Sem 05 / Culture Studies
South Asian Architecture and Urbanism

Rupali Gupte
with Teaching Assisstant: Richa Shah

The South Asian Architecture and Urbanism course aims to develop conceptualizations of architecture in the region. The course begins with discussing the problems with present historiographies of South Asian Architecture and Urbanism and goes on to developing conceptual categories through which a new critical understanding of architecture and urbanism in South Asia may be formulated.


The course objectives are to analyze and critique architectural, artistic and spatial works and practices through a critical understanding of their form and contexts, as they relate to life and living. The course intends to develop capacities in archival sourcing of works and field work, analysis of works through close reading of form and context and through creating original drawings and diagrams.


The exercise involves analysing one architectural project in South Asia for its spatial affordances, material assemblies and discussing its contemporary relevance and affordance for spatial justice.


The course also involved a field trip to the inner city of Mumbai to Girgaon, Khotachiwadi, Bhuleshwar, and Zaveri Bazaar, looking at buildings such as the Tarabaug chawl, the buildings in Khotachi wadi, an urban village, the building types in Madhav baug that mix religious, trade and living functions, Panjra Pol, a community institutional facility for animal care and other small community institutional types historically designed by the trading communities in the city. The objective of the walk in the city was to make students understand and experience space, behaviour and affordances that support life and living in these places.


For samples of student work visit here.