Raj

Rewal

1982

Asian Games Village, New Delhi

Life journey

Raj Rrewal born in 1934 in hoshiarpur, Punjab, India. CreaGon of geometric systems and responding visual imageries are apparent in Raj Rewals architectural Works. He lived in Delhi and Shimla in 1939-1951. He aRended harcourt butler higher secondary school of architecture new Delhi His imaginaGve leaps are based on this foundaGonal Knowledge and experience. In 1955-1961 he moved to London and aRended the architecture for one year. He completed His formal Professional training at the Braxton school of building, London. Raj Rewal worked as an assistant stage manager for several avenge grade theatre producGons in London. He became an associate of the royal insGtute of BriGsh architects, London He was working in the oces of Michel Ecohard, Paris, in 1961-1962. In 1962 he married with Helene. He returned to new Delhi in 1962 to set up His own architectural pracGce. 1963-72 taught at the Delhi school of architecture. He opened a second Oce in Tehran, Iran, in 1974 He founded the architectural research cell with Ram Shama in 1985. In 1986 curator of the exhibiGon tradiGonal Architecture in India for the fesGval of India in Paris.

Professional prole

He completed His Professional educaGon in Europe He recalls 3 encounters during those formaGve years which shaped His architectural ideology. First he relates to His interest in structures, which shaped His structures, which was culGvated by his English educaGon, craa tradiGon, during the review of His diploma projects. Second he worked as an assistant stage manager for several avenge grade theatre producGons in London. As a set designer he learnt that each dramaGc work had it parGcular character which he interprets as the rasa of the building. Third he was working in the oces of Michel Eco hard, in Paris. In Oce he absorbed the principles of urban design and planning. He also had frame structure for a museum in Kuwait. Then he take lead of structure system for the exhibiGon pavilions at PragaG maidan, New Delhi. He convinced his European structural consultants to develop the unusual structural system for The Ismail centre and the central public Works dept. To undertake the construcGon of stone columns and ferro cement domes for the parliament Library. The only 2 other inuences that he admits were important to His development as an architect were on his return to India. On seeing the Works of le Corbusier. Teaching history at the school of planning and architecture, new Delhi. Corbusier Works convinced him that it was possible to be raGonal and employ modern means to build in India. Teaching history exposed him to the classical and vernacular tradiGons of bldg in India. They seems to exemplify what le Corbusier once said what makes our dreams so daring is that can be realized.

Philosophy:

His Building design include pur structural expressions, cubic volums. He also provide for honesty in expression. Tey reect a concern for climaGc sensiGvity Structure, material Tectonic varaGon

Memory and geometry

His architectural pursuit is centered on aRempts to envolve a contemporary architecture rooted in TradiGonal wisdom. He hs been inuenced by the architecture of le corbusier and louis khan. Also inuenced by the typologies of tradiGonal bldg and ciGes like jaisalmer. Bldg on traces from the past he transforms them into the new In His work conGnuity and change consort one another in familiar terms The strategy thus allows a monumental quality to be imported in the projects. In 1962, he created a hyperboloid structure with newspapers plastered on board to arGculate the skin. The paRern for Bhikaji cama pplace designed in 1965 is reminiscent of the organizaGon of tradicional Urban seRlements. Much like tradiGonal bazars he created designs modulated on a rhythm on repeGGon of cubic forms. For the halls of naGons and industries he drew lessons the humayuns tomb. In Nehru pavilion he draws paralleles with stupas that enshrine sacred relics. The SaGsh Gujral house and rewal house like the havelis in Rajasthan. SpaGal orientaGon, use of cavity walls make the designs responsive to the climate. He derives lessons from dierent sources such the layering of wall paRerns in tombs and trellises.

Awards and honours

He has received among other honours In 1989, he was awarded the gold medal by the indian insGtute of architects The robert mathew award by the Commonwealth associaGon of architects In 1993 he was honored by the mexican associaGon of architects, london. Raj Rewal is also the 1995 recipient oahe JK Trust Great Masters award

Raj Rewals Works

Raj Rewals Works can be divided in the following parts: Residences SaGsh Gujral house, new Delhi Sham Lal house, new Delhi Rewal house, New Delhi

Housing

French Embassy Sta Quarters, New Delhi Sheikh sarai Housing Complex, New Delhi Zakir Hussain Co-operaGve Housing, New Delhi Asian Games VIllage, New Delhi

ExhiGon and Large Span

Nehru Memorial Pavilion, New Delhi Hall of NaGons an Hall of Industries, New Delhi Karnataka Pavilion, New Delhi

Oces

Bhikhaji Cama House, New Delhi State Trading CoorporaGon, New Delhi Scope Oce Complex, New Delhi

Reserch&EducaGon

NaGonal InsGtute Of Immunology, New Delhi French School and cultural Centre, New Delhi Central InsGtute of EducaGonal Technology, New Delhi

Features of His design

Urban fabric Clusters Streets Gateways Inner courtyards Roof gardens

Urban fabric

The forts of Jaisalmer and Jodhpur oer from high plateaux splendid overviews of the ciGes. SeRlement paRerns are cleary visible and the texture of the cit with its closely solids and voids The densely packed bldg breathe through the courtyards at dierent levels. Cool shadows anda ir currents are built into the grain of Jaisalmer and are excellent demonstraGon Oh the achievement of low rise, hight density development The sense of enclosure and conGnuity of movement is maintained throughout the ciGes. The city of jaisalmer in rajsthan Raj rewal tried to envolve mass housing schemes based on similar criteria. In the asian games village and sheikh sarai housing Project, the peripheral roads are connected to parking squares The central spine of the layout is reserved for narrow, shaded, pedestrian pathways. The layout plans follow tradiGonal methods of creaGon of the tradiGonal narrow street, linking all the housing units, provides for inGmate encounters between people and a sense of belonging to the neighbourhood square.

Asian Games Village

The project is based on a sequence of spaces linked by narrow pedestrian streets, shaded and kept alive through a careful blend of tourist and recreaGonal areas interrupted by units. In this scheme is maintained both the sense that the aggregaGon of the conGnuity of movement. It is clear from reading, such as integraGon into the dense texture of the village of numerous spaces in the open, was dictated by climaGc and social needs. The backbone of the project is characterized by a complex pedestrian path, which liaising with the streets and squares of the groups of dwellings, serves all areas of the district. The movement of cars is thus lea on the sidelines of the project. No parking space is far more than a few minutes walk from the apartment. Despite this, the complex can be reached in all its extension by motor trac. The streets are places devices intended for parking lots located in cul de sac, while other routes directly serve the garage of terraced houses and blocks of ats. In 1982 India hosted the asan olympic games in New dDelhi. The housing development was commissioned and built by the public authoriGes to accommodate for athletes. It was forseen by the public client, the Delhi development authority (DDA), that the units would be sold o to private individuals once the games had nished. It was least expensive construcGon whch at the Gme, cost approx. 170 rupees a sp.foot. The asiad village was built for 210 t0 280 rupees a sp.foot for a middle class populaGon. A relaGvely wide variety of unit types, from individual houses (types A;B;C) to apartment type (E,F,G) and variaGons on the special arrangement of these, was conceived-in part, undoubtedly, to anGcipate the needs of families with dierent social beck ground. In all, there are some 510 housing units, comprising 200 individual town houses and 300 apartments in two-storey to four-storey walk-ups with an overall density of 50 units per hectare. The combinaGon of various dwelling types into an urban paRern of unusual diversity makes the asiad village quite remarkable. The concept is based upon a sequence of open spaces linked by narrow, shaded pedestrian streets containing both recreaGonal and commercial acGviGes. The passageways an lanes are consciously interrupted by units which span them over head to produce gateways to idenGable groupings within the complex. Vistas are constantly changing, although a conGnuity of movement is maintained throughout each series of enclosures. An obvious source of inspiraGon for such narrow streets linking the housing units is the tradicional strre street sc street and paRern found in many indian ciGes, where narrow paths become spaces for encounters Between people, and the open squares oer a sense of neighbourhood. Perpheral roads are connected to cul-de-sac parking reas which in turn give acess to individual garages or car porches aRached to houses or apartment block. Vehicular and pedestrian movements is thereby segregated but closed interlinked for convenience: About 80% oh the dwellings have acess from both pedestrian enclosures as well as the parking reas centrally located within the asiad village, but easily accessible from outside as well, was a dining complex for hose parGcipaGng in the games. This now serves the local community as a recreaGonal and commercial center.

LocaGon

peripheral (to the south of the city), LaGtude 28 32 ', Longitude 77 13'

Zone Climate Subject

semi-arid climate with high variaGon between summer and winter, characterized by the seasons
of the monsoons in the summer months and with an average annual temperature of 25

complex of 700 housing units, 200 urban housing individual and 500 apartments in two four- storey structures on lot surrounded by driveways, set central axis arGculated pedestrian

ConstrucGon technology

structure of beams and reinforced concrete columns covered with pebbles of sandstone.

ComposiGon of accommodaGon

There are 6 types, regrouped mirroring the blocks along the two axes prevalent. A feature common to all types is the exploitaGon of the shell on which are housed spacious terraces. The types dier from each other for both the singular development in plant, both as regards the size of the accommodaGon, variables for dierent user requirements. The main type is spread over four oors that enclose two apartments, and consists of the following environments: Living area, overlooking 2 fronts Service areas and kitchen Sleeping area Terraces

Materials Used ComposiGon.

Surface coaGng pebbles of sandstone, rough nish, natural color (stone) - metal frames of color orange, green, white Paving blocks of local stone

Tradicional clusters surround variety of open spaces with dierent funcGons around a unied paRern of movement.

Gateways

Gateways were built in the ciGes to dene parGcular zones. Each gateways is like the opening of a new chapter. Gateways in Asian Vilage mark territory

Jaisalmer Asian Games Village

Clusters

The joining together of several bldg which retain ther idenGfy yet from a cohesive cluster, is an enduring vernacular tradiGon within the indian subconGnet. The endless repeGGon of a single type of block or slab hs proved a dreary (dull) soluGon. The street facades of jasalmer exhibit a simple methodology, where each house owner bought readymade elements of carved stone balconies and doors, creaGng a rich street.

Jaisalmer NaGonal InsGtute Immunology

Roof terraces

Roof tarraces are an essenGal component of the lifestyle of north indian ciGes. They provid welcome outdoor space durig the summer night in the dry, hot climate when The interior rooms receive the head absorbead. Also provide an extension to living reas at upper levels during the sunny winter days when interior rooms can be cold. Private roof terraces and courtyards are an integral design component of the housing for the insGtute of immunology and asian games village.

Jaisalmer Asian Games Village

Streets

The narrow shaded streets of jaisalmer generate movement paRerns full of fun, pleasure and surprise. The plans for the asian games village and Sheikh sarai are based on similar narrow shaded streets linking a variety of clusters. The streets are broken u pinto small units, so there are pauses, points of rest and changing vistas.

Jaisalmer Asian Games Village