Walter Sykes George

SIR WALTER SYKES GEORGE
 English Architect (1881 – 1962).
 Received his Degree in Architecture from Royal College of Arts,

London in 1906.
 Known for being part of the team of architects who

designed New Delhi.
 He worked with Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, in helping
design the capital complex of New Delhi.
 Walter George died in Delhi in 1962.

 The new capital of India project was completed in 1929 and
officially inaugurated in 1931.
 Among all the British architects associated with the Project,

only Walter George elected to stay on and establish a
private practice in Delhi.
 There were hardly five architects in private practice in the city,

as the profession was still in its infancy in northern India at
that time. The two existing schools for training architects in
India were in far off Bombay and Baroda.
 The outbreak of World War II generated a sudden demand for

engineer - architects by the Allied forces, and George and a
few friends helped establish the first training facility for
architects in this region. And so the Department of
Architecture came into existence as part of the Delhi
Polytechnic at Kashmeri Gate in 1942.
 The first batch of students to complete the course
received their National Diplomas in Architecture in 1950.
 Young Indian architects and planners were returning home to

participate in nation building after postgraduate studies
abroad. George took a keen interest in their welfare and
helped them organize themselves. He was the principal
motivating force behind the creation of the Institute of Town
Planners (India) (ITPI), in 1951.
 In 1959, the Department of Architecture of the Delhi

Polytechnic joined the School of Town And Country
Planning and the newly integrated institution was renamed
the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA).
 Some of George’s prominent works are shown in the following

slides:
St. Thomas’s Church (1929) St. Stephen’s College (1941)
 Exposed Brickwork – with Mughal
 Built entirely in exposed motifs
Brickwork – a favourite of  Simple Geometrical forms and
Walter George smooth finely finished surfaces
 Simple Geometrical Shapes  Series of Arcaded walkways &
 Modest in Scale & Economically courtyards
built.  Verandahs in front
 Designed to keep out vagaries of
hot climate
Sujan Singh Park (1945)
 Built in 1945, it’s modelled on 20th century British housing

complexes, with its large, high-arched entrances, art deco
facades and large windows.
 These were the first apartments in New Delhi, which only had
bungalows till then.
 In fact, it was with Sujan Singh Park that the European style of
identical housing was introduced in Delhi.
 Walter Skyes George, created gardens squares — each block of
the four-storey building encloses a square park — in keeping with
the design of New Delhi, which boasted of large gardens
The Regal Cinema, Connaught Place (1932)
 Regal Cinema design was influenced by Victorian architecture

and some Mughal architectures. The elements such as the pietra
dura decorations and floral motifs are similar to those of
Safdarjung’s Tomb.
Pietra dura or pietre dure is a term for

the inlay technique of using cutand fitted, highly
polished colored stones to create images. It is
considered a decorative art.
Ambassador Hotel (1945) Miranda House (1948)
 Now known as  Miranda House is built

Vivanta by Taj - in warm red brick with
Ambassador, New Delhi cool and spacious
is an INTACH listed verandahs.
heritage building.  Clear Modernistic I
 Reminiscences of Art dioms
Deco style.
Tuberculosis Association Kashmir House (1927 - 1929)
Building (1943)
 Lutyens was supposed to design
 Shows a modification of the it. He asked George to design it
prevalent International styles. instead.
 The building’s adjustable  Sultan Simgh, the owner - a Hindu
lightweight horizontal louvers Banker - wanted a mix of Western &
place it clearly in a Hindu Orthodox design with proper
contemporary Modernist context. segregation.
 Thick walls, small, recessed
windows.
 George loved FLW’s works,
couldn’t replicate in Indian context
CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE – DELHI – 1941 - 1950
The Later Period - Modernism
Architect: Arthur Shoosmith
 Built entirely in exposed Brickwork

 Square-shaped building with sharp features, almost windowless
facades.
 Angularity of the exterior softened by rounded arches above doors
 Brick Dome above chancel

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SIR WALTER SYKES GEORGE

 English Architect (1881 – 1962).

 Received his Degree in Architecture from Royal College of Arts,

 Known for being part of the team of architects who

 Walter George died in Delhi in 1962.

 Among all the British architects associated with the Project,

 There were hardly five architects in private practice in the city,

 The outbreak of World War II generated a sudden demand for

 Young Indian architects and planners were returning home to

 In 1959, the Department of Architecture of the Delhi

 Some of George’s prominent works are shown in the following

 Built in 1945, it’s modelled on 20th century British housing

 Regal Cinema design was influenced by Victorian architecture

Pietra dura or pietre dure is a term for

 Now known as  Miranda House is built

Architect: Arthur Shoosmith

 Built entirely in exposed Brickwork

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