Skip to main content

Vibhuti Sachdev

Gitam University,Visakhapatnam,India, Gitam School of Architecture, Dean and Director

Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Architecture, Former Dean

GD GOENKA UNIVERSITY, UID School of Architecture, Joint Dean (Academics) Architecture Design Art

GD GOENKA UNIVERSITY, UID ncr, Director

Ansal University, Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Faculty Member

Followers

1,051

Following

19

Mentions

1

Public Views

Vibhuti Sachdev qualified as an architect from the School of Planning and Architecture (New Delhi) in 1989. After a period spent in practice and research in India, she undertook a PhD in architectural theory at the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London), which she completed in 1996. She was later Lecturer in History of Art in the University of Sussex, a post that she left in 2004 to return to India. She has worked as independent writer and lecturer and as consultant on the restoration of the Jal Mahal, Jaipur. Dr Sachdev has worked on Vastu Vidya (India’s traditional architectural theory). Many of her publications concern this or related knowledge systems, and their expression in architecture and art. She has worked extensively on the city of Jaipur, focusing on its architecture and craft traditions. She is the co-author of two books on the city. Building Jaipur (2002) uses Jaipur as a test case for exploring changes in planning theory and practice in India between the pre-colonial and post-modern eras. Jaipur City Palace (2008) discusses both the visual and social cultures of the city’s primary former royal residence. Since publishing these books, Dr Sachdev has been a consultant on the restoration of the Jal Mahal in Jaipur, was the design curator for the artwork of its pavilions and the co-curator of the exhibition ‘Painted Pleasures’. Her most recent book is on the Festivals at the Jaipur Court (Niyogi Books) was published in 2014. She joined the Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Ansal University in 2015 as Professor and in 2016 as Dean. She is currently working on establishing a research ecosystem of the fields of Architecture, Planning and Design.
Phone: 9818696108
Address: Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi India

less

Noel B. Salazar

KU Leuven

Roskilde University

Dominik Wujastyk

University of Alberta

Oriol Miralbell Izard

EUHT CETT-UB

Silver Rattasepp

University of Tartu

University College Cork

Anna Lise Seastrand

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Alejandra B Osorio

Wellesley College

Politecnico di Milano

Kansas State University

InterestsView All (59)

Uploads

Videos by Vibhuti Sachdev

Thoughtful Leadership

Thoughts on Higher Education

9 views

Papers by Vibhuti Sachdev

Paradigms for Design: the Vastu Vidya Codes of India

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

South Asian Studies, 2000

... Term Used Aya Aya Vastunara Bandha Yoni Yoni Yoni Aya Aya Aya Grihabandha Yoni Aya Aya buildi... more

Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary uses of Vastu Vidya

Paradigms for Design: The Vastu Vidya Codes of India

Urban Coding and Planning, ed. Stephen Marshall, Routledge, 2011

Negotiating Modernity in the Princely State of Jaipur

This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the... more This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the light of the experience of a princely state. The princely states were regions under indirect British control, ruled by maharajas, nawabs, etc., and their officials. The most prominent role in the story of India's artistic modernity is commonly assigned to the Bengal School, but the implied equation of India with one part of it may be misleading. Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, contrary to the experience of British India, the boundaries of nationhood were already in place for the many princely states, large and small, which numbered well over 500 and together constituted nearly two-fifths of India. In many of these states the chief factor in the fashioning of identity was not nationalism, but modernity. Paradoxically, while the nationalist artists looked ever deeper into India's limitless past to define an Indian identity that stretched beyond current boundaries of time and region, in the princely states Indian-ness was an unselfconscious living reality. My study explores identity and modernity in one political and social context very different from, but concurrent with, the Bengal School – namely the state of Jaipur during the reign of Maharaja Madho Singh II (1880–1922). What were the terms for negotiating modernity and tradition in Jaipur? How was this particular negotiation reflected in the art and architecture patronised by the maharaja, and how did it compare with the contemporary architectural vision in British India? In exploring these questions, the sources used reflect indigenous voices of both British and Indian India.

Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City

Jaipur, in Rajasthan, is one of India's most famous cities, and is renowned for its palaces a... more Jaipur, in Rajasthan, is one of India's most famous cities, and is renowned for its palaces and museums, its craft traditions, and its distinctive pink shops and houses. A planned city within walls, it was built in pre-modern times according to a distinctive Indian theory of architecture. As architecture subsequently developed in India, in response to British and latterly post-colonial policies, this system became increasingly marginalized and fragmented, decreasingly practised and understood. Taking Jaipur as a test case, the authors use this lost tradition to explain historic Indian buildings according to the rationale of their original architects. The authors also examine the place of traditional architectural theory in a modern context - post-modern architecture in India has often sought to recapture the spirit of the past, and yet been reluctant to engage with traditional theory. By chronicling the gradual eclipse of Indian architectural theory, the authors explain how this...

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

South Asian Studies, 2000

... Term Used Aya Aya Vastunara Bandha Yoni Yoni Yoni Aya Aya Aya Grihabandha Yoni Aya Aya buildi... more

Negotiating Modernity in the Princely State of Jaipur

South Asian Studies, 2012

This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the... more This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the light of the experience of a princely state. The princely states were regions under indirect British control, ruled by maharajas, nawabs, etc., and their officials. The most prominent role in the story of India's artistic modernity is commonly assigned to the Bengal School, but the implied equation of India with one part of it may be misleading. Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, contrary to the experience of British India, the boundaries of nationhood were already in place for the many princely states, large and small, which numbered well over 500 and together constituted nearly two-fifths of India. In many of these states the chief factor in the fashioning of identity was not nationalism, but modernity. Paradoxically, while the nationalist artists looked ever deeper into India's limitless past to define an Indian identity that stretched beyond current boundaries of time and region, in the princely states Indian-ness was an unselfconscious living reality. My study explores identity and modernity in one political and social context very different from, but concurrent with, the Bengal School – namely the state of Jaipur during the reign of Maharaja Madho Singh II (1880–1922). What were the terms for negotiating modernity and tradition in Jaipur? How was this particular negotiation reflected in the art and architecture patronised by the maharaja, and how did it compare with the contemporary architectural vision in British India? In exploring these questions, the sources used reflect indigenous voices of both British and Indian India.

A Vastu Text in the Modern Age: Vishvakarma Darpan, 1969

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol.15, 2005

1969 was a time of some introspection for the architectural profession in India. The vision of bo... more 1969 was a time of some introspection for the architectural profession in India. The vision of bold architecture that Nehru had nurtured so personally was now in full bloom. It was, after all, a decade since he had urged architects to break the shackles of tradition in support of Chandigarh – an experiment to embolden the spirit of New India. There was a general sense of relief from professionally trained architects, because for them this political support meant that they could now do what they did best. Not out of choice, but training, they were freed from the burden of addressing tradition, and they could now address foreign design. This was also the time when many were ‘returning home’ after training in European and American schools, and were putting into practice what they had learnt abroad. The ‘foreign-returned’ were the ‘real’ architects who took upon themselves the task of educating their clients, and changing the face of India. They were ‘real’ also because only they had had first-hand experience of what was being taught from books in architecture schools all over India. With scholarship schemes set up by the Nehru government facilitating architects to study in America, it was there that many young architects went to complete their education. Once back they would set their euphoria in concrete and glass. And by 1969 there were already quite a few examples of American-inspired designs in the portfolio of Modern India, and its novelty was beginning to wear off.

In a Maze of Lines: the theory of design of Jaalis

South Asian Studies, 2003

... 13, Shesh tola, a pattern of six pieces. ... Plate 5 is a group of carefully drafted drawings... more ... 13, Shesh tola, a pattern of six pieces. ... Plate 5 is a group of carefully drafted drawings of all the panels in Kipling&#x27;s list, and is entitled &quot;Pinjara or Geometric Lattice Work in Wood, Punjab.&quot; These panels are drawn by none other than Ram Singh, who collaborated with Kipling on ...

Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City

Page 1. Page 2. Jaipur in Rajasthan is famous for its palaces and museums, its craft traditions a... more

Mehrauli: A View from the Qutbby Charles Lewis; Karoki Lewis

Mehrauli: A View from the Qutb. Text by Charles Lewis, Photographs by Karoki Lewis, Foreword by William Dalrymple. pp. 141. With colour plates. New Delhi, Harpers Collins India, 2002

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2005

Mehrauli: A View from the Qutb. Text by Charles Lewis, Photographs by Karoki Lewis, Foreword by William Dalrymple. pp. 141. With colour plates. New Delhi, Harpers Collins India, 2002

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2005

Education as Medication

Medium, 2020

Comparison of education with medication paradigms

Change the Channel

Medium, 2020

Mapping recent trends on new mindsets

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

South Asian Studies, 2000

Customised Learning

medium.com , 2020

The essay explores differences in thought processes between mono-cultural and poly-cultural socie... more

Women in Architecture

Conference Paper, 2019

It is not so much about more or less women entering the profession but to see Women in Education ... more It is not so much about more or less women entering the profession but to see Women in Education as a sign of the changes that the disciplines of Architecture and Design are experiencing. The future of these professions is feminine. That is the only way the profession can continue. For this then, we need to examine the process and the nature of these feminising professions.

Thoughtful Leadership

Thoughts on Higher Education

9 views

Paradigms for Design: the Vastu Vidya Codes of India

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

South Asian Studies, 2000

... Term Used Aya Aya Vastunara Bandha Yoni Yoni Yoni Aya Aya Aya Grihabandha Yoni Aya Aya buildi... more

Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary uses of Vastu Vidya

Paradigms for Design: The Vastu Vidya Codes of India

Urban Coding and Planning, ed. Stephen Marshall, Routledge, 2011

Negotiating Modernity in the Princely State of Jaipur

This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the... more This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the light of the experience of a princely state. The princely states were regions under indirect British control, ruled by maharajas, nawabs, etc., and their officials. The most prominent role in the story of India's artistic modernity is commonly assigned to the Bengal School, but the implied equation of India with one part of it may be misleading. Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, contrary to the experience of British India, the boundaries of nationhood were already in place for the many princely states, large and small, which numbered well over 500 and together constituted nearly two-fifths of India. In many of these states the chief factor in the fashioning of identity was not nationalism, but modernity. Paradoxically, while the nationalist artists looked ever deeper into India's limitless past to define an Indian identity that stretched beyond current boundaries of time and region, in the princely states Indian-ness was an unselfconscious living reality. My study explores identity and modernity in one political and social context very different from, but concurrent with, the Bengal School – namely the state of Jaipur during the reign of Maharaja Madho Singh II (1880–1922). What were the terms for negotiating modernity and tradition in Jaipur? How was this particular negotiation reflected in the art and architecture patronised by the maharaja, and how did it compare with the contemporary architectural vision in British India? In exploring these questions, the sources used reflect indigenous voices of both British and Indian India.

Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City

Jaipur, in Rajasthan, is one of India's most famous cities, and is renowned for its palaces a... more Jaipur, in Rajasthan, is one of India's most famous cities, and is renowned for its palaces and museums, its craft traditions, and its distinctive pink shops and houses. A planned city within walls, it was built in pre-modern times according to a distinctive Indian theory of architecture. As architecture subsequently developed in India, in response to British and latterly post-colonial policies, this system became increasingly marginalized and fragmented, decreasingly practised and understood. Taking Jaipur as a test case, the authors use this lost tradition to explain historic Indian buildings according to the rationale of their original architects. The authors also examine the place of traditional architectural theory in a modern context - post-modern architecture in India has often sought to recapture the spirit of the past, and yet been reluctant to engage with traditional theory. By chronicling the gradual eclipse of Indian architectural theory, the authors explain how this...

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

South Asian Studies, 2000

... Term Used Aya Aya Vastunara Bandha Yoni Yoni Yoni Aya Aya Aya Grihabandha Yoni Aya Aya buildi... more

Negotiating Modernity in the Princely State of Jaipur

South Asian Studies, 2012

This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the... more This paper questions established accounts of national identity and modernity in Indian art in the light of the experience of a princely state. The princely states were regions under indirect British control, ruled by maharajas, nawabs, etc., and their officials. The most prominent role in the story of India's artistic modernity is commonly assigned to the Bengal School, but the implied equation of India with one part of it may be misleading. Throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, contrary to the experience of British India, the boundaries of nationhood were already in place for the many princely states, large and small, which numbered well over 500 and together constituted nearly two-fifths of India. In many of these states the chief factor in the fashioning of identity was not nationalism, but modernity. Paradoxically, while the nationalist artists looked ever deeper into India's limitless past to define an Indian identity that stretched beyond current boundaries of time and region, in the princely states Indian-ness was an unselfconscious living reality. My study explores identity and modernity in one political and social context very different from, but concurrent with, the Bengal School – namely the state of Jaipur during the reign of Maharaja Madho Singh II (1880–1922). What were the terms for negotiating modernity and tradition in Jaipur? How was this particular negotiation reflected in the art and architecture patronised by the maharaja, and how did it compare with the contemporary architectural vision in British India? In exploring these questions, the sources used reflect indigenous voices of both British and Indian India.

A Vastu Text in the Modern Age: Vishvakarma Darpan, 1969

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol.15, 2005

1969 was a time of some introspection for the architectural profession in India. The vision of bo... more 1969 was a time of some introspection for the architectural profession in India. The vision of bold architecture that Nehru had nurtured so personally was now in full bloom. It was, after all, a decade since he had urged architects to break the shackles of tradition in support of Chandigarh – an experiment to embolden the spirit of New India. There was a general sense of relief from professionally trained architects, because for them this political support meant that they could now do what they did best. Not out of choice, but training, they were freed from the burden of addressing tradition, and they could now address foreign design. This was also the time when many were ‘returning home’ after training in European and American schools, and were putting into practice what they had learnt abroad. The ‘foreign-returned’ were the ‘real’ architects who took upon themselves the task of educating their clients, and changing the face of India. They were ‘real’ also because only they had had first-hand experience of what was being taught from books in architecture schools all over India. With scholarship schemes set up by the Nehru government facilitating architects to study in America, it was there that many young architects went to complete their education. Once back they would set their euphoria in concrete and glass. And by 1969 there were already quite a few examples of American-inspired designs in the portfolio of Modern India, and its novelty was beginning to wear off.

In a Maze of Lines: the theory of design of Jaalis

South Asian Studies, 2003

... 13, Shesh tola, a pattern of six pieces. ... Plate 5 is a group of carefully drafted drawings... more ... 13, Shesh tola, a pattern of six pieces. ... Plate 5 is a group of carefully drafted drawings of all the panels in Kipling&#x27;s list, and is entitled &quot;Pinjara or Geometric Lattice Work in Wood, Punjab.&quot; These panels are drawn by none other than Ram Singh, who collaborated with Kipling on ...

Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City

Page 1. Page 2. Jaipur in Rajasthan is famous for its palaces and museums, its craft traditions a... more

Mehrauli: A View from the Qutbby Charles Lewis; Karoki Lewis

Mehrauli: A View from the Qutb. Text by Charles Lewis, Photographs by Karoki Lewis, Foreword by William Dalrymple. pp. 141. With colour plates. New Delhi, Harpers Collins India, 2002

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2005

Mehrauli: A View from the Qutb. Text by Charles Lewis, Photographs by Karoki Lewis, Foreword by William Dalrymple. pp. 141. With colour plates. New Delhi, Harpers Collins India, 2002

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2005

Education as Medication

Medium, 2020

Comparison of education with medication paradigms

Change the Channel

Medium, 2020

Mapping recent trends on new mindsets

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

South Asian Studies, 2000

Customised Learning

medium.com , 2020

The essay explores differences in thought processes between mono-cultural and poly-cultural socie... more

Women in Architecture

Conference Paper, 2019

It is not so much about more or less women entering the profession but to see Women in Education ... more It is not so much about more or less women entering the profession but to see Women in Education as a sign of the changes that the disciplines of Architecture and Design are experiencing. The future of these professions is feminine. That is the only way the profession can continue. For this then, we need to examine the process and the nature of these feminising professions.

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

Vol. 16, Issue 1, 2000

Books, Chapters and Articles

Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya

Festivals at the Jaipur Court

Jaipur City Palace

Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City

Women in Architecture

Conference Paper, 2019

It is not so much about more or less women entering the profession but to see Women in Education ... more It is not so much about more or less women entering the profession but to see Women in Education as a sign of the changes that the disciplines of Architecture and Design are experiencing. The future of these professions is feminine. That is the only way the profession can continue. For this then, we need to examine the process and the nature of these feminising professions. To me a clarity emerges if we realise, 1. That such a direction is embedding the role of empathy in education and practice. 2. Feminising education and practice moves Architecture and Design towards disciplines that nurture life and promote wellbeing. 3. This also allows a rethinking of the design process such that it gives value to co-creation rather than a method that promotes the idea of a designer as solitary genius who imparts and imposes unique instructions. 4. Feminising allows an interconnectedness of actions and their impact on families and societies. In this way we can speak about the social impact of design and view society as the larger whole of a family. This can be further enhanced if we practise the idea of Community Service through our design studios. 5. To realise the value of undoing design in situations where that is the best strategy. This is relevant also in the context of the necessary resistance of the Designs of Empire that are so firmly embedded in our thought processes.

Multidisciplinary Student Panel Discussion on Environment

On June 5, 2023, GITAM School of Architecture hosted a multi-disciplinary panel discussion on env... more On June 5, 2023, GITAM School of Architecture hosted a multi-disciplinary panel discussion on environment and well-being to mark World Environment Day. The panel featured students from a variety of fields, including architecture, engineering, environmental science, and public health. The panelists discussed the interconnectedness of environment and well-being. They also shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities facing the world in the 21st century, and they offered their thoughts on how we can build a more sustainable and healthy future for all.

Academic Initiatives 2016 onward

Conferences and Workshops

Veranda:, 2018

Veranda: 1 is an interdisciplinary journal of Sushant School of Art and Architecture

Veranda:, 2019

S u s h a n t S c h o o l o f Ar t a n d Ar c h i t e c t u r e , An s a l Un i v e r s i t y , S... more S u s h a n t S c h o o l o f Ar t a n d Ar c h i t e c t u r e , An s a l Un i v e r s i t y , S e c t o r 5 5 , Go l f C o u r s e R o a d , Gu r g a o n , Ha r y a n a 1 2 2 0 0 3 , I n d i a VERA N D A : V : VERANDA: an i nt er di s c i pl i nar y j our nal of s us hant s c hool of ar t and ar c hi t ec t ur e