Sheltering Angle is an introduction to the work of Asha Baste and Prabhakar Baste. The Bastes started their partnership firm A & P Baste Architects in 1976 from their home studio in Mumbai from 1976 to 2002 and later from Pune till 2014.
Since then, they have worked on a variety of projects both in terms of scale and typology in India and abroad. The era in which the practice was established saw some pioneering work in housing design in India—the practice of A & P Baste Architects was one such practice. Though they have, to their credit, worked on hotel and commercial projects as well, somehow housing remained their favourite topic. The firm over time has experimented with different forms of housing, be it row housing or individual bungalows to the masterplan for the township.
The book further breaks down the process of house-making in a much simpler and easy-to-understand language that makes it a good read even for non-architects, it also reflects the ideology of the practice deeply rooted in humility. The flexible system or grammar for house planning described in this book was designed while building houses in Ratnagiri, where Prabhakar spent a major part of his childhood. The deep connection they had with the region is quite visible in their project. The book also is a tribute to Mr. Prabhakar who passed away in 2014, written from 2018 to 2020 by Asha Baste and was published by COA in 2022.
The original title of the book came from a monograph titled, The Sheltering Angle Architecture of Asha and Prabhakar Baste, first published in 1997. It contained an article by Masud Taj. A few pages into the book, one would agree more with the title. They enlighten you with an inspiring architectural practice grounded in the Konkans and of International standards.
The book eventually unfolds many stories and philosophies behind the practice. Once inside the world of the ‘Baste’, with a practice spanning four decades one could not help but feel lost in the hand-crafted practice. The book breaks the norm of coffee table architecture practice—it is divided into six chapters all written in the form of an essay.
It’s an easy read as it allows the reader to get engaged with the region and practice. From wherever you open the book, each chapter is independently written but holistically produces learnings of the practice.
My favourite part of Sheltering Angle are the nicely folded drawings at the end of the book. Dr. Himanshu Burte in the essay ‘Pulse of Design’ calls Mr. Prabhakar a designer-draftsman; the drawings would resonate with whatever had been said about the practice earlier.
The first chapter is about Prabhakar’s emotional connection with the Konkan region, he took ‘Shriram Nagar -Growth Pattern for Ratnagiri as his thesis topic at RIBA in 1973. The seed for the exploration of new architecture of the region was also sown. In the rehabilitation of Hanjiyasar, Morvi, Gujarat, their stint with rural architecture can be best seen. Further, the chapter highlights some of the key components which shaped their practice. The chapter mentions some influence of CA Doxiadis and ekistics.
The second chapter ‘Urban High Density Housing’ is a culmination of the vast experience of housing the couple had in the housing sector. Having worked with CIDCO in the initial years of their respective career in addition to the vast experience of housing for various departments in the practice, this book can also be considered as the Bible for housing—especially for the Konkan region. A & P Baste Architects was among the first practices in India that have worked on international commissioned work, especially projects related to large-span housing and prefabrication construction in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the majority of it did not see the light of the day and remained unbuilt.
The third and fourth chapters elaborate on the region vis-a-vis the transformation of architecture. This is an important chapter as it gives more finer detail about the western ghat of India. This would be especially important for readers who do not have much in-depth knowledge of the region, minute details from the lives of people, e.g., lifestyle, gender, family, typology, etc.
The last chapter ‘Hand-drawn Drawings’, gives detailed reference to some of the projects conceived with detailed drawings and blueprints, further breaking down the process of house making. These are not just good-looking drawings but working drawings that show the coordination and hidden alignments that make the various materials used in the buildings hold together as a unified whole. As the drawings are meant for students, the authors have additionally elaborated them with notes regarding what to notice in the blueprint.
Full-page photographs spread at regular intervals contribute immensely to showcasing the landscape of Western Ghat. The book is not very heavy on text but balances it with images and drawings. The drawings are perfectly folded and neatly placed into the book, forming complete sets, such that one can erect those buildings referring to the drawings. Architects and architecture students would relate more to the hand-designed and hand-draughted drawings.
The book also is an extension to the idea that architecture needs to be made accessible to ‘everyone’. It is a wonderful resource for low-cost modern buildings in the Western Ghats.
This book needs to be read by students, academicians, researchers, people of the Konkan Region, people who want to get into the process of built environment professional, small-size practice, big-size practice, and influencers. It is definitely a book that one would want students to use as a learning tool. Sheltering Angle is a book that would drive readers to think about their relationship with their surroundings.
