Goa Collective, CEPT Archives and Goa College of Architecture will mark the centenary of late Bruno Dias Souza with a host of events to honour his life and enduring influence on architecture in Goa and India
VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN
Marking the centenary of Bruno Dias Souza, who would have turned 100 on October 6 this year, the Goa Collective in collaboration in CEPT Archives and the Goa College of Architecture is organising ‘Celebrating 100 years of Bruno Dias Souza’.
The event brings together exhibitions, architectural walkthroughs and discussions to reflect on his contributions to modern architecture.
The Goa Collective, established in 2020, is a group of professional design studios committed to improving public life and the built environment in Goa,” says Lester Silveira of The Balcao, who is one of the founders, along with Fernando Velho of Studio Woodpecker and Ayaz Basrai of The Busride Lab. The collective has, for this occasion, worked closely with CEPT Archives, which houses the archival collection of Souza’s work, and with the Goa College of Architecture, which is hosting the exhibition and public talks.
Silveira explains that Souza’s career was shaped by an education that placed him at the heart of global modernist thinking. “He studied at Columbia University and Harvard University in the 1950s, a period defined by intense debates on architecture, technology and urbanisation. At Harvard he learned under figures such as Josep Lluís Sert, who championed climate-responsive design and the social responsibility of architecture. He was also influenced by Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus founder whose ideas on functional clarity and structural innovation left a deep imprint on his style,” says Silveira, adding that Souza, who passed away in March this year, was also influenced by his early professional experience in Gropius’s office which further exposed him to collaborative design processes and the rigour of modernist practice.
Souza’s travels and work across Boston, New York, San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro and Portugal expanded his understanding of how modern design could adapt to different geographies and cultural landscapes. This global exposure shaped the way he responded to the architectural needs of India and his home state of Goa when he returned in 1958.
“His most significant early projects in Goa emerged through his association with Vassalo e Silva, the last Portuguese Governor of Goa,” notes Silveira. These included a modular design for primary schools, a housing scheme at Patto in Panaji and the Casa do Povo, or People’s House. Each of these works, says Silveira, aimed to meet real social needs while expressing a new architectural language for a region on the cusp of political change. With the use of modern materials and construction techniques, Souza attempted to introduce a fresh way of building that remained deeply rooted in local climate and landscape.
His pioneering work influenced what would follow after Liberation and established a foundation for future generations of Goan architects. After being asked to leave Goa in 1961, months before Liberation, Souza expanded his practice in New Delhi where he worked with leading firms. He also taught at the School of Planning and Architecture and IIT Delhi.
According to Silveira, the centenary event highlights how Souza’s design philosophy remains relevant today. “He grew up in Goa’s countryside, so his sensitivity to the land was instinctive,” he says. “Souza’s architecture aimed to coexist with the natural environment instead of overpowering it – an approach particularly urgent today as Goa faces rapid urbanisation and environmental destruction.”
Visitors to the event can explore these ideas directly through architectural walkthroughs and guided walks in the city. These include visits to private homes such as Souza’s own residence in Altinho, offering a rare opportunity to experience the spatial character of his work. A walkthrough at the Casa do Povo led by the curator highlights the building’s impact on the community of St Estevão. Meanwhile architect Fernando Velho will lead a neighbourhood walk in Panaji focusing on Souza’s design for the Obras Públicas housing at Patto and the architect’s urban vision for the city.
At the centre of the event is an exhibition of archival material from CEPT Archives. The collection comprises drawings, photographs and documents from 18 architectural projects undertaken by Souza in New Delhi and Goa. It also includes a recorded video interview with the architect.
The Goa College of Architecture will present a major public talk featuring architect Edgar Demello, based in Bengaluru and a former student of Souza at SPA, who will speak about his close personal and professional association with the architect. This will be followed by a discussion titled ‘Modernism and Identity in Goa: Reflecting on the Life and Works of Bruno Souza’, featuring Demello and writer and researcher in architectural history Amita Kanekar, moderated by Velho. The conversation will explore how architectural identity in Goa evolved through the 20th century and the role Souza played in that narrative.
“This programme aims to increase public awareness of Souza’s legacy – not only as an architect, but as a teacher and visionary thinker,” says Silveira. The organisers hope to inspire future architects in carrying forward his imaginative design principles.
