design research, mumbai field notes

design research vs02 #

editorial review from TEKTON: A Journal of Architecture, Urban Design and Planning

The basic premise of the essay is acceptable and worth pursuing. However, this is a very rough draft which is difficult to read mainly due to peculiar sentence structure. I have highlighted some in red (italics). Please go through sentence by sentence and see whether it makes sense or conveys what you intend. So many sentences start at one place and end somewhere else. Group the ideas and provide headings. This will improve the organisation of the essay. The intent of many footnotes is not clear. Are you attributing the sentence or an idea? Do they serve a bibliographic function or meant to provide an extended discussion? Use references where you are citing a source. Develop a consistent way of mentioning books, projects, practices, websites while referring to them in the text or while making an argument about them. Refrain from off the cuff remarks. Introduce the idea which you plan to critic. Explain your criticism with objective evidence. It is not possible to provide comments on specific parts/ ideas in the essay until the basic text is cleaned up for grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and continuity.

Research leading to building design is suggested as design research¹. The paper argues a context to research being conducted in Mumbai specifically by architects practising in the city and attributes their work with idiosyncratic institutional associations. The objective of this proposition is to document the various influences of research and its observed impact on the profession practiced. Task goals to space a foundation so as to build towards an extended relationship of research with design, thus investigating the evolving role of the architectural practice. Significance of research as inspiration for this design is assumed the lack of interest in associating designed building products to a specific visual style. With no future style to look forward, contribution to knowledge of architecture is thereby attributed to research. As in any new contribution to the field is left in the preview of further research on ideas and not substantiating any specific visual language. Discussion to follow gives an overview of home-grown influences of the idea of research with selected identified causes of its popularity. Beginning from early design education, leading along to professional research engagements, post graduate work and ongoing independent investigations an objective spaced is to earmark the processes attributed for a product associated as an outcome of a research exercise in design. Personal engagements² are endorsed as case studies to promote an observation. This hence, is considered essentially a quest for a local research method or formula, ceremoniously accepted and conducted within a design practice operating from the city. To a located culture assumes possibilities of its development or growth. A critique of the practices emergent in an observed landscape therefore, builds towards a proposition in ideating opportunities for research within this localised state or field depending on a methodology of approach.

Keywords: Architecture, Mumbai, Design Research, Culture, Urbanism

“theory and practice aren’t enough; it’s got to be theory, practice and purpose.” _ JOHN SEELY BROWN³

Research in architectural circles has become a trend in the recent past. Proof of this is seen in the practise of research tags popping on websites⁴ of popular design practices [eg. http://rmaarchitects.com/] or upcoming firms making their presence known by first promoting an investigatory image of work done as result of self-initiated/ awarded projects [eg. http://studiopod.in/]. Though an observation, there is an ardent pursuit in academia to catalogue, publish work as research among work done or associated with. Architectural Association [AA] London, Graduate School of Design [GSD] Harvard and Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation [GSAPP] Columbia have elaborate prowess to systemically add to the design research catalogue⁵. Mediums of dissemination is credited to how knowledge on the subject is explored. Conferences, publications, trade fairs, award ceremonies and the like are instrumental in addition to acclimatised portals. From these spaces, popularity of a preoccupation with research could be credited to the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas⁶. His writings position a theoretical premise to concerns raised in context to assignments pursued by his firm, Office of Metropolitan Architecture [OMA] and its virtual counterpart [AMO]. Though there are presidents before his work, its pursuit is attributed to their flamboyant publishing tasks which each of his said concerns take form as⁷. These are made possible with tactful collaborations who add value to his idiosyncratic methods. What he has been able to achieve is make assessable the mundane with a degree of coolness. Mundane is groundwork which any design assignment take. To elaborate on this activity is to take a note on how a building project becomes a deliverable. Beginnings of the process is a training given in the early years of architectural education on say how the house/ a single family residence is designed⁸. Shifting to varying techniques by studio in-charges, “what a house is”, should have multiple avenues of approach. To a complex character study of a family or simplistic image review of the form of a house is the key foundation given to what the design solution can be. It is mandatory for during the process, to coagulate all this content gathered. This distillation takes place on site which is a designated group of constraints imposed on the problem. Building design is a distilled product derived in this case. The first sketch gets critiqued. On the basis of a stipulated critique iterations are performed for a designated time period as imposed by the program. Exercises as these, are introductions to components which simulates buildings. Complexity of program increases with grade. Several given problems over the course of the education a work-flow becomes imperative in solving architectural problems. Processes aren’t much different when standard design offices perform the same task. Climatic, material and delivery concerns take precedence. In both situations of conventional academia and professional spheres there is a considerable amount of research conducted but never adequately stated as such. Lack of this acknowledgement is related to the absence of prescribed or formal devices applied to research conducted. The need is never considered important as returns on conducted research unless translated into a tangible product. What Koolhaas and OMA/AMO has capitalised on is take this prerequisite project background studies into consumables.

To extend the argument on significance of research is to look at production of history of architecture. Development or progress within the field is positioned and located as styles in building. These transcend both with linear time-line and comparing along geographic advancements. Banister Fletcher’s a History of Architecture is instrumental in facilitating the form of history as we know it since most lectures and sources on building design accounts is sourced from the document. Citing influences of geographical, geological, climate, religious, political, social alongside architectural character history of buildings is a study of its shifting image impacted by forces identified⁹. This has been furthered in another canonical work the Critical History of Modern Architecture by Kenneth Frampton which continues the tradition of this narrative though concentrating on a specific movement. Case-studies of structures and comparing its various elements are hallmarks of these texts. Analysing commonalities for grouping into a specific category called style is derivative of this method of narrative. Extending towards detailing the local archetype becomes an analysis of several cultural traits to impact build form. Either the macro or the micro observation and record methods the visual has played a predominant role in documentation. Building from this visual methods is how we are instructed to locate ourselves in the profession. Association to a particular style links produced work into the larger body of knowledge compiled as architectural design. Theorists and critiques in the profession are attributed in laying out contribution frameworks. An overall interest in systemic assessment of the profession via a critical lens haven’t produced any significant style of note. Not to mention attempts but the plot isn’t taking hold by further discussion. Prominent case in the recent past is the call to Parametricism by Patrick Schumacher¹⁰. Pitfalls of its proposition (what is the proposition?) apart, in general to enable the working of a style projects and buildings are not bound together theoretically to any specific visual type of production to create larger interest. The signature style of idiosyncratic visual built language intends to the possible future¹¹. This deliberate void and popularity (preserved profitability) of hyper produced research are shifting interests of some practitioners to reconsider their products. Manifestoes, star architects and design theory are proving artefacts of a generation therefore loosing validity as tools of inspiration. Self-evaluating tasks research as muse is becoming an instrument to make in-words into the larger architectural design knowledge bank. Publishing of architecture is mutating the perceived avenues of accessing and be part of a design conversation. Digital environments are making available content conventionally used by architects for reference at volumes earlier seemed unviable. Therefore to a degree archdaily, designboom, dezeen, architizer are the new theorists in the space a result of conversations they have initiated. They via format of design magazines created an aesthetic and a schema on consumption of information on building. While precursor to research or background work for a building was in the library, inspiration now is pushed onto the design blog. Reference images have invalidated the need for a manifesto for design. The singular call is no longer heard as there are a multitude of voices clamouring for attention all from the same source. This variety is validating the lone effort and hope of it being heard. Each personal projects and the multifarious independent publications a conversation requests for discussion stake claim to the research space. What are thus the various strands to observe when there is a collection of design work calling itself research?

Popular design research performed by architects in Mumbai is concentrated on urban proposals. What initially was listing exercises in heritage they have overtime using similar vehicles of community involvement traversed into urban revitalization projects. Funded by MMRHCS [Mumbai Metropolitan Region Heritage Conservation Society] or private/ public partnerships undertaken by NGO’s as UDRI [Urban Design Research Institute] city based projects are a type of work conducted as research by architects. Though not categorically architectural design research these form part of design job lists for the city. Architectural institutions such as KRVIA [Kamala Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies] have lead in popularising Mumbai studies as part of academic coursework alongside facilitating private consultancy from within the school. Between spatial practices, undergrad local discussions on built form city projects, design research produced from within the architects in Mumbai is at its nascence. Heritage conversation is one of the core competence as far as city goes. Collaborative studios¹² arrive with directives of building on urban research, specifically of area development plans. It is safe to consider the notion of research among the existing design practices as being ancillary jobs done from the main professional interests. The Mumbai University MArch (by research), conducted at Sir. J.J. College of Architecture sees research as framework. Divisible into six parts a deliverable is a sum total of these introduction, literature review, research plan, data analysis, conclusion and design¹³ (The footnote here is unnecessary). These are elaborated as thus evaluating existing content of the research subject, case-studies; context of the research; new territories of development; design as a becoming exercise. A result of elaborating on structured research is review of work in books by Brenda Laurel: Methods in Research, Design Research Network: Questions, Hypothesis & Conjectures and Peter Downton: Design Research. Concentrating on varying methods of product design studio in corporations [research for design], paper evaluations of conducted academic research [research about design] and process documenting design development [research through design]¹⁴ are varying ideas explored to compound the structured framework required as coursework. Additional to urban research and academic program structures, fringe engagements are being conducted on local variants of building information modelling. TAD [The Architects Desktop] distributed as open source early design stage modeller by syncespace¹⁵ and while PreDCR [Development Control Regulations] by SoftTech Engineers Pvt Ltd prepares architectural plans as per introduced municipality submission drawings guidelines¹⁶. Their respective impact is restricted to any dependent on the applications. TAD is experimental and may have a user base in around a thousand while PreDCR is an outcome of enforcing digitization in municipalities. Both products are precedents to commercial products¹⁷ and to attempt see the development of the application through an academic framework is limiting. Though architects are involved the creation, implementation and testing of both these applications evaluation of the research as done by them is still unclear.

When a culture to research for design is established it’s a process i.e. review, design, test and analyse¹⁸. This is as type proposed in product prototyping. If buildings are considered products it well could follow the same process. Frame the design problem though the lens of similar projects identified. Iteration founded on the constraints presented. Model and then revise. Design research a process to a product is a method factoring in mechanisms of operation to inquiry for development¹⁹. Its distinction from a research in science/ pure research is its lack of testability and reproducibility²⁰. Attributes of quantitative and qualitative/ applied research are available but poised in a creative way. What are the then possible limits acceptable for a credible research task? Products from OMA/ AMO have capitalised the exhibition and its resulting catalogue as a medium of validation. Covering all possible aspects of photography, graphics, drawing and writing the creative research as pioneered by them is an uncomfortable benchmark to measure against. To make a franchise out of the work undertaken in form of research is the credited success of the firm. A suggestion towards the success for the Koolhaasian research franchise²¹ is the positioning of work by a practice in concerns significant of the production of structures it was tasked against. The visual image and appropriation of how it looks is taken out of the conversation and its performance or program is deemed instructed to converse about. This relocation in the discussion is instrumental in the way we consume knowledge on building design today. Tagging building with respect to its type which are standard post sorting mechanism on any of the popular design blogs of note, can be cited towards tendencies in associating building more on basis of its function instead of how it looks like. An evolution in the consumption of information about building is in process of re-informing how then mechanisms theorizing the built environment are being positioned. In essence these changes impact academic research which is a formal structured document referred to gain competence by the authority reviewing it. Several theoretic practices such as Cedric Price, Lebbeus Woods and Archigram have traditionally used mechanisms such as diagrams, drawings a medium to communicate. Charles Jencks, Kenneth Frampton, recent work of Alejandro Zaera-Polo and Pier Vittorio Aureli are narratives in text. These are then interfaces identified as per shifts in the medium and therefore noted as such to communicate a certain finding. In quest for a form of design research among these is elusive in its essential premise, simply because of its polarised format. Causality of this polarisation is attributed to the more proliferous access to resources which in result a boon and bane. Reference to a type of work, popularly identified as a signature style based on author is the more appropriate aspiration. A stylised approach to research as product shouldn’t be the ideal aspiration but lensed with key methods which are centric to the culture producing the entity as deemed as research. A parlance is observed between cultures both instituted at the level of conduct of research and the place instrumental in producing it. This disjunct is tried to find avenues, for that possibilities in trajectories research in the larger sense of a formal practise could take in the city.

Derivatives, essentials or fundamentals required for building whatever be its nature of production are mandates to earmark a certain required knowledge. Design research conducted with a defined geography boarders on framing an encompassing practice types those formally recognised and informal currents of production. Thus what we have is an ecology of ideas²² within a given set of identified conditions which are seemingly based from a concentrated location or culture of attitudes. An architectural project is controlled by clients, contexts, culture and costs, i.e. how traditional building is perceived. When trying to locally garner an architectural research landscape of Mumbai, to extrapolate an existential type is finding jobs and projects performed by architects other than formal building. Extra circular engagements which supplement building activity. Though rather crude in observation a compilation in varying jobs as research is the activity leading up to. Assuming building is limited by issues constraints of site and imperative forces a position on design research as field of engagement is arrived between listing to construction management. With lack of quantifiable projects the understanding of research when observed locally is an argued assumption. An audit of the profession as practised in and from the city is the first essential stance to position. The Mumbai School²³ [Bijoy Jain, Kapil Gupta and Rahul Mehrotra] pastiched the South Asian design aesthetic (If you are saying this, you have to show how)*.

Architectural design produced from the sub-continent, post-independance is summarised in three key stages of development, or its peaks would be works by the early masters mainly brutalist stands of Le Corbusier and Louis Khan. Then followed the critical regionalism of Charles Correa, Raj Rewal, B.V. Doshi and Uttam Jain and finally urban schools of Delhi, Ahmadabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru. This is its brief contextualisation. The direct built implications concentrating from the school is predominantly preservation work and applicability of local crafts in building. Expounding the ideas take form in two concepts of Mumbai Deco, indigenous iteration for Art Deco and the Kinetic City²⁴ which is an attempt in theorising the city. A testament to heritage legislation, activism in the city is positioned at Mumbai Deco. Being one of the pioneering tasks of drawing legislation in the country, concentration of investment revolving around preservation are significant. Though with tonality of concern, even with the level of outlay ascribed to it, the field haven’t been able to update even in concepts to ever pressing concerns the city is projected as having. Kinetic City, as it’s given a voice²⁵ a prominent navigational tactic in explaining issues regarding the city (How will anyone reading this understand what this is?), which again is one of the sites of intellectual lethargy (Show how). Containment as with preservation ideals left the proposition simply as is without probing details, a sort of synopsis to a thesis. The activist architect mode, which both ideas owe their beginnings is in part enabler and restricted to how through research, the city can possibly reinvent itself via its built form. Validation of a research a.k.a. the use of the research, mostly into a formalised legislation is considered the ultimate in achievement. Antithesis of this stance is the artist architect wherein the resulting outcome of a task is most cases an image or a series produced. Tactical City and Cinema City traced out from KRVIA are exemplars of note. This modality of work at times is delirious and its very existence justified by the funding mechanism it has tapped for the laid proposition. Both the activist and the artist have produced a type of research about Mumbai which oscillates from poles of being very practical to the blissfully ephemeral. The postured design research has in majority concerned with the landscape of the city wherein its built form is an after-thought or mostly endnotes to supplement as annexures.

A possible third model other than the prescribed activist or artist, which isn’t overly concerned in legislating research work or producing an image and if available as resource to be built upon or dismantled into newer interpretations is its provisional avenue. Discussions to emphatically station city architecture has been extremely stray and those which exists are self-initiated exercises or locked away in thesis sections of city design institutions. A significant portion of design production for the city emerges from the developer network. They and their architects frame the city a result of tactical interpretation of city regulations. An elaborate understanding if derived when observed from Mumbai is this mixture. The appeal of the informal has erased the formal city which is Mumbai. Theorising the formal may make up for existing inadequacies of the positioned informal city. The existing design research portals to shift from their theology if difficult, research mandates in any of the newer positioned or aspiring venues is to consider the various possibilities instead replicating the existing modalities. Types of research jobs dispensed and funding agencies tapped are instrumental in the nature of work we can associate with formal research practises from the city. Silos too have capitalised and promoted as specificity towards a typological association which further limited any substantial variety of work accepted. What needs to be acknowledged are the new-fangled forms of patronage accepting or activating the dissemination of an entity seemingly stated as research of from the city. Spaces such as Studio X or possible avenues of culture hubs and publication houses or even other over looked design schools which can act as centres of patronage. A persistent problem in research being conducted from schools have always been associated with a job trust onto the institution and never essentially larger required research concerns to be looked into. This limiting factor if addressed can substantially add to discussions on what can or should be a city based design research exercise. A critical review in the culture of production of architecture in the city and its regions is yet to reaching anywhere close to a potential high point simply by associating it with the lack of investigatory positions it’s been able to accept or for that matter recognise. What are essential questions to be asked towards filling up this knowledge void is the beginnings of sound and accessible research ecosystem imagined.