Brinda Somaya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brinda Somaya
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Brinda Somaya drawing
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| Born | 28 June 1949 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Smith College, Mumbai University |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | Somaya and Kalappa Consultants Pvt Ltd |
Brinda Somaya, born on June 28, 1949, is a famous Indian architect. She is also known as an urban conservationist. This means she helps protect and restore old buildings and important historical places.
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Brinda's Early Life and School
Brinda Somaya was born on June 28, 1949. She went to the Cathedral & John Connon School in Mumbai. In 1966, she won a special scholarship. This allowed her to study in the United States for a year.
After returning to India in 1967, she studied architecture. She earned her degree from the Sir J.J. School of Architecture in Mumbai in 1971. Later, she went back to the U.S. to get her Masters degree. She studied at Smith College in Massachusetts.
Brinda's Career as an Architect
Brinda Somaya started her own architecture firm in Mumbai in 1978. Her first office was even in her garden! For a few years, her sister, Ranjini Kalappa, also an architect, worked with her.
Brinda loves to learn from traditional Indian buildings. She often travels to rural parts of India to get ideas. This helps her design buildings that fit well with their surroundings. Her designs are known for being both traditional and good for the environment.
What Kind of Buildings Does Brinda Design?
Brinda Somaya has designed many different types of buildings. These include offices, factories, and school campuses. She also works on public spaces like parks and plazas.
Some of her well-known projects include:
- Tata Consultancy Services in Mumbai.
- Nalanda International School in Vadodara.
- Zensar Technologies in Pune.
Her firm also won a big project to restore the historic Louis Kahn Buildings. These are at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. They are also designing new buildings for the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Brinda has built over 200 projects in more than 40 years. She is also the chairperson for the School of Planning and Architecture in Vijayawada.
Helping Other Women Architects
In 1999, Brinda helped start the HECAR Foundation in India. In 2000, she led a special conference. It was called "Women in Architecture 2000 Plus." This event showed the amazing work of women architects from different South Asian countries.
Awards and Special Honours
Brinda Somaya has received many awards for her work. Here are some of them:
- 1994 and 1998: She won the Kitply Award for Conservation. This was for her work on the Cathedral and John Connon School buildings.
- 2004: She received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage award. This was for restoring the St. Thomas Cathedral, Mumbai.
- 2007: She was the first woman to win the Wienerberger Golden Architect Award. This award is for a lifetime of great work.
- 2012: Her old college, Smith College, gave her an honorary doctorate degree.
- 2014: She received the Baburao Mhatre Gold Medal. This is a top award for lifetime achievement in architecture in India.
- 2017: She was recognized for restoring the Rajabai Clock Tower. This is a famous landmark in Mumbai.
- 2019: Her firm won a competition to restore the historic Louis Kahn Buildings. These are at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad.
Important Projects Brinda Has Worked On
Brinda Somaya is known for her thoughtful and community-focused projects.
Rebuilding Bhadli Village
Bhadli Village was badly damaged by a big earthquake. Brinda worked with all the villagers to rebuild it. She wanted to make sure the village kept its unique identity.
- She involved everyone, from families making special fabrics to people interested in the environment.
- Engineers helped create a way to collect rainwater.
- The houses were designed to keep out dust and heat. They had small openings and special concrete screens.
- Houses were grouped together to create a strong community feeling.
- They reused materials like old doors and windows. Villagers provided the labor, and the trust provided materials.
A school in Bhadli was also rebuilt in 2002. Brinda worked closely with the villagers. They used local materials to save money.
Restoring St. Thomas Cathedral
The St. Thomas Cathedral, Mumbai is a very old church in Mumbai. It was almost 300 years old when Brinda was asked to fix a leak. She had to use old black and white photos to help restore the roof. Her successful work on this historic building won her a special award.
Designing Nalanda International School
Nalanda International School was built on 12 acres of land near Vadodara. Brinda designed the school to be peaceful and sustainable. She used local bricks made by local workers. This helped the school fit in with the traditions of the area.
Other Notable Projects
- Goa Institute of Management, Goa
- Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani
- TCS House, Mumbai
- Restoration of the Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad (IIM-A) Louis Kahn Campus
Brinda's Personal Life
Brinda Somaya is married to Anand Somaya. He is a heart surgeon. They celebrated 40 years of marriage in 2014.
