B.V. DOSHI – LIFE WORKS

THEORY OF DESIGN

INTRODUCTION

NAME BALKRISHNA VITHALDAS DOSHI

NATIONALITY INDIAN

DATE OF BIRTH AUGUST 26, 1927

PLACE OF BIRTH PUNE, INDIA

PROFESSION ARCHITECT, EDUCATOR AND ACADEMECIAN

OVER THE YEARS DOSHI HAS CREATED ARCHITECTURE THAT RELIES ON A SENSITIVE ADOPTION AND REFINEMENT OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE WITHIN AN INDIAN CONTEXT. THE RELEVANCY OF HIS ENVIRONMENTAL AND URBAN CONCERNS MAKE HIM UNIQUE AS BOTH A THINKER AND TEACHER. ARCHITECTURAL SCALE AND MASSING, AS WELL AS A CLEAR SENSE OF SPACE AND COMMUNITY MARK MOST OF HIS WORK. DOSHI'S ARCHITECTURE PROVIDES ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MODELS FOR MODERN INDIAN ARCHITECTURE.

•B.V DOSHI, COMPLETED HIS STUDIES AT J. J. SCHOOL OF ART, BOMBAY IN 1950•HE BECAME A SENIOR DESIGNER ON LE CORBUSIER’S PROJECTS IN AHMEDABAD AND CHANDIGARH.•IN 1956 HE ESTABLISHED A PRIVATE PRACTICE IN VASTU-SHILPA, AHMEDABAD AND IN 1962 HE ESTABLISHED THE VASTU-SHILPA FOUNDATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.•HE HAS WORKED IN CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND TECHNOLOGY (CEPT, AHMEDABAD) AND KANORIA CENTRE FOR ARTS, AHMEDABAD. HE WAS THE FOUNDER MEMBER OF VISUAL ARTS CENTRE, AHMEDABAD

BUILDING STYLES AND FORMS

THE BUILDING PROFILE WILL HAVE NATURAL LIGHT, AIR MOVEMENT AND ACCESS ELEMENTS AGAINST THE SKY TO EXPRESS THE COSMIC RELATIONSHIP

THE BUILDING BASE WILL GRADUALLY WIDEN TOWARDS THE GROUND THROUGH PLATFORMS, TERRACES, AND STEPS

THE BUILDING MASS WILL INTEGRATE ROOF, RAINWATER, CASCADES, WATER BODIES, NATURAL LANDSCAPES, GARDENS AND FOLIAGE

THE EXTERNAL FINISH OF THE BUILDING WILL EXPRESS ONE HOMOGENOUS MASS BUT WILL HAVE ADEQUATE DETAILS, TEXTURES AND SURFACE MODULATIONS

THE MAIN ARRIVAL TO THE BUILDING WILL BE AT A HIGHER OR A RAISED LEVEL- WITH PROVISION FOR A LOWER ENTRY TO EXPRESS DUALITY.

NOT ALL MOVEMENTS WITHIN THE BUILDING WILL BE SYMMETRICAL BUT WILL SHIFT AXIS TO GIVE UNEXPECTED EXPERIENCES AND PROVIDE AMBIGUOUS OR DUAL IMPRESSIONS…”

FINALLY AESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LOCAL SYMBOLISM, CONTEXT, AND ASSOCIATIONS

CASTING OF SHADOWS, BREAKING OF MASS, RHYTHMS IN THE STRUCTURE, SOLIDS, VOIDS, WILL BE THE MODE OF EXPRESSION

DOSHI’S WORK IS COMPELLING MIXTURE OF MODERN AND THE TRADITONAL, CONTAINING THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT OF EACH, WITHOUT BEING DEFLECTED BY SUPERNATURAL FORMS.

VIEW OF SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTUREOUTDOOR ROOMS IN THE COOLER AIR

AN OPEN PLACE WITH HARDLY ANY DOOR

VIEW OF HUSAIN –DOSHI GUFA

PHILOSOPHY AND PRINCIPLES

GENERAL PHILOSHOPHY TOWARDS DESIGN

•FLEXIBLE RATHER THAN RIGID APPROCH TO THE STRUCTURE•TIMELESSNESS IN HIS ARCHITECTURE .•MYTHICAL SENSE –MOVING BEYOND HISTORICAL EXAMPLES OF HIS OWN REGION•TRANSFORMATION BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE PEOPLE THAT TRANSCENDS THE FUNCTIONAL USE.•DOSHI HAS PRESISTED A DEEP BELIF IN IMPORTANT OF HUMAN INSTITUTIONS.•THE NOTATION OF FLEXIBILITY AND SYMBOLISM.•DOSHI MADE AN INTENSIVE AND SUSTAINED STUDY OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN PHILOSOPHY AND ANCIENT ARCHITECTURAL TEXTS, WHILE MAINTAINING A DEEP COMMITMENT TO MODERNISM.•THE ARCHITECTONIC SCALE AND MASSING(VAULTING), THE CLEAR SENSE OF SPACE AND AN ATTRACTION TOWARDS MATERIALS REMAIN THEMATICALLY STRONG THROUGHOUTS HIS WORKS.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS

•1992 - SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURE BY JOURNAL OF THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS• 1995 - AGA KHAN AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE• MEMBER OF THE 1998 AWARD STEERING COMMITTEE, AGA KHAN FOR ARCHITECTURE1985-59 - INTERNATIONAL FELLOW OF THE GRAHAM FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCED STUDIES IN THE FINE ARTS, CHICAGO, U.S.A.• 1971 - HON. FELLOW, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, U.S.A.• 1988 - CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE AWARD BY THE ILLINOIS COUNCIL/ AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AND ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, U.S.A.• 1988 - GREAT GOLD MEDAL FOR ARCHITECTURE, ACADEMY OF ARCHITECTURE, PARIS• 1988 - GOLD MEDAL INSTITUTED BY INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS

FAMOUS WORKS

INSTITUTE OF INDOLOGY AHMEDABAD(1957-62)

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AHMEDABAD 1968

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT BANGALORE (1977-85)

MADHYA PRADESH ELECTRICITY BOARD JABALPUR (1979-89)

SANGATH AHMEDABAD (1979-89) ARANYA LOW-COST HOUSING INDORE

(1983-86) HUSAIN-DOSHI GUFFA (1992-95) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION

TECHNOLOGY NEW DELHI (1997) GANDHI LABOUR INSTITUTE

VIEW OF GANDHI LABOUR INSTITUTE

VIEW OF MADHYA PRADESH ELECTRICITY BOARD

VIEW OF IIM BANGLORE

VIEW OF GANDHI LABOUR INSTITUTE

ARANYA HOUSING COMPLEX

THE ARANYA LOW COST HOUSING BEARS ON THE PROBLEMS OF HOUSING THE POOR AND IMPROVING THE SOCIAL HARMONY AT A TIME OF RISING SOCIAL STRIFE

THE PROJECT PROMOTES THE SOCIAL GOALS BY CREATING COMMON SPACES WHERE HINDUS, MUSLIMS, JAINS AND OTHER NEIGHBOURHOODS CAN MIX. THE PROJECT PROMOTES CO OPERATION, NEIGHBOURLINESS, TOLERANCE AND COHESIVE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

THE HOUSING SCHEME CONSISTED OF 6500 PLOTS DIVIDED INTO 11 TYPES DEPENDING ON INCOME LEVEL AND PLOT SIZES.

THE SMALLEST PLOT BELONGED TO THE ECONOMICALLY WEAKER SECTION; WAS 35 SQ M IN AREA. THEY ACCOUNTED FOR 65% OF ALL THE PLOTS. THE HIGHEST PLOT SIZE WAS 613 SQ M MEANT FOR THE HIG GROUP.

THE MASTER PLAN WAS DIVIDED INTO SIX SECTORS WITH A CENTRAL SPINE AREA OF COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LAND USE.

THE TOWN CENTRE IN THE MIDDLE COMPRISED OF FOUR CLUSTERS OF SHOPPING, RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE COMPLEXES.

NET AREA 85 HECTARES

RESIDENTIAL 58%

ROADS 23.5%

OPEN SPACES 8.15%

COMMERCIAL FACILITIES

6.73%

TYPE OF INCOME GROUP

PERCENTAGE

LOCATION

ECONOMICALLY WEAKER SECTION(EWS)

65 MIDDLE OF SIX SECTORS

LOW INCOME GROUP(LIG)

11 MIDDLE OF SIX SECTORS

MIDDLE INCOME GROUP

14 NORTH WESTERN PERIPHERY AND SOUTHERN PERIPHERY.

HIGH INCOME GROUP 9 ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND PART OF THE SOUTH EAST BORDER OF THE ARTERIAL ROAD IN THE SOUTH

ARANYA HOUSING COMPLEX

A HOUSE PLAN INCLUDED TWO ROOMS AND A LIVING AREA FOLLOWED BY A KITCHEN AND A LAVATORY WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN THE FRONT EXTENSION AND THE MULTI USE COURTYARD AT THE BACK. MOST HOUSES WERE PROVIDED WITH AN ADDITIONAL ACCESS FROM THE BACK WHICH ALLOWED KEEPING ANIMALS OR A VEHICLE.

TEN HOUSES FORMED A CLUSTER THAT OPENED INTO A STREET. THE COURTYARD AT THE BACK OPENED INTO THE OPEN SPACE OF THE CLUSTER AND WAS USED AS A PLAY AREA AND SERVICE AREA. TREES AND MULTI USE PLATFORM WAS ADDED.

OPEN SPACES INTERLINKED THE CENTRAL SPINE AND FORMED A TRIANGULAR SPACE INCORPORATING A COMMUNITY FUNCTION.

THE PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY INTERSECTED THIS GREEN STRIP WITH THREE CONNECTING SQUARES

A CONVENTIONAL SEWAGE SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED FOR THIS TOWNSHIP KEEPING IN VIEW THE GENERAL CONTOUR OF AVAILABLE GROUND SLOPE AND THE ROAD NETWORK

THE ROAD NETWORK ALLOWED FOR SMOOTH GRAVITATIONAL FLOW OF WATER. THREE RESERVOIRS, EACH SERVING TWO SECTORS WERE LOCATED AT HIGHER POINTS OF THE TWO SECTORS AND WERE INTERCONNECTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE TWO COULD SERVE THE ENTIRE POPULATION.

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY – CONVENTIONAL AND LOCALLY AVAILABLE BUILDING MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES WERE ADOPTED. THE STRUCTURES WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH LOAD BEARING BRICK WALLS. WALLS WERE PLASTERED AND PAINTED. FLOORS WERE OF CEMENT CONCRETE.

THE DOORS, WINDOWS AND GRILLS WERE MADE ON SITE BY THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. RAILINGS, PARAPETS AND CORNICES WERE MADE TO ORNAMENT THE HOUSE.

FORM VARIATIONS

VARIABLE FACADES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

ARANYA HOUSING COMPLEX

CLUSTER AND STREET VIEW OPEN SPACE TYPOLOGY

FORM VARIATIONS

SANGATH – ARCHITECT’S STUDIO

SANGATH MEANS’MOVING TOGETHER THROUGH PARTICIPATION’. SANGATH IS ALIVE, WELL AND GROWING.

AS AN ARCHITECT’S OFFICE, IT HAS CREATED AN IMAGINATIVE, SIMPLE , FRIENDLY ,RELAXED AND SUBDUED PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT MOST CONDUCIVE FOR CREATIVE THINKING AND DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS.

BUILDING COMPLEX CALLED SANGATH HAS TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF 473 SQUARE METRES AND LOCATED ON A FLAT 2425 SQUARE METRE SITE ON THE FRINGE OF AHMEDABAD IN INDIA.

THE BUILDING IS LARGLY BURRIED UNDER THE GROUND TO USE THE EARTH MASSES FOR NATURAL INSULATIONS.

STORAGE WALLS- EXTERNAL WALL OF THE BUILDING IS NEARLY A METRE DEEP BUT HAVE BEEN HOLLOWED OUT AS ALCOVES TO PROVIDE STORAGE THAT BECOMES AN INSULATIVE WALLS WITH EFFICENCY OF SPACE.

VAULTED FORM USED AT FIRST MINIMALLY WAS LATER DEVELOPED AN EXTENSIVELY USED TO RELATE TO INDIAN SENSIBILITIES. THE VAULTED ROOF SEPARATED BY LOWER , FLAT SURFACES WERE DESIGNED TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF NATURAL LIGHT .

THE POOLS WERE DEVELOPED AS A NATURAL COOLING SYSTEM.

MOSAIC TILES, PURCHASED AS WASTE MATERIAL, WERE USED AS AN INEXPENSIVE MEANS TO REFLECT HARSH SUNLIGHT AND THERE BY REDUCE HEAT ABSORPTION.

SANGATH – LIVE, WELL AND GROWING

LANDSCAPED STEPS TOWARDS ENTRANCE SPACES

POOLS DEVELOPED AS NATURAL COOLING SYSTEM

THE VENTILATING WINDOW AT UPPER VOLUME RELEASES THE ACCUMULATED HOT AIR THROUGH PRESSURE DIFFERENCE.

THE TOP FINISH OF CHINA MOSIACGLAZED TILES FURTHER ENHANCES INSULATION BY BEING WHITE AND GLOSSY TO REFLECT SUN AND BEING OF CLAY TO RETARD HEATTRANSMISSION

THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM IS POST AND BEAM WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS.

THE FERRO CONCRETE CAVITY VAULTS WITH HIGH INSULATION VALUES ARE USED ON UPPER FLOORS.

FACADES ARE EITHER OF MOSAIC TILES OR CEMENT PLASTER. INTERIORS ARE CHARACTERISED BY THE BUILDING’S VARIOUS

SHAPES AND FORMS. LIGHT ENTERS FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. DECORATION IS

BASED ON CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS WITH EXPOSER OF SHUTTERING IMPRESSIONS ON CONCRETE CEILING CONTRASTED TO SMOOTH RED OXIDE CEMENT FLOOR

ALL MATERIALS AND THE 60% SKILLED LABOUR WERE OF LOCAL ORIGIN.

THE EXTERNAL FINISHES OF VAULTS WERE RECYCLED BROCKEN GLAZED WHITE TILES PROVIDED ADDITIONAL FUNCTION OF HEAT REFLECTION.

INTERNALLY SURFACES ARE EITHER PLASTERED OR LEFT IN THEIR NATURAL OFF FORM CONCRETE STATE.

NATURAL LIGHT PATTERNS WITHIN THE INTERIOR SPACES

RECYCLED GLAZED MOSAIC TILE AND CHIPS

TERRACED COURT LEADING TO MAIN ENTRANCE AREAS

SANGATH – ARCHITECT’S STUDIO

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

DESIGN STUDOIS WITH SMOOTH FLOORS AND ROUGH TEXTURED CEILING

LANDSCAPED COURTYARDS AT THE ENTRANCE

WELL FURNISHED AND WELL LIT INTERIORS

DESIGN STUDIO

DOSHIS ROOM

PRINTING

LIBRARY

CONFERENCE

VASTU SHILPA FOUNDATION

GUEST HOUSE

WEST ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION

SECTION THROUGH BUILDING

LOUNGE CONFERENCE

HUSSAIN-DOSHI GUFA

IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN DOSHI AND M.F. HUSAIN FOR THE EXHIBITION OF ARTIST’S WORK.

THE REFRENCE FOR THE GUFA ARE ELEMENTAL AND PRIMEVAL; IT IMERGED FROM THE BUDDHIST STUPA AND KARLI AND AJANTA

STUPA AS THE PRIMARY REFRANCE, SIGNIFIES BOTH TOMB OF BUDDHA AND THE SYMBOL OF PURSUIT.

STUPA FORMALLY SIGNIFIES AND IMPLIES THE ENLIGHTENING NATURE OF KNOWLEDGE.

25 MILLIMETRE THIN FERROCEMENT CAVES.SHELL THAT HAS BEEN USED AS THE STRUCTURE OF DOSHI’S MUSEUM.

SLOPING COLUMN SUPPORT MUSEUM INTERNALLY. THE HUSSAIN DOSHI GUFA IN AHMEDABAD IS LOCATED ON A

CAMPUS OF THE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND TECHNOLOGY.

THE PLAN IS EVOLVED FROM THE INTERSECTING CIRCLES AND ELLIPSE.

FRONT VIEW

HUSAIN AND AR B. V. DOSHI

• SITE AREA: 1000 M2

• BUILT-UP AREA: 280M2

• PROJECT COST: RS 1.8 MILLION.•HUSAIN-DOSHI GUFA IS AN UNDERGROUND ART GALLERY,EXHIBITING•THE SPACES FORMED WITHIN ARE CONTNIOUS AND AMORPHOUS• THROUGH INCLINED PLANES OF DOMES, CURVILINEAR PLANES OF VAULTS, UNDULATING FLOORS AND NON RECTILINEAR LEANING COLUMNS• THE STRUCTURE IS IN THE FORM OF SKELETON SKIN AND WIRE- MESH,SANDWICHED ON EACH SIDE BY LAYERS OF CEMENT AND HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT WITH SIMPLE HAND TOOLS BY UNSKILLED WORKERS.•PROJECTING SKYLIGHTS AND SKIN CUT-OUT NOT ONLY ILLUMINATE THE SPACES WITHIN BUT CREATE MYTHIC SHAFTS AND SPOTS OF LIGHT REMINISCENT OF THE GALAXY AND STARS. •BURIED SPACES,EARTH MOUNDS,RAISED VOLUMES AND CHINA MOSAIC FINISH RENDERS THE ARCHITECTURE ENERGY CONSCIOUS,CUTTING DOWN IT’S ENERGY INTAKE,IN AN OTHERWISE HARSH HOT DRY CLIMATE.

EXTERIOR DETAIL OF WIRE

FRAME.EXTERIOR VIEWS

SHOWING DOMICAL CAVES

INTERIOR VIEWS OF THE HUSSAIN DOSHI GUFA SHOWING SUPPORTIVE COLUMNS, LIGHT SHAFT AND

SCULPTURES OF GUFA

HUSSAIN-DOSHI GUFA

SITE PLAN OF HUSAIN-DOSHI GUFA

SECTION OF HUSAIN-DOSHI GUFA

THE USE OF COATINGSAS WELL AS DEPRESSING THE GALLERY MORE THAN A METRE INTO THE GROUND IS AN EFFECTIVE INSULATING STRATEGY AND THE WHITE TILES ALSO REFLECT THE SUN RAYS HELPING TO KEEP THE INTERIORS COOL.•THE PROTRUBANCES FINALLY EMERGED AS WINDOWS SPECIFICALLY ORIETED TO LET IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF LIGHT BUT MINIMUM AMOUNT OF HEAT GIVING THE INTERIORS A GOLDEN GLOW.•TO ENHANCE THE CAVE LIKE FEELING, THE GENERAL CONTOURS OF THE SITE WERE RETAINED RATHER THAN BEING LEVELLED.•THE GENTLE UNDULATING SURFACE OF THE EARTH CAN STILL BE PERCEIVED BENEATH THE THIN CONCRETE SFLOOR SLAB POURED OVER IT.

HUSSAIN DOSHI GUFA

EXTERIOR VIEW SHOWING THE DOMICAL PROTRUDING CAVES

STONE FACED INTERIORS AND LIGHT SHAFT

HUSSAIN DOSHI GUFA

INTERIOR VIEWS

DETAILS OF DOMICAL ROOFS

NATURAL CONTOURS EXPLOITED ON THE SITE

DOMICAL SHEELS MADE OF FERRO CEMENT WHICH PROVES TO BE A GOOD INSULATOR

GANDHI LABOUR INSTITUTE

•THIS IS ONE OF DOSHI’S FINAL WORKS, CREATING A RICH ENVIRONMENT FOR PEPOLE.• IT’S A RESEARCH INSTITUTE.• IT’S A MODERN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE• THE INTERIOR ROUTE INVOLVES TWISTS, TURNS, AND UNEXPECTED VISTAS.•HE DESIGNED BUILDING WITH ROUGH CONCRETE EXTERIORS.•BUILT UP AREA IS 10 THOUSAND SQUARE MTRS.

•CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES •AIR CONDITIONED AUDITORIUM WITH A CAPICITY OF 200 SEATS.• 3 AIR CONDITIONED SEMINAR ROOMS WITH CAPACITY OF 50,35, 25.• 5 AIR CONDITIONED CLASS ROOMS.• WELL FURNISHED HOSTEL WITH 30 GENERAL ROOMS.• AIR CONDITIONED COMPUTER LABORATORY.• CONCRETE VAULTED ROOF.

COURTYARD OF GANDHI INSTITUTE

THE CORRIDOR BELOW THE VAULTED

ROOFVIEW OF THE

EXTERIOR FACADE

SITE PLAN

•THE INSTITUTE HAS A BUILT UP AREA OF 11500 SQ METRES. IT HAS AN ARCHITECTURAL GRANDEUR OF ITS OWN.•THE APPROACH IS ALONG THE DIAGONAL WHICH IS ALONG THE FORECOURT PRIOR TO MOUNTING A SHALLOW FLIGHT OF STEPS FLANKED BY A POOL.•THE INSTITUTE IS DE MONUMENTALISED TO MAKE IT FEEL ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.•THE COMPOSITION IS DISTINGUISHED BY ITS STUDIED CONTRAST OF REGULARITY AND IRREGULARITY.•AXIS ARE IMPLIED, DENIED AND THEN RE-DISCOVERED; THAT IS SHIFT IN THE AXIS AND BACK TO THE SAME.•ONE ENTERS THE FIRST FLOOR THROUGH A TRANSVERSAL VAULT WHICH THEN FEEDS LATERALLY INTO VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS BY MEANS OF A LOFTY INTERIOR GALLERY.•THE INTERIOR ROUTE INVOLVES TWISTS, TURNS, VISTAS AND PERHAPS A METAPHOR OF MAHATMA’S PAST.

GANDHI LABOUR INSTITUTE

NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION

FREE FLOWING SPACESLOFTY INTERIOR LOBBY

COMBIMATION OF REGULARITY AND IRREGULARITY IN FORM

GANDHI LABOUR INSTITUTE

VARIOUS VIEWS OF THE MAIN BLOCK

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