“ There is the paradox: How to become modern and to return to sources; how to revive an old dormant civilization and take part in universal civilization.”
Paul Ricoeur, History of Truth
Indigenous Modernism (for India)
The technical development of the past age was primarily limited to stone construction. The entire evolution of the architecture of the past was the result of constructional limitations. The scientific development and the use of cement, steel, and other new materials, our ideas about the visual arts, space, and time have opened up new possibilities of expression unknown to past ages.
With the coming of the British and the consequent impact of the technological development of the West, the socio-economic structure of old India underwent a great revolutionary change. It had a most dynamic effect on the cultural life of our country. The Indian master builders, architects, and craftsmen lost all opportunity and patronage to practice their art. New kinds of buildings were required for which the British rulers commissioned their engineers to prepare designs. Thus during this period completely new and foreign styles were planted in this country. Broadly speaking, they were the colonial examples which were in turn poor copies of Greek, Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance styles. Some of the architects brought about even a forced kind of synthesis of Hindu, Muslim, and classical styles. This was no spontaneous effort and naturally did not succeed. For about two hundred years India did not take part in the process of architectural evolution as a result the art of architecture was completely lost to Indians.
Spending time in the cities of India Delhi, Chandigarh, Agra, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, we realize There is an abundance of traditional architecture in India that probably reached its pinnacle in the Mogul period with buildings such as the Amber Fort and the Taj Mahal. The British expanded Delhi to create the new Capital in the 1930s with a geometric and rather suburban masterplan developed by Lutyens. After the partition in 1947 India embraced international modernism with Le Corbusier at Chandigarh and Kahn at Ahmedabad.
Works of Le Corbusier and Louis Khan giving light to indigenous building practices
Le Corbusier and Kahn both responded to the context, understanding issues such as shading, passive ventilation, appropriate use of materials, and landscape, it is perhaps the generation that followed them, and indeed often worked with them, that has finessed a modern regional architectural language. it passed on to b.v Doshi with his architectural language.
In current times we have started to see architecture as the product of a region. We have now developed the idea of using the environment and the constrained conditions of the climate, geography, and culture to our best use. There has been a process to bridge the gap between the so-called traditional and modern architecture. Modernization of traditional principles of architecture and regionalism has been an inherent part of the approach of many modern architects. The understanding of the need for the adaptation of regional culture, climate, people, and economy into spaces while still making the space functional is a testament to the way we approach Indian architecture. It is an attempt to analyze the traditional systems of architecture prevalent in rural India, their adaptability to urban architecture today, and the benefits that come along with it in terms of sustainability, socio-cultural change, and ecological factors. Traditional principles of design set the foundation for modern architecture to stand.
Space Making and Philosophy of Indian Spaces
Throughout human history, the sky has carried profound and sacred meaning. Man, intuitively perceived it as the abode of the Supernatural. Hence to climb a path to the top of the hill, where The Gods dwell, is a paradigm of such mythic power that it has been central to the beliefs of almost every society, since the beginning of time.
At each moment a subtle change of light and ambient air generates feelings within us – feeling which is central to our beginning. True enlightenment cannot be achieved within the closed box of a room – one needs must be outdoors under the open sky.
These open-to-sky spaces have very practical implications as well. To the poor cramped dwellings, the roof terrace and the courtyard represent an additional room, used in many different ways during the day: for cooking talking to friends sleeping at night, and so forth. Thus in an Indian dwelling system such open-to-sky spaces are an essential element in the lives of the people. Open-to-sky pace is also of vital importance in housing where it can make a decisive difference between livable habitat and claustrophobia – particularly so for the lowest income groups. Such open-to-sky spaces not only improve
But can also have considerable economic value in a developing economy like India, where families augment their income by keeping chickens, or goats (or even buffalo ! ). Usually, such activities are not encouraged in company-owned townships, but the Malabar Cements Corporation township (1978-)was an exception. All the families, including those on the first floor levels, connect directly to a small piece of land for their exclusive use.
The critical regionalism architecture of India in certain times has based its style on its region; it acts as a stable variable and helps in the social development of the region. This generation of architecture is based on a traditional culture whose function was based on and adapted to people’s lives and culture at the time based on economy and technology. The improvisation of the traditional ideology and practice is needed because they aren’t always equipped to meet the high standards of living in the urban context. Modernizing traditional, local, and cultural characteristics without losing their true value is how we can retain the true identity of the space while amplifying its value it. Integration of the global cultural development trends with experience and excellence of architectural theories and history is how we can make a distinctive impact on the people with spaces. The spaces should co-exist with the function, technology, and materials of modern architecture with the spatial layout, planning, passive cooling, Vaastu, orientation methods, shading methods, and construction methods while not abandoning the environment, culture, and architectural heritage that exists. The traditional or regional architecture of India is built on the need to incorporate local materials, geography, history, and natural features. The most important thing is to meet people’s needs and while doing so still evolve and evoke a sense of experience in space. Putting the argument in more practical terms,
Laurie Baker says ‘I think it’s foolish to impose your ideas when you’re dealing with people who know what their problems are, and you can’t know these till you’ve lived in the place.’
While using these advantages of traditional architecture we can also incorporate them with the modern sanitation system, shock resistance, floodproofing, seismic load resistance, etc. to sustain the traditional architectural practices it needs to be developed by using the practices of the past in perspective of the present technology. This is how we can and have been modernizing traditional practices.
Citations:
Tzonis Alexander and Lefavire Liane Why Critical Regionalism Today? [Book Section] // Architecture and Urbanism/book auth. Yoshida Yoshio. – [s.l.] : Japan A + U, 1990.
Frampton Kenneth Ten Points on an Architecture of Regionalism: A Provisional Polemic [Article] // CENTER 3: New Regionalism/ed. Speck Lawrence and Attoe Wayne. – December 1987. – Vol. 3.
World Museum A HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – CRITICAL REGIONALISM [Online] // World Museum Fine Arts Site. – Unknown. – 1 10 2016. – http://www.historiasztuki.com.pl/kodowane/003-02-05-ARCHWSP-REGIONALIZM-eng.php.
Frampton Kenneth Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance [Book Section] // The Anti-Aesthetic. Essays on Postmodern Culture/book auth. Foster Hal. – Seattle: Bay Press, 1983.
Correa Charles a place in the shade [Book].
Correa Charles New Landscapes [Book].
Correa form follows climate [Journal].
Indigenous Modernism: Truth in Architecture [Journal].
ricoeur Of What Is “Ricœur” the Name? Or, Philosophising at the Edge [Journal].
gandhi and architecture [Journal].
