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Charles Correa spent his life in Mumbai – and the city let him down Charles Correa wanted to design a better Mumbai – but the city let him down
(34 minutes later)
He was a prophet without imprimatur in his own city. Charles Correa, who passed away late on the night of 16 June, was among the great architects of our times. His institutional buildings across the world are all iconic. Yet, Mumbai, his lifelong home, boasts just one residential tower designed by him – an irony as much as a travesty. Though the cubist Kanchanjunga is eye-catching, it’s still high-rise: a genre caustically savaged by this patron saint of low-slung architecture.He was a prophet without imprimatur in his own city. Charles Correa, who passed away late on the night of 16 June, was among the great architects of our times. His institutional buildings across the world are all iconic. Yet, Mumbai, his lifelong home, boasts just one residential tower designed by him – an irony as much as a travesty. Though the cubist Kanchanjunga is eye-catching, it’s still high-rise: a genre caustically savaged by this patron saint of low-slung architecture.
It gets worse. Correa’s real passion was the designing of cities that are easy to live, work, play – and commute – in. But his karma was Mumbai, which can check none of these boxes with a straight face. The man who described cities as “places of hope” was fated to live in a city of disappointments. It’s not just because its skyline resembles an alarming ECG. More specifically, Mumbai mindlessly sabotaged two of his masterful plans, each of which would have helped it regain its post-independence swagger as India’s showpiece.It gets worse. Correa’s real passion was the designing of cities that are easy to live, work, play – and commute – in. But his karma was Mumbai, which can check none of these boxes with a straight face. The man who described cities as “places of hope” was fated to live in a city of disappointments. It’s not just because its skyline resembles an alarming ECG. More specifically, Mumbai mindlessly sabotaged two of his masterful plans, each of which would have helped it regain its post-independence swagger as India’s showpiece.
One was his design for New Bombay across the harbour in 1964; the other his masterplan in 1996 for the textile mill-lands in the heart of what had by then been rechristened Mumbai. Ironically, he had been appointed for these visionary tasks by the very politicians who would later subvert them; one with myopic indifference, the other with unmitigated greed.One was his design for New Bombay across the harbour in 1964; the other his masterplan in 1996 for the textile mill-lands in the heart of what had by then been rechristened Mumbai. Ironically, he had been appointed for these visionary tasks by the very politicians who would later subvert them; one with myopic indifference, the other with unmitigated greed.
In a leap of imagination from prevailing wisdom, Correa envisaged a large, independent New Bombay, not a satellite town. He knew that nothing less would do to save a metropolis that was growing at a lethal pace. From 1951 to 61, the city’s population had doubled; it would increase by 80.8% in the next decade. The City & Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) was set up to give form to this wowing blueprint drawn up by him, Shirish Patel and Pravin Mehta. New Bombay could accommodate 2.1 million people, happily.In a leap of imagination from prevailing wisdom, Correa envisaged a large, independent New Bombay, not a satellite town. He knew that nothing less would do to save a metropolis that was growing at a lethal pace. From 1951 to 61, the city’s population had doubled; it would increase by 80.8% in the next decade. The City & Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) was set up to give form to this wowing blueprint drawn up by him, Shirish Patel and Pravin Mehta. New Bombay could accommodate 2.1 million people, happily.
Instead, largely because the state government did not move its offices there as planned, it remained a dormitory town, and not a conducive one because the suburban railway lines were not extended. Correa was wryly vindicated some 40 years later when Mumbai finally burst at the seams, spilling over into Navi Mumbai – where real-estate prices on swanky Palm Beach Avenue now almost rival those on Mumbai’s art-deco Marine Drive.Instead, largely because the state government did not move its offices there as planned, it remained a dormitory town, and not a conducive one because the suburban railway lines were not extended. Correa was wryly vindicated some 40 years later when Mumbai finally burst at the seams, spilling over into Navi Mumbai – where real-estate prices on swanky Palm Beach Avenue now almost rival those on Mumbai’s art-deco Marine Drive.
The mill-lands, meanwhile, have turned into a nightmarish Gotham in a much, much shorter time. Before our eyes, chimneys give way to giant cranes: midwives delivering massive housing and residential complexes, whose hyperventilating billboards blithely ignore the antiquated civic utilities underneath.The mill-lands, meanwhile, have turned into a nightmarish Gotham in a much, much shorter time. Before our eyes, chimneys give way to giant cranes: midwives delivering massive housing and residential complexes, whose hyperventilating billboards blithely ignore the antiquated civic utilities underneath.
By the time he died at 84, Correa had long been a disillusioned manBy the time he died at 84, Correa had long been a disillusioned man
Correa may or may not have got smug satisfaction from this urban morass. His commissioned plan was a living, breathing document, developed along transit lines and integrating commerce, culture and ease of living. His canvas had been the “open land” which had fallen into decay after the fatal textile strike of 1982, and which, after protracted legal wrangling over workers’ dues, was then opened up for “development”.Correa may or may not have got smug satisfaction from this urban morass. His commissioned plan was a living, breathing document, developed along transit lines and integrating commerce, culture and ease of living. His canvas had been the “open land” which had fallen into decay after the fatal textile strike of 1982, and which, after protracted legal wrangling over workers’ dues, was then opened up for “development”.
But with a rapacious sleight-of-hand, the relevant rule was reworded overnight: “open land” was redefined, and the promised 166 acres for public use shrivelled to a scandalous 32. Mill-owners and builders made a killing on the rest; the same can be said for much of Mumbai.But with a rapacious sleight-of-hand, the relevant rule was reworded overnight: “open land” was redefined, and the promised 166 acres for public use shrivelled to a scandalous 32. Mill-owners and builders made a killing on the rest; the same can be said for much of Mumbai.
Correa’s sheer genius excused his arrogance. He worked with a manic stillness, and was caustically impatient with journalists unable to convey his nuanced urban vision – this writer included. I also still blush over a 2013 incident, when I invited him to launch my book on Mumbai at the Times Litfest. He adamantly refused at first, dredging up some long-ago lapse, then relented – only to lambast me from the stage for a bigger “crime”. I was the festival director, and our 11th-hour sponsor was exactly the kind of developer he routinely slammed for the city’s destruction.Correa’s sheer genius excused his arrogance. He worked with a manic stillness, and was caustically impatient with journalists unable to convey his nuanced urban vision – this writer included. I also still blush over a 2013 incident, when I invited him to launch my book on Mumbai at the Times Litfest. He adamantly refused at first, dredging up some long-ago lapse, then relented – only to lambast me from the stage for a bigger “crime”. I was the festival director, and our 11th-hour sponsor was exactly the kind of developer he routinely slammed for the city’s destruction.
By the time he died at 84, Correa had long been a disillusioned man, compensating for the rampaging skyline at home with the accolades and commissions abroad he continued to execute. Ahmedabad-based Balkrishna Doshi, a believer in the same principles of architecture and planning for 60 years – and best man at Correa’s wedding – said he was “overwhelmed” by the new project plans his friend showed him on a recent visit. These included an extension for his awesome Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown: a research and treatment facility for neurosciences and cancer built on almost the same spot on Lisbon’s river Tigus from which Vasco da Gama sailed out on another voyage of discovery, five centuries ago. (Doshi also recalled how Correa would play “Those were the days, my friend” every time he visited him.)By the time he died at 84, Correa had long been a disillusioned man, compensating for the rampaging skyline at home with the accolades and commissions abroad he continued to execute. Ahmedabad-based Balkrishna Doshi, a believer in the same principles of architecture and planning for 60 years – and best man at Correa’s wedding – said he was “overwhelmed” by the new project plans his friend showed him on a recent visit. These included an extension for his awesome Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown: a research and treatment facility for neurosciences and cancer built on almost the same spot on Lisbon’s river Tigus from which Vasco da Gama sailed out on another voyage of discovery, five centuries ago. (Doshi also recalled how Correa would play “Those were the days, my friend” every time he visited him.)
Related: Charles Correa – a life in picturesRelated: Charles Correa – a life in pictures
Correa’s wife Monika is an accomplished art-weaver; his son-in-law, Rahul Mehrotra, also a globally acclaimed architect and planner. Monika and Charles were a striking couple for almost half a century on the city’s cultural landscape – and the familiar faces of the cognoscenti that still holds on to the idea of “Bombay” were all there at the funeral mass this morning.Correa’s wife Monika is an accomplished art-weaver; his son-in-law, Rahul Mehrotra, also a globally acclaimed architect and planner. Monika and Charles were a striking couple for almost half a century on the city’s cultural landscape – and the familiar faces of the cognoscenti that still holds on to the idea of “Bombay” were all there at the funeral mass this morning.
But there was much of Mumbai too – both students and unknown admirers. They gathered, undeterred by the unrelenting monsoon squall, in Salvacao Church: Correa’s expansive creation in congested Dadar, with its distinctive roof and circular, stained-glass window. From his signature mastery of light and space, Charles Correa departed from the city he tried to save – and which is paying the price of its greedy disobedience.But there was much of Mumbai too – both students and unknown admirers. They gathered, undeterred by the unrelenting monsoon squall, in Salvacao Church: Correa’s expansive creation in congested Dadar, with its distinctive roof and circular, stained-glass window. From his signature mastery of light and space, Charles Correa departed from the city he tried to save – and which is paying the price of its greedy disobedience.