Architectural Writing - Portfolio

Asked Observed Stated Mastered Penned

by Niv

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To write is to express.

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With high aspirations to bring out the best when design meets writing, research, criticism and curatorship, I hope to make a difference in my country India by becoming one of the pioneers in design and architectural journalism.

Obstinate about pursuing this as a career, the continuous quest which began few years back got me pen a variety of articles covering topics in architecture, urban and transport planning and environment .

I take this opportunity to present the best of my works in the form of a magazine to achieve my dream I have held for years together...

Niveditha Ravikumar Editor of this Portfolio India.

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Ask.

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“Any serious architect's approach to his architectural design would evolve from his understanding of life.”

A Dialogue with the 'Man of Nature' Ar. Shirish Beri

He is a man with simple looks and unconstrained philosophies, who has been whole-heartedly living with Nature.

One can say that his perspective towards life, society, spaces, Architecture, Architects is beyond a normal man’s thinking. An Architect, an Artist, a Photographer, a Poet, a Writer, a Philosopher, a Teacher and definitely a great Human being to whom the world seems quite simple!

Q. It is interesting to see the relationship between you and nature in everything you do. Please tell our readers about the human being in you.

A. As a human being too, my concer n has always been to design spaces which would help in bringing people nearer to each other. I always prefer open , accessible and participatory spaces to closed, gated communities.

Further, I feel very much concerned about the tremendous inequity in our society. We have people spending Rs. 50,000/day and we also have people who do not eat one square meal /day. Thus as a small gesture, I have created a “Humane equity and dignity fund” from a major part of my personal earnings and savings. This money is used only for the truly needy, ‘have nots’ of our society and for institutes working for these people. Seeing the smiles on these unfortunate faces is a great reward in itself.

expression of our human spirit, where the measurable and the immeasurable work together?” Could you elaborate?

A. Any ar chitectur e becomes an integr al par t of the users’ existential, spatio-temporal set up. But, many a times architecture is conceived as a material, tangible, measurable envelope only. To me the intangible dimension of feelings is very important too. Our human spirit is immeasurable too.

“So can our architecture strike the right balance between the measurable and the immeasurable?”

Q. Your poems, paintings, sketches, photography and designs reflect the philosophy in you. What made you choose architecture as a profession?

A. Ar chitectur e helps me to connect physically and tangibly to people, nature, emotions etc. simultaneously.

Just as language is the medium for my poetry, space is the medium for my architecture and I have a great fascination for exploring this medium of space. I have been toying with the idea of making a hour long film on ‘space.’

Q. Your thought, “Can architecture become an

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Q. Your award-winning film: ‘The unfolding’ deserves to reach our readers. Our readers would like to know more about it?

A. My film “The unfolding white” tries to explore whether our work can help in taking us closer to this wholeness/oneness of life? It is an attempt to relate my work expressions to my journey, search, understandings and concerns in life. Its 12 minute version can be seen on you tube and on some other ‘world architecture’ sites.

‘technology’?

A. The pr oblem star ts when technology is looked upon as an end rather than as a means. If used judiciously, it can help in bringing people together. But many a times, technology reduces warm, humane interaction. Spaces too can be designed in such a way that they act as catalysts in better human interaction.

Q. You are a different person with simple looks and beautiful philosophies. Do you find anything challenging in life? If so, please tell us about it.

A. Ever y per son, ever y happening, ever ything is a challenge in life, especially today when all these are commodified for material gains. I see three major challenges and sicknesses of today’s times. We seem to be suffering from One - N.D.D, Nature Deficit Disorder, where we are cocooning ourselves in an artificial, secure, sanitized man made world that is alienated from nature.

Second - Poverty of time, where we are rushing around without appreciating what is near us. Third - A fatty degeneration of our conscience (in Nani Palakhiwala’s words) where our single minded pursuit of money is impoverishing our mind, shrivelling our imagination and desiccating our heart. Thus, I try to and have actually managed to stay away from all these modern ailments. To do so, I have opted to stay out of the rat race and one upmanship; I have been very choosy about jobs so that my involvement in the works in hand is not diluted.

Somehow, money was never an incentive.

Q. Being a nature lover, how different is it to design an Agriculture college from other institutions?

A. Centr al landscaped cour tyar ds as in other pr ojects were proposed here too. As an agricultural college, I had provided special departmental courtyards to grow / display that particular department’s relationship with plants.

Q. How special is Kolhapur Institute of Technology to you? What was the thought process behind the design?

A. It was special then, in the fir st ten year s of its existence. Later the main trustees changed and insensitive additions, expansions were done, the amphitheatre was reduced in size, the workshops were mutilated and unfortunately, the spirit of the design got lost.

Q. An excerpt from your philosophy: ‘Man is being isolated and is missing the meaningful interaction with fellow human beings’. How do you look at

Kolhapur Institute of Technology 7

Published in www.zingyhomes.com

Primary learning and living cluster, Sanjeevan vidyalaya, Panchgani.

Q. What inspires you other than nature?

A. I am inspir ed by any genuine, cr eative expr ession in any art form. I also feel inspired by the lives of people who are contented and happy even with very few material possessions; by people who delve deep inside themselves to realize their fullness and oneness with this life energy; by people who live to make others happy – humans as well as other living creatures.

Q. How should a person be, to work with you? What is the work culture at your office?

A. That per son should fir st of all be a good human being who is passionate about design. He /she should be on a continuous journey of discovery in life and in design. The work culture in my personal studio /office is informal but with a sense of discipline and commitment.

Almost all the production staff sits in my associates’

offices, so my office is small with only 3-4 persons. I do not have a special closed cabin and the entire office is not air conditioned.

Q. Your advice for architecture students opting to spend two years abroad for masters degree.

A. After gr aduation, each of them needs to spend some quiet time – a few days alone by himself/herself, to find out what their true potential, their true aspirations are. They should not just go abroad for post graduation just because that is the trend. If what they aspire for matches with what they will achieve abroad, they must go. Once there, they must be open to absorb, adsorb all that they experience there in order to make their repertoire a rich, fertile ground for their designs to mature and fruition.

“I believe in liberating spaces, not enclosing them.”

In Conversation with The Emerging Master in Tall Buildings Ar. Reza Kabul

Even though the whole country is inclined towards sustainable designs and smart cities, one has to blindly accept the fascination for tall buildings. With no second thoughts, our eyes go rolling from top to bottom of any tall building we come across in a city. For the inhabitants of Mumbai, probably it is an exception. But to know more about the masterminds behind such tall buildings would be fairly interesting. The 'Encyclopaedia' of tall buildings- Architect Reza Kabul of Mumbai, elaborately explains the A to Z of high-rise structures. His contribution towards designing the skyline of Mumbai and many other places is tremendous and no wonder, he has acquired the tag- 'Emerging Master in Tall Buildings'.

Q. The Indian Institute of Architects, Kolhapur has given you the tag ‘Emerging master in Tall buildings’ in 2011. It should have been an incredible journey since 1985 to have mastered this. Could you elaborate about it.

A. After establishing my independent pr actice, I started contacting acquaintances and family informing them about my venture and merely working on a bedroom or even a bathroom at times. Gradually I began designing stand alone apartments and low rise buildings in the outskirts of Mumbai, such as Kalyan, Badlapur and Thane. My clients noticed my dedication towards their projects and hard work that went with it. I believe that if an opportunity knocks on your door and you are not there to open it, it would not wait but instead knock at some other door. I was, and yet am always eager to try new things every day, as well as learn with each project. The big break came with Sagar Classic, an 18 storied tower in Byculla, Mumbai. We made the model and a perspective which itself achieved an overwhelming response, and the client’s satisfaction. It was the first time my name flashed across the newspapers; a great turning point with no looking back. Setting another benchmark towards

progress, we are currently working on a mixed-use highrise development in Colombo called 96 Iconic Tower.

Dedicated to the Sri Lankan winners of the 1996 Cricket World Cup, the structure shall stand at 363m tall, and be the tallest in the Sri Lankan skyline.

His impressive statement - “The motto is to beat the better of my best” says everything about his attitude towards design and life!

Q. The very famous 96 iconic tower at Colombo, Sri Lanka has been dedicated to the Sri Lankan cricketers of the 1996 World Cup. Could you explain the conceptualization behind the tower?

A. In honor of their victory at the 1996 Cricket World Cup, the Sri Lankan government had gifted land in Colombo to the 14 player team. The 96 Iconic Tower is designed in the shape of a trophy, with a ball balanced between four bats, commemorates the achievements of the Sri Lankan cricketers. The mixed-use project is an amalgamation of residential units with retail spaces, commercial offices, public entertainment zones, an indoor cricket academy, a 360 degree observatory, and a

specialty restaurant. Despite the various uses and users stacked vertically, each has been provided individual and independent functioning. Designated parking areas, different access elevators and lobbies, and independent services ensure minimal overlap between the different users. The 96 Iconic Tower has a total of 34 elevators, including two double-decker elevators for the observatory. Standing at 363m, 96 Iconic Tower is 211m taller than the current tallest World Trade Center in Sri Lanka.

96 Iconic Tower, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Q. How would you describe your fascination towards high-rise or tall buildings?

A. The thought behind growth has always been bigger and higher. The fascination behind high-rises is to grow towards the sky; the motto is to beat the better of your best.

Q. ‘Shreepati arcade’ designed by ARK was acclaimed to be the tallest building in India and it found a place in the Limca Book of Records 2003.

Our readers would be curious to more about it.

A. Passion alone doesn’t drive extraordinary achievements; it has to be backed by strong ambition to leave a mark for posterity. Interestingly, when I first saw the site of Shreepati Arcade I wondered if we would even be able to build the planned tower. The plot was tight, with a 10 ft wide access road, and brimming over with hundreds of tenements and chawls. Gradually the tenants were rehabilitated and the space on the site expanded; the FSI increased to 2.5 under the redevelopment scheme and gave us enough room to grow to 45 storey, pushing the height of the structure to 152m. Shreepati Arcade is fitted with the then latest seismic technology of the Australian Piled Raft Foundations for Tall Buildings.

The external tiles and glass on the facade are installed to remain unaffected during an earthquake. It was the first time that we were working on a project of this height.

There were days of research on various aspects of latest technology and safety norms. We met several international companies and consultants whose knowledge and expertise was of immense assistance to detail the various aspects needed to be considered while working on such a scale. A lot of ‘first in India’ methods and technologies were used in the construction of Shreepati Arcade. The project was challenging; each day was exciting as we would discover new things at the site.

As we saw each floor take shape and eventually when the building was unveiled, it gave us tremendous satisfaction to have successful churned out such a landmark structure.

Q. Steel and concrete have high carbon footprints.

And there is a new proposal of increasing the use of timber in construction to reduce the carbon footprint in large scale buildings. Our readers would want to know your thoughts on this.

A. While timber may have a lower carbon footprint as compared to steel and concrete, it is not the appropriate material for high-rise buildings. According to the statutory construction laws in California, a city known for its stick construction, the use of timber is allowed only for a structure that is four storey tall. Beyond that, it is considered unsafe, especially with regard to fire safety.

There are however, materials in the market that are sustainable solutions and have lower carbon footprints as compared to steel and concrete.

Q. High rise buildings and skyscrapers of today are prone to endless curtain wall glazing these days.

Please give your opinion on this, from an Architect’s perspective and a user’s perspective.

Shreepati Arcade, Mumbai

While several consider glass to be a cosmetic feature of a structure that makes a building look modern and hightech, the use of glass in architectural façades is a preferred option. Glass reduces the weight on the foundation, making the building lighter as compared to constructing walls. It offers a wider unobstructed view of the surroundings, and increases the availability and use of natural light indoors. There are a variety of variants available which are sustainable and offer high insulation, heat and sound resistance, as well reduce the amount and intensity of glare on the surrounding buildings.

Q. Other than your projects, your most favorite skyscraper?

A. The Eiffel Tower. This puddled iron tower built in 1889 stands 324m tall. Considering the technology, building materials, and machinery required for such a structure, that is still one of the tallest in the world, speaks volumes about the engineers and planners. Their expertise and knowledge, including the wind effect and safety precautions that were considered, is absolutely commendable and inspiring.

Q. Advice for Architects getting into the Skyscraper field.

A. To design the high-rise skyline of a metropolis it is good to be a dreamer; but it needs to be bundled with hard-work and dedication to actualize those dreams. The future beckons radical revolution in structural design; where creativity and resolution of intent can build cities.

Published in www.zingyhomes.com

“My personal little theory is that we’re all constantly reworking our childhoods. For me, creativity has a lot to do with recovering lost innocence.”

In conversation with the Founder of Design Studio J Mayer Jürgen Mayer H

‘The updated Architect’, who majorly works towards the intersection of Architecture, Communication and New technology. Having studied at Stuttgart University, The Cooper Union and Princeton University, Jürgen Mayer H. founded his studio J MAYER H in Berlin in 1996. Awards include Mies-van-der-Rohe-Award-Emerging-ArchitectSpecial-Mention-2003, Winner Holcim Award Bronze 2005 and Winner Audi Urban Future Award 2010. Jürgen Mayer H. has taught at Princeton University, University of the Arts Berlin, Harvard University, Kunsthochschule Berlin, the Architectural Association in London, the Columbia University, New York and at the University of Toronto, Canada.

Q. Could you tell us about the man behind this German Architect and the Artist?

A. I gr ew up in the 80s and 90s and it was a moment where we were surrounded with a lot of critical discussions about architecture. My generation went through the 80s with a sombre outlook on the future. In the shadow of the Cold War, we were talking about antinuclear demonstrations, dying forests under acid rain, and Pershing Rockets in Germany. It was all about fear and protection. I wanted to reclaim a future that was taken away when we were young, and I was glad to witness a wide range of people in our generation trying to catch that moment of curiosity about the future. I guess all this lead me to become so interested in our built environment.

Q. When was your firm set up and what was the driving factor back then?

A. In 1996 I came to Ber lin after gr aduating in Princeton and living in New York for a while, especially to confront a critical architectural education with a quite charged and vivid cultural urban condition. Parallel to establishing a practice, I started teaching, and since then teaching is a major factor in testing the architectural condensations of cultural phenomena. Competitions and smaller art installation projects became the laboratories to

make certain assumptions about the production and performance of the architecture operative. Winning the Stadthaus competition in 1996 became the driving factor to set up my own company. We grew very gradually, and now we are a team of about 20 people working on a highly exciting set of projects nationally and internationally.

Pavilion - KA300 in Karlsruhe

Q. You have designed the temporary pavilion KA300 in Karlsruhe to celebrate the three hundred year anniversary of the founding of the city of Karlsruhe. If given an opportunity to design a pavilion for a city in India, which city would you choose and what would be your design?

A. In this tempor ar y pavilion, dur ing the festival summer, various concerts, theatre performances, readings, film screenings, and exhibitions will be held in the open structure. The pavilion offers a large auditorium with a stage: it is the centre of the jubilee activities around the city and a meeting point with a café. The twisted pattern of the pavilion refers to the strictly geometric, radial layout of the Baroque planned city of Karlsruhe with the palace as the focal point, transforming it into a spatial field of lines. On several layers in and on the structure, exhibition platforms, resting spaces, and viewing platforms emerge. This would be a fantastic project and the design would be something we develop specifically for the location. I am curious which city will be the one.

Q. A few words about your philosophy of design?

A. Each pr ojects is a unique r esear ch into context and culture, and we always develop individual designs for specific programs, sites and clients. Our architecture is developed during the design process based on a repertoire of strategic explorations that we developed over the years, on pushing limits and being driven by the curiosity for the new. Some conceptual approaches are based on our research by architectural projects and art installations. We look closely at the site, critically rethink the program and try to extract something that is special to the specific site.

We establish parameters as a skeleton or framework for

each project. These are conceptual conditions rather than design driven compositions, based on a clients brief, contextual references and programmatic logistics.

Q. You said, “Now the time has come to fall back on the architecture of the 60s and 70s and to integrate it into today's architecture”. Could you explain if this is any different with respect to the architecture styles in India?

A. I am talking specifically about the context in Europe, but in general all over the world there was a dynamic and a curiosity about the future that got lost in the following decades.

Q. It is a matter of pride to have received the ‘Miesvan-der-Rohe’ award for emerging architects for the designing of Stadthaus Ostfildern, Germany. How important is this award and project for you?

A. It is a multi-functional public building unifying municipal administration, civic services, a public library, an art gallery, classrooms for music lessons and evening school, a wedding room, office space, sports facilities and a multipurpose hall. This combination of different public services generates synergetic effects provoking programmatic and visual transparency. The Stadthaus is our first project and to receive the Mies Award was such a stimulating and supporting recognition and exposes our work to the world.

Temporary Pavilion - KA300 in Karlsruhe Published in www.zingyhomes.com

ADIDAS World of Sports, Herzogenaurach Q. Our readers would want to know about the conceptualization of ADIDAS World of Sports building.

A. The Wor ld of Spor ts in Her zogenaur ach is designed as a campus in which various architecturally striking buildings provide workspaces for the employees of Adidas and make the Adidas brand palpable for visitors and business partners. The individual buildings are grouped loosely in the landscape as striking unique structures; the landscaping and the attractive surroundings form the linking element. The design includes a striking star-shaped floor plan. This floor plan links the building in several ways to its surroundings, the landscape of the campus, designed accordingly, is thus drawn inside the core of the building. At the same time, a view of the landscape is possible from each workstation.

The floor plan reduces distances within the building, both of the central hubs and communication zones in the respective areas of the office, as well as from department to department. The striking building shape promotes identification of the employees with the company, creating a central space of communication and thus contributing to motivation and productivity.

Q. As a designer, how would you define an installation and what is your approach towards installation designs?

A. Our exhibition and installation designs ar e exploring the subject of presenting projects in a novel manner. The mobile and changeable exhibitions with sculptural elements are engaging one another in spatial dialogue by integrating presentations of various. The order in which the sculptures are set up within the exhibition are deliberately left open, the exhibitors are given a ÂŤ space for opportunity Âť allowing for flexible adaptation to unforeseen demands on utilization or changing locations. The exhibition's changeability opens up intriguing constellations and invites the visitor to think over the conventions of customary presentation in a static context while exploring new ways of exhibition presentation.

Q. Your works have been published and exhibited all over the world and is also a part of the international collections including the Museum of Modern Art, New York. This is highly inspiring and could you tell us how you made it there?

A. Museums ar e ser ious collections that descr ibe what is or was considered an important contribution to a specific field in time. There your projects become part of a discourse on politics of collecting which is the curators choice.

Q. Teaching has become a part of your life and as an educationist, how do you look at the architectural education in India?

A. I am not familiar with ar chitectur e schools in India, but we receive many applications from Indian students in our office with fantastic projects and great enthusiasm about architecture.

Q. Do you have a count of the number of projects you have carried out (Because there are so many!)?

A. If you number all pr ojects ever designed its impossible to count it. If I check our archive I can see we have designed more than 200 projects since 1996, and some of them got built!

Q. What kind of work culture exists in your office and what is expected from an Architect who wishes to work with you?

A. Our offices has many inter national people wor king together on projects all over the world. Communication is important, and a versatile ability to work in various media.

Interior View of ADIDAS World of Sports, Herzogenaurach

Ask..

In Conversation with Urbanist Henrik Valeur Henrik Valeur, the Nykredit Encouragement Prize winning Danish architect-urbanist is better known in India for his book - India: the Urban Transition A Case Study of Development Urbanism, where he discusses and proposes solutions to some of the basic concerns of human existence - air, water, food, housing and mobility in urban Indian cities. Henrik is the founder and creative director of UiD – a networking urban consultancy and has the distinction of being the curator of the Danish pavilion at the Architecture Biennale in Venice in 2006, where the project, COEVOLUTION: Danish/Chinese Collaboration on Sustainable Urban Development in China, which he conceptualised and coordinated, was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion. Henrik has been actively involved for half a decade now, with prestigious architectural schools in India, and has been closely working with Government bodies, bureaucrats, developers, entrepreneurs and activists.

Q. Born in Denmark to 'creative' parents – Visual artist Mogens Valeur and Fashion designer Birgitte Valeur, how do you think you have sought inspiration from them to become an Architect and then an Urbanist dealing with cities?

A. You can rebel against your background but you can't escape it. I guess that's my experience. I decided to become an architect because it represented something different from art and fashion but due to my upbringing I probably have a more creative and artistic than say technical or scientific approach to architecture though I was exposed to that side of the profession too as my grandfathers were both civil engineers. I grew up in a small village in the countryside and, in reaction to that, I was always fascinated by big cities and have enjoyed living in a number of big cities around the world. But lately I've become more appreciative of the “slow” life of the village and the close relation to nature.

Q. Having gained recognition around the globe as an Urbanist, could you rewind a bit and narrate a short story of your design career?

A. When people talk about a car eer they often imagine someone climbing a ladder , whether that ladder symbolizes status, money or whatever. However, some careers, including my own, are probably better visualized by someone dancing in a room. You move a bit in one direction, then a bit in another. There are ups and downs and at the end you realize you're more or less in the same place where you started.

As a student of architecture I went to Barcelona, found a place to live in the historic part of the city and began studying with Enric Miralles who was known for an artistic and personal style, like his predecessor Antoni Gaudi. But I was also fascinated by the modern city and went to Rotterdam, a city that had been completely erased during the Second World War, to work for Rem Koolhaas who is known for an analytic and eclectic style.

I started out on my own making competitions and nearly won one for a new university in Copenhagen, a multi-thousand crore rupees project, and worked on some relatively large urban development projects, but I also made small artistic projects, including a sound installation in a phone booth, and digital projects, including an interactive 3D planning model. In 2005 I began working in China, in 2007 I founded UiD Shanghai Co., Ltd in China and in 2009 I had to close that office down again due to the financial crisis. Actually, I lost more or less everything. Then in 2010 I came to India where I have been teaching, researching and practicing independently and in collaboration with others.

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Q. As the curator of the Danish Pavilion at the 'Architecture Biennale in Venice in 2006', your project Co-Evolution turned a Danish-Chinese collaboration on Sustainable Urban Development in China. Could you share some notes about it?

A. In China I had seen how ur banization was used to help people out of poverty but also how it could cause environmental disaster. The idea of Co-Evolution was to create proposals to solve this dilemma through crosscultural collaboration. Thus, we asked young professional Danish architects and architecture students to work with students and professors from leading universities in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai and Xi'an on urban development projects in those cities.

The Danish participants went to China twice and the Chinese participants went to Denmark once. I am actually not sure exactly how many people participated but it must have been more than one hundred. The four projects they developed were included in the exhibition in the Danish Pavilion in conjunction with a documentary film about the collaboration and a research project about the problems and possibilities of urban development in China. In addition, we covered the pavilion in a typical Chinese bamboo scaffolding with large banners, making it look like a building under construction in China.

The project was awarded the main prize of the biennale, the Golden Lion for Best National Participation, and was subsequently exhibited around the world.

Q. Your proposal on transforming one of the sectors in Chandigarh into a 'Car free zone' reflects your social responsibility as an Urbanist. Our readers would want to know your thoughts on the reasons for such proposals not getting implemented.

A. The car -industry, and the related oil-industry, is very powerful. These industries exert immense influence through political lobbying and clever marketing. They let us think that the car makes us free even if in fact it does the opposite. They have also managed to connect the image of the car with the notion of progress. Thus, across the globe, the car is seen as a symbol of freedom and status. How can you ask people to give that up?

Another reason is that many civil servants seem to enjoy driving or being driven around in cars themselves and rarely get down on the ground. As testimony to that are the many bizarre solutions for pedestrians in the city like pavements ending in nowhere and crossings that can't be used.

The Interior of the Danish Pavilion

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Published in www.zingyhomes.com

Q. In India, the public has begun to realize the effects of pollution in the cities due to high congestion of traffic and lack of public transport facilities. The city of Gurgaon has started implementing 'Car-free Tuesdays' on a monthly basis now. How would you encourage them?

A. Actually, pollution is only one out of sever al problems related to transportation in cities and the car is far from the only polluter. Public means of transportation like buses and trains may pollute just as much. And pollution itself comes in different forms such as air pollution, which can have both local, regional and global effects, and noise pollution, which can have adverse health effects. I wrote a paper about these problems, which also include accidents, stress and physical inactivity, and even though I was aware of many of the problems beforehand I was shocked to see them all together. So I wish the good people of Gurgaon all the best of luck with car-free days but I'm afraid that might not be enough.

I think you have to make parts of the city car-free on a more permanent basis – at least for an extended period of time – in order to test alternative means of transportation and to prove the benefits of not having cars in the city.

And those benefits are not only environmental and human health related but also social, as cars are taken up the space that could be used for social interaction and by everyone.

Last year I conducted a couple of workshops in Gurgaon with students from IIT Roorkee and Sushant School of Art and Architecture. Gurgaon is a new city but it is also a new kind of city in that public space, understood as meeting places that are accessible to all citizens, seems to be completely absent.

Q. Another remarkable design invention is the 'Bicycle tower' in Malmo, which thereby reduces the urban footprint avoiding vast parking facilities and improving the health of the citizens. The future bicycle garage was also exhibited at the World Expo at Shanghai 2010. Could you explain the major pros and cons of the project?

A. The Bicycle Tower should pr ovide easy and safe parking of bicycles next to major transit hubs like metro and train stations, thus promoting the use of both bicycles and public transportation. One tower can hold more than 500 bicycles. It measures 41 meters in height with a footprint of only 70 m2. Thus, in densely built-up areas where the value of land is high enough construction costs can be off-set by the saving of land. But it may be difficult to fit in another building in such an area. Of course, the tower can also be constructed underground, as they have done in Japan, but then the symbolic value of the tower is obviously lost.

Q. As our readers include a mix of laymen and design professionals, could you put in simple words the 'Smart City' concept, which has been spreading viral across the country?

A. The assumption is that by using so-called smart technologies cities can be managed more efficiently, which would potentially lead to less energy and resource consumption and less pollution and waste generation.

In reality however, the picture is not so clear. To give you an example: in my hometown Copenhagen we used to have a free-city-bike system with basic bikes you could use for free by inserting a coin that would be returned when you put the bike back into one of the designated bike racks. It was an old system but instead of some simple upgrading it was completely revamped and now we have public bikes with electricity-driven engines and integrated global positioning systems (GPS). They should promote sustainable transportation but are in fact quite unsustainable. Not only because they use electricity, satellites etc. but also because they are extremely expensive, even by Danish standards. Each bicycle apparently cost the municipality around 80 lakh rupees to purchase. In addition to that comes the costs of maintenance and of eventual disposal. The real tragedy however, is that these bikes are hardly used at all.

Possibly because as a user you now have to be registered, in itself a relatively complicated process, and to pay for the service.

Other, perhaps more serious, concerns related to the concept of smart city have to do with the issues of control and surveillance, the risk of corruption, misuse and mismanagement, and the prospect of smart cities becoming exclusive enclaves for the rich.

Q. Lastly, on a lighter note, what does one see you doing during your free time?

A. The other day I was picking mushr ooms in the forest with a friend. Afterwards we had to clean and prepare them. It took most of the day and at the end it only sufficed as a starter for the two of us.

Model of Bicycle Tower in Malmo

Improving the Urban Scene In Conversation with a Cyclist The launch of a sustainable urbanization project, Citizens for the City (www.citizensforthecity.in) was announced by United Technologies Corporation in May 2015 by introducing India’s first ever Neighbourhood Improvement Partnership (NIP) Challenge. The challenge received 145 registrations and 86 proposals from across Bengaluru. Out of these, 32 were shortlisted, which followed the declaration of 12 winners by a selection panel. Each of the 12 winners were put through comprehensive reviews, and the projects that required building and zoning permissions were forwarded to the BBMP for approval. The winning projects are expected to be completed within a span of six months. One of the 12 winners includes the community of HSR Layout where Shashidhara, a cyclist and an environmentalist has been actively involved in the NIP Challenge. He talks to us about how it all began with Cycle Day and proceeds to discuss the NIP Challenge project.

Q. Howard Schultz, an American businessman said – ‘When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.’ As quoted, HSR Layout is a well known neighbourhood of Bangalore which has seen more than 15 cycle days in the past two years showing intense community commitment. Such initiatives at all levels would involve many challenges in sustaining for a long time. Please tell us about it.

A. From our first cycle day, our biggest challenge was to get local community participate and encourage street closures.

Although we were able to get permissions with full support from traffic police, some of the community businesses had concerns with this initiative. Once we proved that this will be a regular event every month, there has been good support. Communication to wider masses is important. Often, we noticed that all seven sectors never got the message of a cycle day event, and we saw poor participation from those who lived little farther from the location. Our vision now is to spread and organize ‘Cycle Day’ in three to four sectors of HSR layout, creating more awareness.

Q. The first anniversary of Cycle Day was translated into a larger event called ‘Open streets’ on September 20, 2015. It was the first of its kind in Bangalore which witnessed an entire neighbourhood cooperating to block all seven sectors of the layout from traffic. Nevertheless, why does Cycle Day happen on service roads at HSR now?

A. Getting per missions and blocking main str eets tur n out to be complicated. The local cycling gr oups also face issues in organizing due to limited budget and marketing efforts. Open streets was centrally planned and organized by the government, which provided much bigger visibility. If we receive stronger support and funding from the government, similar to open streets, each cycle day could be organized at central locations and even on main streets.

Q. The Neighborhood Improvement Partnership (NIP) is a collaborative effort by citizens, working alongside public officials, to identify key civic challenges in their neighbourhoods, and voluntarily contribute time, energy and resources to tackling them. HSR Layout and Sanjay Nagar have won the NIP ‘citizens for the city’ contest and as a part of that, 23 bicycle parking facilities are expected to be provided at HSR. Could you share the idea behind it?

One of the by-products of Cycle Day was that we have increased the number of active cycle users within our community. Now to sustain this cycling movement and encourage them to use cycle on a daily basis, we needed

Published in www.bangalorecycleday.wordpress.com

infrastructure support. One of the first requests from the cyclists was unavailability of cycle parking stands at prominent locations at HSR. So, we have identified 23 such locations where cyclists frequent a lot and are of importance for commercial activities and commute (bus terminals) also. We have presented this study and preliminary report to the NIP team and our project got to be selected.

Q. What motives you to take the lead?

A. HSR layout is blessed with wide r oads and an active community which cares for the environment. I noticed that first cycle day at Agara Lake had close to 1000 participants and that was the motivation for starting community driven cycle day events at HSR. We had initial discussions with active cyclists and soon formed ‘HSR Cyclists’ group which is now 400 member strong.

The best part was the community support received and local businesses sponsored for the events, thereby encouraging their employees also to participate.

Q. Has Cycle Day been a catalyst for the NIP contest?

Could you tell us how?

A. Cycle Day has pr ovided a platfor m to attr act cyclists and families to come together and experience open streets (not as an event, but as a concept) once a month. I am sure this has helped motivate many residents to purchase cycles, and experience riding within HSR layout. Since infrastructure and cycling community growth goes hand-in-hand, NIP contest helps with this process.

Q. What kind of organizations and people have been involved in the process? How much time was taken throughout?

A. We have a gr oup of 20 dedicated volunteer s and they come from various backgrounds. Many of them are IT employees among which some started cycling only after being continuously a part of Cycle Day. Our first group meeting was held in August 2014 and it took us almost 30 days to plan the first Cycle Day. After establishing a template and encouraging local business and hospitals to support this, it has been a smooth experience. Our local sponsors have supported all Cycle

Days and one of them also bought tandem cycles for the event.

Q. With a futuristic perspective, what do you think are the challenges in organizing Cycle Day? What support do you require?

A. I think some logistics challenges still exist, with respect to rental cycles and stage preparation. Also spreading the word more within the locality would be great other than through social media.

Ask...

Fair Trade and Climate Change Walk ‘Go Push go’ were the words heard from the group of people supporting Pushpanath Kumaraswamy for the 450 km long walk, which commenced from Gandhi Thidal in Pondicherry on the 20th of November, Friday, 2015.

The intention of the walk is to create awareness about climate change and support the newly proposed Fair Trade Twin Towns – Pondicherry and Auroville.

Even though the 64 year old activist has ‘ageing legs’ as he said, the ‘extra-ordinary’ downpour of rain, in fact encouraged him more for the walk, as the cause for the same was more important and needed for the living community around the globe.

Fair Trade and Climate Change Walk - Route Map

The first stop being Auroville, we saw Push sipping cups of chai and grabbing some pieces of cake at the Visitors’ Centre. Listen to what he has to say about the incredible journey and his ideas of climate change.

Join hands with him by knowing more about his stops between Pondicherry and Ooty, his final destination.

The walk ends on the 10th of December!

Audio Interview -13 minutes 43 seconds

Pushpanath with the Fair Trade group

Pushpanath giving a talk

Narrator of Spaces

Interviewed as a Young Architectural Journalist To branch out to a field like this is a brave choice, considering not many have done it. Tell us about your journey so far.

Since my childhood days, added to writing, the language ‘English’ has cultivated in me, the habit of the reading the dictionary often.

My source of inspiration – the Bengali English teacher at high school helped me realize that the joy of suffering from ‘logolepsy’ equals nothing on the planet. On the other hand, my inclination towards art, architecture and cities borrowed five years of my life at SPA Vijayawada. Five years of architecture was getting halfway through when in my third year final design review, the juror critically pointed out my expertise in conceptualization, communication and design writing. He said, “In a couple of years, perhaps you might complete B Arch successfully. But, I suggest architectural journalism is the way forward for you. Give it a thought.” If not for those words, I wouldn’t have analysed and realized my original interests in architectural writing. Having gradually conflated my passion for writing and design, in my final year, I chose to research about the relationship between spaces/ architecture and writers and presented a paper titled ‘Geography of Creativity – the case of writers.’ Criticisms from many friends about not practising architecture after course completion have undoubtedly been discouraging. Nevertheless, it has actually helped me get some concrete clarity on what I am interested in, what I am good at and what I desire to do!

'Architectural Journalism' is an elective subject in some colleges during the 5 year course. However, it hardly seems to be understood or explored. What do you think should be done to change this?

As Architects, we are aware of the fact the world of architecture involves understanding of different aspects in fields like psychology, sociology, history, climatology, and contextual politics and so on. The curriculum of such a multidisciplinary course spans across five long years and it this period which turns accountable for delivering a taste of every related field, which helps students in streamlining their passions and careers, paving ways for better future. The current scenario, where even national institutes fail to include Architectural Journalism as an elective subject is saddening.

It ought to be a decision taken by the central authority for architects which propagates all architecture institutes across the country to mandatorily include architectural journalism as a subject of importance in the curriculum.

Being a pioneer in the field, to clear the dust, how exactly would you define the difference between a journalist and an architectural journalist?

According to me, there are different ways of looking at this. For example, a journalist who writes about politics doesn’t Published in www.unbind.wordpress.com

need to be a politician himself. Rather, an updated and comprehensive mindset and knowledge about politics will do. This might apply for journalists intending to write or cover stories in all the fields. But, in case of design or architectural journalism, a strong educational background in the same would be the most productive value addition considering the intense practicalities of construction, understanding of spaces and more importantly, the ability to use ‘Design language.’ Is the architecture community (in India) receptive to architectural journalism? Does this field receive the importance it should?

Architectural journalism helps architects by providing more visibility and the respect their projects deserve. We are always in search of young creative minds to be brought to light, which shall enhance their presence in the community. Architects are usually happy giving interviews to architectural journalists, but on the contrary, this field is not receiving the importance it should be.

Please do tell us what you love the most about your job, and also, what you find to be the most challenging part of this field?

The inquisitiveness as an architect to read and acquire more knowledge about architecture across continents keeps growing day by day. The joy of bringing young architects who do stupendous work to light, through interviews and articles changes each other’s lives

24

mutually. The most challenging part of this field would be to prepare oneself with the most unique questions through research, which makes the interview worthwhile for architects. Understandably, as architects stay highly occupied with many projects and travelling, one should be ready to face the complications involved in follow ups and not give up!

For students who are interested in this line of work, what is your advice to them? How do they go about fine tuning their skills, both during and after college?

A sense of clarity needs to be instilled in the minds of students interested in this line, because patience is required to cover any design story, be it simple or complex. Journalism is a two way process where interaction and observation are important. It demands research, documenting skills, authenticity, perseverance, integrity, good vocabulary and writing skills. A successful journalist is someone who treats every design story to be his/her first one in order to experience the happiness in getting improved readership gradually.

At college level, one could pay maximum attention to dissertation (technical writing) which continues to be a sample writing of yours in the initial years of your career.

One could also contrive to write/freelance for architectural blogs and magazines meanwhile. The quality and quantity of published articles will definitely help one go higher and higher.

Observe.

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‘Working in Mumbai’

A Talk by Prof. Rahul Mehrotra The Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA), Delhi-NCR hosted an inspiring talk ‘Working in Mumbai’ by Prof. Rahul Mehrotra on the 25th of July, 2015 at 17.30 IST at the India International Centre, New Delhi.

ISOLA (Indian Society of Landscape Architects) is an organization which provides a platform for thinkers and practitioners who wish to ‘make a difference’ to Indian cities, thereby contributing to the vision of the government towards building a sustainable urban environment. The fraternity has taken this opportunity to get inspired and deliberate on our participation in the future of urban India.

“Talk about failure also in a productive way.”

Date Time Venue

July 25th, 2015 17 : 30 IST India International Centre, New Delhi

Rahul Mehrotra, a pr ide to India, is Pr ofessor and Chair of the Depar tment of Ur ban Design and Planning at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, U.S.A. He is the founder principal of RMA Architects majorly dealing with recycling urban land & master planning in Mumbai, etc. He is also served on commissions for historic preservation and environmental issues. Major heritage cities like Bombay, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad have seen his adaptive reuse concepts, hence restoring the culture and heritage of the cities.

He was one of the activists behind the declaration of urban precincts as conservation areas in Mumbai and one of the founder members of the Kala Ghoda area rejuvenation movement, the restoration of the Oval Maidan, and the formulation of several citizens' associations in the historic Fort District in Mumbai.

As the talk- ‘Working in Mumbai’ by Prof. Rahul Mehrotra is one of the most famous, thought-provoking and inspirational ones in the field of Architecture and Planning, the venue- India International Centre, New Delhi, saw the landscape architecture fraternity and professionals from across the architecture, planning and urban design and urban development fields thronging to attend the two hour event.

the local and Localizing the global. He also emphasized on the ‘Idea of the context of the context’. Referring to the practices of Kumbhamela, he pointed out the elastic form a city takes.

A good example for the above mentioned categories include the difference in the Architectural styles of the Prince of Wales museum and the visitors’ centre which was later developed. By globalizing the local, he meant

The event set off with Architect Minesh Parikh, the chairperson of ISOLA Delhi NCR chapter welcoming the keynote speaker Prof. Rahul Mehrotra and the eminent historian Dr. Narayani Gupta who chaired the session henceforth. Ms. Nidhi Madan, the honorary Secretary created an aura of curiosity in the hall by introducing the Prof and the topic for the day. Dr. Narayani Gupta described the importance of context and local history in urban conservation and how conservation should be treated as an element of celebration in the urban fabric.

She also stressed that the Kala Ghoda festival at Mumbai renders great inspiration and hence the proposal of an ‘Art District’ in and around Mandi House requires group efforts. Lastly, she added a few words on the Prof’s extensive contribution towards the Kumbhamela project and the project- ‘Social Housing for 100 elephants’.

The Prof began with his note on how Mumbai has influenced him all through these years and continued to explain the two categories of programmes: Globalizing

rooting architecture to the local culture of a place. He went about explaining few of his notable projects like Magic Bus, etc. in detail. He said, “Talk about failure also in a productive way.”

On the whole, through ‘Working in Mumbai’, Prof.

Mehrotra reflected on the city and described how he came to make several critical choices in his work to address the times and attitudes expressed in a paralyzing multiplicity of architectural influences. He also believes that architecture has the potential to smoothen or heighten social contrasts, and reconcile manmade environments, infrastructure and natural systems seamlessly into each other to determine how sustainable cities can develop in the future.

After the talk, the house was left open for discussion through questions and answers. Then, there was a note by Ar. Minesh Parikh who was overwhelmed by the Institute Technology response from theKolhapur design fraternity.

Theoftwo hour event culminated with networking and dinner.

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‘Transformation 2020’

India Holds a Bright Blueprint in the Global Context The 3rd edition of Architecture & Design Summit, organized by ET Edge, an initiative of The Economic Times, saw industry leaders, government officials and international architects coming together to discuss India’s prospects in the realm of architecture. This year, the summits were organized in five cities and the final destination - Bangalore, a confluence of design cultures from Victorian gardens to Mughal churches became a platform for industry experts to address concerns, discuss solutions and leverage trends to create the blueprint for a futuristic India.

The Economic Times: Architecture & Design Summit 2015 Date Time Venue

Sept 16 & 17, 2015 10 : 00 IST The Lalit Ashok Bangalore

Highlights:   

The need of the hour is to localise global services to our culture and needs.

There’s so much technology that goes into what you can do underground, these can let you map and plan better.

Urbanisation is happening, but people are not becoming urbane. It’s a rural mindset that is entering urban areas.

The two-day summit deeply focussed on a broad vision for India in the global context, along with tools to generate ideas and enhance the sector further. Speaking at the event, Mr. D. Satyamurty, Additional Chief Secretary to Govt., Urban Development Department, Govt. of Karnataka said, “I consider A & D to be a much more integrated and holistic concept. However, we don’t have an integrated approach of using urban planners. So, we have to give urban planners the lead. We have to look at the A&D and the government has to look at how to bring about this transformation. When you talk of A & D and urban planning, the responsibility is much more so the state must look at integrated and holistic ways to facilitate this change.”

Not only did the summit address the country's current urban scenario, but also addressed and celebrated women in architecture and also aiding students for extraordinary work in the fields of architecture and design. Student award winners got exclusive internship with renowned architects present during the Summit.

It extensively discussed the trends in architectural design, challenges and opportunities in the field along with realising the vision 2020 and its relevance to the Indian context.

The first day was scheduled for five speeches and one panel discussion: The summit set off with Mr. Deepak Lamba, President, TCL – BCCL, when he mentioned how The Economic Times always has cared for the country, and its growth and development. Mr. Abhishek Somany, the Managing Director of Somany Ceramics delivered the keynote address which reminded us about the government's Smarty city mission and Housing for All concept.

An eye - opening talk was of Ar. PK Das of Mumbai, who initiated the discussion part of the event by showcasing a point-wise detailed analysis of the urban transformation and its related issues- 'Influencing urban transformation and altering the context by design' with examples.

The first day's last talk 'Leverage, Build & Brand Understanding the importance of creating a brand' was of Mr. Harish Bijoor, a Business str ategy exper t. He quoted numerous examples and real life situations to help the audience understand the importance of brand building in the architecture and planning industry. He further explained how perception and reality are related to brand building.

Another perspective about 'change' and 'transformation' was brought to light through Ar. Dikshu Kukreja through this presentation on 'Urban Transformation - The spontaneous or the predicted?' which also explained the different layers of a city which cause transformation.

The first panel discussion of the event comprised of four young architects of different genres with Ar. Naresh Narasimhan as the moder ator . They deliber ated on 'Perspective vision: What will the future hold?' He said, “The ability of the common people to generate their own cities is often discounted, replaced by top down approaches. There is a huge mismatch between what the masterplan envisioned for the city and what was actually made.”

Published in www.zingyhomes.com

The second day saw young architects and designers thronging the hall to listen to keynote addresses, special addresses, case studies and panel discussions, all of which in depth, revolved around the topic Transformation 2020. The summit also delved into realizing the Vision 2020 and its relevance to the Indian framework.

The first keynote address by Ar. Naresh Narasimhan of Venkatramanan Associates on 'Transformation 2020 The Global Perspective' wher e he commented on the huge difference between what is planned and executed in the field of urban governance.

In the second keynote address, elaborating on the same, Mr. Boman Irani, CMD, Rustomjee Group said, “There is a massive opportunity. The government has started listening to government bodies. I feel we are possibly in the best time in Indian history. It is our responsibility to be able to provide for the requirements for those that do not have. That is where the future of our economic growth lies.”

The Panel Discussion comprised of five experienced senior architects and thought leaders, Mr. Abhishek Somany, Mr. Boman Irani with Mr. M.V. Harish of JLL as the moderator. This discussion had extreme contradictory views, in which Ar. Manit Rastogi of Morphogenesis pointed out with statistics the country's high potential to achieve the Smart city mission by 2020.

A special presentation by the German Architect, J Mayer continuously kept us inter ested, as he enlightened us with his 'design patterns' and how patterns play an important role in the designing of buildings. The largest wooden structure at Seville, designed by him, caught all our attention.

Another spectacular presentation on 'Urban Scale' was by Bertil De Kleynen, Dir ector of Ar chitectur e & Landscape, Atkins Asia Pacific. TOD: Transit Oriented Development was deeply explained with examples and illustrations.

The summit not only saw Architects and planners, but also Industrial designers like Mr. Michael Foley and Lighting design expert Dr. Amardeep M. Dugar who presented case studies in their own fields.

Other extra-ordinary case study presentations were by Ar. Reza Kabul, Ar. Nejeeb Khan, Ar. Rahul Khadri, Ar. Kapil Bhalla.

Concluding this successful event, Mr. Deepak Lamba, President, TCL - BCCL said, “The wave of slick, contemporary architecture sweeping across the country, even beyond offices, symbolizes our burgeoning economy in the most visible manner. India is quickly presenting itself as a 21st century global power, and these edifices are cropping up everywhere in South India as a sign of prosperity and forward thinking. We strongly believe that if India has to join the league of developed nations, one essential aspect will be planning and creation of global cities. Architects, designers and builders will play a crucial role in this progression.”

The summit ended with immense networking, Cocktail and Gala dinner.

Observe..

The Sustainable

Anuradhapura - Srilanka Yesterday’s talk on ‘Buddhist Building Traditions for sustainable living in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’, at Savitri Bhavan by Dr. Satyajit Ghosh witnessed the usual enthusiastic response from the Auroville Community of Architects, students, volunteers and people related to water resource management and energy mobilization in built-up spaces.

The talk was dedicated to the memory of Nirodbaran, who had Buddhist origins and mentored Dr. Ghosh’s sadhana up to the end of his life. Dr. Ghosh introduced the ancient city of Anuradhapura with one of his favourite quotes ‘Architecture is inhabited sculpture.’

Dr. Satyajit Ghosh explaining the research

Audio recording - 1 hour 16 mins 42 secs Anuradhapura was established as the fir st capital of Sri Lanka in the 4th century BC and continued to remain so, for nearly ten centuries. The study showed the comparison between the schemes of natural ventilation in the dormitories of the Jetavana Vihara and the Great Brazen Monastery, which were monuments of high historical significance. Other than being UNESCO acclaimed world heritage sites, The Great Brazen Monastery is arguably the world's first sky-scraper, built in 100 BC and which could be also considered the first example of ‘Proportionate architecture’ (61 x 61 x 61).

The study included detailed research on how the Buddhist architects of one thousand years ago assured the comfort of the monks of Anuradhapura through the control of air and water flow through the buildings. The fact that the city won fame for being the pioneer of hydraulic air-conditioning in the ancient world was proved through his in-depth technical research. The connection between micro physics and architecture was then elaborated by Dr. Ghosh. The study also threw light on the Envimet simulation software developed, where the latitude and longitude details of a location could generate the required solar transmission and other wind details of the place. Further explanation was on another system used for determining thermal comfort – PMV (Predict Mean Vote), which concluded that the Jetavana Vihar was a building of a relatively low thermal mass compared

to the Great Brazen Monastery. The tremendous efforts and the intelligence of the Buddhist architects was highlighted through the study of water reservoirs and their linkages across Anuradhapura, as well.

The 75 minute talk culminated with a Q & A session and the research published in the form a book – ‘Idioms of Sustainability in ancient Anuradhapura’ was kept open for purchase, with the leads contributed to Savitri Bhavan.

Date Time Venue

Oct 22, 2015 17 : 30 IST Auroville

International Zone

General Meeting Auroville The General Meeting of the Auroville International Zone was held on the 16th of November, 2015 from 3 pm to 6 pm at the Tibetan Pavilion. The gathering saw around 30 Auroville enthusiasts having diverse cultural backgrounds, working with a common Aurovillian spirit.

B, a senior Aurovillian from the International House rendered an overview of the purpose of the meeting, when he also mentioned the soaring pace with which all the new pavilions are currently working. He gave an insight of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Auroville, to be held in the year 2018 and the significance of the structuring of the International Zone. He said, “Different people from all over the world will come here. They will realize that something significant is happening and would want to be a part of us.”

All the attendees of the meeting introduced themselves and also added few words about their aspirations and dreams of the International Zone, Auroville.

also is a temporary European Pavilion which will be much along the lines of the French Pavilion, as the permanent one involves long term work.”

To contact UNESCO for a new resolution and the creation of a new library within IZ are few of the proposals. Also, he informed that all the AVI groups will be meeting in Auroville, next February.

The following groups shared their statuses and works in the form of presentations:  French Pavilion by Claude Jouen  Bharat Nivas by Aster Patel, she said – “The history of Bharat Nivas is closely intertwined with the history of Auroville.”  African Pavilion by Iraguha  Italian Pavilion by Samadarshana and Susmita  Korean Pavilion by Jinne  Hungarian Pavilion by Bogi.

The meeting culminated with a presentation by Luigi and Louis Cohen on the infrastructure planning and development of the International Zone, Auroville.

To start with, Linda Grace gave a presentation of the proposals for the 50th anniversary celebrations, where she highlighted the idea of art installations at 14 focal points all along the International Zone and also the proposed budget. Martin of AVI shared information on the contribution and participation of AVI in the development of the European area in the IZ. He said, “What is planned

Date Time Venue

Nov 16, 2015 15 : 00 IST Tibetan Pavilion Auroville

‘Vision without action is merely a dream.

Action without vision just passes the time.

Vision with action can change the world.’

Cycle Day at J P Nagar

From Scratch to Hatch

The urban population of the country’s past failed to significantly address issues of traffic congestion, pollution levels and environmental degradation, because of which the solutions for the same are increasingly promoted and highly debated today. Usage of sustainable modes of transport being one of the most invaluable methods solving multiple urban and transport issues, involves extensive participation of the citizens and implication in our day-to-day lives.

As Gandhiji said – ‘Be the change you want to see in this world.’

Cycle Day is anchored by the Bangalore Coalition for Open Streets (BCOS) - a non-profit collective comprising of the Directorate of Urban Land Transport, Praja RAAG, EMBARQ India, ESAF and individual citizens. Our mission is to transform Bangalore through cycling and open streets, creating active communities, connected citizens and happy neighbourhoods. More and more people are beginning to adopt cycling as a healthy, green, economical and fun alternative to driving. In a city like Bengaluru, a cycle sometimes offers a faster commute than motorized transport! There are few better ways to get to know this city than by cycling through its landscape, drinking in its myriad sights and sounds. The year-round brilliant weather makes the experience that much sweeter.

Date Time Venue

Feb 28, 2016 06 : 00 IST JP Nagar, Bengaluru

The Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT) has been striving to be the change by creating a twist in the mindsets of people about the usage of long-lasting sustainable modes of transport. The Department has been anchoring ‘Cycle Day’ which has found its place in more than 15 neighbourhoods of Bengaluru with every Cycle

Day witnessing new community partners joining to address the larger urban issues. However, the initiative is at its soaring pace to reach localities which demand to be revivified with bicycle wheels and other non-motorized transport facilities. Other than community partners, there have been individuals with a strong inclination towards sustainability taking necessary steps to transform their places of living into bicycle neighbourhoods.

One such individual is Sanjana Mada, an architect by education and currently a Fellow at DULT who took the onus of organizing Cycle Day at her neighbourhood, JP Nagar 7th Phase. When asked about what goes into the preparation and organizing of Cycle Day, the sustainability - freak pensively said, “While the idea of Cycle Day in JP Nagar 7thPhase arose in mid December, the preparations for it began in the first week of February. It took us several meetings to hammer out the details of the activities and sponsorships, and sufficient emphasis was given on carrying it out in the most sustainable manner possible. This event while being about organizing and logistics, is also about active conversations with your local resident groups and government bodies.”

Gaurav, a six year old kid said, “I washed my cycle yesterday and was waiting for Sunday morning. I am liking to see this road with no bikes and cars, it helps me ride freely.”

Vishal Arora, a member of Brigade Gardenia Apartment Owners’ association said, “I was overwhelmed by the response of people, especially younger kids and teens. The number of cyclists for the long distance ride was a blowout and I loved every minute of the event.

Looking forward for the next one.”

Published in www.bangalorecycleday.wordpress.com

Statistics of Open Streets

Date Time Venue

MG Road

Feb 21, 2016 09 : 00 IST MG Road Bengaluru

Did Open Streets at MG Road yield results? The expected results?

The first time MG road turned vehicle-free was on February 21st, 2016 when cars and bikes were replaced by people strolling across the 700m stretch from dawn to dusk. While ‘Open Streets’ is an initiative to promote cycling, walking and the use of public transport, the 12 hour traffic-free stretch along with Rangoli Metro art centre catered to many artists, performers, food businesses, handicraft businesses, etc.

The rendition of a ‘carnival’ feel in the commercial zone has made a positive long-lasting mark in the minds of Bengalureans about Open Streets. In contrast to it, the initiative was implemented for the first time at HSR Layout, a well known residential neighbourhood of Bengaluru in September 2015. The first anniversary of Cycle Day, a BCOS (Bangalore Coalition for Open Streets) initiative, which regularly finds its place in different localities on Sundays was translated into ‘Open Streets’ for the first time at HSR Layout. While the local RWA’s took the onus of outreach and awareness tasks within HSR, the second Open Streets was publicized to an unimaginable extent across Bengaluru and other parts of the country as well. The sustained efforts of conducting Cycle Day helped the government to scale up to Open Streets, a larger initiative at HSR and MG road.

The event was organized and coordinated

by DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport),

Tourism Department, BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited), BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation), Bangalore City Police, Bangalore Traffic Police, BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd), BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board), Karnataka Pollution Control Board, Karnataka Forest Department and BCOS Cycle Day. A survey was also conducted by ESAF (Evangelical Social Action Forum) Bangalore during Open Streets regarding gender ratio, age groups, distance travelled, public transport usage and few other aspects.

This yielded positive results which directly showcased 21% of the survey participants needing more public spaces suitable for people to explore on foot with family and friends.

Ranjini Shetty, an Architect and the owner of Designuru stall said, Survey conducted by ESAF Bangalore.

“I was at the venue from seven in the morning till it shut down and I watched the whole street transform. The cycling community was the first to appear and slowly the rest of Bangalore came out, the sun didn’t seem to discourage anyone. It was a celebration and everyone was a part of it! I have never experienced Bangalore like this before and I hope it happens on a regular basis.”

Maximum presence was showed by people between the age groups 35 and 60, with the overall male-female ratio being 11:9. Also, the highest percentage (42%) of people travelled a distance of more than 10 kilometres to reach the event destination.

ridership of metro, the agency has been taking necessary steps, of which OMG is one. As one of the stakeholders of ‘OMG’, BMRCL extended metro services till 11pm which saw increased ridership on the day due to the central location of MG road metro station at the event destination.

Vasanth Rao, Chief Public Relations Officer, BMRCL said, “The idea of Open Streets came about with the intention of encouraging people to use public transport.

Air pollution is very high in the city with some 54 lakh vehicles on the streets. Out people have forgotten to use public transport. So, we thought something has to be done to attract people to use public transport. At least, let’s make a beginning on a Sunday.”

Details of Metro ridership from different parts of Bangalore Swipe outs at MG road metro station on February 14, 2016 (Sunday): 6265 Swipe outs at MG road metro station on February 21, 2016 (Sunday – OMG): 19,210 The swipe out at MG road metro station during

With promotion of sustainable transport being one of the major ideas of the initiative, 100 prizes – 50 gift coupons worth Rs. 500 and 50 special commemorative cards preloaded with currency worth Rs. 500 were given out to 100 different lucky draw winners who commuted to the destination by BMTC buses.

WHAT DID BMTC DO?

WHAT DID BMRCL DO?

BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation), one of the most well known bus transport systems of India plies buses within the city. It is an important agency which does not fail to participate in initiatives like Open Streets, thereby showing it’s concern for the environment and people which form the city.

The implementation of metro system at Bangalore ‘Namma Metro’ handled by BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited) was initiated in the year 2011.

Following which, after five years, the city has two lines of metro functioning currently. In order to expand the

“On February 21st, BMTC had provided 50 schedules comprising of 11 routes and 933 trips with buses connecting major bus stations and metro stations compulsorily via Anil Kumble circle or MG Road metro Published in www.bangalorecycleday.wordpress.com

station. Total distance covered by the buses during OMG was 8899 kilometres. RBANMS ground was exclusively allotted for parking and feeder buses were deployed to and from RBANMS grounds via MG Road metro station. We also provided late night services when five schedules of buses operated via MG road till 11pm. While this event was organized to promote sustainable modes of transport as well, it was not addressed completely by the public leading to a loss on our side.” – A BMTC official said.

Survey of BMTC ridership (number of passengers) from different parts of Bangalore towards MG Road:

East West North South Total

Paradox of the Scenario The below bar graph conveys that almost 31% of the survey participants used public transport (Bus & Metro) and 40% used private modes of commute (cars and bikes). Therefore, 48% of them used sustainable modes of transport (Walking, cycling, bus, metro). On the contrary, 98% of the survey participants showed their support for sustainable transport, leaving behind the remaining 2%.

– 1700 – 1971 – 1159 – 3746 – 8576

Total BMTC ridership (feeder) from RBANMS ground to MG Road and vice versa 395 Number of cars parked at RBANMS ground 40 Number of two-wheelers parked at RBANMS ground 10 The above figures show that better patronage of BMTC services was expected than what was observed.

The paradox of the scenario lies in people encouraging sustainable modes of transport, yet flocking the event with their private vehicles parked right at the doorstep of the venue.

Therefore, the efforts-demanding ‘Open Streets’ urges the responsible residents of the city to turn the usage of sustainable modes of transport an inveterate aspect of their lives, failing which the whole idea will repeatedly remain futile, even if organized monthly as per the survey.

‘Open Streets’ wants you to be open-minded, leaving aside motorized transport for short distant commutes and join the sustainable transport club!

Observe...

Date Time Venue

Impact of Open Streets HSR Layout

Sept 20, 2015 06 : 00 IST HSR Layout Bengaluru

Did Open Streets at HSR Layout make any difference at all?

Probably, yes. A par tial twist in the mindsets of people! Know Seven different views from seven categories of people. The concept of Open Streets executed on September 20, 2015 at HSR Layout has recorded a ‘MIXED’ impact in the neighbourhood after four months of its implementation.

The immediate impact about the bus services showed positive signs of awareness spread to the residents about the usage of public transport. But, the long term impact created during the last four months post implementation was studied to conclude the possibilities of replicating the same in other neighbourhoods as well.

Although a forgotten concept, the abstraction turned into reality in India when the state government of Karnataka came forward to pilot ‘Open Streets’ in all seven sectors of HSR Layout. The initiative which promotes the use of public transport, cycling and walking restricted the movement of all motorized personal vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, autos and taxis, etc. within the locality. Public transport facilities like buses were provided by BMTC which plied in the vehicle free zone of the neighbourhood to help locals move within and outside. The collaborative efforts demanded intense coordination and involvement of different organizations and groups like DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport), BBMP, Bangalore Traffic Police, BMTC, BMRCL, Bangalore Police Department, Department of Forest Ecology and Environment, Department of Tourism, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, HSR Cyclists, HSR RWA (Residents Welfare Association), BCOS (Bangalore Coalition for Open Streets), etc.

A Civic Activist’s view

HSR Layout being one of the most vibrant and progressive neighbourhoods in Bangalore was chosen for the pilot attempt because of the presence of numerous dedicated citizen groups with a long-term commitment and potential to promote the use of sustainable transport.

“The coordination between different civic agencies like BMTC, Bangalore Traffic Police, Bangalore Law & Order Police, etc. deserves immense appreciation. Even though there was lack of adequate prior communication within the layout and the neighbourhood, people enthusiastically participated in different activities and supported the concept of using public transport and other sustainable modes of transport to commute. It was observed by the volunteers and civic agencies that a few educated citizens of the neighbourhood did not cooperate with the initiative of the Government and created avoidable ugly incidents.

Post event, there were four feeder routes engaged within the layout. Based on the feedback from BMTC drivers and officials about the loss they were incurring, the HSR RWAs proposed to the BMTC workable routes which connected the layout till Majestic also.

Mere lack of communication and aggressive campaigning has led to a situation where, out of a population of 40,000, only 50 to 60% are interested in using sustainable modes

of transport now. Also, the entire heterogeneous group of people at HSR Layout would be well accepting if BBMP in conjunction with the Traffic Police and DULT could make pedestrian pathways available and allow the footpaths to flourish, by taking stringent actions. I would suggest the event to be conducted on a regular basis like once in three or four months to create consistent awareness amongst people. On the whole, approximately 60 to 70% of the residents felt it was an excellent initiative and we are now mentally prepared as to what could be expected on such days.” –Brigadier Murthy (Retd), an Army veteran and a civic activist.

A BMTC Official’s view “During Open Streets, nine feeder and three trunk routes were facilitated through 52 buses with an interval of 5 to 10 minutes between two bus stoppages. BMTC Day Passes were provided at subsidized promotional rates, which were valid within HSR Layout and other areas in Bangalore on the day of the event. For almost one month after the event, four feeder routes which were active led to monetary loss due to insufficient usage of buses.

One feeder (FDR) bus which runs for 200 kilometres per day bears an expense of 44 rupees per kilometre and in

turn gains eight to nine rupees per kilometre amounting to a loss of around 34 rupees per kilometre. Considering the loss and the suggestion by HSR RWAs, only 10 schedules (340A & 348M) of FDR buses are currently being operated from Parangipalya to Majestic and vice versa.

Two more schedules (362) connecting to Shivajinagar are also added.”

BMTC Chief Traffic Manager (Operations) view “Through Open Streets in HSR Layout, we could sensitize local people about the use of public transport. But, on a general note, only RWA’s take major interest and show active participation. Common people at large fail to get involved and so we go at loss. Anyhow, we at BMTC are streamlining operations and depending on the run, rerouting will be done after regular valuations. We are confident of achieving maximum use of public transport in the city and it definitely will take time.”

A Driving School Owner’s view “As a responsible citizen, I am aware of the environmental and social hazards like pollution and traffic congestion.

But I have been surviving on the driving school business for the last ten years. After the event, even though there is

Published in www.bangalorecycleday.wordpress.com

no significant change in the number of students, I am sure the awareness about the use of non motorized transport will bring about a change.”

A BCOS member’s view Other than the perspectives about frequency of buses and the need for better pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, Sathya, a core BCOS member said, “HSR Layout has majorly people belonging to middle class and elite sector and so, making them accept the concept of Open Streets and the usage of public transport is even more challenging. In order to address such sectors in HSR Layout, Whitefield, etc., BMTC as an operational agency could improve its communication and outreach by using technology. The crowd needs apps which gives them assurance about the locations, definite timings and frequency of buses.”

A Grofers Employee’s view Businesses like Grofers and Flipkart positively adapted to cycling for delivery purposes within the layout. “It was fun to go around cycling to deliver items within the streets of HSR. Moreover, the delivery boys who went cycling

42

were paid more than the usual on that day. Our business was not affected.”

HSR Resident Welfare Association member’s view On speaking to Karthik, the Treasurer of HSR RWA, he said, “Open Streets as an event was 95% successful.

Marginal awareness about public transport has spread across the locality. I use public transport to the maximum extent possible but predictability in bus timings and locations needs to be worked upon. This is affecting the economically weaker section which is much in need of such services. The feeder buses could be smaller in size for easier identification.”

The common response received from the senior citizens of HSR Layout was that the entire locality turned out to be very lively and delightful on the day of the event.

According to them, the concept of Open Streets which created a mixed impact in HSR Layout need to be enforced in every locality on a regular basis enabling the pedestrians and cyclists to reclaim their share of road space in the city.

Observe...

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Newly Opened Wing AVDZINES

The working unit of Auroville Design Services (AVDZINES) was inaugurated on the 24th of November, Tuesday at 4 pm at the Mangalam campus (between Well paper & Bamboo research centre).

The Executive head of AVDZINES – Guna and the Architect of the new wing – Ganesh were found continuously occupied making arrangements for the inauguration at the campus. Many Aurovillians and other Architecture enthusiasts showed their presence sensing every bit of the building.

Guna said, “This is the first phase of the working unit constructed in a year from May 2014 to June 2015.”

He also mentioned that the current Graphics section at the Multimedia centre would continue to function, on an office basis.

Audio recording - 3 minutes 27 seconds

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The Updated

City Centre Canteen While the ‘Rain Gods’ are continuously keeping us overwhelmed and every bit of Auroville is turning fresh and green, the City Centre Canteen makes A shift from below the Le Morgan Cafe to a new location near the Vehicular Service.

Walk through the green of the Town Hall zone to enjoy some fresh, local and affordable food and snacks at the Canteen. The Canteen now with its exclusive space has 5 to 6 sets of tables and chairs serving all food lovers of Auroville, though it is meant for people working at the Town Hall. Conversations usually go endless in such atmospheres!

The inauguration of the new Canteen happened this morning which saw the usual enthusiasm from Aurovillians.

Audio recording - 2 minutes 28 seconds

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State.

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10 Facts about

Architect Geoffrey Bawa The 1919 born Geoffrey Manning Bawa, often referred as Bawa, could simply be considered equivalent to Sri Lankan Architecture. A lover of nature and his widely accepted concept- 'Tropical Modernism' in Lanka earned him the project- 'The Parliament building of Sri Lanka' which receives appreciation till date. One could say, the hotel tourism today in Lanka sources all credits to Bawa.

1.

2.

Geoffrey Manning Bawa studied English and Law, before he started his career in Architecture in 1957, at the age of thirty eight.

In Architectural Association (AA) London, where he studied Architecture, he is remembered as the tallest, oldest and the most outspoken student of his generation.

3.

Well known as the 'Father of Sri Lankan Architecture', Bawa became an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects before becoming one of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects.

4.

Bawa was no great draftsman, he always made sketches of plans and sections in order to convey his ideas to his colleagues who drafted the drawings.

5.

He tried his maximum to avoid being photographed and the only clear recording of his voice was discovered accidentally in London, after he died.

6.

In spite of his talent and recognition, he turned out to be a shy person who dreaded newspaper interviews.

7.

His brother Bevis Bawa, who was 6 feet and 7 inches tall was ten years older to him and was a famous Landscape Architect too.

8.

The Bawa brothers were different from each other: 'If Geoffrey didn't like something, you knew it.

There would be Great Silence, capital G, capital S. But, if Bevis didn't like something, he'd let you know, but in the nicest way.'

9.

Bawa owned a Silver Cloud Rolls–Royce car, which he would drive down South or back to Colombo.

10.

He received the world renowned and prestigious Chairman's Award of the Aga Khan award for Architecture, in 2001, after a stroke left him paralyzed and unable to speak.

Published in www.zingyhomes.com

Facts about the

Architect of Taj Mahal Ustad Ahamed Lahori was a Persian born Architect, who is believed to have been the principal architect of Taj Mahal – The Jewel of Muslim art in India.

1.

2.

Ustad Ahamed Lahori, born around 1570-75 in Badakhshan in modern day Afghanistan, not only designed the Taj Mahal, but also the city of Shahjahanabad, today's Old Delhi.

He was a favourite architect of Shah Jahan and was awarded the title 'Nadir-al'Asr' by Shah Jahan which means 'Wonder of the age'.

3.

He was survived by three sons- Ataullah, Lutfullah and Nurullah, all of whom turned out to be architects and mathematicians.

4.

While Ustad Ahamed Lahori designed the tomb of Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz, his eldest son Ataullah designed the tomb of Aurangazeb's wife Rabia Durrani.

5.

Also, Ustad's second son Lutfullah designed the palace of Dara Shikoh, son of Shah Jahan.

6.

Ustad Ahamed Lahori had no office, but designed the Taj Mahal just sitting next to Old Kotwali near the Wazir Khan mosque inside Delhi gate.

7.

Coincidentally, 'USTAD' Ahamed was supported by 'USTAD' Isa, a Turk and a master draftsman in completing the drawings of Taj Mahal.

8.

According to myths, the Architect of Taj Mahal was blinded and had his hands cut off to avoid a Taj Mahal rival. But in 1649, Ustad Ahamed died a much respected man in a normal way after he finalized the design work of 'the Juma Masjid of Delhi'

9.

In 1930, only after 281 years of his death was he discovered to be the Architect of Taj Mahal.

Published in www.zingyhomes.com

Master.

Architectural Thesis Heritage and Urban Conservation

Franco - Tamilian Cultural Institute

Translating Culture into Architecture ‘If literature is one side of a coin, culture is yet another side. Hence, culture and literature are inseparable and that they both have to go hand in hand.’

Establishment of any distinct culture is determined by the history of that particular country, region or territory. In the first part of the 20th century, the French culture enjoyed an unprecedented intimacy with the local Tamil culture.

Similarly, the Tamil culture also made a profound impact on the Gallic language and psyche.

Pondicherry’s architectural heritage combining French and Tamil elements is unique in India. Fifty years after independence no effort has been spared in a drive to preserve this heritage. The small seaside town, currently part of a union territory, has had a unique link with France and is one of the few places in the Indian subcontinent where the French touch can still be seen – be it in the architecture, street names or languages spoken by the locals. One can see foreign visitors sauntering along the shady lanes, admiring the buildings, cafés, shops, beach and lighthouse.

The city of Pondicherry has a great antiquity. It is a small town surrounded by countryside on the Bay of Bengal, in the south-east coast of India. It was a seat of Vedic teaching and learning and finally when the British occupied the whole of India, the French settled in Pondicherry and four other smaller coastal territories of India while the Dutch was satisfied to keep its presence in Goa. The French occupied Pondicherry for about 200 years before leaving it for good in 1954. It became a literary hub during the time of Sri Aurobindo.

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The heritage town which is oval in shape comprises of two parts: the French town and the Tamil town, divided by a linear canal. Conservation of heritage buildings in the heritage town of Pondicherry is a major ongoing activity now.

Aim To propose a Franco-Tamilian cultural institute, which promotes French and Tamil literature and visual arts, through adaptive reuse of a maternity hospital in the heritage town of Pondicherry and create an iconic urban plaza reflecting the cultural fusion, through urban conservation techniques.

Research Questions and objectives To restore the maternity hospital to its own European classical style.

To develop suitable architectural concepts which reflect the Franco-Tamilian cultural synthesis.

To make it an important place for intellectual discussions.

A place for French and Tamil writers and artists to research in a congenial environment.

Understanding the French Town The French quarter developed along the beach and around the present Bharathi Park, which is surrounded by stately government buildings. Residential villas extend on either side interspersed by institutional structures. In general the buildings fall into two main categories: residential, which form the majority, and are simple and varied, and public, which are set amidst large plots with fenced enclosures.

French building models were adapted to suit local climatic conditions.

Understanding the Tamil Town There was not only a division between the French and the Tamil, but also between Hindus, Muslims and Christians in the Tamil quarter. Originally the native Tamil town developed around the nucleus of a group of temples in the northern section, and the streets were laid along the east-west axis, onto which the back-to-back row houses opened. These streetscapes with continuous wall-to-wall construction are very different in character from the French streetscapes.

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SITE

Site Views and Surroundings

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55

Existing floor plan

Proposed floor plan

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Overall Section with the proposed plaza

Proposed Building Sections

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Earthauz Architecture Auroville - Internship Earthauz Architecture is located in the International House of Auroville. The firm operates in a mobile office made of bamboo and a tractor base.

Summer internship at Earthauz from May to July - 3 months after my second year of undergraduate study in architecture.

The firm is headed by Architect Manu Gopalan, a graduate from School of Planning and Architecture.

He works with low cost building materials and pursues personal research related to sustainability.

Works  Measured drawing of an Art Gallery was in particular an interesting task considering the owner had a Swedish taste in architectural style.  Another measured drawing was of a residence in the forests of Auroville. The usage of materials like CSEB (Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks), bamboo, recycled glass, etc. was the significance of the residence which added to the documentation.

Office on Wheels!

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Master..

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Urban Design Research Studio

Capitol Complex of Andhr a Pr adesh Andhra Pradesh, as one of the most important states of India faced bifurcation due to political reasons.

The state was divided into Telengana and Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad which was the then capital of the entire state was proposed to be the acting capital of both the states in 2014, even though it is located in Telengana geographically.

The School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada, being the only national institution in the state of Andhra Pradesh took the initial onus to study the feasibility of a capitol complex in and around Vijayawada. We, as final year students of Architecture in the Urban Design Studio prepared 12 proposals for the three different sites chosen.

The given site, Agiripalle is located 12 kilometres from the main city of Vijayawada. The site encompassed three natural features - a lake, hillocks and mangrove forests.

The site area of 350 acres with the existing features provides important hints for the orientation of buildings.

Design requirements included legislative assembly building, secretariat building, housing for ministers and governor’s residence.

This was one among the 6 proposals selected to exhibit to the Capital Region Development Authority of Andhra Pradesh.

Master...

Does the surrounding environment affect writing?

Geography of Creativity

The Case of Writers

What does place even matter to a writer?

Does the source of inspiration vary from writer to writer?

Are writing environments subjective?

Abstract This paper examines the literature on the association between different aspects of creativity and hypothesizes in the light of this literature that architecture and the surrounding built environment have an impact on creativity, in particular, amongst writers. Findings gathered from various empirical studies prove that creative performances demand wide breadth of attention because of their complexity. The study from an experiment showcases that noise impairs creative performance and it has been explained with anecdotal quotes from few writers. The literature also analyses the relationship between nature and creative environments. As solitude seems to be the most dominating set-up among all the categories of creative environments, real life experiences and experiments have been recorded, for better comprehension. Considering all the aspects associated to creativity, this paper has been presented with the help of literature from different fields like architecture, psychology, proving to be an inter-disciplinary philosophical research.

Keywords wr iting; cr eativity; solitude; wr iter s; envir onments.

Introduction Is creativity all about problem-solving? If so, wouldn’t it make more sense to realize the existence of creativity in every human being? Does creativity demand a definite set -up? From a purely theoretical standpoint, the capacity of human beings to generate ideas, new approaches and new solutions has been a topic of importance to researchers and scholars (Hennessey & Amabile 2010). One of the vital and the final phases of the creative process is the transformation of new ideas into a useful creative product (McCoy & Evans 2002). To comprehend the simplicity or complexity of the creative process, it has been

hypothesized that creative tasks are more complex than most other intellectual tasks. Darwin’s and Wallace’s task of creating a theory of evolution, for example, was more complex than is the task of reading or understanding that theory. Likewise, in case of writers and poets, the task of writing a poem is more complex than are the tasks of reading or memorizing the poem. Hence, creativity tasks are inherently high in complexity and are facilitated by wide breadth of attention (Kasof 1997).

Empirical studies, which included judgment for creativity and word originality among 40 participants, in two contrasting set ups, differing in noise levels, showcased

that exposure to noise impaired creative performance (Kasof 1997). Creativity rating and word originality rating were measured through two tasks which included writing poems with the given set of words. Stronger results for creativity rating than word originality was achieved because, word originality is a relatively crude and insensitive indicator of poetic creativity. The use of a simple poetic form in the experiment has inadvertently led to results that underestimated the relation among creative performance, breadth of attention and noise levels.

Consider the following excerpts: William Styron: The actual process of writing … demands complete, noiseless privacy, even without music; a baby howling two blocks away will drive me nuts. (cited in Plimpton, 1967, p.271) Anton Chekhov: I’m writing under abominable conditions … The fledgling of an itinerant kinsman is screaming in the room next door, and in another room my father is reading “The Sealed Angel” aloud to my mother. … Someone has wound up the music box, and I can hear La Belle Helene. … It makes me want to slip off to the country, but it’s one in the morning. It would be hard to think up a more abominable setting for a writer. (cited in Troyat, 1986, pp.48-49; see also pp. 69-70, 132-133) Similarly, Martindale (1981) proposed that having two elements in the focus of attention at once can be a necessary prerequisite for having a creative idea and that the more the elements that can be focused on, the more candidates are there for combination, resulting in multiple ideas. Dubos (1971) hypothesized that the potentialities of human beings can become fully expressed only when the physical environment provides a wide variety of experiences. Another study explained that people perceive that any environment that does not allow freedom of movement contains low creativity potential (Mackinnon 1962). He added that creative personalities are rebellious, critical, skeptical and flexible.

To understand the extremes of different writing environments and personalities, consider the following examples (Enders 2008): William Maxwell preferred “small messy rooms that don’t look out on anything.” Ben Franklin wrote in the bathtub, Marcel Proust always stuck to his bed, D. H. Lawrence wrote under a tree, Katherine Anne Porter wrote in the country where she lived like a hermit, Conrad Aiken wrote at a refectory table in the dining room, Robert Graves used a room furnished only with hand-made objects, Balzac slept till midnight, then woke up and wrote at a small desk in his room for sixteen hours straight, Toni Morrison found refuge in a motel room

when her children were small, E. B. White wrote it a cabin on the shore, A. L. Kennedy finds comfort in a “monster black chair” in a room “the colour of blood.”

The late poet Robert Creeley believed that the environment which lets the artist be in the world in the most fruitful manner was the most suitable one.

What does place even matter to a writer? Does the source of inspiration vary from writer to writer? Are writing environments subjective?

Discussion Writing-environments have been correlated positively with the geography of creativity. A wider breadth of attention is required to achieve creative task proficiency because creative tasks have been proved to be more complex than intellectual tasks. Memorizing or reading a poem is easier than writing a poem. Amidst this, noise has a vital role to play in enhancing or disturbing creativity. Unintelligible or unpredictable noise impairs creative performance and so a writer can deliver maximum output at particular noise levels. Considering nature as a part of the discussion, the more the natural view or connection to more, the creative tasks are of higher quality. Experiments, using photography as a tool, have concluded that a set of interior design elements have an impact on creativity. For further research, empirical studies involving a definite category of participants or considering many other elements like odour, temperature, etc. have been suggested.

The relationship between social interaction and creative performances like writing has been described, thereby the writing - environments being categorized. Writers’ retreats have been shown as appropriate examples for proving the relationship. While it has been argued that solitude is a pre-requisite for writing or creative performances, several anecdotal quotes from writers about their writing-environments helped in comprehending the benefits of solitude. Nevertheless, many other writers argue in contrasting ways, thereby, proving that writing-environments are subjective. Further research can be done using reality tests and experiments with writers of different categories and different age groups, at fixed conditions, avoiding photographs, empirical studies have already been performed using photography as a tool. Architecture and the surrounding built environment have an impact on creativity, amongst writers.

Complete Research Paper 3562 words; 32 references

Pen.

Realization of Harsh Truth Chhaya

We are not those belonging to the category of students who prevail as holidaymakers in a college, after their high school, just because they have everything that they dreamt of.

All these seven years, from the times my senior friends had no studios, out of predicament grew desperation, out of desperation grew progress. Of course, progress has no limits and in our college university, we cannot particularly name just one person associated, as the reason for such an evident one. Hats off to all the students, the administration and the ministry for the continuous support, cooperation and hard work.

My father once enlightened me with the home truth about the institution. He said, “The associated industrious people of this institution always want more; contentment is totally out of question�. On the contrary, contentment hinders improvement and progress. As an attempt to conflate the two extents of this contradiction, a simple mind exercise of investigating the reason for the same has been performed. This hypothesis is completely nugatory as our institution has already achieved stability to some extent, in terms of academics and infrastructure, but there is still nothing wrong in performing the investigation on how this has been achieved. When there were no studios, students wanted more and they were provided.

When there were no teachers, students wanted more and they were happy.

When there was no food, students wanted more and they were fed somehow.

When there was no campus, students wanted more and they were temporarily satisfied.

When there was no playground, students wanted more and they were fairly comfortable.

When there was no proper administration, students wanted more, fortunately they saw improvement, not allowing them to rule over.

When there was no library, students wanted more and they were delivered with an acceptable and a good one.

When there were no cultural clubs, students wanted more and they made everyone witness.

When there was nothing on the walls, students wanted more and they were appreciated for the graffiti.

When there was no canteen, students wanted more and they added colour elements to it.

When there was no assurance for a degree, students wanted more and they got it.

When there was no campus of their own, students wanted more and they saw the foundation stones laid.

And when there will be everything they wanted, students will again want more and they will set off to look for reasons to complain. When will all of us be contented? Will we ever be?

There should always be someone calling the shots in any negative situation and our administration has taken care of us during those times. One such example is students getting involved in some random fight in the city, thereby getting arrested for no reason. One should remember that complaining helps, but not always. For a growing institution like ours, now it is time for us to realise (especially, for those homosapiens who haven’t realised) that those few belonging to it, took those small footsteps along with us. To comprehend this better, the fact that a new born baby is always provided with a layette, not with anything luxurious, will suffice. Likewise, there should not be any sign of anticipation for high end needs to survive in a growing institution. ‘Change is the only thing that doesn’t change’ might sound clichéd, but that is the ultimate truth. Collective efforts bring radical changes, if at all you are someone who expects such ones. Stop complaining and don’t be a vandal of your own place because that might ruin the mindsets of people who want to see progress and even work for it.

There are always two sides of a coin. Firstly, this write up which includes talking points like progress, contentment and complaining, might instigate some readers to get into reality and be a token of motivation to work for the progress progressively. Lastly, few readers, half way through those paragraphs might have found that this is purely an attempt to disparage the students. Now, it’s your call!

Published in Chhaya - Annual Magazine of SPA V

BICYCLES PUT TO USE BY KIDS ON CYCLE DAY IN APRIL’15

Number of events Frequency of events Average number of participants / event

17 Once a month 80

Compendium of Cycle Days HSR Layout ‘Cycling and Community Building is one of the most important achievements of Cycle Day.”

HSR Layout, the acronym for Hosur Sarjapur Road is the gateway to Electronic City and ITPL in South-East Bangalore. A new suburb developed by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in 1984 has evolved to be one of the most posh and serene neighbourhoods of Bangalore. As a residential area, HSR Layout with wide roads follow sector system with seven sectors of around 1500 acres sprawling across the land reclaimed from the Agara lake between Hosur road and Sarjapur road, adjoining Koramangala and BTM Layout. It is at a distance of seven to eight kilometres from the central business district of the city.

Drawing inspiration from the Cycle Day event at Agara lake in the first quarter of 2014, the scattered yet socially responsible group of cyclists across HSR Layout held their first group meeting in August 2014 to discuss the organizing of Cycle Day in the locality. The motivated group turned out to be ‘HSR Cyclists’ intending to host community driven Cycle Day events at HSR. Who are HSR Cyclists?

The vision of HSR Cyclists is to collaborate with fellow cyclists and promote cycling within the community by spreading awareness about cycling and bringing about infrastructure changes required within the community to help cyclists. They conduct weekly cycling rides for children to introduce them to safe riding and bring civic awareness amongst other motorists. The team which is now almost 400 member strong has also been working with DULT to implement Non-Motorized Transit (NMT) infrastructure in the neighbourhood.

Blocked Stretch - 18th main road between 24th cross road and 22nd cross road, Sector 2, HSR Layout.

Ride Route - Commence at the intersection of 18th main road and 22nd cross road, right on 22nd cross road till 27th main road, left on 27th main road till the 17th cross road and ride until 14th main (McDonald’s junction), turn left into 14th main until 22nd cross (Born Babies junction), left turn on 22nd cross road and right turn on 18th main road.

As a continuation to the Cycle Day event at Agara lake between Hosur road and Sarjapur road, which had close to 1000 participants, a group of active cyclists across HSR Layout were motivated to sustain the initiative further.

This like-minded set of sustainability enthusiasts formed ‘HSR Cyclists’ in August 2014 following which, 30 days of planning and organizing led to the first Cycle Day event at HSR Layout on September 21, 2014. A turnout of 400 participants in the pilot event improved the confidence of the organizers, DULT, BCOS, Bangalore Traffic Police and associated partners to mandatorily take it forward. Since then, the third Sunday of every month in Bangalore dawns with a Cycle Day at HSR Layout.

The blocked stretch extends along the 18th main road between 24th cross road and 22nd cross road at Sector 2, HSR Layout, whereas the cycle ride commences at the intersection of 18th main road and 22nd cross road in the same sector covering a distance of xx kilometres. Street activities are conducted on 19th main road between 22nd cross and 27th cross. The street is primarily accessed by HSR residents for daily needs and has closed vicinity to medical emergencies with ambulance support. Around the event venue, there are eight residential complexes with good number of cycling enthusiasts. The blocked stretch has minimal impact to traffic and vehicular movement whereas the cycle ride will cover six major intersections.

As the neighbourhood sprawls across a vast area of 1500 acres and comprises of seven sectors, the street closure

happening at Sector 2 on Cycle Day is communicated to the other sectors through respective RWA’s, social media and local print and online magazines of HSR. In spite of the ability to get permissions with full support from traffic police, some of the community businesses had concerns with the initiative. But, once HSR Cyclists contrived to sustain the event every month regularly, there has been constant inflow of support. To mark the first anniversary of Cycle Day at HSR Layout, DULT organized the first ‘Open Streets’ on September 20, 2015 in collaboration with other local bodies in the same locality. The initiative which promoted the use of public transport, cycling and walking restricted the movement of all motorized personal vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, autos and taxis, etc. within the locality. BMTC floated dedicated feeder services across all parts of HSR. It has created a change in the mind sets of people regarding sustainable modes of transport on the whole.

As one of the by products of Cycle Day, there is increasing the number of active cycle users within the community. In order to prolong the cycling movement and create daily users, Somasundarapalya Neighbourhood Improvement trust at HSR participated in the NIP (Neighbourhood Improvement Partnership) challenge. It is a collaborative effort by citizens working alongside public officials to identify key civic challenges in the neighbourhood and voluntarily contribute time, energy

Year

Jan

Feb

2014 2015 2016

th

th

18 17th

15 21st

Mar

April th

19

May 17

June

th

20th

and resources to tackle them. Sanjay Nagar and HSR Layout have emerged to be one of the 20 selected neighbourhood communities in the challenge under the categories of Mobility and Enhancing cycling culture respectively.

Key Lessons Hard to collaborate and encourage cyclists the event.

Inherent quest among adults to rekindle the joy of their younger days of cycling. Most citizens enjoy riding in groups.

Safer options on streets will encourage next generation to adopt cycling as preferred mode of transport.

Impact Brought the entire community together and helped citizens know their neighbours better.

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Brought back memories of long lost traditional street games.

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Resulted in soaring number of active cyclists in HSR and encouraged citizens to purchase their own cycles.

Future Plan Expand cycle day event to other parts of the layout, where each RWA's can conduct an event in their respective sectors.

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Encourage residents to use cycles more often for local shopping, and commute (3 to 4 kilometres) within HSR.

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Introduce Ride to School program in local HSR schools.

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Author - Kevin Lynch Cambridge, The MIT Press, 1962 ISBN 978-0-262-62032-1

What Time is this Place?

Chapter 1 Review

The ‘Introduction’ part of this book delivers a general idea on the ‘time-place’ theory which says change and recurrence gives a sense of living, be it, in the past, present or future. As time goes by, a place faces transition simultaneously. The theme of this book is that the quality of the image of time is important for the well being of an individual and the environment as well. On the other hand, the physical environment around controls that image of time. The book emphasizes more on the present showcasing where we are and where we must live. Enhancing the present and connecting to the past and future as well, creates a desirable image of time.

Several cases of environmental change have been portrayed for better understanding of the ‘time-place’ relationship. The final chapter emerges out with ideas for policies as a conclusion of these discussions.

The first chapter titled ‘cities transforming’ elaborates on how natural processes prove disturbing to the growth of a city. Natural disasters being uncontrollable trigger huge losses in a place and this has been illustrated with examples. The inhabitants of a city endure to preserve, create or destroy the past, to build a secure future, thereby making the rapid transition a meaningful one. On the contrary, the initiators and regulators of change such as developers, entrepreneurs, managers, house builders, and planners struggle to comprehend and control them. There is diversity; nevertheless, there are common themes for both initiators and endurers.

This chapter encompasses examples of drastic transformations such as the Great Fire which broke out in London in 1666. Other examples include scenarios from the Bath: The Preserved city, the industrial wastelands of London and Ciudad Guayana, a new city, supported by illustrations.

The Great Fire of London in 1666 created a huge loss in the city with fire breaking out on a Sunday morning in September at a baker’s house, which, under an east wind lasted till Thursday morning. So, the intensity of the fire directly related to the struggle with respect to the reconstruction of the city which extended till 1672. The

city’s wealth, population and trade faced a huge decrease.

For a nation which was already at war with France and Holland was devoid of financial resources, including labour, timber, stone and brick. Because of the few accepted political authorities and the strong will to recover, the entire transformation happened. With recovery in motion, public spaces were cleared, neighbouring towns helped the refugees and administrative offices were relocated.

The author explains the official steps taken such as the ‘Rebuilding act’, which paved way for the proper scheduling of the guidelines for reconstruction and financing. The decision to build the new city of stone and brick, widen the streets, create fireproof buildings, new markets and better utilities, in fact soared up the new city’s standard. Avoiding the delay, all disputes related to reconstruction were untangles and resources started pouring in because of the higher tax imposed on imported coal. Therefore, it was all the London cash which regulated the whole event.

The building activity began in 1668 which in turn provided shelter for the construction workers; but churches were still left. When it was time to occupy the built houses, the dispossessed population had not returned as they began settling in the suburbs. The chapter delivers details about the money spent on the construction of different buildings. Hence, 1672 was the year which saw bankruptcy evolving in the city.

Somehow, this financial strain paved way for a new spatial, social and economic organization. The drive to revive the city and create the image of the past has been tremendously made felt in this example. The revival included all the houses, the roads (improved and widened), and the churches and newly a Monument to the Fire was also erected. This disaster left a new physical city. The recovery has been remarkable that Tokyo when it was affected by a disastrous earthquake, considered London as good inspiration for revival at large scales and standards Published in www.zingyhomes.com

Transit Roots

DULT Newsletter The sustained efforts of conducting Cycle Day for two years helped the government to scale up to Open Streets, a larger initiative at HSR and MG road in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The initiative promotes the use of public transport, cycling and walking by restricting the movement of all motorized personal vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, autos and taxis, etc. within a given locality. It includes collaborative efforts of different organizations and groups like DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Bangalore Police (Law & Order), Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP), Department of Forest Ecology & Environment, Department of Tourism, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and local citizen groups. HSR Layout was chosen for the pilot attempt of Open Streets on September 20, 2015 because of the presence of numerous dedicated citizen groups with a long-term commitment and potential to promote the use of sustainable modes of transport. The second Open Streets event found its place at MG road turning it 'vehicle-free' on February 21, 2016 when cars and bikes were replaced by people strolling across the 700m stretch from dawn to dusk. 'Cycle Day' and ‘Open Streets’ initiative urges people to be open-minded and encourages them to leave aside motorized transport for short distant commutes and join the sustainable transport club!

‘Open Streets’ aims to create an ideal neighbourhood for a day where one does not use private transport modes, and instead uses bus, cycling and walking as means to commute.

Published in DULT Newsletter

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