A Messenger of Modern Architecture

Naresh V Narasimhan, Architect-Principal, Venkataramanan Associates

Architect Naresh V Narasimhan believes and lives by a quote by H L Mencken, an American journalist, --"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." In a free-wheeling interview with Built Expressions, he shares his Sisyphean attempt to transform chaotic urban infrastructure to a people-friendly one.

Naresh V Narasimhan, a luminary and well-known architect heads VA (Venkataramanan Associates), a Bangalore-based architecture and urban design firm that was founded in 1970.

A futurist, Naresh is on a mission to change Bangalore’s existing design of urban infrastructure into a people-friendly one. He is one of the founding members of the famous and erstwhile, Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF).  "As a founding member of BATF, I was part of many initiatives aimed at improving Bangalore's infrastructure. I also play an active role in city planning and maintenance by regularly proposing design led interventions to government bodies. I’m not just dealing with the architectural part of improving urban infrastructure- but as a team we are determined to enhance the living atmosphere in cities. Through a public private partnership, we proposed a pedestrian oriented redesign for the city market. Residing in a democratic state, we must consider the opinion of several people prior to the execution of the project," he clarifies.

Infosys Konark

The proposal to improve public infrastructure also includes measures to ensure proper demarcation of pedestrian crossings and streamline the flow of traffic around the market. “Currently, we are involved in the remodeling of KR market, one the city's oldest landmarks. The scheme includes the introduction of a multi-level car park, optimisation of road widths and definition of pedestrian pathways to streamline movement, a dedicated space for hawkers, designated areas for loading and unloading, and measures to ensure proper waste management and garbage disposal,” he adds. VA is actively involved in issues related to urban development and has taken on several pro bono initiatives in Bangalore such as the renovation of the war memorial at Brigade Road junction.

Narrating the country’s infrastructure challenges he says, upgrading and redesigning existing infrastructure is the need of the hour. Modern Indian buildings have attained a world class quality. Yet, the external environment around such contemporary structures is in a wretched state, and hardly get any attention. A growing number of vehicles leaves little space for pedestrians. "We insist that the government provides us with a better urban environment —there is an urgent need to improve the footpaths, traffic junctions and public spaces. Here, advocacy should be combined with design,” he adds. In fact, he calls for all architects to take on responsibility and to be accountable for improving society and urban infrastructure. Architecture should encourage people to achieve their potential through inventing new spaces and designs.

Journey of VA

Ar. Naresh V Narasimhan

Although Naresh has had a prolific career in architecture over the last three decades, he never planned to become an architect. While his original aspiration was to become a physicist, he was drawn to architecture because of his family lineage -  his father was an architect and founder of Venkataramanan Associates, while his grandfather was a Civil engineer. VA was founded in 1970, and since then, it has grown from a small office that gained a reputation early on for its work in scientific institutions and for real estate, to a 200-person firm currently servicing reputed clients from several of India’s largest corporate firms.

It counts Fortune 500 companies like GE, GM, Volkswagen, Bosch, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Reliance, HPCL, as well as Indian real estate’s biggest conglomerates such as Prestige, Brigade, Puravankara, etc.  

VA has a diverse portfolio spanning multiple sectors and geographies ranging from research and development facilities, to manufacturing units and IT parks, to public institutions and real estate. Through these projects, VA has created many benchmarks for their typologies in India.  VA’s uniqueness lies in combining the scale and capacity of a large firm with the creative enthusiasm of a small office. The firm’s commitment to vigorous design review sessions and critiques has infused its designers with a shared sense of commitment to every project. Its award-winning projects have been widely published in India and are part of a rapidly growing portfolio of pioneering work. Some of the major awards include “Realty Plus Architect of the Year award 2013, International Property Awards India 2012 for Nirlon Knowledge park, Emerson cup 2008 for KPIT Cummins, CREDAI Real estate awards 2012 for Brigade Gateway, and A+D Spectrum foundation award for St Joseph’s college of Arts & Sciences etc . 

Proficient team

Reliance KGD6

VA is a full service architecture firm specialising in master-planning, interior design and engineering services for highly complex projects across different sectors.  The firm has a clear understanding of architectural craft, space management, innovative techniques and sustainable building materials. A familiarity with statutory codes and compliance in all parts of the country enables VA to handle complex, large scale projects with ease.

VA employs a culture of knowledge creation in allied fields, a workforce with core strengths in varied sectors and extensive client research and fieldwork. “Our team, which is predominantly young, has highly skilled people. We have nine teams that work on different specializations and domains with a good administrative department," he says.

Iconic projects by VA

KPIT Customer Focus Centre

Some of the notable projects completed by VA are John F Welch technology centre for General Electric Bangalore, a large car manufacturing plant for Volkswagen in Pune, a state of the art gas plant KGD6 for Reliance Industries in Kakinada and Brigade Gateway, a mixed use development in Bangalore.

Naresh has honed many skills in designing complex scientific R&D facilities and has a few tips to share, "An Architect is the master of all trades & Jack of some. An architect must study the fundamentals of the brief around which a building is designed. For a science and technology lab, it is required to have the knowledge on how scientists work, equipments they use and so on. For instance, an electron microscope in a lab requires a specific design as it demands a specific space for its functioning.  Similarly, from our experience in working with leading IT firms such as Infosys, TCS and Wipro, we have understood the design demands and parameters required by IT parks."

Exhortation to budding architects

Art & Culture fascinates Naresh a lot. He feels through cultural infrastructure the nation grows and it strengthens identity and he is involved in designing performing spaces, theatre, art, and culture spaces.

He likes all types of architecture however; he draws inspiration from Charles Correa, who is India’s pre-eminent architect & urban planner. Naresh is also drawn to Joseph Allen Stein, an American architect and a major figure in the establishment of a regional modern architecture in New Delhi.

Naresh calls on young architects to learn the heritage value of Indian architecture by visiting heritage sites, understanding the design perspectives and thought processes behind them. He urges them to learn the art of using hands to draw and design. He says it is necessary as it becomes an interface between the building and the architect designing it. "In the initial days of architectural profession, one must know the crux of design by being involved through the completion of the project.

In my younger days, I've built a house on my own, stayed there for months until the completion." Furthermore, he urges architects to lay emphasis on the welfare of construction laborers as they are the most exploited.  Issues related to their safety and training must be taken care of. They should be treated humanely. "We can't change the economic reality but we can mitigate the hardships of the workers," he adds.

EOM

Box Item: Milestone projects

Over the years, we have worked on some projects which have been significant due to the unique challenges that they pose in terms of typology, context and scale. 

Brigade Gateway: A planned community in Bangalore, it is one of the first mixed use developments in India. It includes a modern workplace, an educational facility, a hospitality venue, an urban entertainment centre and a neighbourhood for over 10,000 residents & visitors. We believe that mixed use as a typology has huge potential to optimize energy efficiency and improve the utilization of space. 

Nirlon Knowledge Park:  An IT park in Mumbai, it is one of the first projects of its scale to achieve LEED gold certification in India. A redevelopment of a mill compound located on a 25 acre site in Goregaon, the project required incorporation of Dutch best practices to address drainage on site. The defining feature of this project is the complete synthesis of a sustainable, context-sensitive approach with the demands of a high technology urban environment.

Some of the other benchmark projects of VA also include: NGMA (National Gallery of Modern Art) Bangalore, which involved the restoration and extension of a mansion from the pre-independence era, The Art village for Valley School, Bangalore- an award winning project that sensitively fuses art and nature, India’s largest car manufacturing plants for Volkswagen in Pune, a state of the art gas plant for Reliance Industries in Kakinada and spacious luxury villas for Prestige and Sterling group in Bangalore.