India International Centre Triveni Kala Sangam

First Head of the Department Architecture and Planning Department Bengal Engineering College
Born in 1912 in Omaha, Stein studied under the Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen at the Cranbrook Academy in Detroit, Michigan, in the early 1930s. This legendary campus designed by Saarinen and filled with sculptures by Carl Milles, the Swedish sculptor, influenced Steins Design philosophy. The design approach developed was very different to the Bauhaus modernism then taking hold in Europe, which arrived on the American shores with the immigration of Walter Gropius, Mies Van der Rohe and others just before the Second World War. The Bauhaus tended to be insensitive to local culture and materials of building, and advocated hard-edged design philosophy using industrial elements. The influence on Stein, on the other hand, was a view, which incorporated organic materials, brick, stone and wood, with a willingness to decorate through texture and volume, yet retaining a simplicity and human scale. Stein moved to California in 1938 to work with the Austrian Richard Neutra, who became another great influence. Neutras spare, elegant houses were carefully sited in the California landscape with large glass vistas blurring the boundaries of interior and exterior. Stein arrived in India in 1952, as head of the newly formed Architecture and Planning Department at the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta in 1952, little realizing that he would stay on. Moving north to San Francisco, Stein became a vital part of the design scene in the Bay Area working with architect John Funk and landscape designer Garret Eckbo, eventually opening his own office. Living in Mill Valley, Joe Stein designed a number of houses, which became recognized as major examples of the California School. As a team, they had planned and designed a large cooperative residential community at Ladera near Palo Alto, which had idealistic social aims of simplicity surrounded by landscaped beauty in the post-War peace. Unsuccessful in raising financing, he moved to Europe in the early 1950s. Richard Neutra, who had been invited by the Government of West Bengal to be an adviser, proposed Steins name as head of the newly formed Architecture and Planning Department at the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta. Accepting the invitation, Stein arrived in 1952, little realizing that he would stay on. He was awarded the Padma Shri, one of Indias highest civilian honors, in 1992. He has written of his initial reaction: It was a very stimulating, extraordinarily interesting time, India was almost newly Independent. It was like coming to the United States when Thomas Jefferson was alive, something like that. Steins famous works include - India International Centre, India Habitat Centre, Sher-I-Kashmir Conference Centre, Indian Institute of Management; Kozhikode.

Joseph Allen Stein

Sher-I-Kashmir, International Conference Centre Indian Institute of Management , Kozhikode

Indian Habitat Centre

Joseph Allen Stein walking up the stairwell of Ford Foundation, 1968. ~ Photo (c) Madan Mahatta

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Wichita House

Union Tank Car Company, Largest Dome at Baton Rouge, Louisiana

American systems theorist, architect, engineer, author, designer, inventor, and futurist. Born in 1895 at Milton in Massachusetts, Buckminster Fuller had a sketchy formal education which as not in much progress beyond two years (1913-15) at Harvard. He was not an Architect by profession, but was a Naval Officer during the First World War. Working as a Visiting lecturer in various architectural schools in USA, he received the award of merit of the New York chapter of the AIA in 1952. In 1959, national organization of the same body rewarded him honorary membership. DYMAXICON The term Dymaxion was coined in 1929.The organization of the Marshall field departmental store decided the name House of Future instead of 4d for maximum publicity. Dymaxion is a fusion of syllables related directly or indirectly to Dynamism, Maximum and Icons. Eden Project geodesic domes

Fuller, Richard Buckminster

1960 - One of the GREATEST MOMENTs of the Department of Architecture:

Biosphre Montral

Prof. Richard Buckminster Fuller inaugurating an exhibition at B E College. According to Mr. Dipak Majumdar (1963 batch): ..We were in 3rd year in 1960 when Mr. Buckminster Fuller visited us. We students of 3rd year built two geodesic domes with bamboos with direct guidance by him in the open area on the east of Civil Engineering Dept. He sat on a drafting stool and gave us bottles of coke as we were working in the sun. On the third day afternoon, he gave a lecture on tensegrity structure to the students in the gallery above the first lobby entrance. He left in the evening.

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Assembly Building, Chandigarh

architect, designer, urbanist,and writer

Le Corbusier

Charles-douard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887 August 27, 1965), was an architect, designer, urbanist,and writer, famous for being one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930. His career spanned five decades, with his buildings constructed throughout Europe, India and America. He was a pioneer in studies of modern high design and was dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities. Le Corbusier adopted his pseudonym in the 1920s, allegedly deriving it in part from the name of a distant ancestor, Lecorbsier. He was awarded the Frank P. Brown Medal in 1961.

Le Corbusier developed the Modulor in the long tradition of Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, the work of Leone Battista Alberti, and other attempts to discover mathematical proportions in the human body and then to use that knowledge to improve both the appearance and function of architecture.[1] The system is based on human measurements, the double unit, the Fibonacci numbers, and the golden ratio. Le Corbusier described it as a range of harmonious measurements Chandigarh High Court to suit the human scale, universally applicable to architecture and to mechanical things.
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Achyut P. Kanvinde
Mehsana Dairy Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai

(1916-2002)

Padma Shri Achyut P. Kanvinde (191628 December 2002) is considered as one of forefathers of modern Indian architecture. He was born in Achara, in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, in 1916 in a large family. His mother died when he was two and his father was an arts teacher in Bombay. Kanvinde entered the Sir J.J. School of Art (University of Mumbai) in 1935, to study architecture under Claude Batley. He later studied design at Harvard in 1945 and was influenced by the works of Walter Gropius. Along with his partner S. Rai, he opened a firm Kanvinde, Rai and Chowdhury in New Delhi (which is currently run by Mr. Sanjay Kanvinde, Mrs. B.K. Tanuja and Mr. Murad Chaudhury). The firm has been responsible for IIT Kanpur, National Science Centre, Delhi, NII Pune, numerous dairy buildings under NDDB and many other great buildings.

Balkrishna Hariballab Das Residence Pk Kellar Library, IIT Kanpur

NATIONAL INSURANCE ACADEMY , PUNE

Iskon Temple, New Delhi

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B. V. Doshi
Hussain Doshi Gufa, Ahmedabad Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi is an Indian architect,considered an important figure of South Asian architecture and noted for his contributions to the evolution of architectural discourse in India. He is known for his contributions to the architecture of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. B. V. Doshi was born in Pune, India.He studied at the J. J. School of Architecture, Mumbai. After having worked for four years between 195154 with Le Corbusier in Paris, B. V. Doshi returned to Ahmedabad to supervise Le Corbusiers projects. His studio, Vastu-Shilpa (environmental design), was established in 1955. Doshi worked closely with Louis Kahn and Anant Raje, when Kahn designed the campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. In 1958 he was a fellow at the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. He then started the School of Architecture (S.A) in 1962. Doshi is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and has been on the selection committee for the Pritzker Prize, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. He is also a Fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects. Apart from his international fame as an architect, Dr. Doshi is equally known as an educator and institution builder. He has been the first founder Director of the School of Architecture, Ahmedabad (196272), first founder Director of the School of Planning (197279), first founder Dean of the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (197281), founder member of the Visual Arts Centre, Ahmedabad and first founder Director of the Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad. Dr. Doshi has been instrumental in establishing the nationally and internationally known research institute Vastu-Shilpa Foundation for Studies and Research in Environmental Design. The institute has done pioneering work in low cost housing and city planning. As an academician, Dr. Doshi has been visiting the USA and Europe since 1958 and has held important chairs in American Universities. In recognition of his distinguished contribution as a professional and as an academician, Dr. Doshi has received several international and national awards and honours. He has been awarded Padma Shri by the government of India. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. CEPT Ahmedabad Gandhi Labour Institute In 2008, 100hands director Prjmit Ramachandran released a documentary interviewing Doshi.

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad with Louis.I. Kahn

Sangath, Ahmedabad

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Architect, Planner, Activist

Charles Correa

Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur

Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad

Charles Correa is a major figure in contemporary architecture around the world. With his extraordinary and inspiring designs, he has played a pivotal role in the creation of an architecture for post-Independence India . All of his work - from the carefully detailed memorial Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Museum at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Kanchanjunga Apartment tower in Mumbai, the Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, the planning of Navi Mumbai, MITS Brain and Cognitive Sciences Centre in Boston, and most recently, the Champalimad Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon, places special emphasis on prevailing resources, energy and climate as major determinants in the ordering of space.

Over the last four decades, Correa has done pioneering work in urban issues and low cost shelter in the Third World. From 1970-75, he was Chief Architect for New Bombay an urban growth center of 2 million people, across the harbor from the existing city. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appointed him Chairman of the National Commission on Urbanization. In 1984, he founded the prestigious Urban Design Research Institute in Bombay which to this day is dedicated to the protection of the built environment and improvement of urban communities. He also designed the distinctive buildings of National Crafts Museum, New Delhi (19751990), Bharat Bhavan Bhopal, British Council, Delhi. (198792). 2005-2008 he was Chairman of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission. In 2008 he resigned his commission as the head of Delhi Urban Arts Commission.

LIC Building, Delhi

Kanchanjangha Apartments, Mumbai

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Raj Rewal

French Embassy Headquarters, New Delhi

Gujral House, New Delhi

Raj Rewal was born in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. He created a revolution in geometric design systems. Creation of geometric systems and responding visual imageries are apparent in Raj Rewals architectural works. He even went to School of Art in Delhi for six months before joining the School of Architecture. He chiselled his art in Londons Architectural Association School of Architecture After completing the post graduation in Architecture; in 1955-1961, he moved to London and attended the architectural association of architecture for one year. He completed his formal professional training at the Brixton school of building, London. Raj Rewal took up his first job as an assistant stage manager for several avante grade theatre production in London. He became an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, London. Raj Rewal worked with Michel Ecochardss office in Paris before starting his practice in New Delhi. He designed the Asiad Village and the Parliament Library in New Delhi. He was assigned a Project of the design of a Parliament Library which he designed beautifully with lot of grace and also adding majestic qualities to the structure. He got married to a Lady named Helene from France in 1962. He set up his own architectural practice in 1962 when he returned to Delhi. In 1963-72, he taught at the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and Architecture, SUST. He opened his second Architectural Office at Tehran, Iran in 1974. Ram Sharma was his associate in the foundation of the Architectural Research Cell in 1985. In 1986, he became the curator of the exhibition Traditional Architecture in India for the festival of India in Paris.

Housing for British High Commission , New Delhi

Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi

Gujral House, New Delhi

World Bank Regional Mission, New Delhi

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Romi Khosla
Romi Khosla is an architect who received a B.A. in Economics from the university of Cambridge, and qualified as an architect at the architectural association, London. His professional work has always encompassed concerns about economic development and architecture. Romi founded group (group for rural and urban planning) in Delhi in 1974, and has designed a number of large institutional complexes as well as small communitybased rural projects. His recent work includes developmental and revitalization projects for the United Nations development programme (UNDP) in central Asia, Tibet and Egypt, and for the government of India in the Himalayan belt.

M.F. Hussain Art Gallery, Jamia University, New Delhi

A House, Himachal Pradesh

The River Farm

Dental College, JMI University, New Delhi

Zuari Garden City, Mandya

Assam Valley School

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Bharati Airtel Building, Gurgaon

Dypatil Stadium

Hafeez Contractor was a student of architecture in The Academy of Architecture, Rachana Sansad, Mumbai from being an Arts student at Jai Hind College. The credit goes to his cousin, an established architect himself, T.Khareghat, who himself saw his potential and had him enrolled. The chance paid off as Hafeez topped all his seven years of architecture with honors. A post graduate course from Columbia University, New York followed, allowing him not only to learn about architecture, but also about his profession and life. His fellows at the University still remember him as the persevering student never giving up on challenges, a trait that was to earn a place so high amongst his other ideologies. An apprenticeship with Khareghat began in 1968 and in 1977. during those times he used to visit the construction sites and observe the detailing. Hafeez became an associate partner in the same firm. From 1977 to 1980 he was the visiting faculty at The Academy of Architecture, Mumbai. He established his own firm Architect Hafeez Contractor in 1982 and since then there has been no looking back. He shot to fame with the design of the residential complexes that he started in Mumbai. He is now a member of the Bombay Heritage Committee and New Delhi Lutyens Bungalow Zone Review Committee.

Hafiz Contractor

DB Turf Estate Infinity Cyber City, Gurgaon

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Pathabhavan , Girls Hostel, Shantiniketan

Dulal Mukherjee
Dulal Mukherjee studied architecture at the Bengal Engineering College, Howrah, now renamed as Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur.
He graduated in 1964 and worked parttime for a small Kolkata practice to complete his diploma in Town and Regional Planning from the same college in 1966. For a very brief period in 1967 he taught at his alma mater and then joined a practice with Gauri Ghosh, a well known interior designer with whom he worked for the next four years on designing interiors. His breakthrough came in 1972 with the boom in construction of own ship apartments, when he set up his present practice and concentrated on residences for the first five years. It was only in 1979 that he received commissions for public and institutional buildings by winning several local compitions. His work displayed at the Festival of India, Exhibition on Contemporary Architecture, held in Paris. The year 1978 saw the beginning of a spate of national design competitions several of which were won by the firm thus acquiring a number of Government, Quasi Government, and Institutional Projects. At the uncertain start of his career he dashed off, in sheer desperation, a letter to the late G . D Birla requesting work. This led to his partnership with Gauri Ghosh, the Birlas interior designer, and his commission was a small temple for a Birla Group factory at Barasat. Soon after he joined Gauri Ghosh they won a competition for the interior of the New International Terminal at Kolkata Airport and were subsequently appointed by the royal family of Nepal to design some interiors of the palace at Katmandu. He has been jury member for various educational and national architectural competitions having also been a visiting lecturer, external examiner and conducted workshops for Bengal Engineering and Science University, Sibpur, Jadavpur University and I.I.T, Kharagpur.He also been panel of judges for the selection of the J.K and the J.I.I.A. national Awards, having recently been nominated a member of the All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE). He received the Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara award for his outstanding contribution to semi-rural architecture at Shantiniketan with reference to Kala Bhavan Graphic Studio, Vishwa Bharati University and J.I.IA. Award from the I.I.A for the Don Bosco Church at Kalyani, West Bengal.

Cultural complex at Haldia

As he designs, he walks through the house attributing the ultimate evolution of form to the knowledge of materials, and compositions, a process that happens naturally.
Kalabhavan, Shantiniketan Gateway of Kolkata Highland Park

~ Indian Architect & Builder, April 1996.

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