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Jack Vicajee Bertoli (born October 1931 in Mumbai, India), is an Indian Planner and Architect, naturalized Swiss citizen, living in

Jack Bertoli

Geneva, Switzerland, and Spain. Born to an Italian father, Fausto Piscionieri, an Interior Designer and Architect practising in India in the early 1930’s and a Parsee ( Zoroastrian ) mother, Kathleen ‘’Kitty’’ Vicajee, belonging to one of India’s oldest Zoroastrian, Parsee families, the Vicajees, who were closely attached as bankers to the Nizam of Hyderabad one of the wealthiest Muslim Rulers of India. A silver coin was minted in 1840, the ‘’Pestonshahi Sikka,’’ for the first and only time in India in the honour of a private family, the Vicajee, Pestonjee Meherjee brothers.

Biography.

Jack Bertoli’s mother divorced from his father when Jack Bertoli was a child and went to live with her sister Thelma ‘’Thelly’’ Tata, and her brother-in-law ‘’Jeh’’ J.R.D. Tata. India’s most Eminent and Prominent Industrialist, a Visionary, Thinker, Philanthrophist, and Planner for the Country who obtained India’s highest Civil Award of the country, the Bharat Ratna. J.R.D. Tata, Jack Bertoli’s uncle brought him up. Kitty became a voluntary nurse during the last world war for the wounded army and navy men, she later re-married an Italian Naval Officer, Giovanni Bertoli, he was one of the first pilots in the Italian Navy before Aircraft carriers, with catapulted planes, and he was shot down by the R.A.F. in the African Campaign of the last World War near Tripoly in 1942, taken prisoner, and he was put in charge of the Italian Prisoner of War Camps in India. His keen knowledge and love for aeroplanes made him become a very close friend to J.R.D. Tata, who was also extremely keen on flying, being the first Indian ever to obtain a flying licence, ‘’Indian Licence Number 1.’’ on 10 February 1929. In 1930 he participated in the Aga Khan Prize to be the first Indian to attempt to fly solo from England to India. In 1932 he flew the first air link for the Indian Airmail service from Karachi to Bombay in a DeHavilland Gypsy-Moth, and established "Tata Airlines" that later became ‘’Air-India.’’ After the war Giovanni Bertoli retired from the Italian Navy, with the rank of Rear-Admiral and joined ‘’Air-India’’ as the District Manager for Continental Europe, based in Geneva, Switzerland. On the 24 January1966 while returning from Mumbai with his friend Dr. Homi Bhabha, the world renown Physicist, and the Director of the Atomic Energy Establishment of India, their ‘’Air-India’’ Boeing 707 plane crashed into Mont Blanc only a few minutes before landing in Geneva, killing all the 117 passengers, and crew.

Personal and Family Life

While living with Thelly & Jeh Tata, Jack Bertoli, before the Partition of the Country, and after the Independance of India, had the chance to meet with many Indian, and World Political Leaders and World Dignitaries, who were often invited to Mr. & Mrs. J.R.D. Tata’s, private receptions, held in their house in Bombay ‘’The Cairn.’’ : Jawaharial Nehru, his daughter Indira Ghandi, who was a close friend of Jack Bertoli’s mother. Krishna Hutheesing, ( Nerhu’s sister) V.K.Khrishna Menon, described as the second most powerful man in India. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Founder of the Muslim State of Pakistan ( East & West Pakistan.) Willy Messerschmitt, the designer of the famous World War II German fighter plane, and the three wheeler K200 small cheap car that was not a success and also several Ambassadors and world political leaders. The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Phalavi, with his wife Soraya, stayed with the family in ‘’The Cairn’’. Many years ago, on his birthday the sixth October, Jack Bertoli was introduced to Mahatma Gandhi, (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) the ‘’Father of the Indian Nation’’, who had celebrated his birthday two days earlier. Gandhi was living next to J.R.D. Tata’s holiday-home on the Beach of Juhu, near Bombay and was on a fasting and non-speaking period of Civic Disobededience in his non-violent fight for the Independence of the Country. He wrote a short poem for Jack Bertoli urging him to try and follow the best road of life, in the simplest yet most dynamic way. This meeting with Gandhi together with the very strong and personal teachings and philosophy received from J.R.D. Tata, had a profound influence on Jack Bertoli in his early and later life, inculcating him with strong humanitarian feelings and thoughts, combined with his training and knowledge, to pursue planning for the betterment of life for the less fortunate masses and population of India.

Education and Schooling

Jack Bertoli was brought up by Spanish Jesuit priests in India, in St.Mary's High School, and the Campion School, in Bombay, and later at the International School of Geneva, Switzerland. He was not a brilliant student but loved sports. His step-father Giovanni Bertoli (For whom Jack Piscionieri later changed his name to Bertoli.) contacted the Dean of the University of Geneva, and enrolled him into University to study Architecture, without his School Certificate.. Jack Bertoli ‘’discovered’’ Architecture, and his studies were passed in a record time He obtained his Diploma, a Masters in Architecture, from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, in the shortest time ever, a record that still stands today. He studied under the guidance of Eugene Beaudouin, the French ‘’Grand Prix de Rome’’ Architect, who designed and built the ‘’Tour Montparnasse’’ in Paris, Jack Bertoli later with several Fellowships offered to him from the United States, decided to choose to go to Princeton University, U.S.A. where he obtained a second Masters of Fine Arts, in Planning, and was later offered an Instructorship in Architecture by Princeton University. At Princeton he studied and worked with several Professors and Visiting Professors : Robert W. MaLaughiln, Jean Labtut, Enrico Perussitti, the Designer of the ‘’Torre Velasca’’ in Milan, and partner of the Italian Architectural Group ‘’BBPR’’. Buckminster Fuller, with his ‘’Geodisic Domes’’, Louis Kahn, and Paul Lester Wiener, Architect and Urban Planner, who was a collaborator of Le Corbusier on the team to undertake the Master Plan of Bogota and Brasilia After his studies in the U.S.A, Jack Bertoli obtained several job offers and worked for assignments on International Projects, for Marcel Breuer, Eero Saarinen, as well as joining the team of ‘’R.B. O’Connor & W.H. Kilham Jr.’’ to design the new American Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Architectural Practice

India

In 1960 Jack Bertoli, an Indian citizen, returned to India from the U.S.A., to join the Ford Foundation in New Delhi, as a Consultant for the Development of the ‘’Delhi Master Plan’’. He undertook planning and research and a study with the Architect Le Corbusier in Chandigarh, who was designing the new city capital of the Punjab. His research, work, and designs were oriented towards the planning, and for the improvement, of the habitat for the masses specially for the urban and rural population, with possibilities to better the Urban Slum population of India. Designs, incorporating methods of construction for extremely economic housing for the very poor, that would utilise simple but lasting cheap materials, such as pre-stressed bamboo beams, straw and mud constructions. Provision with demonstrations of ‘’Self-help Methods’’ with classes, and instructions showing the inhabitants how to plan to build their own houses as optimum units, planned together in economic groups that would result in ‘’Homes’’, rather than mere ‘’Shelters’’, and so that they could be easily expanded upon and enlarged, as and when families grew and needed more living space. Maximised ‘’Interior-Planned-Space’’, was the essential element for the ‘’Poor-Man’s-Luxury.’’ - ‘’SPACE’’, Jack Bertoli was planning these units as Homes. Several were built, and details published in Indian newspapers and magazines. Jack Bertoli continued his research and studies towards the practical design of ‘’Grouped-Housing-Units’’ for the poor, for optimum economical structures with different ‘’Indian Village Concept Layout Schemes’’. This included the protection of nature, the protection of the site with the best orientation for energy-efficiency together with the best choice of materials to be found locally. Respect for the local culture, tradition, the different religions, and habits of the villagers that would be prioritised. Special design features would give and include for all the inhabitants in these planned areas, very important and essential interior elements for a better standard of living. Every Home Unit would have the necessary basics with all the very esential elements for better living conditions : ‘’Interior-Privacy’’ - Light interior partitions, / cooking-corners, / a running-water tap, / individual lavatories, / with a washing space, / used-water evacuation plus a small private-patio garden. Jack Bertoli obtained the Mandate to Design the ‘’New Township of Trombay’’ for the Indian Atomic Energy Establishment.Technical problems concerning this project held it up indefinitely, but interestingly, Jack Bertoli was offered several large private mandates from important Indian Promotors and Contractors. However, with the continued requests to be introduced to ‘’Mr. J.R.D. Tata’’. Jack Bertoli realized that corruption and nepotism were thriving in the country, and that Architectural Mandates were being handed out, not in the interests of a ‘’The Project Design’’ or for the ‘’Future Inhabitants’’, nor the ‘’Architect’’, but with specific interests and requests only to be introduced to : ‘’Mr. J.R.D. Tata’’ . Not being able to undertake his work in a free spirit of creative planning, he returned to Geneva, with the proposition from Switzerland, to became a Swiss citizen, and open his private practice, with a return air ticket to India that he has kept as a souvenir.

International - Projects Planned and Built

Jack Bertoli opened an office in Geneva that incoorporated twenty-one Architects, and a Design staff, some of his Projects and Designs were built in India, Switzerland, France, Italy, Africa, the United States of America, and the Caribbean, can be seen on his site

Present Projects

Jack Bertoli’s present work revisits his earlier research for proposals and solutions for the housing of the present uncontrolled growing population problem of India, with + /- 15-17 million more inhabitants in the country every year (U.N. Population Surveys.) For many years there has been an acute and desperate need for ‘’Decent Housing’’ and for the planning and building of ‘’Homes’’ rather than mere ‘’Shelters’’ for the growing masses of the poor in India. The magnitude of the problem of the Slum Population in the country is out of the Human Mind. With movies such as ‘’ Slum Dog Millionaire’’ coming from Asia’s biggest slum, ‘’Dharavi’’ in Mumbai where over a million residents are crammed into one square mile, living in appalling conditions. (The Economist - A Flourishing Slum.) Jack Bertoli is working to establish a strong ‘’Future Philosophy for the Planning of Construction in India’’, together with the participation of Indian Planners, Politicians, and Industrialists, including a few of the ‘’New Indian Multibillionaires.’’ (Forbes – 2012.) as it is time that a small chose group of Indian Thinkers get together to set standards to be established and through open discussions to plan for India’s Future Planning at the necessary and incredible scale is needed due to the backlog of over 24 / 27 Million homes in the country today for a better future Indian living standard for the Poor Population of the Country that stands today at +/- 800'000'000 with a majority living on less than a U.S. $ 1,25 / day. +/- 75 % of the present population of 1'300'000'000. Planning New Towns and Cities with Integrated Indian Social and Religious Standards, with Techniques, Types of Structures and Buildings, following very strict Building Codes and Laws necessary for this segment of the housing market, to see that all future constructions do not turn into Slums, as is the case today. No other country in the universe has the same acute problem of the utter Scale, of the Needs, with practically an uncontrolled housing situaition, for it’s poor disinherited inhabitants. The Size of the problem of housing in India today go beyoud the human immagination. The current planning approach of new Towns and Cities being built throughout India have to change drastically, as segments and zones turn into ‘’Urban Decay’’, as basic standards for decent living conditions are not provided for the disinherited masses. This has to change once-and-for-all, as there is an urgent need for a radical New Design Plan for the planning of all new Cities, Towns and Villages in India. All urban and village planning techniques, and philosophies of design have to be seriously modified taking into account the incredable ‘’Scale’’ of the growing problem, the urgent ‘’Needs’’ of the inhabitants, with the help the ‘’Thinking’’ Professionals, with the ‘’Funds’’ to be made available, for the Occupants who, for the moment, have no say in what and how, Cities, Towns and Villages are being produced for them. . In the Villages, construction will use simple techniques and materials for rapid, closer, compact, grouped, and modulated residential units, saving all common areas, services, and walls, with optimum land occupation, with space allotted for the poorest. Plans will allow for multi-level, over-hanging housing and over-hanging open spaces, and suspended garden structures, with compact-service-units. In Cities, no unplanned land areas with structures with the possibilities to become Slums would encroach into the newly-built areas. These will be planned as integrated areas of newly planned zones ( Not as Slums) allotted to new Towns and Cities, Planned areas, as extremely ‘’Economic Home Zones and Sectors’’ in all newly Planned and Built Developments in India, will include all necessary amenities for future decent living standards, and controlled as such. Strict Building Codes and Laws will be necessary for the future planning and housing, taking into account an ‘’Urgent Plan Remedy and Solution’’ for the enormous Backlog of Housing of homes needed. (This is close to an impossible task, ulless sid and strong help is obtaind from the Gouvernment, Taxes, the Indian Industrialists, the Indian Wealthy, plus International Aid An important part of the necessary Financial costs will have to come from New ‘’Building Taxes’’ that every new urban construction being built throughout the Country today, will have to pay as a tax towards this segment of construction. With a Subsidy from the Government that will be necessary, as an Aid to pay for all these new structures with the : Financing of Homes for Millions of the Less Fortunate Inhabitants of the Country. For years Switzerland undertook, with success, a compulsory ‘’Building Tax’’ for Civic defense for the compulsory building of "Atomic Shelters" to be incorporated into every new structure throughout the country, in all Buildings, high rise or villas, part of this extra cost was paid by the Owners, the Builders, and the Contractors. India being part of the "BRIC" of the fast growing economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China, may well be in a position to countenance substantial expenditure and help to alleviate the chronic housing shortage for the least well-off and underprivileged.

Articles and Publications

"Probleme du Logement Economic dans l’Inde" Tribune de Geneve 7 april 1956
"Towards City Planning and Architecture for New Needs" Design Magazine of the Arts, India. February 1959
"An Economic House for a Large Family." Design Magazine of the Arts. India. March 1959
"Very Economic Houses for Indian Villages". "The Hindustan Times Weekly" 21 August 1960
"De l’Alphabet de Jack Bertoli." La Galerie Club Migros. ‘Le Dauphine Libere. 1 february 1962
‘ "Au rendez–vous de l’insolite avec Jack Bertoli. Un peintre Indien etonne et seduit.." La Tribune de Geneve. 1962
"Exposition de Travaux d’Anciens" l’Ecole Internationale 25-30 juin 1966
"Emule de Le Corbusier, Jack Vicajee Bertoli. Le Dauphine Libere. 24 january 1967
"Nelly Roch-Bertoli Rehabilite le Vitrail comme element de decoration interieur" 10 february 1967
"Jack Vicajee Bertoli." 30 jours. 11 novembre 1967
"La Construction du Centre de Recherches Medicales" Tribune de Geneve . 11 january 1970
"Chalets <Americains> dans la Region de Saint-Cergues" Tribune de Geneve April 1970
"Residence Hors-Serie, Famille Oser". La suisse 11 august 1971.
"La Cour du Cygne" la Suisse. 2 october 1972
"A cote de l’Hopital : Maison Fleur unique en Suisse." Tribune de geneve. 3 march 1972
"A 36 ans, un des meilleurs Architectes-Urbanistes du moment." La Tribunre de Geneve 8 mars 1972
"Fondation Genevoise ultra-moderne pour les Recherches Medicales." Tribune de geneve 28 june 1972
"Centre de Recherches’’ Journal de la Construction Suisse Romande 15 may 1987
"l’Exploitation de la Nouvelle Aerogare" - "Le Batiment de la Securite Arienne" et "Le Centrale Thermique" La Tribune de Geneve 15 mars 1997
"Aux Paquis le "Novotel" fait sa renovation" Tribune de Geneve 10 april 2001.
"Un Voyage dans la Vie". The History of our Foundation. "La Tulipe" 2000
"India vera como disminye su Turismo", La Vanguardia. Madrid. 4 decembre 2008
"Ode to ‘La Tulipe’ building – Place Makings". Slab Magazine. 20 september 2010
"XXe - Un Siecle d’Architecture a Geneve". Publication de la Patrimoine Suisse, Geneve. 2009
"La Tulipe." Maïlis Favre, University of Geneva special study. Spring 2011
‘Magazine "SLAB" of Architecture. Spring 2012. "La Tulipe"