Charles Mark Correa (1 September 1930 – 16 June 2015) was an Indian architect and
urban planner. Credited with the creation of modern architecture in post-Independent
India, he was celebrated for his sensitivity to the needs of the urban poor and for his use of traditional methods and materials.
Biography
Early life
Charles Correa, a
Roman Catholic of Goan descent, was born on 1 September 1930 in
Secunderabad. He began his higher studies at
St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
St. Xavier's College is a private, Catholic, autonomous higher education institution run by the
Bombay Province of the Society of Jesus in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was founded by the Jesuits on January 2, 1869. The college is affili ...
. He went on to study at the
University of Michigan (1949–53) where
Buckminster Fuller
Richard Buckminster Fuller (; July 12, 1895 – July 1, 1983) was an American architect, systems theorist, writer, designer, inventor, philosopher, and futurist. He styled his name as R. Buckminster Fuller in his writings, publishing more ...
was a teacher, and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1953–55) where he obtained his master's degree.
Career
In 1958, Charles Correa established his own professional practice in Mumbai. His first significant project was the Mahatma Gandhi Sangrahalaya (
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial) at
Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad (1958–1963), followed by the
Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly
The Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha or the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Madhya Pradesh state in India.
The seat of the Vidhan Sabha is at Bhopal, the capital of the state. It is housed in the ''Vi ...
in Bhopal (1967). In 1961-1966, he designed his first high-rise building, the Sonmarg apartments in Mumbai. On the
National Crafts Museum in New Delhi (1975–1990), he introduced "the rooms open to the sky", his systematic use of courtyards. In the
Jawahar Kala Kendra
The Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) is a multi arts centre located in the city of Jaipur, India. It was built by Government of Rajasthan with the purpose of preserving Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India ...
(Jawahar Arts Centre) in Jaipur (1986–1992), he makes a structural hommage to
Jai Singh II
Jai Singh II (3 November 1681 – 21 September 1743) popularly known as Sawai Jai Singh was the 29th Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. He was born at Amber, t ...
. Later, he invited the British artist
Howard Hodgkin
Sir Gordon Howard Eliott Hodgkin (6 August 1932 – 9 March 2017) was a British painter and printmaker. His work is most often associated with abstraction.
Early life
Gordon Howard Eliot Hodgkin was born on 6 August 1932 in Hammersmith, Lond ...
for the outside design of the
British Council
The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
in Delhi (1987–1992).
From 1970–75, Charles Correa was Chief Architect for
New Bombay
Navi Mumbai (), is a planned city situated on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, on the mainland of India.
Navi Mumbai is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The city is ...
(
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai (), is a planned city situated on the west coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the Konkan division of Maharashtra state, on the mainland of India.
Navi Mumbai is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The city is ...
), where he was strongly involved in extensive urban planning of the new city.
In 1984, Charles Correa founded the
Urban Design Research Institute
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
in Bombay,
dedicated to the protection of the built environment and improvement of urban communities. During the final four decades of his life, Correa has done pioneering work in urban issues and low-cost shelter in the
Third World
The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the "First W ...
. In 1985, Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi appointed him Chairman of the National Commission on Urbanization.
From 2005 until his 2008 resignation Correa was the Chairman of the Delhi Urban Arts Commission.
Later, Charles Correa designed the new
Ismaili Centre
The Ismaili Centres are symbolic markers of the permanent presence of the Nizari Ismailis in the countries and regions in which they are established, characterised by the Aga Khan IV as 'ambassadorial buildings'. Each building is architecturally un ...
in Toronto, Canada, which shared the site with the
Aga Khan Museum
The Aga Khan Museum (french: Musée Aga Khan) is a museum of Islamic art, Iranian (Persian) art and Muslim culture located at 77 Wynford Drive in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is dedicated to Islamic art an ...
designed by
Fumihiko Maki,
and the Champalimaud Foundation Centre in Lisbon, inaugurated by the Portuguese President
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC, GColL, GColIH (; born 15 July 1939) is a Portuguese economist who served as the 19th president of Portugal, in office from 9 March 2006 to 9 March 2016. He had been previously prime minister of Portugal fro ...
on 5 October 2010.
Final years
He died on 16 June 2015 in Mumbai following a brief illness.
Work
Style
Charles Correa designed almost 100 buildings in India, from low-income housing to luxury condos. He rejected the glass-and-steel approach of some
post-modernist
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...
buildings, and focused on designs deeply rooted in local cultures, all the while providing modern structural solutions under his creative designs. His style was also focused on reintroducing outdoor spaces and terraces.
[Charlotte Luxford]
'India’s Greatest Architect' Charles Correa
''Theculturetrip.com'', 17 August 2018
In 2013, the
Royal Institute of British Architects held a retrospective exhibition, "Charles Correa – India's Greatest Architect", about the influences of his work on modern urban Indian architecture.
Projects
Awards
*1972:
Padma Shri
*1984:
Royal Gold Medal for architecture by the
Royal Institute of British Architects.
*1994:
Praemium Imperiale
Prince Takamatsu
The Praemium Imperiale ( ja, 高松宮殿下記念世界文化賞, Takamatsu-no-miya Denka Kinen Sekai Bunka-shō, World Culture Prize in Memory of His Imperial Highness Prince Takamatsu) is an international art prize inaugura ...
*1998: 7th
Aga Khan Award for Architecture
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) is an architectural prize established by Aga Khan IV in 1977. It aims to identify and reward architectural concepts that successfully address the needs and aspirations of Muslim societies in the fields ...
for
Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly
The Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha or the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Madhya Pradesh state in India.
The seat of the Vidhan Sabha is at Bhopal, the capital of the state. It is housed in the ''Vi ...
*2005:
Austrian Decoration for Science and Art
The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (german: Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst) is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Austrian national honours system.
History
The "Austrian D ...
*2006:
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service". All persons without ...
given by
Government of India
*2011:
Gomant Vibhushan
Gomant Vibhushan Award is the highest civilian honour of the State of Goa. It is given annually by Government of Goa to people of Goan origin for exceptional work in any field.
The award was instituted by Goa Directorate of Art and Culture, Gover ...
conferred by
Government of Goa
The Government of Goa is a state government created by the Constitution of India and has executive, legislative and judicial authority of the state of Goa. It is headquartered in Panaji, the capital city of Goa.
History
The governor's role ...
Publications
*Charles Correa, ''The New Landscape'', RIBA Enterprises, December 1985, ()
Personal life
Charles Correa married
Monika (née Sequeira), an artist, in 1961. Together they lived in one of the flats of the Sonmarg apartments in Mumbai. They had two children.
See also
*
Geoffrey Bawa
Deshamanya Geoffrey Manning Bawa, FRIBA (23 July 1919 – 27 May 2003) was a Sri Lankan architect. He was among the most influential Asian architects of his generation.
Early life
Geoffrey Bawa was born in Colombo on 23 July 1919, the younge ...
*
Muzharul Islam
Muzharul Islam (25 December 1923 – 15 July 2012) was a Bangladeshi architect, urban planner, educator and activist. He is considered as the Grand Master of regional modernism in South Asia. Islam is the pioneer of modern architecture in Ban ...
*
B.V. Doshi
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi OAL (born 26 August 1927) is an Indian architect. He is considered to be an important figure of Indian architecture and noted for his contributions to the evolution of architectural discourse in India. Having worked ...
*
Raj Rewal
Raj Rewal (born 24 November 1934 in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India) is a leading Indian architect. Education
Rewal lived in Delhi and Shimla from 1934–1951. He attended Harcourt Butler higher secondary school. Between 1951-1954 he attended the De ...
*
Bashirul Haq
Bashirul Haq (24 June 1942 – 4 April 2020) was a Bangladeshi architect, town planner and educator. He is regarded as one of the most influential architects in South Asia.
Early life
Haq was born in Brahmanbaria (now a district of Bangladesh) ...
References
Further reading
Post Colonial India and its Architecture – I: Charles Correa – The Traditional in the Modern
External links
Charles Correa – Photo Galleryat
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The sta ...
Charles Mark Correa BiographyCharles Correa AssociatesCharles Correa Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Correa, Charles
1930 births
2015 deaths
Goan Catholics
St. Xavier's College, Mumbai alumni
Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning alumni
Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni
Postmodern architecture in India
Urban designers
Indian urban planners
Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering
Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in science & engineering
Recipients of the Royal Gold Medal
Recipients of the Praemium Imperiale
Recipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art
20th-century Indian architects
People from Secunderabad
Indian environmentalists
Activists from Andhra Pradesh
20th-century Indian educational theorists
Founders of Indian schools and colleges
21st-century Indian architects
21st-century Indian educational theorists
Indian architects