India’s First Architect Winning Pritzker Prize, B.V Doshi Dies at 95

India's first architect that won the Pritzker Prize, Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, also called B.V. Doshi, passed away at the age of 95 in Ahmedabad, India, on January 24, 2023. As one of the most influential architects in India thanks to his works full of philosophy and dedication to the development of architecture in India. He started his architectural journey in Le Corbusier in 1951 with projects in charming Ahmedabad. 

Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi

He also co-founded the Indian Institute of Management with Louis Kahn. In 1955 Vastushilpa Consultants was founded, which successfully worked on more than 100 projects, with works covering various buildings with administrative, cultural, and educational facilities, housing construction, and residential buildings. In 2018 he became the first Indian architect to receive the Pritzker Architecture Award, one of the most prestigious awards in architecture fields.

Also, some of the other awards obtained are France's highest award for art and the Royal Gold Medal 2022 from the Royal Institute of British Architects, an annual award given to those who have contributed to the advancement of architecture.

Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi

One form of his commitment to solving the housing problem in India, he designed affordable housing, namely Life Insurance Company Housing in Ahmedabad (1973) and Aranya Low-Cost Housing in Indore (1989). Balkrishna Doshi's perseverance as an architect can be seen from his hard work, which he has been designing for approximately 70 years and producing the work of some of the most iconic buildings in India. Here are three architectural works already designed by Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi.

Sangath Studio 

Sangath studio is a sustainable school in India built in 1981. "It's very blending the image and the Indian lifestyle association. It has become a sanctuary of culture, art, and sustainability where research, institutional facilities, and maximum sustainability are emphasized." Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi said. The uniqueness of this building lies in the curved shape of the roof, which is iconic and is the hallmark of the Sangath Studio building.

Sangath Studio

Indian Institute of Management 

Built-in 1985, this campus is an educational center with the principle of openness and encourages student discussion. The ideas implemented include Indian architecture that adapts to the environment and conditions in the local area. The campus was built in the west of Bangalore City, India. The visual impression of the campus that applies gray is almost all over the walls without finishing and exposing the material.

Indian Institute of Management

Aranya Low-Cost Housing 

It is a project with 80 models of houses built in 1989 on a plot of 30 square meters with brick mats equipped with toilets, water, and electricity facilities allocated to each house. The house's façade is made with a minimalist shape of blocks and a pink finish. The project was designed to address the problem of people in India lacking homes at the time.

Aranya Low Cost Housing

Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, besides being an architect, has also worked as an educator in several universities and established the Vastu Shilpa Foundation to help develop design and planning standards in India.