Architecture, Biography, Projects and Design Philosophy
Introduction
Raj Rewal is one of the important figures in the development of modern architecture in post-independence India. His work explored a difficult architectural question: how can contemporary buildings use modern construction technology while remaining connected to India’s climate, materials, spatial traditions and cultural memory?
Born in Hoshiarpur in 1934, Rewal studied architecture in Delhi and continued his education in London. He later worked in Paris with architect and urban planner Michel Écochard before returning to India and establishing his architectural practice in New Delhi in 1962. [1][2]
Over a career spanning several decades, Rewal designed housing, exhibition buildings, research institutions, offices, cultural buildings and civic projects. Among his best-known works are the Hall of Nations, Asian Games Village, National Institute of Immunology, State Trading Corporation building, Parliament Library and Lisbon Ismaili Centre. [3]
His architecture cannot be reduced to a single formal style. Instead, his projects demonstrate recurring concerns with courtyards, clusters, shaded circulation, geometric order, structural expression, climate, materiality, urban patterns and reinterpretation of Indian architectural traditions.
This article examines Raj Rewal’s life, architectural philosophy, major projects, design principles and continuing significance in the study of modern Indian architecture.
Quick Answer: Who Is Raj Rewal?
Raj Rewal is an Indian architect known for developing a modern architectural language influenced by Indian spatial traditions, climate, urban patterns and contemporary construction technology. His major works include the Hall of Nations, Asian Games Village, National Institute of Immunology, State Trading Corporation building, Parliament Library and Lisbon Ismaili Centre.
Rather than reproducing historical architecture literally, Rewal frequently interpreted ideas such as courtyards, streets, clusters, gateways, shaded passages, geometric patterns and traditional settlement structures through contemporary construction.
Raj Rewal: Biography at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Raj Rewal |
| Born | 1934 |
| Birthplace | Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India |
| Profession | Architect and urban design consultant |
| Education | Architecture studies in Delhi and London |
| Paris experience | Worked with Michel Écochard |
| Practice established | New Delhi, 1962 |
| Major themes | Tradition, modernity, climate, urbanism, geometry, courtyards |
| Known projects | Hall of Nations, Asian Games Village, NII, STC, Parliament Library |
| International work | Lisbon Ismaili Centre |
| Archive collections | Raj Rewal drawings and models are held by institutions including MoMA and M+ |
The biographical record requires some care because different secondary websites reproduce inconsistent information. The strongest sources consulted for this article identify Hoshiarpur as his birthplace and document his architectural education in Delhi and London before his Paris experience with Michel Écochard. [1][2][4]
Early Life and Education
Raj Rewal was born in Hoshiarpur in Punjab in 1934. During his formative years, he lived in northern Indian cities including Delhi and Shimla and developed an architectural career during a period when India was redefining its built environment after independence.
His architectural education began in Delhi. He subsequently moved to London, where he studied and gained professional experience. His time in Britain exposed him to contemporary architectural thinking and advanced structural and construction ideas.
This international experience became significant to his later work because Rewal did not approach Indian tradition as an isolated historical subject. Instead, he investigated how traditional spatial ideas could interact with modern technology.
After London, Rewal worked in the Paris office of Michel Écochard. Écochard’s experience in architecture, planning and urban development provided Rewal with exposure to large-scale urban questions in addition to individual building design. [1][2]
Rewal returned to India and established his practice in New Delhi in 1962.
Raj Rewal and the Development of Modern Indian Architecture
The decades following Indian independence presented architects with a complex design problem.
India needed:
- educational institutions;
- research facilities;
- housing;
- government buildings;
- cultural institutions;
- offices;
- exhibition spaces;
- infrastructure;
- new urban settlements.
At the same time, architects were working within a country with centuries of architectural traditions.
The central question was therefore not simply whether architecture should be “traditional” or “modern.”
A more productive question was:
How can contemporary architecture respond to Indian conditions without becoming a literal copy of historical architecture?
This question is particularly useful for understanding Raj Rewal’s work.
His buildings frequently use contemporary structural systems and construction methods while drawing spatial inspiration from:
- traditional settlements;
- courtyard houses;
- Mughal architecture;
- Indian streets;
- gateways;
- shaded passages;
- gardens;
- geometric patterns;
- climatic strategies;
- regional materials.
This approach produced architecture that was modern in construction but often traditional in spatial logic.
Raj Rewal’s Architectural Style
There is no single stylistic label that adequately describes all of Raj Rewal’s work.
His architecture is better understood through a series of recurring design principles.
1. Reinterpretation of Indian Tradition
Rewal studied traditional Indian architecture not simply as a collection of decorative motifs but as a source of spatial and environmental knowledge.
Instead of copying an arch, dome or historic façade, the architectural idea might be transformed into:
- a courtyard;
- a sequence of spaces;
- a shaded street;
- a cluster;
- a gateway;
- a geometric structural system;
- a relationship between solid and void.
This distinction between historical appearance and underlying spatial principles is central to understanding his work.
2. Courtyard as an Organizing Device
The courtyard is one of the recurring spatial elements in Rewal’s architecture.
A courtyard can perform several functions simultaneously:
- provide daylight;
- create outdoor social space;
- organize circulation;
- establish visual orientation;
- moderate the relationship between interior and exterior;
- provide landscape;
- create microclimatic differences;
- produce a sequence of enclosed and open spaces.
In the National Institute of Immunology, buildings, courtyards, gateways and pedestrian paths are organized as a larger spatial ensemble rather than as isolated objects. [5]
The Parliament Library also incorporates courtyards as part of its response to Delhi’s demanding climate. [6]
3. Cluster Planning
Rewal frequently moved away from the idea of the isolated building.
Instead, buildings could be grouped into:
- clusters;
- courts;
- streets;
- plazas;
- terraces;
- connected blocks.
This approach is particularly visible in the Asian Games Village.
The project used a low-rise, high-density pattern with clusters, pedestrian streets, open spaces and community facilities. The architects describe the concept as being influenced by the traditional Indian mohalla. [7]
The result was not simply a collection of housing units but an attempt to create an urban neighbourhood.
4. Streets as Social Space
The street in Rewal’s architecture is more than a circulation route.
It can become a social space.
The Asian Games Village uses narrow shaded pedestrian streets that connect clusters, open spaces, commercial facilities and recreational areas. The sequence creates changing views and opportunities for interaction. [7]
This idea is particularly important for architecture students because it demonstrates the difference between:
Circulation space
and
socially activated circulation space.
A successful street can simultaneously support movement, orientation, climate protection, visual interest and social interaction.
5. Geometry
Geometry is another important component of Rewal’s work.
Geometric organization appears at several scales:
Urban scale
- clusters;
- streets;
- courts;
- axes;
- plazas.
Building scale
- modular structural systems;
- repetitive bays;
- terraces;
- courtyards;
- circular or polygonal forms.
Detail scale
- structural joints;
- façade patterns;
- screens;
- paving;
- openings.
The Hall of Nations demonstrates perhaps the most dramatic relationship between geometry and structure.
Hall of Nations: Architecture and Structural Innovation
Hall of Nations, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Architect: Raj Rewal
Structural engineer: Mahendra Raj
Period: 1970–1972
Location: New Delhi
Building type: Exhibition complex
The Hall of Nations is one of the most important projects for understanding Rewal’s interest in structural geometry and modern technology.
The project formed part of the Pragati Maidan exhibition complex and was designed for the India International Trade Fair.
Its structure consisted of large reinforced-concrete space-frame forms developed as truncated pyramidal geometries. Rewal worked with structural engineer Mahendra Raj on the innovative system. [8][9]
The building was particularly significant because the structural system was not hidden behind a conventional façade.
Architecture and structure became one system.
The geometry generated:
- large exhibition spaces;
- structural spans;
- façade openings;
- visual identity;
- interior spatial character.
The project therefore demonstrates an important lesson:
Structure can be an architectural generator rather than simply a technical system placed behind architecture.
The Hall of Nations was demolished in 2017. Its drawings and architectural material subsequently became part of major archival collections, including the M+ collection and the Museum of Modern Art’s architecture and design collection. [8][10]
Asian Games Village
Asian Games Village, New Delhi
Architect: Raj Rewal
Period: 1980–1982
Location: New Delhi
Site: approximately 35 acres
Housing: approximately 500 units
The Asian Games Village was developed to accommodate athletes during the 1982 Asian Games, with the housing subsequently intended for public use. [7]
Its importance lies in its urban planning rather than simply in the appearance of individual houses.
The project uses:
- low-rise development;
- relatively high density;
- clusters;
- pedestrian streets;
- squares;
- open spaces;
- terraces;
- changes in level;
- community facilities.
The design was influenced by traditional Indian neighbourhood patterns, particularly the idea of the mohalla. [7]
Architectural lesson
The project demonstrates how high-density housing does not necessarily require monotonous repetitive towers.
A low-rise neighbourhood can achieve density through:
- compact planning;
- attached or closely grouped buildings;
- efficient circulation;
- shared open spaces;
- controlled private-to-public transitions.
This makes the project particularly relevant to contemporary housing studies.
National Institute of Immunology
National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi
Architect: Raj Rewal
Period: 1983–2000, with later development phases
Location: New Delhi
Building type: Research and institutional campus
The National Institute of Immunology is an important example of Rewal’s approach to campus planning.
The project is organized through a combination of:
- courtyards;
- pedestrian routes;
- gateways;
- clusters;
- changing levels;
- landscaped areas;
- framed views.
The Raj Rewal Associates project documentation describes the ensemble as an analogue of a traditional town, with courts, galleries, level changes and a consistent material and colour vocabulary. [5]
Archival drawings also show how the buildings respond to the sloping terrain and how different parts are connected through pedestrian passages at multiple levels. [11]
Architectural lesson
The project demonstrates that a research campus does not have to be planned as a collection of independent functional boxes.
A campus can instead operate as a spatial network in which:
building + landscape + circulation + courtyard + topography
work together.
State Trading Corporation Building
State Trading Corporation, New Delhi
Architect: Raj Rewal
Period: 1976–1989
Location: New Delhi
Building type: Office complex
The State Trading Corporation building, also known as Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan, represents a different side of Rewal’s work.
Compared with the low-rise character of the Asian Games Village, the STC complex explores vertical office development.
The building uses multiple towers connected by long-span structural elements. Vierendeel trusses play a major role in the architectural expression. [12]
The project demonstrates how Rewal explored:
- structural repetition;
- verticality;
- long-span construction;
- modular organization;
- exposed structural logic;
- material expression.
The project has sometimes been discussed in relation to Japanese Metabolism, but its architectural language also incorporates references to Indian architectural traditions and materials. [12]
Architectural lesson
The STC building shows that Rewal’s interest in tradition did not prevent him from engaging with advanced structural and urban technologies.
His work moved between:
courtyard housing → institutional campuses → exhibition structures → high-rise offices.
Parliament Library
Library for the Indian Parliament, New Delhi
Architect: Raj Rewal
Design period: 1989–2003
Location: New Delhi
Building type: Parliamentary library
The Parliament Library presented an unusually sensitive contextual problem.
The new building had to respond to the existing Parliament House and the larger urban character of Lutyens’ Delhi.
According to the architect’s project documentation, the site measures approximately 10 acres with a built-up area of about 50,000 square metres. The building’s height was restricted in relation to the existing Parliament House. [6]
Rewal’s approach was not to reproduce the historical Parliament building.
Instead, he sought to develop a contemporary building informed by Indian architectural traditions.
Courtyards are important to the design and were considered in relation to Delhi’s climate.
Architectural lesson
The Parliament Library demonstrates the importance of contextual continuity without literal imitation.
A contemporary building can respond to a historic neighbour through:
- scale;
- height;
- geometry;
- material;
- spatial organization;
- landscape;
- axial relationships;
without copying its architectural language.
Lisbon Ismaili Centre
Ismaili Centre, Lisbon
Architects: Raj Rewal and Frederico Valsassina
Period: 1995–2000
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Building type: Religious, cultural and educational complex
The Lisbon Ismaili Centre demonstrates how Rewal’s architectural ideas could operate outside India.
The project combines Islamic architectural traditions with the architectural context of Lisbon.
Its spatial organization includes multiple courtyards, landscaped spaces and community functions.
The Raj Rewal Associates documentation identifies influences including:
- Islamic spatial traditions;
- Fatehpur Sikri;
- Alhambra;
- Iberian architectural traditions;
- the concept of the paradise garden. [13]
The project also used contemporary reinforced-concrete construction and sophisticated structural systems. An engineering source documents reinforced-concrete buildings organized around structural grids, large clear spans and specialized roof construction. [14]
Architectural lesson
The Lisbon Ismaili Centre illustrates that architectural tradition can become a design vocabulary rather than a decorative theme.
The historical references are transformed according to:
- site;
- programme;
- climate;
- cultural context;
- construction technology.
Other Important Raj Rewal Projects
Rewal’s project portfolio extends considerably beyond the buildings most frequently discussed in introductory articles.
Selected projects include:
| Project | Location | Period | Main architectural relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Embassy Staff Quarters | New Delhi | 1967 | Early exploration of courtyard-based housing |
| Hall of Nations | New Delhi | 1970–1972 | Experimental concrete space-frame structure |
| Asian Games Village | New Delhi | 1980–1982 | Low-rise, high-density community planning |
| State Trading Corporation | New Delhi | 1976–1989 | Structural expression and vertical office architecture |
| National Institute of Immunology | New Delhi | 1983–2000 | Campus planning, courtyards and landscape |
| Indian National Science Academy | New Delhi | 1983–1990 | Institutional architecture |
| ICGEB | New Delhi | 1989–1994 | Research architecture |
| Parliament Library | New Delhi | 1989–2003 | Contemporary architecture in historic context |
| Lisbon Ismaili Centre | Lisbon | 1995–2000 | Islamic spatial traditions and contemporary construction |
| National Brain Research Centre | Manesar | 2000–2010 | Research campus architecture |
| National Centre for Biological Sciences | Bengaluru | 2000–2010 | Institutional and research campus |
| Metro Bhawan | New Delhi | 2007–2009 | Contemporary institutional architecture |
| Jung-e-Azadi Memorial Complex | Kartarpur, Punjab | 2014–ongoing in project documentation | Memorial architecture and cultural symbolism |
The architect’s own project archive provides the most comprehensive overview of these works. [3]
Key Characteristics of Raj Rewal’s Architecture
The following characteristics provide a useful framework for studying his work.
| Characteristic | Meaning | Architectural expression |
|---|---|---|
| Courtyard | Enclosed or semi-enclosed outdoor space | Light, ventilation, social interaction |
| Cluster | Grouping of buildings | Community and spatial hierarchy |
| Street | Pedestrian circulation as social space | Interaction and movement |
| Geometry | Mathematical/spatial order | Structure, planning and façade |
| Climate response | Design adapted to environmental conditions | Shade, courts, orientation and massing |
| Materiality | Materials contribute to identity | Stone, concrete and textured surfaces |
| Tradition | Historical knowledge translated into contemporary design | Spatial patterns rather than literal copying |
| Structure | Structural system contributes to architectural expression | Space frames, trusses and geometric systems |
| Context | Building responds to surrounding urban/cultural conditions | Scale, height, landscape and material |
| Sequence | Spaces experienced progressively | Gateways, streets, courts and framed views |
Climate and Environmental Response
Climate is an important part of understanding Rewal’s work, particularly in Delhi.
Rather than treating climate as an engineering problem added after architectural design, several of his projects incorporate environmental response into spatial organization.
Strategies visible across his work include:
- shaded pedestrian routes;
- courtyards;
- controlled openings;
- deep spatial transitions;
- landscape;
- building clustering;
- orientation;
- shaded outdoor spaces.
The National Institute of Immunology is particularly useful as a case study because its buildings, paths and landscape work together across a sloping site. [5][11]
The Parliament Library documentation also explicitly identifies courtyards as a response to Delhi’s extreme climate. [6]
It is important, however, not to describe every feature of Rewal’s architecture as a formal “sustainable technology.” Many strategies are better understood as passive environmental and spatial design principles.
Materials in Raj Rewal’s Architecture
Material plays both a practical and symbolic role in Rewal’s architecture.
His work frequently engages with:
- concrete;
- sandstone;
- brick;
- stone aggregates;
- glass;
- steel;
- landscape materials.
The use of ochre and rose sandstone in particular became associated with his attempts to establish continuity with the architectural character of northern India while using modern building systems. [4]
In other projects, concrete becomes the dominant architectural expression.
The Hall of Nations is the clearest example of this structural-material relationship.
Here, reinforced concrete was not simply a hidden frame. The geometry of the structural system became the visual identity of the building.
Raj Rewal and the Relationship Between Tradition and Modernity
One of the most important lessons from Rewal’s architecture is that tradition does not necessarily mean historical imitation.
There are at least three ways an architect can respond to tradition:
1. Literal imitation
Copy historical forms directly.
2. Decorative reference
Use historical motifs as surface decoration.
3. Spatial reinterpretation
Study the underlying principles of traditional architecture and reinterpret them through contemporary design.
Rewal’s work frequently belongs to the third category.
For example:
Traditional courtyard
→ becomes a contemporary organizational device.
Traditional street
→ becomes a pedestrian social spine.
Historic cluster
→ becomes a modern housing strategy.
Traditional geometry
→ becomes a structural or planning system.
Historic material
→ becomes part of a contemporary architectural language.
This distinction is useful when studying regionalism in modern architecture.
Architectural Lessons from Raj Rewal
Lesson 1: Study principles, not just forms
Students should not copy the appearance of traditional architecture without understanding why it worked.
Ask:
- Why was the courtyard used?
- Why were streets narrow?
- How did buildings respond to climate?
- How did public and private spaces relate?
- How did materials respond to local availability?
- How did settlement patterns support social interaction?
Lesson 2: Make circulation architectural
Circulation should not be treated as leftover space.
A corridor, street, stair or ramp can create:
- views;
- pauses;
- interaction;
- orientation;
- daylight;
- social space.
The Asian Games Village is especially useful for understanding this principle.
Lesson 3: Connect building and landscape
Rewal’s campuses demonstrate the value of treating landscape as part of architectural planning rather than as decoration added after construction.
Lesson 4: Use structure as a design opportunity
The Hall of Nations demonstrates how structural geometry can directly generate architectural form.
This is especially relevant to students studying:
- structural systems;
- long-span structures;
- space frames;
- form generation;
- architectural geometry.
Lesson 5: Context does not mean imitation
The Parliament Library demonstrates how a new building can establish a relationship with a historic context through:
- scale;
- height;
- material;
- geometry;
- landscape;
- spatial relationships.
Advantages of Rewal’s Architectural Approach
Rewal’s work provides several valuable lessons for contemporary architectural practice.
Contextual relevance
His buildings often respond to local culture and urban conditions.
Climate awareness
Courtyards, shade, landscape and spatial transitions can contribute to environmental performance.
Social interaction
Cluster planning and pedestrian streets can encourage community interaction.
Structural expression
Projects such as the Hall of Nations demonstrate how engineering can contribute directly to architectural identity.
Cultural continuity
Traditional spatial ideas can be transformed rather than simply copied.
Urban thinking
Many projects operate simultaneously at building and settlement scales.
Limitations and Challenges
Rewal’s architecture should not be treated as a universal formula.
Some of his strategies depend strongly on:
- climate;
- site;
- programme;
- construction technology;
- maintenance;
- available materials;
- density;
- social patterns.
A courtyard that works well in one climate may perform differently elsewhere.
Likewise, low-rise high-density housing requires careful land-use planning and may not always be economically or spatially feasible on every site.
The larger lesson is therefore not to copy Rewal’s forms but to understand the design reasoning behind them.
Why the Hall of Nations Matters Today
The demolition of the Hall of Nations in 2017 created a major debate around the preservation of modern Indian architecture.
The building’s significance was not only visual.
It represented an important moment when Indian architects and engineers demonstrated that advanced structural experimentation could emerge within the country’s post-independence architectural context.
The M+ Museum archive records the Hall of Nations drawings, including perspectives, floor plans, structural details and sections. [8]
MoMA’s acquisition records also include Rewal’s drawings and models for the Hall of Nations, Asian Games Village, French Embassy Staff Quarters and Parliament Library. [10]
This archival presence is important because it demonstrates that Rewal’s work is increasingly studied not merely as local architectural history but as part of the wider history of twentieth-century modern architecture.
Raj Rewal’s Legacy
Raj Rewal’s importance lies in the questions his buildings raise about modern architecture in India.
His projects show that modern architecture can engage simultaneously with:
- technology;
- climate;
- culture;
- history;
- urbanization;
- social interaction;
- structural innovation.
His work is particularly valuable because it avoids a simple opposition between “traditional” and “modern.”
Instead, his architecture demonstrates how these categories can overlap.
A courtyard can be traditional and modern.
A contemporary structural system can support a culturally familiar spatial pattern.
A modern research institution can be organized like a traditional settlement.
A civic building can acknowledge historical context without copying historical architecture.
This synthesis is one of the most important contributions of Rewal’s architectural thinking.
Conclusion
Raj Rewal occupies an important position in the history of modern Indian architecture.
His career demonstrates an extended investigation into how architecture can respond to the realities of India while participating in modern architectural discourse.
From the structural experimentation of the Hall of Nations to the community-oriented planning of the Asian Games Village, the landscape-based organization of the National Institute of Immunology, the structural expression of the State Trading Corporation building, the contextual approach of the Parliament Library, and the international reinterpretation of Islamic architectural traditions at the Lisbon Ismaili Centre, his projects reveal a consistent interest in the relationship between technology, culture, climate and space. [3][5][6][7][13]
For architecture students, the greatest lesson from Raj Rewal may therefore not be a particular façade or formal vocabulary.
It is the method:
study the context → understand the tradition → analyse climate and urban patterns → develop a spatial strategy → use contemporary technology → create architecture appropriate to its place and time.
That approach makes Raj Rewal’s work relevant to the continuing study of modern and contemporary architecture in India.