He argued that architecture in a tropical country like India cannot mimic the sealed glass boxes of Chicago or New York. His work, often compiled in technical reports for organizations like the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), culminated in what is colloquially known as the "Krishan Doctrine." The PDF circulating online is typically a digitized version of these guidelines, containing charts, sol-air temperatures, and psychrometric charts that are gold dust for designers.
Most architecture textbooks are Eurocentric. They focus on keeping buildings warm . Krishan focuses on keeping buildings cool without burning electricity. His data on solar radiation in India, wind patterns in the Bay of Bengal, and humidity levels in Kerala is unique and irreplaceable.
Krishan’s philosophy posits that architecture must not fight the climate, but engage with it. A building in the hot-dry climate of Jaisalmer should look fundamentally different from one in the warm-humid climate of Mumbai or the composite climate of New Delhi. The failure to acknowledge this, according to Krishan, is a failure of architectural integrity. Climate Responsive Architecture By Arvind Krishan.pdf
Krishan argues that the modern architect often ignores these "passive" systems in favor of "active" systems (HVAC). The essentially serves as a plea to reint
The benefits of climate-responsive architecture are numerous: He argued that architecture in a tropical country
Krishan emphasizes deciduous trees. Plant them on the South and West sides. In summer, the leaves block the sun. In winter, the leaves fall off, allowing sunlight to heat the mass wall.
For much of the 20th and 21st centuries, architecture in developing nations mimicked the aesthetics of Europe and North America. These designs were often unsuited for the local climate, leading to a reliance on artificial climate control—air conditioning, forced ventilation, and 24-hour lighting. This resulted in buildings that are energy-hungry monsters. They focus on keeping buildings warm
In the contemporary battle against rising global temperatures and depleting energy resources, the construction industry stands at a crossroads. For decades, glass-clad, mechanically dependent skyscrapers symbolized progress. However, a quiet but powerful revolution is turning back to ancient wisdom fused with modern science: .