Category: Designing the town RED!
Designing the Town Red! with Ar.Sanjay Puri
Designing the Town Red! Ar. Ranjeet Mukherjee
-Email Interview by Vinay Varanasi
Designing the Town Red! Ar. Rajini Itham Mahajan
“For an architect, a concept is like a good friend. It guides you, and sees you through the Design Process”.
With interesting perspectives like this, Ar. Rajini Itham Mahajan, Senior Architect at VBT Consortium, Bengaluru and Professor & HOD, Aakar Academy of Architecture, caught up with team Unbind, and shared some insights on architecture. Excerpts from the interview:
Unbind: You are an academician and a practicing architect. Tell us about your journey.
Ar. Rajini Itham: I graduated from School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, Chennai. After completing my Master’s Specialization in Landscape Architecture from C.E.P.T., Ahmedabad, I have worked with some of the most reputed architectural firms in the country. I have also been associated with various schools of Architecture and Design as a design educator for Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes.
Unbind: What drew you to the field of teaching?
Ar. Rajini Itham: I have been involved in active architectural practice for many years now. But when I started my practice nearly 20 years ago, I realized that apart from the prescribed curriculum, a practical approach to Architecture is equally essential. Though surely, it is applicable to all fields, all the more in a practice oriented sector, entrepreneurship skills are of paramount importance. It may be difficult to include this as a formal subject; it can only happen through sharing tacit knowledge with the students. This is one of the primary reasons I try to integrate my architectural practice with my teaching and vice –versa.
Unbind: A perspective we’d really like to understand better: What is architecture?
Ar. Rajini Itham: Architecture is neither solely about contemplating art nor can it be a purely technical arena. It is a techno-creative discipline. Architecture is about imparting aesthetic value with due thought to functional considerations. Though we have to work in tandem with varied disciplines, the architect is responsible for the collaborative design and construction process of any project. This is the professional role of the architect in the social fabric.
Architecture can never be understood in isolation.
For example, even the compound wall is not just a part of your house; it is a component of the streetscape of the city. Understanding and acknowledging this, is one of the key aspects of comprehending architecture.
Unbind: Do you see sustainability as the way to go ahead for the building industry?
Ar. Rajini Itham: Sustainable architecture is definitely important, but here I would like to emphasize on the scale of a project as well; at a larger level, the focus would be more on energy efficient architecture. This is the way we really are headed. In urban high rises and master planning projects, ultimately it is energy efficiency that decides the net carbon footprint of the building.
Unbind: What do you think students of architecture really need to focus on during their time at college?
Ar. Rajini Itham: Irrespective of whatever design approach or methodology you adopt, it is important for you, as a budding architect to see the design reach its logical conclusion; you are a techno-creative professional; you began the process with something in mind. Abandoning the process midway for any reason wouldn’t be fair to the design.
Remember that any representation technique that you may employ, manual or digital are simply aids or tools. They are intended to support and express your thought process, not dictate them. Do not allow the creative to be dictated by anything other than your natural instinct.
Unbind: Our most favourite question. Do you believe in the concept of a concept?
Ar. Rajini Itham: I believe in the idea of a concept being your friend. It sees you through, it guides you and it gives justification to what you are doing. Every student sub-consciously works with a concept. Sometimes, they are not aware of it, that’s all.
Unbind: As an academician, how do you encourage out of the box thinking? It certainly must be a tough process.
Ar. Rajini Itham: Among all the 5 years of architectural education, the first year can be the trickiest. Prior to this, your mind has been through 14 to 15 years of formal schooling which is imperative for discipline and time management, but sometimes we can get into the habit of taking the path of least resistance. The first year of architectural curriculum is designed to break this and condition your mind to get out of the ‘box thinking’; that is the only way you can break free. Do not perceive spatial forms as mere extrusions of two dimensional plans, start exploring, start being you. You’ll find ways to support your creative self.
Unbind: At a student level, how much focus should be given to conceptual designs vs. the practicality side of it?
Ar. Rajini Itham: As you progress to the higher semesters, the complexity of the studio design problem increases. From a mono functional space to mixed use developments, there are many external parameters that will influence the design brief at every stage. At this point, it’s equally important to start thinking about practicality.
In the higher semester design studios, as remarkable the concept maybe, also of equal relevance is the pragmatic aspect of the project. Integration of structural systems, incorporating services and adherence to building regulations will become major influencing parameters in the design solution. Without due consideration to these aspects, the design can never be termed absolute. The studio pedagogy should include discussions on these topics to acquaint the students with real life scenarios in the architecture and construction industry.
Students today are very well informed and keen to learn. This is what really engages them; applying logical thought to a creative process & ultimately arriving at a buildable solution.
Unbind: In your own firm, you receive so many internship applications. So many students don’t know how this process works; please tell us what you think interns reading this should know?
Ar. Rajini Itham: Today, we use a word called ‘employability skills.’ This is a concept that students applying for internships should really familiarize themselves with. My advice to students is to be aware of what you are competing against, know that there are many others trying to achieve the same goals as you; keep yourself updated, and network with students of other institutions. Be conscious of national and global trends in the academia and industry. It is only then that you will really understand what your strengths are, and you can then build on them. Without this, you are merely groping in the dark. Students today are very enterprising. The possibilities for you are endless when you put your mind to it.
Unbind: As a teacher, you have touched so many lives, mentored and continue to mentor so many. How do you manage to constantly do this?
Ar. Rajini Itham: There is a different level of contentment you experience when you see someone you have mentored, become accomplished in their own right. To develop and maintain a rapport with your ward or protégé makes one feel elated. This is my take away from so many years of teaching. We live in a world where it is important to bequeath not only our wealth, but our experiences and our knowledge. I am privileged to have been mentored by some wonderful people, and I have seen the impact of this in my professional growth. Today, when I do the same for someone else, I hope that they will carry this legacy forward. And in this lies the beauty of architecture, this is the purpose of human existence; to touch other’s lives.
Interview by Gaurav & Vinay Varanasi
Designing the Town Red: Ar. Sridevi & Ar. Rosie
“You have to love what you do, to the fullest. That will see you through everything else. “
Honest believers of this statement, and also the founders of the firm ‘Mason’s Ink’ are Ar. Sridevi & Ar. Rosie. A Bangalore based practice founded in 2012, this young architect duo is setting a new definition of sustainable architecture: Sustainability through honesty.
In conversation with Unbind, they discussed ideas, passions, and much more. Excerpts from the interview:
Unbind: Your work has been largely influenced by the Auroville style of architecture. What prompted this?”
MI: Both of us were fortunate to have relatively long stints in Auroville during our careers. I (Sridevi) worked at Intach, Pondicherry and Rosie was the head architect at The Auroville Earth Institute. During our time there, we understood sustainability for what it really is. Auroville has every aspect of it figured out; solar, water, wind, you name it, it’s there. It’s left an impression on us forever. Since we decided to set up firm in Bangalore and we couldn’t take our office to Auroville, we brought Auroville into our office!
Unbind: Why the name Mason’s Ink?
MI: We have realized that great designs can always be done, but without hands to construct it, there’s no sense. Masons have taught us so many things. The process of construction is all about them, really. That’s why we are called Mason’s Ink.
Unbind: What are some philosophies that you follow?
MI: We tend to follow the idea of ‘a good hat and a good boot’. Right from a proper foundation to the roof, we look into every detail that the building has. We believe that detailing each component of the building with the same conviction is what makes a structure truly beautiful – be it a mundane sewage/plumbing detail or some intricate flooring pattern.This is what we really believe in: God is in the details.
Unbind: You work largely with CSEB (Stabilized Earth Blocks), rammed earth constructions, domes and vaults, do these materials prove to be challenging sometimes?
MI: It is not so much the material being challenging as the ignorance of construction methods that surrounds it. Most contractors are used to working with cement blocks with poor quality of constructionand patching it up with plaster. None of our materials function like that. We don’t plaster any of our walls. The finish is natural, so the process has to be done well. This is where we spend a lot of time and focus on: Getting the finer details right.
Unbind: What ‘ism’ do you believe in?
MI: Trueism, we’d say. Honesty in design, honesty of thought, honesty with the client, even if it’s brutal! Basically honesty in everything that you do.
Unbind: You are about 2 years old and have a lot of ongoing projects now. How has the journey been so far?
MI: The learning curve has been great. There certainly have been challenging times, but we really love what we do, and that’s the most important part of it all. We love what we do.
Unbind: Being pioneers in the field, how would you define sustainability?
For us, sustainability can be achieved through two approaches. Passive and Active . Passive approach of sustainability includes considerations at the design stage itself; planning in ways to take care of light, ventilation, choice of materials and being climate responsive. Passive approach to sustainability is what goes a long way in impacting the environment, and that is the focus of our design.
Active approach is much more about course corrections; figuring out sustainable solutions during and after the process of construction to make the building more climate responsive.
Study of site and site context play a really important role, especially in sustainable architecture because most of your raw materials are acquired from your own site.
Unbind: Both of you have opened your own firm. What’s your advice to students who want to do the same?
MI: We honestly have individually and collectively benefitted from previous work experience before beginning our own practice. It is what shaped us, and gave us direction. Our advice to students is to work under somebody, to be an employee before you become an employer. This has several advantages: it helps you to build contacts, it helps you to learn how things function, and most importantly, it helps you get rid of your ego. You need to be in an environment that helps you grow to the level of opening your own firm.
Unbind: How do you decide to take the plunge of opening a firm? How do you go about it?
MI: We decided to do it because we had figured what we were most passionate about: Sustainable Architecture. When you know where you really want to make a difference, that’s when you know it is time. College gives you exposure to so many sub-fields of architecture. Keep your eyes and ears open to experimenting, you will find something that drives you.
Unbind: When students go out for an internship, how would you advise them to make the best of it? Many are clueless.
MI: Keep aside your ego, be willing to learn. Mould yourself according to your situation. Help somebody else if you finish your own drafting, watch somebody else working with a new software. Be around. Don’t be in a rush to design. Remember that you shouldn’t enter with any pre-conceived notions.
Unbind: What is your advice to architecture students in college? How do they increase their learning curve?
MI: Our sincere advice to students is to rough it out a little bit. Don’t get stuck in comfort zone. Don’t restrict yourself. Participate in out-of-classroom-activities, design trophies for NASA etc. Intern whenever you can. Join a carpenter for a month, you will learn more joinery details than you can imagine. Only when you are challenged will you grow. College should be a boot camp, and that will bring out the best in you. You need to believe that anything in your path is part of the learning curve.
Interview by Vinay Varanasi & Gaurav
Designing the Town Red! Ar. Rohan Patankar
“Humanity isn’t a thought, it is a way of life.”
Ar. Rohan Patankar defines this example by some of the wonderful work he has done, and a unique way in which he has helped Nepal. In this interview, Rohan converses with Unbind, and leaves us with some wonderful food for thought. Read on!
Unbind: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey so far.
Rohan: I graduated from SPA, Delhi in 2013 and worked with an architecture and design research platform, arch i for a year and a half. Since Feb, 2015 I have been working at a young architecture studio, Co.Lab Design. In 2011, two friends and I started Delhi Dallying, a forum where we have been engaging with the many layers of the city of Delhi through conducting guided walks, workshops, writing and other collaborative events. In May, 2015 I initiated Art for Nepal to help build transitional homes in rural Nepal through the sale of limited edition art prints and postcards with original travel drawings on them.
Unbind: .As an architect, how do you choose principles that guide your design?
Rohan: The act of initiating conversation with and between people has been at the centre of most of my work. Aligned to this approach, I find myself working with strategies instead of philosophies/principles.
Unbind:At a student level, people are idealistic, and often some beliefs stick. Are design philosophies something that change with each project?
Rohan: Depending on the context, the site, the users and the intervention, the strategies may keep changing with each project. At an early age, sticking too closely to a set of principals may come in the way of learning through re-evaluation and discovery, I feel. With time, the frameworks can develop into a philosophy; a way of looking at things carefully.
Unbind: Your work has surpassed boundaries of mundane architecture. You have given back to Nepal through your own work in the most wonderful way. Like you, there are many young architects who are artists as well. What is your advice to them?
Rohan: My advice to all enthusiasts would be to keep going at what they enjoy doing without thinking too much about its success or failure.
” Dots connect and paths emerge if you keep faith in the journey with your eyes and ears open. “
Rohan: My parallel engagements often inform my architectural thought and action in surprising ways. While making my travel drawings in Kathmandu in 2014, I had honestly never imagined that they would end up as anything, let alone as this fundraiser to help build homes. After the earthquake, I looked at how I could help with what I had and put the project together with help from several people. So, I’ve been fortunate that my work could bring about some tangible benefit. Additionally, my collaboration with architects Lakshmi Nair and Sarojini Dantapalli on the Art for Nepal notebooks took the project to the next level.
Unbind:How do students take their talent to a level where they are able to use it to give back to society?
Rohan: Just by putting oneself out there and learning from as many diverse people as one can. From my early years in architecture school, I’ve worked through summers with people in various different fields. The opportunities helped me in not only assessing the broader context of our work as architects but also in understanding the importance of the various facets of design; its positioning, articulation and execution.
Unbind: As an architect, do you believe in the concept of a concept? Where do you stop with a concept and begin to look into the practical aspects of architecture? A lot of people have trouble merging the two, so please could you share some insights on these?
Rohan: While a concept can be used to compare the essence of things across projects, it becomes meaningful only after development and articulation. It’s great to be idealistic in the design studio, but the real world is the playground where these ideas are tested out, unmade, remade and evolved constantly. To escape getting stuck into ‘stopping with a concept and beginning to look into the practical aspects’, it could be useful to think of this process as developing different design routes. In this way, the flow from idea to details could be more seamless.
Unbind: Many students are keen on beginning their own practice, but have no idea how to go about it. What’s your advice to such students?
Rohan: Students should begin doing small independent projects by all means, as soon as they can. But I don’t think this necessarily means that they must start their own design studio practice. I think the want to begin one’s practice usually comes from the need to have design autonomy and control. But what most young students don’t realise is that with one’s own practice, a significant amount of the time goes into strategic, logistical, financial management, client servicing, coordination. It is liberating indeed, but it is useful to remember that it is the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method.
Unbind: When is a good time to start? Prior to graduation? Is that too early?
Rohan: I have friends who are already heading their architecture businesses with great promise and they tell me that people entering the arena must be aware of that the time one can afford to spend on the design is much lesser that what they desire. Alternatively, I found an interesting balance working at a small young practice where I could spend time on design, details and execution under my boss’ guidance while simultaneously internalising the workings of a small studio before I go about it myself. I take up independent work parallel to the day job.
Unbind: Is architecture for humanity a concept that we are giving enough importance to? How do we make the student community more conscious of sensitive architecture?
Rohan: I realize our education at SPA was based on the broad intention of giving to the community more than what we take from it. Conceptually, almost all our college projects mandated us to be thinking towards improving the quality of life for many rather than facilitating economic benefit for a few. There are several architecture studios and organisations invested in humanitarian/developmental work. Additionally, I see that presently there are several workshops, masterclasses and events that are organised throughout the country where interested students/architects can volunteer and participate to learn on-ground outside the studio. This is invaluable learning for developing consciousness in thought and action towards more sensitive and responsible architecture.
Interview by Vinay Varanasi
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