The first commission of this vision went to Architect Charles Correa where he was endowed with the responsibility to design the first-ever Bharat Bhavan, in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). It provided space for contemporary expression, thought, quest and innovation for creative pursuits grass rooting from the rural to urban areas.
India has embraced similar public venues and cultural institutions after this building; however, this was the only ‘India House’ built. The original plan of having one in each state did not reach realization.
If we could ever implement this vision where every state could have a Bharat Bhavan in the context of today, how would it be? How would its design speak of the newer interpretations and aspirations of its people, its culture, its daily life?
Design Challenge was to build a new Bharat Bhavan in the context of 2020, encapsulating things that have Made India and are Made in India. This thought can extend to its art forms, to people, culture, technologies, foods, techniques, theatre, performing arts, dance, rituals, film, music, fine arts and a lot more.
The idea is to imagine a new kind of institutional setting. Gone are the days when the government will allocate a parcel of land for a stand alone cultural institution. We will have to locate and link them with existing socio-cultural objects. The new Bharat Bhavan will hover over and around an existing garden, a museum and a fine arts college in the process bridging these institutions as well. Sometimes you need an anonymous stranger (an alien) to bring people together!