http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.

com/2010-0222/news/27582963_1_technology-hub-mario-botta-spaces

Mario Botta: Swiss architect who designed TCS offices

Ishani Duttagupta & Neha Dewan, ET Bureau Feb 22, 2010, 04.15am IST

For well-known Swiss architect and urban designer Mario Botta, India has definitely been
among the shaping influences of his style. "The past is very important for my work and so is the
environment and climate of a place. All this translates into a modern architectural genre," says
Botta who has worked on various urban architecture projects around the world. The past, he
says, makes up 95% of the current place in which we stay.
"But it doesn't imply that we should reproduce the past but rather be inspired by it," he says
assertively. He adheres to a philosophy of historical determinism in which architecture acts as a
mirror of its times and some of his most important work includes the SFMOMA museum in San
Francisco, the cathedral in Evry, the museum Jean Tinguely in Basel, the Cymbalista
synagogue and Jewish heritage centre in Tel Aviv, the municipal library in Dortmund and the
Kyobo tower and the Leeum museum in Seoul.

In India, Botta has designed Tata Consultancy Services offices in Hyderabad and Noida. "For
the Noida TCS office, a double skinned wall ensures a system of natural ventilation for the
internal spaces of the office. The south walls have no apertures, and thus form a screen against
the direct and strong sunlight. A portico shaped space on the ground floor reveals the presence
beyond of a vast green area. These are features which are inspired by old buildings in India,"
says Mr Botta.
The TCS office in Hyderabad is located in the technology hub of High Tech City. The underlying
intention of the design for the offices is to present a monolithic element hollowed out on the
inside and open towards the city. "While one of the offices is on the outskirts of the city, the
other is located in the hub. The two different locations have helped shape the different
architectural styles," says Botta.
He confesses to being fascinated by the history of India. "The old and new co-exist in India
which is an interesting interplay. I hope to have some influence of India in my designs!"
There are a lot of things that Botta feels are significant to consider as an architect. "Firstly, one
needs to understand his surrroundings and create dialogue. The building should not be isolated.
It is also important that the buildings are environment-friendly which can help to control the
temperature. Lastly, one must understand the culture of a place and translate it into a modern
way," he says.

He sees a conflict between history and the modern idiom in Indian urban spaces. "Architecture
should be about the interface between the modern and the historical. Globalisation is not about
flattening out urban spaces. For me it is about preserving collective memory in a modern
context through architecture. It is about combining the past and present and then moving into
the future," he says.
Essentially Modernist in approach, Botta has been influenced by famous architects Carlo
Scarpa and Louis Kahn. Although his later works increasingly accept existing forms and styles
as the starting point of design, Botta's works characteristically show respect for topographical
conditions and regional sensibilities and his designs generally emphasise craftsmanship and
geometric order.

http://urbanarchitecture.in/?p=200

Mario Botta in India

March 14, 2010Architects, Architecture
Swiss architect Mario Botta needs no introduction. His work around the world speaks volumes
of the master architect. And his projects in India for Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) are a
continuation of his excellence in the field.
Mario Botta: Swiss architect who designed TCS offices
By Ishani Duttagupta & Neha Dewan, ET Bureau
For well-known Swiss architect and urban designer Mario Botta, India has definitely been
among the shaping influences of his style. The past is very important for my work and so is the
environment and climate of a place. All this translates into a modern architectural genre, says
Botta who has worked on various urban architecture projects around the world. The past, he
says, makes up 95% of the current place in which we stay.
But it doesnt imply that we should reproduce the past but rather be inspired by it, he says
assertively. He adheres to a philosophy of historical determinism in which architecture acts as a
mirror of its times and some of his most important work includes the SFMOMA museum in San
Francisco, the cathedral in Evry, the museum Jean Tinguely in Basel, the Cymbalista
synagogue and Jewish heritage centre in Tel Aviv, the municipal library in Dortmund and the
Kyobo tower and the Leeum museum in Seoul.
In India, Botta has designed Tata Consultancy Services offices in Hyderabad and Noida. For
the Noida TCS office, a double skinned wall ensures a system of natural ventilation for the
internal spaces of the office. The south walls have no apertures, and thus form a screen against
the direct and strong sunlight. A portico shaped space on the ground floor reveals the presence

beyond of a vast green area. These are features which are inspired by old buildings in India,
says Mr Botta.
The TCS office in Hyderabad is located in the technology hub of High Tech City. The underlying
intention of the design for the offices is to present a monolithic element hollowed out on the
inside and open towards the city. While one of the offices is on the outskirts of the city, the other
is located in the hub. The two different locations have helped shape the different architectural
styles, says Botta.
He confesses to being fascinated by the history of India. The old and new co-exist in India
which is an interesting interplay. I hope to have some influence of India in my designs!
There are a lot of things that Botta feels are significant to consider as an architect. Firstly, one
needs to understand his surrroundings and create dialogue. The building should not be isolated.
It is also important that the buildings are environment-friendly which can help to control the
temperature. Lastly, one must understand the culture of a place and translate it into a modern
way, he says.