INCREMENTAL

HOUSING
BELAPUR
1983-86
BY CHARLES
CORREA

Charles Mark Correa

Born on September 1, 1930,
Secunderabad

Charles Mark Correa

Born on September 1, 1930,
Secunderabad

Awards

RIBA Royal Gold Medal - 1984.

Padma Vibhushan (2006)
Padma Shri (1972).
Praemium Imperiale (1994)
7th Aga Khan Award for Architecture for Madhya Pradesh
Legislative Assembly (1998)
Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (2005)

"Making housing is like a bird building

its nest" - Charles Correa

"Making housing is like a bird building

its nest" - Charles Correa
Design Principle
You start with a basic house, but
you have to let people change it to
their own needs

To give each unit its

own site to allow for
expansion
(Incrementality)

Embracing The Vernacular

"The rich Indian, driving his new Mercedes, just couldn't understand why a white
person would be sitting in the road with lice in his hair. A friend of mine used to say
that the hippy is sending us a signal: 'I am coming from where you are going,' he is
saying. 'And it's not worth going there.'"

What is vernacular

Embracing The Vernacular

"The rich Indian, driving his new Mercedes, just couldn't understand why a white
person would be sitting in the road with lice in his hair. A friend of mine used to say
that the hippy is sending us a signal: 'I am coming from where you are going,' he is
saying. 'And it's not worth going there.'"

What is vernacular

The simple product of

climate, landscape and
local techniques

Natural , locally occurring materials

simple structural system
Traditional architectural style responding to climate

Master Plan
Project demonstrates how
high density housing (500
people per hectare) can be
achieved in a low-rise
typology, while including
open to sky spaces and
services, like schools, that
the community requires

UNIT TYPOLOGY

4
3

6
1

4
3

6
1

Central Community Space (8x8)

4
3

6
1

Central Community Space (8x8)

Seven individual units make one cluster

Central Community Space (12x12)

Central Community Space (12x12)

Central Community Space (12x12)

3 Clusters together form a single module

Central Community Space (12x12)

8x8

12x12

3 Modules come together to form a

Larger community space (20x20)

SoDid it work?

References
http://archnet.org/system/publications/contents/7087/original/DPC3963.pdf?1384808064
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2013/may/15/charles-correa-indiagreatest-architect-exhibition

http://www.charlescorrea.net/

http://thearchiblog.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/charles-correa-church-at-parumala-and-belapur-housing/

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/building-in-the-vernacular-charles-correa-and-the-idea-of-india

http://www.mukogawa-u.ac.jp/~iasu2012/pdf/iaSU2012_Proceedings_404.pdf

http://huntington.wmc.ohiostate.edu/public/index.cfm?fuseaction=showThisDetail&ObjectID=30029419&detail=large

Thank you.
Questions?