Improving the Value of Architectural Services

It is an all too common belief that our profession is undervalued, overshadowed by specialists, and constrained by contractors. Construction Workers, Masons and Carpenters earn MORE than young architects!

Architects often voice their grievances about their wages and workplace issues, which unfortunately only reflect the reality of how architecture is perceived as a profession , even from within. Despite the current robust economy, architects continue to be paid significantly less than other professionals with similar education and importance. 

This discrepancy is exacerbated by outdated delivery systems where clients prioritize obtaining the lowest fee from architects, reducing their role to that of a commodity. Fees too are predominantly paid as commodities, such as lump sums or fixed percentages based on the construction cost. Unfortunately, when compensation is treated as a commodity, the true value of architectural services is rarely reflected, and this undermines the economics of the profession. Indeed then as a profession, we need to explore alternative methods of value creation, and propose new business model for architects.

Leaner and Meaner Architecture Profession

The architecture profession today is leaner and more efficient compared to its previous state in say before 2000, thanks in part to advancements in technology using computational and mechanical tools to create at least better architectural services if not a better architecture. At firms today, fewer and fewer staff members are handling roughly the same amount of work. Although salaries have seen modest increases, fee percentages likely lag behind pre-crisis levels. Given that employees haven't witnessed significant increase in their pay checks, the productivity gains may be even higher. However, in a market where efficiency drives prices down, time spent on a project is not directly linked to the value delivered. 

Selling Time or Results?

While architectural productivity lacks well-defined measures, there is a strong correlation between increased productivity and the adoption of advanced technologies like Building Information Modelling (BIM), Computational and Parametric Design, Energy simulation and Green Building Standardisation in the field. 

Buildings are crucial to civilization and are essential for progress and survival. However, the business risks associated with architectural practice, such as financial constraints, are not directly correlated with liability risks, unlike in most other industries where assuming higher risks leads to higher rewards. And of course, with commoditized fee structures, salary pressures, and low profit margins are symptoms of a larger problem: architects don't fully realize the financial value they create. The prevailing economic models for designing and building prioritize obtaining the lowest price, disregarding the desired outcome. This approach results in significant waste in construction costs, ineffectiveness with projects exceeding budgets and schedules, and environmentally unsustainable construction contributing to carbon emissions and causing climate change. Clearly, there is ample room for improvement. Designing and building remain risky, marginally profitable, unpredictable, and often lacking enjoyment.

Driving Results and Innovating Practice with Digital Tools

Various project delivery models, such as construction management, design-build, "early contractor involvement," and design assist, have been attempted to enhance industry effectiveness. Each of these models aimed to improve outcomes without thoroughly re-examining the means. Unfortunately, none of these techniques, despite occasional successes, have significantly improved productivity, profit margins, results, or the overall satisfaction of working in the building industry.
Focusing solely on productivity and cost/schedule conformity misses the true potential for change. It's akin to evaluating the success of a surgical procedure solely based on its speed, rather than the patient's recovery. There is another approach: shifting the value propositions of architectural practice from selling time to delivering results for clients. Evolving technologies, such as cloud computing, digital modelling, and simulation software, already enable designers to predict various building aspects more accurately. These technologies allow for more precise cost estimating, energy consumption forecasts based on usage patterns, as well as assessments of embodied energy and carbon emissions. With time, these technologies will expand architects' predictive capabilities to encompass occupant behavior, building life cycle performance, and even usage outcomes like employee satisfaction or operational efficiencies.

Implementing this strategy would go beyond merely introducing new contracts, fee structures, or sophisticated digital simulation tools. The predictive power of these new digital tools can enhance designers' abilities to address complex problems and create valuable solutions for clients willing to pay for them. The practical context has become increasingly determinate in our modern era. Embracing outcome-based design practice, enabled by new mindsets, business models, and technology, empowers us to deliver the true value of architecture to clients. Our compensation models could be based on the outcomes achieved throughout the building process, including the performance of the finished structure. This is not just wishful thinking. 

Green Buildings By Design Atelier Architects and Urbanists - Principal Architects, Aashish Karode, Sushil Karer

 Recipes for Mutton Lovers- Ahuna Meat- Champaran Mutton or Handi Meat

Cooked in an Earthen Pot or Ahuna, this Ahuna Meat preparation is also called Champaran Mutton or Handi Mutton.

1.It uses whole spices, pastes and marinates and mutton as the main ingredients, but it is slow cooked on charcoal or wood fire in an earthen pot, with the whole spices, freshly ground spices, and of course a whole garlic bulb all thrown into the pot. 

2. To be particular, this dish is not stirred with a spoon or ladle but the whole pot is only shaken once or twice.

3. Also, it does not use a drop of water and the meat is cooked in its own juices and the water released by onions.

4. Like Haleem, it takes several hours to cook and it is important for the flame to be low.

5. The pot can be sealed with dough like in ‘dum’ dishes, but this can be skipped.

Ingredients

1 kg mutton, 5-6 medium sized onions

7-8 garlic cloves made into a paste

2 tsp ginger paste

1 whole garlic bulb

5 green chillies

2 tsp each red chili powder

turmeric powder

chicken or meat masala powder

1 cup curd

2-3 bay leaves

½ cup each mustard oil and desi ghee

salt as required

Roughly Ground Spice Mix: 

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

20 black peppercorns

1 Dalchini Cinnamon stick

2 Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)

4 Green cardamom

Process:

1.Roughly grind the whole spices and put aside for later

2.Wash the mutton and marinate it with 4 tsp curd, 1 tsp turmeric and 2 tsp mustard oil and 1 tsp salt, for 3-4 hours

3.Create a freshly made ginger and garlic paste, and also thinly slice onions and make a paste of green chillies. 

4.Place an iron tawa on gas burner and put the earthen pan over it. This will prevent the earthen pot from cracking. Keep the flame high and add together the mustard oil and ghee.

5.When it starts to smoke, add the ground spices along with bay leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

6.Add the whole garlic and onions and salt and cook till the onion turns pink. 

7.Add rest of the spices and mutton, give a mix and tightly cover the lid.

8.Cook on low flame for 1 hour. Once or twice shake the entire pot to mix the contents of the pot. 

Remove the lid and check, you can add ½ cup water and cook covered for another 15 minutes if the mutton has not softened. 

Serve with steaming hot rice or chapatti.

Recipes for Mutton Lovers- Dhanshak

Recipes for Mutton Lovers

Dhanshak- an Iconic Parsi Mutton Dish

Mutton Dhansak is perhaps the best known of Parsi dishes, has probably evolved from the Iranian khoresht esfenaj, a dish cooked with meat, lentils, and spinach. As tastes changed, spices were added to the dish to make Dhansak what it is today. Parsi Dhanshak Masala is a roasted and fried masala ( described below) that is one of the secret ingredients along with the magical Parsi Sambhar masala, that takes the Dhanshak magic to another level. It can be described simply as a creamy boneless mutton dish prepared using rich aromatic masalas and particular stronger overtone of a traditional spice like cinnamon or "dalchini". The dish is mild and tangy with a hint of sweetness. Dhan- the Cereal in Dhan-shak combines Toor Daal and Masoor Daal and the Shak- Vegetables are the obvious additions to the mutton- Spinach and Tomato- and you can use variants of small quantities of Methi leaves ,drumsticks, and pumpkin if you like. 

Ingredients

For 4 Person(s)

Meat

• 600 g Mutton - boneless
• 3/4 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tsp salt

Dal

• 800 ml Mutton stock
• 200 g Toor dal
• 50 g brinjal
• 50 g fresh methi leaves
• 3 chilies
• 75 g pumpkin
• 1/2 cup coriander
• 3 stalk spring onion
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder

Tadka

• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp Dhansak Masala (
• 1 tbsp Parsi Sambhar Masala (
• 175 g tomatoes
• 8 curry leaves
• 4 drumsticks, cut into 3

Dhanshak Masala:

• Fry the spices below in 2 1⁄2 tsp. vegetable oil- cool and grind to make the masala.
• 1⁄2 cup (50 g) whole Kashmiri chiles
• 1⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (38 g) coriander seeds
• 1⁄4 cup (25 g) cumin seeds
• 5 whole fresh curry leaves (30 g)
• 1 3⁄4 tsp. (12 g) turmeric
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) dried Indian bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. (12 g) cloves
• 1 tbsp. (12 g) cloves
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) whole mace
• 1 tbsp. (12 g) black mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp. (10 g) poppy seeds

Parsi Sambhar Masala:

• A mix of spices that is often used in the classic Parsi recipe for dhansak, sambhar masala also adds bright fragrance and color to vegetables and other meat dishes.
  Time: 15 minutes

  Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. (20 g) black mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp. (10 g) Kashmiri chile powder
  • 1 whole 2-in. cinnamon stick
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp. (10 g) black peppercorns
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp. (5 g) whole cloves
  • 2 1⁄2 tsp. (5 g) ground turmeric
  • 2 1⁄2 tsp. (5 g) fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil

  Parsi Sambhar Masala Instructions

  1. In a medium skillet or tawa, turn the heat to medium and the mustard seeds. Cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to an electric spice grinder or coffee grinder. Repeat with the remaining spices, roasting each one by one.
  2. Process the spices to a fine powder, then transfer to a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the spices, pour in the sesame oil, and whisk to combine. Use immediately or transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store for up to three months.

Dhanshak Cooking Directions

1. Marinate mutton for atleast 30 mins in ginger garlic paste and salt
2. Pressure cook the mutton for 3 whistles and 10 mins on slow
3. Boil drumstick piece in salted water, squeeze out the juice
4. Chop all the vegetables and keep aside
5. In a pressure cooker, add the mutton stock, vegetables, dal, turmeric and red chilli powder. Cook for 3 whistles and 10 minutes on slow.
6. In another pan, add ghee to make the tadka. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 4 – 5 mins until soft.
7. Now, add in the Dhansak Masala, Sambhar Masala and Curry leaves and cook for 6 - 7 mins. After the cooker with the dal opens, add in the tadka and drumstick. Blend until dal is smooth.
8. Now add in the mutton and simmer for another 10 minutes on slow heat
9. Serve with Plain Steamed Basmati Rice and Kachumbar or with Caramelised Brown Rice  as a variation.
10. 
    

Office buildings need to be driven differently to perform better in the 21st century!

Aashish Karode, Architect, Urban Designer, 
Principal Design and Planning Services
Design Atelier Architects

Design isn’t only about making things look pretty! Instead design is a way of thinking - of user centered principles, of determining people’s true, underlying needs and delivering features, products and services that help create great longevity and meaning, and help people have a great experience! Design combines an understanding of people, technology, society and business. To make a difference, today’s buildings and workplaces must promote workforce productivity while operating efficiently with regard to water, energy, and recycling, in addition to being user/people-centred.

When people refer to design as if it were decoration, I feel offended. I resent it when architects working on Interiors are sometimes called decorators. This is a problem for me not because decorators are “lesser” professionals, but really because the idea of reduction of the design discipline, to mere decoration is troubling because it diminishes my ambition for all that projects can be with applied design thinking. This is also disturbing because so little is known about what design actually is or can be. The production of small beautiful objects is only a small component of modern design; to me the idea that design be driven only/mainly by ideas of style and appearance at the expense of understandability, of control, of pleasure, of usage, is to give up invoking a truly powerful design ambition to be influential in making a real difference. To convey that a designer’s sole aim is to make things beautiful, or to make things cheap, or easy to produce is to forget to make things functional and responsive, aiding understandability or ensuring ease of use.

Designers today work on problems like design of cities, or solutions to healthcare or transportation systems. The main, fundamental, and well established principles of good design like visible innovation, environmental responsibility and economic responsiveness through strategies for energy renewability and sustainability. Also aesthetic principles like clarity, depth, scale proportion, emphasis, contrast, and discoverability, where it is always possible to discover what selection of actions are possible and what their selection would result in. There can be so many experiential dimensions that drive design and its technology to serve the most important priorities of performance. These principles are almost always common sense and experimental sciences have opened up the power of testing ease of use, like in the world of computing and now in the post Apple universe, the whole world should know and have an appreciation for what design is and what it can do.

Historically, office buildings had one business objective: to be built and run as economically as possible. While value remains important, tenants and owners alike have begun to demand flexible office buildings that address a wider range of performance drivers and even organizational or business objectives. This shift in thinking has added new demands to the design and development of office buildings, and the demands continue to grow. Today’s buildings and workplaces must promote workforce productivity while operating efficiently with regard to water, energy, and recycling. They must convey corporate identity and promote employee well-being while respecting the bottom line by providing efficient and flexible spaces. Essentially, today’s office building must achieve exceedingly high levels of performance to be successful.

In office buildings, the user experience/user needs can broadly understood in 4 new driving categories that design must respond to.

Pride Drivers: A focus on development of an identifiable address, identity through signage and value added high quality architecture and construction, for example the creation of a great entrance experience adds great house pride, great security systems, reception systems and facilities, way finding signage and ease of user experience. Activity based settings and in premises universal access spaces (Cafes, People Places, Gardens, Landscapes security stations, pickup and drop off points, parking, safe driveways and pedestrian spaces) where clients consider the whole building experience as their own.

Environmental drivers: include a suite of factors like sustainable energy needs, carbon footprint, daylighting/natural lighting, renewable energy, high-performance building envelopes, climate and environmental mapping, and a focus on systems integration. Like renewability, innovative building technologies are to be looked into to affect the Indoor air quality in the context of an ever increasing urban air pollution.

Economic drivers: include a focus on operational or life-cycle building costs as well as continued attention to construction costs; an understanding of “next generation” tall buildings and the system thresholds that come into play for “super-tall” buildings; a need for flexible floor plates; a focus on development identity; and the value-add for high-quality architecture.

Work drivers: better work environments make happier people. The new work drivers include changing demographics, new ways of working, the rise of mobile working, new measurements of productivity and effectiveness, 21st-century amenities and expectations, and a focus on occupant experience and comfort with spaces and work areas tailored to the user needs.

Recipes for Mutton Lovers-By Aashish Karode, Architect & Urban Design Professional

Recipes for Mutton Lovers-Saoji Mutton By Aashish Karode, Architect & Urban Design Professional

Like millions of others, I chase food experiences too, but with a difference- When I travel to places, I get recommendations from friends and local gastronomes to find new and interesting mutton dishes... And I am often completely surprised by complex Indian mutton dishes and the special local methods of preparation that differentiate them- by ingredients, by regional influence, by climate and geographically, by culinary traditions, by season and by community recipes. Then at home, I often try out these recipes and share them with friends.

On recent travels, I was introduced to the great cult of the Saoji-Varhadhi cuisine in Nagpur. Saoji (the “Sahukar” word comes from this is basically an Indian community of Kshatriyas , who have a business background (like silk n weaving) and are concentrated in Vidharbha, and based in Maharashtra, Gujarat and South regions in parts of Karnataka and Andhra) cuisine is a very non-vegetarian affair with huge emphasis on mutton, chicken and fish.  Most Saojis love heir hot-n-spicy curries and their food- "Saoji Varhadhi" or "Saoji cuisine" has a cult following in the region in and around Nagpur. One such delicacy is the exotic, hot and spicy Saoji Mutton. I’d heard so much about its cult status in Nagpur and by pure chance, it was served at an event I attended.

Saoji is differentiated from other mutton recipes in India, by the sheer proportion of the spices used. The special ingredients in preparation of curry for Saoji mutton are used mainly to make a spice paste of dry coconut, poppy seeds (Khus-Khus), stone flower, fennel, alongwith whole garam masalas like black pepper, dry coriander, bay leaves, grey cardamom, cinnamon, cloves etc that are roasted and ground before being blended into a golden fried onion paste just before the cooking the mutton into the  gravy, Interestingly the Saojis include, Jwar-ka-Aata (Pearl Millet flour) in the gravy.

The cult recipe of Saoji-Varhadhi cuisine: Saoji Mutton 

There are 3 main processes used in this recipe that may seem long, but are necessary to fully appreciate the dish and incredibly easy to make. Just make sure you have all the ingredients ready. The recipe works in 3 phases- (a) the preparatory parboiling for fragrant mutton, (b) the dry roasting of spices and making of Saoji masala paste, and (c) assimilation of everything into the gravy. Additionally you must remember to use the dry coconut, khus-khus and Jwar-ka-Aata and coconut oil while cooking, that brings extra thickness to mutton gravy and adds a stickiness to the spice paste to adhere to the mutton pieces even while sautéing and during the gravy phase.

It is unusual for this excess of a fine combination of Indian spices, particularly the variety of garam masala to enhance the taste and texture of mutton. The cuisine as such, is famous for its texture and spice and the process of using the freshly roast-n-grind spice mix gives it a very distinct flavor which will fill your whole home with the aroma of hot flavours and its memorable overpowering spicy taste will get into your mind and soul.

Part 1: Method for the fragrant Pre-preparation of Mutton: 

In Indian cooking, in most successful mutton recipes the main idea is the fragrant pre-treatment of the raw mutton using a flavorful and aromatic pre-preparation of mutton. This process is done differently in different cuisines, using either marination, or parboiling with spices, or sautéing with whole spices.
Ingredients: 

1 kg goat mutton hind leg and thigh pieces, on the bone, cut to 2”pieces and or chops of 3” length
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
3-4 Bay leaves
10-15 Whole Peppercorns
Water for Mutton Stock

Method: 

In Saoji Mutton you first prepare the cleaned and washed mutton, boil the mutton pieces in salt water with whole peppercorns and bay leaves and save the mutton stock for use in the subsequent gravy

Part 2: Making Saoji Masala Paste for 1 KG Mutton

Ingredients: 
For the Dry Roast of Spices for Saoji Masala
10 cloves
15-20 whole black peppercorns
6 inch log cinnamon sticks
4 black cardamom
10 green cardamom
6 Tbsp. poppy seeds/Khus-Khus
1 cup dry powdered coconut
½ cup Jwar-Ka-Aata
6 Whole Dry Red Chilies
3 Bay Leaves
5 Tbsp. Cumin/Shahi Jeera
2 Star Anise
15 Tbsp. Coriander seeds
1/4 Tbsp. Nutmeg Powder
1 Blade Mace
1 Tbsp. Turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. Stone flower (Dagad phool)
2-3 Tbsp. Fennel Seeds/Saunf

For the Saoji Masala Paste 

1 Kg Onion, stir well in about 20 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, and fry till the onions caramelize to a golden brown colour. Blend into a paste

Method:

Heat a pan add whole garam masala, dry roast/sauté it all ingredients, in a slow flame add coconut powder, Jwar-ka-Aata, roast it for a minute, let it cool down put this in a blender make a powder. Later add the powder to the golden fried onion paste to make it into the great Saoji Masala

Part 3: Making Saoji Mutton Gravy Method: 

Method:
To assimilate the Ground paste and marinated mutton into the Saoji Mutton Gravy, heat coconut oil in a pan add ginger garlic paste, fry for a while and add par boiled mutton and fry for 10 mins. Then add the Saoji masala and fry for 10-15 mins till the mutton is almost done. Add water and mutton stock as required, and cook till done. Then add salt to taste as required, 1 Lemon Juice or as required. Add 2-3 Tbsp. finely chopped Coriander leaves before you serve. 

Serve this mutton hot with Jwar-ki-bhakri, with bread or roti.

 Note: It is also possible to make vegetarian dishes using the same style of Saoji gravy/curry. The vegetarians can enjoy Potato, Paneer or Soya Chunk dishes in the Saoji Curry to relish its authentic taste. Please know that Saoji food, although uses a number of spices, is not harmful to the body and does not lead to any digestive problems, as the process of cooking has been modified to overcome any health problems. The authentic Saoji stuff is served in Nagpur everywhere, but with differing results, but some of the famous joints in Nagpur are Kashinath near Sai Mandir, Jagdish Bhojanlaya in Gandhibagh, Ganesh Peth, Prachand Saoji, Umrer Saoji. In Pune, the Nagpur Hotel in Sadashiv peth, 1182, Sadashiv Peth, Shegde wada, also serves Saoji Mutton.

Green Building Review of SUFI IT Park by Design Atelier Architects and Urbanists- Aashish Karode, Principal.

Transforming Indian Cities- Aashish Karode, Principal Architect, Urban Designer- Design Atelier Architects

Aspirations for India Cities- Aashish Karode (Graphics from my article in Hindustan Times)

Expanding Indian Cities: So much to do so little time

Most of us realise that Indian cities are expanding on a larger scale and at a faster pace than ever before, and we dread the negative probability of what the future holds. Will this in fact, as some thinkers have predicted, lead us to anarchy, an uncontrolled growth of slums or/and an ungovernable mess? But for Indian political leadership, it seems dealing with hard questions about how best to manage our massive urbanization is not a priority, and certainly action is not visible in areas other than some capitals like Ahmedabad and New Delhi.

With 250 million people to be added, to all tiers of cities and towns in 20 years, Indian cities, badly need a vision of the future to inspire the next generation of cities to become sustainable, world class centres of urban endeavour, business, finance, sports and culture while ensuring that smaller cities become stronger and participate in the growth in a less haphazard manner.

International experience has demonstrated that India could turn its cities around in a decade. There are examples in India too, of how New Delhi turned around Connaught place, executed the Metro, and created district centres and a number of decentralised regional nodes and corridors and satellites towns in about the last fifteen years. Surat implemented a Waste management plan and cleaned up the city and its streets in under a year. Good exemplary turnaround stories come from Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and exciting project success stories abound in metropolitan cities where airports and transportation is rapidly undergoing a transformation.

The expansion of our capabilities and ambition is urgently required . Reports suggest that at least fifty master-planned cities with a 50-year future outlook need to be planned immediately to ease the pressure of existing centres, create new centres of growth and ensure overall economic growth while the country’s urban population will soar to 590 million in 2030. With 40 % of us living in cities soon, Indian cities should produce more than 70 percent of the country’s GDP, and stimulate a near-fourfold increase in per capita income. Reading these reports, we can be sure, a continued lack of effective policies to manage urbanization will jeopardize India’s growth. The country's reluctance to improve policy support for both large and small cities, will likely further exacerbate urban decay, the poor quality of life for citizens, and will not draw investors to fund projects in India’s urban centres.

However if the country makes and executes the right policy choices, it could potentially boost GDP, create sufficient jobs for the 270 million people expected to enter the working-age population over the next 20 years. The city is best understood as an interminable project- and as India moves towards global leadership in areas of economics, trade and politics, its cities too must transform and play their part in development.

Transcript of the Wallartmag Interview with Roobina Karode

Roobina Karode Interview text on Wallart Mag.com

Wildlife Photography Trip to Pench.MP.

Are India’s Cities and Buildings at the Core of her Problems of Energy Production, Waste and Consumption

As India’s cities record a rapidly increasing trend towards ever more urbanisation and migration, they do present her bigger and bigger energy problems. Though India is still a predominantly rural place- with maybe 85% rural population, it is in the concentrated and demanding 'production centre' nature of cities, that they become the biggest consumers of energy, with an added never-ending demand of energy for households, development, amenities, commercialisation and industrialisation. Similarly, the cities’ transport and mobility needs consume substantial amounts of energy and carbon to match the footprint of more urbanisation. The Climate change phenomena too, do more to exacerbate the problem of India’s growing energy deficit, that is often sought to be mitigated by disparate and oftentimes conflicting attempts to address energy and environmental issues, both at National, as well as at the local levels.

The solution India needs is of course well understood - a rapid increase in clean and socially benign energy production on the one hand, and on the other, an approach to overall management of energy consumption, especially in the municipal sector, whereby big heads like pumping, lighting, heating/cooling, sewerage and solid waste disposal can be less energy intensive. This combination of minds in Indian democracy can be so tricky. Therefore, like any democratic country with development needs, India too needs to immediately bring issues of energy to the mainstream of public debate, to enable the immediate convergence between energy governance and democratic local governance, working together towards a solution for energy management with an integrated outlook to the energy efficiency of cities and meeting their necessary energy supply.

Amongst many things that are now being actioned slowly but need to be regulated, is that we need smarter buildings and spaces that function 24 hours, with minimum embedded energy and long service lives, accommodating multiple uses in different times and arranged in a fashion that avoids reliance on cars and polluting motorized transport. We are moving towards smarter grids, and dual tariffs that can cope with oblique curves in energy demand, cross-fed by renewable energy sources like solar energy to avoid peaking loads and hence becoming less reliant on polluting small power plants.

It is a no brainer that if we continue to consume and waste in the way we have been; there will be no way on earth to support us! India requires to feed into the global energy agenda, where the world is seen as one, where no city or country can waste at the expense of others and where a network of connected concerns come together in a meeting of minds, to tackle global problems of energy and environment.

Trip To Pench Tiger Reserve, M.P.

Shikra

Rachet Tailed Drongo

Indian Roller- Blue Jay

Langur Mother and Child

Langur

Jungle Fowl

White Throated Kingfisher

Crested Serpent Eagle

Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat

Jungle Cat

Pench Panorama at the River

Panoramic views of the New Fairway Pub

The Lighter Side of Building

When I explain light working in my building design, I am simultaneously projecting myself as the technician of that light and the discover of it. In today’s high-tech world, light is “engineered transparency” – energy that can be bent, curved, and harnessed for architectural purposes. One need not resort to the filmy poetic mysticism of Louis Kahn (“We are made of light which has been spent”) in order to discuss the roles light plays in design.


Corbusier did famously proclaim, “Architecture is the skilful, judicious, magnificent play of volumes against light.” The problem with this profound quote is that our clients aren’t contracting us to create anything as remotely abstract as “play of volumes against light.” Yet what could be more important than to convey to them the action of light through architecture? Clients we know are focused on other specificities, almost none of which involve poetic versioning of the act of light- increasing daylight maybe-... sometimes, but not really much more than that. You can make drawings of light circulating through your designs on a computer – but words will inevitably need to supplement graphics. How can you shed light on light?

While recently walking through our newly completed building, I did think, “The light is working in this building like sound does in music- it is everywhere, now alive, now subtle, now a whisper- ah here is its centre.. and so on.” Initially , I thought I was simply substituting the concept of light working as a slightly nuanced contrast to Corbu’s notion of light playing, a subtle nod to the high Indian sun writ large. But then I realized that our design could actually be verbally evoked in terms of how its architecture makes light an active partner in an ongoing dramatic story located at the edge between architecture and the world beyond the building.

To say this simply: the edge of our design is where interior and exterior energies – light, air, atmosphere – engage in cross-talk. Your architecture engages in a conversation with its surroundings. Because the interactions of architecture with light, not to mention the rest of the environment, are so difficult to verbalize, why not personify architecture and light as partners in conversation?

So now next time I will talk about how light plays and works throughout the design of buildings, using the light flows in our own office space for examples in meetings with clients. Perhaps I will just suggest that light can be thought of as a working partner to talk with.

Heh, heh, talk about keeping the conversation light – but shimmering.

Chimes Group "Athena" at Gurgaon Opens with great "Green" hopes.

The Indian Green Building Council's Evaluative Systems qualify us for LEED Gold Standard Certification in the Core and Shell building Category with special points for Performance and Innovation in Energy Savings, Natural Light Utilisation, Passive Cooling and Insulation,Climatic Responsive Design, and several other Green Building Criteria.

Reflected Natural Light from the North Faces, illuminate interior spaces without heat gain- Design Atelier

Shallow water pools in the landscape used to cool breezes passing through the pilotis gardens at ground while being visible from the entry receptions and the journey paths, a reminder of what is important in life and environment- Design Atelier

Solar facades located on Western and South and East faces reduce heat gain and bring in deep penetrating light through pibbon windows set high on the facade- Design Atelier

Good natural light penetration using internal light wells that harness sunlight make for a great solution to eliminate the use of electrical light sources in office spaces in the day.

Independence Day reminds me to think Independently

Despite all the rhetoric thrown at us each day about our country's pride and our patriotism I think it is high time we questioned the idea of what Independence should mean to us today, given the pathetic performance of the state and all nature of self-interested leaders to uphold these very interests and our national pride. For years that I can recall, we have been fed the history of the Independence movement, the heroism of Gandhi, and other leaders as the epitome of ideal conduct and patriotism. I would call this manipulation of the masses with what can only be called idol worship.

After the CWG fiasco, it is clear, that the very existence of the Indian state demands that there be some privileged class vitally interested in maintaining its own existence. And it is precisely the group interests of this class that have been fed to us as "patriotism"- a blind faith in and adulation of inept leaders masquerading as saints and basking in the reflected glory of Gandhi and the freedom movement. Literalists like most of Indians are, are always mistaking the symbol for a reality, for the truth and this is a failure of our education to create independent thinkers. This is why political propaganda and mind games seem to appeal to the worst part of so many of us Indians.

As an Indian today who has had no direct experience of the struggle for independence, I seem to have much less of a sense of history than earlier generations, and it hurts me in the battle for a really potent current sense of patriotism that I can react and demand a better response from my country's leadership, suited to the needs of today's society and a political system that I can participate in. Clearly as a nation, we have become too blase to bother with any real change. As weary as we are of the clamour of complaints of ethnic division and religious self-assertion, we are an over tolerant people, tolerant of our corrupt political class, our broken roads and potholes, tobacco stained spit marks on the walls, garbage on the road and people urinating openly in public. It seems it is enough for us to imagine the romance of the idea that there is something more to think about in the idea of India. The all too simple idea, of a land where the colour of your skin doesnt matter, the sounds you make when you speak, the kind of food you eat, the God you choose to worship (or not)do not matter, so long as you want to play by the same rules as everybody else. (The idea of India from Shashi Tharoor's Speech)

Agreed that this idea of India, is well worth defending,but I would dare demand more than just the romance of so called independence and freedom of choice- I dream of an India, where tomorrow signifies the hope of a strong, confident civil society, free of corruption, where the youth is activated, politically participative, where not only will unity continue to prevail, but where the people will be educated, civil, equal, kind and generous in their conduct, and this sense of freedom will animate our choice of imagining our desired futures, allow us to innovate and take pride in achievements.I demand to see a country of accountable leaders who epitomise the capabilities of honesty, responsiblity and patriotism in which we have reposed our faith.We are in grave danger of losing the sense of who we are as a people – a people composed of many peoples, many tribes and ethnicities, many classes, many religions but who share the values of liberty and freedom and justice for all. If we lose that, we are India no longer.

Green buildings may cost more up front, but they deliver high returns over the long term.

Green buildings may cost more up front, but they deliver high returns over the long term. Consider indicative data: Energy savings in green buildings routinely exceed 20% and reach 50% on hot days.

Oxygen-rich air, injected into enclosed space, improves employees’ health, increasing productivity.

Raised floors cut air-conditioning costs by 70%. Dry toilets save millions of gallons of water. A short term view will discount or ignore those metrics; a long-term, life-cycle view will embrace them.

How Green Is Your Building’s Wood?

How Green Is Your Building’s Wood?

Using wood offers many sustainability benefits. Besides adding strength to a structure, and beauty both inside and out, wood is a renewable, reusable and recyclable resource. Wood requires less energy and water to produce than residential construction alternatives such as concrete, steel and plastic. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and finished wood products store carbon. A long-term forest management policy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of timber, can generate significant green house gas mitigation benefits.

The environmental attributes of wood for construction of homes has been measured and found to be superior to alternatives such as steel and concrete. The United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program recognizes wood for green building, especially if it is grown within a few hundred miles of where it is grown. As an extra measure of assurance, some architects, developers and builders specify that wood products are certified by an independent third party as coming from sustainable forests. Among some 40 different certification programs worldwide, The American Tree Farm System, Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council are examples of organizations which offer certification verified by third-party auditors to ensure that sustainable forestry practices are followed.

How can architects, developers and builders know for sure that lumber for building their projects comes from sustainably managed forests? Sustainability is defined internationally as: meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising that ability for future generations.

Translated to forestry, sustainability strives to balance the interdependent and sometimes competing interests of the environmental, economic and social benefits that forests provide. That means harvest sites must be replanted, and that other assets of the forest— soil and water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunity, among them—must be protected.Small and large landowners alike manage some forests for specific purposes. Thinning Douglas-fir and trimming lower branches allows specialty stands to grow more quickly and produce clear wood with few knots producing wood highly desired for windows and decorative construction.

An ideal way to ensure that wood is harvested in an environmentally and socially responsible manner is to choose wood from a state with strong forest practice laws. Tough standards and regulatory oversight offer assurance that comprehensive rules are followed and enforced. While other states may follow best management practices, their guidelines are not codified into law. And wood from international sources may have even far less environmental protection.

On working forestlands, good forest practices require that some trees and snags be left behind during harvest for wildlife habitat purposes. Along with buffer zones along forest streams, road-building activities must be approved under law and water runoff after harvest from the state’s plentiful rainfall is closely monitored to safeguard future forest resources. Key regulated practices and a host of other laws govern road construction, bridges, culvert placement, public safety, stream enhancement and wildlife protection, and include:

•Landowners must replant the forest within two years after harvest.
•Within six years, the harvest site must regenerate into a healthy trees.
•Live trees, snags and fallen logs must be left after harvest to provide wildlife habitat.
•A buffer of trees left alongside fish-bearing and drinking water streams,to ensure cool, clean water.
•Timber harvesting, road building and using herbicides are restricted close to streams
•Except when approved under special conditions, a clearing cannot exceed 120 acres.
Working forests are lands managed primarily for wood production. and which ensure that trees are replanted after harvest and that buffer zones protect forest streams.  Once trees are harvested, how green is the next stage? Timber manufacturing sector made early investments in technology for making raw logs into finished lumber. Timber is processed in high-tech, low-waste mills where lasers scan logs in three dimensions, computers decide the maximum number of boards, and every inch of log, down to the chips and sawdust, is put to use. Mills in the United States and Canada, often generate their own electrical energy from these wood by-products. How far must the wood be shipped to reach your project? The United States imports some one-third of its wood supply, mainly from Canada. It takes large amounts of fossil fuels to transport wood, and thus local sourcing is another factor of sustainability. Wood harvested within a 500-mile radius is the standard for defining "local."

How green is your building's wood? Green comes in many shades. But architects, developers and builders can feel assured of sustainability using wood products that are locally grown and manufactured, and that are grown in places with stringent and comprehensive laws that govern the practice of forestry.