PREFACE RUTURAJ PARIKH A monograph may be many things: a chronicle and a record of work and the ideas behind the work; a “manifesto” of the practice through articulation of its core concerns; or a compendium of projects as a document to promote the work of the studio. When I initiated work on this book, I was overwhelmed by the quantum and variety of projects that have been produced over four decades of Brinda Somaya’s consistent practice. My initial research revealed about 200 projects of varying scale and typology, encompassing an incredible range of programmes from biscuit factories to large urban interventions. How can one chronicle this unique width of the practice in reasonable depth? Over my discussions with Brinda Somaya and Nandini Somaya Sampat, it became clear that their primary intent of publishing this book was not to produce a journal of projects; rather, this monograph was perhaps a means to evaluate their contribution within a larger framework of culture and society: a reflective document that can critically discuss the impact of Brinda Somaya’s work and the validity of the intentions of Somaya and Kalappa. The ambition of this document, for me, was also to enable readers to introspect the potential of a large architecture firm in India and the impact of SNK’s rigorous, pragmatic and ethical work of scale and diversity. This width and depth of work eludes “niche” firms that have largely framed the narrative of architecture of India in the past two decades. This monograph presents a critical section of work: a thin slice through varying scales and typologies that frame the core concerns of Brinda Somaya’s practice. It exemplifies their perpetual effort to have an impact that is larger than delivering on the programme or creating meaningful pieces of design. This diagonal cut through time and typology is a reflection on the struggle of a practice that resists being pushed to the periphery of the society it serves. The works presented in this monograph attempts to structure a discourse on the value of being in the mainstream while also concerning oneself with the greater agenda. The book is composed of 13 chapters—each discussing a prototype project/group of projects—that stand as a case studies in the potential of professional work to confront and resolve a specific issue or a concern that has always been a part of the “continuities” of Somaya and Kalappa.
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