One on the Exeter Library, America

I could not be writing this in a better time and place. Less than an hour back, I was being ‘politely’ escorted out by the security at the assembly building in Dhaka; my curiosity had got the better of me as I walked past practically all security barriers (almost) to the heart of this magnificent piece of architecture by Louis Kahn. Overwhelmed with the man, having just experienced one of his finest works, I have finally settled myself down on my flight back to write specifically on the Exeter library in America.

Louis Kahn and institutions are synonymous. The scale and spatiality achieved through the basic principles and tools of Kahn are what make an institute institutional. Here is the explanation.

An educational campus, more specifically a library, needs to oblige at two levels. One at the physical and the other psychological. Exeter goes beyond this, as it transcends these expectations to raise the bar on architecture and its role. First, one has to programmatically house books; secure this fairly delicate tangible medium of paper and equipment in a built environment. It has to manage the program of individual isolation and collective reading, display of books and journals and organize the overall operations of a very public function. Architecturally, it has to make sure the proportion of light and view is balanced. Comfort and concentration both need to be addressed. Natural light, controlled and apt, makes a place usable. Views need to be strategized so as to make the space introverted, but not claustrophobic. They could be a tease, where one acknowledges the larger context, but not let it affect the internal primal objective. This balance of light and dark, shade and sun, publicity and privacy bring in a beautiful play in space making.

Second, the more profound and fundamental, is to give an image to the campus by inspiring its users. The experience of a library at the personal level and its image as an icon at the mass level both, are large architectural challenges. A sequence of unfolding spaces explain the story of the place- From the small docile entrance of the library, one enters the larger common volume through a large palatial travertine clad staircase; a sense of grandeur. The atrium is a clean volume in brick and concrete with a cross structure on top with controlled play of light. This evokes a sense of calm and peace, almost religious in nature as it houses the central control and large common reading bays. The smaller personal alcoves bring in the required scale of focus and concentration; light with almost no external views, access to books and visual in access to the rest of the library space.

The choice of material, the external thick brick skin insulates the building from the outer world like a hard shell. The fair faced concrete structure on the interiors forms a perfect backdrop to the play of light and shade; impressions of the sun movement through the day, bringing the required dynamism and drama. The use of these fundamental materials also evokes a certain permanence and timelessness to the building, an institute with a strong character manifested in its architecture.

One leaves the building satisfied, with a strong sensorial experience. A timeless expression towards a pure inspiration.

- Sourabh Gupta

Celebrating the 15th birthday, we at Archohm opened our heart and gates for the world to see and attempt to understand the variety, intensity and madness of work done in the studio. With a series of design competitions and commissions, we have grown leaps and bounds in the decade and a half of our existence. Today, the practice has evolved in terms of the typology and scale of architectural works and diversified successfully into furniture and product design, infrastructure and urban solutions, and recently even made a foray into design education and publication. This exhibition attempts to capture and showcase 15 years of hard work and fruitful labour that has gotten us where we are today. It is not only the projects and products that have become the exhibit, but the entire building, with all the people of the Archohm Family and stories hidden and whispered by each nail, brick and plank, which are to be discovered, understood and enjoyed. Here is taking you through the journey of our “Life through Design” and a peep into the world of Archohm at 15.

Sourabh Gupta

Principal Architect

On Government & Private Projects in Architecture- Sourabh Gupta

Archohm has thrived on private clients. Whether it is for infrastructure development or residences, private clients live on speed and economy. The projects need a certain deliverance but more often than not, this is hinged around the top management for decisions.  This certainly brings in the required speed  but takes out - democracy from the project. The advice of the consultant may not be supreme and logic may not prevail.

Government projects are a different animal. Their value system and their philosophy is far more qualitative than quantitative. They value the process almost more than the product. The processes followed bring in a fair amount of professionalism and perfection. The entire set up is fairly democratic as no stakeholder is personally involved. This in turn leads to the consultant being the ultimate advisor to the project. But saying that, government projects also defy logic under the nuance of protocols.

We have had an opportunity to work with the Dutch, Libyan and Indian governments.

The Dutch were very definitive. Our task for the Dutch railways was chalked out with clinical precision and there was no scope for discussion or debate.

The Libyans on the other hand were most flexible. There were no rules to the game as their laws were far less evolved, almost non-existent in the sense the scale of projects and in this age of technology, since they were way behind in the development cycle.  

The Indian government projects are a fair balance in our experience. They have the principle algorithm set out but are open to a broad level of design and discussion. It is incredible how government projects can be a single individual driven. All it takes is a right lead to the project. This guidance and clarity of thought drives the project at a different level and to a different quality.

We see government projects as the future, the way ahead in our architectural aspirations as they bring in the scale and the opportunity of touching the common man with architecture and design.

Sourabh gupta