In architecture, the application of glazed ceramics is often a process where the decision-maker is uninformed about the material or the vast possibilities of applications it can have inbuilt spaces. Swagata S Naidu, Faculty- Ceramic and Glass Design, NID endeavours to introduce glazed ceramics through the diversity of its applications by professional artists Mamta Gautam, Kavita Ganguly, and Ruby Jhunjhunwala.
Eventually everything connects. Learn to see it. – Leonardo Da Vinci
A tangible expression of an idea of a built structure is through a well- planned combination of many materials. Conscious application of these materials to create spaces with meaning and personality have led to iconic buildings and birth of a variety of styles in architecture across the world. Frank Lloyd Wright’s prolific use of concrete brick and stained glass across his building designs, Laurie Baker’s brick and vernacular material application for climate-appropriate housing gave new languages and iconic building styles. The humble architectural ceramic is ubiquitous and multifarious yet unpretentious and blends with other materials seamlessly unless used specifically to stand out.
Materials are often chosen at the end of the design process limiting the ways and places where they can be used most effectively to lend spaces a character and meaning. The need exists to reintegrate these components. The emphasis on the inclusion of materials in the process of design as a feature needs to be emphasised at the educational stage itself. While architectural education discusses many aspects of design, it inadvertently creates a hierarchy where the role of material gets pushed to the lower levels of priority.
One of the earliest establishments to introduce professional design education in the field of Ceramic and Glass Design in India was the National Institute of Design [NID], Ahmedabad. The Ceramic and Glass Design discipline, which is celebrating fifty years of its conception this year, has been the pioneer in creating professionals who have been working with industries, craft sectors, design studios and changing the landscape of studio pottery in this country and outside. As succinctly stated by Peter Lane in Ceramic forms: Design and Decoration,
Clay has no form of its own, but its polymorphous nature presents the maker with a very wide choice of working methods to create a wide variety of forms.
The concepts of sustainability, optimal consumption of fuel and material, eco-friendly practices and ease of use are regularly explored through design projects. Considering the current lifestyle, products which complement and support new needs have been explored by students. One such product is the contemporary planter in partly glazed terracotta that is suitable to be used for vertical gardening in apartment balconies.
Ceramics do not weather by normal environmental factors for hundreds of years. While glass can be recycled as many times as possible, ceramics cannot be. Therefore, fired products with defects or those which have gone past their use need to be up-cycled to continue using them pertinently. Recycling of ceramic waste is a relatively new area of concern in the world. Students have explored many ways to recycle/up-cycle them to create useful products. Studies in contemporary lifestyle have opened a new platform for ceramics to be used in creating customised meaningful spaces which reflect the preferences and character of the owner of the space. Design education at NID successfully integrates the role of materials with appropriate function and form for architecture to create distinct, experiential, memorable spaces.
Kavita Pandya Ganguly
Ochre Ceramics and Pottery, Anand, Gujarat
In 2013, when we began renovation work on our old house, we realised that it was a wonderful opportunity to recreate a few things with ceramics. Staying mindful of our skill-set and scale of production, we developed our first range of handles and knobs, as well as custom-sized tiles to fit into different parts of the house. This experience motivated us to ideate and soon we began production of our own range in small batches on the basis of its application and customisation.
Architectural spaces to us are all forms of art in a large scale and the uniqueness of ceramics is that it is a versatile technique.
At Ochre, we presently practice a production technique called ‘Nerikomi’ in which patterns are created with different colours of clay. We have developed a different style to use this unique attribute of our skill-set in the design of architectural products. In application, our glazes are not the only medium of expression; patterns and motifs also feature to complement colours. Our production unit is small but everything is handcrafted. The advantage here is the opportunity to customise every detail. The aesthetic quality of ceramics is a thing of pure craft and the process brings immense satisfaction.
Mamta Gautam
Dirty Hands, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
As an architect and interior designer, I rely on an intuitive response to space and its requirements. Early on in an exchange programme at Auroville in Puducherry, I was exposed to fire-burnt houses which got me thinking about the interface of ceramics and architecture and the immense potential in the idea. Knowing the nuances of the two fields helps me to explore and arrive at interestingly diverse options within set constraints.
Despite the fact that architectural ceramics is an established product and service in the international scenario, India is yet to advance.
While studio pottery is an established practice and market, architectural ceramics is still at its nascent stage. There exists a perceived notion that ceramics are brittle and hence less durable as a product. This is a huge misconception. As a material, ceramics could help address concerns of insulation, heat gain, weatherproofing, durability, high compressive strength and porosity, it can offer innovative solutions for space requirements. While the journey for production units might be slow due to investment costs involved and risk aversion in the Indian context, the solution for architects lies in seeking innovative solutions customised for specific projects.
Ruby Jhunjhunwala
ADIPA, Pune, Maharashtra
During the early years of making and executing ceramic murals, I practised a very traditional approach. Working on some very large commissions as permanent projects, they were designed to last as long as the architecture. Today, people have far more accessible to all kinds of art customised for their homes and workspaces. The whole approach to wall surface application has evolved into a specialised segment of design and décor.
With more than 500 studio potters and innumerable ceramic exhibitions across India, most three-dimensional art forms continue to have a moderate sale-ability.
Over the years, I have assembled a small, but efficient team with whom I enjoy working on large projects. In my time as an artist, I have always taken on a project after the client has seen my studio and approach to work since I believe that ceramics must be seen and touched to understand its make. Very often people confuse art made from resin and seal as ceramics- unable to justify the higher cost of ceramics. Fundamentally, they are very different techniques – while traditional ceramics involves an irreversible transformation of clay/earth under intense heat levels, artwork made from resin and seal is commonly termed as ‘cold ceramics’ ⊗
SWAGATA S NAIDU is a faculty at National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and currently leads the Ceramic and Glass Design Programme, which falls under the larger umbrella of Industrial Design. She is an architect who pursued her passion for fired materials for a Masters in Design from NID. She has been teaching geometry, basic materials, and mentors in design projects. Her interest lies in architecture and the role of materials in it, geometry of forms, glass and form, eco-friendly practices and crafts. She has been involved in projects related to skill-development and product-diversification in Firozabad flame glass cluster and Pokaran terracotta cluster owing to her interest.
