Modern Architecture Flashcards
Modern Indian Architecture
2 styles
- Indo-gothic
- Neo-roman
Iberian style vs Gothic style
Iberian style
- Iberian peninsula, Portuguese church
- Lime stone and red sandstone used
- Involved creation of new shapes and structures
- No wooden roofs
- Expensive material
Gothic style
- Originated in France
- Bricks used as a material
- Doesn’t involve new shape and structure but they reinterpreted the existing western style
- Wooden roofs
- Non expensive material
Indo Gothic Style
- Flourished in 19th century till 1911
- Hybrid style having Mughal, hindu and western influence
- Also known as Indo-saracenic style
- Features
a. Elaborate and large constructions
b. Advance british structural engineering standards hence fine use of steel, iron and poured concrete
c. Thinner walls
d. Pointed arches
e. Large windows
f. Church-crucified ground plan - Examples
a. St. Poule’s Cathedral, Kolkata
b. Victoria memorial, Kolkata
c. Gateway of India
d. Laxmivilas palace
New Roman Style
- Started by Edwin lutyen and Edward baker
- Features
a. Hybrid structure
b. Conjusted style
c. Modemity ,simplicity and utility was compromised
d. Upturned dome
e. Examples,parlament building,rashtrapati bhawan
Contribution of Louie Baker and Le Corbusier
Louie Baker
- Architect of poor
- He was a pioneer of sustainable architecture as well as organic architecture
- Merged building with environment
- Ventilation and thermal comfort arrangement
- Used locally available material
- Introduced pillar-slab construction method-reduce the consumption of steel and cement
- Revolutionize the mass housing in Kerala
Le Corbusier
- Known for his contributions in urban planning
- Designed the city Changidarh
Green Buildings in India
- A green building is one which uses less water, optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building
- EDGE Program in lndia
- The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Confederation of Real Estate Develpoers Assiciaations of India (CREDAI), apex body of private real estate developers, have partnered to promote green buildings in the country through IFC’s EDGE certification. An MoU was signed in the presence of Minister for Environment and Forests in 2014.
- The Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) launched the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC).
- GRIHA is a rating tool that helps people assesses the performance of their building against certain nationally acceptable benchmarks. It evaluates the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a ‘green building’. The rating system, based on accepted energy and environmental principles, will seek to strike a balance between the established practices and emerging concepts, both national and international.
Indira Paryavaran Bhawan
- It’s India’s first net zero energy building that has been constructed with adoption of solar passive design building materials
- It covers only 30 per cent of the total area, while more than 50 percent are outside the building is a soft area with plantation and grass
- The successful adoption of green building can maximize both the economic and environmental performances of buildings
- The building has GRIHA 5-star (provisional) rating for the following features.
a. The design allows for 75 per cent natural daylight to be utilised to reduce energy consumption.
b. The entire building has an access friendly design for differently-abled persons.
c. With an installed of 930 kW peak power. the building has the largest rooftop solar system among multi-storied buildings in India.
d. The building is fully compliant With requirements of the Energy Conservation Building Code of India (ECBC). Total energy savings of about 40 per cent have been achieved through the adoption of energy efficient chilled beam system of air-conditioning. As per this, air- conditioning is done by convection currents rather than airflow through air handling units, and chilled water is circulated right up to the diffuser points unlike the conventional systems.
e. Green materials like fly ash bricks. regional building materials, materials with high recyclable content, high reflectance terrace tiles and rock wool insulation of outer walls have been used.
f. Use of renewable bamboo jute composite material for door frames and shutters.
g. UPVC windows with hermetically sealed double glass. Calcium Silicate ceiling tiles with high recyclable content and grass paver blocks on pavements and roads.
h. Reduction in water consumption has been achieved by use of low- discharge water fixtures, recycling of waste water through sewage treatment plant. use of plants with low water demand in landscaping, use of geothermal cooling for HVAC system. rainwater harvesting and use of curing compounds during construction.
It is argued that there is a need to re-write Indian history textbooks. Critically examine why and comment if such arguments have any merit. (200 Words)
History is a means to understand our heritage and strengthen our links with our ancestors. In that context it is frequently argued that we need to rewrite Indian history textbooks due to following reasons:
• There is excessive focus on political history while other cultural, sociological, economic aspects have been relatively neglected.
• There is a very strong focus on North and North Western region to the detriment of other regions in the country.
• Often, myths and legends have been embellished as popular fact without any strong basis in historical fact.
• New insights are gained from archaeological sources, from newly discovered documents, paintings etc. which needs to be interpreted.
• Indian history mainly has narratives of two school of thoughts - Marxist and Colonial. There is a need to broaden the perspective by analysis through other ideological prisms.
• In any field, revision and updating text books should be an organic process which keeps pace with the new discoveries. Hence, the demand for revision of history textbooks is justified.
• While different perspectives on history can be there, the perspective of the dominant group should not be used for the purpose of establishing a cultural hegemony.
• The rewriting should be strictly based on facts and not myths or legends
• The task should be entrusted to eminent historians with integrity and strong credentials so that the task is not unduly politicized.
Instead of rewriting history books what is needed instead is addition of different perspectives with critical analysis that brings new insights into public domain
The crisis in Indian museums is less of resources and more of imagination and commitment.” Critically comment. (200 Words)
The dismal state of Indian museums especially the government ones is no secret. Various reasons can be attributed to it -
• Mere collection of artefacts ignoring viewers interest - museums should not be just a place of repositories of objects. Efforts should be made to make it people friendly so that they can connect to the place and engage with the rich collection
• No skilled manpower - leading to substandard maintenance, lighting and signage among other issues. Proper training has to be introduced for better handling of such things
• Lack of expertise - often responsibilities of museums are given to IAS officers who are generalists and not any specialists Barring few exceptions, it can be least expected that they would come up with any innovative ideas. Many a times they are given the responsibility of museum as a form of punishment which shows how seriously the matter is being taken up.
• Lack of autonomy - for effective functioning of the museums they have to be given the much required autonomy lack of which leads to ad hoc arrangements.
• Collaboration with similar foreign organisations - such collaborations help to bring in the much required expertise and knowledge in proper handling of museums
Museums are guardians of objects of historical and cultural objects. However, they need to be handled intelligently in order for them to gain wide acceptance among the people. A great collection with average people will give an average museum but an average museum with great people often produces great museum .
