Delhi Diaries Radha Barbhai III Yr radhabarbhai@gmail.com
Delhi, the Capital City of our nation, known for numerous overwhelming experiences, be it political, historical, or architecture. Technically, I’ve been to Delhi numerous times before, but never went with a lens to observe its architectural marvels by all the master architects making timeless structures and history. The journey was a series of stories stitched to one another like a pictorial storybook of experiences, very well narrated by Desai sir with full enthusiasm. Every morning we started our day off with full energy to explore the architectural setting of this beautiful city. Here are a few of the lot that would stay with me forever. The first thing I remember about Delhi-o-Delhi is the walk around Connaught Place with that colonnade merging three transitional spaces into one. You think you wouldn’t go that distance on feet, but the life on the streets escapes the distance in air. Morning walks were always pleasant considering the mild temperature and breeze, and the mandatory descry of NDMC building by Ar. Kuldip Singh. On our way on the first morning walk, amidst seeing the works of all the master architects, I discovered a beautiful bungalow, sited on a small plot making a stunning contribution to the street’s façade.
The Yamuna Apartments by Ar. Ranjit Sabiki, gave a completely different perspective to multi-storey housing cooperative societies. The access staircase is an important design element of this project. The illusion of three different levels of the staircase imbues an aesthetical appeal and gracefulness to the structure. Small cosy outdoor setting with grit plaster and engraved building numbers, all in all making this place homely and happening. Though we couldn’t get a glimpse of the National Dairy Development Board building from the inside, I could only imagine the magnificent works of Ar. Achyut Kanvinde’s work from the street view of this project. I couldn’t help but awe the play of volumes with concrete and landscape. Guruji, as Desai sir would refer to Ar. Kanvinde, designed Akar 11; the house of brick where we all learned to conceive design in minute details, be it the window opening or the door mat drop. It felt homely and warm with the exposed, raw colour of the brick. The aangan of the house has half lawn, shaded by trees and the other half directly pulls up to the garage, maintaining the visual balance and defining the entrance of the house.
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