Charles Correa

Charles Correa (born in Hyderabad, India on September 1, 1930) is an Indian architect, planner, activist, theoretician and a fundamental figure in the worldwide panorama of contemporary architecture. He studied architecture at the University of Michigan and at Massachusetts Institute of Technology after which he established a private practice in Bombay in 1958. His work in India shows a careful development, understanding and adaptation of Modernism to a non-western culture. His early works attempt to explore a local vernacular within a modern environment. His land-use planning and community projects continually try to go beyond typical solutions to third world problems. All of his work - from the planning of Navi Mumbai to the carefully detailed memorial to Mahatma Gandhi at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad has placed special emphasis on prevailing resources, energy and climate as major determinants in the ordering of space. Over the last four decades, Correa has done pioneering work in urban issues and low cost shelter in the Third World. From 1970-75, he was Chief Architect for New Bombay an urban growth center of 2 million people, across the harbor from the existing city. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appointed him Chairman of the National Commission on Urbanization. In 1984, he founded the prestigious Urban Design Research Institute in Bombay which to this day is dedicated to the protection of the built environment and improvement of urban communities.He was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal for the year 1984. His acclaimed design for McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT was dedicated recently. He is a recipient of the civilian awards in India, Padma Vibhushan (2006) and Padma Shri (1972). In 2008 he resigned his commission as the head of Delhi Urban Arts Commission.
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