Shaping India’s architectural landscape for tomorrow

Post independence, architecture of India also mirrors the collective thinking, shaped by its economic policies, political thinking, worldview and socio-cultural traditions over the past six decades. It has had its own sways and meanders of direction. In six decades, post independence, architecture design attitudes have nearly polarised into about six strands of concerns or say, preoccupations as interpretations for architecture for shaping India's tomorrow.

1) Architecture reinterpreting the past and Indian identity
One of the strands is to reinterpret India's past and traditional architecture as Indian identity. The interpretations have varied from reintroduction of spatial elements such as columns, brackets, jaalis, zarokhas, chhajas and cupolas to the remake of spatial themes such as courts, terraces, pavilions and caves. Yet other variation is to interpret the intrinsic spatial order and imbibing the spirit rather than form or elements recast these principles of space organisation in newer aesthetics, building material and construction techniques. Sangath, Vidhanbhavan-Bhopal, Iskcon temple-Delhi, IGIDR are some of the examples.

2) Architecture as continuum of the vernacular
Reposing its faith in traditional wisdom, another emerging strand in contemporary Indian architecture is that of continuum of Vernacular, of course with due contemporanisation. Here the faith in local material, knowhow, skills and vernacular syntax is higher and yet, contemporary design grammar is overlaid and thus it emerges as contemporary resolution, but unique in itself as being very local to its milieu. Centre for Development Studies, Kalakshetra, Barefoot College, Nrityagram, Nari Gandhi's work, University of Jodhpur exemplify this strand.

3) Architecture as an artefact
The third strand, convinced of the visual impact of buildings, defines architecture as artefact. An object in its own merit, where its form and visual appeal remain fundamental preoccupation to the resolution of architectural syntax, Belgian embassy, Amdavadni Gufa, Matri Mandir-Auroville, Lotus Temple, British Council etc fall within this genre.

4) Architecture as sustainable built environment
As socialist response the fourth strand of contemporary Indian architecture puts reliance on appropriate technologies and sustainability issues. Architecture not remaining and object is seen as microcosm of the larger cosmos. CMC, Deepalaya, CII business centre, Torrent Research centre, Centre for Science and Environment, Environmental Sanitation Institute, represent the varied interpretation of sustainable designs.

5) ‘Smart’ architecture reposing faith in advanced technologies
Contrary to the reliance on low technology, the fifth approach puts its faith in present day technological advances and resultant architecture is an outcome of higher technologies. May they be the structural systems, environmental management systems, mass produced hi-tech devices and components or the mechanised and automated service infrastructure. Osho Commune Ashram, today's airport, corporate headquarters, Parliament library, Gateway tower, CNG station -Surat, KRL headquarters etc are a few representations of the same.

6) Architecture as universal idiom
Sixth strand could be defined as the architecture with universal vocabulary. As modern and international architecture occupies the chunk of India's recent history and also it being consciously or subconsciously remaining part of course curriculum, this strand follows the modern masters and remains within universal aesthetic grammar. Use of exposed brick and concrete, principles of austere/bare surfaces and designer centric space organisation haunts this strand. IIM-Bangalore, EDI, India Habitat centre, Institute of Forest Management, Prathama Blood Centre etc may be considered examples of this strand.

All the six strands need not be totally exclusive mutuall. All of the six mentioned above are in their own terms valid directions for shaping India's landscape as long as they maintain clarity of their concern and remaining professionally responsible to propel India into 21st century with its own unique brand identity and yet remaining part of the Global village.