Christopher Benninger, well-known architect & urban planner, passes away

Pune: Renowned American-Indian architect and urban planner Christopher Charles Benninger (81) passed away in Pune on Wednesday. He was suffering from prolonged illness. He is survived by wife Aneeta Gokhale-Benninger, also an urban planner, and a son.According to Gokhale, Christopher was introduced to architecture by his aunt Roxane Eberlien at the age of nine. She gave him a book on Frank Lloyd Wright. Christopher studied modern architecture at University of Florida Gainesville and Graduate School of Design Harvard."He was deeply influenced by the Modern Movement, but Wright dominated his design where nature was an integral part of it. His work reflects the combination of honest use of materials (exposed stone, exposed concrete) and the creation of spaces which merge with nature," Gokhale said.His buildings are oriented according to the weather of the area. He created spaces which are enjoyed by people from all walks of life and income strata. They are people-friendly and not monumental.CDSA's Campus at Bavdhan Khurd is an example, as is the SOS Children's Village in Bawana, and the Mahendra United World College. His other pioneering work in India is in low-cost housing. One of the best examples is in Yusufguda in Hyderabad, and the various sites and services programmes he promoted in Chennai and Kolkata. He designed many institutions such as Azim Premji University, IIM Kolkata, Samudra Institute of Maritime Studies, etc. His Royal Supreme Court Complex and the United Nations House in Thimphu, Bhutan, are remarkable."His buildings stand out from others because of the integrity, beauty, and friendly vibes given by the spaces he creates," Gokhale added.
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