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| Taj Mahal |
Long after we are all dead and gone, there shall remain one
thing which shall define us. Our architecture.
Look in any direction whether within or outside your
immediate vicinity. What is it that binds you to our past? Architecture.
What we are today as a people has a direct bearing on our
past which gets reflected by its architecture.
If you are in the vicinity of any building of archeological
importance, do visit it to understand the social mores and how it affected
architecture. In Pune, the perfect place to start would be to visit one of
Shivaji’s forts. Most are not easily accessible and this was done intentionally.
Being of strategic importance to a smaller army which pitted against a much
larger adversaries and won, it does give us an idea of what architecture meant
to people at that point in time.
Another place worth visiting though not in the immediate vicinity
of Pune are the rock caves of Ajanta and Ellora. These give us an idea of what
religion and renunciation meant about two millennias back. It also make it
aware that our predecessors managed to make things we would find difficult to
make today- despite humongous advances in technology in every field of
architecture and building.
In some case like Mohanjo-Daro and Nalanda, it in fact
showed that despite its age, they were quite advanced in time and does reflect
a level of ingenuity which due to the advent of standardization and
mechanization is slowly dying out. It is sad to note that despite huge strides
in this field, on an individual level, we are in fact becoming only less
innovative and happy being copy cats. With the easy availability of materials
for construction and ideas on mediums like the internet, all our buildings be
they homes, schools, factories etc look alike with hardly any scope for any
change. Standardization does have its own advantages like speedy completion and
cost reduction. But the flip side is that we become lazy and less likely to
experiment. The only motivation sometimes is to make money and more money and
create an increasing number of indistinguishable buildings.
Not all seems to be lost in this headlong rush to standardize.
There are quite a few like Soverign
Architects in Pune which have made it their signature style to be as distinct
as possible in the given constraints like space, time, budgets and
legislations. You go to them and they with their resources in terms of men and
material tell you all the options available and where you so feel, can give you
a complete home, inside-out, top to bottom!
Pune, with its enticing weather, dew-drop quality water and
educated populace becomes you to make it your home. Architects in Pune, most of
whom are from the vicinity await the opportunity to serve you.
Live life King size in a Democracy! It seriously cannot get
any better than this.
Happy home making!
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Please feel free to post your comments below.
About Author :- Vaishali Kawalkar is the Founder of Sovereign Architects.
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