Benny Kuriakose, in conversation with FWD, on his design philosophy and the way he practices it. What I tried to do in these projects, was to treat them as individuals. Conservation of historic buildings are being done as part of this project. The place is very special since this is the place where the Jews, Arabs, Greeks, Portuguese, Dutch and the British etc. I do not want to impose my ideas on to my buildings which I design, I design each building according to each one’s needs and that is why my buildings are different. “Research and excavations have shown that there were close to 400 historic buildings here, about ten per cent of which we’ve begun to restore. “In the 50s and 60s, we made mistakes imitating the Western concrete and glass trends that were never meant for our needs.” Says Benny, “We mustn’t make the same mistakes with alternative alternate and green architecture either.”, And that explains Benny’s decision to enter the apartment market with his new vision for the vast possibilities of green building. You have reached your limit for free articles this month. “If there’s one critique I may make of Laurie Baker, it is that while he pointed out the pitfalls of mainstream architecture, his own remained niche. He incorporates principles of vernacular architecture with a concept reflecting his client's aspirations with the use of natural materials. Our restoration will replicate the turn of the first century Arab mosques, which will be more consistent with the times Cherman was built in.”, In the two decades that Benny has worked in conservation architecture, the sphere has mushroomed in India from nonexistent to flourishing, thanks to greater awareness of heritage preservation. Subscribe to The Hindu now and get unlimited access. The Hindu Explains | How effective are the two COVID-19 vaccines rolled out in India, and are there concerns about safety. He talks to Grin about sustainable architecture and … The owners often modify the structure after occupation showing how the these “mass produced” shelters barely meet the target population’s requirements . 4. The spatial conceptualization at DakshinaChitra and his building techniques and process breathe his philosophy of empowering masons and craftspeople in the building process. Three religions came to India through this port namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Jun 12, 2020 - Tharian house is designed as a retirement house in a small village in Ernakulam District. The seeds to his career path were sown as a young idealistic student working with Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad that nurtured in him the science of sustainability. Also from a single house to a whole village with public buildings such as the village panchayats (councils) office and a temple also. Scholars and planners have often explained this phenomenon in terms of affordability of the poor. From 1985, he grew from strength to strength in Kerala, building low-cost houses that mirrored Laurie’s style, until his popularity peaked in 1992 with the building of actor Mammootty’s house. As we fight disinformation and misinformation, and keep apace with the happenings, we need to commit greater resources to news gathering operations. He specializes in architecture conservation,low-cost housing and sustainable architecture. Even if they are not interested, I try my best to involve them. Nature segues seamlessly into his houses’ interiors through broad courtyards and verandas. Benny Kuriakose, the architect who carried out the work later, recalls in one of his articles that Baker said; “the idea is … I met the legendary architect Laurie Baker accidentally at one of his sites and there it started. In some of the disaster reconstruction projects, social sustainability becomes an important factor. Benny Kuriakose, Chennai, IN 600085. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. He received his doctorate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. 7.6K likes. In architect Benny Kuriakose’s mind, there’s a fledgling dream that’s taken root and pushes forth shoots. I do not have a style of my own. Jun 20, 2020 - Anantya Resort is a silent, peaceful resort alongside the Chittar dam reservoir. 2. “The older generations simply mimicked stereotypical Persian architecture when they re-did it. Different museums are already open to the public. Centre for Muziris Studies. Benny Kuriakose, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. In the tsunami reconstruction project I did in Tamil Nadu, we tried to take care of the livelihood requirements of the community, reducing the vulnerability against future tsunamis and recurring cyclones. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list. This led to the success of this housing project where each of the fishermen family was seen as individual clients. With over 1 million home professionals on Houzz, you’ll easily find … We are happy to engage in interesting design conversations and share our knowledge. There’s an example he loves to tell his students of how when he built Chandramandapa and Chandramandala at Spaces in Besant Nagar, in honour of dancer Chandralekha, the skeleton of his structure already lay in the Natyashastra’s ancient stagecraft design principles. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 From Philosophy to Architecture with Eli Y. Meltzer | AG 48 August 12, 2020 This week, we speak with the Principal Architect at Meltzer/Mandl Architects, Eli Y. I learnt quite a bit working on conservation projects. He believes in the logic behind traditional architecture being climate responsive, and using locally available materials to create projects that have a simplistic beauty. … A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes. Only time will tell!”. Benny Kuriakose - Service Provider of Residential, Institutional Projects & Hospitality Projects from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India He specializes in architecture conservation,low-cost housing and sustainable architecture. The best way of going green is to conserve our old buildings. Benny Kuriakose reveals his design philosophy while talking to Estrade, about what green design means to him. Archaeological excavations are being carried out in Pattanam and Kottappuram fort as part of the project. “It’s taken me all these years to realise just how important it is to theorise in academic terms, what I’ve learnt from over two decades of practical experience,” says Benny. Photo credit: Goa Streets Benny Kuriakose – Chennai Family, activists blame COVID-19 vaccine for ASHA worker’s death days after taking the jab in A.P. The project that would have given one of the highest levels of satisfaction might be the tsunami rehabilitation project of Tarangambadi in Tamil Nadu (south India) after the 2004 tsunami. Each client is different, their family sizes are different, their financial status is different and they will definitely add to the design inputs. Check Reputation Score for Benny Kuriakose in Longwood, FL - View Criminal & Court Records | Photos | Address, Email & Phone Number | Personal Review | $90 - … Benny Kuriakose. Dr. Benny Kuriakose. His task was only to modernise our native wisdom. To balance the tilt of this see-saw, in some sense, Benny spent three years of his life, from 2005, in Tharangambadi and Chinnangudi villages in Nagapattinam, designing almost 1,500 individualised homes for fisher folk under the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project. Benny has 5 jobs listed on their profile. Working on the Muziris Heritage Project, it has been proven that conservation and development can go together. According to Kuriakose, sustainable architecture depends on physical factors such as climate, land, local building materials and social and cultural factors. We are here to help. Tired of reading all the DIY tutorials? We have been keeping you up-to-date with information on the developments in India and the world that have a bearing on our health and wellbeing, our lives and livelihoods, during these difficult times. Dr Benny Kuriakose, who was also one of the speakers at the workshop, has established himself as an architect who believes in the functionality and sustainability of a design When our food, clothes and lifestyle are veering towards being sustainable, it stands to reason that the homes we live in and the office we work in should also be sustainable. It is an educational project, developmental project and a model for the sustainable tourism also. He incorporates principles of vernacular architecture with a concept reflecting his client's aspirations with the use of natural materials. The cottages are made of exposed brick and random rubble masonry, planned to blend into its natural settings in Kanyakumari District. I do not have any formal degree in architecture. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. Benny Kuriakose. Benny Kuriakose and his take on Architectural Education AG 51 Snippet ∙ This is a small snippet from part 2 of our 2 part series with Dr. Benny Kuriakose, a leading sustainable Architect from India. • In the design field different branches also follow this style as in furniture design and in product design • There are some firms who organized competition regarding organic architecture in order to maintain style 47. To enable wide dissemination of news that is in public interest, we have increased the number of articles that can be read free, and extended free trial periods. In practice, it took spacious lands and a considerable budget for these artisan homes, a luxury often affordable only to the elite. For the scale and ambition of the project, it’s been compared to the conservation of Greece’s Athens and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, and the UNESCO hopes to integrate it into its worldwide Spice Route trail. He incorporates principles of vernacular architecture with a concept reflecting his client’s aspirations with the use of natural materials. With public housing, Muziris and now the “green living” project, I’m attempting to step out of my comfort in the alternative and into the mainstream, but, of course, in my own terms. In one sentence, when the project is completed, it will be a walk through 3,000 years of history of the (the southern Indian state of) Kerala. It is planned as a conservation project. “We had no model for this project; our only guiding principle was to never approach it top-down with forced legislation, but to build it grassroots upward.”, The success of this outlook was most evident when the regional heads of the Cherman Juma’ah Masjid, believed to be India’s oldest mosque, built in 629 AD by Malik Ibn Dinar, requested the project to restore the mosque to its original state. All I’m sure of is that our homes must cater to our various moods, not force occupants to adjust their personalities to the concrete boxes we now build.” Benny’s unconventional material choices have often led his architecture to be labelled low-cost, but as he is quick to clarify, low-cost is relative, and means “performance approach to cost reduction,” a definition he imbibed from Baker. When I left him after about an year, I never thought I would be able to design buildings. This research attempts to understand the continued paradox of housing availability and housing shortage for the rural poor in India. They’ve materialised into site drawings and floor plans, multi-dimensional projections and cross-sectional views, and most recently found a Coimbatore-based buyer. Today, Benny is known for structures built of natural materials, timber, timbre, stone, exposed brick and much else, that are energy efficient, thermal controlled and environment friendly. Benny Kuriakose and his take on Architectural Education AG 51 Snippet ∙ This is a small snippet from part 2 of our 2 part series with Dr. Benny Kuriakose, a leading sustainable Architect from India. But later on, I started designing buildings and people liked what I have designed. Lot of recycled timber was used in the construction of this house. You can support quality journalism by turning off ad blocker or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to The Hindu. In 1984, fresh out of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, Benny interned with Laurie Baker, whose philosophy of architecture synced perfectly with his personal ideology. This will lead to more satisfaction among them. The veranda of this house overlooks the green fields to give a quiet feel. He talks to Grin about sustainable architecture and his most exciting projects. In architect Benny Kuriakose’s mind, there’s a fledgling dream that’s taken root and pushes forth shoots. “Best way of going green is to conserve our old buildings” We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day. I did some buildings and they turned out to be good and I continued to do projects. A book of this thesis is set to release this year. Printable version | Jan 25, 2021 6:51:07 PM | https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/futurefacing-design/article6272325.ece. But for all the efforts Benny and his team have showered on the project, its progress has been slow, courtesy characteristic political hiccups. "Benny Kuriakose is one of India's leading conservation architects who made several marks. Lot of academic research is also happening. Is this wise? It is an alternate approach to heritage management and the biggest challenge was to develop the concept which suits the local context. Your support for our journalism is invaluable. Dr. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 and received the basic lessons in architecture under the tutelage of Laurie Baker. “Deep within though, I knew it was time to move away from Baker buildings and discover my own architectural voice,” says Benny. One major factor for the success of any of the rehabilitation project is the involvement of the beneficiaries in the planning and construction process. View Benny Kuriakose’s profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. “It’s true that we have public houses built in the 80s collapsing barely 25 years later; if we could build better, surely they’d last longer.” But an ignored aspect, says Benny, has been in examining what degree of ownership inhabitants have over these houses, and whether their sense of community encourages or dissuades upward social mobility. Recently she organized interdisciplinary exhibition projects for academic resources: “World of Models”, “Forms of prehistory” (DSA Kukan Design Award 2017). He pursued his philosophy of ‘small is beautiful’. On return he worked in Kerala till 1991 doing projects on cost effective techniques and even returned to his village to design furniture. “Back when I began, there were hardly any projects. We tried to customize the 450 houses taking into account the needs and aspirations of each house owner. The cottages are made of exposed brick and random rubble masonry, planned to blend into its natural settings in Kanyakumari District. “It is impossible to design a building now which is 100% sustainable. He specializes in architecture conservation,low-cost housing and sustainable architecture. Over the years, atypical minarets and domes, metal sheets and GI roofs had been appended to the structure, modernising it out of character. FREE Background Report. For the last five years, Benny has given this passion full expression through the Muziris Heritage Project. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. Benny Kuriakose. So I took to building new houses that drew from the traditional Kerala and Chettinad styles I’m familiar with, and reinterpreted them contemporarily.”. Public housing programmes generally follow a single type design, a series of ‘match boxes’, one per family categorised on the basis of their income. There is infrastructure improvement such as the construction of new boat jetties etc. Sustainability in in its true sense incorporating the social, environmental and the economic dimensions can play a significant role. We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. We are happy to engage in interesting design conversations and share our knowledge. The concept of the Muziris Heritage Project is very unique. Wetlands, an Ally in Combating Climate Change, I Almost Got Fired for Choosing React in Our Enterprise App, 3 Toxic Relationship Habits People Think Are Acceptable, We’re About to Experience the Fakest Economic Boom In History, The Most Frustrating Gym Mistake I See as a Personal Trainer. Benny Kuriakose seeks to achieve sustainable architecture through vernacular and traditional practices. View the profiles of people named Bonny Kuriakose. I did not have any style and I think my success had been that I designed for the people. Can you share with us your upcoming project which you really look forward to working on? How would you describe your design philosophy? But one needed to live! In this episode he gives us an insight on Architectural Conservation and Vernacular Architecture. I think, the concept is much more important than the style in design. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. The Birmingham-born Baker came to India in 1945 as an architect attached to a anti-leprosy mission and stayed on for 50 years to become the man who revived ancient indigenous architecture techniques especially focussed on those who could not afford expensive design. We are sharing the Facebook live hosted by Al Salama Group of Institutions . It was Laurie himself, who directed Benny toward DakshinaChitra, where he eventually made a name transplanting and reassembling entire traditional Kerala homes. He made his mark in architectural conservation and the design of new buildings, taking his roots from the vernacular architecture of South India. The oldest mention about Muziris is found in Sangam literature and chronicles of Greek historians, which stated it to be the most pro… As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler. 'Conservation and Architectural Design Consultancy Firm. The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. What made me proud was the fact that each of the house owners did play a major part in the process and there was a high level of ownership feeling among them. He is known for designing structures which are built from natural materials such as timber, stone and brick. Benny’s satisfaction though, comes from the local community’s involvement with the project, which included even the rehabilitation of the still-thriving Kottapuram and Paravur markets. Dr. Benny Kuriakose showcased the Muziris Heritage Projectundertaken to restore the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris. 3. It involved extensive community participation in all stages of the construction, location of their house, to the planning, design, implementation and monitoring the construction process. His home-office on Ranjith Road is flooded with interns and young architects eager to learn from him; more books are in the pipeline and, in two weeks, Benny will also conduct a three-day workshop at DakshinaChitra on his brand of vernacular architecture. Architect Benny Kuriakose is a name synonymous with Architectural Conservation and Cost-effective Architecture. What according to you has been your finest work and why are you proud of it? Deriving his early experience working with the legend and his mentor Laurie Baker, Kuriakose … Benny is known […] “I begin each new house on a blank slate. came. Earlier this year, he completed his Phd on low-income housing from IIT, which focuses on the social and cultural factors that dictate the success or failure of public housing, where current research has only zeroed in on its physical aspects. For 30 years Kuriakose, based in the southern Indian city of Chennai, has followed the Baker philosophy using mostly natural and eco-friendly materials with designs that have very high interplay of natural light and air. Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly. In this episode he gives us an insight on Architectural Conservation and Vernacular Architecture. So in the case of Tarangambadi, the houses were customised to a larger extent, where they could choose one of the seven options; they can make changes to the plan, they can bring their doors and windows, and even discussed their expansion plans. We are sharing the Facebook live hosted by Al Salama Group of Institutions. Talent aside, Benny says he owes this young success to the anonymity and freedom to experiment that Chennai offered him, away from the arclights in Kerala. Benny Kuriakose The Charles Wallace India Trust Award that he received in 1986 took him to the University of York UK to do an MA in Conservation Studies. Jun 10, 2020 - Anantya Resort is a silent, peaceful resort alongside the Chittar dam reservoir. Explore Benny Kuriakose's works, such as in Dakshinachitra and Muziris Heritage Project. His firm is one of the leading Architectural Designers & Conservation Consultants in India. The design was intended to deviate from the usual Kerala houses which overlooks the road. Benny started his career in 1984 and received the basic lessons in architecture under the tutelage of Laurie Baker. “Chennai gave me creative rebirth.” It also gave wings to his first love, conservation architecture, the subject of his masters in University of York, England. For 30 years Kuriakose, based in the southern Indian city of Chennai, has followed the Baker philosophy using mostly natural and eco-friendly materials with designs that have very high interplay of natural light and air. The limited I try to design for the client in such a way that there is constant dialogue between the designer and the client, each affecting the other in various ways, leading and influencing the final design of the building. Nevertheless, we should try to minimise the use of energy-intensive building materials, such as cement. Floated in 2008, it is India’s largest conservation project that would spread over 25 sites and links Kerala’s histories of Dutch, Arabic, Chinese, Jewish, Greek, Portuguese and Roman roots in the forgotten port of Muziris from 1 Century BC onward. This was after he received the Charles Wallace India Trust award for an MA in conservation studies at the University of York. Benny Kuriakose (25 May 1962) was born in Kerala, India. For the architect best known for designing DakshinaChitra’s public buildings and heritage homes, for fronting Chennai’s alternative architecture subculture, and for helming the Muziris Heritage Project as conservation consultant, this foray into “green living” is his next phase of reinventing the definition of sustainable architecture. The first phase of the Muziris Heritage Project is finally set to be inaugurated by the President of India next month. I have done projects starting from 125 square feet to 1,25,000 square feet. It’s not even scratching the surface.” Under the leadership of the then Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac, Benny and his team drew up the project’s master plan, immediate among which were the successful restoration of the 1615 Paravoor synagogue, with even a replica of the original ark of the testament made, and the renewal of the Dutch 1663 Paliam Palace. ‘I do not have any formal degree in architecture. Benny Kuriakose fell into the field of architecture by accident after a chance meeting with the legendary British-born Indian architect Laurie Baker. Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations. *Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings. Policy-makers, engineers and architects have seen public housing as a technical problem and have proposed technical solutions, but it is more of a social, cultural, economic and political problem too. I try to explore an architecture that is appropriate to the environment, cost effective, sustainable and at the same incorporating the principles of vernacular architecture in the modern context. The Muziris project has many dimensions. Show More. An interview of Benny Kuriakose in the Grin News on his design philosophy, his career, his projects etc.How Benny Kuriakose, heir to the legendary Indian architect Laurie Baker, keeps it real. Situated just outside the modern city of Kochi, this ancient port city was lost in antiquity due to a major flood that happened way back in 1340 AD. A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. The people who are going to live in the houses do not have a say in the design and construction.. He is also a staunch proponent of equitable design and including all stakeholders in the design and execution of the building process. 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