URBAN SPACES
Human quality in architecture
NANDINI NAIR
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Prof. Volkwin Marg talks about his views on architecture and his plans for the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.
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A landmark: Integrating local design concepts and materials into the new stadium in the Capital.
VON GERKAN, Marg and Partners Architects (GMP) will be reconstructing the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. They recently mounted an extensive exhibition “Building the Future”, of their work, in Delhi. Established nearly 40 years ago, GMP has offices in Germany, China, Vietnam and South Africa. Marg and Gerkan have authored numerous books. Some of their most recent projects include Hamburg Airport, Berlin Central Station, Berlin Olympic Stadium, and the Lingang New City near Shanghai for 800,000 inhabitants.
Professor Volkwin Marg discusses his vision for the stadium and speaks on the function and philosophy of architecture. Excerpts from an interview.
Is architecture the only true public art form?
Architecture is the mother of arts. It is not a completely ‘free’ art like music, painting or sculpting. Being an architect means being answerable to society at large and not just to one’s client. Our art is not our private property, but we see it, rather, in public ownership, and used by people, as public stage.
Architects often have to dance in chains and we can consider ourselves lucky and we are quite happy if, in spite of this, we do succeed in performing well.
Being international architects how do you retain certain local favour?
For us, one of the main challenges is to find and express identity. We see identity as the final result of evolved processes of culture, location, history, purpose, and, more specifically in an architectural context, of self-explanatory structural design. For example, a stadium which we have designed for a particular place, will never look like one we design for a different place.
I hate global design fashions that make everything look the same everywhere. The design for the revamped Nehru Stadium for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, for example, is unique as it respects the existing building and its surroundings.
Can you give me some details about your revamping plans for the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium? Will you/how will you integrate local design concepts and materials?
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is an important part of modern Indian building history. We are going to add a roof for all the stands. This roof cannot be supported by the existing stand structure and requires an independent supporting structure behind the ring of stands.
A simple yet elegant and self-explanatory roof structure will serve it well. The stadium building as well as the landscaping will retain their character as far as possible. The colours of the new ramps and stairs will take into account the existing stands.
The legacy of vast sports stadiums is important. What will be the legacy of the JN stadium?
The JN stadium has become a landmark and a legend. There is a need to modernise it, raising the level of comfort. I believe this stadium does not need sensationalist ‘blow-up’ architecture. Delhi does not need extravagant architectural tricks, turning architecture into purely sensationalist sculpture-making.
What do you think of contemporary Indian architecture?
Indian architecture has deep historical roots. Modern Indian architecture has had a long tradition also. I see more sensitivity towards and respect for traditions in India, and for a sense of individuality in persons and societies.
I have seen numerous masterpieces of architecture here. Nevertheless, there also exists the world-wide temptation of fashionable globalised and anonymous architecture, which has nothing to do with regional cultural identity. The Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi, where I have stayed, is an example of such non-descript architecture.
Are there any Indian buildings that you admire for concept and execution? Which ones?
To start with, I admire the historical monuments of Agra, as well as British colonial architecture, such as Rashtrapati Bhavan and Connaught Place in Delhi.
From more recent times in Delhi I admire the Bahai Temple, the India International Centre and India Habitat Centre, designed and co-designed, respectively, by Joseph Allen Stein, and the Crafts Museum as well as the British Council building designed by Charles Correa.
I admire the Hooghly Bridge, Kolkata, for incorporating local building technology. It was designed by my friend Jörg Schlaich, in cooperation with his Indian partners.
Your buildings seem to believe in a contemporary simplicity, you pare down buildings to their steel skeletons, in brief, what is your design philosophy? Is this taken from the Bauhaus School of architecture?
My design philosophy is oriented towards the European philosophical tradition, based on Greek and Christian philosophies. Aristotle claims that Plato was the author of a referencing system that uses the following terms:
True – understood as the truthfulness of reason.
Good – understood as beneficial to the individual and society at large, following the maxim: cui bono.
Beautiful – the perception of reason fusing with emotion to form beauty.
This ideal goes far beyond the Bauhaus, which I personally see as a very stimulating and creative sect of artists and architects. They attempted a combination of technology and art, a development that, however, got stuck in ideologising artistry. The human quality in architecture is the most important factor for me.
What are some of your favourite materials?
Wood and fabric, as in sailing boats and tents. In a contemporary context this translates into steel, glass and membranes.
Today’s quicksilver reasoning always looks for the new, whereas our slow-moving soul prefers to dwell in all that is familiar.
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