
- “I believe an architect’s role is that of a guardian — of the built and un-built environment. For a building to really work for the people who use it, to fulfill the vision of the client and to last, it has to encompass many aspects. A building is not just a piece of sculpture. Apart from being eco-sensitive it has to be beloved for those who use it and be inspired by it spiritually or physically” – Brinda Somaya
- Born – 28 June 1949
- Indian Architect
- Urban conservationist
EARLY LIFE
- Somaya was born on 28 June 1939 to K.M Chinnappa and Ganavati Chinnappa
- She later joined the Cathedral & John Connon School’s science program
- Somaya won 1966 a prestigious American Field Service International Scholarship to study in the United States (North Carolina)
- Afterwards, she was highly inspired to take up architecture
- In 1967, she returned to India and completed her Bachelor of Architecture from Sir J.J. School of Architecture in Mumbai, graduating in 1971
- Somaya chose to return to the U.S. and joined Smith College in Northhampton, Massachusetts, where she graduated in 1973 with a Masters of Arts degree
- She attended a short design course at Cornell University in 1972
CAREER
- Somaya began her architectural practice in 1978 in Mumbai, India
- Her firm’s first office was in the back of her garden. From 1978 to 1981 she was joined by her sister Ranjini Kalappa, also an architect
- After her sister left for Holland, she worked on her own
- Somaya has travelled to the rural parts of India, from where she has got knowledge and inspiration for vernacular architecture
- One such example is The Nalanda International Schools in Vadodara where she reflects the vernacular architecture by using the locally available resources and techniques, pergolas and courtyard
- She reflects the Indian ethos in her architecture, her designs are called both traditional and sustainable
- Her work includes corporate, industrial and institutional campuses and extends to public spaces, which she has rebuilt and reinvented as pavements, parks and plazas
- Some of these campuses include Tata Consultancy Services, Banyan Park, Mumbai; Nalanda International School, Vadodara; and Zensar Technologies, Pune
- Her firm won the competition for the Restoration and Enhancement of the historic Louis Kahn Buildings of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad as well as the new Academic Buildings of the Indian Institute of Technology
- She is currently the Chairperson of Board of Governors for School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada and has built more than 200 projects in a span of 40 years
- In 1999, Somaya was a founder trustee for the HECAR Foundation in India. In 2000, she served as the Chairperson and the curator for the Women in Architecture 2000 Plus-Conference and exhibition on the works of the South Asian Women Architects, a global showcase platform for women architects from India, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Australia and Pakistan
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
- 2004, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage award for the restoration of the St. Thomas’ Cathedral in Mumbai
- 2006, Leading European Architects Forum award winner for the new Nalanda Schools Campus in Baroda
- 2007, the Wienerberger Golden Architect Award as first woman ever for lifetime achievement
- 2008, the Vassilis Sgoutas Prize for the rehabilitation of Bhadi Village
- 2019, the AYA JK Cement Award for Indian State Architecture for the Jubilee Church at Navi, Mumbai and the Indian Institute of Architects’ Kitply Award for Conservation for the Cathedral and John Connon Middle School
- 2013, she was chosen as one of the “100 GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST DESIGN” persons working at the intersection of design and service globally
- 2012, she was the recipient of an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Smith College
- 2014, she was awarded the Indian Institute of Architects – Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement.
- 2015, she was honoured as the Distinguished Professor by the Indian Education Society’s College of Architecture, Mumbai
- 2017 she got an honourable mention in the Arcasia Awards for the restoration and the preservation of Rajabai Clock Tower and University library building, Mumbai.
- 2017, the Grohe NDTV Design and Architecture Award for Outstanding Industry Contribution
- 2019, the Somaya and Kalappa Consultants won the competition for the Restoration and Enhancement of the historic Louis Kahn Buildings of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad in 2019
- She was appointed an Andrew Dickson White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University from 2017 to 2023
- She was elected by the President & Board of Trustees of Cornell University as an Andrew D White Professors-at-Large (2017)
- She was a member of the Committee of Environmental Impact Assessment of New Construction Projects for the Indian Ministry of Environment & Forests; a member of the Mumbai Urban Heritage Conservation Committee; a member of the board of the International Archives of Women in Architecture (USA); and is a founding trustee of the HECAR Foundation. She is also a member of the National Advisory Board of NCSHS (National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures) and a member of the Council of Architecture Committee to Review the Profession & Education of Architecture in India
- The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) awarded her the Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal for excellence in the field of architecture (2014). It is the highest honor of the IIA for lifetime achievement in architecture. She received a special mention in the International Union of Architects (UIA) Vassilis Sgoutas Prize for the Bhuj Village project (2008). The UIA prize recognizes individuals and groups contributing in an efficient manner to the struggle against misery of those living below the poverty line. She was the first woman to win the peer-evaluated Wienerberger Golden Architect Award (2007) for lifetime achievement
- She received the Award of Distinction from the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conversation (2019) for the conservation of the Vikram Sarabhai Library at the Indian Institute of Management campus in Ahmedabad, India
- She was a keynote speaker at the 4th International Holcim Forum on “Economy of Sustainable Construction” held at the IIT Bombay, Mumbai (2013); and was a member of the Holcim Awards jury for region Asia Pacific (2014) and the Global Holcim Awards jury (2018 & 2021)
- Brinda Somaya became a member of the Board of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction (2017)
SOMAYA AND KALAPPA CONSULTANTS (SNK)
- Her firm, SOMAYA AND KALAPPA CONSULTANTS (SNK) offers innovative design, expertise and practical solutions, while keeping in mind the social, economic, environmental and aesthetic issues involved. Their reputation is based on providing the highest quality of professional services to every client. They strive to produce work that is unique and practical
- She believes that development and progress must proceed without straining the cultural and historic environment
- She is from the generation of architects post-independence, who witnessed social transformation and globalization
- Her philosophy: The Architect’s role is that of guardian – his is the conscience of the built and un-built environment
- This belief underlines her work at “Somaya and Kalappa Consultants”, the company she has headed for the last three decades. Her oeuvre, spanning large corporate, industrial and institutional campuses extends to public spaces, which she has rebuilt and sometimes reinvented as pavements, parks and plazas as well as historic restoration and adaptive reuse
- Brinda is a Member of the Editorial Board for MARG Architectural Books, Member of the Committee of `Environmental Impact Assessment of New Construction Projects & New Industrial Estates for `Ministry of Environment & Forests’ Government of India and was a Member of Urban Heritage Conservation Committee and Mumbai’s Initiative for the Protection & Improvement of Streets & Public Spaces
- She was also on the IAWA board of Advisors (International Archive of Women in Architecture), U.S.A. & Founder Trustee of the Hecar Foundation. She chaired a conference & organized a seminal exhibition in Mumbai on the Work of Women Architects with a focus on South Asia
- Brinda has delivered analytical and critical talks as well as presented papers in India and abroad on her work – and other connected subjects. She has given lectures in the U.S.A, U.K., Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka & India and her work has been exhibited in the USA, UK & Japan. She has served as an Examiner & Jury Member in India & Abroad
To be continued…
Also read about –
- Charles Correa
- Le Corbusier
- Zaha Hadid
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Walter Gropius
- B.V. Doshi
- Laurie Baker
- Ar. Sanjay Puri
- Hafeez Contractor
Few of the main research sources –
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