The revolutionary city that revived Indian pride: A short film
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Call for Papers Architecture & Culture: Behind the Scenes: Anonymity and the Hidden Mechanisms of Design and Architecture
Call for Papers Architecture & Culture: Behind the Scenes: Anonymity and the Hidden Mechanisms of Design and Architecture
Vol. 6, Issue no. 1, March 2018
Jessica Kelly, Editor.
Rudolph, Paul, Architect. [Paul Rudolph’s architectural office in Manhattan. Man stepping across file cabinet tops among elevated drafting stations]. [Ca, 1965] Image. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2010649573. (Accessed May 23, 2016.)
We tend to think about architects and designers as ’names’, creative individuals who have become branded personalities, bringing with them a particular look or attitude. Yet as long ago as 1937, the journalist J.M. Richards declared that the personalities of architects and designers should become ‘culturally irrelevant’. Richards’ perspective emphasized the role of collective processes and anonymity in design and architecture. This Issue of Architecture and Culture seeks to look beyond the named individual or brand and explore the invisible, the overlooked and the ignored in design and architectural practice.
Focusing on the people, places and practices that are outside of or peripheral to conventional discussions, we ask in what ways personality remains relevant in design and architecture. This could include questioning the role of biography and autobiography in design discourses, exploring collaborative practices and globalised perspectives. The aim is not to propose new centres or canons but instead to de-centre discussions; to embrace the complexity and multiplicity of characters and narratives in design practice and history.
Coupled with this issue of personality, is the theme of ‘hidden mechanisms’ in design and architectural practice. Responding to Igea Troiani and Suzanne Ewing’s exploration of the ‘Inter, Multi and Trans-Disciplinary’ character of design practice, this Issue will consider the complex fields of activities involved in design and architecture. Emphasizing process rather than products or outputs, contributions might consider the role of administration, documentation, mediation and commentary in design practice. It will focus on the theme of networks (formal and informal, professional and personal) and will interrogate themes such as authorship, collaboration, creativity and the definitions of ‘ordinary’ in terms of practice, people and style.
Call for papers for this issue
We seek contributions from a wide range of practices and disciplines to interrogate the hidden, the intangible and the anonymous in design and architecture. We welcome contributions that consider alternative forms to the conventional academic essay, including the visual and verbal.
Contributions might address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
– Design and anonymity in various contexts such as production, patent and copyright
– Collective Practices and collaborative dynamics: Design teams, creativity and authorship
– Networks – public and private, personal and professional
– Non-masculinist/Feminist perspectives on design production
– Spaces of production
– Non-expert producers
– Inter-disciplinary practices
– Alternative modes of discourse: orality, non-verbal communication
– Global perspectives on design practices and discourses
Contributions can range from short observations or manifestos, creative pieces, or visual essays, to longer academic articles. Architecture and Culture is published in both on-line and hard-copy formats: there is capacity to host on-line contributions that operate in a different way to paper-based work.
Production schedule
Response: 1 January 2017
Editors selection: February 2017
Peer Reviewing: March-June 2017
Authors Revisions: July-September 2017
Editorial checking: October-November 2017
Copy to publisher: 1 December 2017
Issue publication: March 2018
For author instructions, please go to ‘Instructions for Authors’
Upload submissions at: http://www.editorialmanager.com/archcult/
Or via ‘submit online’ at http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rfac
If you have any queries or require further information, please contact:
Jessica Kelly: jkelly1@ucreative.ac.uk
Call for Abstracts: Urban Heritage Activism
Simulizi Mijini/Urban Narratives is an interdisciplinary inquiry into urban heritage in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Berlin, Germany. Through artist residencies, student exchanges and discursive events, the project seeks to develop a more inclusive approach to urban heritage that embraces multiple voices and supports diverse readings of urban environments from a ‘bottom-up’ perspective. For more information about the project and the programme of events, which have already included two summer schools, 10 artist residencies and a one-day symposium in Dar es Salaam, please visit our website: www.urbannarratives.org
We now announce a call for abstracts for a two-day international conference at the Technical University Berlin from 16-17 March 2017, which, together with a coinciding exhibition at ZK/U, will culminate the project.
For the Berlin conference we invite contributions that focus on heritage activism in diverse geographical and cultural contexts. Abstracts that address the political ramifications of urban heritage, particularly in postcolonial environments, are particularly welcome. We wish to engage the grassroots movements around the world that are demanding a more inclusive approach to heritage, redefining how places in the built environment are valued and preserved. In addition we will question the role of research and scholarship as well as other forms of political, cultural and arts practice in supporting heritage movements. Rather than convening an academic event, we will create a multidisciplinary platform for activists, scholars, artists, cultural producers, students and local residents to debate urban heritage, present innovative approaches and put forward inclusive solutions.
Abstracts are invited that address case studies in urban heritage activism in relation to the following topics:
(curating urban heritage)
How can information about urban heritage be gathered in diverse urban contexts at a community level? What are appropriate methods and tools for data collection? What role does oral history play? How can the data be archived in an open, accessible and transformable way? What strategies for curating urban heritage ‘from below’ have been successfully tried and tested?
(media and protest)
What can new technologies, such as augmented reality or virtual reality, offer to urban heritage research, curation and communication? What effects have social media had on documenting and archiving urban heritage? How have they affected protest movements? How can technologies be employed to hack or amend existing official heritage narratives?
(activating urban heritage)
Building on the Faro Convention, how can awareness be raised about urban heritage as a common cultural good and human right? What tactics can be used to increase public consciousness and foster local participation in the heritage discourse? How do we begin to (re)determine what is preserved and what is recognised as ‘historically relevant’ at a community level, thereby including diverse, minority and forgotten, ignored, or silenced voices?
(performing and preserving)
How can urban heritage be communicated to a wider audience effectively? How can its significance be understood and supported beyond the community level? What artistic, performative and curatorial strategies have been developed to convey the significance of certain places and practices within communities and neighbourhoods? How can these be used to protect and support their continued presence?
Submissions and Deadline
Please submit a 300 word abstract including contact details and a brief CV to rachel.lee@tu-berlin.de by 15 December 2016.
Travel Bursaries
A limited number of travel bursaries will be available towards covering the costs of traveling to Berlin.
Book Publication
A selection of contributions will be included in a book publication, forthcoming in 2017. Authors interested in contributing to the book will be expected to submit a 1500 word synopsis of their conference presentation by 15 February 2017.
Dar es Salaam Symposium
The Berlin conference picks up on issues raised at the Reconfiguring Heritage from Below symposium held in Dar es Salaam in April 2016. There speakers from Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, South Africa, Turkey, Belgium and the UK presented heritage case studies and projects from postcolonial contexts.
http://urbannarratives.org/en/events/
Notes
As an interdisciplinary, transnational programme, we encourage contributions from all horizons to apply. We seek to increase the number of women, people with disabilities and non-Western contributors in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourage them to apply.
This project is funded by the TURN Fund of the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
Report from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Report from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Chulalongkorn University occupies an enviable site in Bangkok, spacious tree-lined avenues lead to large parks providing some tranquillity from the city beyond. The University was established in 1917 and the earliest buildings were designed by British architect, Edward Healey in a fusion of Beaux-Arts with Siamese decoration.
Chulalongkorn Architecture Faculty
Bust of Nat Phothiprasat
Former School of Chemistry designed by Saroj Sukkhayang
The Arts Auditorium
Nat Phothiprasat (alumni of Liverpool School of Architecture, BArch in 1929), established the Architecture Faculty in 1930. It relocated to its current location in 1940 and was designed by Lucien Coppé and Siwawong Kunchon na Ayudhya in 1940. Next door to the School of Architecture is the Chemistry Building (now Arts and Cultural Centre), designed c. late 1930s. The architect, Saroj Sukkhayang, (also studied at Liverpool, Dip. Architecture and Civic Design, 1920) had recently returned from a trip to Europe and was eager to implement in Thailand some of the designs he had experienced. Solar shades project above window openings, geometric symmetrical arrangements and the recessed curved entrance void give the building its distinctive character. It is astonishing to see another building designed by the same architect at exactly the same time – but in a completely contrasting style. The Arts Auditorium was an attempt to re-invent Thai architecture using modern materials and techniques, taking familiar motifs and ornamental designs but casting them in concrete rather than carving them in wood. It was also a collaborative design undertaken with master-builder U Laphanon. The rationale for using the concrete ornamentation was to create a more durable building that wouldn’t require the continuous renewal demanded by timber structures. The process of casting however demands that the formwork can be released from the cast and subsequently the ornament appears somewhat flat, and lacking the intricacy associated with timber carving. Concrete also permits longer spans than timber and the result is a larger single form, appearing as if extruded from the gable rather than as a series of hipped roofs and interlocking forms associated with more traditional forms of construction.
The student club house was also designed by Saroj Sukkhayang and Chuea Patthamachinda. Recently renovated and losing its shutters in the process, the building is now sealed and air-conditioned.
Female Students’ Club
Students Union Building
Interior of Students Union Building
A more recent addition to the campus is the Student Union Building designed by Vodhyakarn Varavan and Lert Urasayananda in 1966. A large assembly space with smaller recessed annexes is formed by the spikey louvred gables. Robin Ward describes it unfairly as an ‘Elvis-era resort in Hawaii’ style building – but it is surely more than this. It is a response to the Wat structures coupled with innovative structural and climatic devices, as well as attempting to find a new lexicon for an optimistic university campus.
Close by to the campus at Siam Square is the exquisite Scala Cinema (1967) and well worth visiting, as is the former British Council Building.
Interior of the Scala Cinema
Former British Council Building
Leaving the campus, heading through China Town and over the River we visited the Phra Borommathat Maha Chedi stupa. Built from 1828AD there is a blend of Palladian and local motifs. The temple has been sensitively repaired following a major structural failure and collapse. Just a short walk away is the Santa Cruz church and a small Catholic community that resides in the area. The narrow lanes prevent any motor traffic and the shading of the trees shelter the calm labyrinthine streets below. The community can trace its origins to Portuguese traders and they still bake Portuguese style cakes today. A wonderful museum [Bahn Kudichin Museum] is being created to celebrate this heritage. There are some excellent pencil-rendered measured drawings on display depicting the timber houses from the area (produced by students on the Thai Architecture Programme at Chulalongkorn University). The narrow streets betray the open spaces and gardens that lie within this exciting complex.
Santa Cruz Housing
Phra Borommathat Maha Chedi stupa
Santa Cruz Housing
This side of the river contains the factories, go-downs and sheds associated with a burgeoning city – and like in many other cities, these frequently dilapidated yet enticing structures attract artists, architects and ‘creatives’. One such development is particularly of note – the Jam Factory. Designed and developed by architect Duangrit Bunnag. Duangrit was kind enough to give us a tour around the Factory which houses two of his restaurants, café, book shop, gallery and design studios.
Cafe at the Bahn Kudichin Museum
Duangrit Bunnag’s Studio at the Jam Factory
Mahidol University Lecture Hall
Mahidol University Lecture Hall hollow interior
I made a quick visit to Mahidol University campus too, to see the former Students Union Building and the cosmic brutalist lecture hall designed by Amon Sriwong in 1965.
A few other of my highlights include the Brutalist buildings along the Suriwongse Road, as well as the Neilson Hays Library designed by Mario Tamagno in 1921 and the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, a Dravidian temple used by the south Indian residents of Bangkok from the 19thC onwards.
Brutalist buildings along the Suriwongse Road
Brutalist buildings along the Suriwongse Road
Neilson Hays Library
Neilson Hays Library
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
Many thanks to Professors Pinraj Khanjanusthiti, Saranya Siangarom and Chomchon Fusinpaiboon of Chulalongkorn University for all their generosity and help during my stay in Bangkok.
Chomchon Fusinpaiboon giving a pre-tour briefing at Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Architecture Library.
Africa Week at University of Edinburgh 3 – 8 Oct 2016
Next Week is Africa Week at the University of Edinburgh. An excellent line-up of talks and events are set to take place – 16h00 on Friday 7th is the TAG blog session of choice.
KNUST Senior Staff Club House and Archives in Danger
As part of our British Academy Internationalisation and Mobility grant Iain Jackson and Ola Uduku visited Rexford Opong at KNUST in March (we included some brief updates here: Notes from Kumasi and Notes from Kumasi: part 2 and also Notes from Kumasi Part 3). We were fortunate enough to visit the Estate Planning Department and drawing offices and photographed some of the original drawings made of the university estate and buildings. Whilst every effort is being made to carefully preserve these drawings they have been subject to the ravages of time, humidity and vermin attack and many are in a poor state of repair. They are unlikely to survive for much longer.
Drawing of the First Floor Senior Staff Club House, KNUST
In an attempt to remedy and counter this we are putting together an ‘Archives in Danger’ grant that, if successful, will enable these important artefacts to be digitally scanned/carefully photographed and then carefully preserved and archived for future scholarship.
In the meantime we’ve used the photographed drawings to produce a series of new CAD files. Pedro Bittencourt, a student based at Liverpool School of Architecture, has worked dilligently on translating the imperial scales into a metric format and has produced all of the new drawings. He has then used these drawings to construct a beautiful scale model of the Club House, utilising a laser cutter as to form the delicate components.
Pedro with the completed scale model
We’re hoping to produce additional models of other buildings on campus that can be used in exhibitions and as part of our lecture series.
Call for Papers: II International Conference on ‘African Urban Planning’
CALL for PAPERS
II International Conference on ‘African Urban Planning’
Date:
7 – 8 September 2017
Location:
University of Lisbon, Portugal
Organization:
Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon & International Planning History Society (IPHS)
Conference Website:
https://sites.google.com/site/cpcup2017conference/
Conference e-mail:
urbanplanningafrica2017@gmail.com
Important dates:
– Submission deadline for abstracts: 31 January 2017
– Notification of abstract acceptance: 15 March 2017
– Registration and payment: 1 – 15 April 2017
Fry and Drew book in paperback
The Architecture of Edwin Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew:
We’re delighted to announce that our Fry and Drew book is to be published in paperback format in a few days time. This should make it a little more affordable and hopefully accessible to a broader audience in West Africa and India…
New Paper: Architect-entrepreneurs in post-independence Pune (India)
Architect-entrepreneurs in post-independence Pune (India)
Sarah Melsens, Priyanka Mangaonkar-Vaiude, Yashoda Joshi
Department of Architectural Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), BelgiumDepartment of Architecture, BRICK school of Architecture, Pune, India
Abstract
With the purpose of expanding the built infrastructure in their colonial empire the British imparted technical training to Indians since the mid nineteenth century. These construction related courses initially focussed on assistant, supervisory and executive tasks but evolved into the training of civil engineers. Half a century later, in 1913, a handful of British architects in Bombay took the initiative to develop an existing drafting school for architectural assistants into India’s first school of architecture. Through such schools, and the gradual employment of Indians at higher ranks in Indo-British firms or the Public Works Department (PWD), Indian architects and engineers acquired British methods of working and construction. While construction practice during the British Raj (1858-1947) has gained scholarly attention recently, less is known of how construction was practiced after India’s independence in 1947. Analysis of the profiles of professional firms has shown to be a fruitful means of gaining insight in the workings of the construction field. In order to understand how construction practice was carried forward, this paper will therefore study the first Indian architect-entrepreneurs, who established their firms after Independence.
Architecture Graduates from J. J. School of Art formed the nationwide Indian Institute of Architects in 1929. Top Left: G. B. Mhatre, and Bottom second from Left: C. M. Master with council members of the Indian Institute of Architects, Bombay, 1936-1937
The study is built on data collected from interviews and office archives of three Indian architectural and entrepreneurial offices, which were based in Pune and active in the period 1947-1982. The paper analyses the type of projects these firms were working on, the procedures and organisation of design and construction, and the prevailing construction techniques of the period. As such this contribution will shed light on how, in a post-colonial situation, western models of construction practice were translated into the Indian context.
keywords
Construction practice, architects, post-independence, India, Pune
You may read the rest of this fascinating article here: TNAGblog_architectenterpreneurspune
2016 Grantees for Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative Announced
2016 Grantees for Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative Announced
TAG is delighted that the Getty Foundation has awarded a ‘Keeping it Modern’ heritage grant to the Children’s Library in Accra, Ghana – the first time this prestigious award has been made to a building in Africa. This will fund building research into the material fabric of the library, as well as programme of events to keep the space activated and enjoyed.
Interior Staircase
Ceramic brise soleil
First floor reception area
External facade
Main Entrance
Ceramic brise soleil viewed from exterior
The library was designed by Nickson and Borys (see Notes from Accra ) in late 1950s / early 1960s (the building appears in J. M. Richard’s New Buildings of the Commonwealth, 1961) and has already received some sympathetic restoration in more recent times, as well as some less fortunate interventions (such as the aluminium front door).
The latest project will be in safe hands under the leadership of the ArkiAfrica team, http://archiafrika.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/march-13-invite.jpg and we will post updates on the project here.
Getty press release and information on the other awards here: http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/2016-grantees-for-conserving-modern-architecture-initiative-announced/
Transnational Architecture Group 