The Idea of History and the Practice of Architecture
A Recording of the Keynote Address for the
International Conference on Application of Urban Conservation, History and its Criticism
in Architecture, Design, Planning and Innovation
25 June 2022 Organised by KR Mangalam University
Lessons from History: Revisiting the planning principles of the Red Fort
A brief talk recorded for the 18th April 2022 hybrid event at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi in collaboration with ICOMOS North Zone, themed on Climate Resilience and Historic Urban Landscapes.
In this talk, I concentrate on two main aspects – temperature control and use of water to understand what heritage in the form of the Red Fort can demonstrate to us about climate. All of us, to some extent or the other, grapple with these two facets of climate change and these are only going to become more acute if we continue in the way we presently live and build.
I hope this will help all of us to perceive how the Red Fort responded to its ecology and geography to shape the climate of its time for the better. As also what we ought to do today to conserve this fundamental attribute of the Fort – which is absolutely imperative in the context of the extreme climate change that we are living in.
Please do watch and circulate further so that this understanding of the Fort that I present, may lead to a more authentic recognition of its unique attributes, and we work together to not just conserving these in the Fort - instead of compromising them - but also in incorporating the holistic planning and design principles of the Fort, in what we build and how we live today.
Glimpses of the Red Fort
A conversation and discussion on the Red Fort as part of the Online Literary Festival in April 2022 organised by the
Anuman Tariqqui Hind
Recordings made for a series of talks prepared as an online set of public lectures for the students of the School of Architecture, World University of Design in February 2021.
Talk 2: Design Identity (Part 1) and Talk 4: Design Identity (Part 2)
An exploration of the meanings of identity and design in the Indian context - now and in earlier times. Looking at the Idea of India, and ideas from India through the concept of lakshana - distinguishing characteristics. Can these be used to illustrate principles of progressive thinking? https://youtu.be/QXKQRBKVN0Y
A continuation of the exploration of the relationship between design and identity. Through a comparative analysis of the meanings of 'modern' and 'Indian', as seen in contemporary and earlier pieces of architecture and design in India, we see how culture, society and philosophy affect aesthetics and ethics - and thus, the appreciation or articulation of design https://youtu.be/u3i0y_QnZe0
Talk 6: The Red Fort - The Most Magnificent Palace in the East
A virtual walk through the structures and spaces of the Lal Quila - The Red Fort of Shahjahanabad, famed as the Most Magnificent Palace in the East. How can we understand the original form and function of the Lal Quila, especially in the face of the dramatic transformations it has been subject to? What ought to be an appropriate philosophy of conservation of the Red Fort? And can we learn anything from the design and establishment and use of this unique Fort, to incorporate into contemporary design practice. This video was originally recorded in October 2020 for the IIC Series on Archaeology and Heritage, as part of their programme scheduled for online viewership.https://youtu.be/GIjftA4RJyk
Talk 8: The Jantar Mantar - Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh's Observatory in Delhi
The talk poses key questions and answers about the enigmatic and mysterious Jantar Mantar Observatories, with particular focus on the Delhi Jantar Mantar. It investigates and analyses their cultural, educational and scientific importance, and explains how we should regard, and conserve these unique sites. It also prods us to think about the creative process that led to the making of these Observatory-complexes, and what all this can teach us about responsible research and design.
This video was originally recorded in December 2020 for the IIC Series on Archaeology and Heritage, as part of their programme scheduled for online viewership. https://youtu.be/rKkzTXlq4_8
Recordings of other talks and interviews:
'The Design of the Sari', KRVIA Encounters, June 2015
Why we should explore the 'Design of The Sari' by Anisha Shekhar Mukherji and 'Unplanning the City' by Snehanshu Mukherjee at The Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies (KRVIA), June 2015:
Documentary made by students of IIIT on the Delhi Jantar Mantar
Hello Ms. Anisha,
ReplyDeleteGood to read about your efforts to put the thoughts of Dengle and revered Prof. Ganju - it is so valuable to have their thoughts resonating still ,after this April which has been the Cruelest Month.
I too have been fascinated by Jantar Mantar and it may be mentioned that I happen to have been in the occupation of teaching architecture to batches and batches of students at various semesters. There's always this relic from Bauhaus teaching (maybe) of introducing and thrusting of concepts called Basic Design and Basic forms into teaching in architectural schools in India which is like the Vetaal riding on Vikram and with no sign of getting off his back in the future.
And while musing and ruing about architecture and teaching in India today , it occurred to me that the forms of Jantar Mantar are more 'contemporary 'and more avant garde than any building of its time and for that matter of any time. That's as sweeping as it can get -I guess.
But think of it : a negative spherical surface so precisely cut and clad in stone to the last mm. No building in India today can equal that level of a match between a 'working drawing/.stone carving craft and the technology of execution. even Bouleees Cenotaph for Newton could have take a few lessons from Jantar Mantar.
That's at one plane.
Speaking of another activity - It is the perfect example for students at the first and second sem. to talk about basic shapes and forms- I'm not sure why a generation of architects haven't appreciated it for that . At least a section of students from the northern region who are familiar with the place/s would be able to respond to it in that way.
.Hope to browse more in this blog for Prof.s Dengle's and Ganju's dialogues.
Thanks
B B Prakash
Survived SPA 1987
Hello,
DeleteThank you for responding to the thoughts expressed in the blog, and for sharing your experience. And yes, absolutely, there's so much to learn from the Jantar Mantars, as indeed from most examples of design and construction that pre-date 'modernism'. I hope colleges of architecture include more of practical training and on-site learning from what is around us, rather than just making students squint at drawing boards and screens.
This may perhaps interest you, something I wrote sometime ago on education: https://anishashekhar.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-role-of-traditional-architectural.html
Best wishes,
Anisha