Being an architect

Seagram Building  (1954-58) Architect: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Location: 375  Park Avenue , New York City "Take the beautiful tower made of bronze that was erected in New York. It is a bronze lady, incomparable in beauty, but you know she has corsets for fifteen stories because the wind bracing is not seen. That which makes it an object against the wind which can be beautifully expressed, just like nature expresses the difference between the moss and the reed. The base of the building should be wider than the top, and the columns which are on top dancing like fairies, and the columns below growing like mad, dont have the same dimensions because they are not the same thing. This story if told from realization of form would make a tower more expressive of the forces. Even if it begins in its first attempts in design to be ugly it would be led to beauty by the statement of the form." Louis Kahn Original text from "Voice of america - Louis Kahn. Recorded Nov...

Nothing is as exciting as an idea. The power of an idea is the driving force for many design professionals. The contemporary architectural scene is shifting more towards idea-centric designs from the popular form-centric ones.  But not everyday that you will witness a barrage of ideas..! It was during mid May that I got a chance to visit the exhibition  “ HOT TO COLD : an odyssey of architectural adaptation “  featuring the recent works by  BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group in the  Great Hall inside Washington DC's National Building Museum.  "I had taught myself that my work had to be fresh, different, seemingly outrageous. From then on, I understood that nothing is as exciting as an idea."   George Lois T he Hot to Cold exhibition gives a comprehensive overview of their recent work across the globe, ranging from the hottest to the coldest climates and  hosts 60 models of conceptual and completed buildings, for  BIG 's first ever...

A visit to th e holiest Sikh shrine in the world will not be the same again. The experience will be enriched by the much awaited entrance plaza which is about to get completed.  The entrance plaza is a befitting solution to the urban chaos existed at the entrance which attracts over 1 lakh visitors on the week days alone. An international design competition w as called for by  Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board   to redesign the entrance plaza of Golden Temple in Amri tsar. Entries poured in from all over the world and after much deliberation, Punjab Government selected the design by Delhi based Architectural firm, Design Associates Inc ., and rightly so. The design proposal aims to address the shortcomings of the current structure whilst creating an urban focus. The architect explains the salient features of the proposal:

I was tempted to have the title as '10 Things that an architect should never tell a client '.! Not always that you happen to read an article on a different profession and wonder how aptly it describes yours.  Couldn't resist sharing the article titled '10 Things that a photographer should never tell a client' on the December 2012 edition of Better Photography magazine, because each line was relevant to architecture profession as well. Just exchange the specifics and see how it starts making sense.!

   as an architect?    as an employee?    as an artist?    as an employer?    as a manager?    as a mother?    as a husband? If so, most likely you will get replaced in near future (maybe except for the personal relationships.!!). And you have no right to complain! For a client an architect may not only be the designer; but also a mentor, friend, technical and financial adviser, negotiator, innovator, artist and also one who care to share the journey. Her role becomes irreplaceable once client find real value other than the mundane details. Though design quality is still the single most differentiator, it is unfortunate that more often, client may not be equipped to fairly judge the quality of design alone.  " A PHILOSOPHY OF 'CAVEAT EMPTOR' HAS NEVER BEEN MORE INEPT " 

Designing for public is always a challenge. Be it a railway station, a cashier desk in a bank, a scooter parking area, a public library,  a round-about in a busy street,   or a pub, we cannot judge the design until it is used by the intended users for a specific period of time. Its very easy for designers to get carried away by the opportunity of creating something which is noticed by a large spectrum of users. We often try to "design" it such that it stands out and calls for attention. Seth Godin observes the process of designing public interfaces in general in his blog . First, do no harm--three rules for public interfaces When we think of design, we usually imagine things that are chosen because they are designed. Vases or comic books or architecture... It turns out, though, that most of what we make or design is actually aimed at a public that is there for something else. The design is important, but the design is not the point. Call it "publi...

well, in almost all cases..! Client is right even though he is wrong... At one point of time every design professional realize that arguing with a client is not the way to prove a point. You may win over logic, but most of the times client will not take the advice. The case stands strong when the client in question has a very strong ego. The subjective issues gets harder to get convinced as the fine line between logic and aesthetics mostly is a matter of better taste. History teaches us that there is no any constant right . An absolute right today can be (and most surely) be wrong tomorrow. Your right choices are way different from the ones made a hundred years ago. A right choice in one geographic area/social fabric may not be right in another; examples galore. The glass boxes may be the right choice in a cold climate but can bring disastrous results in a hotter climate if not thoughtfully detailed. Similar is the case with different movements in art and architecture follo...

Planned on the lines of    Venice Biennale,  Kochi-Muziris Biennale has started in Cochin with much fanfare on 12-12-12. The Biennale being a first of its kind event in India, was expected to offer unparalleled and   novel experience for both art lovers and connoisseurs. Apart from the love for art, I had a great interest in the event primarily because of the context of its settings. Most of the installations are in and around Fortcochin and Mattancherry except for Durbar Hall. The raw power of the spaces itself provides artists enough challenge to match with the tension it creates. The spaces are magnificent and overwhelming, to say the least. It was a joyful act to watch the internationally acclaimed artists expressing themselves and claiming the attention it deserves. Some of the artists, like Sun Xun from China, left a very strong impact with their work. They constantly challenged our notions of art.  "IT IS A GIANT LEAP ...

Masters of any art form has been invariably connoisseurs of their field. A connoisseur is defined by dictionary as a person with special knowledge or appreciation of a field, esp in the arts . You can find many analogies for the observation. Take the field of music, photography, fine art, motion pictures or wine tasting for that matter. Being a connoisseur automatically equip the creator to critically judge her work during the process itself. She thus knows where the work stands in comparison to the works of masters and most importantly, under varying contexts. She can appreciate the subtleties without getting carried away.  " THERE IS A GREAT CHANCE THAT A CONNOISSEUR WHO PRACTICES HER ART BECOMES AN 'OTAKU' WHO INFLUENCES MANY."  A connoisseur in the field of architecture need not be a great architect. But without failing, all great architects are famously connoisseurs of their craft. They could easily differentiate between a quality sp...

World has just celebrated 125 th birthday of one of the most influential architect of the 20 th century, Le Corbusier. This reminded me of my visit to the much famous Millowner's Association Building in Ahmedabad a few years back. There are few cities in the world that can claim more than three buildings by Le  Corbusier, and Ahmedabad is one of them(after Paris, Chandigarh and La Chaux-de-Fonds), with the Museum, the Millowners Association Building, and the Sarabhai and Shodhan houses to its credit. Such major commissions, all initiated during Le Corbusier’s first visit to the city, attest to Ahmedabad’s intellectual climate and economic prosperity unrivalled in India for a city of its size. A comparative visual study by Peter Serenyi, comparing the Hall of Public Audiences, Red Fort and the Assembly building, Chandigarh hinting on the inspirations of the architect for his public buildings. Since its founding by Sultan Ahmed, Shah of Gujrat in 1411 AD, A...

Are we getting more and more addicted towards technology? Are our daily chores getting more and more automated?  "Three scenarios likely to be possible in the future: "No," says the refrigerator. "Not eggs again. Not until your weight comes down, and your cholesterol levels are lower. Scale tells me you still have to lose about five pounds, and the clinic keeps pinging me about your cholesterol. This is  for your own good, you know." "I just checked your appointments diary in your smart phone," says the automobile as you get into the car after a day's work. "You have free time, so I've programmed that scenic route with those curves you like so much instead of the highway - I know you'll enjoy driving it. Oh, and I've picked your favorite music to go with it." "Hey," says your house one morning as you prepare to leave. "What's the rush? I took out the garbage. Won't you even say thank y...

I presuppose that what I am going to say is known to all of my fellow professionals (read 'architects'). But since I constantly meet with the necessity of explaining the same to students as well as many of my team members, I thought it will be useful to write about it. Arriving at details and detail patterns for a particular project is very rewarding as the whole design itself. One should always understand the reason behind each detail - whether it is appropriate, aesthetically pleasing, easy to build or needed at all. Most of the time, designers seem to be caught in a dilemma of using ‘ornamental’ patterns. Many find it pleasing to eye and many discard it as superfluous and surface deep. The real problem is when one doesn’t understand the difference between ‘ornamentation’ and ‘intensification’ or confuse between the two and take decisions. "BOTH ORNAMENTATION AND INTENSIFICATION MAY ADD BEAUTY, BUT THEY SPRANG FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES OF INSPIRATION...

The form of the building is unassuming. You will probably notice just the solid concrete block walls and the large pitched roof over it from outside. It gives an impression of being too monotonous and probably more cerebral. Yet the building leaves a lasting impression upon the visitors and architectural critics because of its sheer simplicity, articulation of spaces and clarity in language. Personally, this is one of my favorite kahn building. Designed as the entrance and changing area for patrons of an outdoor swimming pool, Trenton Bath House was a part of the larger scheme -which never got constructed- for the Jewish Community Center of the Delaware Valley. "THOUGH UNCEREMONIOUSLY THROWN OUT OF THE PROJECT, KAHN OFTEN SPOKE OF THIS PROJECT AS A TURNING POINT IN HIS DESIGN PHILOSOPHY." The Bath House design is a simple cruciform shape. Four square concrete block rooms or areas, surrounding an open atrium. Each of the rooms is topped by a simple, wood...

Contemporary Srilankan architecture has been successful in continuing the legacy left by master Geoffrey Bawa. There are a handful of projects which are truly international yet rooted firmly on the country’s rich tradition. The vocabularies, in most cases, are unmistakably modern, but the spaces and details reflect local sensitivities. I thought to share one recent project representing the impressive body of works from Srilanka. The project is in itself a case study of housing in warm humid tropical climate. The project is a Holiday Bungalow for Mr. Sanjeewa Maddumage at Mathale Sri Lanka, built in 2009 by Architect Thisara Thanapathy (he won the prestigious Geoffrey Bawa award 2010/2011 for Excellence in Architecture). Framed view

Surely, I lost my way! I guess it was in 2005.    I stood on the front lawn facing the Sangath searching for the ceremonious entry into the much famous studio of B V Doshi.  The entrance itself was deceptive, to say the least.  I was very excited to visit the place as a part of an architectural ‘pilgrimage’ to Ahmadabad which also included great buildings like Sangrahalaya, IIMA, Mill owner’s Association building etc.  Then to my surprise, none other than B V Doshi came out of the building. He spotted me. I was a bit hesitant to meet the master and was literally ashamed to ask for the way.  To my surprise, he asked me whether I am looking for my way to get in. With a smile on his lips, he pointed towards a circuitous pathway that disappeared behind the greenery. Upon my request to see his studio, he told me to take a look around, taking my time. "YOU HAVE TO LOSE TRACK TO COME BACK . AND THIS IS WHAT GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO T...

There is an old Chinese saying: 一分 钱 一分 货 , "yi fen qian, yi fen huo" (pronounced ee fen chee-ahn, ee fen hoo-oh), which gets translated into the post title ‘You get what you pay for.’  People are accustomed to understand the adage when they buy a luxury car, an apartment or an iPhone. Surprisingly, they pretend to forget it when they are commissioning an Architect. The curious fact is, an architect’s role has a lot of subjectivity into it that one will not be able to gauge it from the receiving end. (You could easily compare the features between a Merc and an Audi before signing the cheque). "THE SADDEST PART IS, IN MOST OF THE CASES, LESS PAY RESULTS IN SUBSTANDARD WORK."

I always wondered how to manage time efficiently. The problem becomes manifold when the case of concern is a creative personnel. You have the classical time-management principles urging you to pack-in the maximum deliverable into a fixed time frame. They try to teach you to do 'multitasking'. You can thus learn the circus of having a coffee while riding a bus and read the newspaper as well. According to your proficiency, you can add more activities to it. I found it utterly foolish to practice it in a creative field. The only thing I can do along with having coffee and doodling with pencil  designing is to listen to songs. But curiously, I cannot continue it for long unless the songs are of a particular genre! My point is, its not how many things you do that matter, but what you did. "THERE HAS TO BE A 'DESIGNER'S SCHEDULE' AND A 'MANAGER'S SCHEDULE'. IN AN IDEAL SCENARIO, BOTH SHOULD NOT COINCIDE."

I remember reading it somewhere that a guy went to a great place to watch sunset and missed it entirely because he tried to get it all photographed within the few minutes when it happened. All he left with was a handful of digital photographs and the darkness that surrounded him after the sunset. For the moment he was triumphant. He was able to capture the rare sight at various split seconds. But after returning from the place, he soon realized that he actually missed the entire sunset! Instead of soaking into the moment and experience it, he saw it through a second ‘eye’- a far inferior one than the original. "HE GETS SO BUSY IN CLICKING AND ADJUSTING THE MACHINE TO GET THE PERFECT FRAME THAT, MANY A TIMES, HE MISSES THE REAL PICTURE." The story was found very familiar to me.

Fashion: Noun: A popular trend, esp. in styles of dress, ornament, or behavior. “I hate everything that is driven by fashion. From the beginning I was hating in the 60s the American way of styling, especially cars. They changed their styling things every two years and designed new ones which is nothing to do with good design” . Dieter Rams Dieter Rams is considered to be one of the most influential industrial designers of the 20th century. He is believed to have inspired the designs of iconic Apple products like iPod.  His observation is strikingly relevant in the field of architecture. "DESIGN TODAY HAS BECOME MUNDANE AND BANAL; FRIVOLOUS AND EFFETE. IT IS PLAYING ON CHEAP EMOTIONS, LIKE BEING THE TALLEST, THE LARGEST, OR THE MOST STUPID! BRIGHT COLORS, REFLECTIVE METALS AND USING A SURFEIT OF MATERIALS GET CRASS ATTENTION." [Now, a word of caution: the rest of the post may not be popular among or pleasing to all readers. The observations a...

Architects are associated with sketching long before the profession has evolved. One automatically expects an architect to sketch and explain his point. Architectural career choices are still majorly influenced by the candidate’s proficiency in sketching . Is the skill heavily overrated? Or does it deserve the hype? The problem starts when one confuses sketching with ‘art’. Definitely, creativity (and thus similar tastes) has its own part in shaping an architect’s career. But what one forgets in the debate is the potential of a ‘ skill’ as basic as sketching which can help the professional in a long way throughout his career. It is a skill which can be learnt and mastered. A very powerful ‘tool’ - sometimes the most powerful - which if used with care, can simplify many a process. It’s also a skill which is very enjoyable. "STRIPPING INFORMATION INTO THE VERY BASICS HAS HUGE ADVANTAGES."