Author of the Month – Robert Stephens
The Author of the Month Series is conceived as a year-long curatorial programme at BLR Reads – Library and Archive, reinforcing the library’s identity as an open cultural and civic space. Rooted in BLR Reads’ philosophy of reading beyond books, the series will feature one author each month in focused book discussions that connect literature with broader themes of the city, history, design, culture, and everyday lived experiences. The initiative seeks to deepen reader engagement, encourage sustained community participation, and cultivate collaborations with authors, publishers, academic institutions, and cultural organisations. Each session will be supported by curated reading lists and, where appropriate, complementary activities such as talks, walks, or exhibitions. As an outreach effort, the series will increase BLR Reads’ visibility, strengthen its networks, and position it as a regular and meaningful presence within Bengaluru’s literary and cultural landscape.
Author of the Month – Robert Stephens
Robert Stephens is an architect who loves to write. Bombay Imagined, An Illustrated History of the Unbuilt City is his first book, published by his homegrown studio, Urbs Indis. After relocating to Bengaluru in 2023, Robert expanded the creative work of Urbs Indis to include an independent architecture practice. The firm’s first built project, the Urbs Indis Library & Garden, is a home-studio-library where Robert lives with his wife, son, cat and dog. The off-grid space houses more than 1,000 rare books on urban India, with more than 400 publications dedicated to Mumbai. The collection is publicly accessible six days a week, and the space hosts a range of events throughout the year, including architectural walkthroughs, illustrated talks, and most recently, the launch of the Bombay Imagined second edition in December 2025.
Bombay Imagined – Rewriting Bengaluru’s future through a reading of Mumbai’s unbuilt past.
Bombay Imagined explores plans from Mumbai’s past that remain forever unrealized, including humane housing for all, ambitious urban park systems, natural sewage treatment networks, decentralized water supply schemes, public libraries and more. Ideas that never saw the light of day are richly illustrated with archival drawings, contemporary speculations and artistic overlays. The heavily illustrated talk speculates that ideas never die, even if they remain unbuilt, and their reading in the 21st Century can rewrite Bengaluru’s future in new and unexpected ways.
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