[IN]SIDE Volume 01 Issue 02

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H & R Johnson (India) - A Division of Prism Johnson Limited (Formerly Prism Cement Limited) Matter Design Services LLP, #456, The Blue House, Monte-Villa Road, Monte-Guirim, Sangolda, Goa 403 511 INDIA think@matter.co.in | studiomatter.in H & R Johnson (India) - A Division of Prism Johnson Limited (Formerly Prism Cement Limited), 7th Floor, Windsor, C.S.T. Road, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai - 400 098 INDIA inside@hrjohnsonindia.com | hrjohnsonindia.com Second Edition, 2018 [Volume 01, Issue 02] Matter Design Services LLP: Ruturaj Parikh, Maanasi Hattangadi, Hrushita Davey, Isha Raut, Anusha Narayanan, Parvez Memon H & R Johnson (India): Dinesh Vyas, Alpana Sethi ISBN: 978-81-933936-1-1 Published by Matter Design Services LLP, Goa All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this journal may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the copyright holders.

Designed by Matter in Goa Printed by Parksons Graphics, 12 Todi Estate, Sun Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 013 PRICE: 1500 Although the authors and publishers have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book is correct and factually accurate, the authors and publishers do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

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[IN]SIDE

© 2018 Matter Design Services LLP and

CONTENTS

04 10 22 34 50 66 82 98

Introduction: Dinesh Vyas, Senior Vice President - Marketing, H & R Johnson (India)

On Sustainability: Architecture and Practice Dean D’Cruz

India & the World Exhibition: Somaya and Kalappa Consultants

Architecture of Institutions: Studio Advaita

Studio: The Practice & Process of Architecture BRIO

Collaborative Architecture Projects: MOAD

Jai Jagat Theatre: SEAlab

Dialogue: Elements of Perception: Sanjay Mohe

110 116 128 144 156 166 176 202

Pedagogy: On Contemporary Design Education: Suprio Bhattacharjee

Prototyping and Product Design: Aziz Kachwalla / At-tin

Public Sanitation Infrastructure: RC Architects

When is Space? Exhibition, Jaipur: Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty

Polemics: ‘Indianness’: Jay Thakkar, Shimul Javeri Kadri and Tony Joseph

Ceramics: Applications & Processes: Swagata S Naidu

Values & Identity: Conversation with Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prism Johnson Limited

Directory of Contributors

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VALUES & IDENTITY H & R Johnson has seen many eras emerge and pass in the six-decade history of our organisation.

There have been paradigm shifts in the way we perceive design and technology. Ideas in the domains of marketing, research & development, customer experience, production, distribution and manufacturing have been through incredible transitions globally. With this change, there is a great shift in the demands of cultural aspirations from contemporary design in India. Being a part of an industry that leans on these aspirations, we constantly seek to understand the changes in lifestyles of the people we serve. We think that in the past two decades, design has defined the aspirations of our people.

India is diverse and extremely rich in its cultural, economic and social domains. What does it then mean when we think of ‘Indianness’? What does ‘being Indian’ have to do with design? This issue perhaps will shed some light on the idea of practising design in India and the challenges one has to confront in the process. The essays, editorial features, dialogues and commentary in this issue, focus on context and the importance of understanding design as a function of its specific situation. The articles in this issue also discuss processes of design that are intrinsic to a valuable piece of architecture or a good product.

Mr Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prism Johnson Limited, has contributed to a detailed conversation on the many brands, innovations and initiatives as we look back at the legacy of our organisation.

He speaks about our core values, our investment in research and development of new materials and applications, our commitment to environment and our nation, our ideas on the future of the surfaces industry, and our interest in interfacing with the architecture and design community in India. He outlines the key areas of our intellectual investment and in his erudite style, articulates ideas that make us one of the most responsible corporations in the construction industry - the source of our ‘values and identity’.

The discussion is supplemented by archival visual material from our many campaigns, the diverse variety of products and services that we have to offer, and some of our unique R & D and public domain initiatives that we are very proud of. This story is not just our story. We firmly believe that you have also been a fellow traveller and a patron of our work. And therefore, we sincerely seek your feedback on our endeavours.

This book, perhaps, will be a bridge that connects us at H & R Johnson with the fraternity of architects and designers that we hold in very high esteem. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together!

Dinesh Vyas Senior Vice President - Marketing

DINESH VYAS is the Senior Vice President, Marketing at H & R Johnson (India) where he leads brand and marketing initiatives across all product verticals. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Dinesh Vyas has worked with Ambuja Cement, Larsen & Tubro and Shell prior to his long engagement with H & R Johnson.

Dinesh has lead retail, brand and marketing initiatives at H & R Johnson (India) including some of the companies’ landmark product development initiatives. He has been recognised amongst the ‘50 most talented brand leaders in India’ by the 12th Indira Awards for Marketing Excellence.

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INTRODUCTION

Above: Punch Assembly at the H & R Johnson Thane Plant

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DESIGN AS A FUNCTION OF CONTEXT

At Matter, we have been discussing the role of critical thinking in the design process. Why does one make a design decision in the face of many other equally valid alternatives? What guides these decisions and why do they serve the central purpose of design - to look for eloquence in problem-solving? Is design art? Is it philosophy? Is it technology? We want to run an enquiry into the process of design to understand the generalities of large ideas and specific issues that a project deals with. In this endeavour, we partner with H & R Johnson to bring you the second issue in the series of professional journals with an intent that each will add to the insight on contemporary architecture and design practice in India.

The opening essay by Dean D’Cruz deals with architecture and its close interface with the environment within which it is designed, and the environment that architecture is generative of. In the ‘Space’ section of the book, we discuss the design of India & the World’ exhibition by Somaya & Kalappa Consultants; Jai Jagat Theatre in the historic environments of the Gandhi Ashram by SEAlab, and projects by MOAD that interface with a narrative programme.

The ‘Studio’ editorial tries to decipher the three key domains of exploration in the works of Architecture BRIO - drawing, model-making and the site. Sanjay Mohe of Mindspace talks about the idea of architecture as a haptic experience in a conversation that tries to untangle the many influences one has to deal with while practising in India. In the ‘Object’ section of the book, the office of Aziz Kachwala and the experiments therein are revealed to us. We also discuss the public restrooms designed by RC Architects, and another exhibition - When is Space? - curated by Prasad Shetty and Rupali Gupte where architecture becomes the content and the object of that unfolds in the historic Jawahar Kala Kendra designed by Charles Correa. In the ‘Surface’ feature, Swagata Naidu authors a piece on studio ceramics with contributions from Kavita Ganguly, Mamta Gautam and Ruby Jhunjhunwala. A three-point conversation between Jay Thakkar, Shimul Javeri Kadri and Tony Joseph on the ides of ‘Indianness’ touches upon the concepts of visual appeal and issues of making design in our context. Suprio Bhattacharjee’s essay on the contradictions of contemporary design education in India highlights the broad and urgent questions that we must confront.

In a detailed discussion with Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director of Prism Johnson Limited, we speak about the many qualities that enable H & R Johnson to keep pace with the rapidly changing world of design. The richly illustrated interview touches upon many brands, initiatives and innovations of the company. The conversation also touches upon projects in the public domain that H & R Johnson is involved with, thus highlighting the significance of patronage for industrial research in India. We also speak with Mr. Aggarwal about the values that are intrinsic to their organisation and the way these deep foundations hold them on solid ground as they shape the future of their organisation.

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PREFACE

As we proceed further with the series of [IN]SIDE journals, it is important for us to reflect upon the significance of this medium and the luxuries it affords. Today, we can celebrate the resurgence of the journal as the cornerstone of professional thinking. We also indulge in the wonderfully tactile pages of this book marvelling at type and images: the fantastic chemistry that enables ink to set on paper

Ruturaj Parikh, Matter

Right: In conversation with Sanjay Mohe at the IIM Bangalore campus

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ON SUSTAINABILITY: ARCHITECTURE & PRACTICE

by Dean D’Cruz

Images: ©Mozaic; courtesy Dean D’Cruz

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KEYNOTE

Dean D’Cruz, Co-Founder and Principal Architect of Mozaic writes about his learnings from a three-decade long tryst with the landscape of Goa and the way in which its biodiverse terrain became the foreground of a practice in environmentally-responsible architecture.

Facing Page: Mozaic’s office, set on the slopes amidst foliage, the light-footed, transparent, pavilion-like structure symbolises the practice Right: Sketch for the proposed design of Nilaya Hermitage - a scheme that was to become a landmark project for the studio

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t has been thirty two years since I came to Goa. In the beginning, I worked for Gerard Da Cunha and in time, entered into a partnership with him which was then called Natural Architecture. This was interesting

and a change for me; since my college days I was intrigued by technology, which I loved. Earlier, as a student of architecture, I was inspired by Mies, and Corbusier for their mastery of forms. But then slowly, I began to appreciate the level of detailing in the work of architects like Gaudi. Gerard had worked closely with Laurie Baker who was always very hands-on, maintained a down-to-earth approach to architecture where one actually builds oneself! So, it was a very interesting learning - this integration of technology and the Baker-approach to architecture. As I grew, I was influenced more by the humanistic approach to architecture rather than the final sculptural form.

Initially the practice was experimental. Back in the day, the word ‘sustainable’ was not yet in the ‘architectural dictionary’ and it was really just about being direct in your approach. I realise now that maybe that mind-set resulted in such simple design solutions. Influenced by Baker’s principles, for years now, we have tried to maintain an approach which is direct, simple and low-cost. When people talk about sustainability, one immediately thinks of technology, and new materials. But I think it is more about the simplest way to keep things low-cost. A mix of these approaches was our way of perceiving good design.

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ENVIRONMENT Mozaic came up much later into the practice in partnership with Reboni Saha, who is a product designer from NID Ahmedabad. As a collaboration between an architect and a designer, we would look at the broader aspects of how interdisciplinary practices could offer holistic solutions. We believe that all design disciplines have a common thread and that is how we decided to name the practice ‘Mozaic’- a collection of different pieces in a design puzzle that we could bring together in some form. Our expertise here is to offer a comprehensive solution. Initially our projects mainly composed of low-cost houses which we developed primarily through learnings from the building construction process and through the understanding of materials, costing, reaction and longevity. Once we developed this skill, we were offered small and big hospitality projects, jungle resorts, institutional work, and some commercial work. We had considerable diversity. Every few years we evolved our process and tried to push our boundaries to avoid getting stuck in a particular style. This lent a certain richness to our architecture. We consciously tried to avoid our architecture from being labelled as a ‘Mozaic building’ or ‘Dean D’Cruz’s building’ in an effort to stay as varied as possible.

Goa is among the top biodiversity hotspots in the world. It is expected of every architect and/or professional from the construction industry to tread cautiously when developing projects in Goa. It means that one has to imbibe sensitivity in their approach. Like with every context, Goa also has a natural and built heritage that needs to be respected. At the same time the context offers possibilities of reinterpretation but is not as easy as “let’s copy the Portuguese style.” I think it is important that we respond to the needs and aspirations of the times we live in, and respect our traditional crafts but at the same time reinterpret their character as we progress.

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Above: Archival photographs of Nilaya Hermitage - an organic environment that is now completely assimilated within the landscape Facing Page: Sharnam: a collaboration between Dean D’Cruz and Industrial Designer Reboni Saha is designed with great attention to detail Overleaf: The tree-house in the Pugdundee Safari Lodge overlooks the wilderness - a typology that enables the environment to quickly assimilate the land once the architecture is dismantled

KEYNOTE

BUILDING LIGHTLY For me context is not necessarily responding to the building next door but responding to the needs of the people and the project. It does not necessarily have to be local in terms of a visual language. It could be a subtle gesture of connecting the inside and outside for one. It is important to me that the building is fluid without being functionally fixed but it is also important to be able to see how it can morph over time. As I mentioned, the most basic form of sustainability is about how little it costs and the connect with the local environment. The fact that Goa is among the rich biodiverse spots in the world, one does feel the need to connect with the outdoors and create buildings that are as transparent as possible. In our practice, we strive to keep this in mind. We try to incorporate the outdoors into the indoors, with a limited footprint.

Influenced by Baker, our initial architecture was fairly opaque I would say. The difference is Baker worked with brick but being based out of Goa, laterite seemed like a more sensible choice to use for us.

While laterite lends a touch of solemnity to the building, over time, we felt the need to introduce more transparency in our buildings. Slowly, we moved towards a pavilion-style of architecture that rendered a much greater connect with nature, allowed ample air flow resulting in a more appropriate climatic response. Most of the traditional architecture that one sees in Goa often does not perform well climatically.

I feel like a hybrid response to some of the characteristic features of traditional architecture is critical in

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creating a space that is climatically sound. As designers, we often tend to slip into trying things without much realisation of the consequences. I think it is very important to assess one’s building post-occupancy and see how much of what we have tried has actually paid off. This is a practice we follow at our studio where ten-years postconstruction, we visit the buildings to learn for ourselves. These learnings I feel are very critical and can influence the future works of our studio.

When a client approaches us, we try to get behind their façades as much as possible and understand their true aspirations. I think it is fundamental to understand the client as a person and their real needs. Once you have achieved this, you try and offer as many possibilities as feedback. For any project, we run through at least ten to fifteen conceptual options. With these variations, it is possible to short-list the true sensibilities of the client. That is our starting point. Developing the design further, we like to get down to little details that make a big difference.

I really enjoy detailing integrated with technology and the ability to get into these intricacies. With every project, whether it is the windows, gates, openings or the overall experience, I think the fact that it takes on a new approach brings a sort of freshness and excitement each time.

Working on jungle lodges was in fact a new revelation for us because here we had an opportunity to change the typical approach to hospitality of serving and being served. We explored a system where this does not happen anymore, and you are at par with the people serving you in a way. I think, traditionally, it is in the field of hospitality that people talk of indulgence, and luxury. Breaking down these conventional hierarchies was relieving because now hotels felt like home-stays where one had to actually respect the host in a way. I think that it is very important to provide this dignity to people who work for and with you. In the past, we have had some unfortunate experiences while designing for the rich whose mind-set was closeted towards the people who supported their lives. What architecture does is that it gives us an opportunity to create new lifestyles.

A lot of the built forms that we see today are eye sores: blots on the landscape. So, it is important that architecturally, we understand what enhances nature and how it can be incorporated into our built world. Till that time, we can at least let nature take over these buildings in some form. One has a chance to realise how close we are to nature by simply waking up early to a beautiful sunrise after a good night’s sleep thus responding to nature’s body-clock. It is these simple things that connect bodies to nature, and that I think is vital.

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Above: Photographs of Jehan Numa Lodge, made with the material on which it stands Facing Page Above: Drawing of the Mozaic studio with representational spaces in the section and an indication of the lush-green context Facing Page Below: View from the interiors - looking out to the landscape as large openings allow light and breeze to flow through unhindered

KEYNOTE

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PEOPLE Every time I look at architecture, especially while working on the Regional Plan, trying to understand peoples’ perspective on development, I have realised that the problem most people have with so-called development of buildings is visual clutter. The moment we see development, we see degradation of the environment, and it does not have to be that way. If we are sensitive to what a building needs to be and the way it connects with the outside, the resentment towards development will reduce.

There is a famous Australian architect who said, “Buildings do not interest me anymore, people do.”, and I think it is extremely important for every architect to realise this eventually. Architecture is about creating a safe haven for people to interact in. At the end of the day your building is just a backdrop for human interaction. Very often, we look at a house in isolation while in a larger context it is actually a conglomeration of houses that need to respond to each other. You can see this happening in local Goan villages - the little streets with people sitting in the ‘balcao’ in front, the chapel forming a focal point for the village to gather - there is a traditional response. Today with the way urbanisation is taking place, everything seems so defined. It is almost as if your purpose in life is to travel from point A to point B, and the in-between does not matter at all!

I think it is very important that we recreate these opportunities of interaction drawing from the past such as the Slow Food movement and Slow City movement. Unfortunately, what is happening today with gated communities and development is a sorry state of affairs - they are disconnecting people by creating insulated communities with a limited diversity of people. It is important that integration is encouraged wherein people actually get a chance to meet new people, understand new cultures and realise there is value in diversity. A demographic change is inevitable, but it is important to maintain public platforms for dialogue. Sadly, we are so caught up in making buildings as little silos of offices and homes without the connect. It is also the in-between transit spaces that need designing is what I have realised.

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RESEARCH IN PRACTICE We are now definitely looking to get involved in projects that could make a big social difference whether it is in the field of education, or healthcare because these are areas which are least looked upon. We need to change this paradigm of ‘What is good architecture?’ from being visual to effective. Our awards do not have the rigour of Aga Khan or Currystone which involve visiting or assessing projects in-depth.

I love the Aga Khan projects and the fact that they have such great community contributions. In the last 15-20 years of being involved with the Goa Foundation, Goa Bachao Abhiyan, Goa Heritage Action Group, and being a part of lot of social forums has made me even more sensitive to peoples’ issues. I look at architecture not as isolated buildings but as community efforts. I appreciate architects who are really hands-on in their ability to work towards this like architect Christopher Day who has broken away from convention to create communities that are inspiring and impactful.

We are designing a community centre in Nerul, which is essentially a hall used for community functions and get-togethers. It is situated right on top of a hill with beautiful panoramic views. So, the question we asked was, ‘Can a community centre be more than that? How can one keep it alive throughout the day?

What are the various activities one likes to get engaged in and what is missing presently?’ Luckily there is a school nearby, so we thought of getting children involved. We decided to integrate play spaces which most community centres do not offer. In this manner, we began creating a brief based on what we sensed the community needed. We are now looking at every village having their own community centre since most of them lack this facility altogether. Earlier, it used to be primarily a religious centre or a market space that served as a place for the community to gather but today, with changed times, people come for a specific prayer or to shop and disappear. If places to meet and spend time can be created, we can encourage social exchange and a community centre is the best place for this. One can use it for cultural, recreational or informal gatherings - with the core idea being to get people together effecting social change through architecture.

Facing Page Above: The Mozaic studio Right: The pavilion as architecture: layered spaces of the Beck Residence

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KEYNOTE

LEARNING(S) I feel it is time for architects with substantial experience to give back their learnings in some way because there is a real drop in the standard of education. I think professional practices need to step in and maybe accommodate a longer internship period wherein part learning (skill) happens in the college and part of the learning (implementation) is hands-on in good offices. Today, we see an extremely superficial approach to architecture with the speed of execution demanded from the practice. That said, the youth are energetic and have great potential in their hands - with new tools of software for design, prototyping and assessing knowledge from around the world. These are great assets that we did not have but must be used carefully.

Small projects keep me going and with an interest in product design, they help push innovation. I enjoy working on sketching something new on the side and taking note of my observations that could eventually become little design exercises. For instance, we are currently working on a pre-fab system - a microcosm system - of a toilet-kitchen where we are looking at evolving this whole idea of living lightly in some way.

These become hypothetical (research) projects which may sometimes become a reality. When we observe something that needs to be addressed, we work on hypothetical solutions and sometimes, these learnings contribute to real projects in some way. Unfortunately, it is quite tough to get this progressive sort of work in today’s scenario.

While specialisation in architecture is reaching new levels of proficiency, there can still be possibilities of a fresh interpretation and I think the idea of brainstorming on bigger platforms, where architects could meet, and discuss projects is essential. I am part of one such collective called the Gubbi Group where the twenty of us are trying to work in the area of sustainability and have no qualms in sharing our work and thoughts and analysing it together. These frank collective opinions are extremely helpful. I think if we have more such platforms, we could get professionals to share their work without egos and receive constructive feedback which would then help us improve the quality of work produced. At the moment architects are extremely possessive about their own projects and do not appreciate criticism or analysis beyond a point. The print media also needs to change that in certain ways - they need to be able to dissect buildings critically and analyse them in a constructive way. This can really help people in their design process and be more Facing Page: The open plan with verandahs and breezeways enable the enclosures of the Morarji Residence to be consistently comfortable

sensitive and careful in the future, because what is important to realise at the end of the day is that our work impacts a lot of lives. Thus, as a fraternity, it is important to realise the serious nature of our interventions and our responsibilities to make a positive difference in people’s lives

DEAN D’CRUZ leads Mozaic – an architecture and design firm based in Goa. After graduating from Sir J J College of Architecture, Bombay, Dean joined architect Gerard Da Cunha as an assistant in Goa. Enamoured by the soft and human scale of Goa’s architecture and lifestyle, he decided to stay. In 1986, he became a partner in the firm Natural Architecture where he worked on cost-effective housing through a Laurie Baker-approach using waste building materials and innovation in design as well as construction technology. In 1994, he expanded the base of design work, taking on small hotels, large houses and institutional work as Principal Architect of Dean D’Cruz & Associates. In 2001, he co-founded Mozaic with Reboni Saha, an Industrial Designer from NID Ahmedabad. Mozaic was established with creative collaboration between disciplines as the core ethic. Having been part of the State-Level Committee for the making of the Regional Plan 2021 for Goa, his current emphasis is on environmental architecture, urban interventions, sustainable principles and conservation.

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UN-BOXING THE WHITE BOX

India & the World Exhibition by Somaya and Kalappa Consultants

Tracing an umbilical cord that connects our present to the first layer of human endeavour, ‘India & the World’ told a compelling tale that binds India and her people to the histories of humanity. The design of the exhibition by Somaya and Kalappa Consultants set an engaging stage for the story to unfold.

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Images: ©Somaya and Kalappa Consultants (SNK); Noshir Gobhai, Ishita Parikh

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SPACE Facing Page: Moments from ‘India & the World’ exhibition installed in the CSMVS gallery space Below: Conceptual sketches outline the important concerns of the designers in the process of adapting the exhibition to the museum

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n 18th January 2010, BBC Radio 4 and the British Museum initiated the first in a landmark series of programmes titled ‘The

History of the World in 100 Objects’. Written and presented by the British Museum director Neil MacGregor, the series was accompanied by a book and a major exhibition. This was the point of conceptual origin for ‘India & the World: A History in Nine Stories’. It took the curatorial and design team over three years to arrive at the 218 objects that frame the nine sections of India & the World exhibition.

Objects have a voice: they speak to you in many languages and can tell you about events and ideas from the viscera of history.

While the original exhibition was to travel the world, the organisers questioned the relevance of bringing a pre-curated exhibition to India for the Indian audiences. Rather, it was discussed that the India exhibition must tell stories that are central to the history, culture and society of the peoples of Indian subcontinent and their many civilisations. From the archives of the British Museum, London; CSMVS, Mumbai; the National Museum, New Delhi, and from more than 20 other museums and private collections, the objects were brought together to structure nine narratives: Shared Beginnings, First Cities, Empire, State and Faith, Picturing the Divine, Indian Ocean Traders, Court Cultures, Quest for Freedom and Time Unbound.

Co-curators J D Hill and Naman Ahuja framed the central agenda of the exhibition in the idea of juxtaposition of incongruent objects that may enable one to draw previously unclear historical parallels meant to provoke an alternate reading of history - a reading that does not adhere to linear progression - but the one where messy and contrasting layers of the past are superimposed in the favour of uncanny revelations.

Brinda Somaya and Nandini Somaya Sampat of Somaya & Kalappa Consultants were tasked to design the exhibition, and perhaps one of their most central challenges was to be able to decipher the nine stories in a visual comment and to design a space that can enable the voice of the objects to be heard. SNK created a set - a backdrop and a frame in the form of exhibition design - working with space, light and colour for the curatorial agenda to manifest. Nandini stresses

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Above: Proximity and contrast: the artefacts in the exhibition are carefully positioned by the designers to respond to the curatorial content Left: The architects’ sketch shows sequence of people-flow within the gallery and the spatial installations that support the agenda of the exhibition Facing Page: Ground, First and Second Floor Plans of the exhibition space with representational circulation diagrams clearly outline the intended experience of the exhibition Overleaf: Visitors interact with the artefacts - the exhibition design simultaneously responds to the specificities of each object and the general continuities found in the thematic groupings

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on the significance of the idea that the design of space must be able to narrate ‘a’ story of India and not ‘the’ story of India through the presented artefacts. As one traverses the exhibition, one is made aware of a significant deviation from the norm: the exhibition is not a white box! Instead, each space and each story unfolds against vibrant colours and subtly changing light. In one sweep, the monolithic nature of the gallery space is deconstructed, and the new vitrines become critical stage for the story told by the artefacts themselves.

CENTRAL HALL KEY GALLERY

The designers and curators seem to have taken great care in organising the proxemics of the exhibition space. Much care was taken while placing relics in a way that one can connect the dots.

Thus, a 17th century Mughal portrait of Jahangir admiring a Virgin GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Mary portrait and a Rembrandt drawing of Jahangir receiving an officer in his court from the same time were carefully positioned in the design to represent surprising cross-pollination of cultures and the power of travelling images. The exhibition design takes due care of the nuances of abstract curatorial gestures. The sequence is important in India & the World. However it is also important to have moments where one can break the sequence, look at two disparate objects and make an imaginary hypothesis. The layout enables each visitor to create a personal myth by breaking away from the prescribed path. These self-conjured counternarratives are perhaps the larger intent of the exhibition: in a world where histories are regularly cast in monolithic storylines, diagonal readings help one to realise that evidences of our past can often be intentionally misread.

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS or the erstwhile Prince of Wales Museum) in Mumbai is a tricky space to navigate. The Indo-Saracenic structure is a labyrinth of rooms and corridors with rare moments of cohesion in the form of a central atrium. The design of the exhibition accounts for the strangeness of the museum space by creating movements and sequences that permit the story to be told. The incongruous gallery space thus disappears behind the set and the design does not seek to complement the architecture of CSMVS. Rather, the design re-orients a visitor completely towards the immersive exhibition.

The graphics by Aurobind Patel and lighting design by Druvajyoti Ghose of LDP supplement the design. It was a mammoth collaborative task for the exhibition team to ensure that while each layer of the experience is independently designed and has an SECOND FLOOR PLAN

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independent logic; there is certain cohesiveness in the way these are

that deal with history and storytelling of the past, quickly disintegrate

overlaid. “There was a lot of wisdom in the room,” recalls Nandini.

within the white gallery box.

Another necessary experiment was framed in disrupting the idea of a single perspective. The only way a juxtaposition may work is if

The nine segments of the exhibition - each discussing a particular

the design enables alternate viewpoints. Often, in exhibition design,

pivotal moment in the history of the Indian subcontinent - are

one listens to the curators. The exhibition is designed to make that

designed with specific materiality, context, dimension and proximity.

voice clear. On the contrary, India & the World messes with that

The design by Somaya and Kalappa Consultants enables one to

voice probably with an intention to make the encounter with the

appreciate the value of collaborative work. One only has to look at

artefact more engaging, and the storytelling: more compelling. By

the same exhibition as presented at the National Museum in Delhi

designing with contrasts, SNK breaks the convention. ‘Pacing’ was

to register the difference. Apart from the controversial and ad hoc

very important for the designers - a chance-visitor browses through

omissions of curated objects, the sterile white boxes flooded with light

the exhibition and is caught by surprise while a scholar will spend

in the National Museum do little to support the curatorial agenda.

significant time with a particular object or a set. The exhibition is

In that context, the only protagonists of the exhibition are the objects

encouraging of the meandering gaze. India & the World reminds us

which, by themselves, have a significant historic voice but the voice of

how important it is to understand history by changing vantage points.

the curators is diminished. Exhibition design seems to be a territory

In curating an exhibit, one often forgets the inevitable position of the

where architecture, set-design and communication design overlap.

anonymous viewer. Therefore, many exhibitions, especially the ones

Good design enables ‘India & the World’ to tell its tale.

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Today, in India, where museums and galleries have been unable to excite the imagination of the common man, the CSMVS exhibition, with landmark footfall for India & the World, informs us that maybe, the curatorial and design effort, united with the impulse to narrate compelling stories can re-kindle that lost cause. It is also important to realise that public galleries and museums that are truly civic buildings and can lend themselves to play a larger political, cultural and educational role, must not be benign territories for cursory viewing of history.

Rather, they must strive to provoke

Introduction

Shared Beginnings

First Cities

Empires

State and Faith

Picturing the Divine

Indian Ocean Traders

Court Cultures

Quest for Freedom

Time Unbound

Facing Page: Juxtaposition as a curatorial tool: the design of the exhibition reacts to the ideas that are enabled by juxtaposing distinct objects within the gallery space Right: Icons represent the thematic areas of the exhibition - a journey through time and space narrated by the ‘voiceful’ objects

SOMAYA AND KALAPPA CONSULTANTS (now SNK) is a multidisciplinary architecture and design practice based in Mumbai. Founded in 1978, the acclaimed firm is presently led by Brinda Somaya and Nandini Somaya Sampat. Over the last four decades, SNK has grown into an inclusive and collaborative practice that has worked on many significant projects that include residential, institutional, public and corporate developments. SNK has also worked extensively in the domains of conservation architecture and urban design. With over fifty architects, designers, engineers and administrative personnel the firm has received many significant national and international awards. The firm’s recent and important projects include restoration of Louis I Kahn buildings at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Tata Consultancy Services Campus at Indore, Restoration and Refurbishment of the Bombay House and India & the World Exhibition.

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TAPPING THE SURFACE Institutional Architecture by Studio Advaita, Pune

Images: ©Studio Advaita; Rasika Badave

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Often, there is an urge for theoretical frameworks to substantiate built-architecture rather than letting the building speak for itself. In another kind of practice, through two projects, where the eye draws from observations of cultural and historical contexts, the architecture of Studio Advaita taps into the essence of space-making with structure, skin, and details that are individualistic and inspired.

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Facing Page: A rendered visualisation of the locally-made interactive, openable woven bamboo panels that seamlessly connect the inside to the outside Left: Woven bamboo screens create the breezeways acting as permeable screens that allow climate control and interaction

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eflecting on the past, there still exists a recollection of a time where

illustrations of architecture as an applied craft, where the imagination

the idea of architecture was once identified with spaces of worship

of the design is experienced in the manner of application.

or structures of power among many other forms of public architecture, where primarily, the commonality lay in the cultural appropriation

In many regions, vernacular architecture belonging to a particular

and necessity. Today, the scope has broadened, and architecture is

place, there is always a beautiful relationship between semi-open

mostly a setting for everyday, ordinary life. Despite the familiarity of

spaces like the verandahs and open-to-sky spaces like the courtyards.

the presence of architecture in our daily lives, the architecture of our

The natural landscape and designed spaces complement each other

built environment is still largely devoid of a perceptual clarity which

in a hierarchy more than being distinctly experienced as outdoor and

fulfils that elemental need for belonging.

indoor spaces respectively. At Studio Advaita, preliminary conceptual ideas emerge out of such contextual situations. When architecture

When a building draws from the history of a place, it is able to

must find a place amidst abundant nature, Rasika Badave additionally

acknowledge the familiar cultural ideas of space-making that are

describes as to how, “Travelling through distinct landscapes across the

omnipresent and outlast the building itself. The Shivsagar School

country, we always observe the colours and patterns of life, and in that

in Assam, and the Agricultural Training Centre in Ahmednagar are

way, we try and reinterpret their inherent relationship with materials.”

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Tucked away in a site replete with tall, dense foliage of interior Assam, the Shivsagar School is situated carefully to protect the traditional ‘maidams’ or tumuli of the erstwhile Ahom Kingdom. The organic layout of the school is a responsive derivation from tracing light-wells which act as open courtyards. Run by an NGO and built with the help of local community, the structure uses indigenous materials and technology fused with modern needs to allow dissemination of knowledge to a community. The classrooms have open configurations, and an education programme restructured to focus on building confidence among students.

The approach challenges the design of the envelope of the building with the introduction of locally-available material and skill instead of using conventional materials. Responding to climatic conditions, a sloping roof is projected from all sides like the commonly used traditional cap ‘jappi’ which protects the entire body from rain and sun and is made from woven bamboo. The building envelope is itself composed of openable bamboo panels that facilitate interaction and play.

RCC beam plastered as per approved sample 38 x 50 mm MS square tube frame painted with approved colour

Above: A rich illustration of the organic master layout, highlights the variable nature of the resulting intermediate courts

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Mild steel plate 2 cm wide 2 x 2 cm square tube section painted with approved colour

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Facing Page Above: The process from the study model to the work on site with bamboo - a local material available in plenty in the school’s tropical context

12 mm internal plaster as per approved sample

38 x 50 mm MS square tube frame painted with approved colour

Facing Page Below: An intermediate courtyard shows the nature of scale, light, and enclosure, revealing the quality of intimacy in these outdoor spaces

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75 mm thick RCC platform 0.60

Overleaf: Glimpses of the internal and the contained spaces of the school - while the buildings are places within the canopy of trees, the light-wells enable sunlight to reach the ground, thus creating a spatial sequence from the open to the built

19 mm thick polished kotah stone as per approved sample

Classroom (Inside)

ELEVATION

Corridor (Outside)

SECTION AT AA

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In another contrasting setting amidst the dusty terrains of interior Maharashtra, architecture remains resolutely physical and relatable.

Syngenta Foundation and Snehalaya (NGO) came together to build an Agricultural Training Centre in Ahmednagar for children of marginalised farmers where they can engage with and learn about various new agricultural techniques through short-term courses. A summary of preliminary observations of the site and its surroundings, as recorded by the architects intends to instil in the observer/reader a sense of the place: Black rock like a crocodile back surfaces Spread out in the scorching afternoon heat A single, narrow dusty trail passes by A small pond that has dried up completely Hot, dusty air blows under a brightly lit afternoon sun Factory smoke makes its way into the clear sky A saffron flag flutters on top of a temple in the distance A sudden plunge of a black kite towards its prey and a deep, shrill cry A vast, barren plateau with dusty, hot air It was the most desolate and lonesome environment With a dry, pale green and brown landscape

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Above: The vast expanse of the site, overlooking a sparse built-environment amidst the dusty terrains of Ahmednagar Facing Page Below and Right: Study model showing the configuration of the built form with the corner cut-out; the sandwich walls acting as a climatic buffer

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Left: Steps involved in the on-site production of coloured fly ash bricks- making of the mix, baking the bricks, laying course with earthen pots Right: An exploded axonometric investigating proportion and position of the central space with respect to the collective layout

Two dark men with pale, bent bodies worked slowly at the brick kiln A bullock cart passes by with a rattling sound Under a babul tree sat a shepherd in a pink turban with his goats, observing us.

Situated on barren land with recurring droughts, the design of the building is introverted overlooking an off-centred courtyard space.

The configuration of the basic square plan with an open space is derived from the traditional domestic structures or ‘wadas’ of nearby villages. The external staircase is reinvented from native elements of design in the region, while the building envelope is carefully designed to reduce costs and harmonise with adjacent surrounding structures.

Grey and coloured fly-ash bricks are used with a cavity for thermal insulation in the external walls, and all internal spaces receive natural, indirect light to minimise dependence on electricity.

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1. Entrance 2. Central space 3. Classroom / exhibition space 4. Laboratory 5. Administration 6. Toilet 7. Pantry 8. Staircase

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FLOOR PLAN

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Left and Facing Page: The landscape and the structure - the building and the stark, black metal staircase that diagonally cuts against the defined geometry

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Left and Facing Page: A sculptural, geometric aperture pierces the building marking a defined spot of light in the court

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SPACE

In the many conversations, definitions, and boundaries that initiate, inform, and influence the architecture of learning spaces; it is the communities who inhabit these spaces that lend them an identity which takes over its architecture eventually. Rajeev Gujar from Snehalaya foundation explains how, “Despite being a contemporary structure, the occupants do not feel alienated in this space - there is controlled natural light and ventilation, and the indoor-outdoor atmosphere harmoniously blends purpose, ambience and integrity of space.”

Traversing diverse climatic conditions, cultures, and demographics, the work of Studio Advaita finds continuity in the perceived language of their architecture which appears familiar but at the same time, it is complex in its resolution of nuances with respect to the site and its surroundings. These innate contradictions that exist in the process of making architecture, that also shares common concerns with programme, site, materials, and the process of construction; are above all directed to this constant search for an ineffable aesthesia that is its essence, and a memory of a good experience

Led by architects Prasad and Rasika Badave, STUDIO ADVAITA was set up in 2013 in Mumbai and Pune.

After completing his Bachelor’s in Architecture from Shivaji Univeristy Kolhapur, Prasad trained under B V Doshi in Ahmedabad, and later worked with Professor K T Ravindran in Delhi on institutional projects and the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum. Prasad has worked with architect Sen Kapadia and eminent artist Atul Dodiya in Mumbai. Rasika trained briefly under Krishnarao Jaisim, Principal Architect of Fountainhead in Bengaluru, and worked as senior architect with Sen Kapadia from 2008 to 2013 on various institutional and housing projects. With mutual interests in conservation, heritage, research and publications, Prasad and Rasika have both worked with INTACH and are involved in teaching as visiting professors to various colleges in Mumbai and Pune. Presently, the studio is actively engaged in various design projects with NGOs throughout India including work on rural development in remote parts of the country.

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IDEA-LED, PROCESS-DRIVEN Critical tools of the practice of Architecture BRIO Drawings and Images: ©Architecture BRIO; courtesy Robert Verrijt and Shefali Balwani

Architecture BRIO is one of the most versatile amongst emerging practices in India. Working from Mumbai, their studio has been able to create works of finesse with a refreshing sense of newness and surprise. This piece is an attempt to understand the key ingredients of their design process with an emphasis on the act of drawing as a negotiator of ideas.

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Above: Detail of the model for ‘Saral’ Residence: for Architecture BRIO, models serve better as communication tools than design tools Facing Page Right (Three Images): The stage-wise disassembled model reveals the primary strategies of design

STUDIO

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n 2006, Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt established their practice - Architecture BRIO after returning from Sri Lanka where they had

been working with Channa Daswatte. Their initial projects were designed for Magic Bus - a non-profit organisation, and entailed very efficiently resolved simple structures that enable ideas of play and interaction to manifest. Since then, their practice has engaged with works of various scales and typologies with sites in the peri-urban region of Mumbai, across India and South-East Asia. The portfolio is significantly diverse, with common themes that concern tectonics of site, formal and spatial explorations of architecture, critical reading of the programme, systems thinking, and clarity of material and detail that have characterised their work.

POTENTIAL OF THE SITE Being an urban practice, the work of BRIO draws keenly from the specific context of each project. The site plays a critical role in informing the course of design. The projects emphasise on the potential of the site and are constantly informed by the terrain, the qualities of the land, the vegetation, the opportunity for vistas, and the nature of the building processes that are connected with the site.

Robert Verrijt articulates the initial phases of design for any project: “…through asking the right questions, formulating ideas on the project, conversations with the office, understanding the site. One by one the endless possibilities of ideas and concepts are filtered down and a few potential approaches appear.”

It is important to observe the constant presence of the site in the architectural process. One can realise the emphasis on sometimes mundane elements found on the site in the initial drawings and it is these elements (a tree, a stream, a rock) that become pivotal moments of the eventual buildings. The buildings also respond to more abstract and experiential ideas - the climate, the material, the landscape and the sky.

DRAWINGS The consistent process of drawing forms the core of the Architecture BRIO design process. Sometimes sporadic and sometimes planned, the pencil drawings sketched from the last page to the first in a tracing-pad sketchbook, evidence the sequential resolution of design.

Much before drawing, the project is evaluated in discussions and

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01. Schema: drawing the built on the site with no emphasis on the programme - an exercise in appropriating the built.

02. Initial drawings represent two “barn-like” structures perpendicular to each other, a formal set of connecting plinths and traces of a fluid waterbody. The organisational elements respond to the vistas from the site.

05. The hill and vantage point vis-à-vis the platform: the conflict between the desire for flat land is resolved by the plinth forming the ‘base’ of the two barns.

06. “We sketch from the back to the front of the sketch book. This way every conceptual sketch forms the underlayer of the next one, suggesting a sort of evolution in the process.”

09. A Breakthrough! – The parallel orientation of the two “barns” allow the private spaces to look over the distant landscape. Volumetric studies try to articulate the visual impact of the same.

10. Every so often, a sheet with a grid lineout gets introduced to create rhythm and order and refine the proportions of the spaces. The contour drawing as an underlay keeps a check on where every floor plan intersects with the original contour.

STUDIO

03. In between the two “barns”, a formalised landscape in three different levels with a multitude of staircases negotiates the sloping landscape outside of this plinth.

04. An alternative approach that reduces the number of levels, is a long linear plan that hugs the contour and emphasises the panorama. However, it results in a rather long stretched-out composition.

07. Several ways of organising the two “barns” on the site: the programme now is visually broken down into two precise masses.

08. Learning from Geoffrey Bawa: the importance of spatial sequencing and the building up of anticipation as one descends the site.

11. Refining hierarchies in organisation of spaces that are experientially significant the process of drawing is expressive of the quality of spaces as well.

12. “Suddenly, the underground passage also falls into place.” Once the scheme is clear, the layout changes marginally and the effort moves from form-finding to resolution of spaces and detail.

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STUDIO Facing Page (Six Drawings): As the house hugs the site, sequential drawings reveal the spaces - solid and void - as one descends the slope: the drawing as a tectonic tool Right: ‘Saral’ model: the idea and the site

in the act of ‘asking the right questions’. This initial framing of

works of Geoffrey Bawa. Once in a while, the process drawings

thoughts enables Shefali and Robert to articulate the core concerns

represent a breakthrough - a point of clarity and perhaps the

of the project by eliminating the weaker ideas from the many

defining moment in the design process where the scheme and

potential possibilities and approaches. The processes of drawing are

the trajectory of the architecture becomes apparent.

an investigative tool in the Architecture BRIO studio. “Sketching starts with procrastination” says Robert.

While design development drawings have their specific role in the process, the presentation drawings of the project have

As the thoughts on a project become clearer, the pencil is employed.

a distinct purpose and therefore, an independent language.

The sketches evidence two parallel processes. The process of intuition

Mostly monochrome, these drawings make explicit the design

resembles important moves and exploration of ideas that may or

and to a certain extent – its materiality. The multiple layers

may not work and the process of strategic planning that forms a

of these drawings are read as overlays in plans, and the

conceptual underlay. Ideas that concern scale of the built form, the

line-axonometric is often employed to clarify the intended

proportions of the form against the site and the context, and the

construction system. The drawing layers are specifically helpful in

impact of the project on the site are drawn. The design evolution

understanding the project on contoured sites. Once the scheme

concerns itself with the negation of the built form against the site

is clear, the resolution of detail happens at a much larger scale

conditions. Evident in the way the spaces are sequenced in their

and in this shifting of scale, the drawings become more intricate

projects in an act of ‘building up anticipation’, is Shefali and Robert’s

revealing the complexity of detail in material junctions, structural

background of working in Sri Lanka and their encounter with the

joints, water-proofing, roofing etc.

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Left and Facing Page: Sectional models for a proposed Artists’ Residency - an alternate idea where a model of a certain legible scale contributes to the design thinking

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STUDIO

MODELS “Models are great tools to communicate,” states Architecture BRIO. The role of a model in the process of design is to add clarity to a resolved design. The slowness of the model-making process, for Architecture BRIO, goes against the purpose of using them as designaids. Rather, a model makes the design much more accessible to the clients and collaborators on a project. They depend more on their ability to visualise three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional drawing for design development as drawings are immediate, quick and more intuitive modes to access ideas. Architecture BRIO also make sectional models in scales close to 1:50 which enable them to imagine junctions, and structural and construction details with greater clarity.

These models do contribute to the refinement of design as they render the architects an insight into the system with much greater resolution.

Robert explains: “A construction detail that is being discussed on the meeting table can immediately be referenced to its location and interrelation to the other components of the project with the sectional model next to it.”

Nonetheless, the models do serve a larger purpose. From the perspective of an outsider, they present a quick insight into the work of Architecture BRIO as one can appreciate the complexity of space and detail in their models. The ability of a model to open and dismantle enables one to quickly realise the intent of design. They have a quality of a well-articulated idea.

SITE In India, sites can be places where one can ‘improvise’. Owing to immediately accessible skill and a certain degree of craftsmanship on construction sites in India, an often-romantic notion of being able to ‘collaborate’ with the people on the site takes over imaginations of many architects working in the tropics. For Architecture BRIO, this approach is not an ideal one. “In the best scenario, this encourages collaboration with highly skilled craftsman and workers and uses the principles and logic of ‘the process making’ to inform the design itself” says Robert. BRIO argues that while some experiments on the site are serendipitous, one cannot resolve ideas on the site. For a clear, workable detail, while one may collaborate with a contractor or skilled workers on the site, in Architecture BRIO’s view, there has to be “great emphasis in the resolution of our construction details” in the studio.

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Left: The site for the Artists’ Residency - a found landscape that features in many Architecture BRIO projects as a major contributor to the process Below: The intervention on the site - a process in which architecture enhances the potential of the land and complements the found space

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STUDIO

A lib a ug A r t s Ce n te r A xo n o m e tr i c Vi e w

Above: Exploded isometric of the design: drawings like these imagined as tools to communicate and clarify the design intent; in this case - the parts that make the whole Right: Sketch of a detail: while they may not serve as execution drawings, these enable the designers to imagine the detail in its complete eventual form

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Below and Facing Page: ‘Sitla’ in Uttarakhand: Sequential schematic sketches and plans at multiple levels - drawings that render a certain clarity to the design process and its eventual outcome Overleaf: Site - the domain that informs the design process as a place for material and construction experimentation but does not serve as a place for design thinking for BRIO

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Particular aspects of design which pertain to ‘sampling’ depend on the feedback from the site. These include alternatives of a masonry pattern, the cleanliness of a junction between two materials, experiments with the strength and stability of masonry walls etc.

Multiple test-samples on the site help decision-making in the studio.

A sample detail on the site is also a tool to enable multiple agencies to understand the sequence and to coordinate better. Nevertheless, these experiments on the site are translated into a detailed architectural drawing as a precise, clear instruction. While the site does serve as a laboratory to a certain extent, Architecture BRIO acknowledges the limitations of working on sites in India.

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Left and Below: The prototype detail and the sketch show a complex water-drainage channel representing the relationship between design thinking in drawing and the testing on site

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STUDIO

PROCESS The works of Architecture BRIO hinge on design development in the studio. This method appears non-negotiable and renders much clarity to the sophisticated buildings that they make.

Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt acknowledge the potential of working in the tropics and in a landscape like India where skill and construction knowledge are both accessible. By keeping a certain distance from the processes on the site, the architects are able to articulate a certain formality and direction to the design process that is not interrupted. For BRIO, collaborations are “only potentially as successful as the geographic location of a project (that allows one to work with these skilled craftpersons), and the budgets and time to do so” – a luxury seldom accessible in mainstream practice.

Their work is a deliberate and rigorous development from the key ingredients that includes a detailed and considered reading of the site, an art of elimination of ideas during the initial conceptual development and an ability to envision detail. There is also a conscious distance in the works of BRIO from the concerns of design language. Their work draws from the ‘appropriateness’ of the scheme and its ‘response’ to the specificities of its context. Therefore, one can observe a refreshing variety of approaches in their work with a great sense of discovery every time a new project takes course. Their work is not limited by a specific set of materials or formal predilections.

A layer of anxiety, conflict, friction forms the underlay for the finely resolved projects of Architecture BRIO. It is this constant cycle of exploration, refinement, rejection and re-imagination that enriches the work of BRIO. Their architecture rejects the image in favour of a process that leads to powerful spatial articulations. One can read the concerns of scale, materiality and detail in their drawings while the built work represents their command on more abstract ideas and finer elements - light, volume, texture, contrast, proximity, intimacy, temperature and sound

ARCHITECTURE BRIO was set up by Shefali Balwani (CEPT University, India) and Robert Verrijt (TUDelft, the Netherlands) in 2006. Located in Mumbai, the practice is invested in finding contemporary ways of working with urban and peri-urban landscape often experimenting with approaches that deviate from the mainstream and yet, resist being set in a niche. With their background of working with Channa Daswatte, and studying Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture, Shefali and Robert’s work is influenced by both - an appropriate way of building in the tropics and spatial ideas that refer to the architecture encountered then.

The work of the studio addresses new ways of understanding the often contradictory interrelations between the city, architecture, landscape, and the world of interiors. Architecture BRIO is actively engaged in the creation of contextually appropriate, sustainable design solutions in an increasingly changing world.

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AN INTEGRATED PRACTICE A Collaborative Approach to Projects by MOAD, Chennai

Facing Page Left (Monochrome Image): The first image represents the idea of focussing on the organisation of the set activities - which in many ways became the fundamental guideline for the final scheme

Images: ©MOAD; Santappa Kaliyan, Ganesh Ramachandran, Fazal Hussain, Tara Books, Gowtham Raj

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Facing Page Right (Six Model Images): Preliminary schemes explore the possibilities of accommodating private, public and semi-public spaces in a manner where proximities are broken either with cut-outs or split-levels

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The building trade in India has vastly remained a fragmented industry and architecture - a marginal profession. Today, an isolated practice, likely to push the profession towards irrelevance, needs rethinking in order to be more inclusive, diverse and delimiting. The projects of Chennai-based MOAD reflect on an alternate approach - one where collaborative work enriches the design process.

SITE PLAN: The neighbourhood street that reveals the Book Building- situated on a tight corner plot, it maximises on the footprint to accommodate all the requisite functions

PRIVATE VILLAGE

EDITORIAL

ADMINISTRATION + BUILDING RETAIL + GALLERY

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ollaboration, in architecture, maybe perceived as a potential

Room designed by Chennai-based Madras Office for Architects &

testing lab for creative and critical ideas, whilst at the same time

Designers (MOAD); create a discourse on the merit of the process

helping to nurture fundamental competences. Sometimes, a project

of collaboration and therefore, a change in the professional role of

may witness an innovation that could prove efficient and benefit the

the architect.

industry at large through this cross-pollinating process. Unfortunately, in many a pursuit of the contemporary practices, the core ideas are

The Book Building sits on a corner plot with all the designed

lost or remain dormant once a project is completed. At a time when

infrastructure - retail, editorial, dormitories, administration, parking,

majority of architects continue to see themselves as central to the

and space for future expansion- all packed within one volume.

decision-making process of a project, it is imperative to decentralise this system.

“I think we gave Mahesh a fairly impossible brief to begin with.

What Mahesh has captured for us is the process- the way we

With further blurring of roles and responsibilities, the architect may

work has been translated into a building”, recalls Gita Wolf, Lead

assume the position of a process facilitator - a co-creator who

Designer & Co-Founder, Tara Books.

encourages the development of an individualistic, specific and considered response to social, physical, and environmental contexts

On his first meeting with the client, Mahesh Radhakrishnan vividly

and concerns. The two featured projects- Book Building and Play

recollects, “I think we had our first meeting in the client’s previous

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studio, beside a well in the outdoors on a Cudappah slab. I presented an initial model to them in that setting. From there on, I began observing their way of working.”

The clients imagined the Book Building as a contemporary space that would represent how they design books - keeping certain traditions alive or soliciting inspiration for a recreated identity. Tara Books have a unique collaboration with each of their artists. As a graphic designer, Gita Wolf adds, “One of the first conversations we had was about visualisation. I can think in terms of graphic design. If somebody comes to me with an idea about a book, I can visualise almost exactly how it could turn out. But I do not have that thing with space. We enjoy it when our collaborators take us to places we have never seen before.”

Architecture has been intentionally kept light in the making; it takes a backseat and lets the user and process take the foreground.

By not designing individual spaces for a specific function, one is encouraged to move organically through the architecture. If the design of the walls and spaces infuse a certain sense of openness, art adds to the whole, building a creative energy befitting a studio.

The captivating tree mural by Bhajju Shyam, a Gond artist who works out of Bhopal, completes the architecture of the court on the ground floor. A distinct assemblage and compilation of a façade with mild steel grilles was a challenge the architect took up in an

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1. Entry Ramp 2. Book Lobby 3. Indoor Gallery 4. Outdoor Gallery 5. Toilet 6. Store 7. Parking 8. Meeting 9. Office 10. Dining 11. Editorial Design 12. Smoking Lounge 13. Court 14. Village (Living Quarters)

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FIRST FLOOR PLAN

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SPACE Facing Page Above: Initial sketches conceptualising the external massing and corresponding internal volume Facing Page: A projected drawing of the space intended to house the visiting tribal artists from the rural parts of the country - its walls are finished in uneven shades of red oxide, depicting ‘Meena art’ inspired by the books published Above: A collage of grille patterns derived from documentation of grilles and ‘jaalis’ that were popular in the last decade complete the rear facade as a representation of time and image of the context Right: The making of the captivating tree mural by Gond- artist Bhajju Shyam from Bhopal that renders the ground floor complete

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Above: An external spiral staircase descending to the ground floor from the ‘Village’ - a clustered organisation of dormitory spaces with ‘Meena art’ adorning its walls Left: A steel staircase visually separates the retail area from the display wall while showing glimpses of the floor above Facing Page: A ferrocement helical stairway forms the visual datum between the first floor and the editorial & design studio above Overleaf: The Book Building ‘Village’ as seen in the context of the neighbourhood it sits in

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attempt to explore both - a traditional architectural vocabulary that could reflect the uniqueness in the artistic identity of Tara Books and the accessible urban skill of fabrication.

“It is quite interesting to realise that not many people who visit us know that an architect was involved in the design of this building. They do not know how to place it. It is a place full of light and air and creativity, and people are really happy working here. That is fundamental,” Gita Wolf mentions on reactions from visitors to the Book Building.

Although paradoxically, the building itself has a very strong identity. It is an extension of Tara Books and reflects their presence as independent publishers of handmade books. On the outside, it resembles a stark white box capped with a cluster of terracotta sloping roofs that do

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not reveal themselves entirely at first. In time, the Book Building has

work on retracing an existing, hidden layout on-site; collaboration

become much less of a building - it is now a space for people and

with Bengaluru-based Lighting Designer Anusha Muthusubramanian

sounds in an atmosphere of engagement.

from Lighting Spaces and Artist Marcos Guardiola Martín happened incidentally. A challenging budget allowed the architects to explore

When architects work with individuals from specialised areas of

colour as an organiser and light as a material that would define

expertise, the design process can be exhilarating. Describing this

both space and its quality.

association for the Play Room project, Mahesh recalls as to how, “It helped a great deal when all the collaborators performing different

On brainstorming with MOAD, Anusha mentions, “It involved not

roles were architects. Their knowledge of 3-dimensionality of space

just the virtual simulation but in-reality experiencing and studying the

and its response to the end-user is evident in the way they contributed

raw volume and transitions at site. During the colour coordination

to the project.” This mutual knowledge was crucial as the concept

and painting process, Lighting Spaces came on board so that

revolved around establishing order in the existing space.

the resultant effect of application of colour to the volume (i.e., fluorescence, blur, hue, saturation) could be understood before

Tucked away in a residential neighbourhood, the Play Room is a child

deciding on the technique of lighting.”

activity centre, also known as the iSpark Holistic Happiness & Fitness Studio for Children, situated in the heart of Chennai. The original

The chosen diffused lighting technique provides flexible,

space was once a traditional courtyard house that had degenerated

configurable and usable light at the same time such that each

owing to several ad hoc changes. The court was found to be covered

volume is readable as a distinct configuration. The graphic work by

by a roof above, rendering it unfit for domestic use. The site had

Marcos eventually unifies the space by breaking the rigidity of the

to undergo a drastic transformation. The primary challenge was

volumes, rendering it like a carefully curated landscape through a

two-fold: reimagining an intuitive place for kids and establishing a

playful use of characters that communicate the intent of space. The

narrative in a space that did not exist before. When MOAD began

transformation is visible, it is simultaneously bold and elegant.

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1. Entry 2. Pantry 3. Reading Area 4. Multi-use Area 5. Counselling Space 6. Locker Rooms 7. Toilets 8. Gymnasium PLAN BEFORE

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Above: The covered courtyard space is redesigned as an activity hall that draws natural light through the newly designed fenestrations Right: A mezzanine space adjoining the activity hall leads to a tucked away reading room Overleaf: Constraints of a limited budget allowed the architects to explore colour as an organiser and light as a material to define space and quality

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SPACE Facing Page and Left: Graphics bring into focus and purpose to the abstract and industrial colour, while the lighting, inspired by Dan Flavin, articulates each space distinctly Below: A passage of calm ’greys’ highlights the entryway before transitioning to an interior bursting with vibrancy Overleaf: Colour and light as a material

The trend of working with a certain complexity and speed have a significant impact on practices today. In the face of an increased pace of project execution, architects are often tempted (and rightly so), to slow down in order to make holistically informed decisions. Creatively engaging with other professionals remains a less-explored territory, but one that can potentially deepen the engagement. Patronage in collaboration is no more a mere transaction between an architect and a client, or the architect and collaborator - it is a relationship that is made of mutually enriching dialogues involving knowledge-sharing and innovation and extends well beyond the frameworks of the project. While this fundamental change of perception in practice is still in its infancy, there is much that could be learnt from contemporary AXONOMETRY

practices that foreground this process.

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NOTE ON COLLABORATION

By Mahesh Radhakrishnan My first truly collaborative experience was not in architecture but my role as a debutant set designer for a play with The Madras Players. As a set designer, there is a need to respond to the script and listen to the director. I learnt that the impermanence of the set was less relevant when compared to how it communicated the narrative. Working with the sound/ lighting designer and director, it was a triumvirate act, where each one of us responded to the other in time and space. This was a revelation for the architect in me whose preoccupation is permanence and authorship.

As architects, we are trained to be an auteur. This is how our attitude has been nurtured, which is simultaneously frustrating and endearing. The current complexities of the profession, and challenges of various roles we perform test this attitude in many ways. Collaboration happens when there is an intuitive understanding how each of our roles will influence the other with a collective vision. It is not a relay but a ‘Jugalbandi’. While the former relies on co-operation, latter is collaboration

THE MADRAS OFFICE FOR ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS (MOAD) is a multidisciplinary design practice with expertise ranging from large-scale urban design to small-scale furniture design. Their design process focuses on craft and local skills combined with materials and technology, leading to a design specific to a context. They believe architecture and design leave a strong impact on our everyday lives, and so the work is a deep response to the social, environmental and cultural context.

LIGHTING SPACES is a specialised practice based in Bengaluru since 2015, that deals with design of lighting solutions across a range of projects including residential, commercial, historical, and office spaces. The Founder and Lead Designer Anusha Muthusubramanian has an undergraduate degree in Architecture from NIT Trichy and a Masters in Architectural Lighting Design from Hochshule Wismar, Germany. A structured design approach and an intuitive problem-solving ability guide her process.

TARA BOOKS is a collective of writers, artists and designers, based out of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. They publish illustrated and handmade books for children and adults. While they generate many of the titles in-house, they also work with grass root artists, writers and, designers from across the world. Known for their richly illustrated books, Tara Books is a unique merger between design, art and the craft of storytelling.

MAGUMA is the pseudonym for the Spanish artist MARCOS GUARDIOLA MARTÍN, who is based in Madrid and works for a growing number of publications, including dailies, weeklies and political journals across Europe and Latin America. Trained as an architect in Madrid, Maguma brings to his work a sense of space and surface that is unique. Inspired by the style of old adult Spanish comics, Maguma has developed a style that’s bright, tactile and surreal — and which combines the qualities of pastel and gouache with the precision of screen-printed drawings.

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A PLACE FOR SOCIETY Jai Jagat Theatre by SEAlab, Ahmedabad

An intervention in the historic environs of the Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad, the Jai Jagat Theatre by SEAlab is an effortless work of architecture that attempts to contrast the landscape, all the while building on the perceptual continuity of the place.

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SPACE Images: ©SEAlab; courtesy Anand Sonecha, Anand Shukla, Ayush Gajjar, Dhrupad Shukla, Harshil Parekh, Karan Verma, Murtaza Gandhi, Nimo Patel, Sagar Odedra

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century has passed since Mahatma Gandhi established the Sabarmati Ashram. In 1917, a community was founded between

the Sabarmati Jail and the crematorium on a site with a few trees, a small path that cut across, and a gradual slope to the river. Sketches

by Anand Sonecha, partner, SEAlab, try and decipher the history of the site and the layers in which the buildings were built over time. Since its establishment, the environs of the Ashram have been able to assimilate new buildings and modifications to the existing buildings. Charles Correa’s landmark project - the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahlaya, buildings built and adapted for reuse by Neelkanth Chhaya and Yatin Pandya, and the historic buildings built by the freedom fighters and intellectuals are organised around old Neem trees and Gandhi’s house. The house itself is an elegant structure.

More plinth and less building, the perceptively simple plan is both modern and radical – a machine perhaps for Satyagraha.

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Left (3 Drawings): The Sabarmati Ashram site and the environs over time: 01. In 1917, when Mahatma Gandhi decided to build the ashram between the Sabarmati Jail and the crematorium flanking the river 02. The establishment of the Ashram with multiple buildings built over time with Gandhiji’s house and the Montessori school that was established in 1936 (far left) 3. Present-day scenario marking Correa’s Gandhi Smarak Sanghralaya, interventions by Neelkanth Chhaya and buildings adapted for reuse; the site for the Jai Jagat theatre lies on the corner flanking the old Montessori school building

Facing Page Above: Diagrams that elaborate the conceptual development of the design – the curve moves to make space for the ramp Facing Page Below: Model - the amphitheatre space is sunk by 1.83 meters below the ground level

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On the opposite side of the road, as one walks towards the Jai Jagat Theatre, many more buildings - intrinsic to the fabric and workings of the historic place are revealed. The canopies of the tall Neem trees shade the pathway. Old streets with beautifully proportioned houses branch out orthogonally from this path that connects the Jai Jagat Theatre compound with the Ashram Road. This pedestrian transition combined with historic buildings - modest, efficient and eloquent structures - resonates the spirit of the place. One can imagine the visceral connection this gradually-sloping site had with the river before the boorish development on the riverfront.

Designed as two concentric curves, the white walls of the theatre space are revealed in the corner of the site – a large court with institutional buildings built over time flanking it. The pathway, paved with bricks, attempts to connect these buildings and render a certain formal articulation to the central open space and the trees that exist

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SPACE Facing Page: Drawings and photographs that represent the perceived built-form of the theatre space – a single curve with an undulating silhouette for the wall Right: Site Plan and Site Section - the Jai Jagat Theatre in its context Below Right: Detail from the model - the human scale is very essential for the architecture of the theatre

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Left: Rendered plan and sections of the theatre - the sciography of the wall shows the careful undulation and well-placed punctures Right: Photographs of the theatre in its context - the brick platforms, the Neem trees and the people Overleaf: Scale and interaction

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on the site. The path leads to a set of diminishing platforms with

sunk sanctum. One gradually descends into this sanctum on a mild

shade and places to sit in small groups. Anand refers to Gandhiji’s

ramp created by the movement of the curve. The sanctum space is

philosophy on education - “an all-round drawing of the best in child

a simple, elegant composition of essential spaces: the seats of the

and man in body, mind, and spirit”. The Theatre is built for about

amphitheatre, the stage, the ‘Juliet Balcony’ with cantilevered steps

1500 students that continue to be educated with this philosophy.

and the white walls. The undulating silhouette of the wall and the

“Jai Jagat Theatre is part of this education philosophy; it provides the

punctures frame views from the immediate context – a water-tank,

students with an opportunity to practice their performance skills, to

the old Montessori school, and a tree. The amphitheatre is half-

gain confidence while addressing the public, to work in a group, to

sunk (about 1.83 metres) and the ground plane is higher than the

be disciplined and to have fun,” says Anand. The space also lends

amphitheatre space. Below the seating is a 70,000-litre tank that

itself to other children and citizens in the vicinity. The walls enclose a

harvests rain water for old and new trees in the vicinity.

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Facing Page and Right: People enliven the Jai Jagat Theatre space - designed for congregation, conversation and solitude Overleaf: An event unfolds - the contrasting colours of the people against the quiet walls of the amphitheatre

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SPACE Facing Page: The articulation of the wall allows for an occasional glimpse of the enclosed space Right: The wall becomes a prop as the elements - the staircase, the window and the ‘Juliet Balcony’ lend themselves to the performances

More landscape than building, the Jai Jagat Theatre becomes a set for plays to unfold.

The modest scale of the white walls, the soft edges and the thoughtful articulation of levels lend themselves to the children who perform there. The space also invites people to have conversations and to find solitude. The most significant moment of the project is revealed in the way the wall frames the sky. The space is finely balanced between the act of association and disassociation with its immediate context. “Jai Jagat Theatre was inaugurated on 2nd October 2017 with a performance about the life of Gandhi, by children from Sabarmati Ashram and the neighbouring communities. Three hundred people (the capacity of the amphitheatre) enjoyed the show and space. It was a wonderful moment, full of joy,” recalls Anand Sonecha.

Jai Jagat Theatre is a social space. The architecture of the space originates from a simple, clear idea and yet, it resists the banal and the obvious by generating, in its wake, a new moment on the historic landscape. The beautiful articulation of the white walls at the eye-level and the seeming effortlessness of the curve is complemented by other restrained gestures in the landscape. The space simultaneously contrasts with and yet, complements the site

SEAlab is an organisation founded by ANAND SONECHA and MARINA PAISANA in 2015. Envisioned as a collective platform for architecture and arts, SEAlab engages with socially relevant architecture with an interest in understanding the cultural implications of their work. Anand Sonecha is a graduate from IPSA, Rajkot and has worked at Sangath in Ahmedabad and with Álvaro Siza in Portugal. Marina Paisana studied architecture in Lisbon and Rome. She has worked at Sangath in Ahmedabad and Res do Chao in Lisbon eventually pursuing graduate studies at Harvard Graduate School of Desigh with Aga Khan and Fulbright Scholarships. Beyond practice, SEAlab is involved in discourse through the Forum series of talks and conversations in Ahmedabad.

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ELEMENTS OF PERCEPTION

Sanjay Mohe on Aesthetics, India and Practice of Architecture Images: ©Mindspace Architects; Various Sources

In a discussion with Sanjay Mohe, Principal, Mindspace Architects, we explore the relationship between architecture and the specific peculiarities of the Indian landscape to try and decipher a unique way of seeing that is at the core of our experience of built environment in India.

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DIALOGUE Facing Page: The integrating of the building and the landscape at the Titan Corporate Office Right: Playing cricket at the Oval Maidan: the intuitive sense of space in India works with a fine understanding of tolerances in that space

[IN]SIDE: [IN]

You practice architecture in India – a landscape of great diversity and multiple cultures. What do you think is unique about a practice in India?

SANJAY MOHE: SM

The immediate idea that comes to my mind is about multi-functionality. We have grown up with limited resources and a large number of people. We learn to share things right from childhood in a kind of a joint family system. In conditions of limited resources, the living room becomes a bedroom in the night. We have learned to play cricket with four matches in one field without any confusion. In India, we know how to handle these multi-functionalities. And that is what comes through as a very strong point while designing.

There is a possibility of laying things on top of each other and seeing them changing.

The second important idea is the understanding of our unique body language. If you compare it with the West where there is a discipline, in India, even while driving on the road, we just have an eye contact with the person driving in the opposite direction and just by that connection, you know whether he is going to turn left or right. Everything happens smoothly. There is some kind of an underlying system that only we understand through this body language. Many times, there is no precise yes or no. ‘Maybe’ happens and there are a lot of ambiguities, there are a lot of shades in between. This ambiguity gives us a lot of space to play with different layers.

Our culture is about absorption, not about elimination. So, when you really start looking at our culture, we like to assimilate a lot of things, you know, we have memories latched on to everything. For example, we design some very sophisticated research labs, but we still have to follow Vaastu. Sometimes, the discussion is about logic versus sentiments or technology against faith. And that is where we spend a lot of time in an act of balancing. These aspects of working in India are fairly vibrant and this directly or indirectly affects one’s work all the time.

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[IN]

What are the core ideas that form the philosophical structure of Mindspace - your practice?

SM

Actually, the question is not so much about a defined philosophy but about the values. The way one has been brought up with certain values which if you actually start listing it down, it might sound very mundane, even naïve. But there are so many things that are intrinsic to this value-system; it starts from your body language, the way you respect elders and to the ideas of truth and honesty. These values and beliefs become a part of you and subconsciously get carried into architecture, reflect as simplicity, respect, care and humility.

Even in the office, we do not discuss this explicitly but knowingly or unknowingly, all of us are following a similar value system. That is why we are together. The central idea is to enjoy the process of creation. We have a lot of fun. We work very hard and we party hard. We strive to keep things more open-ended rather than defined. I think that is how we get the most out of the studio process work because things are open to questioning. We want our studio to be a place of learning with a spirit of enquiry. An important aspect of our work at Mindspace is to be able to learn from nature as much as possible – it never goes out of fashion.

I believe that one can discover all the principles of life just through studying nature.

[IN]

You have talked about light as a material. Can you tell us the significance of light in your work?

SM

In the Northern hemisphere, the sunlight is more horizontal whereas in tropics, it is more vertical. Hence as a response, we have a series of courtyards and one can see a clear sequence of light and shade. We also have multitude of backdrops. Light in Rajasthan is vibrant and we can observe how it interacts with rough mud walls with great prominence. The fine carvings of Jaisalmer work as reliefs casting their own shadow, keeping the walls cool. A small internal court allows the right amount of light to illuminate surrounding rooms and keep the heat away.

Whereas in Kerela, the roofs go all the way down very close to the ground and you take the reflected light into the space. Each culture has a different response to light. We also keep working with light as the

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DIALOGUE Facing Page: The Mindspace team: values in architecture become an integral part of the studio culture Right and Below: Sketches of the IIM Bangalore Classroom Block and the photograph light as a determining element of architecture

architecture becomes very static without changing light. Our work considers these soft transitions and subtle modulations from outside to inside. This makes our architecture layered. With light, one can play with the transitions and sequence just like the temples of ancient India where the light intensity changes making way for darkness as one approaches the ‘Garbha Griha’ – the darkest and therefore seemingly infinite sanctum.

One can weave the whole story of the building in this sequence – a space with emotional qualities and as you change the sequence, the associated emotion changes. The process involves taking a dark cube and puncturing it to bring in those rays of light. For me, it is not just about light – it is about darkness as well. It is important to create darkness to feel the presence of light.

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[IN]

What role does landscape play in your work?

SM

We do not want to think of architecture and landscape as two different elements. The way one wants to bring light and air into the building, we want to bring nature into the building, making nature an integral part of the built form. There is an image that comes to my mind of the temples in Angkor where the trees have grown on the temple walls for hundreds of years and you cannot decipher whether the tree is supporting the wall or the wall is supporting the tree!

You always want landscape and nature to take that kind of active part in the built environment. We try and create enough porosity in the form of the building to create a place for nature to thrive. I had once seen a documentary about a Shani temple in Maharashtra and they showed the village where people do not lock doors at all. Some houses did not even have doors, and I thought what a wonderful idea to be able to design a building that is impossible to lock – one can create porosity to the extent that the door disappears and nature literally flows in. We are conscious of this whenever we build anything.

Another significant thought is the idea of homecoming when we deal with landscape. From where does homecoming start? In an apartment, it starts when one opens the door to get in. This is where you feel that you have reached home. How can we create an environment wherein you feel you are at home much before opening the door, in the verandah or in the front-court? Can you stretch this feeling much further by creating a landscape or a spatial sequence that makes you feel that you have already reached home? I think this is the success of creating a vibrant neighbourhood where the idea of homecoming is stretched and we strive to achieve this in every project we work on. This involves integrating nature into the built. Some of our buildings are thirty years old now and every time someone visits our old projects, the first question we ask is “How are the trees?” I never think much about how the building looks. The building remains the same but the way you look at building changes as there are these layers of nature and associated memories and this gives the environment a special quality. It is a delight to see the building change as the trees grow and complement the spaces. Though the building is static, nature takes over and keeps changing, through the

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Above: Photographs of the College for Care Group of Institutions and the Titan Corporate Office represent the proximity of landscape and its relationship with the built

DIALOGUE

seasons, through the years. The flora and fauna become an inherent part of the building and your life. We as designers have to just make place for them.

The ageing of a building is a very important aspect – the way it ages gracefully and gets assimilated in the environment it creates. We look at landscape not as a planned environment but as a natural process of absorbing the built. Water also plays a very important role. Water has an ability to touch all senses.

[IN]

How do you see your work engaging with the senses?

SM

I remember watching this film long back – a movie called ‘Sparsh’ by Sai Paranjpye in which Naseeruddin Shah plays a blind man and Shabana Azmi is the actress. There is a scene where Azmi is in a sari shop and she starts selecting saris based on the colour and then suddenly she stops, closes her eyes and starts touching all the saris on the table. Finally she feels the right one and chooses it. That, I thought, was a remarkable scene! One realises that how much we – the people with sight are carried away by the sense of sight, whereas to be comfortable, the surface, texture, temperature, smell etc has to be just right.

One night spent in a forest would sharpen all our senses because it is about survival. In Indian temples, the transition from outside to inside is also a process of sensitising all our senses by first removing our shoes and feeling Mother earth, thus sensitising touch, offering flowers and sensitising smell, ringing the bell and sensitising hearing, lighting the lamp and sensitising the eyes and finally, having “Thirtha Prasad” to sensitise taste. Water has always played an important role in the architecture and is a powerful element to stimulate all our senses. Subconsciously though, we are aware of these other senses but somewhere, our visual sense overtakes.

I think there is a strong connection between memories and senses. You remember things through music, through sound. You remember certain things by smell and when you get that particular smell, you immediately connect with it – like a visit to your grandfather’s farmhouse. These connections and memories are sometimes visceral. Sounds are also associated in our mind – when you hear a bike going at a great speed, you conjure the mental picture of the person riding it.

Therefore, the entire perception is in the play between what you expect and what you see. This is how one is able to form a like or dislike for the space. It is about imagining, seeing and correcting. I compare these two works of Rodin: one is ‘The Prodigal Son’ where the person is on his knees with two hands stretching towards the sky and the other is ‘The Thinker’ which is a man sitting. While the first is about ecstasy and looking outward towards the horizon, the other is about looking inward. Between the extremes of deep introspection and expression of ecstasy, there are intermediate stages. One carries these ‘space bubbles’ with one’s body and when inhabiting an architectural space, the better this space bubble responds to the inhabited space, the better the ‘comfort zone’.

The emotional connection between senses and the architectural space is very strong. The same space may feel different depending on the time, the day, the light and the mood of the inhabitant. As an architect,

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one is trying to craft this space oscillating between the left and the right brain. While the left is about more measurable and analytical things, the right is about emotion, intuition and creativity.

The built environment is an amalgamation of the measurable - understanding the context, the site, existing features and its surroundings. It understands every aspect of functionality, elements of nature and technology. And there is the immeasurable which is multi-sensory and emotive. Architecture should play to all the senses. We can engineer the measurable but it is the immeasurable components that determine the way people react to the space. That is why I like the painting by William Blake - trying to measure the immeasurable.

Whether in a school or in life you are learning all the time. It is important to take a pause and allow that learning to seep in, to get absorbed, to create awareness of that is learnt. Can architectural spaces provide that pause?

[IN]

How do material and colour play a role in it?

SM

When I came to Bangalore in the 80s, grey granite was ubiquitous - kerbstones on the road, granite fences, granite steps and walls. It is such a wonderful material – wherever you dig, you find granite! If you polish it, the same stone looks like a semi-precious material. We started using it because it was the natural thing to do. The material was available and skilled labour was locally available. Grey granite could be used as load bearing walls as it was as cheap as using bricks. Granite also has this amazing way of ageing gracefully.

Slowly, we started experimenting using granite in combination with other materials like introducing concrete bands, stone chips, bricks, kadappah stone etc. We eventually moved away from using granite for load bearing walls because of its absorptive and porous nature and started designing more composite walls.

Then came this influence of postmodernism as a reaction to modernism and we suddenly had a spurt of using colour. In that phase, we designed many plastered walls with a lot of variation of colours. But we soon realised that when the building gets repainted, ochre becomes yellow and the red becomes pink and the whole feel changes. The next phase was to restrict the use of colour in pockets with an understanding that even if the colour changes within the pocket, the composition does not change drastically.

Slowly we moved to using a lot of white. That phase lasted for quite some time as we liked the way shadows

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change on the white walls. People as well as nature look beautiful against a white backdrop, hence makes it timeless. When the end users have to repaint the surface, they do not have to think too much. In all these phases, you always question how to use the materials, how to fuse them and how to make them more humane.

[IN]

Is there an Indian way of looking at things? What are the visual attributes of the architecture of India?

SM

I think when you discuss aesthetics; you approach it as an outsider, looking at something trying to make sense of it as an observer. But when you are a participant, then you experience the space, you feel it. For us, the idea of the mother is never related to the way she looks – she is beautiful because she is my mother. This is about feeling, not about looks; it is the language of the heart.

Climate has always played an important role in deciding lifestyle, culture, and rituals etc. We remove the shoes outside the house because we sit on the floor and eat as our climate allows us to sit on the floor.

This could not be done in Northern Hemisphere, hence the idea of chair originated as insulation from cold floors. So climate controlled the way one dressed, what one ate and the way one lived.

Facing Page: Sketch: “How do you see your work engaging with senses?”

Above: The evolution of sensitivity and semantics towards material and colour use in the architecture of Mindspace Architects - from the textured surfaces of handdressed granite walls to the contrasting surfaces with white.

Again, speaking of climate and its connection with aesthetics, I want to point at the dresses of Rajasthan with bright colours and mirrors. The culture of that place celebrates these colours against the desert but if you look at Kerala where there is a lot of greenery, the palette contains a lot of whites and gold. Visual culture is also closely linked to functionality. I was highly influenced by Masters of Modern Architecture: Corbusier, Kahn and the way they used materials. Carlo Scarpa’s attention to tactile details was inspiring. Most of these buildings exhibited machine-made aesthetics. At the other end of spectrum we have Geoffrey Bawa who

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redefined the language of aesthetics of Tropical Modern architecture. Instead of celebrating perfections, he celebrated flaws. Cracks on the floor, moss on the wall, and rough-cut edges of stone exhibited a language of handmade aesthetics. Bawa’s sensitivity and ability to carefully orchestrate vernacular models to suit contemporary lifestyle added a humane touch and created a sense of comfort while occupying the space.

Despite the refinement, there was a familiarity to it as if the memories we carry are already woven into the fabric. Probably F.L Wright used materials to create same comfort for an American. To me, that is Indian aesthetics. It is about absorption and not about elimination.

[IN]

What about context?

SM

Buildings cannot exist in isolation. They are conceived to house and inspire human activities and are set amidst natural/built environments. For us, design evolves from the context. It is a response to site, climate, functionality, client’s aspirations, and technology. There is no preconceived image. The building has to grow out of the soil. In few instances, you can actually go to the site and feel how the built form assimilates with the site observing the way the sun moves on the site, the way the water flows and the way sound works on the site. We do not seek to plant something in it – rather, we try and look at context as something from which design evolves.

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Above: Photographs of the Karunashraya, Bangalore - the idea of modernity that has, in its core, an Indian way of looking at architecture

[IN]

In the last few years, images have dominated the discussion on architecture. What do you think of this way of looking at architecture?

SM

I would like to compare this idea of imagery with memory. The eye collaborated with other senses becomes a memory. Image is normally an image of an image seen in a magazine, whereas memories are based on experience and has many feelings overlapped. Images are static and two-dimensional. Memories are not. Memories have many overlays on the image – they are three-dimensional. One can relive a memory in all the senses. I feel that the memory of a place is more potent than the image of the place. For example when we design schools, I refer to a memory of our visit to Rameshwaram. In one of the temple pavilions, on a hot afternoon, there was a strong breeze and we could observe a group of 25 students in the pavilion with a teacher wearing white dhoti and a shirt and students totally immersed in teaching. The students were not even aware that we were watching them. This memory and the images from this memory come to me whenever I am asked to design a school. You do not just collect images but feelings over a period of time and you build on that.

I find pictures problematic. When you photograph, you choose to frame a composition out of a larger context. That frame becomes the photographer’s creation and his decision to separate it from the rest gives it a different meaning. When you place it next to another frame, which is chosen from a different context, it gains a totally different meaning because you are creating a third context. When you see a photograph, you

Above and Facing Page Below: Sketches and Photograph of Dr. Reddy’s Residence Hall - the built form is an extension of the potential of the context

do not know if the place is hot or cold. You cannot say if it is breezy or dusty or noisy or if the place smells good. It isdifficult to judge an architectural space by looking at an image. When you look at images, you are an observer – not a performer or a participant.

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Left and Below: One cannot predict the way the space will be used: students appropriate the amorphous spaces of the Sreenidhi International School Facing Page: Dr Anji Reddy’s Memorial Project - landscape as architecture

[IN]

What is your view on the state of profession?

SM

What you liked before joining architecture is very different from what you like now. When I was in the first year of Architecture, I used to love the Corinthian Order with ornate capitals. I would not believe that someone could like any other order like Doric or Ionic. And as I learnt new things, preferences changed and the idea of the capital itself disappeared.

This makes me wonder if we are getting alienated from the mainstream. Why do we lose that connection? This happens in Art, Music and Dance as well. Do we lose a sense of a larger picture as we get into the pursuit of finer details? Do we get caught up in the reaction from peer group that the mainstream reaction goes into the background? Do we ever think if our parents or siblings like what we design or do we just judge their ignorance comparing with our knowledge about the subject? The mindset is that most of the award winning work has to make a statement and has to be different. You believe that the contrast always exists. But then you look at Geoffrey Bawa’s buildings; he never bothered about winning awards and probably he would not have won if he had competed.

His architecture communicated with the common man and celebrated the environment. F.L.Wright could do that. In the world of cinema, Charlie Chaplin’s works can touch a common man and can still be a classic cinema. In the world of music, Lata Mangeshkar could do that. Is it possible to make architecture that operates at these two levels or at multiple levels? This is what we aim for in our practice. It is a difficult proposition but for us, it is an important thought – an architecture that can be appreciated at a classical level and at a popular level. The achievement of this balance would be, I believe, the real story of creating good architecture

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SANJAY MOHE is the founder and a partner at Mindspace – a Bengaluru-based architecture firm with an extensive experience in designing residential, institutional, cultural and office projects of varying sales. Mindspace was founded in 2004 and is presently led by Sanjay Mohe, Medappa, Suryanarayanan, Amit Swain and Swetha along with 21 architects, engineers and support staff, all of whom work as a team. Projects by Mindspace have been featured in several national and international awards and are consistently featured in architectural journals. Sanjay Mohe also regularly lectures in architectural forums and schools of design across the country.

DIALOGUE chronicles a conversation with an eminent architect / designer / thinker on an idea or issue pertinent to contemporary design practice in India.

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HINDSIGHT

Personal Traverses Through the Pedagogical Terrain

by Suprio Bhattacharjee

Architect, researcher and writer Suprio Bhattacharjee looks back at his own education and critically evaluates the paradoxes of the prevalent pedagogical systems in order to create a framework to analyse new, emergent and experimental models in the subsequent chapters of this series he is set to curate.

W

hen I first began teaching in 2002, I was just a year out of the same architecture school - the hallowed Sir J J College of Architecture in Mumbai. It was a place that inspite of its terrible flaws and

apparent parochial constitution, was able to leave me to my own devices - I dare say ‘aided and abetted’ by less-than-a-handful of teachers who dared to be off the mainstream. The school was surprisingly absorptive of ‘strangeness’ though, if one was strong-headed and persistent. Perhaps, the very ‘otherness’ of these ‘strange presences’ meant that most would not bother - thus as a student one was able to nurture one’s self if one wished to do so and was sufficiently self-driven or self-initiated. This also was the school at its weakest: that as an institution, it lacked a set of ‘values’ or ‘principles’ by which it defined itself and its coursework and output - other than the misplaced mundanity of the ‘practical’ (or whatever was implied by this). Although if one could prove that if one’s ‘strangeness’ would ‘fit in’, one could survive the gladiator bloodbath. Thus, one could sense a surprising paradox - the very systems that seemed to be restrictive and closed gave one enough freedom and space to be one’s own - just as those few teachers taught us to be - within a space of constant negotiation. Were these loopholes in the system, or was the system robust enough that it did not mind the ‘intrusion’ of a few? One can only speculate. But what it did leave many of us with was the sense of being intrepid and exploratory - to prod along paths that were off the main course.

As a young teacher in the same institution, I was considered to operate out of the left field - and intriguingly, regardless of the nature of the institutions I have taught in ever since over the past decade and a half - I have always felt that - no matter how radical, progressive, inclusive or diverse an institution claimed to be, I was still considered to come off the ‘left-field’ in all of these institutions. The connotation would change, of course, as would the attitudes with which one began to perceive ‘the other.’ Recently, in an article in DOMUS India (DI 36 - January 2016) I mulled over what ‘new’ and ‘radical’ meant - and whether the casual nature with which we often use these terms as descriptors actually undermines those that can be deemed as really radical - that really effortlessly question the core of things - not as outcomes of a selfproclaimed actioner, but rather as resultants of almost unconscious agents of ‘what-really-needs-to-bedone-in-response-to-the-time-and-place.’ To give a glimpse of the argument I was making - the obsession with Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye or Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House (stemming out of the mainstream Modernist discourse) that every student of architecture must have come across in school as a ‘radical’

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example, and the widespread ignorance of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea and say, Oscar Niemeyer’s Canoas House (two masterpieces born out of what Colin St John Wilson termed as ‘The Other Tradition’ - sidelined and obscured by mainstream Modernist doctrine) - that contemporary historians today mark out as being truly ahead of their time. In 2005, I wrote an essay on design studio pedagogy (Architecture: Time, Space and People, December 2005) that documented the explorations I had engaged with as a young teacher along with a couple of inspirational colleagues. My tone there sounded urgent and perhaps agitated, and now, almost thirteen years later, while I can see a lot of hope in the fact that the landscape of architectural education is changing drastically, there is still the ardent need to enquire into the manner in which architects are being ‘prepared’ for their life outside of school, if I put it very broadly, as I would refrain from using ‘the profession’ here for now.

ACADEMICIAN OR PRACTITIONER? BINARIES OF CONVENIENCE AND THE ARDENT NEED FOR THE GREYSCALE In this respect, it seems serendipitous to join forces with this journal to embark upon an exploratory journey into schools of architecture that have been set up very recently - say in the 2010s - and to probe and make observations thereof, if not scrutinise, what stand these schools take or what their evolving stand is on a number of issues or concerns. Recently, discussions have cantered on towards whether we have too many schools of architecture - and whether the sudden bloat in the number of undergraduate architecture schools is actually detrimental to the quality of education within these schools. At the same time, a rush for doctorate degrees to satisfy Council of Architecture norms results in a lopsided view towards education that in many ways can be traced back to the nature of Western academia - where the Cartesian mind-body disconnect or the domains of thought and action - are deemed to be independent of themselves. This is not helped by the fact that to fulfil the current Council norms, more prospective teachers than ever have Master’s degrees - many obtained from schools abroad - in deference to the previous situation where many schools were dominated by practitioners - as the Council norms then sought equivalence between education and years of practice. It would be interesting to see what balance these schools strike out in terms of the academiapractice balance within their teaching faculty, and whether these schools have space for the autodidactic the self-learnt - or those that are not ‘ratified’ on paper - but are by practice and ‘doing’.

This leads one to the nature of the institution (in terms of their founding most importantly) - who are the individuals that have initiated these schools, what have been their impulses and what is the relationship they share with academia, with pedagogy, with practice and the pedagogy of practice, and with the profession? This is all the more essential if we are to evolve an architectural culture that is unique to our own - and not mere facsimiles of systems or methods that have been in operation elsewhere. In a recent interview with Japanese architect Hitoshi Abe - who served as Chair of the Department of Architecture and Urban Design at UCLA for almost a decade - he lamented how Japanese universities were going the way of their American counterparts – with a steady loss in openness and flexibility in terms of coursework and the manner in which the schools engaged with practice or the ‘space of doing’ - qualities that have been integral to Japan’s extraordinary architectural inventiveness over the past decades and the sheer prodigiousness as seen in the works of even younger architects - in their negotiation of the real. Is this staid formalization of pedagogy and stricture over accommodative and supple structure beginning to inform our

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new schools? Do these schools encourage practitioners to teach - and if that is the case, how does it affect the nature of the coursework and of their administration? Can we come close to the proximity between thought and action - or the mind and the body - in our pedagogic models so that the engagement with the real results in an architectural culture as vigorous, rooted, diverse and enriching as the one mentioned above? What are these pedagogic models - if they exist at all or are seen as evolving - and what have the subsequent successes and failures been? Often, the need for epistemic closure leads one to a culture of rampant confirmation bias - that is the bane of any educational system making an effort to be open and accepting of the ‘contradictions.’ It would be intriguing to see what these schools offer in terms of their epistemic and pedagogical models, and their view towards the ‘attainment’ (a contentious term in this context) or better still, ‘discovery’ of knowledge.

AN ENQUIRY TO DEVELOP A PARAMETRIC CLOUD OF FLUID CONCERNS IN GREYSCALE Amongst the many aspects that will need investigation, is whether or how schools address the changing notions of practice today - both within the country and in anticipation of changes being absorbed from elsewhere. What do these schools identify as these drifts and currents, and how are students being equipped to handle the same? Practice today is no longer insular or domain-centric, and one needs to be able to contend with interdisciplinary diversity as well as multidisciplinary fluidity. Indian architecture schools have been remarkable exemplars of disciplinary silos, and our endeavour would also be to investigate whether or how these schools are able to successfully engage with the unmaking of this silo. Silos also lead to a lot of obsolescence, as ideas are enriched and engulfed by the reshaping of our realities and conscience in this post-global world - where notions of culture, authenticity, time-place specifics are constantly being challenged. How do these schools thus engage with the learnings from other disciplines (say the Humanities), and how do these schools illuminate their students on disciplinary histories - most importantly architectural history, and the contentious histories of the relationships architecture shares with landscape and engineering for example. It is often a common refrain that if Indian engineers were taught the Humanities, our reality will not be so despicable. Architects, having always been exposed to the Humanities as part of their coursework, are far more fortunate in that way - and we shall probe how this penetrates their coursework and the output of student works within the schools and whether the student work thus created is demonstrative of an increased understanding of the cultural and spatio-temporal complexities and realities of building in the present and the foreseeable future.

Speaking of which, we would be eager to understand how these schools address the challenges of the future such as climate change, cultural polarisation, economic disparities, the collapse of institutions and government administration, and the like. Do these affect the nature of the projects conducted within the studios and the discourse within these schools or are these still narrowly focused upon mere formal and normative questions? What is the influence of evolving disciplines within the discourse in these schools?

How connected or removed are the assignments in these schools to issues of topical concern? And does this then engender a unique methodology of enquiry? In today’s hyper-connected reality, does the methodology of enquiry alter with the prevalence of digital tools? How is the nature of the studio, and thus the nature of enquiry and of project outcomes, transformed by this altered methodology, if at all? Should we still see

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studios as static environments bound by the norms of the ‘classroom’ - or are they dynamic, shape-shifting settings for hyper-charged and aggressive, if necessarily, deep and mediated, spaces of probing and questioning? And if they are, how does this affect the attitude towards research and self-exploration: the culture of reading, and most importantly, the culture of writing and drawing. In a recent article, Sam Jacob of the former practice of FAT, wrote on what he called the ‘post-digital drawing’ - and how the resurgence of the drawing in the face of the predominance of digital tools has meant the ontological questioning of the nature of the drawing itself and what it seeks to communicate in deference to the flashy photo-realistic render, although he does remark that over time, these ‘new’ drawings have begun to appear indistinct from one another - a new homogenisation in a sense - across culture and geography. This is problematic, and we will seek to observe whether these new schools have given an impetus to evolving forms of drawing unique to their own pedagogical methods, much like how the AA or Bartlett were known for their drawings in the later decades of the 20th century.

FORESIGHT AND FORETHOUGHT: WHAT WE HOPE TO LOOK FORWARD TO While these questions here may only scratch the surface of the concerns that shall drive our subsequent enquiries, it sets the stage or a frame of reference in terms how we would wish to engage with those. The introduction here to this essay of questions - born out of personal experiences - is meant to offer a device of resonance for the many of us who have sought to engage with these questions - with lesser or greater success - rather than a diatribe. The intention of laying these out is also to build a position – a set of lenses – through which we shall address these aspects in the schools we shall cast our glance upon.

Over the next set of issues of this publication, we shall bring forth to these pages our first-hand accounts of these schools, ruminations by the individuals involved in their setting up and administration, and dialogues with the people who matter in these schools, along with our own set of observations gleaned from these engagements. This is the purpose of this series, and we hope that it will be able to offer us insight into these teething questions around architectural pedagogy, many of which were brought to light in essays by stalwarts in the ‘Campaign’ series published within the pages of the Indian Architect & Builder magazine a few years ago. We can see this as a second coming of this Campaign – but now, instead of hearing what the stalwarts have to say, our gaze turns away from individuals towards institutions and what these seemingly profess and stand for

SUPRIO BHATTACHARJEE is an architect now based out of Chennai, India. He has recently been appointed Studio Director of architectureRED (a Chennai-based practice known for their urban architecture), and is the Founder and Principal Architect of S|BAU / Suprio Bhattacharjee Architecture Unit. He has served as a faculty member in various schools in the city of Mumbai over the past sixteen years. Suprio’s architectural writings and critical texts have appeared in DOMUS India magazine, and his contributions have also been published in respected academic and professional journals such as TEKTON, Conditions Architecture & Urbanism, Oris, Innowin, architecturelive.in and Architecture: Time, Space & People. Suprio has contributed to professional conclaves and seminars on architecture, design and pedagogy as a presenter and a curator and has been a vocal critic of the status quo. He has been a recipient of critical acclaim for his architectural works and has been recognised as one of the emerging architects to look out for, by the iGEN2016 programme instituted by Architect & Interiors India.

PEDAGOGY is a curated series that investigates contemporary experiments and new thinking in design education.

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JECT

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Authored by Anusha Narayanan; Photographs of At-tin by Vikram Rana; Drawings and Images courtesy Aziz Kachwalla

SUPPOSE I HAVE A WAREHOUSE...

Objects by Aziz Kachwalla, Designer and Maker, Mumbai 116

OBJECT

Below: Aziz Kachwalla, at At-tin, the garage converted into a workshop-cum-studio in Mazgaon from where Aziz runs his design practice: The Orange Company

With over twenty years of experience in the product, industrial and interior design space, Aziz Kachwalla runs a practice around experimentation with materials and forms overlaid with fine craftsmanship. He is also a frequent collaborator for other architects, designers and artists of renown.

A

creative collaboration, a true coming together of equals,

Aziz Kachwalla has spent over twenty years in product, industrial

calls for a certain temperament and the dissolution of

and interior design industry. The space/studio he works out of now,

a designer’s ego. Aziz Kachwalla is a designer regarded by

is a double-heighted, gritty, imperfect yet honest warehouse-turned-

several contemporaries as their go-to collaborator on matters of

workshop tucked away in one of the lanes of Mazgaon, Mumbai.

materiality, fabrication and prototyping. Aziz’s understanding of

It has nothing to hide, no lies or pretense, similar to the nature of

materials and craftsmanship came up matter-of-factly in a few of

the designs it is home to. Resembling a theatre backstage, pieces

our conversations with young and old designers, and so began

are strewn about the space but upon observation, the emphasis on

our investigation.

understanding each material is hard to miss.

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ON MATTERS OF MATERIALITY

- never too harsh to crack, yet intense enough to bring out its core strength.

There is a strong sense of precision and control in Aziz’s finished work, and an inherent scientific logic, that comes from his engineering

At the same time, a few handcrafted bent metal and cane furniture

bend of mind. There is also a self-driven inquiry to know a material

pieces that emanate warmth and nostalgia sit next to the lampshade.

inside-out and play with it without restricting it to commercial briefs,

They look austere and comfortable, the lucidity reflecting the free

that drives the practice.

mind of the designer and a deep appreciation of materials. Because each piece is handcrafted there is the factor of time, which he says his

For instance, the simple continuous flexing of materials which

clientele is made aware of, and upon agreeing, work commences.

can be seen across some of his small- and large-scale work: a

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metal lampshade standing still in a corner at At-tin, the wiring

Though it is hard to describe the aesthetic of his work, the materials

of an interactive installation at the Guggenheim, a series of bent

he often uses can be listed down – Copper, Brass, Stainless Steel and

plywood furniture in the making. Each of these, tests and pushes

Aluminium among metals; Glass; Processed Woods such as ply or

the boundaries of the material like a mentor would push a protégé

solid MDF, Sal and Teak Wood; and plastics.

OBJECT

Right: Drum Lamp made from the spinning drum of a washing machine Below: An ensemble of objects at At-tin Facing Page Above: The back of the workshop where craftsman work on developing prototypes and products Facing Page Below Left: The C Lamp Made from a readily available cast iron hardware called the C clamp, which is used to clamp things in place on a work bench Facing Page Below Right: Floor Lamp 3: Made of a twisted strip of steel and layered polypropylene sheets

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THE EVER CURIOUS, NEVER STOP.

bit,” he states, with no undertone. Eventually, in the early 90s, he channelled his sole focus to design.

“He has an ever-curious mind,” says Kabir Mohanty, a close collaborator of Aziz Kachwalla. Soon after he graduated, Aziz

The chronology of events is blurry and unimportant to him; one

pursued, rather unpredictably, ‘special effects’ for advertising. This

of the few things that he does not detail out. It is also hard to

involved fabricating objects for advertising – props and imaginary

categorise him. He has worked for corporations such as Schiller,

things. Today a lot of ‘special effects’ have been replaced by

Rallis India and VIP Topaz Toys creating industrial solutions such as

animation and CGI.

cash registers, security systems’ interfaces, and toys; then worked in retail design for lifestyle apparel brands such as Spykar, Mufti, Ruff

He then setup The Orange Company, in what he calls was his

Kids, etc simultaneously designing bespoke furniture for interiors.

‘NID hangover phase’, and decided to run his family business

The practice now is a mix of self-initiated and commercial projects

side-by-side, the car workshop at At-tin. “I used to repair cars for a

but is always user-centric.

This Page: The FPM Series: An experiment with flexi-ply. The flexi-ply is wrapped around a rigid metal frame; the frame becomes the skeleton for the plywood the body, giving the piece its volume and function The pieces are created such that the grains of the various layers of the plywood are aligned in the same direction, allowing the plywood to bend along one axis, depending on the alignment of the said grains The series consists of four pieces of furniture: a divan, a cabinet, a bench and a chair called Karizma Facing Page: Prototype for jewellery display made for Jaipur Jewels. The lighting piece seen in the background was a separate work, unrelated to Jaipur Jewels, done by Aziz Facing Page Below Left: Leftover tubes from the lighting piece used to create a mobile installation Facing Page Below Right: Tools of the trade at At-tin

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OBJECT

BE THE DESIGNER = BE THE USER The belief that one has to ‘be the user’ dictates Aziz’s design development process. What happens when you cannot imagine yourself as a user? “I do not design unless I have investigated enough of how I would interact with [the object] and used it myself.”

Questions arise such as, “I might not like it this way, but maybe someone else would?” or “How can the client want this?”, but his studio mediates till a logical solution is reached. Time, cost and client are factors that play a heavy hand but at no point does he lose sight of the user.

A case in point being, Jaipur Jewels, a boutique jewellery brand that displays jewellery in luxury settings such as five-star hotel lobbies.

The client, Sarika Naheta, approached Aziz to get easily portable displays designed, and the outcome was a set of four modules which could be stacked and multiplied, or staggered in numbers to create different arrangements.

The challenge for Aziz though was to create portable packaging and dismantleable stands. Aziz did this using materials he understood well - steel, glass and wood. The drawings had to be precise as the modularity of dismantlable displays as well as the portable packaging depended on it.

But for him the most exciting part was imagining a scenario he usually would not be in – looking at luxury jewellery in a five-star hotel lobby or dismantling all the display boxes and putting them back together – and then thinking of joinery that make ‘portability’ or ‘modularity’ possible for a jewellery brand.

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This Page Above: ‘handheld’ Kabir Mohanty: Mechanisms of Motion, 2008, Anant Art Centre, New Delhi This Page Left: Custom-screens and AV system.

Work done for Kabir Mohanty, for an exhibition at Anant Art Centre, New Delhi. The screens were custom-made, transparent bodied made in acrylic with aluminium. The size of a screen is such that it fits in the palm of a person Facing Page: ‘In Memory’ Kabir Mohanty: Being Singular Plural, March-June 2012, Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, New York

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OBJECT

ON ART: COLLABORATIONS WITH KABIR MOHANTY

“Over a period of a decade, his hands have come to occupy a place inside my imagination, as if this knowledge can craft many things that

There is a sense of joy and admiration that lights up the face of Kabir

I can only see and hear. The worlds of art, design and engineering,

Mohanty, a renowned contemporary artist working across media from

are surely related, but when you go deep, they also have their own

installations to film. A long time collaboration with Aziz Kachwalla is

individual rigour [that] separate themselves. This awareness is lived by

the topic of our conversation.

Aziz Kachwalla,” Kabir says. At this point, he has already explained, in great detail, Aziz’s contribution to Kabir’s exhibition at the

“Aziz’s knowledge of materials, his touch first revealed itself to me,

Guggenheim Museum, New York, titled ‘Being, Singular, Plural’.

when we were mounting a Solo Show with video and sound works in GallerySKE, Bengaluru in 2006. What began as an involvement with

Sruti, Kabir’s colleague, explains what differentiates Aziz from others.

completed works, slowly worked itself backwards as some new works

“He is completely hands-on. To make sure that one person would be

got more and more sculptural. Suddenly microphones came in odd

able to install the whole work (Being, Singular, Plural), Aziz tested

places, and video monitors had to be held in one’s hand, and Aziz

it himself: from unpacking to installing, he re-created the process

came in to craft all of these things as an ongoing part of making,”

step-by-step. He even timed himself because there was a particular

recalls Kabir, summarising the journey he and Aziz have had. “Today,

duration within which the set-up had to be done,” she describes the

he is a part of my artistic consciousness.”

nature of Aziz’s involvement.

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GIRDHAR CHITRODA, THE METAL-WORKING MAGICIAN A note on Aziz’s practice is incomplete without mentioning Girdhar Chitroda, the metal craftsman and expert whom Aziz admires deeply.

“There is nothing like watching him work,” says Aziz, “He knows exactly how much to hit the metal when it is hot, where to hit it from, how much to bend it and mould it.”

To Aziz, Chitroda’s craftsmanship cannot be replicated by the mightiest brands with the biggest manufacturing capacity. Observing the subtle impressions or depressions on the surface of some of his bent metal and cane furniture affirms Chitroda’s quiet presence at At-tin. “Do you have a liking for craft over mass?” I ask. “No,” he firmly replies, “But to make machines craft things as beautifully as a human can, is an expensive and unviable affair.”

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This and Facing Page: Products and prototypes at At-tin – a range of materials and techniques

OBJECT

EXPERTISE, KNOWLEDGE AND EQUITY

things are brought or bought from various places and put together in as space. With the ready availability of products of varying quality,

So what would you say, in bullet points, is your core philosophy?

suiting the pockets of different buyers, the need among designers for

“Functionality, materials, processes, finishes, [and] details coming

understanding and testing materials hands-on is slowly vanishing. The

together holistically. No random thoughts. No hasty thinking. Always

word collaboration is also widely misunderstood; it does not mean the

keeping people in mind and how they perceive things, how they

act of following instruction where one party is the instructor and other,

interact with objects. Easy and simple ‘making’ processes: nothing too

the vendor. The aspects of expertise, knowledge exchange and equity

mass, nothing too niche.”

are important in collaborations. Aziz Kachwalla is therefore, a rarity, an expert designer and a collaborator whose ease of understanding

And we bid farewell. The conversation left me with the thought that

materials, design, engineering as well as prototyping serves the

over the years, design has increasingly become curation, where

design of objects itself

AZIZ KACHWALLA studied Product Design from the National Institute of Design (NID Ahmedabad), after completing a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Powai (Mumbai). With over two decades of experience in exhibition, lighting, retail and furniture design, he has collaborated on projects of various scales with designers such as Amardeep Behl, Architecture BRIO, Material Immaterial and MuseLAB, brands like Jindal Steel, artists such as Kabir Mohanty and Pranit Soi; and art festivals such as the Kochi Muziris Biennale. The Orange Company is his design consultancy firm that does large multidisciplinary interior architectural projects. His design studio-cum-workshop is located at Mazagaon, Mumbai and is called At-tin.

ANUSHA NARAYANAN (Author) studied architecture. She is a Partner at Fish Do It Consultants, and curates Colour Quotient by Asian Paints. In the past, she has been the associate editor at Kyoorius, a writer at Indian Architect & Builder, and a freelance contributor to Insite (IIID).

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SPONTANEOUS SPACES IN THE URBAN REALM Reimagining Public Sanitation Infrastructure

by RC Architects, Mumbai 128

Images: ©RC Architects; Hemant Patil, Rohan Chavan

OBJECT

The state of public space, public buildings, and public infrastructure are real and important indicators of the role of design in the civic realm. In an attempt to re-imagine the design and therefore, the identity and image of public toilets, Rohan Chavan explores an innate spontaneity of small infrastructure in the urban domains.

Facing Page: The Light Box restroom is designed around a tree in Thane Right (Satellite Image): The rectangle marks the location of the The Light Box restroom in the urban context of Thane, Maharashtra: an insert in the space Right: A sketch explaining the contextual idea of a space for the restroom Below: The Light Box restroom transforms into a secure place at night owing to the light it radiates through its perforated screens

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T

he urban environment is dynamic, diverse, and fast-paced. Every

festival and are otherwise used as steps to sit in front of or access the

day, the many opportunities in, and the necessities of urbanism

library,” observes Architect Rohan Chavan who believes that design

allow an architect to reassess the role of architecture in re-imagining

in the public realm demands versatility. In an attempt to recreate the

our interaction with essential infrastructure. At a time when the

identity of the Indian public restroom, Rohan proposes multifunctional

Indian government is inclined to work towards improving sanitation

sanitation spaces in a variety of contexts.

and general public hygiene with schemes like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Rohan Chavan, Founder of RC Architects feels it is crucial

More often than not, the experience of using a public toilet

to understand, and explore the question: “What kind of toilets must

is unpleasant to say the least. Visualising the washroom as a

we build?”

complementing facility with other public amenities such as tuck shops, community spaces and bus stops, is one way to create inclusive plans

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India is home to a complex and dense urban landscape that is

instead of designing stand-alone infrastructure. The fundamental

vastly challenged with insufficient, underdeveloped infrastructure

layout of any public utility is attributed to its typology: whether it is

or the complete lack thereof. A fundamental problem with most

based on gender or a demography, among other specifics. Many

public facilities is that they are built to serve only their primary

women resist using public restrooms owing to the disappointing

function.“ A good example is the steps of the Asiatic library in South

conditions of the ones that already exist - they are unhygienic,

Mumbai which transform into an amphitheatre during the Kalaghoda

unkempt, unsafe, uncomfortable, and grossly inadequate.

OBJECT Facing Page Below: The stainless-steel box sits on a found space

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10

1 9 3

6

4

12 2 8

15 13

1. Indian W.C 2. European W.C 3. Niche for baggage / babies 4. Wash Basin 5. Vending Machine 6. Bench 7. Gravel pit for Trees 8. ATM 9. Nursing Station 10. Bench 11. Diaper Changing Tray 12. Handicapped Toilet 13. Main Entry 14. Ramp 15. Folding Door

14

ENTRY LEVEL PLAN

1. Restroom 2. Common Washbasins 3. Storage 4. Niche for baggage / babies 5. Water tank 6. Nursing Station 7. Bio-digester 8. Space for drainage pipes to enter the bio-digester

Roof Beam Top Level + 2.930 5

5 Water tank Level + 2.180

3 2 4

6 1

Plinth Level + 0.15

3 SECTION THROUGH COURTYARD

7

Ground Level + 0.00

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The Light Box in Mumbai is a project that is conceptualised and

to integrate nature and context into the built form and secondly,

built not just as a toilet, but inherently as a ‘restroom’ for women.

the shade of the tree allows for filtered light. As a result, during

While designing for ease of public access, Rohan mentions how

the day, natural light permeates into the box and at night, the box

it is important that, “The form should follow a basic principle: it

illuminates the surroundings. At the centre of the restroom layout

must be quickly identifiable in the urban landscape by its form and

is a 15’ X 10’ garden that is used for various activities - a place to

colour.” Designed for Agasti, a social enterprise working on urban

rest, a gallery to display art, a place for discussion and awareness

sanitation in Mumbai, The Light Box is unique in terms of both

campaigns. “For us, providing a safe environment for women

form and function. Beyond the obvious toilet blocks, equipped with

was as important as providing hygienic toilets. We have created

an incinerator, mobile charging points, and a panic alarm, these

space for an ATM and are looking to collaborate with banks that

restrooms aim to provide women a much needed safe, hygienic and

can provide this facility along with a security guard to make these

social space in an urban landscape. The 10’ X 30’ restroom has

restrooms more secure,” adds Sahej Mantri, founder of Agasti: A

been designed around an existing tree for two reasons - primarily

Sustainable Toilet Project.

Facing Page: The restroom facility designed as a porous space in the midst of a familiar urban setting attempts to express cohesiveness through its design that interacts with the city Right: The simple idea of ‘a place in the shade’ is translated by integrating an existing tree into the layout of the restroom - lending the space a character that is familiar

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Extending this idea to another typology, Toilet in a Courtyard is designed as an addition to the heritage precinct of the Bandra Railway Station. Housed under a contemporary Mangalore-tiled roof, the material palette and structural components are governed by the existing concourse. Centred around a beautiful papaya tree, the courtyard helps to contain a crowd during rush hours, and functions as an outlet for hot air and odour. Catering to both men and women, a brown perforated metal screen is used to identify different zones of the toilet, as well as to keep the interiors naturally ventilated throughout the day. With an acute understanding of the material palette and the details explored in the process of assembly, the restroom offers a climatically responsive environment for daily commuters.

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OBJECT Facing Page Above Left: The outer walls of the courtyard space are clad with stone - the uneven stone surface does not allow one to tamper with the face also helping to retain the overall ambience in harmony with that of the heritage precinct of Bandra Station

2 2 1 8

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Facing Page Above Right: The inner walls are built in brick work and finished with polished cement coated with clear epoxy so that water/spit marks are not absorbed on the surface - making it easy to clean and maintain

Platform

12

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LVL +0.15 m

1

Existing Building

3

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LVL +0.15 m

5 9

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1 13

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Facing Page Below Left: Different material choices of the project express their specificity in the way in which they are applied across the restroom the porosity of the perforated screens allow visual access and ensure that good amount of light and air is filtered through

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ENTRY LEVEL PLAN

1. European WC 2. Indian WC 3. Handicapped Toilet 4. Nursing Station 5. Washbasin 6. Urinals 7. Earth pit

Below Left: The porous metal screens are painted brown to define different zones and restrain the dynamic nature of the surface by blending it with the traditional language of the precinct it sits in

8. Seating 9. Attendant Counter 10. Main Entry 11. Folding Door 12. Ramp 13. Men’s Restroom 14. Women’s Restroom

Existing Building

Below Right: Mangalore-tiled roofs sit on a framework of MS sections, which are also painted brown to blend with the old wooden trusses of the Concourse building

Roof Level + 2.90 Wall Level + 2.20 1. Washbasin 2. Ramp 3. Urinals 4. European WC

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Facing Page Above: Traditionally, the courtyard as a form of architecture works climatically, varies with scale and serves as a space that contains various activities - in the restroom it serves as a space for waiting or sitting Facing Page Below: The contrasting materials - solid walls and porous screens Right: A view from the inside looking towards the adjoining Bandra Station Platform it sits on

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Previous Page: Pause is not just a public toilet - it is a complex of facilities - clustered around multiple access points for separate user groups of long-distance travelers, and truck-drivers in particular Below: Located between two different toilet sections, is the Suvidha Kendra that has banking facilities, and amenities for drivers including a tuck shop, a hair cutting salon, an Indian-style toilet, a pantry and a designated space for washing and drying clothes

Situated in the urban peripheries of Mumbai, Rohan explores a unique restroom idea for truck drivers along the Mumbai-Goa highway.

‘Pause’ is a complex of public facilities with restrooms in a brightlycoloured complex. The building has multiple access points where each entry defines a separate facility. An independent women’s toilet is equipped with four toilet cubicles, a nursing station, sanitary-pad vending machine, and wash basins. The individual toilet blocks have a distinct architectural section where the wall along the common wash and urinals opens into a court for natural light and ventilation.

Additionally, the complex houses a tuck shop, a barber’s salon, a resting space, Indian-style toilets with an additional space for laundry, a pantry, and ATM facilities. Driving unusually long hours without a halt, the facility aspires to provide truck drivers with an adequate environment to ‘pause’ before resuming the journey.

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SIDE ELEVATION: Toilets for Men

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1. Washbasin 2. Entry to Men’s Restroom 3. Earth pit 4. Urinals 5. European WC 6. Washing / Bathing 7. Semi-covered pavilion for Drivers 8. Landscaped Area

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Left: The built form negotiates the trees on the site as the setback space between the wall and the building is made positive by addition of ancillary program Facing Page: A barber’s shop essential amenities

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With nearly 70 per cent of the total built up area open for various public activities and events, The Light Box is a cohesive plan that interacts with the city and vice versa. The Toilet in a Courtyard is a contemporary prototype that is responsive to a heritage precinct, and the Pause restroom is a complex of toilets with specifically identified ancillary facilities that enhance its accessibility and utility. While place-making forms the core of these layouts, a most notable aspect of the architecture is its spontaneous approach as a distinct intervention against an urban and peri-urban landscape thus bringing playfulness and design potential back to the public realm

ROHAN CHAVAN is an architect and planner based out of Mumbai. He is the Founder of RC Architects, a multidisciplinary design practice that engages with projects and issues related to public and community sanitation, urban design, affordable housing, single family houses, space design and institutions with sports and recreational facilities. His unique approach towards living patterns and bold style are the highlights of his design practice.

SAHEJ MANTRI is a development professional & sanitation specialist in the rural and urban sector. In 2015, he founded a non-profit called Agasti to provide in urban sanitation solutions. In the last three years Agasti has designed, built and maintained public toilets models as well as provided low-cost sanitation facilities in urban informal settlements.

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CONSTRUCTED PERIPHERIES When is Space?, an exhibition curated by Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur Images: ©When is Space?; courtesy Kunal Bhatia, Anuj Daga, Sachin Powle, Saurabh Suryan, Lokesh Dang

Amidst the historic environs of the Jawahar Kala Kendra, When is Space? - an exhibition (21st January - 31st March) on concerns of contemporary architecture in India attempts to chart new intellectual trajectories in the pursuit of ideas that enable making of space.

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J

aipur, the 18th century Indian city, is a verbalisation of a unique

mathematical logic is employed to reinvent form and space. The

urban form and astronomical skills. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh

formulation of the second idea: ‘Typologies of Life and the Living’,

planned the city with an emphasis on concepts of the Navagraha - a

studies the built-form typologies to re-articulate new ways of practice

scripture on traditional planning guidelines based on the model of

in order to explore ideas that emerge in the process. The third

the cosmos. Responding to the city as a metaphor, Charles Correa

proposition titled ‘Forms of the Collective’ deciphers urban fabric

designed the Jawahar Kala Kendra [JKK] as an amalgamation of

layered over time to investigate if derivative forms can accommodate

the act of looking at the past and simultaneously, the future. Since

rationales for the new.

the opening in 1993, JKK has been established as one of the most significant works of architecture in India. Consciously referencing

“To invent a new future and to rediscover the past is one gesture” - a

history adds to the copiousness of the works made as a part of

text at the entrance of the exhibition is a subtle reminder that the

When is Space? within the expanse of the JKK.

displayed work consists of juxtaposed historical readings of Jaipur - including ideas of Charles Correa. The exhibition references a

Curated by Mumbai-based architects Rupali Gupte and Prasad

social memory in its attempt to bring together the fraternity to explore

Shetty of BARD Studio, When is Space? was a response to the

interventions in today’s cities by mapping them, introspecting on

provocations articulated by drawing parallels between visions of

current urban situations, and working on newer ways to engage with

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh and ideas of Charles Correa along

them. In this manner, When is Space? finds a significant professional

with concerns of contemporary architecture and design practices

and citizen audience. It also lends itself as a platform to activate the

in India. As a part of the curatorial framework, Rupali and Prasad

JKK through constructed peripheries, thereby attempting to translate

articulate three core ideas. The first idea explores the pursuit of

the provocations of curators by restructuring and re-conceptualising

‘The Mathematics of the Universe’ interrogating the way in which

simple everyday constructs.

Facing Page: ‘Squaring the circle’ by sP+a experiments with a parametric approach to utilise fabric creating new forms within the context of the JKK Right: ‘Nishastagah’ - Reading

by Shamsher Ali during the curatorial walk

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C1 EXHIBITION MAP

A. MATHEMATICS OF THE UNIVERSE 1.

Sameep Padora + Associates 2.

Teja Gavankar 3.

Vishal K Dar 4.

Parul Gupta 5.

Raqs Media Collective 6.

Mark Prime 7.

M Pravat 8.

The Urban Project 9.

Dhruv Jani

B. TYPOLOGIES OF LIFE AND LIVING 1.

Samira Rathod Design Atelier 2.

M/s Prabhakar B Bhagwat 3.

Mancini 4.

Architecture BRIO 5.

Seher Shah 6.

Abin Design Studio 7.

Samir Raut 8.

The Busride Design Studio

C. FORMS OF THE COLLECTIVE 1.

Mathew & Ghosh 2.

Vikas Dilawari 3.

Mad(e) in Mumbai 4.

Anthill Design 5.

Bhagwati Prasad 6.

Giri Scaria 7.

Anagram Architects 8.

Prasad Khanolkar 9.

Randhir Singh

D. PORTFOLIOS OF JAIPUR (Anuj Daga) 1.

M S M S II Museum 2.

Sir J J College of Architecture 3.

Dronah 4.

Ayojan School of Architecture E. SPATIAL PUZZLES (Milind Mahale)

In the essay, ‘Scanning the Options - The New Landscape’, authored

by speculating the incremental additions over time. Such explorations

in the year 1989, Charles Correa writes about how architects need

instigate conversations on spatial potential, ways of transformation, and

to be inventive to imagine better urban environments especially

tactical tools that are used for the process of appropriation of space.

for the citizenry they serve. The harsh truth about how city dwellers

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economise space made Correa question: “…is there any way city

Mumbai-based architect Vikas Dilawari contributes to the exhibition

streets and sidewalks could respond to their needs?” Samira Rathod

by retracing the idea of metamorphosis. The work involves presenting

of Mumbai-based SRDA (Samira Rathod Design Atelier) experiments

the restoration of an existing housing complex in the city of Mumbai

with the anthropometric criterion and spatial experience of a wall as

and intends to provoke the viewers on the practice of conservation and

a habitat. ‘The Wall as a Room’ demonstrates how a wall is a volume

restoration while proposing a viable option for the old housing across

within itself - full of possibilities within its girth.

the city.

In a world where space and land are amongst some of the most

When is Space? not only looks at architecture through a lens of

expensive commodities, Riyaz Tayyibji of Ahmedabad-based Anthill

urban studies but also extends the conversation to conservation and

Design Studio looks at housing as an incremental form by creating a

sustainability through models of practice that reinforce the significance

matrix of modules to visualise permutations of growth of a structure

of public space. Mayuri Sisodia and Kalpit Aashar of Mumbai-based

Facing Page: Plan: Jawahar Kala Kendra (Exhibition Map) Above and Left: ‘The Wall House’ by Sameera Rathod Design Atelier: The ‘Wall’ is used to envelop space while fragments of it are scooped out to create niches creating a house within the wall itself

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Mad(e) in Mumbai demonstrate how public toilets could function in cohesion with civic spaces by designing them holistically, and thus transforming utilitarian engineering systems in the design paradigm. The ‘Toilet Manifesto’ proposes a series of public sanitation typologies that hold the potential to transform the face of sanitation in urban and rural centres of India.

Abin Chaudhuri of Kolkata-based Abin Design Studio and Sameep Padora of Mumbai-based sP+a look closely at configuration, experience and the methods that are employed to re-imagine space within JKK by excavating ideas on which the building and the city of Jaipur were designed initially. These installations explore what art and architecture can incite by overlaying materials, textures and ideas in an existing context.

Responding to the geometry of the dome by placing a globe made of chiselled bricks with embedded slate beneath it, artist M Pravat explains how lives are shaped by the spaces we inhabit.

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Facing Page Above: ‘The Incremental House’ by Anthill Design: A scaled model of a house demonstrating structural extensions to the structure in both the axes Facing Page Below: ‘The Toilet Manifesto’ by Mad(e) in Mumbai: Modules of public sanitation designed in coherence with public spaces Right Above: ‘Folly House’ by The Busride Design Studio: A chair adapting to the multiplicity of spaces creating multipurpose follies as a metaphor to the emerging urban conditions Right: Pages from Artist M Pravat’s notebook: Layering and reworking of maps/drawings as a part of the process to gain clarity Right Below: Curatorial Walk by Rupali Gupte, Prasad Shetty and Anuj Daga

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Facing Page: ‘Squaring the circle’ by sP+a: An experiential space created by stretching the fabric with an appropriate stitch to hold the cloth in place Right: ‘Nav-Laya’ by Abin Chaudhuri: Abin uses the density of cloth to create a fragmented porous public space taking inspiration from ‘puja pandals’

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Right: ‘Story of Cubes’ by Teja Gavankar: The linear grid of the pink sandstone is crumpled to break down the orthogonality of the courtyard Below: ‘The Floating Roof’ by The Urban Project hovering at the entrance gives the courtyard a dynamic boundary Facing Page Above: ‘Five Gradens’ by Samir Raut: The pavilion is made of recycled cardboard with precise details and an emphasis on the landscape Facing Page Below: ‘Garden of Desire’ by M/s Prabhakar B Bhagwat: Aniket Bhagwat creates organic ground planes using the material obtained by digging the earth below

‘Story of Cubes’ by artist Teja Gavankar breaks the scale of ‘Madhyavarti’ - the central courtyard space, by distorting the pink sand stone used to clad the JKK. The installation transcends the existing space by lending a spatial vitality - proposing an alternative to the otherwise orthogonal plan.

In an attempt to activate spaces within JKK, the installations work with wavering boundaries and blurred distinctions between the built and the un-built. ‘The Floating Roof’ by the Mumbai-based Urban Project translates the idea of the way a human body understands space within a context and the limitations of the experience. Samir Raut of Mumbai-based Studio Eight Twenty Three illustrates how materials have the power to seamlessly connect disjunct spaces, thus instigating a moment of contemplation on a culture of craftsmanship and its intrinsic relationship with the nature of materials.

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Left: ‘The Malleability of All Things Solid’ by M Pravat: Artist M Pravat responds to the geometry of the dome of the JKK by placing a globe chiselled out of bricks beneath it

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Vistara - the seminal 1985 exhibition on ‘The Architecture of India’ - is an important milestone in the architectural timeline of India. It established a datum for the subsequent architectural exhibitions. In the last few years, efforts have been made to curate extensive research, documentation and analytical studies through exhibitions like the ‘The State of Architecture’, ‘In the Name of Housing’ and ‘Death of Architecture’ that have raised significant questions for contemporary practices and processes of design thinking in India. While some exhibitions deal with the narrative history, some are projective maps of specific conditions, while others indulge in abstract commentaries.

When is Space? reflects on the concerns around a built environment that space-making practices enable. It is an attempted visual comment on the inequities and the absurdities one often encounters in the dynamics of the urban realm.

One may argue that some of these attempts fall short of communicating abstract ideas or involve a degree of self-indulgence and intellectual redundancy, but they prompt conversations on urgent concerns that would otherwise not find a meaningful platform. It is important to stress on the sheer awe of encountering ideas in architecture through spatial media that employ varied architectural scales to converse. One wonders about the quality and nature of impact this exhibition would have had on the citizenry that extends beyond the architecture and design fraternity since the installations and abstractions attempt to transcend the burden of an architectural language. In this endeavour, When is Space? is an ambitious project.

Within the JKK- a powerful work of architecture in itself, the experience of this encounter is one of simultaneous reflection and provocation

WHEN IS SPACE? - commissioned by the Jawahar Kala Kendra was curated by Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty. The curatorial team consisted of Anuj Daga (Assistant Curator), Kaushal Vadake, Dhruv Chavan, Dipti Bhaidarkar (Logistics) and Shveta Sarda (Translations). Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty are architects, artists and urbanists based in Mumbai who jointly set up the BARD Studio and co-founded the School of Environment and Architecture where they currently teach. Their journey has moved from an urge of mapping cities and developing corrective interventions, to looking closely at urban conditions, formulating newer ways to speak about them, and developing engagements to live and find delight in them. Their work often crosses disciplinary boundaries and takes different forms - writings, drawings, mixed-media works, storytelling, teaching, conversations, walks and spatial interventions. They have a wide range of publications and have worked, taught and lectured across the world.

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INDIANNESS

With Jay Thakkar (Director, DICRC, CEPT University), Shimul Javeri Kadri (Principal Architect, SJK Architects), and Tony Joseph (Principal Architect, Stapati) What does it mean to work in India? This conversation touches upon the unique aspects of working as a designer in and from India outlining the struggles of practice and the rewards offered by our special physical, socio-economic and cultural landscape.

[IN]SIDE

In an eclectic contemporary design landscape, how does one identify with the idea of being ‘Indian’ or working in India?

JAY THAKKAR

The beauty of the design scenario in India is that it is highly layered in terms of the multiplicity of approaches and design positions. The practice of architecture and design in India has various avenues in the current times. One of the features unique to our context is that architecture and design cannot be perceived as an isolated and independent field of practice. It is part of a larger social, cultural, economic and political ecosystem in which, each of these aspects is interdependent on one another. One of the emerging areas within the design realm in India is a conscious amalgamation of the Craft + Design + Research + Technology - both in practice and in academics. The aim of our educational and research practice has been to identify a contemporary direction to these interdependent aspects that can help us situate design within a holistic societal framework. At both the levels, we ensure that the manifoldness of the design as well as craft practices are bringing a new wave of change - not only in their outputs but also in the processes and thinking.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

It is a very relevant question that pertains to every country. What holds a region like India together despite the diversity within? It is akin to working in a continent like Europe or Africa and believing in the innate oneness of that geography. Every few kilometres the soil, the climate and the cultural history changes, and so does our architectural expression. And yet, as a post-colonial product, brought up on the story of the freedom struggle, the concept of India is a very powerful one for me emotionally - and I certainly identify with patriotism and the shared history of ‘Indianness’. The history of Indian architecture is strongly ingrained within me, and I am aware that I subconsciously search for cues and answers in this reservoir of past knowledge.

TONY JOSEPH

I think the very idea of ‘India’ and being ‘Indian’ is changing rapidly in today’s globalised world. There is a lot of cosmopolitan thinking, as the levels of exposure are increasing and economic buying power and aspirations are growing, but even in this situation we see a blend – on one hand there is conformity to tradition and on the other, there is also a total disregard to context, with designs showing the so-called international influences. It is thus important that we reconcile these questions of identity which are always seemingly in flux, and that as architects, our responses remain appropriate and balanced for a sense of

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place and time.

In our practice, Stapati’s design philosophy is very simple – ‘Be Sincere’ – to the client, to the environment, to the end user and to the larger context. We believe this would naturally set the template for a uniquely Indian way of design and aesthetic. It is also important that any design is rooted in its context, reacting sensitively to the ever-evolving concerns of our built environment and the newer challenges that come up.

[IN]SIDE

How does the unique and rich landscape of India influence your work? Is there a specific method or a process through which you engage with India’s resources?

JAY THAKKAR

India has a plethora of craft, heritage and cultural resources that become our base of working to bring innovation in craft-design practice through research, documentation, education, training and workshops.

One of the key aspects of our working pedagogy is co-creative collaboration. All of our research and consultant projects have been collaborative in nature across the globe. The co-creative process of working together - whether it is with another organisation, industry, or individuals (academicians, researchers, professionals, artists, technologist or craftspeople) - brings diversity not only in terms of skills and knowledge, but also in the new areas of craft-design thinking. There is a saying that culture and heritage in India change with every 100 kilometres. We work with different craft clusters across India, which by default presents us with contextual challenges and the response to it is a diversity of complex approaches. Working with communities and built environments across these changing landscapes has taught us to employ subjective research and practice methods in all our projects.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

We have been fortunate to have worked across the country in cities and their margins. Our work is very contextual and perhaps this is what brings clients from diverse landscapes to us. We begin with a visit that entails an exploration of the ‘iconic’ architecture surviving in the area. The temples, forts and palaces of the area along with the regular homes and markets give us many cues – to the typology of building craft and skills available, to the materials possible to use, to the little details that have been historically designed to keep the sun and the wind in harmony with the building. The depth and size of windows, heights of plinths, the overhangs in an area - all give us clues on how the local architecture has adapted to its climate.

We then study climatic data – and we find it incredible that the best data still comes from NASA sites – even for little towns in India. The joy of working in today’s context is that information is available, we can use this to design sensibly, and actually test our design for validity through computerised simulations.

TONY JOSEPH

Stapati’s architecture emerges from a sensitive understanding of the context; one where the evolution of design is firmly rooted in the region’s traditional narratives, while interpreting the elements in a modern language. Our work is intimately tied to the regional context and the site, from which it evolves. The site thus becomes one of the primary generators, guiding the design process. We consider the intricacies, uniqueness and potential of each site, responding to the landscape of that location. Thus, climate,

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topography, vegetation, drainage patterns, wind and sun, the programme, the philosophy of the client etc - all are key aspects which guide our design response.

There is a lot of research which we do for each project, where we try to study in detail the specific site as well as the context in which it is based. We also look at things like historical influences, cultural connotations, vernacular building traditions of the place, arts and the crafts, all of which we believe are critical in arriving at an appropriate design.

[IN]SIDE

How do elements like light, materials and colour from India assimilate into a vocabulary / method of approaching work?

JAY THAKKAR

Our everyday life is shaped by the geographical, social and cultural contexts around us. Design of spaces and crafting of objects we use has been a result of these contexts, aptly demonstrated through traditional and vernacular built-environments through the years. The influences of this regional Indian context in our practice is two-fold - one at the level of research work carried out at Design Innovation and Craft Resource Centre (DICRC), and second at the level of education at CEPT University. Through the research work, the intention is to highlight the importance of the contextual influences - the use of local materials, craft techniques, the traditional wisdom of the master craftspeople, and most importantly the empirical value associated to the crafts. And through our educational endeavours, the primary aim is to make the younger generation value our cultural context. This is done through exposing the design students to the craftspeople and building craft practices, traditional and vernacular built-environments, contemporary craft approaches and applications and design projects that revolve around the context of diverse crafts across India. Further, at the organisational/practice level, we believe in work ethics and practices that are rooted in value systems of an Indian context. The work environment at DICRC is a transparent one, with lack of a distinct hierarchy, where the team is part of a large family. We are striving towards building a network of like-minded individuals who are constantly working towards the sustenance of traditional and vernacular built environments and craft practices associated with them.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

Projects in the office look very different depending on where and what they are doing. We are working on a hotel in Bodhgaya for a client that we have designed a hotel in Tirupati for. The difference in the expression of both projects is remarkable. In Bodhgaya, the gentle, Buddhist practices as well as the brick building traditions of the area provided the impetus for design. In Tirupati, a strong orthogonal geometry that came from temple architecture drove the design. However, what could be common to both projects is the desire to connect with nature at every point. Covered walkways, waterbodies, and courtyards keep us connected to the natural environment and make it comfortable and beautiful. Humankind has always navigated their relationship with nature through these simple elements. Our practice draws from Indian historical elements at all times, but as with music - one may know the notes, but the stringing together of the notes is critical to good music. It amazes me how similar language, music and architecture are. The pauses, the rhythm, the high points, all well timed contribute to creating a classic.

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TONY JOSEPH

The context is intrinsic in all our designs. In addition, the design of the space evolves from the vernacular art & culture, which have a strong bearing on the detailing, the materials used and the ensuing spatiality. These are interpreted in a contemporary language which helps root the design in regional context as well as in the context of time. To give an example, the Alila Diwa resort which we designed in Goa has a well-articulated architectural vocabulary rooted in Goan sensibilities and styling. Borrowing cues from the regional architecture, the spatial quality is elevated by details that reference the vernacular, but which is interpreted in a contemporary aesthetic. The material palette is a refined combination of predominantly local materials like laterite, combined with the textures of regionally available stones and woods, which come together to create a unique spatial experience.

We also incorporate the regional craft traditions into the built vocabulary. For instance, we have designed a boutique jungle lodge called Kaav, which is in Kabini, Karnataka. We took inspiration from the famous ‘Channapatna’ toys, which were created in the region, and used these in various areas.

[IN]SIDE

There is a great influx of global ideas and methods in contemporary architecture and design in India.

What according to you is the significance of this dual nature of work in India?

JAY THAKKAR

We perceive change as an evolution - especially within the craft sector as these forces of transformation - whether it being economic, social, political or global pushes the crafts and craftsmanship towards sustenance. There is a strong need to amalgamate craft, design and technology to bring a paradigm shift not only within the traditional craft practices but also in the notion of romantic nostalgia associated with the heritage and crafts sector. One of our important ongoing work is with the potter community of Gundiyali village in Kutch. We have been working with the community for over three years, engaging in a series of participatory projects. We conducted a craft innovation training programme to initiate craft-design innovation in the community, by introducing applications of pottery in architecture and interior architecture sectors. We conducted a community innovation programme, through which we conducted workshops and exposure sessions on design, use of technology and tools in pottery, use of social media and e-commerce as marketing tools for the community to connect with user groups directly. We are now working towards establishing a craft awareness experience in the village. This project for us is an exemplar of ensuring craft sustenance and connecting various communities to one another to understand and experience craft heritage of the country.

While one aspect of our work is focused on addressing the challenges of globalisation at the grassroots level, the other aspect is focused towards ensuring the outreach of the impacts at the grassroots level on a global platform. Our efforts are to encourage the use of technology and digital tools to engage with the craft heritage of the country. This has resulted in the most comprehensive online portal, ‘Building Craft Lab’ by DICRC which acts as a mediating platform to link the contemporary to the traditional and vernacular.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

Globalisation and the exciting opportunities it throws up has had a two-fold downside as well. The reality of climate change and the rising inequity in the world are clear fallouts of globalisation. The

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pace at which construction technology is changing in India is difficult. We are adopting increasingly industrialised technologies for everything from steel buildings to dry claddings and insulation to high technology glass. It is a very exciting phase, with lots of possibilities but at all times we have to make the choice between the old and the new, both in terms of aesthetics, cost and longevity. The larger question, of which the industry is the one supporting, and in which we are increasing carbon emissions with the use of materials that require intense processing remains. The craft of building is giving way to the technology of building. We are at a critical juncture where the architect must navigate the demands of the project in choosing the level of craft and technology the building will require.

TONY JOSEPH

Today, there is a lot of easy exposure to architecture and design happening all around the world, which has in general had a positive impact on the profession. There has been an overall improvement with these ideas bringing in a lot of innovation and opening up newer perspectives which has helped in raising the quality of designs.

However, this has also led to a situation where practitioners do not see behind the facade of the images and give no thought to the ideas and concepts which shaped them. Designers merely copy the imagery, often blindly, resulting in poor imitations without having the intellectual and contextual depth which makes a design successful. The challenge for us is to ensure that upcoming generations see these global ideas and images in context, understanding the underlying ideas and thought processes and take that as inspiration instead of taking the shortcut of direct copying. Our work is highly contextual, where time is also an equally important aspect. Since we live in a globalised era, our designs interpret the elements in a contemporary manner which is relevant to the context of time and aspirations, while referencing the traditional narratives.

[IN]SIDE

When we speak of ‘Indianness’, we cannot overlook the visual and sensory palette that is unique to this subcontinent. What is your reading of the character and impact of this palette? How does your work relate to the haptic aspects of the ‘Architecture of India’?

JAY THAKKAR

Crafts of India offer a large palette of sensorial experiences - whether it be visual, tactile or auditory.

Our projects allow us to engage actively with a variety of craft practices not only to do research but for developing new innovative products, spaces, installations, online portals, appropriate technological devices as well as curated exhibitions within and outside India. The source of inspiration has always been rooted in crafts and its context. For instance, mapping and documentation is a primary and integral stage of all our projects. Mapping is a primary tool for collecting data from the field using mobile technology. In case of craft documentation, participants are encouraged to work with the craftspeople to interact with the material and its inherent nature to be able to perceive, making practices better. In the case of documenting built-environments, if one had to research, document and disseminate information of ‘lipan kaam’, the most effective way to engage with it would be to feel the surfaces with all its contours from another person’s hand-skills, to absorb the smell of the material and perhaps how that changes when water meets the ‘lipan’ surface. This is just a small example and this ideology of engaging with crafts through a sensorial approach is one that is important to all the projects we work on. One of the

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key parameters for all our applied research projects is to make sure that the application of the craft knowledge is an integral part of the project. This allows us not only to lend a distinctive character to the output, but also ensures the dissemination of the craft knowledge to the larger section of our society.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

I must admit that this is what drew me to architecture in the first place; I am extremely visual and craft and beauty inspire me. The crafts of India – the textiles, the metal work, the spices, the food - it is all a sensory treat that I revel in. At one level, I believe strongly in the analysis of site conditions and needs, and a rational process that leads to a strong competent project but the poetic emerges from this enjoyment of all things sensorial - and every area in India provides this opportunity. To derive inspiration from a natural terrain or to avail of the beautiful natural stones, to textiles to metallurgy - we use it all in a crafted contemporary manner.

TONY JOSEPH

I think, as a practice, we are more concerned with the creation of an appropriate sensory expression to substantiate the overall design intent. It is important that architecture is not restricted to the visual domain alone. For us, the ‘Indianness’ would naturally be expressed in the evolution of a contextually relevant design, without having the need to force a visual imagery. We also feel the ‘Indianness’ need not be restricted to the visual and sensory palette alone but can be manifested in multiple ways, if one is sensitive and empathetic enough.

For any space, the spatial & tactile experience is highly dependent on the choice of materials, detailing, colour palette etc, all of which combines to create the right ambience. We strongly believe that the use of locally-available natural materials helps to make a design relevant and inherently makes it all the more sustainable. Simultaneously, other factors like cost-effectiveness, ease of maintenance, reaction to weathering etc, are equally significant and are considered while selecting materials.

[IN]SIDE

Lastly, you have diverse domains of practice. You are also involved in pedagogy to varying extents. What are your key research areas while working in India? Where do you see your personal interests / passions in the conversation on practising in and from India?

JAY THAKKAR

In our research practice at DICRC, our work is anchored around the traditional and vernacular buildings and crafts of India. The primary basis on which DICRC was established was that research has diverse and wider implications especially within the field of Indian culture and heritage and needs to bring a paradigm shift in its approach and application. Though we work on multiple craft-design based projects, our underlying aim is to develop a rich cultural resource as well as a structured model of working out of each project. The model that gets created out of a specific set of projects, turns into ‘Toolkits’ which are then open to the public to use them in their own craft-design projects. This method of research practice has been developed and evolved over the years in a way to perpetuate its implications into a diverse range of fields. Our projects start with a theoretical or social premise, the need of which is justified through our research process. We then work towards problem-solving through the implementation of research at the grass root level. The craftspeople and local stakeholders are not only key beneficiaries but also the people who are a part of the decision-making process.

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Research at DICRC is inclusive and systematic in nature. The implementation of our projects is always followed by a critical reflection and evaluation phase, where we assess the impacts of further action.

The assessed research findings are then formulated into theoretical frameworks that are then further incorporated into design pedagogy at an academic level. An important value-based goal at DICRC has been that research needs to be disseminated at an open source level where the devised methodologies, theoretical models, frameworks or research systems can be used not just by us but by various people working with crafts across India.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

I have always been interested in the craft of building and its practice through the country. The way a weather shade is built varies across the country based on the intensity of sun and rain and available materials. The most fascinating is the story of lime plaster - it varies in every part of the country including cow’s urine and ‘urad dal’ in some areas and gum and marble dust in other areas. I believe we must create a repository of this knowledge which has been handed down through oral tradition and will eventually be lost with the growth of faster, cheaper alternatives that are cement-based.

I am involved in pedagogy through being a part of juries and in an advisory role to colleges. I strongly recommend a more robust base of the humanities - an understanding of sociology, economics and anthropology for architectural students. The rigidity of the 11th and 12th grade syllabus in Science streams, particularly is inappropriate for kids leaping into professional courses thereafter. They miss out on a deeper understanding of the world at large.

Architecture colleges also need workshops and much more hands-on construction knowledge. Better classes in theory will be useful as well. Much to be done in the area of education – we see this absolute vacuum in the quality of portfolios that come to us for jobs and internships. It often takes us a couple of months and many interviews before we are able to find a candidate we would like to hire.

TONY JOSEPH

For me, the one area I am really passionate about is architectural education. For a long time, all of us have been really concerned with the deteriorating state of architectural education in our country, which is negatively impacting the quality of our built-environments. We, architects in Calicut, were always concerned about quality of the students coming to our offices for internships and for working.

When we were discussing this, one of the alternatives before us was to get involved ourselves. We felt we had a moral responsibility to get our hands dirty and to really show how it can be done, instead of just sitting around and moaning about things. It was a chance to give back to the society. This led to the creation of Avani Institute of Design, a not-for-profit institution, which aims to promote a holistic approach to design education, which will develop well-rounded professionals equipped with the sensitivity, empathy, social and technical skill-sets to address the ever-evolving concerns of our built environment.

One of the things I have learned over the last twenty-nine years of my practice is that an architect cannot work in isolation. One has to know about society, about culture, about climate, about liberal arts etc., in addition to design and technical knowledge. However, in our present education system, architecture is

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taught in a highly mechanised and compartmentalised manner which does not empower the students, nor does it prepare them for the rigours of the professional practice.

This is something that we try to address at Avani Institute of Design, where the academics is not just limited to the prescribed syllabus but is focused towards the all-round development of the student and is more concerned towards imparting relevant knowledge and skills. There is a constant interaction with practising architects, professionals, writers, artists, theatre personalities and other creative people, who constantly visit the school to inspire the students, giving them a very broad perspective. We want to inspire them to continually learn throughout their life - to continue questioning and exploring, instead of seeing the degree as an end in itself

JAY THAKKAR is an Associate Professor and Programme Chair (Interior Design) at Faculty of Design, and Director at Design Innovation and Craft Resource Centre (DICRC) at CEPT University, Ahmedabad. He holds a Masters Degree in Visual Communication from the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD), United Kingdom and a Diploma in Interior Design from the School of Interior Design, CEPT University. Jay has worked on various design, crafts and research projects in India and Britain. He has been actively affiliated with different universities and organisations in India, Europe, and Australia, and has published and presented papers, delivered lectures, organised field research and mentored many students.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI founded and nurtured SJK Architects towards its current avatar as a firm that values culture and climate and builds gently in the context. Her work has been critically acclaimed and widely published in national and international journals. SJK Architects’ portfolio encapsulates the ideas of building naturally and lightly. Shimul Javeri Kadri believes in supporting equality through education and feminism. Apart from leading the firm, she takes on added responsibilities as an occasional writer, jurist, speaker and teacher to engage with and discuss her passions and concerns.

TONY JOSEPH established Stapati in 1989 after completing his Masters from the University of Texas, Austin in the Charles Moore Programme. With offices in Calicut, Cochin and Bengaluru, Stapati is a multidisciplinary practice emphasising on values of integrity, sustainability and innovation. The work of Stapati references contemporary architecture and strives to be firmly rooted in its context. Under Tony’s leadership, Stapati has won numerous awards and recognitions over the years. Tony serves as the Chairman of Avani Institute of Design - an emerging architecture institution in Calicut, Kerala.

POLEMICS is a record of discussions with respected design thinkers in India from multiple vantage points on the common concerns of the profession.

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SUBLIME CERAMICS

Applications of Glazed Surfaces: an editorial by Swagata S Naidu In architecture, application of glazed ceramics is often a process where the decision maker is uninformed about the material or the vast possibilities of applications it can have in built spaces. In fact, the use of glazed ceramic products is unfortunately, a choice made towards the end of the project where the only application left to explore is wall or floor tiles. Swagata S Naidu, Faculty - Ceramic and Glass Design, NID endeavours to introduce glazed ceramics through the diversity of its applications by professional artists Mamta Gautam, Kavita Ganguly, and Ruby Jhunjhunwala.

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“Eventually everything connects. Learn to see it.” - Leonardo Da Vinci

T

angible expression of an idea of a built structure is through a well-

sectors, design studios and changing the landscape of studio pottery in

planned combination of many materials. Conscious application of

this country and outside.

these materials to create spaces with meaning and personality have led to iconic buildings and birth of a variety of styles in architecture

The discipline strives to understand, appreciate and apply these two

across the world. Frank Lloyd Wright’s prolific use of concrete brick

materials (ceramics and glass) based on their inherent properties,

and stained glass across his building designs, Laurie Baker’s brick

to larger domains of architecture, product design, accessory design,

and vernacular material application for climate-appropriate housing

interior design, crafts practices, and other uncommon domains as well.

gave new languages and iconic building styles. Ceramics and

Contextual understanding of spaces, activities, needs of the time and

glass is the most abundantly used material in built structures. These

lifestyle are woven into concepts which lead to a product, a process

materials provide shell, air, sound, light and water-proofing, space

improvement or a system.

division, transparency, structural shape and strength etc. The humble architectural ceramic is ubiquitous and multifarious yet unpretentious

As succinctly stated by Peter Lane in Ceramic forms: Design and

and blends with other materials seamlessly unless used specifically to

Decoration, “Clay has no form of its own, but its polymorphous nature

stand out.

presents the maker with a very wide choice of working methods to create a wide variety of forms.” Once fired, clay attains high

Architecture celebrates the amalgamation of many allied fields like

compressive strength, and becomes impervious to liquids, and inert. A

structural engineering, interior design, materials science, climatology

thin layer of glass called the ceramic glaze further improves the quality

etc, which result in a liveable space of a long life. However, as stated

of ceramics. Glazing can be used to colour and create surface texture.

by Victoria Bellard in her book, Materials for Architectural Design, “The architectural design process typically separates the required

The concepts of sustainability, optimal consumption of fuel and

material & methods from the space & structure design, creating the

material, eco-friendly practices and ease of use are regularly explored

impression that the two have little or nothing to do with each other.”

through design projects. Considering the current lifestyle, products

Materials are often chosen at the end of the design process limiting

which complement and support new needs have been explored by

the ways and places where they can be used most effectively to lend

students. One such product is the contemporary planter in partly glazed

spaces a character and meaning. The need exists to reintegrate these

terracotta that is suitable to be used for vertical gardening in apartment

components. Materials have been used to express sentiments for

balconies. It addresses the rapidly growing issue of unavailability of

millennia. The emphasis on inclusion of materials in the process of

space to grow plants as the populace drifts to space-cramped cities and

design as a feature needs to be emphasised at the educational stage

vertical housing systems. Siddharth Sakariya, an architect pursuing his

itself. While architectural education discusses many aspects of design,

Masters in Ceramic and Glass Design, explored this idea of marrying

it inadvertently creates a hierarchy where the role of material gets

the contemporary form and visual language with the issue of stacking

pushed to the lower levels of priority.

the planters on wall while keeping it waterproof using the innate property of porosity of terracotta.

One of the earliest establishments to introduce professional design education in the field of Ceramic and Glass Design in India was the

Many students over the years have worked in ceramic and glass waste

National Institute of Design [NID], Ahmedabad. Established in 1961,

up-cycling owing to their concern for the environment. Ceramics do not

NID has been a centre for design education, practice and research

weather by normal environmental factors for hundreds of years. While

since then. The Ceramic and Glass Design discipline which is

glass can be recycled as many times as possible, ceramics cannot be.

celebrating fifty years of its conception this year has been the pioneer

Therefore, fired products with defects or those which have gone past

in creating professionals who have been working with industries, craft

their use need to be up-cycled to continue using them pertinently.

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Rutul Shah, an engineer and ceramic designer, used the property of transparency and colour of glass bottles in combination with cement to create light-weight, see-through, quirky building blocks that can be stacked to create non-load-bearing partition walls. This is a concept which is gaining popularity world-over and many people have come up with innovative ways to use glass bottles.

Recycling of ceramic waste is a relatively new area of concern in the world. Students have explored many ways to recycle/up-cycle them to create useful products. Taru Joshi, recipient of a McArthur scholarship for her idea of using ceramic waste to create building blocks is one such alumna. She worked with Auroville Earth Institute, based in Puducherry, on this concept. Through many explorations and tests she created blocks using ceramic waste and terracotta. 60 per cent of the clay used in the block was replaced by ceramic waste without adversely affecting the strength of the block. This was proposed to be used in non-load-bearing walls, pavements, partition walls, etc.

Above: Students at NID, Ahmedabad have explored ways to up-cycle and recycle ceramic waste

Studies in contemporary lifestyle have opened a new platform for ceramics to be used in creating customised meaningful spaces which reflect the preferences and character of the owner of the space. Many projects in the discipline have used the versatility of form, texture, surface finish, colour and permanence that glazed ceramics offer for making wall murals. Studio pottery practices allow for small-scale production and customisation according to the needs of a client.

Darshana Rokde, another architect and ceramic design alumna worked with Ms Ruby Jhunjhunwala at her studio, ADIPA, to create a mixed material, nature-inspired mural for a bungalow.

On the same lines, Ms Arunima Gupta, alumna of the discipline, worked with Windglaze Pottery, Puducherry, founded by NID alumna Ms Puneet Brar on a mural and wall plaque series inspired heavily from the local flora of Auroville and iconography of Buddhism to suit the tastes of contemporary architectural spaces. Another direction for product conceptualisation is to combine craft traditions with hand-building. Ochre Ceramics, founded by NID alumna Ms Kavita Ganguly, employs local women from lower income strata and teaches them this skill for self-sustenance. This skill-building, employmentgeneration activity has helped many local women to stand on their own two feet. Vibhu Mittal and Gyan Chiruvely, graduates of the discipline, worked at Ochre Ceramics and explored the ‘Nerikomi’ technique to create very interesting wall tiles and door knob series.

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Facing Page and Above: Studio-based pottery practices allow for small-scale production and customisation of ceramic products such as tiles, murals, lampshades, knobs, and other such accessories Right: Innovation of a glass-bottle brick that can be used in the construction of non-load bearing walls rendering partially opaque surfaces Below: Recycled ceramic waste and terracotta used to create building blocks used for making non-load bearing walls, pavements, and partition walls

‘Nerikomi’ is a Japanese ceramic technique and the name derives from the traditional technique of creating patterns with coloured clay.

Using five elements as an inspiration, Vibhu created a thematic wall tile series while Gyan used contrast and dynamism as an inspiration to create a wide variety of door knobs.

Design education at NID successfully integrates the role of materials with appropriate function and form for architecture to create distinct, experiential, memorable spaces

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Kavita Pandya Ganguly Ochre Ceramics & Pottery, Anand, Gujarat The initial idea of Ochre was to develop a functional range of handmade products, with an inclination to facilitate a sustainable income generation for the local youth. In the formative years, multiple explorations were done ranging from utilitarian, home décor, to animal figurines. A primary source of inspiration behind these explorations was an extreme passion for material and rich tradition of clay figurines found in every corner of India. This is how we shaped our first craft collection, and eventually realised that its strength and passion lay in crafting animal figurines.

In 2013, when we began renovation work on our old house, we realised that it was a wonderful opportunity to recreate a few things with ceramics. Staying mindful of our skill-set and scale of production, we developed our first range of handles and knobs, as well as custom-sized tiles to fit into different parts of the house. This experience motivated us to ideate and soon we began production of our own range in small batches on basis of its application and customisation.

Architectural spaces to us are all forms of art in a large scale. And the uniqueness of ceramics is that it is a versatile technique. One can imagine a space completely made of ceramics, or apply it to surfaces to enhance depth or augment the aesthetics of a place. While its application is predominantly found in domestic bathrooms and kitchens, ceramics can also be applied to create window seats, as floor highlighters, or on column surfaces.

At Ochre, we presently practice a production technique called ‘Nerikomi’ in which patterns are created with different colours of clay.

We have developed a different style to use this unique attribute of our skill-set in the design of architectural products. In application, our glazes are not the only medium of expression; patterns and motifs also feature to complement colours.

There are several aspects that a studio potter/designer has to keep in mind while conceiving architectural ceramic products. Often, the ideation is spontaneous upon seeing the space in which ceramics has to be incorporated. There are essentially two types of architectural ceramics: one is part of the architecture/construction and second is ceramics accessories which is part of stylisation of interiors. In case

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of the former situation where ceramics is part of the construction, application is conceived in synchronisation with the construction with function as the primary deciding factor of thickness and form of application.

There are two distinct types of expressions in clay - village craft and sustainable architecture; and collaboration with potters and ceramic artists to create unique forms. Both avenues have immense potential for exploration. Creating large scale spaces like domes, screens, or pillars requires good control over material and technique. On the other hand, one could experiment with several small-scale architectural applications and surface developments, including outdoor furniture and diverse landscape elements.

At Ochre, our production unit is small but everything is hand crafted. The advantage here is the opportunity to customise every Facing Page and Above: Combining traditions of the craft with hand-building processes, Kavita Pandya Ganguly successfully integrates skill and materiality to create distinct artistic objects

detail. The aesthetic quality of ceramics is a thing of pure craft and the process brings immense satisfaction

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Mamta Gautam Dirty Hands, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Ceramics was the first material that we as a society learnt to

new surfaces, landscapes, forms, products and product applications

use to our advantage - be it a mud house, cooking utensils, a

and find value in what ceramics have to offer as a material. Some of

traditional stove or a pot to store cool water. As an architect and

the potential areas where architectural ceramics needs to be explored

interior designer, I rely on an intuitive response to the space and its

are in the domain of external cladding, external façades, landscaping

requirements. Early on in an exchange programme at Auroville in

tiles, and garden furniture and sculptures, ‘jali’ and partition work for

Puducherry, I was exposed to fire-burnt houses which got me thinking

exterior and interior spaces, and internal lining for swimming pools

about the interface of ceramics and architecture and the immense

among many others. While the journey for production units might be

potential in the idea.

slow due to investment costs involved and risk aversion in the Indian context, the solution for architects lies in seeking innovative solutions

Knowing the nuances of the two fields helps me to explore and arrive

customised for specific projects

at interestingly diverse options within set constraints. The creative process goes through an iterative approach before arriving at a solution that is practically workable. My team comprises of thinkers, technicians and doers who ensure a holistic solution from the perspective of aesthetics, production, and utility.

In the past, a conversation for customisation of door knobs in ceramics led to exploring customised ceramics for swimming pool tiles for an architecture and interior design project. While the look and feel were of utmost importance, the ability to avoid mortar at corners was seen as the novelty of the swimming pool to the architect.

The project proposed and explored the possibility of developing corner tiles including L- angle, T- angle and C profiles. Considering a product is governed by how the material behaves within constraints of production, this specific process was driven by prototyping quick results and continuously updating the same with constant feedback from a panel of architects and interior designers.

While studio pottery is an established practice and market, architectural ceramics is still at its nascent stage. Despite the fact that architectural ceramics is an established product and service in the international scenario, India is yet to advance. There exists a perceived notion that ceramics are brittle and hence less durable as a product. This is a huge misconception. As a material, ceramics could help address concerns of insulation, heat gain, weather proofing, durability, and with a high compressive strength and porosity it can offer innovative solutions for space requirements.

In my experience, I have realised that architects are willing to explore

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Below: With a background in interior design and architecture, for Mamta Gautam, each project is a creative process of exploration within set constraints

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Ruby Jhunjhunwala ADIPA, Pune, Maharashtra During the early years of making and executing ceramic murals, I

with completed décors. With changing lifestyles and trends, not many

practised a very traditional approach. Working on some very large

people want to invest in permanent art. This was challenging for me as

commissions as permanent projects, they were designed to last as

I had to reinvent my approach to ceramic murals.

long as the architecture. Today, people have far more accessibility to all kinds of art customised for their homes and work spaces.

Most of my work today consists of multiple units in variable sizes, and

The whole approach to wall surface application has evolved into a

colours put together to make a whole. I really enjoy this approach as

specialised segment of design and décor.

it allows me a certain flexibility in the evolution of a design until it is installed. Among my memorable works is a large mural for a hotel in

I have always enjoyed commissioned work and have been fortunate

Mumbai. It is one of the largest murals I have ever worked on and each

to be able to make my own choice of design and space I work in. I

stage - from preparing half a ton of clay, to translating a ‘mandala’ 15

think it is important to be able to work with, more than work for a

feet in diameter onto a large slab of clay, cutting it into numbered tiles,

client. It is very common to find families investing in furnished homes

and creating a template - was a first time. It was exhilarating.

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Another interesting technique to apply is the raw textural work. I recall working on one such mural for the lobby of a building in Pune.

With creative freedom and a tight budget, I had a chance to work on management skills. Over the years, I have assembled a small, but efficient team with whom I enjoy working on large projects. In my time as an artist, I have always taken on a project after the client has seen my studio and approach to work since I believe that ceramics must be seen and touched to understand its make.

Very often people confuse art made from resin and seal as ceramicsunable to justify the higher cost of ceramics. Fundamentally, they are very different techniques - while traditional ceramics involves an irreversible transformation of clay/earth under intense heat levels, artwork made from resin and seal is commonly termed as ‘cold ceramics’. This is like they say, “How can gold be compared to brass?

They are both metals and golden in colour!”

Today, it is possible to install a large mural in as little as two days!

Unfortunately, the understanding and acceptance of ceramics as an art form still remains a debatable topic. Very few art galleries showcase ceramics exhibits. With more than 500 studio potters and innumerable ceramic exhibitions across India, most three-dimensional art forms continue to have a moderate sale-ability. It is imperative for the ceramic artists’ community today to do work that inspires and generates awareness around this ancient medium

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Facing Page and Right: Specialising in mixed material murals, artist Ruby Jhunjhunwala creates large-scale murals that are entirely crafted by hand

SWAGATA S NAIDU is a faculty at National institute of Design, Ahmedabad and currently leads the Ceramic and Glass Design Programme, which falls under the larger umbrella of Industrial Design. She is an architect who pursued her passion for fired materials for a Masters in Design from NID. She has been teaching geometry, basic materials, and mentors in design projects. Her interest lies in architecture and the role of materials in it, geometry of forms, glass and form, eco-friendly practices and crafts. She has been involved in projects related to skill-development and product-diversification in Firozabad flame glass cluster and Pokaran terracotta cluster owing to her interest.

Based out of Anand in Gujarat, Ochre Ceramics & Pottery was formed by KAVITA PANDYA GANGULY, a ceramic designer from NID and Titas Ganguly, a self-taught potter. Celebrating the process of making is fundamental to Ochre, where variety talks and documentaries are featured, and regular counseling sessions are offered for the benefit of local craftsmen.

RUBY JHUNJHUNWALA is a Pune-based ceramics artist with innovative and proficient approach to the technique of ceramics. Her artwork employs texture, shape, and colour in a distinct style. She has trained under renowned ceramic artists, Daniel Rhodes from Alfred university, New York and Gurucharan Singhji, and Mansimran Singhji of Delhi Blue Art Pottery. She has been committed to wall art, and hand building for 35 years, and her works adorn the walls of many cooperative offices, hotels, and residences. Ruby has exhibited all over India and is presently working out of her spacious studio ADIPA in Ahmedabad.

Dirtyhands is a Design House based in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), co-founded by NID graduates MAMTA GAUTAM and RAJIV SUBBA in 2008. The Product Design Division at Dirtyhands is led by Mamta Gautam, an architect with specialisation in Ceramic & Glass Design. They provide expertise to various micro, small, and medium enterprises and clusters like Khurja, Thangarh, Morbi, Firozabad and Purdilnagar in the country. As a studio, their focus is on research and development of innovative concepts and ideas, to arrive at a proof of concept which then can be further commercialised by partnering with entities or clients.

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Images: ©PRISM JOHNSON LIMITED (Formerly - ‘PRISM CEMENT LTD.’) H & R Johnson (India) Division

UES& TITY

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“I think leadership at its core is about performing social, educational as well as national responsibilities to our best potential.”

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VALUES & IDENTITY

Mr Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prism Johnson Limited; on Brands, Innovations and Initiatives As H & R Johnson (India) completes 60 years of an eventful and ambitious journey, Mr Vijay Aggarwal reflects on the philosophical foundations and eclectic oeuvre of the brand in a rapidly changing industry. As the Managing Director of a pioneering company, he speaks about the many milestones, successive brand developments and the core values that manifest in a resilient and enterprising organisation.

[IN]SIDE: [IN] VIJAY AGGARWAL: VA

Could you tell us about your association with the brand?

H & R Johnson has been a pioneer in ceramic tiles world over. It is a name synonymous with the tile industry. Johnson started in the UK in 1901, more than a hundred years ago and it still has a very strong market presence. It was originally set up by entrepreneurs in the UK. Their ambitiousness led to setting up of a giant company in the early 1990s despite difficulty of transportation, communication and other basic infrastructure. Some of the early Johnson Plants were being set up in the USA, South Africa, and Australia. Established in 1958, H & R Johnson (India) recently celebrated its 60th year, marking a Diamond Jubilee. My association with Johnson is almost 25 years old, ever since the Rajan Raheja Group acquired shareholding in 1993. This is how I began my journey in Johnson India.

[IN]

How have you witnessed the growth of the company?

VA

Looking back, I recall a time when we had three plants and made 90 Crores (about 900 million INR) in sales annually. We manufactured about four million square meters in a year. If one were to look at the different parameters along this journey, today we have grown more than ten times in terms of production and almost twenty times in value. Statistics apart, I think the most important aspect is that we have nurtured our core values and developed a concrete team over the years. Somewhere in mid-90s we realized that the company must have a vision statement that defines our aim as an organization and that was when we drafted ‘Improving lifestyles of our customers by providing innovative products and services.’ Each word of this statement is very important to us. Attempting to improve the lifestyle of our customers, we offer products across segments including residential, commercial and industrial sectors. As a part of our few core values, the two most important ones are: Innovation - in our products and business model; and a Shared Passion for Excellence. We are indeed happy and proud to have built a team of people who are very passionate about

Previous Spread: Drum Printing at the Pen Manufacturing Plant Facing Page: Mr Vijay Aggarwal, Mumbai, 2018

what we do as a company. This is not to imply that in the past 25 or 60 years we have only seen success.

There have also been difficult times when we have faced grave challenges. But because of our strong core values, hard work and passion we have only grown stronger together.

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The tile assembly line at the Pen Manufacturing Plant

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“Looking back, I recall a time when we had three plants and we made 90 Crores in sales annually. We manufactured about four million square meters in a year. If one were to look at the different parameters along this journey, today we have grown more than ten times in terms of production and almost twenty times in value.”

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“In 2011, by an international magazine called Ceramic World Review, Johnson India was classified as the 7th largest surfaces company in the world another achievement we are very proud of.”

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VALUES & IDENTITY | H & R JOHNSON (INDIA)

H & R Johnson is now also a part of Prism Johnson Limited - a construction industry conglomerate offering building materials such as cement, ready mix concrete (RMC) and aggregates including sand. Apart from our range of tiles: wall, floor, ceramic, vitrified and industrial tiles, the brand also deals in faucets, sanitaryware and engineered marble and quartz. Ardex Endura, a brand of construction chemicals, is a joint venture with the world’s leading German company called ARDEX. As a company, we cover a good part of the building materials requirement of a customer: almost 30 per cent can be met through us. We may not be very large in size compared to some of the other companies, but we do have a diverse portfolio.

[IN]

What are the key innovations and milestones that the brand has achieved since your association with H & R Johnson (India)?

VA

H & R Johnson pioneered the whole concept of vitrified tiles which look like Italian Marble in the form of the Marbonite brand, with the tagline ‘Preferred over Italian Marble’. It is functionally superior and aesthetically as good as Italian Marble. Today, Marbonite has become a generic name in the industry. Within the Marbonite portfolio, we introduced the concept of Joint-Free Tiles to minimise joints between tiles. There is always this constraint: while it is critical to maintain joint gaps between tiles, the joints may not look good especially with the dust in our surroundings. Another concept we introduced was Scratch-Free tiles where the abrasion from any heavy metal including gas cylinders or movement of heavy equipment in a gym would not scratch the surface even if they were to fall. The next innovation was in the form of Anti-Skid tiles.

I remember standing in an exhibition where we had presented some of our industrial products and one consumer came to us to buy this product. I tried discouraging the customer by explaining that this product was for industrial use. The customer responded that because he lives with aging parents Anti-Skid tiles would be good to prevent any accidents at home. This was when I realised the significance of functionality and how people would consider it over aesthetics. That was how we developed an aesthetic Anti-Skid tile range for domestic use. The product was a great success.

In 2000, we introduced a range of glazed vitrified tiles with the brand name Porselano along with a new category of industrial tiles called Endura. Some of the early examples include swimming pool tiles. These were very special because the corners and edges required to be rounded in order to prevent accidents and injuries from holding on to them. Within the Endura portfolio, we worked on special applications like the Cool Roof for external cladding. Given the amount of summer heat and the Indian sun, we needed to be environmentally conscious and design to conserve energy substantially by reflecting the heat and minimising cooling requirement. Next, we brought out something called Step Tiles for staircases with full bull-nosing and tread lines for better grip in interiors and exteriors in different colour options.

Another range in the Endura Portfolio is the Stonex Collection inspired by natural stones. These tiles are used for external cladding as well as specific interior cladding. Once laid, they resemble natural stone with

Facing Page: The multiple H & R Johnson brands represented here by their creative marketing collaterals: an extensive variety of products that compose the Prism Johnson Limited portfolio

a seamless finish. Tactiles is another range designed specially as warning and direction tiles for the visually challenged. As part of the larger Johnson Portfolio, Germ-Free tiles were launched from a hygiene point of view. In fact, we are very proud that the particular chemical used for this tile was developed in our own Research & Development laboratory.

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“If you were to ask me the reason behind our company’s success in all these years, apart from our team and people who have immensely contributed, I would say design is the reason we are successful. Design could mean lots of things to different people, but at Johnson, we believe design has two core components: Functionality and Aesthetics.”

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As a company, we have always tried to stay environmentally conscious. Back in the day, there existed this concept of carbon credits according to which companies using energy were obliged to meet certain emission norms. We were the first in the tile industry to achieve carbon credits. In another survey done in 2011 by an international magazine called Ceramic World Review, Johnson India was classified as the 7th largest tile company in the world - another achievement we are very proud of.

[IN]

H & R Johnson has a close connection with designers - from creating large format murals, the handdrawn tiles to Marbonite where the whole range has a significant amount of design thinking backing it.

How important is design at H & R Johnson, and what are the key ideas when you talk about design?

VA

If you were to ask me the reason behind our company’s success in all these years, apart from our team and people who have immensely contributed, I would say design is the reason we are successful.

Design can mean lots of things to different people, but at Johnson, we believe design has two core components: Functionality and Aesthetics. At Johnson, we try to marry these since most often, from

Facing Page Above: Illustration of H & R Johnson’s eclectic range of tile applications: ‘A Tile for Every Space’ Facing Page Below: Johnson Endura Stepping Stone is a range of durable, full bodied vitrified tiles designed for efficient laying in sizes of 30X120 cm and 60X120 cm for riser and landing tiles Above: H & R Johnson’s Germ-Free Tiles is a first of its kind product range that uses silver nano-technology to create germ-free surfaces

the consumer point of view, aesthetics hold more weightage. Not every consumer has a professional outlook to understand a functional aspect until someone guides them. As an industry leader, we realise that our responsibility is not just towards creating good aesthetics, but also functionally-superior products. I think we need to be conscious about the ‘refresh rate’ of today’s consumer. Now, the time gap between introduction of a new trend or a product is less than ten, seven or sometimes even five years. Consumers today are well-informed and exposed. So, if one were to observe companies today things change fast across industries. As a rule, we keep a close watch on international trends across varied large-scale consumer industries like automobiles for instance. We have a team that focuses on global trend study - following journals, visiting exhibitions, and travelling.

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“In our interactions with interior designers and architects, the single most pertinent question we seek to receive a feedback on, is about their unmet needs, any unsolved problems, difficulties that they face, or the need for innovation in any particular aspect. A lot of our experiments are inspired by unresolved questions.”

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[IN]

Over the years, Johnson has built a formidable interface with architects and designers. What do you seek as feedback from them and what is the learning?

VA

In our interactions with interior designers and architects, the single most pertinent question we seek to receive a feedback on, is about their unmet needs and unsolved problems: difficulties that they face or the need for innovation in any particular aspect. A lot of our experiments are inspired by unresolved questions. In terms of learnings, I think what we have realised is that there exist three clear requisites which professionals primarily look for - health, safety and environment. Our portfolio has attempted and has been relatively successful in addressing these three aspects.

The other concern as a growing organisation in a country as large as India is: how do we institutionalise our research? We have a team of 70 people whom we call the Corporate Business Development Executives, and their job is to meet with architects to gather and understand their needs in terms of a survey, feedback, etc. Apart from this, we have tied up in the past and with some prestigious institutions

Facing Page Above and Top: H & R Johnson’s Display Centres across India catalogue a vast portfolio of products ranging from sanitaryware to faucets apart from the exhaustive range of tiles Facing Page Below (Three Photographs): The H & R Johnson team representation at the IIID Design Yatra: an attempt to institutionalise efforts in outreach through nationwide participation and patronage

like Sir J J School of Art, and Rachana Sansad Academy to launch a Tile Learning Centre where institutions could bring their faculty and students to interact and exchange knowledge. Recently, we collaborated with the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) for an event called ‘Design Yatra’ in which we travelled through the country over a year spreading awareness on design. As a company we have also drafted an advisory board titled ‘Johnson Innovation Advisory Board’ where we have select channel partners who understand architecture and interior design to guide us. We meet periodically to discuss work done every quarter, brainstorm on possible innovations, and try to address unmet needs. These are the few ways in

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“We are aspiring to institutionalise our interaction with the consumer and the professional. We have launched a Tile Guide to help every consumer choose from our wide range keeping in mind the three specifics: functionality, aesthetics and budget.”

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which we are aspiring to institutionalise our interaction with the consumer and professionals. Additionally, we have recently tied up with a young architecture studio for a bi-annual publication. This is one more way for us to communicate and capture what is happening in the world of architecture and design, and the way in which the industry can be involved. The first copy was well-received and we are excited about the consecutive ones.

[IN]

You have been able to build significant amount of brand loyalty over the years. Could you tell us about some of the company’s branding and marketing initiatives that have helped you reach this position?

VA

Within our professional segment, we have developed a digitised portal called ‘Aspire’ which is basically a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool. With the help of this tool, architects and interior designers who maybe in remote areas or are unable to reach us in person are able to ask us questions, take guidance in terms of laying and maintenance, and raise questions and queries about new innovative products and application advice, etc. In this manner, we hope to increase our reach. We also plan to introduce toll-free services, where apart from digital interaction one can also have human interaction for assistance and facilitation of industry professionals. From the consumer perspective, we are currently launching large-format display centres for our varied product range. We aim to open about 25 display centres, of which six are already operational in Thane, Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Coimbatore and Kochi respectively. In the new centres, we plan to include a co-working space for young professionals from the field of design and architecture to conduct meetings with clients, etc.

In addition, we have launched a Tile Guide to help every consumer choose from our wide range keeping in mind the three specifics: functionality, aesthetics and budget. We have further categorised demands into affordable, medium and high-end brackets so that there is a matrix between functionality, aesthetics and budget. Based on this, we recommend a custom tile-selection process. In terms of advertising, we were among the first company to engage a mainstream brand ambassador - Katrina Kaif, who has been endorsing our brand for the last few years. We are fortunate that in our industry we can give back

Facing Page Above: Johnson Aspire is a platform to enable collaboration between the designer community and H & R Johnson (India).

Johnson Aspire is accessible at www.johnsonaspire.com Facing Page Below (Three Images): Cover image & spreads from the H & R Johnson Tile-Guide: a unique docket designed with rich illustrations: comprehensively laid out to simplify the tile-selection process for consumers and professionals. This guide is accessible at www.johnsontiles.in Right: Behind the scenes from the shoot for the ‘Red Ramp Project’ campaign film with brand ambassador Katrina Kaif - an initiative to create efficient and navigable public spaces for the differently-abled across India

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“Nearly 15 years ago, we felt the need to bridge the gap that exists between industry and institutions despite the presence of good faculty, professionals and students in the country. We set up a small Research and Development Centre, employed a few scientists and PHD graduates, and provided them with facilities, equipment, laboratories etc.”

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Punching Process inside the Pen Manufacturing Facility

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“In India, a lot of differently-abled people are still immobilised in public and commercial spaces.

There are no ramps. The ‘Red Ramp Project’ aims at educating and spreading awareness on the subject. It has gained substantial support and we have recently discovered that the Government has also taken cognizance.”

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not only in terms of financial resources but also in terms of innovative industrial products. A while ago we ran a campaign called the ‘Red Ramp Project’ whose theme was to create access-friendly spaces. In India, a lot of differently-abled people are still immobilised in public spaces and commercial spaces like banks, post offices, and even railway stations. There are no ramps. This campaign aims at educating and spreading awareness on the subject. It gained substantial support and we have recently discovered that the government has also taken cognizance. Maybe, in the near future all public buildings will have to mandate a ramp access. The second initiative was aimed at helping the visually-challenged individuals who find it equally difficult to navigate in our public spaces. We developed a concept called ‘Tactiles’ whose texture could help one navigate better. Katrina Kaif was kind to come on board as the Goodwill Ambassador to support this initiative which was run on social media, and from which the Government has taken positive cognizance. I believe all metro station platforms will use Tactiles. These are the few initiatives that we are invested in and which are helping us building an inspiring brand.

Facing Page Above: The ‘Red Ramp Project’ initiative (www. redrampproject.org) that aims to create more inclusive public spaces through creation of integrated tactile surfaces Facing Page Below: Ramp-building with outdoor durable tiles by H & R Johnson at the Paraplegic Foundation as a part of the ‘Red Ramp Project’ Right: Johnson Endura Tactiles (30X30X1.5 cm) form the safety line at the Kochi Metro Station

“H & R Johnson launched an initiative aimed at helping the visually-challenged individuals who find it equally difficult to navigate in our public spaces. We developed a concept called ‘Tactiles’ whose texture could help one navigate better.”

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“Research has two dimensions the way I see it - first is the market research where we look at trends and designs, and unresolved problems. The second part of Research and Development is technological innovation... The possibilities today are many. People today are experimenting with even Artificial Intelligence, so I think it there is an opportunity there with the help of data and analytics, we could try and forecast future trends well ahead in time - in terms of, colour, textures, size, etc. I think we all need to imbibe technology as much as possible to our advantage.”

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[IN]

How does Research and Development culture work at H & R Johnson? What are the key areas which are significantly stressed upon?

VA

Research has two dimensions the way I see it: the first is ‘market research’ where we look at trends and designs, and unresolved problems. The second part of research and development is ‘technological innovation’. Almost fifteen years back, we felt the need to bridge this gap that exists between the industry and institutions, despite the presence of good faculty, professionals and students in the country. So, the big idea was to collaborate with institutions and work together. We set up a small Research and Development Centre, hired a few scientists and PhD graduates, and provided them with facilities, equipment, laboratories etc. Meanwhile, we also tied up with CGCRI (Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute) in Kolkata which is part of DSIR, a Government body and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Fortunately, in hindsight we were able to work closely with students and sponsor a few of them on basis of merit to work on projects with PhD students on the innovation front. We also developed a special product called the ‘Ceramic Membrane’ along with CGCRI in Kolkata. Today, a very large part of the country’s population is exposed to contamination from fluorides, and from heavy metals like arsenic. Almost 45 per cent of the country’s population is exposed to this contamination which can lead to diseases like kidney problems, and lung cancer. If one were to examine just the Gangetic plains right from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and up to West Bengal - in fact all the way to Bangladesh, this metal contamination is a big problem. Along with CGCRI, we were able to develop a technology which is low cost in terms of running costs and capital cost. It is also a durable way of providing drinking water to the common man in remote areas.

Presently, we are working closely with the Government to install some of these devices and setting up facilities. Similarly, we have been able to develop some import substitutes, like a glass intermediate.

Let us take the example of a perfume bottle - it requires high quality colour, and quick dispersion for such a high-end product. It turns out only three companies in the world make this product that of which H & R Johnson is one. It was developed in our own R&D lab. Another compound we have developed has anti-bacterial properties which has multiple applications, and is also used in the making of our own

Facing Page Above: Laboratory unit at H & R Johnson’s Manufacturing Plant Facing Page Bottom Left: Endura Ceramic Membrane developed at H & R Johnson’s Laboratory ensures that water reaches the destination without contamination - a critical technology to resist carcinogenic and lead contamination in drinking water Facing Page Bottom Right: Johnson’s ‘Care’ Catalogue offers a range of Germ-Free, Scratch-Free, and Skid-Resistance innovations across KR@FT CARE (800X400mm), SP@NISH CARE (600X400mm), and FLOOR CARE (600X600mm) for diverse applications

germ-free tiles, germ-free sanitary ware, etc. As it turns out, this particular chemical can also be used in refrigerator food trays. We are currently working with a renowned MNC where our product has been used in their refrigerator trays. We have also collaborated with a leading paint company who is now using our product to make germ-free paints. At the same time, we are closely working with the Government to develop ceramic products for the strategic sector like defence, solar, space and power.

With the same spirit, we now want to extend ourselves in the field of design. It is our earnest desire to collaborate with leading Design and Architecture institutions in the country, and we would be happy to sponsor interested students on merit to pursue their career. We would also like to sponsor select candidates for special projects as part of the sponsorship, who will gain access to our infrastructure, plants and laboratories to pursue those projects which otherwise have limitations in universities. This is an area we are keen to get started on.

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“While 8x4 feet is quite a large slab, to get the strength and durability in 9mm is a challenge.

This sleekness is a result of an environmentally conscious design decision to cut down on the material consumption, reduce transportation, energy and building loads. As manufacturers, it becomes tough for us to develop something so thin, especially in terms of technical parameters.”

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[IN]

What are the key areas of investment for H & R Johnson (India)? What would you say are the most significant areas of experimentation?

VA

The future is always unknown, but as market leaders it is our duty to look into the future and try and guide the industry as a whole. Currently we can see the market transitioning to very large formats. For instance, we recently introduced 8x4 feet large slabs, and 4x4 feet slabs to reduce joints. The innovative part is in the sleekness of the 8x4 feet slab which is only 9mm, whereas the conventional ceramic tile used to be 10 to 12 mm thick. While 8x4 feet is quite a large slab, to get the strength and durability in 9mm is a challenge. Even for wall tiles, we have introduced a 2x1 feet tile which is just 5mm thin. This sleekness is a result of an environmentally conscious design decision to cut down on the material consumption, reduce transportation, energy and building loads. As manufacturers, it becomes tough for us to develop something so thin, especially in terms of technical parameters.

The second challenge is outreach in a country as big and diverse as India where it is difficult to make a presence in every nook and corner. Hence, over many years, we have built a large network of over 1000 dealers and 10,000 sub-dealers. We have also made use of virtual-reality technology with the help of which customers can select and view tiles for floors and walls in a realistic virtual environment, improving customer experience and increasing interaction with the product. Today, the possibilities are many. People today are experimenting with even Artificial Intelligence, so I think there is an opportunity with the help of data and analytics, with which we could try and forecast future trends well ahead in time;

Facing Page: 8X4 feet large-format slabs for wall and floor application Below Left: 2x1 feet wall-cladding tiles with 5mm (wafer-thin) girth enable minimal wastage of material while ensuring durability Below Right: 4X4 feet large-format slabs for uninterrupted floor surfaces

in terms of colours, textures, sizes, etc. I think we all need to imbibe technology as much as possible to our advantage. We are currently the only company with a customer service cell - resolving customer problems with the assistance of an in-house team of service engineers. We are looking at the possibility of setting up chat-bots where the customers could engage, interact and solve queries. Besides these technological innovations, we shall continue to experiment on the product front as well.

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VALUES & IDENTITY | H & R JOHNSON (INDIA) Facing Page: Combination of 30x30x1.5 cm Tactile Liner and Button with Yellow Plus Endura ‘Tactiles’ from H & R Johnson for metro station platforms Right: State-of-the-art virtualreality set-up installed at H & R Johnson’s Thane Display Centre

[IN]

What does leadership mean to you as patrons to the fraternity?

VA

I think leadership comes with a lot of responsibility and I would say that it is not just about achieving success like most corporates do. I strongly believe that a true leadership is about building a lasting, strong, and passionate team of hard-working people who share the same values and believe in a united vision of excellence, and innovation. In future, we would like to work with reputed design institutes, imbibe technology to our advantage, make business easier for our channel partners, address unmet concerns of the professionals through efficient market research, and taking care of all our stakeholders.

I think leadership at its core is about performing social, educational as well as national responsibilities to our best potential

MR VIJAY AGGARWAL holds a Bachelor’s degree in Technology (Electrical) from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and a PGDM from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). He is presently the Managing Director of Prism Johnson Limited (Formerly Prism Cement Limited). Mr Aggarwal joined Rajan Raheja Group in 1993 and has been involved in the Group’s Acquisitions, Joint Ventures as well as day-to-day general management of various companies within the Group. He is also inducted on the Board of Directors of various companies in India in the field of building materials, batteries, cable TV, and education. He has served as the Chairman of Indian Council of Ceramic Tiles and Sanitaryware (ICCTAS); as the Vice-Chairman of Ceramics and Allied Products (including Refractories) Panel at Capexil; and as a Member of the Managing Committee of Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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Photograph: Inside the H & R Johnson (India) plant at Pen

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Mindspace

Aziz Kachwala / At-tin

3, Kalpana Chawla Road, RMV 2 Stage,

Old Anjirwadi Number 1 Ln, Thakkar Estate,

Sanjay Nagar, Bengaluru - 560 094

Mazgaon, Mumbai - 400 010

info@mindspacearchitects.com

azizkachwala@gmail.com

Somaya & Kalappa Consultants

RC Architects

Ground Floor, Udyog Bhavan, 29,

A3, 001, Harasiddh Park, Pawar Nagar,

Ballard Estate, Mumbai - 400 001

Vasant Vihar, Thane West, Maharashtra - 400 606

mumbai@snkindia.com

rohan.rca@gmail.com

Studio Advaita

BARD STUDIO [Rupali Gupte & Prasad Shetty]

Plot No 65, First Floor, Nataraj Society,

B/1, Azad Apartments, Azad Lane,

Karve Nagar, Pune - 411 052

Andheri West, Mumbai - 400 058

studioadvaita@gmail.com

bardsmumbai@gmail.com

SEAlab

Swagata S Naidu, Ceramics and Glass Design Department

698, 1 Floor, Pukadyl Bungalow,

National Institute of Design [NID], Opposite Tagore Hall,

Drive-In Enclave, Ahmedabad - 380 054

Paldi, Ahmedabad - 380 007

geral@sea-lab.org

swagata@nid.edu

Madras Office For Architects & Designers [MOAD]

SJK Architects

#94, Kamaraj Avenue 2nd Street,

302 & 303, Veena Killedar Industrial Estate,

Adyar, Chennai - 600 020

10-14, Pais Street, Byculla (West), Mumbai - 400 011

info@moad.in

design@sjkarchitect.com

Architecture BRIO

Stapati Architects

Vasant House, Ground Floor, 10/2, 19th Road,

5/2759-C, Kalipoika Mini By-Pass Road,

Khar (W), Mumbai - 400 052

Kozhikode - 673 004

info@architecturebrio.com

projects@stapati.com

Mozaic

Jay Thakkar, Design Innovation & Craft Resource Centre [DICRC]

1 Design Valley, Alto-Porvorim,

CEPT University, Kasturbhai Lalbhai Campus, University Road

Bardez, Goa - 403 521

Navrangpura, Ahmedabad - 380 009

architecture@mozaic.in

dicrc@cept.ac.in

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#456, The Blue House, Monte Villa Road, Monte-Guirim, Sangolda, Goa - 403 511 think@matter.co.in H & R Johnson (India) - A Division of Prism Johnson Limited 7th Floor, Windsor, CST Road, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai - 400 098 inside@hrjohnsonindia.com

[IN]SIDE

Matter Design Services LLP

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