Nevertheless, we should try to minimise the use of energy-intensive building materials, such as cement. I think, the concept is much more important than the style in design. Benny Kuriakose seeks to achieve sustainable architecture through vernacular and traditional practices. You have reached your limit for free articles this month. He made his mark in architectural conservation and the design of new buildings, taking his roots from the vernacular architecture of South India. “The older generations simply mimicked stereotypical Persian architecture when they re-did it. To balance the tilt of this see-saw, in some sense, Benny spent three years of his life, from 2005, in Tharangambadi and Chinnangudi villages in Nagapattinam, designing almost 1,500 individualised homes for fisher folk under the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project. I learnt quite a bit working on conservation projects. Different museums are already open to the public. It involved extensive community participation in all stages of the construction, location of their house, to the planning, design, implementation and monitoring the construction process. Jun 12, 2020 - Tharian house is designed as a retirement house in a small village in Ernakulam District. 3. In architect Benny Kuriakose’s mind, there’s a fledgling dream that’s taken root and pushes forth shoots. Policy-makers, engineers and architects have seen public housing as a technical problem and have proposed technical solutions, but it is more of a social, cultural, economic and political problem too. This was after he received the Charles Wallace India Trust award for an MA in conservation studies at the University of York. In some of the disaster reconstruction projects, social sustainability becomes an important factor. “It is impossible to design a building now which is 100% sustainable. Floated in 2008, it is India’s largest conservation project that would spread over 25 sites and links Kerala’s histories of Dutch, Arabic, Chinese, Jewish, Greek, Portuguese and Roman roots in the forgotten port of Muziris from 1 Century BC onward. He believes in the logic behind traditional architecture being climate responsive, and using locally available materials to create projects that have a simplistic beauty. Dr. Benny Kuriakose. Also from a single house to a whole village with public buildings such as the village panchayats (councils) office and a temple also. It’s not even scratching the surface.” Under the leadership of the then Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac, Benny and his team drew up the project’s master plan, immediate among which were the successful restoration of the 1615 Paravoor synagogue, with even a replica of the original ark of the testament made, and the renewal of the Dutch 1663 Paliam Palace. Benny is known […] It is an educational project, developmental project and a model for the sustainable tourism also. The project that would have given one of the highest levels of satisfaction might be the tsunami rehabilitation project of Tarangambadi in Tamil Nadu (south India) after the 2004 tsunami. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. *Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print. He dreams of solar-powered apartments that exist off the grid but for air-conditioning, where a planted indigenous forest co-exists with rain-harvested water bodies, where each home opens into his trademark courtyard and ornate veranda, and each floor hosts common living and dining spaces, where terrace farming feeds its inhabitants and the aged find convenience and purpose; where the best of commune living meets the standards of urban design. Dr Benny Kuriakose, who was also one of the speakers at the workshop, has established himself as an architect who believes in the functionality and sustainability of a design When our food, clothes and lifestyle are veering towards being sustainable, it stands to reason that the homes we live in and the office we work in should also be sustainable. A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes. Architect Benny Kuriakose is a name synonymous with Architectural Conservation and Cost-effective Architecture. We are happy to engage in interesting design conversations and share our knowledge. The spatial conceptualization at DakshinaChitra and his building techniques and process breathe his philosophy of empowering masons and craftspeople in the building process. Over the years, atypical minarets and domes, metal sheets and GI roofs had been appended to the structure, modernising it out of character. Join Facebook to connect with Bonny Kuriakose and others you may know. Benny has 5 jobs listed on their profile. Benny Kuriakose and his take on Architectural Education AG 51 Snippet ∙ This is a small snippet from part 2 of our 2 part series with Dr. Benny Kuriakose, a leading sustainable Architect from India. Can you share with us your upcoming project which you really look forward to working on? All I’m sure of is that our homes must cater to our various moods, not force occupants to adjust their personalities to the concrete boxes we now build.” Benny’s unconventional material choices have often led his architecture to be labelled low-cost, but as he is quick to clarify, low-cost is relative, and means “performance approach to cost reduction,” a definition he imbibed from Baker. Benny Kuriakose. In this episode he gives us an insight on Architectural Conservation and Vernacular Architecture. I did not have any style and I think my success had been that I designed for the people. A book of this thesis is set to release this year. Talent aside, Benny says he owes this young success to the anonymity and freedom to experiment that Chennai offered him, away from the arclights in Kerala. Situated just outside the modern city of Kochi, this ancient port city was lost in antiquity due to a major flood that happened way back in 1340 AD. What according to you has been your finest work and why are you proud of it? Lot of academic research is also happening. “Chennai gave me creative rebirth.” It also gave wings to his first love, conservation architecture, the subject of his masters in University of York, England. Explore Benny Kuriakose's works, such as in Dakshinachitra and Muziris Heritage Project. The veranda of this house overlooks the green fields to give a quiet feel. FREE Background Report. In architect Benny Kuriakose’s mind, there’s a fledgling dream that’s taken root and pushes forth shoots. The place is very special since this is the place where the Jews, Arabs, Greeks, Portuguese, Dutch and the British etc. For the architect best known for designing DakshinaChitra’s public buildings and heritage homes, for fronting Chennai’s alternative architecture subculture, and for helming the Muziris Heritage Project as conservation consultant, this foray into “green living” is his next phase of reinventing the definition of sustainable architecture. This led to the success of this housing project where each of the fishermen family was seen as individual clients. Benny Kuriakose (25 May 1962) was born in Kerala, India. Dr. Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 and received the basic lessons in architecture under the tutelage of Laurie Baker. To enable wide dissemination of news that is in public interest, we have increased the number of articles that can be read free, and extended free trial periods. I try to design for the client in such a way that there is constant dialogue between the designer and the client, each affecting the other in various ways, leading and influencing the final design of the building. 4. Lot of recycled timber was used in the construction of this house. When I left him after about an year, I never thought I would be able to design buildings. I do not have any formal degree in architecture. Dr. Benny Kuriakose showcased the Muziris Heritage Projectundertaken to restore the historical and cultural significance of the legendary port of Muziris. “It’s taken me all these years to realise just how important it is to theorise in academic terms, what I’ve learnt from over two decades of practical experience,” says Benny. One major factor for the success of any of the rehabilitation project is the involvement of the beneficiaries in the planning and construction process. We are sharing the Facebook live hosted by Al Salama Group of Institutions. Each client is different, their family sizes are different, their financial status is different and they will definitely add to the design inputs. He received his doctorate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He specializes in architecture conservation,low-cost housing and sustainable architecture. Earlier this year, he completed his Phd on low-income housing from IIT, which focuses on the social and cultural factors that dictate the success or failure of public housing, where current research has only zeroed in on its physical aspects. How would you describe your design philosophy? In 1984, fresh out of College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, Benny interned with Laurie Baker, whose philosophy of architecture synced perfectly with his personal ideology. We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day. The limited This will lead to more satisfaction among them. The Muziris project has many dimensions. On return he worked in Kerala till 1991 doing projects on cost effective techniques and even returned to his village to design furniture. He specializes in architecture conservation,low-cost housing and sustainable architecture. I do not have a style of my own. I met the legendary architect Laurie Baker accidentally at one of his sites and there it started. Benny Kuriakose, the architect who carried out the work later, recalls in one of his articles that Baker said; “the idea is … In this episode he gives us an insight on Architectural Conservation and Vernacular Architecture. Check Reputation Score for Benny Kuriakose in Longwood, FL - View Criminal & Court Records | Photos | Address, Email & Phone Number | Personal Review | $90 - … 'Conservation and Architectural Design Consultancy Firm. From 1985, he grew from strength to strength in Kerala, building low-cost houses that mirrored Laurie’s style, until his popularity peaked in 1992 with the building of actor Mammootty’s house. “Research and excavations have shown that there were close to 400 historic buildings here, about ten per cent of which we’ve begun to restore. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. Scholars and planners have often explained this phenomenon in terms of affordability of the poor. Centre for Muziris Studies. We tried to customize the 450 houses taking into account the needs and aspirations of each house owner. In one sentence, when the project is completed, it will be a walk through 3,000 years of history of the (the southern Indian state of) Kerala. Family, activists blame COVID-19 vaccine for ASHA worker’s death days after taking the jab in A.P. Printable version | Jan 25, 2021 6:51:07 PM | https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/futurefacing-design/article6272325.ece. You can support quality journalism by turning off ad blocker or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to The Hindu. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. We are sharing the Facebook live hosted by Al Salama Group of Institutions . The best way of going green is to conserve our old buildings. For 30 years Kuriakose, based in the southern Indian city of Chennai, has followed the Baker philosophy using mostly natural and eco-friendly materials with designs that have very high interplay of natural light and air. He pursued his philosophy of ‘small is beautiful’. A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences. We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. Three religions came to India through this port namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I did some buildings and they turned out to be good and I continued to do projects. But one needed to live! Benny Kuriakose started his career in 1984 under the guidance of Laurie Baker. “Best way of going green is to conserve our old buildings” He is known for designing structures which are built from natural materials such as timber, stone and brick. ‘I do not have any formal degree in architecture. Benny Kuriakose, in conversation with FWD, on his design philosophy and the way he practices it. His firm is one of the leading Architectural Designers & Conservation Consultants in India. It is planned as a conservation project. Conservation of historic buildings are being done as part of this project. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler. For 30 years Kuriakose, based in the southern Indian city of Chennai, has followed the Baker philosophy using mostly natural and eco-friendly materials with designs that have very high interplay of natural light and air. The cottages are made of exposed brick and random rubble masonry, planned to blend into its natural settings in Kanyakumari District. I do not want to impose my ideas on to my buildings which I design, I design each building according to each one’s needs and that is why my buildings are different. “In the 50s and 60s, we made mistakes imitating the Western concrete and glass trends that were never meant for our needs.” Says Benny, “We mustn’t make the same mistakes with alternative alternate and green architecture either.”, And that explains Benny’s decision to enter the apartment market with his new vision for the vast possibilities of green building. He talks to Grin about sustainable architecture and his most exciting projects. The people who are going to live in the houses do not have a say in the design and construction.. Wetlands, an Ally in Combating Climate Change, I Almost Got Fired for Choosing React in Our Enterprise App, 3 Toxic Relationship Habits People Think Are Acceptable, We’re About to Experience the Fakest Economic Boom In History, The Most Frustrating Gym Mistake I See as a Personal Trainer. An interview of Benny Kuriakose in the Grin News on his design philosophy, his career, his projects etc.How Benny Kuriakose, heir to the legendary Indian architect Laurie Baker, keeps it real. Recently she organized interdisciplinary exhibition projects for academic resources: “World of Models”, “Forms of prehistory” (DSA Kukan Design Award 2017). We are happy to engage in interesting design conversations and share our knowledge. • In the design field different branches also follow this style as in furniture design and in product design • There are some firms who organized competition regarding organic architecture in order to maintain style 47. 7.6K likes. Benny Kuriakose reveals his design philosophy while talking to Estrade, about what green design means to him. Masonry, planned to blend into its natural settings in Kanyakumari District quiet! 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