Architecture Education - Then and Now

Ar. Shashwati Sinhal

Bapurao Deshmukh College of Architecture, RTMNU University, Wardha, India

International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering, Architecture & Design

Volume 4, Issue 1, January-March, 2016, pp.25-29
ISSN Online: 2347-2855, Print: 2347-8284, DOA: 05022016
© IASTER 2016, www.iaster.com

ABSTRACT

This paper is an effort to understand the contribution of Vitruvius from 1st c BC and Walter Gropius
from 20th century AD to the field of architecture education. These two masters in their own time were
great theorists, educationists and were dedicated to the field of architecture education. Their opinions
built and there relevance to society at that time establishes a strong relationship. Looking at Indian
society and business landscape changing very fast, is there a need for architecture education to adapt
accordingly? Is architecture education complying with the requirements of the society? Or is there a
need for the radical change to be adopted as was done by these two masters in their times.

Keywords: Vitruvius, Walter Gropius, their Opinions, Needs of Society in India, Architecture
Education.

1. INTRODUCTION

For almost the entirety of its history, the field of architecture has relied on the transmission of
symbolic capital through chains of masters and pupils. We can understand the full implications of the
institutionalization of the field's reproduction system by considering the history of architectural
education.

Vitruvius (80s BC – 15BC) was the pioneer of the entire AE (architecture education) literature. No
one, before him, had taken an effort to write down on surviving records of this field. Researchers
believe this as the beginning of AE. The next turning point was Bauhaus (1919-1933), a school in
Germany that combined crafts and fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it
publicized and taught. Since Bauhaus there was a paradigm shift in AE.

When Vitruvius (VT) has written the treatise, it was an era of classical architecture. That time Rome
and Greek architecture were fully developed and those structures were the basis of his writings; “The
Ten books on architecture”. His books were proved useful, and since then are the basis of the work of
the historians and academicians like Leon Battista Alberti, etc.

On the basis of VT treatise and classical architecture, 15th century, first attempt to start a formal
school of architecture was taken. Its products were Leonardo da Vinci, 1475 and Michelangelo, 1480.
A trend of similar schools was seen in Rome, Italy, etc. These concepts continued till many centuries
but in the due course of time it somewhere failed to serve the changes in the society.

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Volume-4, Issue-1, January-March, 2016, www.iaster.com (P) 2347-8284

Fig 1.1: Vitruvius Fig 1.1.: Leon Battista Alberti

After the First World War, industrial revolution happened, everything in Germany changed with a
very fast pace. People started thinking very differently. Industrialization was accepted by the society
readily but leaving behind unemployment and poverty. Hence, to cop-up with the changing needs of
the society thoughts of Walter Gropius (WG) (1885– 1969) gave birth to Bauhaus. Bauhaus was the
blend of philosophy of school of art & craft and academy of art.

To have balance between industrialization and fading craft of Germany and making the availability of
product for every class of society were the aims of WG.

The diversity of Indian culture is represented in its architecture. India's Urban Civilization is traceable
to Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, now in Pakistan. From then on, Indian architecture and civil
engineering continued to develop, and was manifested temples, palaces and forts across the Indian
subcontinent and neighboring regions.

Sir JJ School of Architecture (1896), Bombay was prominent in AE, where balance between Ecole De
Baux Arts, formal language and the craft of building was well maintained. The then Prime Minister
Pandit Nehru’s faith in technology to solve India’s problem and propel her into being a modern nation
was the basis of the network of IITs. IIT Kharagpur (1951) was first established soon after
independence in collaboration with MIT, London. Architecture was a small part of larger technical
university. Deeper understanding of the cultural linkages was lost in the process.

After WG the next pioneering literature was Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture published
in 1966, which totally denied modernism, with thoughts of Robert Venturi (American, 1925 - Present)
started the “Post Modernism” style in architecture. He stated that minimalism is not the need of
today’s society, it is not realistic. Postmodernism with its diversity possess sensitivity to the building
context and history, and the clients requirements.

Our Indian culture is so different and diverse that modernism and minimalistic Architecture was not
acceptable to the Indian Society. To serve the needs of the diversity in Indian culture Bauhaus AE was
not sufficient. Hence, AE in India has to be different. In India, Schools were providing AE in the

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International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering, Architecture & Design (O) 2347-2855
ISSN
Volume-4, Issue-1, January-March, 2016, www.iaster.com (P) 2347-8284

ways shown by British and Americans. But, are unable to produce architects to reflect Indian craft,
traditions and fulfill needs of Indian society.

Architecture depends on order, arrangement, eurhythmy, symmetry, propriety and economy, as also
said by VT in his Ten Books.Out of these factors, in present world, economy plays a very vital role.
Economy denotes the proper management of materials and of site, as well as a thrifty balancing cost
and common sense in the construction of works. This will be observed if, in the first place, the
architect does not demand things which cannot be found or made ready without great expense. A
second stage of economy is reached when we have to plan the different kinds of dwelling suitable for
ordinary householders, for great wealth, or for the high position of the statesman. Thus, in a word, the
proper form of economy must be observed in building houses for each and every class.

Hence, the questions today in front of us are- Is the Architectural education in India capable of
meeting the current as well as future socio-economic challenges of our society? Are Vitruvius and
Bauhaus styles relevant in present Indian society? With society and business landscape changing very
fast, there is an imminent need for AE to adapt accordingly. There certainly is no problem in finding
evidence that architecture is failing to perform like other academic disciplines, whose function is
invariably taken to be knowledge-production. If architecture was as research-oriented as the average
university discipline it would graduate almost ten times better responsible and sensible architects each
year as it actually does.

2. IN BRIEF

Like Vitruvius, Walter Gropius believed in imparting education to the architects in two basic parts of
curriculum: Theory and Practice. These two parts of the curriculum form the paradigm for the
contemporary architecture education. To be a successful professional UIA states that an architect
should posses the three capabilities through education. They are, design, knowledge and skills. In
short, understanding the three capabilities as;

 To be able to design is the only ability of an architect which makes him stand different from
other technical persons in the society.
 Imparting information is possible through knowledge gained.
 Skills, with very wide considerations, are the actual working with hands or the practical
knowledge. This consists of everything that includes media of presentation and
communication and many other things like, craft component of architecture education.
 After understanding the views of Vitruvius and Walter Gropius and knowing the prescribed
capabilities for an architect by UIA:
Table 1

Vitruvius Walter Gropius Capabilities As Per Uia

Sketching & Design Crafts Design
Medicine, Mathematics, Principles of
Science & Theory Knowledge
Science, And Other Disciplines
Building Practice, Colors, Communications Painting & Drawing Skills

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Volume-4, Issue-1, January-March, 2016, www.iaster.com (P) 2347-8284

2.1Analyzing opinions of Vitruvius, Walter Gropius & UIA for AE

Hence traces of opinions of Vitruvius and Walter Gropius are still seen in today’s architecture
education.Walter Gropius, Vitruvius; both were of the opinion that, an architect should design in such
a way as the object should fulfill the three principles:

Durability, Convenience and Beauty : Vitruvius

Be Durable, Economical and Beautiful : Walter Gropius
Durable, Economical, Beautiful but of Convenience : Need of Society

These create the very basics of human needs in the fast growing society all over the world. And an
architect with a properly acquired knowledge through a well structured educational program can
satisfy the users.

3. INFERRENCES

Education is the process by which society prepares its young people to be capable citizens. An
architect is taught to think laterally, to think outside "The Box".Architects have the ability to inspire
others with their creations. We must find the means to enable them to contribute much more through
their understanding of the requirements for a humane society by providing quality to the built
environment. Further development of the architectural profession cannot be envisaged without further
development of education. However, architectural education must fulfill, the need to be responsive
and be able to change when necessary.

Initially when architecture education started in India, it was more focused on development of skills of
the students. This made them competent enough in any situation. Their decision making quality was
developed.

With the due course of time theoretical inputs took over the space of skills development in the
curriculum.

CURRICULUM IN
INDIA
DESIGN

KNOWLEDG
E

Fig 3.1: Curriculam in India

4. UNDERSTANDING AE IN INDIA TODAY

Though design is suppose to be the core subject or capability of an architect which makes him stand
differently in the society, is on the least focus in the curriculum.

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Volume-4, Issue-1, January-March, 2016, www.iaster.com (P) 2347-8284

Developing skills in individuals is lacking in architecture education today. Skills are learning to do by
hands to improve working or presentation. India is a country with diversity in her culture, tradition
and craft. These craft make our country unique. Craft are not at all taught in architecture education in
India. Thus the gap between the diverse skills of India and architecture education in India is widening
day to day. Now, the time has come when there is a need for a paradigm shift in the field of
architecture education in India, which will reciprocate in increasing connectivity between the
profession and society. And this step can be taken by the architects of today. Just like Vitruvius tried
to go closer to the society and for its good, wrote the treaties; Walter Gropius took a major step to
bridge the gulf between fading craft of Germany and industrialization; the time has arrived in India to
think of an irreversible change in architecture education. For the idea of an ideal frame for the
architecture education, there should be a balance between these three components of architecture
education. This is possible only with a change in percentages of the course contents, focusing on skills
and design rather than knowledge.

REFERENCES

[1] UIA and Architectural Education — Reflections and Recommendations

[2] Mehta Jaimini , Article: Architectural Education in India (overview)
[3] Prof Deshpande S.A., paper on- Status of Architecture Education in India, 1986, second Asian
Congress of Architects, Kualalumpur
[4] Dr. Ar. Chakradeo Ujwala, Article- Architecture education within Diverse India
[5] Prof. Morgan Morris Hicky, Vitruvius, The Ten Books on Architecture, 1914, Harvard
University press, Cambridge
[6] Gropius Walter, Scope of Total Architecture, 1956, World Perspectives, London
[7] Gropius Walter, Program of the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar, April 1919, The Staatliche
Bauhaus, Weimar

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