Architecture is not a theoretical subject. It’s a mixture of theory and practicals. Various architects have come up with different theories, and artworks. Different authors and architects themselves have written architectural books on their theories, learnings, their projects, their learnings from their mentor architects. This article presents ten such Indian authors who have shared their learnings in architecture.
1. Letter to a Young Architect b y Cristopher Benninger | Architectural Books
Here Benninger has shared his learnings influenced by eastern architecture and western readers. After being influenced by postmodernism, he has written this book for the aspiring architects where he explains how young architects can adapt modernism and work in order to get inspired and re-inspired by the veterans.
2. Balkrishna Doshi: Writings on Architecture and Identity
B.V. Doshi, the well-known Indian Architect. He is the first Indian architect to win Pritzker Awards. Since the early 1950s, he has been working on different projects, curated different articles, lectures, essays and conceptual sketches. All his works have been penned down in the form of sketches and illustrations.
3. Architecture in India Since 1990 by Rahul Mehrotra | Architectural Books
Rahul Mehrotra, principal architect at RMA Architects. He has also penned down other books on Public Places of Bombay, the transformation of Bombay to Mumbai, and many more on the city of Bombay. He has been actively involved in the urban and civic affairs of Mumbai City. This book has been co-authored by Naresh Fernandes. This book series talks about the development and transformations of Indian Cities after globalization. Even economic changes that have taken place in India have played as a catalyst for the transformation in Indian Architecture.
4. A Place in the Shade by Charles Correa
After understanding the crucial issues in housing and urbanisation, he has been a pioneer in addressing these problems. This book contains selected essays and lectures about different themes of architecture, urban planning, and landscape architecture.
5. Elements of Space Making by Yatin Pandya | Architectural Books
Space making is an art, which comprises the notion of physical elements that form a space. These elements have their individual spatial qualities which have the potential of forming a space. This formation of space along with the architectural compositions is explained by Yatin Pandya in this book. Space Making Elements like roofs, doors, windows, columns, stairs, floors, etc., have been analyzed in detail. He has also explained the influence and importance of these elements within a space. How modern architecture has seen the evolution of these elements is explained with the help of detailed sketches and line drawings.
6. Laurie Baker by Gautam Bhatia
Lauri Baker has a distinguished architectural style inspired by the concept of sustainability. With his vast knowledge of sustainable architecture, a compilation of this knowledge is done in this book by author Gautam Bhatia. The author’s intent was to collect the writings, understandings, projects and works of Laurie Baker, but after meeting him and observing him, he wanted to adapt a lot from his life. Along with that he also wanted to make the aspiring architects aware of how the client’s aspirations played a major role in designing the project. The book is divided into three sections where he talks about his life, works, and writings.
In the first section, he has explained how he was influenced by Le Corbusier. How he learned understanding the context in a project. And a brief explanation of his writings. These writings are written in such a way that a dialogue is developed between the author and the architect. The second section talks in detail about his exemplary projects. Along with the drawings, conceptual sketches, and illustrations that support the idea of flexibility within a space are explained. The third section is a synopsis of essays and powerful insights on topics like “ Architecture and People”, “ issues of housing”, etc.
7. Path Uncharted by B.V. Doshi
This book is about how the Pritzker award winner B.V.Doshi fell in love with architecture and his journey so far. The book mainly focuses on how a perfect blend of modern architecture along with Indian architecture has been achieved by him. He also talks about how Kahn, Corbusier, Achyut Kanvinde, Charles Correa, and Raj Rewal developed architecture and what he learned from their projects. Lessons of merging climate and ancient civilization were learned by him from Kahn and Corb. This book also explains how he nurtured and designed Sangath and Cept one of his well-known projects in Ahmedabad. A soft, polite, elegant way in which he designed the projects that brought tranquility to the users is explained.
8. Dialogues with Indian Master Architects by Narendra Dengle | Architectural Books
Seven major architects of India, Achyut Kanvinde, Charles Correa, Anant Raje, Raj Rewal, Hasmukh Patel, Uttam C Jain, and B.V. Doshi have had an intimate conversation conducted over a period of seven years. This book is a compilation of these dialogues. The author himself has curated these dialogues with a live audience consisting of students, architects and professionals. The book also explains the understanding and experience gained by these masters during their practice.
9. The Spirit of Indian architecture by D.K. Bubbar
Indian Architecture is influenced a lot by Vedas and Vastu architecture. This Vedic wisdom brings harmony to the space and life of the users. The book explains the balance between architecture, spirituality, and users. This balance is applied in a system that addresses the buildings, settlements, and individual users.
10. Concept of Space in Traditional Indian Architecture by Yatin Pandya | Architectural Books
Yatin Pandya along with Vastu Shilpa Foundation is the author of this book. This book talks about how traditional Indian architecture is. A study of architectural sites like Rani ki Vav, Adalaj Stepwell, Sun-Temple at Modhera with its water tank, Kailash Temple at Ellora, and Udaipur’s City Palace explains the organization of the spaces. The spatial quality of these projects is studied in order to understand their importance through all these years. Analytical drawings, photographs, sketches, architectural plans and sections, volumetric studies have helped in explaining Indian Architecture. The book is a compilation of coded-decoded studies of these exemplary historic projects.
