Prof. Shaji. T. L & Ar. N. Ramaswamy Citation – NIT, Calicut Special Mention – TKM, Kollam Sathyabama University, Chennai 5. Journalism Jurors – Prof. Shaji. T. L & Ar. N. Ramaswam. Citation – Alsalama Institute of Architecture, Malapuram Special Mention – Bharat University, Chennai NIT, Calicut 6. Photography Jurors – Artist Kannan. Citation – SAP, Chennai Special Mention – Surya School of Architecture, Chennai Meenakshi School of Architecture, Chennai 7. Short Film Making Juror - Ar. Brijesh Shaijal. Citation – SAP, Chennai Special Mention – CET, Trivandrum Surya School of Architecture 8. Culturals Trophy Jurors – Ajith&Sobin. Citation – Mohamed Sathak AJ, Chengelpet Special Mention – Bharat University Rajalakshmi School of Architecture, Chennai

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“The

being successful was replaced by the

WHAT’S NECESSARY? rolled in our minds and I with my team set the journey of FOOTPRINTS. It was mid of Feb. 2012; when we (beginners) were sitting at the HEADQUARTERS, NASA INDIA at SPA, NEW DELHI; totally baffled due to loads of responsibilities that could be sensed. Lack of confidence; and we started with the discussion mode- like a budding child who would ask his teacher; ; we had begun to portray the teachers and students of each other to begin with the journey of NASA FOOTPRINTS.

lightness

of being a beginner again,

less sure about It freed me to enter one of the most

creative periods of my life.”

With inquisitive minds, we set ourselves forward to the ideas that might sound hypothetical but were actually worth . Here in; the debatable discussions would start; for there were proposals and discussions that couldn’t be done before and the fact that few of us wished to initiate it in the 55th year of NASA itself was a big deal and so it was easier to say a complete NO. But we had more practitioners than just thinkers in our team. And so led the expedition to the new PHASE OF NASA entering the real world of Architecture and design. ur first step being stabilising the , we set to update the SOCIETIES ACT, which is a matter of pride as NASA is a well recognised 55years old body with its registration in the society’s act since the year 1993. Along with this we were able to get the for the NASA, and the 55 year old NASA logo finally issued its copy rights and trademark. We then moved on to work on exposing INDIAN comprehension and interest for architecture through NASA INDIA and set new collaborations like that with the and so far it has been a very successful collaboration with students taking part in large number. Not just this but we also planned up a series of programme which helped the students to think in a direction that renders service to the environment by following COST EFFECTIVENESS AND INDIGENOUSITY in the building industry. It was thus that the relationship between NASA INDIA AND LAURI BAKER CENTRE, TRIVANDRUM, KERALA fostered with a shear idea of working for the society through architecture on economic and sustainable front. We thus on record send some thousand students to LAURI BAKER CENTER FOR HABITAT STUDIES in batches of seventy with students all over India for the exposure training programme of Ar. Laurie Baker’s principles of architecture. If asked today, this has been so far the most wonderful experience in NASA for those who attended. In

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conjunction to the very fruitful workshops conducted in the south, we became more ambitious to move a step ahead in conducting a design competition on the same principles for the students to build something in real. It would be a dream come true, for us if this expedition goes to the level of execution. Not just this, but we also lent service to the society which is a right of every individual in architecture by celebrating our NATIONAL DAY that is on the 13th of September, THE NASA DAY. Working under 3 domains of HAPPINESS, EARTH AND YOUTH, we tried conducting awareness campaigns, holding events like cleanliness drives and flash mobs, visiting places like OLD AGE HOMES AND ORPHANAGES and conducting creative activities there. At the NASA Headquarters in NEW DELHI, the celebration continued for three days wherein apart from the activities like the above mentioned NASA also planned DILLI DARSHAN and all those who participated had a wonderful experience that moment. My happiness knew no bounds to see the NASA, all across the country celebrating it with so much passion and pride. To our privileges one more value addition that NASA had this year, was the ISBN CODE that it received for its publications which boosted us further to work harder on the DOCUMENTATION AND PUBLICATION PART. In spite of the timelessness we could release TWO volumes of the NASA NEWSLETTER 2012-13, One talking about “THE CITY SCAPE “ and the other about “COST EFFECTIVENESS IN ARCHITECTURE “ .The most appreciating part of the newsletter is the voluntary team that was working for this which exemplified the passion in students and their interest towards learning in their true sense. I would like to thank the newsletter team on this note for their extended support in making newsletter NASA INDIA a great success. We are further aiming at publishing the various NASA TROPHY works which shall be of great help to the students. Not just this but the NASA INDIA WEBSITE TODAY is flourishing with ITS MECHANISM-right from the updated information to the forums to interact and the fastest means to communicate it has now turned out to be at its best. The 55th year of NASA witnessed the most successful ZONASAS. The host colleges include – ZONE 1- NIT, Hamirpur, H.P. ZONE 2- Hitkarni College of Architecture & Town Planning, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh ZONE 3-Pravara Rural College of Architecture, Loni, Maharashtra ZONE 4- Bengal Engineering & Science University, Shibpur, West Bengal ZONE 5-CSI Institute of Technology, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh ZONE 6-Ranganathan Architecture College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. I on behalf of NASA INDIA, take this opportunity to thank them all for all the efforts that they rendered to make a successful NASA CONVENTION. The annual general meetings starting with the first council meet in SAVERA COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, GURGAON on the 22nd to 24th of June '12 to the PRECONVENTION MEET from the 22nd to 23rd of DECEMBER '12 had a sense of professionalism and discipline that was reflected not just by the agenda and discussions to

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follow, but by the ethical codes and formal system by which the meeting was taken forward. Sooner we realised that because of this very materialistic change, we could even change the essence of the Annual general meet along with increasing the seriousness of the sessions that were conducted. Moving ahead with the beginning of the 55th ANNUAL NASA- FOOTPRINTS .With minds set to achieve that one BIGGEST GOAL of having a small classic convention with the widest of opportunities and the widest of (PRESIDENT , NASA INDIA), along with the spectrum to explore , we ( SECRETARY, NASA INDIA), (TREASURER ,NASA INDIA), (CONVENOR, NASA INDIA), ( DILEEP ( SAHIL SHARMA), ( ABHISHEK GWASKOTI), REDDY), ZONE 3 PRESIDENT (OMKAR THUBE), ( BMN CHAKRAVARTHY ), (WAQAR ABID), ( ASWIN SHUNGMUGAN) pledged to work out the POSSIBLE CONVENTION with all that we could. Witnessing 4000 budding architects from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Australia and Singapore all together at the host college – benefiting themselves to the most by being enlighten with over eighty eminent architects acting as speakers for the convention along with the most exciting phase being the trophies pin up and the extravaganza glittering with cultural and such other events, it was like ONCE FOR A TOSS. On this note I want to thank the Management of GATEWAY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN along with their Director, Anil Kumar, and Chairman, Rakesh Agarwal , Convenor,Vikas Kumar Vikram and the entire unit for managing THE FOOTPRINTS in the best possible way. Sooner I realise the Convention has ended on the 28th of JANUARY ’12 and we have started to miss this big treasury of experiences and moments to cherish .NASA India is a platform that has created a deep impact on a galore mass. With the best of its phase to come in its 55th year , we now proudly say that not just with the convention but with all the possible avenues that it could hit and DO THE DO, climbing the stairs higher because it suddenly realises now THAT IT IS DOING IMPOSSIBLE !

NASA INDIA in its 55th year has rendezvoused with its destiny because of its shear hardwork and the constant tempo and zeal that it portrayed to withstand and envisage one of the best phases. I, Samruddhi S. Chaphale ,(President, Nasa India 2012-13 ) would hereby like to thank all the people behind to be a NASA INDIA’S success. I would firstly like to thank constant source of guidance and inspiration as the I would also like to thank and and for advising us all throughout. I would like to thank all the host colleges for ZONASAS and Annual NASA, my colleagues, my ex-executive council members to be a constant source of inspiration, all the colleges and students. With the end of FOOTPRINTS, is the first step towards following the PATH TRACED. It’s NOT OVER ....THE

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Ethos Report II Footprints

Ethos :

Its collaboration with NASA India - biggest students' body,

for the 10th year of Archumen - India’s Biggest Architecture Quiz

rchumen, India’s Biggest Architecture Quiz, powered by Ethos, achieved the distinction of completing ten years this year. One of the newspapers that covered the event quoted Ar.Aparna from Venkatramanan & Associates as saying “Today, the limelight was rightly on architecture and not on any individual. Every time there is a seminar on architecture, the person who is presenting will be in the limelight - it becomes very people-centric.” Archumen 1213 was supported by The Young Architects Committee of The Indian Institute of Architects and The National Association of Students of Architecture; and sponsored by ROCA, Pidilite Industries Limited, Godrej Interio, Grundfos Pumps and Interface Flor. The Northern Interface of Archumen fell a day before NASA DAY, the day NASA was founded 57 years ago on September 13th. Hence, it was decided to couple the two landmark celebrations over three days. On September 13th 2012, NASA day was celebrated with great gusto at The School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. The programme commenced with a formal ceremony with the flag hoisting. The Director of SPA, Delhi made an address on the occasion and the NASA President, Ms.Samruddhi Chaphale also shared her feelings and thoughts. The formal ceremony was followed by a cultural programme put up by the host college. All students who had come from different parts of North India participated in the event. Different groups had coordinated to observe NASA hour anytime between 10 Am and 4 PM on 13th September by making a difference through their presence and contributions at different NGO run organisations. Following this, students left in group to visit different NGOs and participate in a walk. On September 14th, Archumen was hosted as a part of the celebrations and on September 15th a heritage walk was organised for all the students. Over 300 students participated in the out-bound events while there were over 500 students at Archumen and at the NASA Day Celebrations at SPA! The committee that was responsible for the execution of NASA Day celebrations evinced a sincerity and seriousness of intent that set them apart. I am sure that with the spirit displayed, this unique body of students of architecture is on the right track. I wish them luck and extend the support of Ethos whenever the need arises.

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Archumen 1213 - A Report The Southern Interface and The Grand Finale of Archumen 1213 were hosted at The Capitol in Bengaluru on the 9th of November 2012. The episodes in the east, north and west were already held previously in Kolkata, New Delhi and Pune respectively.

The Western Interface supported by Bharati Vidyapeeth University College of Architecture Venue/Date - Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College Auditorium / 17th Aug. 2012 West Zone Finalists - Akshay Kore & Shweta Deo from L.S.Raheja College of Architecture, Mumbai, Himanshu Patil & Bheeshma Patil from BKPSCOA Pune, Vaidik Khare & Nirzary Pujara from BVDUCOA Pune, Ashwin Joshi & Arnav Garde from PVPCOA, Pune, Ketki Gandhi & Sagar Mehta from Pillai's College Panvel and Nishad & Vrushali from Sinhgad College of Architecture, Pune

The Northern Interface Venue/Date - School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi /14th Sept. 2012 North Zone Finalists - Aviral Sinha and Smriti Kapoor from GZSCET Bathinda, Sameeksha Gulati and Disha Sahu from SSAA Gurgaon, Navneeth and Rohan Patankar from SPA Delhi, Mrigank Mishra and Rohan Goyal from IIT Roorkee, Adish Siawal and Chanakya K from SMVDU Jammu and Soumya Shukla and Kandarp Rajyaguru from MNIT Jaipur

The Eastern Interface supported by Department of Architecture of Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur Venue/Date - Bengal Engg. and Science University, Howrah /27th Oct. 2012 East Zone Finalists - Arun Kumar and Amrendra Bharati from NIT Patna, Mayukh Raha and Indraneel Roy from PMCA Cuttack, Mayank Singh and Kushjee Kamal from BIT Mesra, Kunal Rakshit and Tanaya Ghosh from Jadavpur University, Pritam Dey and Sandipan Chatterjee from PMCA Cuttack, Sayan Modak and Yawar Ali from Bengal Engg. and Science University Howrah.

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Ethos Report II Footprints The Southern Interface Venue/Date - Hotel Capitol, Bengaluru / 9th Nov. 2012 South Zone Finalists - I.Bob and K.V.Aravind from Sri Venkateshwara College of Architecture, Hyderabad, Sindhuja S. and Sindhushree R. from UVCE Bengaluru, Rahul and Saikrishna from Vaishnavi School of Architecture & Planning, Hyderabad, Sarayu and Vrashika from MSRIT, Bengaluru, Divya Mundhra and Manasa from RVSA, Bengaluru, Shashank and Ashiq Patra from Dayanand Sagar School of Architecture, Bengaluru.

NATIONAL FINALISTS

NORTH - Navneethakrishnan and Rohan Patankar from SPA Delhi and Sameeksha Gulati and Disha Sahu from SSAA Gurgaon SOUTH - Shashank & Ashiq Patra from DSSA, Bengaluru and Sindhuja S. & Sindhushree R. from UVCE Bengaluru WEST - Ashwin Joshi & Arnav Garde from PVP COA, Pune and Nishad K & Vrushali S from Sinhgad College of Architecture, Pune EAST - Sayan Modak and Yawar Ali from Bengal Engg. and Science University, Howrah and Mayank Singh and Kushjee Kamal from BIT Mesra

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Ashwin Joshi & Arnav Garde from PVPCOA 1ST RUNNER-UP Shashank & Ashiq Patra from DSSA, Bengaluru

2ND RUNNER-UP Sindhuja S. & Sindhushree R. from UVCE Bengaluru

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Message from Magazine Host Institute of Design Education and Architectural Studies Message I would like to thank the NASA authorities and all the EC members for having faith in me and giving IDEAS-Institute of Design Education and Architectural Studies, Nagpur this opportunity to be the host collage of this magazine. I would also like to acknowledge my college authorities, our principal Prof. Abhay Purohit and NASA in charge Prof. Ketan Kimmatkar for guiding us at every step and supporting our ideas and also my editorial team. All challenges faced while making this magazine have helped me to polish my few abilities which will surely benefit me in future. My team and I are highly obliged to every individual who has shown his concern and contributed for this magazine. We really appreciate the contributions from various colleges and students. I would like to thank all the Zonal Presidents and all U.Secs for their cooperation. We hope that we come up to your expectations. Lastly, as our them says footprint and I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we all want in the end that people should know what we have left as our foot print when we pass by. And so in this journey of NASA even we wanted to be remembered through this magazine. So please remember us.

Prathamesh Waliokar, Unit Secretary, IDEAS,Nagpur

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Message from Convention Host College Gateway college of Architecture, Sonipat “Message from the Director – Prof. Anil Kumar” It gives me great pleasure to learn that IDEAS, Nagpur has published ‘Indian Arch’ the annual NASA magazine – an exemplary display of talent representing the untapped capacities and capabilities of our youth. This journalistic endeavor makes me very hopeful about the future which will apparently lie in such hands. As the host of the NASA convention this year, I am absolutely confident for a great year for NASA if the start has gone off so well. With our intention of setting a new trend for future NASA conventions, this journal is a great start and a great suggestion of the successful NASA convention to happen this year. It is matter of great pride and honour for us to be the hosts of NASA annual convention 2013. We welcome students from all over the country and abroad who have come for the convention. We also extend our heartiest greetings to all the dignitaries, leading architects and professionals who made their valuable time available to the students. We specially wish that all the foreign guests have a pleasant stay in our campus and in India. Our hope is that this becomes a learning and an enjoyable experience for all of us. The editorial team of Indian – Arch has my heartfelt congratulations for producing such an aesthetic and informative document. “About Host College”

Gateway College of Architecture and Design offers a learning environment that’s as close to the real world as it get. Students will experience the reality of the working environment from day one and the experience is clear from the outset. The learning goes beyond the class room. In most cases learning is hands on project work and learning in real work place environment. We work closely with industry partners so the experience is relevant, practical and industry driven and its real from entry level programs through to degree level. You listen to the tutors and you realize quickly that they’ve been there and they know the business. The motivation is also clear it’s occupation driven and the environment is supportive. The basic philosophy of the Gateway College of Architecture and Design is to use the latest technology for creating an effective teaching learning environment but not making the learners slaves of technology. The College will be working on principles that inculcate the use of hand, mind and machine in the world of architecture and design. Integration of the academic and residential spaces is designed to create a TECHNICAL GURUKUL where student teacher interaction happens perpetually through both information technology and face to face modes. This College of Architecture and Design envisions the creation of well rounded personalities capable of

producing meaningful architecture and design and become positive contributors to the Society and Nation. The College also sees itself as a forerunner in developing a new line of thinking in architectural education. Gateway college of Architecture and Design is headed toward the creation of a model school of architecture that others can emulate with ultimately an open access data base that makes it possible for students from anywhere to access the teaching material generated by the faculty. Gateway College of Architecture offers a unique facility of each student being able to work on a laptop which entails the provision of making charging points available to each student. With the wi fi connectivity, students can access the internal server anytime, anywhere within the building. This access provides the facility of connecting the students and teachers on both the face to face and the electronic medium. The students can access learning material from the server, send their submissions to the server and check their grades and other records electronically. A fully equipped workshop provides the students a facility of making physical models of their designs besides making simulations on their laptop.

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EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Samruddhi S Chaphale President, NASA India

“COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING.KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS.WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS.” ” The 55TH YEAR OF NASA WAS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO MY PART .Apart from everything that I got from NASA INDIA in terms of the values, lessons, experience and exposure, one thing that I would really like to acknowledge is the CONFIDENCE that has built up in me. I never felt so strong about myself .Thank you NASA INDIA! This experience is one of its kinds that I shall cherish throughout. NASA INDIA has this unique coruscating spirit in itself that makes it special to all. It has a beautiful history, today and tomorrow for it actually serves the students fraternity in architecture and design in the true sense of its knowledge exchange and opportunities to explore and learn.

Being a part of NASA India I feel privileged, for it contributes in building values in me through different experiences. One should always keep in mind, exchange of knowledge has always been a major pillar of this association. I hope all of us have learnt and enjoyed different activities of this year in the right spirit and take a positive image from it to create a better next year. Shaikh Salman Ayub Secretary, NASA India

Saajan Varanasi Treasurer, NASA India

Headquarters was in a deep blamegame after the downfall of NASA and its responsibility for the 55th year became a very crucial job for me. "For an organisation to be successful its leaders must not only act as architects of strategy but must also implement strategic directives and act as translators of the strategy to the rest of the organisation".I did whatever best I could following the same principle. In due course I was considered as the literal jugadu of NASA INDIA and people started calling me the VIP.These NASA days were adventures yet worth cherishing.I ll miss NASA and my colleagues to the core.love you all.

I would like to congratulate the editorial team of Indian Arch for this wonderful endeavor and to bring about the experience of the entire gang in this wonderful magazine. We hope to that this kind of work will continue to happen in the coming years.

CONVENOR

Vikas Kumar Vikram Convenor, NASA India

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EDITORIAL TEAM

Adwait Limaye

Neeruja Gupta

Amruta Vaidya

Yatra Patel

Aditi Pradhan