RAJ REWAL (1934- )
INTRODUCTION
• Raj Rewal is one of the India's best known architects and urban
design consultant who studied architecture in New Delhi and
London.
• Raj Rewal is recognized internationally for buildings that respond
sensitivity to the complex demands of rapid urbanization, climate
and culture.
• His humanist approach to architecture responds to the complexities
of rapid urbanisation, the demands of climate, cultural traditions,
and building crafts and technologies.
• Mr. Rewal's commitment to housing is also central to his built
works.
• 1989 -Gold Medal of the Indian Institute of Architects, Robert
Mathew Award of the Commonwealth Association of Architects;
◦ 1993- Mexican Association of Architects Award.
PROFESSIONAL LIFE EXPERIENCES
He met with 3 encounters which shaped his architectural ideology.
• First encounter, he relates to his interest in structures during which he
developed during the review of his diploma projects.
• Second one accounts on his working experience that he gained while
he was working as an set designer for several Avante Grade theatre
productions in London, he learnt that each dramatic work had a
particular character which he interpreted as the rasa of the building.
• Third encounter, he worked with Michel Ecohard in Paris, before
beginning his own architectural practice. In this office, he learned the
principles of Urban design and Planning.
WORK LIFE
He became associate of royal institute of british architects
Raj Rewal Associates is based in Delhi and has been in practice for
the last 35 years. The architectural firm has been acclaimed for its
housing projects and urban design and public buildings.
FAMOUS BUILDINGS
• PARLIAMENT LIBRARY
• NEHRU PAVALLION
• ASIAN GAMES VILLAGE
• SHEIKH SARAI HOUSING COMPLEX
• STATE TRADING CORPORATION
• NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF IMUNOLOGY
INFLUENCES
ROLE MODELS
1. LE CORBUSIER
2. CHARLES CHORREA
3. LOUIS I. KAHN
INFLUENCIAL PLACE
1. RAJASTHAN
2. OLD TOWNS
3. TRADITINAL HAVELI HOUSE
4. ANCIENT BUILDINGS
5. WESTERN THEORIES OF URBAN
PLANNING & BUILDING
TECHNOLOGY
PHILOSOPHY
“Tradition should not be approached for its
underlying order, not for its superficial effects, it
should be rethought in terms that are right for
the possibilities and limitations of the present
social order”
CRITICAL REGIONALISM
-"I don’t believe in blindly copying our past. We have to learn from the
precedents to solve our existing problems. I feel we have to re-invent
modernity in terms of our own traditions and cultural heritage. It is an
important task to search for a modern architectural language, which
responds to our requirements, lifestyle, climate and building materials.
Market economy and the consumerist culture are facts of life and
architectural language is based on it.
FEATURES
◦ CLUSTERING OF BUILDINGS
(ASIAN GAMES VILLAGE)
• COURTYARDS PROVIDING PUBLIC
SPACE WITHIN THE BUILDING.
(ASIAN GAMES VILLAGE)
• SCATTER OF TERRACES
PERMITTING YET ANOTHER SET
OF ACTIVITIES
( SHEIKH SARAI HOUSING)
FEATURES
◦ STREETS : NARROW, SHADED , BROKEN
UP INTO SMALL UNITS CREATING
PAUSES, POINTS OF REST & CHANGING
(SHEIKH SARAI)
•GATEWAYS : ALLOW FOR A CHANGE
& CONTAIN A CONTUNITY, BRIDGES
FORMED BY LINKING 2
NEIGHBOURING HOUSES (ASIAN
GAMES VILLAGE)
MATERIALS
SANDSTONE - Gives traditional yet
modern look( USED IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS )
CONCRETE- HOUSING
BRICK CLADDING- RESIDENCE
GRAMMER IN BUILDING FORMS
• Rewal has developed a distinctive grammar of his own.
• His grammar reflects two apparently opposed value systems: the
traditional one of the hot and dry parts of India, with its taste for
pattern and ornament, and the Western Modernist one of abstract
expression. Rewal has been able to combine the possibilities that each
one offers with the least discord
• Climatic sensitivity
• Energy efficiency
• “Glass is for colder climates. Its transparency is nullified in hot weather
as you have to cover it with heavy curtains. As you shut the door to
nature, the cost of air conditioning goes up substantially.”
• Rewal reinterprets traditional stone architecture in modern brick and
RCC.
PROJECTS
EXHIBTIONS & LONG
HOUSING OFFICES EDUCATION
SPAN STRUCTUES
• National
institute of
Satush gujral house
public finance
Sham lal house
and policy
Rewal house
Bhikaji cama bazar • national
HOUSING Nehru memorial
engineering indian institute of
French embassy staff pavalion
house immunology
quaters Hall of nations
scope complex • French school
WORKS Sarai housing karnataka pavalion
delhi television centre and culture
complex
centre
Zakir hussain co
• Central
operative housing
institute of
Asian games village
educational
technology
PARLIAMENT LIBRARY-1989
CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM- Series of bubble domes over low weight Sand stone
curvatures pegged with glass elements to provide natural light
PURPOSE :Symbolically a house of knowledge,Parliament library hads its site next
to parliament.
CONCEPT
• The main assembly and focus centre of library lie on same axis
• Inspired from adhinath temple in Ranakpur in16th century.
• Symmetrical and balanced compositiion
• Seperate blocks for different functions
ADHINATH TEMPLE
• THE BIGGEST GEOMETRICAL PROBLEM:Relating circular shape of the parliament
withlibrary complex in a traingular site
• Courtyards form the important feature of the design,keeping mind of delhi
extreme climate
• 3zones for easy accessibility,vip entrance and utilities
• height restricted to podium level of parliamnet
4 STOREY HIGH ATRIUM Gets light even into basement
MATERIAL –Sand stone ,concrete and Jaalis
COURTYARDS-Provide direct sunlight and ventilation
Amphitheatre symbolizes the
freedom of expression
pool of water symbolizes equality
tree as focal point symbolizing
social justice
HALL OF NATIONS Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
• To reflect symbolically and technologically, India's intermediate
technology in the 25th year of its independence.
• The design was evolved to meet the constraints of time, availability of
materials and labour.
• The depth of the structural system was utilized as a Sun breaker and
conceived of in terms of the traditional 'jali', a geometrical pattern of
perforation that serves to obstruct directs rays of the harsh Sun while
permitting air circulation
BUILDING TYPE: EXHIBITION
YEAR: 1972
LAND: 130 Acres
•As steel was expensive resulted
inconstruction using latter material.
• Octahedral measuring 5m from joint to joint
were employed as the basic 3D unit of the
frame setting 11m for openings
An effective system of environmental
control inside the building was another
outcome of the 3D structure , as solid
triangular panels at regular intervals provided
sun screens – a modern equivalent ,
ASIAN GAMES VILLAGE
PURPOSE – Housing was built by public authority to accomidate the
temporary influx guest a nd latoer on would be sold to private individual.
• Concept is based on sequence of open spaces linked by narrow, shaded
pedestrian streets and containing both residential and commercial activities
• An obvious source of inspiration for such narrow streets linking the housing units
is the traditional street scale pattern found in many indian cities , where narrow
paths become spaces for encounters between people, the open squares offer a
sense of neighbourhood.
A cluster in asian games
village –the basic unit of
four appartments is
designed in such a way
that it can be linked with
cantilevers on ends and
partly on fronts to create
a variety of interlinking
spaces.
•Unit types of individual
from A,B,C to
apartments of E,F,G
•510 Housing units-200
individual and 300
apartments of 2 to
4storeys
•Density of 50 units per
hectare
FEATURES
TERRACES on upper floor are joined over
head to create gateway –entrances through
walk ways
•WALLS\PARAPETS-narrow slits(jaalis for
both privacy and ventilation)
•The housing unit benift from large landscape areas
as well as smal courtyards
•Split level arrangment of spaces with in the building
•MATERIAL USED- Reinforced concrete posts and beams
coverd with rough cast and plaster
