Joseph Allen Stein

Philosophy and the works of a great Indian Architect

1. Joseph Allen Stein 1912 – 2001

2. BIOGRAPHY Joseph Allen Stein was born on April 10, 1912, in  Omaha , Nebraska. He studied architecture at the  University of Illinois . In 1952 he moved to India, and became head of the department of architecture at the Bengal Engineering College in Calcutta. He worked in New Delhi from 1955 onwards . He was awarded the Padma Shri , India's fourth highest civilian honor , in 1992.

3. He is noted for designing several important buildings in India, most notably in Lodhi Estate in Central Delhi, nicknamed " Steinabad " after him, and where today the 'Joseph Stein Lane', is the only road in Delhi named after an architect

4. WORKS the headquarters of the Ford Foundation, Unicef and the World Wide Fund for Nature a conference center called the  India International Center  (1959–62 ) the  India Habitat Center  for housing and environmental studies . Gandhi-King Plaza, an open-air memorial in IIC Triveni Kala Sangam  Arts center, New Delhi, India. the American International School the Australian high commission in  Chanakyapuri Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode  campus,  Kerala Kashmir Conference Center, srinagar Four factories for Escorts Ltd., Faridabad

5. philosophy Mr stein brought a california modernism sensitivity to the country. His approach is called modern regionalism. According to him “regional without modern is reactionary, and modern without regional is insensitive, inappropriate.” His second guiding factor was to seek the character of the solution in the nature of the problem .

6. He realised the impact development was having on the ecology and his designs sought to find harmony. The only possible solution was along Gandhian lines- simple and ecologically gentle solutions. Mr Stein’s designs were modernistic, but inspired by India’s past. He was good at working with local materials, be it granite or glazed tiles, both influences of Tughlaq architecture. He also used jalis in most of his works. In the wider landscape of nature, he used local materials where he tried to merge his buildings with nature

7. He typically designed two- to four-storey buildings that fused with the surrounding trees, gardens and pools; flowers and vines would spill over the walls. He would have vertical gardens, courtyards covered with trees and plants, ponds blooming with lotuses, and vast landscaped lawns. He was described as “building in the garden”.

8. INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTER Founded in 1958 Inaugurated in 1962  It is a unique establishment in that it serves as a meeting place for the various cultural and intellectual offerings the city has to offer

9. Plan The center is composed of stein’s individually articulated blocks- 46 guest rooms, lounge and dining room in one Programmed blocks of library and offices, domed auditorium are all grouped around two great courts

10. Functionality of spaces

11. Courtyards and gardens

12. Plants in courtyard Paving pattern Fountain sculptures Exposed brickwork Precast concrete panels Window and shading devices of diff sizes The surfaces and materials Stein used: local stone, cast concrete  jalis , blue and green ceramic tiles as highlights, were an updating of the Sultanate architecture of Delhi, which Stein had learned to love and admire through weekly exploration.

13. INDIA HABITAT CENTER It is a multipurpose building in New Delhi, India. Mixing work, commercial and social spaces, it is India’s most comprehensive convention centre

14. There are 5 main building blocks which are interconnected by means of aerial walkways. The offices of TERI, Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO), National Housing Bank (NHB), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), International Labour Organization (ILO ), etc are located within the premises

15. Design concept The height of the building is around 30m high. The entire facade is cladded with red bricks which give a majestic look to the structure. Vertical and Horizontal ribbon windows have been used with a special glass that restricts the entry of sunlight.

16. Open spaces Plaza Amphitheatre Open seminar space Open air diner

17. courtyard Building are grouped around climate temperate courts shade by overhead sun screens and enlivened by vertical gardens

18. Shading device The reflectors are installed above the building to provide shade and prevent sun from entering into the building. The reflectors are aligned at an angle which reflect back 70% of the sunlight and change their angle during winter to allow sunlight to fall on the windows.

19. User experience Wonderful construction with garden courtyard! It’s so spacious and leaving Way for free air, sunlight and green space.   Always love to visit the IHC for its cool and comforting atmosphere. What a wonderful architecture. I also enjoy eating at the two food courts here.   Wonderful work. The grandure , cool and comfortable atmosphere and the livelyness of the campus is the main achievement of this great Architect.

20. TRIVENI KALA SANGAM A huge cultural complex with 4 different galleries- Triveni kala sangam house The sri dharni gallery Triveni gallery Sculpture court and art heritage

21. Open landscape courtyard

22. Building material the external façade has exposed brick work. Also has a system of intricate pre cast jalis

23. AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER’S RESIDENCE The Australian High Commissioner’s Residence was built in the late 1950s in the Chanakyapuri district of New Delhi

24. Local design details, such as stone   jalis   combined with large expanses of glass in a way that respected both traditional knowledge and modernist principles. The current High Commissioner’s wife said that the house was a joy to inhabit, the space flowing around the splendid central hall and each room feeling airy and open, with ready access to the outside.

25. GANDHI KING PLAZA The Gandhi-King Plaza is a little garden at one corner of the India International Centre. There is  a brick pillar whose four sides are inscribed with the sayings of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King

26. There  two pilkhand trees, giving the plaza a permanent shade. The space created under the canopy is used for exhibition and similar events .

27. As expressed in a blog “ Be it the two trees, the cane chairs, the stony landscape, the bird chatter, or the lovely pool, they all intermingle to create a Macondo of the mind, a place with no contact with the outside world.  ”

28. conclusion His legacy is that of living architecture - human in scale with spaces, which soothe and inspire. In a world of falling standards , his work remains exceptional .

29. REFERENCES BOOKS White, S tephen(1993). The architecture of Joseph Allen Stein in India and California. Oxford University Press NEWSPAPER ARTICLES An American In Delhi(2011, Sept 2). Mint Newspaper Stein’s gone but his works live on (2001, Oct 8) Times Of India Obituary – A built legacy:Joseph Allen Stein (2001, Nov 10) The Hindu

30. WEBSITES Joseph Allen Stein ( n.d. ) Retreived Aug 5 2014 from en:wikipedia.org /wiki/ joseph_allen_stein The Biological Dictionary of Delhi-Joseph Allen Stein b.Oncaha , 1912-2001 ( sept 7,2011) Retreived from www.thedelhiwala.com/2011/09/07/the-biographical-dictonary-of-delhi-1912-2001