Architect Cyrus Jhabwala Passes Away

Date

October 1, 2014

Post by

arZan

Category

Individuals

Parsi Khabar is sad to hear about the passing away of Cyrus Jhabwala. Below is a write up by Ram Rahman.

The architect who designed the Delhi Parsi  Dharamsala, the Bhiwandiwalla Hall & the Dar-E-Meher.Husband of the Oscar winning Ruth Prawer & son of the  pioneering Trade Unionist Savaxshah Jhabwala of Burn Bastion Rd & Dadar Parsi Colony.

Architect Cyrus Jhabvala, 94, passed away today, September 23rd, in Los Angeles where he was staying with his daughter Pheroza. His bio was published in the book: Architecture in India in 1986. I have added a few details myself.

cyrus_ruth_jhabwala

Born in Bombay, in 1920. After architectural studies in Bombay and London, he was elected an associate member of the R.l.B.A. (Royal Institute Of British Architects)in 1948. He was later to become a Fellow of the same Institute. He returned to India in 1949 and set up a practice in partnership with Mr. Anan and Mr. Aptay in Delhi.

He taught architecture at the Delhi Polytechnic from 1949 to 1957. From 1966 to1978, he was the head of the Department of Architecture and also Director of the School of Planning and Architecture for one year. His dedication and contributions to architectural education in India are widely acknowledged. His major works include some large university campuses in North India and various exhibition pavilions at the Trade Fair Gounds, Delhi. He has been awarded four Gold Medals for his exhibition pavilions at the Fair-Grounds. he was consultant to the World Bank for the Tamil Nadu Integrated Nutrition Scheme, Health Subcentres, Nutrition Centres and Training Centres.

A legendary teacher, he taught generations of architects in Delhi and also became the subject of a film written by Arundhati Roy, who was also his student at SPA. The film –“In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones” was one of the early films directed by Pradeep Krishen, and Roshen Seth played the role inspired by Jhabvala. He designed the Kirorimal College buildings, Delhi University in 1954-55. In the last few years, he was living in New York with his wife, the famed novelist Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who passed away there in 2013. He dedicated the last many years in making drawings of the cities of Delhi and of New York, which have been most recently published by Penguin.

He is survived by his three daughters, Renana, Ava and Pheroza.

Excerpts From an article about him

 

An architect, a teacher, an artist, a visionary….

The book “Delhi Phoenix City” contains pencil sketches of the Tomb of Roshanara, Kashmere Gate, Fatehpuri Masjid and many more of Delhi’s architectural gems

For people who know nothing about architecture or building, the string of words – hot-dipped galvanised steel doors and windows – may seem rather alien. But thanks to renowned architect C.S.H. Jhabvala, this phenomenon was introduced for the first time in the Sun Life Insurance Building that stands today at Ajmeri Gate in Delhi – making it a milestone in its own way.

“My father was very innovative,” said Renana Jhabvala during a talk on Wednesday about his method in architecture and as a teacher at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) where he taught for almost three decades. But later on in the talk about Professor Jhabvala, another facet of his life took centre-stage – that of a remarkably gifted artist.

With sketches from his new book titled “Delhi Phoenix City” to aid her narration, Renana spoke about how her father perceived Delhi’s architectural marvels in the context of history and what happened to these monuments as time went by. So as the slideshow began, there they were: pencil sketches of the Tomb of Roshanara, Kashmere Gate, Fatehpuri Masjid and many more of Delhi’s architectural gems.

While many of these were sketches of places that the Professor visited often, several others were taken during his “quiet desultory ambles” around town. “I studied at Hindu College and my father would often come to drop me off,” said Renana, pointing to a sketch of the house of Hindu College’s Principal which according to the professor was a design “peculiar to the Army”. Similarly, the family would get dragged to the ramparts of Red Fort each time they had an outstation visitor. This then obviously became a part of his collection of drawings.

Yet the Professor, who currently lives in New York and turns 92 next month, only took to his real passion of drawing and sketching after his architectural practice reduced. Before that he had an illustrious career as an architect and more importantly a teacher and head of the SPA.

“Professor Jhabvala was more than a teacher. He was many things rolled into one,” said Nalini Thakur, a former student and current head of SPA’s Architectural Conservation. “He was instrumental in professionalising architectural education – a big change from being seen as a draftsman,” she said. The Professor not only consolidated the syllabus for architecture education but promoted objective ways of learning, observed Ms. Thakur, “but he was a tough teacher and was feared a lot.”

Hearing Professor Jhabvala’s contemporary and classmate J. J. School of Arts Professor M. M. Rana’s recollection of their days as young architects was perhaps the best way to conclude the evening session. “I was drinking tea one day when someone threw a matchbox on my head,” he said, “I looked up and saw Jhabvala. He immediately told me he needs me to teach at SPA. There started our association once again as teachers.”

Link to article