“Book: Biome Diaries, by Biome Environmental Solutions, Bangalore”

Biome Diaries is envisaged to be a series of pocket-friendly publications about the people, projects, and processes at Biome Environmental Solutions (formerly Chitra Vishwanath Architects).

"Book: Biome Diaries, by Biome Environmental Solutions, Bangalore" 1

About the book

Biome Diaries is envisaged to be a series of pocket-friendly publications about the people, projects, and processes at Biome Environmental Solutions (formerly Chitra Vishwanath Architects), that have striven to mainstream ecological consciousness over the last three decades. As a collection of essays, the books will navigate across different timeframes and typologies, with a focus not only on architecture but the firm’s engagement with water and energy management.

Biome Diaries would be of relevance to students of architecture interested in investigating and understanding the firm’s approach to ecological design, with a narrative record of events, experiences, learnings, and achievements. The diaries consist of essays in the form of text, visual narratives, poetry, fiction, sketches, illustrations, photographs, drawings and more, from a range of contributors, both from within and outside the architectural community.

The diaries have many authors ranging from architects to our patrons and how they perceive the design. It also has a commentary from a contractor! The contributing architects are Gautam Bhatia, R J Vasavda, Rahul Mehrotra, Soumitro Ghosh, Falguni Desai, and Khushru Irani. Our young colleague Vidushi Gupta has also written about her experience at sites and how it is different from making drawings in an office.

The construction methods are illustrated through comics rather than construction drawings alone. These drawings and comics are done by in-office talents.

The hardcase set consists of three hardbound diaries of A5 size, namely “Then”, “Now” and “Emergence”. Each diary has on average 130 pages.

You can place your preorder by clicking on this Google Form Link or by filling in the physical format attached herewith the mail.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent

Edwin Lutyens' bust which was replaced by C. Rajagopalachari's bust in Rashtrapathi Bhavan

“Changing The Statue Does Not Change the Room”—Geethu Gangadhar on Edwin Lutyens’ Bust Removal

The current Indian government replaced Edwin Lutyens’ bust with freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari’s at Rashtrapati Bhavan, framing it as decolonisation. But symbolic gestures don’t dismantle colonial mindsets embedded in governance, caste, and institutions. Geethu Gangadhar raises an important question: whether this removal is a way to eradicate colonial baggage or systemic removal of history.

Read More »
Massing during construction, retaining the exposed concrete facade composition, cross columns and profiled beams. Archival collection of Tibet House, 1977. Accessed in 2026

Brutalist India | Tibet House, New Delhi

As part of Brutalist India series Bhawna Dandona writes about Tibet House in New Delhi which is a non-profit cultural centre dedicated to preserving Tibetan heritage, founded in 1965 at the Dalai Lama’s request. The current building’s foundation was laid in 1974, with architect Shivnath Prasad.

Read More »
Vivek Rawal

Architecture, Power, and the Poor | “As a profession, architecture lacks moral position and has become complicit in the neoliberal dispossession of the poor.”—Vivek Rawal

Vivek Rawal argues that architecture—as a profession—is structurally aligned with political and economic power rather than social justice. He critiques how architectural education and practice prioritise developers and real estate over communities, turning housing into a market commodity. Even movements like sustainability and participation, he says, often become tools for elite consumption rather than genuine empowerment. True moral reform, according to Rawal, would mean architects relinquishing control and enabling community-led design and housing decisions.

Read More »
The Chunli Guesthouse, Shanghai, China by TEAM_BLDG 1

The Chunli Guesthouse, Shanghai, China by TEAM_BLDG

The Chunli Guesthouse, Shanghai, China by TEAM_BLDG’s response to nature, memory, and the spirit of place. The design takes “Catching” as its spiritual core, emphasizing the relationship between the architecture and the surrounding rice field landscape.

Read More »

Featured Publications

New Release

Stories that provoke enquiry into built environment

www.architecture.live

Subscribe & Join a Community of Lakhs of Readers

We Need Your Support

To be able to continue the work we are doing and keeping it free for all, we request our readers to support in every way possible.

Your contribution, no matter the size, helps our small team sustain this space. Thank you for your support.

Contribute using UPI

Contribute Using Cards