...while Ar. Rewal claims most of China's architecture is 'copycat architecture' and as a result the country doesn't have a single good building

Panaji: Architecture students from various parts of the country and beyond were in for a treat. Charles Correa, Mahendra Raj and Raj Rewal - three of the most celebrated masters in modern Indian architecture were engaged in a profound discussion on the 'challenges and opportunities of post-independence India', at the international Z-Axis conference, held at Kala Academy."Architecture, like any art, is a challenge. If it isn't a challenge, it isn't worth doing. The idea that one needs complete freedom is rubbish," Charles Correa said.

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Correa said it is insulting when big firms ask Indian architects to act as the 'local architect', while they give the project to a big developer. "I'm not against big developers; I'm against what they do. They ruin a generation of architects who are not allowed to question. London resisted high-rise apartments for many years. Multistory buildings kill the connection to the ground," he stated.

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Rewal claimed that most of China's architecture was 'copycat architecture' and as a result the country didn't have a single good building designed by a Chinese architect yet. He urged architects not to be laid back but to fight with promoters and politicians. Raj, who worked with Correa on many projects, said engineers were at advantage today, as they had computers where all their calculations could be done. He revealed the secret of Correa and Rewal's success saying that, "Deep psychological thought went into any project they designed. They would never complete an assignment off the cuff." He urged architects to be dedicated to their work. "You must have credibility. This comes when you don't take your work lightly," he added.