ARCHITECT BALKRISHNA DOSHI

Ar. Doshi, 94, is the only one from India to have been awarded both the Royal Gold Medal and the Pritzker Architecture Prize, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of architecture, in their lifetime.

BY Realty Plus
Published - Wednesday, 06 Jul, 2022

Architecture “happened by instinct”.
I was brought up in my grandfather’s house in Pune and that house was growing every time because of addition to the family. That ever expanding house made an impact on me. I got interested in the way community and cultural life impacts buildings.

Unfortunately we look at architecture first as buildings and secondly as clients. But, they both belong together and make a community. The present day architecture and architects are not talking about people and communities, but about facilities.

Pandemic taught us to focus on “energy and ecology”.
Globally, we need to be energy efficient to save our ecology. We have to consume less to save our precious natural resources and generate less waste. My present house in Ahmedabad was built in 1960 and is completely designed as per the surroundings for natural ventilation and light while, red exposed bricks cavity walls trap and minimize heat.
We as a society needs to lessen its consumption. My advice to young architects is to respect the ecology.