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Hema Sankalia: The First Woman Architect's Work at CEPT Archives

23.06.2015

Archives

On 19th June 2015, Tanu Sankalia, an architect, urban designer and son of Architect Hema Sankalia, visited CEPT Archives with his family. Since the passing away of Hema Sankalia some time back, the family had been wondering as to how her noteworthy contributions to the fields of architecture, design and education, could be preserved and made available for academic purposes. CEPT Archives team showed the family around and explained as to how archiving could help this noble cause.

Architect Hema Sankalia graduated from Sir J J School of Architecture in 1956-57 and had been practicing architecture since the early sixties. She is one of the earliest women who trained and practiced architecture in the country. Some of the landmark events of her life include, working with Piloo Mody, being appointed as a consultant architect for EPCO, teaching at various well-known schools of architecture in Mumbai, and heading the Contemporary Arts and Crafts (CAC) as a corporate chairperson in the later years. Before starting her own practice, Architect Sankalia had first worked with eminent lady-architect, Pravina Mehta in Bombay (now Mumbai). Apart from her extensive engagement with various clients in Madhya Pradesh, she also worked in Mumbai, and in Surat, Pune and Kolkata. From low-cost housing, to private residences, office buildings, institutions and public spaces, her architectural practice has been wide-ranging.

CEPT Archives is honored to be entrusted with the archiving of architect Sankalia’s work; one of the pioneering women architects in post independence India. The collections include her architectural and interior designing projects, academic and guest presentations, rare photographs and documents, publications and several other artefacts that tell a story of their own. The Collection offers various insights about the life and work of a woman architect in post-independence India and these archives will help the coming generations of architects and designers to discover and re-discover them.

Hema Sankalia: The First Woman Architect's Work at CEPT Archives