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DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN

Ar. A. Delporte, S.J.  F.I.I.A.

Architect

This office christened by Fr. Jaecques as Development & Design is a grass root service of the Ranchi Jesuits.

It came about by the fact that most development projects required some architectural input. In 1973 Ranchi lacked architects in private practise. The late Bishop Philip Ekka was then the provincial and he asked me to step in this vaccum.

I had prepared myself by studying technical drawing for the technical school, which was aborted in favour of starting St. Xavier’s Doranda, an English medium school for the new public of Ranchi. This course was a basis to switch over to architectural design. After obtaining the Graduate diploma from the AA school in London in 1973 I fully devoted myself to this.

Bishop Philip insisted that this was to be primarily a service and not a money making concern.

The projects designed by this office are of five categories:

1: churches chapels and halls:                                         213

2: schools, primary & secondary:                                412

3: residences and convents:                                        312

4: health centres and hospitals:                                  108

5: unspecified: hostels, pastoral centres godown:            117

A total of 1162 projects have been realised. Not only in the neighbourhood of Ranchi or Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh but in some far away places as Mangalore, Bharuch, Orissa, West Bengal and Darjeeling region.

The basic architectural philosophy is to have a human oriented approach to the problem. The building should be solid requiring eventually a minimum of maintenance.

Church design suffered from imports from Europe. From its very origin till now church architecture has shown an evolution as a result of a varied input of changing values. The evolution of church architecture is a reflection of the past theological reflection on the Eucharist and the faithful. Now it is oriented towards active participation and having a visual contact with the celebrant. The design flows from this concern. A church building has also to be a cultural statement in a multi religious society. All through history the church building has been a cultural hallmark. This is the fact for the church in Lohardaga, Tongo and the cathedral of Hazaribag.

A school design considers two points in our area: the inclement climate of summer and rainy season. By raising the first floor on pillars an area is made free for all activities: assembly convocation, lunch and relaxation. This also allows for a hall which is considered a necessity in all our institutions. In all five schools have been built on this pattern: St. Xavier’s Doranda, St. Anne’s Purulia Road, Ranchi, St. Kuldip in Harmu, the Sacred Heart High School, Daltongunj and the high school at Mahuapali.

The presbyteries usually allow for privacy from the public. A broad veranda serves as a reception parlour for the villagers as well as space for the monthly meetings of catechists and panches.

The dispensaries and health centres are an accommodation of the prototype sent by Misereor. Some greater insights in this project is needed.

The greatest problem now faced is the escalation of the prices. Many projects are hampered by this.

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