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PORBANDAR Wrapped in hand-hewn limestone, evolved and expanded over decades, and given poetic shape by AD100 architect Channa Daswatte, Jay Mehta’ s family home in Porbandar, Gujarat, houses some of his most eclectic art collection. It is both a reflection of and an homage to the local landscape. COURTYARDS: THE HEART OF MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOUSES IN INDIA Courtyards are a fundamental entity of Indian architecture, evolving from the need for access to sunlight and ventilation indoors. The feature soon took on a social character as the heart of the home where activities would range from morning chores to evening relaxation. BIOPHILIC INTERIORS: 21 PROJECTS THAT BLEND ARCHITECTURE WITH NATURE Biophilic design promotes wellbeing by incorporating elements that establish a coherent relationship between nature, human biology, and the building physically, visually, and emotionally. EMBRACING THE CURVES Interior design has progressively become a subject of interest among architects and designers. Having spent more time indoors recently, practitioners have been experimenting with their spaces and exploring different approaches to scale, comfort, 06 12 14 18
Welcome to the latest issue of Architecture magazine! In this edition, we explore the latest trends, technologies, and innovations in the world of architecture. Our lead feature delves into the concept of sustainability and how it is increasingly becoming a key factor in modern architectural design. We speak to experts in the field who share their insights into the importance of sustainable practices and how they are being integrated into building design. We also take a closer look at the use of 3D printing in architecture and how this technology is revolutionizing the industry. From complex building components to entire structures, 3D printing is offering architects new and exciting ways to push the boundaries of what is possible. Additionally, we explore the topic of adaptive reuse and the challenges and opportunities it presents for architects. From repurposing old buildings for new uses to revitalizing entire neighborhoods, adaptive reuse is a growing trend that is changing the face of many cities around the world. As always, we feature some of the most inspiring and innovative architectural projects from around the globe, showcasing the creativity and ingenuity of the world’s top architects. We hope you enjoy this issue and find it both informative and thought-provoking. As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for future topics and features. The Future of Smart Homes: We look at the latest advances in smart home technology and how they are changing the way we interact with our living spaces. From voice-activated assistants to automated energy management systems, we explore the many ways in which technology is transforming the home of the future. The Importance of Public Space: With urban populations on the rise, public space has become an increasingly important aspect of urban design. We speak to architects and urban planners about the challenges and opportunities of creating vibrant, inclusive public spaces that serve the needs of diverse communities. The Intersection of Art and Architecture: We explore the ways in which art and architecture intersect, from the design of museum spaces to the use of public art installations in urban design. We also look at the ways in which artists are using architecture as a medium for their work, blurring the boundaries between the two disciplines. I hope you enjoy this Architecture & Design - Chetna Anjara EDITOR’S NOTE 4 February 2023 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN “Architecture is the thoughtful making of sapce. It is an exploration, a discovery of a new world, not just of form, but of spirit.”
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POR BAN WRAPPED IN HAND - HEWN LIMESTONE BRICKS, EVOLVED AND EXPANDED OVER DECADES, AND FINALLY DAR GIVEN POETIC SHAPE BY CHANNA DASWATTE, JAY MEHTA’S FAMILY HOME IN PORBANDAR, GUJARAT, HOUSES SOME OF HIS MOST ECLECTIC ART COLLECTION. 6 February 2023 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
This has always been a house in evolution.... But I was unhappy with it till I invited Channa Daswatte to look at it. What you see today is the house that he designed.” _Jay Mehta ABOVE AN ANTIQUE FOUR POSTER GALCUTTA BED FRAMES, TWO BUODHADEV MUKHERJEE PAINTINGS ON THE WALL TOP. AN ANTIQUE DUTCH BURGHER COLONIAL SATINWOOD AND MAHOGANY CABINET IS USED FOR STORING GLASSWARE ANTIQUE LAMPS AND A PEACEFUL GRANITE NANDI OFFSET THE HONEYED HUES OF THE WOOD, RIGHT THE SERENE BLUE GUEST ROOM FEATURES A CALCUTTA FOUR-POSTER BED FROM MAHENDRA DOSHI ANTIQUES AND A SIDE TABLE DESIGNED BY DASWATTE FOR ONE OF HIS SRI LANKA HOTEL PROJECTS. AN EARLY-20TH-CENTURY AJANTA PAINTING, SCENES OF BUDDHA LIFE AT LUMBINI FOREST, FROM THE FAMILY COLLECTION AND A VINTAGE CARPET FROM THE CARPET CELLAR FACING PAGE. PHOTOS: ASHISH SAHI
PHOTO: ASHISH SAHI
C ages beautifully with the natural elements and takes on a mottled grey black patina,” he says, and it worked well because “this was a house that evolved, built on three levels... the present dining room was a room that belonged to Jay’s parents and the kitchen was located where the living room now is. There were tennis courts out in the front that no one used and the house ended in an octagonal room that was once his bedroom! So (with my design], there was no smashing through, only a transformation, by harmonizing spaces together that held memories. Today, the house is a refuge, the stillness inside only broken by the twitter of the innumerable birds from a sanctuary close by that frequent the gardens outside. The interiors are designed around Mehta’s eclectic art collection and Daswatte’s ability to organize disparate elements into neat lines. The main doorway leads into a long corridor that forms the axis of the house. Originally dark, now a small light- filled courtyard with plants greets visitors. Rescued and polished Burma teak pillars from a Chettinad home lit softly create drama, as do the geometric green and yellow Athangudi-inspired tiles on the floor designed by the famous Sri Lankan artist Laki Senanayeke, and recreated by Bharat Floorings. He explains that Senanayeke was “bored by the repetitive tiling patterns and worked his artistic genius by using different patterns and then rotating it so that the continuity of design would not break, and a flowing pattern. lose to the city of Porbandar, Gujarat, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, and in proximity to the ancient green hills of Barda lie the limestone mines of Ranavav. Art collector and entrepreneur Jay Mehta’s grandfather established cement factories here in 1956 and the family home, Hill Bungalow, stands on the highest point of an undulating landscape. When the house needed expansion, Mehta turned to eminent architect Channa Daswatte to redesign his home. Mehta has a deep interest in design, arc-hitecture, and a passion for art. Daswatte is an architect but also an intrepid cultural diplomat with projects that span across India, the Middle East, and Africa. Former collaborators in several other international projects, the two share a common shared sensibility of restraint, beauty, and utility. “This has always been a house in evolution. In the early Sos when I came to work and stay at Saurashtra Cement, it was a house with essentially two bedrooms. It expanded variously over the next decade and evolved with more rooms, but I was unhappy with it till I invited Channa to look at it. What you see today is the house that he designed,’ “ says Mehta. Daswatte reminisces, “When I first came to Porbandar and saw the stacked bricks of limestone that constitute the local architecture, that image stayed in my mind. I thought of Frank Lloyd Wright and wanted to pay homage to the local materials and the regional architecture.* After a visit to the nearby limestone quarries, he knew that he wanted to use this stone. patterns lead the eye upwards in wonder, even as one regularly hears the real call of peacocks in the gardens outside. The corridor transitions through an anti-que, intricately carved Chettinad wooden door. It extends past another limestone courtyard with a frangipani tree to the third level of the home that then opens to a light-filled family room. Lined with art, family photographs, and glass doors along the length of the room, it overlooks a swimming pool accessed through a wooden deck. It is Mehta’s favourite spot, where friends and guests gather to chat and eat outdoors in the cool, breezy evenings. A monumental abstract Tanya Goel painting inspires the colour palette of the formal sitting room, the right wing of the house, overlooking the pool on one side and the formal front gardens through large windows. “Almost every room in the house has two large windows, it is an obsession that Jay has with cross ventilation, “Daswatte adds. A gym facing the adjoining green parks and another two-bedroom small house were subsequently added and Lodon-based interior designer James Moore created soothing palettes of carpets and fabrics, carefully chosen art, and conversation spaces throughout the house. The rooms look out at beautiful gardens, imagined by Daswatte and laid by landscape specialist Ashish Teli. The garden flanking the driveway in front of the house has moss-filled moats on either side filled with lilies and water plants.
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Courtyards: The Heart of Multi-Generational Houses in India he joint-family system offered protection and identity in Indian society, allowing for deeper connections among generations. The tradition offers support in times of crisis and social interaction between diverse sets of people. An antidote to rising house prices, and the cost of child and elderly care, multigenerational living remains relevant to the modern Indian. The living pattern manifests in the built environment as clustered settlements, add-on floors and rooms, and the fabled courtyard. Residential architecture in India is a direct reflection of the ethnic practices and lifestyles led by its diverse citizens. T ARCHITECTS: ANKITHA GATTUPALLI, INDIAN ARCHITECTURE PHOTOS: VIVEK MUTHURAMALINGAM 12 February 2023 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
As a social space, the courtyard meets the needs of community-focused Indian society by offering a climatically comfortable place for people to gather. It is a flexible space that could be used for any activity. In the words of Indian architect B.V. Doshi, the Indian attitude of frugality is displayed in the built environment with versatile spaces such as the multi-use courtyard. They bring together the aspects that make up a home - protection from the climate, connection to culture and traditions, and the creation of communities. Urbanization in the built environment is tied to the changing family patterns in 21stcentury India. The number of nuclear family units is on a mild rise, especially in cities. Towering apartments and single-family homes have cropped up to meet this new demand, leaving behind social elements of vernacular architecture. Defined rooms such as offices, foyers, and balconies are replacing the versatile courtyard in modern residences. Spatial constraints, developers’ attitude to the “seemingly dead space”, and the changing activities in Indian households continue to threaten the classic courtyard. Local architects, however, are promoting the typology as a tool to cultivate interconnectivity in increasingly private homes. Contemporary architecture in India boasts a revival of traditional materials, techniques, and typologies. The courtyard as an architectural element is promoted not only as an element of nostalgia but as a magnetic space that unites people. Joint families require custom-designed homes to maintain strong familial bonds, rather than generic and repetitive apartments. These modern multi-generational homes explore new modes of domesticity. spaces airy and well-lit. I feel the whole idea of jorney of an architect alone is very, very difficult and different from what is used to be, say, a decade or two decades ago. Today, it’s about meeting of the minds, to be able to create something absolutely new and create new language through other people, their ideas and their geniuuses. “ -ANKITHA GATTUPALLI, Indian architect and writer engaged in the intersection between spaces, ecologies and communities. ” ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN February 2023 13
umans are hard-wired to respond positive ly to nature; the crackling sound of fire, the smell of fresh rain on soil, the healing characteristics of plants and the color green, being in proximity to animals, etc. That, along with today’s critical environmental conditions and rapid urbanization, shifted architects’ focus towards eco-conscious projects to bring people closer to nature. Architects explored numerous approaches: rammed earth structures, recycled materials and furnishing, designing around the site’s sun orientation... The practice was so driven by green architecture that the lines became blurred between what is truly sustainable and ecological H PHOTO: RASMUS HJORTSHOJ 14 February 2023 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Biophilic Interiors: Projects that Blend Architecture with Nature ARCHITECTS: DIMA STOUHI, INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN February 2023 15
Brands are reaching out to designers, architects and artists to enhance their equity. It is in a way capitalising on the power of all of us. And as for us, if the ethos fits and the ideologies match, it gives us the opportunity to create something new. “ -DIMA STOUHI, Interior Architecture By definition, biophilic design promotes wellbeing by incorporating elements that establish a coherent relationship between nature, human biology, and the building physically, visually, and emotionally. This includes using natural materials, incorporating greenery, an abundance of natural light, and making room for natural ventilation, to name a few. The successful application of biophilic design principals stimulates a wide spectrum of physical, mental and behavioral benefits. Physical benefits include improved fitness, lower blood pressure, and fewer illness symptoms. Mental benefits include motivation, productivity, creativity, and a decrease in stress and anxiety. Behavioral and cognitive changes include improved coping skills, enhanced attention span, and increase in social interaction. ” PHOTO: HIROYUKI OKI PHOTO: JAMES SILVERMAN 16 February 2023 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Many theorists organize biophilic design principles under three categories: nature in the space, nature of the space, and natural analogues, all of which determine a physical, visual, and emotional connection to the natural world. This framework, however, goes beyond materials, light, and ventilation, all of which are significant contributors to biophilic spaces. Effective biophilic design lets earth be the architecture itself, or at least a big part of it. And what seems to be often overlooked is that it is also locallyappropriate design, meaning that the architecture should not just blend with nature, it should blend with its nature - the specific surroundings of the project itself. In light of the environmental crises and heightened focus on wellbeing, architects resorted to environmentally-conscious architecture with the aim of triggering a shift in the current practice, beginning with what the projects are built with. For thousands of decades, Earth and its resources have been used to construct monumental structures that have withstood the test of time. But it was recent studies that proved how using such materials creates positive cognitive and physiological responses as well. And with that, architects went back to extracting materials from the local terrain through minimal processing, reflecting the local geology to establish authenticity and a sense of place, as well as promoting sustainability-driven architecture. PHOTO: TOM BLACHFORD PHOTO: RANDALL CONNAUGHTON ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN February 2023 17 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN February 2023 2
Embracing the Curves ARCHITECTS: DIMA STOUHI, INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE 18 February 2023 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
nterior design has progressively become subject of interest among architects and designers. Having spent more time indoor recently, practitioners have been experimenting with their spaces and exploring different approaches to scale, comfort, and aesthetics. Much like everything else, design is highly influenced by external factors; any change to people’s lifestyle influences how they respond to it, whether consciously or subconsciously. And while this dynamic is often seen in fashion or graphic design, it has been noticeable in interior design as well. Following years of linear, clean-cut, and refined spaces, curved silhouettes were revived, becoming one of the dominating interior design trends across the world. What may seem like a contemporary trend actually dates back centuries, when architects found inspiration in nature from the asymmetrical lines of flowers and animals. One of the most prominent examples is Art Nouveau, a movement characterized by the use of organic forms, asymmetric lines, aesthetics, and decorative elements, and the use of stained glass windows and mosaics inspired by Rococó and Baroque. Given that Art Nouveau emerged during a period marked by industrial development and the experimentation of new materials, architecture during that period favored originality and a return to craftsmanship. Architects explored the fluidity of spaces, patterns, and colors, resulting in “unusual” volumes that contrasted their structured surroundings. Similarly, the use of curvy silhouettes in interior spaces and furniture today is a lot more than just a fleeting design trend. As architects and designers became more aware of the importance of prioritizing users’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being, they began opting for features that promote calmness, optimism, and playfulness, opposing the chaos found outside. This was mainly achieved through biophilic design elements, which offered a sense of escapism. By bringing the outdoors in, whether it through greenery (hanging plants, green walls, large green installations, etc.), the use of natural fibers and local materials, or nature-inspired color palettes, the lines were blurred between man-made structures and the natural environment. Gradually, people began favoring organic-shaped elements over angular geometric forms, re-introducing free-flowing designs into interior spaces. I PHOTO: PURNESH DEV NIKHANJ ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN February 2023 19
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