Climate and Urban Design Responsive Modern Architecture in Existing Setting

ISSN 2277-5056 | © 2012 Bonfring Abstract--The major cities of India are going through huge metamorphosis under the impact of globalization, population increment, housing demand and tremendous financial investment in building industry. Rapid development of high-rise and four-five storied residential buildings are observed at every possible part of the city. In designing the city so, residential buildings are being built in quite standardized forms. Consideration for local climate, environment, urban context and overall harmony in many designs are missing. With technological advancements and new materials introduced for construction of architecture, it has become a complex system than of previous definitions about it. Now, especially commercial and public buildings take unusual forms in non-conventional materials and most of the buildings are designed as to be centrally air-conditioned consuming huge energy. On the contrary, there is worldly concern about global warming and climate change and environmental impact of buildings and environmental pollution and a quest for appropriate development that would be sustainable. To address that, on the one hand, an architect should follow the much-forgotten classical design approach based on nature, context, function, beauty and harmony and on the other hand, his architectural answer should be climate responsive, energy saving and sustainable. The three-storied residential building of Mr. Samar Banerjee in Kolkata designed by the author is one example of modern architecture that respects all and merges with the old existing urban setting though being distinct about self.