1950s Design Pedagogy: Engineers vs Architects

Kairavi Ketan Maniar

HR4000

This studio was divided into three major modules. The first focused on how to write formally about buildings, which set the stage for our main studio derivatives. It was followed by a site visit to study Uttam Jain's buildings. We examined the post-1950s, unpacking the layers that tie to Post Independent India's history. Module two focused on the production of drawings that highlighted the peculiar aspects of the building. Module three consists of reading seminars which provide a link between the building and the larger historical frameworks and add our own layer of analysis to them.

View Additional Work

Report Content

MODULE 1: Reading the Building

MODULE 2: Site analysis and exploratory drawings drawn here to start understanding different parameters of the building. Archival material and bill of quantities were retrieved and were used as primary source of evidences for the research study.

MODULE 3: PART A: It provides a brief background to the history of post-independence India. For that, the key text selected is India: Modern Architectures in History by Peter Scriver and Amit Srivastava. It highlights key shifts in architectural trends pointed out by the authors in the specific chapters which leads to an understanding that history is not a singular narrative.

MODULE 3: PART B: This section looks at Mining Engineering building of MBM campus, Jodhpur which was constructed in 1951 and as per the retrieved archival evidence of drawings, it was designed by the University Engineers of the building cell of University of Jodhpur. The use of sandstone was traditional in Jodhpur practice before the use of concrete in building system. Understanding the mining building and its construction provides a precedent to understand the construction traditions which Uttam Jain adapted in his buildings for JNVU.

MODULE 3: PART B

MODULE 3: PART C This section focuses on situating this building in the larger historical narrative in order to understand how the building is a product of its times.

MODULE 3: PART C

MODULE 3: SUMMARIZING PART C