About this Event
As part of The Philosophical Research Society’s series Philosophy of Design, 7th House presents THE PROMISE: ARCHITECT BV DOSHI (2023), a moving, quietly luminous portrait of Balkrishna Vithaldas “BV” Doshi—one of India’s most influential architects, the first Indian recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, and a visionary whose work reveals architecture not as monument, but as a living, breathing extension of human life.
Born in 1927 and active across more than seven decades, Doshi absorbed the lessons of European modernism through close collaborations with Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn, then transformed them into something deeply rooted in Indian climate, community, tradition, and daily life. Long before “sustainability” became a design imperative, Doshi was building with local materials, natural ventilation, shade, light, air, and adaptability; long before socially conscious architecture became a contemporary ideal, he was designing housing not as a fixed solution imposed from above, but as an open structure that residents can expand, modify, and make their own.
Director Jan Schmidt-Garre follows Doshi through his homes, offices, schools, housing communities, temples, mosques, and landmark buildings in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Indore, allowing the architect’s work to emerge not as a static portfolio, but as a series of lived environments. Doshi sketches at his drawing board, reflects on his teachers, visits the buildings that shaped him, and speaks with the humor, clarity, and wisdom of someone for whom architecture is inseparable from storytelling, philosophy, spirituality, and care.
A man of the present and a traditionally living Hindu, Doshi’s vision is shaped not only by modernist masters, but by religious ritual, sacred architecture, and the social life of cities. As the film moves between family rituals, Hindu temples, Islamic mosques, and the everyday rhythms of the people who inhabit his buildings, it reveals an architect whose philosophy is rooted in relationship: between structure and spirit, form and use, nature and community, the individual and the whole.
Patiently observed and beautifully composed, THE PROMISE is a meditation on design as an ethical and philosophical practice—how buildings can serve the body, nourish the spirit, strengthen community, and adapt to the future—and an invitation to imagine a built world shaped not by ego or spectacle, but by generosity, humility, light, and care. Doshi’s promise was simple, profound, and too rarely fulfilled: that architecture should not ask people to kneel before it, but should allow them to live, grow, and become more fully human.
Dir. Jan Schmidt-Garre 2023, Germany, 88 min. English, Gujarat and Hindi with English subtitles, Unrated, Digital.
Philosophy of Design Series
This April and May, we celebrate the transformative power of design with a series of events examining the work of influential architects, artists, and designers. We'll explore how their unique philosophies and principles are reflected in their creations—works that not only shaped the way we view the world and experience space but open up new possibilities for ways of living.
Tickets: $10 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
USD 12.51
