It is about a work that spans four decades, a journey that commenced with not so easy a beginning, yet, the ensuing years with their gargantuan hours of work leaving behind a set of strokes that remain etched in stone, literally. It is about going beyond merely recording the strokes and design intent; where thoughts, emotions, the context prevail, bringing these out lucidly, wrapping the reader into the entire process through with each structure emerged.
It is about the architectural journey of Brinda Somaya of SNK Architects, capturing her master strokes over the last four decades. The book, “Brinda Somaya, Works & Continuities”, released recently at the InCITE gallery, brings to light the master’s work and thought process, the sensitivities addressed in her multiple projects, laying bare the versatile architect she is and achieving this in a relatively male-dominated profession that it served to be during her prime.
The book starts with her social project in the earthquake-devastated Kutch, Somaya coming up with a housing solution that was not only acceptable emotionally to the locals who were rendered homeless, but also addressed the local design while proving to serve as an earthquake-proof solution. Somaya says “The first decision was to relocate them to their original parcels of land.”
Some of the locals had stacked their old doors and jaalis after the earthquake and these were successfully used in the new construction. The design process involved “incorporating details that would assist in healthier living environments such as designing kitchens with jaalis to ventilate”. Minimal openings and concrete jaalis were used to permit ventilation while cutting down on the intense heat and dust in the desert plains.
Courtyards were planned to avoid direct sunlight while verandahs were oriented in clusters of five to six houses to retain the sense of a close-knit community. While spaces were also created for livestock, the villagers were encouraged to rebuild their own homes. Lime, clay, mirrors were encouraged to adorn the houses, the way they had prevailed earlier. Some of the neem-lined lavatories that existed earlier were studied and upgraded.
The Street
The book features The Street which talks in depth about the architecture of four buildings built on brownfield industrial sites of the erstwhile mill lands of Mumbai. This section begins with the NRK House which became an experiment and almost a prototype to showcase how the beautiful stone buildings could be retained, restored and reconverted for use where non-polluting industries could operate.
The buildings were a group of derelict sheds, though they had a presence in the precinct. Since the visual significance of the buildings was an important part of the preservation, Somaya converted the defunct crèche into a showroom, while the storage shed was turned into back-office spaces. The result was a metamorphosis of the old buildings into four elegant and contemporary pavilions.
The Brady Gladys Plaza, the second building in The Street, was in a condition impossible to salvage. It became a much discussed piece of architecture with its pristine white buildings and lush green sky gardens.
The third building, the Empire Institute of Learning, took Somaya on a journey around the Empire Mills compound where she encountered a luminous, empty shed full of cement bags. The structure could be salvaged, its robust architectural character coming from the steel trusses that served the efficient process of the mills.
An elliptical design studio plan was added, the language of the new structure within the shed decided by the usage of contemporary materials. Further, the existing cast iron columns were retained and the unusually high ceiling was left undisturbed to retain the character of the original building.
Skyscrapers
The fourth building, the World Towers, comprises three residential skyscrapers. The towers are supposed to be the tallest in Mumbai, their elegance standing out in stark contrast to some of the massive floor plates around. Given the seismic zone, the asymmetrical plan and such great heights, the towers had to be designed with a structural tube system with moment-resisting frames at the periphery of the building.
The book also speaks about her community projects, listing four of them: Colaba Woods, Nityanand Ashram, Voice and Mumbai Esplanade. Besides featuring some of her famous residential and conservation projects and institutions, the book also carries some interesting conversations with Somaya.