SRM Architecture - Journalism Blog

Gautam Bhatia

2009-05-25T08:26:00.001-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Gautam Bhatia
Personal information
Name Gautam Bhatia
Birth date 1952
Birth place
Alma mater University of Pennsylvania
Work
Significant buildings

Gautam Bhatia (b. 1952) is one of the most famous architect, architecture authors in India. He is known for telling architecture tales humorously. He has written Punjabi Baroque and Comic Century.

He graduated in Fine Arts and earned a Master's in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania [1]. Early in his career he worked with Laurie Baker. He is based in New Delhi. As a critic and satirist, he writes columns for Outlook magazine and Indian Express newspaper [2], and his colums have also appeared in New York Times
Contents

* 1 Works
* 2 Further reading
* 3 References
* 4 External links

[edit] Works

* Punjabi Baroque and Other Memories of Architecture, by Gautam Bhatia, Kundanika Kapadia. Penguin Books, 1994. ISBN 0140240756.
* Silent Spaces and Other Stories of Architecture. Penguin Books, 1994. ISBN 0140246096.
* Malaria dreams and other visions of architecture. Penguin Books, 1996. ISBN 014026213X
* Punchtantra: parables for the 21st century. Penguin Books, 1998. ISBN 0140271163.
* A Short History of Everything: A Novel. HarperCollins Publishers India, 1998. ISBN 817223340X.
* Laurie Baker, life, work, writings, Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO). Viking, 1991.
* Eternal Stone: Great Buildings of India, Penguin Books, 2000. ISBN 0140291598.
* A Moment in Architecture. Tulika Books, 2002.
* Chandigarh: The Making of an Indian City.
* Comic Century: An Unreliable History of the 20th Century, Penguin India, 2005. ISBN 014303140-6313. [3]
* Whitewash : Tabloid That Is About The India That Isn't. The Viveka Foundation. 2007. ISBN 8188251313. [4]

[edit] Further reading

* New (and Improved?) Delhi New York Times
* Architecture, Without Style Art India
* Designing in the slowdown Mint

[edit] References

1. ^ Gautam Bhatia
2. ^ Gautam Bhatia Columns Outlook
3. ^ Book Review Dawn, February 27, 2005.
4. ^ Literary Review:Critique of consumer culture The Hindu, Jun 03, 2007.

[edit] External links

* Gautam Bhatia columns at Indian Express.
* Gautam Bhatia columns at Outlook
* Gautam Bhatia columns at Mint

Delhi to be country’s first heritage city - The Hindu

2009-05-25T08:24:00.001-07:00

Staff Reporter

ON THE HERITAGE ROUTE: With the proposed new heritage city status for Delhi, ancient monuments like Humayun’s Tomb here will acquire new pride of place on the Capital’s map.

NEW DELHI: The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, better known as INTACH, will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Delhi Government on Thursday paving the way for Delhi’s emergence as the country’s first heritage city.

“Why should Delhi be modelled on Shanghai? It is a city that needs to be developed and presented as itself -- a heritage city,” said INTACH Delhi chapter convenor A. G. K. Menon on Wednesday, expressing optimism that the city would be able to enforce its status as a heritage city ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2010.

“There are several advantages of being declared a heritage city. Tourism, business and economy will all see a boost if Delhi is promoted as a tourist destination. As of now the Capital is just a stopover for people who visit other tourist spots like Agra,” said Prof. Menon.

The MoU will pave the way for development of parks and heritage sites and ensure conservation of monuments not covered by the Archaeological Survey of India.

“According to our list, there are about 1,200 monuments in the city. However, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) are yet to recognise these as monuments,” Prof. Menon said.

The effort, he added, would be to bring the monuments closer to the Capital’s citizens, who in turn would help in their preservation.

To integrate heritage and urban design, INTACH has planned out a “heritage route” which will serve as a corridor for viewing of various monuments across the city. “To have this heritage route we do not require any additional money from the Delhi Government. Streetlights are already being worked on, development works like roads and signboards are being carried out, and our mandate will be to make design contributions and bring the monuments together. For instance, we will work on creating a heritage route from Red Fort to Humayun’s Tomb. There are several heritage sites along the route that people are not aware of. Later this route will be connected to Safdurjung Tomb and Qutub Minar,” Prof. Menon said.

INTACH is also forging agreements with other nations and cultural organisations, which in turn will help in exchange of ideas and expertise. INTACH Chairperson S. K. Misra will soon be travelling to Britain to sign an agreement with Prince Charles’ “The Prince’s Charities”.

“The agreement will pave the way for exchange of expertise and research and allow collaborations in conservation of heritage and monuments. We are also exploring how the corporate sector can be roped in to help in the conservation of heritage sites,” Mr. Misra added.

© Copyright 2000 - 2008 The Hindu

Books by A.G.K. Menon

2009-05-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

1. Historic Towns & Heritage Zones A.G.K. Menon & B.K. Thapar 1988

2. Cultural Identity & Urban Development A.G.K. Menon 1989

A. G. K. Menon | India

2009-05-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

A. G. Krishna Menon is an architect, urban planner and conservation consultant who has been

practicing and teaching in Delhi since 1972. In 1990 he co-founded the TVB School of Habitat Studies and was its Director from 1994–2007, when it was inducted into the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, as the University School of Architecture and Planning. As a Conservation Consultant he has undertaken many pioneering urban conservation projects in India on behalf of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), and authored several documents setting guidelines for conservation practice in India, including The Charter for the Conservation of Unprotected Architectural Heritage and Sites in India, 2004. While maintaining an active professional practice he remains a passionate interlocutor in mediating the development of Delhi as a Heritage City

THE BURJ AL’ ARAB

2009-05-16T03:20:00.000-07:00

Standing proud off the coast of Dubai,is one of the most incredible buildings of the planet.At 321mtrs,it soars higher than the Eiffel tower.It’s the tallest hotel on earth and the most luxurious.It’s name means the Arabian tower.We are talking about the BURJ AL’ ARAB,a structure designed to amaze.but creating this 21st century icon was an epic struggle that pushed everyone to the limit.
In November 1994,construction began on the world’s tallest and the most luxurious hotel.Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum is the visionary behind this amazing building.This was his idea to turn Dubai into a top holiday spot on the map,a playground for the rich.The sheikh needed a centrepiece with a unique 7 star reputation.
The sheikh chose a radically young team from Britain for this project lead by chief architect Tom Wright.The concept of this building had to be simple ,but yet it had to be iconic.The design which was a simple ‘ YACHT WITH IT’S SAIL BLOWING IN THE WIND’ had a strong connection with this small emirate which was a sea faring nation.An island was specifically built for the construction of this hotel and the foundation of this island was built on concrete hollow cubes which had to brave the extreme weather , the sea and the earthquakes ,as Dubai was prone to them.
The hotel has a restaurant (Al Montahaar),projecting from it and looks as if it’s suspended in the sky.It gives a whole new view for the visitors to look into the Arabian gulf and an unparalleled dining experience.This restaurant is 200 mts above the sea level and project 27mts on both sides from the central core of the building.The hotel has 202 palatial suites to boast about and the sheikh has equipped all the suites with the most modern gadgets any human can desire .It even has a helipad for the visitors to fly in directly to the hotel. It was even used by Roger federer and Andre Agassi as a tennis court,which was a public stunt for the opening of the hotel.
The interiors of this masterpiece was designed by the world class designer Khuan Chew.Vast fish tanks and aquariums welcome the guests as they walk-in.Fountains create aqua gymnastics in the lobby.The view up the atrium is a dazzling rainbow palette of vibrant colours.The ground floor restaurant has a 220 mtr tank which allows the guests to have an intimate experience with the most exotic fish in the world.
The doors to this luxurious hotel was opened on December 1999 and the sheikh had given the world a masterpiece and a gift to the new millennium.

SHOULD WE LIVE UPTO A BUILDING?

2009-05-16T00:38:00.000-07:00

Living upto a building is totally an unjust decision made by any person because the character of that person can be lost in that process. He/she might be living for material causes and not to their ethics and moral values.The building ,the person raised might be worth millions but the building’s authenticity should not consume the heart and minds of the dwellers.

Living upto someone’s or own expectation is understandable, but living upto a building brings greed,selfishness etc.A person would be definitely excited about his first home,thinking twice before laying each brick.He’ll have his own dream house built from his hard earned money.This is the normal scenario and is appreciable.But living in that house should make him more practical and mature.He has to come back from his initial excited state and live for himself and his family.

Bauhaus

2009-05-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Villa Savoye

Fagus Factory

German pavilion

CROWN HALL, ILLINOIS INSTITUTE

The bauhaus occupies a place of its own in the history of 20^th century culture,architecture and art.

• Founded by Walter Gropius and is developed in Germany in the 1920s and later in the U.S., in the 1930s.

• Bauhaus buildings are usually cubic, favor right angles, (although some feature rounded corners and balconies); they have smooth facades and an open floor plan.

• Bauhaus architects rejected "bourgeois" details such as cornices, eaves, and decorative details. They wanted to use principles of Classical architecture in their most pure form: without ornamentation of any kind. Bauhaus buildings have flat roofs, smooth facades, and cubic shapes. Colors are white, gray, beige, or black. Floor plans are open and furniture is functional.

• There are a number of characteristics to the Bauhaus/International Style of architecture:
1) It shuns ornamentation and favors functionality
2) Uses asymmetry and regularity versus symmetry
3) It grasps architecture in terms of space versus mass

• Bauhaus architecture, whose founding father was Walter Gropius, developed in Germany in the 1920s and later in the U.S., in the 1930s. The American form of this architectural style was dubbed the International Style after Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and other leaders of Bauhaus migrated to the U.S., with the Nazi’s growing influence. The Bauhaus school in Dessau was closed on April 11th, 1933, by the police, at the insistence of the National Socialist government.

• Purists assert that Bauhaus architecture can only refer to buildings in Germany and anything else should be termed International Style – while others use the terms interchangeably (as is the case in this issue of Gems in Israel). The term International Style was really adopted after the publication of a book that coincided with a 1932 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The book, by historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock and architect Philip Johnson, was called, The International Style.

WALTER GROPIUS

• Gropius' career advanced in the post war period.In 1923, Gropius aided by Gareth Steele, designed his famous door handles, now considered an icon of 20th century design and often listed as one of the most influential designs to emerge from out of Bauhaus. He also designed large scale housing projects in Berlin, Karlsruhe and Dessau from 1926-32 that were major contributions to the New Objectivity movement, including a contribution to the Siemensstadt project in Berlin.

• MIES VAN DER ROHE

• Mies van der Rohe, like many of his post World War I contemporaries, sought to establish a new architectural style that could represent modern times just as Classical and Gothic did for their own eras. He created an influential 20th century architectural style, stated with extreme clarity and simplicity. His mature buildings made use of modern materials such as industrial steel and plate glass to define interior spaces. He strived towards an architecture with a minimal framework of structural order balanced against the implied freedom of free-flowing open space. He called his buildings "skin and bones" architecture. He sought a rational approach that would guide the creative process of architectural design, and is known for his use of the aphorisms "less is more" and "God is in the details".

• The term formed for this function was used to describe the importance of the use of an itemover the aesthetic beauty.the use had to be the most important element,then the beauty of the object would follow.

• These can be sited as the examples of this style:-

• Walter gropius

• Fagus factory (1911-1913)

• Alfeld-an-der-leine

• Bauhaus (1925-1926)

• Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe

• German pavilion (1929) Barcelona

• Seagram building (1954-1958) New York

• Farnsworth House (1950) Illinois

Some local Bauhaus Adaptations

Smaller Windows

• Glass was used sparingly and long, narrow, horizontal windows are visible on many of the Bauhaus buildings . On some buildings, you can also see long narrow balconies, which in many cases have now been enclosed. This was an adaptation of the long narrow windows.

• The horizontal ‘strip window’ was a signature characteristic of Le Corbusier. A number of local architects worked in Le Corbusier’s office in Paris and were greatly influenced by his style.

• Stilt Columns (Pilotis)

• Another element used by Le Corbusier was stilt-type columns (pilotis), which raised the buildings off street level thereby creating room for a green garden area while providing greater airflow.

• Flat Roofs

• Another of the local features of the Bauhaus buildings, are the flat roofs, as opposed to the typical shingled and slanted roofs, prevalent in the European buidlings. The roofs served all of a buidling’s residents.

• Perhaps no trend within Modern architecture so neatly captures the imagination as the almost mythic status of the Bauhaus. Emerging in Dessau, Germany, during the shocking aftermath of World War I, the famed institution was conceived as a reformation of applied arts education. The principle was simple: to reject the salon arts of the haute-bourgeoisie in favor of a craft tradition in order to erase the class distinctions between artist and craftsman. Yet this was not a rejection of the modernizing impulses of the rapidly industrializing, urbanizing German state (one that was facing an increasingly dire socio-economic predicament). Instead, as developed by Bauhaus director Walter Gropius, the applied arts were to be taught in a workshop-based design education, with a reconciliation of craft design and industrial production.

DONE BY,

ALEENA MIRIAM CHERIAN &

B.VEDHAJANANI.

Railway Station, Guindy

2009-05-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

Guindy is one of the important neighbourhoods of Chennai. It is the entry point or the gateway to Chennai city from South Western suburbs of Chennai. Being such an important place the Guindy railway station dont have a proper vehicular entry and parking facilities for four wheelers. In case of emergency it is almost impossible for a fire engine to access the station during peak hours. Because the entry to the station is less than 3mts wide.

Setbacks

2009-05-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Setbacks are the minimum required open spaces between the plot boundary and the building proposed to be constructed in a plot. They are meant for providing light, ventilation and privacy not only to the development under consideration but also to the neighbouring buildings. In larger developments, they serve as circulation spaces around the buildings and facilitate parking of vehicles. In the case of high-rise buildings they are required not only for the movement of fire tenders around the building but also for preventing the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings. Hence they are considered an important planning parameter. But there is a lack of this important parameter in many Apartments in chennai.

LIVING UP TO THE BUILDING

2009-05-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

This a crazy question that any one coould ask. An architect is not an architect if he does not look for the both, the aesthetics and the comfort of living in the building. Its like i will make a car which looks extremly good, but it wont function good, its only to show off. It will be suitable for persons who are rich. Same way, a good looking building may be suitable to show off so that a person going on the road may stare at the building comenting good about it. Only the person living in the building will know if he is living in a hell or in a heaven.
These mistakes are done by great architscts also. For example, if you look at VILLA SAVOY, the building on the whole looks good, but it has many functional defects. When the architect was questioned, he told, it was a piece of art, and he connot disturb it. Only the resident know how difficult it is to live there.
Similar thing happened with Le Corbusiers Pessac Housing. Later when the inhabitants altered the residence, he comented that "Life is right, Architect is wrong"
One thing we can conclude out of this is that the person viewing the building from outside may enjoy it, but the people living in the building may suffer.

HAGIA SOPHIA

2009-05-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

Hagia Sophia is a former patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the completion of the Seville Cathedral in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 A.D. on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, and was in fact the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site (the previous two had both been destroyed by riots). It was designed by two architects, Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. The Church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 50 foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. It was the patriarchal church of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly 1000 years.
In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque.[1] The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over. The Islamic features — such as the mihrab, the minbar, and the four minarets outside — were added over the course of its history under the Ottomans. It remained as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey.
For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul), the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.
Although it is sometimes referred to as Santa Sophia, the Greek name in full is, Church of the Holy Wisdom of God. It was to this, the Holy Wisdom of God, that the Church was dedicated (Sophia being a Latin phonetic spelling of the Greek word Wisdom). So Santa Sophia should be understood as the title of the church, Holy Wisdom, rather than a reference to some Saint Sophia.

ART DECO

2009-05-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

v Art Deco was a popular international art design movement from 1925 until 1939, affecting the decorative arts such as architecture, interior design, and industrial design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts and film. At the time, this style was seen as elegant, glamorous, functional, and modern.
v The movement was, in a sense, an amalgam of many different styles and movements of the early 20th century, including Neoclassical, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, Art Nouveau, and Futurism. Its popularity peaked in Europe during the Roaring Twenties and continued strongly in the United States through the 1930s. Although many design movements have political or philosophical roots or intentions, Art Deco was purely decorative.
v Art Deco experienced a decline in popularity during the late 30s and early 40s, and soon fell out of public favor. It experienced a resurgence with the popularization of graphic design in the 1980s. Art Deco had a profound influence on many later artistic movements, such as Memphis and Pop art.
v Surviving examples may still be seen in many different locations worldwide, in countries as diverse as the United Kingdom, Spain, Cuba, the Philippines, Romania, New Zealand and Brazil. Many classic examples still exist in the form of architecture in many major cities. The Chrysler building, designed by William Van Alen, is a classic example of this, as it is one of the most notable examples of Art Deco architecture today.
v Surviving examples may still be seen in many different locations worldwide, in countries as diverse as the United Kingdom, Spain, Cuba, the Philippines, Romania, New Zealand and Brazil. Many classic examples still exist in the form of architecture in many major cities. The Chrysler building, designed by William Van Alen, is a classic example of this, as it is one of the most notable examples of Art Deco architecture today.
v These were the buildings of the future: sleek, geometric, dramatic. With their cubic forms and zigzag designs, art deco buildings embraced the machine age. Yet many features of the style were drawn not from the Jetsons, but the Flintstones.
v During the roaring twenties and the early thirties, jazzy Art Deco architecture was the rage. Like any style, it evolved from many sources. The austere shapes of the Bauhaus School and streamlined styling of modern technology combined with patterns and icons taken from the Far East, ancient Greece and Rome, Africa, India, and Mayan and Aztec cultures. But most of all, Art Deco expressed excitement over a stunning archeological find in Egypt.

BUILDINGS AND ARCHITECTS OF ART DECCO

v Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, New York City (Almirall, Githens & Keally, 1941)
v Buffalo Central Terminal, Buffalo, New York (Fellheimer & Wagner, 1929)
v Fisher Building, Detroit, Michigan (Albert Kahn, 1928)
v Paramount Theater (Puerto Rico), Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
v Telegraph Building, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
v Daily Express Building in Fleet Street, London
v New India Assurance Building, Mumbai, India
v Park Hotel, Shanghai, China (László Hudec, 1934)

FOLK STYLE OF TAMIL NADU

2009-05-04T23:28:00.000-07:00

BRUTALISM

2009-05-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

neoclassicism

2009-05-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

¨ Neoclassicism was a widespread and influential movement in painting andthe other visual arts .
¨ began in the 1760s, reached its height in the1780s and and lasted until the 1840s.
¨ Neoclassicism is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture.
¨ draw upon Western classical art and culture (usually that of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome).
¨ These movements were dominant during the mid 18th to the end of the 19th century. decorative and visual arts
¨ In the visual arts the European movement called "neoclassicism began after A.D. 1765,
¨ as a reaction against both the surviving Baroque and Rococo styles, and as a desire to return to the perceived "purity" of the arts of Rome.
¨ Contrasting with the Baroque and the Rococo, Neo-classical paintings are devoid of pastel colors and haziness; instead, they have sharp colors with Chiaroscuro.
¨ BUILDINGSFaçade of the Larger Marble Palace built by Luigi Vanvitelli's pupil Antonio Rinaldi.
The Academy, designed by Theophil Freiherr v on Hansen and completed in 1885, in Athens, Gre At the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, William Henry Playfair employs a Greek Doric octastyle portico.
ece Henry Fuseli, The artist moved to despair at the grandeur of antique fragments, 1778–79
¨ NEOCLASSICISM IN 21ST CENTURY
¨ In the United States public buildings continue to built in the neoclassical style as of at least 2006, with the completion of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
¨ In Britain a number of architects are active in the neoclassical style.
¨ Quinlan Terry's Maitland Robinson Library at Downing College and Robert Adam Architects' Sackler Library

live upto the house!!!why?

2009-05-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

Its everyone’s dream to have a house of their own where they can live their life maximum.Its infact a only dream for which we all are working for.
Especially in our country we treat our houses like a sacred place and live there for several generations.
But due to the buying power and globalisation almost all have dreams to live in a mansion with all the luxuries.
But how long are we going to enjoy them?
The house has to have relation with the people living in it,has to create happiness and should tend to support the emotions of a person.
A house has to make everyday new and make us look fresh all days.
Its in designers hand to create a life in a building and make the client realise.
There is no point in giving a house which is higher than the people who is going to live.
It can be a great design or very unique to see but how well the building and the people respond is the most important factor while designing.
Many people think the unique looking house is cool and gain status amongst friends and the society.
It does create status but the question is, does it create positive vibration inside the house?????

living upto a house???

2009-05-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

Is a house designed for people or people living up to the house?A house is a three dimentional object that depicts ones lifestyle and quality as a human. A human may have any kind of qualities in him/her but his/her style of the house clearly indicates who are they, what are they and what are they upto!! There is always a psychological relationship between the people and the house they living in. A house is the place where a person spend most of their times hence there is always a binding with the house.. In such case and mentalitiy as an architect we design a house suiting the person who is going to stay with his/her’s lifestyle taking in to considerations . Frank ghery architect designed a house for himself in an unusual syle than what he degins his other building.. though it was not appreciated by people the planning of the house was designed for his lifestyle as a house...In some cases a house also brings out rhe economical status in the society which mainly brought the difference in the living style of rich and poor in the society due to their lifestyle. A poor cannot live in a sophisticated house or a rich cannot live in a small box. With such a living conditions at present houses are designed for the people and for their comfort. If this fails to happen a house would also resemble like any public building... hence one should not live upto a house which doesn show any of your qualities and picuring a false image to the society!!! Any time anywhere in the world your home is a sweet home where one enters a comfort zone in the world.

Prairie Style

2009-05-03T12:29:00.001-07:00

Introduction

q Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.

q The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands, integration with the landscape, solid construction, craftsmanship, and discipline in the use of ornament. Horizontal lines were thought to evoke and relate to the native prairie landscape.

q The term "Prairie School" was not actually used by these architects to describe themselves the term was coined by H. Allen Brooks, one of the first architectural historians to write extensively about these architects and their work

Architects

q The Prairie School is most associated with a generation of architects employed or influenced by Louis Sullivan or Frank Lloyd Wrig ht, but usually does not include Sullivan himself. A partial list of Prairie School architects includes:

Percy Dwight Bentley
Barry Byrne
Alfred Caldwell
William Drummond
Marion Mahony Griffin
Walter Burley Griffin
George Grant Elmslie
George Washington Maher
Dwight Heald Perkins
William Gray Purcell
Claude and Starck
William LaBarthe Steele
John S. Van Bergen

Influences & Distinguishing Features

q The Prairie School was heavily influenced by the Idealistic Romantics (better homes would create better people) and the Transcendentalist philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson. In turn, the Prairie School architects influenced subsequent architectural idioms, particularly the Minimalists (less is more) and Bauhaus (form follows function).

One or two-storey
One-story projections
Open floor plan
Low-pitched roof
Broad, overhanging eaves
Strong horizontal lines
Ribbons of windows, often casements emphasize horizontality of overall design
Prominent, central chimney
Stylized, built-in cabinetry
Wide use of natural materials especially stone and wood

Wright's Robie House

q The Robie House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his client Frederick C. Robie, is considered one of the most important buildings in the history of American architecture. It was designed in Wright's Oak Park studio in 1908 and completed in 1910, the building inspired an architectural revolution.

q Its sweeping horizontal lines, dramatic overhangs, stretches of art glass windows and open floor plan make it a quintessential Prairie style house. Although it was designed more than ninety years ago, the building remains a masterpiece of modern architecture.

Reason for the fall

q Architectural historians says the reasons why the Prairie School went out of favor by the mid-1920s. Perhaps a serious consideration of one of its own members would be worth their serious attention. Marion Mahony Griffin writes in her autobiography as:

The enthusiastic and able young men as proved in their later work were doubtless as influential in the office later as were these early ones but Wright's early concentration on publicity and his claims that everybody was his disciple had a deadening influence on the Chicago group and only after a quarter of a century do we find creative architecture conspicuously evident in the United States.

Walt Disney concert Hall

2009-05-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

THE WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

The Walt Disney concert hall is a well known landmark in Los Angeles, one of the great buildings in the modern architectural era. Its contemporary design, a breakthrough in the history of concert halls, its curves with the bright, attractive , reflective titanium exterior , uniqueness in the urban context which has many tall buildings and what not lead to its pride and honour. It is the center of attraction in the entire place. It is to be appreciated that every detail of the building has been taken care for a good design product for which the example can be quoted that it took four years to complete the parking detail only. The standards are followed in every particular place in the hall.

The interiors with a lot of wooden detailing , including the wooden columns in the front part of the concert hall , the free flowing curvilinear form with ample aisle measurements, the central lighting to highlight the performers and different views, curved ceiling and roof, with proper angles in the arrangement of the stepped seating, it’s simple but luxurious and majestic look makes it more attractive and advantageous.

Though it had a few drawbacks one of which was the complaint that rose about reflection of more heat by the metal exterior, it was rectified later. Otherwise with careful planning and its self sufficient design , the Walt Disney concert hall serves its purpose both functionally and aesthetically and without any doubt is the benchmark for concert halls throughout the world presently with its pride, surpassing all the technical difficulties and will serve as an inspiration definitely to the upcoming architectural world.

The sydney opera house

2009-05-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

The Sydney opera house, designed by Architect John Utzon , opened in 2003, is an iconic building in the Australian architectural history . It is one of the good examples for modern architecture. It started as the winning entry in the design competition held for an opera house in Bennelong point, continued to attract people’s attention by its stunning views in dawn and dusk, even during night. When the aesthetics of the building gained importance , its function was not that successful. The concept the architect chose, white sails (ship) for the exterior of the opera house perfectly blended with its surrounding with waters. From a distance, appears as if a ship is sailing or floating in water, or the extension of a mamoth sea creature’s tail part cut into parts, sometimes its front elevation looks like the eyes of a peculiar monster. Whatever it is, the fact that the exterior of the building is unique, especially for an opera house having many interpretations allowing the common man’s imagination to wander around to search a clue to know what this structure is all about makes it interesting.
But the fact that the cost of construction at the end became so high when compared to the total estimated building cost makes us think that in one way or the other it must have been economical with minor changes in the design. The interiors of the building especially the performance area looks conjusted , jampacked , stuffy, without the feel of freeness even though the first sight or a first glance make you say it’s good with all those wooden finishes and lighting and detailing in all the enclosing element of the particular space having highlight in the front , with the touch of luxury and grandeur. A few other spaces like Utzon’s room that contains the painting of the architect and common rooms seem to be basic and simple with not much of articulation.Though the concrete shelled Sydney opera house has its style and design, serving its purpose to an extent, adding glory to the continent of Australia, there are a few main things like the echo, reverberation in the interior that lack in this structure that makes us feel that it could have been done better with a sense of completeness filling the loop holes and pitfalls.

ART FOR ART SAKE OR ART FOR LIFE SAKE

2009-05-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

ART FOR ART SAKE OR ART FOR LIFE SAKE

Art should never be for life`s sake.....its the work done with passion....anything done with passion blended with imagination and creativity, eventually reaches a level of perfection called ART. The purpose of a piece of art should not be earning money but art should be done to meet the quest of ones passion in a particular field. But it needs to be appreciated and encouraged with its appropriate value.

Many people take up their passion to earn a living and cannot be blamed for it. In the case of an architect , the art of designing a building is their profession, as well as passion for some. As long as the architect doesnt compromise with his design for his profession it remains an art for art`s sake - but when he starts compromising with his own work for his clients it becomes an art for life`s sake.

Also, there is something called an aquired artistic abilities or a forced artistry. In this one has to be good at it because he has no other choice, as in the case of potter. He inherits the business, He's forced into it . He does it for a living.But with time he improves, his imaginations improve , and so improves the art. Here the art is for a life sake which has some artistic quotient attached to it as well.

All in all, in today's world, 'art for life' and 'art for art' are complementary to each other. One has to survive depending on some growth of the other as well. Every commercial artist may not be that good at art and those who are may starve for its value. So a balanced equation of a bit of both,makes a complete artist.

What do u want ??.. House or Home

2009-05-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

House and Home.. what is the difference???
house is a shelter,a protection for us, the place where we live. But then what is Home?

As aptly said " Home is where the heart is". We need to have a connection with the building we spend our liesure hours in to actually feel "at home" in it.

A home is a representation of who we are as a person, reflects our personality.
An architect designing a residence should understand this fact very well.It is pointless to have a high standard house to call as home when you have shallow living.
As long as connection is'nt there,the occupants will never be truly comfortable in it.
A person should'nt be forced to adapt himself to the house.At the end of the day he should'nt be made to come back to compromise.
His house should be his haven,where he can truly relax and be himself.
So living up to a building and trying to make yourself fit for something which was never meant for you, will only end up being a very long tiring and futile exercise.

Art nouveau

2009-05-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Art nouveau
Art nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905).
The name 'Art nouveau' is French for 'new art', it is also known as Jugendstil, German for 'youth style', named after the magazine Jugend, which promoted it. A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it is characterized by organic, especially floral and other plant-inspired motifs, as well as highly-stylized, flowing curvilinear forms.
Art Nouveau is an approach to design according to which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life.
Origins
The origins of Art Nouveau are found in the resistance of William Morris to the cluttered compositions and the revival tendencies of the Victorian era and his theoretical approaches that helped initiate the Arts and crafts movementHowever, Arthur Mackmurdo's book-cover for Wren's City Churches (1883), with its rhythmic floral patterns, is often considered the first realization of Art Nouveau.The wave of Japonisme that swept through Europe in the 1880s and 1890s was particularly influential on many artists with its organic forms, references to the natural world, and clear designs that contrasted strongly with the reigning taste.Japanese wood-block prints with their curved lines, patterned surfaces and contrasting voids, and flatness of their picture-plane, also inspired Art Nouveau.
One of the most important characteristics of the style is a dynamic, undulating flowing and curvilinear forms.
Correspondingly organic forms, curved lines, especially floral or vegetal, etc., began to be usedAn important fact is that Art Nouveau did not negate the machine as other movements such as the Arts and Crafts Movement but used it to its advantage. Materials: employed were glass and wrought iron, leading to a very sculpturesque quality even in architecture.
•A high point in the evolution of Art Nouveau was the Universal Exposition of 1900 in Paris, in which the 'Modern Style' triumphed in every medium.• In the following decade, the new style was so rapidly commercialized in trivial mass-production that Art Nouveau was looked down upon after about 1907.
Interiors:
The art nouveau style saw a fundamental change in interior design styles. Rather then using inspiration from the past designers began to look at the things around them to inspire

Glasgow School Of Art
Architect: charles rennie mackintosh.
Date:1897-1909.
Construction system:bearin masonary
Building type:college
Climate: temprature

Casa Mila,Barecelona, Spain
Architect: Antonio gaudi
Date:1905 to 1910
Building type:multifamily housing
Climate : mediterranean
Construction and concrete system:masonry
About the building: Expressionistic, fantastic, organic forms in undulating facade and roof line. light court.

Googie Architecture

2009-05-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

Googie architecture (also known as populuxe or doo-wop) is a form of novelty architecture and a subdivision of futurist architecture, influenced by car culture and the Space Age and Atomic Age.
Originating in Southern California in the late 1940s and continuing approximately into the mid-1960s, the types of buildings that were most frequently designed in a Googie style were motels, coffee houses and bowling alleys.

HISTORY :
Googie's roots lie in the Streamline Moderne architecture of the 1930s. Mobility in Los Angeles in 1930s was characterized by the initial influx of the automobile and the service industry that evolved to cater to it. With car ownership increasing, cities no longer had to be centered on a central downtown but could spread out to the suburbs, where business hubs could be interspersed with residential areas. The suburbs offered less congestion by offering the same businesses, but accessible by car. Instead of one flagship store downtown, businesses now had multiple stores in suburban areas. This new approach required owners and architects to develop a visual brand so customers would recognize it from the road. This modern consumer architecture was based on communication.

FEATURES :
Ø Upswept roofs
Ø Curvaceous, geometric shapes
Ø Bold use of glass, steel and neon
Ø Space-age designs that depict motion, such as boomerangs, flying saucers, atoms and parabolas
Ø Free-form designs such as "soft" parallelograms
Ø The ubiquitous artist's- palette motif

ARCHITECTURE :

Cantilevered structures, acute angles, illuminated plastic panelling, freeform boomerang and artist's palette shapes and cutouts, and tailfins on buildings marked Googie architecture, which was beneath contempt to the architects of Modernism, but found defenders in the post-Modern climate at the end of the 20th century.
The common elements that generally distinguish Googie from other forms of architecture are:
Ø Roofs sloping at an upward angle - This is the one particular element in which architects were really showing off, and also creating a unique structure. Many roofs of Googie style coffee shops, and other structures, have a roof that appear to be 2/3 of an inverted obtuse triangle. A great example of this is the famous, but now closed, Johnie's Coffee Shop on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Ø Starbursts - Starbursts are an ornament that goes hand in hand with the Googie style, showing its Space Age and whimsical influences. Perhaps the most notable example of the starburst appears on the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, which has now become somewhat famous. The ornamental design is in the form of, as Hess writes, "a high-energy explosion. This shape is born of the 1950s fascination with the future and atomic age. It’s also an example of non-utilitarian design as the star shape has no actual function but merely serves as a design element.

DISCONTINUATION OF GOOGIE :
Ø Rationing led to a pause in the development due to the imposed frugality on the American public.
Ø The architectural community never appreciated or accepted Googie, considering it too flashy and vernacular for academic praise. The conventional architecture of the 1970s (led by Modernism) reflected this in the turning away from Googie.
Ø It was too late to save famous landmarks such as Googie’s and Ship’s which were demolished. Despite the loss of these important landmarks, other famous Googie buildings such as the Wich Stand and some of the original Bob’s Big Boy locations have been preserved and even restored to their original splendor.

Cubism - Presentation

2009-05-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

CUBISM

Introduction

Ò CUBISM- One of the most influential art movements (1907-1914) of the twentieth century.

Ò Cubism was begun by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1882-1973) and Georges Braque (French, 1882-1963) in 1907.

Ò They were greatly inspired by African sculpture, by painters Paul Cézanne (French, 1839-1906) and Georges Seurat (French, 1859-1891), and by the Fauves.

Definition

Ò In Cubism the subject matter is broken up, analyzed, and reassembled in an abstracted form. Picasso and Braque initiated the movement when they followed the advice of Paul Cézanne, who in 1904 said artists should treat nature "in terms of the cylinder, the sphere and the cone."

Ò There were three phases in the development of Cubism

Ø Facet Cubism

Ø Analytic Cubism

Ø Synthetic Cubism

CONCEPTS OF ARTISTS

Ò Braque and Picasso's similar compositions are broken into planes with open edges, sliding into each other while denying all depth. Color is reduced to a gray-tan cameo, applied uniformly in small brushstrokes creating vibrations of light.

Ò Braque and Picasso brought recognizable illusionistic features back into their paintings during their stay in Céret, from 1911 to 1913.

Ò They used letters, fragments of words, musical notes, then significant material elements: sand or sawdust which create relief, and tend to make the picture more physically an object.

EXAMPLES OF CUBIST WORKS

Raymond Duchamp-Villon (French, 1876-1918), The Large Horse, 1914/1976, bronze, 150 x 97 x 153 cm, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris. See equine art.

Albert Gleizes (French, 1881-1953), Portrait of Jacques Nayral, 1911, oil on canvas, 161.9 x 114.0 cm, Tate Gallery, London.

PABLO PICASSO

Ò Pablo Picasso (born Pablo Ruiz-Picasso Spanish, 1881-1973), did so many arts like

§ Bust of a Woman, 1907, oil on canvas, 66 x 59 cm, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.

§ Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907, oil on canvas, 8 feet x 7 feet 8 inches (243.9 x 233.7 cm), in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Le guitariste, 1910

§ This is considered by many the first cubist painting. It was influenced by the paintings by Paul Cézanne and by the fauvists, as well as by African sculptures.

Ò The subjects of this picture are actually not women of the city of Avignon, but prostitutes of a street named Avignon.

BRAQUE’S CONTRIBUTION

Ò The Pedestal Table, autumn 1911, oil on canvas, 116.5 x 81.5 cm, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.

Ò Still-Life with Violin, 1911, oil on canvas, 130 x 89 cm, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.

Woman with a Guitar - 1913

Ò Fruit Dish, "Quotidien du Midi", Sorgues, August-September 1912, oil and sand on canvas,16 x 13 inches (41 x 33 cm), Thomas Ammann Fine Art, Zurich.

Ò Fruit Dish and Cards, 1913, oil, heightened with chalk and charcoal on canvas, 81 x 60 cm, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.

Ò Bottle, Newspaper, Pipe, and Glass, 1913, charcoal and various papers pasted on paper, 18 7/8 x 25 1/4 inches (48 x 64 cm), private collection, NY.

Ò Glass, Carafe and Newspapers, 1914, pasted papers, chalk and charcoal on cardboard, 62.5 x 28.5 cm (24 5/8 x 11 1/4 inches), private collection, Basel.

DISTINGUISHING FEAUTERS

Ò Cubism represents the essence of a subject as seen by the artist and it creates a more complete idea of the subject than other artistic methods could achieve.

Ò Color returned in force in 1912, in parallel to the creation of the "papiers collés" — collages. Creating a simple geometric armature and pieces of glued paper with trompe l'oeil patterns imitating wood, marble or newsprint, then introducing "already made" elements (musical scores, tobacco packets or playing cards), the "papiers collés" definitively dissociate color and form.

Ò Picasso, then Henri Laurens would create construction pieces from ordinary materials, cut out and assembled into colored geometric planes, where empty and full spaces combine to sketch out the forms

SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SITUATION AT THAT TIME

Ò After fauvist beginnings, Braque went with Raoul Dufy in 1908 on a trip to l'Estaque, a place often painted by Cézanne. They produced a series of landscapes with simplified forms and a limited variety of colors.

Ò The controversy surrounding their exhibition at the Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler Gallery brought Cubism its name. In effect, the art critic Louis Vauxcelles described the works in this way: "M. Braque scorns form and reduces everything, sites, figures and houses, to geometric schemas and cubes."

CUBISM IN OTHER FIELDS

Ò Gertrude Stein written works employ repetition and repetitive phrases as building blocks in both passages and whole chapters.

Ò Most of Stein's important works utilize this technique, including the novel The Makings of Americans (1906–08).

Ò The poets generally associated with Cubism are Guillaume Apollinaire, Blaise Cendrars, Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob, André Salmon and Pierre Reverdy.

Ò American poet Kenneth Rexroth explains, Cubism in poetry "is the conscious, deliberate dissociation and recombination of elements into a new artistic entity made self-sufficient by its rigorous architecture.

CUBISM AT PRESENT

Ò Far from being an art movement confined to the annals of art history, Cubism and its legacy continue to inform the work of many contemporary artists.

Cal Poly Pomona university library in

Pomona, California.

Ò The theorist contains the clue as to the reason for cubism's enduring fascination for artists.

Ò Cubism attempts to take representational imagery beyond the mechanically photographic and to move beyond the bounds of traditional single point perspective perceived, as though, by a totally immobile viewer.

BIBILOGRAPHY

www.artlex.com
www.wikipedia.com

A TOPIC ABOUT A MYTH

2009-05-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

If architecture had been the major form of our life, yes we could have lived up to a building....When early man had an abundance of food, opportunity & shelter then only his thought process showered on beauty & aesthetics. In contrast we now live up to our progress rather than a ‘building’. The height of your excitement tends to come down on every material pleasure. A building being one of the most sought after material pleasure enthralling your senses of see, touch, feel & think can be sustained only for a certain amount of time. The biggest enemy to the worshippers of living up to a building is our brain; it always tends to find out faults with what the same brain thought was flawless. We tend to lose the sense of awe after sometime. The materialistic pleasure are to be enjoyed ,loved, lived .then u move on the next level as in the transition from neo-classical of the 1750’s to sustainability at the present. We have seen numerous styles, numerous buildings but never a ultimate building and it is also assured to never happen .The ultimate’s like the Bilbao museum may be everybody’s garage tomorrow. We are made of higher intelligence hence our ego will not permit itself to be in a sense of awe for a long period. Living up to a building is a myth no can do it but its trail remains...........

CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON ARCHITECTURAL THINKING

2009-05-01T05:05:00.000-07:00

"Mistakes remembered are not faults forgot." Robert Henry Newell.Why a quote of such kind penetrates this blog!because of a shocking revelation of the critics in this blog.architectural criticism has been replaced by PRAISE showering on the architects.Many a critic in this blog are paying too much attention to the works of popular architect than the work itself.The critics here are mirroring the image of the architect upon the work itself thus a space of partiality is endowed upon the critic.A good facade and a popular architect is evoking criticism in the blogs,such has become of it.critics are tending to have an affinity towards a piece of architecture thus affecting their judgment.these mistakes are comparable to the piece of judgment taken during anger,happiness,excitement wher emotions play a major role.
Neither a building nor the architect is subjected to criticism here but the thinking itself,as thinking forms the progress of our living.Whats holding us back?Probably our emotions affecting the judgment we make.lets not be subjected to hadid's & koolhaas's rather than architecture itself.As critics we are to provide fodder to architecture & not the individual.LET NOT PHOTOGRAPHS & PHOTOGRAPHERS DEFINE ARCHITECTURE.....

neo modernism style in architecture

2009-04-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

Neo-modernist architecture relies for its effect on unadorned surfaces, large sheets of glass, articulated details, and attenuated structural supports. ...

neo modernism style in architecture

2009-04-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

This Italian design movement emerged as a counter to the increasingly loose definitions associated with Postmodernism. As the word ‘Modernism’ in its title implied there were some ideological links with the attachment to a functional aesthetic and rejection of past styles by the international avant-garde of the 1920s and 1930s. However, Neo-Modernists acknowledged the significance of an individual aesthetic as a ‘functional’ dimension of design, together with their acceptance of a pluralist outlook rather than the search for universal solutions associated with the Modernist cause.The first woman to win the Pritzker Prize for Architecture in its 26 year history, ZAHA HADID (1950-) has defined a radically new approach to architecture by creating buildings, such as the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, with multiple perspective points and fragmented geometry to evoke the chaos of modern life.

critical analysis of falling water

2009-04-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Fallingwater has provided enjoyment to many people over the years; as a stimulating weekend retreat for the Kaufmann family and their friends, as a source of pride to the architect and his associates, and now - cared for by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy - as an exceptional experience for visitors from near and far....

He understood that people were creatures of nature, hence an architecture which conformed to nature would conform to what was basic in people. For example, although all of Fallingwater is opened by broad bands of windows, people inside are sheltered as in a deep cave, secure in the sense of hill behind them. Their attention is directed toward the outside by low ceilings; no lordly hall sets the tone but, instead, the luminous textures of the woodland, rhythmically enframed. The materials of the structure blend with the colorings of rocks and trees, while occasional accents are provided by bright furnishings, like wildflowers or birds outside. The paths within the house, stairs and passages, meander without formality or urgency, and the house hardly has a main entrance; there are many ways in and out. Sociability and privacy are both available, as are the comforts of home and the adventures of the seasons. So people are cosseted in to relaxing, into exploring the enjoyment of a life refreshed in nature. Visitors, too, in due measure experience Wright's architecture as an expansion of living. 1

critical analysis of spencer plaza

2009-04-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

The historical roots of Spencer Plaza goes back to British Raj, when in the year 1863-1864, the first Departmental store in the Indian subcontinent (comprising India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), established by Charles Durant and J. W. Spencer. After a few years, Eugene Oakshott shifted the department store to a new building, which was an example of Indian Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. The building was designed by W. N. Pogson. In the year 1983, the original building was destroyed in a fire. The present Spencer Plaza was constructed on the same site. This shopping mall is the major hangout for people of Chennai.

critical nalysis of spencer plaza

2009-04-29T17:13:00.003-07:00

Spencer Plaza
Spencer Plaza
Location:
Anna Salai, Chennai
established :
1863
Area:
23,000 m2 (2,50,000 square feet)
Phases :
3
Spencer Plaza, one of the biggest shopping malls in South Asia, is located on Mount Road (officially known as Anna Salai), and is one of the landmarks of the modern Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India.

critical nalysis of spencer plaza

2009-04-29T17:13:00.001-07:00

Billionaire's Playground: Dubai

2009-04-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

We're back at construction central, billionaire playground: Dubai. Scan that Tall Buildings list above, and you still won't see anything like this. These are the Dubai Towers... in Dubai.

Is it just me, or do you also want to sit in that little water inlet and stare up at the top most floor? Even though this is to be completed within 24 months, there is very little info about this building. Usually Tall Building posts are flooded with info, but this one's different.. kept aside from the rest of the world .

The towers will range from 57 to 94 floors in height, the tallest topping off at 1,310 feet (400 meters)
The tenants will be a healthy mixture: apartments, hotels, restaurants, shopping

What's hard to understand is how tall these buildings are. They are being built near the airport, so their height is restricted, but they are still giant. That tall one is almost as tall as the Empire State Building.And i wonder how do they come up with such outrageous structural solutions . and not to forget the risk of earthquakes..Set against a backdrop of beautifully landscaped lush islands in the heart of Dubai, the architecturally brilliant 'Dubai Towers - Dubai' will be surrounded by its historic Creek. the users of the building will have a totally new feeling which i think will take sometime to get used to.
As with all things Dubai, this financial district will be built on its own man-made island, The Lagoon. The Dubai Towers will certainly put this on the map.The highly unconventional luminous design of 'Dubai Towers - Dubai' will form a truly inspiring and dynamic sculpture that symbolizes an orchestrated movement of candlelight.

critical analysis of spencer plaza chennai

2009-04-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

living upto a building

2009-04-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

How 'architecture can evoke different emotions?' Architecture today has lost its meaning which is the soul purpose of making architecture for people. i am trying to say how architecture plays a major role in bringing out emotions a form of connection between the building, enviroment and most of all people, can designers control our emotions and reaction by creating space or a surrounding. How do these spaces designed evoke our feelings?

As buildings and spaces are made for people, designers and architects need to put feelings and emotions into the building in order to make an impact on the users, just like a painter. Just like an art painting a designer builds a space which is full of life, trying to create a surrounding for people could relate to when the building is complete the feelings and emotions are left upon the users, just like a painting is complete viewer can express freely.

The Villa Savoye

2009-04-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Villa Savoye is a wonderful demonstration of Le Corbusier's 'five points of a new architecture', which he developed in 1927, exploiting the new opportunities of reinforced concrete. The house is firmly driven into the ground - a dark and often damp site. The reinforced concrete gives us the pilotis. The house is up in the air, far from the ground. the garden runs under the house. The garden is also over the house, on the roof. Reinforced concrete is the new way to create a unified roof structure. Reinforced concrete expands considerably. The expansion makes the work crack at times of sudden shrinkage. Instead of trying to evacuate the rainwater quickly, endeavor on the contrary to maintain a constant humidity on the concrete of the terrace and hence an even temperature on the reinforced concrete. One particular protective measure: sand covered with thick concrete slabs, with widely spaced joints; these joints are sown with grass. Until now load-bearing walls from the ground they are superimposed, forming the ground floor and the upper stories, up to the eaves. The layout is a slave to the supporting walls. Reinforced concrete in the house provides a free plan! The floors are no longer superimposed by partition walls. They are free. The window is one of the essential features of the house. Progress brings liberation. Windows run from one end of the facade to the other. The columns set back from the facades, inside the house. The floor continues cantilevered. The facades are no longer anything but light skins of insulating walls or windows. The facade is free.

PRADEEP-LIVING UPTO THE BUILDING

2009-04-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

Any built environment is meant to serve the purpose of the users. Especially when it comes to designing a residence it must cater to the physical and psychological effects and feelings of the person living inside it. Residence for that matter is purely the reflection of thoughts and likings of the inhabitant. It must be designed in such a way that it must definitely be the best place in the world that the inhabitant should feel comfortable in all means as the saying goes east or west home is the best. Any building designed by an architect gains its importance or is known to be a good design only when it satisfies the need of the client both functionally and aesthetically. Home is the place where a person can be his own self , relax after a busy day work that goes without saying with all his adjustments, non-stop routine machine work on and on. The architect cannot just design a residence to his own tastes or what he thinks would be suitable or required for the clients since he is not the one who is going to live inside. There is no meaning designing a building, constructing it and asking the clients to live up to the building. Anything that could be altered for our need is important instead of us adjusting to it. Shelter being one of the basic needs for the human race, it must go like in simple terms without a dilemma,’ building for the inhabitants’ and not in the reverse manner.

art for arts sake

2009-04-29T07:04:00.001-07:00

Artists such as Leopold Senghor and Chinua Achebe have criticised the slogan as being a limited and Eurocentric view on art and creation.
In "Black African Aesthetics," Senghor argues that "art is functional" and that "in black Africa, 'art for art's sake' does not exist."
Achebe is more scathing in his collection of essays and criticism entitled Morning Yet on Creation Day, where he asserts that "art for art's sake is just another piece of deodorised dog shit."The German Marxist essayist and critic Walter Benjamin, goes perhaps further in stating that the slogan is "consummated" in fascism, in the closing paragraph of his seminal

art for arts sake

2009-04-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

"Art for art's sake" is the usual English rendition of a French slogan, from the early 19th century, ''l'art pour l'art'', and expresses a philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only "true" art, is divorced from any didactic, moral or utilitarian function. Such works are sometimes described as "autotelic", from the Greek autoteles, “complete in itself”, a concept that has been expanded to embrace "inner-directed"
"L'art pour l'art" (translated as "art for art's sake") is credited to Théophile Gautier (1811–1872). Some argue Gautier was not the first to write those words. They appear in the works of Victor Cousin,[1] Benjamin Constant, and Edgar Allan Poe. Poe argues in his essay "The Poetic Principle", that or "self-motivated" human beings.

GUGGENHEIM,BILBAO:

2009-04-29T06:31:00.001-07:00

Guggenheim Bilbao, this museum has a crazy funky exterior which will draw your attention even though you hav seen it a million times already. The curves on the building have been designed to appear random. The architect has been quoted as saying that "the randomness of the curves are designed to catch the light"…..and the play of light is simply awestriking on the exterior…The structure consists of radically sculpted, organic contours…although it looks crazy from outside I wonder how it would be to actually feel the spaces??? would it be equally crazy?

Sited as it is in a port town, it is intended to resemble a ship. Its brilliantly reflective titanium panels resemble fish scales, echoing the other organic life (and, in particular, fish-like) forms that recur commonly in Gehry's designs, as well as the river Nervión upon which the museum sits.

Computer simulations of the building's structure made it feasible to build shapes that architects of earlier eras would have found nearly impossible to construct. It is also important to note that while the museum is a spectacular monument from the river, at street level it is quite modest and does not overwhelm its traditional surroundings, this is amusing for a museum as it would intrest any onlooker to go ahead and check out the museum ,as, if it were so amusing from the outside it would definitly house some of the greatest art of all time.

Living up to a building - pleasure or liability?

2009-04-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

For decades now, architects have been building structures. The question here is how much meaning do they convey?
Designing a building is totally different from merely erecting a structure. The former holds so much more relevance and significance. It is sensitive and sensible. So one can say when a building is actually “designed”, living up to it is rather spontaneous. That is one doesn’t need to force oneself to live up to it. It just happens. The comfort and convenience goes without saying.
But then comes the argument: Does one actually lose himself/herself in the process of adapting or “living up to” a building? Is it really possible to always be at a high state where every time one enters the building, he/she has the exact same feeling what was felt when the building was experienced for the first time? Is it psychologically wrong for a building to make one feel this way? Do we canon over the building or is it vice versa? This again is a very subjective row since there are different perspectives with which one can see this.
The falling waters is an example which stands for the motion. The weekend cottage is a complete experience and a totally new one every time one enters it. F.L. Wright chose to blend this building with nature, in other words, made it organic. This fact has lead to all the excitement which is achieved in and around the weekend cottage.
On the contrary, the same excitement might not be maintained in the Bilbao Museum. Equilibrium of state of mind will be attained at some point of time. The entire thrill will come to expire.
To draw a conclusion, an architect’s aim should be to achieve a design which is worth living up to and at the same time creating a space where comfort and bliss comes unprompted, where the building and its inmates mutually co-exist!!

Burj, Dubai

2009-04-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Burj, Dubai
Residences, Hotels, suites, Clubs, Pubs, Offices etc Burj has it all…
The official height of this skyscraper is still not announced, but how much more can it go up..??Will they ever stop building? That is the question now. Many of the tower floors will be occupied by the Armani Hotel along with 144 luxury residential suites. There are appartment’s from 17th to 108th floor…….wont it be strange living in sky….surely its going to that kind of a feeling.
Its just another building which wants to get inside the top most list of tallest buildings of the world…the comfort level of the people who are going to stay inside that building’s has to be certainly commented on.
The world’s longest travel distance elevators travelling at 18m/s. It’s amazing planning of fire safety and rescue techniques. According to calculations it can house 35,000 people but in reality the number is going to be less than half of estimation.
I wonder what would it feel like living inside a monument such as this one…??

Living Up to a Building

2009-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

Living Up to a Building
Views to this topic can vary according to the typology of the building, the kind of activity to be performed and the amount of time to be spent in that particular space. The surroundings of a person surely create’s a big psychological impact on the person it can be good or bad.
Designing a residence, the creativity of an architect lies on how the spaces created can affect the mood of a person according to the type of activity to be performed. For instance, a children’s bedroom design is totally different from the master bedroom, the atmosphere to be created is different .Houses should be designed in such a way that the user’s are able to adapt to it easily in a comfortable manner.
Living up to a building can be experimented in such places where its not that necessary that people should feel comfortable and create the right kind of attitude and mood. Adapting to such places is not that important .For instance ,a memorial , museum etc,these are the type of spaces that doesn’t require a particular comfort level .The designer can go up to extreme levels to explore creative ideas to make something different which no one has seen.

Art for arts sake or art for lifes sake

2009-04-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

Art for arts sake or art for lifes sake
The word art itself refers to a form of expression. However debated on, only one conclusion can be drawn on this topic and that is that art which evolves due to any other reason than the passion for itself can never be expressed in its full meaning. Art for lifes sake , would not last for long because it is not done with the true passion for it. Art is an end product of an individuals creativity which comes out of his desire to do it and this desire is only brought out when it is done for the sake of art itself and not to sell it for a living.

Living up to a building

2009-04-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

Should a building need living upto?

This is a question that cannot have a straight or a direct answer.

One cannot generalise and say that every building should be lived upto or not.

There are buildings that need living upto and some that do not.

For instance, one's house... or home...

Home is a space that allows a person to be his or her true self.A space where one can connect with oneself and drop the masks one puts on at other places. A space like this should not need living upto.

However...when buildings such as an office, a place of religious importance, a university etc are considered, it is important that they are lived upto.

So much said about living upto a space or a building...what do we actually mean by the term?

Living upto a building need not be adapting and getting used to the physical changes, for those happen everyday and while they do require "getting used to" and "living up", I think living up to a building in true sense is living upto the spiritual environment it creates.

A great institution embibes in a person a sense of pride and the drive to do well, a religious structure causes a different spiritual experience and these force a person, voluntarily or involuntarily to live upto the structure.

Thus, a building needs living upto depending on the purpose it serves. it would be wrong to say that every building needs living upto or that no building does.

The Ardhanarishwarar Temple

2009-04-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the Ardhanarishwarar temple and the area that surrounds it.

What was once a small idol placed by the road. is today a huge temple in the Nanganallur area of the city.

The most disturbing fact about this temple is that it is located right on the road and is probably encroaching into the road.

Its' presence has resulted in small stalls that extend to the already narrow and bustling main road that just cannot handle the traffic it is subjected to everyday.

A huge temple like this one offers no space for people to park their cars, as a result of which, one finds cars parked or double parked on the road itself.

This main road is a ddriver's ordeal in the office hours.

The prompt but inconvenient location of the temple only adds to the plight of people.

It is an automobile owners nightmare to drive around this area on a day of religious importance.

The lack of a sidewalk or a proper approach to the temple is inconvenient to pedestrians visiting the temple.

How important is it, to build a temple on every spot available?

Should every temple be expanded like this, to encroach onto the road, provide no parking, cause inconvenience to drivers, be unsafe for pedestrians?

what are we trying to achieve like this...religious supremacy?By making life difficult for people?

LIVING UPTO A BUILDING

2009-04-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

Basically, opinions on this topic would change drastically depending on what kind of
building we are referring to,that is if it is a house or a place where you live,
it defenitly wouldnt be practical or sensible to live upto it, a house is a place where
you are truly yourself,where all your emotions are brought out, a place to which u come
back daily, and living upto it would be more of an obligation and not spontaneous.
in short , living upto a house is practically impossible, not sensible and would not last
long.however, considering a well reputed institution would mean a change of opinion,
in this case living upto the building would be more practical, as the building itself can
cause within u a drive to reach your goal.this is more possible because you spent lesser
time at an institute and in that short period hav a larger chance of gettin influenced by
the building and the surroundings put together.

LIVING UPTO THE BUILDING

2009-04-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Surroundings have a definite impact on human behavior especially the built environment .In one way or the other the built environment makes him stay in the same good state every moment he is in it. It elevates oneself to a higher level automatically. It elevates his basic level of thinking, a better level of his actions, attitude on and on. Once he gets acquainted to it, he will never feel that it was not meant for him, instead he will start feeling better and better. He will never tend to get back to his old original environment once he likes it.
Let’s consider a person staying in a dull, dark, but a very comfortable, cosy home which makes him stay in the same old state whereas it doesn’t allow him to move to a higher level in any way. There is no meaning if a person stays in his own domain excusing himself saying it is comfortable. In the same case, if he shifts to a bright and beautifully built environment, he would definitely like it and when he starts liking it, he becomes used to it and cherishes it forever and that’s the healthy environment. If a person wants to be in his own comfortable environment why would he ever think of having a home, luxurious, larger in its dimension in comparison with his simpler, smaller one .Infact some dream about it and of course some have it as one of their lifetime goals. If a commoner is given a better built environment why would he not move to that place? He would definitely. These days people are forced to live upto their environment for that matter say an apartment , or in a mansion etc due to poor economy , or live in luxury in order to maintain their dignity amongst others thinking that it’s the display of their richness . Its not apt to say that they all hate to live there but they get used to it , whatever change happens to go to a higher level when it serves a better purpose. After all change and getting used to change applies to architecture too.

'Nama Chennai'

2009-04-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

When I first came to Chennai many years ago, I knew that I would be here for at least 21 years of my life.

Well though the topic given to me is “What I don’t like in Chennai”, I would like to quote both the positive and negative sides of this city. It would be certainly hard for me to talk just about the negative qualities. I would describe Chennai as a vibrant place, full of life and friendly people. Life is Chennai is a lot more easier and quicker than any other metropolitan city according to me. People in Chennai are said to be more hospitable and more approachable.

There always has to be a negative side to everything and everyone. There is no person or anything for that matter perfect. That is impossible and same goes for the city, Chennai. This city is said to be chaotic compared to other cities and most expats who come to Chennai find this problem annoying. Traffic congestion and the poor customer service in some restaurants, shops and over the phone are some of the common problems faced in Chennai. One more main problem in Chennai among the other metropolitan cities is its chronic water problem. This is becoming an on-going problem and is really becoming very difficult for the people living in Chennai. And this is one of the main reasons why many expats do not like to live in Chennai for a long period of time. These are the general problems faced in Chennai.

Now i would like to narrow it down to a few places which are quite popular but then are now causing problems due to certain factors. I think the area near Sathyam theatres should be maintained in a better manner. It gets too crowded at the movie hours. And there is no proper co-ordination of traffic in that area. And hence, it sometimes leads to accidents and also people miss the movie by solid 15-20 minutes. This should be taken care of. They should have more number of police standing there and co-ordinating the traffic and providing more parking lots near the theatre. The number of movie goers has been increasing by a marginal number and hence the needs of the people have to be catered according to their requirements.

Some areas of Chennai like Anna Nagar should not be used as an area of commercialism. I can only see many shops opening in these areas and less number of residential apartments. The number of people shifting to Chennai is increasing and hence we require more space of living. Another main problem is house rental in Chennai. We should try and look at the families standard of living and according tell them the rent and not blindly charge a huge amount. The house rentals in Chennai is shooting up majorly and hence becoming one of the major problems in Chennai.

Another problem is littering of the city. It is such a sad scene to see people dump waste where ever they want to. They do not realise that we are the people who constitute the city and we have to make sure that the city is kept clean. People tend to become too selfish and just take care of their needs. It becomes a real mess on the roads when people just randomly dump their wastes and do not care about the neighbouring people. We should probably start a fine system for people who dump waste on the roads and other public places and not in the dustbins provided at most parts of the city. And also the people littering the water resources is quite sad to watch or notice later. The people living near water banks just throw their wastes in the water without realising that its our priced possession and we need to save it for our future generation. Water is the most important element for man and this should be used wisely and not misused. Water should be used in minimal amounts and not as a dustbin or for people to misuse. One more annoying problem i find in Chennai is beggary. These young children keep running around in between the busy roads and keep coming to every car and beg for money. This is highly annoying. These children should be sent to schools to study rather being encouraged to beg. And the middle aged women also really annoy the people by begging, carrying a child with them. They clearly do this for no good reason. Some measures against this have to taken.

I think these are the main problems faced in Chennai and some of the negative qualities in Chennai that totally annoy me. If we as good citizens, take the necessary measures to make this place a beautiful place to live in, I’m sure Chennai will become one of the most clean and green city in India and we will attract a lot more tourists. This require absolute co-operation.

C.M.B.T. SERVICES..

2009-04-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

C.M.B.T ,the chennai mofussil bus terminus is a bus terminus in chennai. it covers 37 acres in koyambedu.it is largest bus terminus in asia . the cmbt foundation stone was laid by chief minister dr. M. karunanidhi and built by chennai metropolitan development authority at a cost of 103 crore. it can simultaneously station 270 buses and handle over 2 thousand buses and nearly 2 lakhs travellers a day .
BUT DOES IT KEEP THE SECURITY SYSTEM...????
however ,at C.M.B.T., which is used by thousands of travellers daily,the going has not been smooth for people life. it has no life preservation for people who reach there and the rule of get the tickets are not easy and partiallity in tickets .sometimes we have to return back due to lack of discipline and no proper information .
so , so many arrangments in C.M.B.T. for travelling not for a traveller...as my opinion

TRAFFIC JAM,ADYAR

2009-04-09T09:54:00.001-07:00

Here u see a strange name for a hotel- TRAFFIC JAM...its situated in saradar patel road(adyar).This road starts from ashok Leyland to adyar bridge.And the road branches towards gst-guindy ,omr through tidal park,beach road,saidapet-mount road.I wondered why they named it so strangely.So i decided to ask them Why they named so.The actual reason is there was heavy traffic those days even before the tidal park was constructed in 2000.And even now its a nightmare for a driver to use the road near the new flyover especially during 8 am to 11 am and 5pm to 8 pm. since its very narrow and once the fly over ends you can see fast vehicles coming which again is a accident prone point for the road users especially for school kids of KV...The whole sardar patel 4 lane road always filled with vehicles without any traffic sense.Trying to move first by not waiting for any green signal..Its critical as there is prestigious institutions like IIT,CLRI,cancer institute,Anna univ. and KV school....good to see that anna university has its own signal so there is no much problem there.But for IIT there is always difficulty because of the narrow road there. Its not nice to see such improper planning of roads when we have such important institutions.Here nobody actually knows whether pedestrian are also part of road users.These people are never allowed to cross the road,just because they walk and others sit on their vehicles???Once i saw a person trying to help a old blind women crossing the road and there was no vehicle to stop for her.The person helping her got abused by few motorists.What a mentality!!!!Do those ill behaved persons really worth living or need any respect when they don’t really respect others?I am here to say the hotel has an impact on the environment it is situated and its not funky or any style statement given....For me the hotel name does not only say the place is jammed due to the traffic,but it speaks to me “please do something for this”...............................................

a mit course on architecture and critical debate...

2009-04-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Architecture/4-665Spring-2002/Readings/index.htm

VEDHA JANANI

2009-04-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

THE SECURITY THREAT

The picture are of the bridge which has been newly built near Tirusulam or the well renowned Chennai International airport. The bridge is an important one that is accepted but what about the security of the Airport?

The following questions is to be asked to the respected government.
Whether they checked the presence of airport while laying the plan of that bidge?
After construction did they notice the view of airport from the bridge?
At least whether they have stationed any armed police or Airport Officers near the bridge?
If this three was done then they would have been no need for feeling the threat one is able to view the airport clearly from the bridge. And what if anything happens alike the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Are we going to hold the terrorists responsible? No, there is also our responsibility in it without having any security measures how such a blunder can be done. Many people are standing near the bridge and looking at the airport creating a traffic jam for the other vehicles. And I my self was able to take many pictures of the airport without any problem. Isn’t it a shame on us being so careless we have been already a target of Terrorism. We must never forget the shame in our land which was in the form of death of our Late Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi instead of tight security the terrorist were successful in his assassination. What about this bridge where there is no security. Whether the government is going to take action or It will show it’s reaction after any disaster happens and the following things which will be done is
Press meet.
Commission will be formed.
Till they go on to take the further action another disaster will take place.

So at least now we are late but still we can correct this mistake if not corrected now that will no longer be a mistake then it will a blunder and a BLACK-DAY in our India’s security.

THE SECURITY THREAT

2009-04-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

The picture are of the bridge which has been newly built near Tirusulam or the well renowned Chennai International airport. The bridge is an important one that is accepted but what about the security of the Airport?

The following questions is to be asked to the respected government.
Whether they checked the presence of airport while laying the plan of that bidge?
After construction did they notice the view of airport from the bridge?
At least whether they have stationed any armed police or Airport Officers near the bridge?
If this three was done then they would have been no need for feeling the threat one is able to view the airport clearly from the bridge. And what if anything happens alike the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Are we going to hold the terrorists responsible? No, there is also our responsibility in it without having any security measures how such a blunder can be done. Many people are standing near the bridge and looking at the airport creating a traffic jam for the other vehicles. And I my self was able to take many pictures of the airport without any problem. Isn’t it a shame on us being so careless we have been already a target of Terrorism. We must never forget the shame in our land which was in the form of death of our Late Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi instead of tight security the terrorist were successful in his assassination. What about this bridge where there is no security. Whether the government is going to take action or It will show it’s reaction after any disaster happens and the following things which will be done is
Press meet.
Commission will be formed.
Till they go on to take the further action another disaster will take place.

So at least now we are late but still we can correct this mistake if not corrected now that will no longer be a mistake then it will a blunder and a BLACK-DAY in our India’s security.

have the infrastructure facilities improved in stations??

2009-04-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

Are the trains the public life line or death drap!this is the question which runs in the people’s mind that seemed to have proved by an incident where a middle aged man died apparently after being hit by a train at Fort Railway Station mid-morning of march 27 2008.

This s the fort station where the commuters passes by frequently that often leads to tragic accidents like hit away by trains due to poor infrastructure for safety walkway... There are no pedestrian facilities in this station.The station’s one side has been demolished along muthuswamy bridge but for people who come from tambaram or mrts, this steep staircase makes commuters to avoid the usage of existing structure...due to this they forget the existance of track coming from park station. ..Though crossing the track is an offence it is the human psychology to take the easier way when the bridges are no use to them.. Basic facilities like proper placement of bridges and lighting can reduce these deaths ... there are various other problems which creates discomfort for pedestrians as like one in kodambakkam station. This entrance to the station creates obstruction to the passengers to enter the station and most commonly used by blind people.The situation becomes even more worse at night time... creating a pathway might avoid accidents in such cases .As a whole according to the source of information reported by railways department they deposit fund of 25 crores only for the infrastructure like lifts , escalators,lighting. . Why cannot the Chennai Division of Southern Railway install good facilities including escalators at all its stations for passengers? Most of the railway bridges are of iron and stone age in british style which now fail to use for handicapped people. But where do these money go????so many such accidents take place in other suburban stations like…………

Most of the handicapped users faces such problem everyday using this Kodambakkam station in Chennai on the Beach - Tambaram line. This is also the old Victorian era designed only for abled people. The handicapped man had to climb the steep, dirty staircase on his hands.AGAIN WHERE IS THE MODERNISED SYSTEMS like lifts and escalators.????

Poor parking facilities at Mambalam railway station --Commuters using the suburban train service from West Mambalam faces difficulty of the lack of parking facilities on the Station Road there.

The parking lot currently accommodates around 500 to 600 scooters and motorcycles, and around 200 bicycles according to commuters and parking lot attendants.the main problem is that the parking area is more than a foot below the road level, even a brief spell of shower causes problems as rainwater stagnates. Construction debris has been piled up in several parts of the parking lot. “The approach path from the main road is a muddy slope making the condition more difficult for exiting vehicles. The shed that has been put up would be removed once the contract ended.the booking counter and parking slots are placed very near creating a chaos during the peak hour.. the planning aspects like parking facilities, better infrastructure keeping handicaps in mind and modernized mechanism should be implemented but will it happen is a big?

A Nightmare for Motorist - Adyar

2009-04-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

Every time I am stuck in a traffic jam and see an ambulance stuck in the traffic, it really pains my heart.There were many cases where somebody’s relative who had suffered a heart attack, passed away on the way to the hospital since the ambulance could not reach the hospital on time, thanks to the traffic jam and diversions! How sad! This happened on the day when there was a heavy traffic in many places because of Vijayakanth addressing his party workers or whatever.!!

Stuck in a jam near NIFT for more than 20 minutes and finally reaching L.B.Road after another 20 minutes only to find a never-ending line of vehicles caught in the traffic jam there, bus being diverted from L.B.Road to some road on the left which I had never taken before thereby leaving me clueless as to where the bus was going!, travelling inch by inch through Indira Nagar, Shastri Nagar, etc. and reaching the signal near Adyar bus stand/Ambika Appalam Depot a good 40 minutes later!, this is one traffic jam that I will never forget. Surprisingly, there were very only a few vehicles on the road from there till Adyar Bridge.

Would an ambulance with a patient have been able to reach the hospital on time or would an ambulance have reached the patient’s place on time when there is a traffic jam like this everywhere in the city?? I wonder what happiness politicians get in causing inconvenience to the public. It’s high time they started having their meetings, protests, etc. on days and at places which causes the least inconvenience to public!

The Lake at Chetpet...or the absence of it

2009-04-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

Nature forms an important part of any place , and that being the case, an element like a lake has a huge impact on people and thus, must be put to good use.
The lake at Chetpet can hardly be called a lake.There is too much of sea weed growth and a lot of water hyacinth, not to mention the dirt and litter.

it is shocking to know that this city has huge resources which are just not used.
Water hyacinth is a weed that depletes oxygen in the water, thus making survival of the marine life tough, adding to it is the embankment that is only an eyesore and lets not even mention the litter here...
It is not just ignorance but also the "dont-carish" attitude of the people which is fueling this.
It is high time we realize the fact that "ignorance is not bliss".

2009-04-05T15:08:00.001-07:00

T.nagar also known as” the shopping hub” of Chennai looked nothing like a shopping hub to me ,neither the first time i came across it nor any other time. Shopping areas especially “street shopping” can generally get a little overcrowded but t.nagar can’t just be described by that one word.

To me T.nagar appears to be a very ill planned street or rather not planned at all...everything there, the buildings, stalls, roads look as if they just occurred and as if they keep occurring. Driving through the streets seem almost impossible with the very badly planned roads, crazy traffic and crowded streets. Its almost literally “”street shopping “as the shopping stalls from either side keep increasing taking away a part of the road itself. All together shopping wouldn’t exactly be a fun experience if you plan to shop out there. T.nagar probably could still be “the shopping hub” of Chennai if a little effort is put in working out those roads and traffic!!

Amethyst-A collonial coffee shop,a real gift to city!

2009-04-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

A graceful 100-year-old mansion and its garden in the heart of Chennai is now a cultural hub for old and young. Its achieved in restoring the typical colonial style of the mansion and its a small paradise in the midst of polluted streets and highriser’s.
There are many positive aspects for this conversion...
Firstly...it reflects the values of a post-wealth culture which among the youngster’s is not popular or relevant. Many of us are not aware of the ancient tricks which our ancestors thoughtfully applied with limited resources. May it be the materials or the features of the building etc.
Secondly, its essential to understand and value how those who came before us lived.There’s an intrinsic value in these lime-and-mortar structures with their teak fixtures. These are the secrets for the achievement of a cool and comfortable structure which now can be enjoyed through the cafe.
Set a trend by restoring heritage properties...!!!

FAMED EGMORE LOSING IT'S CHARM

2009-04-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize on the current grievances that the day to day commuters have to tackle due to the uncanny planning and construction of the suburban train station at Egmore.The staircase to the platform has been a major concern over the years due to the non-standard dimensions that have been put into use.
The stairway is congested at all times and the steps are comparatively smaller,not to mention about the poor maintenance.The scenario is worsened by beggars and vendors. It takes a long time for the passengers to move out of the station during the peak hours.Also, this crowded pathway is highly prone to fiascos and mishaps.This station was built during the time of British and boasts to be one among the prominent stations under southern railway.Inspite of the many accolades received,this faulty stairway stands as a hinderance in front of it’s prestige.
The Govt should take proper proactive measures to overcome this problem and relieve the people from the unfavourable situation.

A 3-storey high mockery!

2009-04-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

Airports are supposed to be the classiest places of any city. They, in a way, suggest a visitor to form his/her first impression about the entire city. It is just spontaneous. Hundreds and thousands of people inside and outside get to look at it, every single day. In such a case, the indispensable grooming of the place goes without saying. Grooming which makes people turn their heads and appreciate the beauty standing in front of them – the buildings, the landscaping, the runway….everything.
The TWA Terminal at the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York stands proudly as an example of a world class building. It is bliss to even look at it. Being through it is an experience which is class apart. This self sufficient place boldly represents its city as an iconic piece of contemporary beauty.
Contrary to this, stands a 3-storey high piece of contempt. Had it not been for the planes, Chennai International Airport would have surely been mistaken for a bus terminal. It is a rather disconcerting view. And to add on to that, the Tirusulam fly-over, which lies bang in-front of the airport, ensures every passer-by’s glance at the totally scruffy building. How the management is to numb and dumb to this fact is even more disturbing. Chennai seems to be heading towards its complete development. Endeavors to come at par with developed nations are frankly of no use if one is not sensitive to such striking and sad facts as the airport which sits across as an absolute disappointment to the city’s face. What can be done about this s not an unanswerable question. If the Delhi Airport has realized and is working towards a makeover, so can the Chennai Airport. It is high time!!

The literary and rhetorical tradition of the essay

2009-04-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

The objective is to read and write humanities-style essays about the intersections among architecture, technology, and life. Did Ben Franklin really fly that kite? What are the ethical dimensions of the creation of chimeras—and what should the public know in order to take part in the conversation about them? Is the science of nutrition really science? How did the technology of birth control end up in the delivery system that we know as "the pill"? Is it possible to time travel—and why would scientists even spend time thinking about it?
Essay is a genre which has been described by one scholar as "the meeting ground between art and philosophy," and by another as "the place where the self finds a pattern in the world, and the world finds a pattern in the self". Though the essay is part of a tradition of prose which stretches back to antiquity, it is also a thoroughly modern and popular form of writing, found in print media and on the web.
We'll read models of a variety of approaches to the architecture essay, including essays by Charles Jencks, Herbert Muschamp, Frank Lloyd Wright, Robert Venturi and others, noting in particular how they bring architectural ideas to life for readers. Topics for discussion will include the challenge of explaining architectural concepts; the "personal realm" of design; art vs. life; fairness and objectivity in architectural writing; and the "non-quantifiable considerations" that are necessarily part of conversations about architecture.
Writing a critical essay, to some degree, is the most difficult undergraduate composition task a student is likely to face. Critical thinking, after all, is the whole goal of higher education, and the critical essay calls on students to demonstrate an ability to use all the critical tools available to them within their field of study. Briefly defined, the critical essay may be considered any writing that utilizes the intellectual tools of a particular academic major for the purpose of critiquing another idea or point of view.
The operative word, then, for the critical essay is "critique." It's important, therefore, not to think of the critical essay as a negative analysis that sets out to prove something or someone right or wrong, which is the primary role of an argumentative essay. Sometimes, the critical essay is simply an intellectual appreciation of a given topic, object, or idea. In a literature essay, for example, a writer might use the critical tools available to an English major to write a critical essay that says: "This poem is good because it contains irony, which is critical to effective poetry." By using and defining the term "irony," the writer would show that he or she has a grasp of the critical language within the field of literature. Similarly, a scientific writer might use the basic critical tool available to science (the scientific method) to show that a certain study is either valid or invalid.
The key to writing a good critical essay, then, is understanding and defining the standard against which the object under study is being compared. For example, I may wish to show that a certain movie is good or bad. In order to do this, I need to define the elements of a good movie. These elements then become the critical standard by which my essay reviews and judges the film. A music critic, to use another example, does not necessarily say something bad about every CD released. Whether your critical essay is focusing on the negative or positive elements of a certain topic or thing, a good deal of the planning process should be devoted to comprehending and explaining the critical standard - or basis of critique - at the heart of your essay.

a very interesting blog...

2009-04-01T08:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.theurbanvision.com/blogs/

JAMPACKED

2009-04-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

PARKING a much asked question which concerns everybody but always answered by none in our vehicle populated city and adding to it manufacturer’s introduction of new vehicles such as the NANO even before answering the parking problem. There are many reasons why this problem prevails such as ignorance of rules, people’s attitude, loose government, improper planning etc. As always this parking problem has taken a backseat because people use active roads as parking space, little do they know the problem they are causing? While our neighbour (Bangalore) has started to ponder over this issue and taking steps we are still thinking of thinking about it. People’s attitude is the fact I want to highlight here. The small example I am going to reflect is that of a NO PARKING area in Harrington road and the reality taking place. The pictures here reflects a home which has 7 cars but have space only for parking 3 of them and guess where the other of this persons Mercs and Hondas go. Yes you are right on the road, and their parking (road) is only approx. 25 feet and always subjected to intense traffic ,even more is yet to come the reason for its intensity is that nearby there are 5 schools nearby 1 hospital and precious human life. At 8AM and 3PM the peak of vehicular and pedestrian movement you can see their vehicles are always parked on the side of the road making the road even more congested and the highlight is that they have a signboard mentioning NO PARKING FOR VISITORS and NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. Wow!! These people really think that they own that piece of road. These parked cars create a traffic stop at peak hours. People who come to pick up their kids of the nearby school also park seeing the cars on the road thinking that its supposedly a parking zone. Traffic policemen come for rare visits and even so are flexible to bribery. Thus a perfect example one man’s mistake causing possible danger to many a mans lives....