By Rahul Deshpande

I was in standard 6 when my uncle took me to this newly constructed building, which he said was a masterpiece, designed by a great architect. I had no clue what he was talking about, till I got there.

Around me were walls which had images painted on them. Images of steps leading somewhere, a veranda, a balcony; a kind of virtual world created, next to a physical balcao on which I sat and gazed at this marvel. As the light filtered through the roof from a small opening, there was a gust of wind which refreshed me. The moment was magical. I was within a building, but felt otherwise. I was mesmerised, I was excited, I was happy. That was architecture reaching out to a 12-year-old. That was the Kala Academy designed by Charles Correa and my first exposure to architecture.

The second came when I was visiting Bombay. At the end of Peddar road I witnessed another wonder – a stunning and vibrant looking building, standing tall on the southern Mumbai skyline. It was as if a gorgeous, sensual model was standing silently amidst those mundane pigeonhole buildings, without screaming for any attention, but getting all of it. The Kanchanjunga Apartments.  Subconsciously, I am sure, the architecture bug bit me then.

I remember buying my first book; it was on the works of Charles Correa. It had pictures of the Kala Academy, Kanchanjunga Apartments, and a spectacular resort at Trivandram, the Kovalam resort. That building caught my attention. It seemed to flow with the site, its contours, its landscape belonged there. I was in love with architecture. And architecture to me, then, was Charles Correa.

To me his architecture respects the site, is contextual, is understated, yet profound. Most importantly it makes you happy. I learned from his architecture. His works from the last fifty years of his practise have been educative, inspiring and indeed motivating.

Cidade-de Goa was making news for its unique design. When I first entered its lobby, the three statues in the lobby and the courtyard behind had me captivated. I walked across and was expecting a dark, dingy double loaded corridor with rooms on either side. What a surprise! On the contrary, getting to the rooms was a refreshing experience. There were a series of passages punctured by courtyards and openings. It was almost like a hide and seek game. You could see the sea, sky and garden intermittently as you walked towards the rooms. I was totally flipped. I wanted to design.

Four-years-ago the most unexpected happened! I met Charles Correa himself, in person, at a dinner. I want to believe that he smiled at me and even spoke to me. But I was too stunned and scared. I slipped away that night and the next day in office, proudly announced to my staff ‘Last night I met my God!’

In the year 2007 the Regional plan 2010 and the SEZs were in the news for the wrong reasons. We both were at a dinner and this time around I found the courage to talk to him. Soon after, the chief minister invited Mr Correa to head the Task Force for preparing the Regional plan 2021. Mr Charles Correa suggested that I should be on it too.

The Task Force met almost every fortnight. The whole process had been exceptionally enriching for me. More so to see Mr Correa in action. What impressed me was his childlike enthusiasm and impatience in getting work done. I honestly think the draft Regional plan 2021 did see the light of day only because of Mr Correa’s perseverance.  While most of us were discussing the issues of the day, Mr Correa would visualise the Goa of tomorrow and the day after, wherein Goa becomes a prosperous state not at the cost of its natural resources, but by raising its standards, promoting it as a knowledge centre, getting top class jobs for its youth, while protecting its unique character. 

In the two years we spend together I got a glimpse into his other side - the human side. Unpretentious, conscientious, extremely knowledgeable and witty. I had heard of his legendary temper and was at times, at the receiving end, only to realise that it was his intolerance to the mundane and the trivial that triggered it. And honestly I have all of it, in abundance.

The best was yet to come and it did. Charles bought a small house in Fontainhas and was repairing it. He asked me to help him out. It was a dream come true to work with a legend, with an idol one always revered. I must admit it was tough but indeed elevating. I found him coming on to the site and just as a tantrik would, talk to and feel the spirits, he would converse with and feel the space. Then like a composer of a symphony he would fine-tune the light that touched it, the walls, the floor and the ceiling that bounded it. Though this meant extra work for the rest of us, it was worth the extra effort for it enhanced the quality of space exponentially. It was during this working experience, I think, I learned the secret of what makes him the Charles Correa, as we know him - one of the few who has undoubtedly conquered “space”. 

On September 1 Charles celebrated his 80th birthday with his family in Goa. I wish Charles the very best and thank him for  being my ‘Dronyacharya’.