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Silent Spaces

The document provides a detailed summary of the book "Silent Spaces and other stories of Architecture" by Gautam Bhatia. It describes how the title intrigued the author and drew them into the book. Through amusing anecdotes and stories, Bhatia takes readers on a journey experiencing architecture in India. He provides insights into the minds of famous Indian architects and their works. The book conveys a personal experience of architecture in India through Bhatia's own experiences and projects, illustrated with sketches instead of photographs. It offers a unique way of both experiencing and explaining architecture.

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Abinaya Kalyanasundaram
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317 views

Silent Spaces

The document provides a detailed summary of the book "Silent Spaces and other stories of Architecture" by Gautam Bhatia. It describes how the title intrigued the author and drew them into the book. Through amusing anecdotes and stories, Bhatia takes readers on a journey experiencing architecture in India. He provides insights into the minds of famous Indian architects and their works. The book conveys a personal experience of architecture in India through Bhatia's own experiences and projects, illustrated with sketches instead of photographs. It offers a unique way of both experiencing and explaining architecture.

Uploaded by

Abinaya Kalyanasundaram
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Title: Silent journeys

Silent Spaces and other stories of Architecture, by Gautam Bhatia


Ive always wondered about the prevalent saying that a book is not to be judged
by its cover. True, the cover is a graphical representation, hence it would not be
right to judge the literary content within said covers based on that. But what
about the title emblazoned on the cover? Like recognizing good food by sensing
the aroma, right? Walking through the library, vaguely scanning the
disproportionate tomes on the shelf, one particular title stood out from the rest Silent spaces- I erase the dust off the rest of the Spine - and other stories of
architecture? Stories, huh, sure sounds interesting.
Ten minutes and 5 pages later, I find myself laughing through the author's note
(Yes, I'm that kind who read the Author's note always, and in this case, I found
myself far from bored), right through to the Introduction, furthering the curiosity
induced by the title. Never have I seen a longer, yet increasingly interesting
Authors note that made me laugh out loud at certain parts, principally due to
the relatable tone- there are moments when the voice in your head reads in this
imaginary mocking voice, which can be presumed was Bhatia's intent.

After eloquently declaiming this book to be similar in any way to others already
in existence,

This is an architecture book, and architecture does not present a


pretty picture. It is merely a background to life; a picturesque
background to a tragic life, sometimes a neutral background to a
tragic life. But background it always is.
And in those two lines lay the entire narrative style of the remaining pages - a
highly subjective and self-claimed neutral story of India with Architecture as the
medium, in the background.
Gautam Bhatia is known for his satirical and facetious writing about Indian
society and its repercussions in daily life, and thus in Architecture. Silent spaces
is a vague yet elaborate collection of his memoirs as he experiences certain
Architectural masterpieces, or rather master's pieces, in no particular selection
or hierarchy, all the while laced with interesting stories and incidents on not only
architectural but personal experiences. He speaks of peculiarly humorous
relationship with local printers, train journeys with judgemental uncles and
foreign friends, he speaks of the dull doubtful initial days upon returning to India
from FLW's Taliesin - if the story itself isn't amusing enough, the rich and
relatable tone of the words will have you laughing in mild amusement.
There are books that talk about Architecture, books that talk about how to build
architecture, books that talk about how to talk about architecture but this book
takes the reader on an interesting journey as Gautam Bhatia shows you how he
experiences(d) Architecture in all its claimed glory, set within a unfathomably
dynamic Indian society. From insights into Khan's mind as he designed the IIM,
Ahmedabad to Baker's out-of-genre Chitralekha Film Studio, Trivandrum, Bhatia
paints detailed images of the workings and thoughts of these famous Architects
as they brought some of their prominent works to life. We travel to the ruins of
Nalanda university, to the gardens of Dal lake, Kashmir with Akbar; we're taken
on a delightful walk through the beautiful Cidade de Goa hotel, by Correa, at the
base of a lush valley in tropical quaint Goa - the journey is a tad bit slow but
thorough.
After an elaborate insightful journey through the minds of other Architects and
their Architectural journeys, we are then taken into Bhatia's own experiences and
works upon his return to India. After the first strange encounter with an engineer
to achieve the improbable task of getting drawings sanctioned, we move on to
more tales of projects in places spread across the geography of India. Written
entirely from the first-person point of view, it feels almost like reading an
irregularly- but meticulously- maintained personal diary.
Completely devoid of photographs (In his words, Pictures leave no room to
doubt, to suggest, to ruminate, to question or to wonder.) but filled with
illustrations that on closer look reveal more than meets the eye on first glance,
complement the narrative matching the same sarcasm and wit. Sketches of
plans of the Architecture described, enable a clearer understanding of the words
in the book.

With several books to his name Punjabi Baroque and other memories of
Architecture (the parent book of Silent spaces, as I find out after reading this),
Malaria dreams and other visions of Architecture (notice the naming again!)
Bhatia experiments with unique ways of expressing different stories. He explains
that its not just the content that matters, but how the content is conveyed is
whats important.

A profession that doesnt go by the book deserves a book that also


doesnt go by the book.
Whether you're a student looking to learn how to experience and how to explain
your designs in the studio, or a professional seeking to learn more about the
early workings of Indian architects, or would just like to take a short break from
your mind-crunching and get some inspiration, Bhatia has a lot to tell you. In the
introduction, he frankly states Other than conveying a personal experience of
India through heavily-lidded architectural eyes, this book serves no purpose at
all. but whether he intended to or not, the book has succeeded in bringing
about a refreshing way of looking at Architecture itself a higher purpose, has
been achieved. Published two decades ago, in 1994, Silent Spaces speaks loud
timeless volumes.

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