August 15, 2013
The local chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects in Ahmedabad started a new lecture series that invited design practices that were two generations or older, to talk about what does design lineage mean, and to ask how such firms evolve.
M/s.Prabhakar B. Bhagwat, was the first in the series.
It was an hour long presentation that talked about the genesis of the firm, showed some representative work, and also saw many members of the design team taking the stage and sharing their experience of working in the firm.
Ms. Samira Rathod of SRDA: Mumbai, conducted the proceedings.
Prof. P. B. Bhagwat and Aniket Bhagwat took the stage together and talked to each other, interrupted each other, corrected each other in what many felt was a moment in design history.
Some vignettes
Mr. B.V.Bhagwat, Prof. P. B. Bhagwat’s father. Along side Prof. P.B. Bhagwats elder sister who was a botanist.
Sakaal – Marathi daily newspaper started since 1932.
Weekly farm consultation to Sakaal’ s public forum started by Mr.B. V. Bhagwat
Empress Botanical Garden, Pune
In 1930s, Mr. B. V. Bhagwat, Prof. Prabhakar B. Bhagwat’s father was a poor student but excellent with numbers. Having worked on flower farms, and kept accounts; he applied for a job at the Empress Botanical Gardens in Pune, then the second such institution in India, as an accountant. As luck would have it, the day he applied, the old clerk was caught stealing money, and the administrator of the gardens gave him the job. Many months later, when the post of the Superintendent was vacated, Mr.B.V. Bhagwat was the natural choice and thus started the foray in landscape design.
Prof. P. B. Bhagwat started work at the gardens in his teen, and later went to Holland, to study, and then to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen to do a course in “Garden Art”, where he worked with C. Th. Sorenson. This was followed by a course in landscape design, perhaps only the second one in the world in the 1950s at Newcastle-on-Tyne, where his teacher was Brian Hackett, the well-known landscape architect, teacher and author of seminal books like Planting Design.
Prof. P.B.Bhagwat
Seminar on ‘Landscape Architecture’ held in Feb 1958 by School of Town and Country Planning, New Delhi intending to form the ‘Landscape Architectural Association’
Proposal for establishment of bibliographical and documentation centre for landscape planning at the National Institute of Design in late 1960’s
The Rules and Regulations of the ‘Landscape Architectural Association’ framed in late 1960’s
The first attempt to set up a organization for those engaged in landscape design in India was started by Prof. Manikkam of The School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi in 1958. In a letter similar to the one written to Mr. B. V. Bhagwat he invited many to come forward and help in the formation of a national body. Nothing came of it.
Upon return to India, in a landscape assignment, Prof. P. B. Bhagwat met Mr. A. R. Kanvinde the well known architect, who recommended Prof. Bhagwat for a job at IIT Khargapur to teach landscape design, where he then studied Town Planning and in 1965 on a chance lecture at Ahmedabad when NID was just being formed was offered a job. He stayed there till 1971. In addition to other responsibilities he started the first attempt to systematically organize all knowledge on Environmental Planning and Landscape Design in the late 1960s.
Not very happy with life in Delhi where he headed for a short period the first landscape programme in India, he returned to set up his design office in Ahmedabad in 1971, which till date continues under its original name- M/s.Prabhakar B. Bhagwat.
In Ahmedabad he established the course of landscape design at CEPT University in 1991, rated by all as the best course today in the country. In CEPT, he, along with other landscape architects, established the first national body of landscape architects in India, ISOLA, ( Indian Society of Landscape Architects) in 2003.
A file picture of Mr. Aniket Bhagwat and his older brother.
Many members in the firm were asked, what was it to work in the space with a father and a son. This is what some had to say.
Jigar Shah
Bachelor of Architecture, CEPT , Ahmedabad in the year 2006
(With the firm now for 7 years he anchors a significant number of architectural projects in the firm, and is a key designer. He looks at design variations, development , technical drawings , and site monitoring.)
“One of the most enjoyable and learning experience in the office is when both of them sit together for a discussion. Aniket sir will walk in to Bade sir’s room saying “Mr. Bhagwat if you have some time we need to do some work” Bade sir will reply “Yes, Mr. Bhagwat what can I do for you.” It makes you smile seeing both father and son addressing each other as “Mr. Bhagwat”. With great sense of humor they start a rigorous discussion on planting design for a project.”
Vinay Kushwah
Bachelor of Architecture, SCET, Surat in the year 2003
Masters in Landscape Architecture, CEPT, Ahmedabad in the year 2006
Member – Council of Architecture
Associate Member – Indian Society of Landscape Architects
(With the firm now for 7 years of experience, he is a key designer at the firm, oversees Landscape Design, Master Planning and some architectural commissions.)
“While the son teaches you every day the value of design, discipline and self-exploration and constantly reminds you that “life is what you make out of it”;the father blesses me by sharing his old and ongoing secret love affair with plants along with other values of being a good human being the way he continues to live at the age of 84. They are two towers connected with a bridge of energy, positivity and quest for learning every day in life. It is a pleasant walk on this bridge …………..”
Ending the talk ,beyond professional work, academic engagements and related accolades, Mr. Aniket Bhagwat stressed that the firm held some ideas dear, and these were the underpinnings of the organization.
