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Ar.

BALKRISNAVITHALDAS

DOSHI

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LIFE HISTORY

Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi was born in

Pune, India in 1927.

He did his bachelors from J. J. School of Art,Bombay in 1950.

He worked for four years with Le Corbusier

as senior designer (1951-54) in Paris.

In 1956 he established a private practice in

Vastu-Shilpa, Ahmedabad and in 1962 he

established the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation for

Environmental Design.

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LIFE HISTORY

He also founded and designed the School of

Architecture and Planning in Ahmedabad.

Doshi has worked in partnership as Stein,Doshi & Bhalla since 1977.

Doshi worked closely with Louis khan

andAnant raje, when Kahn designed the

campus of the Indian Institute ofManagement.

In 1958 he was a fellow at the Graham

Foundation for Advanced Studies in the

Fine Arts.

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LIFE HISTORY

Doshi has been a member of the Jury for

several international and national

competitions including the Indira GandhiNational Centre for Artsand Aga Khan

Award for Architecture.

He was presented in 1995,Aga Khan Award

for Architecture, for the Aranya CommunityHousing in Indore, India.

Doshi's architecture provides one of the most

important models for modern Indian

architecture

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PHILOSOPHIES

According to him Architecture of a building is

conceived not as a container of specific activities but

as a place to be inhabited, as a place to facilitate the

course of human environment Doshi's work has consistently revolved around the

interrelationship of indoor and outdoor space, an

appropriate and honest approach to materials, proper

climatic response and observance of hierarchy andorder that has always been present in the best

modern architecture.

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PHILOSOPHIES

It is this so called filterbetween

contemporary and traditional architecture

which Doshi has masterfully brought in. The success of any project depends on

effective construction, contracting, logistic

planning and co-ordination.

An essential part of the philosophy is theconstruction of scale models and of full scale

mockups to make decisions jointly with the

client about the building.

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PRINCIPLES

Doshi has categorized 8 principles in

traditional architecture which he believes

would greatly enrich contemporary practice.1. Doshi belief in the Mythical Sense of

space often evident in traditional architecture

which is not simply confined to open or

closed areas. According to him space can

be modified according to the desire of the

perceiver and is never static.

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PRINCIPLES

2. The structural and formal systems that Doshi has

adopted led him to assimilate the 2ndprinciple of

Vaastu-Purusha Mandala to ensure minimum

standards of health and hygiene in each project .Vaastu (environment), Purusha (energy) and

Mandala (astrology) are combined in the diagram

that has evolved to assist builders in determining

proper orientation. North relates to the lord of wealth,south relates to the lord f death , east to the lord of

light (the rising sun), and west to the lord of wind.

The centre is attributed to the lord of the Cosmos .

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PRINCIPLES

Following this chart has generally indicated a

southwest orientation , favoring he prevailing breeze

and also has defined the use of central courtyard.

3. Transformation of Energy between the building and

people using the space for functional use. The

Energy takes place between the walls, columns and

space of the building. The natural energy produces

through sun radiations or natural elements,surroundings, species around it etc.

Doshi followed it in his architecture by providing

openness in buildings through colonnades, pergolas,

porticos, sky lights etc. for e.g.- IIM, Bangalore.

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PRINCIPLES

4. Doshi has persisted a deep belief in

importance of Human Institutions,just as

Louis-i-Kahn did before him. This belief, is

amplified by his own deep cultural experience

and popular evolution of new institutions. The

name of his office itself, the Vaastu-Shilpa

foundation, is a ringing affirmation of Doshisfaith in the dialogue between people and

architecture of which he speaks and powers

of dialogue to bring about old institutions and

create new ones.

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PRINCIPLES

5. A more specific principle is to follow flexible rather

than rigid approach to the structure. This is how

transformation of space from the mere static

container ; to a place where people actually feel apsychic interchange is best achieved. Here Doshi

refers to the multiple mixed structural systems, of the

type found in Madurai temple and city of Fatehpur

Sikri.6. The idea of flexibility leads him to a principle, of

incorporating symbolism. He believes that it can

only be accommodated by mixture of structural

systems. Symbolically charged space must be

designed as receptacle for human activity.

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PRINCIPLES

7. Doshi also advocates Amorphous rather

than finite forms ; used with multiple

structural systems so that experience with

them may be loose meandering and multiple.

For e.g.- Aranya low cost housing, Indore.

8. As an eighth and final principle, doshi seeks

Timelessness in his architecture much asLouis khan did when describing his quality in

historical precedents as' open endedness.

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ARANYA LOW-COST

HOUSING TOWNSHIP

I NDORE , (1983-86)

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It is located 6 kms. From the centre of

Indore on Agra-Bombay highway.

Aranya site is flat.

Doshi was commissioned by the Indore

Development Authority to provide housing

for the Economically weaker sector.

Ar. Decided to integrate some upper-income units to subsidize the lower cost

units.

The target pollution was 40,000 on a 80

hectare site, incorporating 6,500 plotsranging b/w 35 & 475 sq. mts.

Of these 65% were allocated for the very

poor, 11% for lower income, 14% for

middle income, 9% for high income group.

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The Aranya housing scheme divided as

58% residential use, 23.5% pedestrian &

vehicular access roads, 8% open space,

7% shared community.

Doshi divided the site with a north-south

spine where the main amenities are

clustered, feeding 3 zones of housing oneach side.

The choice of orientation, as well as the

use of offsets, also maximizes shade.

Houses are clustered in groups of 10.A Septic tank has been provided for

every cluster or 20 houses.

Water is drawn from 3 local reservoirs to

serve the entire project.

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SITE PLAN

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SITE PLAN

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The outer periphery consist units for

H.I.G and most weaker section is inside.

Each house provided with an OTTA- an

outdoor platform.

For economic resources use of shared

foundations and party walls been carved

out.Brick, stone, and concrete are available

locally, but owners are free to use any

material they choose for house

construction and decoration.The main street runs at the centre of

plan in zig-zag pattern.

External patios is provided as the

spaces for interaction.

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Varied faade treatments with material control

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Various arrangements done in plots.

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NATIONAL INSTITUTE

OF FASH ION TECHNOLOGY

NEW DELH I , (1997)

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A Centrally located site of 2.87 acres

(11,642 sq. mts.) in Hauz-Khas was

selected.

The institute was visualized as an

international fashion center.

The NIFT site is surrounded by housing &

institutional uses.Fashion Design demands continuous

innovation, for this changing environment

highly visible display and show areas are

essential.Doshis concept of surrounding the inner

court with each of the main blocks of

complex b/w 3 & 4 stories high gives the

feeling of traditional chowk (courtyard).

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SITE PLAN

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GROUND F. PLAN

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BASEMENT PLAN

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A series of high and low

platforms, a variety of

galleries and areas for formaland casual activities and

direct & indirect display of the

designs implies a series of

internal courtyards and

terraces at various heights.A glazed walkway of reflective glass looks down in

to inner courtyard.An Auditorium in basement occupies the space

directly beneath the Amphitheatre on ground floor.

The rest of basement is used for car parking spaces

and mechanical facilities.

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Angled glazed surfaces of the

administration block.

Flight of brick steps lead to the courtyard

from the main gate.The administrative block located in the

foreground of the complex with library and

exhibition area.

First courtyard- Modified kund or saucer-

shaped rainwater store.

Second courtyard- Informal

Amphitheatre.Both courtyards form the central space of

institute & have glazed corridors around

them that allow a clear view of the

galleries, the classroom cluster, the adm.

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Central water channel

leading from outside in to

heart of complex.

Entrance at the top of the inner court.

The centre of the complex create a dramatic descent to apool with reflective angled glass multiplying the effect.

There is an undulating painted steel pergola above the

internal court as a symbolic gateway.

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The Gufa is a collaborative effort b/w

B.V Doshi and the Indian artist M.F

(Maqbul Fida) husain; began as an Art

Gallery for the Exhibition of artists work.

It is located in the campus, of the

Centre for environment planning &

technology (CEPT) in Ahmedabad. Site Area- 1000 sq.mt.

Built up Area- 280 sq.mt.

Project cost- Rs.1.8 million

This is a combination of hightechnology and traditional techniques

that also describes the essential

timelessness of technology itself.

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The construction of the

Gufa was finally

dependent upon the

knowledge & skill of

builders who had to

translate highly

sophisticated diagramsinto reality.

The references for the

Gufa are elemental and

primeval. The circle,mountains, historical

precedents as Caves

(Karli, Ajanta), Stupas

etc.

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PLAN

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This structure is in

form of skeletal skin &

wire mesh

sandwiched on each

side by layers of

cement.

The concrete is thencovered with a

compacted layer of

vermiculite followed

by mosaic of pieces ofbroken china.

White tiles reflects the

sun rays, helps to keep

the interior cool.

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The structure is specifically oriented to

let in the maximum amount of heat &

light to give the interior a golden glow.

To enhance the cave like feeling ofgallery, the contours of the site were

retained, rather than being levelled.

The gently undulating surface of the

earth can still be perceived beneath the

thin concrete floor slab poured over it.

The entrance is approached down a

flight of steps in to the cave like interior. Some shells consists appeared snouts

with apertures (hole), used to capture

fresh air & light.

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The central hall is supported by 2 rows

of columns which divide the interior in

to a wider centre aisle & 2 side aisle.

The columns have octagonal shaftswider at base & tapered at capital.

The ribs, which spans from column

line to column line, create the vaulted

roof of cave.

The snouts seems as skylights to

throw light inside.

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I NDIAN INSTITUTE OF

MANAGEMENT

BANGALORE , (1977-85)

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PLAN

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MODEL SHOWING CAMPUS

PLANNING

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Design included long and unusually high

three storeyed corridorswith

innumerable vistas of focal points.

corridors are sometimes seemopen, sometimes with only pergolas

and sometimes partly covered

with skylight.

Varying direct and indirect sunlight

coupled with solid-void combination.

To further heighten the spatial

experience, the width of the corridorswas modulated in many places to allow

casual sitting , interaction or moving

forward to one destination or more.

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Corridors of columns beneath concrete pergolas

create a rhythm of light & shadow. Use of varying rhythm of solids and voids i.e. walls

and openings.

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The main area- is

a complex of

courtyards linked by

walkways or internal

streets, somecovered & some

open to sky, creating

vistas or

Focal points.