AHMEDABAD: After the representation from the family of American architect Louis Kahn and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) over the past two days, IIM-A continued to receive letters to save the built heritage of Kahn.
On Tuesday, the institute received letters from several quarters including the alumni of IIM-A, Cept University, the Gujarat chapter of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and University of California, Berkeley. An online petition was also initiated, which received over 4,100 supporters in less than two days.
The announcement of a ‘change’ in 14 of 18 dorms in a letter sent to alumni by Prof Errol D’Souza, the director of the IIM-A, set in motion a chain reaction globally. The move has evoked mixed reactions —primarily on the lines of conservation versus functionality.
In a letter to the director, Vishaan Chakrabarti, the dean of the College of Environmental Design at University of California, Berkeley, wrote that he sympathizes with the idea of the institution’s change and growth. “But this is not the way,” he wrote, adding that the restoration of the library proved that it can be adapted to contemporary needs. “As I’m sure you are aware, significant international concern is rising about your plans. This is not a decision that can be made unilaterally by any institution in an advanced nation,” he wrote. “As such we share a covenant that we are stewards of history and culture.”
Sanjeev Joshi, co-convener of INTACH’s Gujarat chapter, in his letter mentioned that the Kahn complex is considered Grade 1 heritage. “This work of Kahn along with Le Corbusier’s works at Chandigarh and Ahmedabad have influenced how modern architecture shaped in India from 1960 onward,” his letter said. “These cultural assets belong to the globe at large and IIM administration of the day are merely custodians and trustees of the campus.”
‘Ahmedabad shouldn’t go the Delhi way’
The Faculty of Architecture Alumni Association (FAAA) in its letter on December 28 mentioned that the alumni across the globe — more than 2,500 in number — unanimously object to the path taken by the administration. “There is unequivocal urgent need to preserve and protect the original priceless works in their ensemble entirety,” mentioned the letter. A Delhi-based architect, Gurpreet Singh, the president of FAAA, told TOI that Delhi has lost its precious monuments such as Hall of Nations. “Ahmedabad shouldn’t go the Delhi way. The building also represents an era of the city’s development,” he said.
We want to work together: Alumni
Ahmedabad : In a letter to Kumar Mangalam Birla, the chairperson of the governing council, and Prof D’Souza, 25-plus alumni urged their alma mater to withdraw or stay the tender. The alumni come mostly from 1971 to 2002 batches and hold top management positions in India and abroad. The institute has been urged to set up a time-bound participative process with the alumni and share the results of the restoration so far. A feasibility study has been mooted of various options, and the examination of budget and plan for sourcing funds has been suggested. Sanjeev Aggarwal, an alumnus of PGP 1995 batch, told TOI that they are steadfastly with the institute. “The alumni body would like to offer assistance in all forms, including funding, to ensure that we preserve the legacy of Louis Kahn, which is intertwined with the soul of the institution,” he said. “We want to work together with the management and the governing council of the institute to bring together alumni resources, both managerial and financial, to make sure that we take a decision which helps in conserving the legacy.”