Works of Joseph Allen Stein

1. WORKS AND IDEAS OF
JOSEPH ALLEN STEIN
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE – VI
ASSIGNMENT - I

2. Joseph Allen Stein, an American
architect who chose to settle in
India. A Padma Shri awardee, he
was well known for his elegant,
simple and ecologically gentle
architecture and his buildings
today are recognized as
landmarks worthy of
preservation.
He is known for his trail of architectural establishments
across the regions, from America to the Indian land.
Having born in the city of Omaha, USA, he had his
nascent architectural vision grow with the inspirations
from the modern American cities and the design
solutions revolving around them.

3. • His ideas had a major focus on design solutions to the
common population. Greatly inspired by the works of F L
Wright and Louis Sullivan, his style of ‘Regional
Modernism’ took a surprisingly different turn from the
Bauhaus Modernism of that time.
• Regional Modernism focused on the use of natural
organic materials such as brick, stone, and wood that had
the right blend of simplicity and detail.
• The designs developed during World War II were an easy
assemblage of structural concrete blocks with
cantilevered roof and fewer structural supports with other
design prototypes including the walls made of straw.
HIS WAY OF
IDEAS:

4. • His step into Indian architecture took place at Kolkata
where he was the first Head of the Department of
Architecture at Bengal Engineering College, Howrah.
• His vision in bringing architectural solutions with low-cost
housing had their appendage in India with his research
works in developing the prototypes for urban and rural
housing that was exhibited at the International Exhibition
of Low Housing in New Delhi.
• The ultimate idea was on reduction in the use of wood
and metal aiding the ease of construction.
• The elegant Californian houses designed by Joseph Allen
took their abode amidst the lush landscape of the land
that was significant enough to be allowed inside the
spatial boundaries with a visual connection through the
glass faces.

5. HIS NOTABLE
WORKS

6. THE EXPRESS TOWERS.
• The Express Towers is a
25-storey building located
on Marine Drive in
Nariman Point, Mumbai.
• Upon its completion in
1972, the 105 metres
(344 ft) building was the
tallest building in South
Asia for about two years.
• The building serves as the
corporate headquarters of
Indian Express Limited,
which also owns the
building.

7. • The Express Towers is valuable, for it was the only high-rise
Stein ever designed; the building is unique for the way it
connects to the ground.
• The tower block rises from a terrace garden above a
three floor high podium.
• Even in mid 1960s, he recognized the increasing use of
cars particularly for a commercial building like this.
• Thus a full floor at street level was dedicated to parking,
visitors on foot were brought into the building by a gentle
ramp on the floor above and also allowed to pass through
the building by another ramp on the other side.

8. • The lift and stairs core in the centre of the tower
block allowed openings on all four sides.
• Cantilevered balconies at lintel level protect the
full height windows from sun and rain.
• While occupants have a magnificent views of the
Arabian Sea on one side and the city and the
harbour on the other.
• The Express Towers at the time it was completed
was the tallest building in South Asia, a position it
held for about two years.
• It surpassed the 101 metres (331 ft) Habib Bank
Plaza in Karachi.

9. INDIA HABITAT CENTRE
(IHC) • The India Habitat
Centre is a
multipurpose building
in New Delhi, India.
• The India Habitat
Centre is one of
India’s most
comprehensive
convention centers
that is aimed at
bringing individuals
and institutions
working in diverse
habitat and
environment related

10. • The India Habitat Centre was started in 1993. The public agency
for Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (HUDCO)
wanted an office building for its workers and made the
unprecedented decision to invite chosen non-profit organisations
that shared their concern with habitat to share that work space.
• The chairman of HUDCO and the architect Joseph Allen Stein
decided to radically change the traditional image of an office
building as an architectural project and transformed it into an
urban design project.
• The space was designed to permit the members of the Centre to
share services both inside and outside the building with multiple
courtyards, common meeting rooms, shared parking area, library,
restaurants, museum, and hotels, some of which are open to the
general public. Constructed on nine acres in an urban area, the
building eschewed traditional building materials and techniques.

11. • THE IHC BUILT IN 1988 WAS DESIGNED AS A MODERATELY
DENSE COMPLEX OF INSTITUTIONAL AND OFFICE
WORKSPACES, CONFRENCES AND LIBRARY FACILITIES FOR
PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND HABITAT
ISSUES.
• THE EXTERNAL FACQADE IS OF EXPOSED RED BRICKS,
EXPOSED COCRETE AND GLASS.
• USE OF HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL RIBBON WINDOWSZ
HAVING SLOTS IN THEM FOR PLANTATION PURPOSES.
• CAREFULLY CONCEIVED BRICK PATTERNS IN THE COURTYARDS
AND VARIEGATED BRICK COURSING IN THE BUILDING’
VERTICAL PIERS.

12. • CONNECTION BETWEEN DIFFERENT BUILDING BLOCKS
THROUGH AERIAL WALKWAYS.
• LANDSCAPED COURTYARDS CREATED BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT BUILDING BLOCKS.
• CONSTANT FLOW OF NATURAL AIR THROUGH THE
COURTYARD.
• SUNLIGHT SLTREAMS INTO THE SPACE, BEING BROKEN BY
THE LARGE SPACE FRAME STRUCTURE ON THE ROOF LEVEL
WITH BLUE REFLECTORS THAT CAN BE ALIGNED TO
PROVIDE SHADE DURING SUMMER AND ALOW THE
WINTER SUN TO PASS THROUGH.