BALKRISHNA

VITHALDAS
DOSHI
CONTENTS
 Life of BV Doshi
 Architectural principles
 Philosophies
 Important buildings
 Aranya low cost housing-INDORE
LIFE OF BV DOSHI
 Born in Pune in 1927, Doshi attended the Sir J.J. School of Architecture Bombay (Mumbai)
twenty years later but then left in 1950 to pursue an advanced architectural education in
London. There he met Le Corbusier and worked in his Paris studio, when the master
architect happened to be designing a number of projects for India, most notably the city of
Chandigarh. Doshi moved back to India in 1955, overseeing Le Corbusier’s projects in the
country and settling in Ahmedabad. His early independent projects were highly influenced
by Le Corbusier, but eventually Doshi would form his own office, Vastu Shilpa, and craft his
own style, combining modern forms and materials with regional influences arising from
environmental conditions and an awareness of how people lived.
LIFE OF BV DOSHI
 Over the years, Balkrishna Doshi has always created an architecture that is serious, never
flashy or a follower of trends. [He has] a deep sense of responsibility and a desire to contribute
to his country and its people through high quality, authentic architecture ... Doshi is acutely
aware of the context in which his buildings are located. His solutions take into account the
social, environmental and economic dimensions, and therefore his architecture is totally
engaged with sustainability.
 Awards-

Padma Shri, Govt. of India, 1976

6th Aga Khan Award for Architecture for Aranya Community Housing, 1993-1995
Pritzker Architecture Prize, 2018
ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES
Doshi categorized 8 principles in traditional architecture which he believes would greatly enrich
contemporary practice
 Mythical Sense
 Vastu - Purusha Mandala
 Transformation of Energy
 Human Institutions
 Flexible approach
 Symbolism
 Amorphous forms
 Timelessness
 MYTHICAL SENSE
 Doshi believed in the mythical sense of space.
 According to him space can be modified according to the desire of the perceiver and is never
static

VASTU - PURUSHA MANDALA

 To ensure minimum standards of health and hygiene in each project
 Vaastu ’ (environment), ‘ Purusha ’ (energy) and ‘Mandala’ ( astrology) to assist builders in
determining proper orientation .

TIMELESSNESS
 Doshi seeks “Timelessness” in his architecture much as Louis khan did when describing his
quality in historical precedents as' open endedness
 TRANSFORMATION OF ENERGY
 Energy between the building and people using the space
 The natural energy produced through sun radiations or natural elements, surroundings, species
around it etc
 Doshi used this by providing openness in buildings through colonnades, pergolas, porticos, sky
lights etc

HUMAN INSTITUTIONS
 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 Doshi’s
faith in the dialogue between people and architecture of which he speaks
 FLEXIBLE APPROACH
 He believed in following the ‘flexible rather than rigid approach to the structure ’.
 He said that this was how transformation of space from the mere static container ; to a place where
people actually feel a psychic interchange is best achieved

SYMBOLISM
 His idea of flexibility lead him to the principle of symbolism.
 He believes that it can only be accommodated by mixture of structural systems

AMORPHOUS FORMS
 He advocates “amorphous rather than finite forms”, used with multiple structural systems to
let a meandering experience
 Eg : Aranya Low Cost Housing, Indore
PHILOSOPH
IES
 Doshi conceived building as not a “ container of specific activities but as a place to be
inhabited ”.
 His 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 and order.
 He brought in this so called “filter” between contemporary and traditional architecture.
 He believed that the success of any project depends on effective construction, planning and co-
ordination.
IMPORTANT
BUILDINGS
SANGATH
VASTU SHILPA
FOUNDATION
Sangath is Doshi’s own studio,
often considered the building
that fully describes encapsulates
his approach. It features a series
of sunken vaults clad in china
mosaic and a terraced
amphitheater with flowing water
details. Sangath represents the
connection between nature and
the individual.
AMDAVAD NI
GUFA
One of Doshi’s more
experimental designs, this cave-
like art gallery exhibits the work
of artist Maqbool Fida Husain.
Much like his Sangath studio, the
domed structures that feature the
artwork are covered in mosaic
tiles. The artworks are applied
directly onto the walls on the
interior and metal sculptures rest
against the irregularly shaped
columns.
CENTER FOR
ENVIRONMENTA
L PLANNING AND
TECHNOLOGY
Completed in 1966, CEPT is
designed to be an experiment for
the perfect balance between
humans and nature, with a series
of buildings loosely held
together by landscaped
courtyards. It utilizes a free plan
scheme with careful site
planning to direct sunlight into
the studios.
Doshi elevated the school in
response to India's hot climate
and to enable a hub of activity
where shade and breezes create
a comfortable environment
The architect has said, as
quoted in William J.R. Curtis's
1988 monograph on Doshi, "As
with Le Corbusier's Unité
d'Habitation or Villa Savoye, the
building is raised up above the
ground. But here the space
underneath is active and multi-
functional, designed for sun
protection and exposure to the
breeze."
TAGORE
MEMORIAL
HALL
An exploration of his interest in
Brutalism, the Tagore Memorial
Hall is one of Doshi’s most
notable designs. Completed in
1966, this 700-seat amphitheater
features reinforced concrete
walls which are broken up by
folded plates to create
contrasting planes of light and
shadow.
INDIAN
INSTITUTE OF
MANAGEMENT,
BANGALORE
IIM Bangalore explores the
concept of designing both
indoor and outdoor
classrooms. The IIMB campus
was envisioned as a place to be
inhabited, as a place to
facilitate the course of human
interaction and reflects the
perfect sense of scale,
proportion, and light.
Regarding this project, Doshi
said “a campus should be
meandering and connecting.”
ARANYA,
LOW COST
HOUSING
PROJECT
DETAILS
 Location – 6 km from the centre of
Indore city, M.P.
Client- Indore Development
Authority
Principal Architect – Bal krishna
Doshi
Total Built-up Area -100,000
Project Cost - Rs. 100 Million
Year of completion – 1989
Award - Aga Khan award for
Architecture in 1996
OBJECTIVES
  To improve and upgrade the existing slum area.
 To provide serviced sites for new housing developments instead of building complete houses.
 To provide for 6,500 residential plots ranging in size from 35for EWS to 475 for high income
groups.
 Create a township with a sense of continuity and fundamental values of security in a good
living environment.
 Achieve a community character by establishing harmony between the built environment and
the people.
 Create a balanced community of various socio-economic groups to evolve a framework
through design.
FINANCIAL ASPECTS
 The idea was to mix some middle income plots with EWS plots to use the profits to raise
capital towards development of local trades.
 Funding – 100% public sources. 

[PERCENTAGE]

[PERCENTAGE]

[PERCENTAGE]

International Sources National Sources Local Sources

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CONCEPT

CONCEPT
 Slum development project
 Inspiration from existing slum settlements in Indore

CHARACTERISTICS
 Mixed and multiple land use
 Formation of small neighborhoods and houses extending to
the outdoors.
 Small shops operating within congested areas.
 Trees planted in public places
 Streets accommodating social, economic and domestic
activities.
ZONING
 ACCESS TO
AMMENITIES
(IN MINUTES)
 LAND USE DISTRIBUTION

Roads
26%

Residential Space
Open Spaces 58%
9%

Community & Commercial

Facilities
7%
ELEVATION
THANK YOU