benny kuriakose design philosophy

But later on, I started designing buildings and people liked what I have designed. I did some buildings and they turned out to be good and I continued to do projects. Only time will tell!”. In this episode he gives us an insight on Architectural Conservation and Vernacular Architecture. The Muziris project has many dimensions. Benny is known […] In 1984, fresh out of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, Benny interned with Laurie Baker, whose philosophy of architecture synced perfectly with his personal ideology. 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. “Back when I began, there were hardly any projects. Benny has 5 jobs listed on their profile. “Best way of going green is to conserve our old buildings” 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. Nature segues seamlessly into his houses’ interiors through broad courtyards and verandas. FREE Background Report. Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. I do not have a style of my own. On return he worked in Kerala till 1991 doing projects on cost effective techniques and even returned to his village to design furniture. The cottages are made of exposed brick and random rubble masonry, planned to blend into its natural settings in Kanyakumari District. 4. “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. The design was intended to deviate from the usual Kerala houses which overlooks the road. Benny Kuriakose fell into the field of architecture by accident after a chance meeting with the legendary British-born Indian architect Laurie Baker. We are happy to engage in interesting design conversations and share our knowledge. Family, activists blame COVID-19 vaccine for ASHA worker’s death days after taking the jab in A.P. So I took to building new houses that drew from the traditional Kerala and Chettinad styles I’m familiar with, and reinterpreted them contemporarily.”. 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. A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes. One major factor for the success of any of the rehabilitation project is the involvement of the beneficiaries in the planning and construction process. “The older generations simply mimicked stereotypical Persian architecture when they re-did it. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. Also from a single house to a whole village with public buildings such as the village panchayats (councils) office and a temple also. Archaeological excavations are being carried out in Pattanam and Kottappuram fort as part of the project. The place is very special since this is the place where the Jews, Arabs, Greeks, Portuguese, Dutch and the British etc. Lot of academic research is also happening. Benny Kuriakose (25 May 1962) was born in Kerala, India. We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day. 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. The best way of going green is to conserve our old buildings. “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. A book of this thesis is set to release this year. “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. Printable version | Jan 25, 2021 6:51:07 PM | https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/futurefacing-design/article6272325.ece. Tradition and heritage is not used as a style, but more as a concept, with the use of natural materials and using elements from vernacular architecture. I met the legendary architect Laurie Baker accidentally at one of his sites and there it started. Benny Kuriakose. We are happy to engage in interesting design conversations and share our knowledge. In architect Benny Kuriakose’s mind, there’s a fledgling dream that’s taken root and pushes forth shoots. I learnt quite a bit working on conservation projects. I do not have any formal degree in architecture. He made his mark in architectural conservation and the design of new buildings, taking his roots from the vernacular architecture of South India. 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. 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. Benny Kuriakose seeks to achieve sustainable architecture through vernacular and traditional practices. 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. Dr. Benny Kuriakose. 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. 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. Working on the Muziris Heritage Project, it has been proven that conservation and development can go together. He is also a staunch proponent of equitable design and including all stakeholders in the design and execution of the building process. They’ve materialised into site drawings and floor plans, multi-dimensional projections and cross-sectional views, and most recently found a Coimbatore-based buyer. We are sharing the Facebook live hosted by Al Salama Group of Institutions . Can you share with us your upcoming project which you really look forward to working on? 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. In this episode he gives us an insight on Architectural Conservation and Vernacular Architecture. He incorporates principles of vernacular architecture with a concept reflecting his client's aspirations with the use of natural materials. It is an educational project, developmental project and a model for the sustainable tourism also. "Benny Kuriakose is one of India's leading conservation architects who made several marks. This led to the success of this housing project where each of the fishermen family was seen as individual clients. I think, the concept is much more important than the style in design. Explore Benny Kuriakose's works, such as in Dakshinachitra and Muziris Heritage Project. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. 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. 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. I did not have any style and I think my success had been that I designed for the people. For journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda and reassembling entire traditional Kerala.... His doctorate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, we should try minimise... Stereotypical Persian architecture when they re-did it in Architectural conservation and vernacular architecture Heritage project has helped keep. 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