The demise of Ar. Navnath Kanade on Nov 23, 2024 is a deep loss to the architecture community. The blog here is an edited version of an article about the Kanade brothers that our founding partner, Ar Sanjay Mohe, wrote a few months ago for a magazine in Sangli in Maharashtra, Navnath’s hometown.
“I moved to Bangalore from Mumbai in ’83, and began working at C&T Architects. In various discussions with architects and students, one name kept coming up- the Kanade Brothers. I frequently heard about their work, their commitment, and about what wonderful, inspiring teachers they were. I was curious to know more about them. I had seen a couple of houses designed by Shankar Kanade – clean, made of exposed brick, and simple but powerful.
One day during our office lunch break, we visited a small restaurant called Shakti, where I saw them having lunch. I didn’t disturb them, but I was glad to finally see them in person. Shortly afterward, there was an IIA convention in Bangalore with Charles Correa as the main speaker. That was the first time I met Navnath. I had no idea then that we would eventually develop such a close friendship.
A group of us- the Kanade brothers, Sharad Padalkar, Edgar DeMello, Nikhil Arni, Prem Chandavarkar- formed what we called the ‘Base group’. Many of us had studied or worked abroad and returned with a renewed passion to do something exciting. The atmosphere was charged, influenced strongly by modernism and great masters. We would meet every Tuesday, where we discussed architecture, debated, learned, unlearned, argued, viewed countless travel slides, and met amazing personalities. Through the group and the Kanade brothers, we got the opportunity of interacting with an architect we admired the most, Ar. B V Doshi, when he would visit Bangalore every couple of months when designing the IIM campus.
This was a time when information was not easily accessible without the internet, and modernism was being challenged by post-modernism, deconstructivism, and neo-classicism. Shankar and Navnath were ardent supporters of modernism, and exemplified these ideals in their lives and work. Both of them lived and breathed architecture and art. Shankar’s scientific and analytical approach and Navnath’s philosophical perspective perfectly complemented each other.
‘Shilpa Sindhoor,’ their firm, had its roots in a small office room where Shankar used to sleep in the mezzanine floor. Gradually, they acquired adjoining rooms and eventually moved into a larger office. I often visited them for tea, and would feel electrified looking at their models, and their drawings on huge plywood sheets with done with a brown dry brush. There was always something new to learn from them.
On weekends, we frequently travelled in Navnath’s white Fiat car, taking trips to forts, temples, and villages. We would explore and analyse the spaces, materials, we would try to understand how people interacted with the space. These outings and the detailed observations that Shankar and Navnath made were important lessons for me in understanding how to ‘see’. I learnt more about how it is not just about materials coming together but about light enters that space and touches emotions. We would talk of Corbusier, Kahn, Correa and Doshi.
I had the unique advantage of being their neighbour, and we could continue our discussions about architecture, art, and music over dinner in the evenings. I would sit with them and get to be a part of their world. On some weekends, their artist friends like M B Patil would visit along with his canvas and paints, and set up an impromptu studio. I would watch the creative painting unfold, with Shankar and Navnath’s encouraging comments on the side. This association has continued over the years.
Navnath’s energy and dedication remained unchanged for his lifetime. I feel truly blessed to have such a close friend who has been one of my best teachers.”
Sanjay Mohe, 2024
Leave a Reply