Robert chisholm

Robert Fellowes Chilsholm (1840-1915)

1840 - Chisholm was born in London & had his early education in the United Kingdom.

1865- Robert  Chisholm  was the head of the Madras School of Industrial design.

He was one of the most versatile & distinguished architect of Britih India, At the turn of the century he became a leading pioneer & practitioner of the so called Indo-saracenid architectural design idiom. 

Initially, constructed buildings in the Renaissance and Gothic styles of architecture.

His key issue was the support to local workmanship/ local crafts etc which his buildings became vehicles of Expressing the same.

He was the Chief Architect in Madras presidency during the time in which he was called up on by Sir  Madhav Pao care taker governor of Sayaji Rao III of Baroda State & commissioned to design some of the most important urban edifices.sir Madhav Rao believed that there was nobody in India at that time as distinguished as Robert Chisholm- to prepare designs combining Oriental & European architecture)

1871 -The revenue board building in the Chepauk Palace complex.
1865 -Lawrence Asylum buildings,Napier Museum Trivandrum,
1867–70 -Presidency College, Madras
1874–79-Senate buildings of the University of Madras ,
1875–84-Offices of the P. Orr & Sons and the Post and Telegraph Office  
1872 -Chisholm also enlarged and constructed a pavilion at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. Chisholm was appointed Consulting Architect to the Government of Madras and served from 1872 to 1886.

His best known London building is the Cadogan Hall near Sloane Square.

1888 -Robert Chisholm delivered a lecture at RIBA on the architectural & construction technology of this building 6 especially the dome, This was subsequently published in the RIBA journal- JRIBA 


1896 -Chisholm delivered a lecture at RIBA on the style & other details pertaining to laxmi vilas palace. 

As as starter Robert Chisholm was commissioned to design the Baroda College Building & to continue & complete the Laxmi Vilas palace started with Major Mant- along with several wailer projects of schools etc.

1900 -He eventually designed most of the key buildings of the city viz the Nyay Mandir- which was as a short listed competition, the Music College Building & an array of buildings culminating with the Museum Building in the Public Park  &  khandearo Market. 


CHARACTERISTICS

- His buildings clearly addressed the climate & environment issue.

- Chisholm's Designs are also Technologically advanced

- He pioneered the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture in India,so his building have general characteristics such as :-

• DOME -onion (bulbous) 
             -many miniature domes
             -kiosks
             -chhatris
• ARCHES -pointed , cusped , or scalloped 
                 -pierced 
• ROOF -vaulted 
            -Bangala roofs
• EAVES -overhanging 
• PINNACLES
• TOWERS 
• WINDOWS
• COURTYARDS

BEST BUILDINGS

Cadogan Hall
Victoria Public Hall
Lawrence Asylum,
Madras Post & Telegraph Office
Napier Museum Robert Chisholm,
Senate House, Madras

Laxmi Villas, vadodara (left side)