New Delhi, Jan 11 Courtyards, shaded porticos, built-in gardens, water and solar harvesting and narrow streets — India is taking cues on sustainability and eco-friendliness in architecture from France, considered a champion of new-age architecture.

"India and France have the same urban problems of space and high energy consumption. The idea is to save both and to accommodate more people without messing up lives," Jerome Bonnafont, ambassador of France to India, said.

He was speaking at the opening of "Architecture = Sustainable", an exhibition of 30 residential and high-rise apartment models by 30 leading French architects in the capital this week.

The exhibition, a part of the "BonJour: France in India Festival" that opened Jan 8 at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, will continue till January 31.

Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said India would exchange ideas with France to develop sustainable designs in the government sector.

"We are adopting the principle of sustainability for the Commonwealth Games village that we are building for the games next year. We have 38 projects registered under the voluntary sustainable rating system which is now the template for all government buildings," he said.

"Buildings under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission have to comply with measures such as rainwater harvesting, solar harvesting panels, eco-concerns and transport needs of the people before they are approved," the minister said.

The concepts of shaded porticos, courtyards, open terraces, house gardens and narrow streets in India date back to thousands of years to Harappa and Mohenjodaro, known for their futuristic town planning.

Sustainability has been a part of the Indian architecture heritage, Rewal said.

"For a long time, we had no air-conditioning and residences had a passive energy control system, green lungs and were flanked by narrow streets. But we do not make shaded courtyards, porticos, house gardens and narrow streets any more because the government discourages them. We are now relearning these lessons from contemporary French architects," leading Indian architect Raj Rewal said.

The exhibition showcases both commercial and residential complexes commissioned by the French government since 2006 with the aim to beat the push of population and shrinking space.

Most of the residential models make optimal use of energy, space and light - with small terraces, courtyards and shaded gardens built within the homes that not only take into account sustainability but creativity as well.

As for the high-rise commercial and office complexes — they scale heights in swathes of glass and reinforced concrete. The model of a 27-storied commercial complex — "Morphosis" in Paris — designed by Thom Mayne has the "highest occupied floor in France" standing 271 metres above the ground level. It has been certified a "very high energy performance building" that packs in the maximum at minimum space.

A model of a La Philharmonie de Paris by Ateliers Jean Nouvel is tagged as a "creative building that France wants to treasure".

The structure, a fluid shape that spirals in gentle circular shapes without support, is equipped with a seating capacity of 2,400, rehearsal halls, administrative offices and education centres.

"France is one of the few countries in Europe which awards works based on creativity and sustainability rather than on the lowest price quoted by architects. In most of the other countries — especially in the developing world — that used to be the rule 10 years ago till the pressure of market economy changed the rules," Rewal said.

He attributes it to the high level of environmental concern that France has and the nature of urban governance.

"Most of the buildings in France are commissioned by the local mayors who make sure that the buildings have decorated architecture and comply with city planning and urban design norms," said Rewal, who worked in France for several years.

Bonnafont plans to make the exchange in architecture a "biennale" with dialogues between the countries every two years.