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“Architecture starts when you carefully put two brickstogether. There it begins.”

— Ludwig Mies van der Roh,German-born architect (1886–1969)

Brick architecture has a long and illustrious history inIndia, going right back to the Indus Valley Civilisation.Excavations in Harappan settlements in Gujarat, likeDholavira and Lothal, have shown that these earlycivilisations, with their sophisticated town planningaround a communal courtyard, paved streets andadvanced drainage systems, also used brick in theconstruction of their houses.

The bricks, either sun dried or baked, followed astandardised system of proportion, based, as they aretoday, on the size of a man’s hand — the standard brickis approximately 230x115x 75 mm. About 50 per cent ofall construction in India is of this most basic buildingmaterial, which, due to its versatility, can be usedstructurally or as cladding for decorative effect, thepleasing colour variations depending on the exposure ofthe bricks to heat in the kiln. They also have the advantageof blending well with other building materials like wood,stone, concrete, glass and steel.

It is not surprising that Gujarat, being a largely alluvialplain, supports a thriving brick manufacturing industry,as the sediment produces clay with all the rightcomponents for making good-quality kiln-fired bricks.Many of the brickworks are family owned — some 30 ofthem alone operating near Bharuch, an hour or so fromVadodara. Here, the bricks are still handmade in thetraditional way and are transported to the kiln bydonkeys. The industry is carefully controlled. To avoidexcessive environmental damage, clay pits are limited toa maximum depth of 5 feet and iron chimneys have beenoutlawed in favour of brick, cutting pollution considerably.The industry is cyclical, being conditioned by climateand the rhythm of nature — as production is impossibleduring the monsoon months, the industry closes downin May and only reopens during Dussehra.

Reinterpreting Ideas

Renowned architect Karan Grover, whose architecturalfirm, Karan Grover & Associates is based in Vadodara, is apassionate believer in learning from the past andreinterpreting ideas to create a viable methodology fora contemporary design process. Grover is a member ofsome of the most respected art and cultural institutionsin the country, such as the Indian National Trust for Artand Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and the HeritageConservation Programme for buildings in Baroda. He isalso well known internationally for being an exponent ofgreen issues and how they should affect architecture.He was the first architect outside the United States tobe awarded the ‘Platinum’ LEED rating from the U.S.Green Building Council for his work on the SohrabjiiGodrej Green Business Centre in Hyderabad.

With an appreciation for the past and the lessons tobe learned from it and an understanding of thechallenges of the present, Grover’s architecture inVadodara has become part of an evolving innovative

Text: Berenice Schreiner, FRSA Photos courtesy: Berenice Schreiner, Ar. Karan Grover

The Idiom of

Brick ArchitectureBrick architecture has been synonymous withVadodara for long. Insite retraces the historyof this building material, from the time ofMaharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, when it wasput to use by renowned English architect R.F.Chisholm, to present times, when theinimitable Karan Grover has reinterpreted thematerial to create a viable methodology for acontemporary design process

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tradition in brick construction.Early in his career, he came to therealisation that adopting Westernnorms, for the sake of modernity,was not entirely desirable in termsof the local Indian climate. The useof glass and steel, which definedthe Modern Movement in the West,was not automatically the best wayforward. Jalis or lattice walls, toprevent glare and encourage the‘venturi effect’ of air cooling andcourtyards, creating ‘wells of light’,traditional to vernacular design,could be reinvented andreinterpreted to create a newcontemporary architecture. Hissensitivity, to the demands of siteand climate and the integration ofform with decorative motifs, hasgiven him an undisputed creativefreedom, within the idiom of brickarchitecture.

Cultural Capital

But what of the pre-existing heritageof brick architecture in the city?Vadodara, which came to be referredto as the ‘Cultural Capital’ of theState of Baroda, is divided into eastand west by the Vishwamitri River. Theeast bank is characterised by the oldfortified citadel, which probablydates from the 18th century, whenthe Marathas overthrew the Mughalsand gained power over the territory.It is a rabbit warren of crowded

bazaars and pols, with tightly packedshanty houses built round a centralchowk, their overhanging balconiesor jharokhas, supported on carvedwooden brackets. By contrast, thedevelopment of the west bank datesfrom the 19th century, taking shapeduring the important buildingprogramme initiated during the ruleof Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III(1875–1939).

Being a man of rare vision, with asincere wish to initiate change inevery sphere for his subjects, theMaharaja commenced a buildingprogramme to provide essential civicstructures for his administration.Seeing himself as a bridge betweenthe East and West, between ancienttradition and modernity, heappointed noted English Architect,R.F. Chisholm, an advocate of Indiancraftsmanship, and brilliant Scottishengineer, Major R.N. Mant, as hisState Architects.

The buildings, which theyconstructed from the 1870s onwards,were to give Baroda a distinctivearchitectural style known as Indo-Saracenic — a fusion of westernspatial organisation, Indian materialsand decorative motifs inspired byGothic, Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist andOttoman architecture — a fittingexpression of the multiculturalism ofthe Maharaja himself.

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The first commission for Mant wasthe Laxmi Vilas Palace (1878-1890).Built for the Maharaja and his family,the building was largelyconstructed of stone in Indo-Saracenic style, set in grounds of700 acres, and situated on the wideand spacious Raj Mahal Road. Thiswas fol lowed by the MaharaniJamnabai Hospital (1879), a brickconstruction in a mixture of styles,Buddhist and Islamic.

At the same time, Chisholm’s firstmajor commiss ion was tak ingshape in Pratapganj, near theRai lway Stat ion — the BarodaCollege of Science (1878-1882)(which became M. S. University in1949). This imposing E-shaped, redbrick structure, covering an areaof 35,000 sq. ft, is dominated bythe impos ing dome over theconvocation hall (it is the secondlargest dome in India after GolGumbaz, Bijapur). In all, there arethree major and e ight minordomes, defining the corners ofthis grand building. The façade ofthe entrance takes inspirationfrom Indian temple architecture,wi th decorat ive s tar - shapedwindows and Ottoman domes.Bands o f g reen ceramic t i le salternate with the brickwork anda f r ieze of decorat ive carvedheads, along the base, articulatesthe elevation.

Other buildings followed in quicksuccession. Across the road fromthe Laxmi Vi las Palace, Mantdesigned a red brick Maratha-stylepalace, Indumati Mahal (1880).Named after Sayajirao’s daughter, ithad wooden framework and brickinfill and now houses the Gaekwadoffices. Set around a centralcourtyard, with overhangingbalconies, it has a pleasantlydomestic air. Another Maratha-typered brick structure, designed byMant on a much grander scale asbefitting its function, was theMuseum and Picture Gallery (1894),whose cornice and frieze are basedon those of the Parthenon inGreece. A formal flight of steps leadsup to the south porch, with stonelions and low screen walls in avariety of geometric patterns.

Changing Profile

At the same time, the profile ofSursagar Lake was changing, as abackdrop of brick structures beganto define its perimeter. Thestructures include the Music College— designed by Chisholm in 1886, it isnow the Department of PerformingArts of M.S. University.

In the same year, Mant designed theLady Dufferin Hospital oppositeKirtimandir, which was followed byChisholm’s Khanderao Market andNyay Mandir, in 1896 (designed as amarket; later became the HighCourt). The Kalabhavan Polytechnic,opposite the Laxmi Vilas Palace, wasinitially designed in Neo-Classical stylebut the new construction of 1922 byA.H. Coyle, followed the Indo-Saracenic style of his predecessors,Mant and Chisholm. Over a 50-yearperiod, the Indo-Saracenic style andbrick architecture had become firmlyentrenched in Vadodara, giving it adistinctive profile.

The early 20th century saw somechanges in the town, with the red-brick Kothi Building (1922) by A.H.Coyle, replacing the earlier structureof 1890. This magnificent building, theseat of power for the State ofBaroda, was inspired by BalmoralCastle in Scotland (1852), an exampleof Scottish Baronial Architecture.Pale stone quoins and stringcourses,contrasting with red brick, create anoverpowering and dominant rhythm,spread over 80,000 sq. ft. But therewas a return to a blend of Indo-Saracenic style and Renaissancearcades in Kirti Mandir (1930), theGaekwad family mausoleum.

The versatility of bricks with theirmultipurpose potential, defined thearchitectural development ofVadodara. With the invention ofreinforced concrete in the 19thcentury and later steel, it becamepossible to separate the roles of

structure and cladding, by creatingan independent framework to whichbrick could be attached, its load-bearing function becomingunnecessary. Buildings could bestronger, taller and more varied indesign, freeing brick construction forother more important purposes suchas insulation and moisture control.

American architect Frank Lloyd Wright(1867–1959) boasted that in theirhands the ordinary brick became“worth its weight in gold”. For LouisKahn (1901–1974), brick and concretecould be used to shape space andlight in a personal expression ofmetaphysics — realised in the IndianInstitute of Management inAhmedabad in 1962, an icon in thehistory of brick architecture in the20th century. The Modernist vieweschewed applied decoration; brickwith its linearity, texture and colourexpressed the right aesthetic quality.

Lively Atmosphere

For Karan Grover, studyingarchitecture at M.S. University in1970s’ Vadodara was both aninspiration and a challenge. This wasa vibrant time of artistic activity at

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the university and many well-known artists of today werefellow students in the Faculty of Fine Arts, contributingto a lively atmosphere of creativity and debate. One ofGrover’s first independent commissions came in 1989,when noted artists and educators, Rini and PurushottamDhumal, whom he had known from college days, askedhim to design a house for them. They wanted him toincorporate pieces of antique architecture that theyhad collected — wooden balconies, arcades, brackets,doors and even a couple of staircases, removed from oldhavelis being demolished in the area.

Preserving these elements of the past within thest ructure of a contemporary house was aninteresting challenge. The house, at the end of aleafy lane in Baroda, is built of rich terracotta-coloured local brick. The 14x14 feet proportions ofthe concrete roof slab of this 3,000 sq. ft. home,were determined by old recycled scaffolding. Otherantique features like the teak front door, staircasesand balcony are incorporated effortlessly into thedesign. The curve of the brick arch above the frontdoor mimics its shape; the old wooden balcony andarcade became the focal point of the courtyard,which provides light and air to the living areas and aromantic space when lit at night.

Brick acts throughout as a counterpoint as it frames,supports and interacts with the added architecturalfeatures from a bygone age. The cubic proportions ofthe house are softened by lively brick patterns withinthe cladding and the deeply recessed windows, with brickcornices and green wooden frames providing a vernacular,domestic effect.

Anthropomorphic Design

Grover’s work at the Adivasi Academy at Tejgadh inEastern Gujarat, (constructed over 15,000 sq. ft.)commissioned in the 90s by its founder, Dr G.N. Devy,gave him the opportunity to express many of his ideasfor saving water and energy, while providing anarchitectural concept in keeping with the function ofthe centre. The aim of the academy is to provide tribalpeople with basic education, training in healthcareand a means of preserving their cultural heritage oflanguage, craft, dance and music.

The design is somewhat anthropomorphic, with a headand arms that embrace the dry and rocky terrain of thecountryside. Channels outside collect rain water, whichis fed into a dam, providing an extra supply of water. Thecentre’s cooking facilities use solar power and washing-up water is filtered and turned into compost. Jalis andcourtyards provide cool air and light to the interior. Thedouble-height space of the library (20 feet) is supportedon brick piers. Brick support arches, at the entrance,give access to two separate areas, that of the museumon the one side and on the other, the administrative andteaching rooms, leading on to the medical facilities.

Local red brick from Ghodara is used throughout andplayful geometric patterns are used to enliven thejalis in the museum and outdoor teaching area. Kotahstone from Rajasthan provides cool floor tiles andpainted wooden chattai window frames, in tribal

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colours, enhance the overal lvernacular effect of the centre.Where possible, windows are notglazed but are covered by bambooand reed lattice work, reminiscentof window construction in tribalvillages.

In contrast to this tribal culturalcentre, the Uttarayan Art Centre,masterminded by industrial istRakesh Aggarwal, was inaugurated in2008. Around 25km from Vadodara,it provides accommodation andworking space for vis it inginternational and Indian artists.Situated on the banks of the MahiRiver, on an idyllic site extendingover some 80 acres, Grover’s use ofbrick throughout the complex ismore sophisticated — ceramic tilesadd decorative detail to thecottages and studios, and a brickamphitheatre, provides an eloquentspace for outdoor events. Sincethis is a working space for artists,studios are carefully angled towardsthe best source of light, and thecommunal areas face towards theriver, lined with trees.

Courtyard Concept

Returning to the theme of domesticarchitecture, Grover’s design for theSaraiya home in 2006 was unusualand a departure from his previouswork. Just as the incorporation ofantique architectural featuresdefined the Dhumal house, Grover’sgrandiose design for the Saraiyahome was built around the conceptof a central circular courtyard. Hisclient had particularly requested this

feature as a link between the newhome and their earlier house.Saraiya, an engineering graduate ofM.S. University in the 70s, begancollecting the work of fellowstudents in the Fine ArtsDepartment. Over the years, he andhis wife, Hema, have acquired a largecollection, ranging from pichwais tographite sketches, from sculpturesand ceramics, to paintings by RiniDhumal, K.G. Subramaniam, JatinDas, Rekha Rodwittiya, RamkinkarVaij. Jamini Roy, S.H. Raza, AnjolieEla Menon, to name but a few.Grover’s brief was twofold — toprovide a gallery space as well as afamily home.

The interior of the house comes as asurprise, with its circular centralcourtyard, or atrium, 18 feet indiameter. Once open to theelements, it was covered with a brickdome, supported by six elegant 24-feet-high slim columns. Concealedwindows under the dome givediffused lighting to the spaces below,complemented by cool marbleflooring. The different levels of theelevation are defined on the piers byHyderabad-born ceramicist P.R.Daroz’s ceramic tiles in chevronpatterns, repeating the colourscheme used on the exterior of thebuilding and integrating interior andexterior thematically. Darozspecialised at M.S. University in the70s under Jyotsana Bhatt and is wellknown for his architecturalinstallations.

Cubic in its proportions, this three-storey home uses exposed brick

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detailing to define its architecturalform. The bricks are vertically laidin horizontal bands at the upper-storey level and repeated indecorative detailing on the groundfloor and entrance. The bricks,specially cut and of a particulardimension, create a dynamicpattern which contrasts withDaroz’s green and yellow tiles.These decorative tiles also indicatethe internal division of space andoffer a slight historical referenceto Chisholm’s bricks and tiles at M.S.University!

Significant Scale

In an ever-evolving progression,Grover’s latest brick construction,the Shroff House (2011), is on aneven la rger sca le , w i thmonumental proportions. Almostdevoid of decoration, apart froma cornice that t ies the designtogether, it allows the form itselfto express i t s own in tegr i ty.Elements that are constant in allh i s domest ic a rch i tecture,however, a re the use o f thecourtyard for light and the jaliscreen for shade and cool air.

Talking about his latest projectcompleted last year, Grover relatedhow the family came to talk to himabout their ideas for a new house.Shrut i Shroff started off bydescribing her ideal space, builtaround her interest in textiles andbead work. (The Shroff familyfounded Shrujan, a non-prof itorganisation that supports andnurtures the craft industry in

Kutch). Her husband, Atol,described his different ideas andVishwa, their daughter, an artist,outlined her own requirements. AsGrover listened, he was drawing aplan that would fulf i l theirindividual needs. He came up withthree different houses linked byinternal spaces and an externalcourtyard!

The house is situated about half-an-hour from Baroda, on theMahapura Ampad Road. In contrastto his first house design for RiniDhumal, this is a large complex,devoid of decoration, one wherebrick is used to create a stark anddaring effect. Facing the entranceis a separate residential block forstaff and this has been screened bya jali wall with decorativeapertures, similar to some of theeffects at Tejgadh. “Imagine this atnight,” says Grover, “lit by hundredsof diyas — a wall of light at theentrance to the house.”

The ceilings inside are of themaximum 14-and-a-half feet (4.5m)height allowed by buildingregulations. This is important forventilation, as hot air rises, cool airis drawn in. Walls are painted whiteand give ample space for the family’sart collection, which spills out ontothe corridors of the courtyard. Theopen-plan design allows for a freeflow of space, broken up by intimateareas of sofas and chairs, importedfrom China.

A long oval granite dining table is thefocal point of the dining room, with

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sliding doors that open to the atriumon one side and a large open courtyardon the other. The large courtyard looksacross to Vishwa’s unit, which is self-contained, with a living room, studioand kitchen, as she is not only anartist, but also a cordon bleu pastrychef. Moulded concrete provides aninteresting internal surface texture ofboldly curving shapes, which look liketectonic plates framing the skylight,which provides daylight to the interior.

The main bedroom of the house hasan unusual rangoli design in marblelaid out on the floor of the porch,giving access to a li ly pond andstepping stones and leading to theswimming pool. Angled into theprevailing winds, air is cooled as itpasses over the water, creating draftsfor the main living space, across thecourtyard.

The stark lines of this house aretransformed by the family’s collectionof art, tapestries and carpets. Thelight wooden furniture from China addsan Oriental touch and complementsthe very dark wood of the windowframes and doors. The flooring of Kotahstone provides a light reflectingsurface as a counterpoint to theexpanse of red brick and dark-framingelements.

In this structure, brick expresses itscapabilities as pure monumental form,containing and defining space in largevolumes and providing a dynamicsetting for the family’s collection ofart works.

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material insightGrover’s use of brick is endlessly inventive. His concernfor providing light and conserving energy and his abilityto integrate these aspects into the design is fundamentalto his work. Although not a believer in Vastu Shastra,Grover feels that if an architect is sensitive to site,context and climate, his design will fulfil all the criteriaof this science.

“I strongly believe that if architects build with respectto the land and respect to the materials they use andwith respect to the climate, then their buildings will byand large be Vastu-compliant,” he says.

Over a 30-year period, he has moved away from thedecorativeness of the small scale towards a powerfulexpressiveness. Brick provides the means for this diversityand minimalism, stripping away artifice and giving pureform a unique language.

The architectural history of Vadodara continues tobe shaped in ever-changing patterns, reflecting thedemographics of the t imes. Architecture, themother of the arts, is a true expression of socialhistory — it requires patrons and architects whocan give shape to their dreams, with integrity,inventiveness and imagination, creating the legacyof a living tradition.