Balkrishna Vithaldas

Doshi
Works and ideas
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi was born
in Pune on 26th of August 1927.

After initial study in Bombay, he

worked with Le Corbusier in Paris
(1951-1954) as senior designer

Most of B.V.Doshi’s projects/buildings

are influenced by Le- Corbusier.

Doshi established the Vastu-Shilpa

Foundationfor Studies and Research
in Environmental Design in 1955,
known for pioneering work in low-
cost housing and city planning.
Apart from his international fame as
an architect, Dr. Doshi is equally
known as educator and institution
builder.

He believed in Doshi’s projects in India show a

Architecture, for a distinct personal and professional
place and people. evolution, starting from early
experiments in applying the
lessons of Modern Architecture in
an Indian context to increasing
His importance to
interest in South Asia’s
modern architecture has
vernacular tradition, myth and
been recognised by the
social diversity.
architectural profession
in both the UK and USA
Doshi’s architecture is an eclectic
mix of styles and influences that
make it unique in recent history.
His own office, Sangath, is
composed of vaulted interior
spaces linked both internally
and externally by gentle
changes in level.

Here the landscape forms an

integral part of the
architecture, and Sangath
rises up from the ground
without actually appearing to
leave it.

The vaults resist and soften

the tendency of the verticals,
and anchor the form to the
earth while reflecting, in a
sense, the line of the sky.
"Sangath is a fragment of Doshi's
private dream: a microcosm of his
intentions and obsessions. Inspired
by the earth-hugging forms of the
Indian vernacular, it also draws upon
the vault suggestions of Le Corbusier.
A warren of interiors derived from the
traditional Indian city, it is also
influenced by sources as diverse as
[Louis I. Kahn], [Alvar Aalto] and
[Antonio Gaudi]. A work of art stands
on its own merits and Sangath
possesses that indefinable quality of
authenticity. Even local labourers and
passing peasants like to come and sit
next to it, enjoying the low mounds
of the vaults or the water-jars
overgrown with creepers."
The Centre for Environment and
Planning Technology (CEPT),
incorporates in its four main
departments what is still one of the
most prestigious architecture and
planning schools in the country.

At CEPT Doshi creates four wings

grouped around a central space. The
buildings, in their brick and exposed
concrete finishes, are simply finished
and make no attempt to be
pretentious.
In 1962 the School of
Architecture was
established to offer a
full undergraduate
programme by Prof. B.
V. Doshi architect,
who had returned after
working with Le
Carbousier
In the National Institute of Fashion
Design (N.I.F.T.), Delhi, Doshi and the
Vastu-Shilpa Foundation are less
successful.

While there is nothing wrong per the

in using the form of a step-well
(baoli) from Ahmedabad as
conceptual and formal inspiration,
what is lacking in the building is the
unity of its parts and overall
coherence.
Husain-Doshi Gufa, (Husain-Doshi
cave), is the collaborative product of
two of the most controversial figures
in Indian art and architecture.

BV Doshi creates and conceptualises

the space, and MF Husain embellishes
it with his painting and
sculpture. While possibly being a
tourist attraction and even perhaps a
pilgrimage of sorts for students of
architecture,
Indian Institute of Management
Bangalore’s climate is very comfortable and the city is full of
lush green lawns and trees.

Therefore in this project the “building” includes the external s

paces and the links between the buildings in the Bangalore
climate permit academic exchange beyond the classrooms.

Functional and physical attributes of the design are related to t

he local traditions of pavilion –
like spaces, courtyards, and ample provision for plantation.
The design included long and unu
sually high (three storeyed) corrid
ors with innumerable vistas of foc
al points generating a dialogue wi
th one's self.

These corridors are sometimes see

m open, sometimes with only per
golas and sometimes partly covere
d with skylight.

To further heighten the spatial ex

perience, the width of the corridor
s was modulated in many places
to allow casual sitting, interaction
or moving forwards to once desti
nation or more towards.
Access to classrooms and administrative offices was provided
through these links as well as to generate constant activity.

Owing to the varying rhythm of the solids and voids, i.e. w

all and opening, coupled with direct or indirect natural light,
these links change in character during the different times of
the day as well seasons and offer the students and the fac
ulty, occasion to feel the presence of nature even while the
y are inside.