Modern Regionalism as Perceived through Design: Minnette De Silva's Architecture
This week in Daak:
1. Modern Regionalism as Perceived Through Design: Minnette De Silva's Architecture - a piece by Daak Intern, Sahar Basharat
2. Celebrate the Change of Seasons
3. Daak Recommends
1. Modern Regionalism as Perceived Through Design: Minnette De Silva's Architecture
Minnette De Silva (1918-1998) was born in Kandy, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), into a political active family; her father was a leading politician and her mother was an activist championing universal suffrage. Even though she grew up in a liberal family, her father opposed her decision to pursue architecture. Nonetheless, her resolute nature, which one can see throughout her professional life, won. She went on to become the first modern architect from Sri Lanka, the first female to establish her own practice called the Studio of Modern Architecture, the first Asian citizen to be elected as associate at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1948, the first female to be awarded the Sri Lankan Institute of Architects gold medal in 1996 and the first female architect of Sri Lanka.
Minnette De Silva often introduced herself as an “Asian Woman Architect.” In a profession dominated by men, the struggle to prove her ability and expertise was constant. Even today, despite her contribution to architecture, she is largely forgotten and her works have been dismantled and replaced by large, luxurious hotels and skyscrapers.
She first studied at the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai and then attended the Government College of Architecture at the Sir J.J. School of Art in 1941. Among forty men, she was the only woman. In 1945, she started contributing to the Modern Architect Research Group or Marg magazine founded by Mulk Raj Anand in which her sister Anil was an editor. In 1945, she left for London to study at the Architectural Association.
Her ability to find her place among some of the best architects both in Mumbai and London was partly due to her upbringing and access to elite circles. She attended the Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM) in Bridgewater, England (1947) as a representative of Marg. In a room full of the world’s most eminent architects, she strode confidently with a copy of the magazine tucked under her arm. Her presence was enough to draw attention and throughout her time in England, she did not let her foreign identity stop her from learning and forming associations; in fact, she embraced it. Her professional and social circle included people like Home Bhabha, Picasso, Brancusi and Le Corbusier.
Her designs were ecological, participative and well ahead of her time. She is considered to be a pioneer of what she called modern regionalism, now known as critical regionalism. Her first project in Sri Lanka was the Karunaratne House (1947-51), through which one can see her philosophy. She hired local artisans to weave Dumbara mats which were then used as panelling for internal doors; used fire clay tiles which had local patterns; and commissioned local artist George Keyt to paint a mural. She once remarked:
It is essential for us to absorb what we absolutely need from the modern West, and to learn to keep the best of our own traditional forms.
The house she designed for the Pierises in 1952 represents her ideology of modern regionalism. Its design borrows from western trends while incorporating local art and design. Her trademark features were open courtyards (meda midula) and verandas brought to life with trees and shrubs. Her sense of using space is what set her apart from the architects of her time. The spaces in her designs seamlessly flowed into one another, creating a sense of movement. The flow from the modern exterior juxtaposed with traditional interior design did not seem abrupt, but intentional and artistic.
Minette De Silva also tried to develop low-cost alternatives in architecture by using indigenous building methods like the rammed-earth technology which makes use of natural raw materials like earth, chalk, lime or gravel for construction purposes. When designing projects like the public housing scheme in Kandy (1958), she extensively conversed with residents to incorporate their ideas within the houses. While this participatory and inclusive approach is celebrated today, De Silva practised it decades ago without much fanfare. She wanted the space to be comfortable and useful to those who would occupy it. She also started designing living spaces that were more concise, keeping in mind congested towns like those in Colombo.
We must re-orientate our ideas for living comfortably in congested towns like Colombo, where we no longer have expansive acres of garden and spacious cool pillared halls.
“Her multivalent practice does deserve critical consideration,” says Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi, an assistant professor at Barnard College and Columbia University’s Department of Architecture. “I also believe there is a collective need to honor it. I think every time there is a conversation about Minnette de Silva, there's an expression of collective feeling about every woman who has been forgotten. There is a feeling of loss about this specific architect, and a broader collective feeling of loss about something bigger, whether it's women architects, or Sri Lanka, or the first generation of South Asian modernists.”
Despite facing many challenges, Minnette De Silva persevered in her passion to reform architecture in Sri Lanka and beyond. Even though she was considered a “difficult woman”, until the very end, she stayed true to her vision of design.
By Sahar Basharat
2. Celebrate the Change of Seasons
Celebrate the arrival of Spring (or the anticipation of Summer and Monsoon) with our seasonal itr prepared and bottled in Kannauj, the perfume capital of India.
3. Daak Recommends
See some of Minnette De Silva’s designs here and here. Complement these with a talk on De Silva’s life and work, with wonderfully intimate stories and anecdotes.