Curated by Ranjit Hoskote
Supported by The Thackersey Foundation and The Architecture Foundation
Conceptualisation and Exhibition Design by Zeenat Kulavoor // Bombay Duck Designs
Production Design by Nynika Jhaveri // Studio Nyn
Archival Support by The Architecture Foundation
About the Exhibition
TARQ is delighted to present Contextures: RMA and The Practice of Embedded Architecture, an exhibition curated by poet, critic, and cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote, focusing on six institutional projects by RMA Architects, with principal founder - architect and urban designer Rahul Mehrotra (b. 1959). The exhibition brings together plans, drawings, photographs, and models within an accessible display format, which brings the nuances of design in an institutional context to the forefront.
The six projects on view span two distinct yet related domains of RMA's practice. The first encompasses three museum commissions: the CSMVS Museum estate in Mumbai, including the East Wing insertion, the Visitors Centre, and the Children's Museum; the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum in Ahmedabad; and the Zirad Art & Heritage Foundation in Alibaug. The second gathers three buildings situated within university complexes: the School of Arts and Sciences at Ahmedabad University; the Lilavati Lalbhai Library at CEPT University, Ahmedabad; and the JSW School of Public Policy at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
Together, these projects attest to RMA's close and sustained engagement with public institutions, and the studio’s long-term participation in processes of public reason, education, and cultural production. From the early 1990s onward, Mehrotra has expanded and redefined the role of the architect in India — extending beyond built form into criticism, pedagogy, advocacy, conservation, curatorial intervention, and civic activism.
The curatorial intention here is to illuminate the tact and contextual sensitivity with which RMA approaches each site, attending to its history, ecology, and function. The exhibition addresses Mehrotra’s emphasis on soft thresholds, locale orientation, and the potential reversibility of architectural interventions; his attention to ecologically relevant processes and materials; and his dialogic engagement with past models and future directions — generating what might be described as a non-static continuity. The result is an architecture that is organically embedded in its location, yet stages a distinctive and memorable departure in its own right.
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About the Thackersey Foundation
The Thackersey Foundation, founded by Jasna & Raoul Thackersey is committed to preserving and promoting art and culture while driving meaningful social impact through education, animal welfare, and women's empowerment. The Foundation was created with the vision of supporting artists and cultural practitioners, alongside uplifting underprivileged children, women, and senior citizens through opportunities that foster growth, dignity, and inclusion.
Rooted in the Group's enduring legacy of compassion and social responsibility, the Foundation actively collaborates with renowned organisations such as the Architecture Foundation to create platforms that nurture artistic talent, celebrate cultural heritage, and make the arts more accessible. Through these partnerships and initiatives, the Foundation seeks to empower artists, preserve creative traditions, and contribute to a more vibrant, inclusive, and culturally enriched society.
About the Architecture Foundation
The Architecture Foundation is a Mumbai based organisation, with the objective of promoting and creating awareness of architecture and urbanisation in India, disseminating this knowledge through exhibitions, publications and other public programs. The Foundation currently hosts the RMA Archives as part of its larger archiving project.
About RMA
RMA Architects is an architectural practice with studios in Mumbai and Boston. From a studio established in Mumbai by Rahul Mehrotra in 1990, the practice is simultaneously engaged with a diverse range of clients, including governmental and non-governmental agencies, corporate and private clients, and institutions.