Character, Identity and Symbolism Contemporary Interpretations of British Colonial Architecture
Sagarika Chowdhury 1 and Sagar Gupta 2 1, 2 Sushant School of Art & Architecture, Ansal University, Gurgaon, India 1 sagarikachowdhury.barch15, 2 [email protected]
Abstract: Architectural history and traditional culture of India has been overshadowed by rapid urban development in last few decades. In such a scenario, appreciation of architectural heritage in contemporary work is a sustainable building challenge faced by the architectural fraternity. Indian architecture of the 21st century witnesses numerous projects that claim to ‘interpret’ and ‘manifest’ traditional architectural styles, the inherited including Colonial, Greek and Roman, and the indigenous such as the Rajputana. However, a closer look at most modern ‘imitative’ works highlights that only a handful of parameters have been given due importance in this appreciation, while numerous other significant parameters face complete neglect. The research questions our methods of interpreting the traditional built environment and processes of inheriting from our legacies, with a wider intent to prevent further dilution of the architectural style they refer to. Design values, principles and elements in colonial architecture by Lutyens have been identified, and compiled for reference of modern Indian architects, so as to avoid notable gaps in the process of translation.
Keywords: Architectural Symbolism; Colonial Architecture; Traditional Built Environment.
1. Introduction Modern interpretation of sustainability is based on three pillars: Environmental, Economic and Social. Environmentalists advocate the environment and capitalists advocate the economy; however, the social pillar fails to find considerable support for its recognition. Social aspects like heritage, culture, lifestyle etc. still remain unaddressed in discussions on sustainable development. This failure is also evident in the realm of architecture. The research deals with the subject of superficial symbolism, a socially unsustainable approach widely adopted for architectural design. Most modern symbolic projects based on specific styles forego key factors governing architectural experience, such as orientation, internal planning, and fenestration proportions. A sheer neglect of these architectural components, hence, causes these modern projects to be read as mere façade treatment glued over buildings, results in dilution of essential characteristics that define a particular architectural style, and misses out on any consideration of culture or heritage from an era. Colonial era significantly influences modern Indian architecture, and hence, the research uses ‘British Colonial Architecture’ to explore two key strands: (a) what constitutes the ‘symbolic and image’ in inherited architectural styles, and (b) details of the ‘lost’ in imitation of traditional architecture.
Revisiting the Role of Architecture for 'Surviving’ Development. 53rd International Conference of the Architectural Science Association 2019, Avlokita Agrawal and Rajat Gupta (eds), pp. 61–68. © 2019 and published by the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA). 62 S. Chowdhury and S. Gupta
The research elaborates upon underlying geometry and spatial character of early 19th Century British Colonial Architecture in India with the intent to lay a foundation for a deep-rooted, relevant and sustainable modern interpretation of historic architecture. It is carried out in three key phases: Understanding British colonial architecture (theory and work) in the Indian context Understanding space and its parameters Identification of interface governing post-colonial architecture In order to narrow down scope and complexity, the research deals with ideologies and works of Edwin Lutyens in England (to understand colonial architecture), and then in India (Delhi) to explore how the design principles have been accentuated or subdued by him in the princely palaces, specifically the Baroda House and Hyderabad House, to suit the local context (Baroda and Hyderabad Houses are formal residences of Indian maharajas of the mid-20th century. Their scale is larger than the buildings found in Lutyens residential zone, but smaller than the western and eastern courts, and Rashtrapati Bhawan). A key focus is on the spatial geometry of Lutyens works in New Delhi, which often are used as references while designing modern ‘mimic’ buildings. 2. British Colonial Architecture in India Colonial architecture is a style from a mother country incorporated in buildings and settlements of the colonies of the mother empire in distant locations. The British Empire acquired large number of territories around the world. British Colonial Architecture was used to showcase this power and control of the Empire, in which British architects used English style of architecture, while incorporating local elements to suit the context. The process gave rise to different types of British colonial architecture in North America, Hong Kong, Australia, and India (Tadgell, 1990).
2.1. Indian Context and British Influence Architecture of major Indian cities that grew during the British rule for trade and administrative reasons (like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Madras) is influenced by colonial architecture (Nilsson, 1968). Since European architects used architectural styles that were native to their ancestral home, architectural styles favored by the British were often Gothic or Neo Classical. During the late 19th century, Britishers began a movement known as the Indo-Saracenic revival. This form of architecture was most common in grand public buildings such as clock towers, courthouses and town halls, and possessed numerous common features: domes, arches, overhanging eves, vaulted roofs, pinnacles, open pavilions and pierces open arcading (Smith, 2010). Construction materials remained localized, for instance, majority of British structures within Delhi were built in red and white sandstone. The most evident connection between European city planning principles and India's emphasis on the use of North-South axis was the creation of Janpath, previously known as the Queen's Way, which formed the axis between Rashtrapati Bhawan (Viceroy’s House), India Gate and Connaught Place (Tadgell, 1990). Colonial Architecture in Delhi resulted with the shift of the Indian capital from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911, which ensued the construction of an overly ornate official British administrative center in the heart of the new capital city.
2.2. Lutyens: Theory and Work Sir Edwin Lutyens, an English architect, played a huge role in the planning of Delhi. Lutyens designs were embedded with principles of Neo-Classicism and Historicism. Most of his work was greatly inspired by Tudors Architecture, a form of architecture prevalent in England from 1480-1600 (Holland, 2018).
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2.2.1. Evolution of Lutyens’ Design Theory In his early years, Lutyens had been greatly influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and his work always had underlying disciples which eventually led him to classicism. The vernacular buildings of Surrey and Sussex were his first inspirations (Baker, 1975). Deanery Garden (Figure 1) is a perfect example of Lutyens’ early romantic works in Arts and Crafts style. Sonning was the perfect location for the residential building which harmonized well with the existing general environment. The site was surrounded by an ancient wall which was a part of the village structure. Most components used in Deanery Garden had their own appeal. A medieval door led to the structure, and vaulting of tile and chalk on the roof suggested cloister. Vaulting continued along the same central circulation axis, granting a Romanesque strength to the pattern (Baker, 1975).
Figure 1: Plan of Deanery Garden Figure 2: Plan of Papillion Hall
Taking inspiration from the plan of Edwardian Butterfly House, Lutyens’ proposal for Papillion Hall (Figure 2) suggested keeping the existing structure at center of the expansion, and adding one storey and four separate wings radiating from it at 45⁰ each. Entrance to the house was marked by a flagged courtyard covering a water spring, and the forecourt was in the shape of an oval (Holland, 2018). While the concave nature of the entrance to the house appears welcoming, a completely different philosophical gesture is observed in the entrance to the Hyderabad house, elaborated later. Both the residential projects discussed have vast differences from one another, as Lutyens’ ideology and style underwent change during the course of his architectural practice. Deanery Gardens is based on the concept of Historicism, whereas the Papillion Hall extension has a more Neo-Classical resemblance due to the shift of Lutyens’ ideology towards this style during the late 19th Century. Classicism became more evident in Lutyens’ designs as he progressed in his widespread work. This phase also included the planning of Imperial Delhi, where Lutyens combined classicism with local elements and motifs.
2.2.2. Hyderabad House (1926-28) The biggest and the costliest princely palace was built for the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, who was rumored to be the richest man of the world at that time. Rulers of Indian princely states looked up to British taste in fashion and architecture, which led to the appointment of Lutyens by Maharajas to build their palaces. Butterfly shape of palaces had been common in Britain for over three decades. The
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Hyderabad House (Figure 3) was a variant of the same style, where Lutyens’ halved the butterfly. Beneath the majestic dome (placed to symbolize power) was the entrance hall from which radial and symmetrical wings extended at an angle of 45⁰.
Figure 3: Elevation of Hyderabad House (Source: Banerjee, 2014; Retrieved from http://www.victorianweb.org/art/architecture/lutyens/13.html)
Wings of the Hyderabad House, however, did not reach out as a welcoming gesture, but swept back to protect the Zenana (women's quarters) from guests and public view. The dome was employed as a symbol of princely power, and is a key common characteristic of the Hyderabad House and Rashtrapati Bhawan. The facade was ornamented using Dholpur stone jallis, arcaded verandas and prominent cornices. It is interesting to note the use of domes and jaalis (inspired from Mughal architecture), and red and white sandstone in combination with roman elements such as Palladian openings. Main entrance hallway of Hyderabad House (Figure 4) resembles the entrance of the passage way from Uffizi to Arno River in Florence (Figure 5). The entrance has a concave façade unlike the linear façade of Uffizi to allow a welcoming feel at the main entrance. Directly above the arched entrance is a rectangular opening to maintain a balance between round and rectangular openings in the façade, also seen in Museo Napoleonico. The rectangular opening is covered by a jaali, flanked by Corinthian columns, and has a bare cornice without a pediment.
Figure 4: Entrance Hallway, Hyderabad House Figure 5: Entrance of Passage from Uffizi to Arno
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The main hall of Hyderabad House contains round arches flanked by rectangular openings till the height of the impost, similar to the ones used in the Pantheon, or in the Durban City Hall. Hyderabad House has similar combination of rectangular and round arches, and a grand central arched opening flanked by two rectangular openings on both sides supported by Greek columns. It is adorned with semi- circular arches, bare columns, shallow urns and obelisks of European influence, while the carved jallis and domes are clear influences from Indian architecture. The architecture does not have any formal elements suggested by Nizam except for the central dome. The driveway of the palatial house is similar to the curving garden façade of Villa Giulia in Rome. Other inspirations like alternative round arches and rectangular windows can be also seen in Palladio's Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza (Volwahsen, 2004).
2.2.3. Baroda House (1921-36) Surrounded by Englishmen from the beginning, the tastes of Gaekwar of Baroda were inclined towards Colonial style, and he commissioned Lutyens to build his palace right next to the Hyderabad house. Maharaja was aware of the Neo-Palladian forms used by Lutyens, who created Baroda House in a British aura with shady terraces, cooling arcades, gardens, and Anglo-Saxon furniture (Volwahsen, 2004).
Figure 6: Façade of Palladio's Teatro Olimpico Figure 7: Fenestrations at Baroda House
Baroda House follows the same concept and butterfly plan as the Hyderabad House. Inspired by Palladio's European facades (Figure 6), Lutyens placed only one motif, a large arch flanked by two rectangular wall openings, on the façade of the building. The facade is punctured using French windows and semi-circular arches of a classical proportion divided by mullions, inspired by façade of Museo Napoleonico in Rome and other roman buildings (Figure 7). In the case of Baroda House, the columns are characterized by highly ornate column capital, but the lack of pediment suggests a mixing of the styles. Jallis are more European in nature than commonly found Indian patterns. All motifs of this buff sandstone building are Anglo-Saxon, except for the dome inspired from the Sanchi Stupa. Each wing, being a replica of the other, consisted of three square rooms of the same size. A square hall and an open court were added to each and had the same area. The staircases leading to arcaded verandah, loggia and courtyards are a direct replica of the one in Home House, London built in 18th Century. The columns, similar to the Hyderabad house, are not ornamented. According to Volwahsen (2004), Baroda House is a "series of courtyards, arcades, corridors, and richly decorated living rooms, all conceived in the Renaissance style."
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3. Lost ‘Colonial’ Practices in Architecture Princely Palaces of New Delhi have been analyzed on quantitative and theoretical parameters so as to understand the historical practices, and examine similarities and gaps in modern interpretations: quantitative analysis deals with ratios and proportions of various elements, and the theoretical part deals with the principles prevalent in design.
3.1. Structural Composition Smaller recurring and inter-related ‘units’ constitute the ‘whole’ structure of both the Princely Palaces. Hyderabad House (Figure 8A) and Baroda House (Figure 8B), both, are supported by circular and square load bearing columns and thick shear walls. The central area of the main hall is composed of bulky columns and walls, and a clear square grid is followed in the wings. Similar visual appeal of both houses can be attributed to the fact that the colonnade on the periphery of both buildings has similar width, and is punctured with the same elements in different configurations.
A B Figure 8: Structural Plans of Hyderabad (A) and Baroda (B) Houses
3.2. Geometry and Order Plans of both the houses are composed of rectangles and circles. Axial symmetry of these plans can be attributed to identical nature and equal dimensions of the rectangular wings, which intersect at an angle of 55⁰, overlapping in the centre at the main circular hall (Figure 9A). Larger end of the overlap constitutes the porch, from which a circle is subtracted to form a concave entrance (Figure 9B).
A B
Figure 9: Geometric Composition of Hyderabad House
Character, Identity and Symbolism 67 Contemporary Interpretations of British Colonial Architecture
A B X
C D Y
Figure 10: Geometric Development of Baroda (X) and Hyderabad (Y) Houses
The axis is divided into two parts by an arc running through the centre, and the lower part of the axis in then further divided into 4 equal segments. Lower end of the axis is taken as the centre and two concentric circles are drawn (Figure 10A). The radius of the larger circle is equal to one segment of the divided axis (Figure 10B). Two lines, at an angle of 55⁰ from each other, are drawn from the top of the axis. These lines make boundaries of the plan, and the concentric circles constitute the entrance porch. Perpendicular lines from the divided segments extend to meet the boundary lines, forming lines of transition in the palace (Figure 10C). Two sets of lines, at the same angle of 55⁰, extend from top half of the axis marking perpendicular lines of transition, functionally used as corridors (Figure 10D). In both buildings, Hyderabad House and Baroda House, mirrored rectangular wings intersect to give space for a circular hall, a pure geometric diversion from square grid around, often observed in British buildings.
3.3. Form and Volume The buildings sit as a single mass on each of their sites, without any volumetric subtractions. Numerically, fenestrations constitute 23% of the total façade area in each house. Plans and sections exhibit the same proportions, however, in different scales. The section of the dome in Hyderabad house is in a ratio of 1:2 with its plan. The height of two storey buildings is one-third the width of the buildings.
Figure 11: Façade Analysis for Hyderabad House (Front Elevation)
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Façade analyses of both Hyderabad (Figure 11) and Baroda houses exhibit similar characteristics, where a bulky, simple and grounded elevation is punctured by a series of alternating arched and square openings on the ground floor, and a series of arched and square windows on the first floor. It is interesting to observe the relationship between the repetitive and unique elements, where a unique element has been surrounded by repetitive ones. Here, the unique element is a central arch on ground floor topped with a ‘jaali’ on the first floor, to break alternating arrangement of repetitive fenestrations. 4. Way Forward Colonial architecture is appreciated for the use of ratio and proportion in conversion of plans to elevations and sections, i.e., the heights of all elements are at a certain ratio to the widths. Design principles such as symmetry and balance are evident, and configuration of similar shapes but of different scales, often overlap to form different parts of the same structure. Lutyens altered a similar concept for both palaces, differentiating the façade and function to suit needs of respective Maharajas. A sustainable architectural future does not merely rely on environmentally conducive and energy efficient practices. The capitalist world is already on its path to consume the social and cultural remains from our history. Deep rooted principles of well thought colonial architecture have long lost with time, and replaced by mere arrangement of functions. It is necessary that due consideration is given to the ‘social’ pillar of sustainable development, that encompasses appreciation of culture, history and lifestyle. The vision of the research is to address this social and cultural parameters of traditional architecture, most often neglected in hurried development, by acknowledging the lost practices of British Colonial architecture, and questioning the superficial symbolism that has replaced the original practices. The research has looked into few of the most established projects and practices of Colonial architecture in India, and has covered various topics such as ratio and proportion, flow of activities, structure and geometry etc. which have been a part of this style since its inception. References Baker, G. (1975) A305/18: Edwin Lutyens: Deanery Gardens. Available from: CCA YouTube Channel