3. Early life
• Studied at CEPT university
Ahmadabad
• His thesis was supervised by
Ar. BV Doshi
• Since 1987 he has been
an honorary professor at CEPT
• he has written books on the
history of Indian architecture,
including Ahmadabad, with George
Michell, and ‘The Water
Architecture of Gujarat
•Snehal shah believes in
making architecture that
is ‘of its time’
4. Early life
• His architecture adapted a variety
of expressions – will to manipulate
light and ventilation to the best
advantage
• He studied vernacular techniques.
• He describes his concerns and
development as an architect in
parallel with the emergence of
India onto the world sage as a
mighty, populous, modern nation
5. HIS FIVE LESSONS
• As a part of RIBA part three
examination in London in 1985, I
was required to write an essay on
why I wanted to become an
architect.
• That essay informed my later
distillation of the basis for practice
to five lessons.
6. HIS FIVE LESSONS
1. One : learning from masters
and gurus
• On learning from masters , the
work of Mario botta has been
inspiring
2. Two : learning from history
• Visiting historical buildings
allowed him to see many things.
One is an image of the ruin.
• Their influence come and go,
making impression
Rudabai Steepwell, Ahmadabad
Mill Owner’s Association,
Ahmadabad
7. HIS FIVE LESSONS
3. Three : climate
• Climate remains a constant primary
design consideration. In designing
buildings, architects need to develop
imaginative responses to impact of
climate and changing climate
4. Four : learning through empiricism
• Each work follows from the previous
projects in an empirical chain of
gathering knowledge, information,
experience.
Colonial verandah
Pondicherry
Achyut Kuki’s Mosque,
Dome ceiling
8. HIS FIVE LESSONS
5. Learning from mistakes
Roofs and courtyards are
other elements where
persistent learning comes
often through making good
mistakes, or at least by
failing to fully realize an
ideal but grasping
awareness nevertheless.
9. His works…..
TCS IT sez garima park, gandhinagar Family guest house, bhat
Family house AhmadabadRamakrishna mission temple
11. TCS IT sez garima park,
gandhinagar
• The design of software centre is
based on the single workstation
unit.
• Everything revolves around the
workstation housed in the
central block
• The building allows 20 % more
workstations without the need
for an additional building.
• Locally available stone is used
on the bands facades and for
flooring
12. TCS IT sez garima park,
gandhinagar
• Two support blocks
flank the central main
block.
• Containing stairs,
toilets , services, as
well as lecture rooms,
auditorium ,
conference rooms and
reception.
• the support blocks are
located to be
conveniently close to
the workstation
13. TCS IT sez garima park,
gandhinagar
• The west block contains
administration and
management departments
with a multipurpose hall.
• the east block has a canteen
and being on east side will
remain cool.
• Outside the canteen is a moat
that can serve as a small
amphitheatre
14. TCS IT sez garima park,
gandhinagar
• The functional program is divided into two 10000 workstations
• made up a central blocks, with all other activities gathered in
two support blocks reception, conference rooms, training
centre, library, canteen, gymnasium.
• The support blocks are located to the east and west of the
central block.
• Daylight needs to be bought inside.
• He wanted a building where artificial light is minimized and
each workstation operates without glare.
15. TCS IT sez garima park,
gandhinagar
• To maximize good quality light, he designed
glass facades with undulations that cost
shadows on one side.
• To the north, the undulations are shadow,
and on the south they are deep, reducing
glare.
• Glare is further cut by a brise sofeil over the
roof on the south being as long and deep as
7m and on the north 4m.
• The overhangs and convex and concave,
clear, hermetically – sealed glass curves
ensures good light.
16. TCS IT sez garima park,
gandhinagar
• He took into account traditional vastu shastra principles,
which order location, orientation and other sitting
considerations.
• from practical design experience, vastu works well, the
building follows vastu shastra principles and is also perfectly
attuned to Ahmadabad's climate
17. Family guest house, bhat
• The house is located on former
agricultural land
• Site is approx. 45000 sq m
• Single story house is sited at the
centre of the garden and surrounded
by trees
• Its visible presence is curved and
punctured wall that protects the
building.
• Residence is linear in plan, running
east to west to maximize solar/shade
orientation and cross ventilation.
24. Family guest house, bhat
• Front door is at eastern end
• Door opens into a 40m, arched
circular spine that is both corridor
and verandah.
• Lateral walls segments the curved
exterior wall, creating nooks for
seating and display of art works.
• Deep punctures admit north light and
breezes.
• The rooms of the house are located
ALONG HE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE
SPINE.
25. Family guest house, bhat
• The two open courtyards bring light into
living areas
• The house is clad in stone, and stone is
also used internally.
• A wide green lawn spreads out along
the northern side of the house.
• the house faces north, the space can be
enjoyed throughout the year and at all
times of day.
• The beise soleil on this side admits light
and breeze.
• the stone came from nearby quarries in
Gujarat.
27. Ramakrishna mission temple,
porbandar
• A great earthquake struck Gujarat in
2001 and caused heavy destruction
• The ram Krishna mission approaches
Snehal shah architects to rebuild
schools
• The client was pleased and also
commissioned the architects to build a
temple in bharwda
• A modern architectural was sought,
rather than replicate the conventional
temple design
28. Ramakrishna mission temple,
porbandar
• The temple is located in the main
square, in the midst of the township.
• The plan is square
• Plan becomes octagon as it rises
towards the pyramidal roof.
• An upside down quench creates the
stepped form of the pyramid.
• An open prayer hall allows breezes in
form all directions.
• Wooden doors on axis of the temple
create an enclosure to the shrine.
