The Rebelle blog

I feel very pumped up about motivating myself to do new things, discover stuff that I pushed in the back of my mind for several unknown reasons. I have been sharing this with a fellow Architect friend as well hoping to motivate him to get beyond conventional architecture ideologies and practices. The way we view Architectural practices in India is in a retrograde motion. Everybody talks of the changing urban scenario with regards to global implications of climate change and economic crisis and socio-cultural shift but we do not pay a heed to mechanisms that should address these concerns. I also feel that my senses have renewed themselves after a short stint on something I love and am so passionate about. I am not just talking and thinking of architecture as a venture or a theory but as an alternative replaceable means to look at certain issues. Architecture is not the only important thing in this world. Neither is technology but people have taken these two together and promoted them t...

I received a phone call from an old college friend yesterday. She was a year junior to me in college. Although, we hadn't been in touch, with her call we spoke with an ease only fast friends can. We updated each other on our current ventures. She has been doing a lot of architectural projects in Nashik and no one could be more happier than me for her work. This is the same girl who with her grit and determination proved everyone wrong in college after an unfortunate loss of a school year. She went on to complete her Architecture Internship under the great Laurie Baker's tutelage firm COSTFORD in Trivandrum. Any sensitive architecture student in India knows the importance of low cost building methods and techniques. Aditi, my friend gathered valuable experiences and utilised them at Pune where she was involved with environmental planning and designing. Her architectural maturity is evident from the fact that she encourages Eco-sensitive architecture practices everywhere around...

One of the outright benefits of being a voracious reader is getting asked questions and research help on architecture and history. I am always a bit too happy to read/talk on Architecture. It gives a fresh sense of belonging even when my design philosophy doesn't agree with the current practices and state of Architecture in India or other places. One, I am anti-glass. My visualisation of Architecture has been and will always be devoid of glass. It is disruptive to put in one word. It is distracting too. Not to forget the extra essentials glass buildings demand in hot climates. It is not a very viable or suitable material for tropical countries. Yet, our fixation with glass has overgrown over the years. Partly because of a blind imitation of western architecture? Perhaps. Also, partly because of the lack of visionaries who had a big say in channelising the architectural traditions in this country. Today when I look around and read about the glossy outcome of architecture that incl...