Charles Correa

Ar. Charles Correa by Asmita, Barsha, Bindu, Prabal. January 2016

1

Presentation on Architect Charles Correa

Presenters: Asmita Adhikari BAE/2070/06Barsha Malla Thakuri BAE/2070/08Bindu Regmi BAE/2070/10Prabal Dahal BAE/2070/27


2

Content of PresentationIntroduction PhilosophiesWork 1: Vidhan BhawanWork 2: British Council Building Work 3: Champalimaud CentreOther WorksConclusion


3

Introduction Born in 1930, Charles Correa grew up in the city of

Secunderabad in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh

University of Bombay, followed by the University of Michigan and then MIT Massachusetts

Awarded with prestigious: The Padma Vibhushan, the Australian Decoration for Science and Art, and the Royal Gold Medal

Leading architect for urban growth centres and founder of the Urban Design Research Institute in Bombay, his work uses a combination of traditional and modern features in order to create cutting-edge designs.

Correa has written essays and theoretical works focusing on the differing aspects of architecture and urban planning


4

Inspirations Hornby trains and Chinese gardens

Hornby Trains: They had flexibility. Every time one finished playing, back they went

into their wooden box – to be reincarnated the next day in a totally new formation.

Chinese gardens: It gradually builds and builds until it finally overwhelms you. Hornby

all over again! First you go through the sequence of pond and bridge and dragon wall in one direction, and then you find yourself coming in from another direction, experiencing them all in another sequence, in another order, from another height and so forth. The same handful of props are used and reused, again and again. And each time, because of a slight change in angle, or in sequence, they carry a new significance.

He described that the works of Le Corbusier gave him the freedom to invent architecture of the future

Fig. Hornby Trains model


5

Ideas, Principles and Philosophies Architecture is not abstraction.... it should work.

Architecture is a three-legged stool: climate, technology and culture. Together they generate the building.

“We do not know if architecture can be taught — but we know it can be learnt,” “For learning is a process that depends on us ourselves, and our attitude of mind.”

“History is a profound repository of space and time. It is the abstract principles we discover in history that we imbibe and learn from.”


6


7

Ideas, Principles and Philosophies Metaphysical values: - OPEN TO SKY Heaven Earth relationship...we force today... It was

primordial and basic... example: Rome's Pantheon

“I know I can get educated in non open to sky space but I am not sure about enlightenment.” Charles at Seminar Jana Pravaha, Mumbai

“Open space means being in the open, like the guru sitting under a tree. It’s beyond education – it’s enlightenment. When you sit on the seashore, something happens to your mind.” Excerpt from Charles’ interview extracted from Uncube Magazine


8

Ideas, Principles and Philosophies Instrumentality, Identity, Pluralism, Income generation, Equity,

Disaggregation. Use of Vastu Shastra Centre has to be empty...Brahman The empty space kind of gives a sense of orientation

Fig. Conceptual plan of Jawahar Kala Kendra by Ar. Charles Correa based on Mandala of 9 planetary systems: architecture as a Metaphor


9

SOME OF HIS WORKS


10

MP VIDHAN SABHA

‘Vidhan Bhavan is a public building which should say something very powerful about democracy, It is a building which has got to down with the idea of governing yourself. It

has to express the role it has to play and tell people that this is your city, this is your state and you must participate in it, It must not be low-key. It should have a presence.’

-Charles Correa


11

MP VIDHAN SABHA

Deep understanding of the Vedic principles

Won prestigious AGA KHAN award for this in 1999


12

MP VIDHAN SABHA


13

MP VIDHAN SABHA

Fig. Ariel view, model and elevation of MP Vidhan Sabha by Ar. Charles Correa


14

MP VIDHAN SABHA


15

The building is located in the centre of Bhopal Since the main access road is not axial , but swings towards the

site in a rather casual manner , the plan of the building developed is as a circle, so it could have an auto nous unity and presence, regardless of the direction from which it is approached.

References of this circular form are – parliament building in New Delhi, Buddhist stupa near Sanchi.

MP VIDHAN SABHA


16

The plan is a pattern of gardens within gardens, divided into 9 squares .

The five central ones are halls and courtyards , while the 4 corner positions are occupied by The Vidhan Sabha , The Vidhan Parishad, Central library, and Combined hall.

MP VIDHAN SABHA

It also contains a host of other facilities : offices, cabinet rooms, cafeterias, common rooms for security staff etc..

According to the requirements there are 3 main entrances- for public, VP’s, MLA’s

While moving along verandah and overlooking courtyards and gardens – as in traditional architecture of India.


17

MP VIDHAN SABHA

The whole building presents as extremely pleasing vision of powerful curves and straight vertical and horizontal lines.


18

Correa has used open to sky courtyards and a labyrinthine pattern of pathways to organize the complex requirements of administrative and legislative functions.

MP VIDHAN SABHA


19

The whole composition is enclosed by a wall that defines its exterior form like a circular inner city- a model of the city of Baghdad.

This approach has generated an interesting roofs cape and skylines, too often missing in contemporary architecture.

The use of gateways and domes and a tower to develop the imagery of this landmark is very much in the tradition of the harmonic order found in the traditional architecture of Islam.

MP VIDHAN SABHA


20

BRITISH COUNCIL• Year : 1987 – 1992• Location : Delhi• Materials : walls - red sandstone ,

sculptures – black rock quarried from

Mahabalipuram.• It is the headquarters of their office in

India.• Houses a library , an auditorium and an art gallery too.• Correa’s challenge - to express the

three basic cultural identities that have shaped contemporary India.• These elements are arranged in a series of layers – represents the historic interfaces that have existed between India and Britain.• He created a series of three courtyards representing the three cosmic focal points that stand for the world centre in Hindu, Muslim and European cultures.


21

The first node at the farthest end of the axis : mundi of Hinduism A spiral symbolizing bindu : energy center of the cosmos The central node : It is the main

courtyard derived from the Islamic ‘Char Bagh’ The third is the European icon : inlaid in

marble and granite.

Represents ‘Age of Reason’ including mythical values of science and progress

BRITISH COUNCIL DELHI


22

On the main facade is Howard Hodgkin’s mural, made of white makrana marble inlaid with black cuddapah stone.

The black stone design is representing the shadow cast by a giant banyan tree waving in the wind.



23


Fig. Conceptual Sketches for The British Council, Delhi


24


Fig. Photographs showing the openness of British Council Delhi as designed by Ar. Charles Correa


25



26

CHAMPALIMAUD CENTRE FOR THE UNKNOWN

BY CHARLES CORREA


27

QUICK DESCRIPTIONChampalimaud Centre for the

Unknown is a research institute based in Lisbon focused in biomedical science particularly in the fields of cancer research and neuroscience.

The centre was named for the late Portuguese businessman and benefactor Antonio Champalimaud



28

ABOUT THE CENTREArchitects: Charles Correa AssociatesLocation: Lisbon, PortugalProject Team: Charles Correa, Sachin

Agshikar, Manas Vanwari, Dhaval MaleshaArchitect Of Record: GlinttLaboratory And Clinical Design: RMJMServices: VanderwellStructure: LNMBridge Design: Joerg SchlaichLighting: DPASignage: Studio DambarArea: 50000.0 sqm



29

CHIEF ARCHITECT’s Words: “What makes me most proud about this

project is that it is NOT a Museum of Modern Art. On the contrary, it uses the highest levels of contemporary science and medicine to help people grappling with real problems; cancer, brain damage and going blind. And to house these cutting-edge activities, we tried to create a piece of architecture. Architecture as Sculpture. Architecture as Beauty. Beauty as therapy.”

-Ar. Charles Correa



30


Fig. Site location and geography


31


Fig. Deriving the form from the site


32


Fig. Using the site itself as a source of inspiration


33

The project is divided into three key elements –

A. The research and healthcare building

B. The conference centre building C. An open to air amphitheatre



34Fig. The Centre



35

Furthermore, the centre comprises-• The Complex• Laboratories• Champalimaud Clinical Centre• Auditorium• Exhibition Centre• Darwin's Cafe• Cafeteria• Gardens• Public Area



36

CHARACTERS It has a curved

stone form with circular cut-ways.

It features a Glass Bridge designed by Schlaich Bergermann and Partner—Klaus Straub



37

CHARACTERS The path rises at a gentle

slope that obscures the ocean view until the end, where two concrete monoliths frame a view to a pool of water and the Atlantic beyond.

Glass walls on all four floors face a large indoor-outdoor sunken garden—Correa likens it to a Brazilian rain forest—defined on its south edge by a curved stone wall and topped by a pergola.



38


Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Swm4vc7i4U8


39

Other WorksGandhi Smarak Sangrahalya

Museum, Ahmedabad (1958-63)

“Heritage does not mean that you make a cartoon version of the past.”

Fig. Left: View of Gandhi Smarak SangrahalayaRight: Plan and Elevation of the Museum


40

Other WorksTube House, Ahmedabad

(1961-62)

“Dealing with environment/energy is more than using glass tower, low yield glass to get LEED certificate. We can do it using form, dealing with climate....” Charles at Seminar Jana Pravaha, Mumbai


41


42

Other WorksKanchanjunga Apartments,

Mumbai, 1970-83)“…the garden terraces of the

Kanchanjunga Apartments are actually a modern interpretation of a feature of the traditional Indian bungalow: the veranda.” Archdaily website

Fig. KanchanJunga Apartments


43


44Fig. Islamic Cultural Centre, Toronto


45

ConclusionExquisite use of line and geometric balance

“Architecture is sculpture with gesture of human occupation...not just abstract sculpture.”

Architecture as a Metaphor: -“Architecture should be such that more of

meaningful things come out of our system.” -Open spaces

“…we need to be on the cutting edge... not just think about profit! No building is better than the client who commissions it…”


46

THANK YOU! GOOD DAY!

Engineering

Charles Correa