Ezine Special
Photography:
Courtesy the architect
A walk
down memory lane with Ar. Jaisim, revisiting his formative years, his
milestones and the lives and beliefs that have touched his growing years, introduces
us to the profound thinker behind the bemused visage. As he fondly pays homage
to a host of mentors, Ar. Jaisim unravels infinitesimal nuggets of wisdom…
“I have
been addressed in many ways; radical being the simplest,” laughs Ar. Jaisim,
his eyes twinkling as he amiably continues… “Mad, iconic, crazy, no way,
impossible, adventurous, arrogant, stupid, imaginative, daring, impetuous… Well,
I can only smile and reflect with a built response.”
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With an
illustrious maternal grandfather, the Late Shri. S.H. Lakshminarasappa, who was
the Palace architect in the erstwhile Mysore Maharajah's reign from late 1890s to
about 1940s, Jaisim’s earliest influence, was that of his mother’s. She was instrumental
in his joining architecture school.
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Jaisim
thus embarked on a long sojourn of imbibing various and varied nuances that
went on to mark his success. It was from Prof. K.N. Iyengar that he learnt the importance of a meticulous
approach-to-detail with relevance to history; while an accidental meet with
Prof. Otto Koingsberger, Head of Tropical Studies, London, influenced the
way he continues to design with context.
Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead has wielded a potent influence on a multitude,
and Jaisim was no different. His read of the book sowed the seeds of
introspection and had so profound an effect on his psyche that he named his
company ‘Fountainhead’. Till date, it continues to be the backbone of the
philosophy of his practice.
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His learnings are from various people, who he ascribes to for his
inspiration; considers his mentors, even his friends. Reminiscing about his
humble beginnings, Jaisim pays homage to Mr. Pakeer Mohamed Mydeen, M.P. of
Mydeen and CO, tobacco merchants, who led him by his hand, became his first
client and gave him the freedom to express with a no-holds-barred attitude.
“This was my Alice in Wonderland experience,” he says reverently.
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Ecologically and empirically, Jaisim connects with the built form as he
would conduct a dialogue with his immediate surrounds. In fact, browsing
through his projects, many a time, one feels that the space is a result of an
intimate interaction with its architect; so familiar that it sublimely relates
to the inherent needs of its inhabitants. Such profundity is layered in his
work, in his numerous writings, his speeches and presentations, to an extent in
his silhouette.
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Jaisim’s four year tenure with Ar. Sri Krishna Chitale of L M Chitale
& Son, soon after he graduated, taught him significant tenets of a
professional and ethical approach; the importance of site and understanding
of structure and material in detail; he also learnt how to understand
his client. His first partner, structural engineer and consultant, Mr. P. S.
Sivasubramaniam further consolidated his concept of structures and their
integration with the built spaces. A facet that was further enhanced with a
chance working opportunity with Ar. Geoffrey Bawa, and Jaisim began to
experience a new high, recognizing organic stimulations. His travels, far and
wide and his continual interactions with students of architecture, opened up
the spheres of his vision; he could now see, feel, touch, learn and respond
with expressions more intense, more mature than before.
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The man, the architect, got stronger in his convictions; could
challenge the best in the world. And in this voyage of discovering himself and
finding his watershed, his wife and daughter stand by him, staunchly supporting
the fragility that lay encased behind a continuum of strong beliefs and
uncompromising practice.
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A simple arrogance, pride in oneself and one’s creative
achievement defines his USP. “Architecture is a unique profession if practiced to its depths and
demands the courage of conviction to continue to believe in what one
does, this need fueling constantly,” he concludes. “It is a selfish approach to
optimize the entire spectrum while one
continuously dares to journey and climb the peaks, to seek new valleys of
surprise and intrigue.”
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Thank you, Savitha Hira! It has been quite lovely to see how you have put together and created a coherent thread of events, projects and philosophy for one of the most remarkable people of our time! Quite a tribute.
ReplyDeleteHe is a synonym for Architecture. He is the one who titillated the Indian architecture most. -Basavaraju DS
ReplyDeletesometimes I wonder. The lonely journey. Every step discovering a direction in all dimensions. There is silence in the loudness of chaos that pollutes the environment. Yet one discovers order and a philosophic justice.
ReplyDelete