RLS) lata ey i ni oh SS Ea SS eae I EEESPTRIBUTE Habib Rahman 1s:s-1995 A building becomes architecture when it not only works effectively but moves the human soul.” 1¢ JK Cement Architect of T the Year Chairman's Award for Life Achievement in Architectare was instiatea in December lst year. On December 8, the jury announ- ced that Habib Rahman was to be the first awardee. Ten days later, on December 19, Rehman died suddenly of a hear attack He had spent the intervening days preparing notes and photographs for the Award Secretariat. At the end ofa brief rote for them, he had written “A building becomes architec- ture when it not only works effectively but moves the human soul” Clearly pleased with the award, he joked that he was given a major award every 20 ‘years (Padma Shi 1955, Padma Bhushan 1974, ane now the IK Cements in 1995), and should he live to s hundred, he would get the Bharat Ratnal ‘This issue of A+D,a tribute retrospective, isthe first to feature the work of a govern: ment architect or department, a recognition that Raman felt ‘was long overdue. Itis also a recognition of the many archi- tects and engineers who worked with him in the CPWD. “Writing about a father is difficult, bur since we also had a professional relationship “involving both photogeaphy and architecture it isa litle easier. [have tried to assemble a representative body of work ‘encapsulating the kinds of con- cems and design solutions that ‘occupied Habib, Much of this material has not been published fn recent years and is not famil- jar to many younger architects and students, Hopefully it can become the basis for future studies and research into not just Rahman's work, but into the ‘work of many architect, smnrecognised tll now. Living end working in Delhi in the 505 was a heady experi cence. The cultural ethos was charged with the energy of the ‘new nation and under the dom- inant spirit of Ned, there were great hopes for the future. Married to classical dancer Indrani Rahman, Habib was deeply involved in and influ- ‘enced by the period of the rediscovery of our music and ddance traditions. Infact, as serious amatcur photographer, ‘he photographed almost all the major dancers ofthe period Most ofthe photographs of his ‘work inthis issue, were also taken by him. In his later years he eontin- ued to design from home and consult with many architects. ‘He was also involved with students from the Delhi schools of architecture, advising on thesis projects and proposals, 2s ‘well as communicating design {ideas t0 young proteges in different comers of the country fon the cheap posteard, ‘While increasingly dislu- sioned about the state of the country and specially the rising communalism, he never became bitter and remained in fighting form right tll the end ‘We have reprinted articles which appeared over the years §n various jouruals. Most are from Design magazine. Thanks are due to Patwant Singh for permission to reproduce these. Where requised, Ihave added short notes, I would also like to acknowledge the great help from Pablo Bartholomew and Rajinder Arora Ram RahmanSTRIBUTE Habib Rabonan A Note on Design fortes in MIT was well with the cutucal ethos of tinct design style where he had BARAT 1943 ahman’s training in the This design philosophy fitled this period, his work had a dis- BE, Caleuta 1939 March MI, 1944 tinder Lawrence theperiod~the national move- developed «regional modest Andersen Wiliam Wrser and entbrvngjust won indepen. vocabulary. Water Gropus ho was each- dene fornia Belnga poor Rahman el stongly tht the MAME Havin ew rk ings neighboring Harard. country with inited esoures, S0shad been misepresented in Lame dens Gropivshad fed Nar Germany allsew buldinghad bea, theasesmentsof the lst two. Water Gep afer the disoluion ofthe cheap and funcional s posi- decades and the bl that, fenat Wesan Bauhaus binging tothe US the He Ania Rehman found modern architecture inincia SYK design philosophy ewlhed there the perfect pac inthe West once of age after Le a, NI inthe 205‘The Bauhaus schoo! Bengal Government to begin is Corbusier and Chandigarh was uotibedDeetofndn of Moderigm was characterised work simplistic. While not degard- “pegs by its bel in sociation, and. Interestingly the very fast ingorneating the impact of Sern Ct retest CPWD the necessity for modern design design commission he got was Chandigarh, he felt that there Government of ind New Dei toprovidebeterlifeand env. forthe Gandhi Ghet memoria. was aeedy a group of rchitets —ge™5-*nnas as ronment forte sverage person, Forthisdesign be could not producing god workin India, Tar DaM Un fs Itemphassed the importance of tte esly ahs modernist and he fev who ha trained in mnt production trbniqusttning, and looked instead atthe US Stein, Karvinde, Vino ards design and manufactrehigh‘vadional Indian elgios.—-Bhuta Pleo Mody ad later Mra caps Guat and cheap goods which architecture Though a staunch Correa had brought ery Ped Shan 1974 could bescceietomany. athe. hedrew fom the diferent modernist approach HECemens Chan Ava fr In architecture, it espoused a symbolic forms of older reli-__ than that of Le Corbusier's Heaton eS pliloophy ofsimpleand dear glousachtece,toabsuact. Mediterranean Modern oe Fructre using moderamate+ nd eete contemporary eee te ie Alike sel and as. The idiom for more symbolic bllé+ about moch recent ececture Sentiment 19 fiona arpectof design vas ingu Hisrmerecoveational Inna which was wdngre-—_‘popapapeenen ate being strongly emphasised. The Bauhtusapproach would mani- alled‘tncient theory as its gs “Gropius school of the modern fest itself in the many office basis. He felt strongly that mere Gandhi Library, Tribhuvan University, movement edt whats brings and the hosing he jargon othe simple imitation | Kahan 68 Commonly teferedto the designed forthe govemment ll ofl pateas was meaningless Himayan Mourners, “ternational tle! oer hecountryin the 50, withouta true reinterpretation hash ie ‘When Rahman returned to But these two design streams for our times. neti: Catt during he communal ran pari in is wor, aly Hae Go te brutality of 1946 he brought” fusing in his design for — ths design appeeac with him, Rabindra Bhavan in 961. Afer Ram Rahman ae ‘ype fahman Ft Pa Rabindrs Bhavan, 1961 WHO Baling, 196/68 Indrapastha Building 1965 Maltstoryed Flats, RK. Param, 1965 Curzon Rosd Hose, 1968 DA Building, designed in 1969 Masarof Dr Zakir ssi, 1972 Shriharani Farm Howse 1972 Alessi Fat House 1972 Patel Bhavan, 1973 MazsarofFakhrudin Ali Abe, Left Model ofthe Gavi Bhavan Library, 1976 ‘Tibhevan Universiy Kathmandu Sharada Rao houte and ate, Right Shridharani Farm Houss, Delhi 9708-93 Bulgings as consultant in Delhi ‘Shela Theatr early 60s Hindustan Ties Building, 60s American Cente at 6 ‘Alt Pots, unless mentioned by Habib Rahman © Te Estate of Habib Rahman, 1996 ie vale ee aBTRIBUTE Habib Rahman and his times Malay Chatterjee neering fom BE college, Calcutta. He ad only an amateur’ interest in architecture those days. In 1959 he spent a week in Delhi," city of tongas and monuments, to sit for the competi- tive exams for the Railway Service, He failed these exams, much to his elit but succeeded in winning a government scholarship tothe Massachusetts Insitute of Technology inthe US. Once there, he switched to architecture and was the first Indian to complete both under graduate and graduate degres in architecture in an American university Ths was followed by work experience in Boston and New York, and included a shor stint with Walter Gropius. 1eis important to note that Rahman's understanding of ‘moder architecture! was thus shaped by the exiting cros-fectilzation that {ook place between the American and European Modern Movements in the US over the 30s and 40s, When he returned home in 1947 to join the West Bengal Public Works Department (PWD) 2s Senior Architect, he fl isolated and over-awed bythe enormous responsibilities he had to shoulder a the age of 32 The Indian Institute of Architects, then dominated by Britih-trained profes- sionals denied him membership as it dd not recognize American degees Tn Calcutta there was no one to turn to for advice or guidence twas an eta when most buildings were designed by civil engineers. Few in government or society knew what an architect was oF did. There was nobody to discuss modern architecture with until Joseph Stcin arzved in 1952 to head the newly-esablshed Department of ‘Architecture at BE College Rahman's Calcutta years were marked by the completion of several projects, two of which gained national attention: the memo- rial to Gandhi at Barrackpore (1949), and the New Secretariat, (1949.54). The fourten-storeyed Secretariat Building marked the advent of high-rise construction in India, Rahman and his engineer colleagues had no previous experience of designing services for such a al building, Mail-chutes, concealed electvcal wiring, fire-fighting vet-risers, lambing lines concealed in central service shafts, were all novelties introduced through this building. All concerned learned on the jb. Rahman, in particular, earned how to communicate effectively and cordially with his engineering colleagues. Yeas later he admitted that his espectfl and courteous teatment of govern- ment engineers was the single most important ingredient for achieving quality in his buildings. In projec after project they enthusiastically collaborated with him to produce buildings which had a deptee of structural integrity, economy and elegance not seen before in sarkar buildings. Jo 1953 Rahman moved to Delhi as Senior Architect inthe Centeal PWD (CPWD). He was particularly gratefl forthe kind ress showin him here by Manickam, who was ike an elder brother and taught him the ropes. In 1955 Rahman became the frst archi- tect to recrve the Padma Shree in recognition of his work in Bengal ‘After this, the Indian Institute of Architects promptly awarded him a | | bib Rahman started ont with 2 degree in mechanical engi Fellowship and membership. By 1957 he had come to the attention ‘of Meher Chand Khanna, the dynamic new Minister of Works and Housing, who ensured that several prestigious projects were assigned to him. ‘Though Rabman worked on a large number of government pro- jects all over India, the greatest concentration of his work isin ‘Delhi: some 15 large office complexes including the 21-storeyed ‘Vikas Minar, several hundred units of innovative government hous- ing, the Delhi Zo0, and three exquisite memorials »- the mazars of Maulana Azad, Zakir Hussain and Faklnruddin Ali Ahmed. Rahman ‘was also often approached by other government departments and private sector firms to help improve the quality of their designs. So the Rehman Touch’ shows up in a wide variety of projets for which he could not claim official authorship. ‘The CPWD-designed architect of the 50s and 60s trans formed new Delhi, Though finances were severely limited, Nehru ‘and Khanna encouraged a vast building programme for urgently required offices, hotels and housing, with very litle participation by architects in private practice. Rahman's work over this period has to ‘be viewed in a context: the CPWD was the major builder along with ‘various other government departments with architectural wings, ‘such asthe Railways, Post and Telegraphs, Municipal Corporation, ‘New Delhi Municipal Committee, and so on. Among his seniors and ‘colleagues in the CPWD were Deolalikar, Ghelot, Jogleka, Yard Billimoria, Ran, Gill, Manickam and Benjamsin, Some ofthese architects produced very fine building, But, asin any large building spree, there were the inevitable disasters which left a powerful impression on a public still innocent about good modern architec ture, Indian Oil Bhawan, the first multi-storey to come up in ‘Connaught Place, featured seven different elevational treatments. Impressed by this, potential client once told a now-prominent Delhi architect, "you are asking for 6 per cent and giving me only fone kind of elevation. The CPWD architects charge only 2 per cent and will give me at least four different elevations. You are clearly try- ing to cheat me ‘Rahman's early work in Delhi was marked by an over-emphasis, ‘on exposing structural concrete frames and an indiscriminate use of sun louvres influenced by Brasilia It took him several years to real- iz that there was no clear scientific rationale for the way he was using louvees. The turning point came when Nehru rejected his frst proposal for Rabindra Bhawan in 1959. His drawings featured. ‘extensive louvres. Barada Ukil the Secretary ofthe Lalit Kala Akademi, encouraged a disheartened Rahman to try again, This forced him to evolve afresh new vocabulary for fenestration and shading devices. Nehru was very pleased with the results. In Rebindra Bhawan we see Rahman at his best: sensitive site- planning, an intuitive approach to creating pleasing forms through innovative structural solutions, and great care in detailing. From this point on, hs best work was stamped with an unmistakable identity inspired by the philosophy of Tagore who advised that,modern creative work should neither blindly copy India’s past her- itage, nor blindly imitate the modern West. Two further projects, ‘exemplify this philosophy at work: Indraprastha Bhawan (1963-65) and the Administrative Building for Pragati Meidan (1971). Indraprastha Bhawan also beautifully integrates a gigantic wall ‘mural (by MF Hussain), the first and last time this has ever been done successfully. Other attempts at incorporating art in govern- ‘ment buildings have yielded results akin to placing a small postage stamp on a large envelope, By 1965 Rahman was senior enough in service to begin repre- senting the CPWD in important inter-departmental committees ‘concerned with wider planning, urban design, and landscaping fssues inthe capital He found himself caught up in several contro- ‘versies, but in the process received an invaluable education in how politicians, bureauerats and technical specialists thought about “urban aesthetics It was worse than just a case of the blind leading the blind in committee meetings; ample funds seemed to be avail able to ensure that New Delhi would continue to be vandalized in the name of ‘beautification’, "modernization, and 'redensification. ‘A crippling accident in 1970 did not diminish Rahman's profes- sional dedication and determination to continue active service, He became Chief Architect of the CPWD in 1970, As Chief Architect to the Government of India he found himself atthe bottom of a rigid and unsympathetic hierarchy: PM, Sectetary Director General {always an engineer), Additional Director General (always an engi- neer), and lastly, Chie Architect. This structure killed the creative abilities of the averaye architect inservice, Ralyman's tenure was too short for him to bring matters to a head, As he saw it, government should cither dishand the Department of Architecture and give the work to private architects, or it should bestow some dignity and responsibility to the Department by giving ita status equal tothe Engineering Department. Rahman's tenure, however, sa the cre- ation of the countrys fist Urban Arts Commission, a development which gave him some, if not lasting, satisfaction. Mas Gandhi initiated the idea of an Urbsn Arts Commission for Delhi (DUAC) in ate 1971. Inder Gujral, the Minister of Works and Housing, and Rahman studied the two precedents available: the ‘Washington Arts Commission and the Royal Arts Commission of UK. They prepared guidelines the Law Ministry drafted the Bil, and Parliament passed the Act in 1973 without any debate because ‘members did not understand what it meant. A few months after retiring from government service in 1974 Rahman was appointed the first Secretary of the DUAC, with Achyut Kanvinde and Ebrahim Alkazi as members, and Bhagwan Sahay as Chairman. That same year Rahman was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the only architect to have received this honour to date Though the DUAC was established with the best of intentions, it soon became apparent that it was no match for the powerful polit- ‘Steches, bulking pois, 1804 Habib Rahman cal and bureaucratic structures that control building activity in the capital. Rahman's services were abruptly terminated in 1977 because ‘of his opposition to placing a statue of Gandhi under King George's ‘canopy at india Gate, and because he had resisted [mam Bukhari's determination to construct public urinals blocking the southern, entrance to Jama Masjid. The government of the day was also con- sidering condemning a large number of bungalows in the area south ‘of Rajpath, auctioning the land released, and creating a second ‘Connaught Place to bring balance in the plan of New Delhi ‘Rahman was a stumbling block and had to go. Despite the Commission's subsequent chequered history, Rahman continued to see it as a potentially vital institution which reeds complete overhauling and vastly expanded powers, including police powers, penal powers, and immunity from writ jurisdiction, He also saw the DUAC evolving into an open, vibrant foram for dialogue between professionals, government and community. As he put it, "We all need education and re-education in planning and ‘design issues, So public support must be mobilized to bring about the necessary amendments to the Act of 1973." Courageously overcoming several spells of poor health in his last years, he remained intellectually alert and professionally active as a freelance consultant, including three years spent in New York, He ‘was a jury member for several important architectural competitions. He took a keen interest in public affairs in general, and in planning and design issues concerning Delhi in particular. He grew increas- ingly concerned about the failure ofthe design profession to address the problems of rapid urbanization and growing social and eco- nomic disparities. Ina conversation in 1989 he noted that "the pub- lic is beginning to form a very poor impression of architects and planners as mere money grabbers. Policy-makers also know we have shifting values and will compromise anything, because we feel that ‘we will doa better job than the competition" Though practically hhouse-bound for the las five years, he was totally ‘plugged in' to local, national and international developments, thanks to the explo sion of print media and satelite television, He expressed his reac- tions on a wide variety of subjects in countless letters to newspapers and journals. In tis sense, he was an activist right to the end. Habib Rahman had ne illusions about the mistakes made by his generation of architects and planners, As he put it, ‘most of us entering the design profession in the 50s were given responsibilities which far exceeded our capacities." What pained most was the fail- ure of succeeding generations to learn fcom these mistakes. He ascribed this failure to three factors an increasing pursuit of mone- tary self-interest atthe expense of wider socal responsibilities; the ‘unwillingness of professionals and educators to conduct relevant research; and a widespread disregard forall the details which have to be seen to, ifan aesthetically satisfying urban environment isto be created, Was Rahman being too harsh in his diagnosis?TRIBUTE Habib Rahman 50s Housing “ y special interest in residential design goes bback to when designed my father’s house in Calcutta ia 1935. My Bachelor's thesis at MIT was on Low Cost Housing fel that any design. for residential architecture rust first and foremost satisfy human, needs and reflect the lifestyles and economic aspirations of the people for whom the houses are built A full-scale model of a two roomed peon's quarters, designed and built for the 1954 Housing Exhibition in Delhi, was immensely liked by both the ‘Government and the public. ‘The same design was later adopted for construction in dif ferent parts of India. I¢ also potty Hose ermon formed the basis of the design for two-bedroom quartets for the junior government staf in Ramakrishnapuram which was well received and came to be popularly known as the "Rahman type’ fas. (interview with ina Singh, Inside Outside, 1987) Right The Housing Exhibition in Delhi 1954, At the top are he 190 rom quarters wiih were bul alk cover Inia. On the right the gate ‘an cker booth, Rahn hired @ teams of artists to make frescoes aed scalpnie for this exhibition hick included Blzabeth Bruner, Prom ‘Saran and Premaja Chaudhary Belove ‘Raha type tw0-balroom ats, Ramabsisnapuran, Delhi 1953,erRpuTE 50s New Secretariat calcutts, 949-54 1¢ West Bengal road level. bvernment’s new There will be accommoda Secretariat on Hastings tion for a modern cafetaria and separate offices’ lunch room, planned according to the mod- as small lecture theatre, and cern trend in designs of office parking space for over 100 cars, buildings and architecture such The building will cost nearly as the United Nations 585 lakh, but it will save the Headquarters in New York and State Government about the Ministry of Education Rs 5 lakh annually wich the building in Rio de Janeiro, Government are paying for the Taking the greatest advantage hire of accommodation for ther of the site and orientation the 40 offices in different parts of building has been designed inthe city three blocks to create a pleasing The foundation work was composition. The tallest block, started towards the middle of 2700f€X 60 ft, has 13 floors,and 1951. The six-storeyed block this will, perhaps, be the tallest will be completed by the middle office building in India, of November. The other two lumination and Light blocks are expected to be com: To obtain uniform illumination pleted by the end of 1953, and maximum ventilation the blocks have been made compat- (Architect Rahman's no atively narrow. Practically con- Weekly, est tinuous glass windows have 952, been used throughout. To cut Chief Engineer on this project was down glare and prevent direct T Mitra sun rays coming into the room, horizontal and vertical louvres have been used on the eas, west and south side ofthe blocks. There will be four high-speed elevators in the 13-storeyed block, and two high-speed ele vators in the six-storeyed block The net floor area available in the three blacks is 200,000 sq f. Steel-Frame Structure A steel-frame structure on Frantic Piles has been driven 65 into the ground. The maximum ich column is 750 tons. Columns are spaced at 20 ft X 20 fe bays. The floor to floor height is 12 f. There are 6° pwo- way reinforced RC Slabs. Air-conditioning can easily be provided for in future. The highest point of the building will be nearly 180 ft above the load coming on Left A self-portrait by Rahsan with the model oma set sider. Top The ste frame during tion. This was the frst steel fame skyscraper bin Tada L| mM MUN TT MTSi Office Buildings Habib Rahman University Grants Commission new deni, 1954 1e building is designed to house all the offices ofthe University Grants Commission, New Delhi. It was the desire of the UGC authori- tos that it should have the max Jimum floor area permissible according to the existing Corporation Rules on the plot of land allotted. The shape of the plot isan irregular penta- gon. The effort, therefore, was to Tocate the building on the plot in such a way that i its into the site logically. Offices are planned fn two sides of a central corri- or, in a building which consists cof two wings parallel to the to sides ofthe pentagon having the service core (staircase lit and toilets) atthe junction of the swings. The southern ving is six storeys high and the nosthern ‘wing partially six and partially Five storeys high. The ground floors of both the wings are ‘occupied by the air-condition ing plant room, substation, tle- phone exchange, lumber room, stores etc. portion of the ground floor area of the north ern wing has been allotted for parking of ears, eyeles and scooters. The Chairman's room, conference room and the rooms cof most of the senior off have been located on the Btst, oor. The canteen and recre- ation rooms are on the Sift oor of the northern wing Which has a roof terrace, A, couple of suites have been pro vided on the fifh floor of the south wing with bathrooms and kitchen facilities to serve as guest rooms for visiting Vice Chancellors. On the roof of the service core, the water tanks and the lift rooms have been careflly concealed in one single enclosure. A free-standing open IRC staircase hns been placed at the end of the north block, A small block has been located at the rear of the plot which will, accommodate closed garages ‘and residential quarters for essential stall, Careful studies are being made to plant interesting horti: culture and create an equally interesting landscape. ‘The building has been designed to enable it to be fully air-conditioned whenever fands permit. To cut down the heat lead on air-conditioning, caja and louvers have been planned to eliminate direct sunlight into the rooms and 10 protect the walls from the Conventional local materials such as brick, wood and con: crete have been used. No ‘imported material has been used. The area of the plot is 1.6 acres, the plinth area is 67,000 sq fi, and the earpet area 44,000 sa ft. (Pasyane Singh, DESIGN Incorporating Indian Builder, 195SURIBUTE Fe rer a ears Soren ee re a ES SST SSE ET ET erie various parts of da Top row Mode ofthe ulin, New Del Middle row Ancor ulin, Maras, Bottom row loft CBR Ranchi, 195 Bottom row right Auditor General's Of, New Dethi, 1958505 Office Buildings Habib Rahman Dak Tar Bhavan new delhi, i955 signed in 1954 to house the GPOTRIBUTE Rabindra Bhavan new deihi, 1961 aim of this project ‘was to provide accommo- dation to house the activ- ities of the three National ‘Akademies the Lalit Kala, Sahitya and Sangeet Natak; the first being the akademi of the plastic arts, the second of literature and poetry and the thied, performing ats. Though set up by Government these aze stated to be autonomous bodies. Their abjectve being to encourage and help promo- tion of these various ars. The site, measuring three acres, is located atthe corner of Lytton (Copernicus) and Ferorshah Roads, and asa frontage on both of themn.The requirement stated that the administrative offices ofthe three akademies had to be accommodated on the site, as also gallery for the exhibition of paintings and sculpture and a moderate sized theatre. The ‘major portion of the coverage ‘on these pages has been given to the administrative block, since the exhibition block ~ which was the fist one to be completed — has already been published in detail in the June 1961 issue of Design. Work on the theatre block is yt to be taken in hand. “The desiga solution as it finally emerged consists of the administrative block with three wings of more or less equal length at an angle of 120 degeees to each other, and a pentagon shaped exhibition block the form of which follows the curve of the trafic island Each 4-storeyed wing of the administrative block houses an akademi, the Lalit Kala being in the wing nearest to the exhibition block to which itis, connected by a covered walk way. The main entrance into the administrative block is where the three wings meet. The entrance hall, lift and staircase are placed here, though each of the three wings have their own staircase for internal vertical eieulation. A large library is provided ‘on the ground floor of the Sahitya wing opening out on to the garden. The Sangeet [Natak wing is adjacent to the site ofthe proposed theatre. ‘The exhibition block has a basement and two upper floors. OF these two, the sground floor ison two levels the floor above being reached by a free standing spiral tair- case, The basement will house the air-conditioning plant, storage facilities and a small workshop. ‘The galleries have sufficient space for large exhibitions. Lighting is through artificial as, wel as natural means and though the galleries are not air-conditioned at present, provision has been made in the design for their complete air-conditioning in the future. ‘The long walls ofthe administrative block are load- bearing in brick masonry, whilst the end walls of the wings are in random rubble stone masonry. RCC sun shades in two continuous rows cover al the windows have been provided, the lower row in each case being placed on cantilevered brackets so that it is away from the wall and is Above Habib Raknan explains the details ofthe plans of Robina Bhavan 20 rime Minister fawaharlal Nehru, Nehru had rejected the fos propose made by Rahman, saying i didnot have the sprit of Tagore. He was very pleased vit the Final reve no obstruction to breeze for in the structure of this According to the architect the block too. angle of the sun shades is ‘The exhibition block is of designed to eliminate the RCC frame structure with strong morning and afternoon filler walls. sun. The roof slab projects six feet beyond the walls on all (Panwa Singh, DESIGN sides, Future air-conditioning Incorporating indian Builder, 92) neds have been provided “Rabindra Bhavan, which was nominated (for the Aga Khan Award int 1980, was the (first building where I could free myself from the influence of Walter Gropius and Oscar Niemeyer. This building belonged to India. Here I used traditional Indian elements such as chajjas, jalis and overhanging roofs. Te was the first functional building to give ime aesthetic satisfaction. Maybe it was Rabindranath’s artistic genius that inspired me t0 give an emotionally moving quality to the building. I feel proud to have been able to design memorials to both the Mahatma and Gurudev.”Rabindra Bhavan Habib RahmanTRIBUTE Zoological Park new beth, 1955-74 we Delhi Zoological Park is located to the south of Parana Qila (Old Fort) on an undulating wooded site measuring nearly 300 acres, With the imposing Purana Qila forming a backdrop to unusual and interesting animal enclo- sures and aviaries in an informal layout, the Delhi Zoo has turned ‘out as an exciting and unique Zoological Park, ‘The original concept of the Zoo and the selection of its site ‘was made by Carl Hagenbeck, renowned Zoo expert from Germany, who also gave techni- cal details of many animal enclosures. The layout initially suggested by him had to be modified considerably to fit the contours ofthe land, and make it more practicable All the architectural and structural details ofthe animal enclosures and the aviaries have been ‘worked out by the Indian archi- tects, The actual construction work was begun in 1957 and the Zoo was opened to the publi the end of 1959, ‘unique feature of the Zoo is thatthe enclosures are con- structed in such a way as not to form a visual barrier between the spectators and the animals, ‘This has been achieved by creat- ing unobtrusive natural barriers such as wet moat, dry moat steep fall, ec. To give the impression of a natural setting for particular animals the enclo- sures are landscaped with different contours, rocks and vegetation, Since the land availabe is ‘considerable, and an attempt has been made to give the aanimals-a natural setting, con siderable walking will have to be done to cover the entire Zoo, However, the circulation pattern ‘of the paths has been made in such a way thatthe visitors can easily choose to see certain por tions ofthe Zoo only, without covering the entire ground. Three main zones have beet created viz, the Indian, the Australian and the African swamps, each with artificial Takes and waterways. The lakes of the Indian and African swamps have been made bird sanctuaries and numerous birds of various types come and setle fom these lakes ding the differ= ent seasons. A large artificial lake for boating and picnicking is being constructed in the southern part of the Zoo. A few old monuments within the Z00 compound have been merged in with the landscape and the surrounding areas turned into Picnic spots ‘Cages and open aviaries have bbcen resorted to only in the case of small animals and birds. In the case of larger aviares the internal area has been properly landscaped to further enhance the natural setting. As the spec- tators enter the largest aviary they will be surrounded by birds on al sides. Attempts have been made to construct all the animal houses to look as rustic as possible with local materials like stone, etc. ‘The African zone has been designed in such a way that all the animals - lions, zebras, irales, ostriches, ete, roam ‘round in a seemingly natural setting without any visible physical barrier, There is a small canteen ‘commanding a good view of the Purana Qila and a number of kiosks provide snacks and cold drinks. Specially designed shelters with seats have been constructed at convenient loca tions. The paths have very lowe level illumination, fixed ino cote structures which merge withthe roadside hedges. nis expected that the Zoological Park will be com plete in all respects in three to four years time. There is a pro: posal to construct a restaurant in the midlle of one of the lakes and an experimental children’s corner has been started. If Facing page The entrance gate Below The directors office saccesfl larg claboratechildzen's 200 willbe built inthe near future. To enable visitors to see the entire Zoo in one visits there is a pro- posal ta introduce slow moving battery driven trolley cars, (Paewant Singh, DESIGN Incorporating Indian Builder, 19bridges, wate fountS TRIBUTE Multi-Storeyed Flats Ramakrishnapuram, New Delhi, 1965 ye necessity for multi- T storeyed dwellings arises from rapid urbanization of Delhi due to population explo- sion. Continuation of enly the usual two-storeyed construc tions would result in a linear development extending further away from the town centre which creates problems of trans- port to and from the place of ‘work, Besides it soften not log- ical oF economical to utilize all the available land for horizontal ‘wo-storeyed development. Rising land values make it necessary to plan high density housing schemes in areas near the town centre, And in high density colonies, one can achieve good open spaces for recreation only by resorting to rmulti-storeyed housing, The ‘Master Plan for Delhi envisages cight-storeyed development for central areas for Delhi, so itis not for somebody's whim or fancy that mult-storeyed con- struction is being resorted to. It is felt that itis inevitable, and at the most it can only be delayed by continuing with two-storeyed development for the present ‘That would mean demolition ‘work in already developed colonies once urbanization takes full sway after some years. Considering the aspect of ownership, MS development ‘may not be feasible now in pri- vately-owned localities unless a corporate ownership is estab- lished, When government is developing housing for its «employees, however, it sin a position to plan a comprchen- sive project as the question of individual ownership of houses oes not arse, And, thus, itis proper that full advantage should be taken ofthis for creating good environment with ample open spaces. Opposition to MS Flats ‘Those who live in two-storeyed residential colonies are so used to the advantages of a private garden in the case of ground floor tenants, and a terrace in the case of the first floor occupants, that they dislike the idea of multi-storeyed housing, ‘Even though its true that each tenant cannot be given a private garden in multi-storeyed devel- ‘opments itis possible to give large open spaces to all in place of small patches of lawns and private gardens. Also each tenant can be given a sizable sleeping balcony. ‘Another reason for general apathy towards multi-storeyed development is that services like water supply, electricity, Arainage transport, ec, are not well developed as yet in Delhi Urbanization presupposes cffcient services and these will have to be geared to keep up with the development envisaged in the Master Plan, fora city in the real sense ofthe world ean- not function without them. Lavour PLAN ‘Type VIFlats ‘The Type VI blocks are 'Y" shaped in plan so as to allow ‘maximum radial bifurcation of each wing and atthe same time to enable all wings to be served by common lifts, staircase, ec. The central core contains an ‘entrance hall, lifts, staircase, meter oom (on ground floor) and garbage chute and servants lavatory on all floors. In each, wing, one lat is planned as self-contained unit, The entrance lobby opens on to both the study room and the living room. On the opposite side is the dining room which abuts on to the living room and receives service from the kitchen through a service latch window or through the balcony. The ser- vants’ room near the kitchen has access from outside the fat. The three bedrooms have been so arranged as to be accessible independently from the living and dining rooms and are near to the sleeping balconies that cantilver out alternately in two lirections so as to give sky Hibib Rahman exposure tothe cantilevered portion. Some measure of privacy has been provided by judicious design of railing and a high parapet with jal below. ‘Additional servant's room required for each flat is provid- ced in a separate Block The bedrooms have been provided with a built-in wardrobe and dressing table. The kitchen has ample built-in shelves, cabinet with working counters, etc. ‘Type Flats ‘Type V blocks are T" shaped in plan with each of the three wings being served by common lifts and staircase. A compact plan has been evolved for each fat. The entrance lobby has a study room on one side and leads into the living and dining rooms can be used as one hall for socal gatherings ete. The two bedrooms are accessible from the living-dining-room and open into the sleeping bal- conies which are similar in arrangement to those in Type VI flats, The kitchen adjacent to the 2TVPEWALATS SemanHabib Rahman Facing page eft an the two External fa ving a variedTRIBUTE, WHO Headquarters new o et om a site which has an ‘open, stinking sewer on one side and a power hhouse on the other with a chimney which promises to belch great quantities of sooty smoke at all hours ofthe day and night, The new building for the South-east Asia Headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) is symbolic of our paradoxical ws of doing things: badly designed buildings on good sites, and good buildings on bad sites. What results from this current practice of teating the siting of buildin respect for aesth s sith scant ie and plan- ning considerations is that ever fine architecture, all-too-rare, gets smothered in mediocrity. Surely itis time for those who deal with such matters to stop plying checker-boards with a subject of profound significance for our city, and on our civilization, Habib Rahman's building consists of two major ‘elements: low-slung auditori- um-cum-conference block, connected to a six-storey office building. The composition is effective It isn't an eayy thing t0 achieve a relationship between ‘wo blocks placed in such close proximity to each other a rela tionship, that is, whichis valid in its balance, proportions and visual impact. But in this case it hhas been accomplished. I fee, however that the staircase lead- ing from the first floor of the auditorium block to ground level ought to have had a more graceful, slow-spiral-like qualtys at present it is somewhat constrained. And the pool below itis definitely fussy. The ground floor entrance hall of the office building is spacious without being wasteful of space but a lelhi, 1962 ‘more ingenuous solution should definitely have been found for the main stairease, have two rather strong objections to it firstly its placing and secondly its form. Placing a staircase right against a wall of transparent ‘lass, as in this case, presents a visually confusing picture from the outside, Moreover itis a solution valid only ifthe staircase is to be set against a solid wall, but not if't i tobe placed against a lass wall, The form of the stair- cease t00 could have been given a quality of lightness and ele- ance, thus making it the focus of interest forall those entering the building, 1am reminded, as I write this, ofthe fine solutions in staircase design which [saw at the General Motors Technical Centre near Detroit. There, Aquitea nev dimension has been given to the concept of staircase designing, and I feel this fine building here was a good opportunity for something original in that direction, The partitioning of space for offices in the main block was rendered easier by vie of the fact thatthe entire building is air-conditioned. The result is very efficient space utilisation. TThe auditorium is of distin. tive design except for the fact that no separate side entrance {nto the hall near the das has been provided. Consequently he chief guest and others with hhim have to pick their way through seated delegates before they can reach the head of the hall. Its good to see that the rear of the building has been handled with as m facade, the usual practice amongst alot of our architects being to let the rear fend for h care as itsitself. All the elevations are very satisfying with ther flowing lines except the north side of the conference hall block I fel that imaginative fenestration treat: ment on this side could have ‘enhanced interest in this rather Jarge expanse of wall Also, this wall should have continued all the way to the rear of the block, instead of which, quite abruptly and unconvineingly, another treatment of it begins halfway along its length. Where this building scores additional points isin its attention to such seta compound walls and landscap. ing. L wish this attention to detail had been carried to the point of designing of furniture for the entrance hal, or atleast as the design of g in selecting the fabric for the chairs placed there. Whoever Ireard of a wishy-washy grey for chairs set against a grey marble backdrop? This brings us face to face with the p renial problem ‘of maintenance of buildings in India Leaving aside for a moment the selection of fabrics the really serious thing to think about isthe callous indifference shoven to buildings by those using them. Blobs of spit, mud: gy. greasy hands on doors, clumsily repaired woodwork, n glass panes, dirty stains ls (mercifully the pean addicts haven't made much headway in this building o far and such things soon make slums of the most Sa SEEERE] designed buildings. Even in the WHO building, with all the care the organization sof it, the imprint of the inhabitants can be seen, Unless cach office organises some sort of a training programme for its o them the users, pointing ou abuses they inflict on a building and how not to inflict them, there is litle hope of good. architecture remaining good for Quite possibly those who something in their work be decent to buildings ~ would take the lessons learnt home and jonment might the livin gain too, ‘One unfortunate side-effect of having a building in which a United Nations agency is going 1s Office Buldings Habib Raina to fanction is that many mem- ber countries come forward to contribute something or the ‘other to ‘enhance’ the value of the building, Isaw a design of a mural by a Burmese artist which is proposed for th of the WHO building, and feankly itis terrifying entrance hall There is now quit collection of buildin Indraprastha Estate (where this is located), but Rahman's buil: ing stands out for its lean lines, clarity and fi ‘portions, Only it should have been locat- ced ona site more worthy of it. two Singh, DESIGN Incorporating Indian Buller, 1965)SP TRIBUTE Indraprastha Bhavan New delhi, 1965Sardar Patel Bhavan new dein, 1973Memorials Gandhi Ghat sarrackpore, 1949 ‘ment was the prestigious and extremely challer ing a memorial for Gandhiji— only a few weeks after his assassination — on the banks of the Hooghly, near Calcutta, where his ashes were immersed. The brief was very sketchy and vague. The memori al had to be elegant and modest, reflecting the personality and philosophy of the Mahatma, with a bathing ghat attached to it. There was a budgetary limit of ive lakh rupees and the deadline stipulated was January 30, 1949, Gandhiji’s first death This was the first structure to be built as a memorial to the Father of the Nation. Thad no contemporary example of such, a structure to draw inspiration from, and no one availabe to guide m However, Gandhiji’s respect and love for al religions inspired me to conceive a structure that harmoniously and aesthetically reflected and sym- bolised the three main religions in India — Hinduism, Islam and (Christianity. The result was a tower ~a simplified profile ofa temple shikhara, capped with an islamic dome, horizontal cantilevered slab projecting from both sides appeared in si houette somewhat like a cross, Happily the first model was approved by the cabinet. The 40 ft cantilever was too difficult for the departmental engineers a briliant bridge to design, engineer came to our rescue. In spite of various foundation problems, the structure ~ called Gandhi Ghat — was completed well before the first anniversary ned by Panditji on January 15, 1949, It was one of and was op the most memorable events of my life when Panditji shook my hand saying'I congratulate you fon your magnificent concep. tion’ Six years late, Ire the Padma Shri for this design. ved “Interview with Mina Singh, Inside Top View of Gandhi Ghat fam the Hooghly rive, Above Detail views a nigh Left Jaweharal Nera at the openingMazaar of Maulana Azad Jama Masjid, Delhi, 1959 M ana Azad’s Mazaar designed in direct consultation with Jawarharlal Nehru, Pandit want ced simple tomb that comple mented and didnot clash with the historic site that ly between the Jama Masjid and Red Fort, both built by Shah Jahan, Rahman came up with @ concre J-vault arched of white ceme white marble, that was slightly polished by hand, The tomb was surrounded by 4 low marble Mughal ali and placed in a small garden with reflecting pools In later years, the ste as been huge water pools constructed These are aways dry and have become garbage pits. Rahman walked away in anger from a memorial service when he found that the cement had b withMemorials Habib Rahman Mazaar of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed new detni, 1975 the three tombs Rahman designed in Delhi were a conscious addition to the hundreds of tombs dotting the city of which hhe was an avid admirer. This tomb for President Ahmed, is situated in the garden of a small ‘old mosque next to Paeliament House. Here too the design had to be sensitive to the existing building. In tis ease the con: cept of the open linear forms ~ almost lke line drawing in space —an ongoing experiment with Rahman, was carried to its fruition, First sketched and then conceived in cardboard curout models, the proportions of this, tomb and its jalis were finally refined in a full scale plywood mockup, To achieve the thin frame ‘members in marble, an unusual engineering solution was devised. All he structural clements axe made in thin steel around which were clamped ‘two C sections of carved ‘marble, fixed by interna pins. This isthe newest of Delhi's “open to sky’ tombs with marble screens, that include those of Jahanara and Emperor ‘Mohammed Shah ‘Rani’ in the Nizamuddin Dargah, Facing page and above The tomb nits setting Left Construction photo shoving the tll armature vith the mere bing clamped around i ‘Below Raman checking the marblejals with she crafismen‘PTRIBUTE Mazaar of Zakir Hussain new dethi, Jamia Mitia, 1971Memorials Habib Rahman Ayodhya, Babri Masjid besign proposal, 1990 PAM Ve. BABDR MC oheersive we coin Rroriies oF stuntsah Mages ate Mogae BoMe ie Seen erect eames tect God. Yet millions have been killed to propitiate God ever since he was created/invented by Man. Even today such killings continue from Ireland to the Philippines, Recently hundreds have lost their lives due to passions aroused by the Ram Janambhoomi and Babri mosque controversy, Fanatics and fundamentalists are above rationale, logic, human valves and even law Deep religious devotion and love for Gad inspired great art, ‘music and architecture in the past. We are rightly proud of our great spiritual and cultural heritage. Today religion is devoid of spiritual values and artistic creativity - they are replaced by communal hatred, violence and greed, This insanity and communal feenzy must be stopped at any cost, ‘The religious leaders, politicians and intellectuals must try and find a long-term solution through hum ‘Why not take this opportunity to establish a nucleus for promoting ‘communal harmony, understanding and religious tolerance by imparting knowledge of comparative religion on this volatile and disputed land around the Babri mosque? T suggest that the area be turned into a unique spiritual centre of all faiths with a beautiful modern temple, church, gurdwars, syna- sgogue and prayer halls for all other religions, Also repair and reno- vate the Babri mosque and build a complex to house a school of ‘comparative religion, ‘This spiritual centre, the fist of its kind in the world, should also bea complex of architectural beauty, a show piece that our future generations would be proud of. Temples, Mosques and churches builtin India these days are usually extremely crude, unimaginative N religion approves man killing man to sell, appease oF pro: spiritual and cultural values. sometimes 2 comical imitation of our exquisite architectural her- itage. In the West hundreds of very beautiful modern churches have bbeen built since World War I that do not resemble the great church es or cathedrals. A few beautifil modern mosques can also be seen in some Islamic countries. Why should we continue to build vulgar copies of our past glories? ‘While my proposal would at fist appear naive and utopian, it ‘could appeal to some leader witha grand vision, And if there isa sincere and strong political will such a dream can become a reality. (From The Statesman, July 28, 1980) Flat for Canmmuval Harmony, India Day Parade, New York 1981,STRIBUTE Industrial Design Loft Stel 0 with came seat, 1988. Tis stool was made on a iin site with stat enforcing rods. is a ‘modern interpretation ofthe Mor. Below eft Wooden table, designed and ‘afd by Raha Right above Sketch of postures oma rickshaw: Right Rickshaw devel oped by the Bye & Sewing Machine Research and Development Center, Dhasidari, Lions abi Rahman Jn 1985, Rahman had to have «one leg amputated below the ence. In Jaipur to have a Jaipur Foot ited at the SMS Hospital, hie travelled to the clinic every morning oma cycle rickshaw — ‘and he immediately found design defects in it He failed t0 understand the design logic bbhind the angle ofthe seat, ‘which was raised quite high and pitched forward, making the passengers an awkwardly to avoid being thrown into the buck ofthe driver Rahman red to devise a logical and cheaply ‘manufactured rickshaw witha simple gear syter, that would rake pedalling more efficient for the driver. While this projet didnot progress beyond a huge amount of esearch and com- ‘munication, it remained a focus of continuing interes, with Rahman proposing a design competition for students atthe IITs and other engineering schools.PTRIBUTE Personal Notes Patwant Singh fist met Habib Rahman in February 1954, soon after {hac | te stn Cand emi an ty him, om the cover of The hin Butder Thad started the magazine a year ealier in Bombay. Habib was moved by contradictory emotions on seeing his ‘building when the magazine landed on his desk. He was obviously pleased by the recognition of is elegant design without any prompting on his part and by an Editor unknown to him. But he vas equally upset at seing his name omitted asthe building’ designer which, ofcourse was duc to a sip-up on our part He wrote and conveyed his unhappiness, wording his letter gracefully and without rancor of any sort. He also insisted I cll him next time I was in Delhi. Which Idd, soon aftr that. The Rahman's lived in Sujan Singh Pak where ‘we made our acquaintance over drinks one evening Teas a warm, agreable and very memorable meet ing because we found so much in common, coming a we did from entirely different backgrounds. This first encounter was to develop into an enduring friendship that lasted over 40 years ~ comented by our shared imerest in good design, and a pasionate concern for its Future, Although originally from Calcutta, Habib had gone tothe US to study automobile engineering but finding himself increasingly drawn to architec- ture, had switched courses. To make abit of extra ‘money (if at all), he had danced in Ragini Dev’ troupe with whose daughter, Indrani, he was to later elope. was brought up in an entirely different milieu in another part ofthe country but had entered the construction field and developed an abiding and lifelong interest in buildings, And later in urban form as well: India did not have a single design or architectural magazine then and Habib, realising the potential ofthe recently launched Indian Builder, felt that it could become a powerful voice for urban sanity, civic grace and, of course, ceative architecture and design, He felt we should stayin close touch since each of usin his wn way ‘was involved in the cause of creative architecture and livable urban spaces. As The Indian Builder grew in stature and circulation it had become dear to me that there was room for publishing a second rmagizine, covering all aspects of design. Although in the broader sense it would be a magnzne of architecture, in acknowledgement of architecture's pre-eminence inthe creative arts its editorial coverage would show that no architect or designer ~ or any creative person ~can workin isolation from practitioners ofthe other arts S0 it would cover not only architecture, the visual arts and product design, but alio articles on music, dance, drama and poetry. Because just a the country’s physical landscape was becoming an architec: tural wasteland, the performing arts were being cornered by newly-formed societies and coteres founded by the nouveaux, and the not-so-nouveau, riches who were less interested in a quest for new concepts and expressions, and more in satisfying their own Design, Cover Zo sue, 1965 longing for recognition as patrons of the arts, The first issue of Design, A Magazine of Arts and Idews, app ‘eared on January 1, 1957. Habib, quite naturally, was amongst those distinguished persons from India and abroad who were invited to serve on our Editorial Board, In those days, given the volume of construction activity which was underway after Independence, it was very much the vogue to plant domes, tries or what-have-you on modern office blocks hotels and such in a desperate attempt to make them look’Indian’: Habib called it ‘applied archaeology’ and in a thoughtfil article he wrote for our July 1960 isue, he deplored ths trend “In 1958 two important buildings of a monumental character were completed, the High Court building at Chandigarh and the Vidhan Soudha at Bangalore, The artistic intentions of the archi tects as revealed by these two buildings are poles apart Its not that they express the difference in personalities of the two architects but that they are the outcome of two completely different approaches to architecture. One isthe bold, rational and imaginative expression of a new age, which comes to grips with modern technology and materials, and the other is an expression of the urge to cling to the past by imposing ‘applied archaeology’ on a reinforced concrete build ‘There are quite a number of monumental build- ings commissioned since Independence which havea similar archaeological inspiration. They have resulted from thoughtlessness to fundamental questions, and misguided nationalist sentiments. On the other hand, numerous il designed buildings have also been put up on the name of ‘modern architecture ~ they are bare, soulless, and sometimes, paradoxically, even unfunctional. Some of these buildings have ‘made the Indian people sceptical of modern architecture and have confused them about is aims" Those were wonderful years ~ before the onset of the ot which would slowly eat into the county's vitals, The future of post-Independence India was sil outs to shape. And the euphoria was with us, as was the excitement of enriching India's landscape with our creative genius. The destruction of institu tions, criminalization of politics, the cancer of corruption and the emergence of dishonest and mediocre men, lacking character and substance, were stil some years away. As were the developers and such who with their greed and money-power would vvandalise our cities and countryside. During his years with the Government of India, including a stint asthe country’s Chief Architect, Habib designed many ‘major buildings. And though I did not see eye-to-eye with the design expression of some of them, my respect for the designer and his commitment to design continued to grow over the years Quite simply because of his integrity: both in his approach to his ‘own work, and to the problems of his profession, Habib stayed ~Habib Rahman aloof from the coteres and cliques which were beginning to form ‘even then and which would in time lead to practices and to lowering the standing of this noble profession, Even air his retirement as India's Chief Architect, he did valuable work in his capacity as Secretary of Delhi's Urban Arts Commission, which was established in 1973 by an Act of Parliament. The quality of his contribution to this office is best judged by the extent to ‘which this institution has gone dovenhill since then not happy beset as he was by ines, loneliness and a sense of isolation, following his move to North Delhi —at considerable distance from most of his friends — ater hs retirement, The cruellest blow of all was when his leg had to be amputated. That ths should happen to a man who with bare torso, flamboyantly coloured, tightly-wound dhoti and with his, hair doven, would take tothe floor for a side-splitting imitation of But he faced this unprofessional The last years of Habib's life we Martha Graham, was particularly poignan adversi Habily Rahman will be remembered long after many others of his ration are forgotten, Not only because of the many landmarks he designed, but because he too was a landmark in his own right, too with his customary fortitude and grit Above Ebrahim Alkaci and Achyut Konvinde during a meeting of Delhi Urban Arts C 74, photographed by Habib Left Rana in lighter Below left Bodel ofthe p Indian Pavilion for Worle Fai, 1968. Ths projet became the sujet of otroversy bere Ral India Gandhi aed Pups wih ws played one Design ma age of Habib Joseph Allen Stein Dizsissntis proton a wot tgs den at in person. A supreme example of courage It is appropriate in atime when the word “integrity in speech or print that this issue is being devoted to the works and efforts of Habib Rahman, the frst secretary of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission and a rare phenomenon, a government servant of distinction and integrity It isto be hoped that this issue of 4 + D devoted the work and person of Habib Rabman will he beacon to many of the younger rarely appears readers of A + Das an example ofa great person and fine architect in times that can be called dark, We can but hope that this moral darkness i the darkness before dawn and that the marvels of tech: nology now so ruthlessly applied against both nature and the needy ‘multitudes will yet be used responsibly and beautifully by a new eration motivated by the example of a distinguished professional and a great person like Habib who persisted to his ast breath, espe being burdened by harsh physical disability after an accident twenty ago. Habib’s works were characterized by a rare sense of appropriate ness and directness His work, lke his life, should be a beacon and a challenge, Indeed, it can be seen that Habib was a Gandhian kind of an architect, seeking beauty through appropriateness ancl simplicity. Despite the many limitations of being a government architect in 1 service dominated by bureaucrats and engineers, and working under severe restrictions, budgetary and otherwise, Habib’s larger buildings are notable for the same sturdy simplicity and sensitivity as to be seen in Humayun's Tomb. His smaller structures such later memorials have a striking and poetic simplicity delicacy and grace. The WHO building and the Rabindra Bhavan are expressive of the sensitivity and dignity that give them an enduring and endearing quality in a city marked by harsh forms and violent relationships Habib's dedication to students and causes and his many fiiends are all testimony to.a great soul and a fine architect who will be long remembered.