Lalbhai Institute of Indology

Doshi worked for years for Le Corbusier, and the institute was one of the first projects he did on his own. His mentor’s influence is thus still readily apparent here. For the institute’s art collection, Doshi built a museum adjacent to it in 1984. Erected a few years after independence, the institute also testifies to the phase of finding a national identity. It thus combines both contemporary and traditional architectural influences. For example, the library is in the basement, as is customary in Hindu temples.

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Tagore Memorial Hall

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Mill Owners Building

The structure is derived from the context: the building is oriented according to the prevailing winds. It overlooks the river and the daily spectacle of people washing clothes, buffaloes, and donkeys while standing in the water. The east and west façades incorporate a deep sun-screening structure, whereas the north and south façades have almost no windows. The assembly hall is on the second floor, constructed of thin, double-brick walls cladded with wood in a diagonal pattern. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015).

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Villa Shodhan

This villa was initially designed for Surottam Hutheesing, President of the Ahmedabad Mill Owners’ Association. In the end, the luxurious bachelor residence was actually built for Shyamubhai Shodhan on an entirely different plot. A parasol roof above the whole house shelters single- and double-height spaces. The raw concrete façade is structured by brise-soleil elements. The living rooms of the villa are located behind the deep façade of sun shades. There is a large terrace with benches and plants on the parasol roof, where the owner and his guests can enjoy the view over the garden. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Gujarat University Laboratories

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Ramkrishna House

The somewhat vernacular architecture consists of two asymmetric brick “sails”, which are connected by a body of exposed concrete. The simple profile of the front collides with the compex back side which consists of a combination of geometric brick and concrete volumes.

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Premabhai Hall

The Premabhai hall is located in the Old City of Ahmedabad. Due to its large dimension, the building is reminiscent of an ancient monumental sculpture. Doshi designed this post-Corbusian Brutalist piece of architecture in 1956 as a modern public theater. The wide stage (100 m) provides perfect conditions for western ballet performances. The roof has a generous sky terrace with a fantastic view of its vibrant historical surroundings. As the theater was closed down in 1997, the building is now an empty shell. Nevertheless, its sheer volume is still able to give character to its architectural context, forming and structuring public spaces. Premabhai Hall has now become a hollow guardian of the Old City of Ahmedabad waiting to be woken from its long sleep. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Central Bank

The Central Bank of India sits on the corner of one of the most important road junctions in Ahmedabad. You are bound to pass this iconic building sooner or later when exploring Ahmedabad from the back of a rickshaw. It is located between the east bank of the river, the New City, and the entrance to the Old City. The building sets itself apart from its surroundings with its massive concrete presence. On the ground floor there are customer services and ATM facilities. The next level houses a cafeteria. Above this are six more floors of offices, screened by concrete brise-soleil elements. This façade creates the urban identity of the tall building. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT)

The Architecture Faculty designed by Balkrishna Doshi is part of the lively tropical campus of the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology. The building is elevated from the ground and situated in a beautiful green landscape. The Faculty’s main exhibition space lies beneath the main building and is a terraced open landscape. The students use it for studying as well as for cricket and table tennis. The upper levels consist of double-height studio spaces, with north-facing windows keeping them protected from the hot sunlight from the east. Small loggias open towards the garden, where two mounds serve as an outdoor lecture theater. Doshi directed the construction of the mounds from the roof of the finished building. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Gun House

The appearance of the Gun House has completely changed over time as different tenants altered it to suit their own purposes. Initially it was planned as an office building for the Ahmedabad Rifle Association. The building consists of two separate blocks, each 12 m by 12 m. In between the two blocks is a central section for air conditioning and toilet facilities. The floor slab is a diagonal grid supported by four columns placed at the mid points of each external wall, while are in turn strengthened by diagonal braces to the corners. Thus an internal office space free from obstructions is created. The Association still owns the ground floor. On the upper floor there is a printing agency and a sweatshop. A repair shop for motorcycles recently opened along the back façade. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Indian Institue of Management (IIM)

The IIM University Complex was designed by Louis Kahn to be like a small city with streets, houses, and squares. The impressive center court functions as a town square and is used for festive activities. Benches in the openings of the surrounding façade invite you to rest. While seated, you notice the detailing on the brick walls. There is a fine line drawn down the middle of each layer of mortar. Because the rough bricks used for the buildings' construction required thick layers of mortar, Kahn's masons began carving thin, horizontal lines into the mortar in order to give a precise character to the wall's appearance. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Navrangpura Bus Stand

The façade of the Navrangpura Bus Stop functions as a huge billboard. The whole building has been totally covered over time by hand-painted advertisements. Under the layers of paint is a building designed by the architect Charles Correa. Nowadays the bus terminal is not only used to wait for buses. The upper floor houses a private engineering company. During the day, the south side of the ground floor is full of waiting passengers. The north side is an informal motorcycle taxi stand. Next to it, a group of homeless people have erected an informal shelter. They have extended their living space by incorporating the benches and fences, which is tolerated by the travelers.This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Sanskar Kendra Museum

The Sanskar Kendra Museum was designed by Le Corbusier as a closed box elevated from the ground. On the roof is a pool that can be filled with water on a hot day. Le Corbusier imagined a poetic experiment: flowers and plants would be put directly on the water. Then the water would be treated with fertilizer to enhance the unnatural growth of giant flowers, tomatoes and pumpkins. In the evening, visitors would wander around the artificial roof landscape. Of course none of this became reality. Nevertheless, the cool, dark exhibition spaces are worth a visit on a hot day. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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Villa Sarabhai

The Villa Sarabhai is situated in Shahibag on the east side of the river. Parallel brick walls create long rooms. Strong beams allow the creation of wide rooms and large windows. These spaces together form a long series of vaults. Lengthwise, the house extends into the garden. The veranda façade can be opened so that the house becomes a continuation of the garden. The flat rooftop is also accessible for leisure. Small trees, wild shrubs, and hanging plants cover the whole roof. The villa is owned by an art collector and houses a private collection of art objects. The armed housekeeper keeps unwanted visitors and monkeys at bay. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). © ARA (Fanelsa, Franke, Helten, Martenson, Wertgen)

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