70-year of architectural journey has come to an end, Balkrishan V. Doshi was not only an architect but an emotion. Throughout his life, he celebrated architecture that responded to human values and building context. It’s inspirational…
Ar. Maitri Buch, Sfurna Designs, remembering her first encounter with Doshi says “He was sitting on a desk at the School of Architecture lounge on one June morning in 1997, when I happened to have a glimpse of a mature, young aged person, wearing thick dark black rectangular framed spectacles and a purplish blue short khadi kurta on trousers with loose chappals. Maybe he was in a consort with Piraji Sagara. He had such a complete and intense quality/ character/ sense of being that just after having one glance at him one can sense the reverberation. He was everywhere as air when I stepped in for Architecture in CEPT in 1997. Maybe that is why I don’t exactly remember when I first met him!
He could grasp multiple facets of design just in one glance.
Go beyond boundaries. Become a visionary. Expand the connectivity. Expand your scope, he would say. Once he was discussing barriers. “Isn’t it any other option of barrier? Like Jharrokha, Balcony, Otla! “He would take ancient references for design development. Once he asked a jury, what does this court look like? The Meharangarth Janana Court image and diagrams were placed on a tag board, and I said- it resembles this. And he said, you have done it and the jury was over!”
After all, Some people are always engulfed in emotions, continues, Ar. Yatin Pandya, Founder Footprints Earth “Mr. Doshi returned to Ahmedabad in 1954 after his apprenticeship with Mr. Le Corbusier in Paris between 1951-1954. Since then he made Ahmedabad his home even though he was born at Pune. I first knew of him through his lectures and visits at CEPT UNIVERSITY which he had founded in 1962. In 1981 had a chance to work at his firm as student temporarily for few weeks. But in 1984 formally joined Vastu Shilpa Foundation for studies and Research in environmental design, as a junior member of team for Vidyadharnagar- jaipur planning and urban design. Since 1989 became the associate director of the organisation and remained till 2008. So an association of two and a half decade.
His work and the research at foundation explored the age old principles and wisdom of traditional/ vernacular architecture for its contemporary relevance in timeless aesthetics, socio cultural appropriateness as well as environmental sustainability. This was the mindset change the place and person could bring about – deviating from emulating the west.”
Institution creation was an important contribution of Mr Doshi in addition to creating buildings which moulded many young minds.
Ar.Yatin Pandya
People go, but leave behind so many memories, elucidates, Ar.Aman Aggarwal, Charged Voids “Towards the end of my architectural education in 2004, I had the fortune of training at Vastu Shilpa Consultants. Under the aegis of Doshi Sir and Rajeev Kathpalia Sir, I was able to understand the true meaning of great architecture.
Growing up in Chandigarh—the mecca of modernist architecture—allowed me to experience the city and the iconic legacy of Le Corbusier in-depth, even before I could comprehend the impact architecture can have on us. As an architecture graduate, I could appreciate those buildings—but could not understand exactly what goes behind making such architecture. I had many unanswered questions and, like any young mind, needed a guiding light. To me, Doshi Sir was the mentor who helped me bridge this gap. The learnings from these formative years of my life filter down and impact my daily design choices.
Owing to his work with Le Corbusier, his core ideology resonated with the architecture I had been acquainted with since a very young age. Learning from Doshi Sir, hence, was a profound turning point for me, not just as an architect but also as a human being.”
Ar. Yatin Pandya, says in agreement “With his multifaceted contribution no wonder he achieved the highest of the laurels. He was keen observer and could bring out the most in you. With the freedom he wested and hidden talents he could extract he could come across as mirror moulding many lives. Classic example is Shankar- a young village boy who came from rural Rajasthan as helping hand at home, transformed to office peon, xerox operator, model maker, driver, cook, guesthouse attendant, mumbai guide and a secretary.Thus his being there was in itself an excuse – a notion – that inspired, nourished and nurtured many a lives like mine.”
In consensus Ar. Kritika Juneja concludes “As a first-time visitor to Ahmedabad, I went to BV Doshi’s office as well as the mill owners’ building. His works are contextually and culturally sensitive. I still remember the rawness of the materials as if they were trying to convey that we are able to breathe here.
Thus, he would always be remembered for what he left for us to be inspired by. His work was an ideal example of incorporating Western ideas while maintaining our cultural values and ethics.”
