Director, PRASADA Director of Postgraduate Research Studies
Research Interests
My research is largely in the history of architecture in South Asia, particularly Indian temple architecture (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain). Going against a prevailing tendency to focus narrowly, this work has embraced most of the subcontinent, and a very long time span, while at the same time involving detailed formal analysis. Drawings have played an important role in this research, not only for explanation but also as a means of analysis.
Related research has been on vernacular architecture in India, and more speculative work on the nature of multi-cultural art and architecture. For a long time I have been interested in relationships between architectural history/theory and practice: architectural history may be approached through the eyes of a designer, while architectural design can be informed by an understanding of principles and processes underlying traditional architectures.
I have been principal investigator of a large AHRC-funded research project, recently completed, entitled ‘The Indian Temple: Production, Place, Patronage’. My main current projects are the design of a new Hoysala temple in Karnataka and a book on an eleventh-century vastushastra text, the Samaranganasutradhara, to be published by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi.
As first supervisor I have supervised thirteen PhDs to completion, and am currently supervising three. Details of my postgraduate research supervision, research projects and architectural design work can be seen on the PRASADA website.
Editing posts
Editor of South Asian Studies
Editorial Board member for Context, Abacus, Spandrel, Pakistan Heritage, South Asian Arts, Journal of History and Social Sciences
Other external activities
Council member, British Association for South Asian Studies http://www.basas.org.uk/
Executive Committee member, European Association of South Asian Art and Archaeology http://www.easaa.org/
AHRC panel member and member of Peer Review Academy
Recent Books
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