“architectural education and its manifestation in the classroom”

‘‘Architectural education and its manifestation in the Architectural education and its manifestation in the

classroom”classroom”

Critical Thinking in the Design Critical Thinking in the Design ClassroomClassroom

Mustansir DalviMustansir DalviProfessor of ArchitectureProfessor of Architecture

Teachers’ Workshop, NIASA, June 2006

Architectural Education in Architectural Education in IndiaIndia

Architectural Education in India has Architectural Education in India has been weighed down by been weighed down by the traditions the traditions of Architectural Practiceof Architectural Practice that labour that labour under the twin hegemonies of under the twin hegemonies of

design and technology. design and technology.

Institutions governing architectural educationInstitutions governing architectural education

All India Council of Technical Education All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE)(AICTE)

Directorate of Technical Education (DTE)Directorate of Technical Education (DTE)

Council of Architecture (COA)Council of Architecture (COA)

University of MumbaiUniversity of Mumbai

Design & TechnologyDesign & TechnologyReactions to historical change, to immediately Reactions to historical change, to immediately

preceding narratives, especially in the preceding narratives, especially in the twentieth century, whethertwentieth century, whether

in its symbolic iconoclasm, in its symbolic iconoclasm, its stress on functionalism its stress on functionalism in its so-called Post Modern avatar of unbridled in its so-called Post Modern avatar of unbridled

eclecticism.eclecticism.

The Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution Beaux Arts Classicism Beaux Arts Classicism The Arts & Crafts Movement The Arts & Crafts Movement BauhausBauhaus FunctionalismFunctionalism ModernismModernism The International StyleThe International Style Post Modern EclecticismPost Modern Eclecticism Critical RegionalismCritical Regionalism

Architecture today Architecture today is more and more being informed is more and more being informed

by disciplines by disciplines out of/other thanout of/other than architecture architecture

7070Fast knowledge, critical theory, structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstruction, culture studies, gender studies, post-colonial studies, identity, memory, freedom, compassion, societal constructs, body, sustainability, ecology (charters), passive/active systems, bioclimatic design, recycling, computers, programming/customization, information technology, knowledge management, virtual design, movement, structural systems, tensegrity, hi-tech, new materials, transportation, heritage (charters), conservation, documentation, Indian aesthetics, urban design, urban planning, rural studies, product design, anthropology, 9/11, 1992/93, historiography, ethnography, social studies, psychology, behavioral sciences, management, site supervision, human resource management, social and civic engagement, network techniques/scheduling, statistics, accountancy, communication, critical reading, English, journalism, art criticism, Indian languages, foreign languages, economic theory, GATT, globalization, post-industrial societies, cartography, boundary conditions/ domains, new vernaculars, adapted reuse, affordable housing, new recreations, social justice, democracy, equality, emancipation

Redefining the StudentRedefining the Student

A student of architecture A student of architecture

is not only is not only

a learnera learner, ,

but also but also

a producer of knowledgea producer of knowledge

What are the tools?What are the tools? Critical, evaluative, conceptual enquiryCritical, evaluative, conceptual enquiry Interconnect concepts/ factsInterconnect concepts/ facts Use theory and argumentUse theory and argument Ask for a higher level of explanationAsk for a higher level of explanation

The initial challengesThe initial challenges Understanding Objective versus Accepted Understanding Objective versus Accepted

realityreality Understanding architecture as a cultural Understanding architecture as a cultural

processprocess Understanding change as a series of Understanding change as a series of

discontinuities, more than cause/effect discontinuities, more than cause/effect transitionstransitions

in the past…in the past… PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM

society characterized by relatively long periods of society characterized by relatively long periods of equilibrium, punctuated by relatively brief periods equilibrium, punctuated by relatively brief periods of radical change and upheavalof radical change and upheaval

… … the current digital agethe current digital age PUNCTUATED CHAOS PUNCTUATED CHAOS

society characterized by relatively long periods of society characterized by relatively long periods of dramatic change, punctuated by relatively brief dramatic change, punctuated by relatively brief periods of constancyperiods of constancy

Business @ the speed of thoughtBusiness @ the speed of thoughtBill Gates, with Colling Hemingway, (NY, Warner Books, 1999)Bill Gates, with Colling Hemingway, (NY, Warner Books, 1999)

What are the Questions?What are the Questions?

What is a WORK of ARCHITECTURE?What is a WORK of ARCHITECTURE?

How is ARCHITECTURE different from How is ARCHITECTURE different from NATURE?NATURE?

How useful is our methodology for How useful is our methodology for evaluation? (meta-questioning)evaluation? (meta-questioning)

ARCHITECTUREARCHITECTUREis a 2is a 2ndnd Order Discipline Order Discipline

A meta discipline, A critical A meta discipline, A critical attitudeattitude

Not merely an Not merely an empiricalempirical disciplinediscipline

like engineeringlike engineering

that needs/seeks/works with that needs/seeks/works with datadata

Architecture deals with Architecture deals with Fundamental issuesFundamental issues Questions what is presupposedQuestions what is presupposed

22ndnd Order Questioning Order Questioning

Does this design Does this design acceptaccept the world we live the world we live in? in?

How does the design How does the design reconcilereconcile itself to our itself to our imimperfect times? perfect times?

Does my design Does my design reflect through applicationreflect through application the technological state-of-the-art of the the technological state-of-the-art of the world today?world today?

Does it give a direction or hope for the Does it give a direction or hope for the future? future?

A methodology A methodology for architectural educationfor architectural education

Teachers must recognize one’s own Teachers must recognize one’s own insidiousness in the teaching processinsidiousness in the teaching process

Real learning will not emerge merely out Real learning will not emerge merely out of the Didactic (which itself emerges out of the Didactic (which itself emerges out of biases, prejudices and ad-hoc choices)of biases, prejudices and ad-hoc choices)

a LUDIC processa LUDIC process Built out of the free-flow of discussions, Built out of the free-flow of discussions,

arguments, questioning of stereotypes, arguments, questioning of stereotypes, reexamining (but first recognizing) holy cowsreexamining (but first recognizing) holy cows

CONTEXTUALISECONTEXTUALISE

Looking at architecture as rooted in the man-Looking at architecture as rooted in the man-mademade

Recognizing the canons Recognizing the canons

as privileged ideas/persons, predetermined as privileged ideas/persons, predetermined choices built by accretion, not reasonchoices built by accretion, not reason

Examining the deeper structures in which Examining the deeper structures in which architecture is embeddedarchitecture is embedded

(after Donald Schon (after Donald Schon 1995)1995)

DECONTEXTUALISEDECONTEXTUALISE

Deconstruct/ destabilize accepted Deconstruct/ destabilize accepted meanings and notionsmeanings and notions

Make deeper readings of texts Make deeper readings of texts themselves to look for traces of the themselves to look for traces of the alternatealternate

Make alternate takes on the canonsMake alternate takes on the canons

Discover myths masquerading as historyDiscover myths masquerading as history

“ “ The only way to advance in a discipline is to displace The only way to advance in a discipline is to displace knowledge. knowledge.

And the only discourses that remain healthy are those And the only discourses that remain healthy are those that are displacing discourses. that are displacing discourses.

The ones that cling to their theory and theirThe ones that cling to their theory and their tradition and tradition and their rationality, die.”their rationality, die.”

Peter EisenmannPeter Eisenmann

RECONTEXTUALISERECONTEXTUALISE

‘‘Context changes meaning.’Context changes meaning.’ (Wittgenstein) (Wittgenstein) Make choices, but without naivetyMake choices, but without naivety

NO TABULA RASANO TABULA RASA

No architect/thinker exists in a vacuum, No architect/thinker exists in a vacuum,

but instead emerges from a broader but instead emerges from a broader

intellectual, cultural and social historyintellectual, cultural and social history

““It is time that (we) remembered It is time that (we) remembered

that schools were set up that schools were set up

to challenge the wisdom of the world to challenge the wisdom of the world

and its corruption, and its corruption,

rather than to reinforce itrather than to reinforce it.” .”

Daniel Liebskind

Elective:Elective: Semantics of Objects Semantics of Objects

A Brief Introduction to Ideas relating to:A Brief Introduction to Ideas relating to:PhilosophyPhilosophy

Plato’s ‘Theory of Forms’ , Plato’s Cave; Plato’s ‘Theory of Forms’ , Plato’s Cave;

Descartes; Hegel; Immanuel KantDescartes; Hegel; Immanuel Kant

StructuralismStructuralism: Ferdinand de Saussure, Theory of Signs, : Ferdinand de Saussure, Theory of Signs, Langue & Parole, Barthes’ Objects, Levi-Strauss’ Deep Langue & Parole, Barthes’ Objects, Levi-Strauss’ Deep StructuresStructures

SemanticsSemantics: :

Semantic, Syntactic & Pragmatic SymbolsSemantic, Syntactic & Pragmatic Symbols

PostmodernismPostmodernism and Architecture, Eco’s definition and Architecture, Eco’s definition

DeconstructionDeconstruction and Architecture and Architecture

Derrida, logo-centrism, text, chains of absences and Derrida, logo-centrism, text, chains of absences and references, trace, supplementreferences, trace, supplement

Jacques Derrida & Bernard Tschumi’s Parc de la Vilette Jacques Derrida & Bernard Tschumi’s Parc de la Vilette

Peter Eisenmann’s House VIPeter Eisenmann’s House VI

Affirmative architectureAffirmative architecture

Baudrillard, Baudrillard, Hyper realityHyper reality and simulacara and simulacara

Architecture must BurnArchitecture must Burn- Coop Himmelblau- Coop Himmelblau

Final YearFinal Year Design Dissertation Design Dissertation

Tradition v/s Tenet - a Jain Community Tradition v/s Tenet - a Jain Community SpaceSpace

by Varun Ajaniby Varun AjaniIn any religion there is always an important split between tenets and traditions: the epistemological and ontological basis of the religion (tenet), and the myth and ritual (tradition) of the day to day.

The traditions are necessary elements for the sustaining of the community, the tenets provide the ideology and philosophical precepts.

Jain TenetsJain Tenets

Anekantvada (anek-multiple, ant-ends, vada-way):

Jainism is a non-absolutist philosophy- all reality is a matter of “perception”.

An object can be perceived from infinite points of view. Each and every view in itself is valid or equal.

Thus it talks of non-privileging of one perspective over any other.

Jain RitualJain Ritual

Jain ritual is more or less centered around the Tirthankara image.

Although important, the Jina is but a representation and not a reality.

A Jain doesn’t ask for any favors and does not offer anything in return.

Rituals are internalized, based on meditation of one’s self and one’s deeds

The ultimate goal for the layperson, as for the monk - the elimination of all Karma, or liberation.

The Chaumukha

CONTEXTUALISEDCONTEXTUALISED the generic temple traditionthe generic temple tradition

Reflecting its ideologies, and a space for ritual practices- the improvement of the self through restraint. The externalized rituals developed

with constant interaction with Hinduism.

Palitana HillAdinath, Ranakpur

DECONTEXTUALISEDDECONTEXTUALISED IntricacyIntricacy

Intricacy: the fusion of disparate elements into continuity, the becoming whole of components that retain their status as pieces in a larger composition.

An architecture that represents Non-absolutism can only do so by being “Intricate”. Unlike simple hierarchy, subdivision, compartmentalization or modularity, intricacy involves a variation of the parts that is not reducible to the structure of the whole, Non – privileging one element over any other.

The approach is to arrive at an intricate architecture, free from fostered beliefs and their representation, and a environment for continued practices important to Jainism today.

IntricacyIntricacy

Architectural Intricacy looks not only at the compositional elements, but at space itself.

Representing the idea in a 2-dimensional field becomes the starting point.

This entry point into architecture is translatable into the physical by dynamic transformations

Disruptive TransformationsDisruptive Transformations

“…the destruction of a particular state is necessary in order to discreetly proceed to the next level…

3D Modelling3D Modelling

…or a different form of manifestation.”(Robert & Robert, 2006)

IntricacyIntricacy

Transformations interplay over time to several levels of intricacy.

The irregular mesh becomes the distributive field for itself and other elements. A plane distributes itself on the field: intricacy appears.

These planes no longer retain their self similarity, as their positions vary a-synchroniucally.

Intricate SpacesIntricate Spaces

Spaces are another layer of distributed fields. The experience of space becomes possible through its function as a public space.

Indeterminate StructureIndeterminate Structure

Fields of EnclosureFields of Enclosure

Response to ClimateResponse to Climate

Functional SpacesFunctional Spaces

A Jain Community SpaceA Jain Community Space

RECONTEXTUALISEDRECONTEXTUALISED

The temple retains its identity as the point area of the ideal that each Jain aspirant yearns for, through the indeterminate space/form, allaying borrowed iconography and built tradition.

A Jain Community SpaceA Jain Community Space

You can go with this,

Or you can go with that,


Or you can go with that,


Or you can go with that.

"Weapon Of Choice"

Fatboy Slim