Theory of Design oeuvre 2012-2013

ŠPublished in 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher or author.

Printed in New Delhi, India

THEORY OF DESIGN OEUVRE / A COMPILATION OF STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS THIRD YEAR 2012-2013 Dept. of Architecture School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi India

Editing, layout design and cover: Aneesh Nandi

1

PREFACE

Fifth Semester ( 3rd year B.arch / session 2012-2013) 'Theory of design Insights' into What, When, Why, and Who of Design appropriately ended in a 'Design Party'.

Sixth Semester (Final T.O.D. at SPA) was a celebration too, albeit of a different kind - reflective and communicative! Design issues - hard and soft - churned out of a cross expression dialogue of poetry and prose, photography and cinema, music and theatre. Hitherto untapped inner resources found fresh voices and unfamiliar outlets, culminating in the making of this book, reflecting the beginnings of a design attitude and a world view, pregnant with possibilities.

May the students, teachers and practitioners of design - young and old, now and later, here and there benefit from it.

Iftikhar-mulk Chishti New Delhi July 2013

2

INTRODUCTION BY CO-ORDINATORS

This book is a combined result of the work by students of third year architecture, Section B (20122013) Abinaya K. Akrisht Pandey Aneesh Nandi Ankit Singh 3

Aparna Konat Arkita Halder Bharat Agarwal Damini Rathi D. Vijay Kumar Dhruv Moza Divya Jain Himanshu Yogi Humayun Imran Gautam Vohra

Lokesh Singh Lopamudra J. K. Roshan Madhur Prajapati Minakshi Mohanta M. Iyas Pema Wangchuk Pidemo Odyuo Prashi Malik Rahul Bhaumik

Revina Soni S. Preeti Shailendra Singh Siddharth Mathur T. Nandini Priya Utkarsh Vibhute Vidisha Godara

POETRY ARKITA HALDER

Poetry is in itself a series of short bullet-to-the-point yet elaborate words, set to rhythm.

Everyone in architecture is somewhat familiar with each of these other mediums of expressions; these are used many times to put across an idea taking shape in our head. Poetry, however, isn't given its due - when it can be equally, if not, more potent than the others in doing so.

PROSE BHARAT AGARWAL

Explorations of our selves into the world of poetry follow.

Photography is a lot harder than you'd expect, You don't just go out looking for moments to capture.

Eyes and lenses disagree- that is if other eyes don't first. You can't define a moment- the general idea is that it should be rare. So rare that you should feel lucky you were able to witness it, and had a primed camera along your neck there and then.

It is a feat, it is a miracle. The artist requires skill and patience.

The photographer skill, patience and luck.

PHOTO-GRAPHY DAMINI RATHI

When a designer practises an exercise in writing a review, it enables him/her to, for a moment, be the third person between anothers' design content and its user; and understand that relationship between the two.

Reviewing a written material by another author includes a lot of personal perspective; yet doing an objective review means that the reader will be able to assess by the end of it: what kind of an article it was, the visual and graphical nature; the quality, quantity and the idea of the content; and the author’s history and mindset.

The process of writing prose was understandably chaotic, as it was in the middle of the semester.

Everyone was jittery about reading their thoughts aloud to the class, and most weren't even sure what topic they were going to write on.

Prose, however, is a process of discovery, a means of summoning our muse on something we want to find out more about. Despite my trepidation, it was a roaring success, with the revelation of many a deep thinker amongst us.

ARTICLE REVIEW PRASHI MALIK

4

ABINAYA K.

POETRY

CYCLE OF LIFE

5

Mother earth had deceived me, until I saw the sunrise in the beach; the fishes in the ocean taken away from their home.

I lost my senses as a human passed by my side, homeless; the ocean so vast and the Earth, the Sun shone bright.

Stood there my feet motionless ‘inspired’ what in the world can I do.

Trapped the wind, in the never ending walls, with gracious twists and turns.

From small to large, Day by day with unconditioned effort; came solids and voids the cost being my voice, playing with the sensesa sense of protection.

The joy of giving tears of over whelmed emotions; pearly droplets flowing in a ramp to the sea of sunset.

The waves so high, unstoppable; the Earth so round, so is the Sun, stood there my feet with pride.

A never ending cycle of my life.

PHOTOGRAPHY

THE RED ROUTE

The bridge acts as a connection that defines the two sides of the river.

A journey is made possible without any stop but a small pause to notice the beauty of it. Sometimes one never knows what’s on the other side making them curious to explore it.

One may not know the amount

of surprise awaiting him across the bridge. This red beam bridge covered with snow makes one’s heart frozen in the snow cladding mountains of the Himalayas.

context one can look at it as if it is a connection to his heart.

Its bright red color can be seen from anywhere in the mountains in the midst of buildings and vehicles. At its 6

PROSE

THE SOIL BENEATH MY FEET

ABINAYA K. 7

The soil beneath my feet so red, soft and warm as I walked through the muddy road of my village where my forefathers lived, completely different from the burning hot concrete roads in my city. I went there on my vacation to understand the life of the villagers.

As I was walking I had to encounter the occasional sand storms.

They were blocking my view and the biggest battle for me was to cross them and enter someone’s house for refuge. Thankfully there were no speeding cars to keep my eyes and ears open to avoid getting hit. I found peace at the sight of the village houses all made up of local clay and stones with pitched roofs. I was glad to see them not exploiting the natural resources and their contribution to the world by leading an eco friendly lifestyle. The houses were aligned randomly each one of them having their own physical boundary, but none of them actually blocked the entry of an intruder as there was no fear of theft.

Also there was a sense of place unlike the cities where buildings are put on the site and people are injected into it. This village had no need for putting up tall buildings.

They had all the aspects of living a healthy life. In front of each house was a big lawn where children from four five houses could gather and play within the sight of their parents who were busy doing their household activities. They too came out and played with their kids at times and everybody seemed to be happy and satisfied. They had common wells like the modern swimming pools which were used for multipurpose activities like drawing water to the fields and bathing and the site surrounding them was used as their traditional party space where people gathered during festivals, discuss their problems and even used it as a picnic spot.

There was no need for sunshades as the coconut and palm trees enveloping the site gave them shade along with the cool breeze tearing through their leaves.

Unlike the cold drinks and the fast food in the cities they had fresh coconut water, fruits and vegetables and tubers growing in the nearby field. The children’s biggest game was to climb those trees and pluck the coconuts. Another such community space was where the big banyan tree was standing.

It was located in the middle of the village.

The villagers were so friendly giving me food and water though they were suffering due to a heavy rainfall few days back which had caused damage to their crops reducing their meals from three to two. They all seemed to be happy and satisfied not knowing how the outer world affects them.

The children were playing in the streets were pulling my hand to play along with them as if I was their own sister. I played with them for sometime and I felt a sense of belonging even though I didn’t know any of them.

I was scared to go back to my city, the thoughts of big concrete buildings standing tall suppressing my instincts welcoming me to the place where people are selfish. But I had to. When I reached home finally I could not sleep wanting the society to realize what we are missing. As I thought about the cottony bed the villagers made for me, I fell asleep instantly.

REVIEW

Great article... fits in well with the themes and topics being explored over at the Architectural Association’s Research Cluster on Color in Architecture and Urbanism, “Saturated Space“.

ARTICLE REVIEW COLOUR IN ARCHITEC-TURE FRANK MAHNKE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author, Frank Mahnke is an internationally recognized color consultant, who has devoted his career to the study and application of color and light in the designed environment. He has traveled and lectured extensively to colleges, universities, and professional societies, and he has been widely interviewed on radio and television. He was appointed President of the International Association of Color Consultants (I.A.C.C) in 1988.

This article has been sourced from www.archinet.com.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

This article talks about the color psychology, color as a sensory perception and its effect in architectural environment and human emotions.

Interesting to hear more about color theory as an ergonomic study and the lack of empirical, studied applications by designers.

Few questions which popped in my mind are: Is this a deficiency in education or a deficiency in practice? I.e. is this caused by a lack of understanding or demand from clients or managers?

Especially now that much work occurs inside of closed spaces at a desk for eight hours or more a day, this kind of information may become more and more important to safeguard the health of employees and prevent companies from being sued for making damaging or unsafe work spaces.

This is a tough reading where a lot of concentration is needed also there is a lack of graphics making the reading further difficult otherwise the article sure plunges one into all the aspects of color theory.

8

AKRISHT PANDEY

Whenever I step out I stumble upon a different road.

New places that have never seen me, Territories of spirit having me mesmerized.

Old places that know me well, Changes at my very step.

Whenever I wander, I find myself Alone in a different way.

A journey to nowhere, The transient self I bring along.

Whenever I travel, there is hope For its better than to arrive.

Going into a new silence To create a crystal insight.

Listening to what you love to say, Forgetting everything around.

Taking time, discovering the hidden life Remembering now here I belong.

PHOTOGRAPHY

IS ARCHITEC-TURE DEAD? 9

POETRY

RAMBLINGS OF A WANDERER

Today’s buildings may be masterpieces in their own right and especially for those who design and build them. But they fail to make a collective and long lasting creative impact. There is no way that all the beautiful buildings of the city if put together would make a beautiful city.

Creating a city is like staging a theatrical show, wherein along with the best of the cast (read buildings) suitable inputs of script, poetics, music and lastly direction, all sensitive to the theme are essential to make a successful show.

What is surprising in most of our cities is the complete absence of a sense of development, aesthetics and planning. The newer versions of our cities be it Cyberabads/ Hi-Tec City, Gurgaons, or Navi Mumbai are miles away from being called the new world class and modern cities. The need is to develop an architectural

style that is uniquely Indian, a sensitivity of caring and looking at the city as a living unit, a concern for its overall health and growth and not just in creating so called masterpieces in isolation.

development. Cultural and human sustainability rather than just economic growth and financial prosperity should be the agenda of much needed arts and crafts revival movement.

The need is of architectural and cultural heritage to be integrated into the fabric of modern 10

PROSE

TRAVELLING ARCHITEC-TURE When I say travelling architecture, I am not in any sense talking about tourism or its corresponding subsidiaries or ‘mobile’ architecture. What I want to explore is the amalgamation of two forms of art.

AKRISHT PANDEY 11

Architecture impacts the people directly or indirectly. Its exerts an influence to the society. Be it architecture of the renaissance, modernism or critical regionalism. The architecture of the time is the reflection of the ideologies of its generation. Be it a Presidential palace, City hall, church or a private house, it talks about the personality of the resident as well as the builder.

While travelling, on the other hand, I believe is the purest form of art. Its more personal affair and brings about emotions and reactions in the rawest form. All the senses come alive when you travel. Nothing, be it painting to videography, can bring about the same intensity of feelings that you encounter while traveling. The essence of life, the joy of meeting new people, the amazement at the beauty of a new world ,the smell of nature, the sound of music and the food can never be captured by any medium other than your mind. No to two people can ever share the same emotions, forget about two people, you yourself can never have the same experience visiting a place again. So what happens when architecture travels?

ARTICLE REVIEW

TWO LANGUAGES OF ARCHITEC-TURE NIKOS ANGELOS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nikos Angelos Salingaros is a mathematician and polymath known for his work on urban theory, architectural theory, complexity theory, and design philosophy. This article has been sourced from ‘A Theory of Architecture’ which is a re-working of previously published articles used to teach a senior architecture studio class

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

In “Two Languages of Architecture”, Salingaros shows how a Pattern Language and a Form Language combine into an Adaptive Design Method. The discus-

sion, while fairly abstract, digs at the scientific foundations of design, having more in common with evolvable hardware than with the more philosophical discussions found in contemporary Architectural theory. He explains that design in architecture and urbanism is guided by two distinct, interacting languages: a pattern language, and a form language. The pattern language contains rules for how human beings interact with built forms-a pattern language encapsulates practical solutions developed over millennia, which are appropriate to local customs, society, and climate. A form language, on the other hand, consists of geometrical rules for putting matter together.

role for fractals in architecture, and describes rules for coherence among subdivisions that can help produce a more pleasing design.

These are, in effect, original aesthetic rules coming from science rather than from any traditional artistic sources. The article introduces an innovative science-based way of approaching design, and opposes abstract or formal methods based on image ability.

REVIEW

The author uses a very simple language to explain his theory in a way that even a first year architectural student comprehend it. This can be easily understood by the fact that the book is been followed in the course of many architecture college in UK. He has used simple diagrams to explain his thoughts .This provides easy understanding of the theories.

He proposes mathematical laws of scaling, argues for an essential 12

ANEESH NANDI Architecture, likes its sister arts, relies heavily on the act of strategically placed elements.

Elements, which resonate with the immediate, or rejects it to celebrate in itself.

The agglomeration that results renders the discrete as a wholeonly it isn’t.

Conscious processes only get us so far, the undesigned always takes precedence.

Intersections and unifications create something that never was.

POETRY A DILEMMA 13

Your’ space and ‘my’ space takes precedence over ‘our’ space.

Or maybe it has been interpreted as ‘no-one’s’ space? Consider, in all his lifetime, a person living in a dense settlement would have seen only a couple of interiors of these private units as opposed to exposure to the space between those spaces; what essentially dictates his experience of being?

Is it not, therefore, keeping with the individualist moral climate of today’s world to question this?

PHOTOGRAPHY THE SPACE BETWEEN SPACES

14

PROSE OBSERVA-TIONS

Design is at crossroads, we are in midst of a medley of sensibilities, tastes and opinions- with little or no overall consensus. There are various aspects and facets to a final work, and if we restrict ourselves to the realm of architecture, we can broadly classify them under two categories- the pragmatic and the romantic.

What the classics believed can be deemed superficial and shallow; concerned with the romantic aspects of architecture. Aestheticism reduced architects of pre-modernist era to petty concerns such as the proportions of columns and the choice of either gothic or

ANEESH NANDI 15

greco-roman construction. Nobody questioned the need for said columns or expressions, or got to the roots of the segmented arch: they were all content with aping what was. Romantic aspects at work were- the visual experience of the product- rhythm, balance, grace, even character and identity. Entrances, halls, courts and terraces received a semblance of experiential treatment; to invoke a certain set of feelings and heighten the act of being in that space.

With the advent of Industrial revolution came pragmatism; spaces designed for a specific purpose- like a solution to a mathematical problem, pointed and precise. Inter-relation of spaces and their organization furthered ‘the’ purpose.

Objectives and requirements were met and allayed with strategies; and in the end, the physical outcome happened on its own, without the zeal that characterized it before then. Examples of such buildings are factories and mills, bridges and housing for workers, structures which just had to get the job done.

The resulting formal vocabulary inspired modernism; hybrid of the romance and pragmatism.

Modernist romantic aspects

were minimalism, ‘structure as ornament’, pure geometry, uniformity, fascinated by and made vague references to technology (steamboats, cars = Corbusier).

Spatial experience became a by-product of the function, and variables such as light, ventilation, orientation, juxtaposition, openings and enclosures were all dictated by it. Later on, modernist aesthetics made architects re-interpret the vernacular into a ‘regional’ style- as a practical aspect because it was in essence the climate and geography they were responding to (and to the people and their culture too, but then that is indirectly the same).

This, in my opinion at least, was a huge step forward: the end user was considered as the client and everything wrapped around it; almost democratizing the process as opposed to the bourgeoisie tendency of the classical.

In conclusion, this division between the romantic and pragmatic is re-enforced by the universal ideas of duality and balance: the yin and yang, if you will.

The reason such difference exists in the first place, can be traced back to the early modernists, who theorized and orchestrated the break-away from an antiquated set of rules and orders in form-

building; to come up with a new approach, a simple but potent idea of fulfilling function, and nothing but. Later on, this led to a set of rules which became as suffocating as the ones they broke away from, completing a full circle. Today, We have works ranging from the unapologetically romantic de-constructivist structures by the likes of Gehry, and the yawn inducing scattering of grey boxes: offices, housing blocks, doesn’t matter. Meeting halfway is the obvious solution and seems like the ideal, maybe like Correa’s work. These basic twin parameters are the cornerstone of the current epoch, and to have one but not the other is sacrilege.

ARTICLE REVIEW BUILDING DWELLING THINKING MARTIN HEIDEGGER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This philosophical narrative explores the lingual and existential significance of the act of ‘dwelling’ – to put it simply. The author is a noted thinker of the 20th century, perhaps known best for his phenomenological analysis of the “question of Being“. Interestingly, the internet encyclopaedia of philosophy states that his writing is ‘notoriously difficult’, because his thought was ‘original’ and to an extent, oblique. To this, Heidegger stated ‘Making itself intelligible is suicide for philosophy‘. This article has been sourced from ‘Poetry, Language, Thought’ translated from german by Albert Hofstadter.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

In this particular text, he talks about what dwelling is, and its relationship with building. To do so, he first sets out to define ‘to dwell’ and ‘to build’ separately.

Using etymological underpin-

nings, he proves that dwelling and building are not just endmeans, that is we build to dwell and not dwell to build, that to build is to dwell in itself (because it implies staying in that place).

On further analysis, he insists that dwellings isn’t inactivity- it is a continuous state of existence- to cherish and protect, to preserve and care for. “To be a human being means to be on the earth as a mortal”- To live is to dwell.

This can be understood as putting ourselves out of harm’s way- and sheltering our self against the vagaries of time.

Further, to be at peace- or to be brought to peace and to remain at peace: peace implies freedom, and that consists of safeguarding and preserving from forces that desire otherwise. To dwell, now, means to remain at peace within the free sphere that safeguards each thing in its nature. The fundamental character of dwelling is in this sparing and preserving.

REVIEW

Architecture and construction, or maybe a part of it can be clearly inspired by this text. Dwelling is a powerful idea that till now, I had only vague associations with.

The domain of dwelling is not restricted to a physical specific

space associated with home, nor is it necessarily stationary.

Heidegger refers to a truck driver at home on the road. It is this mental state of being that defines what it means to dwell; only, this state has often been associated with a place of upbringing, households or spaces of comfort.

Dwelling contains a certain emotional state of being attached to building, therefore it is generally attached to the emotional or psychological state of the user in question.

I interpreted it as an essential checklist for residential structures atleast- where most of us dwell which they must satisfy. Take, for instance, the Farnsworth houseit might have heralded a new tomorrow in terms of materiality and stylistic temperament, but it did not work as a home for Mrs Farnsworth; it failed to become a dwelling simply because it failed to achieve the intangibles which we as the builders can manipulate to accentuate the act of (or the implied idea of) growth and living, safety and peace.

16

ANKIT POETRY SINGH! वो ़%व'न (), ! वो ़%व'न (),

! वो ़%व'न (), जो गिलयA B कCपन होती 7,

! वो ़%व'न (), जो अFधHI B रौशनी की चमक / समान गM)जती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो छत पर पड़ती वषQ / छल-छल का Rप ळHती 7, ! उस नल की ़%व'न (), जो अप+ 'टप-'टप U फशW को अावाज़ Yती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो इमारत / ट[ट+ की अाह बनती 7, ! उस च\पल U 'नकलती ़%व'न (), जो सीढ़ी चढ़^ _यि`त की कदमो की अाहट बनती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो दीवार पर पड़H मb`/ की धम को थरथराती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो उस cरFग दीवार पर टdगी घड़ी की 'टक-'टक U अप+ अिfतgव का एहसास कराती 7, ! उन बतनो W की ़%व'न (), जो रसोईघर B 'कसी अप+ / हो+ का एहसास Yती 7, ! उस %व'न का Rप (), जो उस cबस ईसFान / Bज़ पर पड़H jर'वkन / हो+ का 'दलासा Yती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो उस बFद कमI B कdपन हो कर उU घbट+ पर मजबMर करती 7, ! वही ़%व'न (), जो उस +,हीन / मन की अा)ख बनती 7 । अF'कत nसह

17

The poem focuses on how one discovers the sense of space through sound ... by painting the picture of a person, who is blind and communicates with the surrounding by the help of his other senses, especially sound.

जो +,हीन / हाथ की ळाठी बनती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो स9ना: को चीरती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो गिलयA B कCपन होती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो अFधHI B रौशनी की चमक / समान गM)जती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो छत पर पड़ती वषQ / छल-छल का Rप ळHती 7 ! उस नल की ़%व'न (), जो अप+ 'टप-'टप U फशW को अावाज़ Yती 7,

जो +,हीन / हाथ की ळाठी बनती 7, ! वो ़%व'न (), जो स9ना: को चीरती 7,

TRANSLATION:

The poem is written by taking the perspective of a sound wave or a Dhwani as if it were a living thing. The sound wave/dhwani tells the story of how it helps the blind person explore, understand, adore, love or hate the space he is living in.

The sound wave/dhwani is depicted like a person's vision that carries the message of hope, optimism, agony and sorrow while it is helping the person realize the space that he is inhabiting and thus, making the person understand that space is more than mere visual aesthetic and is meant to be felt by all the senses not just one.

PHOTOGRAPHY

"For as they soar high above, so did the humansfor this race has always been a competitor to, what was seen but felt too"

Mcleodganj

18

in, where you get those stares that exude enmity, violence and the uneasiness because of your presence, but then arent these spaces meant for people? arent spaces suppose to be sensitive enough, for its primary function is to domiciliate people from all walks of life.

PROSE

PUBLIC?

ANKIT SINGH 19

I wonder what they say, was meant by an urban space. Is it a mere, no-ticket-entry and loiter till you are tired space, or is it a place that culminates the tension of being in a place where one gets surrounded by foregathering of strangers.

Being a social animal, I get distracted by places that have strong vibes of animosity. Such are places in the city I used to live

Be it places of worship, or the glass blocks that now dot our map as though they are pieces of our body being put together, not one soul takes the onus of putting the heart in the map which is open for everybody. A space, for all, which is a part of the cityscape as if it were stitched with the same thread and is not just a patchwork of leftovers that went insanely wrong at the critical parts.

Last I remember, I was sitting in a place, where the sun was in its perfect setting, with its colours splashing the sky as if it was going to take a dip in the water to douse its eternal flame, the water reflecting every bit with ripples around, it was cherishing the moment with me, I realised. I am free, I can roam, sing, dance, talk, jump, roll, laugh, cry and most importantly die in peace. I wasn't afraid this time, this is the space, I was looking for. The perfect setting, the space with its rocky ter-

rain was like a bed of roses to me that day. I was at peace.

I could not help but compare this with what I have experienced all the time. How the colours, shapes, levels, green grass, fountain, quality of space matters in designing every bit of that “Urban Space� but is that all ? Are we not sensitive enough to realise that its not the non-living things that inhabit that space, but us!

We somehow forget all of this, and release a bit of chaos from our chaotic life into the space, and thus, this chaos does not let us be a part of the beautiful space we always desired to have. When we have one, our chaotic behavioral magnet springs into action and repels us from going there. That's how our spaces die, that's how our urban spaces die, that's how our specie dies.

But not me.

ARTICLE REVIEW ARCHITECTS TALKING TO ARCHITECTS BOB BORSON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author himself being an alumnus of architectural school of University of Texas, Austin discusses about how the process of design involves “observing things” related to our day-to-day life. He has his own website, www.lifeofanarchitect.com, where he keeps writing articles on topics related to architecture. Article sourced from the same website.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

The article is interesting to read, since the author is not dealing with the usual architectural critique(s) or anything of that sort, but he is dealing with cer-

tain set of questions that he is interested in asking himself or in knowing people’s response of the same fraternity.

REVIEW

There are certain questions that he asked and answered himself, which we may have questioned ourselves in some part of our life, the surprise lies in the responses of people or how that response keeps changing as we start climbing the stairs that lead us more into this field. The article has no visuals and it doesn’t require one, really. But what I missed is the use of “doodling” which actually helps you connect with what a person is thinking.

Overall, the article is fun to read, and surprising is the response we get. Its simple! It reflects how we get wise about things, as we grow old. How we look at things differently. Also, I realized things are different from we thought they were, to now what we think they are. And, it’s true, architects have no habits, they keep doing things that are directly or indirectly involved to their architectural life.

It’s true, if you are an architecture student, you never graduate, you just die!

20

APARNA KONAT

I closed my eyes, as there was no difference in keeping them open.

I smiled to myself, content at the rhythm of my breath as that’s all I knew then.

This was until I saw light one day. my eyes hurt at first, but as time passes, I saw things more clearly.

I saw the color of my fingers, I saw the color of land I stood, I saw the color of freedon in the sky. as time passed, I saw everything, as anyone would see. my human nature griped me, and I took it for granted.

Till one day I opened my eyes and the rhythm of my breath was all that accompanied me.

I tried hard to see, tried hard to get back what I lost, but all in vain.

I closed my eyes to remember, I closed my eyes to fly, in my dreams of color and shapes.

POETRY

ABSENCE

21

And then i listened to the rhythm of my breath, a strange calmness took over me, I smiled, for I knew I would not forget, I knew the power of light.

Change is something that has happened, is happening and will keep happening. Let it be from a raw desert to a refined road or from these roads to the deserts.

Yet there is no distinction between the two sides. It is a gradual process that keeps happening.

PHOTOGRAPHY CHANGE

22

change sets in. Her eyes sprung up with life highlighting her whole face. This small action of applying kajal is one of the simplest way in making an impression.

Similarly, why not design a way to just highlight what already exists.

The idea is to open the eye and observe, understand and accept the beauty and highlight it in way it does not need to change the essence of the subject.

PROSE

LESS IS ...?

APARNA KONAT 23

She looked into the mirror to see a plain face stare back at her. As a small child she had grown up seeing her mother putting kajal as a daily daily routine and so did she, making that part of herself.

Now staring at her black face in the mirror she slowly lined her eyes with kajal observing as the

There is a certain beauty in the presence of the single line in a plain white background. That one line that stands so bold, states a statement without support of any other element. This style is one that strikes against the growing complexities of the modern world. “less is more” The idea to use the least to express the strongest. Mies van der Rohl’s Farnsworth house is one strong example for this idea.

The use of minimal elements and the concept of transparency that connects the inside with the outside is visible here. Such minimal elements fulfilling the needs and function are simply astounding.

But the black line in the paper looks impressive and bold in the beginning but later that black line

is all that is present on that white sheet of paper. The transparent uninterrupted space of the Farnsworth house becomes lonely.

There is a sense of emptiness and incompleteness that becomes overpowering with the pass of time.

Even though the beauty of change and difference can be felt in minimalism in comparison to the present complex world around, does it hold its charm till the end? Does it get boring? or does one get transported into another dimension that other’s don’t see easily?

ARTICLE REVIEW CAN ARCHITEC-TURE MAKE US MORE CREATIVE ?

JOHNATHAN C. MOLLY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonathan, in this article, released on 3 April 2013, has used simple language with examples to explain as to architecture is an active participant in the interaction of people within. “where good ideas come from” by Steven Johnson and “group thinking” by Jonah Lehrer are his references for the article.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

The existence of something that persisted decades ago and something that exists now; that’s how the article begins expressing itself about the creative spaces. The agora during the ancient Greek as well as MIT Building 20 is examples of platforms where great minds passionately exchanged ideas, argued about morals and discussed technologies. The idea that is thought upon in this article is that when people interact with each other there is more chances of creative minds to strike against

each other to create spark.

The author gives reference to examples of tests conducted where authors show probability of higher quality when in a group than alone. But it is also noticed that the time taken is more in a group than individually. The author also points out that for people to come up with creative ideas they should be in a surrounding that nurtures and encourages them to develop better and not demotivate them.

REVIEW

connecting different floors. Such flexibility of the building made it much more interactive and dynamic rather than static.

Jonathan also talks of two lessons on how to make architecture more interactive. Lesson 1 is where he talks of making people interact through architecture. The spaces designed for such interactions should promote the types of discourse comprehensively. The second one is to let people tinker and not over plan. He talks of the need to think of future while designing.

Jonathan C. Molly states the example of the extension of MIT radiation lab. It was built as a temporary solution to house a huge group of scientists for a short period of time. But with the course of time, the building began to be used by various scientists of different background for different purposes. The result of this was a variety of people under one roof.

Since the building would be used by new set of people, they used to get lost and would have to ask people for direction. The long narrow corridors and the minimal facilities of the building made way for opportunities for the people to interact. Over the years the researches using the space modifies them accordingly to their needs by breaking down walls or 24

ARKITA HALDER

I met him in the shadows of the lofty tree, behind a concrete jaali holding a cup of tea.

Soft and demure, shy and honesthe took me out dancing into the world so unknown.

Open wide spaces to narrow gullies; the phantom of ideas held my breath; he took me for a ride some blatant, gorgeous even foul!

I played with fire tap dancing on a razor’s edge. the phantom of ideas

POETRY THE IDEA

He grapples and baffles teasing me in a maze full of dead ends and flowery gateways...

He tests and tempts on his terms I chase him on a blazing trail...

I play with fire on a razors edge.....

PHOTOGRAPHY CHANGE

25

collaboration and preservation- old and new parts of the Qutub complex

26

PROSE

HOUSING

‘Housing’ has such never reached he poor in a significant way. If one looks at the numbers, it neither had an impact on the homeless nor did a significant process emerge that would bring shelter to the masses.

ARKITA HALDER 27

It is often referred to as an employer of NGO's as noted by R I shah of vikas centre for development, Ahmedabad. It is not the need for beneficiaries but needs perceived by the donors that get realized. Perhaps it is the only ‘skills’ that a NGO composed of architects and engineers can provide. Worst of all, the truly poor can be displaced by housing

investments. Either the shelter becomes too expensive, or default on payment makes an outsee of the householder. Even such a carefully tempered program as the Hyderabad community development program resulted in displacement; And its always the poor and the vulnerable who are displaced.

In the meantime cities grew and some states of India about 40 % of the population became urban as early as the 1991 census.

According to Amitabh Kundu, by 1994, for india as a whole, the proportion of the poor was larger within the urban population than within the rural population itself.

By 1997, more jobs, in absolute numbers, were estimated to have been created in cities each year than in villages. Cropping patterns and off farm activities in rural area became dependent on urban markets and productive inputs, thus narrowing the conceptual difference between what was once called ‘urban’ and ‘rural’.

All settlements now clearly fell into an interlinked economic system where the neglect of some components would adversely affect the entire system. Being pro rural had become an increas-

ingly quaint bias in an integrated economy dominated by a corporate- political constituency.

By the beginning of 21’s century india had entered into a phase of rapid urbanization. Yet in her cities one could still find he largest proportion of the poor, and indeed the deepest poverty, the country had until then known.

ARTICLE REVIEW THE ARCHITECT AS TOTALI-TARIAN THEODORE DALRYMPLE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Theodore Dalrymple, a physician, is a contributing editor of City Journal and the Dietrich Weismann Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. His most recent book is Not with a Bang but a Whimper.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

A terminal inhumanity—what one might almost call “ahumanity”—characterizes Le Corbusier’s thought and writing, notwithstanding his declarations of fraternity with mankind. This manifests itself in several ways, including in his thousands of architectural photos and drawings, in which it is rare indeed that a human figure ever appears, and then always as a kind of distant ant, unfortunately spoiling an otherwise immaculate, Platonic townscape.

Thanks to his high-rise buildings, Le Corbusier says, 95 percent of the city surface shall become parkland—and he then shows a picture of a wooded park without a single human figure present.

This ahumanity explains Le Corbusier’s often-expressed hatred of streets and love of roads. Roads were impressive thoroughfares for rushing along at the highest possible speed (he had an obsession with fast cars and airplanes), which therefore had a defined

purpose and gave rise to no disorderly human interactions. The street, by contrast, was unpredictable, incalculable, and deeply social.

to him hardly any town or city in Britain (to take just one nation) has not had its composition wrecked by architects and planners inspired by his ideas.

The interesting thing about the article is that I agree with most of the things which the author had said. We realize it now about following indigenous architecture and sustainable design where we can feel he people and culture and build and respond accordingly.

Le Corbusier was to be blamed for not thinking about the people in the area – for whom he was building; he was interested to put only his ideas and thoughts into the world. He was a narcissist in his design; he loved himself and only his design.

He speaks to us about the horrors of Le Corbusier’s favourite material, reinforced concrete, which does not age gracefully but instead crumbles, stains, and decays. A single one of his buildings, or one inspired by him, could ruin the harmony of an entire townscape, I insisted. A Corbusian building is incompatible with anything except itself.

REVIEW

The author in this journal accuses le Corbusier for creating soulless architecture; where rectangular plan concrete towers are the most expressive. He says that le Corbusier had a huge ego and he quotes in the article “Like Pol Pot, he wanted to start from Year Zero: before me, nothing; after me, everything.”

The author says that Corbusier had uses his gifts of architecture more as destructively. According 28

BHARAT

AGARWAL

POETRY

BENARES-WHERE TIME SURRENDERS

29

Dry logs of wood, Scum of freshly-shaven hair.

Tourists lunging sideways, Avoiding unstoppable, possessed mourners.

Sighting constant renewal, Time surrenders.

They say, a dip in the river washed your sins away.

That’s why it’s so dirty.

I see the contentment on their face. I tell myself the truth is unknowable.

I cast away my armor, take a running start, and dive, headfirst into the truth.

PHOTOGRAPHY

OH, GURGAON 30

PROSE

ARCHIT-ECTURE OF THE SHORT-TERM

BHARAT

AGARWAL 31

Architecture as an act is of a scale unrivalled other forms. Every building is designed so that it lasts a hundred years or so. This is dictated by the material used to construct it, with immovable columns built such that they can withstand earthquakes and various other unanticipated forces.

However, if you look back to the vernacular, most of these are not left standing today. The buildings that do survive the test of time are those of classical leanings, built as statements. But what of the undocumented? Just because something is not made with the express intention of being documented doesn’t mean it should not be. For the longest time, we waited for the government to see a problem, or more likely be forcefully notified of a problem and then react. However, we live in India, where faced with a multitude of problems, we have a way of ingeniously solving problems so that we can continue doing what we can, at least until the problems springs up again. It’s called the way of Jugaad.

Jugaad is referred to in a derogatory manner usually, in that people think that it is the root of lack of progress in our nation.

However, it has also got an

empowering aspect to it, especially compared with the glacial pace of movement from the government in tackling problems.

A case in point is the number of abandoned buildings on the Barakhamba Road. This is meant to be a prime economic development zone in the city, but instead these places are becoming a hotbed for uncertainty and crime, leading to a singularly unsafe environment.

In the 4th year Elective of ‘DIY Urbanism’, students of SPA were requested to choose parts of the city in which to make interventions. One of the projects initiated was called Street Facebook. The notice board of the local RWA was given prominence, where a chalk was placed with along with tantalizing messages, inviting the resident to respond. Suddenly, the notice board gained value as a two-way interactive space, thereby making for the lack of a forum for expressing concerns.

The expenditure in doing so was minimal, but it made up for something which would take eons to respond to formally. Of course, how long this would last is unknown, but it is a step in the direction of reclamation by the people of their fate from red tape.

These interventions can take vari-

ous forms, ranging from planting your own city signage, to installing your own urban furniture, to building pop-up pavement kiosks, to making underground radio transmissions, to performing street theatre.

DIY efforts are not disruptive violations, or frivolous novelties.

They are signs of true urban vitality. With a can-do attitude and a bit of playful mischievousness, these interventions illustrate that another type of city is possible.

ARTICLE REVIEW ARCHIT-ECTURE WITHOUT SIGNS ALEXANDRA LANGE

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

The article argues that whilst graphic and communication design can enhance the experience of space, fundamentally the space must work for something to be attenuated. If everybody’s putting their feet on the wall, the bench is too close, not matter how many warning signs one might put up. There is no point polishing a turd, the argument seems to say.

REVIEW

When we are presenting our plans to our faculty for crits, they ask us to label the points of entrance and exit. The designer in me is a little affronted by that, for it seems to be an insult to the intuitiveness of my work.

It’s a very simple maxim: If you have to point out the entrance, you’re not doing your job well enough. The architect has so many tools at his disposal to announce the entry: inclining walls, a level difference, change of material, shaded transition spaces.

The author cites examples of recently built buildings for showcase of art, where there is a level of signage to be expected at most times. For example, at the Parrish Art Museum on Long Island, the landscape suggests two points of entry instead of one, and some people end up staring into the staff offices wondering where to go.

the most wordless, frictionless environment she’s seen is in that of a children’s app maker Toca Boca. Considering many of their target audience can’t read, they make things much more direct.

Maybe this is the way to test the effectiveness of an architectural space. Drop a five year old into the parking lot, and see if the child can find his way around. In other words, treat us all as children!

The article was short and breezy, but made a valid point in my opinion. The presentation and font sizes were legible, the examples used were unfamiliar to me but at least they were illustrated with photographs. Overall, an insightful reading experience.

The author also argues that our immersion in our app-driven devices is leading us to depend on them and their graphics rather than feel the natural flow of a space, partially because it is interrupted by the constant glancing down into these screens.

The author makes a case that 32

DAMINI RATHI POETRY ARCHES

They Remind us Of the wars fought Of lands ravaged Of kingdoms conquered Of people salvaged Of the earth barren remnants of a city fallen Of walls not strong enough to last Brick by brick, became a part of the past.

Through the glory of the hollow Every countryman followed Rejoicing in the victory that wont last tomorrow Kingdoms fall, rulers change Trophies are transient Only arches remain.

PHOTOGRAPHY DAL 33

The crystal clear water reflect the wooden balconies.

Shikharas skiff around creating slight ripples.

Horizon is hidden by the misty peaks of Pir Panjal.

There is a certain kind of etherealness when you are aboard.

34

PROSE CONFINE-MENT

I see, I feel, I experience but i am bound by my insecurities stemming from inexperiences Just like a firefly in a jar, i feel safe and secure behind these glass walls, no judgement, no expectations. unnoticed. confined in the realms of anonymity, I see them, Then i reflect and seek solace My words flow but they are confined in ink.

I feel so trapped.

Hiding behind morality, confined in the fear of not living up to my own expectations.

Shall i forever live in the fear of my own making?

DAMINI RATHI 35

ARTICLE REVIEW Le Corbus-ieSm / Facism SAMEUL JACOBSON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LE corbusier has always been an enigma for me. Most may find his architectural expression at odds with the contemporary ideas, but that does not negate the fact that his wok has always been highly influential.

REVIEW

The article (http://www.archdaily. com/149885/why-politics-matter-le-corbusier-fascism-andubs/) talks about Corbusier's political view and their influence in his work. Samuel debates on whether or not Le Corbusier should continue to be included in the canon of twentieth century architects considering his apparent anti-Semetism and sympathy for the Nazi party. Quoting him, " It is possible to both be aware of Le Corbusier’s political affiliations and to discuss his work as an architect, urbanist, and designer for its own merits"

36

D. VIJAY KUMAR

Ask me how hard the loyalty is! my master alchemies me turning nothing to a classic spilling all blood and sweat showering all affection selling to state disconnection though i say thou my master Ask me how hard the silence is! torn in all directions chiseled to put up the shape thee nailed to give thou best though thee bend in muteness

POETRY

THE DOOR

Ask me how hard the hospitality is! thou boil in anger bang thine face million times wonder see thou no pain for thy feelings though thee welcome thou every smile Thy...

THE DOOR.

PHOTOGRAPHY

PERSPECTIVE

37

The perspective and the sciography over here depicts the way nature has molded itself to create aesthetic of high essence.

Here traditional aspect is inculcated with the symmetricity involved. The miniature art involved stresses the artistic mindful work aligned with a deep sense of human efforts.

It can be sensed that the embedded Mughal arches running into one another symbolizes the transition space.

38

lenging place to live in. It is tough to choose only two things that the world should change.

Let us choose a simple example that we face regularly : It is common knowledge that environmental problems are getting worse every day. For a long time now, generations have been partially negligent about these issues. The world is the house of humanity: if we make our best to keep our houses clean and tidy, why not doing the same thing with our planet?

PROSE

THE CHANGING WORLD

D. VIJAY KUMAR 39

Its almost visible to see the worlds geography changing in our hands, impossible becoming possible, virtuality being embedded in physical world. But possible is going impossible as virtues, ethics are quietly cemented in grave with great polishing. The world has become a chaotic and a chal-

Now our demands to put up in front of board councils for reprinting the world dictionaries to rack out the worlds of lost essence like happy, satisfaction etc. which cannot survive our race and we got to treasuries them in archaeological section as fossils for future exhibiting them.Â

ARTICLE REVIEW A PLACE IN THE SUN CHARLES CORREA

REVIEW

After critical analysis of essay, the subjects of indoor and outdoor spaces have gained weight. These terms in relation to the sensory perceptions of the human mind create a vast amount of conditions on which the design can be developed. The immediate space around anyone would mean an indoor environment with varying characteristics which range from claustrophobic spaces to widely open landscapes... Even everybody’s relationship with the built-form is also important and is dependent on our own sensory perceptions. The visions and feeling we gulp through the

space formed by the planes and their interactions is the effect and reason behind the designing of every space. The fascinating thing is that the open space is indeed a closed space for a larger space.

Places require spaces which perform some actions, so the spaces need planes which make them open or closed. The purposes of the place are met with the suitable space. To achieve the space requirements, elements can be added such as a tree which create a balance of spaces. The windows form the basic transition between the two spaces, they can be designed for better variations. The main aspects of light, wind and climate must be taken care with the help of design. The spaces will become more effective in experience.

effective architecture as a major agenda .Baker propagated the use of locally available materials and cost-effective architecture.

He essentially believed that materials like brick, tile, lime, palm thatch, stone, granite and laterite could create low-cost buildings.

We Indians look forward to future, but are still contained in past in terms of evident history. So, we are very much consumed in the past that we often resistant to newer styles in architecture but at the same time are equally impatient in inventing future.

So, the urban poor which is an increasing problem in the future should be taken care of. The re-invention should solve the housing problems with cost40

DHRUV MOZA POETRY

TALE OF THE FALLEN

Standing tall amidst the dense Manhattan streets The skyscrapers, they shine Baring through their transparent shells Like an empty glass of wine.

I wonder sometimes, how they feel Without any clothes, bare in the rain Gusty winds and snow may fall Ker-Plunk! On the window pane I still remember the days of youth When the sky wasn’t the limit yet they aimed so high And they were tall, the silhouettes in the sky Until the day that froze things in time I wonder how, for so many years They stood that way, no signs of distress Hundreds of tremors, hundreds of shakes Until came the one that took it all away.

PHOTOGRAPHY DUALISM

41

The clue is not to run from conflict, but to use it as an inevitable design construct. There will always be existing conditions to respond to along with ever increasing opposition to progress and modernism, but these constraints empower us to create holistic solutions that marry these conflicting ideals. This is

a reminder to me that old and new are not enemies, but rather companions that started their journey at different times.

42

PROSE

YE SAALI KURSI

Every morning, I wake up to that same old irritating tone of my alarm. I lie in bed. All comfortable. No intention to get out of that comfortable position I’m lying in. It’s heavenly.

DHRUV MOZA 43

Eventually. It’s time. I get ready to sit down to work. So much work left to do. I sit on that chair I bought a year ago. Advertised as an ergonomic , posture enhancing office chair, I’d bought that expensive piece of crap with the intention of getting my back in shape.

I try to make myself comfortable.

Try all combinations for that perfect feel. All in vain.

I get frustrated. Irritated.

I curse the chair. I push it away.

It hits the wall. Shit. That’s left a mark.

I run down to my dads room. He’d bought one of those super soft office chairs with a headrest. With a lot of effort, I take it to my room, thinking that now I will finally be

able to focus on work. With high hopes, I finally put my ass down on it. Aah. SO much better. I say.

But wait. Something’s wrong. I can’t figure out what. The position of my hand on the table is too high and uncomfortable. My necks bent way too much to be able to look at the screen. My legs are too long for the height of the chair. Then it strikes me. My dads 5”7’ and I’m a 6”4’ giant who got that table made specifically to match that piece of shit chair of mine. Now I’m pissed. Really pissed. I have an important choice to make. Do I think of now or do I care for my future. Do I give more importance to comfort that’ll lead my back to that old man crouched position in my 30’s or do I just fuck my back forever. Confused.

Irritated. Frustrated. Mad. Upset.

I finally go back to bed. And leave this decision until next time.

ARTICLE REVIEW

CAN WE PLEASE STOP DRAWING TREES ON BUILDINGS? VANESSA QUIRK

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

The article elaborates the many cons of putting trees on skyscrapers. The writer argues that a recent trend among architects shows that in order to make the buildings look “trendy and sustainable” trees are drawn on “any horizontal” surface- “high off the ground”. The writer points

out some scientific reasons why skyscrapers don’t have trees on great heights- the extreme temperatures and the high velocity of wind damage the trees. The writer also mentions some key logistical issues like watering, fertilization, pruning, replacement etc. The writer makes it clear that far more drawings of buildings with trees on top exist than such constructed buildings. The writer advocates an alternative to this trend- preservation of trees and planting of new ones on streets.

REVIEW

On the flipside though it is proven that vegetation surrounding the work space/living space reduces stress. Seeing a tree out the window, as opposed to another built surface, alleviates stress and anxiety, and being in a landscaped environment has shown to chemically improve the immune system, fighting disease and viruses. It is not only important to maintain the ecological balance that was once set up, but for the health and mindset of people, access to landscape, even visually, is a necessity.

My opinion on the issue is similar to that of the writer. I feel that it’s pointless to use resources on trees that don’t survive at heights. Also, in order to make space for the trees’ roots stone slabs of 1-2 m height need to be constructed. These are a waste of space and concrete.

Construction scrapes away land that over time developed to mediate the surrounding environmental conditions. Without the indigenous species there to maintain that balance, the built environment becomes an unhealthy and disruptive place to live. The footprint of buildings needs to be intelligently giving back to the ecology.

44

DIVYA JAIN POETRY THE BIG RED DOOR

PHOTOGRAPHY LINES Familiar to all a simply planked wooden piece hinged to pivot mere existence of an entrance Arising from not quite “right” The strange red door Ordinary might seem at times Yet still…

A liminal volume, A transition of space A portal between two dimensions An Endless ingress A threshold between possibilities And probabilities Memories and dreams, Distinction of desires to secrecy, sanctity and mystery An exploration into curiosity and real A temple of inventions and discoveries The big question of the omnipresent Wondering to infinity

45

Random, stray, organized, positioned, dashed, dotted, vertical, horizontal, thick, thin all are different yet called lines...

46

PROSE

IF HUMANS ARE HERE TO STAY

DIVYA JAIN 47

Green� is probably here to stay and a premise that should have never lost its consideration in built environment, interior or exterior. The way we live and where we live are consumptive in nature and to nature. Consider these, what we eat, what we wear, where we move, where and how we live and all the activities

that are essentials in community civilization. All these considerations and choices based on them are critical if we have to make our development sustainable. Sustainability is another buzz which is here to stay if we have accept the finiteness of resources available on earth. Trees, sand, ores, minerals, petroleum, clay, water, are all here to stay unless we constantly work in cyclic movement of products reducing the wastage to zero or almost zero. Do examples like, lighting the spaces with natural lighting during day time, using recycled wood, steel, paper in construction and natural ventilation to reduce air-conditioning to save electricity and energy come to mind?

Building and construction sector has tremendous impact on the earth and environment. Here is how. Buildings consume more than 30 to 40% of our energy and 60% of electricity while the water consumption remains at alarming number of millions of gallons. Sensible sustainable buildings play a role in reducing negative environmental damages.

Better construction practices and attempt to conserve and recycle materials and resources can reverse this impact. Materials and resources are intrinsic to build but

are critical if they have to become sustainable design because it will call for extraction, mining, hauling, processing, packaging, transporting and storage during the construction. Are we disturbing the natural habitats or contaminating water and air and depleting resources which cannot be replaced to their original form and quantity? Usage of local materials and reducing transporting of materials from far-off places will challenge the architects to innovate the design process to adapt to regionally obtained and manufactured materials. So if we design green and sustainable just with a little thought we as human race would be here to stay as, well.

ARTICLE REVIEW MIGRATION: A FORCE IN DEFINING AND SHAPING URBANISM RASHIK PARMAR

REVIEW

The article talks about urbanism in a broad sense, taking perspectives of various big cities and the impact migration has had on them. Cities such as Mesa in Arizona and Bombay, India which have primarily spurted from the need created by migration.

of cities. The article is a well written piece with various examples that support his “neutral” argument.

The architecture that follows also then is the transition between the two, a knee-jerk one. It brings out the non-uniform, lop-sided policies whose impacts are evident in everyday living in the form of sub-standard infrastructure, poor sanitation, compromised resource allocation, dilapidated, over-populated buildings and much more and much worse. It is clear that the author supports the established fact that migration from rural areas affects urban growth but contemplates the affects; he draws series of parallel compare/ contrast to lead one to the facts.

In the end the reader is forced to take his/her own desicion to the chaos created. Many can argue it to be negative or positive but the understanding that migration is crucial for the sustainability of urbanism is well versed. The author uses many descriptive words, ongoing paradoxes and oxymoron’s to create an imagery 48

HIMANSHU YOGI POETRY

ILLUSIONS

The shortest way is not always the best, The most laborious may be far from zest.

What seems brighter often brings no light, He, who looks wrong, may be right.

One looking ill is of perfect health, And poor one is enjoying the wealth.

What we often see is our illusions, So, there is no use making quick opinions.

49

PHOTOGRAPHY MARTYRS MEMORIAL

50

PROSE

ARCHITEC-TURAL AWARENESS

HIMANSHU YOGI 51

The theme of this essay is about Architectural Awareness. The dictionary defines ‘awareness’ as being conscious, alert and mentally responsive to something.

Architecture is the style and method of design and construction of building or the art and science of building. So, our subject is about our consciousness, alertness and mental response to the art and design and construction of buildings.

Architects – What do architects and what do the people have in their minds when they hear the word ‘architecture’? I tried to find out what the people think and found that a very large proportion, especially architects, think of the word with a capital ‘a’ and feel that it mainly applies to proper, big, important buildings, infact for most of us and for the people the word architecture would be immediately associated with something as grand and magnificent as …Taj Mahal. So, not surprisingly, when I am wandering through my village, entranced and fascinated by old buildings made by some seths(merchants) and happen to make some such remark as ‘what fascinating architecture’, there is a tendency to get a response as ‘where?’ – because there is no fort or town hall or

tower in sight, but only thatched and tiled houses, shops and some havelies.

People – Saying the people implies that we architects are in one category and the people in another. It sounds a bit likely having supremacy of architects over the people. But most of my village relatives consider me an engineer who makes buildings maps etc. Then a question rises in my mind that –‘how we have supremacy over them?’ just because they have no option but to look at and accept ‘our’ architecture. But they do have an option. What their parents have told them, a knowledge that is inherited by them and the knowledge that is developed in so many years by trial and error method.

Unfortunately, their inherited skills and knowledge are now being forgotten, lost and ignored.

I think it is up to us to try and keep that alive by helping them improve on what their parents have passed on to them; to accommodate for the constantly changing and increasing needs as their number grows.

ARTICLE REVIEW

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BAKER

ARTICLE OVERVIEW

IS MODERN INDIAN ARCHIT-ECTURE POSSIBLE? LAURIE

Laurence Wilfred “Laurie” Baker (2 March 1917 – 1 April 2007) was a British-born Indian architect, renowned for his initiatives in cost-effective energy-efficient architecture and for his unique space utilisation and simple but aesthetic sensibility. Influenced

by Mahatma Gandhi, he sought to incorporate simple designs with local materials and achieved fame with his approach to sustainable architecture as well as in organic architecture. He has been called the “Gandhi of architecture”.

In ‘Is a modern Indian architecture possible’ Laurie Baker discusses how with the coming of modern architecture , the vernacularism of the buildings has disappeared.

He points out that if you put two pure modern buildings in a dessert you wouldn’t see any difference between them. He ponders where we might have gone wrong with modern architecture and what things we should have done differently or not done at all. He blames the fast communication on bringing the universal Portland cement , steel and glass to fill the holes to create a universal ‘expressionless ‘ modern architecture.

He says that we need to go step backwards and understand the

techniques of constructing with burnt bricks and mud which has been developed through thousands of years of application and see it in the new light of modern technology.In the end he explains that why we need to study the many and varied components of Indian architectural design and find out what makes them essentially and intriguingly ‘Indian’.

Only then can we create an Indian-ness into all our materials and designing. He ends by stating that our ‘modern’‘Indian’ architecture will be a continuing, growing, crowning glory to our great heritage only if we go back to basics and understand our needs.

REVIEW

He praises a very simple ‘yet a vital question that all architects of this age in India are facing.He starts with explaining what the problem is and what he thinks the reasons are for the set back.

His writing is very simple and he explains in a very systematic mater on how he feels we can achieve our ‘modern Indian’ architecture

52

HUMAYUN IMRAN The final days of year All the chaos and fear The night rises up clear And my heart sinks in For all front and rear

POETRY

SILENCE

An eraser for my head Some food my belly desires A pillow for me, my back said Ad two more hands I require As my toes going numb and dead A sudden shock, despite For a night long sleep, It took me time to realize All the year drooling around That i have not suffered Now,If only I have known Or I have a magical phone “God hello! Take care of balance for all these lazy days gone I was trying to yield silence.

PHOTOGRAPHY JAALI

53

54

PROSE CORRIDOR

Definition of a corridor is when a passageway connects to the other rooms in architecture and I will be discussing the word corridor in architectural sense, but this word in modern language has been used in other contexts like a transport corridor for vehicles ,air corridor for the aircraft wildlife corridor for the migration of animals etc Siliguri corridor is the northeast provinces connects to the rest of India.

Corridors are a geometrical structure that is like arteries running through the human body taking important supplies to all parts of the body. In any building the lobby is the main entrance and then you have corridors leading to the other parts of the building giving rise to inter connect ability to the various part of the building. The dimension and length of the corridor can vary according to the need, eg. the infinite corridor that runs through the main part

HUMAYUN IMRAN 55

of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology connects several parts especially the east and west campus.

tion on the inside of the building and can be used intelligently but architects to connect the various blocks of the same site.

Corridors other than connecting the building also divides the building and the width of the corridors also decide the importance of that part of the building.

Therefore you will have wider corridors in the important part of the building eg in the entrance of the hotel lobby that leads to the restaurants and other important areas on the ground floor whereas the corridors will be narrower on the floors where the rooms are the width of the light combined with lighting can increase or decrease the importance.

One of the most splendid example of the corridor is the corridor that leads to Taj Mahal and other features have been added like fountains and flowers to give importance to the corridor and to the whole site.

The height in the corridors is also an important aspect where for example high roof in the corridors of Kempaski Hotel in Delhi gives a grandeur appearance to the building...Corridors can be external and internal and one of the important features of the colonial architecture were the corridors. Connaught Place has splendid wide external corridors with high roof in a circle, giving the importance to its architecture.

As I said earlier corridors are important part of communica-

Roads have been used as corridors to enhance the traffic in urban areas and when they are set at right angles like in Chandigarh (also referred to as grid system) they divide the areas into blocks.

I think corridor or a passageway is an important feature of a building which is very difficult to eliminate i.e to make a building without a corridor would be very difficult.

To summarize corridors are an essential feature of a construction and can be used to give character to the building,connect the various parts of the building and help in enhancing the air/light feature of a building. Their intelligent use can really give a lot of character and add grandeur as discussed above.

ARTICLE REVIEW LIGHT AND AUTISM FLETCHER THOMSON

REVIEW

This is an article which specifically looks into the lighting aspect when the architects design a specialist school for autistic children.

Autism is a neurological disorder that is not well understood and there is no specific treatment for it. Lighting is considered an important aspect in the treatment of these children and the article offers pro and contra opinions on weather light is good for these children hence an important factor for the architect to know while designing schools.

There is no clear evidence in the research so far on the impact of lighting on the autistic children, therefore the architects depend on studies that are not precise.

There is no proper research into the effect of lighting on the children hence this article speaks about the different ideas and highlights the advantages and disadvantages, without advocating any one particular idea.

One thing for sure is that lighting is an important factor for the autistic children and this aspect has to be given a proper attention by the architect while designing the specialist school for them.

One thing that seems to come out of research for normal schools is that natural light enhances the

overall performance and health of normal school children. But, the big question is can we apply this to autistic children; some believe this can be applied whereas others are contrary to this idea.

Fletcher Thomson is against light since he thinks the sensory stimulation can do more harm and therefore believes in controlling the lighting tightly. Fletcher thinks light stimulation can distract and irritate autistic children.

He also thinks that large windows designed to allow natural light can distract children who have concentration problem already.

Based on this observation some architects have compromised and designed schools with subdued daylight and have decreased or eliminated exterior views.

Window as at 5 feet above the floor have been used so the kids look out onto the trees and sky but not the ground activity which can distract them.

On the other hand the London’s Netley School designed by Haverstock Associates brings in daylight with North facing skylights and floor to ceiling windows that cover the entire wall and others have designed with unobstructed view into the external play areas.

Overall the architects seem to favor plenty of natural light argu-

ing that the advantage to the staff or better health, increased productivity, less sick days outweigh possible disadvantage to the autistic children. What this article has done is made the architects aware of the lighting as a major issue while designing schools for autistic children since there are plenty of architects keen to design such schools but very few are willing to go into depth and research while undertaking such a sensitive project. Intense fluorescent light seem to have harmful effect on autistic children therefore we should avoid this and rely on natural light.

Light does have an impact on these children but what effect is unknown since the research is poor so far and no conclusive results have come out of research yet. What we as architects have to bear in mind is that light is an important issue and we have to balance the positive effects of good lighting has in general which has been proved beyond doubt and any disadvantage to the autistic children.

56

GAUTAM VOHRA POETRY PAIN

First there was a window , Then there was a pane They got a fucking dildo, To kill the fucking lane.

I know the leaves weren’t many And they say the lands were dry, Yet the children merry , And the women yet shy.

So they got a shovel , To fuck our fucking lives.

The hanging gate had fallen, The textured tar was gone.

The walls that were begotten All but not forgotten.

They had a fucking dildo, And they killed the fucking lane.

PHOTOGRAPHY STEPS

57

58

So, essentially, they define an edge and they are supposed to try and stop you from killing yourself.

Physically they hold a space together, though I feel that they are incapable of doing that if we move away from the physical aspects of the rail. I believe that railings expand a space infinitely.

Oooh! Now I am getting into deep shit.

PROSE

RAILINGS

GAUTAM VOHRA 59

What do have to say about railings? I thought this would be deep. What are railings? Wikipedia says that “handrails provide both support and the protective limitation of a boundary” also “a guard rail is a system designed to keep people and vehicles from (in most cases unintentionally) straying into dangerous or off-limit areas”

Even though rails limit you physically, they force your subconscious to break into a run , and you keep going faster and faster until you take the leap. A leap that transcends the “protective limitation of a boundary”. The physical support of the rail is now transformed into a presence , one that is not limiting but encouraging, enough so that it makes you stray (in most cases unintentionally) into dangerous areas of your subconscious.

The only element that was to limit you is holding your hand. All that you can do now is swim, and when you return to the physical world, it receives you.

Aha! Now that’s some deep shit!

ARTICLE REVIEW

TEN GRAPHICH DESIGN PARADOXES ADRIAN SHAUGHNESSY

REVIEW

The London based graphic designer and writer Adrian Shaughnessy has shared his observations of the paradoxical aspects of graphic design in his 2009 article- “Ten Graphic Design Paradoxes”.

in the design community.

The list is well composed and a thought provoking one. Issues regarding clients have been identified. #02: “The best way to learn how to become a better graphic designer is to become a client.”

Is a brilliant idea that should be considered by all designers. Also #06 & #07 are important points and they remind the designer that justice has to be done to his/her ideas while communicating them.

The article puts forward a few useful observations for the young inexperienced designer, but the rest can be termed as common knowledge.

Even though the observations made in the article are not restricted to graphic design and may hold true across most design disciplines, the article only qualifies to be a reminder of what designers already know. And have not proved to be paradoxical.

The writer has highlighted the top ten everyday graphic design paradoxes according to him. Using the word paradox here to mean an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted wisdom.

Discussions have been made on the requirements of a client and the role of a designer in responding to them, and to his/her peers 60

LOKESH SINGH

PHOTOGRAPHY EPHEMERAL

The ephemeral moment. It’s the quality of light at different times of a day which makes the same building feel different.

POETRY

NOMEN-CLATURE

61

Let the architect be dead Hold the society in the merger Get the ideas fed Let’s take his ashes and spread it all around See the crops grow of the real grounds Let the thoughts take its forms And who really cares about the norms!

The form, that had no preconceptions The form, that had no deceptions The form, which is true The form, which naturally grew Let’s make the new tomb As it extends out of the womb Womb to the tomb: the game of architecture Who understands this art of nomenclature.

62

PROSE

MONUMENTS AND MELODIES

Through the narrow lanes of Chattarpur village and over saturated streets, I spent around an hour finding the the summer palace of the Mughals, it turned out to be their last major building. It is in ruins.

Situated beside the shrine of Sufi saint Khawaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Zafar Mahal is in South Delhi’s Mehrauli village. Its beauty lies unnoticed. Neighborhood boys piss on the walls and play cricket in the courtyards. The walls are broken and the pillars are cracked. The designs on the slender columns have faded. The terraces and balconies are home to bats. Some passageways end in dark chambers. The stones echo with the otherworldly sound of planes flying overhead.

Emperor Akbar II built Zafar Mahal in the 1820s. It was named after his son Bahadur Shah Zafar, who rebuilt the imposing gateway in red sandstone and marble.

LOKESH SINGH 63

Since most structures in the palace are exposed to the sky, the sunlight makes new patterns on their walls and niches at each hour of the day. The chambers are connected to one other through doorways, stairs and musty corridors.

The steep staircase that goes up to an upper floor passes by the domed tomb of Alauddin, a nephew of Iltutmish, the sultan of the Slave dynasty. Above, a pavilion supported by carved pillars faces the modern-day Mehrauli of brick apartments, water tanks and dish antennas.

Monument came alive with the tales of its ruler , as the day passed by, each scar it bears sings, its perilous future.

It’s a crumbling Monument to where I’ve been and Melodies to where I am going.

ARTICLE REVIEW FUTURIST ARCHIT-ECTURE SANT ‘ELIA KENNETH FRAMPTON

REVIEW

LIGHT, EPHEMERAL, AND SWIFT. An overwhelmingly ambitious manifesto by Antonio Sant’Elia.

He seems to be a feature of Industrial Revolution. A product and understanding of that time who had closely experienced the period of rebirth and age of manufacturing. Its a rudely ambitious thing to state that past shouldn’t be there. Resurgence should not reiterate and it should be in harmony with past after all it is our part.

Lineage shouldn’t eradicate, but Citta Nuova is a reaction by the rebellious architectural community that don’t want to confine themselves. They wanted to explore with the advent of new technologies. Interestingly which couldn’t came out with futurist ‘’Light , Ephemeral, and Swift’’.. those drawing, imagery look monumental, heavy and permanent, but it helped paving a way for Modernists

The ornate and the lavish was to be eradicate from the root. A complete clean up of past is what was in mind. No regard for past, and even the present built-up is also not to be preserve. They were against accumulation of things.

New generation should summon new built forms over the past.

64

LOPA MUDRA

ସମୟ ର ଚକ

ଘର ଘର କ

ୟ କ ଚ

କ କ କ କ

କ

ମନର

ଔସ

ଚ ର

ନଔ କ

WHEEL OF TIME

ରସ ର

କ

ସ କ

କ

ର

କ

ମ ର ର

କ ନ ଚ

ନ କ ନ

ନ ର

ର ର

ର ସ ମ

ର ରସ

TRANSLATION:

ର

ଘର ଘର କ କ କ କ

କ

କ

ର ର ଖ ଗ

କ

ୟ କ

ର ର

ର

ସ

ସମୟ ର ଚକ

65

ସ

ର

କ ସ ର

ନ

କ

ର ର

ଅ

ର ର

ର

ନ

କ କ

କ

ମ

କ

ସ ସ

କର କ ନ

ଚ

ର

ର ର

କ

ର

କ

ର

ର ମ

କ

ନ

କ

ନ

ମ

ଚ

କ

ର ର

ମଗର ର

POETRY

କ

ର ର

ସ ଗର

ନଚ

କ

କ ର

ନ ର ସ

ରଗ

କ କ ନ

କ

କ

କ

କ ଚ ଗ

କ

କ

The wheel of time goes on and it says that you live alone.

The life they wanted to live, they lived with nature.

They lived with wind swaying through their doors and windows of their thatched hut along the sea shore . These were the valued currency of fishermen then.

But came then the modern human tearing the green and the river blue.

The deeds brought tears to fishermen but laughter to modern men.

But with time the burnt mother earth brought tears and salty sweat to their face.

But to stop the black modern colour no one was there and to

see the joy of green light was also closing eyes.

But then comes mother earth with all her wrath.

The wrath of cold high water and hot magma and quenches the thirst of burning earth and reducing brown earth and pampering the burnt wound.

Oh mother earth if you cannot

stop man it’s high time you take the matters in your hand

PHOTOGRAPHY FIRE 66

PROSE

VARIATION

As an architecture student I fail to remember the number of times I have tried to break the symmetry going on the context of my site to create a desired variation which draws eyes towards my architectural craft and make people say…

“Hey, ye to hatt k hai!”

LOPA MUDRA 67

This hatt k thing which we call different when keeps repeating it we call variation is happening. Here I will like to clarify myself that I am seeing difference repeating itself not a particular different pattern. As architecture students we are always told to respect the context and incorporate that in our design. We make context models and sheets just to study how much variation is occurring between our design and the forms already present. Some people like to follow the context and try to stick themselves in that limit but there are some people who like to follow their heart in order to create something which is definitely different when talking about visual context of the vicinity. The question here arises is “Is variation needed?”

My answer to that will be “yes!!!”

I often wonder how many times we have loved a building which

had refused to abide the present rules and swayed to create something different something mesmerizing and something to take you off your feet. Variation in architecture is needed. It’s what differentiates architects from engineers. It’s what which puts us more towards the artistic side of the future builders. If we follow complete facts and complete set of rules every architect will end up creating same form of building, which will be having same type of windows which will maximize the comfort. Everything running on facts will start develop the world like a machine will develop it. What differs us from doing so is what we call heart which says to the client “kya aapko ye pasand nai hai?” And as soon as we say “pasand” we have started the variation is architecture which we see happening now. As architects we are never asked to follow what fact will say to maximize but we are asked to put the maximize of facts in what our heart has created for a building. Yes the variation is required and it is a result of when we follow the heart. Brain will be always here to create the world as the next person following the brain would have done. A building resultant of facts!!!

Variation is surprising and won-

derful. Many have liked the spruce tower by Frank Gehry just because the variation he has created on the façade. When I looked at skyscrapers over the world I always wondered how can someone break the stacked form of it. As structure systems play a dominant role there but when I looked at the photographs of spruce tower I just couldn’t believe how could that variations created on façade which looked like the architect would have run on the façade of the building after the creation of it can create something I have always wondered about. I am not saying that the architect was able to achieve a form which was not stacked. He still followed the stack form but that little variation created something which made it engraved in my heart.

We are going to be architects and yes I believe we are supposed to create the much needed variation in what we contribute in the society when following our profession.

ARTICLE REVIEW

THOUGHTS ON BUILDING ING MARKUS

REVIEW

“Theoreticians Who Build” Idea and object are two sides of the same coin. Only intellectual capacity and encyclopedic knowledge cannot conveniently be multiplied and stirred to make good architecture, art and the philosophy behind it.

gender, architecture and questions of ecology, architecture and questions of political nature.

Rather the present architectural waves of extra architectural concepts are “anti-intellectual” and non-explanatory for its own design.

Now students sit at their desks and are waiting for a pending supernatural force to move their hands in such a manner that the sketch they produce will contain the germs of the next masterpiece. This largely unquestioned pillar in which architectural is concealed by the students, is it genius? Or is it actually answering the required phase of design?

Is it just the subject of skill, practice, and imagination or is it something more? And finally we approach to the question...

What is architecture?

So basically intectuallisation of architect's thought and its linguistic approach and intellectual phantom, dogmatic view of recent hermeneutic theories that posses that architecture ought to be accessed through linguistic means. This aims to satisfy the architecture and questions of 68

J.K. ROSHAN POETRY

CHANGING TECHNOLOGY

69

We want to be designers, conceptualising ,imagining and interpreting but we start as planners, realising,organising & executing but when I was a kid ,I used to say Mr.God, Give me some fire ,give me some stone, and I will roll fiery castles for you under your shining throne. some in the sky and some in the sea.

I called on to the king of the deep give me some fire ,give me some stone, and I will carve for you a guresome throne seated on lava and the blazing fire you will surely look like the king of satire and when I grow up the world ruled by technology and how do we use it is it for computerisation converting pre conceived ideas to automation mechanisation & digitisation or do we use them for computation- an exploration of rationalsiation in quest of reason & logic I end my story with a note homo Faber homo Fabricatus "We make a tool & the tool makes us"

PHOTOGRAPHY LIGHT

Light seeps into the darkness and brightens spaces merging with nature, voids and spaces creating materiality.

Stone allows a manifestation of solidity and the fluidity of light gives luster to the built.

A clear visual melodrama of life and the lifeless can be abstracted

from the scenic beauty that poses before us and finally brings us to this question of possessing or being possessed A rhythm based unity is observed which implies movement, an understanding the implication of high contrast can be seen The power of the cinematic con-

vention of the manmade vs. the natural Light is relative to subject matter, it is the power of partial abstraction,& considering light as an element of design that creates this visual drama

70

PROSE

WALLS OF DARKNESS

J.K. ROSHAN 71

I had passed this street many times, well at least twice a day back and forth from school. It had been one of many streets that you pass, as well as ignore. In fact if I had passed this way for the five years I had studied in this school then that would make it a pass in excess of 235 times, so what was different was the sudden downpour of autumn downpour on a friday. It was so heavy that I had to run for cover to a near chai walla shack.

Just few minutes later I was impressed that the sun was now shining, so when I stepped out it was really pleasant after all that

rain. Having never been so observant, i must admit i was surprised at the building on the opposite side of the road.

The wall was ebony black, glistening with a sheen in the sunlight.

I could not resist the fascination.

Well I walked across to take a close look at this building. I had never seen such a deep blackness about the walls, oddly inviting as if exuding a warmth in the chilling rain As I walked close I reached out to touch the wall, yet it seemed to appear to move away from my reach, almost unnerving, but then as I thrust out my hand to touch the ebony wall, I cannot explain it, I just lost sight of everything, all around it was dark, absolute darkness.

I looked up presuming storm clouds had come, that it was going to pour down again. Yet above was black, around me was black, below my feet was black.

Panic jittered inside me like stutter that refused to go away, i knew not where to turn, where to go. I had not lost the plot just out of touch for a moment. I stepped backwards, moving in the direction from where I had come, suddenly...

I was back in sunlight, back in the world I had been. A cold shiver came over me, this was unreal, it was at that moment a hand tapped my shoulder, I turned to look at the black ebony wall...

I edged away and hurried away feeling edgy and nervous. "That's crazy." I said as I headed down the lane towards home.

ARTICLE REVIEW

WITHOUT EMOTION, THERE CAN BE NO BEAUTY IN ARCHITEC-TURE Yael Reisner

Those outside the architecture profession often perceive a building to be brilliant for the aesthetic experience it offers, but with the advent of modernism, architects have invented a multitude of strategies to absolve themselves from making visual judgments.

The architect brings her point by talking of how architecture

evolved through the recent ages and technology and visual appeal and aesthetics are in contradiction with each other. In the 1970s, American academic Christopher Alexander authored A Pattern as the AA’s John Frazer penned An Evolutionary Architecture (in which the logic of the genetic code was borrowed to generate form).

From this point, aesthetic responsibilities have been increasingly delegated to computational processes. If architecture’s cultural and artistic facets are undermined by the rational and pragmatic, it is perhaps through the discipline’s sheer complexity.

The prevailing architecture with its logical and impersonal nature, deprived people of an emotional environment, because if there is no emotional input, there is no architecture that touches people’s emotions. If the 21st century’s architecture is to resolve this and reconnect with people, today’s architects must confront the ‘troubled relationship’ inherent in the profession and fully reclaim their visual authorship.

evolve. The aesthetic capacity of architecture is charged by poetic visual qualities that might evoke emotions in the observer. Many architects still downplay the direct relationship between personal judgment and visual discrimination (the ‘I’ and the ‘eye’). The lack of confidence in how much intellectual depth can be captured by intuitive imagery is mirrored in the lack of respect for the image unless it carries a strong social, political or rational message.

And yet despite today’s pull towards the technological, our attitude to nature must be a cultural approach too. We must not forget that any reduced version of our complex profession will fail us. Now more than ever before, our creative role is to bring beauty to cities and to substitute alienation with a widening palette of emotions.

The article leaves me with a question, what should architects do to promote the principles of beauty? We living in time of fast emotions and fast emotions are the basics of fashion. For deep and truthful emotions, the world has no time and architecture is weaker and weaker.

It is culture, not algorithms and applications of technologies, from which architectural poetics 72

MINAKSHI MOHANTA POETRY

CITY OF WAR

73

The years that come and go, The masses stand erect to time in a row.

Lovers meet, Lovers part; One falls down, another starts.

Ravaged by times of strife And times of grief.

They start building castles of steel, With crates of cans and empty beer bottles.

To fit in cattle and humans alike.

Waiting for another fire to strike.

They quiver, shake till all comes falling down They come, they conquer, they turn God upside down.

They stand arrogant, broad, buff and bold.

They tower them all with concrete masses; Brutal in nature, cold to touch, But it expresses all without any faces.

They define new order, however cruel; They tell a story of bygone days..

PHOTOGRAPHY LIGHT

Sometimes in the absence...the architecture of light is shaped by its shadow. In turn it is the light and shadow which creates architecture,gives depth in an otherwise mundane frame. The architecture then transcends into a non-palpable, ethereal being.

74

PROSE

WHAT IS THE INDIAN CONTEXT? Its setting that gives a building expression; its context is what gives building its meaning” -Robert Venturi The fact that India has a history all the way back to the ancient River civilization to a tumultuous political era under the British gives a strong though confusing cultural, socio-morphological context. So what is the context of a Modern India? And first of all what is context?

Context is not a radical innovation or a cursory attention. It is a strong and eloquent visual and functional relationship to the sur-

MINAKSHI MOHANTA 75

roundings. And individual building is always seen first as a part of the whole.

Designer Stefan Stagmeister was once hired to make posters advertising a fashion event in the city of Vienna. The posters were to be placed on famous advertising columns. But the media buyer failed to reserve the columns in time. Undaunted Stefan came up with the idea of mobile, column replicas and dressed them up in gowns. He made his students stand inside the columns. They would stand still long enough for the people to just finish reading the posters then they would suddenly move freaking the readers out. He bought the officious looking columns to life. In doing so he mirrored the way fashion events would bring the historic city of Vienna to life. Hence his design was context oriented , yet modern.

India is a country of many facets, colors, creeds, cultures and communities. The British gave an urban fabric to cities like Kolkata, Mumbai while the Mughals gave to Delhi, Agra. But what is it that ties all the cities in India into one country? What can express the modernism in India? A country is a living organism with a unique culture and past called a ‘contex-

tual history’ and a future in which new buildings act as the threads that weave the cities living traditions into new and whole fabrics.

But modern India is just not about the historical events, monuments.

Its also the envisioned changes, industrialization and a growing awareness of human right. How do we do justice to that?

India lies on concurrent layers of both rural and urban, organic and inorganic, organized and chaos, monuments and industries. The thin fabric separating these antonyms is a frayed material with soft edges and permeable. This accounts for the confusing yet charming setting of India. Like Mumbai is an image of extremes.

One hand slum dwellers live in sub-standard condition while millionaire actors live in luxurious condition. So are these actually antonymous or synonymous? So maybe we don’t have to chose one context. Maybe India is its own context. Maybe context of India lies in this chaos.

ARTICLE REVIEW IS THERE AN INDIAN WAY OF THINKING? A.K. RAMNUJAN

REVIEW

A.K. Ramanujan, a poet and polymath writes this article almost as if he is talking to himself. He starts the article by querying its own questions. The essay deals with a vast region of ethnicity and linguistic diversity that is India and its socio-norms and recurring patterns and themes that lends a distinctive flavor to everything Indian.

What is this Indian way?

Ramanujan typically writes in Kannad or English. Because of his South Indian heritage, the standard narratives of

history,religion,literature and social norms have a south Indian backdrop.

He writes this article inspired by his observation of his father.

This article has been dedicated to his father who was a renowned scholar and mathematician and a strong believer in the Indian school of astrology. He talks about his contradiction in belief. On one side his father would wear muslin dhoti in kannad Brahmin style, on the other hand he would also wear Tootal ties, Krementz buttons and English serge jackets.

As a child he was born into the Newtonian school of thought and yet he read the almanac with sterile dedication.

He writes how Indian writing until the 19th century was always contextualized. Even the Ramayana and Mahabharata opens with episodes that tell you why or under what circumstances they were composed. He says texts may be historically dateless, anonymous, but their contexts, uses, efficacies are explicit. So what is it that gives India its typology and context? He writes that traditional culture like in India where contextSensitivity rules and binds,the dream is to be free of context. So ‘rasa’ in aesthetics, ‘moksa’ in the

aims of life,’sanyasa’ in life-stages, ‘sphota’ in semantics’, and ‘bhakti’ in religion define themselves against a background of inexorable contextuality.

He concludes with his observations about modernisation. He observes modernisation in India as a movement from the ‘contextsensitive’ to ‘context free’ in all realization- “an erosion of context”. He writes even though India has stepped into modernism, it cannot be contained as in the western counterpart. It mingles with age-old traditional values.

Everything that comes in contact with anything Indian, becomes something different altogether.

So the Indian way is neither black or white, it is an intangible existence in the grey.

Ramanujan’s writing is fluent with a story-like narration, a proof of his in-depth knowledge of the ancient Indian verses and ballads.

It has almost a lyrical quality to it.

The poetic quality of his writing is palpable and simple, even though the content is serious and it even manages to draw comical relief within its folds.

76

M. IYAS POETRY DESIGNER

77

It was her face, behind the veil, Which drove me then.

Then came the boards.

Just a few months, and you write your future They said.

But wasn’t over.

Then came the new boards They said the same. And I did the same.

But was not over yet Actually the real game started then.

Surrounded by books, This, that, this of this guy, that of him... The list went longer.

Fought well and succeeded.

Then came the designer Creative, different, suits you, they said.

Interesting, can do something, make a revolution, I thought.

Can change the perspective, even the world, the designer told.

But then, the question lasts.

How??

PHOTOGRAPHY HORIZONTAL

78

public intrusion as we all got to have tight tea and pakodas with hour long chit chats with different people of the town there.

PROSE

STREET

It is busy junctions in the town were the road to the high school starts from. It is a 5m wide road which has a wider starting point were all the public speech and propagandas happen. So the starting of the street has got its red and green decoration all around representing the prominent political powers, the communist party and the Muslim league...

M. IYAS 79

There is koya’s tea stall on the other side facing the temporary podium. The tea stall is made 75% on the road and the rest on the supposed to be footpath. But then no one complains about this

The street then have a two storey building on one side with hotels studios fancy shops … on the ground floor and a madrasa on the above floor from where we can always see kids looking towards the street. The corner shop, kabeer’s tea stall is the main meeting point of the guys in the town for smoke and caroms. It is a spot were all the commenting, teasing and other art forms against high school girls happens.

So most of the girls try to cover their face with the veil before they reach near the shop.

The street then has a bookstall, a computer centre and a vacant plot. A tall coconut tree stand at the centre of the plot.

There is a PHC near the school and this is the only road towards both PHC and the school. So the street has got some medical stores and laboratories which give it a red-white pattern. The communist party office enhances the presence of red with its paint and decorations in front.

The street is always alive with the people going to the PHC and this

street is where the guys in town spend most of their time. Siddhi’s bullet, sainu’s samurai, three rx 100s and two other bikes , most off them with their silencers removed literally keep the street awake all the time.

So the 5m wide road with electric posts coming at almost quarter its width is used to small accidents with these speed bikes autos and the high-speed trucks of sand mafia and the people walking through the middle off the road.

My experience with the road started when I joined the school in 1st standard. And the street has given me lots of memories which I still love to remember.

And it has done the same in all off my friends and most probably to everyone who has come across the street at least once.

ARTICLE REVIEW THE UGLY TRUTH STEPHEN BAYLEY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The best-selling author of Ugly: The Aesthetics of Everything, sees ugliness as a necessary corrective that stimulates a deeper appreciation of beauty.

Stephen Bayley is an author, critic, columnist, consultant, broadcaster, debater and curator. His best-selling books and awardwinning journalism have, over the past thirty years, changed the way the world thinks about design.

REVIEW

The article starts with a question, what is ugly?? He s not giving us a clear cut answer to that but through the next observations he

make us think and revolve around the question. The beauty is that, the examples or the observations he make are so brilliant that they make us more towards his points.

Then he make an analysis of beauty and ugly, and states, they are not opposite but aspects of the same thing. Then the article shows how related our perceptions about ugliness is and how often they take a u turn subjective to time and situation. Then He cites many examples where the things once perceived as ugly changed to beautiful or marvellous creations.

The following paragraphs shows the opposite transformation, beauty being ugly. He gives examples from nature to support the argument. Then he makes an interesting observation that ugly which brings stimulation is better than beauty which is soothing and sedative. Thus he arrives at a point that ugliness is essential, and then the question how much of ugliness?? And he leave that part to the reader.

Then he states that it takes time to enjoy the ugly. Or ugliness should be understood and examined which lead us to enjoying it. For that he give the backup from automobile industry. At the end of it he conclude by quoting

Peter Schleldahl, the US art critic, ‘Beauty is … no big deal, but the lack of it is’. And he gives his comment on it, ‘may be but if everything were beautiful … nothing would be’ A short article, with very less graphic support but having to the point thoughts and observations.

The graphics in the article includes that of trellick’s tower and the The Ugly Duchess by Quentin Matsys, 1513.

80

PEMA WANGCHUK

Often in the silence it shadows in my imagination, Then the reminiscing starts to show its complexion, Like the sinister ghost it freaks me out, Seeing the flashback my heart sinks down south.

Atmosphere has fogged up with scream and cries, Smoke from burning houses and people, has made it hard to see the sky, Searching for a place to hide and be not seen, Wishing for a time where mind is so clean.

The ghostly wind sweeps and shakes my consciousness, My shocked mind shears and gets lost in wilderness, It wasn’t melodies but gun fires that kept me company, Soldiers crawling, screaming, citizens running like a lost sheep is all i can see.

Covered with camouflage suit, with sniper and scope, To make the first shot was the only hope, Silencer whispered at every gunshot, Scope enabled to hit the right spot.

Huge beautiful cities burning down, Mosque, temples, churches raised to ground, Faith toddling as it longed to thrive, Dead was dead but almost even who survived.

POETRY

MEMORIES

81

All was left was debris as the dark phase swept away, From the ash to structures, with new hope, people risen with the day, It’s resurrection no more living life in dismay, But still it lives in memory as i walk through the day...

When a person first visit the place, he just sees a path and the avenue that leads to a huge structural block with circular plan, but when that same person knows the essence and its significance, it doesn’t just remains as a simple block anymore.

The path is not path anymore that takes one from point A to point B but a transition from worldly confusion to exploring oneself.

The sacred circular plan extrudes to command the area and when a person, no matter kinds’ stands near it feels very tiny compared to its holy elevation

PHOTOGRAPHY SARNATH

82

PROSE

THINK ABOUT IT

Being a human we all have our own personality, and way of seeing things. We are driven and shaped in kind of society we live in and how we are brought up and it also depends on the mentality we develop over the time through various phenomena. Yet we do have some artistic ability deep rooted in one’s mind of having our own notion about something be it small or big but still debatable because we tend to do it without really having a bigger picture or being familiar with it.

Human nature it is then we are implied to and are confronted as life goes on. It is something we don’t really tend to notice or our ignorance has shadowed it.

We may have often noticed among ourselves commenting or judging others without really knowing them closely. I too do sometimes and I feel it to be something I should do away and look under the surface also.

PEMA WANGCHUK 83

Actually we all should do that.

Even if somebody is refusing to accept the fact we should not jump to conclusion saying him or her to be false, rather we should understand them first and make them clear, helping them understand. In that way a harmony can be developed without any complications.

Giving a pseudo statements and promises is one of the worst acts against humanity, it can mislead a person wasting energy and most importantly time. We can only know the affect if we are the victim of these. It really does not matter what the degree the situation is but what really matter is what we are and impart in that particular time and space.

Because once the trust is broken it is really hard to have the same intensity of faith and trust. “One who does not take small things seriously can’t be trusted in big things either”, as Albert Einstein has rightly quoted, so small things should not be ignored.

“The ugliness we see in others is the reflection of our own nature”, others just acts like a mirror where our true nature is reflected.

When we tend to judge somebody or something we forget to appreciate them and land up of the

notion which can be precarious for our morals if we move on like this.

Some may find it very funny, some may find weightless, some may even find it negligible, but one thing we should know that small things make bigger things and daily activities be it professional or social shapes us and our nature as a human being.

I think the charity should begin at home, if one wants to change the world; one should change himself/herself first.

ARTICLE REVIEW GREEN IN-FLOWS MARIA SIOUTI

REVIEW

“Architecture is the simplest way of articulating the relation between space and time, to organize reality, to realize dreams, to achieve not only formal expressions of a temporal beauty, but a regulation that is engraved in the eternal curve of human wants and the achievements on the route to their realization”.

1/ Why Green?

We live in a time where a constant mutation of society is in effect, whose roots can be traced to the industrial revolution. The global population has tripled in the span of a century and 50% of the earth’s habitants live in urban centres, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. This extreme concentration of population and infrastructure led to congestion, a very culture of congestion, the metropolis.

The city dweller of the 20th century, according to Walter Benjamin was described as a soulless human being, wandering around the city as part of an anonymous mass of commuters.

At the same time, an attempt to investigate the reason why western civilization, despite its scientific and technological progress was not able to build a world

free from hunger, war, misery and oppression. The answer lies in the decline of the theoretical conscience and the total domination of material and technical progress over nature.

2/ Why In-flows?

The distorted evolution of the city also creates inconsistencies and affects the green spaces of the city. Green spaces in a city are places of meeting, socializing, playing, creating, places of love, solidarity and also a better way of working. An exampleGreece is in the grip of a big crisis that is not only economical but social too. Furthermore, this crisis is not limited to Greece but is spreading through the whole of Europe, as well as America and Asia. The present situation, therefore, calls for architects to give solutions to immediate issues through design projects on a practical as well as a conceptual level.

Thus, the value of the public space, as a medium of socialization, interaction and solidarity is more important than ever.

are met. Cities become independent form traditional and polluting forms of energy such as oil and nuclear power. Green urban centers are the starting point for a sustainable and self-sufficient habitat. In this way the long term creation of an enormous green web that would cover the entire city can be envisioned. The necessary knowledge and technical means for such a project are available to us, what remains is the process of transition.

It is, therefore, possible to simultaneously view as whole and as autonomous entities, different areas of the city and treat them as small communities.

Is this a “utopia”? Well, I’d say it is..

The green spaces in the city brings forth happiness and a place for solidarity.

Why Green In-flows???

Environmentally speaking, the advantages of such a project are multiple. The conditions of a bioclimatic approach to urban living, 84

PIDEMO ODYUO

When ever we are knocked out Looked down and ignored Left alone to suffer In this brutal world Our heart trembles Out of frustrations and sadness Like pebbles which Trembles along with the river But my heart awaits For a light of hope Like the thirsty flowers that wait For a drop of rain

POETRY

ASPIRATION

When ever I pass Through this dark path Where the brutal people resides I feel weak and lame All my effort seems in vain My sufferings and pain Seems endless which Washes away my happiness Sadness like a black cloud Comes and surrounds me I suffocate and slowly My heart ceases to beat And just as people say That there is light At the end of every tunnel A hope of light shades Its great complexion And my heart fills with delight Eyes brightening with new Aspirations and amazement

85

This picture for me represents/ highlights to us how we humans are just tiny specks in the world throughout the passage of time.

The fort which has been standing for hundreds of years is like a sponge, absorbing memories throughout the ages. Each and everyone of us that visit the fort leaves an imprint, a memory of

our visit to the fort, may it be in the form of taking pictures, drawing graffiti on the fort walls, etc.

The fort is like a wise old person, sitting quietly in his/her own little corner, quietly and pensively observing the world around it.

PHOTOGRAPHY GWALIOR FORT

86

PROSE VOIDS

PIDEMO ODYUO 87

What is a void?

Something which is empty, unfilled, something which is completely lacking.

A sense of emptiness, of there being nothing.

In a manner of speaking, there can be different types of voids, physical or emotional.

It can be something that a person

feels, the sense of emptiness that a person feels when they loose someone they love.

The void that a person leaves behind in another’s life when they depart.

Or it can be something physical.

Like the state of my wallet after my most recent purchase.

Architecture or making buildings is to put it simply, a means of enclosing voids.

It puts purpose to a void, it highlights/ throws spotlight on the void. It is a medium through which we traverse.

Voids trigger various emotional responses in a person. So in the end what happens is that depending on how we treat them, voids can leave us in awe, or leave us feeling lost and desperate.

REVIEW

ARTICLE REVIEW

DISTINCT POSITIVE EMOTION IN HUMANPRODUCT INTERACTION JUNG KYOON YOON

The basic aim of the study was to explore the possibilities of designing interactions that evoke a certain positive emotion, namely interest.

According to the basis of appraisal theory: interest is evoked due to a combination of novelty-complex ( appraising an object as novel/ complex) and coping potential (degree to which one appraises oneself to have sufficient skills, knowledge and resources to deal with an event).

Through a series of workshops and use of prototypes, it was found that ultimately, for experiencing interest in something, along with novelty-complex, a high level of coping potential is required, a lack of which led to the experience of negative emotions such as annoyance instead of interest.

STUDIES OF INTEREST IN IMPERICAL ART

Basically in this study researchers dwelled on how art evoked emotions of interest from within ourselves. Researchers also showed how stimulus properties of novelty, complexity, conflict or uncertainty induce interest.

Berlyne (1971) demonstrated some of this in a series of experiments in which participants were exposed to a series of colored

shapes. The participants level of interest increasing with increasing stimulus novelty and complexity of the colored shapes.

from the previous workshop could be used to design a product that specifically generates interest.

RESEARCH AIM AND HYPOTHESIS

Through these series of workshops and studies, what we learn ultimately is that, it is possible to use appraisal theory to design an interaction that evokes a particular distinct emotion within individuals.

Understanding the appraisal structure of an emotion can enable designers deliberately elicit an intended positive emotion.

Now what this means for us architects is that, if we are able to understand the so called components of an emotion (as the appraisal theory says) we can use this understanding to create not only products, but also space that generate various specific emotions from the people who interact with the spaces.

The main research aim was to study the particular effect of coping-potential (since the role of novelty-complexity has been explored in the past).

For this, two hypothesis were introduced: 1) if users appraise high novelty and high coping potential, they experience interest.

2) if users appraise high novelty and low coping, they experience unpleasant emotions such as annoyance,frustration.

For this research, two workshops were conceived.

In the 1st workshop, users were given 3 music players (one that was very interesting, one neutral and one uninteresting) randomly.

The task was to allow the participants to try and explore the product without any detailed instructions given to them. Later, feedback was collected from the participants after using all three products.

In the 2nd workshop, participants gathered to get an understanding of whether the data collected

CONCLUSIONS

88

PRASHI MALIK POETRY

ORDER AND CHAOS

Under the beautiful skies; Lies a vast sea; Across it ,on either side; Two stretches of land i see.

One side of clear water, Boring discipline and order, Muddy adam’s ale on the other, Disorganized, chaos and clamor.

Then a soul of art; Carried me; to the place of my solace, In his ferry; To the heart of the sea; In the balance of order and chaos; Where the “true”, beauty lies.

The water here is blue, Lights from the ships that are huge, Decorate the darkness in a hue, And the cool breeze ruffled my hairdo.

89

An experience of the skyline that would’ve existed during the times when Indian architecture: both islamic and hindu coexisted.

The picture beautifully uses the technique of silhouette during the setting sun, to express the idea. It is set in the panch mahal of fatehpur sikri.

PHOTOGRAPHY SKYLINE OF MY ROOTS

90

PROSE

SPACE I’M THROUGH

PRASHI MALIK 91

It’s warm here. Warm, cozy and soft. A confined space, not of the claustrophobic type but of the secure feeling like the hug of a mother, a friend or an elder brother. There is a serene darkness inside. There are no worries; unless a voice warns me of the time. A feeling of duty versus helplessness. The mind like the mother-bird pushes the nestling of the heart, down the tree of questions, forcing her to fly. So, i plunge into the unknown depths in the day ahead. I finally wake up, two almond shaped irises peeking out of the blanket, rising gradually from the peaceful dimness into a sunlit space.

The light is filtered through the glass on the exterior wall openings. I rise and walk through the transitional zone, of the enclosed spaces that i inhabit. Walking through a plane in the blocky mass of masonry, reaching a long, narrow corridor flooded with light from the extreme edges through a glazing. I call the lift.

I enter into a smaller void. The silver, the metal of the enclosing case is harsh, unfriendly, ignorant of me entering and leaving.

Emotionless and heartless! There should have been a mirror to let the cube of that space feel like a vaster cuboid. This void, though

a void, was claustrophobic and fearful. I didn’t see the clouds, the day, it was unresponsive like just what you expect from a machine.

I reach my destination. The groundfloor is a stilt.

The semicovered and the open space out there are merging shamelessly into each other as i see the greens and colours in the garden. Oh, the patch of those red poppies, swinging rhythmically, yet harmoniously with the breeze, just made me forget about the emotionless carrier that lead me here. Its ironic : so never judge the manzil by the raasta. Giants of concrete solids, textured with the presence of voids at regular intervals, overlook this pretty little garden. The three year old kid playing in the swing is so oblivious of what the world has, to offer to him some day. Ignorance is bliss. But the mother standing beside the child notices me staring at her child. I snap out of my dream, thanks to her observant and protective gazelle eyes. Walking on a rough surface of cement under a blue hued sky, listening to the rustle of the green leaves of the only tree in the campus, i take my journey from a static morning to a dynamic one.

A lot of movement. Elegant

boxes of metal and toughened glass running on rubber tyres of black, honking , desperate, restless. Three of these on a road can make it a chaotic place. I still can see the blue sky but am not given a chance to. The motion is uncomfortable, insecure; humans running towards the metro station as if it was the last train to their dream destination. No wonder, these are all educated men and women; then why?

ARTICLE REVIEW GESTALT THEORY OF VISUAL PERCEPTION GARY YONTEF

BRIEF :

Gestalt is a psychology term which means "unified whole". It refers to theories of visual perception developed by German psychologists in the 1920s. These theories attempt to describe how people tend to organize visual elements into groups or unified wholes when certain principles are applied.

TEXT /STRUCTURE :

The text has been divided according to the principles of gestalt i.e : similarity , proximity, continuation, closure and figure/ground.

DETAILS :

The article tallks about “gestalt” as a tool of understanding visual perception and hence an important aspect of the design process.

It is a general description for the concepts that make unity and variety possible in design. Parts are of secondary importance even though they can be clearly seen. similarity :what an items looks like and how that effects gestalt.

Proximity :where items are in relationship to each other and how that effects gestalt.

Continuance : the eye continues in the direction it is going.

Closure : the mind supplies the missing pieces in a composition.

Figure and ground: “a form, silhouette, … perceived as figure … while … as ground ”.

Balancing figure and ground can make the perceived image more clear.

GRAPHIC QUALITY:

The language is simple english, easily understandable. Font used is calibri, and is well spaced, hence inviting enough for people who are afraid of reading long texts. Also, a lot of images have been used as illustrated examples.

92

RAHUL BHAUMIK

Here I am ...

Sitting by a high window …

Gazing into a fog clad morning , Only to find a dull street below, With no sign of feet upon it.

The dark leaves …

Sitting on high branches …

Looks but only to frown at me; But some trees doesn’t Even look…

The cold has stole their leaves The sound of a faraway traffic Struggles its way Into my ears Everlasting sound.

POETRY THROUGH A FOURTH FLOOR WINDOW

93

I try to see farther But the fog blankets everything else I see myself as high as the frowning trees…

Am I really that high ??

Am I ?...

I dunno how the window Is playing with me …

What is real ? What is virtual ?

Its only between the window & me !!! [ janala – ki adbhoot, ki adbhoot, ki adbhoot , tai na ??]

PHOTOGRAPHY

THROUGH THE ORNAMENTS

The traditional Indian Architecture is the store house of ornamentation.

The intricate detailings, the floral patterns, leaves, jaalis They make one speechless.

I try to gaze what is beyond that jaali - is there another jaali?

How beautifully does light plays with the whole ornament– scape!!

I gaze and gaze – my eyes don’t yearn to close…

94

PROSE FROZEN MUSIC

RAHUL BHAUMIK 95

Oh ! do you see the tree over there? The tree , with its sprouting branches and leaves, stands on its sturdy stem. It is the home for several birds, and other creatures.

It is also a shelter for the humans too. Below the ground, its roots branches , just like its branches spread out of the stem. So the tree can be considered as the very basic architectural element that is found in the nature. If we zoom in closely into a tree, we can see the complexities in its form, skin, and structure. From a seed it grows gradually, day by day, defying the gravity; traversing and branching from thickest and sturdiest elements to thinnest and softer elements. Whenever I see a tree , I feel as if I am seeing a ‘raga’.

A raga played by a particular musician, has a particular structure.

A particular raga type consists of a fixed number of notes, which are played in a particular rhythm of ascending and descending.

Very often a particular pattern is played with repeated and endless improvisations, thus creating different moods and spaces at each different time. If we compare to a tree, elements like leaves and immediate branches are repeated and arranged over larger branches in varying patterns, thus resulting in a- TREE. Somewhat about 200 years back,

a German artist & politician – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quoted “ I call architecture frozen music” . The basic idea is that can architecture (which is seen or touched, literally), be heard? And conversely, can music be seen?

Crudely, architecture can be thought of as harmonic combination of enveloping elements ( such as walls, partitions), and the enveloped entities (ie the voids enclosed between the walls) & semi enveloped spaces (like balconies, roofs etc). A good architecture not only creates a fusion of these entities at one level, but at multi levels ,starting from the foundation level to the other extreme end. So architecture creates a rhythm of spaces, a flow of spaces and above all a harmony of all spaces and entities (similar or dissimilar , and at all levels).

All these characteristics- rhythm, harmony, flow (dynamics) are also the characteristics of music.

So traversing a building either in exterior or in interior or both is like listening to a music piece. It is as if the music has been given a solidified form, for the human eyes to perceive. Architecture plays with the human senses much like the music does. An amusement park might make one happy while a dull corporate

office building might make one equally dull, just like different shades of music. Music is all about seven notes,& it is all upto the artist how he permutes and combines the notes, and merge in various techniques of composing that produces the final piece. So the main idea is ‘design’ , -designing various sounds or elements, be it architecture or music or anything else of their kind.

Works of Noted architects like Daniel Libeskind, Manfredi Nicoletti, Hans Hollein reflects the influence of music in architecture (be it in the form, façade, interiors or architecture as a whole). If we exert our senses a few steps more than usual and also try to interlink between them , we can surely hear architecture, alongside perceiving it visually, and can also generate forms in our mind by listening to a musical piece. So keep your eyes open, ears open and feel the divine difference!!

ARTICLE REVIEW

PARAMETRIC PATTERNS PATRIK SCHUMACHER

ABOUT AUTHOR

Patrick Schumacher is a company director & a senior designer in Zaha Hadid Architects alongside Zaha Hadid herself. He studied architecture at University of Stuttgart & at Southbank University in London . His completed projects include MAXXI centre of contemporary art & architecture, Rome; & is currently involved in several master plan projects like Singapore One North , etc.

ARTICLE CONTENT

In this article Patrik Schumacher has talked about patterns/decorations that cover and articulate the architectural surfaces ,in the past ( before the advent of Modernism) and in the present, throwing light on a relatively new concept named ‘parametric patterns’. The article deals with topics like – the importance of articulation of architectural forms; use of patterns for articulation; the concept of decoration before ,during &

after Modernism; and the types & techniques of surface patterning on and after 1990s ( focussing primarily on parametric patterns). In this article Patrik stresses on the need for form & surface articulation since it is quite a powerful tool to give an identity and a character to a specific building, and also to differentiate buildings of same genre. In the later phases of modernism, several techniques were applied in surface articulation like quasi graphic techniques of surface treatment, texture mapping, scripting etc & the need for tessellation brought parametric modelling to forefront. The adaptability of patterns on any curvilinear surfaces and alteration of concerned parameters (like as accentuation of aperture size) are made possible by parametric modelling.

Another powerful aspect of parametric modelling is the addition of performance factor /functionality to the surfaces. ( eg. Orientation, size, shading of apertures with respect to sunpath and intensity).

to building surfaces, and also illustrative concepts of surface patterning. The statements bearing strong concern and essence are repeated in bold and italicized manner.

CRITIQUE

In this article Patrik Schumacer has in a very efficient manner put forward the essence and potential of parametric patterning before the readers. It has provided a new dimension to ornamentation , without following the ornamentation practices of the past. It is a must read for architecture students and professionals.

GRAPHIC QUALITY

The article comprises of total twelve images , showing different aspects & context of decoration & ornamentations, such as in masks, face paintings of ethnic groups, 96

REVINA SONI POETRY

PEBBLES

Stepping out of the door When a day converts to a night Everything has its essence That makes it so mine It’s dark, like a womb of a mother Yet I’m comfortable, as this territory is mine Naked feet land on the pebbles Soft and round – smooth –cold I wiggle my toes & feel itThere exists on walls or corridors But its already constructed on my mind The narrow pebble path I walk on…

Has its own feel of a castle Built of stones and heavy walls This virtual castle I built around me Surrounds me giving me my freedom And yet trapping me within

97

A Perfect balance between light and shadow giving a very rich look to the photograph. and there is a sense of direction and geometry and convergence. Which makes the photograph more readable. Focusing on the inverse and the geometry, this photograph is taken avoiding the flat surface of the surrounding and

the people. This device jai prakash yantra’s is made and use for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars' location as the earth orbits around the sun.

PHOTOGRAPHY GEOMETRY AND LIGHT

98

The term Architecture has a very vast range to its application and its scope is sometimes so extreme, that is unbelievable to understand. It takes into a diverse set of activities, people, ideas, ranging from a small idea that is been carried on from ages to the marvels of extreme architecture and engineering running today’s world.

The combination of extreme is what we live today, what we enjoy. Everything, what we see all around is been designed to do that, one or other way, making the scope of design extreme.

PROSE

EXPLORING PERFECTION

REVINA SONI 99

We as a practicing architect or as a client or a person always trying to achieve a utopian concept of perfection. Whatever input we give in, money, nightouts, effort, we try to achieve this stage to some extend. There is no such thing called perfection when we talk about architecture. One aspect is having a futuristic design.

The start of design, the conceptual approach can vary from a simple idea of the user to a numerous forms of art, let’s say music. While designing also, a designer has to try each and every permutations and combinations of the components, to select the best one amongst the thousands for its perfection. So, basically, it is to go from one extreme to the other while trying each of the combination to work accordingly.

Leaving universe, if we just take the earth, it has got a wide range of living organisms, order, climate, temperature, minerals and everything. So, depending on the context, building of a habitat can go to extremes such as an igloo or

a cave. And the extremes in one way combine, as we can use same material in different ways.

ARTICLE REVIEW TALKING BUILDINGS Alain de Botton

The document talking buildings gives us an idea as to how to approach and interpret a shape and how do we interlink it with our past. Almost all of our thoughts about a building reflect about its material functions but sometimes simple arrangements of everyday objects can lead to curious looking compositions.

Our minds are preoccupied with some thoughts which prevent us to expand our thinking beyond their regular uses. It was in the first half of the twentieth century when sculptors began experimenting with shapes which were difficult to put a name and were also difficult to explain.

Abstract artists argued that their work were capable of articulating the greatest of thoughts. Henry moore's and alberto giocometti's work are some of the examples which gathered different interpretations because of their abstraction. It may be easy to laugh on claims made by people as to how

they read a particular piece of art, but we must not accuse critics of reading too much into too little details ,instead we must allow non representational objects to demonstrate us thoughts and emotions they can convey. Most talented sculptors have been able to convey ideas about huge concepts using just some everyday objects. Buildings and their furnishings can also be thought of as sculptures and sculptors have taught us how to read the communication made by objects.

Marble sculpture by barbera hepsworth is one such example of abstract art. The area between the sphere and the semi circular mass on which it rests on is the centre of attraction. As a whole the sculpture looks unstable.

Critic adrian strokes relates it to motherly love. This statement of adrian gives us an idea that it doesn't take too long to relate stulptures with human forms. This relation can also be seen in everyday objects…such as we see penguins in jugs, inverted insects in tables.

and tired. Stemmed glass looks feminine whereas muscular tumblers look like stern civil servants.

Roman author vitruvius paired up the three principal classic orders with human or divine archetype from greek mythology. Doric order of plain capital and square profile to muscular martial hero hercules, ionic column with decorated base to middle aged goddess hera and tall slender corinthian column to adolescent deity aphrodite.

Every time we think of any form, it’s a human tendency to relate it to some living form. To dislike a building the temperament of the person we dimly recognise in its elevation. Objects we describe as beautiful are versions of people we love .We detect direct parallelism to humans from the simplest of forms. So strong is this skill that a simple line work might be enough. A simple straight line is stable and dull ,a curved wavy line is foppish and calm, a criss crossed line looks confused.

Materials, colours and shapes of important building elements can be made to speak how a country should be ruled

Detection of personalities is not limited to sculptures but extend to letters as well…the 'f' letter of helvetica looks punctual, clean, and optimistic whereas the poliphilus looks sleepier, sheepish 100

S. POETRY PREETI THALAM/ RHYTHM தாளம் (Thalam/Rhythm) �க் ெடாக் என்� ெசால்�ம் க�காரம் தக் தக் என்� ெசால்�ம் நம் இதயம் ம� ண்�ம் ம� ண்�ம் என்� ெதாடர்வேத தாளம் எங்�ம் தாளம் எதி�ம் தாளம் இைறவன�ன் ஜாதியால் உ�வனேத தாளம் இயக்கத்�க்� காரணேம தாளம் உலகம் �ற்�வ� அன்பால் அல்ல தலட்த்ஹல் மட்�ம் தான் ந��ப்ைப ெதாடர ைவக்�ம் �ன�தமான ப�� தாளம் �யநிைன�கைள உணர்ச்சி ப�த்◌ாைவப்ப� தாளம் உ�வகத்தின் �தல் ���க்� ஊக்கேம தாளம் ம� தியல்லாம் இன்ன�ைச, வ�திக்� கட்�ப்ப� இ�ப்ப� நிஜம் கா�க்� மட்�ேம தாளமா? ராகதிதின் ேசாத்ேத தாளமா? அந்த இைணப்பான நி�வாண�க்� யார் அ�ைம அல்ல? கா�க்� �த்�ணர்ச்சி ஏற்ப�ட்தஹைவப்பேத தாளம் ேகட்டப�ன் தைசகைள அசயாைவக்�ம் சக்திேய தாளம் தாளம் இல்லாத �க்� சாத்தியமா? ெதாடர்ந்� நம் உள்ளத்ைத கவர்ச்சி ைசவேத தாளம் தாளம் இல்லாத வ��வைமப்�க்� அர்த்தம் அல்ல �றிப்ைப ��ந்� வார்ந்� காட்� மன�தேன! உன் உ�வாக்கங்கள�ல் தலட்தைஹய் பறி��க்காேத! தாளம் இல்லாத �ணம் அல்ல! தாளம் இல்லாத வ�� அல்ல!

101

TRANSLATION:

Tick-tock goes the clock Dhak-Dhak goes on the heart Again & again in continuous rhythm.

Rhythm is everywhere, in everything crafted by the hands of god.

Rhythm is what creates motion. It is not love, but rhythm that makes the world go round.

Rhythm is that divine gift which ensures continuity. Rhythm makes every one of our senses vibrate.

It is our first understanding of creation. Everything else is melodic, doomed to end.

Is rhythm only for the ear? Is rhythm the property of music?

Aren't we all slaves of that sweet elixir?

Seeing rhythm is what refreshes our eyes. Hearing is what makes our muscles twitch. Would there be breath without rhythm?

But rhythm will continue to touch us. A creation without rhythm has no meaning. Understand this!

Incorporate this!

There is no character without rhythm!

There is no design without rhythm!

PHOTOGRAPHY MAJESTIC AND PROUD

Over a 130 years old, the Chennai Central Railway Station building stands majestic and proud. It a a symbolic landmark for the people of South India-from British times till date- as it serves as one of the main gateways for people travelling to the South.

102

PROSE

CURIOUS ALLEYS

There are those little things, little mysteries that remain at the back of your head, only to surface at an odd moment, making you wonder about life. One such memory exists in my train journeys in Bombay (there’s still a rush of joy in calling it that rather than the newly christened “Mumbai”).

S. PREETI 103

Sitting in a Bombay local, lucky to get a window seat (or a seat at all), I would idly stare away at the passing urban landscape; changing from the old Parsi houses of Marine Drive and the seaside Gymkhanas to the filth and hustle bustle of shoddy markets and suburban apartment buildings. Façade after façade of buildings hiding from the railway line, trees planted altogether haphazardly and yellow broken fences. Somewhere in the middle of these micro-transitions lay a little street.

Created by the space between the

exterior walls of two monstrous pink giants, it lay isolated almost every time I saw it. A few seconds, and it would be out of my field of vision. But something about it always caught my attention.

So quiet, so peaceful, a little alleyway- and that too in the heart of Bombay? Impossible! No hawkers, no beggars, no children playing around, nothing. Save a few small trees and an curiously abandoned wheelchair, there was nothing else in it. Yet, it piqued my interest. It made me long to terminate my journey at the nearest station and get down to explore it. It made me want to sit quietly and think about things, things greater than the mundane.

I felt like I might find a very wise old man sitting in some corner of that alley, full of advice about life and beyond.

To this day that alley remains an unexplored little mystery to me, making me wonder about why we don’t strive to go out there, see more and do more. It makes me think that no matter what I do and where I reach, there will always be something more to an experience.

ARTICLE REVIEW AMBIGIOUS POROSITY Chady S. Bteich

The author in Ambiguous Porosity discusses about gaps that occupy a larger extent of area within our urban fabric. He says that Gap-ness spread in different characters and meanings, due to several factors among which are cultural, political, economical and social. Gaps are not necessary to be urban voids, its existence could be positive potential; whereas its analysis and synthesis would leads to better intervention which results in a sustainable urban fabric.

According to him gaps exist in the form of rupture or puncture character caused by improper social,

cultural, economical or political connectivity, with respect to site specifics. Its existence affects urban interactions and results in the formation of urban morphologies of non-potentiality for further development. He tackles this subject by placing it in the scenario of Lebanon . Lebanon was not affected by the global industrial revolution, rather was highly affected by the war circumstances.

He believes that the urban tissue is an interconnected network held together by the urban forces: social, cultural, economical and political. The interconnected network is ruptured and punctured by gap-ness of relative porosity.

Gaps fragment the urban fabric to isolated amorphous patches, and of murky quality.

resulted from the four urban forces: social, political, economical, and cultural.

Chady’s framework of analyzing gap-ness is based on a matrix of thematic layers reflecting gapness character and typology in relation to urban forces. In the end He compared the relationship to the anatomy of a molecule, where gap-ness is the nucleus and its factors are held by energy levels connected by bonds, which locate boundary of the patch affected by gaps.

His study of urban settlements explores and produces sequential generation of patches for the purpose of thorough study of gap-ness existence, structure, morphology, gap-ness and potentiality.

Rupture and puncture affects the urban patch in different criteria: scale, form, type, and others. He says that their understanding is directly affected by the causes 104

SIDDHARTH MATHUR POETRY

WHICH WAY IS MY WAY

Well, I choose the road I take, it travels far on its own, for the sake of being long.

Is it a wise choice the T-junction asks of me, is it a wise choice you have made my friend.

I cannot answer him, because I have no answer.

To my left lies the never ending desert highway, to my right the looping city roads.

Where should I go, my friend T-junction tell me now.

You have seen so many travelers make choices; choices that have made them and they not the choices.

I just need a left or a right from your mouth.

But you won’t tell me will you my friend.

You got a lot of nerve to say you are my friend.

I will then make the choice with the flip of my coin, heads I go back to the lonely city; tails I take the long way - that is the highway, I hope it is going my way.

105

PHOTOGRAPHY GATEWAY

106

PROSE

TRANSITION Applause. Claps. Cheers. From across the curtain in front of my eyes.

The performance before me has just ended. In moments from now, I shall be asked to go beyond.

Beyond this curtain. To the space, the place, beyond.

Here, on my side, it is dark, it is just me, it feels safe. Away from the prying eyes of the world, I feel secure.

But beyond? What would I find I fear? Would I be praised?

Loathed? Or envied? Maybe just pitied?

Or rather, would I have the strength to face what I find?

SIDDHARTH MATHUR 107

Would I have the strength to face change?

A separation. A curtain. A change.

A transition.

Words we come across so often that we overlook their depth, their true meaning, their importance.

The transition from one point, one space to another. Seems so simple, so innocent, so routine.

You think of all the preparation you need to do before you undergo the transition. You wonder if you need to work harder. You think of your weaknesses, your strengths. You go ahead and imagine what the other side would be like, would it be to your liking as much as you’d want it to be.

But would you have the strength to take those final steps to a change? Would you have the courage to crawl over?

No one seems to be prepared for that. Or maybe it is just me. Or maybe it is a spur of the moment thing, something spontaneous that has to occur within ourselves for the change to happen, I think.

My name is called. I start to move forward.

I think of all the phases I have gone through. All the spaces I have crossed. All the transitions I have made. Did they have the same impact on me as this? Prob-

ably yes. I do not know. Maybe they did. Maybe I would forget these thoughts like I did with the others.

I think of being born. It must have felt the same. Safety and security ending with a burst of light, with prying eyes looking at my privates for determination of gender and hands slapping my butt to check for signs of life.

I think of my first day at school.

My first date.

All the changes, all the transitions I have been through. The ones that changed me. The ones that did not.

I know change is important. I have the courage to face change, to undergo this transition. To go past this curtain.

I realise that we are the choices that we make.

A deep breath. I walk through.

Lights. Noise. Cheers. It’s time to begin.

ARTICLE REVIEW

A Design Approach to Enrich Product Experiences with Negative Emotions Steven F. Fokkinga

This paper demonstrates how designers can enrich user experiences by purposefully involving negative emotions in user-product interaction. The perceptibility of a design is not only determined by its like-ableness. Infact, it is the gravity of emotions that a design/ advertisement inspire in us that helps us determine what we

truly feel about one. This article attempts to explore how and if a negative but strongly emotional approach can be as effective as ‘good’ and positive approaches.

This approach is derived from a framework of rich experience, which explains how and under what circumstances negative emotions make a product experience richer and enjoyable. The approach consists of three steps, where the designer decides 1) which negative emotion is most appropriate for the user context; 2) how and when this emotion is best elicited; and 3) which protective frame is most appropriate to use and in what way it is applied to the product concept. Ten experience qualities were developed that offer prefabricated combinations of these steps, which are intended to lower the threshold of using the approach. The steps for these qualities are described, and each is briefly discussed. Lastly, the applicability of the approach in design is demonstrated by showing six examples of how the qualities have been used to generate concrete product concepts.

rich product experiences.

Relevance to Design Practice – This paper describes a design approach that methodically uses negative emotions to add engagement, refreshment or meaning to situations that are generally boring or empty, and to make use of the specific effects of negative emotions on attitude to stimulate people in activities that they would otherwise not engage in.

Reflecting on the approach, we conclude that negative emotions are a viable and interesting starting point for creating emotionally 108

T. NANDINI PRIYA POETRY THE CORRIDOR

Here I stand just after the door Where I have to cross this narrow corridor.

A change a transition away from all the bore I move forward and take steps four Where I have to cross this narrow corridor.

Dark as the jungles of the fairy land I am lost in the forest with a hyena behind Here I stand now not at the door But I still have to cross this scary corridor.

The first look of the sun dial at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, just made me say 'radial seriously' till I saw the supports to be arches. This immediately put a question. An arch with decreasing width? How amazing is that. Not only the view but the stability part to the radial.

The radial stability.

Walls on my side too scary and this corridor not wide All it seems is pressure from the side Here I stand now not at the door But I still have to cross this scary corridor.

A ghost behind an dthe emptiness inside I walk knowing there is no turning back Here I stand not close to the door any more But I still have to cross this scary corridor.

It was not a bore I didn’t have myself all tore Nor did these walls fall and crush me to the core Here I stand at the end of the narrow corridor.

109

PHOTOGRAPHY RADIAL STABILITY

110

PROSE

UNDER YOUR SHADE A hot summer afternoon and Delhi could hardly wait for the monsoon. I walk fast away from the bus stop just to enter some covered space. Getting breathless with all the hot dry air blowing on my face and the speed I was trying to pick up in my steps just to reach this intermediate destination, I was tired.

But this is no were close to the end. I was no were close to my destination. It is a long path ahead and the day gets even hot.

A twenty more steps and I arrive, not at my destination but at the refuge. Still I rush, as if I am going

T. NANDINI PRIYA 111

to miss the bus, thought there wasn’t any.

Ten more steps and I could smell the earth sprinkled with water.

Oh the humidity in this hot dry day. I rushed further. Ten steps turn to seven as I run. It felt as if there was monsoon standing there looking at me with its eager eyes tempting me to run towards it, and give it a tight hug. And I did ran toward the road shaded by that one tree, and then the hug was the smile I passed as I wiped out the sweat off my forehead.

I had no idea where that water came from in this deserted street or who watered it to save me.

But there I was where I stopped, stood still took deep breaths and smelled the fragrance.

I walked further. Heading towards my destination getting back to the hot climate, going to get burnt again. I wouldn’t ask you where u got the fragrance from.

I would not blame the sun for burning me down and every step that slowed my heart down. But never will I forget this moment.

I cherished the smell. I cherished u standing there for me. I missed u in the rest of my journey. I fell in love with the moment where I got to spend those seconds under your shade.

is the Guild Foundation, which hosts the Original Green initiative.

ABSTRACT

ARTICLE REVIEW

Architec-ture (As We Know It) Is Over Steve MOUZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Mouzon, a principal of Studio Sky and Mouzon Design, is an architect, urbanist, author, and photographer from Miami. He founded the New Urban Guild, which hosts Project:SmartDwelling and helped foster the Katrina Cottages movement; its non-profit affiliate

Steve Mouzon in this article talks about how perception towards architecture has changed in the last decade. First he talks about how architects working in a same firm move out and stand as competition to each other. Second he looks at clients, they perspective how they have changed they perspective of an architect as a expert to some one secondary. He then talks about how people do not see service as a service but as products. He also talks about the generation they view points and how they think the smaller project the more intelligent response given.

built environment.. innovative solutions will be required not only for designing new buildings but to retrofit existing buildings.. I’m predicting architecture will be in high demand especially when the Gen X’s & Y’s, who are environmentally conscious, start running this country.. i think it’s time these debt-inducing, natural-resourcewasting Baby Boomers step aside.. architecture is not over, a new era is just beginning.

In the end he talks about new marketing tools and how the old tools do not work any more.

People still find alternate ways to advertise, publicize and sell they products. ‘Patience, Generosity, and Connectedness’ this isn't just about remaking our marketing… it's about remaking ourselves.

VIEWS

Architecture is slowly entering into a new epoch, sustainability.. in the next 10-15 years, design principles will drastically change to reach carbon neutral in the 112

UTKARSH VIBHUTE POETRY

COMPLEXITY

Atlast I could see !

Yes, I could see clearly What the reality was like.

I was baffled and stumped At the tangled threads All around me I am not a weaver Not a weaver of cloth But I weave the Cloth of society and its people Yes, I am an architect A visionary.

I try to untangle Fail and give up Then again I gather My will and thought To pursue what I desired I see destruction and injustice, Pillandering the poor And mute.

The knots scream at me With their eyes wide.

I untangle one small knot Feel happy But again I am dismayed As I have too been caught up In this complexity of this social structure Now I hang tied up Tangled in my own web Pondering all the while Where did i go wrong !!

113

PHOTOGRAPHY MULTICUL-TURAL IDENTITY

The temple situated in Goa, shows the culmination of Hindu and Christian architecture. The plan of the temple was similar to that of a church. The domes and windows are the elements of the Christian architecture which are amalgamated with the Hindu elements through evolution. For example, the tower in front of the temple is a light house is not an element of Hindu Architecture but here the Christian elements are transformed and have become the part of the Hindu temple.

It is amazing to see to this evolution of Hindu temples in the form of a Christian church. It depicts the architecture of two totally complete cultures combined in a unique way.

114

PROSE

CONCEPT

UTKARSH VIBHUTE 115

Concept – a word that harasses an architecture student.

Apart from the question that “is concept necessary or not” and “ why concept”, the more important question that matters is “ does the common people understand the concept of the building ?”

Concept for making a structure or a building determines its shape or form. “Should the building stand out of the context ?”“should I have a rectangular plan or circular plan ?” are the next sets question asked. The concept the building can be easy and straight such as sustainable and green or can be very imaginable such as “a drop falling from a leaf, the later being impracticable usually.

Today everyone wants their houses or buildings to look different and good. Architects, to save themselves, often make nonunderstandable concepts and end up making a structure that does not relate to the concept at all.

Some people want the concept of a building to be direct and literal as it is easy to understand and some people want their building to just relate to the concept without giving a direct statement.

Though, some architects have good concepts but making the people understand and convey it easily is much more difficult task than coming up with an concept.

Leave out common people who will just look at the building but wont see it, we as architecture students at the early stages of design starts with a concept but at the end of the exercise we, too, derive the concepts from the design.

ARTICLE REVIEW

TECHNOLOGY VS TRADITION ANTHONY VIDLER

In this article, Anthony Vidler talks about how throughout the present century architects have made fetishes of technological and scientific concepts out of context and have been disappointed by them when they developed according to the processes of technical development, not according to the hopes of architects. By ‘tradition’ he meant the stock of general ‘professional knowledge’; by ‘technology’, its opposite − the exploration of ‘potential’ through science.

It also traces the divisions that emerged in theory in the 1960s − technologists, system theorists, formalists, historicists − and looks

at Reyner Banham’s attempt at a solution somewhere between tradition and technology.

Vidler has talked about many articles of Reyner Banham such as Stocktaking ( 1960 ), The Science Side (1960) ,The Future of Universal Man (1960), History Under Revisions (1960) and Propositions (1960). In this article, Vidler has briefed about Banham’s theories, sometimes showing his support and sometimes going against the theories. Vidler talks about the historian who five years earlier had called for an ‘autre’ architecture in the name of the New Brutalism, now advised the architect to ‘discard his whole cultural load, including the professional garments by which he is recognized as an architect’.

Vidler has also mentioned how Banham told two intersecting but ultimately separate stories.

‘Architecture’ defined in terms of its professional history versus ‘Architecture’ as ‘the provision of fit environments for human activities’. Banham was concerned at the reaction of the first against the second − the sense that sociology and technology had overdetermined architectural form, and the ensuing move ‘back’ to architecture, 116

VIDISHA GODARA

nks ckj ejus ls Mjrh gw¡ -eSa [okcksa esa lius cqurh gw¡ -dqN [okcksa esa jaxhu jsfxLrku feyrs gSa -rks fdlh [okc esa eSa jaxks dks rjlrh gw¡ -Hkkx jgh gj unh dks lgkjk esjk gksrk gSa -dqN [okcksa esa eSa ek¡ ds nqykj dks HkVdrh gw¡ ! fQj dqN [okcksa es fgUnqLrku vkrk gSa -fcxM+s gq, gkykrksa dks dkslrh gw¡ -,d jkLrs is gtkjksa ;gk¡ ls tkrs gSa -gj eksM+ ij u;s ekWy [kM+s gks tkrs gSa ! dHkh ;w&V~;wc is] rks dHkh ,e-,e-,l- esa] eSa fofM;ks dks rkdrh gw¡ -Hkkjr ds lq/kkj dks eSa rjlrh gw¡ -,d fnu [okcksa ls mB dj eSa gj [okc dks dke;kc dj nwaxh -blh bjkns ls eSa iydks dks >idkrh gw¡ !

POETRY DREAMS

gj jkg ij esjs [okc ltsxs -blh fgt+j esa eSa ,d ckj vksj th ysrh gw¡ !

nks ckj ejus ls Mjrh gw¡ -eSa [okcksa esa lius cqurh gw¡ -117

TRANSLATION:

And new malls on every corner

Some have colourful deserts Some are colourless All passing rivers are my support And in some I'm reminded of my mother's love.

Videos on youtube and MMS make me acrid I thirst for India's betterment One day I'll make these dreams a reality This resolve lets me sleep peacefully

I'm afraid of dying twice I stitch fantasies in my dreams

Then some involve India I regret the terrible condition With thousands stuck on one road

PHOTOGRAPHY WATER

Each street will be decorated with my realised dreams

118

PROSE

TOO MUCH OF RAIN AND VERY LITTLE SUNSHINE

When I see at the sky, its either very bright or has too many clouds or birds chirping around!

And far away from us there is a sun shining so bright that the whole world wakes up to its light.

I am sitting here on my own, with all types of thoughts rolling through my mind. Trying to look for peace, hard to find.

VIDISHA GODARA 119

Sitting near the beach I wish I was the wave, crashing on the shore.

How many times the wave is thrown away it comes back every time and kisses the shore.

Sometimes I wish I was the light, pure and serene showing the path to all.

Sometimes I wish I could just give not demanding to get anything in return. May be if I could sleep for ever and never wake up to this mean world. Even if I close my eyes now I can still see. I can’t shut off that part of me.

When I go to bed to sleep, the knife cuts me down so deep, the empty spaces inside my soul make me feel I am wasting away my life. Struggling through the day to pass, pushing myself to grow.

Sometimes I wish for that smile to come back the one I had when I had you...

And then I realize its too much of rain and very less sunshine

and mood which resulted to build the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

ARTICLE REVIEW BUILDING AROUND THE MIND EMILY ANTHES

ARTICLE REVIEW

The article is very much connected to a day today life of a human and more importantly with the work of an architect .I'd like to state that we, architects, almost know most of the things mentioned in the article instinctively. Whether the low ceiling labs, the varying lighting solutions... or the disparate reaction to sharp and smooth lines. The only thing that I didn’t honestly know for a fact was that greenery helps people to concentrate. I also know that monotonous sounds, like the bubbling of low water fountain, help relaxation and may lead to involuntary sleep The author give us an example of how doctor Jonas Salk was able to draw inspiration from the contemplative setting of Italy, which then lead to the successful polio vaccination. He believed that architecture which surrounds us has an ability to influence or mind

Human beings realized ages ago the value of having greenery and water features close to where they live. So when a hospital is designed, the spaces influence the patient’s behavior and how long he takes to get well. Environmental psychology is the field which relates to this type.

How Room Designs Affect Your Work and Mood. In 2007 Joan Meyers-Levy, professor at the University of Minnesota, reported that the height of a room’s ceiling affects how people think and it encourages to think freely. Also physically less constrained and relaxed. However low ceiling heights can help one to be more focussed and alert.

Although dim light makes you feel more comfortable and relaxed, it helps people to loosen up a bit The article is very helpful to make one understand that architecture and spaces can affect us and our minds. In designing and constructing environments in which people live and work, architects and planners are necessarily involved in influencing human behavior.

How much light must come into one room can also effect attentiveness and performance.

Lack out light can also create problem, as the outcome you get is affected. The effect is seen majorly on kindergarten students.

More the natural light a classroom has, the faster the academic progress of the students in it. Now the wavelength of light we get also matters.

120