Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Edited By
Deeependra Prashad
The International Network of Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism (INTBAU) is a world wide organisation
dedicated to the support of traditional building, maintenance of local character and the creation of better places to
live in. It is involved in the creation of an active network of individuals and institutions who design, make, maintain,
study or enjoy traditional building, architecture and place making.
The activities of INTBAU are focused on research, professional exchanges, advisory and pilot projects in the field
of Urban revitalisation, Traditional planning and Sustainable design. By education, research and the promotion of
traditional techniques, it encourages people to maintain traditional buildings and to build new buildings and places which
help improve the quality of life in cities and towns around the world. Our Enquiry by Design (EbD) workshops
bring together all stakeholders on a common ground for tackling various urban issues. These include the government,
municipalities, citizen groups, professionals, urban development and heritage related agencies, organisations, developers
and any other affected groups. INTBAU also promotes traditional methods and crafts to promote economic sustainability
for craftspersons and environmental sustainability in the creation of the built environment.
INTBAU India was formed with its inaugural symposium on Emerging Urbanisation Trends at New Delhi in January
2005 which preceded the Mumbai mill lands Revitalisation Design workshop (EbD) held in Mumbai in March 2005.
SUPPORTERS
UNESCO India:
UNESCO was founded in 1946 in the aftermath
of the Second World War for the purpose of advancing through the educational, scientific and cultural
relations of the people of the world, the objectives of international peace and the common welfare of
mankind. UNESCOs specific mission is to lay the foundations of lasting peace and equitable development.
UNESCO New Delhi Office, the Organisations first decentralized office in Asia was established in 1948.
At its inception, it dealt with science and technology programmes. In time, it incorporated communication
programmes, and still later expanded to include education and culture
UN-HABITAT:
The United Nations Human Settlements
Programme, UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the
UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal
of providing adequate shelter for all. The main documents outlining the mandate of the organisation are
the Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements, the Habitat Agenda, Istanbul Declaration on Human
Settlements, and the Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium.
INTACH:
HUDCO:
VI
Table of Contents
Preface
xi
Acknowledgements
xii
Messages
xiii
xiv
xvi
xviii
18
28
39
Cultural Heritage As A Driver For Integrated Development In Punjab: The Case Of Nabha
Yaaminey Mubayi, The Nabha Foundation, New Delhi
Gurmeet Rai, Cultutal Resource Conservation Initiative, New Delhi
47
Cultural Metamorphosis, Building Tradition And Search For Architectural Identity In Africa:
A Case Study Of South-western Nigeria
Oluseyi Timothy Odeyale, Lecturer and Researcher, Department of Architecture
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
54
60
69
77
83
89
97
Transforming Historic City Centres: Integrated Approach Of Urban Design & Historic Preservation 103
Krupali Uplekar, Assistant Prof., University of Notre Dame, USA
VII
107
112
118
127
Habitat For Humanity International: Partnering With The Poor For Better Housing
Aruna Paul Simittrarachhi, Regional Program Advisor for South Asian countries, HFHI, Nepal
Naresh Karmalker,Programme Advisor, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation,HFHI
134
141
148
155
161
Sustainable Buildings
Earthen Architecture In Auroville: Linking A World Tradition With Modernity
Satprem Maini, Architect & Director, Earth Institute, Auroville
169
179
Learning Lessons From Traditional Methods For Achieving Sustainability In Building And
Urban Scale In Iranian Arid Cities
Marjan Nematimehr, Ph.D. Scholar, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
184
From Pattern Languages To Generative Codes: A Report On The Work Of Christopher Alexander
And Colleagues And Its Application To The Regeneration Of Traditional Settlements
Michael Mehaffy, Co Founder, Centre for Environmental Structure, Europe
192
201
Is Tradition Green?
INTBAU India
210
214
218
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case studies in Form Making
VIII
223
231
238
244
251
258
266
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case studies in Place Making
Place Making In India: Some Streets In A Small Town, A Historic Precinct And A Haat
Pradeep Sachdeva, Architect & Designer, New Delhi
Evaluation Of The Pedestrian Environment- A Qualitative Approach:
A Case Study Of Thyagaraya Nagar, The Commercial Hub Of Chennai City
Rakesh K.S., Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Satyabhama University, Chennai
275
281
289
292
298
304
311
314
318
Academic Committee
332
333
IX
Preface
Indias globalised economy is based on the ideals of change and modernism. This evolution into modernism initially came
about on the premise of inclusivity, but has, over time, propagated a mass trans-national culture to the ultimate exclusion
of local identity. This sense of loss, of identity, and of tradition, permeates art, culture, cuisine and lots more, and has led
to a certain endemic cultural loss. All around us, we see symbols of a dislocated rootless global paradigm dominating our
skylines. A rapidly growing population and the needs of the globalized economy have led to the symbols of economic
development concentrating in urban areas and an appreciation of the urban ideal. Concurrently, rural and urban areas are
fast changing with a geometric jump in urbanisation. In this scenario, the built environment has become one of the most
visible manifestations of this change. From Metropolitan suburbs like Gurgaon to urban extensions for traditional cities
like Jaipur, the challenges of globalisation are now facing India like never before.
Our built environment shapes our sense of self, our sense of place, our reverence of our past and our traditions. Building
traditions have modified and evolved with the social, economic and cultural needs of the age. Tradition in building
serves us in creating a balance between nature and society, optimal utilisation of natural resources and of local skills and
craftsmanship. As strong forces currently drive the creation of new architecture and urban design in India, the time is now
or never to instill in this huge process a sense of appropriateness to the local context.
This book on New Architecture and Urbanism: Development of Indian Traditions builds on the contributions from
various architects, planners, educationists, decision-makers & others from across the world who gathered together to
create a forum for the promotion of traditional processes and techniques for the creation of the built environment. This
forum was initiated by INTBAU India, The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism
in India, which was established 4 years back, and was supported by The Nabha Foundation. The Nabha Foundation is
leading a process change in mainstreaming heritage in the developmental process in Punjab, as part of the Foundations
strategic vision for urban and rural regeneration in the region.
The usage of traditional methods is by no means a lost tradition and is very much alive. But to witness the utilisation of
its principles in mainstream new work is a task, made much harder than ever, due to the mushrooming alien typologies.
Culture, Climate & Cost still dictate building as ever, but only the last seems to be making typological impact. Therefore,
this forum is deliberating on this important niche, which forms in between the work areas of preserving traditional
architecture and the techniques of current building. INTBAU Internationals establishment dates back 8 years and its reach
and membership now spreads across many countries and continents. The INTBAU India network now includes a no. of
individuals & organisations who actively deliberate on the issues of appropriate and local building through their work and
professional focus.
This book presents the arguments, axioms and case studies related to Traditional Architecture and Urbanism in a
sequential format. Firstly it examines the New ways of looking at Heritage by separating it from pure history into a
living and evolving process. The book looks at what defines traditional methods and their relevance to the contemporary
context. It also examines the aspects of Continuity and Contextual frameworks in the built environment. The following
section on Sustainable Buildings, Places and Communities explores the many facets of locally driven processes from the
viewpoint of tradition and sustainability. These include many community based planning methods and their applications
in shaping the built environment, aspects of environmental sustainability and on how appropriateness could be ingrained
into current architectural education. Lastly, the book delves into a number of executed examples in architecture seeking to
learn from tradition and examples in place-making urbanism which in turn promotes humane, walkable and connected
neighbourhoods.
The INTBAU-Nabha Declaration, which emerged as an outcome of this forum, very succinctly puts down the aforesaid
objectives. It is desired that this publication shall become an important tool and reference for all aspects of the built
environment which borrow from tradition. In this respect, INTBAU endeavours to promote and support any related
initiatives, besides building an active debate on the pervasive methods of construction today. The organization also
promotes debate through design workshops and public participation tools like Enquiry-by-Design workshops, where
stakeholders, besides being party to discussions, also participate in creating graphic and clear visions towards urban
renewal and revitalisation. These and all other endeavours hope to create a unique agenda for the new built environment
of tomorrow, which shall hopefully form a bridge between the past and the future.
Deependra Prashad
Editor
XI
Acknowledgements
This is an outcome of the efforts of a large number of people who have worked on, written for and supported this
publication. INTBAU India conveys its deep gratitude to the following people for their valuable inputs and suggestions
right through the process of its creation.
The Academic Committee including Prof. A.G.K. Menon, Robert Adam, Nimish Patel, S.K.Misra, Yaaminey Mubayi,
Deependra Prashad & Jyoti Soni for providing a strong thematic focus for the preceding conference and this book.
HRH The Prince of Wales for his support and vision for promoting traditional methods in building and for supporting
the work of INTBAU India.
Uday Khemka, CEO & Managing Trustee of The Nabha Foundation, for sharing his vision and helping create this
very important forum.
Oliver Brind of the Princes Foundation for the Built Environment, formerly Director of Development, The Princes
Charities, for his support and online help right through the process of developing the conference and the book.
Richard Engelhardt, Senior Advisor to UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture for his suggestions regarding
INTBAU Indias initiatives.
Robert Adam, Nimish Patel, Giles Tillotson, Ranjit Mitra and Rajinder Singh for their timely feedback on the submitted
papers.
The Jury of the Student Essay Competition including Prof. A.G.K. Menon, Snehanshu Mukherjee, Ranjit Mitra,
Yaaminey Mubayi, Suneet Paul and Shirish Gupte.
The Jury of the Poster Session including Anil Laul, Narendra Dengle, Dr. Kulwant Singh & Michael Mehaffy.
Amita Kapur, Don Mohanlal and Allison Robertshaw on their valuable feedback on disseminating the ideas to the
wider audience.
The entire Nabha Foundation team including Gen. Chopra, Subhasis Chakrabarti, Major Manko, Neepa Saha, Takahiro
Noguchi, Jeya Kumar, Sachin and J.P.Gupta for their support throughout the conceptualisation of the conference and
all the other parallel initiatives.
Matthew Hardy, Senior Lecturere in Architecture & Urbanism, INTBAU, for his valuable suggestions both for the
INTBAU India website and this book and Aura Neag, General Manager, INTBAU for her support to the initiatives of
INTBAU India.
Krupali Uplekar and Laxmi Arya for their suggestions.
The Editorial team including Saswati Chetia, Sharbani Ghosh & Swati Janu.
Mansi Chaturvedi, Arun Nair, Vaibhav Jain, Bhavna Muttreja and Tanya Sanyal for co-ordinating various parts of the
conference event.
Gaurav Jindal, Pranav Kr. Thakur & Manoj Kumar for the page layout and presentation of the book.
Nikhil Saxena for designing the cover pages and Rini Shrivastava for proof-reading.
Sonal & Kalpana Narain of Result Factory for the transcriptions.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing for their help with publishing this book.
And very importantly all the contributors, authors and illustrators who are listed alongside their works and all members
of the INTBAU and INTBAU India network and The Nabha Foundation, whose suggestions have helped strengthen this
vision.
XII
I am delighted that this publication has resulted from INTBAU Indias inaugural conference, which took place earlier this
year. As Patron of INTBAU, I am most grateful to the Nabha Foundation for everything they have done to make this
event possible.
This forum will, I hope, draw attention to the importance of traditional architecture and urbanism and create greater
awareness of their place in Indias culture and the valuable role they can play in todays India. I also hope that as a result
of both the conference and the book, and indeed, INTBAU Indias wider work, it will be possible to demonstrate how
traditional architecture and urbanism offer practical solutions to todays requirements and aspirations.
At a time of rapid change in India it is important we do not forget how the built environment shapes our sense of place
and self and how it reflects our culture and traditions. If we abandon our traditional understanding and ways of building,
we undoubtedly risk losing much of our identity and culture.
Moreover, I am frequently struck by the fact that by harnessing simple, and often forgotten, techniques and technologies,
coupled with the enthusiasm and enterprise of local people, it is possible to rediscover solutions which have somehow
been abandoned in the march of modernization and globalization. We need to learn from the underlying, and timeless,
principles of the ancient built heritage of India and view the traditional built environment as a vital means of inspiring
and improving living conditions in todays India.
Equally, if the teeming cities of this century are to have any future sustainability, we must rediscover the subtle principles
which underlie the construction of all the great cities of the past. Even huge cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata can be
- indeed, I would argue they must be - formed of small neighbourhood units, just as the body (our divinely inspired model
for all we build) is comprised of small individual cells. They represent, in a very real way, the fundamental building block
of civilized - by which I mean settled - human life.
In particular, it is so very important that we recognize the role of traditional architecture and building practices in creating
buildings which are environmentally sustainable and which, through the ways in which they have been built, can respond
effectively to the challenges of Climate Change. Such considerations are vital if there are to be sustainable improvements
in living conditions for our children and grandchildren.
I commend all who have contributed to both the conference and this publication.
XIII
of crumbling infrastructure? On the other hand will it be an inclusive society where people are interconnected? Will people
here be as they are in certain parts of the world - shattered individual islands or will they be part of living communities?
Will cities serve human beings or will human beings serve cities? Most importantly what would be our environmental
footprint? India is already the fifth most carbon emitting contributor to global warming, with China being the second.
India is catching up fast. Is that the legacy we want to leave to our children? Is it going to be a country of global cultural
modernisation or a country of deep eco-systems of culture and deep traditions?
Before Gandhiji, Indian leaders wore tails and frock coats. He had the courage to assert confidently that this countrys
civilisation should present itself without insecurities, taking the best from the west but living to its own traditions. According
to Gandhiji the way we talk matters and the way we dress matters. The way we build our cities matters very fundamentally
and we need to move it from an individualistic, materialistic vision, to a Gandhian vision based on locality, spirituality and
community.
I believe there are three solutions to contain the huge relocation of rural masses to the urban areas:
Provide as much employment as possible in villages- Dr Kurien of Amul has demonstrated the possibility.
Instead of building cities with millions of people, we should encourage small towns to thrive. This is where Nabha has
relevance. It is a small dusty old town of Punjab with a population of 70,000 people. It may not be particularly significant,
but it is in towns such as Nabha that the battle of the Indian civilisation will be fought.
Finally, to not surrender the concept of the city itself. Huge cities that we see rising around us, that are following the
Chinese model, should be embedded with Gandhian values. This last dimension may actually be the most important.
Today, India has a fairly poor tradition of modern urban philanthropy. But in every community, every village, every religion,
there have been deep traditions of philanthropy. But India lost these, perhaps because people, who come to huge cities,
lose their sense of community. How can we create a vision of a social, inclusive city of connection, of communal harmony
with social capital? Do we embed it in the few cities that will emerge; and can we, in their energy signature, make them
sustainable?
Unfortunately this requires more than just correction at the edges. For instance in Gurgaon, one sees beautiful glass towers
in the middle of the city having no link to our culture and traditions. These are surrounded by appalling low cost housing
blocks where people are deracinated, infrastructure is disintegrating crime, violence, disconnection and a lack of belonging
is all pervasive. Is Gurgaon a model for our cities? There are only twenty million residential units for the middle class
overhanging the market in terms of demand. Delhis population alone has increased by eight million over the last 10 years.
We, like China will unfortunately build huge cities to meet these challenges. The way they will be conceived and built is
what would determine the heart and the soul of Indian civilisation and our contribution to the world.
I would like to put forward four challenges and opportunities in this context:
1. The Nabha Foundation hopes that this forum will be a call for action, a call for a movement; whether it is in
publishing and publicising the issues discussed or the creation of an institution. Many people may have felt marginal
compared to the modernistic center of architecture and intellectual interest. But I believe together we can move
that margin to the center in a unified way and contribute the concept of new urbanism to the world. The first
challenge is it to make this attempt a permanent and a powerful movement underpinned by a declaration or a charter.
2. The opportunity and the challenge exist in small towns such as Nabha. We believe that over the next 10-20 years we can prepare
a case study in Nabha, of what other small towns in India may look like. We plan to do it in three ways. Firstly, by adaptively
reusing old buildings such as the Nabha Quila to serve the community, and by upholding their traditions and their heritage.
This also recognizes that people created the heritage and it should serve them back. Secondly by building new institutions
whose architecture is a modern expression of thousands of years of traditions and community concepts. Finally by developing
a township with a relevant vocabulary. Nabha town is not just what is visible but a sum total of the potential of the place.
3. People in the large cities may seem capitalistic but at the end of the day, they are Indians and care about their cities.
Therefore these cities offer a huge opportunity and resource.
4. Finally, a vision of the cities themselves, so that the Poorna Swaraj that Gandhiji talked about could be completed. Let
us be ambitious and not think about elements of individual crafts, but about how we can apply whole concepts of craft,
community, form, and sociology into cities.
Over the next 20 years, India will see the greatest struggle she has ever had. It wasnt so difficult under the Raj, because
the presence of an opposition meant that we maintained our culture but today that culture is being overwhelmed. It is the
struggle for the soul of our civilisation. Will it be an inclusive and societal model of urban development or an individualistic
and materialistic one? Many people have been struggling and feeling isolated. We hope that all these people will come
together in this great battle. According to Gandhiji when one feels that ones forces are small and the armies of the other
side are bigger, one should take the example of the Bhagvad Gita, of the five Pandavas looking at the array of army much
greater than theirs. But they were protected by a much greater force TRUTH. Today this truth is that of human beings
living and wanting to live in a humane way. I believe that truth can protect us as we challenge the intellectual conception
that is dehumanised. We have the opportunity of paraphrasing a much-overused expression of Gandhiji...
To be the change we would like to see
...a chance to create a movement of such power, that it can unlock our civilisation and project it to make a fundamental
difference to the world.
New Architecture and Urbanism: Development of Indian Traditions
XV
INTBAU, The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism, was founded 8 years ago. It
had started out as a research program, and demonstrated that there was a specific need for such an organisations existence.
It was founded to bring together people from around the world who value tradition in architecture and urban design, and
to counteract, to some extent, a fairly common view that modernity and tradition were polar opposites.
INTBAU is based around the principles of the INTBAU charter which summarizes very aptly the focus of the organization.
This charter was written some time ago and I believe that it is quite relevant to the current situation. It is put down as
follows:
The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism is an active network of individuals
and institutions dedicated to the creation of humane and harmonious buildings and places that respect local traditions.
Traditions allow us to recognise the lessons of history, enrich our lives and offer our inheritance to the future. Local,
regional and national traditions provide the opportunity for communities to retain their individuality with the advance
of globalisation. Through tradition we can preserve our sense of identity and counteract social alienation. People must
have the freedom to maintain their traditions.
Traditional buildings and places maintain a balance with nature and society that has been developed over many
generations. They enhance our quality of life and are a proper reflection of contemporary society. Traditional buildings
and places can offer a profound modernity beyond novelty and contribute to a better future.
INTBAU brings together those who design, make, maintain, study or enjoy traditional building, architecture and places.
We will gain strength, significance and scholarship by association, action and the dissemination of our principles.
His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales is the patron of the organisation which often works closely with the Prince
of Waless Foundation for the Built Environment. INTBAU is also headquartered at the same premises, with its work
coordinated by Aura Neag and Matthew Hardy. INTBAU began its activities as a small network of people with a conference
in Bologna. Here the idea of the network was initiated, and like all the best things, didnt get off with a bang. But, it has
gradually grown and has now become a burgeoning NGO. The way global governance works presently, the role of NGOs
is becoming increasingly important and INTBAU is fulfilling its role in the field of architecture and urbanism.
From those small beginnings, it has now become a network of chapters- Australia, Canada, Cuba, Germany, Ireland,
India, Iran, Italy, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, UK and the USA. Any group, any country or region can
start a chapter using a fairly simple process, through a group of people who subscribe to the principles of the charter
and have sufficient momentum to create an organisation. The point of this is that tradition is always local- its never
international and while this is an international organisation, tradition must be represented by the communities from where
they come. INTBAU India has quickly become the most successful amongst all the chapters. All due credit must go to
those who established it and worked hard on forwarding its goals. Initiated first by Krupali Uplekar & Jyoti Soni and then
taken forward by Deependra Prashad, there is now an additional base in Mumbai directed by Shirish Gupte, besides the
headquarters at Delhi.
Interestingly, one of the early things INTBAU realised, with particular credit to Matthew Hardy, is the importance of
the internet and the website. It is ironic that a great deal of support for traditions and a great many things to do with
localisation in the globalising world are managed through the global aspects of globalisation itself.
INTBAU has been involved with various activities, including publishing essays, partnering in events, organisation of
design workshops and conferences, the first one being Tradition Today. A recent conference was in Venice in November
2006 to discuss the current application of the Venice Charter. INTBAU has also established training centres in Romania,
partnered for a summer school with the University at Timisoara and University Spiru Haret, Romania. Currently the
Folkeuniversitetet, Norway and the head office are working on a new project with the European Union called the European
School of Urbanism and Architecture which would create a peripatetic university course. In terms of direct action measures,
INTBAU created the very successful Bran Master Plan in Romania, the Fredrikstad Masterplan in Norway and also created
a pressure group for the reconstruction of the Neumarkt in Dresden, Germany, to focus on the traditional architecture
of Dresden in Germany.
The above is a rough sketch of INTBAU as an international organisation. I must thank the team at INTBAU India for
the immense amount of work which has been put in the creation of the organisation and this forum. Of course none of
this would be possible without the Nabha Foundation team and the generosity and enormous support of Uday Khemka. I
would also like to thank the members on the academic committee including Prof. A.G.K.Menon, Nimish Patel, S.K.Misra
and Yaaminey Mubayi, with whom we sat and deliberated on the high quality contributions for this forum. I have made
so many friends here and now in a strange way, India is for me a home away from home. I must thank all the supporters
of INTBAU and INTBAU India and hope that we can proactively take forward the development of Indian traditions in
new architecture and urbanism.
XVI
Preamble:
A
Rapid development is overtaking and transforming villages, towns, cities and metropolises in India. The urban
population is set to treble in the next few decades. Social and economic transformation is producing new aspirations in
society. This poses tremendous challenges to professionals and decision-makers to cater to the needs of future growth.
In the past these challenges have been met by undertaking development based on transnational paradigms of architecture
and urbanism, which have generally excluded local construction practices and processes. The new challenges offer the
opportunity to redirect goals and strategies by using new development paradigms which would be more sympathetic to local
needs and aspirations. It should foreground local identity, value social ethos and generate a sense of community through
greater use of traditional skills and knowledge in architecture and building. New developments must therefore be rooted
in local heritage.
B
Evidence of rootless global imagery is beginning to dominate our skylines. This phenomenon is all the more
apparent in smaller towns like Nabha, which lie at the cusp of urban transformations. Nabha, in Punjab, is a former
princely state with a rich cultural heritage, deeply rooted in community consciousness. Concerns for such towns and their
hinterlands need to be brought into the centre of new urbanisation policies and practices. Nabha and other urbanising
areas in the country need appropriate templates for development which would be sensitive to their rich cultural past, but
using state-of-the-art development models and strategies.
C
The INTBAU Nabha declaration therefore forges the imperatives of heritage and development as an appropriate
and sustainable paradigm for mediating future well-being of a transforming society. This belief is underpinned by the
knowledge that traditional architecture and urbanism are evolutionary, incremental and self-correcting, and therefore offers
the most appropriate design resource for meeting the challenges of the transformation taking place in our society.
We therefore declare that the principles enshrined in traditional architecture and urbanism must mediate future urban and
rural development by:
Building on Collective Wisdom
Traditional architecture and urbanism embodies centuries of refined collective intelligence. It consists of traditional
and local techniques of construction, local building materials and indigenous spatial typologies based on climate, culture
and economic issues. The promotion of this knowledge can correct the problems created by the use of transnational
paradigms to cater to local exigencies. This strategy is relevant not just in the rural-vernacular settings but also within the
urban environment.
Strengthening Local Identity
The promotion of traditional building practices and spatial typologies reinforces local distinctiveness and coherence in a
globalising world. This identity has to be derived from local urban morphologies, architectural typologies, local ecology,
landscapes, traditional skills and resources, lifestyles, and would thus respond to local concerns and values.
Furthering Social and Economic Sustainability
Living Heritage and Traditions are a vast source of ideas and contextual references. They offer valuable insights to meet the
challenges of revitalising inner city areas which are under stress on account of urbanisation. They also enhance possibilities
of income generation and employment, utilisation of local skills and resources, and contribute to the creation of a sustainable
local economy. Traditional Architecture and Urbanism also encourages high quality construction and built environments.
Turning Stakeholders into Stockholders
Traditional and local methods allow meaningful participation of citizens in all stages of the development process- from
decision-making, prioritizing initiatives to construction. It helps create robust social systems by promoting decentralized
governance. The Government and Public Sector must therefore actively promote the principles of traditional building
practices through appropriate guidelines, policy and incentives in their projects.
XVIII
XIX
Introduction
Introduction
Growth:
Maturity Or Over-development ?
Leon Krier
Architect & Urbanist, France
The front cover of a current affairs magazine in India
proudly displays the portraits of four leading businessmen
under the title THE ACCELERATORS. It is my hope
that we may endeavour to instead help to slow down certain
forms of development, to pause a little, to think about long
term development objectives, rather than speeding blindly
into a state of exhaustion.
Having for millennia entertained a building culture of superb
environment and aesthetic quality, it may be a mystery even
to an inquisitive mind, why such an incomparable traditional
culture could not resist the triumph of modernism. For an
extra terrestrial observer such a cataclysmic break in matters
of architecture and urbanism could possibly be explained
by a cosmic catastrophe, an alien invasion, by an enforced
change, an imposed abandonment, maybe by a lethal virus,
or some devastating toxic substance against which there
was no inborn resistance.
PETER PAN SCENARIO
MODERN HYDRA
GROWTH~MATURITY~OVER-DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable
Growth +
Maintenance
Imperial
Perdition
Senility
M A T U R I T Y = S U S TA I N A B L E S U C C E S S
R I S K S
O F
U R B A N
S U C C E S S
1) Land-scraper
2) Sprawler
3) Sky-scraper
1) Land-scraper
2) Sprawler
3) Skyscraper
10
scientific research has lost itself for 200 years in the extremes
of the micro and macro scales, as if only there, salvation
and glory were to be found. For too long it has abandoned
the tangible environment, the water, the soil, the air and
its resources to be processed by barbaric machinery and
incredibly crude planning tools.
That is where INTBAU, CNU, The Prince of Wales
Foundation play an inestimable role. Even though the
question of ecological development and of the planets
carrying capacity are ultimately issues of science, the
global ecological project must of necessity become its
central subject, its necessity has so far only been formulated
The City
Zoning
Typological Order
F u n c t i o n a l = A r c h i t e c t u r a l Va r i e t y
Bureaucratic Order
F u n c t i n a l Va r i e t y X A r c h i t e c t u r a l U n i f o r m i t y
11
CLASSICAL
ARCHITECTURE
Venice
Rothenburg O.T.
Cesky- Krumlov
Athens Classical Age
Williamsburg
Traditional Villages
Primordial Hamlets
Lascaux
Animal Architecture
13
A RC H I T E C T U R A L T U N I N G O F U R BA N C O M P O S I T I O N - Ve r n a c u l a r & C l a s s i c a l
Vernacularissimus
Austerity Vernacular
Classicissimus
Imperial Carnival Classicism
Private Imperialism
Public Imperialism
14
AUTHENTIC
(NAMEABLE)
THINGS
KITSCH
(SO-CALLED)
THINGS
CONTENT = FORM
FORM X CONTENT
15
16
RES PUBLICA
Monuments without
streets or squares
RES
ECONOMICA
CIVITAS
17
Istanbul
18
Summerkand
Nehru Pavilion
The Asian Games Village planning is based on similar narrow streets linking a variety of clusters.
The streets are consciously broken up into visually comprehensible units, so there are pauses, points of
rest, and changing vistas.
19
Image of Jaisalmer (above): The alternation between solids and voids in the densely formed city of Jaisalmer is the archetype of the Indian urban fabric. The
entire city is built within very well defined parameters
The Asian Games Village (below): Different types of apartments generate a variety of clusters, avoiding the monotony of large scale public housing schemes.
20
(Left): The roof terraces of the National Institute of Immunology Housing, New Delhi
(Right): Detail from an Indian miniature painting showing roof terraces
21
SCOPE
SCOPE is an office complex designed for large autonomous
public sector organizations and was built in 1983-89 in New
Delhi not far from Mughal Emperor Humayuns tomb. The
faade is designed to shield the offices from the suns direct
rays so as to reduce the air conditioning costs.
The complex is divided into eight distinct blocks which
interlock with each other around a central courtyard. The
spatial organization is generated by combining four columns
recalling minerates which act as structural supports, contain
services and culminate on the roof as chatris or parasols.
The form and structures on the roof terraces serve the
role of providing welcome relief from the offices for 7000
workers.
The form of the office complex is inspired by the Datia
Palace with its intricate courtyards and roof terraces which
22
23
24
Parliament Library
The Library for the Indian Parliament is located adjoining
the existing Parliament Building and the colonial complex
designed by Lutyens and Baker to house Presidential Palace
(Rashtrapati Bhawan) and the central offices for the Indian
Government.
Lutyens classical European composition forms the focus
of the central vista in New Delhi. He had maintained that
the design was meant to demonstrate the superiority of
western art, science and culture in India. A response to the
urban context of the circular Parliament building as well as
the intellectual challenge posed by Lutyens was important.
The solution was to design a Library complex which
resonates with its surroundings, evokes the traditional spirit
of enlightenment but is based on modern technology and
values of democratic India.
View of Rajpath
Datia Palace
25
26
27
28
Libertarianism of the American Revolution (left; Image courtesy: Architect of the Capitol) & the English Industrial Revolution (right)
Leading the way in the new global economy were NorthAtlantic and primarily American corporations. These were
the inheritors of the unique combination of rationalist and
scientific philosophies - called The Enlightenment - in
eighteenth-century Europe, the Industrial Revolution and
free-market system in Britain, and the libertarianism of the
American Revolution. These collectively came to be called
simply modernity. At first this led to the domination
and colonisation of much of the non-industrialised world,
29
Symbols of Globalisation
All are also agreed that the flip side of commercial and
political globalisation is a growth in localisation.
Now that the successful economies of states comes to
depend on attracting free-floating global commerce and
now that interstate warfare is becoming a thing of the
past, as the sociologist Daniel Bell famously put it in the
1980s, the nation-state has become too small to solve
global problems and too large to deal with local ones. But
nation-states and national identity are largely nineteenthand twentieth-century inventions that themselves attempted
to homogenise varied communities within their borders. In
diminishing the role of the nation-state, globalisation has
The prestige of this system extends to the built environmentthe subject of this book.
In the early twentieth century in Europe and then in the
United States an architectural style emerged that drew
its inspiration from the principles of the Enlightenment.
This style, modernism, made an aesthetic out of the
symbolic representation of rationality, innovation and
anti-traditionalism. It almost completely took over the
architectural and planning professions just after the
founding events of globalisation. Modernism has joined
with other global brands to represent the success of the
global free market. Much as the North-Atlantic economic
system came to dominate global markets, North-Atlantic
modernism has come to dominate global architecture with
the same homogenising effects.
This economic system is for many the sum total of
globalisation not least anti-globalisation demonstrators.
But as Habermass list reveals, there is much more to it than
this.
Opinion is divided as to whether the new globalised world
is the logical extension of the Enlightenment or modernity
or whether we are, in fact, entering a new, quite different
30
Homogenised Architecture
31
References:
1. Sad, E. (1994), Orientalism, Vintage.
2. Giddens, A. (2002) (2nd edn), Runaway World: How
globalisation is reshaping our lives, Profile Books.
3. Albrow, M. (1996), The Global Age, Polity Press.
4. Niezen, Ronald (2004), A World Beyond Difference,
Blackwell.
5. Giddens, A. (1991), The Consequences of Modernity,
Polity Press.
6. Habermas, J. (2006), The Divided West, Polity Press.
7. Holbach, Baron dPaul Henri Thiry (first published
1772), Good Sense.
8. Munsterberg, H. (1904), The Americans, McCLure
Phillips.
9. Norberg-Hodge, H. (1999), The March of the
Monoculture, The Ecologist, Vol 29, No 2, May/June.
10. Scholte, Jan Aart (2005), Globalisation: a critical
introduction, Palgrave Macmillan.
11. Chartrand, L., A New Solidarity among Native Peoples,
World Press Review.
12. Ostler, N. (2005), Empires of the Word, Harper
Collins.
13. Beck, Ulrich; Giddens, Anthony; Lash, Scott (1994),
Reflexive Modernization: Politics, Tradition and Aesthetics
in the Modern Social Order, Polity Press.
14. Bhabha, H.K. (1994), The Location of Culture,
Routledge.
15. Bhagwati, J. (2004), In Defense of Globalization,
Oxford University Press.
32
35
37
the well the notional centre and the focus which connects
vertically up to sky and down to water well.
This journey is enriched by the spatial variations emerging
through sense of enclosure and intensity of light. The
total descent at Adalaj is of five floors. At the first level it
begins with ground and sky as the basic references while as
one descends further, the walls begin to surface changing
the perception of the degree of enclosure. While the first
few levels still have reference to sky through skywardly
aperture, while the subsequent lower levels become more
enclosed with only walls remaining in the cone of vision.
The perception of enclosure is further reinforced by
the decreasing intensity of light. The brightness of light
subdues as one progresses further deeper into space,
making the space progressively vertical, cosier and confined.
The timelessness is attributed to its freshness offered by
the variations of visual frames as well as the integration
of light/nature where the sun is the constant variable as
it changes position and intensity from morning to evening
and from summer to winter. This makes the static object
change with changing outdoor conditions through sun.
This article has been extracted by the author of the book titled Concept of
Space in Traditional Indian Architecture published in 2005 by Mapin
Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad.. Graphics: Vastu Shilpa Foundation
38
Sense Of Identity,
Continuity And Context
Pranali Parikh
Urban Designer, Birmingham, UK
INTRODUCTION
Mass migration and globalisation have created new cultural
geographies in world cities. This paper examines new
cityscapes created by Indian people both in India and in
Great Britain. It builds up on the premise that the built
environment of any place is a result of its communitys
sense of identity. People create places to reflect their
aspirations and associations. Identity creation is a common
feature of human expression. It is a living and constantly
evolving process. Though common characteristics and ideas
are clear markers of a shared identity, essentially identity
is determined by differences from others. The common
tendency is either to get away from the identity of one
group or to imitate the identity of another.
Post freedom India has experienced mass migration of
communities between internal regions as well as to abroad.
These migrating communities carry with themselves their
associations of home, familiarity and comfort. Migration
from villages to cities, from old cities to suburbia is as
significant as migration from one state to another state or
to another country. Increasingly, contemporary Indian cities
are moving away from anything that is vaguely traditional
in the blind dash towards their own interpretation of the
western world. But the opposite phenomena is observed
when new generation of Indians move to the US or the
UK. It is noticed that Indian settlers transfer their own
particular conceptualisations of space, built forms and
functional requirements to the new context, modifying the
local urban forms to their own designs.
This essay identifies the differences in the two apparently
opposite scenario- one of a contemporary urban city
in India, devoid of any local context; and the other of a
contemporary multicultural city in Britain where cultural
expression of ethnic Indian community are found to be
in denial of local character. The only thing these opposite
situations have in common is the urge of a group of
people to seek their own identity. Though contradictory
in their approaches, both scenarios produce a spatial
expression that well reflects their aspirations and roots.
Studying these differences leads us to an understanding
of the root of the process that may help us to find a
solution for the appropriateness of cultural expression.
The question of identity is really something you can
rhapsodise over and turn inside out, but I think we should
look at it with a different perspective- this essay tries to
answer three questions:
What is identity?
How it is continued beyond time and boundaries?
How does it change with context? Or does it not?
CITY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY
During the last few decades, many bodies of scholarly
knowledge have developed to account for two fundamental
forces shaping contemporary human society: urbanization
and nationalism. Both these are global phenomena and no
39
The Neasden Temple showing painstakinly executed carving details imitating the temple style of medieval Gujarat
(Above & Below) Images of the Gurudwara on the Smethwick High Street
display the attitude to respect the surrounding architecture
41
Architecture of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewa Jatha ignoring the local context
Guru Ravidas Bhavan creates a landmark on the Soho road due to its scale and form
42
ANALYSIS
All these four examples are representative of religious
architecture created by Non-Resident Indians (NRI)
in Britain. Religious buildings are more expressive of
the identity of a people than any other buildings. Most
religious buildings belonging to ethnic Indian communities
are conversions from derelict or under-used churches,
warehouses or residential buildings. Combining more than
two blocks together to create a large scale structure is
found to be common in such developments. Nasser (2003)
noted that the conscious act of remodelling elevations with
ornamental features and decorative motifs has been a major
development in the metamorphosis of the British urban
landscape as a means of redefining the presence of the other.
Jharokha, deorhi, carved niches, arches, chhatri and kalasha
are some of the elements of a classical Hindu temple or a
Sikh gurdwara that are repeated in various combinations to
create an assemblage that gives an association with a stone
temple somewhere back home. The elaborate structures
lack traditional English subtlety of expression; on the
contrary, they employ a stylistic vocabulary inspired by the
Indian subcontinent and they over-communicate Sikh or
Hindu identity in the area.
All these examples show an effort to create a distinct
identity for the community. The imposing architecture is
trying to replicate the architecture in the home country
of the migrant community. Magnificent structures though
they are in themselves, how contextual their forms are is
the question I want to raise. Onion domes, white marble
or carved shikhara symbolise everything the community
has left behind. This tendency to cling to clich forms via
superficial imitations is quite common in other migrant
New shopping mall outside the medieval city walls of Ahmedabad and their aspirational western architecture
One of the 12 gates in the medieval city wall surroundingthe old city of Ahmedabad (left) and the traditional Pol architecture inside (right)
New Ways of Looking at Heritage: Processes
43
Shops on the Asian streets of Birmingham Shops on the Asian streets of Birmingham
44
The mural on the wall opposite the Gurdwara on the Smethwick High Street sums up the ideal streetscape of a multi-cultural city in todays Britain.
CONCLUSION
Design is a culturally responsive and a participatory process.
Historically, cultural practices are inherited as traditions that
are reinforced through institutions such as the family, places
of worship, work environments, housing, neighbourhoods
and even cities. These practices are also socially mediated
and negotiated through interpersonal relationships between
individuals and groups. The identity of a community
crosses borders with its members, gets modified according
to the new context and in the process, over time loses its
relevance.
I believe that strong cultural expression leads to the creation
of ghettos, making other communities apprehensive about
a community. Striking a balance between cultural expression
and traditional local character is the key to achieving a
comprehensive, all-encompassing solution. Every culture is
continually forced to determine its position toward outside
influences in order to preserve or redefine its own identity.
The threatening intrusion of a foreign culture is often
characterized as an invasion. This colonization is a threat
to the host society. When this sense of threat is born out
of a frustrated feeling of superiority, it generally leads to
partiality and reactions of hatred. My view is that, this is
exactly what is happening in most western cities which have
significant migrant communities. Hardy (2003) wrote that
the worlds cultural heritage belongs to all of us. Things
that appear alien can become part of you if you make the
45
References:
1. Fishman, Joshua A. (1973), Language and Nationalism:
Two Integrative Essays, Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Gellner, Ernest (1983), Nations and Nationalism, Oxford:
Basil Blackwell.
2. Sinha-Jordan, Sumita, Can Diversity make a Difference?,
GBER Vol. 2, No. 1, p. 15-18
3. Hardy, Adam (2003), Multi-culturalArchitecture, gber
(Global Built Environment Review) Volume 2 Issue 3
4. Mehta, Raj; Belk, Russell W. (1991), Artifacts, identity,
and transition: Favorite possessions of Indians and Indian
immigrants to the United States, Journal of Consumer
Research, 1991 Mar, v17 (n4), p. 398-411
5. Miller, Barbara D. (1995), Precepts and practices:
Researching identity formation among Indian Hindu
adolescents in the United States, In Cultural practices
as contexts for development. New directions for child
development, No. 67.; Jacqueline J. Goodnow, et al., eds..
Jossey-Bass Inc, Publishers, San Francisco, CA, p. 71-85.
6. Nair, Savita (Fall 1995), Masala in the Melting
Pot: History, Identity and the Indian Diaspora
SAGAR: South Asia Graduate Research Journal, v2:2
7. Nasser Noha (2003), South Asian Ethnoscapes: the
Changing Cultural Landscapes of British Cities, gber
(Global Built Environment Review), Volume 2, Issue 3
8. Puar, Jasbir K. (1995), Re-situating Discourses of
Whiteness and Asianness in Northern England: Second
Generation Sikh Women and Constructions of Identity,
Socialist Review; 24, 1-2, p. 21-53
9. Yiftachel Oren, Haim Yacobu (2001). Urban Ethnocracy:
Ethnicization and the production of space in an Israeli
mixed city, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space
21(6), p. 673693
46
Websites:
1. http://www.gngsmethwick.com/
2. http://www.mandir.org/
3. http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php?title=Guru_
Nanak_NSJ%2C_Soho_Road%2C_Birmingham
Yaaminey Mubayi
The Nabha Foundation, New Delhi
Gurmeet S. Rai
Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative, New Delhi
ii
47
DEVELOPMENT:
HERITAGE
MANAGEMENT
iii
49
Patiala, Jind and Nabha. Nabha was founded by the greatgrandson of Phul, Hamir Singh, in 1755.
50
51
The two parts of the DPR are, first, the Historic Building
Precinct, i.e. the fort and second, the Zoning and Urban
Development Pilot Projects. The document subsumes the
following methodologies:
1. Architectural documentation of the complex
2. Condition mapping
3. Building materials and techniques survey
4. Historical research
5. Assessment of the significance of the historic
precinct.
6. Structural condition assessment
7. Study of the morphology.
While Part I looked at the precinct of the Quila, the Part II
looked at the designation and development of the guidelines
for the institutional zoning. Most of the educational
institutions of Nabha, and there are quite a few, are all in
the areas surrounding the fort, so it was recommended that
the whole area could be turned into an institutional zone
and guidelines developed for this zone.
The other crucial point was the protection of the natural and
manmade cultural resources of the town and environment
friendly waste and water management. The projects and
programmes of the Nabha Foundation in the areas of
health, livelihood, environment etc. draw from this initial
vision. In brief, the dynamic of development in Nabha
has begun through multiple sectors, and the Quila could
become a spatial focus for the multiple initiatives, as well
a benchmark for best practices in developing a process to
mainstream heritage.
The project team is multi disciplinary comprising
conservation architects, architects, structural engineers,
material scientists, art conservators, urban designers and
planners, landscape and environment planners, social
scientists and historians.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN NABHA
The Foundations initiatives in health, education and
livelihood have already had a substantial impact over the
past two years. In the area of heritage, other sites for
53
54
Fig 3: Drawings of primitive house forms and symbols across culture. (Source: Egenter; 1994)
Acculturation
and
Cultural
55
Tables 1: Measure of Factors influencing development of building types in South West Nigeria
Factors
Education
Strong %
Average %
Weak %
Total
84
12
4
100
Capital
City
72
24
4
100
Commercial
Activities
68
24
8
100
Agarian
Industry
32
52
16
100
28
16
56
100
Admin. &
Banking
64
28
8
100
Organised
Society
20
60
20
100
Fig. 4 & 5 : Tracing the path of Cultural metamorphosis and building tradition in Africa. (Source: Akuffo; 2006)
56
57
58
References:
1. Adeyemi, E.A. (1994), Alternatives Theories of House
Forms. Unpublished notes in Dept. Of Architecture,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
2. Addo, J.O. (2006), How vernacular and environment shape
an inno - native contemporary response in architecture.
Cd-rom : Proceeding of the Africa Union of Architects XXXIst
Council Meeting and West African Regional Congress, GIMPA,
Accra, Ghana
3. Akinbanjo, O & Olanrewaju, D. (2002 ), Environmental
Health and Target Audience : A Pragmatic Panacea
Alleviation in Nigeria cities in African Journal of Environmental
Studies volume 3 N0 1 & 3, p. 82-91.
4. Akintoye, S. A. (1971), Revolution and Power Politics in
Yorubaland 1840-1893, London: Longman,
5. Akuffo, S.(2006), Saving African Metropolises: Case
Study of Accra: Growing By Chance Or By Design?.
Cd-rom : Proceeding of the Africa Union of Architects XXXIst
Council Meeting and West African Regional Congress, GIMPA,
Accra, Ghana
6. Ashun, A.T. (2004), Elmina, the Castle and the Slave
trade. Accra: Nyakod Printing.
7. Bodley J. (1994), An Anthropological perspective. From
Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, States and the Global Systems
8. Conrad, P. (2005), Window in Humanity, New York;
McGraw Hill.
9. Denyer, S. (1978), African Traditional Architecture. New
York: Heinemann, p. 160-166.
10. Egenter, N. (1994), Semantic and Symbolic Architecture.
Structural Mundi: Lausanne., p. 6-12.
11. Gilbert, A & Gulger, J. ( 1994 ), Cities, Poverty and
Development: Urbanization on the Third World; Oxford
University Press, Oxford, p. 17-20.
12. Haralambos, M. Holborn, M. Heald, R.(1991)
Sociology Themes and Perspectives. Third Edition, Collins
Educational, London. (Lewis 1982).
13. Martin, A. and OMeara, E. (1995), Africa Indiana:
Indiana University Press.
14. Rapoport, A. (1969), House form and Culture.
Eaglewood Cliff, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
15. Odeyale T.O (2005), Culture and human development
city dynamics and historical development in Akure. A
paper presented at International Conference on Human
Development held at Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
16. Okoko, E.E. (1999), Ife Social Sciences Review; Journal
of the Faculty of Social Sciences Obafemi Awolowo
Univeristy, vol 16, No. 1, p. 113-119.
17. Olotuah A. O (1997), The House in Nigeria: The
Phenomenon of Change from the Traditional to the
Contemporary. In The House in Nigeria, Conference Proceedings
Bayo Amole (Ed) O.A.U Ile-Ife, July 23-24, p. 36-39
59
and the hills on the east, which contained the sacred spot
of Galtaji. Beyond the depression formed by a low-lying
marshy land on the northeast, there was a slight rise of the
terrain and a ridge running from west to east inclined at
15 degrees towards North, which now exists as the main
road from Chandpol to Surajpol. On the western edge lay
the hills of Nahar Garh while the southern end was again
marked by a low hillock called Shankar Garh, which is
situated beyond the existing road.
Evolution of the Plan - The town planning principles
of Jaipur were not much different from its predecessor
cities in the region. It is its location on a plain that lead
to a practical adoption of the grid-iron pattern with wide
tree lined avenues at Jaipur- a revolutionary pattern in the
light of the earlier Rajput hill towns like Amber. The basic
plan of Jaipur was derived, by marking the loci using the
surrounding topography of the site as explained below:
a) The first step was to demarcate the centre near the
water body of Talkatora in alignment with the sacred
topography of Ganesh Garh (a temple also built by Jai
Singh) on the hills in the north. The centre or nucleus of
the city had already been established at the Jai Niwas with
the installation of the idol of Govinda Deva in 1715 AD
(Nath, R; 1996). The act of installing the Kachchwaha
deity consecrated the centre and a site was then identified
for the Chandra Mahal where Jai Singh would reside as
Lord Govind Devas minister and rule the city on his
behalf.
b) The next step was identifying the main axes of the
city. The sacred Galtaji, an important pilgrimage centre
since the 16th century located on the eastern hillock, was
another locus to be incorporated in the east-west axis.
Incidentally, this axis was aligned with the natural ridge
running at a slight angle of 15 degrees to the northeast.
Stretching in line with the foot of Nahargarh hill on the
west for about 4 km till the sand dunes on the foothill
of Galtaji, this ridge marked the main east-west axis with
Suraj Pol at the eastern end and Chand Pol at the western
end.
c) This was followed by the marking of the north-south
axis in alignment with the highest point in the north
being the Jaigarh fort (with the ancient Rama Harihar and
Kala Bhairav temples in the complex acting as religious
markers) and that in the south being the hillock of
Shankar Garh (marked by an ancient Shiva temple, which
is worshipped by the royal family till today on the day of
Mahashivratri).
The crossing of the two cardinal axes defined the main
public square of the city called the Badi Chaupar or Manak
Chowk. Since Jai Niwas, consecrated by the idol of Govind
Deva, was not just a feature to be accommodated in the
Jaipur plan but the centre for the generation of the city
plan, a road parallel to the north-south axis and situated at
an equal distance from Jai Niwas was located on the west.
This created the second town square i.e. Choti Chaupar or
Amber Chowk and effectively placed the Palace Complex
in the centre of the city. Another parallel road on the
eastern side was marked at an equal distance creating the
(i) See Roy, A K (1978) History of the Jaipur City, New Delhi.
Manohar Publications; Davar, Satish (1977) A Filigree City Spun
Out of Nothingness, Marg 30, No.4; Tillotson, G. H. R. (1999), The
Rajput Palaces, New Delhi Oxford University Press; Sachdev, Vibhuti
and Tillotson, Giles (2002), Building Jaipur: Making of an Indian City,
[1]
Marking the genius loci of the city on the terrain
[3]
Marking the north-south axis and Badi Chaupar
[2]
Marking the east-west axis on the natural ridge
[4]
Marking Govind Dev and Palace as the centre and
sub divisions on the east-west axis
61
Fig. 2: The Govind Dev temple still acts as the religious nucleus of the city
62
63
less than the whole value. Taken in its entirety, the phrase
means that for the construction of the house, one should
entirely use dimensions that are a quarter more than a
whole number. Another traditional local mason, Lalit from
Govindgarh gave thumb rule formula for the courtyard:
teen-terah, aath-atharah (literally, 3-13 and 8-18), indicating
that the size of the court can vary from a width of 3 gaz-13
gaz and length of 8 gaz 18 gaz depending on the size of the
plot while a third mason gave actual sawaya dimensions of
courtyard for specific plot sizes.
The planning of Jaipur by Sawai Jai Singh was further
developed and monitored by his renowned counsellor
Vidyadhar. It included innovative concepts in traditional
planning guidelines along with an appropriate adaptation
of the terrain itself. This unique city plan has positioned
Jaipur as a must see city for domestic and foreign visitors
right from the 18th century onwards.
19TH CENTURY TRANSFORMATIONS WITHIN
AND BEYOND THE WALLED CITY
Influences of the British and a modern outlook of Sawai Ram
Singh II contributed to significant urban transformations
in the city in 19th century. The city extended beyond the
old city walls, adapted newer modes of transport such as
the railways with a railway station located on the western
outskirts, started using gaslights on the streets and adopted
modernised drainage and piped water supply system. There
were interesting additions in the urban fabric within the
walled city with new buildings constructed in the Indo
Saracenic vocabulary such as the Mubarak Mahal within
the Palace Complex, the Naya Mahal or Vidhan Sabha in
line with the earlier Hawa Mahal and the Rajasthan School
of Arts on the main commercial street. Most of the
construction works were carried out by the newly set up
PWD (Public Works Department). The extension outside
the walled city respected the earlier planning to an extent
and retained the principal southward axis of the Tripolia
Gate, the Palace and the central Govind Dev temple.
This axis extended into magnificent British period garden
immediately outside the walled city i.e. the Ramniwas
Bagh that was later enhanced with the visual focus of the
monumental Albert Hall Museum.
Jaipur Nama (Tillotson; 2006) provides interesting
perceptions of foreign visitors to Jaipur during this period.
A narration of the visit by Jaquemont in 1832 gives a clear
64
65
Year
Organisation Responsible
1971
1985
1995
1998
JDA
2001
2001
2001
Multi-storeyed parking
options within walled city
2002
2003
JVF
10
2004
Asia Urbs
Outcome
67
SHIKHARA TYPE
Shikhara Temple at
Chaupar
No permanent
additions in front
facade
Facade to be restored
in its form
HAVELI TYPE 1
Haveli Temples on main
streets-Type 1
Central and side chatris
to be retained and not
allowed to cover except
with jalis as approved
The symmetry of
openings to be retained
with no addtions
HAVELI TYPE 2
Haveli Temples on main
streets-Type 2
No permanent additions in front
facade
HAVELI TYPE 3
Haveli Temples on main
streets-Type 3
No permanent additions
in front facade
No signage or hoardings
except name of temple in
specified format will be
permitted on the facade
Facade to be restored in
its original form using
materials as specified in
the conservation toolkit
Facade to be restored in
its original form using
materials as specified
in the JHERICO
consevation toolkit
References:
1. Asher, Catherine (2000), Mapping Hindu Muslim
Identities through the Architecture of Shahjahanbad and
Jaipur in Gilmartin et al (eds.), Beyond Turk and Hindu:
Rethinking Religious Identitites in Islamitic South Asia,
University of Florida Press, Gainesville
2. Bahura, G. N. (1978) Ramvilaskavyam, City Palace
Museum, Jaipur
3. Bhatnagar, V. S., (2002), Life and Times of Sawai Jai
Singh, Jodhpur: Book Treasure, p.332
4. Gole, Susan (1989), Maps and Plans of India, Manohar
Publishers, Delhi
68
69
70
Richard Engelhardt:
71
72
Shrashtant Patara:
Richard Engelhardt:
Richard Engelhardt:
In a democratic and contemporary society, the government
functions as a patron through the tax structure and
reinvestment in the democratic structure, for e.,g. in the
making of schools, hospitals, concert halls and public parks,
etc. which were privately initiated in earlier times.
Pushpa Arabindoo:
There is a problematic interface between heritage and
development in talking about the issue of encroachments.
There is no way to say that we have to remove encroachments
to make monuments visible or accessible. So the question is
how you deal with encroachments with regards to heritage so
that they dont continue to be problematic to each other?
Richard Engelhardt:
This is reverting to the issue of good governance.
Takahiro Noguchi:
The urban culture has been contesting for space post
modernity. And the notion that culture is a resource for
development is really a big paradigm shift. It has not been
properly thought about, theorised or studied because the
ramifications are still quite new. And it is important for the
all the practitioners to explore the impact of this shift, its
meaning and possibly its pitfalls.
Nimish Patel:
Ashutosh has brought up a very significant point about
patronage. To me, every single one of us is a potential patron.
We need to look at the definition of resources differently.
Patronage of resources does not necessarily mean finances
and each one of us is in a position to support a cause, whether
big or small. Therefore the exchange of money is not the
main point. Patronage has a very large definition and it is the
one tool that we have missed out on. And if such patronage
73
77
A citys heritage is also about its streets (above & right) and the interface
between nature and the culture of its residents (below)
Threats- Migration, poverty, ever increasing pressure on the city infrastructure, poor urban development, lack of maintenance & management, real estate
pressure, environmental degradation
79
Hampi
80
Interpretation
Community awareness
Protection
Capacity-building
Sustainability issues
not have had a big traditional role in India in the past, this is
going to become important because life styles and the way
of community exchange are changing.
One also needs to take into account the risk factor, bearing
in mind the environmental context. This is where the
81
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Vaastu as it is being called today was known as the Vaastu
Shilpa Shastra until a few decades ago. The principles of
this Shastra (scientific treatise) are contained in written texts
known for their in-depth analysis of all aspects of building
and sculpture. Originally there were 32 texts out of which
sixteen Sanskrit texts have come down to us, and a host of
local texts in different languages. Some of the texts offer
more information on iconography and iconometry, some
also offer information on simple rituals in community life.
Traditional towns and cities have been described in great
detail in the Puranas/mythology and Itihasa/history. The
orderly way in which settlements are designed as well as
the aesthetic sensibility employed in the design have been
eulogized by many historians down the ages which include
Marco Polo, Huen Tsang, Domingo Paes and Fernao
Nuniz. The discipline in the design as well as the dominant
aesthetic metaphor employed in the design has been very
distinct to the Indian sub-continent with multiple styles
differing from region to region. Underlying the differences
there are some unifying principles that have been fostered
by traditional communities for centuries and today, it is
the job of designers like us to put them together in an
appropriate manner for changing times.
The earth nurtures all plant forms and other flora. The
tradition considers the Earth/Bhoomi a primary mother
goddess while the life energy contained in it is considered
a male principle. And since the built space grows out of
the earth organically, exploding into form, it is seen as a
manifestation of the energy of the female principle. The
land/Bhoomi possesses vibrant stillness, which is anchored
in the soil, which is energy of the male principle. Though
the Earth is considered a primary mother goddess, in
the Indian tradition the male and female are inextricably
linked. The movement from stillness to bliss is the secret
of creation. The still centre within the earth is male/Shivam
and the energy that is the energy of creation of manifested
reality is Shakti/female.
PHILOSOPHIES IN VAASTU
Vastu, Vaastu and Prasada Vaastu
The Earth is a primary substance or vastu. The life force
contained within the earth is called Vastu by the tradition.
All objects that occupy the earth and contain this life energy,
in turn is also called Vastu by the tradition. All life forms
such as plants and trees, buildings and sculptures are all
considered alive and part of the whole living subsystem.
Jivatman, Paramatman
Centering Brahmasthana
Experience of centre or centering is spoken about in
the field of dance and music as well as in yoga. Creative
expression/action is brought from the centre or nabhi.
In yoga the centering of the body consciousness is an
important process towards which movement and meditation
are directed.
In the science of Vaastu, the centre of the plot is referred
to as Brahmasthana. In the building it is important to create a
centre, which grows into the total form. For any meaningful
action to emerge, the weight and energy of the form has to
be anchored in the centre.
Siddha
Land, water body, forest, tree, stone and other forms that
are naturally sacred or holy are said to be Siddha. Land,
New Ways of Looking at Heritage: Contextual Framework
83
water body, forest, tree, stone and other forms, which are
not auspicious, or endowed with beneficial qualities are,
said to be Asiddha. Just as there is the holy and the sacred
there is that which is not holy and not sacred. How do we
deal with the negative?
AND
PADA
85
86
87
88
INTRODUCTION
Ancient Indian Architecture Philosophy:
Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (1877-1947), a pioneer
in the field of traditional philosophy of Indian art stated
in The fundamentals of Indian Art that the design of
buildings, towns etc. suggest and symbolize the Universe; the
site of a temple or town was laid out in relation to astrological
observations; every stone had its place in the cosmic
design, and the very faults of execution represented the
imperfections and shortcomings of the craftsman himself.
In his opinion this holistic approach to design resulted in
a wonderful, beautiful and dignified architecture, and such
conceptions were reflected in the dignity and serenity of
life itself. Under such conditions, the craftsman was not an
individual expressing individual whims, but a part of the
Universe giving expression to the ideals of its own eternal
beauty and unchanging law.1
Therefore, for any architecture to be perfect, it had to satisfy
parameters such as astrological observations, principles of
eternal beauty, laws of nature etc., as defined in the texts of
that age. This could have been done only with detailed project
planning and execution. The existence of ancient monuments
can be taken as an indication of presence of multidisciplinary
and multilateral knowledge2 base of design and managerial
skills. The architect (sthapati) was the central figure in the
entire scenario and with his team of assistants the work
was executed. For any architectural project, perfection in all
aspects was the most sought after goal.
Documenting and Understanding Ancient Indian
Architecture
One of the early pioneers of Indology, and the founder
of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal was Sir William
Jones (1746-94).3 Archaeological and historical pursuits in
India started with his efforts, who put together a group of
antiquarians to form the Asiatick Society on 15th January
1784 in Calcutta (now Kolkata). The publication of a
periodical journal named, Asiatic Researches was started in
1788. In the Researches, surveys carried out by the society
were published to make the public aware of the antiquarian
wealth of India.4
In the same decade, William Hodges, the first of the British
professional landscape artists to visit India, spent over three
years in the country from 1780 to 1783 and painted amongst
other subjects, the architectural heritage.5 He published his
reflections on the countrys architecture partly in the notes
accompanying his series of aquatints, Select Views in India
(1785-88) and then more coherently in his Dissertation on
the Prototypes of Architecture: Hindu, Moorish and Gothic
of 1787. This material was repeated and amplified in his
volume of memoirs, Travels in India of 1793. In all his
works, Hodges clearly perceived that Indian architecture had
89
Circa
Work
1.
1780..
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
1780..
1810..
1840..
1890..
1905
1920
1910..
1930..
1930..
1940..
1960..
1960..
1970..
1980..
1990..
1990..
Persons
William Jones, and
Archaeological Survey of India
William Hodges
Ram Raz
James Fergusson
Bannister Fletcher
Ananda Coomaraswamy
Stella Kramrisch
E.B.Havell
Alice Boner
P K Acharya
Percy Brown
D N Shukla
Madhusudan A Dhaky
Kapila Vatsyayan
Bruno Dagens
Adam Hardy
Pierre Pichard
Table 2: Methodology
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
90
Studying a chapter; Reading the Sanskrit text and its English translation.
Tabulating the word to word meaning of the Sanskrit text and English translation.
In this process, adding notes wherever an alternative interpretation is possible, or some additional
translation is to be done.
Based on the understanding, cross referencing and library survey (ASI publications, books by
various authors), making first drafts of the sketches on a square grid sheet along-with comments.
The interpretation is of two types, one is sequential and the other is an integration that is a figure
made from information present in different places in the text.
Making final sketches on a square grid sheet along-with comments and cross-references.
Preparing CAD drawings and Three dimensional CAD models of each sketch.
Presentation of data and findings in the form of sheets, models, tables, images, slides etc.,
depending on the purpose of the presentation.
Steps 1 to 3:
In Mayamatam the chapter 13 is titled The
Socle (Upapitha). The Socle is a building part
which is placed beneath the base (adhishthana)
which acts as a supplementary base and makes
the building more high. The verses 6 to 8
describe a socle named vedibhadra type 1. After
studying and understanding the text, the word
to word translation is tabulated. The tabulation
alongwith comments are shown in Table 3. In
chapter 15 Dimensions of Pillars and Choice
of Materials, in verse 29, the translation of one
New Ways of Looking at Heritage: Contextual Framework
91
Elevation
Fig. 2: CAD drawing showing section and elevation of vedibhadra socle
Section
As per v 19.1
is Adbhuta mode that is 1:2 as per v 19.2
ht pillar as per v 14.15b,47
2 ht base as per v 15.4
ht pillar as per v 16.48
2 or 3 X attic height as per v 18.2
2 or 1 X its stereobate height (vedika) as per v 18.2, or 2 X vedika height as per v
19.19b
2 X freize (prati) of entablature height, 1 X prati height as per v 16.51
1 module, or , module as per v 16.29b
Note: for all building parts and proportion mentioned above, only one dimension is chosen of the many dimensions prescribed in the above referred verses. The
computer generated stage wise models of the temple Kesara are shown in Fig. 4 to 12.
92
93
Name
Chhanda
Vikalpa
Abhasa
Jati
W: L
W: (W+1 unit)
W: (W+2 unit)
W: (W+3 unit)
W: (W+4 unit)
Name
Chhanda
Vikalpa
Abhasa
Jati
W: L
W: (W+1 unit)
W: (W+2 unit)
W: (W+3 unit)
W: (W+4 unit)
Name
Jati
Chhanda
Vikalpa
Abhasa
W: L
W: (W+2 unit)
W: (W+4 unit)
W: (W+6 unit)
W: (W+8 unit)
Elevation Proportions
Similarly the elevation was designed with certain Width to
Height ratios. The names of these for temples and houses
are given in Table 7 and Fig. 15.
Elevation Sub-Divisions
The elevation was sub-divided into the Socle (up-peetha)
(optional), Base (peetha), Pillars (stambha), Entablature
(prastara), Attic (greeva), Roof (shikhara), and Finial (sthhupi).
The heights of these levels were in proportion to each
other. For example for a two storey temple, the total height
is divided into 28 parts comprising of a Base of 3 parts,
first storey of 6 parts, Entablature of first storey of 3 parts,
second storey of 5 parts, Entablature of second storey
of 2 parts, Stereobate of attic of 1 part, Attic of 2 parts,
Shikhara of 4 parts and Finial of 1 parts. Fig. 16 shows
these subdivisions for a two storey temple in Sarvakarmika
mode.
SHANTIKA
PAUSHTIKA
JAYADA
94
ADBHUTA
SARVAKARMIKA
Name
Shantika
Paushtika
Jayada
Dhanada
Adbhuta
W: H
1: 1
1: 1
1: 1
1: 1
1: 2
Name
Shantika
Paushtika
Jayada
Adbhuta
Sarvakarmika
W: H
7: 10
6: 9
5: 8
4: 7
3: 6
Fig. 17: Ratios of Pillar Height, bottom diameter and top diameter
Name
Shantika
Paushtika
Jayada
Adbhuta
W: H
7: 10
1: 1
1: 1
1: 2
*The height is defined in two ways: including sthupi and excluding sthupi
(v.11.20)
Numbers
Apart from the proportions, the numbers of various
building elements was also considered important in the
design of buildings. For humans, odd numbers were
prescribed whereas for Gods the numbers could be both
even and odd. The texts prescribe a number of dimensions,
proportions etc. For example, the number of foreparts or
porches (bhadra) in a pavilion could be from one to four
(Refer Fig. 18).
CONCLUSION
Fig. 18: Numbers of foreparts in a pavilion
Building elements
The building elements like pillars could be designed with
a number of interdependent dimensions and proportions.
The bottom diameter of a pillar could be 1/10 to 1/8 of its
height; the top diameter equaled 11/12 to 5/6 of bottom
diameter (Refer Fig. 17). Thus, the proportional relation of
the pillar with other building components was maintained
and in this way the entire building was a set of inter-related
dimensions.
95
References:
1. Coomaraswamy, A. K. (1985), - Chapter 1, Aims of
Indian Art, p. 11, in Fundamentals of Indian Art-vol.1, The
Historical Research Documentation Programme, Jaipur.
2. Chhaya, H D (1998), - Vedic Spirit in Architecture,
Architecture + Design, p. 21-25
3. www.kamat.com/kalranga/people/pioneers/w-jones.
htm. (Retrieved August 24, 2004 )
4. http://asi.nic.in/index2.asp?sublinkid=28,
(Retrieved November 2, 2006 )
5. www.kamat.com/database/content/landscapes/
william_hodges.htm, ( retrieved November 2, 2006 )
6. www.newstodaynet.com/2005sud/05dec/ss8.htm,
(retrieved August 23, 2006 )
7. http://asi.nic.in/index2.asp?sublinkid=29, November 2,
2006
8. www.newstodaynet.com/2005sud/05dec/ss8.htm,
(Retrieved August 23, 2006)
9. http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/DLDecArts
GramOrnJones, (Retrieved August 23, 2006)
10. Acharya, P. K., (1934), Architecture of Manasara,
Illustrations of Architectural and Sculptural objects.
(Manasara series vol V), Oriental Books Reprint Corporation,
New Delhi.
11. Shukla, D. N., (1960), Vastu-Shastra Vol. 1, Hindu
Science of Architecture, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers
Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi 110055
12.Dagens, Bruno, (1994), Mayamatam, Vols. I & II, Indira
Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi & Motilal
Banarasidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.
13. www.cardiff.ac.uk/archi/school/staff/hardya.html,
(retrieved August 24, 2006 )
14. Hardy, Adam, (1995), Indian Temple Architecture:
Form and Transformation, , Indira Gandhi National Centre
for the Arts, New Delhi-110001 & Abhinav Publications,
New Delhi
15. Dagens, Bruno, (1994), Introduction, pg lxiiii, in
Mayamatam, Vols. I & II, Indira Gandhi National Centre
for the Arts, New Delhi & Motllal Banarasidass Publishers
Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.
16. ibid, - Introduction, p. ci
Acknowledgements:
The author is thankful to the following for their contributions
in this research work:
Prof. H. D. Chhaya, (Ex. HOD Department of
Architectural Conservation, School of Planning and
Architecture, New Delhi).
Akash Trust, Pondicherry
Rishabh Software, Vadodara
Ministry of Human Resource Development,
Government of India.
96
exquisite examples of a
sophisticated system on
the basis of which light and
air may be brought into the
inner reaches of an intense
development without, in
any way, compromising the
basic needs of privacy. The
richness of the resulting
spatial structure with
its fluid relationship of
spaces on different levels
is a direct expression of a
totally inward looking plan
Datia Palace, Madhya Pradesh
form.
A similar richness and variety of spatial organisation is
available in another single building complex the fort at
Amber near Jaipur. Here within the fort walls is a complex
system of spaces which include a temple, the public and
private spaces of audience for the Maharaja and the series
of courts defining the private quarters of residence. All of
these are organised around spacious courtyards providing
Amber
Fatehpur Sikri
97
Shajahanabad
98
by the pink colour that was mandatory for the facades of all
its buildings. The spatial variety and richness of the palace
complex is in itself a unique piece of urban design.
Rajasthani towns are essentially settlements in the desert and
reflect very clearly the characteristics of an oasis. The Thar
Desert, except in parts, is not quite the vast sand wastes
that one imagines deserts to be. Nevertheless vegetation is
sparse and the dry climate results in dust laden winds which
scourge the area. Water is scarce, and lakes and natural
reservoirs are few and far between. Towns in Rajasthan are
placed far apart in the desert. Concentration is fostered and
the towns form densely packed settlements turning their
back on the desert. The closely spaced buildings and the
network of narrow streets effectively shelter them from
the worst of the elements, the sun, and the hot dust laden
winds. An enclosed and sheltered environment in the desert
is as much a psychological need as a physical one a haven
of refuge from the vast desert wastes.
This need for concentration, for huddling within the walls
of the city was further accentuated by the requirements
of defence. The isolated outposts in the desert needed
to be guarded and protected. The fort and the city walls
dominated the skyline of Rajasthani towns. From miles
away the forts and the battlements appear on the horizon
as symbols of impregnable cities.
Jaipur
Jaisalmer
A significant aspect of
Rajasthani planning is
the sequence of spaces
that characterise their
towns. This, in addition
to the sense of urbanity,
is one of the most
important lessons that
can be learned from
New Ways of Looking at Heritage: Contextual Framework
99
Temple at Srirangam
100
Delhi
101
102
day to day life of the local people, thus generating the right
kind of urban, architectural and preservation mix. The urban
setting is a magnet which pulls many. What brings people to
cities? High living and working standards, better employment
opportunities, entertainment facilities, and most important of
all, a city with its own special identity. But cities today have
changed beyond recognition due to the ever increasing needs
of their population and infrastructure. The need to move
rapidly through the city brought in high speed motorways, the
need to have high quality shopping brought in experimental
concepts like malls, together with shopping zones on the
outskirts of the city. These and other components of
Globalization have left a large impact on new building
construction everywhere, where a hi-tech building aesthetic
presents a culture of sameness everywhere, and cities lose
their special identity and differentiation in the world.
Lost spaces, underused and deteriorating spaces, provide
exceptional opportunities to reshape an urban centre, so that
it attracts people again to the centre and counteracts sprawl
and sub-urbanisation. Designers of the physical environment
possess the unique training needed to address these critical
problems of our day, and can contribute significantly towards
restructuring the outdoor spaces of the urban core.
The meaning of transformation
Knowledge of building materials was handed down from
one generation to the next in the past. These materials were
utilized and their effects and quality were continually assessed
over these years. Materials having the largest possibility of
fulfilling all requirements of the building industry were
the successful candidates and their usage was refined over
time.
But two things changed in the last century:
1) Advances in the use of synthetic products with little
or no research about their after-effects on health and the
environment. As the market changed from being composed
of a small number of people, with money to build large,
monumental constructions, into a situation where more and
more people could build and also consume a varied set of
products related to the building industry, little thought was
given to the after-effects of these materials.
103
Rome and the Vatican- City spaces with a flavour of its own
105
References:
1) Duany, Plater-Zyberk & Co. (1999), The Lexicon of the
New Urbanism
2) Trancik, Roger (1986); Finding Lost Space Theories of
Urban Design; Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York
3) Koolhaas, Rem, Contemporary City
4) Urban Design Compendium (2000); English Partnerships
+ The Housing Corporation
5) Koolhaas, Rem (1995); Delirious New York: A Retroactive
Manifesto for Manhattan; The Monacelli Press, New York
6) Humpert, Klaus; Brenner, Klaus; Becker, Sibylle (eds.)
(2002); Fundamental Principles of Urban Growth; Mller
+ Busmann, Wuppertal
7) Duany, Andres; Plater-Zyberk, Elizabeth and Speck,
Jeff (1999); The Rise of Sprawl Suburban and the Decline
of Nation the American Dream; North Point Press, New
York
8) Krier, Leon; The Reconstruction of the European
City
Jahanpanah
Firozabad
Shajahanabad
New Delhi
( Source : www.greatestcities.com )
107
Babur
Humayun
Akbar
Jahangir
Shah Jahan
Aurangzeb Alamgir
Mohammed Ibrahin
Mughal Ascendence: The Red Fort (left) & Humayuns Tomb (right), ( Source : left- www.indianholiday.com; right- www.cs.utah.edu )
imposes not only its will, but also its values and worldview,
on subordinate groups or classes. The impossibility of
governing such a huge, poly-linguistic, culturally alien,
and religiously divided population against the will of the
majority meant that the British rule in India could only
succeed to the extent that Western ideals, technology,
economic systems, language, and cultural production held
allure for the Indian people. The British did not desire
(and, of course, could never have achieved) the neartotal extermination or expulsion of an entire indigenous
population, as occurred in Australia and North America,
but rather sought the political, economic, and cultural (read:
racial) subordination of the Indian people. The Indian
Administrative Service, the English medium school, cricket,
Kipling, the Indian Railway Service, and Victorias Jubilee
each did more to further English power in India during
the century preceding the establishment of New Delhi
than did the British armed forces. English colonial rule in
other places, from South Africa to Arabia, from the South
Pacific to the Caribbean, likewise flourished only when the
Empire successfully imposed its cultural hegemonythe
terms irony notwithstandingon subject peoples. Mere
political and military dominance allows for at most an
extractive economic relationship, as largely characterized
the situation of the Spanish Empires South American
colonies or Germanys African colonies. To govern, rather
than merely rule, the British Empire successfully reshaped
Indian culture and society, in no small measure through the
building of New Delhi.
The principal British objectives guiding the design for
New Delhia design that served as so much more than
New Delhi: The new colonial capital ( Image source: left- www.britannica.com; right- www.indiatravelnet.com )
108
Muslim versus Hindu, lighter-skinned Aryans versus darkerskinned Dravidians, higher caste versus lower castethe
British expanded their domination, whether directly or by
proxy, over nearly 500 million people with a markedly small
military presence, an administrative service completely
dependent on indigenous labor, and a somewhat larger
contingent of British merchants, professionals, dependents,
and those who had simply gone native. None of the
innumerable symbols of the subordination of the Indian
people to British colonial rule carries the same psychological
impact as does the towering domination of Lutyens New
Delhi over the sprawl of Indias greatest city.
Lerners Design
109
110
References:
1. Ganju, Ashish M.N. (1999), Lutyens Bungalow Zone,
Architecture + Design, Nov-Dec.
2. Irving, R.G. (1981), Indian Summer, Yale University
Press- London.
3. Lang, J., Desai, M. and Desai, M. (1997), Architecture and
Independence, the Search for Identity - India 1880-1980.
Oxford University Press- Delhi.
4. Mital, Ranjana. (1999), The Dilemma of Densification,
Architecture + Design, Nov-Dec
5. Niranjana, T., Sudhir P. and Dhareshwar, V. (1993),
Interrogating Modernity, Culture and Colonialism in India.
Seagul Books- Calcutta.
7. Taylor, B. B. (1992), Raj Rewal, Mapin- Ahmedabad
What is India?
Perhaps no nation is as impossible to characterize, to
summarize in a few stock phrases, as is India. Thus,
categorizing a particular architectural workor even an
entire urban schemeas Indian is certainly problematic;
the many streams that have washed across India are all part
of Indian soil. That soil, however, has tended to break
down and assimilate, over time, any foreign architectural
influences. The plan of Lutyens, somewhat understandably,
drew primarily upon Western styles and European tastes;
that Lerners design did so as well is less understandable.
Rewals Library does not clash with Lutyens design, but
is nevertheless far more evocative of more traditionally
New Ways of Looking at Heritage: Contextual Framework
111
Dismantling Cosmopolitanism:
Transformations In The Sacred
Heritage Of The Non-Monumental
In The Konkan
Smita Dalvi
Assistant Professor,
Pillais College of Architecture, New Bombay
Mustansir Dalvi
Professor,
Sir JJ College of Architecture, Mumbai
The main findings described in this paper are the result of
a project called
Navi Mumbai (Raigad) Heritage Projecti:
Identification, listing and grading of structures and precincts of
cultural, historical or architectural importance that merit heritage
conservation in Navi Mumbai notified area, which falls under district
Raigad.
This project was completed in April 2006 and submitted to
the MMRDAs (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority) Heritage Conservation Committee. The project
set down guidelines for preservation specific to the identified
structures in Panvel, Uran and surrounding villages in
Raigad district in the Konkan. It is from this region that
this paper derives its case studies in transformation of the
sacred heritage of the non-monumental architecture. In
addition several examples from other parts of the Konkan
shall be cited for comparison.
The Konkan
The Konkan includes Thane, Greater Bombay, Raigad, and
Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. Raigad forms the historic
region of western India, immediately south of Bombay. In
Raigad, Uran and Panvel are the main urban centers, and
Alibag is a district center. Raigad, on the Konkan, established
foreign trading ports with Greece as early as the 3rd century
BC. In the 17th century it became a Maratha stronghold.
With the advent of the Portuguese and British, the port
cities were further developed, yet now have lost their former
importance. In the 70s, New Bombay (Navi Mumbai) was
carved out of existing districts Raigad and Thane. Navi
Mumbai was developed as a complete self-contained new
township across the harbor from the Mumbai Metropolis.
Navi Mumbai
Although popular belief has it that the area was tabula rasa,
the reality is that the areas appropriated to form the new city
are historically significant to the development of Western
Maharashtra. The Towns of Panvel and Uran, within the
Navi Mumbai Notified Area in fact predate Mumbai in
historical vintage. There are several significant sites in the
region dating back from the early eighteenth century at the
peak of the Peshwahi period, and building activity flourished
through to the time of Indian Independence. These reflect
the constructive genius of the original inhabitants.
(i) The Navi Mumbai (Raigad) Heritage Project was funded by the
MMRDA, carried out by Smita Dalvi (Project Supervisor) and her team
from Pillais College of Architecture, Panvel.
112
The monumental Ballaleshwar Mandir, Panvel and the domestic Virupaksha Mandir, Panvel
A cosmopolitan self-similarity
The Jami Masjid, Owe; The Ramdas Maruti Mandir, Panvel and the Beth-El Synagogue, Panvel
New Ways of Looking at Heritage: Contextual Framework
113
114
The Umrigar Agiary, Uran and the Jain Derasar, Kapad Galli, Panvel
An unselfconscious syncretism
The cosmopolitanism seen in Kokani society over the last
three centuries is reflected in the lifestyle and mores of all
Konkanis, whether Brahmin, Koli, Bohra, Dakhani, Parsee,
Jain or Jew. In no one community is this displayed better
than in the Bene Israelis- the native Jews of the Konkan.
The Bene Israelis served variously with the Maratha
Angrias, the Siddhis of Janjira and the East India Company
(Israel, Date NA). Small pockets of these communities still
exist all over the Konkan, although many had migrated to
Israel upon its formation. In the 1971 census, there were
850 Bene Israelis counted in the Kulaba District. Today,
approximately 5,000 live in Bombay and the surrounding
towns and villages of Maharashtra (Schwartz, 2003).
In the erstwhile Kulaba (now Raigad) District the Bene
Israelis are completely integrated with their neighbors.
Even today they have surnames like Penkar, Divekar or
Ashthamkar (identified by place names), men have names
like Bapuji, Abaji and Tanaji, and women are called Sonabai,
Bayna or Ambai. They accepted the traditions and practices
of both the Muslims (specially in the sacred- masheed/masjid
for synagogue and Kazi for Rabbi) and of the Hindus
(weddings rituals include the sakharpuda etc).
In this day-to-day manner, the Bene Israelis practise an
unselfconscious syncretism, which is the hallmark of the
Konkan.
Between 1840 and 1896, the Bene Israelis established 12
synagogues all over the Konkan, from Bombay to Revdanda.
Few of these are extant and in use today. However, they
too display a domestic scale like other sacred spaces in the
Konkan. These synagogues are generic examples of the
non-monumental, community built, Konkan style, place of
worship, in timber construction reflecting the unique generic
pattern of building irrespective of religious affiliations.
Built in timber on brick or laterite masonry, these masheeds
are identifiable as Jewish only in the accoutrements of their
interiors with the Teba, the Hechal and the Tamid.
The Beth-El Synagogue was built in 1849 on Panvels main
street. It is well maintained and still in active use today with
several faithful visiting it from the region and even abroad.
Far less well looked after is the Jewish Burial Ground in
Panvel occupying a small plot with mainly neglected graves.
The presence of this burial ground is an indication of the
presence and the social significance of the members of
the Jewish community in Panvel in the 19th and the first
half of the 20th century. Many tombstones and cenotaphs
bear inscriptions in three languages, Hebrew, English and
Marathi simultaneously. A few older looking tombstones
however bear inscriptions only in Hebrew. The names
suggest that the Jewish people here had adopted Marathi
115
the
cosmopolitan-
Seeking
new
Mosque on M.G. Road, Panvel- Photo from 1993 (left) and today (right)
116
References:
1. Heschong, L. (1990), Thermal Delight in Architecture,
the MIT Press.
2. International Charter For The Conservation And
Restoration Of Monuments And Sites (ICOMOS) (1964)
3. Aalekar, Dr. B. (1970) Panvel Shaharatil Mandire.
Navakal(Marathi), Daily Edition, May 11.
4. Alexander, C., et al. (1977), A Pattern Language, Oxford
University Press, N. Y.
5. Centenary Souvenir of the Panvel Municipal Council
(1957)
6. Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Thana dist (1882).
Vol XIII, part I
7. Israel, B. (date NA), The Bene Israel of India, OUP.
8. Schwartz, B. (2003) Indias Bene Israel, Bnai Brith
Magazine, Summer Edition. From < http://bnaibrith.
org/pubs/bnaibrith/2003_sum__india.cfm?india=3 >
(Retrieved December 10, 2007)
9. Uran Municipal Council, Centenary Celebration Volume
(1987)
117
Fig. 1: The cultural patrimony handed down to the present generation presents
a tremendous resource for development particularly in rural areas where a
strategy of urbanization and industrialization is inappropriate.
118
Fig. 2: The Taj Mahal World Heritage site is one of the most popular
destinations in the country. The boom in cultural tourism has created
opportunities for growth as well as challenges for sustainable development.
Fig. 4: Traditional trades, such as exquisite Fig.5: The patterns of everyday life and community
masonry works, are still alive in India but at risk ritual events contribute to maintaining age-old patterns
due to the growing preference for modern building of social cohesion.
materials and techniques.
119
Fig. 10: One of the mandates for conservation work at Krishan Temple
(UNESCO Heritage Award of Distinction 2004) was facilitating community
stewardship. Here, villagers were trained in the traditional method of making
lime plaster for walls, floors and roofs, thus helping revive a nearly-lost
building technique.
Fig. 9: Instead of sandblasting, hand tools were used in the careful removal
of cement wash on the brick fabric and limestone decorative ornaments at
DBS House in Mumbai (UNESCO Heritage Award of Merit 2001).
Weathered decorative parts were filled with limestone putty and washed with
lime as a protective coating.
120
Fig. 12: The restoration of a former residence into the boutique Hotel de
lOrient (UNESCO Heritage Awards Outstanding Project, 2000) in
Pondicherry, undertaken with sensitivity to its fusion of Tamil and colonial
architecture, resulted in a viable and commercially successful cultural tourism
Fig. 14: The magnitude of the heritage in India requires the need for innovative
approaches to funding conservation works, including both public and private
involvement.
III
DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT TOOLS
To meet the growing demand for technical and managerial
expertise at the grass-roots level and because communities
share many of the same practical problems in conserving
local heritage, UNESCO has developed some common site
121
Fig.17: The Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai (UNESCO Heritage
Award of Excellence, 2005) has been restored to its historical splendor
through a pioneering public-private partnership between the municipality
of Mumbai, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(INTACH) and the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation.
Fig. 18: In South Asia, the SEAL programme has recognized outstanding
crafts products including ceramics, represented here by one of the awardees in
2006.
Fig. 19: The sub-continents intricate metal work has also garnered attention,
with this example of local craftsmanship winning SEAL recognition in
2006.
IV
CONCLUSION
The LEAP Project demonstrates that heritage preservation
is a development activity that can bring socio-economic
benefits to the entire community through a wide range
of employment and income-generating activities. The
project has likewise succeeded in catalyzing a grass-roots
movement for heritage preservation, mainly because the
project has demonstrated to a local audience that heritage
properties have economic values, and that the preservation
of their local culture and heritage can form the very basis
of sustainable development.
The project is stimulating a paradigm shift in heritage
conservation from an elite technical specialization
practised only by a handful of experts into a popular grassroots movement where individuals assume responsibility
for, and local communities take on the stewardship of the
heritage (Fig. 20).
Fig. 20: A new approach combining top down and bottom up conservation
strategies is essential for the long-term sustainability of the heritage.
123
(i) Worked out by the author from the data in Karachi Master Plan 2020
draft and the projection of the 1998 Population Census Reports of the
Government of Pakistan.
(ii) This is part of the Mission Statement of the Karachi Master Plan 2020
draft.
Sustainable Places and Communities
127
128
129
130
Before
After
Before
After
OPP-RTI invites them for orientation to the OPP-RTI office in Karachi or directs them to one of its partners
They create a team of a social organiser and a technical person who are trained at the OPP-RTI and/or on-site
in their settlements through visits by the OPP-RTI staff
The training is in surveying, mapping, estimating, construction supervision, documentation and accounts
Training does not have a specific period. It continues throughout the life of the project
OPP-RTI arranges financial support for the team and related expenses through WaterAid or through its own
funds. Initially, this support is about Rs 200,000 (US$ 3,500) per year
Invariably the CBO-NGO comes into contact with local government departments as its work expands
When that happens local government representatives are invited to the OPP-RTI for orientation
Neighbourhood settlements contact the CBO-NGO for replicating the programme when they see conditions
change in their neighbouring settlements
131
Teachers training
132
References:
1. Hasan, Arif (2001), Working with Communities, City
Press, Karachi
2. ADB-793 PAK (1996), Evaluation of KUDP and
Peshawar Projects
3. URC website www.urckarachi.org.
4. Karachi Waterfront website http://www. youtube.com/
watch?v=gzWRhoew2vE.
5. Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum website www.pf.org.pk.
6. Government of Sindh (2005), Report on the Task Force
on Municipal Services, February
7. OPP (2006), 108th Quarterly Report; December.
9. Rahman, Perween (2004), Katchi Abadis of Karachi: A
Survey of 334 Katchi Abadis; OPP-RTI.
10. Zaidi, Akbar (2001), From the Lane to the City: The
Impact of the Orangi Pilot Projects Low Cost Sanitation
Model, WaterAid, UK
11. Alimuddin, Salim et al (1999), The Work of the Anjuman
Samaji Behbood and the Larger Faisalabad context; IIED,
UK
15. Ahmed, Mushtaq (1998), From Architecture to
Development and Beyond, ArchiTimes
133
134
Incremental Building
135
Table 1
With every $ 1000 within 10 years Families served Sri Lanka (statistics from 1997 to 2005)
Prior to Save and Build
32
962
4000
962,000
800,000
Table 2
Habitat Nepal, within the first year of operation, was able to reach 630 families through this model as
against 870 in eight years under the conventional method.
1997 -2005
2005-2006
# of families served
870
630
1,740,000
198,702 (38%)
136
Bamboo house in Nepal with concrete pillars and plastered with cement
Training architects to treat old bamboo (left) and new bamboo (right)
137
138
Materials
Quantity
Foundation
Rubble
1 cubes
Sand
cube
Cement
2 bags
Masonry
2 days
Walls
Doorframe
01
Window frames
02 numbers
Bricks/
2000/
Cement Blocks ( 16x4x8)
650
6mm steel bars
03 numbers
metal
11 cubic ft
Masonry
6 days
Shuttering planks
70 feet
Binding wires
250 gr.
Wire nails
250gr.
sand
1 cube
cement
8 bags
Roof
24 coconut Timber (main Beams)
5x12
Asbestos Sheet
12x8 sheets
Tiles (+ then rafters and reefers)
650 +
Ridge tiles
18
L. Hooks 7
20
Nails
01 kg
Carpentry
01 day
Flooring
Rubble for paving
1/4 cube
Cement
3 bags
Sand
cube
Masonry
01 days
Door and window panes with fittings
all
Carpentry
1 day
transport
construction supervisory charge (10% of the cost)
Contribution made by
Me (H/O) Habitat Others Cost
Foundation Details
An extract from the booklet My Dream House
139
140
141
The Project Areas polluted open spaces & Overflowing side drains
Workshop tools for improving interactivity with pre school teachers for the
purposes of improving interior educational spaces
143
144
Level 3: The govt. pitches in with boundary walls for the open spaces
Strategic Planning
Usual city planning processes look at the broad plan and
then stepwise go down into the details of the urban plan,
from street layouts and plot development, to service layouts,
followed by the architecture of individual buildings, and
then the building interiors and so on. In this particular case,
the Strategic Plan turned the usual sequence on its head and
reversed the approach. Here, the attempt was to examine
whether a small childcare and literacy program could grow
into and lead to linked actions for urban infrastructure
and environmental upgradation within the scope of
neighbourhood revitalization initiatives. The program did
manage this, by starting small, and following a detail to
whole sequence, as given below.
Initially, the Interior teaching spaces in the Pre school
workers home were looked at, followed by the quality of
the exteriors and the building envelope.
Sustainable Places and Communities
145
Level 4: Plan extrapolated to surrounding rural areras, developing pre-school centres and useful open spaces
Endnote
The strategic plan tried to create new opportunities
and facilitated emergance of position overlaps among
participants (residents, government, commerce, politicians),
i.e, stakeholders, who might otherwise have problems
in working with each other. The strategy tried to restore
urban life by going from discrete smaller initiatives for
preschool children to a larger holistic outcome for the whole
community. The issues of safety and health/hygiene are
important and have needed addressal in the plan.
Very importantly, this paper and case study emphasizes the
usage of physical resources, including open spaces, streets,
water supply, existing built volumes and the residents public
and cultural needs, into an integrated strategic planning
methodology for creating sustainable benefits. Acting
closer to peoples needs, this helps prevent centralized
generalization, and holds vast potential in imparting local
flavour and ownership to urban regeneration efforts. The
plans Key Actions and Interventions are based on the
participatory method, which act as a developmental catalyst.
Community Consultation as part of the scheme has also
helped in the following ways:
Community consultation represents all interests and
promotes debate between all. More importantly it helps
create community ownership towards the plan and
towards the future realized manifestations of the plan,
i.e. the infrastructure created.
Community Consultation through a mediating
organization, helps put all the communication lines
in place, for e.g. in between the residents and the
government. This mediation could be handled by a
civil society organization, community groups and in
some cases a dexterous local government as well. But a
special effort is required at the initiation of community
consultation to understand the true stakeholders, decision
makers, opinion makers and avoid just anyone who walks
into a workshop.
These consultations need to be customized for separate
References:
1. Friedmann, Thomas (1988), Planning in the Public
Domain, From Knowledge to Action, Princeton Uinversity
Press, Princeton
2. Baross, Pal (1991), Action Planning, IHS Working Paper
Series, No.2, IHS, Rotterdam
3. Davidson, Forbes, Planning for Performance:
Requirements for Sustainable Development, Habitat
International, Vol 20, No.3, p. 445-462, UK
4. Prashad, Deependra (2002), Participatory Planning for
Large Scale Infrastructure, Architecture + Design, Jul-Aug, p.
72-79.
5. Prashad, Deependra (2002), Cities on the Edge,
Architecture, Time Space and People, Vol 2, Issue 4, p. 10-16
6. Delhi Brotherhood Society (2001), Household Survey,
Rajiv Nagar & Pappu Colony
7. Congress for New Urbanism website : http://www.cnu.
org/
147
Transformations Due To
Socio - Economic Pressures
Amit Bhatt
Architect, IL & FS- IDC, New Delhi
Prerna Mehta
Architect/Town Planner (Housing), New Delhi
Sarika Panda Bhatt
Architect, New Delhi
1. BACKGROUND
The world took 1800 years to reach its first billion
population, 130 years to reach the second billion, while it
took just 60 years to cross the five billion mark. Today, more
than 50 per cent of the worlds population is living in urban
areas. According to the United Nations, cities in developing
countries are growing by over one million people a week.
Economists and policy-makers now acknowledge cities as
engines of growth, an indicator of development and a
major contributor to national economy; it is apparent that
it is accompanied by growing disparities as well. The World
Bank estimates that there were some 500 million poor
urban dwellers in the year 2000, based on its one-dollar-aday income-based poverty line; worldwide, 30 per cent of
poor people live in urban areas.
2. STUDY AREA PROFILE
Delhi is located in northern India between the latitudes
of 280-24-17 and 280-53-00 North and longitudes of
7605024 and 770-20-37 East. It shares its border with
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and has an area of 1483 sq.
km. Its maximum length is 51.90 kms and greatest width
is 48.48 kms. The Yamuna River and terminal part of the
Aravali hill range are the two main geographical features of
the city. The Aravali hill range is covered with forest and
is called the Ridges while the river Yamuna is Delhis main
source of drinking water and a sacred river for most of the
inhabitants.
2.1. Demographic Characteristics
The population of Delhi has grown exponentially over the
years. It was 13.85 millions on 1st March, 2001 as against
9.42 millions as on 1st March, 1991 that reflects a decennial
growth of 47.02% after 1991 census. The annual average
exponential growth rate of population of Delhi was the
highest (6.42%) during 1941-1951 due to large scale
migration from Pakistan to India after partition in 1947.
Since then the annual growth has been recorded 4.22 %
during 1951- 1961, 4.25% during 1961-1971, 4.25% during
1971-1981 and 4.15% during 1981 1991. The corresponding
percentage at All-India level was 21.34% which is almost
double the national average.
2.2. Urbanisation
Urban face of present Delhi relates to 17th Century when
Shahjahanabad was built, which is now called Walled City.
Major change and expansion of Urban Delhi from its original
area and face of Shahjahanabad started in the second decade
of Twentieth Century when Britishers planned New Delhi,
148
States
P e r c e n t a g e o f To t a l
Migration (1981-1991)
Uttar Pradesh
49.61%
Haryana
11.82%
Bihar
10.99%
Rajasthan
6.17%
Panjab
5.43%
West Bengal
2.79%
Madhya Pradesh
2.71%
Other States
10.48%
States
Literacy Rate
(2001)
Delhi
82
Uttar Pradesh
56
Haryana
68
Bihar
47
Rajasthan
60
6
Punjab
Source: Economic Survey of Delhi 2004-2005
70
All India
Delhi
Delhi
All India
2000
68.00
23.29
137.51
409.19
2001
66.00
24.49
150.19
459.27
2002
68.00
30.00
214.62 4
Source: Economic Survey of Delhi 2004-2005
84.98
Sl.
No
Item
Electricity
available
Households
1991
Households
%age 2001
of
H.H.
%age
of
H.H.
1,479,620
79.48
2,371,811
92.86
Toilet
facility
available
1,179,797
63.63
1,991,209
77.96
Piped
water
supply
1,409,730
75.72
1,924,140
75.33
Fuel for
Cooking
865,072
46.47
1,737,730
68.03
3. TRANSFORMATIONS
Over the years, transformations in urban areas have taken
place in varied forms, including those pertaining to size of
form, landuse, encroachments, structure heights, floor area
coverage, in other words, illegal constructions etc. This has
also occurred in the formal developments of the city very
much outside the legal framework. Though, the growth
may not be in accordance with the planning norms of the
city, but its very existence highlights its magnitude. Some of
the key transformations occurring in urban areas in general
and Delhi in particular are summarized in subsequent
paragraphs.
3.1. Types of Transformations
3.1.1. Use affiliation
This is a type of transformation that pertains to extent and
nature of non-residential use in residential areas and of
other uses in areas meant for open spaces. This phenomenon
is very evident along the main transport routes and in the
developments with smaller plot sizes/ dwelling units. In
other words, it can be stated as invasion of stronger land
use over weaker in terms of prevailing demand, which is
acting as an impetus for growth of a particular land use. For
example, at several places in Delhi, the residential buildings
along the road or streets near planned markets or business
areas are converted to commercial spaces and open areas
are being encroached upon for houses, shops etc. The prime
reason of this type of transformation is pressure exerted by
economic forces, where in the importance of economics
prevails over that of habitation.
3.1.2. Built Form
The transformation is in terms of extent of consolidation,
horizontal coverage, encroachments, condition of
structures, streetscapes. To fulfill their need of space people
tend to increase the covered area of the plot. There are
encroachments on the common open spaces or roads to
149
Sl.
No.
Utilization
for
1991
Number
of Census
Houses
2446143
100
3379956
100
Vacant
Census
Houses
293677
12
377790
11.18
Occupied
Census
Houses
2152466
88
3002166
88.82
Residence
171395
79.63
2316996
77.18
ii
Residencecum-other
use
88386
4.11
135406
4.51
iii
Shop, office
186864
6.68
319233
10.63
iv
School,
College, etc
2734
0.13
7620
0.25
Hotel,
Lodge,
Guest
house,
86170
4.00
6005
0.20
Hospital,
Dispensary
etc.
3974
vi
vii
viii
ix
Factory,
Workshop,
Workshop
Place of
worship
70386
% of
total
0.18
3.27
2001
7661
80165
% of
total
0.26
2.67
Landuse
1981
2004
Residential
50.75
44.74
Commercial
2.74
4.44
4.61
1.82
9.9
12.63
Mixed
4.37
Circulation
32.0
32.0
Total
100
100
8249
Other non120831
residential
use
Source: Socio Economic Profile of Delhi, 2004-05
150
0.27
4.02
Proposed
(1980)
Observed
(2004)
Residential
60
39
Residential + Commercial
21
22
22
Open/ Green
Roads
12
12
Total
100
100
3.3.3. Madipur
Located along NH 10 (Delhi - Rohtak Road), Madipur
resettlement colony was planned in 1966 for 21,400
persons. Total area under Madipur Scheme was 72.03 acres
with 4372 numbers of plots including 92 commercial plots
for shops. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)
allotted the plots in 1968 on basis of Ration Cards @ Re. 1
as license fee that was increased to Rs. 8/- but was neither
paid nor collected. Upon allotment, housing layouts were
provided by the authorities. These layouts formed the basis
for getting loans and building materials for the construction
of houses.
151
152
AND
Zones
Proposed
Built
%age of
total
North
987
97
9.83
East
762
146
19.16
Central
334
327
97.90
West
2132
368
17.26
South
1022
600
58.71
153
References:
Journals:
1. Risbud, Dr.Prof Neelima (1998), Property market and
settlement development A case study of Rohini Project,
Research report, HSMI publication.
2. Singh, Kishore Kumar & Shukla, Shikha (2005), Profiling
Informal City of Delhi, Wateraid India & Delhi Slum
Dwellers Federation
Newspapers:
3. Sharma, Nidhi (2006) , Incomplete survey hits
regularization, Times of India, New Delhi, November 29
4. Times News Network (2006), Delhi sealings make
Noidas commercial space costly, Times of India, New
Delhi, November 29
5. Singh, Mahendra Kumar (2006), Master Plan focus on
mixed land use, Times of India, New Delhi, November 29
6. Singh, Mahendra Kumar (2006), Tony colonies to pay
heavy price for legal status, Times of India, New Delhi,
November 29
7. Satya Prakash (2006), Laws should be implemented:
Sabharwal, Hindustan Times, New Delhi, October 19
8. Verma, Subodh (2006), Too few legal Shops? Blame it on
DDA, Times of India, New Delhi, November 17
9. Verma, Subodh (2006), A massive Plan to resettle entire
city, Times of India, New Delhi, November 20
10. Roy, Dunu, From home to estate, (available on
internet).
Articles:
11. Chakrabarti, P.G Dhar (2001), Delhis Ongoing Debate
on Informal Settlements and Work Places -Issues of
Environmental Jurisprudence, International workshop on
coping with informality and illegality in human settlements
in developing cities, Belgium.
12. Jain, A.K. (2004), Vision for Delhi 2021: A Restructured
City, RITES Journal, September
Reports:
13. Delhi Development Authority (1990), Master Plan of
Delhi-2001.
14. Delhi Development Authority (2005), Draft Master
Plan of Delhi 2021.
15. Socio Economic Profile of Delhi, 2004-05
Thesis:
16. Bhutani, Renu (1995), Trends and transformations in the
central Government employee Housing Delhi, unpublished
thesis, School of Planning and Architecture.
17. Chitra S. (1991), Housing Transformations in
Resettlement colonies case study Delhi, Housing department
thesis, School of Planning and Architecture.
154
155
156
157
158
References:
1. Alley, K. D. (1997), Gandhiji on the Central Vista: A
Postcolonial Refiguring. Modern Asian Studies, 31, p. 967-
159
994.
2. Alsayyad, N. (Ed.) (2001), Consuming Tradition,
Manufacturing Heritage: Global Norms and Urban Forms
in the Age of Tourism, London and New York, Routledge.
3. Alsayyad, N. (2001), Global Norms and Urban Forms in
the Age of Tourism: Manufacturing Heritage, Consuming
Tradition. in Alsayyad, N. (Ed.) (2001), Consuming
Tradition, Manufacturing Heritage: Global Norms and
Urban Forms in the Age of Tourism. London and New
York, Routledge.
4. Baig, A. (2004), The Problem. Seminar, p. 542, n.p.
5. Bhattacherjee, K. (2004) Comment: Renovating The
History House. Seminar.
6. Chandoke, N. (1993) On the Social Organization of
Urban Space: Subversions and Appropriations. Social
Scientist, 21, p. 63-73.
7. Cot, J. (2002) Searching for Semarang: Nation, Urban
Memory, and Cultural Heritage. in Logan, W. S. (Ed.) The
Disappearing Asian City: Protecting Asias Urban Heritage
in a Globalizing World. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
8. Dickenson, J. (1994), The Future of the Past in the Latin
American City: The Case of Brazil. Bulletin of Latin American
Research, 13, p. 13-25.
9. Gladstone, D. L. (2005), From Pilgrimage to Package
Tour, New York and London, Routledge.
10. Gregory, D. (2001), Colonial Nostalgia and Cultures
of Travel: Spaces of Constructed Visibility in Egypt.
in Alsayyad, N. (Ed.) (2001), Consuming Tradition,
Manufacturing Heritage: Global Norms and Urban Forms
in the Age of Tourism. London and New York, Routledge.
11. Guano, E. (2003), A Stroll Through la Boca: The
Politics and Poetics of Spatial Experience in a Buenos Aires
Neighbourhood. Space & Culture, 6, p. 356-376.
12. Hancock, M. (2002), Subjects of Heritage in Urban
Southern India. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space,
20, p. 693-717.
13. Harrison, D. (2004), Introduction: Contested Narratives
in the Domain of World Heritage. in Harrison, D. &
Hitchcock, M. (Eds.) (2004), The Politics of World Heritage:
Negotiating Tourism and Conservation, Clevedon, Buffalo
and Toronto, Channel View Publications.
14. Harrison, D. & Hitchcock, M. (Eds.) (2004) The Politics of
World Heritage: Negotiating Tourism and Conservation, Clevedon,
Buffalo and Toronto, Channel View Publications.
15. Holston, J. (1991) Autoconstruction in Working-Class
Brazil. Cultural Anthropology, 6, p. 447-465.
16. Jones, G. A. & Varley, A. (1994) The Contest for the
City Centre: Street Traders versus Buildings. Bulletin of Latin
American Research, 13, p. 27-44.
17. Kalpana, K. & Schiffer, F. (Eds.) (2003) Madras: The
Architectural Heritage, Chennai, Indian National Trust for Art
and Cultural Heritage.
18. Kaviraj, S. (1997) Filth and the Public Sphere: Concepts
and Practices about Space in Calcutta. Public Culture, 10, p.
83-113.
19. Khilnani, S. (2003) The Idea of India, London, 3rd edn,
Penguin Books.
20. Logan, W. S. (Ed.) (2002), The Disappearing Asian City:
Protecting Asias Urban Heritage in a Globalizing World,
Oxford, Oxford University Press.
21. Mehrotra, R. (2001) Bazaars in Victorian Arcades:
160
The author has argued that all cities were always located on
the banks of rivers (Fig. 2), which naturally were a prime
land. The yield of the agricultural land being very low it
was possible to enhance productivity in future. Thirdly, the
author argues that the percentage of industrial/commercial
land in big cities is only 5-10% and the big ticket items
really are housing and transport which occupy 50-70% of
land. Adequate compensation to farmers, shifting them to
different locations, is the only answer, according to him.
The entire argument is more of a narration as to what is
happening now rather than any pointers to sustain agrarian
communities. This factor is alarming because it appears
that either agriculture is a waste of time and a lost cause,
or that it must be replaced by other occupations which are
economically more promising. Sadly, there is no pointer
suggested to know how in contemporary times agriculture,
and in turn agrarian societies, would hope for a better deal
in sustenance, both of occupation, as well as culture.
Croce said that knowledge is of two kinds: intuitive and
logical. Traditionally, it is the farmer, and the agrarian
communities, who carried forward the empirical knowledge
of climate, types of soil, water, flora & fauna, construction
techniques, arts & crafts, songs and musical instruments,
costumes and textile and so forth. Urban communities,
founded on logical and scientific base, and formal education,
would need several generations to make their contribution
to this pool of empirical knowledge. The economic benefits,
at least for the time being, seem to be monetarily too
attractive for most, even farmers who have sold their small
farms to industry or other urban developments like housing
and roads. The knowledge of the change of seasons and
their effect on the environment created cultures of places
and communities. It is well reflected and expressed in the
performing cultures of rural and tribal communities. It is
their observation of life and ecology, which made them
realize their interdependence in their own lives. The attitude
to sustainability is a result of this long tradition and culture,
which came about because of the connection to agriculture
all over the world. It has been pointed out by archaeologists,
through their research at some of the places like Jerincho
and Catal Hyk that in fact the urban settlements are as old,
if not older, than agrarian communities. The conventional
sequence of hunting and gathering-agriculture-villages-citiesstates, since then has been challenged by recent discoveries
and critical interpretations by scholars and cultural-urban
theorists like Jane Jacob, Edward W. Soja and others. These
scholars would justifiably argue for Putting Cities First
by saying that culture was not necessarily formed around
161
162
163
164
165
References:
1. Bhadari, Laveesh (2007), Its not Hammer vs. Sickle, The
Indian Express, daily edition-march 16
2. Soja, Edward W. (2000), Postmetropolis-critical studies
of cities and regions, Blackwell publishing ltd; UK, p. 4546.
3. Gandhi, M K, (1936), Harijan, 29.8 , p. 226
4. Lynch, Kevin, Good City Form, (1996), MIT Press, p.
269
5. Boesinger, Willy, (1995), Le Corbusier works and projects,
Gustavo Gili,S.A., Barcelona, p. 182
Sustainable Buildings
Sustainable Buildings
169
170
APARTMENTS
The construction of apartments started only in the 1990s.
It was not a need earlier, as they werent many residents
in Auroville. The first development started at Djaima
community and after that, the development of Vikas
community showed that earth can be used for building a
progressive and harmonious architecture up to 4 floors
high (Fig. 31-42).
Sustainable Buildings
171
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Pitanga Hall, built in 1989, was the first public building.
The Visitors Centre was started just after that. This Visitors
Centre of 1200 m, built by the Auroville Earth Institute,
was granted the Hassan Fathy Award for Architecture
for the Poor in 1992. Since then many projects, such as
schools, workshops and a solar community kitchen were
built (Fig. 43-57).
172
Sustainable Buildings
173
Fig. 61: Wide variety of compressed stabilised earth blocks, by the Auram press 3000
174
TECHNOLOGIES
MONETARY COST
CSEB and RE always
cheaper than fired bricks
STRENGTH
CSEB and RE are:
Pollution emission:
2.4 times less than wire cut bricks
7.9 times less than country fired bricks
Energy consumption:
4.9 times less than wire cut bricks
15.1 times less than country fired bricks
Fig. 64: Composite plinth beam Fig. 65: Casting a composite plinth beam
Sustainable Buildings
175
Vaulted Structures
The research on this kind of roofing aims to revive and
integrate in the 21st century, the techniques used in past
centuries and millennia, such as those developed in ancient
Egypt or during the period of Gothic architecture in
Europe.
176
Sustainable Buildings
177
DISASTER RESISTANCE
Since 1995, research has been oriented towards the
development of a cost-effective technology which is
based on reinforced masonry with Hollow Interlocking
Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks (HI CSEB). Vertical
and horizontal reinforced concrete members reinforce the
masonry so as to create a box type system which can resist
disasters.
Two types of blocks have been developed: the square
hollow interlocking block 245, which allows building up
to 2 storeys high, and the rectangular hollow interlocking
block 295, which is used only for ground floors.
Fig. 88: Emergency House 1996 City Summit Habitat Istanbul, Turkey
178
theoretically
and
Overview
The imminent acceleration of change and economic growth
here in India brings us to a critical juncture in the evolution
of our towns and cities. While the frenetic increase in
financial investments in urban infrastructure and buildings
occasioned essentially by the opportunities of global trade
has the potential of translating into a better quality of life
for all citizens, it equally has the potential of exacerbating,
by default, our existing economic disparities and their
consequent social tensions and conflicts. Important,
too, though much more insidious, and therefore easily
overlooked, is the impact of CO2 emissions attributable to
buildings and urban systems on climate change. The scale
of construction activity compressed into a short period of
time constitutes an explosion of CO2 emissions which
will undoubtedly hasten the advent of climate change.
Evidently, there is a need for strategic action on both fronts,
socio-economic and environmental. It is in this context that
I wish to discuss the potential of traditional practices of
construction and design of built environments as platforms
from which to construct a beneficial strategy.
Investment in Urban Development
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
estimates investment of Rs. 120,536 crores at a rate of
Rs. 17,219 crores per annum in basic infrastructure and
services of 63 cities across India, spread over a seven year
period. This is for the shift in the national economy toward
urban services which would contribute 65% of the GDP
by 2011 with 40% of the population living in cities by 2021,
compared to 28% today. So we have the two overarching
processes that will determine the development of our urban
environments Globalisation & Urbanisation.
CO2 emissions explosion
If this scale of investment is predicted for urban infrastructure
it may be safely assumed that at least an equivalent amount
would be invested in new built space in the extension of
urban areas as well as in the upgradation and redevelopment
of the existing built space. Or else, if you consider the
increase of urban population by say 30% by 2021, one
can estimate the total area of built space that would be
constructed to provide for it. Through either route you can
convert these into quantities of aluminium, stainless steel,
glass, ceramics, bricks that would be consumed and CO2
emissions that would result from the production of such
materials. Just considering the sheer scale of anticipated
construction compressed within the coming decade,
without going into calculations and numbers, I surmise that
this phenomenon constitutes an explosion of CO2 into the
atmosphere on account of embodied energy consumed in
the production of buildings.
This aspect of embodied energy does not find mention
in developed countries perhaps because for a stable or
diminishing population there is not so much new building
to be done. But in our case here in India this must be a
central concern.
Strategy to limit the impact of CO2 emissions
explosion
The strategy to limit or curtail the scale of this explosion
would call, first, for efficiency in the utilisation of material
Sustainable Buildings
179
Cladding stones
180
SECTION
F C CHANNELS
MASONARY DOMES
PL AN
Sustainable Buildings
181
182
Habitable continuum of
indoor-outdoor spaces
Favourable micro-climate
183
184
Sustainable Buildings
185
186
Fig. 7: The demolished condition of the Friday mosque shown with its context
(Source: Nematimehr; 2005; p. 119)
Fig. 6: Yazd. Masjid-I Jami (Friday mosque)- Evolution over the centuries, as the renewal of creation at every instant (here form and space). For renewal of
creation see Aziz Nasafi; L.V.J Ridgeon; Curzon; 1993; p. 34
Sustainable Buildings
187
Fig. 8: Compactness in Iranian Arid Old cities. From left: Kashan, Birjand, Kerman. (Source: Nematimehr; 2005; p. 62)
188
Fig.10: From left: Ordering Mass& Space in Houses, Shazdeh School and Vaght O Saat Square (Source: Nematimehr; 2005; p. 52)
Fig.11: Yazd. Narrow and shaded street crossed by mud buttresses or domes. (Source: Nematimehr; 2003; p. 116)
Winter Area:
Sunny 5-door room
Summer
Area
Talar
& Sardab
Fig.12: Yazd, Mortaz house, from left: First & under-ground level plan and 3-D view
(Source: Nematimehr; 2003; p. 102)
Sustainable Buildings
189
Badgir:
Summer Area:
Talar
4-sided
wind tower
Winter Area:
Sunny 5-door
room
Basement:
Sardab
Fig.13: Yazd, Traditional house- Section, (Source: Nematimehr; 2003; p. 64)
Fig.14: Yazd, Cityscape of Mud domes, the most common means of covering spaces, and Wind towers
(Source: Nematimehr; 2003; p. 64)
190
References:
1. Breazley, E. & Haveson M, (1982) Living with Desert.
Aris& Philips.
2. Givoni, B. (1988), Guidelines for Urban Design in
Different Climate, Graduate School of Architecture,
University of California, LA, USA.
3. Gollany, G. (1983), Urban Form Design for Arid Regions
in Golany G. ed. Design for Arid Regions, Van Nostrand
Reihold, New York, USA.
4. Gollany, G. (1995), Ethics& Urban Design, John Wiley &
Sons, New York, USA.
5. Golkar, K. (2000), Sustainable urban design within
desert- fringe cities, Sustainable Development of Desert
Communities, UNDP- Iran Technical papers#2.
6. Kriken J.L (1983), Town Planning and Cultural and
Climatic Responsiveness in the Middle East in Golany, G.
(ed.), Design for Arid Regions, Van Nostrand Reihold, New
York, USA.
7. Moughtin, C. (1996), Urban Design: Green Dimension,
oxford, Butterworth Architecture.
8. Nematimehr, M. (2005) Urban Design in the Inner Core
of the Arid Cities, Case study, Yazd, un published master
thesis, Faculty of Urban Design, University of Tehran,
Iran.
9. Nematimehr, M. (2002) Piecemeal growth Case study,
Yazd, un published master thesis, Faculty of Architecture,
Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
10. Owens, S. (1991) Energy Conscious Planning. CPRE.
London.
11. Tavassoli, M (1983), City Planning in the Hot Dry
Climate of Iran in Golany, G. (ed.), Design for Arid Regions,
Van Nostrand Reihold, New York, USA.
12. Tavassoli, M (1993), Urban Space Design2,Urban
Planning and Architecture Research Center of Iran,
Tehran.
13. Tavassoli, M (2003), Urban Structure & Architecture in
the Hot Arid Zone of Iran, Payam, Tehran, Iran.
Sustainable Buildings
191
192
PROCESS
OF
193
this? And what can we learn from those processes for our
own human applications?
To answer that question, he drew on insights from many
fields, including embryology, physics and others. And he
came to one central conclusion: nature does not use a
plan in the usual sense, but rather, it acts to transform an
existing whole into a new whole. In doing so, it preserves
the structure of the earlier whole, but it often amplifies,
articulates and deepens it in some important way. We can see
that process of transformation very clearly in the biological
patterns of evolution. Alexander noted, intriguingly, that
we can also see it in our own built history in the structurepreserving transformations of the Piazza San Marco in
Venice over 1,000 years, for example, where at every step,
the whole was maintained. At no point was the piazza
entirely bulldozed and rebuilt according to some architects
bold new vision. It was rather a continuous evolution, with
human plans playing a disciplined role within what could be
seen as a kind of dance of the centuries.
But the steps of such a dance can appear deceptively
simple and humble much as a mere 26 letters cluster into
words, sentences and soliloquies and create the complex
beauty of Shakespeare. When presented with the 26 letters
alone we might wonder how we could possibly create
something so rich from such modest parts; but Shakespeare
clearly did.
So, too, in the process of creating form, as we see all over in
nature, the steps can seem exceedingly simple and modest.
But the key is in how they combine, how they multiply in
repetition-- much like the way two colours of putty will mix
surprisingly quickly after just a few repeated folds, or the
way a marvellous animal shape can result from just a few
relatively simple steps of folding paper in Origami. There is
an exponentially multiplying interaction between the parts,
which manifests over repeated steps.
It turns out that this is very much how forms develop in
embryology, through a very similar kind of unfolding
process. This occurs not only in the DNA and RNA
molecules, but also in the protein structures that they then
form, that subsequently bend, fold and interact, and form
various products, including tissues. These tissues then
divide, fold, differentiate and articulate into new structures.
In addition to the simple parts just four molecules in
the genetic code all of this rich complexity comes from
relatively simple steps too: combine, divide, fold, merge,
and so on.
This complexity out of simplicity is a key to understanding
the processes that create richly articulated, differentiated,
living structure. It is at the heart of what biologists call
adaptive morphogenesis underlying the creation of
thriving, stable ecosystems.
MORE
ADAPTIVE
ON
THE
194
Sustainable Buildings
195
Unfolding
We are learning a great deal about the processes that occur
in the morphogenesis of organisms. Again, we see that
there is no simple blueprint within DNA that contains a
little image of the structure to be built. Rather, DNA is a
code that functions more like a recipe that drives sequential
mixing, dividing, folding, separating and articulating of new
structures, from the protein structures to the structure of
cells to the structure of tissues and body parts. There is
a process of unfolding, not unlike the sequential folding
patterns of Origami, which creates various symmetries and
transformations of parts.
OF
THE
Sustainable Buildings
197
Fig. 5: Structure-preserving Transformations in Piazza San Marco in Venice over several centuries.
198
Fig. 6: Examples of Alexanders projects using generative methodologies. The individual forms may appear simple and even
humble, but the complexity arises from their interconnections rather than from extravagant attempts to create novel forms. The
result provides ample creative novelty, but at more subtle experiential scales.
Sustainable Buildings
199
200
References:
1. Alexander, Christopher (1964) Notes on the Synthesis of
Form, Oxford University Press, New York
2. Alexander, Christopher (1965) A City is Not A Tree,
Website of Resource for Urban Design Information,
http://www.rudi.net/pages/8755 (retrieved December 11,
2006)
3. Alexander, Christopher et al. (1977) A Pattern Language:
Towns, Buildings, Construction, Oxford University Press,
New York
4. Alexander, Christopher (2004) The Nature of Order,
CES Publishing, Berkeley, California
5. Goodwin, Brian (1994) A Science of Qualities, in
How the Leopard Changed its Spots: The Evolution of
Complexity, Charles Scribners Sons, New York
6. Jacobs, Jane (1961) The Death and Life of Great
American Cities, Viking Press, New York
7. Whitehead, Alfred North (1938) Modes of Thought,
MacMillan Publishing, New York
Website:
1. www.livingneighborhoods.org (Centre for Environmental
Structure - Europe is a knitwork of centuries of tradition)
Climatic Responsiveness In
Traditional Built Form Of Lucknow
Dr. Mohammad Arif Kamal
Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture
College of Environmental Design
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
INTRODUCTION
Today we live in an energy intensive built environment with
the hope for a better quality of life. Architecture developed
in this industrial age is highly dependant on mechanical
controls resulting in high level of energy consumption.
Buildings, as they are designed and used today, contribute
to serious environmental problems because of excessive
consumption of energy and other natural resources. The
close connection between energy use in buildings and
environmental damage arises because energy intensive
solutions sought to construct a building and meet its
demands for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting,
which causes severe depletion of invaluable environmental
resources.
Modern technologies are adopted without studying their
suitability with regard to culture and climate. In the past,
people built their houses in harmony with the environment
as well as with optimal utilization of the available local
building materials. The use of natural and passive means
in traditional houses was very effective in providing a
thermally comfortable space, which was warm in winter
and cool in summer. This was the result due to repeated
cycles of trial and error and the experience of generations
of builders. The indigenous architecture evolved through
the entire spectrum from individual building to settlement
pattern, responds through form, thermal mass, spatial
hierarchy, activity pattern, material and construction. An
architectural heritage that survived for centuries because of
geometric, technical and constructive principles that worked
for the society, is being sadly destroyed under the guise of
modernization. Traditional buildings are being abandoned,
as it is perceived that they reflect underdevelopment and
poverty.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The present study hypothises that the traditionally
constructed and designed houses are considered to be more
climate responsive as compared to the houses designed to
modern constructional designs. The research methodology
involves identification of various natural and passive
design features that have been employed in the traditional
residential buildings in old settlement of Lucknow. The
research also involves the study of thermal performance
through on-site monitoring of two traditional houses and
one modern dwelling unit of Lucknow. Both quantitative
and qualitative methods of gathering data were used. These
included:
1. Recording of the physical form and construction
systems of the buildings and settlements.
2. Recording the thermal performance in all the three
buildings during the period of climatic extremes. The
experiments were conducted during the third week
of January 2004 and first week of June 2004. The
Sustainable Buildings
201
Orientation
Water Body
Vegetation
The bigger traditional houses or kothis of Lucknow have
bigger gardens and baradaries. A baradari is a pavilion
having twelve doors or arched openings for the purpose
of airing while it shelters the inmates from the sun and
rain. The smaller traditional houses have a few small
trees and shrubs planted mostly in the courtyard. The
vegetation near the vicinity of the building helps in creating
comfortable environmental. Plants and grassy covers
reduce temperatures by absorption of solar radiation and
cool by evaporation. Sometimes the trees also shade the
building as well as the nearby spaces, which reduces the
heat gain (Fig. 2)
Verandah
Verandahs are found widely in the traditional buildings
of Lucknow. The verandahs are generally located at the
entrance or around the courtyard, shading the peripheral
rooms. They function as a transitional space between
enclosed rooms and outdoor spaces. Verandah provides
shade to the walls to reduce heat gain. Verandah on the
southern face is the most effective building element, which
allows the sun to reach the interiors in winters, and prevents
it in summers. Thus, verandahs screen interior space from
the penetrating rays of the subtropical sun and prevent
wind-blown rain from entering living space.
202
Courtyards
The courtyards can be found in most of the traditional
buildings of Lucknow. They are mostly centrally located and
are completely opened to the clear sky or partially shaded
with overhangs. This also provides shaded spaces which
results in reducing heat gain. Such spaces are commonly
referred to as microclimate modifiers. The centrally placed
courtyard provides light to all the spaces and also provides
air movement due to induced ventilation through the
openings on the walls facing the courtyard. The functioning
of the courtyard during the 24-hour cycle can be subdivided
into three phases. In the first phase, cool night air descends
into the courtyard and into the surrounding rooms. The
structure and the furniture are cooled and remain so until
late afternoon. In addition the courtyard loses heat rapidly
by radiation to the clear night sky. Therefore, the courtyard
is often used for sleeping during summer nights. During the
second phase, at midday, the sun strikes the courtyard floor
directly. The warm air begins to rise and also leaks out of
the surrounding rooms. This induces convective currents,
which may provide further comfort. At this phase the
courtyard acts as a chimney and the outside air is at its peak
temperature. The massive walls do not allow the external
heat to penetrate immediately. During the last phase, by
late afternoon, the courtyard floor and the interior rooms
become warmer. Most of the trapped cool air spills out
by sunset. After sunset the air temperature falls rapidly as
the courtyard begins to radiate rapidly to the clear night
sky. Cool night air begins to descend into the courtyard,
completing the cycle.
Fig. 6 High ceilings increase the volume of air space to heat up.
High Ceilings
One of the features associated with most of the traditional
buildings of Lucknow is a high ceiling. The height of ceiling
in traditional buildings depends on the building typology.
Sustainable Buildings
203
Heavy Roofs
As walls have been protected from solar radiation due to
orientation and mutual shading, the main area of solar
heat gain in buildings becomes the roof. The thickness
of roof varies from 30 cm to 45 cm. Basically two types
of construction techniques are used for roofs and floors.
One method used is by laying closely spaced timber beams
covered with reed or grass matting and a thick layer of lime
concrete on top. The second type of roof construction
comprises of Jack Arch Roof with lakhauri bricks on
steel girders covered with thick lime concrete with brick
ballasts and surkhi. In both cases the roofs and floors are
finished with lime and cement plaster. The massive roof
construction of thickness ensures a very small decrement
factor and a large time lag.
Openings
At higher temperatures, ensuring air movement in the built
space through openings provides human thermal comfort
in traditional buildings. When buildings are tightly clustered
together, it is generally difficult to let winds into the house
and air movement due to temperature differentials is usually
too sluggish to cause any comfort unless special design
features augment it. Hence the windows in traditional houses
of Lucknow are bigger in size to facilitate ventilation. They
are efficiently shaded from direct solar radiation. However,
in winter when there is no special need for air movement,
window apertures are opened during the day to store the
thermal radiation and are kept shut at night. Windows also
provide sufficient daylight into the interiors of the buildings.
More window openings can be found on the north and east
side of most of the traditional buildings which facilitates
natural light and air movement to reach indoors without
increasing heat gain. Small or less openings are provided on
the south and southwest side to prevent heat gain.
Jharokhas
Jharokhas are another characteristic feature of traditional
buildings of Lucknow. In tune with the need for privacy for
women, facades are characterized by small openings often
in the form of jharokhas, elements essentially generated by
social customs of allowing women to peep out without
being seen. These are infact, small size openings that can
be found on the outer surface of the building facade. They
create suction effect to facilitate forced air movement from
the exterior environment into the interiors of the building.
In most of the buildings Jharokhas are provided on the
upper floors. Sometimes they are projected in the form of
small bay windows and are richly carved.
Skylight
Skylights can be found in some of the traditional buildings
of Lucknow, especially in the bigger residential buildings
such as kothis and havelis. The skylight above the central
space lights the interior space naturally. Skylights provide
satisfactory lighting for activities that can tolerate large
variations in illumination level. They are mostly located on
the North side of the building and even allow these areas to
gain some heat. Openings in the skylight create stack effect
or induced ventilation in the surrounding spaces. They are
sometimes fixed with tinted glass for decorative effect.
Overhangs and Balconies
Ventilators
Ventilators are prominent features that are found in almost
all the traditional buildings. They are manually operated
and provided just below the ceiling. The warmer air rises
and leaves the space and cooler air from the court enters
204
Fig. 12: Overhangs and projections shading the building from direct solar
radiation
Fig. 14: Textured exterior surfaces for less absorption of solar radiations
205
Fig.15: Ground floor (left) & First floor (right) plan of Rizvi House
Fig.19: Summer temperature profile (left) and winter temperature profile (right) of Rizvi House.
206
PERFORMANCE
OF
MODERN
Fig.24: Summer temperature profile (left) and winter temperature profile (right) of Qaiser Jahan House.
Sustainable Buildings
207
rear yard. There are only few openings, which open into
the front and rear yard, which obstruct the free movement
of the air and do not provide cross ventilation. The living
room is located on the western side without proper shading,
which causes discomfort in summers. The roof of the first
floor is 4 thick R.C.C. construction finished with small
brick ballast and cement sand mortar. The roof is a major
source of heat gain for the upper floor due to absence of
appropriate terracing. There is no proper projection over
openings and on the terrace level on south and west side
to shade the walls on first floor. This causes the walls to
heat up and hence permits the heat into the rooms through
conduction. The plastered exterior surface with whitewash
reflects solar radiation to some extent.
INFERENCES
1. The data collected shows that the indoor air temperature
in the two traditional buildings is 2- 3o C lower in summers
and 2-3o C higher in winters as compared to the indoor
temperatures in L.D.A house.
2. The difference between the sky and indoor temperature
in traditional buildings is greater than the indoor
temperature in L.D.A. house suggesting more comfort
level in traditional buildings.
3. In traditional houses, the amplitude of indoor air
temperature was not more than 4-5C while the outdoor
temperature fluctuation was of the order of 18-20C.
4. In summer the mean maximum indoor temperature
of different rooms of the traditional house was 1012C lower and mean minimum temperature was 3-4C
higher than the outdoor minimum temperature whereas
in L.D.A. house the mean maximum indoor temperature
was 5-6C lower and mean minimum temperature was 78C higher than the outdoor minimum temperature.
5. In winter, in traditional houses there was 4-5C
temperature difference between mean maximum indoor
temperature of different rooms and maximum outdoor
temperature and 5-6C temperature difference between
mean minimum indoor temperature and the minimum
outdoor temperature whereas in L.D.A. house there was
difference of 8-9C between mean maximum indoor
temperature of different rooms and maximum outdoor
temperature and 4-5C temperature difference between
mean minimum indoor temperature and minimum
outdoor temperature.
6. The indoor peak temperatures occurs at about the
same time as the outdoor peak temperature in traditional
Fig.27: Summer temperature profile (left) and winter temperature profile (right) of L.D.A. House.
208
Reference:
1. Ali Sayigh, A. Hamid Marafia (1998) Vernacular and
contemporary buildings in Qatar, Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews, Volume 2, Issues 1-2.
Sustainable Buildings
209
Is Tradition Green ?
INTBAU India
This Panel Discussion, held on 14th January 2007 during
the International Conference on New Architecture and
Urbanism: Development of Indian Traditions, dealt with the
sub theme on Continuing Traditions in New Architecture
and Urbanism in order to the address the increasingly
pertinent query, Whether green should be a paradigmatic
model to architecture and urbanism in modernizing India.
The primary issues raised were whether modern functionality
in architecture overrides tradition, and whether the Green
approach in building just helps objectivise a traditional
approach, which might otherwise be based on subjective
criteria like collective memory. There was an attempt to
understand the gap between upgraded traditional methods
and modern hi-tech technology. The Discussion sought
to answer whether modern technology and materials
ensure true green or just a green label as compared to a
traditional approach in construction, materials and details.
It also debated whether embodied energy or lifespan costs
should be considered the criterion for understanding the
green approach, and which of the two approaches worked
towards a truly environmentally sustainable outcome in
building.
The Panelists
Ashok B.Lall (Chair of the session)
Architect & Dean of studies,
TVB School of Habitat Studies, New Delhi
Gerard da Cunha
Architect,
Goa
P.C.Jain
Delhi Head,
CII Green Building Centre
Arvind Krishan
Professor,
School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi
Nimish Patel
Architect,
Abhikram, Ahmedabad
V.Suresh
Head,
Good Governance India Foundation and Former
CMD, HUDCO
Ashok B.Lall:
In order to view the subject of this panel over a broader
frame work, an interpretation of the question, Is Tradition
Green in different words is required. Rasem Badrans work,
steeped in tradition, began as being gentle and inclusive. Over
a period of time, it became more exclusive, grand as well
as brutal, the reason being the enormous concentration of
wealth in certain places, a pattern which is spreading across
the globe. On the other hand, in the works of Geoffrey
Bawa, K.T. Ravindran, Gerard da Cunha and Nimish Patel,
another pattern emerges through a distribution of initiative
and wealth. It manages to retain the gentleness and the
inclusiveness and still pursue development.
210
Sustainable Buildings
211
S. Badrinarayanan:
Sustainable Buildings
213
OBJECTIVIST
CONSTRUCTIVIST
TEACHER CENTERED
LEARNER CENTERED
Sustainable Buildings
215
To sum up, the three Bs that come in the way of our critical
immersion and intelligent response to tradition seem to be
the Brahminical notion of esoteric knowledge, aloofness of
Babudom and Bauhaus induced cultural amnesia. All three
assume a universal authority that undermines the learners,
their lived experience and their diverse learning contexts.
Each of these three syndromes is damaging enough by
itself, but in combination they seem to reinforce and feed
each other in a self-stoking manner.
If the issue of diverse traditions and cultures is to be
addressed in our architectural education, it is essential
that these assumptions of power be first dismantled and
devolved from our system and that we actually start engaging
with the learners as though they mattered. They are not
empty vessels but living repositories of our diverse culture
who are struggling to construct meaningful lives in a fast
changing world. However, one has to tread with caution
that in our eagerness to overthrow existing institutions
and introduce sweeping reforms as it only replaces one
authority with another, as all earlier failed revolutions have
shown in history. Instead it would be wise as educators to
become aware of these layers of authority and aloofness
that lie within our own psyches and first address them at a
personal, individual level.
To conclude on a constructive- (ist ?) note, it is suggested
for discussion and dialogue that the above ideas, when
translated in to actual practice and policies in architectural
education, could mean that we stop, start and continue
the following from the present:
Stop !
Projecting culture and history only as static concepts
represented by iconic monuments, but also demonstrate
them as continuities in contemporary practice
Following linear process of case study + analysis +
synthesis = design in the design studio
Relying on disconnected episodic learning experiences
that do not add up
Underestimating learners ability to handle complexity
Concentrating only on geniuses. Instead reform
pedagogy to improve overall average competence levels
Exclusive access to architectural education, only to
English-science-math-urban backgrounds
Imposing centralized, all sweeping bureaucratic norms
on educational policies based on culture of mistrust
Start !
Making content and skills more relevant to the learner,
based on contemporary realities
Using authentic rather than hypothetical situations for
learning
Becoming critically aware of architectural memes that
are being passed on and their contemporary relevance
Making learning process more experiential, reflexive,
cyclical, and sequentially coherent
Adopting explicit, transparent and transformative
teaching methods
Routing understanding of culture and history through
the selves of learners, involving personal speculation
and imagination
Exploring better methodological tools to understanding
216
References:
Journals and papers:
1. Crysler, C, G. (1995), Critical Pedagogy and Architectural
Education, Journal of Architectural Education, Vol. 48,
No. 4, p. 208-217
2. Doidge, C. et al. (2000), The Crit, Oxford: Architectural
Press
3. Mazumdar, S. (1993), Cultural Values in Architectural
Education: An Example from India, Journal of Architectural
Education, Vol.46, No.4, p. 230-238
4. Menon, A.G.K. (2001), Reforming Architectural
Education: The Role of Experimentation, Seminar on
Architectural Education in India, Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi
Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies,
January 4, 5, Mumbai
5. Salama, A, M. (2005), Skill based/ Knowledge based
Architectural Pedagogies: An argument for creating Humane
Environments, 7th Intl. Conference on Humane HabiateICHH-05- The International Association of Humane
Habitat IAHH, Rizvi College of Architecture, Mumbai
Books:
6. Chatterjee, M. (1985), The Evolution of Contemporary
Indian Architecture, Architecture in India: Festival of India
exhibition publication, Electa, Paris, p. 124-126
7. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996), Creativity; Flow and the
Psychology of discovery and invention,
8. Eck, D.L (1983), Banaras: City of Light, Penguin Books,
New Delhi
9. Hurtt S.W. (2002), Seven Myths of Modern Architecture,
Windsor Forum on Design Education, Windsor, Florida,
p. 25
Sustainable Buildings
217
219
Continuing Traditions in
New Architecture and Urbanism:
Case studies in Form Making
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
223
Before (above) and after (right) images of Conservation work in Amber, Rajasthan
The Contention:
Universally, most of the efforts to conserve the Architectural
Heritage have focused extensively on the protection of the
Products, and has ignored the Processes which made
the Products worthy of being a part of the Heritage. This
disproportionate attention has resulted in the near extinction
of the Processes. Many such Processes, still surviving in
India, are also heading for extinction, more a result of the
lack of their use than of any other reason. They embody
as well as represent the wealth of a body of knowledge,
which is neither fully documented, nor documentable &
will disappear as a result of lack of its use. This knowledge
is as much part of our Heritage, as its Products that we
call Heritage.
There is an urgent and an important need to recognize
that there exists and continues to exist even today:
A vast body of knowledge encompassing the
understanding of the wide range of construction
materials and technologies evolved and developed over
centuries, and carried from one generation to the next
one, through the capabilities and skills of the traditional
craftspersons.
Communities, which specialized in, and developed,
the crafts that covered all aspects of the design and the
implementation of the Built Environment.
This invaluable asset is rapidly disappearing and warrants
immediate attention. The responsibility primarily rests
with all of us, who are connected with the processes of the
Built Environment. Unless we focus our attention towards
generating employment for the skills of these traditional
craftspersons, through our design projects, the craft is likely
to disappear soon. Its time we woke up to the needs of the
craftspersons to find employment, only then will the vast
body of knowledge and our cultural heritage survive.
224
An Understanding:
As an active practice, we have attempted to achieve these
objectives through a varied range of craft dominated
projects. Towards this cause we have tried to develop an
understanding of crafts, and realised that:
Crafts were integral to and integrated with the design
and construction processes.
Crafts enhanced the value of the products.
The use of crafts increased the options of creating
greater variations in design.
Crafts are highly developed skills, through centuries
of understanding of the long term behaviour of the
materials, the environment and the methods of using
them judiciously for all our needs.
These skills are genetically inherited and developed
from a very early age. They cannot be learnt through
present education processes.
Crafts were integral to Architecture almost till the end
of the Art Deco period, and have begun to disappear
more rapidly from the Modern Movement period.
They have resurfaced recently, but more as articulation
and fashion rather than integral to the design processes
of architecture.
The Attempts and its Processes:
As Indians, we felt it was our responsibility to work
towards ensuring the continuity of this wealth, this body of
knowledge, and the continuity can only be ensured through
the increased use of the crafts and skills in the contemporary
context. We therefore felt that all our actions must lead to
increased use of the traditional crafts and skills resulting
in employment generation of traditional craftsmen. We
were unable to do this because we were the products of
our education system which does very little to increase
our familiarity with our materials and our craftsmen. We
needed a change in approach because there is a difference in
the sequences of thoughts, decision making and execution,
between the traditional and contemporary processes. Our
present understanding of these sequences did not work
if we wanted to increase and integrate the use of crafts
in design. We needed to change our perspective and our
mindset.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
225
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
227
228
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
229
230
1. Time:
Architecture as an evidence of time reveals the hidden
aspects of any culture. Our understanding of time is not
necessarily static (numeric-constant) but also dynamic
(cosmic-variable). It constitutes the Modes, by which we
define the continuity of space accordingly (the memory).
2. Place:
Our understanding of architectural space, in its spatial
definition is organic and vital (human) and not only
geometric (mechanical repetitive). It earns its significance
through mans intervention. It brings un-programmed
events to surface, which evokes human awareness through
activating what is called The Social Urban Fabric.
3. Man:
Man, being a composer and receiver, has the ability to
compose new meanings and create events, by producing
an intimate zone within the Urban Fabric, generating a
dynamic Human Urbanism (vitality).
PARADIGM:
The Narrative of place is initiated with an understanding
of its characteristics which leads to the formulation
of a Narrative of events related to it. It is a product of
coexistence between man and place, which is constantly
changing over time.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
231
232
Harmony between the urban tissue and the built structure- sketch juxtoping
the King Abdul Aziz Historic Centre with its surroundings
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
233
Interplay of light and shade, typical Usage defining the spaces in the
of Islamic architecture
mosque
Justice Palace
234
It was awarded the Aga Khan award in 1995 for its great
impact in changing the social behavioral pattern of the
downtown city of Riyadh.
King Abdul Aziz Historic Centre, Riyadh (left), with its surroundings (right)
Remembrance of the place- the place (left) & its interpretation (right)
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
235
Design sketch analysing the ecological and climatic order of the traditional buildings (left) & its interpretation in the market complex (right)
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
237
Fig 1: Lakshadweep
238
Junior
College,
Kadmat,
Water Table
Ocean
Fresh Water
Lagoon
Zone of Mixture
Salt Water
Fig 3: Traditional form holds hand with the foliage in a collective dance
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
239
Fig 9: Section
Fig 10: Traditional form connects the inner and the outer
240
1. Kitchen
2. Dining
3. Common Room
4. Reading Room
5. Table Tennis
6. Gymnasium
7. Wardens Residence
8. Boys Hostel
9. Dormitory
10. Veranda
Fig 11: Collective memory- Rock painting from the Suhaag hills
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
241
Fig 14: Sources of form- the site: the tree with ritualistic threads tied around
Fig 15: Sources of form- the site: the rock formation on the site
Fig 18: Interpretation of dance mudras into the plan of PREKSHA (right)
Fig 19: The low, earth hugging profile of the buildings reminiscent of the rock paintings and mountains of Bundelkhand
Fig 20: The two coloured rocks strewn over the region were juxtaposed in the
texturing of the building
Fig 21: Cast iron colonial elements transformed into the beaten metal craft
of the Agharia tribes
243
244
Old Well
Completed Village
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
245
Demographic distribution:
Kutch has approximately 950 villages inhabited by a diverse
population. Hindus constitute 89% of the population,
246
Damage sustained:
The earthquake destroyed 90% of the village. Nearly all the
old houses, which constituted 75% of the village collapsed or
developed major cracks. A major school was also destroyed
and is no longer functional. The villagers have managed to
recover 80% of their belongings from the rubble.
School:
A co-ed primary school with strength of 222 students and
7 teachers was fully functional before the earthquake. The
school had from classes I to VII, with children of ages
ranging from 5 to 14 years. Morning or afternoon sessions
were held, depending on the season. In addition, a small
kindergarten with 52 students was taught by 3 teachers, and
functioned for 7 months of the year. The primary school
needs to be rebuilt, and the possibility of the addition of a
secondary school needed exploration.
Medical Centre:
The previous medical centre was mainly a small dispensary,
with 3 doctors who are currently incapacitated. For major
medical problems, villagers depend on a hospital 8 km away
from the village. A better medical centre equipped to handle
more complex medical problems could be added, provided
there is enough demand and there are qualified doctors and
nurses to staff it.
Internal Roads:
School Building after the earthquake
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
247
doors and windows on the top and bottom always end with
an r.c.c. member, thus avoiding cracks during movement
of the base. Shear keys at the base of the plinth, above the
r.c.c. and in between the plinth beam and wall will be added
to avoid displacement.
Climate Resistant Features:
The three main housing types are designed with 250 sq.ft,
350 sq.ft, 450 sq.ft as the maximum built up area. The first
two modules have a living room and a kitchen, whereas
the last module has two living rooms and a kitchen. Each
housing unit will have a verandah. If an individual owns a
larger plot of land, these units can be combined to form a
large unit.
248
Individual needs:
Along with agriculture, bandhni making and handicrafts
are the main professions of the villagers and adequate
provisions need to be made to accommodate the materials
and tools used, either within the house or outside. The
villagers require space in the courtyard to store the material,
work, dry the cloth, mix dyes and other activities. They
prefer not to carry out these activities inside the house
because of space constraints. In case the house does not
have a courtyard, storage lofts should also be provided
inside the house.
As the villagers cook on wood fire chulhas rather than
gas stoves, the kitchens need to be well ventilated and a
non-mechanical system for removal of smoke needs to be
devised. An alternative design solution is to replace outer
walls of the kitchen with bamboo or MS jalis that will allow
the smoke to escape and will keep out animals. Sufficient
storage and seating area should be provided in the kitchen.
Need to revise plans provided by the Government:
Although the modules supplied by the government
were adequate and functional, they were not designed in
accordance with the specific needs of the people. Certain
key features were not given importance and the underlying
character of the village was not incorporated into the design.
Hence the existing plan had to be modified. The five basic
criteria that governed the basis of design for the new housing
plan were (i) the character of the village, (ii) the needs and
necessities of the villagers, (iii) the available space and cost
of construction, (iv) need for structure resistant to seismic
activity and climatic extremes and (v) the use of indigenous
materials and the re-use of recovered material.
A rebuilt house
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
249
Watershed Management
250
(i) See Donald Friend diaries, the National Gallery of Australia, 2005
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
251
Fig.3
252
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
253
Fig.10
254
The effect
development
on
Socio-economic
and
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
255
The other local industry to benefit and perhaps find its own
due to this transformation in the design for tourism was
the Sri Lankan handloom industry. Bawa worked almost
exclusively with the local handloom house called Barefoot
started by Barbara Sansoni. Barbara took the local weaving
techniques and came out with her own unique style of
cloth that was modern yet rooted in traditional technique.
Brilliant color combinations inspired by the in environment
around her, Bawa regularly used her work in his buildings
for the tourist industry as curtains or bedspreads and
sometimes, ceiling fabric and even in uniforms (Fig.18)
This work, originally experimental has now led to a revival
of some of these traditional crafts and they have developed
a unique modern Sri Lankan identity, ensuring their future
survival.
Conclusion
It seems than that the work of Geoffrey Bawa in his
work on tourist hotels managed to synthesize a style that
somehow rooted the building in its place and related it
to the landscape. Each building integrated to the context
and culture within which it was built and as all great works
of art also managed to show some aspect of the place
and culture that would not have been otherwise obvious.
256
257
258
It was in this context that when the time came to build our
own office we felt the need to take a step or join in the
direction of bringing about a paradigm shift in the use of
materials from the centrally produced, energy intensive to
the locally available, renewable, non-energy intensive and
sustainable. The search brought us to bamboo.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
259
The Design
The building planning concept is woven around openness
in plan that keeps the communication flowing yet maintains
privacy. The orientation of the building is such that the
north east morning winds blowing over the pond gets
cooled and flows into office areas. Passages act as buffer
zones stopping the rain and harsh light from entering
workspaces.
The layout can be broadly classified into the following
spaces:
Public spaces: Reception area acts as a public space
linking the entrance and the workspaces.
Semi private spaces: The deck, pantry and conference
act as semi private spaces. These are places such that they
do not disturb the private and executive zones.
Private spaces: They form a link between semi-private
and executive spaces. And yet maintain a level of privacy.
It consists of the Administration and Design office.
Executive spaces: This is constituted by the architects
cabins. They form their own entity yet get a view of the
work spaces.
Plan of the ground floor of the office accommodating the reception, a meeting
room, the deck, administration wing and the pantry.
The first floor houses the engineering and the design studio connected by a corridor. At the center of this corridor
is a directors work space. The staircase part also acts as an
entrance space below.
The first floor plan of the office
260
Sectional view through (from left to right and bottom to top) the administration wing, design studio, the deck and directors cabins.
The Structure
Covering an area of 2750 Sft, our office is probably the first
and largest of its kind and an experiment where we have
attempted to develop a technology (bamboo and reinforced
plaster) for using bamboo in floors, walls and roofs in ways
that meet our contemporary needs.
Bamboo is used in combination with RCC (columns), ferrocement (beams), and a limited quantity of reinforced plaster
so as to arrive at an attractive functional and replicable
combination of technologies.
The deck with the directors cabin above overlooking the RWH pond.
The foundation
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
261
Micro-steel-reinforced mortar-bamboo
composite wall panels.
The slender frame of the building.
Preservative Treatment
All bamboo used on the building has been given preservative
treatment. At the time of construction water based CCA
treatment was given. A pressure of 3.5 Kg/cm for one hour
was found to be sufficient to achieve a retention of more
than 8 Kg/m3 (dry salt) in split bamboo.
Presently we are into Liquid Organic Solvent Preservative
(LOSP) cold dip treatment for in-situ bamboo. It is a nonhazardous trichlorophenol formulation which can be used to
replace water soluble preservatives.
Other Features
Glazing along inward looking walls.
Finishes
While we have gone in for a predominantly red-oxide finish
with stone slab inlays in certain places for the floor, putty
finish over the plastered side of the composite panel for
the walls and mangalore tiles for the roof, this kind of
construction technology allows for almost any kind of
finish desired.
Loading
The dead load of the composite is 1500 N/m2 and the live
load is taken as 4000 N/m2. The building is also analyzed
for wind and earthquake loads. The maximum load taken
262
Split bamboo being stacked for drying in covered space after LOSP cold dip.
Significant Achievements
We found that. . .
Bamboo replaces almost 80% of
structural cement and steel, without
compromising on any of the qualities
that make use of RCC popular.
The self weight of the building is
reduced by around 50% in comparison
to a conventional building of the same
nature, which can be very advantageous
when used for a multi-storied building
as the basic building frame can be
made much lighter.
This technology can, with some
more effort, be easily adapted
for standardization and assembly
line production of prefabricated
components.
Our other projects in Bamboo
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
263
A pool villa
264
Conclusion
I would like to conclude giving an example which illustrates
the Potential of Bamboo.
Bamboo grows very fast and is highly renewable. To build
1000 houses of bamboo annually, material may be taken
from a 60-hectare bamboo plantation, which can be
replaced in 5-7 years. If an equivalent project used timber,
it would require 500 hectares of forest cover and it would
take decades to replace.
Bamboo, unlike cement and steel, helps in decentralizing
the construction process which has both economic and
more importantly ecological advantages.
SEUF is an NGO working in the field of water and sanitation and this
was out first structure in bamboo having a circular form.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
265
Evolving A Vocabulary Of
Architecture
Gerard da Cunha,
Architect, Goa
While working in a particular region, research about the
place on how the inhabitants traditionally solved their
basic problems of shelter, is essential. This might be the
choice of materials, the techniques deployed due to the
limitations of the material and how they tackled challenges
posed by the climate in the form of rains, the storms and
the variations of temperatures. Next, we look at the local
genius, the aesthetics being created in terms of the craft
employed in the building, how they enclosed space and how
they presented their buildings to the Gods.
Trying to adopt an evolutionist ideology in my design
process, my belief is that the only way to design effectively
is to let the design evolve during the act of building. It is
impossible to decide everything in advance, and the site
provides the best position from which key decisions can
be made. Therefore, it is important that the architect is also
the builder. And when he lets the workers participate in the
process of building, thats when it is possible to recover
craftsmanship. The starting points of the design are the
clues provided by the site and the regional vernacular. From
there on, the language of design is provided by materials in
terms of structure, texture and colour. The T- Square and
the computer are shackles on creativity.
In the beginning of any design effort, I use my research as
a loose starting point. Like vernacular examples, I try and
use a holistic system of construction, which automatically
creates its aesthetic. It is important to me that the system or
language I evolve should be capable of solving the complex
266
Nrityagram
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
267
Vidyanagar Karnataka.
The project is in the Hot Arid region of South India close
to the World Heritage site at Hampi. It is a company town
attached to a large steel factory. There were many constraints
related to the remoteness of the location, urgency in
completion and a low budget. I visited numerous company
towns and realized that it had been a badly handled subject,
with a master planner making a land use plan and individual
designers later placing a school, market, or housing complex
within. No account was taken of the spatial aspect of the
town and there was no discernable network for the services.
I therefore decided to create a township that was:
Unique in its identity
Comfortable in this hot climate
Safe for children
268
The hotel
Vidyanagar township
The cluster
The type IV units were used as corner units. Each unit was
designed permitting the roof of one to be used as the terrace
of another. Local stone was used at the lower levels and a
system of concrete joists was present to support a stone slab
roof. The open space within each cluster was landscaped in a
different manner. The major open spaces accommodate the
public gardens. Each unit had a different plinth level and each
home has either a garden or a terrace which is used extensively
for sleeping and external living.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
269
Museum
To spring
llage
i
To v
Architects house
city
To
Architects office
270
Gallery
Toilet
Gallery
Kitchen
Gallery/Theatre
Reception
Plans of (from left to right) the ground floor, levels I, II and III
Gallery 3/Theatre
Gallery 2
Gallery 1
Ground Floor
Section
Level III with the theatre (with a screen that can be pulled down)
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Form Making
271
Continuing Traditions in
New Architecture and Urbanism:
Case studies in Place Making
1. Entry Plaza
2. Craft Area
3. Food Courts
4. Aurobindo Road
5. Tickets and Offices
6. Nallah (drain)
7. Line of original Nallah
8. Concrete slab
Dilli Haat: Plan (above) and Section
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
275
276
There was another project across the road, which was taken
up five years back and was to connect to Dilli Haat. It was
to be a flower market but it has been on hold for the last
three years since the New Delhi Municipal Corporation has
decided not to go ahead with it for the moment. The idea
was to create the same mood here and connect the two
bazaars through a pedestrian subway since, at the present a
huge interchange exists between the two making it difficult
for pedestrians to cross. It was also proposed to provide
some shops in the subway so that people would feel safe
while using it. The parking problem at Dilli Haat would also
have been solved, by adding a large parking section near the
flower market. This market too, was supposed to be built
on the nullah(drain). It was conceived to have a large roof.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
277
18 m Right of Way
Road no: 3
Location: Gurudwara gate no. 1- Keli Market
Total length: 0.72 km
Road no: 4
Location: Keli Market - Barki Chowk
Total length: 0.32 km
278
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
279
Road Section
280
Jama
Masjid
Red
Fort
Proposed re-organization
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
281
3. ISSUES
These are a few fundamental questions which could be
categorized as various issues relating to pedestrian spaces:
1. Issues relating to visual and sensory perception,
imageability and aesthetic impact.
How does one evaluate the quality of a pedestrian
environment?
Does the introduction of a pedestrian area help to
improve the imageability and quality of life of an urban
area?
Does the Architectural environment influence the
quality and success of a pedestrian area?
2. Issues relating to climate, vegetation and topography.
How does climate and vegetation exert an impact on
the usage of pedestrian areas?
How does topography of an area influence the usage of
a pedestrian area?
3. Issues relating to design parameters and standards.
What are the problems afflicting existing pedestrian
areas?
Are they being effectively used?
Does the size and function of a city matter with respect
to its pedestrian areas?
How do Land use patterns influence usage of pedestrian
areas?
Should the context (location, land use) determine
standards for pedestrian areas and facilities?
4. Issues relating to user-friendliness and pedestrian
convenience and satisfaction.
Can user perception be utilized to frame context specific
standards?
Can user perception be harnessed to evolve a tool to
document the contribution of pedestrian areas to the
quality of life of an urban area?
5. Issues relating to social (culture, lifestyle), economic and
religious aspects.
How do we provide the pedestrian his due share of the
street?
How do our culture and lifestyle exert an impact on the
usage of pedestrian areas?
How does the economic condition of an area affect
usage of pedestrian areas?
4. GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS
4.1 IRC
The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) has stipulated standards
for pedestrian facilities like Sidewalks, Guard Rails and
Pedestrian Crossings both at-grade and grade-separated
(Indian Roads Congress, 1998).
But these lack the human element like aesthetics, scale,
form and proportion.
Pedestrian amenities and street furniture do not find a place
in these standards. Context-specific standards according to
the location in the city, hierarchy of streets and functions of
streets have not been thought of.
282
Width of
sidewalk(m)
In both
directions
1.50
1,200
800
2.00
2,400
1,600
2.50
3,600
2,400
3.00
4,800
3,200
4.00
6,000
4,000
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
283
284
Amenities
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
285
6. EVALUATION
286
6.3 Evaluation
Ranganathan Street
S.No.
Facility / Amenity
Rating
Continuous sidewalks
Crossings
Curb-cuts
Surface design
Seating
7
8
Informal shopping
Minor architectural features
2
1
9
10
11
12
Recreational equipment
Lighting
Landscaping
Fountains
0
2
0
0
13
Art / Artifacts
Facility/Amenity
Rating
Continuous sidewalks
Crossings
Curb-cuts
Surface design
6
7
Seating
Informal shopping
0
4
Recreational equipment
10
Lighting
11
Landscaping
12
Fountains
13
Art / Artifacts
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
287
Ranganathan Street
S.No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Quality attribute
Enclosure/Definition
Complexity of path network
Building articulation
Complexity of spaces
Transparency
Buffer
Shade trees
Overhangs/Awnings/Varied roof
lines
Physical components/condition
Rating
5
2
2
1
2
0
1
2
Quality attribute
Enclosure/Definition
Complexity of path network
Building articulation
Complexity of spaces
Transparency
Buffer
Shade trees
Overhangs/Awnings/Varied roof
lines
Physical components/condition
Rating
3
3
3
2
2
4
2
4
1
References:
1. Buchanan, C. (1963), Traffic in Towns, The Specially
Shortened Edition of the Buchanan Report, Penguin,
Harmondsworth, p.56-57
2. Burden, Dan (1996), Walkable and Bicycle-Friendly
Communities, Florida Dept. of Transportation.
3. C. Alexander, S. Ishikawa, M. Silverstein, M. Jacobson,
I. Fiksdahl-King and S. Angel.(1977), A Pattern Language,
Oxford University Press, New York .
4. Fruin, J.J. (1971), Pedestrian: planning and design,
Metropolitan Association of Urban Designers and
Environmental Planners, Inc., New York.
5. Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities IRC : 103 (1998),
The Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi.
6. Hall, Edward T.(1990), The hidden dimension, Anchor
Books (Doubleday), New York.
7. Jacobs, Allen. (1993), Great Streets, MIT Press, Boston.
8. Jacobs, Jane.(1961), The Death and Life of Great
American Cities, Random House, New York, p. 39.
9. Khisty, C.J.(1994), Evaluation of pedestrian facilities:
beyond the level-of-service concept. Transportation
Research Record 1438.
10. Kroll, J. (2001), Moving About in a Technological
World: A Hermeneutic-Phenomenological Inquiry of
288
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
289
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
291
Projects
292
Education
Enquiry by Design
Design Codes: A town code is a design tool that translates
the design vision embodied in the town plan into practical
instructions for building the town itself. It effectively sets
out the design language of a place. This agreed set of
rules and guidelines increases the certainty that the vision
for the community will be realised, with benefits for all
concerned. A town code spans town-wide issues such as
street design, landscape structure, building height and land
use, through to more architectural elements such as the
design of individual buildings, their relationship to the street
and the way in which buildings are grouped in blocks.
In our built work we aim to:
Engender Social Interaction
Make Places
Allow Movement Logically and Legibly
Sustain Land Value
Build Sustainably and Beautifully
Design Coding
The Town wide regulations are the rules that apply to the
development as a whole such as land uses, massing, landscape
structure and building materials. Broadly speaking, they
include the brief for the development in terms of
overall urban structure and movement patterns, uses and
their locations, the landscape features to be retained and
enhanced, as well as sustainability criteria that need to be
responded to.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
293
294
295
Regulating Plan
Built evidence
296
Northants
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
297
BOX-1
Acts relating to preservation of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains in India:
1.
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
2.
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959.
3.
The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
4.
A.P. Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960.
5.
Assam Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1959.
6.
Gujarat Ancient Monuments & Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1965.
7.
Jammu and Kashmir Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1977.
8.
Jallianwalla Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951.
9.
Madras Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1966.
10.
M.P. Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
11.
Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1961.
12.
Mysore Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Acts, 1962.
13.
Orissa Ancient Monuments and Preservation Act, 1956.
14.
Punjab Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
15.
Rajasthan Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Antiquities Act, 1961.
16.
Rajghat Samadhi Act, 1951 (of Central Govt.).
17.
U.P. Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Preservation Act, 1957.
18.
Victoria Memorial Act, 1903.
19.
West Bengal Preservation of Historical Monuments and Objects and Excavation of Archaeological sites Act,
1957.
20.
Museums Act, 1961.
21.
Salar Jung Museum Act, 1961.
Other related Acts
i)
Town and Country Planning Acts
ii)
Delhi Development Act, 1957 and other Development Authority Acts.
iii)
Delhi Urban Art Commission Act, 1973
iv)
Urban Improvement Acts
v)
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
vi)
Various Municipal Acts
vii)
The West Bengal Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1976 (extended to Union Territory of Delhi in
1982).
viii)
Various DCR (Development Control Rules), Building Bye-laws and Regulations.
ix)
Delhi Municipal Corporation (Tax on Advertisements other than Advertisements published in Newspapers)
Bye-laws, 1996.
x)
New Delhi Municipal Council (Pasting of Bills & Advertisement) Bye-laws, 1995.
298
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
299
300
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
301
Table 1
Types of Partnerships
Type
Area of coverage
Development
partnership joint
venture
Development trust
Informal
arrangement
Agency
Urban / sub-regional.
Strategic
Sub-regional / metropolitan
Range of partners
Activities
Private developer,
housing association, local
authority
Community based
organisation with aid
from local authorities.
Private sector-led.
Sponsored by chamber
of commerce/
development agency.
Terms of reference
from sponsoring agency
through an agency /
development company
independent of the
partners.
All sectors
Commercial/non profit
development for mutual benefit.
Community based regeneration,
concerned with creating community
benefits.
Place-marketing, promotion of
growth and investment.
Table 2
Government Level
Local Authority
Community Level
Decentralise
Plan comprehensively.
Co-ordinate programme
302
References:
1. Cantacuzino, Sherban (1987), Blueprint for conservation
in the Third World, Mimar 24.
2. Cantacuzino, Sherban (1985), A Policy for Area
Conservation in India, FRAC.
3. Delhi Development Authority (1990), Master Plan for
Delhi-2001.
4. Delhi Development Authority (2005), Draft Master Plan
for Delhi-2021.
5. Doctor, Rob (1996), Integrated Conservation of Urban
Heritage.
6. Govt. of Maharashtra (1995), Heritage Regulations / List
of Greater Bombay,
7. Richard, Groves (1991), Development of Urban Renewal
Programme in India. University of Birmingham.
8. Hyderbad Urban Development Authority(1997),
Conservation of Heritage in Hyderabad-Regulations and
List.
9. HUDCO (1996), Shelter. Spl. Issue on Indo-Dutch
Workshop on Urban Heritage, June.
10. ICOMOS (1991), Guidelines for Training and
Conservation. December.
11. INTACH & CSD (1993), Mehrauli Urban Heritage
Project.
12. INTACH (1997), Listing of Heritage buildings in
Delhi.
13. Jain, A.K. (1994), The Cities of Delhi, Man. Pub. Co.,
New Delhi.
14. Jain, A.K. (1995), Planning Approach for Conservation
of Heritage, ITPI, Journal, March-June.
15. Jain, A.K. (1998), Delhi 50 years of Triumph & Tragedy,
ITPI, Journal, Dec.
16. McCallum D. & Steinberg,F (1987), Approaches to
Housing Renewal, Urban India. Vol.XVIII, No.2, New
Delhi, p. 20-26.
17. MOUAE (1996), Report of the Steering Committee on
Review of MPD-2001, reprinted by DDA (1997)
18. Naidu, Ratna (1994), A Conceptual Framework for
Renewal of Walled Cities in India, Ekistics, Sept.-Dec.
19. Ribeiro, E.F.N. (1992), The Listing of Buildings and
Sites and Archaeological Historical and Architectural
Significance in the Context of the Bombay, Seminar Paper,
Max Mueller Bhawan, Mumbai, October.
20. Peter, Roberts & Sykes, Hugh (Ed), Urban Regeneration
A Handbook, Sage, London.
21. Rao, G.B.K. (1977), Legislation for Conservation and
Management of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological
Sites and Ruins, July-Sept. URP Thought.
22.Steinberg, Florian (1996), Conservation and
Rehabilitation of Urban Heritage in Developing Countries,
Habitat International, June.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
303
304
Gurmeet Rai:
As a practitioner who has been engaged with the Nabha
project, I consider this Declaration as an interesting paper
and my main concern would be to figure out how the same
could create a lasting impact.
It would be useful here, to reflect on the words of Patrick
Geddes; who came to India and spoke on conservation
surgery in Indian towns and the need to improve the
condition of our old cities. Interestingly, he held that one
needed to think global, but act local. Today, the kinds of
projects being taken up under the National Urban Renewal
Mission are neglecting the small and medium towns. As a
result, it is the metropolises and other big cities that are
compelled to absorb the expanding urban population.
The small and medium towns need to be immediately
focused on, wherein Nabha can provide the opportunity
to develop a model, which can be replicated. Unfortunately
in the planning process, the urban planner or designer is
usually hardly ever involved. The technocrat is generally
completely ignored in discussions, with the spotlight being
on the bureaucrat or the politician. In order to make an
overall impact on policy, the designer ought to be involved
in the planning process, which can then be forwarded to
the government. Many more demonstration projects like
Nabha are needed as well. In fact, Nabha would provide
a very interesting laboratory to test whether our enabling
tools need to be just reinterpreted or altered.
Robert Adam:
On a slightly different note, the effects of this Declaration
could be made visible through a demonstration project. If it
works, this Declaration can have a far-reaching impact. The
structure of this document can make it very effective and a
great deal can be drawn from the various ideas, views and
examples contributed during this forum. This document
would not only be useful for usage and implementation
purposes, but also provide assistance in the communication
of the ingrained ideas to various stakeholders, such as
bureaucrats. As it develops authority and credence, the
document could help develop an action plan consisting
of step-by-step guidelines. Once it does that, it can have a
destination, a purpose, an impact, and would thereby help
Nabha in emerging as an example.
Richard Engelhardt:
Whatever we see, document and live through is undergoing
a paradigm shift, wherein heritage and tradition are not
mere elite resources to be fossilized. They form a universal
resource for development and hence are significant for the
vitalization of the community, whether traditional or newly
emerging urban communities. There is a direct link between
heritage conservation and the continuation of traditional
practices, particularly in the built environment. This
relation underpins sustainable development, which in turn
is essential for good governance. It is a sort of virtual circle,
wherein the role of INTBAU India needs to be analyzed
The INTBAU Nabha declaration should be taken up as a
real blueprint for action. Moreover, it ought to establish a
professional code of practice for INTBAU practitioners to
follow, and go on to become a powerful way of interacting
at the governance level. For this, the Indian membership
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
305
Merle Kindred:
Kiran S. Kalamdani:
306
A.G.K. Menon:
Naresh Karmalker:
There is room in this declaration for partnerships beyond
that between architects and the urban planners. As it is a
holistic kind of an idea, more players and stakeholders need
to be involved. The idea of setting up centers to transfer
the technology and the learning skills has already been put
to action by many organizations. INTBAU needs to get into
partnerships with such organizations.
Arunava Das Gupta:
The INTBAU Nabha declaration has to be more inclusive
of expertise beyond just the architectural community, by
others that have as much stake in, as well as an understanding
of, the development of tradition, specifically with respect
to anthropology and economics.
Ashutosh Sohoni:
We have a strategy for heritage and conservation. The
objective should be to take these thoughts and ideas beyond
the community of designers and architects. One of the ways
to bring about this shift in thinking is to educate children
who are at an impressionable age so that over a period of
time there will be total change in the way society looks at
heritage.
A.G.K. Menon:
Hopefully, many events would be planned in various places
so that the message can be disseminated to a wider audience
and in many other ways. For instance, the exercise INTBAU
started the year before last was a wonderful strategy on how
heritage could be used in city development and renewal. We
can proceed with our agenda through such exercises with
support from schools, professionals and officials.
Continuing Traditions in New Architecture and Urbanism: Case Studies in Place Making
307
The old fortified town of Mumbai, India is a unique example of how the
original settlements of any city are foresighted enough to still be vital in
functioning of the town.
Essays and Illustrations on Contemporary Relevance of Traditional Principles in Architecture & Urbanism
311
The fortified town old of Baroda houses most of the government institutions
and administrative establishments around a lake precinct.
Streets of old planned or organic towns like these in Siddhpur, India, still
preserve the essence of the once upon a time street markets that played major
roles in the development of the town.
Most of the settlements that now form a part of the old towns
are losing their race against time. They form an unchanging
part of dynamic developments in their surroundings and
are reduced to being merely silent spectators to the surge
of spectacular and aggressive growth in the surrounding
areas. These older parts of towns or cities have been built
by exploiting the skills of local craftsmen and conscious
use of locally available materials. The present lifestyles in
and around these built fabrics are condensed continuities
of the original ways of life of the people. We still see a
photograph of a corner house of an anonymous street of
some part of an anonymous town and identify the place
where it stands with accuracy. The sense of identity was
never lost in the process.
As time went by, the Builder transcended from being a
mere craftsman to a visualizer. From comic book instances
of Asterix and Obelix being ordered by queen Cleopetra to
build a pyramid to realisition of Le Corbusiers urbanism in
the town of Chandigarh. Projects got driven from a vision
of a single creative mind and the effort was now to realize
those visions. The architect slowly became a single creative
312
The ruins of the historic towns like these of Mandu, India, are examples of
the immense wealth of inherent knowledge of building that was lost in time.
313
Contemporary Relevance Of
Traditional Principles In Architecture
And Urbanism
Saptarishi Sanyal
School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi
Today, there is a definite lack of satisfaction with human
habitats, which is what makes one evaluate these with
respect to the traditional environments that they have
replaced or are in the process of replacing with a global
paradigm of development. These forces are usually related
to the assigning of myopic and superficial goals of ease
and betterment of lifestyle and living conditions in regions
that are understood to be underprivileged by the modern
world. Jyoti Hosagrahars book Indigenous Modernities
discusses how global politics and asymmetries of power
relations have influenced a societys understanding of and
subsequent engagement with modernity. Thus, the global
monster continues to envelope most of the eastern world
and threaten the identity of places by diluting the rootedness
of these areas.
BACKGROUND
The history of the present conditions of architecture and
urbanism may be traced back to the modern movement and its
propagation of industry and machine driven and functional
internationalist aesthetic that knows no cultures or places.
This can be attributed to any industrial product, whether
steel or the automobile to Moshe Safdies prefabricated
dwelling units. The ideals of the modern movement were
replaced by the post-modern movements embrace of the
complexity and contradiction in architecture and cities.
However, even this can be considered as big a pathogen
advocating dislocation as the modern movement with its
internationalist goals. These pasts have today brought us
to a situation that is undesirably eclectic yet placeless, still
pushed by industrial roots, and lopsided in addressing the
end-users as part of their context, who have been stratified
as modern or primitive based on these foreign notions of the
same.
314
Fig. 2: Agraharams in Kerala (Source: Sketches: author, Krishna Chandran , 2004; Inset plate: author; Inset text: author)
Essays and Illustrations on Contemporary Relevance of Traditional Principles in Architecture & Urbanism
315
Fig. 3: Do-it-Yourself (D-I-Y) models developed for rural common-services-centre that is participatory and adaptable to local materials
(Sources: Community Services center, author)
References:
1. Bhatia, Gautam (1991), Laurie Baker: Life, Work and
Writings.
2. Blake, Stephen P. (1986), Shahjahanabad: Sovereign City
3. Greffe, Xavier (2001), Managing our cultural heritage
4.Grover, Satish (1995), Building beyond borders
5. Hosagrahar, Jyoti (2004), Indigenous Modernities
6. Khan, Hasan-Uddin (2001), International Style
7. Krafft, Thomas & Ehlers, Eckhart (1993), Shahjahanabad:
Tradition & Colonial Change
8. Rykwert, Joseph (2002), The Seduction of Place
9. Taecker, Matthew (2000), Urban revitalization and rural
restoration
.and many others
Websites:
1. Laura Wallace interviews of Amartya Sen, September
2004,www.google.com
2. www.unesco.org/life
3. en.wikipedia.org
319
Ways of Seeing:
Interpreting Heritage and Tradition for Design Education
Ashutosh Sohoni
Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA
321
323
Pradeep Bhagat
Chandigarh College of Architecture
325
Sanjay S. Jado
MITS, Gwalior
327
Sarosh Pradhan
Architect, Kathmandu, Nepal
329
Wael Fahmi
Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
331
Lime Panel
ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
A.G.K. Menon (Chair)
is an Architect and Academician, and a Founder member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(INTACH) and director of the TVB School, New Delhi. He has lectured, taught and written extensively all over the world
and is associated as advisor/chairperson with Delhi Urban Arts Comission(DUAC), Delhi Development Authority(DDA) &
National Capital Region Planning Board. He has been the Chairperson of Urban Renewal and Urban Heritage Committee
for formulation of Delhi Master Plan 2001-2021. He is based in New Delhi, India
Robert Adam
His contribution to the classical tradition is internationally acknowledged, both as a scholar and as a designer of traditional
and progressive classical architecture. Working in the USA, UK and Europe, he has chaired various bodies including the
International Network for Traditional Builing, Architecture and Urbanism (INTBAU). He is a Royal Institute of British
Architects Councillor and has been an advisor to the Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment (CABE) and
English Heritage. He is based in Winchester in the United Kingdom.
S.K. Misra
is the Chairman of INTACH, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. INTACH has grown from strength
to strength under his keen supervision and guidance. There are currently around 117 chapters within the country. INTACH
has also taken a lead in organizing craft training programmes, art and craft festivals and heritage walks throughout the
country. He is based at the INTACH head office in New Delhi, India
Yaaminey Mubayi
is a Consultant for Cultural Heritage at The Nabha Foundation, where she is providing inputs in both heritage conservation
together with socio-cultural parameters. She has worked formerly with UNESCO and various community development
organisations and is involved with various heritage initiatives all over India. She also teaches Conservation Management at
the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. She is based in New Delhi, India
Nimish Patel
has established the widely regarded and awarded Abhikram which has been working in the field of traditional, contextual
and sustainable architecture. He has been involved in heritage conservation projects and research in climatically appropriate
design in various parts of India. He has published and lectured extensively and has also established the Virasat Foundation to
establish the relevance towards traditional decision making processes in the built environment. He is based in Ahmedabad,
India
Deependra Prashad (Editor)
is an Architect & Planner who has been involoved in Research and Construction Projects in the field of sustainable and low
energy architecture. He has published on and has provided consultation to both the government and NGOs like CARE,
Development Alternatives & UN-Habitat on issues of appropriate building materials, water management, community
planning methods & educational infrastructure development. He teaches Sustainable Design at the Dept. of Architecture
and Urban Design at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. He is based in New Delhi, India
Jyoti Soni
is an architect and has worked on a range of architectural and developmental projects in Mumbai, UK & the Middle East.
She has worked is Dresden on the usage of traditional materials in construction and participated in community planning
workshops & NGO lobbies to the government in India. She is currently based in London in the United Kingdom.
Saswati Chetia (Asst. Editor & Architect INTBAU India)
is an Architect. She has graduated from Maulana Azad National In Bhopal and worked in Ahmedabad and New Delhi on
various architectural and research projects primarily based in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana & Rajasthan. She is working
as an Architect & Program Manager with INTBAU India and is based in New Delhi, India.
332
List of Contributors
Name
A.G.K.Menon
menon.agk@gmail.com
A.K.Jain
akjain@del3vsnl.net.in
Amit Bhatt
prernamehta25@gmail.com
Arif Hasan
Architect/Planner, Pakistan
arifhasan@cyber.net.pk
Ashok Lall
ablarch@gmail.com
Ashutosh Sohoni
assohoni@rediffmail.com
Brinda Somaya
bsomaya@bom4.vsnl.net.in
Channa Daswatte
channadas@gmail.com
Deependra Prashad
deependra@intbau.in
Dhiru Thadani
DThadani@asg-architects.com
Gerard da Cunha
archauto@gmail.com
arunapaul@gmail.com
Gurmeet Rai
raidelhi@gmail.com
K.T. Ravindran
ktravindran1@gmail.com
Krupali Uplekar
uplekar.1@nd.edu
Leon Krier
Madhu C.Dutta
malihasultan@gmail.com
Marjan Sadat Nematimehr Phd Scholar, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
mnematimehr@yahoo.com
Michael Mehaffy
michael.mehaffy@gmail.com
Minja Yang
newdelhi@unesco.org
Mustansir Dalvi
mustansirdalvi@gmail.com
Narendra Dengle
narendraden@gmail.com
Naresh Karmalker
nareshk@hfhisa.net
Nimish Patel
abhikram@abhikram.com
odeyaleoluseyi@yahoo.com
Parul Zaveri
abhikram@abhikram.com
pradeepbhagat45@yahoo.com
Pradeep Sachdeva
pradeep@ayanagar.com
Pranali R. Parikh
pranali.parikh@gmail.com
prasadjdw@gmail.com
Prerna Mehta
prernamehta25@gmail.com
Pushpa Arabindoo
p.arabindoo@ucl.ac.uk
Raj Rewal
rajrewal@del2.vsnl.net.in
Rakesh K.S.
Ranjit Sabikhi
ranjit@sabikhi.com
Rasem Badran
daralomran@daralomran.com
Richard Engelhardt
r.engelhardt@unescobkk.org
Robert Adam
robert,adam@robertadamarchitects.
com
333
334
Ruturaj Parikh
ruturaj.parikh@gmail.com
S.Badrinarayanan
narayan.badri@gmail.com
Sanjay S. Jadon
jadon100@hotmail.com
Saptarshi Sanyal
spacearts.studio@gmail.com
sarikapanda@yahoo.com
Sarosh Pradhan
sarosh@wlink.com.np
Sashikala Ananth
Architect-Vadivam, Chennai
vaastuhealing@vsnl.net
Satprem Maini
earthinstitute@auroville.org.in
Shikha Jain
dronah@rediffmail.com
Smita Dalvi
smita.dalvi@gmail.com
Tariq Yahiaoni
enquiry@princes-foundation.org
Uday Khemka
ukhemka@sun-capital.com
dasvm@manit.ac.in
Wael Fahmi
uders2004@yahoo.co.uk
William Koehler
william.koehler@umb.edu
Yaaminey Mubayi
yaaminey@gmail.com
Yatin Pandya
pandyatin@gmail.com
A.G.K. Menon
agkrishnamenon@gmail.com
A.K. Jain
ashokkumarjain@bol.net.in
A.Vishal Chand
gravitydistance@yahoo.com
Abhijit Kondhalkar
ar_udabhi@yahoo.co.in
Abhijit Ray
a_ray25c@hotmail.com
Adriana Duran
Architect, Columbia.
adriana_duran@hotmail.com
Ajay Kalsi
Noida
Ajit Seshadri
ajit.seshadri@vigyanvijay.org
Alessandro Iacovuzzi
a.iacovzzi@hotmail.com
Ameeta Sane
Architect, Mumbai
ameeta.sane@gmail.com
Amita Baig
amitabaig@vsnl.com
Amruta Deshpande
amruta13feb@yahoo.co.in
Anil Laul
anillaul@vsnl.com
Anita Bakshi
bakshiesh@googlemail.com
anjali_gijre@gmail.com
Anu Singh
sans1_anu@yahoo.com
Anuj Kathuria
anuj.kt@gmail.com
Anuradha Chaturvedi
anuradhachaturvedi@yahoo.com
Anurag Roy
royanurag@gmail.com
archana@firstprinciple.org
arif_iitr@rediffmail.com
Arun Bhandari
arynum@yahoo.co.in
arunapaul_123@yahoo.com
Aruna Sharma
aruna_psharma@yahoo.co.in
arunavd998@yahoo.co.in
Arvind Krishan
Krishan@del2.vsnl.net.in
Ashok B. Lall
ablarch@gmail.com
Ashtosh Dhar
ashtoshdhar@yahoo.com
Ashutosh Sohoni
assohoni@rediffmail.com
Ashwini Kumar
akumar@vsnl.com
Asmita Divakar
asmita_divekar@bnca.ac.in
Atish Mandal
atishmandal2003@yahoo.co.in
Avni Malhotra
avni.malhotra@sdc.net
Ayodh Kamath
ayodhkamath@gmail.com
Azhar Tyabji
azhartyabji@gmail.com
B.K. Jain
jainbk@hotmail.com
Balbir Verma
balv@bol.net.in
Bhavna Muttreja
bhavnamuttreja@hotmail.com
Binayak Rath
brath@iitk.ac.in
Brinda Somaya
snk@bom8.vsnl.net.in
335
Channa Daswatte
336
channadas@gmail.com
Charu Chadha
charu.chandha@gmail.com
chitra_1up@rediffmail.com
Christiane Brusius
cbrosius@hotmail.com
hmppsnabha@yahoo.com
Czaee Malpani
czaee.malpani@gmail.com
Debashish Nayak
debashishnayak@rediffmail.com
Debashree Pal
hi_munmun13@yahoo.co.in
Deependra Prashad
deependra@intbau.in
Deepika Saxena
deepika_dinesh_1983@yahoo.co.uk
Devendra Kumar
Dwivedi
devkr_2006@rediffmail.com
Dhiru Thadani
DThadani@asg-architects.com
Dhruva Kalra
dhruva.kalra@gmail.com
Dhwani Iyer
dhwani2710@gmail.com
Diksha Agarwal
agarwal.diksha@gmail.com
Divya Chopra
divyac_26@yahoo.co.in
Divya Kush
divyakush@flashmail.com
Faith Singh
faithsingh@anokhi.com
G.S. Gill
majmanko@gmail.com
gayatriratnam@yahoo.com
Gerard da Cunha
archauto@goa1.dot.net.in
Giles Tillotson
reachview@yahoo.com
Gurmeet S. Rai
raidelhi@gmail.com
Himanshu Shard
enlbent2003@yahoo.com
J.N. Somya
j.n.somaya@gmail.com
Jayashree Deshpande
Jigna Desai
jignades@gmail.com
Jyoti Soni
Architect, Mumbai
j_soni@intbau.in
K.T.Gurumukhi
kt_guru@yahoo.co.in
K.T.Ravindran
ktravindran1@gmail.com
Kamal Chawla
kamal.chawla@gmail.com
Kapil Arora
ar_kaps@yahoo.com
Kapil Gauba
kapilgauba@gmail.com
Karan Grover
kga@icenet.net
Kiran S. Kalamdani
kimaya1404@rediffmail.com
Kriti Aggarwal
kriti0212@gmail.com
Kulbhushan Jain
kbj81@hotmail.com
Kulwant Singh
kulwant2002@gmail.com
Laxmi Arya
Architect, Mumbai
laxmi@intbau.in
Leon Krier
Lipika Swarup
lipika_swarup@hotmail.com
M.N.Joglekar
mnjoglekar@hotmail.com
Madhu C. Dutta
madhucdutta@yahoo.com
Madhu Pandit
madhupandit@gmail.com
Madhushri Gadgil
bnca@vsnl.com
majmanko@gmail.com
Mala Seshagiri
Chennai
mseshagiri@yahoo.com
malihasultan@gmail.com
Manan Ahuja
m_n_ndel@hotmail.com
sushant@nde.vsnl.net.in
Manoj Kumar
manojkr_nitp@yahoo.co.in
Mansi Chaturvedi
mansi_c@intbau.in
Maria Rundqvist
Architect, Sweden
maria_rundqvist@yahoo.se
Marjan Nematimehr
mnematimehr@yahoo.com
Matthew Hardy
Matthew.Hardy@PrincesFoundation.org
Meera Soni
meerasoni@gmail.com
Merle Kindred
mekindre@mtu.edu
Michael Gorzynski
mike@mba2007.hse.edu
Michael W Mehaffy
michael.mehaffy@gmail.com
Mikael Backman
mikael.backman@karlshamn.se
Miki Desai
mmdesai2@yahoo.co.in
Minja Yang
newdelhi@unesco.org
Mitra Mitra
mitramitra22@gmail.com
mrinal.rammohan@gmail.com
Mrs. Badran
daralomran@daralomran.com
Mustansir Dalvi
mustansirdalvi@gmail.com
Namita Goel
namita_goel@jasubhai.com
Narendra Dengle
shankav@vsnl.com
Naresh Karmalker
nareshk@hfhisa.net
Natesan Seshagiri
mseshagiri@yahoo.com
Navin Piplani
npiplani@hotmail.com
Neepa Saha
neepa@thenabhafoundation.org
Neeraj Manchanda
neeraj@nma-design.com
Nidhi Aggarwal
Nidhi Batra
nidhi_b_5@yahoo.com
Nilanjan Bhowal
nilanjan@descon.in
Nimish Patel
Architect, Abhikram
abhikram@abhikram.com
Nupur Saran
nups.s@yahoo.com
odeyaleoluseyi@yahoo.com
P.C. Jain
cmd@spectralservices.net
P.K. Jain
pkjain5883@yahoo.co.in
P.S. Mathur
psmathur214@yahoo.com
Parul Zaveri
abhikram@abhikram.com
Payal Kapoor
kapoorpayal@gmail.com
Poonam Verma
Mascarenhas
pvmas@yahoo.com
Pradeep Bhagat
pradeepbhagat45@yahoo.com
Pradeep Sachdeva
design@ayanagar.com
Pranali R Parikh
pranali.parikh@gmail.com
inspire@vsnl.com
Preeti Harit
preetiharit@gmail.com
Prerna Mehta
prernamehta25@gmail.com
Priya Sasidharan
priya.sasidharan@gmail.com
Priyaleen Singh
prsingh@ndf.vsnl.net.in
Priyank Jain
priyankjain127@yahoo.com
337
Priyanka Dave
338
priyadave@yahoo.com
Priyanka Kochhar
priyanka@teri.res.in
Pushpa Arabindoo
p.arabindoo@ucl.ac.uk
Raghav Kaushik
kaushik.raghav@gmail.com
Raj Rewal
mail@rajrewal.org
Rajeev Sethi
Rakesh K.S
bapi_72@yahoo.com
Ram Sharma
sushant_school@vsnl.com
Raman Vig
ramanvig@hotmail.com
Ranjana Mital
ranjanamital@hotmail.com
Ranjit Mitra
ranjitmitra13@gmail.com
Ranjit Sabikhi
ranjit@sabikhi.com
Rasem Badran
daralomran@daralomran.com
Ratish Nanda
ratishn@gmail.com
Ravindra Bhan
ravindrabhan@gmail.com
Reena Surana
rina.surana@rediffmail.com
Revathi Kamath
rukamatch@vsnl.net
Richard Engelhardt
r.engelhardt@unescobkk.org
myriddhs@yahoo.ca
Robert Adam
robert.adam@robertadamarchitects.
com
Robert Patzschke
r.patlschke@gmx.de
Rohini Shaurya
shauryarohini@hotmail.com
Rohini Srivastava
rohini05@yahoo.com
Ruchita Gupta
ruchita_garg@yahoo.com
Rupal Shukla
rupalshukla@gmail.com
Ruturaj F. Parikh
ruturaj.parikh@gmail.com
S. Badrinarayanan
narayan.badri@gmail.com
S.C. Mahagaonkar
dir_tp@jaipurjda.org
Sachin Kapoor
sachin@thenabhafoundation@org
Sanjay S. Jadon
jadon100@hotmail.com
Saptarshi Sanyal
spacearts.studio@gmail.com
Sarah Adam
smbancroft@gmail.com
Sarah Bancroft
smbancroft@gmail.com
sarikapanda@yahoo.com
Sarosh Pradhan
Architect, Nepal
sarosh@wlink.com.np
Sashikala Ananth
vaastuhealing@vsnl.net
Saswati Chetia
saswati@intbau.in
Satish Khanna
contactskhanna@yahoo.com
Satprem Mani
earth-institute@auroville.org.in
Saurabh Tewari
think_school@vsnl.com
Sharat C.Das
dassharat@gmail.com
Shashi Mesapam
mes-shashi@rediffmail.com
Shikha Jain
Shirish Gupte
sgaarch@bom8.vsnl.net.in
Shivdular Dhillon
shivdular@yahoo.com
Shrashtant Patara
spatara_da@yahoo.org
Shruti Joshi
shrutichitra@yahoo.com,
Shubhada
Kamlapurkar
bnca@vsnl.com
Siddharth Soni
siddharthsays@gmail.com
Smita Dalvi
smita.dalvi@gmail.com
ziasmita@bol.net.in
Sneha Gurjar
sneha.gurjar@gmail.com
Snigdha Saumya
snigdha@the-practice.net
Subhasis Chakrabarti
subhasis_chakrabarti@yahoo.com
Sudha Nadar
s_sudha@jasubhai.com
Sumandeep Singh
singh.sumandeep@gmail.com
Sumit Ghosh
info@sghosh.com
Suneet Paul
paul@mediatransasiaindia.com
Sunil David
sunild@hfhisa.net
Sweena Berry
sweena.berry@gmail.com
Takahiro Noguchi
takahiro.noguchi@gmail.com
Tanya Sanyal
taniya.sinyal@gmail.com
Tariq Yahiaoui
enquiry@princes-foundation.org
Thiruvengadam R.B.
r_b_thiru@rediffmail.com
Tushar Bhor
tushar_bhor@yahoo.com
Tushar Gaur
ar.tushar@gmail.com
Udayan Kumar
Design A
udayankumar@hotmail.com
V. Suresh
vsuresh30@yahoo.com
Vaibhav Bakhshi
vaibhavbakhshi@gmail.com
Vaibhav Jain
decamanus@gmail.com
Vanya Jain
vanya_savageconjunction@yahoo.
co.in
Varun Airy
varun_airy2005@yahoo.com
chiefarchitecture@dda.org.in
Vasant Kamath
rukamatch@vsnl.net
Vasudha Gokhale
anshuma@rediffmail.com
Veena Mahadevan
Vijay Garg
gargvijay31@gmail.com
Vijay Xalxo
vijayx@hthisa.net
Vikas Sharma
archvikassharma@gmail.com
dasvm@manit.ac.in
Viraj Kataria
kataria.viraj@gmail.com
Vivek Nanda
vnanda@alanbaxter.co.uk
Wael Fahmi
uders2004@yahoo.co.uk
William Koehler
william.koehler@umb.edu
Yaaminey Mubayi
yaaminey@gmail.com
Yash Pathak
pathak_school@vsnl.com
Yatin Pandya
pandyatin@gmail.com
339
INTBAU
Aura Neag (UK)
Matthew Hardy (UK)
Deependra Prashad (New Delhi, India)
Saswati Chetia (New Delhi, India)
Shirish Gupte (Mumbai, India)
Jyoti Soni (India)
+91-11-46034810, 46034810
d.mohanlal@khemkafoundation.org
amikapur54@hotmail.com
subhasis.c.ncwr@gmail.com
yaaminey@gmail.com
t.noguchi@khemkafoundation.org