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RAJ REWAL & HIS WORKS

Introduction
RAJ REWAL WAS BORN IN HOSHIARPUR,
PUNJAB IN 1934
LIVED IN DELHI AND SHIMLA AND
ATTENDED HARCOURT BUTTER
HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL.

ATTENDED DELHI SCHOOL OF


ARCHITECTURE, NEW DELHI FROM
1951-1954
Influences of Raj Rewal

• He met with 3 encounters which shaped his architectural


ideology. He developed his ideology and followed it for the rest
of his life.
• First encounter, he relates to his interest in structures during
which he developed during the review of his diploma projects.
• Second one accounts on his working experience that he gained
while he was working as an assistant manager for several Avante
Grade theatre productions in London. As a set designer for the
drama shows, he learnt that each dramatic work had a particular
character which he interpreted as the rasa of the building.
• Third encounter was that he worked with Michel Ecohard in
Paris, before beginning his own architectural practice. In this
office, he learned the principles of Urban design and Planning.
Thinking of Rewal
“Unlike music or painting, architecture is a public art and deals with
utilitarian objects. I think some of the best architecture of out times
tends to have poetic elements as well as being utilitarian. The havelis
of Jaisalmer are one of my biggest inspirations. They taught me how to
keep the interiors cool in scorching heat.” He is pained to see
developers are investing in glass. “Glass is for colder climate. Its
transparency is nullified in hot weather as you to have to cover it with
heavy curtains. As you shut the door to nature, the cost of air
conditioning goes up substantially.”
Rewal believes there is an ethics of architecture. “The scare of global
warming is looming large and architects should bear special
responsibility and energy efficiency should be a major concern. In most
of the projects, I have been involved, we were able to reduce electrical
power utilisation by about 10 per cent by adopting traditional sun
control systems like courtyards, roof overhangs and deep set
windows.”
Works Of Rewal
Rewal has promoted a coherent and harmonious development that is in
sync with the climate and culture of the place. When others were rushing
for cubicles and glass effect, he kept traditional Indian craftsmen involved in
contemporising traditional architectural art forms. His dialogue with the
heritage continues as he creates courtyards in public buildings as the
meeting spaces for the employees to have a dialogue.
His built works comprise a wide range of building types, including the Nehru
Pavilion, Pragati Maidan, the Scope office complex, the Central Institute of
Educational Technology, the World Bank building, the National Institute of
Immunology, the Asian Games Village and the Parliament Library, all located
in New Delhi, as well as the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon, Portugal.
HALL OF NATIONS ,
HALL OF INDUSTRIES,NEW DELHI
HALL OF NATIONS ,
HALL OF INDUSTRIES,NEW DELHI
• DESIGN TO REFLECT SYMBOLICALLY AND
TECHNOLOGICALLY INDIA’S IMPORTANT PLACE IN
THE MODERN, INDUSTRIALIZING INDIA
• HALL OF NATIONS HAS A CLEAR SPAN OF 78
METRES AND A HEIGHT VARYING FROM 3M TO 21
• HALL OF INDUSTRIES IS A COMBINATION OF FOUR
SMALLER PAVILIONS BY RAMPS ENCLOSING A
CENTRAL AREA FOR OPEN-AIR EXHIBITS. IT HAS A
SPAN OF 44M. AND HEIGHT OF 16.8M
HALL OF NATIONS ,
HALL OF INDUSTRIES,NEW DELHI
• EACH PAVILION IS A THREE DIMENSIONAL
SPACE FRAME OF CAST-IN-SITU REINFORCED
CEMENT COCRETE.
• OCTAHEDRA MEASURING 5M FROM JOINT TO
JOINT WERE EMPLOYED AS THE BASIC THREE-
DIMENSIONAL UNIT.
• SOLID TRIANGULAR PANELS AT REGULAR
INTERVAL PROVIDE SUNSCREEN RESEMBLING
TRADITIONAL JALI.
HALL OF NATIONS ,
HALL OF INDUSTRIES,NEW DELHI
INTERIOR VIEW OF HALL OF NATIONS
STATE TRADING CORPORATION ,DELHI
STATE TRADING CORPORATION ,DELHI
• S.T.C HAS UNIQUE STRUCTURE AND SURFACE
TREATMENT.
• IT IS COVERED BY BEIGE AND RED SANDSTONE
PANELS.
• VERTICAL STRUCTURAL CORES CONTAINS LIFTS
AND SERVICES.
• HIGH RISE BLOCKS RISE TO DIFFERENT HEIGHTS,
TALLEST BEING THE ONE FORMING A JUNCTION
OF THE LOWER TWO.
STATE TRADING CORPORATION ,DELHI
• THE OFFICE FLOORS HAVE A 15M SPAN AND
ALLOW FOR A FLEXIBLE PARTITIONING SYSTEM
BEING COLUMN FREE.
• REPETITION OF OCTAGONAL OPENINGS IN THE
BRIDGE-LIKE GIRDERS BETWEEN THE VERTICAL
CORESCREATES AN IMPRESSION OF TRADITION
JAIL.
• NATURAL LIGHT REACHES DISPLAY AREA FROM
SKYLIGHTS ON THE ROOF TERRACE
TYPICAL PLAN
SECTION
VIEWS
SCOPE OFFICE COMPLEX,
NEW DELHI
SCOPE OFFICE COMPLEX,
NEW DELHI
• IT IS A HIGH DENSITY BUT RELATIVELY LOW
RISE CONSTRUCTION.
• EIGHT POLYGONAL INTERLOCKING BLOCKS
ARE GROUPED AROUND A CENTRAL
COURTYARD .
• STRONG, FORTRESS LIKE MASS HAS BEEN
EMPHASIZED BY THE REPEATED USE OF
CORNER COLUMNS AND STONE FACING .
SCOPE OFFICE COMPLEX,
NEW DELHI
• EACH OF INTERLOCKING PAVILION HAS A CENTRAL CORE
CONTAINING LIFTS, STAIRS, LAVATORY FACILITIES AND
HAVING ACCESS TO THE OFFICES AND MEETING ROOMS
ON EACH FLOOR.
• NATURAL LIGHT REACHES DEEP INTO THE INTERIORS AS
A RESULT OF THE RECESSES ON THE PRINCIPAL FAÇADE.
• THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM CONSISTS OF FOUR
COLUMNS SUPPORTING A SQUARE DIAGRID OF
STRUCTURAL SLABS WITH 12M CENTRES OR 16M AT THE
TWO UPPERMOST LEVELS
PLAN
SECTION
TOP VIEW
ASIAD VILLAGE HOUSING,
NEW DELHI
ASIAD VILLAGE HOUSING
• HOUSING COMMISSIONED AND BUILT FOR
THE GUESTS OF ASIAN GAMES HELD IN 1982.
• LATER ON SOLD TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS
• THERE ARE 510 HOUSING UNITS,
COMPRISING 200 INDIVIDUAL TOWN HOUSES
AND 300 APARTMENTS IN TWO STOREY TO
FOUR STOREY.
• THE CONCEPT IS BASED UPON A SEQUENCE
OF OPEN SPACES LINKED BY NARROW,
SHADED PEDESTRIAN STREETS CONTAINING
RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES.
• INSPIRATION FROM TRADITIONAL STREET
SCALE CAN BE SEEN IN NARROW STREETS
LINKING THE HOUSING UNITS.
SITE PLAN
SHEIKH SARAI HOUSING,
NEW DELHI
• HOUSING OF 550 APARTMENTS WITH SIX
DIFFERENT TYPES OF UNITS .
• ORGANISED INTO TWO DISTINCT CLUSTERS OF
THREE AND FOUR STOREYS IN HEIGHT.
• BASED ON THE HAVELI TYPOLOGY AND
TRADITIONAL PATTERNS OF URBAN SPACES.
NARROW SHADED STREETS WITH VARIETY OF
CLUSTERS.
PLANS
SITE PLAN
VIEW
LISBON ISLMAILI CENTRE,
PORTUGAL
• Design is based on three interconnected
enclosed gardens.
• The entrance courtyard is derived on the
principle of ‘Char bagh’ with flowering plants
and running water to transform the mood of
the vistor.
• Pink granite is used in conjunction with steel
as a structural material.
PLAN
SECTIONS
PARLIAMENT LIBRARY,
NEW DELHI
• THE CENTRAL HALL OF THE EXISTING PARLIAMENT
IS LINKED TO THE CENTRAL CORE OF THE COMPLEX
SYMBOLISING KNOWLEDGE ON A CENTRAL AXIS,
THROUGH A SEQUENCE OF SPACES CULMINATING
IN A NEW AUDITORIUM FOR 1,100 PERSONS
• THE HEIGHT OF BUILDING IS RESTRICTED TO
PODIUM LEVEL OF PARLIAMENT EXCEPT OF
GLAZED CRYSTALLINE FORMS OR DOMES WHICH
PROTRUDE ABOVE IT
• FIRST COURT ADJOINS THE MP’S READING ROOM AND BPST
COMMITTEE ROOM SYMBOLISING THE LIBERTY OF THOUGHT,
EXPRESSION,BELIEF, FAITH AND WORSHIP.
• SECOND COURT IS ENCLOSED BY THE M.P.’S DINING HALL
CLUB ROOM AND THE AUDITORIUM. THE COURTYARD HAS A
BIG TREE SYMBOLIZING JUSTICE-SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND
POLITICAL.
• THIRD COURT SURROUNDED BY THE MUSEUM AND
AUDITORIUM AND ITS SPACE CAN BE UTILIZED FOR
OUTDOOR EXHIBITIONS AROUND THE WATER WHICH
REPRESENTS EQUALITY STATUS AND OPPORTUNITY.
British High Commission Housing-New DelhiI

• The two-storey houses are arranged around a square, which contains a circular
pathway giving access to all units. The demarcation of central enclosures is clearly
established by framed gateways with pedestrian passages connecting the site to
garages on two ends adjoining peripheral roads.
•  
• Each dwelling unit has a private enclosed garden at the rear, which reflects the
traditional British terrace housing.
•  
• The architectural language of the housing complex is based on energy saving devices,
e.g. deep set windows, shaded balconies verandahs, roof umbrellas and overhangs
which keep the walls roof and glazing protected from the harsh glare of the sun.
•  
• The texture of stone and its changing colours forms an important feature of design
complimenting the natural foliage on the site.
 Nehru Memorial Pavilion, New Delhi, India

Building Type - Exhibition   Year - 1972   The Pavilion is designed to house exhibits on
the life and times of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The building is
embedded in a grassy mound of earth.

The design for the Pavilion is inspired by the earliest Buddhist Stupa's in Nepal, earth
mounds containing relics of Buddha. The circulation system for the exhibition is based
on 'Parikrama', the movement around the central structure and the plan resembles
Cosmo-graphs called 'Mandalas'.

The exhibition hall itself is arranged on two levels, with the upper level containing the
Audio Visual room around the perimeter, and a stepped roof in the centre for
exhibitions. Four corner windows at the upper level allow ventilation for the lower
spaces, while the stepped roof, in form of a natural pyramid, has glass bricks
providing subdued natural light.
 

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