THE KIMAYA PORTFOLIO

Kimaya is a partnership firm of architects based in Pune since 1989, which has done pioneering work in
the field of architectural conservation in the region of western India. In order to share this experience
we have decided to publish the work in the form of a portfolio. We have listed about 25 works ranging
from world heritage sites to national monuments to locally significant heritage landmarks. The disci-
plines integrated into the works include those of urban design, planning, architectural conservation,
structural engineering, lighting design, landscape architecture, graphic design, interior design, history
etc. It is also our reaffirmation of the twenty-first century trends in knowledge where boundaries be-
tween disciplines are disappearing to integrate them in a holistic experience. All of the works have
been commissioned to our firm or associated firms and the drawings, photographs, text, statistics and
data are prepared as a result of the projects. Some projects were successfully completed while others
were prematurely terminated; some are into gestation periods that are typical of this lower priority
subject in a fast developing third world country, while some are ongoing. The purpose of including
these is to demonstrate the mixed results that ensue when clients are multiple agencies and represent
diverse communities. Students, researchers, critics and co professionals are expected to read and com-
ment and wherever possible take the thoughts and actions further. Our successes and failures should
lead the way to a more mature expression of these endeavours so that they grow more wholesome in
the future. As these are extracts from projects that are successfully completed or ongoing they contain
useful information for administrators, decision-makers, engineers and architects.

THE KIMAYA PORTFOLIO

Claude Battley was the last British Architect who was the Principal of the Sir J J College of Architecture.
He felt strongly that the Indian architect should study the past systematically and rigorously. It was his
conviction that the lessons learnt there could be an inspiration for producing a more relevant and
home-grown agenda for architecture rather than simply aping the west. Carefully arranged drawings
composed on each page of the famed Battley’s portfolio1 speak of long years of trying to teach Indian
architects the virtues of understanding the essence of good architecture that has lasting value and ca-
pacity to appeal to generations long after the people for whom the buildings were built have passed
away. From Fatehpur Sikhri to Bhaskar Rao Vithals’ wada in Baroda or the Kushavarta Kund at Trim-
bakeshwar to the Imrahim Roza at Bijapur these detailed line drawings are abstractions of buildings in
black and white, minus the material, textures, and the qualities of light in the spaces or on the build-
ings. The few black and white photographs make up for these omissions. For several generations later,
measured drawings as a subject in Schools of Architecture was taken up without clearly understanding
the intent, scope or impact of the exercise on aspiring architects. A whole generation of architects who
were highly influenced by the abstraction of Le Corbusier, and later by Louis Kahn, were also enam-
oured by the aura of incredibly detailed craftsmanship seen in the monumental buildings. However the
ideology of the generation prevented any references to these expressions of craft. With the passage of
time these positions have given way to a different set of values that have surfaced on the agendas of
contemporary architects. Today they speak a language that is full of sustainable development, green
building ratings, Deconstruction or Vaastu and multiculturalism. It has now been at least 2 generations
since Independence and the immediacy of the events has now faded into a position of mature assess-
ment of the spoils of freedom and self governance. Unprecedented wealth being generated by Indians,
the sweeping drives towards infrastructure development, and several forces of a resurgent India have
led to a re-examination of the hand-me –downs/inheritances of the pre-colonial and
colonial past. Not only has rigorous documentation of buildings become more common by Conserva-
tion Architects but the future of what should be done to such buildings and historic precincts is fast
gaining importance. The present portfolio of works by Kimaya documents and demonstrates these con-
cerns, examples and case studies so that students and lovers of architecture may learn from their own
cities and backyards and appreciate architecture more closely.
Literature about architecture in regional languages of India is rare in the post colonial period. Thanks to
Lord Macaulay the voice of a civilization was silenced and dominated by an alien language that inhib-
ited indigenous expression. On the flip side it also made us realize the importance of home-grown lan-
guages which have been enriched by local imagery, and their power to strike a chord with the people.
But continuity and persistence are cornerstones of the Indian sub continental culture. In contempo-
rary India we find many voices using indigenous languages to express thoughts actions and feelings.
One such voice in the 1960’s was that of the late Prof. Madhav Achwal – an architect of the Baroda
School who wrote a book called ‘Kimaya’2 in Marathi about the abstract qualities of space, water, sky
and the role they play in architecture. This was followed by the writings of the late Mukund Sonpatki in
a series of articles called ‘Tamasa Tataki’ that translates as “From the Banks of the Thames”. These
were about life in England in general. Sonpatki also wrote about the Thomas and William Daniels paint-
ing of the Poona Darbar in Shaniwarwada, Pune in the year 1796. In more recent times architects from
Pune who have been writing on related subjects include Narendra Dengle, Ram Paradkar, and several
others. However literature on the subject of Architectural Conservation in Marathi is extremely rare.
Anjali Kalamdani has written a series of more than 40 articles on the projects we have worked on at
‘Kimaya’3 in Marathi, for the Vasturanga Supplement of Loksatta4 . These articles were written with the
purpose of reaching out to the people at large and explain our point of view on the subject. The re-
sponses to this series of articles were overwhelming. Not only have the messages reached out to the
people they were intended for, but they helped us in reflecting back on the practice of architectural
conservation, its successes and failures over two decades. So these are the travails and tribulations and
early efforts at architectural conservation and related pursuits in and around Pune. They are also the
perceptions of architects from a Puneites’ point of view. We hope the readers, who might be students
or lovers of architecture, will find the matter interesting and as a source for further debate, reading
and intellectual ferment or emotional outpourings on the subject. There has been a conscious effort to
avoid jargon and professional clichéd language as we believe in establishing a rapport and opening a
line of conversation with people who inhabit and are inheritors of this architecture so that they may
appreciate the inherent values.
Anjali & Kiran Kalamdani

Notes:
1 – The Design Development of Indian Architecture, By Claude Battley, Bombay, 1934, revised edition
by Taraporevala, Mumbai 1994, 1998.
2 – ‘Kimaya’ , A collection of Marathi articles Madhav Achwal, Mouj Prakashan, Mumbai , 1961.
3 – ‘Kimaya’ refers to the architectural firm established in 1990 at Pune.
4 - Vasturanga Supplement of Loksatta, Marathi daily of the Indian Express Group.
About ‘Kimaya’......

‘Kimaya’ literally is the ancient alchemy of distilling gold from simple metals - a process lost to mankind
over the centuries. It is a word often associated with miracles and the achievement of seemingly im-
possible results.

To the late Shri. Madhav Achwal (Noted architect and writer) “…it is a journey from the routine
give and take of every day life to a world of the most complete and beautiful consciousness…” ()
For us it is the miracle of striking a pleasant balance between the routine and the sublime, the
useful and the beautiful, the measurable and the immeasurable - through one of worlds’ oldest occu-
pation of providing shelter.
In a world of growing specialisation the specialist tends to borrow deep into his hole progres-
sively getting away from the surface. Having acquired a number of specialised skills it is our effort to
balance these with the general common skills.
Operating from Pimpri - Chinchwad, a small town close to Pune has been a conscious decision,
asserting our faith in decentralization.
Architecture today is in a state of flux and in a position to achieve richness through its ability to
address to the past, present and future without fear or favour to either. Man and environment remain
the common denominators. Technology should constantly readjust to serve and express these con-
stants.
It is through this consciousness that we at ‘KIMAYA’ are trying to achieve spontaneous expres-
sion.

“Kimaya” - A collection of Marathi articles by Madhav Achwal, 1961, Bombay, Mouj Prakashan, Bombay -
4

Purpose of the Publication:

Several organizations and individuals in India today are engaged in the process of development of one
kind or the other. Tourism is one such sector that depends heavily on heritage sites or their surrounding
areas. Conservation of the monuments or heritage sites is often needed and new development around
such sites needs to integrate with the context. Till the recent past there was a dearth of such examples
in the country where difficult choices need to be made between development and conservation. This
publication fulfils the need by showcasing 25 projects in which such difficult choices were made to dem-
onstrate a successful amalgamation of seemingly opposed ideas. A range of building types from forts to
temples to churches to institutions to wadas, townhouses and bungalows that constitutes the heritage
of Maharashtra has been dealt with to provide key information about actual projects that are either fin-
ished or under serious consideration for implementation. Interfaces between various disciplines and
expertises are seen in the final results of the projects where creative and definitive skills of people were
joined to deliver successful results.
Anjali and Kiran Kalamdani are architects urban designers and conservationists whose practice called Kimaya
was established in Chinchwad near Pune in 1989 and have been working as consultants for various organizations
and institutions. Their involvement in teaching and writing about their profession and projects has been a con-
tinuous and consistent occupation to get across the messages to the people at large.

Works and projects by Kimaya can be viewed at the following Websites

http://kimaya-thealchemy.weebly.com
http://mydesignstories.net/photo/album/listForOwner?screenName=1wfm8ww2roanq
http://www.behance.net/kirankalamdani69b5
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Conservation-of-St-Pauls-Church-Pune/1916193
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Rethinking-The-Club-Mahabaleshwar/1925883
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Maitraban-The-Forest-of-Friends/2579631
http://www.behance.net/gallery/New-Annexe-to-the-Council-Hall-at-Pune/2579141
http://www.behance.net/gallery/KRANTIJYOTI-SAVITRIBAI-PHULE-MEMORIAL-AT-PUNE/2582497
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Revitalizing-Environs-of-Shaniwarwada-Pune/1916175
http://www.behance.net/gallery/REVITALIZING-ENVIRONS-OF-SHANIWARWADA-PUNE/2582605
http://www.archello.com/en/project/revitalizing-environs-shaniwarwada-pune
http://www.archello.com/en/project/conservation-vishrambagwada
http://www.archello.com/en/company/kimaya-architects

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimaya/169911963102240

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimaya-Architects-Urban-Designers-Conservationsists/299127513461385

http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=27916034&trk=tab_pro

http://mydesignstories.net/profile/KiranKalamdani