Embassy of Switzerland
Press release
New Delhi, April 01 2014
Book launch “A Tropical House. The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi’’ & “Images of architects and praxis” Valerio Olgiati and Bijoy Jain in interaction with Erwin Viray
The Embassy of Switzerland announces the concluding events of the “Year of Swiss Architecture, Design and Engineering in India 2013-14”. Launched in July 2013, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Embassy building in New Delhi, the year witnessed three major exhibitions on architecture (displayed in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh), lectures by several experts from Switzerland and India, a symposium, as well as the opening of the Embassy and the residence for public visits.
The year will conclude with the launch of the newly published monograph titled ‘A Tropical House. The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi’ edited by Bruno Maurer and published by gta Verlag, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. The book launch will be followed by a conversation on “Images of architects and praxis” by architects Valerio Olgiati (Switzerland), Bijoy Jain (India) and Erwin Viray (Singapore/Japan).
Friday, 4th April 2014 at 6.00 pm
Venue: Embassy of Switzerland, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Entry by invitation or by pre-registration with [email protected]
Embassy of Switzerland Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, P.O. Box 392 New Delhi - 110 021 Phone: +91 11 4995 9500 Fax: +91 11 4995 9509 Email: [email protected] Webpage: http://www.eda.admin.ch/newdelhi
About the book:
‘’A Tropical House - The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi’’
The Embassy building by Hans Hofmann and Walter Rüegg, as well as the staff quarters by Achyut Kanvinde and Shaukat Rai in the Embassy compound, show a deep engagement with local cultural, constructional and climatic conditions. Against the background of today’s ‘global architecture’, it is a model case.
On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of its inauguration, this outstanding example of Swiss architecture is discussed in a scientific monograph displaying the planning and construction history, as well as the political and cultural context. Essays by experts are accompanied by historical views and recent photographs of the architecture and the compound.
Contributions by:
Didier Burkhalter, President of the Swiss Confederation
Linus von Castelmur, Ambassador of Switzerland to India and Bhutan
Marc Perrenoud
Arthur Rüegg
Anupam Bansal
Ariel Huber
Bruno Maurer
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About the architects:
Valerio Olgiati / Switzerland – The architect from Grisons left Switzerland after his studies at the ETH Zürich to work in an architect’s office in Los Angeles. Soon he came back to Zürich and opened his own office, which was later moved to Flims. After being visiting professor at several universities, namely ETH Zürich, the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, as well as at the Cornell University in New York, Valerio Olgiati now works as a full professor at the Università della Svizzera italiana in Mendrisio. In 2013 Mr. Olgiati published a book with the title “The Images of Architects, The Visible Origin of Architecture”, a collection of 44 images from different unique architects.
“I asked architects to send me important images that show the basis of their work […]. The images are explanations, metaphors, foundations, memories and intentions. They are poetic and philosophical avowals. They reveal a personal perspective on thoughts. They show the roots of architecture and expectations concerning projects. Conscious and unconscious. […]” - Valerio Olgiati (from: “The Images of Architects, The Visible Origin of Architecture”)
Bijoy Jain / India – Born and brought up in Mumbai, Bijoy Jain went to the United States to study architecture at the Washington University in St. Louis. After he had worked for a few years in Los Angeles and London, he came back to India and founded 2005 the "Studio Mumbai Architects". He is a critique of architectural designs that neglect their natural environment and social community in which they are situated. For him, the given surroundings and the local resources are crucial determinants of any projects.
"Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practiced, embodied or realized […].The practice of the architect […] is primarily concerned with the nature of being.[…]” - Bijoy Jain
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Erwin Viray / Singapore – Erwin Viray obtained a BS Arch from the University of Philippines, an MA in Engineering in Architecture at Kyoto Institute of Technology and a Doctorate degree for Engineering in Architecture at the University of Tokyo. He worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at the School of Design and Environment of the National University of Singapore and as a design critic at the Graduate School of Design of the Harvard University. Currently he is professor and head of architecture and design at the Kyoto Institute of Technology and co- editor of the journal A+U (Architecture and Urbanism).
‘’The biggest challenge for the future is our ability to confront ourselves, testing the paradigms of our thoughts and how we do things. […]” - Erwin Viray (from: “An interview for professional media in South East Asia”)
The “Year of Swiss Architecture, Design and Engineering in India 2013-2014” is supported by:
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