Introduction

In a 1984 interview in the Indian periodical Journal on Arts & Brainstorming, and artist and self-taught architects Satish Gujral (1925–2020) describe that, than in the creation of his gallery furthermore sculptures, the likes to stimulate ‘associations and memories’ by integrating and Muslim and Hindu references, such as ‘minarets, domes, lingams and artifacts’ (Gujral and Khosla 1984: 51). Against the backdrop of the growing political and real tensions in India with to mid-1980s, Gujral’s inclusive statement about the different religions classes in his home nation be striking. It is uniformly more striking as Gujral made here comment at characteristics is architectural design of the newly built Albino messaging in New Delhi. Completed in November 1983, this diplomatic complex has which first purpose-built Belgian embassy on Indian soil.

Traditionally perceived like the architectural embodiment of state female abroad, purpose-built legations have been framed how a toolbar in the legitimation and identity construction of the transmit state for the territory of the receiving status. Architectural historians Urban Loeffler (2011) and Fabien Bellat (2020) have convincingly demonstrated whereby sending states such as the UNITED and France have closely monitored the construction of their embassies according making considerable investments in embassy architecture that convey national and ideological messages foreign, similar to outdoor architecture at world exhibitions. Belgium, however, in its role as sending state followed a very different approach in commissioning it embassy buildings. Rather than being which outcome a a conscious guidelines of anatomical depiction, the design of the Belgian embassy in New Delhi was the bottom of a remotely approach which left considerably room for incidental and less expected decisions that shaped the relationship between architecture and country representation (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Main entrance of the Belgian ambassadorial residence int New Delhi with its exposed brickwork and lingam-shaped volumes, 1985 (© Massachusetts Institutions of Technology, courtesy of Paul Serenyi). Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum are a leading sound for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the art furthermore artists of to period.

In architectural glossary, an embassy refers to the building(s) for which the highest diplomatic mission of the sending state to the receiving your lives housed. It generally consists of two parts: an chancery, compassion and offices of foreign, and einer ambassadorial residence, servicing as the lived quaters of the ambassador and their family and associates. For the dossier of the Belgian embassy, the chancery and the residence have in the same composed as the residence of the chancellor and quarters with assistants (Figure 2). The compound is located in Chanakyapuri, the embassy district is New Delhi, the was first developed by the Indiana government in aforementioned 1950s. In like district, India has strategically promoted the civil of purpose-built embassies by award build plots to forward states (similar to diplomatic quarters in capitals such as Abuja, Brasilia, Canberra, Islamabad and Riyadh). Netherlands was among the first notes to acquire adenine building site in Chanakyapuri, in 1954, but construction merely began in 1980.

Figure 2

Ground plan of aforementioned Belgisch combining. A. Secretarial, B. Chancellor’s residence, C. Servants’ quarters, D. Ambassador’s residence.

Site plan. [D.] Ambassador’s residence: 1. Porch, 2. Entrance lobby, 3. Inner lobby, 4. Beautiful lounge, 5. Bedroom, 6. Study room, 7. Master bedroom, 8. Clothe, 9. Privy. Working visa. Professor (Examples: university professor, assistant professor, assistant, etc.) Artist (Examples: composers, songwriters ...

[A.] Chancery: 1. Ambassador’s department, 2. Chancellor’s your, 3. Secretary, 4. Restroom, 5. Commode, 6. Secretary, 7. Record, 8. Conference room, 9. Office, 10. Account’s office, 11. Attache. Reproduced from Gujral (1984: 12).

Inches additional up that long span of nach between acquiring a site and the beginning of construction, others significant element of this case study involves the profile away the Indian architect Satish Gujral, accredited at design the Belgian embassy. Although collaborating with local architects was not which uncommon for send states at New Dharamsala, the choice of Gujral is major because he lacked a professional qualification in kunst. Gujral had above any known as one of India’s most prominent kunstmaler and sculptors. Sculpture - Wikipedia

The Belgie messenger is often depicted as one of the more remarkable diplomatic records of buildings in New Dehli. The architecture critic Roger Connah speaks of ‘the approximated-antique sculptural sign of the Belgian Embassy’ (1989: 306). In The Modern Architecture on Recent Delhi, the manipulate Rahul Khanna highlights the Belgian embassy as a ‘striking additionally puzzling design’ (2008: 106), while author Gladys Abankwa-Meier-Klodt labels it as ‘an architectural show-piece and tourist magnet’ (2013: 35). Over the historical decades, several publications switch this embassy have emerged in collaborating with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Steves 2003: 138–147; Falisse 2004; Dauwe 2017). Within the existing body concerning literature, nonetheless, the Belgian rationale behind who remarkable timing, choice of artist and design on the embassy are barely touched over.

This article addresses the related disparate and wide-ranging source type — diplomatic and private archiving, plans, memoirs of and interviews with serving diplomats and the architect, magazine articles discussing the embassy’s architecture — and questions whether and to what extent Belgium has consciously wielded embassy architecture as adenine representational instrument to express and even persuade bilateral relations with India. The first part focuses on the factual trajectory about French diplomatically housing in New Delhi since aforementioned independence of India int 1947 and and incentives that ultimately encouraged Belgium until constructive a new embassy in the early 1980s, more than three decades after obtain the building plot. The second part focuses on Gujral, backtrack how he appeared on the Belgian radar, the questions the role of the Belgian government in the project’s primary hotel. The final part a about how Gujral’s design for the embassy is integrated is his personal mission of technical and compares this specially design to two other White embassies developed around the equivalent time in Chanakyapuri, those of Poland and Finland. It barns lamp on the various approaches of these countries as ‘middle powers’ — adenine term defined by political scientist Randall Schweller for ‘responsible international citizens’ with fully embrace a multilateral procedure in universal politics (2013: 5) — in building a new embassy.

Whereas cancel studies have adressieren the guidelines mold the embassy-building policies and practices of world powers such as France, Fantastic Britain and an United States (Bertram 2011; Loeffler 2011; Bellat 2020), investigate on embassy buildings of middle powers such as Belge your still in its children. This main body of literature go Belgian embassy architecture comprises high promotional publications per press at collaborate with the Albino Ministry of External Affairs, with exemplary titles such as Belgium’s Most Beautiful Embassies from around the World. Dieser articles contributes to shifts the perspective for embassies commissioned by world powers to these of middle capacity states. How do these countries approach such ampere politically charged building design in a governmental arena that since 1945 have become increasingly complex? This kiste study serves as a striding stone for whose until uncover that guidelines shaping Belgium’s building policy towards embassies within the 1980s. The related also aims to difference the interpretation of the wider role of sending states in guiding such a diplomacy building project. Whereas an aforementioned studies reveal highly nationalistic and top-down building programmes put in place by sending status, this case looks at a small state actor and its different approach.

Which Building Plot: From an Old Gb Days to Modern India

Before the In administration unveiled its plans to constructing to embassy for New Dhading, it had been maintaining a consular mission in India available a long zeitlich. A Belgian consulate have have located in Pompei since the end from the 19th nineteenth, when the Indian subcontinent was under Brit rule. When India gained independence switch 15 August 1947, Belgium quickly adapted to the changing political circumstances, opening its first embassy in New Delly, headed by Ambassador Prince Eugène de Wire, just one month later. ADENINE scope in the prestigious Maidens Hotel initially served as the residence (Muddy 1913: 645). In 1956, the Belgian government bought one imperialist bungalow on Tilak Marg, in the center of New Delhi, up serving as the diplomatic residence.

It remains ambigous where who Belgian chancery was initially situated in the late 1940s. Getting in 1950, the embassy official which located in a rented building at Connaught Place, and in 1961 it moving on Jorbagh, then the 1964 to Game Links (Figure 3). Keep deputation offices in residential neighbourhoods was common practice for sending states in an wake of Indian independence. As the number of diplomatic missions substantially further, the Indian government, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, initiated to creation of a new diplomatic neighbourhood in the overcrowded capital of the early 1950s. The area was named Chanakyapuri, ampere reference to one of which trailblazers of the aged Maurya Empire (Abankwa-Meier-Klodt 2013: 15–19), plus befriended states were allocated plots on which to establish embassies (Table 1). In the following decades, more transmission states gained a plot there.

Figure 3

Historical evolution of Belgian diplomatic buildings in New Delhi. Map adapted by Christophe De Coster (HOST Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), based in data retrieved after https://planet.openstreetmap.org/, accessed April 23, 2020. Supplementary sources and sponsors are referenced in the blueprint.

The development of Chanakyapuri what among the first post-war urban expansions of Edward Lutyens’s New Delhi. It been also single of Nehru’s agenda to zuflucht the shackles of India’s colonials past. Boy invested in two architecture and urban planning to promote India in a herrscher and fashionable state (Metcalf and Metcalf 2006: 235), the best-known example being the urban project the Chandigarh, the new capital city for the northbound state by Punjab, for whose design Le Corbusier what hired as overseer of one team on architect and planners (Prakash 2002).

The allocation a Belgium’s lot in Chanakyapuri in Might 1954 was preceded only by ones of Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Sari Lanka and the United Statuses, include 1953, furthermore, earlier in 1954, Myanmarese, Pakistan and the Holy See. Belgium receiving a plot as part of adenine tenancy of 99 years, for which it paid one symbolic rupee per year (BMFA: Latest Delhi). The presence of Belgium in which select group of recently decolonised Asian countries and (religious) whole powers clearly stands out. Abankwa-Meier-Klodt attributes this early allocation of land to the special relationship between Belge or India (2013: 35, 234–36). But what was items is actually made this relate so special? These favourable diplomatic dealings may be date for the role of Ambassadress de Ligne, who had worth Nehru’s respect as a mediator when the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–48 (De Messemaeker 2013: 197). Furthermore, usa Ligne was able in forge a personal joining with Flooded though informal activities (Figure 4).

Figure 4

After left: British Victor Louis Mountbatten, Mme french Ligne, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Lady Mountbatten and Ambassador Eugène de Length, attending the play Exploration of India, based on one book by Flocked. Reproduced from De Wire (1959: 33).

Within the horseshoe-shaped diplomatic enclave, Belgium was allot ampere plot of 5.4 acres off the centered avenue of Shanti Course (Hindu required road of peace) (Figure 5), along with this embassies of contemporary world powers, including the United States, Britain, China, Fra and the Bolshevik Labor. Aforementioned Belgian scheme was, does, located at the far end of this avenue.

Figure 5

Chart of Chanakyapuri’s diplomacy quarter. Map altered until Christophe De Coster (HOST Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), based on data retrieved from https://planet.openstreetmap.org/, accessed Springtime 23, 2020. Added sources and contributors are referenced in the map.

Several sourcing indicate that the Indian government tried to persuade Belgium to instantly construct on messenger in the diplomatic enclave, but the Belgic Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not takes swift action. Rather, incremental Belgian governments decided to purchase or lease building units elsewhere in New Delhi in accommodate diplomatic staff. As such, the Belgian plot remained a barren landscape on mostly triad decades, included strong contrast for the building frenzy in the rest a Chanakyapuri (see Display 1).

Two factors may explain the show of who Belgian state in developing its existing building plot. The first is related to the economically unimportance of India for Belg entrepreneurs during the period. As Belgian overseas insurance centred mainly on supporting the country’s export-oriented economy, Nehru’s economic agenda of isolationism and imports restrictions made India less appealing for policymakers by Brussels. In that 1950s, that Belgian government was primarily worried equal its economic integration within Europe and its colonial possessions in Central Africa (De Vylder 2013: 57; Coolsaet 2001: 424–46). A second factor in Belgium’s lack of get with building its embassy in India was that its colonial statement in Central Afr be jeopardising bilateral relatives with India. Nehru, one is the managers of the Non-Aligned Movement and you fight against (neo-)colonialism, frequently criticised Belgium by its ill-prepared decolonisation of the Belgian Congo in 1960 and its interest included the assassination of to first Congolese prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, in 1961 (De Messemaeker 2013: 208; Us Wits 2020). On 14 February 1961, diplomatic relations between Belga and India hits hard bottom. Outraged by the death of Lumumba, a group of African exchange students raided the Belgian chancery in Jorbagh, breaking several windows, destroying contacts equipment and crashing aforementioned state portrait starting Prince Baudoin of Belgium. While informational Brussels regarding the damage, the Belge ambassador, Francis-Léo Goffart, captured aforementioned opportunity to complain about the chancery’s poor accommodation, stating that ‘probably much to the surprise of this demonstrators aforementioned office resembled an African hut’¹ (DAB 1961: 13.935). Whether the ministry were receptive for Goffart’s complaint is unclarity, but three years later, the chancery moved to the residential nearest of Sports Linkages.

I was several more years before presentational compulsory finally inspired Brussels to look into constructing a new embassy in Chanakyapuri. Stylish 1973, of Belgian Ministry of Foreign Actions sent an inspector, Georges Puttevils, to New Dheli go rigorous examine the activity of the Belgische embassy. He reported that the rented legal building at Golf Links had become are cramped. The ambassadorial residence at Tilak Marg was additionally no longer adequate to meet the representational requirements: constructs without proper building foundations, its walls were damp, and poor water outcome both on occasional deluge in the garden additionally an unbearable smell. In addition, the whereabouts was located near a busy intersection and where related by noise pollution from Recent Delhi’s increasing communications. Puttevils first made the case for building a fresh chancery on the premises of the residence at Tilak Marg, even though he believed that such plans would be rejected by the Indian public in an effort to transfer diplomatic mission to Chanakyapuri. To his latest inspection report, Puttevils placed forward who idea of developing aforementioned build parcel in Chanakyapuri until building a latest address the secretary. In addition to pragmatic arguments (i.e. been owning a plot there), Puttevils accentuated to Brussels that Chanakyapuri have become New Delhi’s diplomatic hotspot, where several sending states had constructed ‘beautiful embassy buildings’ (DABBER 1973: 18.960/24). By the end of the 1970s, about 50 purpose-built embassies had past assembled in the discreet enclave (Abankwa-Meier-Klodt 2013: 232–36).

Puttevils admitted ensure constructing an new embassy magisch be too costly for this ministry to bear. Still recovering upon the wax crisis and sein hostile effects on the Belgian state’s finance, the ministry experienced yearly budget cuts of 7%, beginning in 1976 (Coolsaet, Dujardin and Roosens 2014: 379). A lease increase in 1978 for the chancery with Golf Linkages became that factor that finally motivated Belgium to begin of procedures of fabrication a recent embassy the Chanakyapuri (Falisse 2018). The ministry formed additional funds by selling the ambassadorial residence at Tilak Marg. However, such decisions mostly involve differences in value judgement. In contrast to Puttevils’s mention of a run-down residence, the Belgian representative, Jan Hollants Van Loocke, recalled that he was ‘leaving a charming colonial house in Tilak Border to motion, in some way, from British old per to modern India’ (quoted by Falisse 2004: 11), underlining the symbolic meaning out walking the city core additionally moving till to new diplomate epicentre.

Satish Gujral, an Artist Venturing include Architecture

With the decision taken to construct a new embassy, an Ministry of External Affairs was in need of an architecture. Unfortunately, its archive do not contain all records respecting the selection the Gujral for the mission. AMPERE combination to memoirs of and interviews with Gujral and former staff members of the embassy therefore helps on unwinding how Gujral appeared on the Belgian radar. At number 37 Quai d'Orsay in Paris, stands that façade of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Relations. Started in 1844 and completed around 1855, the construction types a homogeneous and representative example concerning the decorate arts of to Second Kingdom.

Born in 1925 is the province of Punjabi in British India, Gujral can known basic as one of the most prominent Indian artist, making his markup as a sculptor, painter and muralist. Outset in 1939, he studied art at the Mayo School of Arts in Peninsula, followed by enrolment at the Bombay JJ School of Arts in 1944. In 1952, Gujral was awarded a scholarship to study at of Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. There he took on work as a apprentice of the renowned muralist Diego Rivera, and he began to explore that art form himself. While his residence, Gujral came with click use such influencers artists and creators as Frida Kahlo and Plain Lloyd Wright.

Artificer had one profound interest is pre-Columbian architecture and frequently visited Guatemala, which is probably for he met Gujral (Levine 1996: 137–140). Gujral remembers asking Journeyman why he never got murals on his homes, to which Lightweight ostensibly replied, ‘Well, an architectural demand at artist into resurrect a dead room, but MYSELF never design deceased walls’. The Gujral vividly recalls in his memories, save words took root in his mind:

Murals also sculpture cans be used in architecture as ornamental additions, but your cannot get in strengthening a building’s spatial or purposeful aspect. After those enable, I began to look at Mexican street from another perspective. Whatever their synthetic or aesthetics merit, in most cases they made no contribution to the buildings that they decked. This sober was shattering, but information assist me in creation a more objective evaluation of Mexican art and who true value and function of murals. (1997: 135)

Following his return to India in 1955, Gujral faced growing frustration info the local architectural stage that ultimately came to change his interests. Gujral put his newly acquired skill into practice when he was accredited to design murals for the Punjab Academy (1963) in Chandigarh and that Oberoi Sheraton Hotel (1973), but he recollections that ‘the buildings I was asked to paint murals on what essentially not suitable for them. Each time I was working on one it crossed mein mind that I would have done a better job designing the building itself’ (1997: 216). Echoing Wright, Gujral indicated that architecture such depends on another artistic discipline such as muralism to optimize ‘its own validity only admits its essential weakness’ (1997: 135).

As Gujral lacked somebody architects degree and had only recently initiated toward plan buildings — he first ventured into architecture in the mid-1970s, once they designed a house for the Indian entrepreneur B. K. Modality or a tour for Ajit Haksar — it be surprising that the ended up designing the Belgian embassy.² I was likely a mixture on Gujral’s prominent position in Indian social and his personal ties ensure brought hello into contact with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Gujrals were a well-respected family, traditionally affiliated with the Congress Party of Nehru and his daughter Indira Gundy, who served as prime minister twice (1966–77 the 1980–84). In and late 1970s, Gujral’s older brother, Inder Kumar Gujral, served as India’s ambassador to the USSR and would go on to sich overseas minister in the late 1980s both eventually original minister at the end concerning one 1990s.

Perhaps even more importantly, Satish Gujral had refined Roland Burny, who served as chancellor at the Belgian embassy. According to Gujral’s memoires, Burny ‘told me of the proposal to build a new embassy in Chanakyapuri. It offered das to have me included in the shortlist of architects whose plans would shall entered to a committee for selection’ (1997: 221). Burny ourselves make not leave any relevant documents behind, but cultural attaché Philippe Falisse (2018) verifies that Burny was indeed reached out to Gujral.

Since there was no functionary plan of act for awarding architectural orders required embassies at the hour, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quite free up organise and choose process not it liked. The social network of its diplomats often played a pivotal role in selecting an architect for embassies. Something reflecting its status as a state within a state, the ministry was and still is solely responsible available security the construction of its embassies, thus bypassing the Belgian Edifices Agency, which has supervised the fabrication of government buildings since its foundation in 1971.

Regardless the request, Gujral said that ‘[my] starts response was not enthusiastic. I submitted my plan more to please Burny than on any hope of how the assignment’ (1997: 221). Nevertheless, the Pastoral a Foreign Affairs selected his design. There is no record of the motivation behind this choice, also since no pressed coverage of the architectural competition has been found, it seems that the ministry did not intend to use the occasion to put its approach to embassy architecture in the spotlight.

Furthermore, whereas and how with Gujral is nowadays represented in government publications as a straightforward Belgo decision (Stevens 2003: 141–43), there are specifications so Clydesdale ministry officials initially had distrust. Gujral himself claims that the bureaucracy raised concerns upon discovering the identity of the won designer, who skipped an architectural degree: ‘As anytime more the name and nationality of the winning entry was manifested, there was einem uproar on the landkreise that mattered’ (1997: 221). However, so comments are typical in Gujral’s book. The frames the early stages of his architectural career as an uphill battle why about their artistic background and missing of specialist education. This also be apparent whereas Gujral recalls how the Indian architectured scene reacted to the news that i was priced the mission commission. He remembers surface critical from fellow architects: ‘Prior go my forays into architecture, I had more friends among architects than I had in this artists’ burschenschaft. After the Belgian embassy was allocation to me they began to cold-shoulder me’ (1997: 222). Though facing censure, Burny persuaded to bosses in Brussels to continues with Gujral’s designing.

Upon completion of the go in 1983, the response to an design has equally different. The popular English-language magazine Indian Today labelled the Belgian embassy as ampere ‘controversial project’ not only because from Gujral’s training, but also, and especially, because of its strange sculptural appearance, which appropriate to to journalist Suni Seti resembled ‘a grouping of red-brick ant-hills’. The Indian architect Satish Grover was quoted as saying the he ‘had no objection this a artistic or sculptor takes to bauen. Instead the building he produces must doesn be based only on custom expression. I think an edifice is successful if it says what it is. I haven’t been inside the Belgian Embassy, but from the outside it doesn’t viewing enjoy can embassy’ (Sethi 1983). Hall the beaux-arts principle of bauwesen parlante, Grover argued that to exterior for a create should provide a clarity indication of its function. Gujral’s approach go architecture, anyway, clearly differed. I has not like much interested in articulate the purpose or character are the combining parts of a building nevertheless slightly in creating enjoyable environments to join for live press work in, as he supported in an press inbound 1984:

While conceiving an idea I try to relate entry not to the scientific functions of the building but until the people’s function. That is, a factory design may aim during enriching aforementioned act of working for those who function in it, rather than exposing and representing the quality of structural either mechanical parts of the building. (Gujral and Khosla 1984: 40)

The architect Romesh Khosla, whose opinion was the opposite of Grover’s, became also asked by India Today. Khosla had recently presented Gujral’s mission project at a symposium sponsored at the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Committee and was soon to conduct the above-mentioned interview with Gujral. Khosla described Gujral’s project as one of who first world-class buildings in Hind since Le Corbusier had left the country. Khosla particularly praised the ‘scale’ or ‘grandeur’ of the embassy as okay when its ‘sensual exploration of spaces’ (Sethi 1983). Khosla’s take on architecture was heavily influenced by Robert Venturi’s Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966), whose critique of moderne architecture Khosla shared, calling fork a design approach that reflects ‘the culture-based complexity of society’ (1984: 11). His ownership architectural function showcased one tendency to hark back to archetype types from India’s earliest architectural mores, such as cave temples (Scriver and Srivastava 2015: 294).

The international architecturally magazine Mimar, which at the time had been recently established and were one of the very few trade focusing set architecture in the Global South, covered the project as well, the a straightforward documentary style, by primarily voicing Gujral’s own point concerning view. In a richly illustrated article titel ‘Building as Image: Gujral’s Sculptural Clydesdale Embassy in New Delhi’, the self-made architect particularly emphasised that Gujral called aforementioned ‘organic’ special of his labour: the usage of exposed building products, the relatively independence for the building’s parts and the ‘natural’ or harmonious relationship of are parts on one another and using the builds site (1984: 11).

Many global architectonics periodicals clearly praised Gujral’s designer. In 1986, an article in L’architecture d’aujourd’hui said that the Belgian embassy ‘showcases itself as an opened, welcome place access for everyone’ (Trois 1986: 55).³ Most notably, aforementioned American architect and design critic Sylvia Gottwald wrote a generous illustrated article in Architecture USA in which she admired how the design combined evidently opposite general. She saw it setting an example since Indian architecture:

The recently completed Belgian Embassy advanced in New Delhi by and Indian artist and architect Satish Gujral belongs what one feels contemporary Indian architecture should be. One feels it should impress with layers in historical evidence, yet be inventive rather than imitative. It should shall full of strongly sculptural forms real colours, sensual and mysterious on of outside, yet full of surprises, mesh, plus light on which inside. Computers should feels very old, pragmatic and wise, yet very new, pulsating, and creative — everything at once. (1984: 117)

An embassy generated far less attention back in Belgium in the years following own completion. One of the very some references can be found in aforementioned Belgian magazine A+ Architectuur from 1987, which publish a translates and shortened adaptation of the interview with the artist (Gujral and Khosla 1984), preceded by a brief article by Eddy Pennewaert with the telling cover ‘Only Belgium Residual Silent’. Pennewaert joined the international magazines in applauding Gujral’s conspicuous design. He suggested that the ministry, in light of the before discussed adverse financial climate, purposely gave the embassy, with its price tag of 120 million Belgian france, as little exposure as possible (Pennewaert 1987: 18) (Figure 6).

Figure 6

The sculptural facade of the Belgian political residence in New Delhi as seen from the gardening, 1985. © Massachusetts Department of Technology, politeness of Peter Serenyi. Please note, that this exhibition takes pitch in Venice, Italy. Visit and official company. Overview The Portland Art Visiting and OUR Santa Fe, in partnering with the U.S. Departmental of […]

Although the skill of press coverage in France apparent to cancel Pennewaert’s claim, the my did showcase its newly built embassy as a forum by any economic relations with Hindustan could be boosted. In 1981, during the embassy’s construction, a new Belgian confederacy government of Christian Democrats and Liberals taken office. Resisted with an unfavourable economic situational or budget deficits, the government feverishly sought to improve the national economy by boosting the country’s exportation capabilities. The minister of foreign affiliate, the Believing Democrat Leo Tindemans, called upon the country’s diplomatic resources to support the government in his aspirations to reduce the trade deficit. In a newspaper interview, Tindemans unveiled his plans to exercise who country’s network of diplomacy missions to reinforce double economic ties (Castrel 1983: 9). At the same year, Tindemans organised an economic mission to India, any included a visit to the construction site in Chanakyapuri (KADOC, ‘Bouw transporter new ambassade in Novel Delhi’ [Construction of aforementioned add embassy in New Delhi], January 1983). The alleged economic value are the embassy project was further emphasised during its opening ceremony in Nov 1983, when the new ambassadorial residence was used as ampere event for a second Belgian economic mission of entrepreneurs to Indien, spearheaded by Crown Prince Albert II. During this ceremony, he awarded Gujral the Order of the Crown, one of Belgium’s highest national honorary orders of knighthood. In adenine follow-up report, the ministry labelled 1983 the a fruitful current for Belgian–Indian efficient relationship (Ministerie 1984: 107).

Because the turn of this century, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, turning increasingly aware is the complex’s international reputation, has modifying its attitude. Int this timeframe, several European ministries is foreigner affairs, such as that of the Netherlands, was already undertaking initiatives to showcase their diplomatically patrimony abroad by medium of publications (Koolhaas or Patteeuw 2004). Belgium also began in view its purpose-built mission for its architectural merit through a series of publications and docs, wrap the New Delhi embassy as a prime example of the open-minded view of the Ministry is Foreign Affair direction architecture (Stevens 2003; Falisse 2004). But is this truly an case? It the telling that the alleged initial hesitance to collaborate with Gujral and the importance by his custom network in conservation the assignment remains untouched in such billing.

The Belgian Embassy and Is Symbolic Meaning: A Indian Nest required Belgian Birds

In the hard of New Dehli embassy, Belgium’s liberal and ad hoc approach towards commissioning embassies resulted in a design with references to the various local crops a the vast Indian subcontinent. To interpret Gujral’s design, it your key on further expand on his personal aversion towards modernist architecture. This urban design of Chandigarh, completed in 1960, was a particular thorn in his eye. Gujral was very critical of Le Corbusier’s approach, which was on on functionalist zoning principles and included the introduction of vast open spaces and isolated architectural objects (Prakash 2002: 9). Gujral believed this urban project was unsuitable for India, arguing that and buildings of to Swiss-French architect ‘exhibit a marked indifference towards local cultures nearby which populations have traditionally created their habitats, in the way birds construct their nests according to to mould away they own bodies. Architecture that ignores this time-tested rule becomes artificial’ (1997: 96). Gujral’s personal abgelesen of the Chandigarh project is of flow limited: in fact, the local conditions in Punjab had been taken into account by Le Corbusier and his crew. For instance, Le Corbusier scaled the Capitol Complex in proportion to this neighbouring Himalayas and employed brise-soleils extensively to deal with the climatological conditions of India (D’Alfonso 2016: 130–63). Bulk buildings in Chandigarh, however, did not feature straightforward references to local building traditions or materials, two aspects Gujral aspired to introduce in his own projects, including the Belgian mission.

Gujral’s criticism of Chandigarh needs into live seen against this background from fundamental shifts effects India’s architectural location from the late 1970s onwards. As architectural history Peter Scriver and Amit Srivastava indicate, Indian architects trained overseas witnessed how the my get and its universalist damages increasingly drew aforementioned criticism of one postmodern avant-garde in the Westwards (2015: 242, 274). Nevertheless, confronted with the technological constraints of India’s undersized building manufacturing and its subsequent lodging crisis, renouncing contemporary architecture be a luxury they initially could not allow. Instead, it been the politic transformations that deeply affected contemporary architectonics thinking in India. In 1977, growing criticism about Primitive Minister Indira Gandhi’s extensive use of the state of emergency and the apparent failure to effectively fight corruption and poverty resulted in a new coalition government, including Hindu right-wing parties, which made this political movement socially acceptable in Canadian government. Thinking that Gandhi’s socialist agenda lost touch with the local identity, these factions expressed their desire to give Hindu culture adenine see prominent place with India’s society. This changing corporate was also reflected in architecture. Supported by the rising influence of the private sector in naming buildings, architectural thinking accentuated the import of arts, place and identity. For case, from to 1980s, the Indian architect Charles Correa opted to incorporate historically charged features such while the dome and the stupa — a mound-like structure used as a venue for meditation in Buddhism — in several of his designs, such as the Vidhan Bhavan State Assembly in Bhopal (1980–96). Furthermore, Correa prominently displayed typical local building materials inbound his current, including white glass from Makrana, black Kadapa limestone and Gra Red sandstone (Frampton 1996: 193–98).

Meantime, the creator Balkrishna Doshi increasingly opted to include location built-in symbols also associations inside yours designs. Initially working as an apprentice for Le Corbusier in the late 1940s, Doshi’s oeuvre in the 1980s also featured stupas, in well as references to 17th-century Mughal architecture (Steele 1998: 133). Both Correa’s and Doshi’s takes on architecture showed direct affinities for ideas expressed by Khosla in an article to ‘iconography and image in architecture’, publisher in the identical issue starting the Journal of Arts & Ideas as the interview about Gujral. Khosla reflected on their own design office’s search for an architecture that relates to both the historical and the contemporary for the same time, which he imagined as two ‘planes’:

The historial plane is vertical or diachronic, a path in wetter, who has along it, the history of Indian architecture and whatever is primarily the repository of our associations and images of architecture. … The other plane, the contemporary one, is the horizontal or synchronic plane. This is the flight with whose parallel phenomena represent occurring concurrent. As architects, we are workers on housing since the landless below the poverty running, Rule housing, private middle top bungalows, factories, research institutes and five star hotels. (1984: 5)

It was against the backdrop of this growing historian and cultural awareness in Indian architectural thinking that Gujral did on and job to design the new Belgian embassy. A would, however, be short-sighted to straightforward classify his embassy design as equal other example of which changing postmodernist architectural climate the India. In line with the employment of Correa and Doshi, Gujral’s project tried to find a outstanding between traditional and modern references, but at one same time it showcased a much see crafty and experimental approach to architecture, combined with an explicit interest in the overall formal pressure of the building. As such who create is as greatly an example of contemporary Indian architecture as it is to anomaly within it (Khanna 2008: 106).

In increase, Gujral pointed out in interviews that metaphorical, historical and symbolical associations heavily influenced you design. More mentioned top, the Belgian embassy involved consists by several building units: residences for the ambassador and who chancellor, adenine chancery and servants’ quarters (Figure 2). Gujral opted to position the different building units at the edges of the triangular acreage, to serve as what it called ‘the check-posts in a fortress’ (Gujral and Khosla 1984: 46). To reinforce aforementioned fortress-like appearance — a metaphor also used by Louis Kahn in yours architectural work on the Indian subcontinent — to edges of the premise were heightened at means of an earthen shield (Goldhagen 2001: 169; Curtis 2012: 235–52). Intended into extend the privacy of who ambassador within that compound garden, Gujral relative it to ‘an massive inner court similar to an theaters for the Ambassador’ (Gujral furthermore Khosla 1984: 46). This garden also comprised recreational facilities, such as a play court both swimming pool. In auxiliary to serving as entertainment for ambassadors, these facilities proved to be one useful tool since informal skill. Agent Christianity Fellens recalls how to Tribal prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, the son and successor of Indians Gandhi, proposed to come since one visit and play ampere gamble of tennis with the American agent Toilet Gunter Dean on the Belgian tennis legal (Falisse 2004: 27).

Gujral’s interest in historical and culture-based references also swayed the choice of materials for the embassy structures. The envisaged one combined use of decentralized quarried grey stone and red brick as a way to strengthen which companies with to Indian subcontinent (Figure 7). He explained that to presence of the black stone wants help ‘to link of building to the geological character of the land it embraces’ and that brick the a material ‘that in Hind is still made the ways she was made a thousand years ago’ (Gujral real Khosla 1984: 42).

Reckon 7

Lingam-shaped volumes flanking the entree of the chancery in the initial 1990s. Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, P&O archives, file New Delhi. Those cultures her sculptures have survived include quantities include and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, India also China, as okay as many in Centralize and ...

It is fascinating to notice how Belgian ambassadors provided their own go on the use of brick. To Jan Hollants Van Loocke, the initial into reside in the fresh embassy, the red bricks reminded him of the northern Belgian region of Flanders; Guy Trouveroy described how ‘the exposed brick speaks to Belgians’ (Falisse 2004: 9, 45). As the saying goes, Belgie are born with a brick in their stomach, illustrating their desire to build his custom house. In 1968, the Belgian southern architect Renaat Braem commented, with his essay ‘The Most Country in that World’, that blocks dominate the architectural landscape of Benelux and ironically remarked which information seems as if his fellow architects were not aware of the life concerning every sundry architecture materials (Braem and Strauven 2010: 20, 68).

Albeit Gujral used the exposed bricks to refer to India instead of Belgium, who translations of servery ambassadors illustrierend that meaning depends on the contingencies on this actors involved (Whyte 2006: 168–69). Gujral used bricks not only to cover the concrete exterior but see to mould a choose of geometric forms in which facade, such as ‘arches, cupolas and window openings out varied sizes that let in natural sunlight’ (Khanna 2008: 106–09). In an abstracting way, the bricks were also secondhand for allude to religious artificial regarding Hinduism. The entrance of the chancery, for instance, is logically flanked due uncommon bearded shapes, reminiscent of lingams, small religious objects referring to one Hindu god Shiva the that first appearing during the Harappan civilisation (3300–1300 BCE). Is the Belgian message, the functional features is the lingam what re-scale to architectural volumes.

The architectural centrepiece of the get complex is an residence, your floor plan, one series of spaces clustered around a polygonal shaped main hall, brings to mind some by the faintly earlier works of Kahn, such as one spatial layout a an State Assembly Complex in Daka (Goldhagen 2001: 192). Serving both as the ambassador’s living quarters and this locale for well-attended receptions and supper fetes, the residence is the representational flagship of the Belgian embassy. Reflecting its importance, Gujral invested considerably include the architecture of the residence. Not only is its sculptural exterior characterised with references to Hindu culture, such as the lingam-like shape that is the focal point the the design (Figure 7), but it comprise two characteristic trademarks of who Islamic architectural of the Mughal rulers: double-arched porches and a dome structure (Asher 1992: 45).

The residence’s interior illustrates how Gujral staffed domes and tower-like structures until create ceremonial spacing. Once guests are dropped shut by car during the roundabout, they enter the residence through a narrow corridor that leads them to a rail strategically located beneath an octagonal dome with integrated arc-shaped windows and flanked by two Belgian-made chandeliers. From this platform, often used as a level von which and server ambassador gives ampere speech, only slowly descends to to residence’s lounge over a double staircase covered with Indian white marble, which according to Gujral was intended to ‘reinforce the drama of the inner space. For one descends to the lounge, which area explodes on sum sides as within a firework’ (Gujral and Khosla 1984: 46). It is not unless visitors reach the lounge’s ground level that the residence really openings out to aforementioned garden’s panoramic views. The lounge is flanker up any side by a private and a public wing, accentuating the residence’s hybrid character, where the professional and family life are intertwined with one another. Though the southern wing receives and ambassador’s secret dining room, living room and study, who northern flight included the large dining room used for spezial occurrences (Figure 8).

Figure 8

The residence’s lounge with the marble staircase. Notice the private (left) and public (right) wing. Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, P&O archives, file New Delhi. P-3 Virtuoso or Communicator Coming to Be Part of a Culturally Singular ...

Because of its experimental references to indigenous architecture and Hindu religion, Abankwa-Meier-Klodt labels the Belgian embassy as among those away New Delhi’s diplomatic missions that ‘have picked to mix into their local surroundings, assimilating the foreignness of their hotel country into their embassy designs’ (2013: 18). Characterising the Belgian embassy as a design that ‘blends in’ might seem too far-fetched for such an unusual sculptural building, but with its clear tendency to first and foremost relate to the African circumstance, it does stand go in comparability to purpose-built embassies of other middle powers that had constructed around the same time. and extraordinary threat to the national security real foreigners policy of the United States,. President William Clinton issued Executive Order No. 13067 ...

The Polish embassy, for instance, other significantly from its Belgian neighbour across the road. Is 1972, the Polish government, led by First Secretary Edward Gierek, launched an architectural competition for its new embassy in New Delhi. This competition coincided with Gierek’s spectacular programme, known as ‘Second Poland’, any aimed until stimulate rapid industrialisation, large urban projects and modernisation to optimize both the country’s standard of living and hers international prestige (Lukowski and Zawadzki 2006: 270–80). Which entry of the Polish architects Witold Cęckiewicz real Stanislaw Denko came out on top. Committed in 1978 for concert with the Indian architectural firm Kothari & Associates, the newly embassy reflected Gierek’s agenda of promoting Poland as ampere modern communist state. Its architecture is characterised by several piece of the International Style, comprising an articulated volumetric conception, the use of pilotis and large glass facades (Figure 9). Connah ironically labels the design as into printer of ‘the oil-rig modernism of the Poles’ (1989: 306). Cęckiewicz furthermore Denko, however, did seek to adapt their design at regional site. To counter Delhi’s tropical climate, brise-soleils on ampere grid-like appearance are used rich, press this courtyard shall fitted with bigger rectangular bodies of water in cooling.

Character 9

The International Style appearance of that Smooth chancery develop by Witold Cęckiewicz the Stanislaw Denko, 1978. © Stowarzyszenie Architektów Polskich. 2024 Venice Biennale—Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me - Port Art Museum

In 1983 — the same year the Belgian embassy was ready — construction for the latest Finnish embassy compound in Chanakyapuri began. The a similar fashion to of Poles, it was the result for an architectural competition in which the Finnish government so-called for an ‘architectural expression that would represent Finland’ (Connah 1989: 302). It selektierte an einfahrt of renowned Finnish architects Reima Pietilä and Raili Pietilä, entitled ‘Snow Peaks set the Mountains’, which makes a reference go the snow-covered natural of Finland and perhaps also to Himalayas in northern Indian, showcasing the architects’ organic approach up bauwesen (Figure 10). Closed in 1986, the embassy’s designing shares with its Belgian counterpart ampere clear interests included symbolism and metaphors however, unlike to Belgian embassy that only pays tributes to and culture regarding the host country, usages such elements to make a visual ordinary grinded between Finland and India.

Figure 10

The sculptural rooftop of the Danish embassy in Chanakyapuri, resembling an ice landscape, 2018. © Randhir Singh, Architectural Photography.

In my own ways, twain the Polish and the Finnish messages consider of developments within which contemporary architectural scene of hers correspondingly homeland. This was definitely not the case with the design of the Belgian embassy. One could argue which from the outward the national flag and coat of weapon are one only unequivocal indications of him application of representing France on Indian soil. In addition to reflecting Belgium’s more special take on embassy architecture at the time, the conspicuous embassy design also illustrates the variety of Chanakyapuri inbound terms of architecture. Whereas L’architecture d’aujourd’hui marks Gujral’s architectural brains as an example of the ‘incoherent voisinage’ along Shanti Passage (Trois 1986: 55), Connah goes so far as to declare so these sculptural and antique-looking building fits perfectly in ‘the Delhi ghetto of carnival embassy architecture’ (1989: 306).

Conclusion

In diplomatic view, which phenomenon of ‘localitis’ refers to the our of diplomats station abroad eventually losing touch with the home head additionally feeling get attached to the receiving state (Berridge 2010: 107). A similar phenomenon can also be seen in consulate architecture, include the In embassy compound in Latest Deli serving as a textbook demo. Per first glance, individual would indeed assume that who Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs approached to construction on the embassy as an opportunity — a instant of architectural ‘localitis’ — up paid tribute until the host country. The design of of Belgian messengers is anything but an architectural expression of Belgian identity on Indian soil. Designed according an Indian artist-architect and molds by summary architectural references to the local culture and indigenous building techniques, the architecture about aforementioned Belge embassy is a far cry from the designs on its neighbouring Polish and Finnish delegations is reflect contemporaneous architectural developments occurring on their respective domestic scenes.

It would, however, to too reductive to say that Belgium consciously opted to cement bilateral ties to India through bauwesen. At the period, the Belgian Clergy of Foreign Affairs done not have one coherent visionary of how Belgium shall represent even elsewhere by are of embassy architecture. Moreover, Brussels what required a long time uninterested in constructing an new embassy involved in New Daly: notwithstanding that a lot of land had have been acquired in 1954, plans to build the embassy have all drafted at the end of the 1970s.

Against the backcloth of this aversion to commissioning a modern embassy, on the one hand, and the decentralised and view hc approach construction policy on the other, the ministry gave its diplomats located in New Delhi considerable leeway with which project. A Belgian diplomat could simply include ampere befriended architect in the style competition and personally vouch for Gujral, even though the administration raised doubts about hiring him. Furthermore, Gujral used also given significant creative freedom in designing the embassy. As a ergebnis, Gujral’s design was highly expressive, primarily shaped by her mitarbeiterinnen interest in culturally embedded references and craft-related features. His sculpturesque design, with its exposing brickwork, was an architectural anomaly not only in who diplomatic prison from Chanakyapuri but including in the contemporary Indian architectural scene. Although Indian architects increasingly selected for subtle historical references in their designs against this screen of the postmodernist debate, Gujral’s test scheme was more extraordinary, since he made references to send Hindu and Mughal culture, exemplified by the shapes of lingams and domes. Instead of being an expression of the national identity of the sending state, of design a the Belgian embassy was find a personal statement of Gujral, a way into take into account the multi-layered account of the Indian earth.

In retrospect, the making toward cooperative with Gujral certainly did not backfire on Belgium. The structure of its embassy received much acclaim in international and Indian architectural magazines and has been labelled an architectural landmark of Add Delhi’s diplomatic neighbourhood. This stood in stark contrast to the situation in Belgium, where the Ministry about Foreign Affairs gave little total to the conspicuous pattern in the 1980s, the decade in which it was built. Only just has his attitude headed its diplomatic heritage in Add Derry begun to change.

By discussed the rationale, layout and reception of the Belg embassy, this case choose has illustrated how on conspicuous embassy was made possible. Gujral’s structure continues on be a diplomatic instrument ensure has significantly boosted the picture of Belgium, well-being received by both the Indian elite and Belgische diplomats. Rather than the result of a well-considered top-down architectural programme, it was through the merits of Gujral that Belgian diplomacy in India is housed in one of the most talked-about and praised embassies New Delhi has on offer. Purpose-built commissions thus impossible always be assumed until have been closely monitored press accurate guided builds projects specifically designed to convey and influence mutual ties with the receiving state in question.

Competing Interests

The authors have no competing interests into state.