The search of identity by India between the period of 1890 to 1990 and the Deliberate attempts to exert an Indian identity through the built environment have been glorified.

1. Architecture and Identity
Nationalism, Regionalism and Individualism
The search for identityIndia
1880-1980
RAVIDEEP SINGH
Studio-3b

2. SYMBOLIC NATURE OF ARCHITECTURE
1) The overall configuration of a precinct of a city or a building carries meaning. The
patterns and masses that comprise an architectural style have specific associations. For
e.g., planning of the city of Simla had a British small town touch to it.
2) The materials of which any building is constructed and the construction techniques used
carry meaning. For e.g.. The use of sandstone with Persian Islamic architecture as
indosarcenic.
3) The illumination of buildings and their interiors has been a major carrier of symbolic
meaning. buildings such as the Bahai House of worship designed by Fariburz Sahba, where
there is a explicit use of light.
City of simla (1832)
•
Ref: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g304552-Shimla_Himachal_Pradesh-Vacations.html
Baha'i temple, new
Delhi
https://encryptedtbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSx34w9DCsf_byTx318flAl4Z8IqapNTwKy8gDz8BRdbdt
oLiD1

3. 4) The use of color- color serves many mundane purposes such as reflecting light
or hiding dirt but it is also a medium of aesthetic expression. For e.g., specific colors
were specific to the buildings of British and certain Indian localities such as
jaipur(pink).
5) The activities that have taken place or take place in specific spaces- the behavior
settings
that comprise the environment- are associated with particular cultures. For e.g., the
teen murti house, designed by Robert Russell(1920) for the commander in chief of
British forces, is important because it became the residence of the first prime minister
of India.
THOUGHT
SYMBOL
jaipur
Teen murti bhawan
REFERENT
Basic semiological triangle
Ref: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/14/0a/ca/nehru-museumRef: http://www.sights-and-culture.com/India-Jaipur/Jaipur-pink-city.jpg
planetarium.jpg

4. The quest for identity
The tools used at various times in the search of identity areRegionalism: increased globalization has resulted in a loss of a sense of place
and thus local identities.
Traditionalism: the way in which local aspirations subverted colonial and
modernizing forces in India. For e.g. the design of religious buildings.
Modernism: the perception that change way from the past is required to make
future better.
Revivalism: the notion of maintaining uniqueness of spirit through appearance.

5. The colonizer's heyday (1858-1910)
o
The classic and the neo-gothic architecture were clearly used as
statements of superior culture
o Dinshaw dorabjee mistri designed classical buildings in Bombay such as
the Parsee panchayat. The building adhered to the classical styles though
the implementation was done through local hands.
Raniwas quarters of
nahargarh fort, with its
European elements is
another example of
Anglo-Indian
architecture which was
practiced in 1880’s
The parsee panchayat , Mumbai
Image Ref: Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and
independence. Delhi: oxford university press.

6. Imperial impositions
the planning and urban design ideas of the British were effected by
1) Their perceptions of the nature of Indian city
2) The fear of revolts of 1857 types
3) The huassmannization type policies prevailing in European countries, and
4) The planning ideas being implemented by industrial British cities.
The hill stations such as shimla were imposed with British plans and architecture. It
had all the clutter of an English small town, a central mall and great Elizabethan
houses.
City of simla (1832)
•
Great Elizabethan houses.
Ref: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g304552-Shimla_Himachal_PradeshVacations.html

7. Imperial impositions- cantonments and bungalows
The nineteenth century cantonments and bungalows have acted as major
precedents for housing developments in India – there were both suburbs laid
out on gridiron planned communities with, following prevailing European
practices, segregated land uses.
the typical sub-urban bungalows had pitched roofs and richly carpentered
details. The classic bungalows had Doric or Tuscan columns showing not
only showing imperial heritage but also for Indians, of commerce.
Image Ref: Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and
independence. Delhi: oxford university press.

8. Gothic and ancient European classic revival
The church of sacred heart by Growse combines European gothic and
indigenous architectural forms and the bangla apex to its front facades.
James Fergusson was to advocate gothic in India. The gothic started
replacing the classics because of its visual complexity and greater associated
meanings. For eg. St. John’s church, Mumbai.
Image Ref: Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and
independence. Delhi: oxford university press.

9. Indo-saracenic
An attempt by the British, to show a sense of belonging to India. It was also
supposed to serve as a imperial gesture to revive Indian traditions.
The Napier museum by Chisholm, one of the prolific practitioner of
indosaracenic, in 1872. the structure incorporates various vernacular elements
and inspirations of roofs and balconies from the Padambhapuram palace of
the south.
Eventually most of the Indo-saracenic
buildings were British in sitting, spatial
organization and composition. However, the
degree of complexity and homogeneity and
consistency of borrowing from Indian
tradition evolved over time
Image Ref: Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and
independence. Delhi: oxford university press.

10. The amalgamation of styles
In The princely states such as Udaipur, the buildings such as the city
palace were a mixture of hindu-rajput and Islamic Persian
architecture with local materials such as sandstone which led to the
evolution of flowers and geometric patterns for decoration and
appearance of domes, arches and inlays.
City palace, Udaipur
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Palace,_Udaipur

11. Renaissance-oriental and indian-electic
The renaissance-oriental is the mixture of renaissance and mughal
architecture after the failure to successfully integrate gothic with Indian
architecture. For eg, the palace of Falaknama in Hyderabad.
The Indian eclectic was modeled on royal luxury but its referents were
Indian myths and folktales as well as architectural patterns and motifs.
For eg the Amba Vilas palace in Mysore(1900-10).
palace of Falaknama
Ref: http://www.indiantravels.com/Andhra-Pradesh/Hyderabad/Places/FalaknumaPalace
Amba Vilas palace
Ref: http://philoshistorydepartment.weebly.com/index.html

12. Renaissance-oriental
palace of Falaknama
Ref: http://www.indiantravels.com/Andhra-Pradesh/Hyderabad/Places/FalaknumaPalace

13. Indian- eclectic
Amba Vilas palace
Ref: http://philoshistorydepartment.weebly.com/index.html

14. revivalism
One of Ravindranath Tagore's house’s Konarka had a large
verandah, which has eight columns which are Buddhist in proportions and
patterns, a chajja of mughal character runs around the portico and has
stepping similar to the Buddhist stupa.
The balconies has carved out railings similar to the fatehpur skirl.
Gandhian ashram consisted of simple vernacular huts, like the Sabarmati
ashram-Gandhi’s perception of the village as a way of life.
Sabarmati ashram
Image Ref: Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and
independence. Delhi: oxford university press.
Ref: http://rushi-langaliya.blogspot.in/2011/01/history-of-ahmedabad.html

15. revivalism
Sabarmati ashram
Image Ref: www.indcast.com

16. Anglo-Indian architecture
Anglo-Indian architecture is basically high classical and a move towards modernism.
Delhi was taken as a starting point of Anglo-Indian architecture in India.
The plan was based on two crossing axes, the kings way(now raj path) and queens
way (now Jan path)-and radiating axes, one which links the Council house through
Connaught place to old Delhi. At the head of kings way is the viceroy’s house (now
rashtrapati bhawan). At the other end of kings way are the ruins of purana quila.
The war memorial,i.e. India gate and a statue of george.v was placed along the route.
Planning of Delhi
Image Ref: http://www.anglo-india-central.co.uk/template4/2012/01/04/delhi-journal-the-lutyens-legacy/

17. Anglo-Indian architecture
The viceroy’s palace, though had a European design theme but it used
elements from the mughal architecture: chajja’s, jaali’s and chattri’s. the idea
of garden’s to the rear of raj bhavan was also possibly borrowed by Fatehpur
sikri.
The dome of the viceroy’s palace was Buddhist, from sanchi. The material was
sandstone, the attitudes were mughal and the scheme was British
Rashtrapati bhawan, new Delhi
Ref: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTMU3maqW-ZggO3_WftMy-21-IB3tV3cq_RsCcBC2FQWFI62yE7AQ

18. Anglo-Indian architecture
Connaught place, designed by W.H. Nichols, the composition consists
of two concentric rings, one of retail and one of commercial activity. It
was a clear representation of imperial dream.
Connaught place, new Delhi
Image Ref: Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and
independence. Delhi: oxford university press.
Image Ref: Self

19. The indo-Deco
The indo-deco is basically fusion of Art deco with Indian forms.
The buildings of Mant and Chisholm were succeeded by Kirti mandir, the
temple of fame containing the cenotaphs of previous rulers, where Indian
forms were rendered with crisp angularity and nandalal Bose's murals were
done with fluid elegance
Kirti mandir
Ref: http://www.vmcegov.com/images/kirtimandir1.jpg

20. Bibliography
Jon Lang, M. d. (1997). Architecture and independence. Delhi: oxford university press.