INSIDE Journal of Architecture and Design Issue 02

TWO

1

H & R Johnson (India) - A Division of Prism Johnson Limited (Formerly Prism Cement Limited) Matter Design Services LLP, #456, The Blue House, Monte-Villa Road, Monte-Guirim, Sangolda, Goa 403 511 INDIA think@matter.co.in | studiomatter.in H & R Johnson (India) - A Division of Prism Johnson Limited (Formerly Prism Cement Limited), 7th Floor, Windsor, C.S.T. Road, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai - 400 098 INDIA inside@hrjohnsonindia.com | hrjohnsonindia.com Second Edition, 2018 [Volume 01, Issue 02] Matter Design Services LLP: Ruturaj Parikh, Maanasi Hattangadi, Hrushita Davey, Isha Raut, Anusha Narayanan, Parvez Memon H & R Johnson (India): Dinesh Vyas, Alpana Sethi ISBN: 978-81-933936-1-1 Published by Matter Design Services LLP, Goa All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this journal may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the copyright holders.

Designed by Matter in Goa Printed by Parksons Graphics, 12 Todi Estate, Sun Mill Compound, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400 013 PRICE: 1500 Although the authors and publishers have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book is correct and factually accurate, the authors and publishers do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

2

[IN]SIDE

Š 2018 Matter Design Services LLP and

CONTENTS

04 10 22 34 50 66 82 98

Introduction: Dinesh Vyas, Senior Vice President - Marketing, H & R Johnson (India)

On Sustainability: Architecture and Practice Dean D’Cruz

India & the World Exhibition: Somaya and Kalappa Consultants

Architecture of Institutions: Studio Advaita

Studio: The Practice & Process of Architecture BRIO

Collaborative Architecture Projects: MOAD

Jai Jagat Theatre: SEAlab

Dialogue: Elements of Perception: Sanjay Mohe

110 116 128 144 156 166 176 202

Pedagogy: On Contemporary Design Education: Suprio Bhattacharjee

Prototyping and Product Design: Aziz Kachwalla / At-tin

Public Sanitation Infrastructure: RC Architects

When is Space? Exhibition, Jaipur: Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty

Polemics: ‘Indianness’: Jay Thakkar, Shimul Javeri Kadri and Tony Joseph

Ceramics: Applications & Processes: Swagata S Naidu

Values & Identity: Conversation with Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prism Johnson Limited

Directory of Contributors

3

VALUES & IDENTITY H & R Johnson has seen many eras emerge and pass in the six-decade history of our organisation.

There have been paradigm shifts in the way we perceive design and technology. Ideas in the domains of marketing, research & development, customer experience, production, distribution and manufacturing have been through incredible transitions globally. With this change, there is a great shift in the demands of cultural aspirations from contemporary design in India. Being a part of an industry that leans on these aspirations, we constantly seek to understand the changes in lifestyles of the people we serve. We think that in the past two decades, design has defined the aspirations of our people.

India is diverse and extremely rich in its cultural, economic and social domains. What does it then mean when we think of ‘Indianness’? What does ‘being Indian’ have to do with design? This issue perhaps will shed some light on the idea of practising design in India and the challenges one has to confront in the process. The essays, editorial features, dialogues and commentary in this issue, focus on context and the importance of understanding design as a function of its specific situation. The articles in this issue also discuss processes of design that are intrinsic to a valuable piece of architecture or a good product.

Mr Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prism Johnson Limited, has contributed to a detailed conversation on the many brands, innovations and initiatives as we look back at the legacy of our organisation.

He speaks about our core values, our investment in research and development of new materials and applications, our commitment to environment and our nation, our ideas on the future of the surfaces industry, and our interest in interfacing with the architecture and design community in India. He outlines the key areas of our intellectual investment and in his erudite style, articulates ideas that make us one of the most responsible corporations in the construction industry - the source of our ‘values and identity’.

The discussion is supplemented by archival visual material from our many campaigns, the diverse variety of products and services that we have to offer, and some of our unique R & D and public domain initiatives that we are very proud of. This story is not just our story. We firmly believe that you have also been a fellow traveller and a patron of our work. And therefore, we sincerely seek your feedback on our endeavours.

This book, perhaps, will be a bridge that connects us at H & R Johnson with the fraternity of architects and designers that we hold in very high esteem. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together!

Dinesh Vyas Senior Vice President - Marketing

DINESH VYAS is the Senior Vice President, Marketing at H & R Johnson (India) where he leads brand and marketing initiatives across all product verticals. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Dinesh Vyas has worked with Ambuja Cement, Larsen & Tubro and Shell prior to his long engagement with H & R Johnson.

Dinesh has lead retail, brand and marketing initiatives at H & R Johnson (India) including some of the companies’ landmark product development initiatives. He has been recognised amongst the ‘50 most talented brand leaders in India’ by the 12th Indira Awards for Marketing Excellence.

4

INTRODUCTION

Above: Punch Assembly at the H & R Johnson Thane Plant

5

DESIGN AS A FUNCTION OF CONTEXT

At Matter, we have been discussing the role of critical thinking in the design process. Why does one make a design decision in the face of many other equally valid alternatives? What guides these decisions and why do they serve the central purpose of design - to look for eloquence in problem-solving? Is design art? Is it philosophy? Is it technology? We want to run an enquiry into the process of design to understand the generalities of large ideas and specific issues that a project deals with. In this endeavour, we partner with H & R Johnson to bring you the second issue in the series of professional journals with an intent that each will add to the insight on contemporary architecture and design practice in India.

The opening essay by Dean D’Cruz deals with architecture and its close interface with the environment within which it is designed, and the environment that architecture is generative of. In the ‘Space’ section of the book, we discuss the design of India & the World’ exhibition by Somaya & Kalappa Consultants; Jai Jagat Theatre in the historic environments of the Gandhi Ashram by SEAlab, and projects by MOAD that interface with a narrative programme.

The ‘Studio’ editorial tries to decipher the three key domains of exploration in the works of Architecture BRIO - drawing, model-making and the site. Sanjay Mohe of Mindspace talks about the idea of architecture as a haptic experience in a conversation that tries to untangle the many influences one has to deal with while practising in India. In the ‘Object’ section of the book, the office of Aziz Kachwala and the experiments therein are revealed to us. We also discuss the public restrooms designed by RC Architects, and another exhibition - When is Space? - curated by Prasad Shetty and Rupali Gupte where architecture becomes the content and the object of that unfolds in the historic Jawahar Kala Kendra designed by Charles Correa. In the ‘Surface’ feature, Swagata Naidu authors a piece on studio ceramics with contributions from Kavita Ganguly, Mamta Gautam and Ruby Jhunjhunwala. A three-point conversation between Jay Thakkar, Shimul Javeri Kadri and Tony Joseph on the ides of ‘Indianness’ touches upon the concepts of visual appeal and issues of making design in our context. Suprio Bhattacharjee’s essay on the contradictions of contemporary design education in India highlights the broad and urgent questions that we must confront.

In a detailed discussion with Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director of Prism Johnson Limited, we speak about the many qualities that enable H & R Johnson to keep pace with the rapidly changing world of design. The richly illustrated interview touches upon many brands, initiatives and innovations of the company. The conversation also touches upon projects in the public domain that H & R Johnson is involved with, thus highlighting the significance of patronage for industrial research in India. We also speak with Mr. Aggarwal about the values that are intrinsic to their organisation and the way these deep foundations hold them on solid ground as they shape the future of their organisation.

6

PREFACE

As we proceed further with the series of [IN]SIDE journals, it is important for us to reflect upon the significance of this medium and the luxuries it affords. Today, we can celebrate the resurgence of the journal as the cornerstone of professional thinking. We also indulge in the wonderfully tactile pages of this book marvelling at type and images: the fantastic chemistry that enables ink to set on paper

Ruturaj Parikh, Matter

Right: In conversation with Sanjay Mohe at the IIM Bangalore campus

7

8

S

PACE

9

ON SUSTAINABILITY: ARCHITECTURE & PRACTICE

by Dean D’Cruz

Images: ©Mozaic; courtesy Dean D’Cruz

10

KEYNOTE

Dean D’Cruz, Co-Founder and Principal Architect of Mozaic writes about his learnings from a three-decade long tryst with the landscape of Goa and the way in which its biodiverse terrain became the foreground of a practice in environmentally-responsible architecture.

Facing Page: Mozaic’s office, set on the slopes amidst foliage, the light-footed, transparent, pavilion-like structure symbolises the practice Right: Sketch for the proposed design of Nilaya Hermitage - a scheme that was to become a landmark project for the studio

I

t has been thirty two years since I came to Goa. In the beginning, I worked for Gerard Da Cunha and in time, entered into a partnership with him which was then called Natural Architecture. This was interesting

and a change for me; since my college days I was intrigued by technology, which I loved. Earlier, as a student of architecture, I was inspired by Mies, and Corbusier for their mastery of forms. But then slowly, I began to appreciate the level of detailing in the work of architects like Gaudi. Gerard had worked closely with Laurie Baker who was always very hands-on, maintained a down-to-earth approach to architecture where one actually builds oneself! So, it was a very interesting learning - this integration of technology and the Baker-approach to architecture. As I grew, I was influenced more by the humanistic approach to architecture rather than the final sculptural form.

Initially the practice was experimental. Back in the day, the word ‘sustainable’ was not yet in the ‘architectural dictionary’ and it was really just about being direct in your approach. I realise now that maybe that mind-set resulted in such simple design solutions. Influenced by Baker’s principles, for years now, we have tried to maintain an approach which is direct, simple and low-cost. When people talk about sustainability, one immediately thinks of technology, and new materials. But I think it is more about the simplest way to keep things low-cost. A mix of these approaches was our way of perceiving good design.

11

UN-BOXING THE WHITE BOX

India & the World Exhibition by Somaya and Kalappa Consultants

Tracing an umbilical cord that connects our present to the first layer of human endeavour, ‘India & the World’ told a compelling tale that binds India and her people to the histories of humanity. The design of the exhibition by Somaya and Kalappa Consultants set an engaging stage for the story to unfold.

22

Images: ©Somaya and Kalappa Consultants (SNK); Noshir Gobhai, Ishita Parikh

23

TAPPING THE SURFACE Institutional Architecture by Studio Advaita, Pune

Images: ©Studio Advaita; Rasika Badave

34

Often, there is an urge for theoretical frameworks to substantiate built-architecture rather than letting the building speak for itself. In another kind of practice, through two projects, where the eye draws from observations of cultural and historical contexts, the architecture of Studio Advaita taps into the essence of space-making with structure, skin, and details that are individualistic and inspired.

35

Left and Facing Page: A sculptural, geometric aperture pierces the building marking a defined spot of light in the court

48

SPACE

In the many conversations, definitions, and boundaries that initiate, inform, and influence the architecture of learning spaces; it is the communities who inhabit these spaces that lend them an identity which takes over its architecture eventually. Rajeev Gujar from Snehalaya foundation explains how, “Despite being a contemporary structure, the occupants do not feel alienated in this space - there is controlled natural light and ventilation, and the indoor-outdoor atmosphere harmoniously blends purpose, ambience and integrity of space.�

Traversing diverse climatic conditions, cultures, and demographics, the work of Studio Advaita finds continuity in the perceived language of their architecture which appears familiar but at the same time, it is complex in its resolution of nuances with respect to the site and its surroundings. These innate contradictions that exist in the process of making architecture, that also shares common concerns with programme, site, materials, and the process of construction; are above all directed to this constant search for an ineffable aesthesia that is its essence, and a memory of a good experience

Led by architects Prasad and Rasika Badave, STUDIO ADVAITA was set up in 2013 in Mumbai and Pune.

After completing his Bachelor’s in Architecture from Shivaji Univeristy Kolhapur, Prasad trained under B V Doshi in Ahmedabad, and later worked with Professor K T Ravindran in Delhi on institutional projects and the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum. Prasad has worked with architect Sen Kapadia and eminent artist Atul Dodiya in Mumbai. Rasika trained briefly under Krishnarao Jaisim, Principal Architect of Fountainhead in Bengaluru, and worked as senior architect with Sen Kapadia from 2008 to 2013 on various institutional and housing projects. With mutual interests in conservation, heritage, research and publications, Prasad and Rasika have both worked with INTACH and are involved in teaching as visiting professors to various colleges in Mumbai and Pune. Presently, the studio is actively engaged in various design projects with NGOs throughout India including work on rural development in remote parts of the country.

49

IDEA-LED, PROCESS-DRIVEN Critical tools of the practice of Architecture BRIO Drawings and Images: ©Architecture BRIO; courtesy Robert Verrijt and Shefali Balwani

Architecture BRIO is one of the most versatile amongst emerging practices in India. Working from Mumbai, their studio has been able to create works of finesse with a refreshing sense of newness and surprise. This piece is an attempt to understand the key ingredients of their design process with an emphasis on the act of drawing as a negotiator of ideas.

50

Above: Detail of the model for ‘Saral’ Residence: for Architecture BRIO, models serve better as communication tools than design tools Facing Page Right (Three Images): The stage-wise disassembled model reveals the primary strategies of design

STUDIO

I

n 2006, Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijt established their practice - Architecture BRIO after returning from Sri Lanka where they had

been working with Channa Daswatte. Their initial projects were designed for Magic Bus - a non-profit organisation, and entailed very efficiently resolved simple structures that enable ideas of play and interaction to manifest. Since then, their practice has engaged with works of various scales and typologies with sites in the peri-urban region of Mumbai, across India and South-East Asia. The portfolio is significantly diverse, with common themes that concern tectonics of site, formal and spatial explorations of architecture, critical reading of the programme, systems thinking, and clarity of material and detail that have characterised their work.

POTENTIAL OF THE SITE Being an urban practice, the work of BRIO draws keenly from the specific context of each project. The site plays a critical role in informing the course of design. The projects emphasise on the potential of the site and are constantly informed by the terrain, the qualities of the land, the vegetation, the opportunity for vistas, and the nature of the building processes that are connected with the site.

Robert Verrijt articulates the initial phases of design for any project: â€œâ€Śthrough asking the right questions, formulating ideas on the project, conversations with the office, understanding the site. One by one the endless possibilities of ideas and concepts are filtered down and a few potential approaches appear.â€?

It is important to observe the constant presence of the site in the architectural process. One can realise the emphasis on sometimes mundane elements found on the site in the initial drawings and it is these elements (a tree, a stream, a rock) that become pivotal moments of the eventual buildings. The buildings also respond to more abstract and experiential ideas - the climate, the material, the landscape and the sky.

DRAWINGS The consistent process of drawing forms the core of the Architecture BRIO design process. Sometimes sporadic and sometimes planned, the pencil drawings sketched from the last page to the first in a tracing-pad sketchbook, evidence the sequential resolution of design.

Much before drawing, the project is evaluated in discussions and

51

AN INTEGRATED PRACTICE A Collaborative Approach to Projects by MOAD, Chennai

Facing Page Left (Monochrome Image): The first image represents the idea of focussing on the organisation of the set activities - which in many ways became the fundamental guideline for the final scheme

Images: ŠMOAD; Santappa Kaliyan, Ganesh Ramachandran, Fazal Hussain, Tara Books, Gowtham Raj

66

Facing Page Right (Six Model Images): Preliminary schemes explore the possibilities of accommodating private, public and semi-public spaces in a manner where proximities are broken either with cut-outs or split-levels

SPACE

The building trade in India has vastly remained a fragmented industry and architecture - a marginal profession. Today, an isolated practice, likely to push the profession towards irrelevance, needs rethinking in order to be more inclusive, diverse and delimiting. The projects of Chennai-based MOAD reflect on an alternate approach - one where collaborative work enriches the design process.

SITE PLAN: The neighbourhood street that reveals the Book Building- situated on a tight corner plot, it maximises on the footprint to accommodate all the requisite functions

PRIVATE VILLAGE

EDITORIAL

ADMINISTRATION + BUILDING RETAIL + GALLERY

PUBLIC

ORGANISATION

C

ollaboration, in architecture, maybe perceived as a potential

Room designed by Chennai-based Madras Office for Architects &

testing lab for creative and critical ideas, whilst at the same time

Designers (MOAD); create a discourse on the merit of the process

helping to nurture fundamental competences. Sometimes, a project

of collaboration and therefore, a change in the professional role of

may witness an innovation that could prove efficient and benefit the

the architect.

industry at large through this cross-pollinating process. Unfortunately, in many a pursuit of the contemporary practices, the core ideas are

The Book Building sits on a corner plot with all the designed

lost or remain dormant once a project is completed. At a time when

infrastructure - retail, editorial, dormitories, administration, parking,

majority of architects continue to see themselves as central to the

and space for future expansion- all packed within one volume.

decision-making process of a project, it is imperative to decentralise this system.

“I think we gave Mahesh a fairly impossible brief to begin with.

What Mahesh has captured for us is the process- the way we

With further blurring of roles and responsibilities, the architect may

work has been translated into a building”, recalls Gita Wolf, Lead

assume the position of a process facilitator - a co-creator who

Designer & Co-Founder, Tara Books.

encourages the development of an individualistic, specific and considered response to social, physical, and environmental contexts

On his first meeting with the client, Mahesh Radhakrishnan vividly

and concerns. The two featured projects- Book Building and Play

recollects, “I think we had our first meeting in the client’s previous

67

76

SPACE

77

A PLACE FOR SOCIETY Jai Jagat Theatre by SEAlab, Ahmedabad

An intervention in the historic environs of the Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad, the Jai Jagat Theatre by SEAlab is an effortless work of architecture that attempts to contrast the landscape, all the while building on the perceptual continuity of the place.

82

SPACE Images: ©SEAlab; courtesy Anand Sonecha, Anand Shukla, Ayush Gajjar, Dhrupad Shukla, Harshil Parekh, Karan Verma, Murtaza Gandhi, Nimo Patel, Sagar Odedra

A

century has passed since Mahatma Gandhi established the Sabarmati Ashram. In 1917, a community was founded between

the Sabarmati Jail and the crematorium on a site with a few trees, a small path that cut across, and a gradual slope to the river. Sketches

by Anand Sonecha, partner, SEAlab, try and decipher the history of the site and the layers in which the buildings were built over time. Since its establishment, the environs of the Ashram have been able to assimilate new buildings and modifications to the existing buildings. Charles Correa’s landmark project - the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahlaya, buildings built and adapted for reuse by Neelkanth Chhaya and Yatin Pandya, and the historic buildings built by the freedom fighters and intellectuals are organised around old Neem trees and Gandhi’s house. The house itself is an elegant structure.

More plinth and less building, the perceptively simple plan is both modern and radical – a machine perhaps for Satyagraha.

83

96

SPACE Facing Page: The articulation of the wall allows for an occasional glimpse of the enclosed space Right: The wall becomes a prop as the elements - the staircase, the window and the ‘Juliet Balcony’ lend themselves to the performances

More landscape than building, the Jai Jagat Theatre becomes a set for plays to unfold.

The modest scale of the white walls, the soft edges and the thoughtful articulation of levels lend themselves to the children who perform there. The space also invites people to have conversations and to find solitude. The most significant moment of the project is revealed in the way the wall frames the sky. The space is finely balanced between the act of association and disassociation with its immediate context. “Jai Jagat Theatre was inaugurated on 2nd October 2017 with a performance about the life of Gandhi, by children from Sabarmati Ashram and the neighbouring communities. Three hundred people (the capacity of the amphitheatre) enjoyed the show and space. It was a wonderful moment, full of joy,” recalls Anand Sonecha.

Jai Jagat Theatre is a social space. The architecture of the space originates from a simple, clear idea and yet, it resists the banal and the obvious by generating, in its wake, a new moment on the historic landscape. The beautiful articulation of the white walls at the eye-level and the seeming effortlessness of the curve is complemented by other restrained gestures in the landscape. The space simultaneously contrasts with and yet, complements the site

SEAlab is an organisation founded by ANAND SONECHA and MARINA PAISANA in 2015. Envisioned as a collective platform for architecture and arts, SEAlab engages with socially relevant architecture with an interest in understanding the cultural implications of their work. Anand Sonecha is a graduate from IPSA, Rajkot and has worked at Sangath in Ahmedabad and with Álvaro Siza in Portugal. Marina Paisana studied architecture in Lisbon and Rome. She has worked at Sangath in Ahmedabad and Res do Chao in Lisbon eventually pursuing graduate studies at Harvard Graduate School of Desigh with Aga Khan and Fulbright Scholarships. Beyond practice, SEAlab is involved in discourse through the Forum series of talks and conversations in Ahmedabad.

97

ELEMENTS OF PERCEPTION

Sanjay Mohe on Aesthetics, India and Practice of Architecture Images: ŠMindspace Architects; Various Sources

In a discussion with Sanjay Mohe, Principal, Mindspace Architects, we explore the relationship between architecture and the specific peculiarities of the Indian landscape to try and decipher a unique way of seeing that is at the core of our experience of built environment in India.

98

DIALOGUE Facing Page: The integrating of the building and the landscape at the Titan Corporate Office Right: Playing cricket at the Oval Maidan: the intuitive sense of space in India works with a fine understanding of tolerances in that space

[IN]SIDE: [IN]

You practice architecture in India – a landscape of great diversity and multiple cultures. What do you think is unique about a practice in India?

SANJAY MOHE: SM

The immediate idea that comes to my mind is about multi-functionality. We have grown up with limited resources and a large number of people. We learn to share things right from childhood in a kind of a joint family system. In conditions of limited resources, the living room becomes a bedroom in the night. We have learned to play cricket with four matches in one field without any confusion. In India, we know how to handle these multi-functionalities. And that is what comes through as a very strong point while designing.

There is a possibility of laying things on top of each other and seeing them changing.

The second important idea is the understanding of our unique body language. If you compare it with the West where there is a discipline, in India, even while driving on the road, we just have an eye contact with the person driving in the opposite direction and just by that connection, you know whether he is going to turn left or right. Everything happens smoothly. There is some kind of an underlying system that only we understand through this body language. Many times, there is no precise yes or no. ‘Maybe’ happens and there are a lot of ambiguities, there are a lot of shades in between. This ambiguity gives us a lot of space to play with different layers.

Our culture is about absorption, not about elimination. So, when you really start looking at our culture, we like to assimilate a lot of things, you know, we have memories latched on to everything. For example, we design some very sophisticated research labs, but we still have to follow Vaastu. Sometimes, the discussion is about logic versus sentiments or technology against faith. And that is where we spend a lot of time in an act of balancing. These aspects of working in India are fairly vibrant and this directly or indirectly affects one’s work all the time.

99

HINDSIGHT

Personal Traverses Through the Pedagogical Terrain

by Suprio Bhattacharjee

Architect, researcher and writer Suprio Bhattacharjee looks back at his own education and critically evaluates the paradoxes of the prevalent pedagogical systems in order to create a framework to analyse new, emergent and experimental models in the subsequent chapters of this series he is set to curate.

W

hen I first began teaching in 2002, I was just a year out of the same architecture school - the hallowed Sir J J College of Architecture in Mumbai. It was a place that inspite of its terrible flaws and

apparent parochial constitution, was able to leave me to my own devices - I dare say ‘aided and abetted’ by less-than-a-handful of teachers who dared to be off the mainstream. The school was surprisingly absorptive of ‘strangeness’ though, if one was strong-headed and persistent. Perhaps, the very ‘otherness’ of these ‘strange presences’ meant that most would not bother - thus as a student one was able to nurture one’s self if one wished to do so and was sufficiently self-driven or self-initiated. This also was the school at its weakest: that as an institution, it lacked a set of ‘values’ or ‘principles’ by which it defined itself and its coursework and output - other than the misplaced mundanity of the ‘practical’ (or whatever was implied by this). Although if one could prove that if one’s ‘strangeness’ would ‘fit in’, one could survive the gladiator bloodbath. Thus, one could sense a surprising paradox - the very systems that seemed to be restrictive and closed gave one enough freedom and space to be one’s own - just as those few teachers taught us to be - within a space of constant negotiation. Were these loopholes in the system, or was the system robust enough that it did not mind the ‘intrusion’ of a few? One can only speculate. But what it did leave many of us with was the sense of being intrepid and exploratory - to prod along paths that were off the main course.

As a young teacher in the same institution, I was considered to operate out of the left field - and intriguingly, regardless of the nature of the institutions I have taught in ever since over the past decade and a half - I have always felt that - no matter how radical, progressive, inclusive or diverse an institution claimed to be, I was still considered to come off the ‘left-field’ in all of these institutions. The connotation would change, of course, as would the attitudes with which one began to perceive ‘the other.’ Recently, in an article in DOMUS India (DI 36 - January 2016) I mulled over what ‘new’ and ‘radical’ meant - and whether the casual nature with which we often use these terms as descriptors actually undermines those that can be deemed as really radical - that really effortlessly question the core of things - not as outcomes of a selfproclaimed actioner, but rather as resultants of almost unconscious agents of ‘what-really-needs-to-bedone-in-response-to-the-time-and-place.’ To give a glimpse of the argument I was making - the obsession with Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye or Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House (stemming out of the mainstream Modernist discourse) that every student of architecture must have come across in school as a ‘radical’

110

PEDAGOGY

example, and the widespread ignorance of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea and say, Oscar Niemeyer’s Canoas House (two masterpieces born out of what Colin St John Wilson termed as ‘The Other Tradition’ - sidelined and obscured by mainstream Modernist doctrine) - that contemporary historians today mark out as being truly ahead of their time. In 2005, I wrote an essay on design studio pedagogy (Architecture: Time, Space and People, December 2005) that documented the explorations I had engaged with as a young teacher along with a couple of inspirational colleagues. My tone there sounded urgent and perhaps agitated, and now, almost thirteen years later, while I can see a lot of hope in the fact that the landscape of architectural education is changing drastically, there is still the ardent need to enquire into the manner in which architects are being ‘prepared’ for their life outside of school, if I put it very broadly, as I would refrain from using ‘the profession’ here for now.

ACADEMICIAN OR PRACTITIONER? BINARIES OF CONVENIENCE AND THE ARDENT NEED FOR THE GREYSCALE In this respect, it seems serendipitous to join forces with this journal to embark upon an exploratory journey into schools of architecture that have been set up very recently - say in the 2010s - and to probe and make observations thereof, if not scrutinise, what stand these schools take or what their evolving stand is on a number of issues or concerns. Recently, discussions have cantered on towards whether we have too many schools of architecture - and whether the sudden bloat in the number of undergraduate architecture schools is actually detrimental to the quality of education within these schools. At the same time, a rush for doctorate degrees to satisfy Council of Architecture norms results in a lopsided view towards education that in many ways can be traced back to the nature of Western academia - where the Cartesian mind-body disconnect or the domains of thought and action - are deemed to be independent of themselves. This is not helped by the fact that to fulfil the current Council norms, more prospective teachers than ever have Master’s degrees - many obtained from schools abroad - in deference to the previous situation where many schools were dominated by practitioners - as the Council norms then sought equivalence between education and years of practice. It would be interesting to see what balance these schools strike out in terms of the academiapractice balance within their teaching faculty, and whether these schools have space for the autodidactic the self-learnt - or those that are not ‘ratified’ on paper - but are by practice and ‘doing’.

This leads one to the nature of the institution (in terms of their founding most importantly) - who are the individuals that have initiated these schools, what have been their impulses and what is the relationship they share with academia, with pedagogy, with practice and the pedagogy of practice, and with the profession? This is all the more essential if we are to evolve an architectural culture that is unique to our own - and not mere facsimiles of systems or methods that have been in operation elsewhere. In a recent interview with Japanese architect Hitoshi Abe - who served as Chair of the Department of Architecture and Urban Design at UCLA for almost a decade - he lamented how Japanese universities were going the way of their American counterparts – with a steady loss in openness and flexibility in terms of coursework and the manner in which the schools engaged with practice or the ‘space of doing’ - qualities that have been integral to Japan’s extraordinary architectural inventiveness over the past decades and the sheer prodigiousness as seen in the works of even younger architects - in their negotiation of the real. Is this staid formalization of pedagogy and stricture over accommodative and supple structure beginning to inform our

111

114

OB

JECT

115

Authored by Anusha Narayanan; Photographs of At-tin by Vikram Rana; Drawings and Images courtesy Aziz Kachwalla

SUPPOSE I HAVE A WAREHOUSE...

Objects by Aziz Kachwalla, Designer and Maker, Mumbai 116

OBJECT

Below: Aziz Kachwalla, at At-tin, the garage converted into a workshop-cum-studio in Mazgaon from where Aziz runs his design practice: The Orange Company

With over twenty years of experience in the product, industrial and interior design space, Aziz Kachwalla runs a practice around experimentation with materials and forms overlaid with fine craftsmanship. He is also a frequent collaborator for other architects, designers and artists of renown.

A

creative collaboration, a true coming together of equals,

Aziz Kachwalla has spent over twenty years in product, industrial

calls for a certain temperament and the dissolution of

and interior design industry. The space/studio he works out of now,

a designer’s ego. Aziz Kachwalla is a designer regarded by

is a double-heighted, gritty, imperfect yet honest warehouse-turned-

several contemporaries as their go-to collaborator on matters of

workshop tucked away in one of the lanes of Mazgaon, Mumbai.

materiality, fabrication and prototyping. Aziz’s understanding of

It has nothing to hide, no lies or pretense, similar to the nature of

materials and craftsmanship came up matter-of-factly in a few of

the designs it is home to. Resembling a theatre backstage, pieces

our conversations with young and old designers, and so began

are strewn about the space but upon observation, the emphasis on

our investigation.

understanding each material is hard to miss.

117

SPONTANEOUS SPACES IN THE URBAN REALM Reimagining Public Sanitation Infrastructure

by RC Architects, Mumbai 128

Images: ©RC Architects; Hemant Patil, Rohan Chavan

OBJECT

The state of public space, public buildings, and public infrastructure are real and important indicators of the role of design in the civic realm. In an attempt to re-imagine the design and therefore, the identity and image of public toilets, Rohan Chavan explores an innate spontaneity of small infrastructure in the urban domains.

Facing Page: The Light Box restroom is designed around a tree in Thane Right (Satellite Image): The rectangle marks the location of the The Light Box restroom in the urban context of Thane, Maharashtra: an insert in the space Right: A sketch explaining the contextual idea of a space for the restroom Below: The Light Box restroom transforms into a secure place at night owing to the light it radiates through its perforated screens

129

Previous Page: Pause is not just a public toilet - it is a complex of facilities - clustered around multiple access points for separate user groups of long-distance travelers, and truck-drivers in particular Below: Located between two different toilet sections, is the Suvidha Kendra that has banking facilities, and amenities for drivers including a tuck shop, a hair cutting salon, an Indian-style toilet, a pantry and a designated space for washing and drying clothes

Situated in the urban peripheries of Mumbai, Rohan explores a unique restroom idea for truck drivers along the Mumbai-Goa highway.

‘Pause’ is a complex of public facilities with restrooms in a brightlycoloured complex. The building has multiple access points where each entry defines a separate facility. An independent women’s toilet is equipped with four toilet cubicles, a nursing station, sanitary-pad vending machine, and wash basins. The individual toilet blocks have a distinct architectural section where the wall along the common wash and urinals opens into a court for natural light and ventilation.

Additionally, the complex houses a tuck shop, a barber’s salon, a resting space, Indian-style toilets with an additional space for laundry, a pantry, and ATM facilities. Driving unusually long hours without a halt, the facility aspires to provide truck drivers with an adequate environment to ‘pause’ before resuming the journey.

140

OBJECT

SIDE ELEVATION: Toilets for Men

B

24 11

24

19

24

11

11

20 1. Entry to Men’s Restroom 2. Attendant 3. Entry to Women’s Restroom 4. Ramp 5. Handicapped Toilet 6. Women’s Restroom 7. Nursing Station 8. Men’s Restroom 9. Urinals 10. Washbasin 11. Landscape Area 12. Earth pit 13, Indian WC 14. European WC 15. Entry to ATM 16. ATM 17. Tuck shop 18. Entry to Driver’s Restroom 19. Grooming Centre 20. Semi-covered pavilion for drivers 21. Washing machine 22. Washing / bathing 23. Drying / Changing 24. Seating 25. Driver’s Restroom

18 13

13

21

17

22

22

22

23 25

15

16 13

14

14

14

14

14

14

14 12

24

5 9

4

6

7

3

12

10 2

24

8 12

11

12

1

10

B GROUND FLOOR PLAN

1. Washbasin 2. Entry to Men’s Restroom 3. Earth pit 4. Urinals 5. European WC 6. Washing / Bathing 7. Semi-covered pavilion for Drivers 8. Landscaped Area

5

4

3 1

8

7

6 2

Finished floor level + 0.15

Ground level + 0.00

SECTION BB

141

CONSTRUCTED PERIPHERIES When is Space?, an exhibition curated by Rupali Gupte and Prasad Shetty at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur Images: ŠWhen is Space?; courtesy Kunal Bhatia, Anuj Daga, Sachin Powle, Saurabh Suryan, Lokesh Dang

Amidst the historic environs of the Jawahar Kala Kendra, When is Space? - an exhibition (21st January - 31st March) on concerns of contemporary architecture in India attempts to chart new intellectual trajectories in the pursuit of ideas that enable making of space.

144

OBJECT

J

aipur, the 18th century Indian city, is a verbalisation of a unique

mathematical logic is employed to reinvent form and space. The

urban form and astronomical skills. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh

formulation of the second idea: ‘Typologies of Life and the Living’,

planned the city with an emphasis on concepts of the Navagraha - a

studies the built-form typologies to re-articulate new ways of practice

scripture on traditional planning guidelines based on the model of

in order to explore ideas that emerge in the process. The third

the cosmos. Responding to the city as a metaphor, Charles Correa

proposition titled ‘Forms of the Collective’ deciphers urban fabric

designed the Jawahar Kala Kendra [JKK] as an amalgamation of

layered over time to investigate if derivative forms can accommodate

the act of looking at the past and simultaneously, the future. Since

rationales for the new.

the opening in 1993, JKK has been established as one of the most significant works of architecture in India. Consciously referencing

“To invent a new future and to rediscover the past is one gesture” - a

history adds to the copiousness of the works made as a part of

text at the entrance of the exhibition is a subtle reminder that the

When is Space? within the expanse of the JKK.

displayed work consists of juxtaposed historical readings of Jaipur - including ideas of Charles Correa. The exhibition references a

Curated by Mumbai-based architects Rupali Gupte and Prasad

social memory in its attempt to bring together the fraternity to explore

Shetty of BARD Studio, When is Space? was a response to the

interventions in today’s cities by mapping them, introspecting on

provocations articulated by drawing parallels between visions of

current urban situations, and working on newer ways to engage with

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh and ideas of Charles Correa along

them. In this manner, When is Space? finds a significant professional

with concerns of contemporary architecture and design practices

and citizen audience. It also lends itself as a platform to activate the

in India. As a part of the curatorial framework, Rupali and Prasad

JKK through constructed peripheries, thereby attempting to translate

articulate three core ideas. The first idea explores the pursuit of

the provocations of curators by restructuring and re-conceptualising

‘The Mathematics of the Universe’ interrogating the way in which

simple everyday constructs.

Facing Page: ‘Squaring the circle’ by sP+a experiments with a parametric approach to utilise fabric creating new forms within the context of the JKK Right: ‘Nishastagah’ - Reading

by Shamsher Ali during the curatorial walk

145

INDIANNESS

With Jay Thakkar (Director, DICRC, CEPT University), Shimul Javeri Kadri (Principal Architect, SJK Architects), and Tony Joseph (Principal Architect, Stapati) What does it mean to work in India? This conversation touches upon the unique aspects of working as a designer in and from India outlining the struggles of practice and the rewards offered by our special physical, socio-economic and cultural landscape.

[IN]SIDE

In an eclectic contemporary design landscape, how does one identify with the idea of being ‘Indian’ or working in India?

JAY THAKKAR

The beauty of the design scenario in India is that it is highly layered in terms of the multiplicity of approaches and design positions. The practice of architecture and design in India has various avenues in the current times. One of the features unique to our context is that architecture and design cannot be perceived as an isolated and independent field of practice. It is part of a larger social, cultural, economic and political ecosystem in which, each of these aspects is interdependent on one another. One of the emerging areas within the design realm in India is a conscious amalgamation of the Craft + Design + Research + Technology - both in practice and in academics. The aim of our educational and research practice has been to identify a contemporary direction to these interdependent aspects that can help us situate design within a holistic societal framework. At both the levels, we ensure that the manifoldness of the design as well as craft practices are bringing a new wave of change - not only in their outputs but also in the processes and thinking.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

It is a very relevant question that pertains to every country. What holds a region like India together despite the diversity within? It is akin to working in a continent like Europe or Africa and believing in the innate oneness of that geography. Every few kilometres the soil, the climate and the cultural history changes, and so does our architectural expression. And yet, as a post-colonial product, brought up on the story of the freedom struggle, the concept of India is a very powerful one for me emotionally - and I certainly identify with patriotism and the shared history of ‘Indianness’. The history of Indian architecture is strongly ingrained within me, and I am aware that I subconsciously search for cues and answers in this reservoir of past knowledge.

TONY JOSEPH

I think the very idea of ‘India’ and being ‘Indian’ is changing rapidly in today’s globalised world. There is a lot of cosmopolitan thinking, as the levels of exposure are increasing and economic buying power and aspirations are growing, but even in this situation we see a blend – on one hand there is conformity to tradition and on the other, there is also a total disregard to context, with designs showing the so-called international influences. It is thus important that we reconcile these questions of identity which are always seemingly in flux, and that as architects, our responses remain appropriate and balanced for a sense of

156

POLEMICS

place and time.

In our practice, Stapati’s design philosophy is very simple – ‘Be Sincere’ – to the client, to the environment, to the end user and to the larger context. We believe this would naturally set the template for a uniquely Indian way of design and aesthetic. It is also important that any design is rooted in its context, reacting sensitively to the ever-evolving concerns of our built environment and the newer challenges that come up.

[IN]SIDE

How does the unique and rich landscape of India influence your work? Is there a specific method or a process through which you engage with India’s resources?

JAY THAKKAR

India has a plethora of craft, heritage and cultural resources that become our base of working to bring innovation in craft-design practice through research, documentation, education, training and workshops.

One of the key aspects of our working pedagogy is co-creative collaboration. All of our research and consultant projects have been collaborative in nature across the globe. The co-creative process of working together - whether it is with another organisation, industry, or individuals (academicians, researchers, professionals, artists, technologist or craftspeople) - brings diversity not only in terms of skills and knowledge, but also in the new areas of craft-design thinking. There is a saying that culture and heritage in India change with every 100 kilometres. We work with different craft clusters across India, which by default presents us with contextual challenges and the response to it is a diversity of complex approaches. Working with communities and built environments across these changing landscapes has taught us to employ subjective research and practice methods in all our projects.

SHIMUL JAVERI KADRI

We have been fortunate to have worked across the country in cities and their margins. Our work is very contextual and perhaps this is what brings clients from diverse landscapes to us. We begin with a visit that entails an exploration of the ‘iconic’ architecture surviving in the area. The temples, forts and palaces of the area along with the regular homes and markets give us many cues – to the typology of building craft and skills available, to the materials possible to use, to the little details that have been historically designed to keep the sun and the wind in harmony with the building. The depth and size of windows, heights of plinths, the overhangs in an area - all give us clues on how the local architecture has adapted to its climate.

We then study climatic data – and we find it incredible that the best data still comes from NASA sites – even for little towns in India. The joy of working in today’s context is that information is available, we can use this to design sensibly, and actually test our design for validity through computerised simulations.

TONY JOSEPH

Stapati’s architecture emerges from a sensitive understanding of the context; one where the evolution of design is firmly rooted in the region’s traditional narratives, while interpreting the elements in a modern language. Our work is intimately tied to the regional context and the site, from which it evolves. The site thus becomes one of the primary generators, guiding the design process. We consider the intricacies, uniqueness and potential of each site, responding to the landscape of that location. Thus, climate,

157

164

SUR

RFACE

165

SUBLIME CERAMICS

Applications of Glazed Surfaces: an editorial by Swagata S Naidu In architecture, application of glazed ceramics is often a process where the decision maker is uninformed about the material or the vast possibilities of applications it can have in built spaces. In fact, the use of glazed ceramic products is unfortunately, a choice made towards the end of the project where the only application left to explore is wall or floor tiles. Swagata S Naidu, Faculty - Ceramic and Glass Design, NID endeavours to introduce glazed ceramics through the diversity of its applications by professional artists Mamta Gautam, Kavita Ganguly, and Ruby Jhunjhunwala.

166

SURFACE

“Eventually everything connects. Learn to see it.” - Leonardo Da Vinci

T

angible expression of an idea of a built structure is through a well-

sectors, design studios and changing the landscape of studio pottery in

planned combination of many materials. Conscious application of

this country and outside.

these materials to create spaces with meaning and personality have led to iconic buildings and birth of a variety of styles in architecture

The discipline strives to understand, appreciate and apply these two

across the world. Frank Lloyd Wright’s prolific use of concrete brick

materials (ceramics and glass) based on their inherent properties,

and stained glass across his building designs, Laurie Baker’s brick

to larger domains of architecture, product design, accessory design,

and vernacular material application for climate-appropriate housing

interior design, crafts practices, and other uncommon domains as well.

gave new languages and iconic building styles. Ceramics and

Contextual understanding of spaces, activities, needs of the time and

glass is the most abundantly used material in built structures. These

lifestyle are woven into concepts which lead to a product, a process

materials provide shell, air, sound, light and water-proofing, space

improvement or a system.

division, transparency, structural shape and strength etc. The humble architectural ceramic is ubiquitous and multifarious yet unpretentious

As succinctly stated by Peter Lane in Ceramic forms: Design and

and blends with other materials seamlessly unless used specifically to

Decoration, “Clay has no form of its own, but its polymorphous nature

stand out.

presents the maker with a very wide choice of working methods to create a wide variety of forms.” Once fired, clay attains high

Architecture celebrates the amalgamation of many allied fields like

compressive strength, and becomes impervious to liquids, and inert. A

structural engineering, interior design, materials science, climatology

thin layer of glass called the ceramic glaze further improves the quality

etc, which result in a liveable space of a long life. However, as stated

of ceramics. Glazing can be used to colour and create surface texture.

by Victoria Bellard in her book, Materials for Architectural Design, “The architectural design process typically separates the required

The concepts of sustainability, optimal consumption of fuel and

material & methods from the space & structure design, creating the

material, eco-friendly practices and ease of use are regularly explored

impression that the two have little or nothing to do with each other.”

through design projects. Considering the current lifestyle, products

Materials are often chosen at the end of the design process limiting

which complement and support new needs have been explored by

the ways and places where they can be used most effectively to lend

students. One such product is the contemporary planter in partly glazed

spaces a character and meaning. The need exists to reintegrate these

terracotta that is suitable to be used for vertical gardening in apartment

components. Materials have been used to express sentiments for

balconies. It addresses the rapidly growing issue of unavailability of

millennia. The emphasis on inclusion of materials in the process of

space to grow plants as the populace drifts to space-cramped cities and

design as a feature needs to be emphasised at the educational stage

vertical housing systems. Siddharth Sakariya, an architect pursuing his

itself. While architectural education discusses many aspects of design,

Masters in Ceramic and Glass Design, explored this idea of marrying

it inadvertently creates a hierarchy where the role of material gets

the contemporary form and visual language with the issue of stacking

pushed to the lower levels of priority.

the planters on wall while keeping it waterproof using the innate property of porosity of terracotta.

One of the earliest establishments to introduce professional design education in the field of Ceramic and Glass Design in India was the

Many students over the years have worked in ceramic and glass waste

National Institute of Design [NID], Ahmedabad. Established in 1961,

up-cycling owing to their concern for the environment. Ceramics do not

NID has been a centre for design education, practice and research

weather by normal environmental factors for hundreds of years. While

since then. The Ceramic and Glass Design discipline which is

glass can be recycled as many times as possible, ceramics cannot be.

celebrating fifty years of its conception this year has been the pioneer

Therefore, fired products with defects or those which have gone past

in creating professionals who have been working with industries, craft

their use need to be up-cycled to continue using them pertinently.

167

176

VALU IDEN

Images: ©PRISM JOHNSON LIMITED (Formerly - ‘PRISM CEMENT LTD.’) H & R Johnson (India) Division

UES& TITY

177

“I think leadership at its core is about performing social, educational as well as national responsibilities to our best potential.�

178

VALUES & IDENTITY

Mr Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prism Johnson Limited; on Brands, Innovations and Initiatives As H & R Johnson (India) completes 60 years of an eventful and ambitious journey, Mr Vijay Aggarwal reflects on the philosophical foundations and eclectic oeuvre of the brand in a rapidly changing industry. As the Managing Director of a pioneering company, he speaks about the many milestones, successive brand developments and the core values that manifest in a resilient and enterprising organisation.

[IN]SIDE: [IN] VIJAY AGGARWAL: VA

Could you tell us about your association with the brand?

H & R Johnson has been a pioneer in ceramic tiles world over. It is a name synonymous with the tile industry. Johnson started in the UK in 1901, more than a hundred years ago and it still has a very strong market presence. It was originally set up by entrepreneurs in the UK. Their ambitiousness led to setting up of a giant company in the early 1990s despite difficulty of transportation, communication and other basic infrastructure. Some of the early Johnson Plants were being set up in the USA, South Africa, and Australia. Established in 1958, H & R Johnson (India) recently celebrated its 60th year, marking a Diamond Jubilee. My association with Johnson is almost 25 years old, ever since the Rajan Raheja Group acquired shareholding in 1993. This is how I began my journey in Johnson India.

[IN] VA

How have you witnessed the growth of the company?

Looking back, I recall a time when we had three plants and made 90 Crores (about 900 million INR) in sales annually. We manufactured about four million square meters in a year. If one were to look at the different parameters along this journey, today we have grown more than ten times in terms of production and almost twenty times in value. Statistics apart, I think the most important aspect is that we have nurtured our core values and developed a concrete team over the years. Somewhere in mid-90s we realized that the company must have a vision statement that defines our aim as an organization and that was when we drafted ‘Improving lifestyles of our customers by providing innovative products and services.’ Each word of this statement is very important to us. Attempting to improve the lifestyle of our customers, we offer products across segments including residential, commercial and industrial sectors. As a part of our few core values, the two most important ones are: Innovation - in our products and business model; and a Shared Passion for Excellence. We are indeed happy and proud to have built a team of people who are very passionate about

Previous Spread: Drum Printing at the Pen Manufacturing Plant Facing Page: Mr Vijay Aggarwal, Mumbai, 2018

what we do as a company. This is not to imply that in the past 25 or 60 years we have only seen success.

There have also been difficult times when we have faced grave challenges. But because of our strong core values, hard work and passion we have only grown stronger together.

179

“In our interactions with interior designers and architects, the single most pertinent question we seek to receive a feedback on, is about their unmet needs, any unsolved problems, difficulties that they face, or the need for innovation in any particular aspect. A lot of our experiments are inspired by unresolved questions.�

186

[IN]

Over the years, Johnson has built a formidable interface with architects and designers. What do you seek as feedback from them and what is the learning?

VA

In our interactions with interior designers and architects, the single most pertinent question we seek to receive a feedback on, is about their unmet needs and unsolved problems: difficulties that they face or the need for innovation in any particular aspect. A lot of our experiments are inspired by unresolved questions. In terms of learnings, I think what we have realised is that there exist three clear requisites which professionals primarily look for - health, safety and environment. Our portfolio has attempted and has been relatively successful in addressing these three aspects.

The other concern as a growing organisation in a country as large as India is: how do we institutionalise our research? We have a team of 70 people whom we call the Corporate Business Development Executives, and their job is to meet with architects to gather and understand their needs in terms of a survey, feedback, etc. Apart from this, we have tied up in the past and with some prestigious institutions

Facing Page Above and Top: H & R Johnson’s Display Centres across India catalogue a vast portfolio of products ranging from sanitaryware to faucets apart from the exhaustive range of tiles Facing Page Below (Three Photographs): The H & R Johnson team representation at the IIID Design Yatra: an attempt to institutionalise efforts in outreach through nationwide participation and patronage

like Sir J J School of Art, and Rachana Sansad Academy to launch a Tile Learning Centre where institutions could bring their faculty and students to interact and exchange knowledge. Recently, we collaborated with the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) for an event called ‘Design Yatra’ in which we travelled through the country over a year spreading awareness on design. As a company we have also drafted an advisory board titled ‘Johnson Innovation Advisory Board’ where we have select channel partners who understand architecture and interior design to guide us. We meet periodically to discuss work done every quarter, brainstorm on possible innovations, and try to address unmet needs. These are the few ways in

187

“Nearly 15 years ago, we felt the need to bridge the gap that exists between industry and institutions despite the presence of good faculty, professionals and students in the country. We set up a small Research and Development Centre, employed a few scientists and PHD graduates, and provided them with facilities, equipment, laboratories etc.�

190

Punching Process inside the Pen Manufacturing Facility

191

198

VALUES & IDENTITY | H & R JOHNSON (INDIA) Facing Page: Combination of 30x30x1.5 cm Tactile Liner and Button with Yellow Plus Endura ‘Tactiles’ from H & R Johnson for metro station platforms Right: State-of-the-art virtualreality set-up installed at H & R Johnson’s Thane Display Centre

[IN] VA

What does leadership mean to you as patrons to the fraternity?

I think leadership comes with a lot of responsibility and I would say that it is not just about achieving success like most corporates do. I strongly believe that a true leadership is about building a lasting, strong, and passionate team of hard-working people who share the same values and believe in a united vision of excellence, and innovation. In future, we would like to work with reputed design institutes, imbibe technology to our advantage, make business easier for our channel partners, address unmet concerns of the professionals through efficient market research, and taking care of all our stakeholders.

I think leadership at its core is about performing social, educational as well as national responsibilities to our best potential

MR VIJAY AGGARWAL holds a Bachelor’s degree in Technology (Electrical) from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and a PGDM from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). He is presently the Managing Director of Prism Johnson Limited (Formerly Prism Cement Limited). Mr Aggarwal joined Rajan Raheja Group in 1993 and has been involved in the Group’s Acquisitions, Joint Ventures as well as day-to-day general management of various companies within the Group. He is also inducted on the Board of Directors of various companies in India in the field of building materials, batteries, cable TV, and education. He has served as the Chairman of Indian Council of Ceramic Tiles and Sanitaryware (ICCTAS); as the Vice-Chairman of Ceramics and Allied Products (including Refractories) Panel at Capexil; and as a Member of the Managing Committee of Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

199