The monograph we’ve been waiting for

People would often be so intrigued by architect Brinda Somaya’s presentations and lectures at events that they would inquire if there were books exploring her works. Turns out there was none — until now. ‘Brinda Somaya – Works & Continuities’ is the monograph the architecture and design community has been waiting for. This comprehensive monograph chronicles the personal and professional journey of the Indian architect and urban conservationist from 1975 to the present. It is also the first Indian woman architect’s monograph to be published. The book explores a cross-section of Somaya’s diverse typology of projects, including housing, institutions, conservation, urban design, social design and industrial works that represent a unique ‘non-stylistic’ grammar that has a sense of ‘order and appropriateness’. Belonging to the ‘Bridge Generation’, her work transcends stylistic vocabulary and draws its inspiration from Indian culture, the landscape of the subcontinent and principles of sustainable design and intervention. Situating her work in a broader context, the essays in the volume offer multiple perspectives on Somaya’s accomplishments, while the dialogues outline the concerns central to her work. Readers can find essays by Jon Lang, Porus Olpadwala, Mary Norman Woods and Ruturaj Parikh, and dialogues with Arun Shourie, Kamu Iyer and Saryu Doshi.