MINDSPACE

We give importance to the transition from outdoors to indoors, blurring the boun
daries. We try and create spaces which are unique in their feel providing the user
with a series of experiences experiencing elements of nature within a space, ex
periencing light, breeze, sound, unfolding of layers and volumes. quote_end
SANJAY MOHE
- See more at: SANJAY MOHE

I was born and brought up in Mumbai. Incidentally my journey towards being an Ar

chitect started at a very early phase of my life. As a child I was inclined to s
ketching and my folks planted the thought of becoming an architect in my mind. I
graduated from Sir JJ College of Architecture in 1976 and started working with
one of my professors from college. In 1983, I joined Chandravarkar and Thacker A
ssociates and subsequently became one of the directors in 1995.

About Company
Mindspace was formed in 2004 by Vauki Prakash, Suryanarayanan and Sanjay Mohe. O
ur firm is currently lead by Suryanarayanan, Medappa and myself. Of a total staf
f strength of 35, 20 are architects. We have consciously restricted the size of
our firm, to create a family-like bonding. It is important for us to be connecte
d to each other. Transparency is another important factor in our office. There a
re no closed cabins. The underlying idea is to create quality architecture and e
njoy the process.

We looked at climate as the main influencing factor on life style - our culture,
behavior, eating habits, fashion and most importantly architecture. Hence the c
entral idea of our architecture lies in its response to climate and context. Bei
ng sensitive to the elements of nature - Our design process involves understandi
ng the forces of nature, trying to use their energy to create a healthy and ener
gy efficient environment where the five elements (light, earth, air, water and s
ky) become an integral part of the built, breathing life into them. Using LIGHT
to modulate spaces - Light has been the most dynamic element we have used and we
are constantly trying to refine the quality it can add to spaces. Even a dark r
oom needs a crack of light to know how dark it is. This not only minimises the n
eed for any artificial sources of lighting but also creates animated spaces with
interplay of light and shadow. Blurring Boundaries - We give importance to the
transition from outdoors to indoors, blurring the boundaries. To sum up, our bui
ldings are not consciously designed to capture attention from the exterior. We t
ry and create spaces which are unique in their feel providing the user with a ser
ies of experiences experiencing elements of nature within a space, experiencing
light, breeze, sound, unfolding of layers and volumes. The external form of the
building is derived to complement the functions within. We try to create an equ
ilibrium between man, his needs, emotions, culture, his aspirations, elements of
nature and technological advancement. - See more at: http://www.insideoutside.i
n/SanjayMohe#sthash.lvKn08Ti.dpuf
PEOPLE Sanjay Mohe s guiding principle is that buildings can be modern with a defi
nite dash of common sense. He talks about his way of using spaces

Building blocksSanjay MohePhoto: Thulasi Kakkat

Building blocksSanjay MohePhoto: Thulasi Kakkat
It is illuminating talking to architect Sanjay Mohe about architecture. The sage
-like architect, with his beard and big hair, gives architecture a spiritual spi
n. A house or a building is not just an engineering feat; it is a space that evo
kes an emotional response from those inhabiting the space. And that a building h
as to be placed within the context of a location and culture. The living space b
ecomes a living entity with a soul and it is not about external appearances as wi
th a sculpture. The space within is important. You have to start from inside and
move to the exterior.
Sanjay Mohe was in Kochi for the Inside Outside show. This alumnus of Sir JJ Col
lege of Architecture (Mumbai) has worked with renowned architect Charles Correa.
During the chat he delves into the wisdom of the past where constructions revolv
ed around nature and climate.
In Kerala there are single houses in the midst of huge plots as opposed to in Raj
asthan where houses are built in clusters. These styles keep in mind the climati
c requirements of these areas. In humid Kerala you need more air circulation and
in extreme climates such as in Rajasthan, houses need to insulate each other. B
uilding was common sense-driven and we need to stick to common sense while const
ructing spaces, he says.
And the common sense involves keeping nature a part of the plan as architectural
forms resultant to climate, says Mohe, who runs the architecture firm, Mindspace
with colleagues Vasuki Prakash and Suryanarayana in Bangalore.
The five elements
And aping the west in the name of modernity is not common sense, he says. You can
not have a glass box in tropical climates such as ours. What we in India need is
porosity in form, for more air circulation, he adds. This stand, he clarifies, i
s not a critique of modern technology.
Whether it is a research facility or an educational institution or a home, a bui
lding has to be constructed keeping the panchabhutas (five elements) in mind. It
translates into letting the five elements circulate within the space.
As part of letting the elements in, his buildings have plenty of space for air t
o circulate and he makes good use of natural light. As far as sustainability goe
s, it cannot be over-emphasised, Mohe goes on. A building in its lifetime is, pro
bably, the largest pollutant. The process starts with piling right up to the con
struction and the subsequent requirements of the building. It is the largest con
sumer of natural resources, he says. He adds, We have been talking green and about e
nergy conservation for a long time, much before it became fashionable. Energy con
servation and sustainability are two aspects of common sense when it comes to co
nstruction.
Some of this common sense guides the architect in the construction of laboratori
es and educational spaces.
While building a lab, for instance, the process is regimentality-driven, in part
s. Laboratories have to meet strict international standards, cleanliness, comple
te with effluent treatment plants.Along with that there is provision for interac
tive spaces.
G.V. Prasad of Dr. Reddy s Laboratories gave us the brief that both sides of the br
ain (the artistic right and the analytical left) need to be stimulated equally.

And therefore we had the brief that along with the

ision for interactive spaces and art.

lab

spaces there had to be prov

Therefore, beyond labs there are seminar halls, lecture halls

e Eureka moments as Mohe puts it.

spaces that encourag

Cell and Bell theory

The space-to-think-idea leads to his designing educational spaces. Wide open spa
ces, according to him, are a pre-requisite to designing educational spaces.
My thinking is the opposite of the Cell and Bell theory of the old days. The belief
was children be crammed in cell-like classrooms and taught till the bell went o
ff. And then imagine that there has been a transfer of knowledge, he says. His cl
assroom is inspired by the gurukul tradition where children are in close proximi
ty to nature and while learning their lessons. Plenty of space and light are pre
requisites for holistic learning. Breezy open pavilions, classrooms which open o
ut to courtyards where children have visual access to nature figure in his bluep
rint of the perfect classroom; ditto for colleges.
An educational place should be such that it motivates a child to learn, Mohe adds.
Is it easy convincing school managements about such classroom spaces? Usually th
e first client needs convincing. For the ones who come later there is already pr
oof he says. Is he going to design something in Kerala? Yes we are and have already
seen the site in Aluva by the Periyar. He is involved in a project with Asten Ma
ther.

PROFILE: It is not hard to understand why Architect Sanjay Mohe remains to be on

e of the most respected Architects in India. For someone who lets his work do th
e talking always, his sustainable and simplicity-oriented designs have a deep co
nnect to India's traditional culture. Founder of the eight year Bengaluru based
Mindspace, Ar Mohe has held many positions of repute prior to that. He has had a
working association of 21 years with Bengaluru s famous Chandravarkar and Thacker
Associates (CnT) , besides which his work experience also counts his years spen
t with Ar Charles Correa in Bombay and his work stint in Saudi Arabia. A prodigy
of India's first architectural institute - Sir JJ College of Architecture, Mumb
ai his work straddles a spectrum of projects - Research Laboratories, Knowledge
Parks, Campus Designs, Factories, Beach Resorts, Libraries, Corporate Offices, H
ospice and Residences. A well known face adorning a lot of architectural forums
and talks, he has a lot of awards to his credit. Some of them include The Golden
Architect Award by A+D & Spectrum Foundation Architecture Award (2009), India;
J K Cements Architect of the Year Award - 1991 /1999 /2001 /2004 /2007 /2008; Th
e Award of the Journal of the Indian Institute of Architects - 2002; ar+d Intern
ational Annual Award of Architectural Review (1999), London and d'line, for JRD
Digital Library Bangalore; Gold Medal from ARCASIA (the Asian Forum for Institut
es of Architecture-1998).