‘I yearn for a return to basics’
The veteran architect and design thinker reflects on a life spent among buildings
1Your father was a high-ranking government official. You saw Jawaharlal Nehru at close quarters. Rajiv Gandhi was your classmate. Indira Gandhi was friends with your mother. How did the developments in post-Independence India influence your practice as an architect?
One of the reasons for writing the book was to write about growing up and living through the post-Independence era in India. My early link with Nehru helped to form my ideology as a liberal and his vision for India was, for me, about more than seeking economic wealth. He felt a diverse country such as India must play a part in ushering in a new era for mankind. How we progress as a civilisation seems fundamentally the way to reach out to the future. Hence, in running a practice, secular thinking, equality, and respect for every level of workmanship was important to me. We worked on-site with masons and carpenters, allowing them to be proud of their skills.
2 You grew up in extremely elite circles. Was it an advantage for your career?
It did help. Growing up with privileges and getting projects was easier. But it did not help when we needed the patronage of visionaries and thinkers who could look beyond budgets and practicality.
Good design can evolve only when a client is willing to give the architect a free hand.
3 Tell us your thoughts on sustainable architecture, something that is intrinsic to your practice. Why is sustainable architecture so expensive? Is it only for the elite?
Sustainable architecture has its limitations, largely because any different methods of construction need intense training. Most masons train with materials such as brick and cement. Even the use of lime is shunned as it involves a lot more work. My house, which was made of materials procured within a three-mile (5-km) radius of the site, is a case in point. It’s much simpler to work with masons who use traditional building methods. Sustainable architecture such as the bamboo houses of Assam are wonderful examples of low-cost technologies but the newer ones tend to be expensive even if they are eco-friendly.
4 You now live a semi-retired life in Goa. Is there anything you still yearn to do?
The search for history and traditions of various civilisations around the world was my primary concern. Our modern age, with all its technology and wealth, is proceeding to destroy the earth. In earlier ages, there was a concern for survival and spiritual growth of different faiths. They may have even lived better lives.
The present is a nightmare and I do yearn for a return to basics. Hunter-gatherers lived for centuries without changing their needs.
They could outlive pandemics and certainly wouldn’t have caused the destruction of the planet. My present design is for a settlement that is independent of the electricity grid or water supply. It may be difficult to live so independently as we are always drawn to the buzz of a city, but we need to try for survival.