The Great Houses of Calcutta: Their Antecedents, Precedents, Splendour and Portents

Author:

Joanne Taylor

,

Jon Lang

Publisher:

Niyogi Books

Rs1050 Rs1500 30% OFF

Availability: Available

Shipping-Time: Usually Ships 1-3 Days

    

Rating and Reviews

0.0 / 5

5
0%
0

4
0%
0

3
0%
0

2
0%
0

1
0%
0
Publisher

Niyogi Books

Publication Year 2016
ISBN-13

9789383098903

ISBN-10 9789383098903
Binding

Flexibound

Number of Pages 326 Pages
Language (English)
Dimensions (Cms) 21.5* 17.2*1.8
Weight (grms) 745
The Great Houses standing in North Kolkata today and described in this book were built by the cream of the indigenous elite during the city’s colonial era. Some exceptions apart, these mansions are now largely forlorn reminders of the ways of life, aspirations and aesthetic values of the wealthy Indian landowners, bankers and traders who flourished during the heyday of the city’s colonial era of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The houses are an important part of the urban and architectural history of Kolkata and are past representatives of the ongoing debate over what it means to be modern while representing a living culture in built form. Taking off from Joanne Taylor’s widely acclaimed award-winning book The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta and drawing from her thesis The Great Houses of Kolkata, 1750-2006, this book is a more comprehensive endeavour bringing in Joanne Taylor’s first-hand experiences and research in Kolkata and Jon Lang’s knowledge of the broader context of architectural history and the attempts to display contemporary design attitudes in built form, not only in today’s changing world but also during India’s colonial and post-colonial eras. With the help of meticulously researched and informative text and fascinating photographs, the book showcases the ‘Great Houses’ both during the city’s golden era when Kolkata was described as ‘The City of Palaces’ and the present. It raises current issues in architecture, not just in India but around the world. The book is a fresh view of India’s first capital and a fascinating insight into the lives of Kolkata’s great families, the bhadralok, during the British Raj. It is an essential work for architects, students of architecture and readers who are interested in British and Indian history.

Joanne Taylor

Australia-born Joanne Taylor is a Sydney- based scholar, writer and photographer with a passion for Indian architecture and culture. She has written for numerous publications, studied Indian history at the University of Sydney, and has done a thesis on Calcutta s Great Houses for the University of New South Wales. Joanne first visited India in 1971, which left an indelible impression on her. In The Forgotten Palaces of Calcutta, she achieves her aim of showing another side of the city of Calcutta; a city which she feels, leaves a lasting impact on all who embrace it.

Jon Lang

Jon Lang is an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales where he headed the School of Architecture. Born in Kolkata, he received his early education in the city and in Kalimpong. He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of the Witwatersrand and a doctorate from Cornell University. He taught in the urban design program at the University of Pennsylvania before settling in Australia. This book is the fourth that he has written or co-authored on architecture in India. In 2010 he received the Reed and Mallik Medal from the Institution of Civil Engineers in London.

No Review Found
More from Author