Change is inevitable.

The evolution of building construction from stone, brick, etc. to reinforced concrete construction is due to its
structural advantages. Today, concrete is the most widely used construction material in present day. It offers
great strength, affordability and durability.
Any development in the world involves an opportunity cost, in this case, the traditional forms of architecture.
These traditional or classical forms are important in their own way, but do not provide an economic solution.
The skilled labor, the materials, as well as design proves to be lot more expensive compared to that of
reinforced cement concrete.
The requirements of buildings change over time. And since the requirements change, alterations are required.
A brilliant example for this could be the Taj Mahal hotel, located in Secunderabad. It is a load bearing
structure, which uses stone as its major construction material. This building cannot be altered easily, due to
the structural difficulty. The load of the slab is taken by the walls and walls are the components that need to
be altered. This proves to be almost impossible due to the incompatibility.
Another example is the Kalva Estate, located in Tandur, Telangana, was built in the year 1978. It is a load
bearing structure constructed using stone which is a locally available material. The building requires some
changes, but unfortunately, it is not possible. The thickness of the walls of this estate is about 2 feet, there is
a loss of area as well as limitation in modification.
There are several techniques that can be adopted to replicate the look and feel of the traditional building
material using reinforced cement concrete. RCC structures are basically frameworks of beams, columns and
slabs. And the remaining detail and appearance can be conveniently altered by using locally available
material. Taking Hyderabad into consideration, stone is the most widely available material and hence, walls
may be made of stone.
Although stones may be used for the construction of walls, it's not a very wise solution due to the weight of
stones. If stones are used, the dead load on the RCC structure increases and greater amount concrete and
steel would be required in order to satisfy the load. Therefore, in order to add the regional essence to the
building, cladding of the required material may be done.
The traditional and classical methods of construction are extremely time taking compared to that of RCC,
and present day architects do not have the choice of applying traditional techniques due to the requirements
of the client. A client would want an economic design, with maximum space attainable, in the shortest
timespan. This is only possible by the use of RCC. On the other hand, it is always possible to create an
illusion and provide a regional experience using modern techniques.
Finally when it comes to the future infrastructure of Hyderabad, I would like the city to be modern with
touch of our heritage, not by the technique of construction, but by the outlook of the city. Hyderabad must be
an amalgamation of modern inquisitive design and the beauty and essence of our ancestral architecture.