Living Ideals

Abstract

Charles Correa (1930-2015) was arguably one of the most important and influential Indian architects to have worked post-Independence. As an architect, planner, activist and theoretician, he realized an extensive oeuvre, both built and unbuilt, in drawings and in writings. With this book, we want to pay tribute to Correa’s legacy as a leading and inspiring authority on housing design by highlighting the main concerns and themes that guided his work. The vast range of Correa’s designs for housing is remarkable for the consistency with which he addressed the various complex issues of generating habitat. Through both, his built and unbuilt work, deceptively simple ideas expressed with great clarity of thought help identify clear lineages between ideas and projects, whether they be for single-family homes or townships, built for the poor or for the rich.