Ar. Aditya Prakash, Chandigarh
On August 12, 2008 city of Chandigarh (India) lost an eminent architect, designer, painter, a theater enthusiast, academician, Le Corbusier’s associate. He was Ar. Aditya Prakash.
News Release- Aditya Prakash, Indian Modernist
He was on his way to Mumbai for staging the play Life Never Retires, created by G.S. Channi, in which he played the central character. He died on the way, at Ratlam station.
Aditya Prakash is well known in the world of modern architecture as Le Corbusier’s associate in the planning, design and building of the Chandigarh Capital Project which was initiated by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Known internationally for its architecture and urban planning, Chandigarh is home to numerous architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Edwin Maxwell Fry, Jane Drew, Matthew Nowicki, and Albert Mayer. Nehru famously proclaimed Chandigarh to be “unfettered by the traditions of the past, a symbol of the nation’s faith in the future.”
Le Corbusier with Pandit Nehru
Designed in a grid pattern, Chandigarh stands out from the rest of India with its clean lines, broad avenues and imposing government buildings built on a vast scale in concrete with columns, ramps, sculpted roof lines and screens to protect against the punishing sun.
Prakash joined the Chandigarh Capital Project in November of 1952 as one of the nine architects on the team. He had just finished studying architecture at the London Polytechnic, and became an A.R.I.B.A. in 1951.
Interestingly Corbusier had not visited India before he was awarded the Chandigarh project and Prakash’s being an Indian, his European training, and unique understanding of architectural styles and design was a great aid to Corbusier. “He showed us drawings of villages and bullock carts, of the beautiful women laborers,” remembered Prakash. He also worked on the Type VI houses and General Hospital, Sector 16, with Jane Drew.
”When we started designing houses here we thought of Western houses,” said Aditya Prakash, “we began using those sunbreakers in a very big way,” he continued, speaking of the sunscreens that are part of the design of many houses in the city, ”it was very a la mode. But I did a study of the sun in Chandigarh subsequently and found that sunbreakers,” a screen or lattice of bricks, ”cut out sun but retained heat and dust. We found it was better to create deep verandas. These keep out rain and sun, but allow life to move in and out as it always has done in an Indian home.”
He worked closely with Le Corbusier on the design of the School of Art, Chandigarh in the mid-1950s. In 1961-62 he adapted the same design for the Chandigarh College of Architecture and later on became the Principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture (1968-1982) or CCA as it is popularly known!
He published several papers and three books advocating extensive recycling, mixed use developments, development of the informal sector, integration of agriculture and animal husbandry into the urban system, and rigorous separation of motorized and all forms of non-motorized traffic.
The Indian Institute of Architects awarded Aditya Prakash its Gold Medal in 1996.
Chandigarh Markets: Design and Frame Control by Ar. Aditya Prakash
Long after Corbusier was gone, Aditya Prakash continued to work on defining the characteristic visual identity of Chandigarh as a modern city by creating the frame controls of the several of the markets and housing types. He also designed the petrol pumps and the some of the major cinema theaters of the city (Jagat, Neelam and KC.)
Some of his other projects in Chandigarh are the District Courts, Central Scientific Instruments Organization Hostels, the Treasury Building, the Central Bus Stand, Military Rest House, Central Crafts Institute, the Jang Garh, Indo-Swiss Training Center and the Cable Factory, and residences.
Agriculture University Hostel, Ludhiana
From 1963-1968, Aditya Prakash was the Architect of the Panjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. At this time he also designed the campuses of the Agricultural Universities in Hissar and Palampur.
His most significant project in Chandigarh was the Tagore Theater which was constructed to celebrate Rabindranath Tagore birth Centenary in 1961.
Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh.
As an academic, Aditya Prakash was an early advocate of urban ecological design, or “self-sustaining settlements.”
Painting by Aditya Prakash
Prakash was a painter too. He studied art at the Glasgow School of Art and was deeply influenced by Le Corbusier in the 1950s. An early interest in intersecting the Modulor with free-flowing curves, evolved into a style exploring Indian birds, animals and figures within a modernist idiom.
Aditya Prakash served two terms as President of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Academy. He exhibited in several major cities in India. His paintings are in private collections throughout the world.
The architecture community of Chandigarh and worldwide is going to feel this loss. Aditya Prakash lived his life in the cause of modern architecture. It is our responsibility now to preserve his architectural legacy, his beliefs, his thoughts, and his works.
The way he led his life reminds me of what Ralph Waldo Emerson said,
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Architect, Painter Aditya Prakash has sure left an extraordinary trail. His works, his designs, his creativity and energy is going to inspire many.
He lived what he believed.
Sir, You will be remembered for long.
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All Images: Courtesy Dr. Vikramaditya Prakash, Professor of Architecture, University of Washington, email vprakash@u.washington.edu http://faculty.washington.edu/vprakash/
News Release- Aditya Prakash, Indian Modernist
Thank you for sharing.
Anybody who knows even a little about Chandigarh will know about Architect Aaditya Prakash. His contributions have played a very significant role in Chandigarh planning and architecture.
May he rest in peace. God Bless.
I happened to be lucky to have been enrolled in 1980 when he was the principal for the College of Architecture Chandigarh & as a Guru * his calm composed, content & polite personality was over powering, I happened to just see some of his paintings & I can dare to call him the Indian “Cubist” as I come from a family of artists & have spent my child hood in art galleries.
“Om Namaha Shivaya”
Thank you for capturing Mr. Aditya Prakash’s legacy and sharing it with others. He certainly made his mark.
Though I did not know Prof. Adiyta Prakash as well as many other people in the city, the news of his death and, especially the way he died brought back some very vivid images, some of which I’d like to share with you and your mother.
The very first one is of his visit to Roorkee, sometime around 1974, even before I joined CCA. It was early morning. I was rushing to CBRI (where I worked) and crossed him walking along on a tree-lined avenue. I still recall his gait, and the expression on his face when he said “I always like to see a city waking up.”
Numerous encounters with him at CCA. But those that I remember best are the ’staff meetings’ in the old ‘committee room’ sitting around the large teak table, with Prof. AP advising us all how to hone our skills as teachers. The advise was general, and was obviously not taken seriously by most, but I strongly believe that those ‘tips’ have shaped my destiny in many ways.
There are numerous instances which make me marvel at his enthusiasm for life, his ability to detach himself from negativity and remain dignified even in the face of extreme provocation. But, if there is a last memory that I am asked to record, it would be his expressions during the your interaction with the press at CCA a few years ago, just before the launch of his son Vikram’s book on Global History of Architeucre. AP here was not L-C’s associate, he was not a noted figure of the city’s architecture, art or theatre scene, but simply a father, proud of his son’s achivements, content and grateful that his offspring had lived up to his expectations and was carrying forward his legacy.
The history of our profession owes it’s strength to the legacy of the likes of Mr. Adiyata Prakash…an inspiration to all…In Life and In Death…a Gentleman and Artist…for the sake of humanity.
I was sent to CCA as Lecturer in 1967 on deputation. I was struggling to make my place as a faculty member especially being the youngest of all faculty members of CCA.
In 1968 Prof Aditya Prakash came as Principal of CCA which gave me great solace. His personality reflected a father figure and very soon he became a great inspirational force for me. He always reposed great trust on me and always encouraged me by giving me more and more responsibilities. He made me Dean of Students Welfare, Sports President, President Photographic Club and asked me to supervise functioning of the college canteen and gave me different subjects to teach. Just to please him I would put in the very best I could by doing my home work thoroughly.
All this brought me very close to the stdents to such an extent that I became confident enough to bring any student on the stage for performance-how so ever shy he/she may be. And all my efforts to do so were so warmly greeted by Prakash Sb.
The way he groomed my personality I would always remember him as my Guru, my inspiration and my role model.
His words shall always be ringing in my memory when I spoke to him on telephone on 10th August, 2008… he called me, “Han bhai Luthra…..” I told him”Sir,we will never leave you even if you want to…” to this he gave a big laugh and said “..aacha bhei…..” and after three days we all saw him quiet….and we could not do a thing…..!
He showed us…how to live and ….how to die…..!
I am deeply grateful for this Historical Documentation for Benefit of Posterity.
He was “A TRUE GURU, GUIDE, FRIEND AND PHILOSOPHER ”
May God Bless His Soul!
Mr. Prakash would want me to be brief, for the sake of clarity, if not modesty. He would want these words to transmit an incentive to smile, not so much as an appreciation of him, but as an affirmation of life.
What do you get when you combine a dedicated painter, poet, teacher, father, and architect? A human seeking constant increase in human-ness, and a path reveling in the joy of being tread upon.
I owe so much to Mr. Prakash, and now ten years later I am just trying to put it into words. There is much work to be done!
I WAS FORTUNATE TO STUDY IN CCA AND TO BE GROOMED BY THE LIKES OF PROF. ADITYA PRAKESH IN CHANDIGARH BETWEEN 1970-75. HIS BENEVOLENCE AND CARE FOR HIS STUDENTS AND COLLEGE SHALL ALWAYS BE LOVED AND REMEMBERED. WITH DEEP REGARDS, GEORGE K. KURUVILA
Prof Aditya Prakash’s contribution to the building of Chandigarh in Le Corbusier’s team will always be remembered.
God bless.