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A N I N D I A N J O U R N A L O F A R C H I T E C T U R E

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a r c h i t e c t u r e + d e s i g n • Special Issue 2019-2020a r c h i t e c t u r e + d e s i g n • Special Issue 2019-202032 33

Future from the past— The dilemma of sustainability

After all, that is the only resource he had. We understood that ‘Nature is the giver, and man is the taker’. So man could at best be a caretaker of mother earth, but definitely not the master, as he is dependent on it. He lived in harmony with nature, revering it. All civilizations flourished till that point. But when greed for exploitation and control of nature crept in, they collapsed. In recent times, industrial revolution was one such movement, which resulted in forging an ever widening gap between development and conservation, rich and poor, and so on, and has brought us to the state that we are in today. My understanding and analysis of the situation over several springs of my early life and in the profession, and the role of an architect in this situation is what I am putting forward here.

Simply Living: I grew up in a small railway town, Jamalpur in Bihar. My ancestral house built in 1934 was with brick and lime mortar with lime surki slab over MS girders and red oxide flooring. There was a sunny front yard where we used to spend our winter mornings, a middle courtyard with deep verandahs where the whole family used to sit for chit-chat after the whole day and a backyard with fruit trees, etc. The toilets were (still are) with a double soak pit system. The bathroom was separate with a hand pump and its waste water discharged to the fields via an open drain ending in swales. Our fields were approximately 100m from the house. All the

VANGUARD Neelam ManjunathINDIAN WOMEN ARCHITECTS

NEELAM MANJUNATH is an architect, planner, scientist, activist and theoretician, with two graduate degrees, Bsc from REI Degree College, Dayalbagh, Agra 1982 and Architecture, from Govt College of Architecture, Lucknow, 1987. Her education, however, is much wider including training in several skills related to sustainable architecture, media architecture and Charrettee Training from Graduate School of Design, Harvard University

and PG Dip-Theology from Dayalbagh University, Agra.

She is practicing since 1991, under the name Manasaram Architects, currently based in Bangalore. Her architecture is distinguished for sustainable materials and technologies with special emphasis on bamboo. Her work has been published widely in several languages. She has presented her works in several national and international forums and is on several

technical committees of sustainability and bamboo.

She is the CEO, Founder and Managing Trustee of CGBMT, Centre for Green Building Materials and Technology, Bangalore, actively involved in R&D and applications of innovative building materials and technologies through eco-literacy workshops, courses and training programs. CGBMT is associated with MP State Bamboo Mission, SPA, Bhopal and

Dept of Architecture, APKTU, Lucknow and several other organisations for sustainable initiatives.

She has won several National and International nominations and awards for her projects including Sir M Vishwesvaraya Prize, New Delhi (2005); IIA-Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Award (2005), World Architecture Community awards 2013, Lafarge Invention awards (2011), World Architecture News

Awards (2013), Nomination for Aga Khan Award for Architecture (2013), Lifetime contribution to Bamboo Sector at “International Bamboo Conclave”, Bangalore (2014), The Merit list (2015-16) cycle, ARCASIA Awards for Architecture 2017 GOLD (at Jaipur) Sustainable project category, four awards under, Rethinking the future awards: Cultural, Office building, Transportation and Housing (2017) WADe Asia and WADe India -

Sustainability Champion Award (2017), Fibra awards shortlist, 2018-2019.

She was nominated as the World Bamboo Ambassador in Jan 2018 by World Bamboo Organization. She is the National Governing Council member and Chairman, Bamboo Society of India, Karnataka Chapter and Advisor, Karnataka Bamboo Mission, and Advisor and Consultant Architect, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed University).

he towns in which the new generations may gradually be strengthened and flourish may make contact with natures substitute, art, a daily experience. They must do this in the greatest variety, providing an experience for each period of

life and for the varied temperaments of men. Thus in the great swathes of parkland and country which should penetrate the area of the city, there would be recreation and relaxation, direct contact for the husband, man and gardener, the touch and feel of growing things for children, contemplation and quietness for age and space for fierce activities of youth.”

—Maxwell Fry

Sustainability: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” (Brundtland Report, WCED 1987, Our common future, Oxford University Press).

This term was used for the first time in 1972 Stockholm Earth summit to resolve the conflict between development and conservation which till then were seen as independent issues. The term ‘sustainability’ was introduced as a noun in ecology to mean a new kind of development that could be maintained indefinitely or over a long period of time while keeping environmental conservation in the loop.

If we look at the history of mankind, man used natural resources for all their needs like food, shelter, clothing and medicine, almost everything.

Braj Mandala Jain and craftsman square

Braj Mandala Buddhist square

View of the HUDCO house

“T

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wet waste was given to the cows (we always had one or two) or put in the fields as manures. We were self sufficient with vegetables for our daily use. We had two large terraces for drying cloths, sleeping in the sun in winters and under the stars in summers. Old cloths were used to make grocery bags, dusters, handkerchief for children (we used to lose them too often), etc. We were about 30 people living in the house with five kitchens of aunts and uncles. We never faced water shortage. Rainwater from spouts was collected for various uses.

After my schooling in Jamalpur, I joined BSc PCM in 1980 at Dayalbagh University, Agra and lived in a hostel inside the Dayalbagh Satsang colony. Dayalbagh colony is the headquarters of Radhasoami Faith and is an ashram. We follow Radhasoami faith, in which wasting is considered nothing short of sin, even our time and thought. So, reduce, recycling and reuse of all resources was the general norm of living. I never knew anything otherwise. All these got ingrained in my

mind as ideas of ways of living, buildings and nature which to me was very systemic. They were not separate. This way of living was not given any name, it was living simply.

Solar Passive and Organic: With these early experiences, I started my journey as an architecture student. In 1982, I joined B Arch course at the Government college of Architecture in Lucknow. It was a much bigger city than Agra. There were concrete multi-storeyed buildings with attached bathrooms and flush toilets. Water came from a tap. This was luxury enjoyed by the well to do families in big cities. But there were no courtyards, verandahs or terraces. No harvesting of rainwater. No sun in winters. No ventilation in the first place. I felt claustrophobic and missed the openness of Jamalpur and Agra. I had a small balcony attached to my hostel room, and that was my life saver.

In the college, I read a lot about different architectural movements and styles from across the world and their evolution and development; curious about the reason behind the differences. In my second year, to understand the meaning of the term architecture or being an architect, I studied our roots of architecture in India through Vastu Shastra by browsing whatever books were available in our library in English and Sanskrit and tried to relate these to climatology, economics, sociology, geology and the connection of all these to contemporary designs. Whether rock cut architecture or the marvellous wonders of the world, they all had one thing in common and that is the understanding of the local material, climate, place and the people. These were termed as solar passive principles for building design in those days.

For my studio projects, I incorporated these principles into my designs. My designs were often considered impractical and radical. I explored the meaning of the term organic architecture of FLW and Vastu of Vastu-Shastra and found them like synonyms, directly connected to nature, man and buildings. This was an exciting discovery for me, as I was trying to connect the traditional with the modern in my designs and the built to the un-built. When everyone was applauding boxing and cubism, I was searching for un-boxing and spontaneity. In the same quest, for my fourth year dissertation, I chose ‘recreational planning’ as my topic, since I believed relaxation and happiness to be an important factor for building design. In 1986, recreation planning was not considered an issue to be taken seriously. But I felt that for human beings to be healthy, happy and peaceful, recreation spaces need to be provided in a planned manner, especially in cities.

Culture and Civilisation: The search for our roots in architecture led to my thesis project of designing an extension of the Mathura Museum to house the findings of Kusan period. I called it the ‘Braj Mandala’. How we live, becomes our culture. This culture once developed over a period

of time becomes civilization. I designed the museum in the context of the holistic culture of the period. The exhibits and artefacts were studied, and instead of putting them on display on pedestals, I integrated them in the architecture of the Museum building for context around the exhibits. I tried to connect the past to the present through an organic layout plan of the museum which unfolds the various aspects of life in that period through squares to depict the economical, social, religious and cultural aspects. The buildings gathered around squares in an informal and organic sequence of streets from the entrance to the Brahmasthana. The design was that of a living museum complete with a natural stage with an amphitheatre as per the understanding of

that era, where Raas Leelas were performed in the forests complete with vegetation, water bodies, etc.

After graduating in 1987, I came to Delhi as it was the most happening place for architecture at that time and joined Ar Ravindra Bhan’s office, the pioneering landscape architect. I wanted to learn to connect my buildings to its immediate landscape naturally. I worked on several prestigious projects like Shakti Sthala, Eco-restoration of Himalayas, Restoration of Sunderbans, etc in his office. He has a phenomenal eye for detail considering the size of the projects he deals with. After leaving his office, I joined Jasbir Sawhney to understand the other aspects of professional practice before starting on my own in 1991 under the name Manasaram in Delhi and moved to Bangalore in 1994.

I coined the name Manasaram based on Manasara, the celebrated saint who wrote the oldest treatise on Indian Architecture Vastu Shastra, describing the science of design principles for buildings, which I found very scientific. Vastu Shastra combines the five elements of nature and Cosmos, the ‘Panch Tattvas’– earth, fire, water, sky and space, ultimately balancing man with the material. I believe that to create a space (building) for human existence

TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD ARE RESPONSES TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE

LOCAL INHABITANTS PERFECTED OVER

CENTURIES. I CONSIDER EACH

OF OUR PROJECTS AS A RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY

Pantry Raj Bhavan traditional paintings and bamboo

Security office at Dayalbagh external view

PIRTI two-bedroom house external view

Cocoon, Trichy

Beautification of Vidhansoudha, Bangalore

Beautification of Cubbon park, Bangalore

Housing project, Channapatana

Punarvasu graphics terrace



manipulated in the last decade in so many ways that it has lost its original meaning. So much so that now it is being helped by another set of terms like ZED– zero energy development, bioclimatic, biotecture, organitecture, permaculture, ZED+, and so on which to the best of my knowledge and experience mean ‘architecture for simple living in harmony with nature’. Sustainability, as far as my understanding of the profession of architecture goes is intrinsic in the term ‘architecture’!

And where does this bring us back to? Wasn’t this from where we started? According to the subjects taught to us in architecture schools approx 37 years ago– History of Civilisations, Geology, Climatology, Soil Mechanics, Sociology, Economics, Landscaping, Building services, Town Planning, etc, along with architecture design, structures and construction, most of the concepts of sustainability were covered! Then where did the gap creep in? Of course in the practical application of all these plethora of subjects in our design of buildings.

In 2008, I designed and constructed my house, the ‘House of Five Elements’ and

transcending time, it is desirable that the architect designs to cater to all the three faculties of man– physical, psychological and spiritual for him to be truly happy and peaceful. Providing for only physical space requirements cannot be termed architecture. This is the basic philosophy of my professional practice. I called it low energy architecture to explain to people as solar passive architecture was little complex to explain. It was also called alternative architecture by some. Though, the concept remained the same.

Bamboo: In 1999, I was commissioned for a tiny project by Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation for Raj Bhavan, Bangalore, where bamboo had to be used as a primary material incorporating all the research done by BMTPC, IPIRTI and DFID-TRADA. This became a turning point in my professional practice. Here was an unexplored material with immense potential. Henceforth we have been using it extensively in our projects. This has made each project a challenge and a nightmare at the same time. We encounter new questions in every project from material properties, procurement, treatment, labour and the all important client dealing! But these years have proved to be crucial for my evolution, to understand the importance of materiality dictating the architectural vocabulary of buildings.

In 2002, I was invited by IGBC for Green Buildings Conference in Hyderabad at the CII- Godrej -IGBC centre. It was promoted as a movement to save this mother earth from extinction. I went through the building thoroughly to find out the elements of Green Buildings. I couldn’t find anything novel, and realized that it was a new term coined to start the movement for energy-

efficient buildings from the US. Further close examination revealed it to be more for energy-efficient active systems like air-conditioners, etc, rather than energy-efficient buildings, a very Western concept. IGBC has evolved greatly from then on to become more Indianized, but still has approximately eight-nine points which can be attempted only if you are using ACs in your building. But IGBC can be credited for popularising and acceptance of the concept of Green Buildings.

In 2004 I visited Colombo for the first time for a conference to make a presentation on my Bamboo buildings and again in 2011. I visited several of Geoffrey Bawa buildings and found them to be open books and live labs on all that I was trying to do in my profession. The influence that he has on the Ceylonese architecture is phenomenal

like Laurie Baker in Kerala. I think “An architect can be a catalyst of change in society, setting the stage for all human activities on earth.” This can be used to bring immense positive change in society and hence this responsibility should be shouldered with utmost sincerity.

Sustainability and Simple Living: And then came sustainable architecture and development, a word being used so commonly and interpreted and

my office ‘Bamboo Symphony’ and employed the same principles which I had started with as a student of architecture in 1982. I call them sustainable buildings simply for people’s understanding of its Type.

My adventure so far has been one of explorations and intuitions, learning from technologies that have existed for centuries and stood the test of time and adapt them to develop a contemporary vocabulary of design for our projects, experimenting with new forms of construction, materials and services, etc. Traditional technologies in every part of the world are responses to the immediate needs of the local inhabitants perfected over centuries. I consider each of our projects as a research opportunity. What is freely available on the site, that is, sun, soil, air, water and space, and materials that are within our short reach, are the determining factors in our designs. Creativity is a mere result of this challenge. Our designs take birth, grow and mature on the site. Through our design, we initiate the building into the ecosystem at micro and macro level and strive towards making the building a living entity, responding and growing like any other living being, from dawn to dusk, from spring to summer, from rains to chilly winters. When this goal is met, even to a smallest extent, the built structure becomes a thread in the web of life, one with nature, nature itself.

The Road Ahead: Working with nature and natural materials and processes has been a very enriching and satisfying journey and has taught me many lessons for life: Be humble– you are just a strand in the web of life; Be elastic– adjust; Be hollow– absorb; Be resilient– don’t give up or break, weak is strong; Always be ready– opportunity can come anytime; Commit to growth (continuous); Be simple, be happy. With all these lessons, this architect continues her journey ahead...

I BELIEVE THAT TO CREATE A SPACE (BUILDING) FOR

HUMAN EXISTENCE TRANSCENDING TIME, IT IS DESIRABLE THAT

THE ARCHITECT DESIGNS TO CATER TO ALL THE THREE

FACULTIES OF MAN– PHYSICAL,

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL FOR HIM TO BE TRULY HAPPY

AND PEACEFUL.

Janapareddy hospital, Telangana

Government hospital at Sorapur, Karnataka

Yamuna Biodiversity Park Bridge Creche for DEI, Agra Classrooms

Lunardi’s residence, Rome

Geoffrey Bawa Osmund and Ena de Silva House

CII Godrej building, Hyderabad

Geoffrey Bawa Lunuganga

Creche for DEI, Agra external view



An architect’s own office and residence is a golden opportunity for him/her to express all for his/her design philosophies and do all the experimentations they have

been dreaming of since they begin designing. So the architect used this opportunity to the fullest to express her concept of spatial design, materiality and closed loop services with simplicity, peacefulness and a deep continuous connection to nature. The buildings work like a machine, are restful like a resort and peaceful like a temple incorporating traditional values with contemporary rigour.

The residence and office was designed to bring the spirit of nature’s five elements—earth, water, fire, air and space—into the building. They are a zero-energy development with closed-loop systems for building materials, processes and technologies– just like in nature. The residence– house of five elements is an improvised version of the traditional Karnataka ‘Thotti Mane’ home,

Bamboo symphonyPROJECT Residence cum office of Ar. Neelam Manjunath, Bengaluru ARCHITECTS Manasaram architects, Bengaluru

FLOOR PLAN - BS

1. RECEPTION

2. LOBBY

3. CONFERENCE ROOM

4. COMPUTER ROOM

5. STUDIO

6. TOILET

7. PANTRY

8. SUMP

9. ARCHITECT’S CABIN

10. LOTUS POND

11. PATHWAY

N

Bamboo symphony: External view

Circulation space View of the entrance to the office through reception area

Bamboo and beams reflecting on the table

12

2

9

10

11

8

3

4

6

7

5

VANGUARD Neelam ManjunathINDIAN WOMEN ARCHITECTS



where the open courtyard, kitchen and high dining area, create connected spaces which flow into each other. Water bodies, internal courtyards, large windows, and the use of natural materials connect the inhabitants to these elements. It was primarily constructed out of mud, bamboo and stone, and is designed with multiple green roofs to compensate for its carbon footprint.

The office building is situated next to the architect’s residence. The building redefines the designing of an office space by creating an atmosphere that is in constant dialogue with nature. The office has an open plan with four split levels, all overlooking a central pond and brings in natural light from all directions throughout the day. The environment thus created, enables the architects to stay energetic and creative, reducing stress and fatigue. Slender bamboo columns harmoniously define the spaces but give a feeling of extreme lightness. The roof was allowed to take a natural shape over the bamboo supports– very basic formwork was used for shaping the roof. The water pond, a rainwater harvesting tank, was built with the intention of humidifying the atmosphere which also helps in the maintenance of the bamboo members besides recharging the bore well.

A mud, bamboo and stone building need not look ‘low-cost’– imaginative design and the use of other locally available materials within the cultural context has made the building desirable rather than just acceptable.

SECTION

House of five elements: View of the northwest side looking towards the main entrance

EXPLODED AXONOMETRY

BAMBOO COLUMNS AND BEAMS IN A SYNERGETIC FRAME

RETAINING WALL FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING POND

RETAINING WALLS

CONCRETE SHELL ROOF WITH BAMBOO FIBRES AND REINFORCEMENT

GLASS FITTING ON BAMBOO COLUMNS

View of the landscape through architects cabin

Library

Entrance view to the house

View of the first floor lounge area

FACTFILEClient: Ar Neelam ManjunathContractors: Gurudayal Saran, Aditi Constructions, BangaloreConsultants: Structural: Naushad Ali (residence), Manasaram architects (office); Manasaram Architects (Façade, Landscape, Interior, Plumbing); Power systems (Electrical); CGBMT (Building Materials and Technologies); Prof. AR Shivkumar, IISc, Bangalore (Rainwater Harvesting); CDD Society, DEWATs, Bangalore (Waste Water Treatment); Dr Yogananda, Mrinmayee, Bangalore (Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks)Built-up area: 10,763sq ft (House of five elements), 2260sq ft (Bamboo Symphony)Cost of project: Rs 91,00,000Year of completion: 2009 (House of five elements), 2010 (Bamboo Symphony)


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2019-2020 SPECIAL ISSUE Vanguard...Untitled-1 1 12/26/19 2:37 PM 2019-2020 n `200AN INDIAN JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURE Vanguard women Indian architects SPECIAL ISSUE AND1319 Women Architects'19