Ar.

BALKRISNA
VITHALDAS
DOSHI
 LIFE HISTORY
 Balkris h na Vith ald as D os h i was b orn in
P u ne , Ind ia in 1 927.
 H e d id h is b ach e lors from J. J. S ch ool of Art,
Bom b ay in 1 950.
 H e worke d for fou r ye ars with Le C orb u s ie r
as s e nior d e s igne r (1 951 -54) in P aris .
 In 1 956 h e e s tab lis h e d a p rivate p ractice in
Vas tu -S h ilp a, Ah m e d ab ad and in 1 962 h e
e s tab lis h e d th e Vas tu -S h ilp a F ou nd ation for
E nvironm e ntal D e s ign.
 LIFE HISTORY
 H e als o fou nd e d and d e s igne d th e S ch ool of
Arch ite ctu re and P lanning in Ah m e d ab ad .
D os h i h as worke d in p artne rs h ip as S te in,
D os h i & Bh alla s ince 1 977.
 D os h i worke d clos e ly with Louis khan
and A nant raje, wh e n Kah n d e s igne d th e
cam p u s of th e Ind ian Ins titu te of
M anage m e nt.
 In 1 958 h e was a fe llow at th e Graham
Foundation for A dvanced S tudies in th e
F ine Arts .
 LIFE HISTORY
 Dos hi h as b e e n a m e m b e r of th e Ju ry for
s e ve ral inte rnational and national
com p e titions inclu d ing th e Indira Gandhi
National C entre for A rts and A ga Khan
A ward for A rchitecture.
 H e was p re s e nte d in 1 995,Aga Kh an Award
for Arch ite ctu re , for th e Aranya C om m u nity
H ou s ing in Ind ore , Ind ia.
 D os h i's arch ite ctu re p rovid e s one of th e m os t
im p ortant models for modern Indian
architecture
 PHILOSOPHIES
 Accord ing to h im A rchitecture of a b u ild ing is
conce ive d not as a containe r of s p e cific activitie s b u t
as a p lace to b e inh ab ite d , as a p lace to facilitate th e
cou rs e of h u m an e nvironm e nt
 D os h i's work h as cons is te ntly re volve d arou nd th e
inte rre lations h ip of ind oor and ou td oor s p ace , an
ap p rop riate and h one s t ap p roach to m ate rials , p rop e r
clim atic re s p ons e and ob s e rvance of h ie rarch y and
ord e r th at h as always b e e n p re s e nt in th e b e s t
m od e rn arch ite ctu re .
 PHILOSOPHIES
 It is th is s o calle d ‘filter’ b e twe e n
conte m p orary and trad itional arch ite ctu re
wh ich D os h i h as m as te rfu lly b rou gh t in.
 Th e s u cce s s of any p roje ct d e p e nd s on
e ffe ctive cons truction, contracting, logis tic
p lanning and co-ord ination.
 An e s s e ntial p art of th e p h ilos op h y is th e
cons tru ction of s cale m od e ls and of fu ll s cale
m ocku p s to m ake d e cis ions jointly with th e
clie nt ab ou t th e building.
 PRINCIPLES

D os h i h as cate gorize d 8 p rincip le s in

trad itional arch ite ctu re wh ich h e b e lie ve s
wou ld gre atly e nrich conte m p orary p ractice .
Ú D os h i b e lie f in th e ‘Mythical S ens e’ of s p ace
ofte n e vid e nt in trad itional arch ite ctu re wh ich
is not s im p ly confine d to op e n or clos e d
are as . Accord ing to h im s p ace can b e
m od ifie d accord ing to th e d e s ire of th e
p e rce ive r and is ne ve r s tatic.
 PRINCIPLES
2. Th e s tru ctu ral and form al s ys te m s th at D os h i h as
ad op te d le d h im to as s im ilate th e 2nd principle of
Vaas tu-Purus ha Mandala to e ns u re m inim u m
s tand ard s of h e alth and h ygie ne in e ach p roje ct .
Vaas tu ’ (e nvironm e nt), ‘P u ru s h a’ (e ne rgy) and
‘M and ala’ (as trology) are com b ine d in th e d iagram
th at h as e volve d to as s is t b u ild e rs in d e te rm ining
p rop e r orie ntation. N orth re late s to th e lord of
we alth , s ou th re late s to th e lord f d e ath , e as t to th e
lord of ligh t (th e ris ing s u n), and we s t to th e lord of
wind . Th e ce ntre is attrib u te d to th e lord of th e
C os m os .
 PRINCIPLES

F ollowing th is ch art h as ge ne rally ind icate d a

s ou th we s t orie ntation , favoring h e p re vailing b re e ze
and als o h as d e fine d th e u s e of ce ntral cou rtyard .
3. Trans formation of E nergy b e twe e n th e b u ild ing and
p e op le u s ing th e s p ace for fu nctional u s e . Th e
E ne rgy take s p lace b e twe e n th e walls , colu m ns and
s p ace of th e b u ild ing. Th e natu ral e ne rgy p rod u ce s
th rou gh s u n rad iations or natu ral e le m e nts ,
s u rrou nd ings , s p e cie s arou nd it e tc.
D os h i followe d it in h is arch ite ctu re b y p rovid ing
op e nne s s in b u ild ings th rou gh colonnad e s , p e rgolas ,
p orticos , s ky ligh ts e tc. for e .g.- IIM , Bangalore .
 PRINCIPLES

4. D os h i h as p e rs is te d a d e e p b e lie f in
im p ortance of ‘Human Ins titutions ’, ju s t as
Lou is -i-Kah n d id b e fore h im . Th is b e lie f, is
am p lifie d b y h is own d e e p cu ltu ral e xp e rie nce
and p op u lar e volu tion of ne w ins titu tions . Th e
nam e of h is office its e lf, th e Vaas tu-S hilpa
foundation, is a ringing affirm ation of D os h i’s
faith in th e d ialogu e b e twe e n p e op le and
arch ite ctu re of wh ich h e s p e aks and p owe rs
of d ialogu e to b ring ab ou t old ins titu tions and
cre ate ne w one s .
 PRINCIPLES
5. A m ore s p e cific p rincip le is to follow ‘flexible rather
than rigid approach to the s tructure’. Th is is h ow
trans form ation of s p ace from th e m e re s tatic
containe r ; to a p lace wh e re p e op le actu ally fe e l a
p s ych ic inte rch ange is b e s t ach ie ve d . H e re D os h i
re fe rs to th e m u ltip le m ixe d s tru ctu ral s ys te m s , of th e
typ e fou nd in M ad u rai te m p le and city of F ate h p u r
S ikri.
6. Th e id e a of fle xib ility le ad s h im to a p rincip le , of
incorp orating “s ymbolis m” . H e b e lie ve s th at it can
only b e accom m od ate d b y m ixtu re of s tru ctu ral
s ys te m s . S ym b olically ch arge d s p ace m u s t b e
d e s igne d as re ce p tacle for h u m an activity.
 PRINCIPLES

7. D os h i als o ad vocate s “A morphous rather

than finite forms ” ; u s e d with m u ltip le
s tru ctu ral s ys te m s s o th at ‘e xp e rie nce with
th e m m ay b e loos e m e and e ring and m u ltip le ’.
F or e .g.- Aranya low cos t h ou s ing, Ind ore .
8. As an e igh th and final p rincip le , d os h i s e e ks
“Timeles s nes s ” in h is arch ite ctu re m u ch as
Lou is kh an d id wh e n d e s crib ing h is qu ality in
h is torical p re ce d e nts as ' op e n e nd e d ne s s ’.
 ARANYA LOW-COST
HOUSING TOWNSHIP
INDORE , (1983-86)
It is locate d 6 km s . F rom th e ce ntre of
Ind ore on Agra-Bom b ay h igh way.
Aranya s ite is flat.
D os h i was com m is s ione d b y th e Ind ore
D e ve lop m e nt Au th ority to p rovid e h ou s ing
for th e “E conom ically we ake r s e ctor”.
Ar. D e cid e d to inte grate s om e u p p e r-
incom e u nits to s u b s id ize th e lowe r cos t
u nits .
Th e targe t p ollu tion was 40,000 on a 80
h e ctare s ite , incorp orating 6,500 p lots
ranging b /w 35 & 475 s q. m ts .
O f th e s e 65% we re allocate d for th e ve ry
p oor, 1 1 % for lowe r incom e , 1 4% for
m id d le incom e , 9% for h igh incom e grou p .
Th e Aranya h ou s ing s ch e m e d ivid e d as
58% re s id e ntial u s e , 23.5% p e d e s trian &
ve h icu lar acce s s road s , 8% op e n s p ace ,
7% s h are d com m u nity.
D os h i d ivid e d th e s ite with a north -s ou th
s p ine wh e re th e m ain am e nitie s are
clu s te re d , fe e d ing 3 zone s of h ou s ing on
e ach s id e .
Th e ch oice of orie ntation, as we ll as th e
u s e of offs e ts , als o m axim ize s s h ad e .
H ou s e s are clu s te re d in grou p s of 1 0.
A S e p tic tank h as b e e n p rovid e d for
e ve ry clu s te r or 20 h ou s e s .
Wate r is d rawn from 3 local re s e rvoirs to
s e rve th e e ntire p roje ct.
SITE PLAN
SITE PLAN
Th e ou te r p e rip h e ry cons is t u nits for
H .I.G and m os t we ake r s e ction is ins id e .
E ach h ou s e p rovid e d with an O TTA- an
ou td oor p latform .
F or e conom ic re s ou rce s u s e of s h are d
fou nd ations and p arty walls b e e n carve d
ou t.
Brick, s tone , and concre te are availab le
locally, b u t owne rs are fre e to u s e any
m ate rial th e y ch oos e for h ou s e
cons tru ction and d e coration.
Th e m ain s tre e t ru ns at th e ce ntre of
p lan in zig-zag p atte rn.
E xte rnal p atios is p rovid e d as th e
s p ace s for inte raction.
Varie d façad e tre atm e nts with m ate rial control
Variou s arrange m e nts d one in p lots .
 NATIONAL INSTITUTE
OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY
NEW DELHI , (1997)
A C e ntrally locate d s ite of 2.87 acre s
(1 1 ,642 s q. m ts .) in H au z-Kh as was
s e le cte d .
 Th e ins titu te was vis u alize d as an
inte rnational fas h ion ce nte r.
Th e N IF T s ite is s u rrou nd e d b y h ou s ing &
ins titu tional u s e s .
F as h ion D e s ign d e m and s continu ou s
innovation, for th is ch anging e nvironm e nt
h igh ly vis ib le d is p lay and s h ow are as are
e s s e ntial.
D os h i’s conce p t of s u rrou nd ing th e inne r
cou rt with e ach of th e m ain b locks of
com p le x b /w 3 & 4 s torie s h igh give s th e
fe e ling of trad itional ch owk (cou rtyard ).
SITE PLAN
GROUND F. PLAN
BASEMENT PLAN
 A s e rie s of h igh and low
p latform s , a varie ty of
galle rie s and are as for form al
and cas u al activitie s and
d ire ct & ind ire ct d is p lay of th e
d e s igns im p lie s a s e rie s of
inte rnal cou rtyard s and
te rrace s at variou s h e igh ts .

A glaze d walkway of re fle ctive glas s looks d own in

to inne r cou rtyard .
An Au d itoriu m in b as e m e nt occu p ie s th e s p ace
d ire ctly b e ne ath th e Am p h ith e atre on grou nd floor.
Th e re s t of b as e m e nt is u s e d for car p arking s p ace s
and m e ch anical facilitie s .
Angle d glaze d s u rface s of th e
ad m inis tration b lock.
F ligh t of b rick s te p s le ad to th e cou rtyard
from th e m ain gate .
Th e ad m inis trative b lock locate d in th e
fore grou nd of th e com p le x with lib rary and
e xh ib ition are a.
F irs t cou rtyard - M od ifie d ku nd or s au ce r-
s h ap e d rainwate r s tore .
S e cond cou rtyard - Inform al
Am p h ith e atre .
Both cou rtyard s form th e ce ntral s p ace of
ins titu te & h ave glaze d corrid ors arou nd
th e m th at allow a cle ar vie w of th e
galle rie s , th e clas s room clu s te r, th e ad m .
 C e ntral wate r ch anne l
le ad ing from ou ts id e in to
h e art of com p le x.

 E ntrance at th e top of th e inne r cou rt.

 Th e ce ntre of th e com p le x cre ate a d ram atic d e s ce nt to a
p ool with re fle ctive angle d glas s m u ltip lying th e e ffe ct.
 Th e re is an u nd u lating p ainte d s te e l p e rgola ab ove th e
inte rnal cou rt as a s ym b olic gate way.
HUSAIN – DOSHI GUFA

AHMEDABAD , (1992-95)
 Th e G u fa is a collab orative e ffort b /w
B.V D os h i and th e Ind ian artis t M .F
(M aqb u l F id a) h u s ain; b e gan as an Art
G alle ry for th e E xh ib ition of artis ts work.
 It is locate d in th e cam p u s , of th e
C e ntre for e nvironm e nt p lanning &
te ch nology (C E P T) in Ah m e d ab ad .
 S ite Are a- 1 000 s q.m t.
 Bu ilt u p Are a- 280 s q.m t.
 P roje ct cos t- R s .1 .8 m illion
 Th is is a com b ination of h igh
te ch nology and trad itional te ch niqu e s
th at als o d e s crib e s th e e s s e ntial
tim e le s s ne s s of te ch nology its e lf.
 Th e cons tru ction of th e
G u fa was finally
d e p e nd e nt u p on th e
knowle d ge & s kill of
b u ild e rs wh o h ad to
trans late h igh ly
s op h is ticate d d iagram s
into re ality.
 Th e re fe re nce s for th e
G u fa are e le m e ntal and
p rim e val. Th e circle ,
m ou ntains , h is torical
p re ce d e nts as C ave s
(Karli, Ajanta), S tu p as
e tc.
PLAN
 Th is s tru ctu re is in
form of s ke le tal s kin &
wire m e s h
s and wich e d on e ach
s id e b y laye rs of
ce m e nt.
 Th e concre te is th e n
cove re d with a
com p acte d laye r of
ve rm icu lite followe d
b y m os aic of p ie ce s of
b roke n ch ina.
 Wh ite tile s re fle cts th e
s u n rays , h e lp s to ke e p
th e inte rior cool.
 Th e s tru ctu re is s p e cifically orie nte d to
le t in th e m axim u m am ou nt of h e at &
ligh t to give th e inte rior a gold e n glow.
 To e nh ance th e cave like fe e ling of
galle ry, th e contou rs of th e s ite we re
re taine d , rath e r th an b e ing le ve lle d .
 Th e ge ntly u nd u lating s u rface of th e
e arth can s till b e p e rce ive d b e ne ath th e
th in concre te floor s lab p ou re d ove r it.
 Th e e ntrance is ap p roach e d d own a
fligh t of s te p s in to th e cave like inte rior.
 S om e s h e lls cons is ts ap p e are d s nou ts
with ap e rtu re s (h ole ), u s e d to cap tu re
fre s h air & ligh t.
 Th e ce ntral h all is s u p p orte d b y 2 rows
of colu m ns wh ich d ivid e th e inte rior in
to a wid e r ce ntre ais le & 2 s id e ais le .
 Th e colu m ns h ave octagonal s h afts
wid e r at b as e & tap e re d at cap ital.
 Th e rib s , wh ich s p ans from colu m n
line to colu m n line , cre ate th e vau lte d
roof of cave .
 Th e s nou ts s e e m s as s kyligh ts to
th row ligh t ins id e .
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF
MANAGEMENT
BANGALORE , (1977-85)
 S lop ing top ograp h y of th e s ite .
 Bu ilt u p are a 54000 s q. m ts .
 Bu ild ing inclu d e s th e e xte rnal s p ace s
and th e link b e twe e n th e b u ild ings .
 F u nctional and p h ys ical attrib u te s of
th e d e s ign are re late d to th e local
trad itions of p avilion like s p ace s &
cou rtyard s .
 Am p le p rovis ion for p lantation.
 U s e of local m ate rial.
 Th e fore cou rt and e ntrance are at th e
lowe r le ft of p lan. D orm itorie s are
arrange d d iagonally arou nd an
inte rlocking s e rie s of cou rtyard s in
u p p e r p art.
PLAN
MODEL SHOWING CAMPUS
PLANNING
 D e s ign inclu d e d long and u nu s u ally h igh
“th re e s tore ye d ” corrid ors with
innu m e rab le vis tas of focal p oints .
 corrid ors are s om e tim e s s e e m
op e n, s om e tim e s with only p e rgolas
and s om e tim e s p artly cove re d
with s kyligh t.
 Varying d ire ct and ind ire ct s u nligh t
cou p le d with s olid -void com b ination.
 To fu rth e r h e igh te n th e s p atial
e xp e rie nce , th e wid th of th e corrid ors
was m od u late d in m any p lace s to allow
cas u al s itting , inte raction or m oving
forward to one d e s tination or m ore .
 C orrid ors of colu m ns b e ne ath concre te p e rgolas
cre ate a rh yth m of ligh t & s h ad ow.
 U s e of varying rh yth m of s olid s and void s i.e . walls
and op e nings .
Th e m ain are a- is
a com p le x of
cou rtyard s linke d b y
walkways or inte rnal
s tre e ts , s om e
cove re d & s om e
op e n to s ky, cre ating
vis tas or
F ocal p oints .