Hey Everyone,

Welcome back to a state of architecture ! 

Its been a while, feels good to be back and i thought lets start something new, which adds more value to this amazing platform and helps everyone here into their search for a deeper meaning into architecture.

So, the first review is going to be of the latest pritzker award winner our own Mr. B.V Doshi.

A beautiful collection of 5 small quick read booklets designed in a very unique style which offers a great deal of wisdom regarding architecture. 

This blog is going to talk about the first one - Give time a break.

We often ask in India, who is this guy who's known all over and what did he do that he's so deep into Indian architecture scene since 1960's.

Well, he deserves every bit of attention he has gained, because he transformed the whole approach to architecture, especially in the Indian context. 

The collections starts with the first book titled - Give time a break - paper presented in turkey in 1990's. 

This 15 page paper is all one needs to go through to understand the phenomenon of life and architecture.

Often in contemporary times, most of the people take history and evolution process for granted and that's where the world today seems to have lost its way. Quoting from the book - 

" With evolution, the character, form and style also transforms".

" Continuous evolutions and transformations become part and parcel of perceptions of life as well as aesthetic experiences". 

We often question the rituals, considering them as old school thinking and ancient processes which dont relate to today's time, but in this process what we fail to realize is, rituals are born out of intense very deep meanings, " Rituals emphasize the sacredness of each event and deepen the understanding of our relationship to the cosmos". 

" It is actually the experience of constant sharing. Sharing multiplied the effects of joyous events and diminished those of sadness". 

" Once past, events become unrealities, memories or visions".

Indian architecture has its own essence which seems to fade away as the days go by, and the emphasize is put on it " Traditional Hindu architecture expresses through movement, whether fast or slow with several PAUSES - an intimate experience".

Pause allows to choose. An architecture of uncertainty helps to add new dimensions to the flexibility of space. In traditional Indian architecture, each space can be perceived independently to complete a unique experience. One can be transformed through a proactive dialogue with time and space.

" Normative activities connected to specific functions are transcended and surrounded by an immense number of peripheral links and areas with no apparent function".

" The spatial experiences continually reveal the duality of life through simultaneous co-existence of the extremes, namely space. Organization characterized by the informal as well as formal, structured with loose and finite with infinite". 

" Meandering but not distracted from the goal, simultaneous connection to the main and multiple centers and peripheries in the complex".

" Rather than physical architectural linkages, the visual, emotional and psychological connections are more important".

" THE ARCHITECTURE EXPRESSES A LIFESTYLE HAS EXISTED AND WILL EXIST AS LONG AS THE CONTEXT DOES. WHILE RECALLING THESE EXPERIENCES,ONE REALIZES HOW MUCH ONE HAS DRIFTED AWAY FROM THOSE SO CALLED IMMEASURABLE ACTIVITIES AND SPACES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO SOCIETY'S PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL BALANCE".

"What is true of great architecture is the absence of sustained order leading to more memorable experiences".

"With passage of time, new dimensions have entered our perceptions, out measure of time is accelerating and events are now coupled with rapid change and uncertainty".

"THE RELATIONSHIP OF MAN TO BUILT FORM HAS BECOME TRANSITORY, AND IDENTITY HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH QUICK, RESULT ORIENTED ACTION. SYMBOLS ARE NOW DEPENDENT UPON A CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND INCREASINGLY UNCERTAIN WORLD VIEW".

The only constant that can recover our sensibilities is the introduction of the pause, the "gap" pr unexpected, ambiguous link.

This gap, or "open ended ambiguity', through its momentary sense of repose in time and re-orientation of space, help counteract stressful activity.

The space may not have tangible, measurable or material value, but they are a permanent experiential and immeasurable value because they contain the possibility of SPONTANEITY. Introduction of ignored architectural elements, whose functions are to break the circle of time, to allow pause, meander, or just to go astray.

Because, time can STOP. IT CAN COME TO A STAND STILL, AND WHEN TIME IS STILL, WE CAN DISCOVER THE JOYS OF GETTING LOST IN SPACE, IN TIME OR IN A PLACE, EFFACING THE TRACES OF A LINEAR, STRESSFUL LIFE BY REGISTERING THE CHANGING NUANCES OF SHADOWS AND RHYTHM IN SPACE,THE QUALITY OF LIGHT, COLOR, TEXTURE OR THE SOUND OF FALLING RAIN OR THE SMELL OF FLOWERS.

"THIS IN TURN CONNECTS US TO OUR PRIMORDIAL, TIMELESS SELF"...

What more should i write about it, just go ahead and dive into it guys, this is what we need at the moment, some intensity and a PAUSE in life...

GIVE TIME A BREAK....

See you next time, with the review of second book of this collection - Universe of an architect - planner.

Good night.

Check out my perceptions in a photographic essay at - www.astateofdeep.com 

Thanks for your patience and time.