- CEPT University, Architectural Theory and Desgin, Graduate Studentadd
- Architect, academician and an avid researcher. My continued research has been on the concept of 'architectural anthropology'. My interests lie in the role of the 'human element' in the cultural milieu looking through the lens of Architecture.edit
Research Interests:
The historic centres of cities in India form an important nucleus of the ‘future’ cities to develop around. They are an important bedrock for the flourishing cultural landscapes of the place. The cultural landscape is an ever changing... more
The historic centres of cities in India form an important nucleus of the ‘future’ cities to develop around. They are an important bedrock for the flourishing cultural landscapes of the place.
The cultural landscape is an ever changing phenomenon due to evolution and developments of the city. The functions change and accordingly the spaces adapt. The recording of a historic city in this regard is an important step towards capturing the civilizational changes and developments.
The culture of a place has a very strong influence on the architectural developments. It can be interpreted as ‘trained and refined’ state of understanding manners and taste prevalent at a time or place. The idea of culture itself talks of evolution and change. The study of this characteristic is an important tool towards recording the history. Indian cities have a rich cultural heritage and yet a comprehensive study of our city centres and their influence locally as well as globally still needs a lot of in-depth analysis and understanding.
The paper will examine this understanding of the cultural heritage of Jodhpur as recorded and understood by the students and its importance in the overall study.
The cultural landscape is an ever changing phenomenon due to evolution and developments of the city. The functions change and accordingly the spaces adapt. The recording of a historic city in this regard is an important step towards capturing the civilizational changes and developments.
The culture of a place has a very strong influence on the architectural developments. It can be interpreted as ‘trained and refined’ state of understanding manners and taste prevalent at a time or place. The idea of culture itself talks of evolution and change. The study of this characteristic is an important tool towards recording the history. Indian cities have a rich cultural heritage and yet a comprehensive study of our city centres and their influence locally as well as globally still needs a lot of in-depth analysis and understanding.
The paper will examine this understanding of the cultural heritage of Jodhpur as recorded and understood by the students and its importance in the overall study.
Research Interests:
The historic centres of cities in India form an important nucleus of the 'future' cities to develop around. They are an important bedrock for the flourishing cultural landscapes of the place. The cultural landscape is an ever-changing... more
The historic centres of cities in India form an important nucleus of the 'future' cities to develop around. They are an important bedrock for the flourishing cultural landscapes of the place. The cultural landscape is an ever-changing phenomenon due to evolution and developments of the city. The functions change and accordingly the spaces adapt. The recording of a historic city in this regard is an important step towards capturing the civilizational changes and developments. The culture of a place has a very strong influence on architectural developments. It can be interpreted as 'trained and refined' state of understanding manners and taste prevalent at a time or place. The idea of culture itself talks of evolution and change. The study of this characteristic is an important tool towards recording history. Indian cities have a rich cultural heritage and yet a comprehensive study of our city centres and their influence locally as well as globally still needs a lot of in-depth analysis and understanding. The paper will examine this understanding of the cultural heritage of Jodhpur as recorded and understood by the students and its importance in the overall study.
Research Interests:
When we went to schools of architecture to learn, and now go to teach, we had no clue as to why we had courses in the humanities. Three to four sessions spread over an equal number of semesters were like special packages which nobody knew... more
When we went to schools of architecture to learn, and now go to teach, we had no clue as to why we had courses in the humanities. Three to four sessions spread over an equal number of semesters were like special packages which nobody knew how to open and make use of. We were trying to explore if there was another way to find a connection between our learning of skills and crafts, on the one hand, and social meaning in design on the other. Unfortunately, most schools in India are in denial mode to even discuss the subject. While Bauhausian methods served the purpose of enhancing a student's capabilities in creativity, functionalism and skill development, the social needs of human relationships and their spatial manifestation in structuring the living environment remained unaddressed. The few courses in the humanities continue to remain isolated and do not connect to the learning process in design studios. This connection can be achieved only by integrating the social meaning of built spaces in design programming and dealing with it at the level of conceptual understanding to find ways and means of articulating the two as a single approach. The design studio is a process-based approach rather than an outcome based one. What tends to happen in studios is the failure to bridge the gap between initial studies and the design process. Discussions tend more towards the final drawing, the outcomes, and the eventual design instead of the acquired knowledge. Social awareness and understanding are plugged in awkwardly instead of forming a firm foundation for designing.
Research Interests:
When we 'document' heritage, we tend to ignore the cultural and societal factors as the stakeholders. This isolated study of architecture often paints half a picture of what a place was or could have been. Man and his culture and his... more
When we 'document' heritage, we tend to ignore the cultural and societal factors as the stakeholders. This isolated study of architecture often paints half a picture of what a place was or could have been. Man and his culture and his living environments are always correlated. Kevin Lynch suggests that 'identity, structure and meaning' are the three main components to analyse an environment (Lynch, 1960, p. 8). In reality, they are inseparable. Narrative mapping is a graphical, pictorial, analytical tool to observe, understand and document people and places. The cultural elements drive the people's way of life and ultimately influence their choices in relation to the buildings which they inhabit. When the process of measured drawing is supplemented with a narrative mapping exercise, it tends to bring out a better understanding of the human element. This kind of exercise will help appreciate the true 'spirit of the place'. Culture is an evolutionary process. It is a continuous process of progress and refinement. As a study of heritage architecture it helps map the lifestyle and therefore evolution in architecture. Architecture is a multidisciplinary field and narrative mapping adds the most important aspect-anthropology. Architectural measured drawing + analysis of complex human interactions is the essence of narrative mapping. The paper deals with the process of narrative mapping and how it can be useful as a tool for teaching and learning architecture. It helps in developing a close relationship with the surroundings especially while dealing with culturally sensitive sites. It also helps develop a spirit of nostalgia which can easily translate to passion for architecture in an era where the economy is the boss. Bauhausian methods (used to this day in architectural education) served the purpose of enhancing a student's capabilities in creativity, functionalism and skill development, the social needs of human relationships and their spatial manifestation in structuring the living environment remained unaddressed. The paper also deals with the fact that it has become more important to deal with not just the physical aspect but also with the aspect of human interactions and lifestyles as architects.