correa in bhopal

after almost exactly 20 years in the heart of the country for a discussion on architectural theory, i also took the opportunity to visit some of the icons of indian modernism. the ease of bharat bhavan in the evening light. people lounging on the edge of the water. the skylit art spaces spilling out effortlessly onto the sunken courtyards. the red brick and the white and coloured light cannons. the big idea subsumes the detail. ground, light, water, sky.

the vidhan bhavan is seen from across the city and the last time i was in bhopal it was under construction. the spaces seemed again perfectly scaled- monumental in parts and intimate in others. completed, the architecture's overt symbolism weighs down its effectivity. the overt 'indian' pastiche makes the building almost kitsch.