Going green with art and architecture

New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) When award-winning architect Vidur Bharadwaj took to art, it was natural for him to infuse the canvas with expressions of nature and imageries of historic monuments.

The brain behind 'green buildings' like -- Wipro Technologies, Gurgaon, Patni Campus and The Four Seasons Hotel, Noida -- believes that it's his responsibility to adopt sustainable art.

"In today's era of glass buildings, we are losing the basic essence that made earlier buildings sustainable. It has always been my conscious effort to make my projects socially, economically and environmentally sustainable," said Bharadwaj.

His first solo show titled 'Soul In Structure', is scheduled to be opened at India Habitat Centre here on Friday.

In this show, Chairman of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), Delhi Chapter, Bharadwaj will be exhibiting 15 canvases in mixed media combining architecture and design elements of historical monuments and cities.

While courtyards, terraces, verandas along with water bodies, wind and sunlight suffuse his palette, imagery of sun and a child are omnipresent in most works.

"Sun is the source of all energy and child represents the future, for whom we have to save this planet," says the artist.

"I have combined photographs of my projects with the elements that inspire me as an architect, be it nature, monuments or moments," he added.

Inspired by 'haveli' construction with courtyards and windows, one of the paintings titled 'Wipro, Gurgaon' has used elements to design the sustainable building of Wipro Technology.

"The courtyard in the painting has bigger windows on the bottom to hardness natural light and smaller deep windows on the upper levels for controlled daylight," said the artist.

The concept of nature walk has been highlighted in the installation titled 'Green Boulevard', which drew inspiration from Mughal architecture.

The painting titled 'Tech Boulevard' also highlights the grid system and proportions used in planning Fatehpur Sikri.

In another painting 'Home', the artist uses details from his own residence. "It was my dream to create an eco-system attracting beautiful creatures like birds and fish. I believe that a house is a living being and it should be able to live, breath and sustain itself," he said.

Another artwork 'Shunya' highlights the zero energy concept and the painting is circular representing zero.

"Brown, blue and green in concentric circles represent various elements that contribute to building development like site, energy, water and materials leading to a 'zero'," said Bharadwaj.

The exhibition will open at Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre from September 16-22.