MSU Baroda College

Baroda College

 This Building is the most ambitious project of Chisholm in Baroda & one of the finest buildings constructed in India during this period of the 19th century- both in the territory of British India or the Princely States of so called Native India, Note that the scale of this building the technological design of its dome is very sophisticated. It clearly delineates that Chisholm wanted to design a building that would  become a centre-piece of the architecture of Baroda State. Note that Baroda was a City- State & its territory was a region almost 30% of present day Gujarat. It is this vast territory — which this building seems to address. Chisholm s structural engineering of the Dome is the most striking aspect of this building.

DATE- 1887

DOME - 45 mt span of the dome

            -twin-dome structure where in 16 ribs created between the inner & outer dome- become the key skeletal members 

            - twin domes system also enables the natural ventilation of the dome & details of apertures in the dome have been cleverly worked out to exit rain- water etc.

            - 6 other domes in this building in the 2 wings that define courtyards etc. 

PLINTH - 4-5 metres completely changing the urban scale in the setting.

                                               

Music College Vadodara

Anglo Vernacular Boys School / Music College

ARCHITECT -Robert Chisholm

BEGAN-1886

LOCATION -Vadodara , Gujarat.

                   - in the heart of the city opposite an Urban-civic water body Sursagar.

HEIGHT -2 Storey 

INSPIRED -by the roof-scape of the Padmanabhapuram palace- which Chisholm had studied in great detail characterizes the architectural language of this work. The Roofline with the small tower — are the signatures of this building.

 MATERIAL -Building is finished in exposed brick while the roof elements & corridors are of wood work. 

The MS University's faculty of Performing Arts occupies this building today & it is a major urban landmark in the inner city. 

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)