About Modern Indian Architecture, focus has to be equally thrown on the style of Indian Architecture that has existed since long and stand as a reflection to the grandeur, culture and brilliance that the country possesses. Indian Architecture has been influenced by several rulers and time that the country has gone through. The Mughal Architecture, the Colonial Architecture that the country has been a witness to is something to be seen and be proud of. These architectural expertise and brilliance exuded in the buildings stands perfect and as example to the modern world.
Architecture traditionally, i.e, before the arrival of British on the Indian soil, was from the social point of view, a creation of spectacular sculptural forms hewn out of stone. Architectural material was stone; tools, chisel and hammer, and the aim was glorification. In contrast, the every-day needs of a common man were ruthlessly neglected. Then the British arrived on the scene, it was through them that the first introduction to elementary modern building construction and planning was introduced into India.
Their aim, however, was to house their organisations, and their people and whatever was necessary to control an empire as big as India. It was no intention of the British to educate Indians in the art and science of architecture. Consequently Indian minds, during the British reign, were completely out of touch with the progressive thinking taking place in the rest of the world. The most significant architectural phenomenon that took place during the first half of this century in this country was building of Imperial Delhi.
After the British left India in 1947, Indian architecture dropped into an abyss. Indian architects, who were relegated to the role of being assistants to the British architects under the British Raj, took their own time to express their ingenuity. Perhaps, there was an identity crisis, a dilemma whether to bask in the glory of the past or move forward with times using new ideas, images and techniques. While in other fields like art, music and culture, the distinct Indian imprint was more enhanced in the post-Independence period; no such thing was discernible in the case of architecture. It is no doubt that the Indian architects were unable to achieve a transformative architecture despite the existence of great potential at the time of Indian Independence.
The post-Independence period saw the emergence of two schools of thought in architecture. These are:
* Revivalist
The Revivalists, who advocated "continuity with the past", could not break the shackles of the colonial legacy and left no significant impact on the neo-Indian architecture.
* Modernist
The Modernists too depended heavily on the European and American models and tried to adopt them in India without taking into consideration the regional aspirations, diversities and requirements.
The contemporary Indian architecture was also beset with problems like population explosion, lack of vision among the planners, lack of support from the government and a less than satisfactory standard of architecture education. The result was that during the initial years after the Independence, foreign architects continued to play a leading role in Indian architecture.
Indian Architecture has definitely taken a new turn, away from the huge appeal of the buildings that have been built in the past, the royal look, the grand appearance and the sprawling acres around the concrete is definitely out of the scene. The Modern Indian Architecture can be sited from the grand buildings that have come up in the metros with the international brand of corporate companies coming in. Big corporate houses have set their offices in many of the metropolitan cities of India like Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad and many other cities. These offices can be well held as an example of Modern Indian architecture. Some of the hotels that have been built recently also stand as an example to the modern architecture.
Modern Indian architecture is being planned in a way by keeping in mind the availability of land and the population growth. Modern Indian Architecture stands more on the storeys than on acres unlike the colonial or ancient Indian architecture. Modern Indian Architecture is well reflected from the architectural style exuded in the city of Chandigarh, the way the city has been built and the design of the city stands as a great example of the Indian Modern architecture.
Interesting thing to notice in the Modern Architectural style followed in India is that while moving on for the modern and away from the tradition, the building patterns are being done actually in a more traditional way by following the "Vaastushastra". So, in a way, it can be said that the Modern architecture in India is actually tracing back the path of architectural brilliance followed in the past with some changes brought in as per the demand of the time and situation".
Architecture traditionally, i.e, before the arrival of British on the Indian soil, was from the social point of view, a creation of spectacular sculptural forms hewn out of stone. Architectural material was stone; tools, chisel and hammer, and the aim was glorification. In contrast, the every-day needs of a common man were ruthlessly neglected. Then the British arrived on the scene, it was through them that the first introduction to elementary modern building construction and planning was introduced into India.
Their aim, however, was to house their organisations, and their people and whatever was necessary to control an empire as big as India. It was no intention of the British to educate Indians in the art and science of architecture. Consequently Indian minds, during the British reign, were completely out of touch with the progressive thinking taking place in the rest of the world. The most significant architectural phenomenon that took place during the first half of this century in this country was building of Imperial Delhi.
After the British left India in 1947, Indian architecture dropped into an abyss. Indian architects, who were relegated to the role of being assistants to the British architects under the British Raj, took their own time to express their ingenuity. Perhaps, there was an identity crisis, a dilemma whether to bask in the glory of the past or move forward with times using new ideas, images and techniques. While in other fields like art, music and culture, the distinct Indian imprint was more enhanced in the post-Independence period; no such thing was discernible in the case of architecture. It is no doubt that the Indian architects were unable to achieve a transformative architecture despite the existence of great potential at the time of Indian Independence.
The post-Independence period saw the emergence of two schools of thought in architecture. These are:
* Revivalist
The Revivalists, who advocated "continuity with the past", could not break the shackles of the colonial legacy and left no significant impact on the neo-Indian architecture.
* Modernist
The Modernists too depended heavily on the European and American models and tried to adopt them in India without taking into consideration the regional aspirations, diversities and requirements.
The contemporary Indian architecture was also beset with problems like population explosion, lack of vision among the planners, lack of support from the government and a less than satisfactory standard of architecture education. The result was that during the initial years after the Independence, foreign architects continued to play a leading role in Indian architecture.
Indian Architecture has definitely taken a new turn, away from the huge appeal of the buildings that have been built in the past, the royal look, the grand appearance and the sprawling acres around the concrete is definitely out of the scene. The Modern Indian Architecture can be sited from the grand buildings that have come up in the metros with the international brand of corporate companies coming in. Big corporate houses have set their offices in many of the metropolitan cities of India like Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad and many other cities. These offices can be well held as an example of Modern Indian architecture. Some of the hotels that have been built recently also stand as an example to the modern architecture.
Modern Indian architecture is being planned in a way by keeping in mind the availability of land and the population growth. Modern Indian Architecture stands more on the storeys than on acres unlike the colonial or ancient Indian architecture. Modern Indian Architecture is well reflected from the architectural style exuded in the city of Chandigarh, the way the city has been built and the design of the city stands as a great example of the Indian Modern architecture.
Interesting thing to notice in the Modern Architectural style followed in India is that while moving on for the modern and away from the tradition, the building patterns are being done actually in a more traditional way by following the "Vaastushastra". So, in a way, it can be said that the Modern architecture in India is actually tracing back the path of architectural brilliance followed in the past with some changes brought in as per the demand of the time and situation".
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