POST INDEPENDENCE ARCHITECTURE OF VADODARA

In 1999, The Kalabhavan Architects Alumni Foundation (KAAF) hosted an exhibition of building materials between the 5th and 7th of February. KAAF constructed and donated the building for the Department of Architecture, MSU, Baroda. One of the unique features of this exhibition was a presentation of fifty years of architecture in Baroda.

The presentation was on the “Architecture of Baroda” from the past five decades or after Independence. The attempt here was not to criticize and pass judgement but to take stock of the situation. In many ways it attempted to bring forth the attitudes of the architects and the people of Baroda that were adopted in the past five decades.

We, (Brinthalakshmi and I) had attempted this through the slides and other presentation material that were collected from more than 25 architects who had consented to give us at least five of their projects. All this will came together in a slideshow with a commentary by both of us. This presentation was scheduled on February 07, 1999.

What follows below is the commentary that was given by both of us as the slideshow rolled on.

Should any of the readers have any photographs, please mail them to me so that they can be inserted as a part of this post.



POST INDEPENDENCE ARCHITECTURE OF VADODARA

A Presentation by:

Apoorva Pathak

Visiting Faculty, Dept of Architecture, MSU

&

S. Brinthalakshmi

Lecturer, Dept of Architecture, MSU

INTRODUCTION

Brinthalakshmi: Like most Indian cities Vadodara has grown physically in the last 50 years at a pace it has not experienced in its 2500 years of history. This sheer physical size surrounds and dominates the historic inner core of the city. The traditional architecture of the inner city is barely visibly and experienced. The landmarks of colonial architecture - once proud symbols of Vadodara’s glorious colonial past – are lost in today’s concrete jungle. The urban scenario today is chaotic yet vibrant with a variety of architectural expressions vying for attention.

Apoorva: In the midst of this vibrancy and variety, we intend to trace various attitudes in the architecture of Vadodara region since Independence. When globalization is the order of the day, it becomes relevant for us to take stock of the situation and search for new and relevant expressions for the twenty first century.

Brinthalakshmi: This presentation on post Independence architecture commences with a brief introduction to the architecture of the early days of independence when colonialism was waning, but designers lived in the legacy of the past. This is followed with the section on the pioneers of modern architecture who ushered in the winds of change.

Apoorva: The torch bearers for change have been the individual residences. These constitute the widest variety of architectural expressions in Vadodara and many attitudes become clearer through them. Following these will be Housing, Developerism, Factories and Institutions.

ARCHITECTURE OF VADODARA

Brinthalakshmi: With independence came an euphoria, which infused architects with the belief that many social and physical ends could now be met through physical design. This time of thought reflected that masters of the modern movement in architecture and urban design.

Apoorva: Much new building was indeed required to meet social ends. The political and administrative recognition of India led to a new configuration of states. National policy of decisions led to a variety of new building tasks. The policy of decentralization of industry created the need for the industrial infrastructure and housing to attract workers to widely dispersed new locations. In the educational area as a part of this initiative, the Vadodara college was raised to the status of a University in 1949. The Kalabhavan started offering a degree course in architecture in 1954.

Brinthalakshmi: The initial years after independence saw divergent paths in architecture- one of the continuation of the classical Revival and the other modernism. Qualified Civil Engineers undertook most of the architectural works in Vadodara at this time. They ruled the roost of all building activities because they had all the required proficiencies for handling the new material - RCC. The traditional building activities had still to learn the ropes of these new materials. As a direct result of this these qualified contractors were in situation to dominate the building scenario, with a positive effect, of Vadodara during the early 50s’. A few among them were C. R. Patel and Co., Desai & Shah and Western India Construction. Continuation of old colonial expressions can be seen in the Lalcourt building and Sardar Bhavan by C. R. Patel (opposite Chisholm’s Nyay Mandir) completed in 1950. M.K.Jadhav a chief architect of the old Bombay State designed it. This reflects modern architectural ideas of using plane surfaces and minimum decoration as in Lutyens, Government house in N.Delhi. the Adhyapak Niwas a set of apartments for University teachers in the University campus also designed by Jadhav on the other hand show no decoration at all. Residential building on the other hand continued to be built with a settle decoration (in form of jalis on parapets/railing) fill the late 50s’.

Apoorva: Master, Sathe & Bhuta from Mumbai, first introduce Modern architecture in Vadodara. They designed for the Alembic group of industries and for the M. S. University - The Faculty of Home Science, Sarojini Devi Hall- the hostel for women, The extension for the Faculty of Technology and Engineering. Their other work includes the main branch of the Bank of Baroda in Mandavi. This impact of modern architecture is further strengthened with the appoinment of M.B.Dave in 1951 (an architect by training from Hyderabad) as the architect of the M.S.University. He went on to become the Head of the department of Architecture. His contribution includes the Gandhinagar Griha, Federation building, General Education auditorium and residences for leading Industrialists and personalities- Indubhai Patel, Nanubhai Amin and Dr. Thakorbhai Patel. The mid 50s’ saw the influx of even more younger blood in the guise of Madhav Achwal and Suryakant Patel , both of whom were to play pivotal role in shaking the minds of the future generation of architects emerging from the Department of Architecture, Kalabhavan, Vadodara. Achwal & Patel incorporated within the curriculum newer thought and process followed in a modern western world. Kalabhavan thus became a front runner in architectural education by becoming one of the first institutions in India to have a Modern view of architecture.

Brinthalakshmi: Architectural thoughts in the first couple of decades came to terms with independence and the international scene. It seemed that importing modern architecture, which derived its legitimacy from a belief in the universalism of science, started an architectural revolution. Anglo Indian forms of architecture persisted until a whole new generation of Indian architects emerged. These new architects were still inspired by western, if not especially British, models of urban design and architecture.

The coming of Le Corbusier to India in 1952 set a new dimension to existing trends of design for many architects in Vadodara. Works by the P.W.D. department and the state continued the office which by the mid of 50s’ had given up British ideas. The most prominent works of the state Vadodara being the office building for the Gujarat Electricity Vadodara and the Vadodara Railway Station.

Apoorva: With this brief introduction, we come to an end of the first part, where we have attempted to set the stage for the extensive work that Architects of Vadodara have done in the past four decades.

THE TORCH BEARERS

Brinthalakshmi: Traditional housing in the early fifties for the middle class consisted of basic requirements in terms of two bedrooms, a living and a bath/WC area. These houses were to develop on parceled lots of land which were called societies. A single middle class bunglow of about 900 sq. ft. could be constructed for about Rs. 19,000. Such societies were to develop for the retired employees of Sarabhai Chemicals, Alembic etc. Similar such societies were to develop in Karelibaug, Harni, beyond Panigate, Lalbaug and Manjalpur.

Apoorva: Following these developments came the subsequent developments of the individual house. This individual house was the modern equivalent of the British Bungalow. Individual practices within Baroda have adopted interesting attitudes towards this “type” in their expressions.

ISSUES OF HOUSING

Apoorva: From little over a lakh in 1901, Vadodara had a little over a million souls in 1991. By 2001, this figure is expected to almost double. Vadodara will reach the mark of two and a half million by 2011 according to various estimates. Issues of housing cannot be ignored under the circumstances.

Brinthalakshmi: According to many sources development on the western side of the city is much faster compared to other areas.

A brief analysis reveals that while the western areas of our city constitute close to 43% of the total area under the BMC, the number of people occupying these suburbs have gone up from around 2400 in 1971 to around 6000 in 1991. While this was only a 54% increase in 1971, The nineties have shown a percentage growth of 63%. By 2001 it is likely to reach a figure of around 70%.

Apoorva: The Urban Land ceiling and Regulation act (1976), has had a mixed impact on the housing production process in Baroda. During the late seventies, it led to increase in land supply through the exemptions available under sections 20 and 21. During the late seventies, the Baroda municipal area witnessed an unprecedented spurt in housing activities. The cooperative finance societies also helped in the provision of finance to the cooperatives registered during this period. This uncharacteristic surge in the Real estate situation may also have led to the paradoxical slump in the market today. Among the general set of reasons are related to a severely competitive commercial environment anywhere else in India.

As for Baroda, the formal private sector comprising of Builders, Land Developers, Land suppliers etc., contribute nearly 77% of the total housing supply in Baroda.

Brinthalakshmi: The years between 92 and 95 saw great speculation by investors in the Real estate scenario of Baroda. This coincides with the Bull Run at the Bombay stock market. A lot of investment flowed into real estate in anticipation of profit. Land was easily available and finance was easy to come by. Builders and organizers prospered. Unlike the past, the private organizer has to produce at least some of the housing before the payments from the buyers start taking place.

DEVELOPERISM

Apoorva: Developerism is a term coined for the recent phenomenon of buildings built for the anonymous or unidentified client by the developer. It carries with it many connotations of aesthetics, economy as well as political clout in many cases.

Brinthalakshmi: Developerism, in the context of Baroda, has started flourishing mainly after the early eighties but its roots lie in the economic upliftment of the region since the early sixties. This starts mainly in the early sixties with the appearance of state owned industrial units like the Refinery, GSFC and IPCL.

Apoorva: The developer, in today’s context is the patron of architecture. He is in a position to shape the aesthetic tastes of today’s society. As a direct result, architectural expressions of today have to be economical as well as “aesthetically appealing” to the mass. The Developer – Architect nexus is in a position to generate a plethora of architectural expressions, which will constitute the built urban scenario of today and tomorrow.

Brinthalakshmi: While this movement has begun to crystallise, and is here to stay, it is important to pause and take stock of the situation as it stands today.

Due to Reasons of economy, dimensions of usable space have altered. The classic case in point is the “ten feet spans” of beams and columns in multistoried blocks which have their effect on room sizes. Also, the norms for ceiling heights have been redefined.

On the other hand, efficient planning and incorporation of newer technologies have also made their contribution towards the movement.

THE INSTITUTIONS

Architecture in India today is faced with the paradox – “how to become modern and return to the source, how to revive an old, dormant, civilization and take part in the universal?” It looks towards the future but is rooted in the past and its present makes its position clear in space and time.

The institutions designed by architects of Vadodara are a clear attempt to resolve this paradox faced by the profession today.

CONCLUSIONS.

The architectural expressions that we have witnessed today are a result the combined interaction of climate, culture, and craft within the cultural milieu of Vadodara city. While no strict classification or architectural “ism” can be imposed on such a huge body of works, one can only trace seminal strands of thought processes. What one has seen is not a blind imitation of the western ideologies. Simultaneously, it is also not retrogression to the past. It is on more ways than one a healthy regionalism – for the want of a better word. Such a regionalism is not a camouflage, a fitting or a fancy dress. Instead it is the synthesis of what is most common-sense, dignified and enriching – sensually and symbolically – from tradition with freedom, comfort and securities offered by the industrial civilization. It upholds the individual as well as local architectural features against the more universal and abstract ones. It involves a critical synthesis of a region’s history and tradition and their reinterpretation and finally the expression of these modern terms. Hence the fundamental strategy of regionalism is to mediate the impact of universal civilization with elements derived indirectly from the peculiarities of a place.

Suryakant Patel, Bhupen Khakhar and Rasik Shah on Art and Architecture

In conversation with Suryakant Patel, Rasik Shah and Bhupen Khakhar on Art and Architecture

Apoorva: Prof. Patel, What do you feel about Bhupen's works?



Suryakant Patel: I know his work and I like it very much. His work impressed me because of its uniqueness. It was different from people doing routine Expressionist and Abstract paintings in Baroda, when we met for the first time.



Apoorva: I have always wondered if artists and architects can meaningfully co-exist as co-professionals. Did you have any discussion related to this?



Bhupen Khakhar: We have thought about it. We also feel that a seminar or meeting involving architects and artists has not happened in India. Here a discussion of topics would generate an interest in people. The reasons for this probably are that we have not given this serious thought of this sort of coexistence.

Now it has started happening in a way but I doubt if it is coexistence the way you mean it. I think, the only time when it has happened was when Charles Correa designed The British Council building in New Delhi and Howard Hodgkins did a mural which is a part of the building.



Suryakant Patel: Yes, it acts as part of the building and does not become like a small photo frame. The mural overlaps and appears to go in and out. I think that is a correct fashion. One cannot commission artists after the building is complete and ask him to do something on the walls. That is of no meaning. The problem is that this sort of work is often considered as mere decoration.



Apoorva: Baroda has a long history of good art and architecture for almost 200 years. The kind of participation that you are talking about is lacking here and also in the people educated from here.



Bhupen Khakhar: No, there are two things. What are you saying is a work of collaboration, working together. The point we pointed out is, seeing each others work and enjoying it. This has happened but the former has not happened even though 100 years have passed.



Apoorva: What you are saying is that there is some lack of understanding on the clients' part or on Government’s part?



Suryakant Patel: Not just from the government. To convince the client is a difficult job. Above all there is always this confusion about the choice of the artist or the architect who will collaborate. In this confused scenario where does the collaboration come into picture?



Bhupen Khakhar: I agree, This is a big problem.



Rasik Shah: Suryakantbhai, I look at it in a different way. See, we are talking at a very professional level, but even at the level of educating the artist or architect the interaction is lacking. At a later stage we do not treat it as an integral part. I think it should be built into our work culture.



Apoorva: In India, though art and architecture have existed simultaneously, there has been very little interaction even at the institutional level. In Europe Art and Architecture are not distinctly different entities. Here apparently it is the other way round, so what could be the reason for this?



Bhupen Khakhar: To a certain extent artists ignore architectural movements and vice versa. Speaking of which, I have ignored architectural movements like say the Postmodern movement. I would have known them then if I would have interacted with an architect whether this building is Post Modern or not. On the other hand in Art movements occur that perhaps an Architect will not be able to recognize or distinguish.

If you see now in Faculty of Fine Arts, the work has remarkably changed now. The directions are very different from what they used to be a decade back. Now, perhaps you will see some semi abstraction in the work. Mostly symbols which industrial societies use. I observe it in the Art field but I do not know much about Architecture.



Suryakant Patel: See, many forces are at work. One is the client, who gets a priority because he is going to occupy the space. You cannot impose things that he does not really like. Of course you can educate him to a certain level, but you cannot go beyond that. If the client is very appreciative then this is possible. I have always seen this happening. For instance, if I work for Dr. Kurien in Anand, the work is always published. We appreciate his feelings and we develop our works to the highest level.



Bhupen Khakhar: We also do not have any experimenting museums here in India. Today, in Europe, museums initiate numerous experiments. Here, are no funds available for such activities. Museums act as institutions providing a forum for such related activities. It becomes difficult for an individual to come up with funds. This has not developed yet.



Suryakant Patel: Here, bureaucracy is the greatest obstruction.



Rasik Shah: If we look at the European history of art and architecture, let's say in 1915-20 and about Corbusier, Picasso, etc. Their work reflected each others influence. These movements and influences have not occurred here. I feel is there is a big gap.



Bhupen Khakhar: No, It has occurred slightly. In art an inquiry into the indigenous way of painting has happened, Something that relates to our things that we see around. Similarly in architecture also our climate and our materials and I suppose our "pol" housing and all I could see the beginnings somewhere.



Suryakant Patel: It is happening. After all, it is continuity of our glorious history.



Bhupen Khakhar: People have realized that making big boxes is of no use. Now in India the use of spaces is different. In India, we use bedrooms mainly at night. The drawing room and kitchen are the most heavily used. So architecture has evolved and people have accepted not to have doors between kitchen and dining which was happens in Europe.



Suryakant Patel: Earlier, if your architecture looked Western, it was considered progressive. For appreciation, it had to have the Western or European stamp. Now, thankfully, it is different. Architects do explore regional expressions and reinterpret them.



Apoorva: Simultaneously, I believe a similar movement had also happened in Art?



Bhupen Khakhar: It had happened in 1950. Our Indian artists who had gone to Europe, were influenced by Europe. People in India found it very exotic because for we were seeing it for the first time.

Many artists have come back and most of them have come back to our own roots. So there is also a change there.



Apoorva: What could be the reason for this simultaneous shift in both the fields?



Suryakant Patel: The thought process is a continuous process, it may be in literature, it may be in art, it may be in architecture.



Bhupen Khakhar: Politics also. In the sixties, Jawaharlal Nehru & Kennedy always talked about International relations.

But now things are very different. Now everyone thinks about their region, their country.



Rasik Shah: I think that is a very crucial when we talk about regionalism.



Suryakant Patel: I believe that is the right way of looking at your material and technology. If we cannot make bricks the way Britain does then why worry? We should use our bricks in the best way you can.



Apoorva: So, instead of aspiring to some other standards we are now setting our own Standards?



Bhupen Khakhar: Yes, and slowly we will set our own aesthetics also.

Bhupen Khakhar & Rasik Shah on Suryakant Patel

In conversation with Bhupen Khakhar, Artist and Rasik Shah, Architect about Suryakant Patel



Apoorva : What was your first impression about Suryakant Patel ?

Bhupen Khakhar : When I met Suryakant for the first time, late Prof. Chhadua had given his background, plus I had seen a house which he had designed and which I liked very much near to the place I stayed earlier. Since then I was curious about the archi¬tect. Prof. Chhadua told me that this was designed by Suryakant Patel. I didn't know much about Architecture then but I used to like that house because it resembled an animal standing on two legs. This was my first impression of Suryakant. Later, after I started teaching at the department, I got a clear image of Suryakant. At that time Achwal and Suryakant were the two main people in the college.

My impression about Suryakant was that he works very intuitively, like a painter. Suppose if some painters have not learnt much and don't know much about literature but still there is something inside them which gives your impression. I have felt the same for Suryakant that he is an artist from inside.


Suryakant Patel : You are right Bhupen, I do work intuitively. I believe that intuition is the sum total of all your experience. If you have lot of experience about seeing things and doing things then you develop an intuition. As I tell the students that I sketch in about 15 minutes and then mull over it for 10 days and then go back to it. I repeat this process till I feel satisfied that the initial sketch or the intuition is fully realized. The first sketch retains its concept till the end.


Bhupen Khakhar : Rasikbhai, How did you meet Suryakantbhai?

Rasik Shah: I was studying Architectural Design in the UK when I saw his work in magazines in London. I have not studied under him. At that time I had not met him personally. When I came back to Baroda in '68, we met and I was fascinated by this Chemical engineering block in Faculty of Technology which was built by him, and I told him that, If this building had been in the UK, it would certainly have won The RIBA Gold medal. That was our first encounter.


Bhupen Khakhar : I think, you were also teaching in the dept.?


Rasik Shah: I had not thought about it seriously. But Suryakant convinced me and because we had a common language to talk, we established a rapport and developed it.


Apoorva: So after you met, you must have and you must have talked to him about architecture and education etc.?

Bhupen Khakhar: Rarely, very rarely. He used to talk about it with Babu Chhadua.

Suryakant Patel: I used to talk and write everything about Architecture with Chhadua.

Rasik Shah : Let me tell you how we all got close to each other. Around 1980 after Prof. Achwal expired. Suryakant had been toying with this idea of starting a School of Architecture for a long time.

The first thing we did was to set our priorities. It was to be run by professionals. Another agreement amongst us was - no patrons like industrialists or politicians. Then during that time Suryakant contacted Mahendra Modi, Bhupen Khakhar and Prabhudasb¬hai. This is the background to the school.