Journal of Landscape Architecture: Vols 40-44

Description

LA40 Landscape : A World of Patterns

With its rich cultural legacy and high literacy rates, Kolkata has a thriving intellectual and creative environment. The ideologies of the past governments with a socialist mindset in many ways are one of the reasons for the present image of the city with many parts still having that old world charm, at least for the outsiders-cafeterias, addas, street food, club culture, football fever, historic streets, boat rides across the Hugli River, Shantiniketan, and not to forget annual month-long Durga Puja celebrations. On the other hand, Kolkata has many serious urban planning issues – unmanageable high volumes of traffic, ever increasing urban population, high levels of air and water pollution and crumbling urban infrastructure.The issue also showcases selected entries of a landscape design competition organized by Times of India, around nine years back, for a site in Kolkata Maidan. Along with the prize winning entries of this years’ students design competition, based on the idea that landscapes are a world of patterns, we feature few of the projects of Ravindra Bhan. The design of Norbulingka, a small Buddhist institute in the Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh, addresses the natural processes of the site to result in a design where the organic shapes are simulating landscape patterns . The design offers valuable lessons in working in consonance with nature in a sensitive and creative way. Mansi, Ketaki and Sonali, now associated with OIKOS, a non governmental organization working in the field of ecological restoration remember Prakash Gole.

LA41 Seeing the Unseen

In his interview, Jack Ahern underlines that the appropriate addressing of the ecological layers of a site plays a crucial role for creating a “sense of place.” Neelkanth Chhaya shares some of his views regarding various new and altered contexts of working environment of a spatial design professional in present times. At the time of his retirement from CEPT, he shares his experience of working in one of the premier educational institutions in India with strong intellectual and social values. The features discuss specific and focused ideas for further evolvement of the rating systems in Indian context. With the broad idea of exploring the regional literary sources and creative arts for indigenous knowledge about the relationship of nature and culture, a new regular section titled Seeing the Unseen is explored.

LA42 Handmade

Hand drawings, drawn with a deep sense of consciousness, are not just products but thinking processes – an emotional and intellectual engagement of mind, eye and hand. Moreover, personal touch, human attributes and personality traits, are very much visible in free hand drawings and strokes which are far less evident in a digital format. In one of his articles in the New York Times, Michael Graves, an emeritus professor at Princeton states that “it has become fashionable in many architectural circles to declare the death of drawing.”With the idea of revisiting the practice of hand drawing, this issue compiles a few interesting works of professionals and organizations of their design journeys. Essays about the role of free hand drawings and illustrations in various creative idioms, urban design and comic graphics show the depth and breadth of the medium.

LA43 Seen Unseen

The issue features the Prize winning entries of Annual Students’ Design Competition based on the theme of Seeing the Unseen. Some of the other features include project profile of a cultural space and interview with an artist. Sanskriti Kala Kendra stands as a unique engagement of nature and humans, addressing the functional and aesthetic needs of both, in a physical and philosophical context, and in a harmonious way. It is a milestone in landscape architectural design in India, aging gracefully and bringing much pleasure to those who visit it. The work of Israeli artist, Dani Karavan, explores the connection with the history of site and region and his proposed creation which gives his designs a strong sense of place that is deeply rooted and is contextual. During his visit to Mumbai a few months ago, LA Journal had the opportunity to share his thoughts, on many aspects that affect him as an artist and as a human being.

LA44 Pune

Pune, as with other Indian cities having a strong relationship with a natural setting, possesses many such qualities that have evolved over the times. Located in the foothills of Sahyadri mountain range, with central city core built around the confluence of two rivers – the Mula and Mutha, Pune, with strong cultural roots in the areas of music, theatre and cinema that are very much alive and thriving, enjoys a unique position in the minds of the residents of Maharashtra and beyond.This issue has tried to explore various facets of the character of the city which give it a sense of place and make it what it is today. While working on the content and structure of this special issue, many friends and colleagues, especially Jitendra Pawgi, Manjusha Ukidve, Abhijit Natu and Kiran Kalamdani have helped us in understanding the city. We would like to specially thank them with many others whose contribution has made this issue possible including INTACH Pune Chapter for giving its consent to reproduce some of the city maps from its publications.