Celebrated Mumbai-based architect Bijoy Jain explains how local lore can inform beautiful and sustainable architecture. He discusses traditional methods of plastering that rely on the material 'cooperating' with the plasterer; the quality of the light through a marble roof (chosen for its regional convenience and suitability); and the notion that a building's centre acts as its 'belly button', amongst other things.
The word ‘lore’ refers to a body of knowledge, especially of a traditional nature, typically passed on by word of mouth. So, how does the concept of lore relate to architecture?
Jain studied and worked in architecture in the United States before returning to India in 1995 to establish his practice. Jain has won many awards for his work, including the Grande Medaille d’Or from the Academie D’Architecture in Paris (2014), and was commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation to design this year’s annual MPavilion in Melbourne.
Presented in partnership with MPavilion, the University of Melbourne and the Australia India Institute.