Works and Philosophy of Architect BS BHOOSHAN

1. AR. B S BHOOSHAN
PHILOSOPHY AND WORKS

2. ABOUT THE ARCHITECT
B. Shashi Bhooshan did his B. Arch from Kerala University, Master of Town Planning from Madras
University and a Ph. D from Mysore University. He taught and researched at School of Planning
and Architecture, Chennai and Institute of Development Studies at University of Mysore. He was a
consultant to UN at Nagoya and was associated with Human settlement studies of the
International Institute of Environment and Development, London on several policy studies in
India and other Asian countries. Since 1987, Dr. Bhooshan is practicing architecture in Mysore and
Bangalore.
Dr. Bhooshan’s works have received critical acclaim; Nine awards and prizes at national level
including Four IIA awards for excellence in Architecture from the Indian Institute of Architects,
one JK Cements Architect of the Year Award and one HUDCO Prize, an award and a special
mention from A+D Spectrum Awards in architecture and one STONA Prize for excellence in use
of stone in architecture. Shashi Bhooshan had been associated with many educational institutions
on Board of Studies, Doctoral committees and also as doctoral guide. He was a visiting professor at
Mysore University, Professor of Eminence at RV College of Engineering, Bangalore and currently
he is a Professor of Architecture and Research Advisor at the BMS College of Engineering,
Bangalore. He had lectured at various National and International Fora and Institutions. He has
written on development planning, human settlements, housing and architecture and is the author
and editor of five books on human settlement policies in Asia besides numerous papers and
articles.

3. Mr. Bhooshan’s works have received critical acclaim — eight awards and prizes at national level in
three Journal of Indian Institute of Architects (JIIA) awards. Dr. Bhooshan has written on development
planning, human settlements, housing and architecture, and is the author and editor of five books on
human settlement policies in Asia, besides numerous papers and articles.
In the Mysore area, B S Bhooshan pioneered the use of discarded wood, from fallen coconut trees, as
well as salvaged materials, in building construction. He has used these materials, traditional technology
and Mangalore tiled roofs, over wall-less spaces. in a number of recent resort and health clinics
(examples: The Village (1997), and Le Olive (1999)). The goal has been to deal with the climate without
resorting to expensive cooling devices.

4. MALLIKARJUN
RESIDENCE
Built on a plot of 40’ x 60’ in an
upcoming area in Bangalore, India, this
house for a successful young
entrepreneur reacts positively to the
emerging life style with all the confusions
of present day Bangalore: part traditional
part contemporary, conservative in some
respects and forward looking in others
and emerging social habits and hobbies .
It is an inward looking compact 4
bedroom house with modern
conveniences and protection and privacy
from nuisances of its urban milieu. All
heating and ventilation is natural,
materials local, and the design fully
embraces available traditional artisan
skills. The walls are largely load bearing
with bricks and local hand cut stones and
roof of concrete filler slabs and vaults
with hollow clay blocks. Use of wood,
steel, glass and vitrified ceramics along
with the internal angles and volumes and
merging of green patches in living areas
and patches of sunlight filtering in
through punctures in the roof add the
traditional warmth as well as a
contemporary feel.

7. FLOOR PLAN
Floor plan of the residence
showing various spaces.

8. HEGDE
HOUSE,
MYSORE
This 3200 sq. ft house was designed
for a former Vice Chancellor of
Mysore University on a site of 50’ x
80’. Small patches of three green
courtyards were carved out of the
site to be accessed from living and
dining rooms. The roof is made of
hollow clay block vaulting and brick
doming with out centering. A wood
bridge over the living connects the
front and rear rooms in the first
floor. Sky lighting is used with
advantage. The house incorporates
rain water harvesting and solar
water heating.
Client: Prof. SN. Hegde
Design team: BS Bhooshan, Sunil
Nayak
Structural Design: C.N Yadunandan

12. MAHALAXMI
BHAVANA
Client and contractors: PG Setty
Group
Location: Vidyaranyapuram,
Mysore
A choultry is used variously as a
marriage hall,party hall and
lodge and recently for
exhibitions,sales and even
conferences,thus the onus has
always been on a functional
agenda.As a commercial
type,the onus was on the
maximum of efficiency and not
on social,cultural and other
generators of form.The firm
attempted to question this
functionalist bias.

13. SEATING
PLAN

14. The plan configured into
two intersecting circles
along the east west
diagonal of the site
allowing the largest
possible space for
auditorium. The space
developed as two slightly
elliptical cones placed at 30
degrees and 60-degree of
axes tilts and intersecting in
the middle. This generated
a sectional profile
conducive to good
acoustics. The cones
define the space into two
sections, one highlighting
the front part and stage
and the other, the rear and
mezzanine.

15. Semantically, it may signify
the union of two (boy and
girl or two families) or
interaction of two segments
(panellist and audience). The
cones with skylights and
vents on top of each also
could function as chimneys
allowing hot air to rise and
thus generate a vertical draft
of air. The skylights also
will enliven and enhance the
lighting and the general
ambience. They could also
provide interesting ceiling
pattern making one to look
up towards sky while
entering and add to a
solemn spatial experience.

16. INTERIORS

17. INTERIORS

18. ENTRANCE

19. BALCONY

20. BHOOSHAN
HOUSE
Type of Building - Single
family Residence
Site Area - 211.00 m²
Number of Floors - 2
Gross floor area - 150 m²
Net floor area - 125 m²
Total Cost - INR 350000
Cost per m² - INR 2333
Year of completion - 1989
(marginal modification of toilets
and kitchen cabinets in 2010)
Year of occupancy - 1989

21. This is a modest size building in
a small site in a higher income
locality in Mysore City.
Built in 1985-1989 with path
breaking techniques of
Stabilized Mud Blocks and filler
slab roofs as well as uncommon
spatial sequence and openings
all responding to the smallness
of the site and the local
moderate climate.
Perched upon eight columns,
this small house for a young
family at a tight budget was
designed responding to hot
months.
The double pitched roof was a
response to the form of houses
found around in the traditional
rural Mysore.

22. SITE PLAN
A coverage of about 100 sq.m
was possible.
Leaving larger area of Ground
Floor unbuilt for landscape,
composting, storage and vehicle
parking as well as children's'
play, this house when built for
two working parents and two
school going children, tried to
fit in the locality and the site.

23. BUILDING
DESIGN
The main living floor with living,
dining, kitchen and two bedrooms
with toilets and an attic study was all
housed at First floor
The entrance level at ground have a
small entry space for casual visitors
and a guest bed room as well a book
store.
The ground floor bed room 600 mm
below the entry level is a large room
opening to a enclosed garden at rear.
A small area of about 15 sq.m at
northwest corner is used for
composting, rain water harvesting, a
sump well , water pump and UPS,
rough store and gas cylinder.
An open covered space is used as
parking and multipurpose space.
A small deck at first floor over the
entrance at First Floor and the front
green space in Ground floor are used
for summer evenings.
A water tank, solar water heater are
housed over the roof. '

24. NATURAL
LIGHTING
Natural diffused light using a
central skylight, all round strip
ventilator openings in split level
roof ,long windows to light floors
make the spaces pleasant and
bright with changing moods
through out the day.
WATER
EFFICIENCY
Use of sump wells and overhead
tank manages erratic civic water
supply.
Rain water harvesting with
centrifugal filter use 90 percent of
the roof capture.
Natural lighting
methods in the
house

25. INTERIOR
VIEWS

26. INTERIOR
VIEWS

27. PASSIVE
COOLING
The centre of the building has
the perforated stairs raising up
like a chimney with a glass box
ventilator on top. This makes
the hot air rise and sucks in
fresh air at various levels.
Even the walls of the bedroom
do not reach the ceiling to allow
air circulation at higher level.
The roof is a low radiating filler
slab with hollow clay blocks and
screed concrete on top. This
reduces heat by 5 to 8 degree
Celsius during height of
summer. Between external and
internal temperature.

28. COST
EFFECTIVE
FEATURES
The curtain walls and internal
walls are of stabilised mud
bricks made at site using the
mud from excavation.
The openings were of steel
profiles of very small sections
with low quality wood with
glazed shutters.
The shutter hanging vertically
down can prevent breeze letting
in rain drops even with heavy
winds. .
Most cabinetry and some
cladding as well as sliding
shutters are made of recycled
deal wood (pine wood) boxes.

29. Structural components
Filler slab with hollow clay block fillers.
Walls
Stabilised mud blocks, 150 mm thick or 100 mm thick and
recycled wood partition
Doors and windows
Profile steel (50mm x 75 mm ) or box section steel frames. Wood
shutter frames with glass infill.
Flooring
150 x 150 mm fired clay tiles. Granite in kitchen where clay tiles
disintegrated fast.
Finishing
Rough composite plaster with lime and cement in interior parts.
Exposed concrete or exposed mud block masonry.
Others
Ferro-cement partitions behind cupboards and in bath rooms.
Structural material

30. THANK YOU!