Sheila Sri Prakash (born 6 July 1955) is an architect and
urban designer
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 ...
of Indian origin. She is the founder of
Shilpa Architects
Shilpa Architects is an international architecture, design and planning firm that was founded in 1979 in Chennai, India by Sheila Sri Prakash. The firm was established as a proprietary firm and is the first architecture firm that was founded in ...
and is the first woman in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
to have started and operated her own architectural practice.
Biography
Early life
Sheila Sri Prakash was born in Bhopal, India on 6 July 1955 to Lt. Col. G. K. S. Pathy, an officer in the Indian Army, and S. Thangamma.
Child prodigy artist and artistic career
As a child, she trained in classical Indian dance, music and the arts. She started learning
Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of ...
when she was four years old and gave her first on-stage
Arangetram performance in 1961,
when
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...
Dhanvanthi Rama Rau called her a
child prodigy. Sheila demonstrated a talent as a Bharatanatyam and
Kuchipudi dancer, and also played the
Veenai musical instrument. Over a period of nearly two decades as a performing artist, she gave performances as a dancer of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.
Her family moved to Chennai to give her greater opportunities in the classical arts and to be trained in Bharatanatyam by Sri Dandayudha Pani Pillai. She was a student of
Vempati Chinna Satyam
Vempati Chinna Satyam (15 October 1929 – 29 July 2012) was an Indian dancer and a guru of the Kuchipudi dance form.
Chinna Satyam was born in a brahmin family at Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh. He was taught by Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry ...
and was the protagonist in several of his dance dramas. She practised Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi,
Veenai, Classical
Indian music
Owing to India's vastness and diversity, Indian music encompasses numerous genres in multiple varieties and forms which include classical music, folk (Bollywood), rock, and pop. It has a history spanning several millennia and developed ove ...
,
painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
and
sculpting
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
.
As a
Veenai artist, she played, composed and recorded Radha Madhavam and Sivaleela Vilasam with the
Veenai musician
Chitti Babu.
[Of matters spatial](_blank)
The Hindu (28 July 2013).
Education
She attended the Rosary Matriculation School in Chennai and attained a pre-university degree from
Stella Maris College, Chennai. She enrolled in the Bachelors in Architecture from the
Anna University School of Architecture and Planning
School of Architecture and Planning (SAP) is one of the four constituent colleges of Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India). It was established as a Department of Architecture of the University of Madras in 1957 and was located in the Alag ...
in 1973, at a time when there was a strong bias against women entering the field, and attended the
Harvard Graduate School of Design's Executive Education Program.
Architecture
She is considered as one of India's leading architects and is counted among the most influential female architects in the world today, having designed and completed over 1200 architectural projects, many of which are known for use of local arts, culture and heritage as inspiration for her designs.
She is known for architectural theories surrounding Reciprocity in
Design
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design' ...
. Her work ranges from the low-cost Reciprocal House for the socio-economically underprivileged that she designed on invitation from the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...
in 1987, to the first of its kind energy efficient commercial buildings, custom
bungalows, residential communities, integrated townships, industrial facilities, art museums, sports stadiums, centers of education, public infrastructure and luxury hotels. Her research findings are particularly relevant in high-density rapidly developing economies
Her work in spaciology, particularly as it applies to healthcare and the leisure, wellness, and hospitality industry, examines the impact of the built environment upon human behaviour, through
urban design
Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes. In addition to designing and shaping the physical features of towns, cities, and regional spaces, urban d ...
, architecture and sociology.
She was a founding member in establishment of the Indian
Green Building Council
A green building council (GBC) is any national non-profit, non-government organization that is part of a global network recognized by the World Green Building Council. A green building council's goal is to promote a transformation of the built ...
.
Several of her architectural designs can be seen at
Mahindra World City, New Chennai
Mahindra World City, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, is India's first integrated business city. It is a public–private partnership promoted by the Mahindra Group and TIDCO. It is situated near Maraimalai Nagar a southern suburb of Chennai. The city ...
, the
Madras Art House at the
Cholamandal Artists' Village
Cholamandal Artists' Village is an artists' commune in Chennai, India. Established in 1966, it is the largest artists' commune in India. The community is located in the southern coastal neighborhood of Injambakkam. Its artists are credited for t ...
, Kuchipudi Art Academy in Chennai, the
Paranur railway station, and the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...
funded urban housing development program in the year of shelter for the shelterless. She has combined the principles of Bharatanatyam, classical Indian music, sculpture and architecture in award-winning projects
[Offering sustainable designs and options](_blank)
The Hindu (28 April 2012). In 1993, she designed a home in Chennai with recycled materials and pioneered a system for
rainwater harvesting
Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is the collection and storage of rain, rather than allowing it to run off. Rainwater is collected from a roof-like surface and redirected to a tank, cistern, deep pit (well, shaft, or borehole), aquifer, or a reservoir ...
. This system was made compulsory by the state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
in 2003. It set a blueprint across India, as the most effective and low cost solution for addressing the crisis of depletion of freshwater sources in India.
She introduced vernacular and culturally relevant techniques in contemporary designs. She is known for using Indian art and culture as an integral parts to her designs, to achieve reciprocity and
sustainability.
Preservation and Restoration Projects
Brihadisvara Temple
In 2012, Sheila Sri Prakash was selected to restore and preserve the
Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur
Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram () by its builder, and known locally as ''Thanjai Periya Kovil'' ("Thanjavur Big Temple") and ''Peruvudaiyar Kovil'', is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on t ...
by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...
(ASI) which falls under the trusteeship of the Ministry of Culture of the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
. This was the first significant modern day attempt to restore this
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Monument, following a rigorous process of technical and design proposal evaluation.
Sheila Sri Prakash's firm
Shilpa Architects
Shilpa Architects is an international architecture, design and planning firm that was founded in 1979 in Chennai, India by Sheila Sri Prakash. The firm was established as a proprietary firm and is the first architecture firm that was founded in ...
, was commissioned by the panel from the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...
, out of more than a 100 short listed global and local architectural preservation considered for the project by the authorities.
This restoration effort involved research and study of the original archives, dating back to 950 CE, to unravel the techniques of ancient Indian engineering.
While structural upgrades are ongoing, the surrounding facilities have been enhanced through lighting, signage for devotees and visitors. The lighting of the monument is designed to enhance the natural color of the stone along with the sculptural forms adorning all corners of the temple.
World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council
In 2011, she became the first Indian
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
to serve on the
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
's Global Agenda Council on Design Innovation,
[Sheila Sri Prakash , World Economic Forum – Sheila Sri Prakash](_blank)
Weforum.org. a 16-member team of international experts in design and innovation. She served on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the role of arts in society, in recognition of her signature works of architecture that feature art, culture and heritage.
As part of her role at the Forum, she developed the "Reciprocal Design Index" that details parameters and metrics surrounding sustainable design.
Reciprocity Wave & Festival
She is the founder of the Reciprocity Wave Movement, which is an art and design competition to raise awareness about holistic sustainability.
[Being the change](_blank)
The Hindu (2 October 2013). The second Reciprocity Wave Event in Chennai was conducted in partnership with the
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League (IPL), also known as TATA IPL for sponsorship reasons, is a men's T20 franchise cricket league of India. It is annually contested by ten teams based out of seven Indian cities and three Indian states. The leagu ...
's
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise cricket team based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Founded in 2008, the team plays its home matches at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The team is owned by India ...
[News, Express. (5 March 2013]
Reciprocity Wave art competition
The New Indian Express.[Artistry flourishes in Reciprovative wave's second venture , CityFeature – city360](_blank)
ChennaiOnline (11 March 2013).
Shilpa architects have already conducted three such initiatives, two in Chennai
and one in Bangalore.
Involvement with Zonta
She is known for her contributions as an active member of
Zonta International
Zonta International is an international service organization with the mission of advancing the status of women. Alan Axelrod, ''International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders'', New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1997, p. 271.
...
, which is an organisation that aims to enhance the status of women around the world. She served as the area director of
Zonta International
Zonta International is an international service organization with the mission of advancing the status of women. Alan Axelrod, ''International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders'', New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1997, p. 271.
...
for her district and participated in events internationally.
Academia
Sheila Sri Prakash routinely participates as a juror or expert critique at student
charrette
A charrette (American pronunciation: ), often Anglicized to charette or charet and sometimes called a design charrette, is an intense period of design or planning activity.
The word ''charrette'' may refer to any collaborative process by which ...
s at Universities around the world.
She was a visiting scholar at
Ball State University in 2002.
[Plans in place for Focus on Asia Week](_blank)
Bsu.edu (29 January 2002).
She currently serves on the visiting faculty of
Leibniz University Hannover in Germany.
She was also invited to serve on the Board of Studies at the
Anna University
Anna University is a public state university located in Tamil Nadu, India. The main campus is in Chennai. It was originally established on 4 September 1978 and was named after C. N. Annadurai, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
History & ...
School of Architecture and Planning, for a three-year term. The Board of Studies influences the syllabus, key appointments of faculty/academic leadership and major initiatives at the Institution.
Recent projects
Shilpa Architects, Planners and Designers have been working recently on several projects, including a LEED Platinum rated office building as their own design headquarters. Other projects include the HITEX exhibition center in
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
and the South City Township by
Larsen & Toubro
Larsen & Toubro Ltd, commonly known as L&T, is an Indian multinational conglomerate company, with business interests in engineering, construction, manufacturing, technology, information technology and financial services, headquartered in Mumba ...
that is an approximately 4000 apartment residential township. Another large scale housing project is within
Mahindra World City Mahindra World City (MWC) is part of the USD 19.4 billion Mahindra Group, which is active in diverse markets including automotive, farm equipment, defense, hospitality, manufacturing, aerospace, retail, finance, real estate, and infrastructure. The ...
, the upcoming
Taj 5-star beach resort near
Pondicherry
Pondicherry (), now known as Puducherry ( French: Pondichéry ʊdʊˈtʃɛɹi(listen), on-dicherry, is the capital and the most populous city of the Union Territory of Puducherry in India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the sout ...
, the state of Tamil Nadu's first platinum rated office complex for Cethar Vessels, an office building for
HDFC Bank
HDFC Bank Limited (also known as HDB) is an Indian banking and financial services company headquartered in Mumbai. It is India's largest private sector bank by assets and world's 10th largest bank by market capitalisation . It is the third lar ...
, as well as the regional headquarters for the
State Bank of India. Her portfolio of current projects includes
Industrial architecture Industrial architecture is the design and construction of buildings serving industry. Such buildings rose in importance with the Industrial Revolution, starting in Britain, and were some of the pioneering structures of modern architecture.
File: ...
. She designed a large scale manufacturing facility and warehouse for
:de:OBO Bettermann in India and is currently designing a factory for the industry leading technology hardware manufacturer
Flextronics
Flex Ltd. (previously known as Flextronics International Ltd. or Flextronics) is an American Singaporean-domiciled multinational diversified manufacturing company. It is the third largest global electronics manufacturing services (EMS), origi ...
.
Honors and awards
* Featured among the top "9 Female Architects Designing the Future" by
Travel+Leisure
''Travel + Leisure'' is a travel magazine based in New York City, New York. Published 12 times a year, it has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC, with trademark ...
magazine of
Time Inc.
Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Illu ...
* Sustainability Champion of the Year for 2019
* Lifetime Achievement Award from Builders, Architects and Building Materials (BAM) in collaboration with
Confederation of Indian Industry
* Bene Merenti Award from the university of
Ion Mincu
Ion Mincu (; December 20, 1852 – December 6, 1912 in Bucharest) was a Romanian architect known for having a leading role in the development of the Romanian Revival style. Most of his projects are located in Bucharest, including his main work ...
in 2017
* Honourable Architect Award from the
Indian Institute of Architects
The Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) is the national body of Architects in India with more than 1,24,000 members. It was established in 1917 with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. It is associated with the International Union of Architects ( ...
(October 2015)
* Top 100 most influential architects in the world by
:it:Il Giornale dell'Architettura
* 50 most influential names in
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
and
Design
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design' ...
in 2015 by
Architectural Digest and listed among a category of "Reinventors" for having "built a formidable legacy" and an "inspirational practice that designs societies and not merely buildings or cities".
See also
*
List of Indian architects
The following is a list of notable architects.
17th &18th century architects
19th century
* Henry Irwin
* Samuel Swinton Jacob
* Frederick William Stevens
* Charles Wyatt
* Edwin Lutyens
* Herbert Baker
20th and 21st centuries
* Laurie ...
*
List of architecture firms
The following is a list of architectural firms. It includes notable worldwide examples of architecture firms, companies, practices, partnerships, etc.
1–9
*360 Architecture, United States
*3LHD, Croatia
* 3XN, Denmark
* 1100 Architect ...
*
List of architects
The following is a list of notable architects – well-known individuals with a large body of published work or notable structures, which point to an article in the English Wikipedia.
Early architects
* Aa ( Middle Kingdom), Egyptian
*Amenhote ...
*
Women in architecture
References
General sources
*
*
*
*
External links
Shilpa Architects– Official web site of architect's firm.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sri Prakash, Sheila
1955 births
Living people
20th-century Indian architects
Indian women designers
20th-century Indian designers
Artists from Bhopal
Urban designers
Women inventors
Indian women architects
Women artists from Madhya Pradesh
20th-century Indian women artists
21st-century Indian designers
21st-century Indian women artists
21st-century Indian architects
Businesswomen from Madhya Pradesh
Businesspeople from Bhopal
Indian women business executives
Indian women company founders
Indian company founders
21st-century Indian businesspeople
21st-century Indian businesswomen
20th-century Indian businesswomen
20th-century Indian businesspeople