balkrishna doshi, india's pioneering architect and educator, passes away aged 95

balkrishna doshi (1927-2023)

Balkrishna Doshi, India’s pioneering and award-winning architect, urban planner, and educator, has passed away at the age of 95. Several platforms and renowned figures, including Hans Ulrich Obrist and Vadeha Art Gallery, have shared the saddening news earlier today on Instagram.

Over the past 70 years, Doshi – who was also awarded the 2018 Pritzker prize (read our dedicated interview here) – has completed more than 100 built projects. His work has significantly influenced the advancement of architecture in India and its adjacent regions through both his practice and his teaching. ‘My works are an extension of my life, philosophy and dreams trying to create treasury of the architectural spirit,‘ shared Balkrishna Doshi following his award. 

Last June, The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has also  formally presented Balkrishna Doshi with the 2022 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture. Approved personally by Her Majesty the Queen, the Royal Gold Medal was awarded to the renowned Indian architect in a virtual ceremony hosted by the organization and President Simon Allford.

Balkrishna Doshi (1927 – 2023) | image courtesy of VSF, and the Pritzker Architecture Prize

the legacy of india’s most influential visionary 

Born in 1927 in Pune, India, Balkrishna Bithaldas (B.V) Doshi graduated from the JJ School of Architecture in Bombay and went on to work with Le Corbusier for four years as senior designer in Paris (1951-54), and four more years in India to supervise projects in Ahmedabad. He then worked with Louis Kahn as an associate to build the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and they continued to collaborate for over a decade. In 1956, Doshi founded his own practice, Vastushilpa, with two architects, which is now a multi-disciplinary practice with five partners spanning three generations, and sixty employees.

one of India’s most influential educators |  image © Pratik Gajjar (also header image)

Balkrishna Doshi’s architecture explores the relationships between fundamental needs of human life, connectivity to self and culture, and understanding of social traditions, within the context of a place and its environment, and through a response to modernism. He describes architecture as an extension of the body, and he seeks to appropriately use materials that address function, while considering climate, landscape, and urbanization. Combining pioneering modernism with vernacular, Doshi’s buildings are informed by a deep appreciation of the traditions of India’s architecture, climate, local culture and craft.

Sangath Architect’s Studio, Ahmedabad, India, 1980 | image courtesy VSF & The Pritzker Architecture Prize

Indian Institute Of Management, Bangalore, 1977-1992 | image courtesy VSF & The Pritzker Architecture Prize

Amdavad Ni Gufa, Ahmedabad, India, 1994 | image courtesy of VSF & The Pritzker Architecture Prize

Amdavad Ni Gufa, Ahmedabad, India, 1994 | image courtesy VSF, and The Pritzker Architecture Prize