Sustaining Sustainability - CW Interior

May 31, 2012, 6:30:00 PM

Chennai-based designer Benny Kuriakose, who considers himself to be in the mould of Laurie Baker, shares with CW Interiors, his thoughts on sustainable architecture and the importance of practising sustainability in India. Sustainable architecture in India is a concept that is largely debated, discussed and overhyped, with little attempt to understand its principles and nuances. But, this doesn’t apply to Dr Benny Kuriakose, for he is a designer who takes sustainability very, very seriously; for him, it has been the work gospel and a way of life for nearly three decades.

Sustainable architecture in India is split between the two extremes- the technology-intensive ‘green architecture' and the low cost ‘alternative architecture.' A midway is what Kuriakose advocates- sustainable architecture based on vernacular principles adapted to meet modern-day needs and aspirations. Sustainability in building design, construction and contemporary vernacular architecture is seen across his stand-out projects like Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras; Institute of Palliative Medicine, Calicut; his conservation projects including Paliam Palace, Kottapuram fort and Kottapuram Market etc. To learn more, read the full article here!