Profile: MANURAJ C R

About MANURAJ C R : I'm Manuraj C R.I'm an Architect.I grew up watching my father, the master craftsman that he is, which has always been the foundation to my love for art and architecture. The artistry stayed and circulated in the family, ever since I can remember. I feel blessed to have been introduced to all of it at a young age, with my father being the Guru. Over the years, passion for art then evolved to architecture, which is still on its journey of exploration. My association with the design school, School of architecture- Government Engineering College Thrissur, from where I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in the year 2013, is strongly evocative till time. College was a platform of self-exploration and the one which paved my way deeper into the subject, with my mentors/teachers being the torchbearers. Interactive discussions and brainstorming sessions with fellow colleagues has been a practice since the college days till date, which has always given way for wilder ideas, better solutions and is an effective tool for keeping myself updated in the field. Geoffrey Bawa, one of the most important Asian Architects of the twentieth century has been a true inspiration for me, ever since I’ve grown my interest in Architecture, especially of the tropical scenario. The uniqueness and climate adeptness in his designs are a beautiful portrayal of his journey of self-discoveries mostly through travelling and deep routed understanding of contexts. His harmonious fusion of local building traditions with modern forms has hugely influenced me in framing my design principles.The decision to start my own practice, i2a: Inspire to Aspire Architects studio in 2016 was a call of passion. The intension of creating my own design space was to develop a platform where I could apply my skillsets and design principles that I have acquired over the years through my experiences from training in other offices as well as travel explorations. Making the base strong is key to any successful venture and my base is my team, a group of likeminded people with unity and agreeableness as our binding principles.I believe our success lies in finding the right balance between staying true to our design principles and fulfilling the client’s aspirations to their level of satisfaction. Each project is unique with varying requirements and the approach to each of it is different but the design principle is sustained as the only constant every time. The core principle being, designing with a deep rooted awareness of the context and sustaining the ecological balance intact as far as possible. Creating a dialogue with nature is essential to any building’s balanced existence in the environment it is in. As mentioned above, I started my own individual practice with an objective to create a platform/creative space to apply the results of my architectural observations and experiments. It has been a journey of continuous evolution since the beginning, as nothing around us is constant relative to time and this reflects in the practice as well. There is an essential need to keep ourselves updated every day in order to design in the present for a future which is unknown. One thing that almost everyone in the profession faces is the clash of opinions/criticisms from within the work group itself and it is very important to address it in a constructive manner and not the other way, as it may make way for unhealthy ego clashes which will ultimately reflect in quality of the project. Another important thing that we try to stay away from is the practice of compromising/ altering our design principles to adjust to certain needs of the clients, which may not be suitable to the context of the project. My path- breaking project has been Nivriti – The house of bliss, a residence project completed in 2017. The project was recognized and appreciated by many honorable personalities in various platforms. I believe what made it stand out was the successful rendering of our design principles – traditional concepts represented in modern ways, adapted to the occupants lifestyle and contextual environment. The design scenarios have been constantly evolving over the years and the modernization of designs these days are getting closely associated with westernization in terms of building forms and material selection which can adversely affect the contextual behavior of the building .Over usage of material palette is one practice which breaks the genuineness of the space. Another practice seen today is the demand for provision of courtyards/ open spaces without proper reasons or particular needs that it is bound to serve. Such practices which can even damage the building’s life expectancy should not be encouraged. Design is truly design when the user begins to utilize a space in the same manner we, as designers, intended to, while designing it. We, here in India is blessed with an immense palette of materials and has a deep rooted rich history. The reflection of modernism in buildings in the present scene should not create a break/ gap between the building and its sense of place/ its history. We as designers should focus on bridging that gap with a clear understanding of our origins. What we have in hand should be put to maximum use before we search for foreign alternatives. Sketching whatever ideas coming to my mind has always been an effective tool to translate design concepts, especially during the initial stages of a project. Most of the times, it is through sketching that certain design solutions are found. Staying energized, especially while working as a team is very important and we at office keep each other energized through healthy group discussions and by creating a full time interactive environment. Travelling explorations have always been a part of me both outside as well as inside the profession. There is a lot that one can take away from the travelling experiences. Other activities that I engage myself in during leisure time are choreography and playing cricket. I enjoy spending whatever free time available, outside the profession, with my family and that quality time is essential to keep the mind energized throughout, even during the work hours. I believe in creating a family like environment inside office as well and that helps in maintaining a positive environment throughout. The evolution from being a student architect to a practicing professional was a journey of constant exploration and experimentation. In design school, it is the development of conceptual ideas that dominated the whole design process while during professional practice it is equally important to provide practical solutions aiding the execution of concepts. I mark my growth each day in tackling the challenges faced by finding practical and optimal solutions to it.

Along with my professional practice, I would like to mentor the design generation of tomorrow with an aim to share my knowledge and experiences and be a part in developing a design culture which is individual specific and context responsive.

 

Good design deserves great recognition.

A' Design Award & Competition.