For those who don’t know me, I was part of the historic first batch at K.R.V.I.A. under the aegis and design leadership of Sen Kapadia, our beloved founder director. I am honoured to represent the entire historic first batch, my friends and my classmates who share similar sentiments, as we pay our respect and homage to Sen.
Sen touched our lives in various ways.
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My experience with Sen dates back to 1992. I had the privilege of learning from him during three crucial phases of my life, both as a student and a professional. Rather than phases, I would like to define the same as “states of being”.
I experienced the first “state of being” with Sen as a young student at K.R.V.I.A.
Sen was an incredible personality, similar to a ‘mountain’ like personality, a colossal one at that. He didn’t shout, impose, or make his presence feel forceable, but rather was a quiet, powerful, and undeniable presence.
He was handsome, tall, and charming. He had a glint in his eye, a cross between a ‘designer’ and a ‘philosopher’. Students struggled to make eye contact with him, yet his voice—soothing and uplifting—drew them in gently. In those formative years, we were all like streams of water, searching for clarity and answers.
The mountain never directs the streams where to flow.
Yet, the streams always find a way to navigate thanks to the mountain and the contours that define the mountain.
Sen introduced us to music, Zen philosophy, John Cage, The Little Prince, Ways of Seeing, Semantics of design, Art, Theatre, Performance Art, Sculpture, Product Design, Bauhaus, Furniture Design, and the art of inquiry. He taught us to listen to silence and left us with many questions.
The “second state of being” with Sen, I experienced in his studio. I continued to work with him for a few years. I still remember the studio. It was an incredible space, a design temple of sorts; a large, linear, double-height wall decorated with a strip of corrugated skylight. The linear box was softened by curvilinear geometries. A vaulted cabin volume was injected into the studio space, and a circular masonry wall in plaster and stucco housed a tree.
Unlike his ‘mountain’ like persona as a Director, Sen was a large, generous tree canopy in the studio. We took refuge under this giant tree.
Perhaps a Banyan Tree.
Months and Seasons passed by.
Information, ideas and light filtered through this “Tree”.
A large “kite” floated above the reception and studio space. The “kite” in a way represented Sen’s indomitable spirit fighting. Constantly challenging the status quo and the establishment. The “kite” defied gravity and wind currents to hold its position in the sky with pride, honesty and integrity. The studio was all about light, nature and wind.
Sen loved sketching designs on tracing paper. His trademark 2B lead clutch pencil flowed freely on tracing paper. He used the eraser as a drawing tool, creating smudges and textures that added to the quality of the space. The design process in the studio entailed reading, sketching, drawing, and model-making.
The third “state of being” was when I began my design practice. I travelled to London to pursue my Master’s in Architecture and Urbanism at the AA Architectural Association and worked with Zaha Hadid Architects briefly before returning to India. On my return, I made it a point to be in touch with Sen, sharing my work and gaining invaluable critique.
Sen, the ‘Mountain’ and the ‘Tree’ gave way to Sen, the ‘River’.
You can’t see the river very often, but the presence was undeniable. Very often, I could listen to a quiet voice in my head. More as a probing, polite question rather than an instruction. What is the impact of this project? Who are the beneficiaries? What is the underlying philosophy?
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He left us with so many questions.
Sen’s legacy is defined by the Mountain, the Tree and the River. Very often, we resort to cliches suggesting that profound personalities are institutions by themselves; however, for me, Sen was a ‘landscape’ which would be probed, explored, and discovered in infinite ways.
What defines a great architect? The awards, built projects, competition designs, unbuilt works, writings, research, exhibitions, lectures, etc.
Sen accomplished all of the above and much more. However, what separates him was his ability to shape young minds, which was extremely challenging considering we came from non-design PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) backgrounds in the 90’s to open our minds and impregnate all our senses.
As I pay homage and respect on behalf of my batch to Sen, I would say that he is very much alive.
He draws through us
He writes through us
He builds through us
He listens to music through us
He speaks through us
He designs through us
Sen has given us more than we could ever imagine.
My last interaction with Sen was a couple of months ago. I shared our published monograph and read through a few chapters. He raised a few provocations to which I had no answer. His speech was perfectly legible and mind razor sharp. I felt I had been transported back to the 90’s listening to my Guru. Periodically, I glanced through the window of his house and stared at the horizon, where water meets the sky and wished that moment would stay forever.
(right) Nuru Karim speaking at the Condolence Meeting for Sen Kapadia held at K.R.V.I.A.
Images courtesy of the author.
And maybe… that’s the thing about people like Sen.
They don’t really leave.
They just… change form.
They become the questions we continue to ask.
The courage we gather to challenge what exists.
And long after the drawings fade… and the buildings weather…
What remains… is a way of seeing.
A way of thinking.
A way of being.
A way of Sen…
for showing us not just how to design—but how to live.
Note: This is a tribute speech by Nuru Karim, delivered at the Condolence Meeting held in honour of Sen Kapadia at K.R.V.I.A.
