Echoes of Edifice

by

CHARLES CORREA

@googleimages
  • 1ST September 1930 – 16TH June 2015
  • “Certainly, architecture is concerned with much more than just its physical attributes. It is a many – layered thing. Beneath and beyond the strata of function and structure, material and texture, lie the deepest and most compulsive layers of all.” – Charles Correa
  • Charles Mark Correa was an Indian architect and urban planner.
  • Credited with the creation of modern architecture in post – independent India.
  • His sensitivity to the needs of the urban poor and for his use of traditional methods and materials.
  • Designed almost 100 buildings in India, from low-income housing to luxury condos.
  • He rejected glass and steel approach of some post-modernist buildings, and focused on designs deeply rooted in local cultures, all the while providing modern structural solutions under his creative design.
  • His style was also focused on reintroducing outdoor spaces and terraces.
  • Played with voids and spaces.
  • Considered the climates.
  • Few of his major principles –
    • INCREMENTALITY
    • IDENTITY
    • PLURALISM
    • INCOME GENERATION
    • EQUITY
    • OPEN TO SKY
    • DISAGGREGATION
  • BELAPUR HOUSING being one project where he has literally used these principles.

  • BELAPUR HOUSING
    • Mumbai
    • High density housing in low rise typology – DISAGGREGATION
    • OPEN TO SKY
    • Each unit has space for its expansion – INCREMENTALITY
    • Units are malleable so that they can be colonized by occupants, and modified to their social/cultural/religious need – IDENTITY
    • Simple construction by traditional mason and craftsman – generating employment for local workers – INCOME GENERATION
    • Several plan exist that cover the social spectrum, from squatters to upper income families – PLURALISM
    • Footprint of each plan varies a little in size (45-70 sq.m), maintaining equity (fairness) in the community – EQUITY
BELAPUR HOUSING (@googleimages)

  • GANDHI SMARAK SANGRALAY
    • Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad
    • 1958 – 1963
    • Modern architecture
    • Wooden doors, stone floors, ceramic tile roof and brick columns
    • First work in private practice
    • To reflect the simplicity of Gandhi’s life and the INCREMENTALITY nature of a living institution, he used modular units (DISAGGREGATION) of 6m by 6m of reinforced cement concrete spaces, both open and covered, allowing for eventual expansion
    • Variety in the module’s lighting, temperature, and visual permeability
    • Simple but delicately detailed post and beam structures
    • Load bearing brick columns support concrete channels, which also support the wooden roof
    • Foundation is made of concrete and is raised a foot from the ground
    • The modular pavilion unit was designed to facilitate a future extension and to emphasize the idea of a single component making the whole
    • He placed 5 distinctly programmed interior spaces within an asymmetrical grid plan
    • Instead of a single volume, the house comprises of 5 huts with different functions surrounding a courtyard.
GANDHI SMARAK SANGRALAY (@googleimages)

  • KANCHANJUNGA APARTMENT
    • Mumbai
    • 1961 – 1966
    • 32 luxury apartments
    • Use of voids – different sizes – punctures
    • It is a direct response to the present culture, the escalating urbanization, and the climatic conditions of the region
    • East – West oriented to catch prevailing sea breezes and to open up the best view of the city
    • Interlock of 4 different apartment typologies varying from 3 to 6 bedroom each
    • Reinforced concrete
    • 6.3m cantilevered open terraces
    • The central core is composed of lifts and provides the main structural element for resisting lateral loads
    • Terrace garden
    • Almost each block has their own balconies
    • There are level differences in each of the floor, so as to provide opening or balcony to each block
    • The central core was constructed ahead of main structure by SLIP METHOD of construction – This technique was used for first time in India for a multistory building – SLIP FORMING, continuous poured, continuous formed, or slip construction is a construction method in which concrete is poured into a continuous moving form. It is used for tall structures, as well as horizontal structure (as in bridges, etc.)
KANCHANJUNGA APARTMENT (@googleimages)

  • TUBE HOUSE
    • Ahmedabad
    • 1961 – 1962
    • Demolished
    • Early example of Correa’s “FORM FOLLOWS CLIMATE” ideology
    • Low-cost housing unit
    • With tight dimensions of 18.2m long by 3.6m wide, the unit minimizes the use of doors and windows
    • Small internal courtyard – covered by pergola grid to minimize the heat impact and ensure security
    • Slits in sloping roof, along with adjustable louvers by the entrance
    • Use of “hot air rises” principles to utilize the conventional flow of air currents to naturally ventilate and cool the house
    • Open floor plan distributes the functions on different levels of the section of the house – which enables privacy and creates visual barriers without the use of walls or doors
TUBE HOUSE (@googleimages)

  • VIDHAN BHAWAN
    • Bhopal
    • 1980 – 1997
    • Use of horizontal and vertical lines along with curves
    • Entire architectural composition is enclosed by a circular wall, as if it were a city within another
    • Intersecting sets of roofs
    • Dooms and walkways that give rise to a harmonious profile
    • Concept of circular form – it symbolizes equality and self-containment, autonomy
    • Modernism + post-modernism
    • Courtyard, gardens
    • Skylights
    • Path that ascends to main access of the building is not axial, but follows an irregular pattern contouring the hill
    • Concept of “mandala” – cosmic organization of functions, sequences, and spaces within ancient Hindu conception of universe
    • Use of Vedic principles
    • General plan consists of a series of space divided within other spaces, divided into a pattern of nine compartments (mandala concept)
    • On two perpendicular axes, which emanate from a central courtyard, are administrative offices
    • Local red sandstones, handmade ceramic tiles, contemporary murals
VIDHAN BHAWAN (@googleimages)

  • KALA ACADEMY
    • Goa
    • 1970
    • Use of courtyard, pergola, pilotis, murals
    • Even in its expansive built form, it draws the pedestrian streets into internal open to sky courtyards
    • Concrete slabs benches for sitting
    • Simple orthogonal grid makes up the plan
    • Entire building is low, with just 3 floors and furthers the horizontality of structure
    • Transition between spaces is through corridors, resembling the street of Goa
KALA ACADEMY (@googleimages)

NATIONAL CRAFTS MUSEUM (@googleimages)

R & D FACILITY OF MAHINDRA AND MAHINDRA LTD. (@googleimages)

  • ISLAMIC CENTRE
    • Toronto
    • 2010 – 2014
    • Glass dome structure
    • Cultural centre for Islamic community
    • Contemporary forms and modern materials
    • Curving stone wall and an angular translucent glass dome, approached by gravel path that cut trough bed of purple flowering plants
    • Prayer hall has crystalline roof dome – Strip of glass that runs up the centre of the roof is framed by a ladder-like arrangement of metal struts. While pieces of glass that complete the dome on either side are fitted into faceted frames – The plane of translucent glass diffuse the bright sunlight during day, but allow the dome to glow like a beacon at night when space is illuminated from within
    • Next to prayer room, anteroom is sectioned off by metal grilles – Here folded ceiling with a start shaped form surrounds a circular skylight
ISLAMIC CENTRE (@googleimages)

  • BHARAT BHAWAN
    • Bhopal
    • 1982
    • Modern architecture rooted in vernacularity
    • Series of terraces and courtyards
    • Religious influence
    • “OPEN TO SKY” concept
    • With respect to climatic conditions
    • Houses art galleries, graphic painting workshop, ceramic workshop, open-air amphitheatre, studio, auditorium, museum of tribal and folk art, and library of Indian poetry, classical and folk music
BHARAT BHAWAN (@googleimages)

  • JEEVAN BHARTI, LIC BUILDING
    • New Delhi
    • 1986
    • External walls are clad with red Agra sandstones, with glass façade, and space frame structure – SPACE FRAME STRUCTURE is the truss like, lightweight, rigid, structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern
    • 2 lower levels of the complex consist of shopping deck and restaurants
    • Upper levels of office are located in two separate wings
    • Proximity to the major centers of the city
    • A great pergola (98m long) connects the 2 office wings – pergola, supported at either ends by masonry piers and in middle by a single column
LIC BUILDING (@googleimages)

  • JAWAHAR KALA KENDRA
    • Jaipur
    • 1986 – 1992
    • 8 block housing museum, 1 Amphitheatre, and other closed auditorium, library, art display room, cafeteria, small hotel, art studio
    • Plan inspired by original plan of Jaipur
    • Consisting of 9 squares with central square left open
    • Adapts and applies concepts from ancient architectural principles called the Vastu Vidya
    • Directly invokes the original Nava Graha or Nine House Mandala
JAWAHAR KALA KENDRA (@googleimages)

  • BRITISH COUNCIL DELHI HEAD QUARTER
    • Delhi
    • 1987 – 1992
    • Use of murals
    • Headquarter along with library, auditorium, art gallery
    • Series of floors in layers
    • Use of voids
    • Simple and unique façade
    • References Hinduism, Islam, and the European enlightenment as well as importance of cosmic and religious symbolism to his work
BRITISH COUNCIL (@googleimages)

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU CENTRE FOR ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (@googleimages)

  • KOVALAM BEACH RESORT
    • Kerala
    • Use of OPEN TO SKY concept
    • Traditional vernacular style
    • Good use of contour site
    • Guest room are in 3 types –
      • On edge of beach hidden under palm trees – Suites for longer stay with cooking facility
      • Overlooking the beach there are 100 guest rooms – here, every room gets its own private sundeck
      • Between these two, are private detach housing units
KOVALAM BEACH RESORT (@googleimages)

Mc GOVERN INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH (@googleimage)

  • CHAMPALIMAUD CENTRE FOR UNKNOWN
    • Lisbon, Portugal
    • 2007 – 2010
    • Use of OPEN TO SKY concept
    • Contemporary architecture
    • 3 units – Largest for doctors and scientists; second for theatre, exhibition hall, office, etc.; third for open air Amphitheatre
    • Pathway is ramped (1:20)
    • Appreciating view around the pathway
CHAMPALIMAUD CENTRE FOR UNKNOWN (@googleimages)

  • PARUMLA CHURCH
    • Parumala, Kerala
    • 2000
    • Courtyard
    • Can accommodate 2000 people inside and 3000 outside
    • Form of the church has been derived from TRI-PARTITE structure of Coptic and Syrian tradition
    • 2 major parts-sanctum sanctorum (holy alter) and the room where the mortal remains of Parumala Thirumeni (Kabar) are entombed, is kept and connected to the main church
PARUMLA CHURCH (@googleimages)

Few of the main research sources –

KEEP READING, KEEP GROWING!

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