An Architect's Perspective

Today we’re in Hamar, Norway, to explore one of the most powerful architectural interventions of the last century: Sverre Fehn’s museum within the ruins of Storhamar Barn. To guide us through it, I’m joined by architect and writer Per Olaf Fjeld, who worked closely with Fehn and has written extensively on his legacy. Storhamar is not a restoration. It’s an architectural conversation across centuries. Rather than rebuilding the medieval barn, Fehn inserted a timber and concrete structure inside its shell - careful not to touch the original stone walls. What emerges is an experience of walking through time: past and present suspended in a single space. Fehn believed that architecture should never erase history. Instead, he asked how we might build beside it - allowing old and new to remain in honest dialogue. In this episode, we discuss: ● Why Fehn’s approach at Storhamar was more subtraction than addition ● The role of contrast — concrete against stone, timber against light — in making materials legible ● How Fehn’s philosophy of presence shaped the spatial choreography of the barn ● The ethics of architectural restraint and how it plays out in this museum Key Themes and Discussion Highlights ● Building in relation to memory and time ● The architectural power of silence and stillness ● Material clarity as a moral stance ● Fehn’s humanistic approach to scale and light ● Storhamar as an example of quiet modernism at its most articulate Guest Info Per Olaf Fjeld is a Norwegian architect, educator, and author. He collaborated with Sverre Fehn early in his career and later became one of the leading interpreters of Fehn’s work, publishing several books and essays that explore his architectural thinking. Resources and Links ● Watch the full film on Storhamar Barn ● Read Per Olaf Fjeld’s writing on Sverre Fehn ● Norwegian Architecture Museum – Archive on Storhamar Quotes from the Episode:- “Fehn didn’t try to finish the building. He tried to listen to what was already there.”- “This is a museum that doesn’t tell you what to think. It asks you to pay attention.” Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Production: OneFinePlay.com

I’m James Hamilton, and in this episode, we turn our attention to B. V. Doshi — one of India’s most revered architects, and the first from the country to win the Pritzker Prize.This conversation took place in 2018, at his home in Ahmedabad. What unfolded was more than a professional interview. It was a rare, personal insight into the philosophy and life story of a man who saw architecture not just as construction, but as culture.Doshi speaks about his early years working with Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, his love of Indian tradition, and his belief in architecture as a social act. We talk about the importance of shade and breeze, the meaning of thresholds, and why life—not form—should always be the starting point for design.This episode isn’t just about buildings. It’s about attention. About values. About how we choose to live, and what architecture can do to support that.Key Moments & Topics of Conversation ● Working under Le Corbusier and how it shaped Doshi’s sensibility● Founding School of Architecture and CEPT University in Ahmedabad● Why he believed modernism must be adapted to Indian culture and climate● Reflections on Aranya Housing, Sangath, and IIM Bangalore● Architecture as a form of storytelling and spatial choreography● The body, the senses, and the everyday as foundations of design● A deep commitment to community, humility, and placeBalkrishna Vithaldas Doshi (1927–2023) was an architect, educator, and urbanist whose work defined post-independence architecture in India. Known for combining modernist principles with vernacular sensitivity, his legacy includes over 100 built projects and generations of students. He was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2018.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.Links and Resources ● James Hamilton Architects● Watch the full episode on YouTube● CEPT University● Sangath Studio Project Page (Vastushilpa Foundation)● Aranya Low Cost HousingQuotes “Architecture is not the building. It’s the space between the buildings. It’s the thresholds. The breeze. The possibility of meeting.”“You don’t design from the mind. You design from the body — from the senses, from experience, from life itself.”“What we need is not monuments. We need memories. And memory comes from living well.” Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.comInstagram: @jameshamiltonarchitectsProduction: OneFinePlay.com

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

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 workQuotes 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.comInstagram: @jameshamiltonarchitectsProduction: OneFinePlay.com

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

In this episode of An Architect’s Perspective, I’m joined by architect and designer EvaJiřičná to revisit Villa Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe’s 1930 masterwork in Brno. Weexplore how the house’s radical openness, material refinement, and structural precisionhelped shape the language of early modernism - and how its influence continues to ripplethrough contemporary architecture.Eva reflects on her visits to the house, her Czech roots, and what Mies’s architecture taughther about space, clarity, and light. This is a conversation about discipline, elegance, and thequiet 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 modernismGuest Info:Eva Jiřičná is a Czech-born architect and designer known for her precision, use of glassand steel, and elegant spatial compositions. She has worked across Europe and isinternationally 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 Ibelieve in."Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.comInstagram: @jameshamiltonarchitectsProduction: OneFinePlay.com

In this episode, I sit down with Ab Rogers, designer and son of Richard Rogers, to revisit the house he grew up in - Wimbledon House, a prototype of high-tech modernism designed by his father in 1968. This conversation moves between memory and material. Ab shares what it was like to live inside a building that was also an architectural experiment - a modular steel frame dropped into a garden, with transparent walls and exposed services. We talk about what the house meant then, and how it feels now. How it blurred the lines between home and studio, and how its spirit — open, adaptable, unpretentious - still shapes Ab’s own approach to design today. Key Topics: ● Growing up inside Richard Rogers’ radical domestic experiment ● The house as a testing ground for flexibility and transparency ● How the logic of industry met the softness of family life ● Living with architecture that doesn’t hide its workings ● Ab’s reflections on high-tech modernism - and where it led Guest Info: Ab Rogers is a designer, educator, and creative director. He is the founder of Ab Rogers Design and was formerly Head of Interior Design at the Royal College of Art. He grew up in Wimbledon House, which was designed by his father Richard Rogers. Quotes from the Episode: On the house as idea: "It was a place where architecture and family life happened at the same time — and didn’t always agree." On openness: "You couldn’t hide anything. Emotions, furniture, structure — it was all part of the architecture." On growing into the space: "I thought it was normal. Only later did I realise we were living inside a prototype." Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.com Instagram: @jameshamiltonarchitects Podcast Production: OneFinePlay.com

I’m James Hamilton, and in this episode I’m joined by architect and writer John Pardey to revisit one of the quietest, most profound acts of modern architecture: Can Lis.Perched on a cliff in Mallorca, Jørn Utzon’s retreat is built entirely from local stone and light. It’s a project that came after personal and professional collapse — after Utzon walked away from the Sydney Opera House.But what he created here wasn’t a statement. It was a response. Can Lis was a house designed without drawings, shaped on-site using local materials, and aligned with the rhythms of the sun and the sea.John Pardey has written extensively about Can Lis. He met Utzon. And in this episode, we unpack the house’s layered meaning — as both an architectural object and a lived philosophy.Key Topics:- Why Can Lis marked a turning point in Utzon’s life and work- Designing without drawings — architecture shaped on-site- Marés stone, deep windows, and elemental form- How the house dissolves into its landscape- What contemporary architects can still learn from Can LisGuest Info:John Pardey is a British architect and author, known for his work on residential design andarchitectural writing. He met Jørn Utzon at Can Lis in the 1990s and has written widely onUtzon’s legacy.Quotes from the Episode:On Utzon’s process:"He didn’t bring formal drawings. He let the landscape dictate the plan. It was architectureas conversation."On the building’s honesty:"There’s no pretence at Can Lis. The materials do the work. The house listens to the site."On legacy:"It’s not just a house. It’s a philosophy built in stone."Website: www.jameshamiltonarchitects.comInstagram: @jameshamiltonarchitectsPodcast Production: OneFinePlay.com

Ever wondered how 20th century modernist architecture shaped the world? From cliffside retreats to high-tech homes, the visual podcast “An Architect’s Perspective” is your front-row seat to the 20th century’s most influential architecture. Join architect James Hamilton as he travels the globe, unlocking the stories behind modernism’s most iconic buildings with the people who know them best. Walk through Jørn Utzon’s Can Lis, stand inside Mies van der Rohe’s Villa Tugendhat, and experience Charles Correa’s visionary works in India, among many more in this weekly series. This is a cinematic series that doesn't just show you the intricacies of architecture, but reveals the radical ideas, risks and convictions that brought the buildings to life. Produced by OneFinePlayWebsite: https://jameshamiltonarchitects.comInstagram: @jameshamiltonarchitectsTikTok: @jameshamiltonarchitectsFacebook: @jameshamiltonarchitectsX: @jameshamiltonarchitects