India

In 2013 we go to India, and we organize various related activities. India is a mosaic of peoples, languages, religions and traditions. It is a land of contrasts. A young republic with a modern, liberal economy but also the country of the dazzling Taj Mahal, Maharajas, Bollywood Movies, colorful saris, caparisoned elephants, holy cows, and of untold stories that can make everyone dream. And yet there is next to this paradise image contrasting and grinding poverty, a pungent odor, a ubiquitous filth, lack of sanitation, a huge pollution, a strongly growing population, bad politics … A rich country, rich in culture, spirituality, optimism, to hospitality, to freedom, but materially poor! Poverty is part of the Indian scene. You can not avoid it.

The impetus for organizing this trip was to the fascinating projects of Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn in India.

“Let there be a new town symbolic of the freedom of India, unfettered by tradition or fits …. an expression of the nation’s faith in the future ‘. That had to Chandigarh as Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India and great promoter of the creation of this city. Chandigarh Le Corbusier breathes and smells of India. A fascinating combination; a city where two different worlds come together. The city was designed by Le Corbusier in a world where cities are, to this day, developing without a planner just seems to arrive. A city unlike any city in India. We like Le Corbusier also back in Ahmedabad, a sympathetic leader in the field of (modern) architecture in India, with a charming and colorful maze as a historical center. The Mill Owners’ Association Building, the Villa Sarabhai, Sanskar Kendra and Villa Shodan of Le Corbusier on the program. In Ahmedabad, we also find the strong work of Louis Kahn, the Indian Institute of Management. But this is only a tip of the iceberg.

The trip goes through Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh. Architecture on the menu of Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Charles Correa, Studio Mumbai, Balkrishna Doshi, Matharoo, Bimal Hasmukh Patel, Sir Edwin Lutyens, Raj Rewal, Joseph Allen Stein, Aditya Prakash, Pierre Jeanneret.

Get ready for a dazzling evening dip in India with film clips and captivating visuals!
Introduction to India by Bruno Vanbesien, launched in Indian classical architecture by Gery Vandenabeele