Followings are some selected papers written during my post graduation (M.Arch - Theory and Design) , at CEPT University, Ahmedabad.

 

 

A glance through various projects of Santiago Calatrava shows an architecture language that is unique and consistent throughout his career of 30 years (1981-2011). Any short glimpse of his work is unmistakably identifiable as his creation. His philosophy behind his identity is the enquiry of this paper. ………………His architecture, from its small detail to overall form, has a profound organicity, which at the very first glance creates an imposing image that is associable to the forms from nature. His architecture has a picturesque quality that is sometimes explicit and sometimes abstract. …………… He has a way of design approach which is very simple and is mostly placed in totally an engineering circumstance dealing with material, forces and movement. His design approach is mostly unaffected by the aspects of like history, culture and other non tactile aspects of the building’s context. ………………He has a profound interest in basic aspects of structures like material, forces and movement that gives him the eyes of seeing everything (especially human body and nature) from a structural point of view. Calatrava as an artist, have done exhaustive studies of human body through his paintings and drawings. But it is not the human body itself that he explores through the paintings; instead it is the movement and forces that he explores and expresses. ………………Even in his architecture, the core explorations are the aspects of forces and movements, which the building forms expresses. His choice of material, its position and form that it takes, its color, the way an element meets another and all other aspects of his architecture are again dictated by the forces involved in the structures……………….Thus it could be asserted that it is his obsession towards aspects of forces and movement that finds its forms in his paintings, sculptures and architecture. The forms of his buildings are inspired from the forms of nature, but are never in contradiction with the functional or structural aspect of the buildings. This gives his works its unique characteristics. In a way, his philosophy helps him to unify art, architecture and engineering, which is well evident in his works. 

 

 

 

This study is about the ‘cauvery’ river ghats, of the temple town kumbakonam. These historic structures are in an endangered condition, inspite of its good potential of being a tourist hot spot of the town…….………These arch & vault brick structures are typical example of Nayak style Architecture, built during the reign of king Achuthappa Nayakar (17th century). Though these mandapas are not magnificent in its scale (compared to that of the mandapas of temples), they are significant as few of the existing examples of civic architecture, of the bygone era. ………………….These structures have lost its social and cultural importance, and have become dump yards. The obvious reason for this is the change in the lifestyle and values of people. Until some decades before, the river played a integral part in the daily life of the people kumbakonam; the change in which has resulted in the neglect of the river along with these mandapas. …………………..These structures needs to be conserved and revitalized, which would take further to the development of the entire river front in the town.  Kumbakonam being an important pilgrim-tourist centre, such development could be socially, culturally and commercially beneficial. 

 

 

 

This paper attempts to study the two public square; Piazza Maggiore at Bologna (Italy) and Dussehra Chowk at Jaisalmer (India)…………… The nature of the public life these squares held, around the time they were built (15th century), is evident through and is embodied in the space itself. The façade treatment, the usage of material, the continuity and order in its design; all these (to whatever extent done), shows attempt to create a unified harmonized urban public square, in both the cases. ………………Both the squares are similar in their composition of activities & settings. However there is an essential difference in design aspects of these two squares, which is brought out in this study. ………………In Dussehra chowk the aspects like, the blank walls at lower level, the elaborate detailing, the vertical emphasis, the sense of approach to the square and the kind of setting around, shows the emphasize on the royal nature that supersede the public nature of the square .……………While in Piazza Maggiore, though the seat of power and religion is given the cardinal position, they successfully accommodate the public activities in many ways which were mutually complementing. 

 

 

 

This research is based on the following hypothesis; “The architecture of Jaisalmer, particularly the architecture characterized by elaborate stone detailing, is not certainly evolved from the vernacular traditions of the region; rather it has its roots on architecture of other regions of the country”. …………………..The first thought that comes to anybody is about the richness of the architecture amidst the most unfavourable condition. Where did they draw their inspiration from, amidst this barren landscape? …………………..A typical house from a village like Sam has not evolved into a typical Jaisalmer house, which is evident from the architecture. The elaborate details of the civic buildings in Jaisalmer have evolved from the temple architecture of the Rajputana, also through influence from Islamic architecture. However, the Islamic architecture of Indian subcontinent itself has its roots in temple architecture of the above region………………….The temple architecture of Jaisalmer seem to follow the predominantly Jaina architectural principles generally established in the Solanki architecture. Solanki style of temple architecture that flourished in Gujarat has all the essential features of a north Indian temple. Thus the architecture of Jaisalmer has its roots in a style that was wide spread over a major part of north India, and is confined to the local region.