ABOUT THE ISSUE

There was a time when recreation was normally considered to be only for a few select in society. Over a period, these perceptions have globally undergone a somersault. Today recreation and travel have aggressively been imbibed by the middle as well as the upper-middle class also. The urge to explore and take time-off for relaxation and a change has gripped societies all over. People are looking for dramatic and cheerful alternatives of environs and mood – contrasting to daily urban stresses. The resultant response from the designers and developers has been equally invigorating and creative. Whether it be design and architecture in the hospitality sector, recreation through visits to museums, art pavilions and restaurants or wanders in public landscaped spaces or then fitness zones, the designers attempt to innovatively play with form and material and a newer dimension in functionality that adds excitement for the participants. We bring to you in this Issue, a few purposeful projects related to this typology.

Hundred years ago, an architectural and cultural movement had spontaneously got initiated in Germany – where like-minded personalities in art and architecture had taken the path to question the deep-rooted concepts in design and led society to probe innovation with a modern perspective. It was the modern

Bauhaus movement which had got triggered off in Weimar, Germany, by legendary architect Walter Gropius. Initially, society and government mindset in 1919 no doubt had resisted this radical approach, but the belief of these professionals was so strong that despite all the resistance, it was able to establish itself then in major towns of Germany and later find international acclaim and acceptance. Though it had to wind-up in the country within a couple of decades, the international interventions kept it alive globally. Germany is enthusiastically celebrating the centenary of this modernistic movement and it is heartening to observe the sensitivity with which the government is attempting to preserve/conserve/restore the architectural and art projects of that era. The pages that follow would give you a glimpse to the spirit entwined in the Bauhaus movement. Come to think of it, isn’t this urge to explore and experiment with modern and contemporary design as vibrant in the present times as it was then?

And yes, the section Exploring Design – where we talk about multi-functional furniture, is no doubt a pointer to the contemporary response of designers to evolving lifestyle.

“Architecture is music in space, as it were a frozen music” — Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Von Schelling India’s longest railroad bridge on the Brahmaputra River — BogibeelBridge,Dibrugarh,Assam

Java Rain, Chickmangalur, Karnataka Architects: Cadence Architects, Bengaluru All drawings and visuals for the projects and articles, unless mentioned otherwise, are courtesy the architects/authors.