A Search for Post-Modernism in Indian Architecture (original) (raw)

Reflections of Post-Modern Culture in a Post-colonial Context: Selected Experiences from Contemporary Architecture in India

Bhumi, 2013

Post-Modernism evolved as a voice of dissent in reaction to the inadequacies of Modernism, as well as in response to post-Modernity –the emergent socio-cultural scenario of the post-industrial age. However, due to contradictions within the discourse, and subversion of the critical stance, most present practitioners disassociate from the Post-Modern, considering it as either abstruse or out of fashion. This research re-examines the domain of the Post-Modern, and inspects contemporary Indian architecture in the light of a selective re-reading of theories, thereby identifying evidences of the Post-Modern. It employs interpretations and arguments established with illustrative examples. The research findings recognize the relevance of Post-Modern theories in offering useful perspectives of the socio-cultural phenomena of the post-industrial era, and ways in which contemporary culture affects the built environment. It also notes several ways in which Post-Modern in the Indian context is different from the Euro-American Post-Modern.

Critical Analysis of Modern Architecture in the context of India

2021

In this paper we address the role of architectural criticism in the conception and practice of modernism in India – since post-independence till the present. India has witnessed a vast difference in the culture of the built environment. And as Modern Style of architecture arose from enormous transformations in the west during the late 19th, and flourished to India, Architectural Criticism says, it’s about time, that a new style of architecture, a style that describes the ‘Indianness’, originates, takes over, describes, and flourishes to bring a new face to the context of Architecture in India.

POST INDEPENDENCE ARCHITECTURE IN INDIA : A Search For Identity in Modernism

Journal of emerging technologies and innovative research, 2018

India had a glorious history in terms of its rich art and architecture, starting from 3000 B.C.During the British period from 16151947, the major cities of Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai were highlighted with rich colonial styles of Indo-Sarcenic architecture. After Independence, there was a boom of building activities and there were confusions and debates on the style of architecture to be followed– modernism or historicism. Different styles of Modernism evolved raising the question of Identityin Post Independent architecture. KEYWORDS-Modernism, Post-Independence, Revivalism, geometric forms, Expressionist style, biomimicry architecture, contemporary modernism, chattris, progressive architecture, Brutalism, Regionalism, Tradition, Vastu Purusha Mandala, metamorphosis, identity, climate responsive, vernacular ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY OF INDIA India has a rich history dating from 3000 B.C. Indus Valley Civilization to 1947 AD Indo-Sarcenic Architecture. The main historical period ...

An account of Critical Regionalism in diverse building types in postcolonial Indian architecture

Frontiers of Architectural Research, 2018

Critical regionalism is an architectural concept that seeks to balance local needs and capabilities with the progressive lessons of modernisation. Critical regionalism has been an influential architectural approach in postcolonial Indian architecture. Even before the term was coined in the 1980s, architects in India had subconsciously begun pursuing the ideas of critical regionalism in designing their buildings. The degree of influence of critical regionalism on postcolonial Indian architecture has varied over the course of time as a result of economic, political and social changes. This paper identifies key architectural projects realised in India since 1947 that adhere to the ideas and principles of critical regionalism. The identified regionalist projects have been categorised according to their building programmes and significant examples in each building type are discussed chronologically while bringing forth their qualities that make them regionalist in first place. By focussing on regionalist projects of significance in each building type, the paper highlights that critical regionalism is capable of producing potent architecture to cater to any building programme.

Panicker, Shaji K. “Discourse(s) of Architecture-in-India: A+D and the Articulation of a Need for Documenting Architecture in the 1980s." XXIII Annual SAHANZ Conference 2006.

Between the mid-1980s and late-1990s, an unprecedented tide of new publications on contem-porary architects and architecture in India appeared in print. These included several mono-graphs as well as more comprehensive surveys, exhibition catalogues, and a new “journal” of In-dian architecture, Architecture + Design (A+D) launched in 1984. Using Bourdieuean tools of analysis, this paper examines these architectural discourses about Indian architecture as a “field of restricted production” to better understand the context and dynamics of the conspicuous ur-gency to publish Indian architects and their work at that particular time. In so doing, the paper highlights inherent problems with the representation and historiography of ‘postcolonial’ archi-tecture in the context of the hegemonic discourses of modernity and its ‘postmodern’ critiques.

Setting the Stage: Indian Architecture after 1947

One could hardly imagine a time more exciting for an Indian architect to start a career than at the close of the 1940s, when India had just gained freedom from colonial rule. In many places around the world this was the time when enormous funds were invested in new and often very novel urban developments that were to provide, for better or worse, the model of metropolitan life for the generations to come. By that time, it was generally believed that architecture and urban planning have the power to shape human habits and inspire worldviews. This was also true for India, and at this particular moment it was crucial for decision makers and for the designers to decide on what style and what planning philosophy should they stake. What should the background image of the new Republic of India be, what values should be put through, what goals should be proclaimed? In my presentation, I am going to focus on these decisive years of modern architecture in India and on its major figures.

INDIAN ARCHITECTURE: SOCIALANDPOLITICALCHALLENGES Social and political challengesfaced by Indian Architecture

Indian architecture isone of the most famous in the world. Its architecture was based on the concept of religious plurality. One might notice that the architecture of Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic and colonial or Indo-saracenic were distinct. Based on these styles four historical eraswere classified i.e., the ancient Indian, pre-Islamic, and colonial periods. This article seeks to reassess the general perception of Indian Architecture and its relation to the formation of Indian identities. It focusses in particular on the interpretation of the concept of plurality n the academic world by western art-historians. The socioeconomic factorsplays determining role in defining the architectural styles of south Asia.