RAHUL MEHROTRA

AN INTRODUCTION

Principal of architecture firm RMA Architects (founded in 1990 as Rahul Mehrotra Associates) of Mumbai, India

Professor of Urban Design and Planning and Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) in Cambridge, Mass., USA.

Has designed projects that range from recycling urban land and master planning in Mumbai to the design of art spaces, boutiques, weekend houses, factories, social institutes and office buildings across India – thereby engaging diverse issues, multiple constituencies and varying scales: from interior design and architecture to urban design, conservation and planning

PHILOSOPHY ‘Architecture is the physical manifestation of a

society’s aspirations in the broader sense.’

He believes that architecture is potent enough to be a deadly tool that creates boundaries, or thresholds between communities. His designs, therefore attempt to visually eliminate the threshold.

“Good architectural practice is one that acts responsibly for its broader environment and is sensitive to the fabric and grain of a city…”

Unlike many other parts of the world, we don’t have restrictions on the forms or colours of our

buildings. Driving down a road in any Indian town, you’ll see all buildings different, having an identity

of its own, each standing for something totally different. And this is a reflection of our society- secular

and democratic.

WHAT IS POST MODERNISM ABOUT?

The aims of Postmodernism, including solving the

problems of Modernism, communicating meanings

with ambiguity, and sensitivity for the building’s

context

Postmodernism, with its sensitivity to the

building’s context, did not exclude the needs

of humans from the building.

Also been described as neo-eclectic, where

reference and ornament have returned to the

facade, replacing the unornamented modern

styles.

Seeks to focus on the needs and desires of the

present generation in terms of comfort and

design.

Combining new ideas with traditional forms,

postmodernist buildings may startle, surprise, and

even amuse.

TWO BAY HOUSE, ALIBAUG INDIA

Situated on a plateau at the foothills of the Western Ghats, the house is

diagrammatically separated into two bays on the basis of privacy

levels of the programs, one for the bedrooms, the other for support

spaces

A gravel forecourt welcomes inhabitants, leading towards a garden of raised linear planters and

elevated patio.

The residence is divided into two bays, placing the private and common spaces on opposing

sides of the site. a lap pool spans the length, creating a distinct separation of zones.

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A lap pool separates the two zones, thus creating physical separation yet maintaining a visual

connection. The pool also facilitates the cooling of the house — each bay is one room thick,

and thus the breezes that flow through the house are humidified as they blow across the water.

Raised linear planting elements extend the broad horizontal lines of the building into the

landscape.

Tucked away just off of the mid-landing of the entry steps, an elevated patio accessible from

the kitchen wall allows the residents to receive visitors outside of the house, with an impressive

vista west to the mountains beyond.

The materials used in the house, basalt stone for the plinth and a clay tiled roof, resonate with

the building traditions of the rural landscape in which it is set.

A stone base and roof canopy are given visual

separation enhancing the tectonic reading

• Reflections and subtle material hues that reflect the

changing light in the space between the bays

• (right) light and material sensibilities revealed

throughout

MAGIC BUS CAMPUS, MUMBAI

The tectonics of the building was developed as a kit-of-parts that could be configured

for various institutional uses ranging from community toilets to clinics and education

centers in the slums.

Location: Panvel, Mumbai, India

Architect In Charge: Rahul Mehrotra

Consultants: Vijay K. Patil &

Associates, D.R.Bellare, Riyaz

Rangwala, Sunil Services, Sewri

Area: 2,415 sqm

Year: 2007

The campus for the Mumbai-based

NGO, Magic Bus, contains dormitories, administrative buildings

and a dining facility for children from

the slums of Mumbai who visit the

campus for training programs.

In order to create a sense of familiarity, the palette of the buildings was comprised of the

ordinary materials that are used for everyday buildings in slums and squatter settlements, where most of the participating children live. Through the process of design, it was also

imagined how these buildings could be embedded back into the slums, to serve as

community centers and other public programs.

HATHIGAON, JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

Rahul Mehrotra’s firm RMA won a

competition organized by the

Rajasthan government for a housing

project for mahouts, the Hindi term for

elephant riders.

The design strategy is based on the

need to improve an area devastated

by indiscriminate exploitation of sand quarries, capitalizing on the potential

offered by the artificial orography

created by quarrying. the quarries

thus become reservoirs to collect

rainwater.

The elephants are housed in garage-like rooms with exits on the outer, non-

courtyard-facing, sides of the buildings.

Families cook and eat meals outside, and children can play away from the

elephants.

The dwellings are

small—200 square

feet—and arranged in

sets of four, wrapped

around communal

courtyards.

The housing units are

organized in clusters

and situated on

portions of the site that are not used for

the landscape

regeneration.

Courtyards and pavilions supplement the otherwise small spaces that are allocated in the

budget for the essentially low-income housing project.The courtyard becomes part of the living space. all the houses have electricity and running

water.

The limited budget available to

construct the housing led to use of

simple building techniques and

common materials available on

site.

The distribution of the plan and

volumes of the built spaces provides

an effective response to the need

for a high level of natural

ventilation and passive cooling.

The housing units are organized in clusters and situated on portions of the site that are not used for the

landscape regeneration. Unlike other architecture projects, this project has landscape as the centre

and architecture has evolved around it.

Over the years, as an architect, Rahul Mehrotra has become less concerned with controlling all details; instead, he is fascinated by the way the residents’ contributions become part of the final product.

the individual housing units are arranged in a number of groups integrated into the redesigned natural areas and are additionally organized around central courtyards which act extensions of essential living space and an important place for socializing.

The simultaneous presence of both elephants and humans is resolved with a clear functional division of the respective living spaces, while maintaining a sense of community and genuine sharing of spaces between the animals and their mahouts.

‘Our country certainly should not unthinkingly adopt western ideals when it comes to an architecture competition and instead look for local solutions. we don’t need your glass buildings and your eco labels in India.’

- Rahul Mehrotra

VISITORS’ CENTRE AT PRINCE OF WALES MUSEUM

Located next to a grade I

heritage structure, this building’s stainless steel-clad

elliptical roof supported by

columns secured with a pin

joint base.

The lightweight canopy

extends to form a wrap

around veranda. the interior

offers a 200 seat auditorium as

well as filling programmatic functions such as ticketing,

luggage storage, museum

shop and restrooms.

Reflective surfaces of stainless

steel cladding make for a

dynamic canvas with

reflections and colors from

kinetic human streams that

pass by the building

1. Baggage check

2. Security check

3. Ticket kiosk

4. Museum shop

5. Multipurpose hall

6. Cafeteria

7and 8. Toilets

9. Verandah

A. kalzip taperedB. glass wool insulation

C. tie beamD. ring beam

E. bracket web plateF. SS sheet

G. drip mouldH. SS rectangular tube

I. column cap plateJ. SS seamless pipe

claddingK. column base plate

L. SS plate cut to profileM. column base plate

N. SS plate cut to profile

O. hole for SS pinP. SS plate

Q. stiffener plateR. base plateS. insert plate

THANK YOU

Zeus Pithawalla 37

Garima Rajput 38

Manasvi Rane 39

Rithika Ravishankar 40

Shivali Sanap 41

Vishakha Savatkar 42

Bibliography: www.rmaarchitects.com

www.designboom.com

www.archdaily.com