To a large extent, architecture in India was deemed to be a “high-end” product. It was restricted to buildings which had patronage – be it corporate or government. The buildings were usually corporate houses or large government complexes. Architecture was optional. If you wanted special features in your building, you could “opt” for an architect. Lately, the idea of architectural design to a certain level has percolated into mainstream society as well. The general public do feel that architecture is not just about making a facade but are also aware of the benefits they could reap.
Globalization has given us access to experience new countries, and travel has widened our perception. I am hopeful to see the day when architecture is considered as a “process” of development and it becomes the foundation of development of not just buildings but of society itself by shaping the cities to thrive as a civilization and not as concrete. But for architecture to be the foundation of a complete city, the planning norms developed by the authorities should take into account the opinion of the architectural community also.
5-8% of building cost could be saved by implementing BIM tools.
Today, many tools are available to make the process of delivering a design faster. Even simple tools like Sketchup helps us visualize the building completely before proceeding to further stages. Some of these could be classified as extensions of our computer aided drafting tools. Making changes is that much easier and repetitive tasks become very easy. BIM has especially aided in designing large buildings and execution has become a lot easier as conflict resolution between agencies can be coordinated. One can safely say that at least 5-8% of the building cost could be saved by implementing BIM tools.
Unlike the fashion industry, the timelines in architecture span centuries.
One cannot say that a certain house design has gone out of fashion in 3 years time. Traditional materials vs steel and glass – to say the least, is a function of the environment of the building or the stand the architect has taken to develop his design. All the traditional materials like brick, stone, bamboo, mud, and timber, along with glass, steel and composite materials are here to stay for some more time.
For customized design requirements, traditional methods of construction will provide ease of execution.
Construction systems like PEB, drywall, etc, especially precast work, are well suited for repetitive designs or for large projects. PEB and drywall can become mainstream depending again on the type of building. Apartments may benefit from these systems. But as long as there is a demand by the client to have customized design requirements like an independent house, traditional methods of construction will provide ease of execution.
