An Architect's Perspective

James Hamilton Architects
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An Architect's Perspective

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Nondita Mehrotra on Correa's living legacy

    I’m James Hamilton, and in this episode, we explore a building that transcends architecture to touch on something far deeper: dignity, restraint, and national memory. We’re in Ahmedabad, India, at the Gandhi Ashram - designed by Charles Correa, one of the most influential figures in tropical modernism. And joining me is Nondita Mehrotra, an architect and academic whose life and work intersect closely with Correa’s legacy. What does it mean to build a space that honours a life like Gandhi’s? How do you design without ego, while still creating something resonant and lasting? In this conversation, Nondita helps unpack the nuanced genius of Correa’s ashram - a building that manages to be both modest and monumental. Together, we explore themes of cultural memory, architecture’s role in healing, and the ethics of representation. This is not just a story about one building. It’s about architecture as a form of empathy - and about what modernism can look like when it’s rooted in context, not ideology. So let’s step inside this space of quiet power. Key Moments & Topics of Conversation ● Charles Correa’s design philosophy and lifelong commitment to human-centric architecture ● The Gandhi Ashram as a case study in restraint, symbolism, and architectural humility ● Nondita’s perspective on working with legacy and place as an Indian woman architect ● The spatial rhythm of the ashram, and how it shapes visitor experience ● Reflections on climate, materiality, and spiritual atmosphere in Correa’s work ● What it means to design for national memory without monumentality ● The evolving relevance of tropical modernism today Guest Info Nondita Mehrotra is an architect and educator whose work focuses on contemporary architecture in India, with a special interest in cultural institutions and the legacy of post-independence modernism. She is the daughter of Charles Correa and works actively to advance his architectural and civic vision. Links and Resources ● James Hamilton Architects ● Charles Correa Foundation ● Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad ● An Architect’s Perspective on YouTube Quotes “He didn’t try to replicate Gandhi’s life in the form. He let the light, the air, the silence do the work.” “It’s one of the only national memorials I know that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to impress you.” “The building never says ‘look at me.’ But somehow, you do.” Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    41 min

  2. 28 APR

    What does it mean to build with humility?

    In this episode, I sit down with Neelkanth Chhaya, architect and academic, to talk about the Gandhi Memorial Museum - and how Charles Correa embedded Gandhi’s values into its very form. We explore how the building reflects humility through materials, structure, and sequencing - and how it echoes the Indian tradition of open courtyards and sky as a central space. Neelkanth shares both personal insights and a grounded analysis of what makes the Ashram feel so profound. Key Topics: ● Gandhi’s philosophy translated into built form ● Open courtyards and sky as compositional tools ● Material humility and ethical restraint ● How Correa’s architecture resists spectacle ● The museum as a site of memory and daily life Guest Info: Neelkanth Chhaya is a prominent Indian architect and former Dean of Architecture at CEPT University. His work and teaching focus on vernacular wisdom, cultural continuity, and ethics in architecture. Quotes from the Episode: On humility in design: "There are no grand gestures here. Just space, light, and a deep sense of purpose." On the building’s presence: "It doesn’t speak loudly. It speaks with moral clarity - like Gandhi himself." On learning from tradition: "Architecture isn’t about invention. It’s about listening to what’s already there." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    26 min

  3. 21 APR

    Charles Correa and the birth of tropical modernism

    I visit Ahmedabad to explore the life and work of Charles Correa, a pioneering voice in post-independence Indian architecture. We look at how Correa translated modernist ideas into a distinctly Indian language — rooted in climate, tradition, and civic purpose. From the Gandhi Memorial Museum to his urban design legacy, Correa’s work reveals how architecture can be both modern and deeply local. This is an episode about climate, ethics, and the power of spatial restraint. Host Info James Hamilton, founder of James Hamilton Architects. Trained at Cambridge and Harvard, James brings a practitioner’s eye to every episode - offering grounded insight, clear storytelling, and a deep respect for the buildings under discussion. Key Topics: ● The philosophical roots of Correa’s work ● What defines Tropical Modernism beyond aesthetics ● Lessons from the Gandhi Ashram and its quiet symbolism ● How Correa positioned architecture as a tool for democracy ● The tension between monumentality and humility in his work Quotes from the Episode: On Correa’s ethics: "He never built to be noticed. He built to be useful — to serve." On Gandhi’s influence: "This is modernism as principle. Light, silence, and conviction." On architecture and identity: "What he gave India wasn’t a style. It was a way to build without forgetting where you are." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    16 min

  4. 14 APR

    The woman who almost got written out of architectural history

    I sit down with Spanish architect and academic Carmen Espegel to explore the life and work of Eileen Gray, with a particular focus on the complexities of authorship, identity, and gender within architectural history. Carmen offers an incisive reading of Villa E-1027 not just as a physical space, but as an architectural manifesto — one where form, emotion, and politics are deeply intertwined. We discuss Gray’s design intelligence, her artistic independence, and the cultural dynamics that led to her marginalisation for much of the 20th century. This is a conversation about recognition: how architecture is credited, who gets remembered, and how we begin to set the record straight. Key Topics: ● The originality of Eileen Gray’s architectural vision ● The politics of authorship and gender in modernism ● Carmen’s academic work on restoring Gray’s legacy ● How space and identity intersect in architectural history ● Villa E-1027 as a manifesto for modern domesticity Guest Info: Carmen Espegel is a practising architect and professor at ETSAM Madrid, whose work focuses on collective housing, gender studies, and the re-reading of modernist history through a critical feminist lens. Quotes from the Episode: On Gray’s authorship: "This house was not co-authored. Villa E-1027 was entirely Eileen Gray’s vision." On architecture and gender: "Architecture is never neutral. It reflects the hand and the gaze of its author — and historically, that gaze has been overwhelmingly male." On setting the record straight: "We don’t need to invent heroes. We just need to tell the truth about the ones we ignored." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    42 min

  5. 7 APR

    Was Le Corbusier the villain of this story?

    I’m joined by architectural historian Tim Benton for an in-depth look at Eileen Gray’s Villa E-1027, and what her design says about modernism at its most intimate. Tim was one of the first scholars to seriously document and interpret Gray’s work, and he brings decades of insight to our conversation. We unpack how Villa E-1027 challenges the rationalist model of modernism, replacing rigidity with rhythm, softness, and a careful choreography of light and movement. Along the way, we discuss issues of authorship, legacy, and what makes Gray’s work so quietly radical. Key Topics: ● How E-1027 contrasts with Le Corbusier’s ideals ● The original intent behind Gray’s spatial sequencing ● Tim’s firsthand research and discoveries on site ● Misattribution and the erasure of female architects ● What E-1027 teaches us about architecture as lived experience Guest Info: Tim Benton is Professor Emeritus at The Open University and an internationally respected expert on Le Corbusier and early modernism. His work has been pivotal in reevaluating Eileen Gray’s role in architectural history. Quotes from the Episode: On E-1027’s layout: "It’s not a machine for living. It’s a place to linger." On authorship and interpretation: "To see what she did, you have to remove the myths and really look at the building." On architecture’s emotional register: "This house doesn’t shout. It whispers, and that’s far harder to do." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    40 min

  6. 31 MAR

    Eileen Gray's radical house on the Riviera

    In this episode, I visit Villa E-1027, the seaside house designed by Eileen Gray and built in 1929 on the Côte d’Azur. Known for its sensuality and quiet radicalism, the house challenges many assumptions of early modernism — especially its relationship to the body, to comfort, and to intimacy. Unlike the “machines for living in” of her male contemporaries, Gray’s design is deeply personal, profoundly tactile, and structurally inventive. From the pivoting screens to the custom furniture, every detail is tuned to the rhythms of life. This is Sensual Modernism in action - modern architecture that values emotion as much as function. Key Topics: ● Why Villa E-1027 remains a radical example of domestic architecture ● Eileen Gray’s attention to tactility, light, and comfort ● The philosophical split between Gray and Le Corbusier ● How modernism can accommodate softness, privacy, and sensuality ● The legacy of E-1027 in architectural history Host Info James Hamilton, founder of James Hamilton Architects. Trained at Cambridge and Harvard, James brings a practitioner’s eye to every episode - offering grounded insight, clear storytelling, and a deep respect for the buildings under discussion. Quotes from the Episode: On design and emotion: "This isn’t a house you move through — it’s one you feel your way around." On Gray’s legacy: "She built spaces that cared for the person inside them. That’s more radical than steel or concrete." On atmosphere as structure: "Light and air aren’t afterthoughts. They’re structural." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    19 min

  7. 24 MAR

    Can architecture be both strict and sensual?

    In this episode of An Architect’s Perspective, I’m joined by architect and designer Eva Jiřičná to revisit Villa Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe’s 1930 masterwork in Brno. We explore how the house’s radical openness, material refinement, and structural precision helped shape the language of early modernism - and how its influence continues to ripple through contemporary architecture. Eva reflects on her visits to the house, her Czech roots, and what Mies’s architecture taught her about space, clarity, and light. This is a conversation about discipline, elegance, and the quiet ambition of one of modernism’s most iconic homes. Key Topics: - Mies van der Rohe’s revolutionary use of glass and steel - Spatial clarity as a form of elegance - The ethics of early modernism — simplicity as principle - How Villa Tugendhat influenced Eva Jiřičná’s own design philosophy - Restoration, memory, and the architectural legacy of modernism Guest Info: Eva Jiřičná is a Czech-born architect and designer known for her precision, use of glass and steel, and elegant spatial compositions. She has worked across Europe and is internationally recognised for her commercial and residential projects. Quotes from the Episode: On early modernism: "It wasn’t about aesthetics. It was about how people could live — with honesty, with clarity, with light." On Mies’s restraint: "To use marble, steel, and glass — but with such discipline. That’s where the beauty lies." On architectural legacy: "The house doesn’t shout. It speaks quietly, with conviction. That’s the kind of modernism I believe in." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

    40 min

  8. 17 MAR

    Inside Mies van der Rohe's iconic Villa Tugendhat

    This episode of An Architect’s Perspective takes you directly inside Villa Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe’s landmark of early modernism, completed in 1930 in Brno, Czech Republic. It’s a house that stripped away ornament and introduced a new kind of spatial order — radical in its time, and still breathtaking today. I walk the site, tracing how Mies used structure, material, and movement to create a home of extraordinary grace. The famous retractable glass wall, the flowing interior plan, and the onyx partition all speak to a design philosophy that values restraint, logic, and light. This is early modernism before the clichés — architecture as clarity, not austerity. Not a machine for living, but a place for thinking, pausing, and seeing. Key Topics: ● The use of structural grids to shape movement ● Light as an architectural material ● The philosophical underpinnings of Mies’s design ● What Villa Tugendhat reveals about early modernist priorities ● Architecture as experience, not statement Quotes from the Episode: On structure and space: "The grid here isn’t restrictive. It’s musical — it gives rhythm, not rigidity." On the retractable glass wall: "With one movement, the house opens to the garden. It’s theatrical, but also utterly practical." On design intention: "Mies didn’t just make a house. He made a way of thinking visible." Production: OneFinePlay.com Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects

    18 min
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An Architect's Perspective

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  • Creator
    James Hamilton Architects
  • Years Active
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  • Episodes
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    © Copyright 2026 James Hamilton Architects
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