Achuyt Prakash Kanvinde: Life and Works of

Life and works of

Achuyt Prakash Kanvinde

1916-2002
Padma Shri Achyut Kanvinde occupied a unique position
in the history of contemporary Indian architecture. He was
an Indian architect , teacher, writer and a committed
modernist as he always desired to take Indian architecture
to be global and to the height of international style.
Kanvinde was born in 1916 in
a small village on the Konkan
coast. Raised in a joint family
in the village.
Kanvinde had the calling of a
painter and did enroll in an
art school but the family
decided that architecture
would be a better profession
for him. He entered the
Architecture Department at
Sir J.J. School of Art in 1935
then headed by Claude
Batley. In 1943, he joined the
newly formed Council for
Scientific and Industrial
Research as architect. He return to India in 1948 and worked on the
Achyut Kanvinde attended planning and design of several laboratories.
Harvard Graduate school of Formed Kanvinde and Rai in 1955.
Design in 1945. In 47 He practiced perfectly for 55 years, he was
appointed as the Chief considered the pioneer of what may be
Architect of CSIR (the council termed the modern movement in architecture
for Scientific and Industrial in India.
Research).
Kanvinde plays with space and forms.
His designs are slender, balanced,
proportionate, neat and well crafted.
He gave much more importance to the
natural light. He gave such a form to the
building that it can solve the problem of
ventilation as well as excessive heat .
His Concepts and
He believed that a grid of
Philosophy columns forming a matrix
giving structural and spatial
aspect would turn a design to
more sophisticated and
faceted.
He treated his building with
Vastushastra.
Functionalist style of design
logic of lightness
The complete focus on the
materials to be used in
construction kanvinde always try
to develop such an aesthetic
for a heavy mass construction
that looks light.
The institutional buildings he designed in the first
five years, are conservative. All having:
similar facades.
Horizontal, clean volumes,
aesthetically pleasing proportions of
fenestration.
Ribbon windows.
A grid frame structure- unexposed, and
plastered exterior finish.
Followed by an experimental phase- in the course
of the next five years he designed:
(i)Harivallabdas House
(ii) IIT Kanpur
(iii) Doodhsagar Dairy
Each appears to be an exploration in a distinctly new

direction. The Harivallabdas House has been taken up in
detail later on. The Doodhsagar dairy is monstrous, raw, and
probably one of the first outbursts of what can be called
Kanvindes brutalism. The form is very rough, and blocky. He
has always been described to be modest and approachable,
and always has preferred to keep a low profile. This building
presents a stark contrast to his character.
Nehru Science center, Mumbai
ISKCON Temple, New Delhi

His works
IIT, New Delhi
IIT, Kanpur
Indian Institute of Technology
Kanpur
IIT-Kanpur is located on the Grand Trunk Road, 15 km
west of Kanpur City and measures close to 420hectares.
Halls of residence, faculty and staff houses and
community buildings surround the central academic
area to provide flexibility in movement and
communication.
The sprawling campus is spread over an area of 4.3km.
The Institute has a number of facilities , including the
National Wind Tunnel Facility.
Elevated pedestrian walkway
Sheltered and yet openness
Protection from hot sun yet
allowing breezes
Reveals the internal functions
in a building as separate
masses.
Arranged in ways that were
functional from inside and
legant from outside.
Indian Institute of Technology
New Delhi
Aerial view Hostel building
It is established in 1961.
Nehru University is adjoining at the southern edge.
The site is available near Qutab Minar Complex which is a
landmark place in the colorful history of Delhi.
The Institute campus is about 19 Km. away from the Delhi Main
Railway Station, 14 Km. from the New Delhi Railway Station, 21
Km. from the Inter-State Bus Terminal and 10 Km from Delhi
Airport.
It is well connected to the major city centers by open and wide
roads.
The site being longitudinal in shape, two academic
zones have been located mid-way between the two
residential zones in order to reduce walking distance.
The main academic building accommodates various
teaching and research activities.
Heavy engineering laboratories are placed
on the ground floor, light laboratories on the first floor.
Main Building Mechanical block Computer science block

ISKCON Temple
New Delhi
It is built in 1998 and it is
located in New Delhi.
The project is situated on a
sloping site and covers an area
of 3 acres with the slope of 8
meters in relation to road
level.
Deity spaces are located at
the highest level.
It has assembly hall for 400
people.
The building was constructed
of reinforced concrete frame
structure and clad with red
and white stone finish.
Services spaces like kitchen, dinning areas for
devotees, offices are located at the lower level.
Other activities are :-
Multimedia cultural center.
Auditorium.
Animistic presentation museum.
Dormitory for devotees.
Small shopping areas.
Restaurant and offices.
Temple is around an informal court with sunk garden
spaces.
There are cascades all around and waterfalls to
create ambience.
Nehru Science center
Mumbai
Nehru Science Centre is Situated on Dr. E. Moses Road, Mumbai
-400018, in between Worli Naka and Mahalaxmi Railway Station
and spread over 14 acres of land.
The Centre provides a natural and free environment for
students to learn, familiarize and spend creative holidays and
for professionals in the field of science education to have a
glimpse of innovations in science education.
Close to 1,20,000 school children alone participate in the
activities of the Centre.
Nehru Science Centre, the largest Science Centre in the
country has a sprawling 8 acres of science park with varieties of
plants, trees and shrubs .
More than 50 hands-on and interactive science exhibits on
energy, sound, kinematics, mechanics , transport, etc . are
installed in the science park.
The NSC building with its unique architecture houses several
permanent science expositions on various themes.
The complex is worked out of a series of repetitive
multidimensional modules, creating a variation of spaces with
the building in a way that the units do not create monotony of
space, but a quality that creates surprises and stirs the minds of
visitors as the move with the complex .
Visitors approaching the museum enter at the second storey
atrium through a landscaped approach.
From there they can take a route and visit the exhibit areas by
negotiating one floor. At the lowest level, where the lecture
hall, the library and the cafeteria area are located for leisure,
half way through the movement from where the visitors can
return back to the entrance atrium area after completing the
tour.
Thank you
Abida Ansar
Shahul Shibili

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Life and works of

Achuyt Prakash Kanvinde

Each appears to be an exploration in a distinctly new

ISKCON Temple, New Delhi

IIT, New Delhi

Main Building Mechanical block Computer science block

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