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TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER 104 MUMBAI ` 200 JANUARY 2018 VOL 31 (5)

POST EVENT Third Edition of Structure & Architecture Conference, New Delhi ARCHITECTURE Twin Houses, Spasm Design The Pool House, IORA Studio Haveli Dharampura, Spaces Architects@ka New headquarters for Société Privée de Gérance, Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti INTERIORS Baradari at City Palace Jaipur, Studio Lotus Apple Kids Play School, NAAMS Architectural Workshope RESILIENCE Building resilience within Indian craft clusters and communities: Kashmir

industry news

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Viega Advantix Stainless Steel Shower Channels Now in Modular Design Shower channel that offers flexibility along with luxury

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he trend towards shower channels is increasing rapidly. With leading brands introducing high performance rain showers and body jets the need for premium shower channels to match the interiors of the bathrooms is also on rise. Hence premium and luxury housing demands high performance drainage systems which are also aesthetically appealing. Every bathroom, whether a new building or a refurbishment is different and demands personalised taste. To meet this demand Viega has introduced new Advantix shower channel range. Distinctive shower channel designs can be customised as per the architectural and needs.

Contemporary slick design for modern bathrooms Superior design with German engineering is a perfect combination for high end premium projects. In its new modular-design Advantix shower channel range from Viega offers five different design grates and three frame variants that gel’s beautifully with every interior design. The stainless steel designer grates are available in matt and high-gloss polish. It also has a variant with grates made up of glass. Tileable grates to give you continuous seamless surface are also available. Thus Viega Advantix shower channels give architects and interior designers wide range to select from.

Many combinations options In all new Advantix shower channel’s modular kit system consists of two base units in five lengths. It also offers a choice of three drains, adjusting feet in two different heights, three frame variants, and five different grates. All component elements can be combined with each other giving planners flexibility and design freedom.

Flexibility to meet interior design demands The slim base units in the new Advantix shower channel range are installed through either free-standing in the floor or directly on the wall.

Together with the standard drain, the installation height is 95 mm. If the screed is lower, the drain can be shortened further on-site. Alternatively, for renovation, drain with 70mm height with flat adjusting feet is also available. The installation height of the drain with the vertical outlet can be reduced to 40 mm. It can also be used in drill holes with the Advantix fire protection pipe duct R120 usually ideal for multi-storey apartment blocks.

Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

Additionally, the drainage pipe of the two horizontal drains can be routed through between the adjusting feet directly beneath the shower channel. This ensures that the screed can be laid to a sufficient height and without interruption everywhere inside the floor-level.

Water inlet of just 5mm gives it a very compact and stylish look. The drainage capacities of the shower channels are between 0.4 and 1.1 litres per second, depending on the variant. An innovative clip fastening provides a permanently secure attachment between the drain and the channel body. This also aids installation of the components.

Moreover, these shower channels come with sanded flanges to protect against leakages, an innovative siphon technology ensures high drainage performance. Features such as odour trap and insect trap are a part of standard offerings by Viega.

About the company: Viega was founded in Attendorn, Germany, in 1899. Worldwide, more than 4,000 people are employed by the Viega Group, which is among the leading manufacturers of installation technology for sanitary and heating.

The range consists of approximately 17,000 articles in the product categories of piping systems as well as pre-wall and drainage technology.

They are used nearly everywhere: in building services installations, in utilities or in industrial plant construction and shipbuilding.

Since 2005 Viega has been successfully present in the Indian market.

After several years with independent Sales Representatives, in 2015 the legal entity Viega India Pvt. Ltd. was founded in Ahmedabad, Gujarat to foster the Indian local footprint. This includes investments in a production site in Sanand to better serve local market needs. Sales and service teams are present in all the major cities in India.

For further media queries contact ITW Playworx (PR) @: Namrata Aswani - 09920710261 Sushil Panigrahi - 09930634197 Amar Kirale - 9892459300

industry news

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World’s Slimmest Automatic Sliding Door System with tiniest Operator of 68mm Height Launched by OZONE!

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zone, the leading provider of innovative Architectural Hardware Solutions, announces the launch of its Airdrive - the world’s slimmest Automatic Sliding door System. Airdrive is a perfect blend of exquisiteness, strength and soft performance. It is designed with a tiniest yet powerful operator of only 68mm height & 135mm depth enabling it to be the slimmest in size which is the USP of Airdrive Door System. It delivers consistent performance without any halt as it is engineered in compliant with best prevailing standards such as EU standard EN 16005, EN60335, EN 1SO 13849 1: 2008, German standards DIN 18650S, CE Conformity and EU low voltage directives with max power consumption of 250W. It is manufactured following ISO 9001: 2000 standards which ensure the stringent quality check at every stage as a result a best quality final product.

With Ozone Airdrive Automatic Door System, you can achieve max door opening of 2 mtr and 3 mtr in case of single sliding and bi-parting sliding double panels respectively. It is suitable for door panel weighing 150 kgs for single sliding and 120 kgs of each door panel in bi-parting.

It can be integrated with all access control devices such as Microwave sensor, push button, Remote Control etc. and can integrate safety beam barriers for safe movement of people.

Ozone Airdrive Automatic Sliding System enables the customers to achieve graceful architecture maintaining the design ambience of the space. It is the best choice for professionals looking for ‘not so much visible’ Automatic door system. This stands true on Ozone brand message of “What’s Visible is seamless interior décor, what’s invisible is Innovative Engineering.”

For further information, contact: Ozone offers a large range of Automatic Doors and intelligent locks for hotels, residences and commercial spaces for all budget projects.

For more details, email ozone@ozone-india.com or call +91 9310012300 or visit www.ozone-india.com

Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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VOL 31 (5) | JANUARY 2018 | ` 200 | MUMBAI RNI REGISTRATION NO. 46976/87, ISSN 0971-5509 INDIAN ARCHITECT AND BUILDER

Chairman & Editor: Maulik Jasubhai Shah Printer, Publisher & Chief Executive Officer: Hemant K Shetty Writers: Shriti Das, Sharmila Chakravorty Email: iab_editorial@jasubhai.com Design: Mansi Chikani Subscription: Dilip Parab Production Team: V Raj Misquitta (Head), Prakash Nerkar

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POST EVENT Re-connecting India The Third Edition of Structure & Architecture Conference, New Delhi.

ARCHITECTURE Embracing the elements Twin Houses by Spasm Design are set on adjacent but distinct sites and designed to imbibe analogous design principles.

Shelter, space and place The Pool House by IORA Studio is an extension to a swimming pool pavilion that commences from the pavilion’s aesthetic but takes on an independent language as it transits.

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A Matter of Belonging Haveli Dharampura restored by Spaces Architects@ka showcases archetypical adaptive reuse but simultaneously illustrates uncertainties over the past’s future.

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Creating a reverie New headquarters for Société Privée de Gérance (SPG), Geneva

by Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti is an extension and reconversion of an existing building within a historic precinct.

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INTERIORS Giving historic appeal a renewed contemporaneity Baradari at City Palace Jaipur by Studio Lotus attempts to hold on to the distinct historic characteristics, craft and architecture of the space while incorporating a contemporary function.

Head Office: JMPL, Taj Building, 3rd Floor, 210, Dr D N Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

Tel: + 91-22-4037 3636, Fax: +91-22-4037 3635 SALES Brand Manager: Sudhanshu Nagar Email: sudhanshu_nagar@jasubhai.com MARKETING TEAM & OFFICES Mumbai Parvez Memon Taj Building, 3rd Floor, 210, Dr D N Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001.

Tel: + 91-22-4037 3636, Fax: +91-22-4037 3635 Email: parvez_memon@jasubhai.com Delhi: Chitra Sharma, Sukesh Singh, Suman Kumar 803, Chiranjeev Tower, No 43, Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110 019 Tel: +91 11 2623 5332, Fax: 011 2642 7404 Email: chitra_sharma@jasubhai.com sukesh_singh@jasubhai.com suman_kumar@jasubhai.com Bengaluru / Hyderabad / Gujarat: Sudhanshu Nagar Mobile: +91 9833104834, Email: sudhanshu_nagar@jasubhai.com Chennai / Coimbatore: Princebel M Mobile: +91 9444728035, +91 9823410712, Email: princebel_m@jasubhai.com Kolkata: Sudhanshu Nagar Mobile: +91 9833104834, Email: sudhanshu_nagar@jasubhai.com Pune: Parvez Memon Mobile: +91 9769758712, Email: parvez_memon@jasubhai.com

Discreet ingenuity Apple Kids Play School by NAAMS Architectural Workshope is an extension on the terrace of an existing building and a stark contrast to its precinct and existing built environment that incorporates sustainable design into a learning experience.

BOOK REVIEW Voicing Architects Architectural Voices of India authored by Apurva Bose Dutta, reviewed by Professor Sathya Prakash Varanashi.

RESILIENCE Building resilience within Indian craft clusters and communities: Kashmir Essay by Sajid Nazi Wani, Craft Development Institute, Srinagar.

Cover Image: © Spaces Architects@ka

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Editor: Maulik Jasubhai Shah, 26, Maker Chamber VI, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021.

industry news

12

Wipro Lighting wins ‘India LED Lighting Visionary Innovation Leadership’ Award 2017

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ipro Lighting, part of Wipro Enterprises (P) Limited and a leading player in lighting in India, has received the “India LED Lighting Visionary Innovation Leadership” Award at the 2017 Frost & Sullivan India Best Practices Awards. The ceremony was held in Mumbai recently.

add a new revolutionary LiFi lighting concept to their portfolio of innovative products with the help of pureLiFi who are global leaders in LiFi technology and commercialisation.

Frost & Sullivan Awards recognizes companies across India and global markets for outstanding achievement and performance, superior leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development.

Congratulating Wipro Lighting on the award, Arushi Thakur Upadhyay, Associate Director, Measurement & Instrumentation Practice, Frost & Sullivan said, “Wipro is one of the pioneers in the LED lighting business with focus on innovation and technology, which sets them apart in the industry.

With the emphasis on sustainable energy efficient solutions, the company has defined sophisticated and intelligent product range targeted to residential, commercial as well as industrial lighting customers. Wipro is amongst the front-runners in developing smart lighting products to cater to numerous lighting application areas with best in class design and enhanced performance.”

Sanjay Gupta, Sr Vice President and Business Head - Consumer Lighting and Switches at Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting said, “We are truly honoured to have received the 2017 India LED Lighting Visionary Innovation Leadership Award. We are happy that our exceptional levels of performance, innovation & services in driving the adoption of LED lighting technology in India have been recognized by Frost & Sullivan.”

Wipro will continue to bring new & advanced LED lighting technology for energy efficient smart lighting & data enabled new age lighting solutions to drive the sustainable future. In its constant pursuit of innovation, Wipro Lighting has now kick-started its efforts to Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

About Wipro Enterprises (P) Ltd. Wipro Lighting, a part of Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group was started in 1992 to manufacture and market lighting products.

Today Wipro Lighting has become synonymous with leadership in thought and reliability in the LED lighting industry. Wipro Lighting has a wide range of LED product offerings and profitable presence across application areas including modern workspaces, industries, retail, healthcare, pharmaceutical firms, roads & highways and landscapes.

Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting group (WCCLG), a part of Wipro Enterprises (P) Ltd, is among the fastest growing FMCG businesses in India. Wipro Consumer Care’s businesses include personal wash products, toiletries, personal care products, baby care products, wellness products, electrical wire devices, Domestic and Commercial lighting and Modular office furniture. It has a strong brand presence with significant market share across segments in India, South East Asia and the Middle East.

For further information, contact: For more information, please visit our website at : www.wiprolighting.com,www.wiproconsumerlighting.com

RIPL & Graphisoft organized 2nd Annual Conference on Building Information Modeling (BIM) To hone the skills of ACE Industry professionals’, Rudrabhishek Infosystem Pvt. Ltd. (RIPL) organized 2nd Annual Conference on Building Information Modeling (BIM) in association with Graphisoft Budapest (Hungary), which took place at Hotel Crown Plaza, New Delhi. In this conference, RIPL has also signed an agreement with Team System SPA (Italy), one of the European leaders in ERP Software & Training.

Conference aimed to bring together the government officials and Infrastructure Industry experts around the region to present and discuss the latest development in BIM Technology and its dynamic impact on Designing, Architectural, Engineering and Construction Industries.

This event provided an opportunity to all delegates, professionals, students and industry expert to attend and learn new practices.

Event was inaugurated by Chief Guest Mr. Shankar Aggrawal, Secretary of Urban Development (Rtrd.), and Mr. Pradeep Misra (CMD-REPL). Among the prominent people who addressed the conference, included- Mr. Szabolcs Kari (BIM Consultant from Hungary), Dr. D.P. Singh (Director, School of Architecture & Planning, Amity), Mr. Alex N Kalenga (Pearl Academy) and Mr Feroz Anwar (Jamia).

RIPL Director, Ms Soumya Das said “We are glad to host the 2nd Annual edition of BIM Conference and we are really thankful to our stakeholders and channel partners who

have derived the growth of AEC Industry. Last year we had re-launched the ARCHICAD in India and we have noticed a remarkable interest of Industry Professionals towards ARCHICAD. It has really changed the way of working and made the tasks much easier. BIM enables to deliver improved, efficient and cost effective projects which is the need of hour.”

Today, we have signed another agreement with Team System SPA Italy which will not only lead to bring new technology and expertise in the AEC industry but also impart knowledge amongst the professionals, Ms Das added. Mr. Cristian Galdini signed the agreement from Teams System (Italy).

Laszlo Toke, International Sales Manager, Graphisoft commented, it’s been a great journey so far with RIPL in Indian market and we are amazed with the response and market feedback. Indian professionals have accepted our products very well and the demand is increasing continuously. We believe that by transforming the quality of information used in construction industry, Graphisoft aims to change construction practice completely and would make great change in Indian real estate scenario as well. Our vision is to bring BIM into common practice for the design and realization of buildings by enabling model-based workflow integration through innovative IT solutions”.

About Rudrabhishek Infosystem Pvt Ltd (RIPL) - RIPL was established in 2012 with an aim to provide comprehensive and state-of-art software service to the Real Estate Industry. RIPL focuses on helping organizations in creation, conversion, updation, integration and evaluation of data through application of GIS, ERP and other technologies with focus on the AEC Industry. It provides optimum, business driven solutions by undertaking consulting assignments and offers end to end geospatial consultancy and development services. RIPL is a sister concern of REPL (Rudrabhishek Enterprises. Ltd). RIPL is also the reselling partners for Microsoft.

16th & 17th February 2018

THE DESIGN CONFERENCE

D E S I G N ,

B U I L D ,

S U S T A I N

Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium (Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Kings Circle, Mumbai, India)

16th & 17th FEBRUARY 2018 ICON SPEAKERS

Daniel Libeskind

Principal Design Architect Studio Libeskind, USA

Sonam Wangchuk Founder, SECMOL, Ladakh REGISTRATION FEES STUDENTS - INR 2500/- per Delegate FACULTIES - INR 5000/-per Delegate PROFESSIONALS - INR 6800/- Per Delegate (valid till 15th Dec’ 17)

For Delegate Registrations Visit: www.361degrees.net.in Email: enquiries361@jasubhai.com Organised by

PRESENTS

S&A

Structure & Architecture Conference 24th November, 2017, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

RECONNECTING INDIA

Focus: Technology & Challenges in Bridge Modernisation & Maintenance 24 th November, 2017 | Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

I would like to thank you for the huge honour and privilege to address the conference. For our part the insights we have received into the current position for Infrastructure and bridges in India was invaluable. It will help us shape our strategy to introduce our bridging systems into the Indian Market.

Martin Andrews, Mabey Bridge , UK

Gold Partner:

Associate Partner:

Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m happy to have been part of a successful event & enjoyed working with your team.

I was impressed with the selection of speakers and topics. Infact conduct of the day long seminar was really very professionally organised.

We are thankful for this wonderful opportunity to invite in such a nice deep infirmative seminar with great administrative event management skills behind the scene

Dr Prem Krishna

Dr K N Rai

- R.G. Saini , Megametro Engineering Pvt Ltd.(MMEPL)

Support Partner:

Knowledge Partners:

Organised by:

industry news

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CERA launches new collection of designer tiles

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ERA Sanitaryware Ltd., India’s fastest growing home solutions provider, launched a new collection of exclusive designer tiles for floor and wall at an event held in Kadi, where its main manufacturing plants for sanitaryware and faucets are situated. CERA invited around 500 distributors of tiles from across the country to see the new collection, which were displayed over 9,000 sq ft area. The collection included 500 designs in floor tiles and over 150 design concepts in wall tiles. The categories included digital glazed vitrified tiles, digital wall tiles, thirdfired tiles, digital porcelain tiles, etc. in sizes varying from 600x600mm to 800x1200mm. “The response from trade was overwhelming”, says Mr Atul Sanghvi, Executive Director, CERA.

The newly launched designs include: 1. Lucido range – digital glazed vitrified tiles in 800x1200mm, 800x800mm, 600x1200mm and 600x600mm 2. Eterno range – digital porcelain tiles in 600x600mm 3. Digitale range – digital wall tiles in 300x600mm 4. Passion Range – third fired tiles in 300x600mm 5. Hardrock series – for high traffic areas like showrooms All the designs are unique and break the current clutter of tile designs in the industry. Lucido, the glazed vitrified range, which includes the new book match series are in vogue in both the residential and commercial constructions. The marble series and rustic stone series have been designed keeping in mind the consumers’ changing tastes. The new highlighter series in the glazed vitrified tiles are truly unique designs that can be used both for floor as well as for wall. Passion, the third fired wall tiles range are designed in such a way so as to enhance the Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

aesthetics. Apart from the 23 third fired designs, one can also select from a range of 104 regular wall tiles. These look equally amazing in both contemporary and traditional settings. Designed by a team of wellknown tile designers, the new range gives a refreshingly different look from the present designs available in the market currently.

CERA’s tile plant at Gudur in Andhra Pradesh also commenced the production of Glazed Vitrified Tiles.

Apart from sanitaryware, faucets and, tiles, CERA’s product range also include bathroom cabinet, storage water tanks, kitchen sink, mirror, sensor and wellness (whirlpools and steam cubicles). Its distribution network consists of over 2,000 dealers and 10,000 retailers. The company also showcases its products through company-managed CERA Style Studios and dealer-managed CERA Style Galleries.

For further information, contact: Mr. P.K. Shashidharan, Senior Vice President Marketing, CERA Sanitaryware Limited, Ahmedabad on 9327674111 or pks@cera-india.com

EXPLORE

industry news

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“Indian Institute of Interior Designers – Bangalore Regional Chapter” in association with FunderMax India demonstrates strong commitment towards Sustainable Habitat through tree plantation drive

have more capacity to absorb carbon dioxide than the shrubs that are commonly planted on the dividers and corporate office campuses.

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ndian cities are urbanizing at an extremely rapid pace and as the strain on cities grows, there is an adverse impact on the environment as well. FunderMax, the global leader in high pressure laminates, understands the habitat and facilitate innovation of sustainable façade material that not only helps in reduction of energy consumption but also are environment friendly. With this strong commitment and concern towards for environment, FunderMax India supported the initiative of Indian Institute of Interior Designers – Bangalore Regional Chapter to undertake a tree plantation activity at Government Model Primary School, Attibele, Bangalore on 29 th July 2017. The plantation has been organized by IIID Bangalore Regional Chapter – India’s premier association of interior designers & Rotary Club (South), Bangalore. FunderMax India employees and members of IIID & Rotary Club participated in this noble cause and contributed their bit to the Government of India’s “Green India” initiative.

FunderMax also strongly believes that instead of plantation of grasses and shrubs corporates need to promote planting trees. Trees

Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

About the company: FunderMax – “For people who create” Whether it is a matter of furniture, facades or interior fittings, FunderMax is always to be found at the interface between ideas and materials. We understand architects, processors and the furniture industry – as well as the genuine decisionmakers: your customers.

What we do: We think about the issues, we develop the products and we create them.

Our strength lies in well thought out wood-based materials and compact laminates.

We see ourselves as a production facility, a service partner and a design laboratory.

Only because we are highly competent in all three fields can we make top-class performance a matter of course.

What we are proud of: We stand for sustainability, wherever you look: creative brains who are already making an active mark today on the design and product trends of the future; materials created from sustainable resources; and energy that is sustainably produced and supplies “green” electricity and district heating far beyond our own requirements.

Where we are: Basically all over the world – because ideas and products made by FunderMax are as familiar in the residential buildings of France as in the laboratories of Asia and the furniture of Italy. Our home locations are in Austria where more than 1,000 people work with commitment and passion on the quality of our solutions and materials.

For further information, contact: FunderMax India Private Ltd. #13, 1st Floor, 13th Cross, Wilson Garden, Bangalore - 560027. India Tel: +91 80 4661 7000 Email: officeindia@fundermax.biz Website: www.fundermax.at

industry news

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Mirage Ceramics gives a stunning new twist to its successful Metallic range M

irage Ceramics, founded in 2009, has always pushed the envelope in product innovation. It was the first Indian company to initiate its own production of Glazed Vitrified Tiles and later pioneered the nowfamous ‘marble finish’ in Glazed Vitrified Tiles in India. The leading brand now pushes the boundaries of the existing market yet again. This time, with the extension of its very successful metallic tiles range, and the introduction of breath-taking gold, silver and rose-gold finishes!

Mirage Ceramics’ Glazed Vitrified Tiles range has been its signature collection that shot it to limelight right since its inception. Their superior quality tiles, that come an attractive price, have set benchmarks in the industry. Until Mirage’s GVT tiles hit the market, ceramic tiles were largely seen as hygiene products. With their sleek designs and elegant looks, Mirage Ceramics’ GVT made them products of beauty. Coming in a range of finishes and quality, Mirage Ceramics’ tiles work equally well both, indoors and outdoors. In just a few years, their GVT became a rage and has managed to keep that edge till date. Now, Mirage Ceramics has added further sheen to its already sparkling GVT metallic line. In addition to its current bestsellers like Ferro Wood, Ferro Flame, Ferro Cobalt, Ferro Lapis Beige and many more, Mirage has added three new finishes – Gold, Silver and Rose-Gold. Their unique inherent features and finishing make these the most superior metallic tiles in the industry today. These tiles come in the industry-standard sizes of 600x600mm and 600x1200mm to provide for all kinds of residential and commercial requirements. Owing to their rustic looks, they work perfectly as highlighters and help spunk up a space, making them a definite success amongst architects and interior designers.

Introducing the new line, Shrikant Khadilkar, Chairman, Mirage Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. said, “Mirage Ceramics has many firsts to its name. The launch of these new finishes are taking forward our heritage of breaking new ground. We have spent long years in research and development to create these beautiful gold, silver and rose-gold finish tiles. They are stronger, better and more elegant than any existing product. Our tiles are versatile enough to blend in any bespoke indoor and outdoor spaces and weather all kinds of seasons we have in India. Though the prices of these tiles are on a slightly higher side, they are worth every penny. We are very excited for the world to discover our new range. It is sure to aggrandize any place that it makes its way into, and make it stunning!”

With its recent funding from Sharjah-based Mulk Holdings, Mirage Ceramics is bullish on its growth prospects in India. India, at 15%, is ahead of the global standard of 11% growth rate in the ceramic sector.

With India’s intense focus on infrastructure, the need for ceramics is expected to further shoot up. Mirage Ceramics expects to increase its already handsome share in the pie. When you plan your next space or watch in wonder at a lovely home in a magazine spread, think of Mirage Ceramics. It’s the name behind India’s classiest addresses.

For further information, contact: Email id: info@mirageceramics.com Tel no: 022 33737777 Website: mirageceramics.com/ Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

industry news

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K-LITE Introduces LED Landscape – Redefined

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he Essence of lighting is one of the most important things in our lives.

At K-Lite we are passionate about creating a distinctive atmosphere that improves the quality of life in the cities and towns by exploring the many potential facets of lighting that supports the wellbeing and safety of all.

Founded in 1977 in India, K-Lite has grown to be the leading manufacturer of outdoor luminaires and decorative poles. K-Lite’s proven performance in the landscape segment is because of its ability to stylishly convey the identity of a space with a blend of efficiency and modularity to maximise the visual comfort that is best suited to each specific space.

Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

Our Landscape range includes : Linear Wall Washer, Up-Down Lighters, LED Strips/Neon flex, Promenade Lighting, Bollards, Under Water Lighting, Post top luminaires, Bulk Heads, Path finders, Polar lighting and newly added series of Facade Lighting.

For further information, contact: K-LITE INDUSTRIES D-10, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai – 600058 Tel: 044-26257710, 42281950, Fax: 044-26257866 Mobile: 95000 79797, 95000 85511 E-mail: info@klite.in Hyperlink :“https://kfs.klite.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=632c4e c34de44a8da62583e803b4de3a&URL=http%3A%2

RNI No: 46976/87 Registered with Register of Newspaper of India, ISSN 0971-5509. Publishing Date: 1st of every month.

Postal Registration No: MCS/183/2016-18. Posted at Patrika Channel Sorting office, Mumbai 400001, on 7th & 8th of every month. Total Pages = 104

THE DESIGN CONFERENCE

D E S I G N ,

B U I L D ,

S U S T A I N

16th & 17th February 2018 | Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium (Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Kings Circle, Mumbai, India)

Presented by

16th & 17th FEBRUARY 2018, ICON SPEAKERS « Daniel Libeskind Principal Design Architect Studio Libeskind, USA

© StefanRuiz

Sonam Wangchuk » Founder, SECMOL, Ladakh

Keynote Speakers

Sanjay Prakash Principal Consultant, Studio for Habitat Futures, India

Harini Nagendra Professor of Sustainability, Azim Premji University, India

Aromar Revi Founding Director IIHS, India

Shaun Killa Killa Architectural Design, UAE

Shubhendu Sharma Founder and Director Afforestt, India

« Opening Note & Moderator - Design Track « Glenn Berrill, Director, Thompson Berrill Landscape Design, Australia

Prem Chandavarkar Managing Partner CnT Architects, India

NB - Remaining Speakers to be announced shortly Organised by

REGISTRATION FEES STUDENTS - INR 2500/- per Delegate | FACULTIES - INR 5000/- Per Delegate PROFESSIONALS - INR 6800/- Per Delegate (valid till 15th Dec’ 17)

For Delegate Registrations Visit: www.361degrees.net.in | Email: enquiries361@jasubhai.com 16th & 17th February 2018 Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium (Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Kings Circle, Mumbai, India)

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RE-CONNECTING INDIA Over 175 delegates & 20 + Speakers were part of the third edition of Structure & Architecture Conference “RE-CONNECTNG INDIA” which focussed on Technology & Challenges in Bridge Modernization & Maintenance, held on 24th November, 2017 at Silver Oak, India Habitat Center, New Delhi

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he third Edition of Structure & Architecture Conference was held successfully on 24th November, 2017 in New Delhi. Initiated by IA&B magazine in 2015, S&A Conference has attempted to provide a platform for architects, structural engineers and construction professionals to come under one roof to deliberate, discuss on the key issues related to AEC Industry. The conference highlighted on the theme “Structurean essence of Architecture” in its inaugural edition whereas second edition focussed on “Changing Urban Skyline”.

2017 Edition focussed on the theme “RE-CONNECTING INDIA”, highlighting on Technology & Challenges in Bridge Modernization & Maintenance. The Conference was supported by Ministry of Roads,

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Transports & Highways and Ministry of Steel and actively supported

by NHAI, NHIDCL, IBMS, Indian Association of Structural Engineers, Consulting Engineers Association of India & INSDAG. The Conference received a very active support from Industry Partners with L&T Construction being Gold Partner, J K Cements being Associate Partner and JCB, HSCL & Outokumpu being support partners of the Conference.

The Conference was attended by over 175 delegates comprising Structural Engineers, Bridge & Highway Engineers, Architects, Consultants, Professionals from EPC Companies / Construction/ Infrastructure related Companies, Government officials from Roads, Railways & Steel Ministry, members from Association & Nodal bodies, Researchers, Academicians, & Students.

Lighting of the Lamp & Opening Note by Shri R K PANDEY- Member Projects of NHAI & Chairman – Advisory Committee.

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Technical Address: Prof Mahesh Tandon, MD, Tandon Consultants.

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Vote of Thanks: Mr Yatinder Suri, MD, Outokumpu India.

Panel of Speakers of Session 2: Futuristic Design of Bridges & Maintenance and Rehabilitation

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Architect Balbir Verma presenting on aesthetics in Bridge Construction.

The focus of the 2017 edition of the Conference was to bring together the best work done in the field of bridge modernisation, maintenance, safety, management, and related topics; stimulate and promote research in the field; and help bridge the gap between theory and practice. The Conference program was finalized under the leadership of Mr R.K. Pandey, Member Projects of NHAI who was the ChairmanAdvisory Board for this conference. Mr Pandey presided two advisory board meetings which was attended by over 25 advisory board members from various companies related to theme of the conference. Mr A K Singhal, ED ( B&S), Ministry of Railways was the Co- Chairman –

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Panel of Speakers of Session 1: Bridges – Opportunities & Challenges.

Panel of Speakers of case Study Presentation.

Summing up by Dr Prem Krishna.

advisory Board for the Conference. The technical committee headed

by Dr Prem Krishna finalized the content and extended invitation to speakers and suggested topics for the speakers’ presentation.

The Inaugural Session witnessed Opening Address by Mr R K Pandey, Member Projects of NHAI & Chairman- Advisory Committee who highlighted on the theme and on the importance of Bridge Modernization & Maintenance in India. Dr Prem Krishna – Technical Committee Chairman briefed the delegates on the entire day program and technical sessions. The Technical address by Prof Mahesh Tandon, MD of Tandon Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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Networking and Discussions

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Networking and Discussions

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Consultants focussed on Urban Transportation Structures- Challenges in Construction. Prof Tandon who celebrated his birthday at the conference set the tone for the entire day discussion by highlighting on various project case studies. The Vote of Thanks was made by Mr Yatinder Pal Singh Suri, MD of Outokumpu India.

The first Technical Session focussed on Bridges – Opportunities & Challenges. The session witnessed presentation by 5 Keynote Speakers.

The session Chairman Shri A V Sinha, Former Director General (Road Development) & Special Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways presented the introductory note and gave his vital inputs. Dr. B S Singla, Chief General Manager (Technical) NHAI as first speaker in the session made an interesting presentation on construction of Vertical Gardens in Nizamuddin Bridge. Mr Rajesh Prasad, ED Metro from RVNL made a detailed presentation on the Use of state-of-art technology for construction of Cable Stayed Bridge at Bardhhaman in West Bengal.

Mr Sachin Joshi, MD of IDDC Engineers highlighted on how IBMS, an initiative of MORTH has played a pivotal role in protection of Indian Bridges. Er. G K SAHU, Sr. Principal Scientist, CSIR –CRRI of New Delhi briefed on Performance Monitoring of Bridges through instrumentation.

The final speaker in the session Mr Rakesh Chopra, Former Member Engineering, Railway Board mesmerized the audience as he highlighted on Ease of Construction & Maintenance sharing his years of experience and case studies. The closing remarks was made by Mr Vijay Anand, Director Projects of RVNL as he summarized the important points from the speakers presentations.

The Second Technical Session focussed on Futuristic Design of Bridges & Maintenance and Rehabilitation. The session had panel of International Speakers who shared global perspectives and steps being taken in Bridge Modernization & Maintenance across the world. The session was chaired by Shri V L Patankar, Former Director of Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) & co-chaired by Shri Sushim Banerjee, Director General of INSDAG. Ms. Vanja Samec, PhD, MD, ALLPLAN Infrastructure GmbH Austria shared an interesting presentation

on futuristic Trends in Bridge Design & Maintenance. Mr Andrew (Yeongseon) Kim from L&T ECC division focussed on the Introduction of Bridge Management System. Mr. Claes Tigerstrand, Outokumpu made an interesting presentation on Stainless Steel for construction of Sustainable Bridges. The final speaker in the session Mr. Martin Andrews, Military Sales Manager from Mabey Bridge ltd of UK made a detailed presentation on how Modular Bridges are leading the Future in Bridge Construction.

The third Technical Session was one of the major highlight of the conference which focused on Indian Case Studies in Bridge Construction.

The Session was chaired by Shri Rakesh Chopra, Former Member Engineering of Railway Board. Mr. Amit Kumar, Dy. Chief Engineer - Chenab/ USBRL of Northern Railway made the first case study presentation giving overview on Chenab Bridge project – a landmark in Bridge Construction in India. The second case study presentation on Iconic Signature Bridge was presented by Mr. V.N. Heggade, Director & President (Engineering) of , Gammon Engineers & Contractors (P) Ltd. The valedictory Session in the evening saw the first presentation by Architect Balbir Verma of Balbir Verma & Associates who presented on Aesthetics in Bridge Construction. Mr Sushil Mishra from NHAI shared the outlines and steps being taken by NHAI in modernization of bridges and rehabilitation of old bridges in India. The conference ended with summing up of entire day discussion and speakers presentations

by Dr Prem Krishna. The Networking Cocktail & Dinner presented an opportunity for further interactions and discussions.

The Conference was appreciated by al the panel of speakers, delegates, industry partners, association bodies who shared their valuable feedback post conference on the content of the conference. IA&B will carry this journey forward in future editions and is thankful to all the advisory board members , Mr R K Pandey & Dr Prem Krishna, panel of speakers, industry partners and most important the delegates who helped in successfully organizing the 2017 edition.

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Embracing the elements Twin Houses, Alibaug, Maharashtra

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The Twin Houses by SPASM Architects.

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Blending in the milieu they are rooted in, the minimalistic Twin Houses by SPASM Design for Aditya Mangaldas revisits the weekend home typology and rekindles the connection with nature that city dwellers crave. Located in Alibaug, near Mumbai, the restricted yet locally consistent material palette fits the houses in their context, and yet provides a holistic living and relaxing experience that one would expect out of a weekend home.

Set on two neighboring one-acre sites, the houses are distinctively designed to reflect the characteristics of their respective sites, blurring the lines between the inside and the outside, and welcoming openness and nature into everyday life.

Text: Sharmila Chakravorty Drawings: SPASM Design Images: Sebastian Zachariah, Ira Gosalia Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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The Twin Houses: Villa 7 by SPASM Architects in Alibaug. Main entrance cladded with laterite walls and kota flooring.

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Villa 7 entrance foyer.

The Villa 7 courtyard.

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Villa 7 courtyard with suspended swing overlooking a mango tree.

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or most of us city folk, the need to live amid nature is a constantly burning, undeniable urge. It manifests usually on weekends, when we leave the chaos of the city behind and embrace the sounds of nature drowning out the noise. Every now and then, this is how city dwellers ‘recharge’. And this is perhaps what has given rise to the weekend homes, second homes culture, stemming from our deepseated need to rekindle an intimate connect with nature.

And yet, as you travel outside cities, towards the rural areas that lie in close proximity, most weekend homes are not much different from city homes. Of course, there is an abundance of space, no doubt. But the closed nature and apprehensiveness of city homes, suspicious of everything and everyone outside its boundaries, is evident in a number of weekend homes too. In essence, these are then city homes cut-paste in a rural setting, only larger – plush with modern amenities, but lacking the openness necessary to embrace its surrounding context. But the Twin Houses by SPASM Architects in Alibaug, near Mumbai were perhaps designed sensing this duality, as an apt response to this problem.

The two houses, Villa 7 and Villa 8 are built on plots of an acre each.

As is the second nature of space-starved city dwellers, one would expect such a large parcel of land to translate into a large house as well, building on every ounce of usable land. And yet, the houses’ minimalist footprint not only offers an element of surprise, but also sets the tone for the overall architectural design, as well as what one would experience within the houses.

Upon approach, it becomes evident that the two sites, though sharing a common boundary, are characteristically unlike each other. While one is relatively flat, flanked by the lush greens of the hills to the west, the other is speckled with foliage and is home to nine mango trees. As one begins to comprehend the differences in the sites, it becomes obvious that the houses are consciously designed to belong to the site, instead of starkly contrasting it in an attempt to stand out. The houses are fairly simplistic, with their boxy shapes, low profiles and grid layouts, but distinctive in their design. The region receives high precipitation in the monsoon months from June to end September. The rest of the year, this farmland area is hot and humid.

The local homes are usually courtyard homes since convectional cross ventilation works best in the tropics, logically inspiring and informing the design of the Twin Houses. While both are designed as the courtyard home typology, one hugs the ground with its singlelevel profile, and the other accommodates a pavilion-inspired living room and pool at the upper level.

The entire courtyard in one house is edged with a 10 foot wide verandah, allowing for protected movement between rooms. The verandah in the other is 5 feet wide, the courtyard smaller, and the rooms like pearls strung on a thread. Accentuated details such as the use of red laterite abundant in the Raigad belt, local templesinspired plinths, the weaving in of the existing mango tress into the layout, brick jaali work, terracotta work, etc. makes the Twin Houses more at home with their surroundings. Also, the deft blurring of the distinction between the inside and the outside makes the houses as Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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Villa 7 - Aided by sliding walls, the living, dining spaces seamlessly connect with the surrounding verdant environment.

Swimming pool on the first floor level.

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Villa 8 – Dining space overlooking the courtyard.

open or as private as the residents would like. In that, the houses welcome the elements as much as they shield the residents from them, giving them views of the sky and changing lights, the sea breeze, the play of light and shade on the tress in the courtyards, and smell of the earth after the first rain… the houses offer a holistic experience, both emotional and tactile.

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Project Location Architect Design team

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Project Area Structural Engineer Civil contractors Carpentry contractors: Electrical contractors: Project Estimate: Initiation of Project Completion of project Photographer

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Landscape consultant

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The Twin houses Mhatrolipada,Alibaug,Maharashtra,India SPASM Design Architects Sangeeta Merchant, Mansoor Kudalkar, Vijjisha Kakka, Noopur Sejpal, Divyesh Kargathra, Sanjeev Panjabi 1142.62sq.m Rajeev Shah and Associates Naik and Naik Associates

Dec 2013 Oct-2016 Photographix - Sebastian Zachariah, Ira Gosalia Kunal Maniar and Associates

The staircase acts as the transition space between the entrance lobby and courtyard.

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The Pool House in the background adjoining the pavilion in the foreground – Designed and executed by IORA Studio

Shelter, space and place The Pool House, Ahmedabad.

Text: Shriti Das Images: Piyush Rana, Milind Patel Drawings: IORA Studio Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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Extensions and interventions are often ancillary to architecture. But seldom does it transpire that architecture follows the footsteps of an intervention. While the retrofitted often borrows or adds to the language of existing built-form, the Pool House by IORA Studio emerges from an antecedent pavilion. The Pavilion at the time of its conception itself was an extension to a prevailing shelter. However the succeeding Pool House establishes a strong independent identity as it transits from the pavilion’s physical proximity and devises an architectural language when comprehended individually. The narrative of a shelter, space and place that commenced with the Pavilion resumes and regenerates with the Pool House.

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The Pool House when comprehended adjacent to the pavilion separated by the transition space of the Almond Court.

Pool House: Site plan.

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he Pool House precinct in its undeveloped form was host to gatherings and outings. The open plot housed a shelter-space that doubled as out-house. To enable get-togethers for a family that enjoyed the outdoors, IORA Studio fathomed the prerequisite of a shaded canopy or shelter that would provide respite from the hot and arid climate of Ahmedabad. The secondary intent was perhaps to draw the family into the landscape, away from the existing shelter.

A swimming pool and pavilion was executed in 2013. The subsequent agenda entailed densely landscaping the plot to create ‘open woods’, as a landscape typology to reduce daily water demand and create a microclimate. As landscaping and afforesting plans were underway, IORA Studio was commissioned to construct a house adjoining the pool pavilion in 2014. The Pool House is an extension of pavilion as a place to view the open areas. The language of the built-form responds to the former pavilion and achieves a cohesive whole.

The Pavilion is a semi-open linear structure with an overhanging flat roof supported by steel columns. It is devoid of walls. Horizontal wooden louvers fixed below the slab intersect the columns and reduce the pavilion’s lofty height to endow it a human scale.

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The climatic considerations and control on scale resulted in a seemingly simple, orderly and a see-through structure of the pavilion that perfectly framed the lush plot. The newly designed house is a backdrop to the pavilion and follows a similar semantic of steel columns and horizontal louvers that envelope semi-open pockets.

These pockets are offsets that emerge from the pool deck and lead to the house. A resultant courtyard is formed by the pockets. Existing almond trees in this space christened the courtyard - the ‘Almond Court’. It establishes a core for the entire built form in the shape of the Almond Court.

The house is designed in an L-shaped plan which wraps itself around the Almond Court and encloses the swimming pool and pavilion. The semi-open spaces of the house; the swimming pool, the pavilion and the courtyard are oriented to the north to maximise indirect lighting while the main entrance lobby of the house faces east. The imagery of pavilion columns is repeated as the steel columns support the topmost slab over the external corridor on the ground floor of the house. The terrace on the first floor manoeuvres the gym spill-out.

It also encompasses steel columns that support the topmost slab.

Ground Floor Plan.

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First Floor Plan.

This terrace wraps itself around the north-western corner culminating towards the southern side as the structure takes on a solid-massed demeanour as opposed to the open and see-through character towards the pool-pavilion. The architecture is a drastic contrast as the structure transits from the open areas towards the main entrance. When viewed from the swimming pool, the house and pavilion appear one with the other. But the human-scale diminishes and makes way for lofty volumes and heights as the user transverses from the pool-pavilion to the Almond Court to the interiors of the house.

bedrooms are tucked into private corners, the adjoining corridor is 3 meters wide. This arrangement ensures that the user has access to open spaces and green cover in the privacy of the bedroom as well as in transition spaces. Their corridors encompass big sliding-door openings with glass panels that further minimize bulk and visual weight. They offer a view of the open areas into the corridor. The corridors are to be utilized as gathering places facing the open court for the bedrooms. This adds another layer of interaction and additionally sheltering bedrooms from the west sun.

The courtyard leads the user to two wings of the house: the public areas of the living and dining, gym and a reading area and the private areas of the bedrooms. The public wing and the private wing are oriented perpendicular to one another resulting in the L-shaped plan. The public areas have expansive floor-plans with minimum walls obstructing the flow of space. The living room with its double height amplifies the space perception. The bedrooms are aligned along a corridor parallel to the lateral side of the pavilion. Each bedroom opens onto internal courtyards for sunlight. While the

However the façade that hosts the main entrance and its adjoining wall has zilch opening with the exception of the main door. Hence as the user enters and experiences the house, he is lead from a closed space to the staircase and living room as the home unveils itself gradually. Most homes are designed and experienced from the entrance onto the open and semi-open spaces to the private areas, but the Pool House operates in reverse. If experienced from the entrance, the house is almost stoic, monumental and overbearing that reveals no inkling of its affable personality. The house starts opening itself in expression as it progresses towards the almond

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Section Through Almond Court and swimming pool.

East Elevation.

West Elevation.

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Pool House: The main entrance and front façade.

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The Almond Court enveloped by the house.

The built form of the Pool House mirrors the semantics of the Pavilion – The steel columns and horizontal louvers are reproduced in the balcony and open areas to create cohesion between the old and new structures.

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Pool House and pavilion comprehended in cohesion with one another.

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An internal courtyard adjoining the bedroom.

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An internal courtyard adjoining the bedroom.

The corridor adjoining the Almond Court leading to the bedrooms. The corridors are a gathering place facing the open court and add another layer of interaction.

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The living room.

The library and gym on the upper floor.

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Close-up of the Pool House and the pavilion.

court and pavilion assuming similar language of elements. The sole feature that replicates in the front façade and the Almond Court are red pigmented concrete shear walls that cut across the horizontal sprawl of the building. The concrete walls were cast in two sections unlike the conventional process where they are cast in smaller batches over weeks. This was done to ensure that the concrete pigments evenly throughout the wall.

Even though the front and rear portions of the house bear minimal resemblance, the red concrete walls continue and interweave the narrative where the Pool House appears to end. Ironically, for the user, the house begins where the architect concluded its architecture.

Perhaps this play between the culmination and conclusion is a metaphor for further events and architecture to unfold, carrying forth and creating new narratives and extensions that are stories in their own right.

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Project Location Architect Design team

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Client Project Area Structural Engineer Civil contractors Initiation of Project Completion of project Photographer

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Pool House S.G.Highway, Ahmedabad IORA Studio Milind Patel, Aakash Shah, Dishin Shah, Moksha Jain Pranjali and Anand Shah 11000 sft.

Amee Associates PSP projects 2014 2017 Piyush Rana, Milind Patel

Staircase opposite the main entrance Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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A Matter of Belonging Dharampura Haveli, Old Delhi.

Haveli Dharampura, restored by Spaces Architects@ka is a archetypal prototype of adaptive reuse. But if one reads between the lines, the project raises some profound questions over sustainability and heritage. Sustainability, with its many synonyms has many annotations, but is permanency one of them? And heritage, who is liable for the upkeep of glories bequeathed upon generations?

Text: Shriti Das Drawings: Spaces Architects@ka Images: Bharat Aggarwal

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handni Chowk, Delhi, is many poets’ favourite muse. It has the perfect makings of beauty and grandeur ravaged by apathy and tragedy. Once known as Shahjahan’s Shahjahanabad, the Old Delhi City’s architectural nuances are noticed even by the untrained eye. Grimy thronging lanes are home to ancestral shops selling exquisite merchandise, exotic dry-fruits and heritage eateries.

They are seen in tandem with old balconies with scalloped Mughal arches that showcases its fine wooden carvings. ‘Jharokas’ with jaali work intercept the streetscapes. Intricately details on antiquated columns are hidden behind layers of paint. And each of these features is framed by exposed wires and cables, grime, unsightly hoardings and tin extensions doubling as shop canopies.

More often than not, the onlooker is bestowed with many glimpses of this dated glory, as one unravels history through its tiny roads and alleys. Chandni Chowk never really lost its glory, but grew suppressed underneath the many layers of plastic, insensitive juxtapositions and indifference.

Dharampura Haveli dates back to 1885 suffered similar layers of dispassion. But it must be noted that a subject of such romance and reminisce is often placed on a pedestal and revered by the outsider or the artist; be it the poet, painter or practitioner. An often

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overlooked fact is that when Chandni Chowk was Shahjahanabad, it received the patronage of emperors who invested in art, crafts, architecture and their advancement. Times changed, priorities changed. Dharampura Haveli has changed many hands of families since its inception. Each occupant overlaid their individual preferences over the Haveli. Intricate plaster-work on walls was covered with multiple coats of lime-wash. Its columns had cracks and the walls had damp patches. The occupants had haphazardly added rooms with partitions and makeshift spaces which tainted all essence of aesthetics and proportions in the building. The building constructed in ‘Lakhori’ bricks was in state of structural dilapidation.

However the work of reinstating the Haveli to its original form did not commence or conclude with restoration or repairs alone.

The architect and client comprehended that Chandni Chowk was home to a multitude of architectural styles even at the time of the Haveli’s conception. The Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir and the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib of Jain and Sikh faiths were constructed during the Mughal reign. To grasp the craft of architecture in the Mughal period, the architect travelled to Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh along with studying the local areas in

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The dilapidated Dharampura Haveli.

The old by-lane adjacent to Dharampura Haveli before the debris were cleared.

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The new cleaned and renovated by-lane of Dharampura Haveli.

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The Dharampura Haveli entrance after restoration.

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Chandni Chowk. While not each of these regions were under the Mughal rule nor did they followed a stringent design language, each showcased exemplary architecture. Various characters and elements from these regions have made their way into Dharampura Haveli. But before the architect could embark upon restoring the building, they surveyed the structure for damage and documented the same. There existed no drawings or records of the building form or structure. The same was envisaged and detailed from scratch. Subsequently the interventions for the Haveli were discussed and designed. While it was not possible to redo the techniques and craft that contrived Dharampura Haveli in the past, the architects skimmed the country to connect with craftsmen who were associated with traditional arts. These craftsmen and artists worked on the intricate details like stone carvings, column details, brass and other metal works. During the research travel, the architect also sought inspiration from features deployed in similar monumental buildings. For example, the white structure on terrace floor is inspired from Rajasthan; railing designs were found locally in the streets of old Delhi; flooring patterns were influenced by the Taj Mahal and other Mughal buildings.

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While work for the Haveli was underway, the approach road (Gali Anar, Kinari Bazaar) to the Haveli had witnessed a similar fate.

The user had to manoeuvre cables hanging from poles and shops to reach the satire of a Haveli. The approach road was cleared of debris and cables were shifted underground and made way towards the exemplary haveli as it stands today. The Haveli is accessed only by foot. This induces a slight discomfort but also endows the experience of navigating through the historic fabric of Chandni Chowk. The main entrance is striking as the Haveli has retained the original 135 year old wooden door. The pedestal on which it stands has an engraved chariot flanked by floral design carvings. This front façade is finished in light brown Dholpur stone and red paint. 2 old but refurbished wooden doors are placed on either side of the main door. On the front façade, above the doors are balconies on the first floor and second floor level.

The main door is a 135 refurbished year old wooden door. It stands on a pedestal with engraved chariot flanked by floral design carvings.

Floor plans.

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These balconies are supported by fibre reinforced brackets which were replicated and repaired, resembling the existing brackets. The Haveli faรงade reinforces a noticeable presence but also blends in with its precinct with architectural features and use of colour that are common to the area. This understated splendor heightens the senses when the Haveli interiors are experienced.

The main entrance opens into a courtyard with a characteristic water-fountain, a feature common in most Havelis. The building had 2 floors. The second floor slabs had dilapidated and was deemed inhabitable. The structure was strengthened by epoxy grouting and reinforcing columns with fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) wraps.

The property was converted to a hotel with a museum, shops, restaurants and rooms. A third terrace floor was also added. While the architectural character and elements were retained, certain materials were replaced owing to financial constraints. But the reconstruction work was carried out by skilled craftsmen procured from across the country. The aforementioned functions and spaces were staggered around the courtyard for visual connectivity and ventilation. The living room and store, which partly opens onto the courtyard, was converted into the Lakhori Restaurant. Named after the popular Mughal bricks, the restaurant encompasses an antique aesthetic with Lakhori bricks and arched vaults. Its ceiling is painted in rough textured stucco.

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Courtyard Elevations.

Courtyard Elevations.

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Front Elevations.

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The courtyard before restoration work.

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The courtyard beyond the main entrance has the characteristic water-fountain, a feature common in Havelis.

The Lakhori Restaurant overlooking the courtyard.

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The ‘chhoti’ haveli – First floor.

The ‘chhoti’ haveli – First floor.

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The two floors and terrace overlooking the courtyard.

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A room in the Haveli.

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Haveli Dharampura overlooking Chandni Chowk.

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The upper floor, also known as the ‘chhoti’ (small) haveli is at a set-back from the ground floor. Every floor is set-back from the floor below it to enable visual connectivity. The chhoti haveli has a spa and 6 rooms. Each room has furniture designed according uniquely for itself. The rooms vary in size hence the interiors could not be standardized as done in conventional hotels. Their windows open onto the narrow by-lanes of Chandni Chowk, bringing indoors an essence of the old city into the new Haveli. The second floor has 7 rooms.

The newly added third floor – the terrace, offers a view of the precinct; into its cosmopolitan history built in the Mughal era. It overlooks the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and the Shankaracharya temple. A laser-cut jharoka is hung from the third floor wall is an amalgamation of Jain and Rajasthan architectural style. This amalgamation of styles and crafts brings to the fore the fact that buildings are always temporary. The Dharampura Haveli is not exactly the same building as it was built to be. The craft is different and machine enabled. Yet, it is the best example of deploying and maximising resources in the optimum way possible. The Dharampura Haveli as it stands today will crumble, dilapidate and disassemble again within the next few centuries only to be perhaps revived by another time and

practitioner. Places crumble but practice always prevails. And only time will know what consequences those practices shall bestow upon the future of heritage.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Design team Client Project Area Structural Engineer Consultant firm Initiation of Project Completion of project Photographer

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Haveli Dharampura Old Delhi, India Kapil Aggarwal, Spaces Architects@ka Kapil Aggarwal, Pawan Sharma Mr. Vijay Goel ( MP) 4500 sq.ft Reliable Consulting Engineers RRA Project Management Pvt. Ltd. May 2010 August 2015 Bharat Aggarwal

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The new Headquarters of the Swiss Société Privée de Gérance (SPG), by Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti. © Adrien Buchet

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Creating a reverie New headquarters for Société Privée de Gérance (SPG), Geneva, Switzerland Retrofitting projects are often perceived as restrictive, given the existing parameters and limitation within which architects and designers have to work. Breaking this perception, however, is the Italian firm Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti, having designed the new Headquarters of the Swiss Société Privée de Gérance (SPG). The architectural solution with strong aesthetic value and high energy sustainability not only manages to redefine what retrofitting can do, but also completely departs from the existing building to create a distinctive new identity, in an almost fantastical realm.

Text: Sharmila Chakravorty Images: Adrien Buchet and Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti Drawings: Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti

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The new Headquarters of the Swiss Société Privée de Gérance (SPG), by Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti in its precinct. © Adrien Buchet Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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The double skin of the office headquarters. © Adrien Buchet

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ost artists – creators of any kind – would agree that creating from scratch is the best approach when trying to give their ideas a tangible shape. Logically, a blank canvas is always a great place to start. The challenges involved in creating a masterpiece are compounded if someone else has already laid the foundation and parameters within which sculptors, craftsmen, or painters are then expected to work. Architects, too, could be taken under this broad umbrella of ‘creators’ who would, in an ideally situation, not want to be bogged down by the underlying limitations of existing structure – in case of retrofitting, for instance.

efficiency, as buildings tend to pile on energy costs in their ‘old age’.

Making a strong case for retrofitting in an international context is the Italian firm Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti, having designed the new Headquarters of the Swiss Société Privée de Gérance (SPG), built on Route de Chêne, at the gates of the historical centre of Geneva. The work involved the reconversion and extension of the existing building. The architects have deployed the façade in a way that it carries out the additional functions of promoting energy efficiency within the building, and providing the inhabitants an optimized workplace.

But this school of thought is detrimental, especially from an architecture and urban design point of view, where today a great bulk of built fabric already exists. At least in our towns and cities, there are hardly any opportunities for new building activity, if the older stock is not demolished. But can such a hit-the-wall scenario be turned into an opportunity to make a strong case for retrofitting?

It is undeniably one of the best ways to breathe a new life into an existing building, bringing it up to speed to contemporary life and times, as well as ensuring an old building adheres to the enhanced sustainability regulations we have in place today. Thus, it is not simply a makeover or a facelift that retrofitting provides. Retrofitting an existing structure can be a boon in terms of energy and design

The construction of the glass façade follows an almost fluid ruleset, akin to music, where repetition creates a complex design of elements that varies with time and with the light conditions. The architect was inspired by the principles of Kandinsky, identifying the time variable and his capacity to achieve a scanning of the surfaces as capable of defining the compositional rhythm that shifts one’s perception of the architectural volume. The façade transforms the building into a volume with vibratile materiality and seemingly elusive outlines which boosts the quality of the work spaces within.

It also provides solar shading for the interiors, while allowing maximum visual permeability for the milieu. The double skin allows the envelope to be naturally ventilated too.

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The glass envelope produces an effect that can be described as the “augmented window,” through which the view of the environment surrounding the building is amplified, reflected and transformed by the blades of light. © Adrien Buchet Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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The envelope is comprised of a triple layer of glass (hot chamber) added to which is a fourth layer with a ventilated chamber containing the package of micro-perforated Venetian blinds to regulate the light.

Brise-soleil screens made of screen-printed glass are anchored on the outside, giving the façade’s external surface a variable modular pattern in terms of both the panel dimensions and the design on their surface. The screen-printed graphic element on the screening panels helps to emphasize the reverberation effect produced, softening the perimeter surface of the building in a sort of evanescent and bright nebula. At night the glass panels are lit by white LED lights that bring the architectural block to life and make it shimmer, in dialogue with the nighttime urban landscape in which it is set.

Seen from the inside, the glass envelope produces an effect that can be described as the “augmented window,” through which the view of the environment surrounding the building is amplified, reflected and transformed by the blades of light. From the outside, the thick surface of the screen-printed glass panels and the steel become a volume and define the very body of the architecture, whose outlines dematerialize into a pulsating material entity sensitive to colour changes in the surrounding area. The effect of this is that our perception of the building is continuously transformed. The overlapping visions we have of it, from both the inside and out, produce a kinetic effect.

As an adaptive reuse, the project excels in taking cues from the existing structure, and creating a completely new, modern identity for the building. The creative yet functional use of the façade gives an impression that the building is a mirage, a 3-d projection that might disappear as you approach it. This imparts a significant level of lightness to the building, creating illusions as per changing lights during the day and night. And yet, the focus on creating an optimized workplace and energy efficiency is not diluted by this quest for a

distinctive envelope. In fact, the elements complement each other to turn an ordinary existing structure, into a new fantastical building that is quite extraordinary in its thought and execution.

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© Adrien Buchet

FACT FILE: Name of the project

:

Location Client

: :

Project Architect Technical direction Collaborators

: : :

Consultants Facades Facade engineering

: :

New Headquarters of SPG Société Privée de Gérance Geneva, Swizterland Thierry Barbier-Mueller, SPG - Asset Development Giovanni Vaccarini Architetti Fossati Architectes SA Francesca Di Giannantonio, Alice Cerigioni, Luisa Di Blasio, Ida Blasioli, Anthony Bove, Alfonso Di Felice, Matteo Mucciante, Daniele Silvestri, Giuditta Maria Lelli Stahlbau Pichler BCS SA

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Baradari at City Palace Jaipur by Studio Lotus.

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interiors

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Giving historic appeal a renewed contemporaneity Baradari at City Palace Jaipur

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In our dynamic world today, historic structures are haunted by questions of relevance. Their cultural context is diminishing rapidly, encroached upon by our insatiable hunger for modernity. Against this alarming backdrop, the adaptive reuse project Baradari at the City Palace in Jaipur by Delhi-based Studio Lotus attempts to hold on to the distinct characteristics of the space while incorporating a contemporary purpose. Working within the parameters of the existing structure and architectural framework of the City Palace, the project successfully extends the café and inserts a new program, transforming it into an upscale fine-dining destination to keep relevance with today’s times.

Text: Sharmila Chakravorty Images: Edmund Sumner Drawings: Studio Lotus

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Baradari at City Palace Jaipur by Studio Lotus.

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The Studio deployed the courtyard to tie the new spaces and program together, rather than just use it as an extension of the restaurant.

A

rchitecture, they say, is frozen music. This points to the idea that the act of creation – be it music, art, or architecture – is trigged by our deep-seated need for expression. Expression that goes beyond words, expression that can be ‘felt’ without having to communicate verbally. Despite the medium of construction, the creation holds the power to move and affect people, eliciting emotional responses. In the context of architecture, especially, there is the added element of encapsulating time. It has the power to transport us back to the life and times of the period the structure was built to invoke, ‘time’ tangibility. Futuristic buildings take us to time beyond, giving us a

glimpse of what could be. Historic monuments present the chance to imagine the past, offering a sneak peak in what was. Not very different from a time machine, if such a device ever came in being!

But historic buildings, in particular, struggle to hold their position and context as times change dynamically. They are subjected to either romantic reverence or unapologetic apathy, both approaches severely limiting the ways in which the structure could assert its relevance in contemporary life. Unless such structures strike a chord with the public – the users – it is difficult to sustain them for long; which Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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The ‘Baradari’ inspired pavilion in the courtyard.

is what usually ails a majority of magnificent structures, as they slowly fade away, ignored. The onus then lies on us to ensure that structures standing the test of time are repurposed and reused, with renewed relevance.

The Baradari project by Studio Lotus at the City Palace of Jaipur is perhaps one of the best examples of such an intervention. Invited by the royal family of Jaipur, Studio Lotus was entrusted the redevelopment of the 14000 square feet café, transforming it into a fine-dining destination. The relatively non-descript café was to be expanded to include a private dining area, bar and various private lounges, along with a quick service counter to the program, while retaining the back of the house facilities in their current location. As a key conceptual move, the architects decided to use the courtyard to tie the new spaces and program together, rather than just use it as an extension of the restaurant. To do so, they dismantled a toilet block built a few decades back in the courtyard, opening up the space both visually and spatially. As a modern interpretation of the Baradari, Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

a pavilion with 12 columns, the architects inserted a bar evoking a Baradari into the courtyard. This bar not only divides the courtyard, but also connects the two zones flanking it. Built in handcrafted marble and brass, the contemporary expression of the Baradariinspired bar heightens the surrounding historic vocabulary and gives the place its key identity. At the end of the courtyard, a fluted marble cascade creates a micro-environment that provides relief by cooling the courtyard in summers, while also absorbing noise that would otherwise disturb the experience.

The overall concept sets out to create a balanced interplay of historic revelations and contemporary additions: both drawing from and interpreting the underlying Indo-Saracenic influences of Jaipur’s architectural history. And it does so brilliantly. Using traditional crafts of Jaipur like the painstakingly intricate Thikri work, bespoke casting and foundry work, furniture and stone work that have been interpreted in this new idiom, the Baradari project goes beyond a superficial ‘facelift’. The details, the craftwork, the locally inspired elements…

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The private dining room.

The bar lounge was originally the administration office. Paint and plaster were peeled off from the structural masonry and the space revealed its original architectural milieu.

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‘Thikri’ work, a traditional craft is re-interpreted within a contemporary context and the patterns are applied on walls, ceilings and in niches.

Plans & Sections.

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A combination of old and new furniture was used in the project. The project is characterized by interesting interplays between the old and new; of reliving the past glories of craft and architecture within a contemporary syntax.

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The courtyard and café before Baradari was conceptualized and the precinct was restored.

The courtyard and café after Baradari was conceptualized and the precinct was restored.

all point to the fact that the architects have invested themselves in the project, adding a contemporary touch while rooting the design in its local context.

After renovation and reinterpretation of Mehrangarh Fort Museum shop and the highly acclaimed luxury boutique hotel Raas Jodhpur, Studio Lotus has once again proved it mettle when it comes to adaptive reuse projects.

Their ability to retain the inherent characteristics of the structures they work on, while adding a fresh perspective and contemporary flavor in design with carefully planned interventions not only indicates design excellence, but also a thorough understanding of architectural restraint that turns their adaptive reuse projects in tangible moments of history that we can enjoy and experience in contemporary times.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architecture & Interiors Design team

: : : :

Client Project Area Civil Contractors Structural Engineers Services Automation

: : : : : :

Furniture manufacture Lamps manufacture Site Supervision Completion of Project Photography

: : : : :

Baradari at City Palace Jaipur Jaipur, Rajasthan Studio Lotus Ambrish Arora, Arun Kullu, Priya Jindal, Christopher Miller, Sanjay Kumar City Palace Jaipur 14,000 sqft Devendra Bhirania (Sol 13) Naveen Jaitly (Jaitly Associate) Vinod Sharma (Sanitary Consulting services) Rohit Chawla (Eminence building Technologies pvt Ltd) Ujjwal Raj Gupta (Yaksh The Art People) Ayush Kasliwal (AKFD) Rekha Prakash (LinenLevels) January 2016 Edmund Sumner

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The Apple Kids Play School – Activity area as seen opposite the entrance lobby of the playschool.

Discreet ingenuity The Apple Kids Play School , Bengaluru Within an unassuming precinct and built-form lies a playschool that is far from the glossy and sanitised ‘schools’ endowed to children. A small space that encompasses big ideas and a shelter that un-shelters the children from sun, skies, rains and mud as an essential part of their growing and learning years.

Text: Shriti Das and Bhavana Uppaluri Images: Ami Shah Drawings: NAAMS Architectural Workshope

T

echnology, information overloads and comfort is the new mundane.

Even while technology can impart striking architecture, facades and innovations to buildings; monotonous cookie cutter buildings, insensitive landscapes and the lack of cultural language or identity are common criticisms that current day architecture confronts. And technology is often at the epicentre of all critique. Amidst the clones and monotony, an often overlooked bane is an over-sanitised way of life. From shelter, architecture has almost converted into a shield that bars adults, young adults, and children from experiencing the earth and mud, the sun and skies or wind and rains as known by the Generation X. It was also the Generation X who revelled in the Information Technology boom but yearn the nostalgia of their growing years for their children, the current millennials. Yet the children’s

Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

learning years are lined with activities, hobbies, agendas to groom them into perfect prototypical aspirations. With a purpose to prepare the child for pressing futures and competitions, they are possibly disconnected from natural courses of learning, experiments and curiosity. Of rolling in mud, tanning in the sun and experiencing firsthand rain. They are replaced by swanky enclosures with disinfected floors that call for ‘play’ shoes in place of barefoot carelessness.

Their temperatures, humidity and air conditions are acclimatized to optimum so that nothing hinders the ‘learning processes’.

On one hand, children are exposed to opportunities that their predecessors never had access to. But on the other, the same children are being gradually deserted from the built environment

interiors

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The splash-pool overlooking the classrooms.

that enabled a healthy immunity, gut and strength. The same is also a by-product of expanding metros and developing tier-two cities wherein urban green spaces are limited to terrace and balcony gardens with fake grass lawns and ornamental plants.

Bengaluru once tip-toed the perfect balance of a metro city with abundant green spaces. The hub and propeller of the Information Technology boom in India has been under the scanner for its rising pollution, tainted lakes and inability of the Garden City’s lungs to clean the air of environmental miscreants. While an individual or architect alone cannot combat the bigger issues, small interventions can collectively go a long way.

In a mundane precinct of Bengaluru is a playschool that appears nothing out of the ordinary when comprehended from the exterior.

Apart from the play of sloping roofs that intersect and emerge, Apple Kids Play School is a seemingly straightforward built-form that boasts of no fancy facades.

This is partly because the playschool is an extension on the terraceroof of an existing playschool & day-care. The existing structure is a two-storeyed residential building that belongs to the couple who own and run the school.

NAAMS Architectural Workshope was roped in to accommodate two kindergarten class rooms, toilets along with play areas and common activity areas. The playschool lodges 40 children and 6-8 adults in 1250 square feet of floor-space.

The terrace included an existing caretaker’s room and the staircase head-room. The terrace was originally designed keeping in mind scope for future expansion or the addition of another floor. Hence the sunken slab profile repeats on the terrace which accommodated two toilets and a splash-pool. The playschool is accessed from the staircase and the immediate space is the lobby that opens into a larger space with a splash-pool in the line of vision. Two classrooms flank the lobby on either side.

Space was a major constraint that the architect tackled with semi-open walls between classrooms and the common areas. The walls are 9 inch thick with huge openings. The openings have windows shutters partly covering the aperture. Grills emanate from the windows and continue till the wall. This demarcates the classroom but keeps the space open and airy. The walls are exposed and deploy a combination of country bricks and Mangalore wire-cut bricks. Wire-cut bricks have sharp edges which eliminate the cost and labour of pointing.

Exposed bricks are conducive to touch and play. Glass walls could have sufficed to retain openness but are unconducive to children running, playing and falling. Similarly, the clay tiles are used on the floor. They are economical and eco-friendly. It offers a better grip while walking. The texture also mimics natural earth and facilitates walking and running barefoot. The architect, early on, had decided to encompass the classical elements found in nature within the design to pave way for curiosity and instinctive learning.

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Existing Parapet Wall Existing Parapet Wall Existing Sunken Slab

Existing Sunken Slab

Terrace

Care Takers Room

Top Floor Level

28'-6" Existing Slope Roof line Existing Toilet

31'-9" Up from Terrace to Toilet roof

Terrace Floor Level

Terrace Floor Level Up from 1st Floor to Terrace

Terrace Floor Level

Existing Parapet Wall

Existing Parapet Wall

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The terrace that was converted into the playschool.

SHEET TITLE

PROJECT

Kindergarten, Apple Kids Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore

Architect :

NORTH

Washing Machine

Roofing @ 10'6" lvl.

Fish Pool, Plant-Water feature

Jaali wall all around for safety

Sand Pit, Outdoor Plants SPLASH POOL

1" Threshold

Low hieght seating using the pool wall.

TOILET - III (Adults) OPEN SPACE WITH PLAY EQUIPMENTS

Toilet FRP Door

Toilet FRP Door

2'-6"

Care Takers Room

6'

TOILET - II (Kids)

(Block to Block)

1'

Existing Slope Roof line 2'

7'-6"

Brick Lintel Above

TOILET -I

MS Perforated Grill for cross ventillation

6' Low hieght Storage Cabinets and Book Shelves above.

1'-6"

FRP Door

1'-6"

New Clay tile Flooring to be provided.

2'

High Sky Roofing (Atrium, Above classrooms roofs) With MS Structure Natural Light & Ventillation Wall Graffiti

2'

20'-10" 3'

LOBBY

1'-6"

CLASSROOM - II

9'-2"

4'-2" 4' 1'-9"

Blackboard

2'

Storage

OPEN SPACE WITH PLAY EQUIPMENTS

1'-6"

MS Glass Louvered Window

CLASSROOM - I 1'-9"

1'-6"

1'-10"

1'-6"

1'-10"

4'-9" 1'-6" Black board 10'-6"

PROJECT

Teachers 4'-9"

1'-11"

1'-6"

1'-10"

Teachers

6'

↑

2'

Shoe Stand

1'

2'

1'

2'

The playschool floor plan.

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Kindergarten, Apple Kids Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore

DATE 15/03/15

SHEET TITLE

Architect : DATE

Schematic Layout 15/03/15

DRG NO

DRG NO

87

X

4"x4" MS Door Window Top Frame on walls

1'

Rafter 1 on Staircase wall centre

4" 6" PCC as needed for End Beam thorough anchoring

3'-6"

Galvalume sheet and solar panel above Line to be followed Loading to be checked

MS square rod Louvre Window

6"x6" Gutter 4"x4" MS Door Window Top Frame on walls in Elevation

Line to be followed

4'-3" Brick lintel with 8mm reinforcement

6 " PCC as needed for Rafter

2' 4"

7" 10"

12'-2"

1'-6"

As per Site

1'-6"

9'-7"

10" Brick work

Outer Walls to have normal Bricks

2'

1'-6"

10'-5"

6'-7"

7'-9"

MS square rod Louvre Window Existing Column

3'-1" 3'-5"

2"lvl higher Ffl

7'-6" 7'-2" MS Angles and Thin Polycarbonate sheet Door Window

7'

5"

4" High Brick on edge

Consider Floor level raised by 1"

2'-7" 1'-6"

8'-8" 5"

Brick lintel with 8 mm reinforcement

6'-7" Sill lvl existing Parapet level

4" High Brick on edge

MS square rod Louvre Window

Sill lvl existing Parapet level

Only Terrace Floor 1'-6" slope has to be reversed

SECTION - YY'

Standard Rafter in Section over column centre in staircse wall

Standard Rafter in Section

3'9" high fixed louvre window on I / Box section as in view.

1'

5' Standard Rafter in Section

6"x6" Gutter

I / Box SectionBeam

6" 4"

Slope Ceiling in elevation

Rafter 2

walls

Rafter 3 6 " PCC as needed for Rafter

2'

7"

10"

7'-2" MS Angles and Thin Polycarbonate sheet Door Window Only Terrace Floor 1'-6" slope has to be reversed

MS square rod Louvre Window

Sill lvl existing Parapet level

15'-3"

End Beam

9"

2 course Brick work

7"

Brick lintel

3'-9"

4"

6"

6"x

End Beam 4"x4" 3'-4"

4"- 6 neede be

Gutter away f by ex if pos

MS square rod Louvre Window

Brick lintel with 8 mm reinforcement

7'-6"

3'-8"

Rafter 4

4"

4"

Standard Rafter in Section 2 no.s

7 " Brick lintel with 2no.s 8 - 10 mm reinforcement 7'-2"

7'-2"

7'-9"

8'-8"

9'-7"

2"x 5" MS Door Window Framework

2"x 5" MS Door Window Framework

11'

5'-6"

New FRP Door in Elevation

8'-4" 7'

New FRP Door in Elevation

10'

7'

2"x4" MS Door Window Framework

2"lvl higher Ffl

10" Brick work (All brckwork wirecut bricks)

1'-6" Floor level raised by 1"

1'-6"

Consid Floor le raised

10" Brick work (All brckwork wirecut bricks)

SECTION - XX'(with 4 Intermediate rafters)

Example, to bring in the skies, they devised a roofing system that protects from sun and rain and simultaneously encompasses them into the learning environment. There are three roofs; a central roof over the lobby and two roofs over the classrooms and splash-pool area. The lobby roof is at a greater height with large overhangs that bars rainwater from entering the interiors. The staggered profiles break the monotony of a single plane and create a visual variation in levels. The roof is anchored strategically over the door and window frames for compressive strength that enables them to combat wind forces. But the roofs are oriented to allow rain-water to slide down and percolate into the splash-pool. The rain-water may be

un-sanitised but it is still safe for play and perhaps the exposure builds the child’s immunity and makes them hardy. The splashpool is intended to combat the dry and humidity lacking Bengaluru environment. A fish-tank fulfils the same purpose. The sky is visible at all times and the school interior stays lit even though the floors and walls are finished in dark shades of the earth.

Installing the roof was slightly challenging as the architect had to seek existing structural members. The roof members rest on the parapet walls of the caretaker’s roof and the staircase headroom. Continuous rafters were connected at different levels and Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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Climatic considerations and rainwater harvesting.

The classroom interiors encompassing the skies.

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Fixing of paper tubes as purlins and for insulation.

anchored with door-window frames for stability. Solar panels are installed on the south-facing roof to harness energy. The roof bottom is insulated with paper tubes. It provides a thermal and acoustical insulation along with an unconventional but interesting ceiling. The paper tubes were sourced from printers who print flex banners for advertising. The tubes consume high energy to be turned to pulp; they were used as purlins and insulation material.

The windows are seamlessly fitted into the wall thickness. Hinged casement windows occupy and obstruct space when opened. If fitted on exterior walls, the windows open outward and do not hinder the interiors. The window shutters in the playschool are 18 inches wide and centrally pivoted on the walls. In the ‘open’ position, the shutters stay contained in the wall thickness. The external openings are louvered windows to maximise openings. The walls also host voids that contain landscape features and passively ventilate the interiors. The interiors are largely rustic and earthy but interjected with colourful ceramic mosaic tiles. The tiles were bought secondhand and used on the floors. The benches too, are a slightly improved and modified version of the conventional. Classroom benches (the desk and seat) are commonly attached by a horizontal member to maintain a comfortable and ergonomic gap between the two. This also makes it easy to arrange them. But many trip over the same and fall. Hence, the back of the seat is attached to a desk. While the seating gap needs to be manually maintained, it reduces accidents.

The design is climate responsive, detailed and customized for the children, following architect Laurie Baker’s principles. The architect believes that children are inquisitive, curious and sensitive to their environment. To trigger this attribute, the designed is planned and executed to visually connect each space with the sky and create a physical connect with the wind. This not only awakens their innate senses but also endows freedom. It creates a sense of openness that is more natural than ‘built’. The reflections of natural light in every space and the different textures and colours which can be felt add on to the essence of the project. The children thus not only belong to the place, but also cultivate a sense of belonging towards the same.

FACT FILE: Project Location Architect Client Project Area Structural Designer Civil Contractors Carpentry Contractors Electrical Contractors Project Estimate Initiation Of Project Completion Of Project Photographer

: : : : : : : : : : : : :

Apple Kids Play School Horamavu, Banaswadi, Bangalore Ar. Amresh Hati Ravishankar Mallik 1250 Sq.Ft Ar. Amresh Hati Hitesh Rana Enterprizes Hitesh Rana Enterprizes Hitesh Rana Enterprizes 24 Lakhs 2016 2016 Ami Shah

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The classroom with various textures and colours of a wall mural, colourful ceramic flooring and the rafter lines create a playful composition for the children.

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book review

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Voicing Architects Book: ARCHITECTURAL VOICES OF INDIA: A Blend of Contemporary and Traditional Ethos - a collection of interviews by Ar. Apurva Bose Dutta.

Review by Professor Sathya Prakash Varanashi

D

uring the recent times, there have been few books and many published articles that cover the design developments in the architecture of India. To that list, an addition with a different approach is “Architectural Voices of India” – possibly the first time ever collection of interviews of 19 architects from India representing different generations. Conducted and edited by Ar. Apurva Bose Dutta, this new publication offers a kaleidoscopic overview of postindependence architecture of India and a nearer view into the last three decades.

To present the idea of architecture in a country, there can be a compilation of projects and analysis by an author, which makes it direct for the reader. The tougher method can be to interview architects, collate their essential thoughts and supplement with few project photos, enabling the readers to interpret the ideas in their own way.

Interviews can also be direct, and you sense it in the following quotes of the architects. When Raj Rewal says, “I do try and base my designs on all climatic concerns. I have always believed that there are certain core values in architecture – space, structure and light”, we can actually experience them in his projects. Or when Hafeez Contractor admits, “Architecture for me is not only about making buildings – the primary endeavour may be to build, but the thing of foremost importance is to provide service and make a difference. I design buildings for my clients in accordance with their needs and conditions, and these are the factors that govern my timelines and budgets”. It is a statement that his buildings too, endorse!

However, the statements of not all architects have been conveyed so simply and so directly. If Parul Zaveri and Nimish Patel believe that the strength of architecture of India was in its visionary thinking and holistic sustainability, it needs substantiation. They might have infused such strengths in their project of the Oberoi Udaivilas at Udaipur, yet both the statement and the project can have layered meanings to different architects. Sanjay Puri thinks the speed of thought comes from the exposure itself, which can be agreed upon, but his unique style is missing in the humble Courtyard House in Rajasthan which he shortlists as his turning point. Here again, the reader needs to make an effort to go beyond his words, and discover what has been left unsaid.

The possibility of such multiple readings is both the strength and weakness of the interview format. Typically, interviews are not easy to read, especially if transcribed verbatim, a danger Apurva has avoided. She has restructured the possibly loose dialogue in an easyto-comprehend text, without diluting the intents of the interviewed; hence the book rises above the limitations of mere interviews.

The long interviews throw up range of positions, such as the philosophical ones, “Architecture is an elemental thread that unites all people everywhere” (Christopher Benninger) or Balkrishna Doshi’s perception of architecture, “as a part of us, like an extension of our body within which we live”. Then there are classical definitions too, such as, “Architecture is not about spectacular or glamorous work, this profession imbibes values of serenity and quality, that is virtuous and spiritual in nature” (Shiv Datt Sharma).

By saying that the “principles of architecture remain timeless”, Jasbir Sawhney also states a philosophy, wherein C.N. Raghavendran’s statement raises a desire as well as a question when he comments, “Architects can and must be the agents of change. But, does the profession get the trust, respect and recognition from the society?”

His Anna Centenary Library in Chennai appears to have got it, though.

Selected projects compliment the text for each architect, so one can relate the Sai Spiritual Centre by Sanjay Mohe to his statement, “In our traditional buildings, a lot of importance is given to the main door, which marks the transition from outside to inside”. Few architects such as Kamal Malik have revealed the source of their design ideas saying that “every city, every site and every project speaks differently to him”. So have Sonali and Manit Rastogi, who opine “Morphogenesis sees itself as an institution in perpetuity - a thriving eco-system of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom”.

The book does not read like a compilation of short stories, where each can be different from the other, but has a common thread running through all the interviews, connecting them under the themes – inspirations; ideologies; architecture in India; global architecture; architecture education; architecture in changing times; building emotional ties; flash forward; my family and, finally, the project that redefined architecture for the interviewee.

This helps in identifying common ground among architects. Hence, when Ravindra Bhan identifies the crucial importance to understand the symbiotic relationship between the surroundings and the built form that is suitable and sustainable, he is echoing with Karan Grover who says, “I strongly believe that heritage and culture are the roots promoters of sustainable buildings because they validate how our older buildings have remained meaningful for the past 2000 years”.

Prem Nath who believes in ‘continuing to learn from our past, and, at the same time remain in sync with the new technology’, appears to agree with Sandeep Khosla, who says, “If glass is used appropriately, then it is a wonderful material. The basic values or issues in architecture remain the same, whether you are doing a hospital or a school”. Of course, these few quotes do not mean everyone agrees with each other, for there are many diverse voices, often countering each other.

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Page from the Book. Courtesy Apurva Bose

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Apurva had a reason to venture into this act of interviewing, as could be gleaned from her own introduction and conclusion. She writes, “Architecture as profession has undergone major transformation in India. These interviews reflect an honest appraisal of the state of Indian architecture today. With time, architecture as a profession has become so collaborative that it can imply two things – either the architect loses control over his own building, or he becomes the regulator of all the collaborators.”

Rightly so, Doshi is aware of this transformation and is very critical when he says there is very little architecture happening here in India that he can call path-breaking or unique. His statement, “This practise of building to satisfy the client who pays, is prevalent” could not have been stronger! Incidentally, there have been many path-breaking works by architects who specialise in experimental and alternate designs with mud, stone, clay, vaults, heritage elements, vernacular style and such others. Many such architects and many other lesser known names too who should have been in this volume could not be accommodated, which is understandable. Hopefully there would be a sequel to accommodate them.

we do wish that the book comes with an Indian edition soon.

A must read for all students and young architects who are in need of direction for their own careers, this book can provide studied insights and critical thoughts.

About the reviewer: Prof. Sathya Prakash Varanashi is a Bangalore - based consulting architect with specialisations in Urban Design and Heritage Conservation. He is involved with academics, events, texts, eco-friendly designs and can be contacted at varanashi@gmail.com For more information on ARCHITECTURAL VOICES OF INDIA: A Blend of Contemporary and Traditional Ethos, visit www. cambridgescholars.com/architectural-voices-of-india. The author of the book can be connected through www.apurvabose.com

Kamal Malik joins Doshi in voicing his views strongly on architecture education. He states, “Poor, miserable, and thoroughly inadequate is what comes to mind when I think of architectural education in India today”. Unfortunately, there are not many educationists in the list of architects interviewed who could have defended academics, if not fully, at least partly. Let us hope Christopher Benninger was not demeaning education when he said, “I learned more from travelling to historic cities than I did from studying at Harvard and MIT”, for it is a strong message for getting exposure, a mode of learning, mostly ignored both by the students and the faculty.

One would simply agree with Brinda Somaya, well-known for both new as well as restoration projects, when she feels that “architectural writing, by and large, is too adulatory”. By default, the book under review escapes that tag, for it only presents interviews as a matter of fact, without any value judgement of the architects. However, one is able to read between the lines of few architects to feel that some of their words and designs do not necessarily connect. As creative professionals, many of us escape from this accountability stating, “theory and practice cannot be same always!”

For those who need a gist of it all, there is a well written end piece

by Apurva. She summarises few ideas well, one of them being, “The collective thoughts of the architects reveal a unanimous disapproval of the buildings copied from the West, need for streamlined architectural education in India, the need to correctly interpret terms such as ‘sustainable’ and ‘green’ and provide standards for them”. There are many more like this, which becomes a fitting end to the collection, considering the fact that reading and absorbing interviews is not easy.

It is commendable that Apurva, who as a fresh graduate decided and devoted herself to architectural journalism, continues with her passion even after a decade-long career. Writing architecture is a less explored direction in India, while interviewing is even rarer. We can only wish for more writings and more writers like Apurva.

The book which should have been in a preferably hard bound format boasts of Cambridge Scholars Publication. Indian publishers should encourage these kinds of books important for the profession, and

FACT FILE: Book

:

Author Publisher

: :

ARCHITECTURAL VOICES OF INDIA: A Blend of Contemporary and Traditional Ethos Ar. Apurva Bose Dutta (www.apurvabose.com) Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK

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Traditional use of Jaliwork or pinjarakari craft.

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resilience

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Building resilience within Indian craft clusters and communities: Kashmir A practice and academia based case-study on the educational and grassroots training initiatives of Craft Development Institute, Srinagar: The efforts of academicians, Government bodies and design professionals consolidate into achieving innovations in design and stringent guidelines abetting resilience and fortitude into the traditional craftsmen and craft-clusters as well as into the future generation students who carry forth the legacies in contemporary approaches.

Text: Sajid Nazir Wani

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Contemporary use of Pinjrakari Craft: Set of Nesting Stools by Sandeep Sangaru.

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C

rafts have been a part of the society since innumerable times.

Crafts and craftsmen have enjoyed a general patronage of the royalty and aristocracy and prospered and flowered during those periods of time. The crafts of Jammu & Kashmir have a rich heritage and lineage and these arts have gained global distinctiveness.

The crafts of the State are known for their intricacy and fine craftsmanship. Be it the world famous hand woven ‘Kani’ Shawls or the hand embroidered exquisite ‘Pashmina Jamwars’ to the exquisite designs worked on papier-mâché, fine homes Walnut wood carvings, silver and copperware; the crafts products of Jammu and Kashmir have adorned many affluent homes.

Historically the crafts of the State have not only been to choice of royalty within the country but also internationally. Napoleon’s wife, Empress Josephine, has reportedly owned several hundred Kashmir shawls and she is generally regarded as the most important factor in what has been termed the sudden migration of the Pashmina from its exotic homeland in the foothills of the Himalayas to the salons of early nineteenth century Europe. Not only did the Pashmina based apparel designs become one of the most sought-after fashion items of the nineteenth century, but it was also put to practical and decorative use as a cover for beds and as a drape over couches, chairs, pianos and tables, providing beauty, and warmth.

However in the recent times the crafts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir have been facing increasing threats from lack of design and product innovation, from cheap imitations and look-alike products from other regions as well as machine made goods claiming to be original. With low returns and dwindling profits the artisans are not so keen to continue with their traditional occupation. The younger generations have shifted to other areas of employment generation.

This has led to a loss of traditional knowledge and skills associated with these crafts. Further with the changing global markets the craftsmen have not been able to adapt to market changes and have not been able to develop products which suit the current market needs and demands.

In order to address these issues Craft Development Institute (CDI), Srinagar was setup by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India; and Industries and Commerce Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir; in the year 2004.The core activities of the Institute include design development, capacity building, skill up-gradation, short-term trainings; professional education programs, research and documentation, brand building and promotion in the overall context of crafts. The Institute while working with the artisans to enhance their skill and capacities through new designs and product development, which are relevant in the current market scenario, has also been instrumental in bringing a change in the overall regional craft sector.

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CDI has launched a programme ‘Masters in Craft Management & Entrepreneurship’ (MCME), based on a multi-disciplinary concept of interfacing the applied aspects of design, management and technology in an integrated fashion, within the overall context of handicrafts. Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, craft managers in private or social ventures or future trainers in craft based Organisations; the pro¬gramme is structured to develop conceptual capabilities by way of introducing students to fresh methods of thinking, strategy building and communication techniques as well as understanding of the socio-cultural, production and business related Contemporary use of Pinjrakari Craft: Floor Lamp by Sajid Nazir.

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Traditional Papier Machie Products: Jewellery and knick-knacks.

issues related to regional crafts. It focuses on building a new generation of professional trained entrepreneurs who are equipped with skills to conceive, establish and manage craft enterprises.

Some of the graduates of the program have set up successful examples where design and technology intervention has led to revival of regional crafts The Institute has led various proactive initiatives of such as new product development where in new designs and products as per market demand and requirement have been introduced to the local craft communities. Further through cluster based development approach the Institute has organized the traditional handi¬craft artisans into clusters to make them competitive by providing support for new products development, design intervention and improved packaging & marketing infrastructure. Through cluster development ap¬proach the Institute seeks to provide for common facilities and improved tools and equipment for artisans to increase their productivity and bring in quality and consistency in the products made by them.

In order to protect and promote the regional crafts the Institute has successfully registered six crafts name¬ly Kashmir Sozni, Kashmir Pashmina, Kashmir Papier Machie, Kashmir Walnut wood Carving, Kani Shawl and Khumbandh under the Geographical Indications (GI) of Goods Act of India.

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Contemporary Papier Machie Products: Hanging Lamp by Mithun K. M. Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

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Contemporary Papier Machie Products: Door Handle, Design by Jigme Bhutia.

The Secure Fusion Authentic Label (SFAL) seal.

Copper lotus designed by Mann Singh.

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Contemporary use of Pinjrakari Craft: book case-cum-room divider by Sandeep Sangaru.

As part of enforcing and using the (GI) Registration received for ‘Kashmir Pashmina’ for commercial benefits, a Pashmina Testing & quality Certification Centre has been established. The Centre addresses the current need of testing genuine Pash¬mina and Hallmarking of the same, in order to compete in the international market.

For the quality certification of Kashmir Pashmina goods, an effective mechanism has been devised to dis¬tinguish the genuine products from fakes through using the Nano-Technology Enabled Fusion Labels – Secure Fusion Authentic Label (SFAL). Each label has a Covert (hidden; readable by using a Ultra-Violet based instrument) and Overt (visible) in¬formation as well as a unique number that is used to record the particulars of the party to whom it has been

issued to. Further, each SFAL carries invisible nano particles known as Microtaggant (only visible by using an Infra-Red based instrument) having a unique code formulated specifically for Kashmir Pashmina.

This intervention while empowering the artisans has helped in increasing the turnover and exports from the State .It has helped in demarcation of fake and imitated goods from authentic handmade Pashmina products thus enabling premium and fair prices for such products. It has led to greater consumer assurance and enhancing the Kashmir Pashmina Brand Identity. The Institute has in a very short span since its inception demonstrated that through context led innovation and intervention the regional artisans and craft communities can evolve models which are self-sustainable and attractive both financially and creatively.

Indian Architect & Builder - January 2018

6400+

166+

attendees till date

lectures till date

500+

10+

professionals in each edition

editions

India’s Biggest Architecture symposium ICON LECTURERS OVER THE YEARS Richard Meier, USA

“I think, any work of architecture that has, with it, some discussion, and some polemic, is good. It shows that people are interested and people are involved.”

Fumihiko Maki, Japan

“Time was able to give us the ability to reflect on what we had done and became the mediator between the city and its architecture.”

Pritzker 1984 Laureate

Pritzker 1993 Laureate

One of the oldest and most respected design forums in India, the 361° Conference is an initiative by Indian Architect & Builder, under the aegis of Jasubhai Media, to inspire a truly relevant discussion on architecture.

The Conference establishes a thought – exchange program with lectures and discussions chronicling a multitude of ideas and innovations that have had a significant impact on our habitats.

Through the years, the conference has connected various disciplines of design, by offering dialogue opportunities across essential themes like Architecture and the City, Architecture & Identity, Architecture of Purpose, New Spirit in Architecture, Design & Informal Cities, Earth Matters, Imagining Urban Futures, Material Innovations & Discourse, Intuition & Syntax in Architecture.

Late Charles Correa, India

Padma Vibhushan, Padmashri, RIBA Gold Medal

Dr B V Doshi, India

Padmashri, Aga Khan Award Winner

“Place represents that part of truth that belongs to architecture.”

“India is diverse economically, socially, culturally and climatically. We need to stop talking about buildings and talk about a sense of community. That is what identity stems from.”

Massimiliano Fuksas, Italy

“Architecture is probably the easiest and simplest interpretation of art and culture.”

Peter Rich, South Africa

“You cannot reinvent the wheel with architecture; it has all been done before.”

Toyoo Ito, Japan

“Asian Architecture and cities have inherited the culture of integrating with nature and are opened to nature.”

Sir Peter Cook, UK

“History of architecture seems to be preoccupied by the form of the window, the decoration of the window, the acknowledgement of the window.”

Crystal Globe IAA Grand Prix 2015

Building of the Year award at WAF

Pritzker 2013 Laureate

Royal Gold Medal of the RIBA

RNI No: 46976/87 Registered with Register of Newspaper of India, ISSN 0971-5509. Publishing Date: 1st of every month.

Postal Registration No: MCS/183/2016-18. Posted at Patrika Channel Sorting office, Mumbai 400001, on 7th & 8th of every month. Total Pages = 104

THE DESIGN CONFERENCE

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16th & 17th February 2018 | Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium (Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Kings Circle, Mumbai, India)

Presented by

16th & 17th FEBRUARY 2018, ICON SPEAKERS « Daniel Libeskind Principal Design Architect Studio Libeskind, USA

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Aromar Revi Founding Director IIHS, India

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Shubhendu Sharma Founder and Director Afforestt, India

« Opening Note & Moderator - Design Track « Glenn Berrill, Director, Thompson Berrill Landscape Design, Australia

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REGISTRATION FEES STUDENTS - INR 2500/- per Delegate | FACULTIES - INR 5000/- Per Delegate PROFESSIONALS - INR 6800/- Per Delegate (valid till 15th Dec’ 17)

For Delegate Registrations Visit: www.361degrees.net.in | Email: enquiries361@jasubhai.com 16th & 17th February 2018 Sri Shanmukhananda Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Auditorium (Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Kings Circle, Mumbai, India)