The quest to define Indianness in architecture has been a recurring and vital theme in contemporary discussions on identity and the pursuit of modernism in India. Radha Hirpara explores this ongoing dialogue, examining what characterises architecture in India as distinctly “Indian” within a global framework, and what elements make it inherently rooted in Indian identity.
The quest to define Indianness in architecture has been a recurring and vital theme in contemporary discussions on identity and the pursuit of modernism in India. Radha Hirpara explores this ongoing dialogue, examining what characterises architecture in India as distinctly “Indian” within a global framework, and what elements make it inherently rooted in Indian identity.
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Alimentative Architecture
A series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.
ArchitectureLive! continues with Alimentative Architecture – The fifth in a series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.
ArchitectureLive! continues with Alimentative Architecture – The fourth in a series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.
ArchitectureLive! continues with Alimentative Architecture – The third in a series of articles, An Architect Eats Chapati, by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfaces architecture with food via geometry.
ArchitectureLive! celebrates UN World Food Day with Alimentative Architecture – The second in a series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.
Alimentative Architecture – A series of articles by Architect-Poet-Calligrapher H Masud Taj interfacing architecture with food via geometry.
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Perspectives
Ravindra Punde, architect and academician, calls for a fundamental reimagining of architecture education in India, arguing it must shift from colonial pedagogies to address climate change, social inequality, and ethical responsibility through ecology-centred, community-engaged, and culturally diverse learning.
Nipun Prabhakar, in his article on the 2025 Global Challenge finalists of Architecture-in-Development (A––D), elaborates on how community-led design defines the new frontline of practice. They showcase us a future where design is measured not only by metrics or capital, but by its capacity to connect, care, and endure.
Prem Chandavarkar, Partner at CnT Architects, writes about the firm’s manifesto that is defined by four frames—Integrity, Empathy, Emancipation, and Transcendence—advocating a collective, ethical, and human-centered practice that upholds spatial coherence, nurtures inhabitation, challenges convention, and aspires toward beauty and the joy of existence.
Aniket Bhagwat, in this prose, argues that while speed and competence in construction are vital, architecture is distinct and fragile. It goes beyond enclosure and utility to expose meaning, embodying resistance, beauty, abstraction, and memory.
Aniket Bhagwat reflects on architecture’s lost connection to beauty, abstraction, and philosophy, urging a return to thoughtful making that roots buildings in meaning, memory, and cultural responsibility.
In this day and age, with unprecedented climate disasters caused by techno-industrial paradigms, Snehanshu Mukherjee focuses on how architectural education must be reformed to espouse critical, creative, and context-sensitive design thinking, moving beyond conventional practices, silos, and outdated curricula, to address climate and societal challenges and empower architects for diverse creative roles.
On his 117th anniversary, remembering Otto Königsberger, Sarbjit Singh Bagha writes about how he transformed Indian cities with humane, climate-responsive designs and flexible urban planning, leaving a lasting legacy of compassion and innovation.
Sarbjit Singh Bagha elaborates on Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh furniture that were crafted with local materials and collaborative craftsmanship, which has become a modernist icon, now globally coveted, yet embroiled in controversies over export, heritage protection, and cultural ownership.
In continuation of their analysis of NIRF ranking of 2024, A. Srivathsan and Astha Agarwalla, analyse the 2025 NIRF rankings for Architecture and Planning which shows minimal shifts. They critique the opacity of perception scoring, dominance of well-funded public institutions, and bias in evaluation methods, calling for greater transparency, fairer frameworks for private colleges, and recognition of architecture’s practice-oriented nature alongside research outputs.
Intekhab Alam, in his article about SKICC, or Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre, Srinagar, designed by Joseph Stein, explores how the structure harmonises the Kashmiri landscape and modern heritage, symbolising resilience, cultural exchange, and the urgent need for sensitive restoration.
H. Masud Taj, recollecting Architect Arthur Erickson’s humorous wish to be reborn as an elephant, which evoked his poem “Elephant,” weaves themes of memory, architecture, origami, and a worldwide journey celebrating creativity, resilience, and the enduring power of form.
Prof. Abhay Purohit, President of the Council of Architecture, outlines challenges from unauthorised practitioners to the potential of AI and smart buildings. He paints a vivid picture of both hurdles and hopes for architects tasked with shaping a modern yet culturally rooted India.
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