goa architecture case study

Kala Academy, Goa by Charles Correa: A Prominent Cultural Centre

What is a “Heritage Building”? Where does the heritage , attached to it, come from? Is it necessary for a building tagged as heritage, to have persevered a few hundred years? Charles Correa ’s Kala Academy in Goa has been a building of historic architectural, cultural, and social importance in the entire country, being the only diverse cultural academy to offer western, classical, and mixed arts courses. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), GOI, says,

“heritage building includes any building which requires preservation for historical, architectural, artisanry, aesthetic, cultural, environmental, and/or ecological purposes.”

The building itself embodies the ideologies of ‘India’s greatest architect’- Charles Correa. The ‘un-building’, a term used many times by Correa himself, became a people’s favourite instantly when it was completed in 1983. The building is a unique example of giving back to society. Even in its expansive built-form, it draws the pedestrian streets into the internal open-to-sky courtyards and through the internal streets onto the Mandovi river edge; not before a pit-stop at the cafe for some chai-samosas. Charles designs the building for a wanderer, he directs you in his subtleties to explore the space on your way to the riverfront.

The first Chief Minister of Goa, Dayanand Bandodkar or Bhausaheb Bandodkar- as he was more popularly known, had a dream to have a definitive and inclusive arts society in the free state of Goa. They formed the Kala Academy Society as a not-for-profit society of the arts to promote the local and international art forms without prejudice. One of the founding members was Mr. Pratapsingh Rane, an MLA from Bandodkar’s party who later became the chief minister of Goa 5 times in his career (and is an MLA in the Goa Legislature). From the very beginning, the society had a providence for a built entity that would be unique and general at the same time; a center at the confluence of Eastern and Western culture. Rane, who was familiar with a few of Correa’s built works, sought a meeting between the society and Correa. Correa, having Goan Ancestry, though born in Hyderabad and brought up mostly in Bombay, gave Goa something so wonderful, that it transcended the built fabric of the continent.

The site where Kala Academy Goa sits was beachfront for old Goan houses where the locals caught fish and watched the time pass along with the barges and the ships. While planning this building, Charles Correa ever so excitedly seemed to have involved himself to make sure that this way of life of the people stays unaffected by the built form but only intensifies it. The view of the Reis Magos fort across the river and the river walk with its lighthouse and the now-demolished jetty was synonymous with Goa, and the Kala Academy itself, an iconic building for architecture students, is always at the tip of their tongues.

Spending my crucial years in Campal, I have wandered many times through the streets created by Correa. I have walked through the courtyards observing a mix of people from all over, either stretched out alone with a book, humming along to a guy with a guitar, talking intensely with a cup of tea, waiting for the Tiatr (a musical theatre) to begin, or some amusingly walking back and forth fascinated by the trompe l’œil in the open street . Do you know the feeling of being in a building and yet not feeling the architecture overpower you? That’s the feeling that Kala Academy evokes.

Almeida, Sarto, and Jaimini Mehta, in their article, say,

“The relatively low rise mass is spread horizontally and organized around an innovative ground plan with an open ‘street’ going through the entire building. This allows one to enter the building without being self-conscious about entering; it makes an otherwise serious public institution seem less ‘institutional’ and more relaxed and appropriate.”

Reinforcing the ‘un-building’ that is a facilitator to the everyday life of the locals and the visitors alike. Kala Academy is programmed with spaces such as Exhibition halls, open-air theatres, auditoriums , meeting rooms, teaching rooms, lounges, cafeteria, the black box, rehearsal rooms, teaching rooms, and admin block. The ground floor is dedicated to the public and the first floor to the academic and administration, thus creating a building that gives back to the city in ways that can only be elaborated with a finger on its pulse. The Kala Academy building is one of the most inclusive buildings in Goa, or even maybe the entire country, as nothing signals exclusivity, including the gate that is wide and low to allow a generous view inside and beyond. The building has two gates, one towards the parking and one leading to the symbolic pergola, referencing the trees over Campal’s road under which all activity happens. I remember the gates being open at all hours as we would sit at the jetty even at midnight and enjoy the warm breeze of the Mandovi after a meal. Public space matters in today’s times and this building, though being nearly 40 years old, was definitely ahead of its times. Nondita Correa Mehrotra, Charles’ daughter, recalls in a conversation with Vivek Menezes,

“He just loved the site—he loved the way the building could connect to (the old Goan neighbourhood of) Campal and the Mandovi river. Many important components came together for him, seemingly effortlessly. Yet he spent a lot of energy in getting it all right.”

The Biennial Z-Axis event, organized by CCF is held in Kala Academy every two years, attracting thousands of attendees.

A simple orthogonal grid makes up the plan, within which there is an interplay in the volume of spaces. With nothing to suggest monumentality, the entire building is low with just three floors and furthers the horizontality of the structure. Most of the spaces inside the Kala Academy are heterogeneous, and the transition between the spaces is through corridors that resemble the streets of old Goa. Correa sketched the murals on the walls that create the illusion of the Goan streets and Bhiwandker, a signboard painter, blew it up and brought it to life. Knowing Correa and his many buildings scattered around the world, buildings such as the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (the architect’s alma mater), the Champalimaud Centre for The Unknown in Lisbon, and the Ismaili Centre (attached to the Aga Khan Museum ) in Toronto, I don’t know if there would be a better example in the world of architecture for the currently-trending hollow call of ‘Vocal for Local’. Not only was he vocal, but his buildings also show us the necessity to react to a region’s cultural influence rather than follow the strict principles of modernism that he grew up in.

Experiencing the spaces in Kala Academy, I could see how diligently balanced the indoors and outdoors were. The indoor spaces connected to the outdoors in such a way that even when I was inside I could feel the breeze from the riverside. Poet and critic Ranjit Hoskote recognizes the classic features of Correa’s architecture present in Kala Academy and adds, “And let us not forget the laterite that forms its key medium—it articulates the flesh and blood of Goa’s architecture, it comes from the soil of Goa, from the soul of Goa.” There is no doubt that the regional essence was important to Correa, whose buildings all over the world always reference the elements of the region.

The Dinanath Mangeshkar auditorium—named after the Goa-born musician father of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle—has seen many maestros perform from all over the world and has been a launch-pad for many local artists to start their career. Not to mention the tightly contested state Tiatr and Mando competitions, all running to house-full capacities in the 954-seat auditorium. Correa commissioned Mario Miranda—who needs no introduction—to draw virtual balconies with his signature cartoons inside the auditorium where acoustic extrusions were required on the walls to accommodate Indian Classical and Western music, both needing different reverberation times in the space.

The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held every year in Goa, saw a jetty made in 2004 at the riverside, to receive celebrities and dignitaries housed in Sinquerim through the waterway. In 2010, I worked on this jetty as part of the ‘Lights in Goa’ event, conceptualizing and creating lighting installations for the jetty to draw attention to the ageing structure and to highlight its importance. With a heavy heart, we lost the jetty to corrosion in the foundation recently. An element that had become the culmination of the journey from the pedestrian path, through Correa’s internal streets, to the riverside.

Ever since the academy was built, it has truly given back to the people the piece of land it sits on and has generated curiosity in the arts and culture of the region through Correa’s ingenious design. It has played a significant role in strengthening the Goan culture and integrating world culture into it. It has become a go-to name for any local for an event, a stroll, an exhibition , or referring to Goa while in a foreign place. For many people, it is not just a building; it is a place to which they attach a lot of memories and emotions.

The heritage of this building comes from its cultural importance as an Arts Academy unlike any other in the country, and its architectural importance of inclusivity and focusing on the people rather than the monumentality of the building itself. It submits to the public in a way few other edifices do in modern times. It presents itself as a transition space, a place to wander, explore, introspect, rest, be pensive, be active, and reach somewhere that you wouldn’t expect to reach. In our times, when the architectural signature is characterized by august structures such as the Statue of Unity or the Antilla, a building of utmost inclusivity and submissiveness of the human scale is rare and inconceivable.

When the Goa Government made an announcement recently about breaking down part of the structure, the open-air auditorium—owing to leakages and the structure has become fragile and unyielding, my heart sank; first the jetty, then this? Is this just another building that you can break and remake? Even breaking down a part of it is as good as breaking down the whole thing. Any building needs maintenance and care, but a building of such significance in modern Goa needs preservation, not just ad hoc waterproofing and mindless cosmetics. The Charles Correa Foundation (CCF), based in Fontainhas, headed by Nondita Correa Mehrotra started communications with the government and an online petition to save the building from demolition and got through the courts to have experts do a thorough examination of how to preserve it. When I contacted the Foundation to find out the status of the progress, Tahir Noronha, a convener at CCF generously informed me the following—

Here is the update on the Kala Academy today (as on 2nd July 2020)

In January 2020, Professor RG Pillai, IIT Madras, was flown in by CCF to inspect the Kala Academy building, post his study of the 2 structural audit reports prepared by the Government of Goa, he submitted a report in February stating the following points,

• That the structure does not require demolition and can be repaired;
• Repetitive layers of non-performing waterproofing have led to an undesirable dead load burdening the structure with unnecessary weight;
• There is severe corrosion to the steel and concrete in some areas; which needs to be addressed.
• That the quality of work should not be compromised by rushed time-schedule and that it is advisable to ensure long-term preventive measures to preserve the building;
• That there are technologies that can stop corrosion even if it has already set in, for example, Cathodic Protection which can arrest the further spread of corrosion and protect the steel reinforcement for the foreseeable future;
• As an emergency step, it is recommended to remove the extra concrete overlays without causing further damage to the structure and then provide a waterproofing system to protect the structure from moisture attack until the major repair is completed (i.e., for about two years).
• This waterproofing system must be in place before the forthcoming monsoon.
• Two years of temporary protection is suggested considering the possible delays in procuring technical and financial sanctions/approvals from the Government of Goa.

Representatives from CCF met the Minister of Art and Culture and implored him to take necessary steps to protect the structure before the monsoons, around the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic began to pick up and we were informed that the state is facing a dearth of funds and that only existing works will be continued.

The court proceedings have also been adjourned indefinitely.

The monsoon hit Goa on 8th June and we have no idea what the state of the structure will be by August.

Kala Academy is a historic building, maybe not by age, but by the special place it holds in the hearts of the Ponjekars and the thousands who have performed and exhibited there, says Alexandre Moniz Barbosa in an editorial in Herald Newspaper. A building of such cultural importance warrants conservation and transcendence into the future to demonstrate how it was the first building in Goa to interpret Goan architecture and a true building of the people. Every citizen’s voice is alive in its streets today and many people walk through this wonderful un-building every day, not privy to its monumental importance. That is Charles Correa’s magic trick.

Sahil Tanveer is an architect and thinker, who runs a cosmopolitan Architecture studio with work across the country. He believes architecture is all-inclusive and personal. He is continually in search of the unknown, while observing psychology, philosophy, and the influence of culture and society on architecture and design.

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Norman Foster and his High-tech Architecture

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A building built in the concept of unbuilding. The building merges with the habitual activities of the people living in the society. A building to express the arts that exhibits the culture and heritage of the society which itself is an art. The art – Kala Academy, Goa. The artist – Charles Correa. However, the Kala Academy is a cultural center built by the Kala Academy Society and funded with the help of the Government of Goa. The Kala Academy Society is a non-profit organization that was established by the government of Goa that helps to promote local and international art forms.

Case Study of Kala Academy

• Architect: Charles Correa
• Funded by: Ministry of Art & Culture of the Government of Goa
• Started in: 1970
• Completed at:1983
• Location: Campal, Panaji
• Site Area: 6.3 Acres

History & Location

 The first chief minister of Goa had a dream of forming a society for arts in the state of Goa. Thus, the Kala Academy Society was formed by the Government of Goa. The society first decided to accommodate an existing built entity but later Rane who has known Charles Correa for a long time approached him. Thus, the art in the name of Kala Academy happened. The building is described as an apex body to develop music, dance, drama, fine art, folk art, literature, etc., and thereby promote the cultural unit of the state of Goa.

The site is located along the banks of the river Mandovi in the city of Campal, Panaji. This place is a mixed-use land with a military hospital, cricket ground, and a park around them. Being located in a beautiful riverfront view which habitats the fishermen to catch fish and relax themselves no wonder the site made Charles Correa excite. However, he designed it in such a way as to avoid any discomfort for the people living in that habitat.

Also, read Salk Institute – A Louis Kahn Masterpiece

Planning of Kala Academy

The planning provides the space for exhibition halls auditorium, open-air theatre, lounges, cafeteria, meeting rooms, teaching rooms, black box, rehearsal rooms, and the admin block. The main building, service building, Muktangan, parking area, and exhibition space are divisions of the site. While the ground floor is being used for the public, the first floor carries the academic and administrative activities. With four entries the building had a well-defined pedestrian which never fails to surprise the people walking on the site.

The small gates in the entrances and the beautiful open space on one side with a lawn made the place even more public. The façade of the building which reminds us of the Villa of Savoye had a beautiful pergola that plays with the light and shadow, especially during the day. The entrances are open even at midnight so that the people can come here at any time to enjoy the environment.

Design of Spaces

More than just designing the spaces he just orchestrated it. That is how it should be told. The connection to the indoor spaces with the outdoor spaces just makes the people have a different experience. The poet Ranjit Hoskote once told about the building that “Let us not forget the laterite that forms its key medium – it articulates the flesh and blood of Goa’s architecture, it comes from the soi of Goa, from the soul of Goa.” There is no doubt that he told us the truth.

Also, read Habib University- Design A Learning Community

Plaza & Art Gallery at Kala Academy

As the main theme of the building is to exhibit the arts belonging to the people of Goa, the main entrance directs us to the spacious plaza which itself is an art. The murals on the walls of the plaza which get mixed with the natural lighting confuse the people as if they were in a street of some other place. The confusingly interesting pattern continues even through the staircase leading to the first floor.

Art Gallery

The art gallery is the place to exhibit the art made by the people of Goa. The wall that carries those arts runs throughout the area for 30m with a height of 1.5m. All four sides are used to exhibit the arts. Spotlighting is used in the gallery with low intensity but pointing all over the wall.

Also, read Aranya Art Center

Dinanath Mangeshkar Kala Mandir (Auditorium) at Kala Academy

The auditorium was named after the great Goa-born singer Dinanath Mangeshkar. The murals of the plaza also continue to the auditorium creating an illusion of balconies where the people sit and enjoy the shows resembling old Goan theatres. Charles Correa approached Maria Miranda who is a great cartoonist to draw the murals of the auditorium which required acoustic extrusions in the drawings. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 1000 seats with a stage opening of 9.6m covering an overall area of 1300sq.m. The height of each raking rises to 10-20cm.

Open-Air Theatre

The open-air theatre happened to be on the east side of the site. Where the stage has a ceiling that is extended from the first floor of the building. With a seating capacity of 2000 (without chairs) the main open-air theatre forms the shape of a double herringbone. It connects to the east road on one side and the main lobby and the cafeteria on the other two sides. The lower seat rises by 30cm with a tread width of 100cm while the higher seat rises up to 45cm. When the seats block the noise from the road, the stage blocks the noise from the riverfront.

Mini Open-Air Theatre at Kala Academy

The mini open-air theatre stays on the north side of the building which can accommodate 300 people. However, with the farthest height of 6m, the open-air theatre is square in shape and covers an area of 56.25sq.m.

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Other Spaces

With other spaces like the black box, preview theatre, library, cafeteria, teaching studio, and the administration offices. Also, the Kala Academy has become the first preference for the people to conduct any International Film Festivals in Goa.

Another important feature is the jetty at the backside of the riverfront connecting the river to the academy. With a beautiful view just like in the movies, the jetty was the entry for the celebrities visiting the International Film Festival. After creating beautiful sceneries and being a favorite love spot for the people visiting the great Kala Academy the function of the jetty came to an end recently due to corrosion.

Being a part of the culture and art of Goa and being art itself. The government decided to break down a part of the structure which is the open-air theatre. After many reviews and reconsiderations, they agreed not to be demolished and also agreed to repair it. This is a building where the habituate of the people overpowers the design instead of the vice versa. By creating wonderful memories and promoting cultural significance the building always stands unique.

Also, read The Center for Development Studies, Trivandrum – A Laurie Baker Masterpiece

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The Open Plan of Conviviality: Kala Akademi, Goa, designed by Charles Correa

• August 12, 2019

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Every place has a program. Homes are shaped around the rhythms of movement and rest we call daily life. Playgrounds are empty so they may be filled by the energy and action of sport. But places can also transcend their conventional programs. They can be much more than the common noun- house, school, post office- that describes (and usually, circumscribes) them. While fulfilling their mandated program, they may also play a role that transcends the common sense of common nouns. This transcendence may be thought of as a core responsibility in some kind of places. For instance, one expects museums, theatres and other such spaces, devoted as they are to joining private utterance to the public, to also become sites of dialogue, and loci of engagement for different players in the city. Sadly, very few places devoted to the arts do that in India. One way in which the majority fail (and a minority succeeds) to transcend their mundane program is through architecture. Part of the successful minority is Kala Akademi, designed by Charles Correa and sited along the river Mandovi in Panjim. The architecture of this artplace (my catch- all term referring to spaces like theatres, museums, and art galleries) is the main source of its potential for transcending the narrow institutional program common to Indian artplaces.

A small confession is in place here. I awoke to the real significance of Kala Akademi’s architectural achievement rather late. Of course, the boldness of its approach was instantly evident when I visited it from Mumbai, where I then lived, in the course of research for a book on the architecture of artplaces in India. Though sprawling wide in comparison with other engaging artplaces like Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai, I had found it a place that was easy to soak into. Less a building than a public space roofed by a building, it extended an expansive invitation without lapsing into self-serious monumentality. In fact, there was none of what one tends to associate with the term ‘architecture’. Kala Akademi’s drama lay in its enterable, traversable space, not in sculptural, impenetrable, form. But it was only after I moved to Goa, and began visiting Kala Akademi more regularly, that I began to understand the real nature of its architectural achievement. Three years down the line, it is clear to me that the architecture of Kala Akademi has nudged it towards becoming much more than just another multi-arts complex. I have seen art shows, performances, and films there, of course. But more importantly, I have often chosen to go there, like many others, just for the pleasure of being with a sprinkling of other people in a stimulating public place. Kala Akademi is that scarce resource, a generous and truly convivial space right in the bustle of a small city.

Now that it is there, it appears almost natural that an artplace should be the riverside veranda for a city like Panjim. But, look around anywhere in the country and you realize how rare such a place is. The institutional culture of cultural institutions in India is a fascinating object of study, as of gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands. In a moment of frustration, but without compromising our national taste for hyperbole, one may say that the worst aspects of our culture and our institutions seem to come together when we play the two words together.

To put it gently, museums (may their tribe increase), theatres (may their tribe improve), art galleries and multi-art complexes in India are remarkably blasé about winning the affection of the very people who they are built for. Put equally gently, it appears as if the existential stance of the majority of artplaces in India is: I exist, therefore my job is done. This deft (if dubious) conflation of ‘being’ and ‘becoming’ finds two expressions that form the ends of a spectrum. The ‘mature’ expression of this philosophy leads to artplaces that take a transactional view of their programme and of their duty towards artists and rasikas: buy the tickets here, that way to the exhibit (or performance), go round the corner to search for the toilets, once you are done, leave, do not loiter (or litter). Sorry, no food, except for fifteen minutes during the ‘interval’.

The other kind of artplace builds on the self-congratulation implicit in the conviction that merely existing is the same as doing your job well. Such an artplace is often snooty, or at least dismissive of all kinds of low-life that throngs to enjoy the goodies of culture it offers. It is devoted to upholding the prestige of culture and also to protecting it from the grubby paws of all those who want a piece of it.

Artplace architecture often offers an eager mirror to these institutional attitudes. Thus the Gallery of Contemporary Art at the Government Museum, Chennai is simply non- committal in its expression. The bare box of a building neither invites you in nor does the default design of the exhibits try to hold your interest. It simply stands there, offering neither a space to linger at its entrance nor any visual pleasure to arrest your flight. Like an employee warming his seat enough so a paycheck lands at his table, the building seeks to fulfill its program by merely existing.

The architecture of more elite spaces like National Centre for the Performing Arts is more purposively directed. Built in the 1980s, it seeks to invoke the fading prestige of an abstract Western modernism by offering ‘pure form’- that is, elegant building blocks that have the minimum differentiation, do not appear very penetrable, and therefore actively refuse us any purchase on their meaning. By opening each of the four main buildings on campus in different directions (and on to three different roads), it also ensures (probably unwittingly) that visitors to each facility never encounter those coming for another one. By looking over the heads of visitors and by disabling contact and solidarity among them, it succeeds in keeping them peripheral to the life of the institution, at bay even, in more ways than one.

Rare is the Indian artplace like Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai, that actively reaches out, says ‘come in’, and lets you decide how you want to have a good time. Ivan Illich, implacable critic of institutional culture, has a nice term for the Prithvi kind of institution (De- schooling Society, Pelican Books 1976). He calls it a ‘convivial’ institution, as opposed to another kind that he calls the ‘manipulative’ institution. The difference between these two types, again occupying two ends of a spectrum, is fundamentally about the sense of control and choice given to the user. Convivial institutions, as Illich characterizes them, are basically open in programme within realistic limits. Sidewalks, small bakeries, telephone networks are the examples he invokes. People use them voluntarily. They need neither aggressive advertisement nor force (the way manipulative institutions, like schools do) for people to want to use them. More importantly, convivial institutions involve users in activity rather than reducing them to passive consumers. Not surprisingly therefore, they empower users and help them grow in personal terms. The question then is, what kind of architecture would be supportive of the agenda of conviviality?

The design of Kala Akademi’s public spaces provides some answers. The foundational act of design at Kala Akademi is that of opening up. The architecture of Kala Akademi clears the ground, literally, letting the gaze (and moving feet) sweep clean through from the pavement outside to the river beyond. In principle, this place says it is open to the city. No architectural sign of exclusion- apart from the gate which is kept generously wide and low- is visible from the footpath to discourage us from entering. Indeed quite the opposite. This is a building without a plinth, walls and doors with which to keep the world at bay. The ground simply runs in into the shaded heart of the building and out to the open beyond of the garden and promenade by the river. The building extends a notional porch to the pavement, made suggestively grand by a pergola at the roof level of the first floor. This suggestion of a dramatically welcoming civic ‘porch’ (and not some impenetrable sculptural mass) is the big architectural gesture of the building in the direction of the city.

The gesture is apt, since the Kala Akademi building is fundamentally a pavilion (or unattached porch), where the upper floors housing the academic and administrative spaces form a continuous roof over a sprawling and unenclosed public space at the ground level. A pavilion transcends enclosure, and thereby also the paranoia (and schizophrenia?) of the closed building box. In abjuring walls, it also transcends the strict enforcement of any limited program of use, leaving the dweller of the moment to fashion it anew each time. I have seen films, performances (including my son’s school’s ‘annual day’ programme in the huge open air theatre), and art exhibitions at Kala Akademi. I have also been in a small reading group that appropriated different spaces in the campus for its weekly meetings. And I have watched my son turn the seat-clusters sprinkled across the covered plaza into play-sculptures that may be climbed, jumped off, peeped through, and slid across with a forever incomplete hug. At all times, I have learnt to be amazed at the way the static seat clusters become dynamic people sculptures as bodies perch, nestle and depart.

Openness of space does not itself guarantee an open program. The absence of walls and of enclosure can itself be repressive, as at Le Corbusier’s Capitol Complex at Chandigarh, where we find ourselves cast adrift. Places need to have discernible shape and structure. The fragile body- forever breaking out into sweat- needs shelter, seat, and yes, food. The eye likes to make sense of every place, and know what time it is ‘outside’. Most of all however, in a place like Kala Akademi, every one of us hopes for some contact with unknown others. What is the city, and every public place within it, if not a mechanism for putting strangers in touch with each other?

By sheltering an uninterrupted space, Kala Akademi reveals that space can be fruitfully left open in either direction, vertical or horizontal. Where the typical comforting courtyard (an example of vertical openness) gathers a space together towards an inveigled centre, the horizontal freedom of Kala Akademi’s covered plaza prompts us to move away and out towards the gardens, the river and other sun-dappled spaces around. There is no single centre that the architecture sacralises on the ground, and no sense of any agent of the power to say ‘no’ waiting to jump out from behind some wall. Instead, there is a multiplicity of centers in the gridded spread of columns as well as the casual scatter of seat-clusters configured to be minor sculptural presences. These seats are an unusual kindness towards the tiring body, hanging around for the show to start, or restart. Or just plain hanging around with no particular productive end in mind.

When a public space is open in (and to) many senses, and also kind to the body (and being) can urbanity be very far? The canteen (deep inside by the rear garden, but visible very early on through the penetrable covered plaza of the foyer) offers other kindnesses. A beautiful view, breeze from the river, an inside-outside ambiguity (inside because covered, outside because of the breeze, and the dogs and crows who stand by patiently), loose chairs to allow different group-sizes, and food for cheap. The canteen- the only one I have seen that actually begs to be called a café- is where the action is, some action or the other. The late William Whyte, social scientist and student of what makes public spaces tick across the world, put it very simply. People, attract other people, he said. And people come to a place that is kind and hospitable to them. They then bring along other people, and make a place buzz, which in turn makes even more people want to come there. And so on.

A matrix of spatial hospitability encourages people to bring a space like Kala Akademi alive. It invites them to invest their imagination and time to do things within its space that the most creative institutional programmer may never catalyse. These small practices of conversation, argument, dream-selling, solo rehearsal, etc. are the cultural foundations upon which the formal artistic efforts being shaped in the academic spaces on the upper floors (or being presented professionally behind the auditorium walls) will stand or fall. But being inevitably conducted under the radar of the official gaze, these practices- lubricated effectively by cheap, good tea and snacks- populate the fringes of institutional acceptability. They can swing from being ‘simply irrelevant’ to ‘avoidable nuisances’ to ‘possibly subversive’. According to a new and prominently displayed notice, it is no longer legit to use the Kala Akademi canteen for any other purposes than ‘availing of snacks and refreshments’: no unauthorized meetings, no business to be discussed, no nothing, period.

Petition to save Kala Academy

Architecture cannot cure social ills. But it can push for health. This is one government run building that just cannot be locked up, except at its gates as they do during the International Film Festival of India every year. Kala Akademi also shows how much ground architecture can claim for conviviality. Traditions of institutional management, can still win of course. Sometime ago, during a recreational visit to the place, I was amazed to find the large main toilet block locked. Enquiry revealed that an administrative order had decreed that this hitherto taken-for granted-facility would only be kept open while a performance was underway in either the main Dinanath Mangeshkar auditorium or the Black Box. I would have to use the much smaller toilet placed outside the building by the parking lot. I was glad it was not raining. Of course, it probably made perfect sense from many different angles. Except that it went directly against the very welcome writ large over the 80,000 square feet or so of space outside that comparatively small, even if generously red tiled toilet block. The contest for conviviality is on at this artplace (as it always is, everywhere). Watch that space.

The article was first published in Art Connect, Volume 2, Number 2, July- December 2008. Published by India Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore.

Link to Academia Site

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Charles Correa: Cidade de Goa

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Goa: A bungalow in Assagao designed to engage all five senses

By Nolan Lewis

Photography by Suleiman Merchant

This 5,000-square-foot holiday home—executed by Studio Flamingo for a young couple in their early forties, their two children and their dog—presents a canvas where traditional Portuguese architecture tempered with Goan sensibilities is presented in a modern format, part of a charming Portuguese village-themed luxury housing community in Assagao , Goa . Lined with cobblestone paths with landscaping as green fencing, this two-level home has an entrance foyer, a living and dining area, three en-suite bedrooms, a kitchen and utility areas, a powder room, a private pool and deck area, an open terrace and balconies.

“To not fall into the comfort zone of relying on the state’s vernacular design completely, but to create a space that offers a fresh visual experience despite finding its roots in the rich Goan-Portuguese architectural tradition was the challenge we faced and befriended during the design process for this project," say sister duo Esha and Aashni Pandya, the interior designers who run the Mumbai-based firm together, as they offer us a walkthrough of the newly constructed bungalow.

“While we developed this design language to take charge of the visual experience of the space, our main design intent was to impact the subconscious mind—to teleport [the residents] to a place of calm,” Aashni says. The duo endeavoured to achieve the desired outcome by appealing to all five senses: sight, touch, sound, smell and taste.

The Entrance, Porch and Foyer

The main door, a restored antique, welcomes the family into the holiday home and opens up to a row of slender niches carved into a wall. These arch-like niches, complete with delicate handcrafted wooden details, are deliberately framed in an incomplete manner, setting the tone of the home at the very start. “These asymmetrical compositions serve as a reminder to the subconscious mind to lose the rigid structure of the city and sink into a Goan home of calm,” says Esha.

A window seat has been consciously woven into the entrance foyer such that, once the main door is shut after stepping into the home, the connection with the outside world is not lost. This opening not only allows for more natural light to flow into the space and provide a visual connection to the outdoors, but also acts as a contemplative corner, where one can curl up and read a book, spend a quiet moment, or connect to the world outside—a rare luxury in the post-pandemic world.

By Deepa Nair

By Takshi Mehta

By Kriti Saraswat-Satpathy

Living Room and Dining Area

The living room and dining area are punctuated with reclaimed antique doors that allow dollops of sunlight to pour into the space. The Gulmohar Lane furniture in this area is planned such that when the family interacts with the space, they are usually facing a window or a door that connects to the landscaped pool and deck area outside—indulging the sense of sight.

“The choice of materials for this space was meant to be rustic and rich in texture, addressing the sense of touch,” Aashni says, adding, “In line with this thought process, we curated six main materials: wood, cane, glass, cement, mosaic and brass.” The tactile experience created by the textures of these materials emulates a connection to nature, a trick on the subconscious mind. These materials that dominate the living and dining areas are also echoed through the rest of the home to create a rhythm within the home. The flooring of the living room and dining area incorporates a grey-and-white cement terrazzo floor from Bharat Flooring supported with a green-and-white terrazzo skirting inlaid with brass strips. This concept was then made to flow through the entire floor space across both levels to avoid interruption and assist a flowing visual movement throughout the space.

These living and dining areas are completed by the inclusion of ficus plants potted in cement planters sourced locally, and rubber plants placed in woven baskets. The final touch of warmth in this area was brought by the inclusion of fibre-craft accessories such as water-hyacinth floor cushions and seagrass baskets from Nicobar, vases from Gupta Glass, and rugs from The Rug Republic.

The designers gave the interiors a rustic touch  

Pool and Deck

“Our determination to move away from traditional Portuguese design included our reservation to incorporate traditional tile art with floral motifs, and led us to discover bold Portuguese pavement designs,” Esha says. “To offer a visual treat, we decided to go down this path instead, and create our own mosaic version for the pool, terrace and balcony areas. Although this transition allowed us to pack in a pinch of surprise, we ensured that the mosaic pattern designed was homogeneous and in natural colours, enabling the calm brought on by the interiors of the home to carry on outside as well,” she adds.

While the outdoor furniture was sourced from Alcanes, the green cement end-tables with white mosaic inserts were custom-designed and made on-site from leftover material. “Apart from the sense of sight and touch, we used the outdoor areas to engage the senses of sound, smell and taste,” Aashni says.

A water feature has been created near the swimming pool area to take advantage of the meditative environment that is instantly created by the sound of flowing water. Further, the landscape and bird feeders incorporated in the space ensure that the home is a welcoming place for songbirds to pay a visit.

It is known that smell has the power to impact mood. Through the inclusion of fragrant varieties in the landscape and scented candles throughout, the space attempts to arrest this sense and transform the experiencer’s mood. Lastly, aligning with the clients' interest of growing edible plants, a herb garden was cultivated to provide some essential kitchen supplies.

The pool area features mosaic tiles

Powder Room

Studio Flamingo embraced the mosaic feature of the hardscape while designing the powder room, and tweaked it to add a hint of restrained glamour by customizing a white-and-gold geometric pattern for its application. To support this mood, gold sanitary fixtures from Kohler and a custom-designed mirror were added into the mix. “Thereafter, we indulged in a touch of experimentation and inserted square, glass mosaic pieces into the IPS walls of the room, ensuring that the end result was glamorous and rustic in equal measure,” Esha says.

Glazed, white-ceramic backsplash tiles from Johnson, terrazzo floor tiles from Nitco, light-wood cabinets, and a wall installation created with ceramic plates from Fabindia were included to create a cosy, homely appeal in the sunny kitchen, and to ensure that the overall vibe stayed in tune with the relaxed theme of the rest of the home. Large windows ensure that ample sunlight enters the kitchen, making it a bright and airy space to use. The kitchen leads to a well-planned utility and staff area, making the space and its planning efficient to service the holiday home.

First Bedroom

The entrance doors to all bedrooms (and all other rooms) are reclaimed antique doors that were upcycled and enhanced by replacing the original wooden panes with woven cane to add to the natural vibe that was being crafted for the home.

This bedroom—which opens onto the pool deck—has a custom-designed IPS bed with attached side tables, a cane headboard, and bedding from Pride Furnishings. While the scheme of the living-room flooring continues into the bedroom, along with the same set of materials that were consciously employed to ensure continuity, the dominating form of  the bed’s design ensures that the bedroom has its own unique identity.

The en-suite bathroom, which is partly tiled and partly finished with IPS, is treated with a grey tone-on-tone colour scheme, a custom-designed mirror and decorative lights.

The staircase that connects the two levels of the home is flanked by an installation of banana-fibre crafts from the Kishkinda Trust. The overpowering visual in this area, however, is a set of unusually tall and slender arch-like wall punctures incorporated by us into the structure at the mid-landing level. Again, this feature was not only incorporated for the visual appeal but also to ensure a constant connection in all parts of the home with the landscaped world outside.

Second Bedroom

Moving upstairs, this bedroom, designed to evoke a lived-in feeling, was decorated with a bed and upholstered headboard from Gulmohar Lane, side tables, bedside lamps, a bench at the foot of the bed, and a set of commissioned mixed-media paintings. The bedroom, complete with bedding from Pride Furnishings and coupled with throws and cushions from Nicobar, is visually connected to the terrace area of the home through a window seat, and has a private balcony attached to it.

Third Bedroom

The design solution of this bedroom is also an effort towards celebrating the core set of selected materials, while ensuring that the room has its unique place in the home. “Typically, cane is used in traditional colonial furniture, however, this attempt to incorporate cane in a more modern format gives the room its individual character,” says Aashni, adding, “Apart from the fact that these modern, streamlined silhouettes fit into the style of this home, we think that it is an important exercise to reimagine the application of traditional Indian crafts to ensure that they resonate with modern audiences, and thereby make room for their wide and long-lasting use in contemporary spaces. This, in turn, could aid in generating demand for the otherwise struggling Indian arts and crafts industry.” 

Additionally, the louvred pivoted windows on either side of the bed not only add a hint of the nostalgic past to the design, but also help in allowing for a visual connection with the terrace outside, propagating the philosophy of bringing the outside in.

Cane features prominently in the his bungalow's design

The bathroom is brought to life with terrazzo tiles finished with a rectangular patterned border, yet another custom-designed mirror, and decorative lights. While all the bathrooms of the home have their individual appeal, their common features—such as the use of distressed wooden cabinets, IPS walls and tone-on-tone colour scheme—ensure that they all emanate the same vibe.

The terrace, a feast for lovers of mosaic, is situated between the two bedrooms on level two, overlooking the pool and deck area on the ground level. The emerald mosaic flooring of the terrace is a variation of the flooring on the pool deck below. One is served with a visual treat when one walks across the terrace floor and peers down to look at the pool to find a similar mosaic floor on the deck area below. The furniture chosen is a set of white charpoys, reminiscent of the traditional Indian terrace set-up, and an outdoor al-fresco dining set from Alcanes. Potted white bougainvilleas keep a frangipani tree company as they come together to complete this charming terrace setting.

The terrace replicates the pool deck's mosaic flooring

While efforts were made to ensure the design creates a joyful experience, Studio Flamingo also made a small effort to contribute to the struggling Indian arts and crafts community through this space. This was carried out by the large-scale use of fibre crafts in this project. “Not only did we include seagrass, water-hyacinth and hemp accessories in the form of baskets, throw pillows and rugs, but we also ensured the use of cane on large-scale surfaces such as doors and bed backs,” the sisters conclude.

By Bindu Gopal Rao

Photography by Revati & Charles Victor

By Nitika Choraria

Photography by Morjim Villa by Sun Estates shot by Damien Rebello

Photography by Bharath Ramamrutham

By Alisha Lad

Charles Correa Foundation

Education and Research in Human Settlements

Category: Save Kala Academy

Charles correa foundation raise concerns over kala academy renovations.

The Charles Correa Foundation (CCF) organised a discussion with citizens and the press conference on 14 May 2022 in which Nondita Correa Mehrotra (Director), Arminio Ribeiro (Trustee) and Tahir Noronha (Convener) addressed concerns over the Kala Academy renovation.

CCF pointed out that over the last 40 years Kala Academy has had many problems and that there has never been appropriate repair of the building. All past renovations ignored the structural issues and focussed on cosmetics – painting the building and disguising the damage. CCF is hopeful that this repair will be holistic and comprehensive as a significant amount of public funds is being spent on it. CCF gave the example of waterproofing, which was unscientifically applied twice in 1996 and 2004, without removing the previous layers. Such treatment has led to severe overloading of the structure and accordingly many of the structural problems that were reported in 2019 were from this primary issue. The methodology for structural repair proposed in the contractor’s report is satisfactory. These repairs concluded in April 2022. Now architecture work of finishes, installation of equipment, etc., will commence. However, given the lack of transparency and information we have gleaned from various inside sources, there are several concerns over the interior renovation and the auditorium design.

CCF recalled the wording of the Hon. High Court, that “no portion of Kala Academy will be demolished but only repaired to preserve and up-keep the same”. This means that the project is one of repair and renovation and must follow the three principles of conservation:

• PRESERVATION of what is irreparable and needs to be preserved as is. (eg. Mario Miranda’s artwork in the auditorium is one of the only 7 murals that he has done all around the world).
• REPAIR for what has been damaged and bringing it back to its original quality. (eg. The removal of the waterproofing layers in the Amphitheatre).
• UPGRADATION if there is a justified technical need. (eg. The AC systems of the auditorium in Kala Academy have been outdated and in a very bad condition hence it would be a justified need to bring in new systems).

Various sources have informed CCF that changes are being made in the finishes of the building. These architectural changes are unjustified. When the building was built, the materials and painting of the murals were designed so that the building was clearly in the public realm, the citizen’s space, with simple flooring and a bright, airy feel as one walked from Campal down to the river. Informants have indicated that flooring will change from the original Shahbad and white China mosaic to darker stones and flowered patterned tiles which will make the lobby spaces dark, dingy and uninviting, and change one of the key appeals of Kala Academy. 

The acoustics of the indoor auditorium was originally designed by Bolt Beranek and Newman — the finest in the field, whose portfolio included symphony halls and parliaments, from San Francisco to Tel Aviv to Melbourne. Their consultancy was pro bono on Correa’s request. Robert Newman realised the reverberation time required to best appreciate Western classical music and Indian classical music was different, so the Deenanath Mangeshkar Auditorium was designed to be acoustically live, with small adjustments to the reflective curtains and balconies that could be opened and closed to create a flexible acoustic experience for live performances and film. 

Under the umbrella of up-gradation in 2004, the acoustics were tampered with (when Kala Academy was renovated at a cost of ₹24 crores in 4 months for the International Film Festival of India), the ceiling was replaced with flat panels, and the curtains in the balcony removed. Charles Correa raised concerns at that time, but he was ignored by the State Government. Sources inform us that a new acoustic design has been proposed and artist Mario Miranda’s murals may not be spared. Such major changes threaten to erase the design essence of Kala Academy.

In architectural conservation projects, especially the renovation of 20th century buildings, the norm is to consult the original designer, to understand the different layers of the project and have access to archival drawings. For example, recently CCF was an integral part of a consortium of architects and engineers developing a management plan for the renovation of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, a concrete structure designed by Charles Correa and Mahendra Raj in the 1960s. CCF was brought on board to share records, opinion and ensure that the proposals are in tune with the original design. Here Goa is losing out on an opportunity to retain a building which has been internationally respected and acclaimed.

After CCF received information from within the Kala Academy and PWD, they called a press conference on 14 May 2022, and stated that the State Government must be transparent and inform the Public of the restoration and the changes being made to the architectural finishes. It is the Public that must be informed, as the work is being done using Public funds. This could very well be the last opportunity to understand the extent of restoration, question it and do it correctly before it is all lost. 

You can watch the press meet below:

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CCF at Architectures of Transition 2023: Frameworks and Practices in South Asia | New Delhi

Organized by the Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard University in collaboration with the Architecture Foundation, the Architectures of Transition 2023: Frameworks and Practices in South Asia conference aimed to create a forum that helps architects reflect upon the breadth of work undertaken in the South Asia region collectively.

The Charles Correa Foundation was part of the panel on Day 02 discussing the theme: Practice of Research + Curation. The session focused on defining and articulating the nature of the practices of research, curation, and archiving. This practice is critical for nurturing the idea of South Asia and its relevance to the practitioners of the region, and to hold us to a standard of a deeper reading of place.

This video was posted to the Mittal Institute YouTube Channel on 27 March 2024. This video is a part of the three day conference titled Architectures of Transition 2023: Frameworks and Practices in South Asia held in New Delhi from 14-16 December, 2023.

Fatorda MLA demands probe into Kala Academy slab collapse

By Times News Network

Porvorim: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday demanded a free and fair probe into the collapse of the slab of Kala Academy’s open-air auditorium.

He also sought the resignation of art and culture minister Govind Gaude before the probe is initiated.

As KA Crumbles, Stage is Set For Blame Game

By Nida Sayed

“We will find out the facts and figures behind it. From my understanding, the Kala Academy main building is separate from the main structure. It was a fabricated structure and only the area above the stage has collapsed.”

“We will understand the cause behind this and only after the PWD finds out the reason behind the collapse, will I be able to comment as the chairman of Kala Academy and as art and culture minister,” said Gaude Prior to the renovation works being sanctioned, Gaude had pointed out the structure’s fragility — as well as that of the ‘Black Box’ beneath it — as the reason behind the upgradation works.

Issue top priority, inquiry report to be tabled in 18 days

The opposition members relented only after the chief minister assured them that the inquiry reports would be tabled in the House before the sessions ends, and the issue discussed then. “The inquiry reports will be placed in the House within 18 days. The day the reports are presented in the House, there will be a discussion on the issue,” Sawant said during Zero Hour.

STATEMENT ON KALA ACADEMY

The Charles Correa Foundation issues the following statement regarding Kala Academy, Panaji dated 17 July, 2023:   We are alarmed but not surprised to hear that part of the Kala Academy amphitheatre has collapsed. The PWD and the Government have prevented us from inspecting the site right through the entire process, and we cannot comment on the work done.

This is only about our shared heritage, the Kala Academy

By Dr. Oscar Rebello

Goa loves its fair share of drama. The latest potboiler hitting the theatres near you is the new film: “Govind Gaude ko gussa kyon aata hai?”

For the uninitiated, the Kala Academy, the iconic masterpiece created by Charles Correa, is up for renovation. (Thankfully no bulldozers, the weapon of choice for BJP-style renovation!)

Govind, the art and culture minister, says this renovation was long overdue as there were inherent structural flaws in the building which, built at sea level, let water from the River (now sewage) Mandovi seep into the auditorium and corrode it.

On the flip side, the Charles Correa Foundation (CCF), comprising renowned architects and planners and captains of industry, believes that the government of the day cannot distinguish between restoration and renovation.

And KA needs restoration: a gentle, time-consuming, exceedingly intricate and complex procedure.

Goa says who Charles Correa was

When pressed by reporters about CCF’s concerns in the Kala Academy’s renovation, the Art and Culture Minister retorted “Who is CCF” . An editorial in the Herald response to these statements, read the whole article below.

Ideas, suggestions must be welcomed

An editorial in oHeraldo on the concerns raised by Charles Correa Foundation on the Kala Academy Renovation.

The  original article  was published on 18 May 2022, posted on www.heraldgoa.in  on 18 May 2022 at 07:00 am IST and retrieved on 18 May 2022 at 04.00pm.

Questions raised over KA renovation work

The Goan, 15 May 2022

Coverage of 14 May, 2022 Press Conference

Judgement of the High Court of Bombay at Goa

The final judgement of the Honorable High Court of Bombay at Goa, on the Kala Academy issue is published below.

CCF Statement on Kala Academy Renovations

5 April 2021

The Charles Correa Foundation (CCF) has not been consulted or involved in the work being done at Kala Academy, which is commencing on Monday, April 5, 2021.

From June 2019 when CCF first learnt that the Government was considering demolishing the building, CCF recommended that structural repair and waterproofing be done, especially to the amphitheatre, and had asked faculty from IIT Madras, structural engineers who are experts in restoring reinforced concrete, to inspect Kala Academy. This review was done at CCF’s expense, with the hope that in the public interest, the building would be restored and well looked after. It was determined that this repair work would cost a fraction of what now has been announced as the budget ₹50 crores. Therefore, it would be in the public interest to know what additional work is being proposed? What exactly is being done to the building that is going to cost ₹50 crores? 

In the many discussions and debates over the last two years, it was clearly established that the people of Goa appreciated the design, spaciousness of the public spaces and their easy access, making it an important cultural artifact for the city. Its open design welcomed everyone to walk through the lobby, to attend events at the theatres, and even access the Mandovi riverfront. The design of a building is not just about the façade, it is the entire building. If you are going to change the lobby, the auditoriums, the practice spaces and terraces, you are changing the DNA of the building. Do the people of Goa want the building to be altered and transformed? The Kala Academy is an important building, an exemplary modern public building, and one of the first contemporary post-Liberation buildings in Goa. If additional auditoriums are required, could they be built as an annex, so that the integrity of this unique design is not destroyed?

Panaji and Goa have only one public building designed by Correa, and shouldn’t it be kept exactly the way he designed it? Correa was given the Gomant Vibhushan, Goa’s highest honour in 2011, but what is the value of this recognition if the State is ready to compromise the integrity of his architecture?

ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANS – WHY KALA ACADEMY SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN DOWN

Kala Academy is one of the most significant structures in the city of Panaji. A cultural center that was beautifully designed by the legendary architect Charles Correa is a symbol of modern heritage in Goa. Its human-friendly scale, building proportions, and a non-restrictive design approach to accommodate users from different walks of life is truly an architecture for humans. Janice Veigas, as a part of her thesis study, analyzed the human behavior patterns inside Kala Academy, and how the design is sensitive to the needs of its users. Read here to know more.

Why kala academy is considered to be such an important building?

Kala Academy is more than just a stone structure. Apart from the intangible values that surround the building, Kala Academy is being visited and studied by around a thousand students every year for its architectural significance.

Read more on why it is considered to be such an important building here , by Lester Silveira.

READ AND SIGN HERE

The Charles Correa Foundation announce a petition to the Minister of Art and Culture, Government of Goa. To undertake sensitive conservation measures with proper consultation, together with the Foundation with the goal of preserving the building of Kala Academy.

If you believe in our cause, please sign the petition and share the same.

An icon in distress

Thrashing the magic of Charles Correa

Vivek Menezes reflects on the value of an equitable public building. And how Kala Academy is a meaningful space to the city of Panjim.

Read it here

Hold it, re-think the demolition of that pièce de résistance

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Kala Academy: The Latest Architecture and News

New petition aims to save charles correa's kala academy from demolition.

A new petition has been started to save Charles Correa 's Kala Academy from demolition by the State Government in India . The project has become one of the only government-run arts institution with a diverse set of cultural offerings across Western and Indian programming. As Goa’s cultural center, the late 1970's structure is a rare example of an equitable public building in India.

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‘Portuguese architecture’ in Goa has little to do with the Portuguese and everything to do with Goa

Property brokers love to peddle ‘portuguese homes’. but these unique goan structures aren’t found anywhere else in the world..

Goa’s remarkable and unique colonial-era built heritage is comprehensively misunderstood and wilfully misrepresented. The most common error is to view the Latinate architecture of India’s smallest state via the prism of the rest of the subcontinent’s experience of British colonialism, where every aspect of planning and construction was dictated by the European overlords. But that was not the case in Goa, where the Portuguese ran out of money and energy by the cusp of the 18th century, and almost all the buildings that followed until decolonisation in 1961 were triggered, conceived and executed by ambitious natives.

In the new millennium, an overheated marketplace has developed for marvellous old Goan dwellings, which are bought and sold as “Portuguese houses”. About this lobotomised real estate shorthand, the Goan architect and Secretary of Goa Heritage Action Group Raya Shankhwalker writes:

“Ill-informed brokers have coined the term, which reflects a deeply ignorant conception of the complex, multi-layered evolution of architecture in Goa. It is wrong, even offensively wrong, and it is extremely irritating to see the term actually gain popularity instead of being discarded. The use of local materials, crafts and skills make the Western-influenced Goan house a unique architectural expression.”

These nuances matter beyond mere semantics, because the many-layered syncretic Goan identity is being questioned anew in the current national political atmosphere charged with fanciful notions of purity, and a purportedly unpolluted past. Recently, Goa’s residents were shocked to read that the central government will soon establish a regional centre of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts “to promote local indigenous culture to counter Portuguese cultural influence” and “launch a massive hunt for folklore artistes which have nothing to do with Portuguese culture”.

Once again, the intricate cultural expressions of Goa that have arisen over millennia of contact with the outside world, most specifically from 450 years as the centrepiece of the Portuguese maritime empire, are treated as suspect, as though they do not qualify as Indian enough. The argument is quite like what continues to rage about the Taj Mahal, which the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sangeet Som called “a blot on Indian culture…built by traitors”. His colleague GVL Narasimha Rao agreed, “It is a symbol of barbarism.” More worrisome still was Som’s boast, “What history are we talking about? The creator of Taj Mahal imprisoned his father. He wanted to wipe out Hindus. If these people are part of our history, then it is very sad and we will change this history.”

The threats sounded very much like warning shots in Goa, where many churches are undeniably built on sites previously occupied by Hindu temples (and most likely Buddhist, Jain and animist shrines before them) but are nonetheless cherished today by pilgrims and devotees of all religions. In this regard, it is exceedingly important to understand the many ways in which Goan experience of the Portuguese Estado da India is unique in the history of colonialism. In this riparian sliver of the Konkan coast, after an initial heyday that lasted for a couple of centuries, the Portuguese only managed to maintain control via painful negotiations with the local elites, who continually extracted considerable concessions to shift the balance of power in a way that was both alien and offensive to other European contemporaries.

Unique identity

Two additional potent factors exacerbated this singular situation. From the very beginning of colonial rule there was an official promotion of intermarriage with the locals. Later, the products of these alliances, along with all other Goans, were granted equal rights and freedoms with all other citizens of Portugal.

All this appalled the British no end. In his classic travel book, Goa and the Blue Mountains , the usually dauntless adventurer Richard Burton blanched when confronted by “black Portuguese” who enjoyed “perfect equality, political and social, between the two colours”. Fully conscious of the inherent irony, he voiced outrage that “the native members of a court-martial, if preponderating, would certainly find a European guilty, whether rightly or wrongly , n’importe. ” It caused him considerable distress to witness Europeans subjected to parity with Indians.

Goa and the Blue Mountains was published in 1851, a full generation after secular, liberal republicanism was being practiced in Lisbon. By this time, a comprehensive internal rout was underway in Portuguese possessions around the Indian Ocean, as Goans seized both economic and political power in a wide arc from Mozambique to Macau (both of which served under Goan governors). At home, Panjim rose as Nova Goa, the three-dimensional expression of an assertive, self-confident native worldview. As the passionate city historian Vasco Pinho writes, here Panjimites “were assured of the rights to life, property and initiative. Grill-free houses, kept open even at night, spoke for the unsung freedom from fear the like of which has existed perhaps nowhere else”.

Citizens of the world

These well-travelled Goan citizens of the world, taking advantage of extraordinary liberties earned long before other Indians attained equality, generated distinctive cultural expressions. The emergent “cozinha de Goa” or cuisine of Goa amalgamated influences from Brazil, Africa, Europe and East Asia with ingredients and technique of the Konkan. Indo-Portuguese art turned secular, eventually seeding modern India with a series of masters like Antonio Trindade, Angelo da Fonseca and Francis Newton Souza. The late scholar Jose Pereira writes: “It was in Goa that Indian musicians first began to compose in western musical forms, incorporating into them motifs and nuances of their own immemorial tradition…Goans not only initiated the westernisation of Indian music, but also pioneered in Indian ethnomusicology.”

Pereira, a polyglot and a polymath, was a compulsive cataloguer. In a series of landmark books, capped by the tome Baroque India: The Neo-Roman Religious Architecture of South Asia , he made the pioneering effort to meticulously delineate just how different Goan churches are from any others in the world. In an article in a special issue of Marg magazine in 1980, titled Goa Dourada, he wrote, “The roots of the Baroque are partly Hebraic and West Asian, Christianity having arisen in the part of the world, but only in India was it able to establish contact with so many of its antecedents.”

In the heavily trafficked entrepot of Goa, Pereira writes:

“The Baroque did not come into an architectural void, but into areas which had long established modes of building. In the South were the temples of stately temples of venerable dynasties, the Pallavas, Cholas, Cheras and Chalukyas, and of the kings of Vijaynagar [and] Adil Shah II, the chief innovator of his dynasty at Bijapur where colossal mosques and tombs were soon to rise. Gujarat was graced by the elegant traceries and marble arabesques of its mosques and Jain temples. The Baroque…like the crystal of the Vedanta metaphor in contact with flowers of many colours – came to be tinged by the traits of these several traditions.”

Indigenous treasures

If Pereira’s scholarship provided the hardware for Goan architecture’s case for reckoning on its own terms as an Indian form with global significance, the killer software was provided in the 21st century by Paulo Varela Gomes, the passionate Indophile Portuguese architectural historian who passed away last year. Over two highly effective stints as the delegate to India of Lisbon-based Fundação Oriente , this relentlessly curious and open-minded professor of the University of Coimbra came to the conclusion that he was viewing “churches and houses that are unique in the world history of architecture” and decided to delve into the roots of how this stunning oeuvre came into existence.

In his superb study Whitewash, Red Stone (Yoda Press, 2011), Varela Gomes touches on the general scholarly consensus “that the houses built in Goa…in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries constitute an extraordinarily coherent and distinct current in the panorama of housing around the world. These houses are now being named ‘Portuguese Houses’ perhaps because of the influence of tourism since ‘Portuguese’ is a more exotic denomination than Goan…There is no need to point out that houses such as those in Goa exist nowhere in any town or village in Portugal, Brazil, or Portuguese-influenced Africa. They are solely Goan.”

But as important and perceptive as those comments are, the truly invaluable contributions of Varela Gomes come from his highly persuasive interpretative study of Goan church architecture, where he strikes bullseye unerringly:

“The reason for the hybrid character of Goan church architecture has often been explained as the result of the fact (more often than not undocumented by building documents) that they would probably have been ornamented by converted local craftsmen and artists, and also sometimes, by Hindu or Muslim painters, artisans and sculptors…To me, this explanation, as all others based on ‘influences’ and ‘contacts’ fails to account for the character and integrity of the churches of Goa.” 

“One can see Portuguese vault composition, Flemish vaulting or ornament, Bijapuri tower design, Konkan stucco patterns and ornamental design,” wrote Varela Gomes. “But the churches as overall buildings did not result from the sum of their constitutive parts. Their builders and patrons knew how they wanted a Catholic church to look and how they wanted it to be experienced. Their understanding, I believe, was not Portuguese, Flemish or Indian, but Goan Catholic or Indo-Portuguese. To anyone with architectural or artistic sensitivity, these churches don’t seem to be the end-result of a compromise but the affirmative artistic statement of a cultural position.”

That cultural stance is simply native pride. Goans were the first Indians to seize the reins of their destiny, and they were not shy about expressing highly evolved aesthetic and cultural preferences. This is the crucial difference between the colonial structures in Goa and Mumbai or Kolkata. These “were not buildings imposed upon Goans, or buildings negotiated between Goans and foreign prelates or authorities…they were buildings by Goans, designed by Goan architects and masons, including Goan Catholic priests, and in many cases, commissioned by Goan landowners or Goan local communities”.

In other words, they are an indigenous treasure, treated exactly as such by the natives of Goa, who will happily pay their respects at churches and temples without discrimination. This universalist face of Goan Catholicism can be seen at the exquisite Baroque marvel that is Santana de Talaulim church on St. Anne’s “cucumber feast” day on July 26, where huge crowds flock to petition the deity for male offspring, but only a small minority are Catholics. Another example is the annual celebration of the “Apostle of the East”, St. Francis Xavier, at the world heritage precinct, including Se Cathedral (the largest church in Asia) and Bom Jesus Basilica, where tens of thousands of Hindus and Muslims arrive from all over the country to pay their respects.

Far from foreign, there could be nothing more beautifully Indian in every aspect of the practices involved. That acceptance is precisely what Mulk Raj Anand wanted for Goa’s churches. In his introduction to that seminal issue of Marg bristling with Jose Pereira’s contentions, he wrote:

“There has been so far, through the weight of the great religious archetypes of Hindu temples on our minds, a noticeable allergy to the dynamic churches and cathedrals of the Christians everywhere in India. Now, in the face of the polymorphic architecture of Goa, one hopes the revelations of the gigantic churches, with their richness of adumbration of forms, with the foliage of winged leaves, the mythic signs and pregnant symbols, the spiral-like arches, the dynamics of the mellifluous Christian art of Goa will become part of the cosmic labyrinths of holiness which are everywhere in our land.”

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ROCK-CUT ARCHITECTURE: A CASE OF CAVES IN GOA, Dissertation for Bachelor of Architecture, Guide: Vandana Balakrishnan, Researcher: Mrinmayee Thakur, Goa College of Architecture

This paper is motivated by the author’s interest in history and ancient architecture of Goa. The need to spread awareness about caves and the need for their conservation drove the major part of the study to be converted into a dissertation.

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Mrinmayee Thakur

This paper is motivated by the author's interest in history and ancient architecture of Goa. The need to spread awareness about caves and the need for their conservation drove the major part of the study to be converted into a dissertation.

Siddhi Vakharia

The city of Gaziantep, located in southwestern Turkey, is built entirely on a soft Upper-Middle Eocene aged limestone. This argillaceous and chalky limestone formation, which is fairly easy to carve into, has determined the city's development and character in many aspects. This stone has also affected local architecture as it was used as main building element by cutting. When a building was to be built, the soft rock area where the building was to be placed upon was cut out as blocks in depth, and the rock blocks obtained were used directly for the construction. The emptied area served as the basement of the building built on top. While initially fairly soft, this rock would soften and change color as it came in contact with air. On the other hand, in addition to the underground dwellings carved to provide stone for the buildings, Gaziantep hosts gigantic underground quarries caused by great amounts of rock being removed. These were used later on for a variety of purposes such as factory or hovels. Three of these underground quarries in Gaziantep have been explored and surveyed and their later uses are explained in detail in this article.

Abhijit Dandekar , Gopal Joge , hemant dalavi , Anjay S Dhanawade

Advent of Brahmanism in India is a complex process. The religion itself went through many transitions in the early centuries of Common Era. It faced great competition from other established religious traditions, such as Buddhism. Its arrival on the western coast of India was hitherto attributed to the late 5 th /6 th centuries CE on the basis of some cave temples and isolated images. This article presents the discovery of some early Brahmanical caves in coastal Maharashtra, India, and looks at the course of the journey of Brahmanism in a new light. It appears that the beginning of Brahmanical sects was earlier than what was thought before. The architecture as well as sculptural elements and narrative panels including their iconographic and art historical analysis are discussed in detail. It also talks about the geo-political settings of the early historic coastal Maharashtra.

Abhijit Sadhale

In Vie della Seta: Percorsi, Immagini e Cultura Materiale, edited by B. Genito and L. Caterina, vol. 2, pp. 59-77. Roma: Scienza e Lettera Editore,

pia brancaccio

Ravish Kumar

Each style of Architecture mirrors an essential rule that represents a specific culture and time. In this setting the Indian Jain temple architecture are not just the house of Tirthankar idol and place of worship, they are additionally the depository of information, craftsmanship, architecture and culture. The practices and customs of temples exist in history as well as in present time impact. The socio-cultural existence of its kins offers congruity to conventional religious and cultural qualities. The advancement of Jain architecture is set apart by its strict adherence to the first ancient models that were gotten from religious thought and that proceeded over numerous centuries. The Jain religion and its logic incredibly affected Jain temple Architecture in its developmental procedure which proceeds till this date. Hence this exposition through authentic research and other narrative, literary works and hypothetical examination on ancient treatise and current research works on the Jain temple Architecture of India draws out the ideas that have been received since ancient circumstances for the construction of the holy Jain caves and temples, the science associated with the construction of the temple structure and the procedures required alongside the expertise it took to build such buildings. India has given with the gifts of the different religious beliefs. Jainism is one of them, Jain Tirthankars - religious ministers spread the message of peace, peacefulness, love and edification everywhere throughout the world. The center of this awesome religion and its proclaiming is clear in its temples, in the concentrated shaped and in the various outlined remains. The commitment of Jain workmanship to the standard craftsmanship in India has been extensive. Each period of Indian workmanship is represented by a Jain form and every single one of them is deserving of careful study and comprehension. The considerable Jain Architecture and formed landmarks of Bihar region like Khandgiri, Udaygiri, Sammed Shikhar, Koluha, Patna, Ara, Bhagalpur, Jammui, Rajgir, Nawada, and Nalanda are world iv eminent. The most awesome of every Jain temple are found in Bihar Region. In India, Bihar has a portion of the essential examples of Jain Artchitecture. Jain architecture can't be certified with its very own style, for in any case it was just about a branch of the Hindu and the Buddhist styles. In the underlying years, numerous Jain temples were made abutting the Buddhist temples following the Buddhist rock-cut style. At first these temples were basically cut out of rock faces and the utilization of blocks were relatively insignificant. In any case, in later years Jains began building temple-urban communities on slopes in view of the idea of mountains of interminability. Contrasted with the quantity of Hindu temples in India, Jain temples are few and dispersed out. The Jain used to separate their more prepared and harmed sanctuaries and made new ones of every comparable place. Then again Jain temples had a specific aggressor air around them, likely as a result of looters who may have diverted wealth. Encompassed by troubled dividers, the Jain temples are partitioned into wards in a way like sustained urban communities with parapets and specialties to repulse equipped animosity. Each ward thusly was watched by monstrous bastions at its closures, with an invigorated portal as the principle entrance. The reason being that Jain temples are the most extravagant temples in the world, outperforming even Mughal buildings as far as loftiness and material richness. Together these viewpoints draw out the workmanship, science and theory behind the construction of the Jain temple which is as significant today as it used to be in the ancient circumstances. A congruity of custom and a science which has its root in the beginning of human consciousness. India has a profound established culture and human progress returning to 5000 years ever. India's ancient yet proceeding with human advancement has entranced and hypnotized the world. Exceptionally rich and differing culture has been a subject of study over the world. A voyage through popular Jain temples in Bihar, India was made to study the visual theory in architecture of temples and symbols of Jain groups. Amid the study a voyage through celebrated Jain journey puts in particular, Patna, Vaishali, Ara, Bhagalpur, Nalanada, Kundalpur, Rajgir, Nawada, Jharkhand and Orissa were gone by over the Bihar region of India. It has been watched that all the concentrated sacred spots are remarkable for their v ancient history, architecture of icon and temple. The temples are of profound feeling of recommendation and the inside for peace and contemplation. The present work investigates, to some degree impressionistically, the geometrical, engineering, building material and construction examination of brilliant Jain caves of Orissa and Jain temples in Bihar and Jharkhand States. Over a traverse of this time and space, the author takes note of, a masterful development and development inside "a tolerating cultural stillness that can be best comprehended with a specific mythopoeic reference that goes past the negligible actualities of history.'' Using these temples as nodal focuses for a photographic and intelligent study, the author has presented the inconspicuous wonders and the imaginative subtleties of the gems like plan form, elevation form, interior layout and intricate carvings of the Jain temples through his delicate focal points and persuasive explanation.

Mike Carson

The limestone cliff face overlooking the coastline of Ritidian, on Guam, has revealed several caves with evidence of human activities. Since 2011, archaeological survey and excavation have exposed how use of the caves had changed over time, and that they were the focus of special behaviours, with quite distinct archaeology to that of nearby residential sites. To understand the significance of these caves fully, they must be contextualised within the broader framework of contemporary open-air sites. The result highlights the use of the caves for unique purposes at different times, including as water sources, venues for various art traditions and particular burial customs.

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Goa college of architecture.

Founded in 1982, the Goa College of Architecture stands as the sole institution in Goa offering a Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch) Course, recognized by the Council of Architecture and Indian Institute of Architects for its comprehensive professional training. Supported by the Government of Goa and affiliated with Goa University, the college has an intake capacity of 40 (+4) students annually, including provisions for students from states and Union Territories without architectural institutes. Notably, since 2020, the college has expanded its academic offerings to include Master of Architecture programs in Urban Design and Sustainable Habitat. The B. Arch. and M. Arch. programs at the Goa College of Architecture aim to blend the enduring qualities of architectural design with the need to adapt to the present-day context of Goa in the 21st Century.

GCA is affliated to Directorate of Technical Education, Porvorim in regards to admissions, approval procedures and academic activities of the college.

Goa College of Architecture is governed by rules framed by Council of Architecture in regards to regulating education and academics.

The College is affiliated to Goa University and governed by its ordinances in regards to various academic processes like examination, syllabus etc.

RECENT UPDATES

Congratulations to Miss Evanthika Pereira, student at Goa College of Architecture for being elected as the ZONAL PRESIDENT OF ZONE 5, NASA INDIA at the…

Fenestration of Architecture- 2023-24/02

GCA Guest Lecture/01

Patriotic Run Organised by Veterans India in collaboration with AICTE and recognised by FIT India, Under Sports Authority of India(SAI).

Special Lectures/01- Poetic Pragmatism by Ar Amit Upadhye

Joint Studio Programme with SPA, New Delhi

Joint Studio Programme with CEPT, Ahmedabad

ARCH - EXPO 2018

Was held in March 2017, at the Art Gallery of Kala Academy, Panaji-Goa to show-case the projects undertaken by students of all the years under the guidance of the faculty members. This was inaugurated by the Shri.Sanjay Goel (IAS), Secretary Technical Education. In the presence of the Prof. Vivek Kamat, Director, Directorate of Technical Education, Porvorim.

Akriti - College Magazine

‘Akriti’ the Students’ Magazine edited by Ms. Anushka Coutinho was released during the Arch- Expo 2017 at Kala Academy in March at the hands of the Chief Guest  Shri. Sanjay Goel, (IAS), Secretary Tech. Education,Government of Goa. Working Paper Series (Volume 6) 2016  of Goa College of Architecture, a Techincal Publication based  on the dissertations in Architecture is under preparation and has reached  the stage of printing.

Working Paper Series

A decade and half has passed since the first set of ‘Dissertations’ were written by students in Goa College of Architecture after carrying out extensive research on various facets of Architecture with a particular focus on Goa. Under the able direction of the guides and the faculty for the final year, the students were encouraged to generate the ‘Working Papers’ out of their dissertation research, which also summarises their broad findings.

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