Portfolio Vignesh Esakkinathan
Featuring spectacular writing clips.
Vol. 1 Issue 1 Chennai, India
CONTENTS 1 | GLASS-ARCHITECTURE The mournful state of Indian buildings with glass-washed facades
2 | ARCHITECTURE FROM THE EYES OF GOOGLE MAPS Buildings like you have never seen before
3 | VEIL/UNVEIL Buildings with bricks, an imaginary conversation with a non-existent architect
4 | MISCELLANEOUS A melange of thoughts
GLASSARCHITECTURE Glass has crept its way up to every building in the modern times, especially in developing nations- in this case, India. The construction industry criticizes improper westernization of building styles, disregarding for the original architectural styles and methods from the region. Adoption of an international style makes a statement, but how could an office in New Delhi be an exact glass curtain replica of the one unrelated structure in Moscow? The wave of glass-box buildings began with IT companies, beginning in the early 2000s, they displayed prowess and wealth. This phenomena trickled down to other buildings and built typologies which demanded attention and elegance. How could a hospital be compared to an office? Throw a glass façade. Now, a simple hospital transforms into it world class multispecialty hospital, an achieved illusion of supremacy which has tricked consumers for the past few years. Glass washing has created an identity crisis along with an environmental one. The obstacle that stands in the way is a persistent client who wants a glass wall. Professionals who are aware of the issue lose the battle against their clients. The perceived hierarchy of a building with glass walls should be broken, the only way out. Walls should be creative, different, containing a unique voice which differentiates with one another rather than screaming glass boxes in the urban islands of concrete.
Stock images for reference only.
Don’t build a glass house if you’re worried about saving money on heating. Ar. Philip Johnson 1 | PORTFOLIO+
PERSPECTIVE
ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE EYES OF GOOGLE MAPS If you have wandered about on google maps, you might have come across the absurdly buildings, which are endless rectangles on a large scrollable screen. Apart from the natural beauty, the weird crop signs, the Oprah Winfrey maze and other landscape designs, the software has a potential to make or break the beauty of the building from its roof. Since none of us would rollover the vast expanse of forests (unless you are the modern Indiana jones searching a temple), cities constitute the major user demographic of the service. Of course, I am going to be shameless and confess that my first google map search was my home. Other than the customary search for our abodes, google maps could give a “groundbreaking” outlook to our design process. Roofs are generally less maintained, least aesthetic spaces that one could not care less for. Colors and elements on the roof can make a building stand out in the sea of eyesore. Generally, the terrace is just a closed head room, a plain grey surface mostly rendered useless. Needless to say all the trash and maintenance equipment can be thrown there, making it the tallest trash can of the city. But in the recent times, sky gardens, roof top pools and other features are added by the uber rich over the roofs not because of the boatload of cash and a lack of space on the actual ground.
The more important factor to consider is that spaces also look different from above, architects could potentially use it to make their building stand out. You might question me for this behavior, but have you ever seen a beautiful roof from an airplane? (the view undoubtedly is amazing). Can you name an architecturally memorable roof? Can the roof be good enough to convince a person to visit a structure? More effort could enhance the unused space. For example, MAD architects from china designed a kindergarten, ended up with a playful roof (pun intended). It serves as a run around space while not being an eyesore. It does make sense to argue that a design cannot focus on roof designs, especially in the age of skyscrapers. Yes, this is a dismissible opinion. Of course, a unique design is emphasized over a crowd of grey rectangles.
Roofs and buildings also serve other purposes, like marketing your company through built spaces! Infosys Mysore has a global recruitment center. Its hostel blocks have plans in the shape of…. well, check the top right image. Across the sea of factors which architects have to design for, this is just another detail. But god is in these tiny details.
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PERSPECTIVE
VEIL/ UNVEIL Bricks are perceived as solids, used in walls. Brick building have taken an upward trend recently. Text description provided by the imaginary architect- the brick is a versatile material, working both horizontally and vertically, let's one play it like a jenga block. You can close it tightly, or let the breeze in, by creating a void.
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Brick is a truly contextual material, can be made anywhere earth is present(pretty much on any terrain). Additionally, thermal mass and reduced hear gain advantages hotter climates. Adding heat gain comforts colder ones. Architecturally, a single material can be efficiently used in all structural and aesthetic systems- from walls to floors to pathways, it provides a distinct opportunity for the designer. The end product of any design is in the hands of the maker.
SPACES
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SPACES
TALKING WITH THE INNER SELF I have a friend I could always reach out to. He calls me out on my mistakes. People call him gut instinct. Some call him mind voice. It's a he because, my inner self is a male voice who guides me. He gives a pat in the back and if necessary, a slap to my brain. Bam and the next thing I know is I'm being directed to the "rightful path". Swami Vivekananda once said, "talk to yourself, or else you've been missing the chance to talk to the best person". Talking to inner self is not easy. You must not be distracted and focus your thoughts, the latter being even more difficult in this day and age where modern tech almost controls our thoughts. Perhaps you can refrain having any tech nearby. Perhaps you could lock yourself in a dark, black room of endless lack of visual experience. Perhaps, you could walk around the "black room"(that's what we're gonna call it now) and then talk to yourself. Your friend always replies, but only when you let him speak. You have to let the voice speak. He/she typically shows the right way somehow. And that's the way a sane person would take by all means. The way which would lead to salvation of leaving bad thoughts behind. That's the only way.
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CHANGE
Change is inevitable, a saying that is so prevalent and widespread. Changes can't be prevented. People, companies and even nature changes because of the minute clockwork of changes effecting over the whole cycle on this face of Earth. Thus, change cannot be ignored. The very thought of changing something for better is inspiring. But every man's singular effort is too small to change something is what the majority of people think. Let me explain with a person you may know. Elon Musk. He started Tesla because he wanted to change how people move around. He found SpaceX to create reusable rockets and change space exploration from ground up. He wanted a change. He's done it. His visions swung like a katana over a block of wood. Singular man's dreams can effect a crowd for the better. Do you still think your government, the company you work for or people with great wealth need to change how the world works? Why not you? A Tamil proverb states a collection small droplets form large ocean. You may do something futile, but in the larger picture it is useful and meaningful. Even a very bad wage accounts to a country's GDP. It may be small, but it is not nothing Break ground. Influence. Try and Fail. A tree which doesn't sway with the wind is the first to fall. Don't be it. CHANGE.
MISCELLANEOUS
Portfolio
Vignesh Esakkinathan Contact: vigneshesakkinathan@gmail.com +91 73580 11270