‘Technology has changed our way of living and building designs’

Why architects impose linear geometry-based patterns? Why motorised transport should govern our habitat pattern, why not environment and nature? Why have we planned our cities using designs of boxes? Why are we creating redundant building structures?

These were the questions posed by New Delhi-based renowned architect, planner and structural engineer, Arvind Krishan. He was speaking at a lecture meant for students of architecture. It was recently organised by city-based Forum for Exchange and Excellence in Design (FEED) at Vishwa Bhavan, Symbiosis Society, on Senapati Bapat Road.

There is a lot of talk about ecology-based architecture and so-called green architecture pointed Krishan. “It is not about saving the planet but more about saving the human species. Let’s not get carried away by the sheen and shine of steel and glass.

We now live in an era of scarcity with society and environment totally neglected. There has to be some kind of symbiosis between what we build and the natural habitat,” he said.

For an innovative design for Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) office building in Chandigarh, Krishan has been awarded ‘5-star rating’ for the most energy efficient building in India by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India.

“It is not about building or architecture. It is about how we can within the umbrella of finite resources use the infinite resource, which is the sun, to build a sustainable solution. Demand and waste must be minimised,” said Krishan. Giving example of how 60% of the power is consumed by offices and 20% by homes during daytime in cities, he said that by deciphering all the conceivable planning and design issues, architects can maximise daylight usage and minimise power consumption.

A leading architect in the field of ‘Green buildings’ (climate responsive and energy efficient architecture) and with more than three decades of professional work, Krishan has designed projects of diverse nature and magnitude in the country and abroad.

Krishan said the work of architect must evolve based on the laws of nature. “Architecture is a very powerful means and not an isolated phenomenon. Both are synergistically connected,” he added.

As per the United Nations’ environment programme’s 2005 report, Krishan pointed out that cities are consuming 75% of the world’s total energy and emitting 80% of world’s total carbon dioxide. “Our policies are economy driven in the country. City or urban habitation has become a primary way of living, whereas education and other things are secondary. Today, technology has completely changed our way of living and building designs. Something has definitely gone wrong,” he said.

Krishan said that schools teach architecture as an object and far from what is indigenous. He stressed that architects should convert the present environmental crisis into an opportunity and make it a new mantra for the new era.

“A designer should enjoy what he does; if he doesn’t there is no point in doing it. Good meaningful architecture evolves at meeting points of several aspects,” said Krishan, and ended his talk by illuminating on the fact everything and anything that exists, is part of a design.