1. RAHUL MEHROTRA 2. AN INTRODUCTION  Principal of architecture firm RMA Architects (founded in 1990 as Rahul Mehrotra Associates) of Mumbai, India  Professor of Urban Design and Planning and Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) in Cambridge, Mass., USA.  Has designed projects that range from recycling urban land and master planning in Mumbai to the design of art spaces, boutiques, weekend houses, factories, social institutes and office buildings across India – thereby engaging diverse issues, multiple constituencies and varying scales: from interior design and architecture to urban design, conservation and planning 3. PHILOSOPHY  ‘Architecture is the physical manifestation of a society’s aspirations in the broader sense.’ Unlike many other parts of the world, we don’t have restrictions on the forms or colours of our buildings. Driving down a road in any Indian town, you’ll see all buildings different, having an identity of its own, each standing for something totally different. And this is a reflection of our society- secular and democratic.  He believes that architecture is potent enough to be a deadly tool that creates boundaries, or thresholds between communities. His designs, therefore attempt to visually eliminate the threshold. “Good architectural practice is one that acts responsibly for its broader environment and is sensitive to the fabric and grain of a city…”

1. A R C H I T E C T S A N D T H E I R WO R K S
HISTORY OF
ARCHITECTURE

2. • RAHUL MEHROTRA
• BORN :1959)
• urbanist and educator who is the
Founder Principal of RMA Architects
and is Professor of Urban Design and
Planning at the Department of
Urban Planning and Design at
Harvard University’s Graduate
School of Design.
• He studied at the School of
Architecture, Ahmedabad
graduated with a Master’s Degree
in Urban Design with distinction from
the Graduate School of Design at
Harvard (1987).
• He was the Executive Director
(1994–2004) of the Urban Design
Research Institute (UDRI)
"Architecture is not the sole
means by which the city defines
and represents itself."

3. • Has designed projects that range from recycling
urban land and master planning in Mumbai to
the design of art spaces,boutiques, weekend
houses,factories, social institutes and office
buildings across India - thereby engaging
diverse issues, multiple constituencies and
varying scales: from interiordesign and
architecture to urban design,conservation and
planning
• PHILOSOPHY
• 'Architecture is the physical manifestation of a
society's aspirations in the broader sense.‘
• He believes that architecture is potent enough
to be a deadly tool that creates boundaries, or
thresholds between communities. His
designs.therefore attempt to visually eliminate
the threshold.

4. • Hathigaon (Jaipur, Rajasthan)
• KMC Corporate Office (Hyderabad)
• Visitor Centre At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu
Sangrahalaya (Mumbai)
• House In A Tea Garden (Conoor)
• Taj Mahal Visitor Centre (with Taj Mahal Conservation
Collaborative) (Agra)
• Hewlett-Packard Software Campus (Bengaluru)
• LMW Corporate Headquarters (Coimbatore)
• Restoration Of The Chowmahalla Palace Complex
(Hyderabad)
• Campus For Magic Bus (Panvel)
• Extension To The Prince Of Wales Museum (Mumbai)
• Project 88 (Mumbai)
• Maskara Gallery (Mumbai)
CAMPUS FOR MAGIC
BUS

5. R M A A R C H I T E C T S
VISITOR CENTRE AT THE PRINCE OF WALES MUSEUM

6. • Located next to a grade I heritage
structure, this building's stainless
steel-clad elliptical roof supported
by columns secured with a pinjoint
base.
• The lightweight canopy extends to
form a wrap around veranda. the
interior offers a 200 seat auditorium
as well as filling programmatic
functions such as ticketing.luggage
storage, museum shop and
restrooms.
• Reflective surfaces of stainless steel
cladding make for a dynamic
canvas with reflections and colors
from kinetic human streams that
pass by the building

7. FLOOR PLAN
A Visitor Centre located at the entrance of the Prince of Wales Museum, a Grade
I heritage structure in Mumbai. The contemporary structure expands upon the
footprint of a previously existing multipurpose hall, and is a part of an expansion plan
for this prestigious urban landmark. The centre fulfills various programmatic functions,
ranging from the integration of baggage collection and storage, to ticketing and
security, as well as a museum shop, two hundred seat auditorium, and rest rooms

8. A LIGHTWEIGHT, STAINLESS STEEL CLAD ELLIPTICAL ROOF CREATES A COVERED VERANDAH FOR
CIRCULATION, INTEGRATING DISPARATE VISITOR PROGRAMS INTO A CONSOLIDATED AND MODEST,
YET CONTEMPORARY FORM. GLASS AND METAL SURFACES EXIST AS A VISUAL COUNTERPOINT TO
STOUT BASALT STONE OF LOCAL HERITAGE STRUCTURES. REFLECTIVE MATERIAL PLANES CREATE A
PARADOXICAL VISUAL POETRY IN WHICH ARCHAIC FORMS OF THE ADJACENT MUSEUM ARE RECAST
AND DISTORTED IN A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
ELEVATION

9. Thin steel columns support a curving roof that
overhangs the exterior walls of the centre to
shelter a surrounding terrace.
Existing trees grow through holes in this roof,which
also shelters a separate circular baggage kiosk.
Integration of natural textures with modern means
and materials further expands the defining narrative
of the center, that of a culturally meaningful interve-
ntion within a monumental historic context.

10. SIJO MONACHAN
S6-BARCH BJK18AR037
BJSOA