pranjal maheshwariofofandspaces words. 2017-2022
HopeNamaste!you are doing well. I am Pranjal Maheshwari, an architecture graduate from the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. I am obessed with stories; to listen, watch, read them, feel them, and to create them. I can watch cringe movies for the sake of their plot, and sit quitely (perhaps creepily) in a shady corner of a crowded room simply observing people.
pranjal maheshwari +91 /pranjalmaheshwari8pranjalmaheshwari8@gmail.com9213062741 08 May 1999 Noida, India
I am particularly interested in weaving narratives through spaces and through words. In both design and writing, I like to keep it simple yet intriguing. I love mysticism and paradoxes. 2021-March Crafts
Do we have something in common? Let's Talk! नम�े ! Distinctions Co-Host and Student Representative Future of Architecture Workshop | An Architect South Africa January
2021 Coordinator Art and
Club | School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal July 2018-April 2019 Tools 2D Drafting 3DPresentationVisualisationModellingBIM Autodesk AutoCAD Trimble AdobeAdobeAdobeLumionV-RayAutodeskGrasshopperRhinocerosSketchup3DRevitPhotoshopIllustratorInDesign MS Office Skills Industry Knowledge Content ArchitecturalArchitecturalDocumentationResearchWritingandAnalysisDesignModelMaking Interpersonal Skills Team Leadership Team CommunicationInterpersonalManagement Education Bachelor in Architecture School of Planning and Architecture | Bhopal 2017-20 Secondary22 Education Bal Bharati Public School | Noida 2015-2017 High School Bal Bharati Public School | Noida 2015
2022201920202021
Future of Architecture An Architect South Africa You and Your Neighbourhood Z-Axis 2020 | Charles Correa Foundation Kochi Design Week Kochi Design Week | Kochi Earthen Construction Techniques
Hunnarshala | Bhuj Bamboo as an Everyday Essential Jagrati Gramotthan Samiti | Betul 202020192021
Contributing Writer | Freelance Zeyka, India Revised history as the key writer for the column "History of Modernism".
Narrator & Story Teller | Internship (Remote) India Lost and Found by Amit Pasricha Wove narratives around forgotten heritage sites in India. Editorial Intern | Internship (Remote) Rethinking The Future, India Wrote articles surrounding Architecture, Design and some ideas of my own. Architectural Trainee | Summer Internship Sandal Kapoor Associates, New Delhi Worked on project presentations, 3D visualisation and accesibility audits.
Architectural Trainee | Internship Shirish Beri and Associates, Kolhapur Participated in design discussions; contributed to presentation drawings, 3D visualisation, walk-throughs, physical models and working drawings.
Lead Editor | Freelance An Architect, South Africa Contributed articles on the topics of Indigenous Futurism, Decoloniality, Food and Urbanism and Compuational Design; coordinated the 'Future of Architecture' Project. Content Writer | Freelance Papercycle, India Strategised content for different social-media platforms and the website.
Work Experience Content Writer | Freelance Oneistox, India Worked on social-media storyboards, video scripts, and blogs.
Workshops | Conferences
201820192020
Competitions | Achievements The Architecture Essay Competition | IDHA Labs Measured Drawing Competition | TAG, UK Rao Sahab ki Bakhar | Top 6 International The Sacred Space | Archidais Bharat Bhavan 2020 | UNI Bharat Bhavan, Ranchi | Top 34 What's Your Goa? | Reroute Word of the Walls | Jury Recommendation Annual NASA Design Competition | NASA India 120 Hours | Oslo School of Architecture and Design Louis I. Kahn Trophy | NASA India Rao Sahab ki Bakhar | Top 10 India Berkeley Essay Prize | Semifinalist SqrFoot Housing | Sqr Factor Annual NASA Design Competition | NASA India Published Works | Features Revitalizing the Sacredscape of Omkareshwar Undergraduate Thesis | SPA Bhopal Writer at Oneistox oneistox.com Our Top 10 Posts for 2021 commonedge.org What did you have for lunch ? An Architect South Africa (facebook page) Author at Common Edge commonedge.org History of Modernism zeyka.in Pastel Town issuu.com Author at Rethinking The Future re-thinkingthefuture.com What's your Goa? reroute.xyz
They define the boundaries within which to exist. They make everything clear, but they also limit their scope.
So, this is not me looking for "What is architecture?"
You know, back in high school I thought I knew what it meant to pursue architecture, and what is meant by 'Architecture', itself. Haha! The funny thing about meanings?
This is me trying to grasp the expanse of architecture.
07 | 12 13 | 18 19 | 32 35 |42 43 | 50 53 | 58 59| 62 63 | 68 stapu pre-school | dehradun rao sahab ki bakhar architectural documentation | narsinghpur santulan wellness center | sadale revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar undergraduate thesis | omkareshwar zapurza museum of art and culture | pune modern 'indian' architecture essay | competition entry the emptiness of spaces and the mind article | rethinking the future confessions of an indian architecture student essay | common edge8.6.4.2.1.3.5.7. part-i : in the school part-ii : in the office part-iii : in my words
part-i : in the school
Its called 'Stapu', after the game that is played usually by kids my age in the streets of India. You might know it as 'hopscotch'.
Don't you love this place? Everything is fun here! We don't have to stick to the rooms to learn- we can sit on the steps, in the courtyard, in the 'play' ground, or even on the roof! Sometimes we tease the other kids from the big round windows on top (and then get a scolding by our teachers!). I love the dance and acting sessions in the Creative Hall. Ah, it's so much fun! I wish you could study here too! | individual
1 academic
शैक्षिणक | वैयि�क
Hello! I am Aditya, nice to meet you! I am one of the kids studying in this school, who has been assigned to show you around. I am sure you will love it. Let's go!
stapu १ the/stàpù/game of hopscotch एक खेल preschool | dehradun बालवाड़ी | देहरादून �ापू
10 // stapu
1. Administration 2. Classroom 3. Washroom 4. Courtyard 5. Playground 6. Creative Hall 1 2 2 2 3 4 6 5 5 site plan
Stepped courtyard, shaped by the slope of the site, make the journey to and around the classroomsanddynamicplayful.
The overall configuration of the built and unbuilt is shaped by the climatic variations of the site, which is predominantly Cold.
The space and design of the classroom and its furniture allows multiple layouts, flexible to the different needs. Skylights provide an inlet to natural light into the classroom, and a visual connect between the inside and outside.//stapu
Classrooms are grouped three at a time. Brick walls enclose enough space for the restless and cheerful students. Stairways act as a direct connect between the classroom and the play-ground.
The stepped corridors are shaded by timber structures featuring vines, facilitating filtered sunlight and interesting shadow patterns.
12 Roof of the classrooms are embedded within the topography of the site, adding up to the ground.playing
Bay-windows act as resting and seating for the students while providing a visual connect to courtyard.the
13of spaces and of words //
I particularly love the classes we have on the roof, under the open sky. I always make sure to take a different way to go to my classroom, then from my classroom to the washroom, from the washroom to the courtyard, and then from the courtyard to the play ground! Ah! But we can only be here till the afternoon. No worries! I will come back tomorrow!
*Ding Dong* Why does school have to end? Can it not go on forever! I have so many friends here. And my teachers are so great! They are all so friendly and the classes are so fun! The other day Rumpa ma'am was teaching us why the grass and leaves were so green and flowers came in so many colors!
We are the descendants of Rao Jagbharat Singh, the founder of the city. He built this Bakhar, along with a magnificent temple devoted to Lord Narsingh, to which the city owes its name.
Ah! I see you can't help admiring our entrance doorway. Well, come on in! There is much to see here. india top 10 r.i.b.a. t.a.g. top 6
n.a.s.a.
Namaste! Welcome to Narsinghpur!
Our home is the most prominent in the whole city. You see, our ancestors were malguzars, something similar to the feudal lords in Europe. Hence, this dwelling formed the center of all activities around the regionfestivities, occasions, executive meetings, panchayats and even the daily necessities. Many structures you will see around , including temples, have taken inspiration from our home.
rao sahab ki bakhar २ the/bàkhara/mansion of the feudal lord मालगुज᳝ार की हवेली architectural documentation | narsinghpur वा�� �लेखन | नरिसंहपुर राव साहब की बाखर 2 louis i. kahn trophy | team of 30 लुई आई॰ काह्न ट᳙ॉफी | ३० का समूह
16 east elevation // rao sahab ki bakhar
They say that there used to be a tunnel somewhere, which was accessible from the house and the temple, and led all the way to the nearby ghat! We never found it though. Our main entrance looks east, in accordance with the principles of Vastu Shastra. The brahmasthal, center of the house, is also kept void- with only a small temple placed Therethere. was a time when we used to live on the first floor. You see that well in our yard? It wasn't long ago when it used to support the lives of many throughout the village! When the women would come here in the evenings to draw water for their homes, the chat and gossip sessions were really Alas!interesting.Withtime, many members of the family moved to other cities. Only my eldest son and his family stay here now. We all have shifted to the ground floor. We even relocated our temple from the courtyard on the ground floor with us.
1 2
Ah, I remember the day I entered this mansion for the first time, as a bride, so many years ago. They say it is more than two-centuries old!
Much has changed since then; but it still stands proud and tall! The walls are very sturdy you see. They are extremely thick- almost 5 feet on the ground floor, made of Lakhori bricks bound together with mortar made of gud, daal, chuna (lime), sand, and gaad; and finished with lime Theseplaster.walls are then adorned with pilasters, detailed with a base, a tapering shaft and a capital. The slab is made of brick-bat infill, supported by a network of timber members.
Oh, those perforations you saw on the elevation? They were made for the dual purpose of ventilation and also as openings for firing of ammunition in case of an attack.
Some parts of the house even crumpled down, and some along the south are deteriorating even further. 5m 1 2 5m
17of spaces and of words // ground floor plan first floor plan
1840-Present However, in the coming generations there was a division of property; some relocated in more urbanized regions in search for better opportunities for themselves and their family.
present day view of the bakhar hand-rendered by M.A. Muthalib P.T.
1782-1840 The city prospered, and so did the family, which was reflected in the dwelling. The dwelling was extended and bastions added for better security. 1782 The Bakhar was constructed as the dwelling for the Malguzar and his Thefamily.spaces were designed to carry out the functions of that time- revenue collection, storage and security.
18 // rao sahab ki bakhar
Wonderful, isn't it? One glance around, and all the centuries worth of history lays itself bare in-front of your eyes!
Its indeed a shame that you have to leave. Visit again, sometime soon!
A brick in itself might be opaque, but as its laid on a wall, struck with others of its kin through mortar, it is rendered transparent. Whatever happens on the inside is visible at the face of the dwelling.
The Bakhar played a pivotal role in shaping the cultural, political, social and economic structure of the city. Over its lifetime, the dwelling welcomed numerous changes varying through cultures, livelihood and advancements in technology.
19of spaces and of words //
Welcome to India- the land of multiple faiths and a diversity of beliefs. Over time, these intangible belief systems manifest themselves over our geography to form 'sacredscapes'. Indian sacredscapes are points of spiritual power, activated through visitation and experience. This forms the core of the idea of tīrtha, 'pilgrimage', a phenomenon which gave rise to the modern day 'tourism'.
revitalizing3 omkareshwarsacredscapetheof undergraduate thesis | omkareshwar, m.p. tīrthā /noun/ journey undertaken for spiritual upliftment paryatan /noun/ travel and exploration for purpose of recreation
In the present-day, the boundaries between the two phenomenons have blurred. Indian sacredscapes provide opportunity for socio-economic gains through harnessing the living cultures as an experience. By balancing pilgrim-tourist perspectives through sociocultural sensitization, Indian Sacredscapes can form independent, sustainable systems.
22 1. omkareshwar temple 2. mamleshwar temple 3. vishnu temple 4. brahmeshwar temple 5. new bus-stop 6. j.p. chowk 7. mandhata palace 8. omkareshwar dam 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x x' y' y 100 200 500m section xx' omkareshwar temple omkareshwar temple omkareshwar dam mamleshwar temple vishnu temple section yy' // revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar
The different government schemes like PRASHAD and AMRUT have realized the potential of our town for a highly-known tourist destination, at the same time identifying challenges with visitor awareness and sensitization, lack of accommodation and other auxiliary services. ritual & religion are facilitated through the many temples and ghats in the town. historical remains and landmarks are spread all across the town. transit routes and hubs are already narrow, further congested by encroachment. recent urban interventions are only focusing around the omkareshwar temple. civic amenities present in the town are poorly maintained and illegible. visitor accommodation facilities are inadequate for floating population.
23of spaces and of words //
Located on the Om-shaped Mandhata island in the revered Narmada, the town is named after the fourth jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. The island, the river and twin shrines of Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar temples constitute the "spirit of the place".
ThisNamaste!isthe holy land of Omkareshwar-Mandhata. We are a temple town in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, home to around 15,000 people with a daily influx of 3,000 pilgrims and tourists.
24 // revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar wayfinding ? tourist sensitization conflict of interest inadequate facilities no public dearthencroachmentsspacesofparking traffic congestion decongestionvisitor(in)formalritualcongregationorientationinterpretationfacilitationcommercefacilitation problem-solution matrix civil hospital multi-level parking public toilet agaman welcome center new bus stand proposed ropeway station
25of spaces and of words // mandhata palace j.p. chowk shriashramgajanan mamleshwar temple old bridge omkareshwar temple siddhnath temple jhula bridge boating jetty anuvaad interpretation center multi-purposemulti-levelhall parking ritual ghat visarjan kund o.a.t. mela ground aashray visitor accommodation omkareshwar prasadalaya vishnu temple brahmeshwar temple 20 40 100m
26 // revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar aagaman आगमन /ágamana/ आना/ पहुँचनाarrival
enquiry and exhibit to orient visitors towards what the town has to offer. a.v. hall for a quick overview of the sacred town of omkareshwar. cafeteria for refreshments and public interaction.
aagaman: welcome centre to introduce the visitors to the town of omkareshwar.
27of spaces and of wordsregular//daysfestivedaysgreenvents
We request you to park your vehicles in the multilevel parking and make use of our pollution-free public transportation facility. A public toilet is located on the other side, as this town has a dearth of well-maintained publicamenities. The facility is provided with lush green courtyards and is flexible to an increase in population influx.
Aagaman, the welcome center commemorates your arrival into the town. It takes you through a virtual tour of the town through audio-visual tools to familiarize you with the different destinations and travel options.
concretehederaplanterboxhelixplantsoil + geo-textile filter vehicularmulti-levelparking aagaman: welcome center public toilet
t
28 // revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar anuvaad अनुवाद /anuváda/ भाषांतरtranslation
enjoying
'spirit
relaxing
open-air heatre for performances and celebration. multi-purpose hall as a space for communal gathering. galleries narrating the many myths and stories of omkareshwar-mandhata. in nature's serenity, the calm and the of the place'.
immersive
29of spaces and of words // designated spaces to perform rituals at the brahmapuri ghat. platforms at the ghat for rituals like the narmada aarti.
informal market at the mela ground with pop-up shops. resting spaces at the mela ground for users of the ghat
avoiddesignatedchaos on ghats visarjan kund for immersion of idols: part of ritual procession.
30 // revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar aashray आ�य /ásraya/ शरणshelter single occupancy (w/o toi) double occupancy (w/toi) double occupancy (with universal acc.) 8-bedded hall single occupancy (w/toi) common washroom
31of spaces and of words // every other day during festive season omkareshwar prasadalayanew bhandarikubertemple vehicularmulti-levelparking
The abandoned bus-stand earlier used for parking is now a public plaza.
32 // revitalizing the sacredscape of omkareshwar
Due to less motor traffic, the routes become pedestrianfriendly and congestion-free. Visitors are aware and informed about the various landmarks in town. Heritage Structures around the town are rejuvenated and attract more crowd. The modular pop-up shops are adopted throughout the town.
Market streets are free from encroachments allowing hassle-free commerce.
Spaces to foster interaction between priests, pilgrims and tourists adopted throughout. Designated spaces and facilities for different functions at the ghats.
The locals have a space to express their culture and celebrate as a community.
The ‘tourist-wave’ coming to Indian Sacredscapes is almost inevitable- with availability of modern amenities and the changing attitudes of the visitors and locals in these precincts. Looking at Indian sacredscapes through the perspective lens of Pilgrimage-Tourism brings forth the hidden potential in such precincts. Formulating development plans for such precincts through the "ecohealing" approach ensures an all-round development of such sacredscapes into self-sustaining systems.
sacredscape of omkareshwar-mandhata- the future vision
33of spaces and of words // Within a few years, the proposal will induce a series of changes all across the town. The visitors and locals will be more sensitive and aware of the "spirit of the place".
Small land parcels reserved for pop-up markets using festivities to avoid congestion.Omkareshwar Prasadalaya and its surroundings become more legible and active.
The modules of the temporary toilets and shops will be adopted all across the town, giving a hint of formality and order while boosting the livelihood of the locals.
The ghats will designate different spaces for the various activities such that different user-groups interact peacefully. The OAT and Multi-purpose Hall will become cultural hotspots and hosts of communal gatherings.
part-ii : in the office
santulan ४ balance सभी पक्षों का यथा �ान होना wellness center | sadale आरो� केंद् | साडळे संतुलन "In today's context, how can our wellness center bring about a positive change in the wellbeing of its inmates? Can it help in cleansing the mind and body in order to rejuvenate it for a happy, healthy life? This project strives to improve / maintain good physical and mental health of the inmates- the senior citizens as well as the wellness center users. How can our architectural design contribute to this?" -Ar. Shirish Beri 4 internship | shirish beri and assoicates �िशक्षुता | िशरीष बेरी एंड एसोिसएट्स /samtulana/
emerging need of people- for a place to heal. To heal, both physically and mentally. Can we achieve this through our spaces?
Theresantulanisan
38 //
The site lies in the beautiful lush-green valleys of the village of Sadale near Kolhapur. The site itself is surrounded with breathtaking views of nature. The overall project accommodates a Wellness Center and a Senior Citizen's Home. The first phase of the project focuses on the Wellness Center which comprises of spa facilities along with yoga and meditation, swimming pool and stay facilities (studio units and suites).
39of spaces and of words // 2 4 10mmasterplan wellness center parking mandir reception + occupancysingleoccupancysingleadmin staff roommeditation2accommodationbhk pool studio units studio units readingdiningroomdeckplaza club house3bhksuitesthick wooded buffer
40 // santulan v 3 section 2 ground floor plan section 1 2 10m4 11 11 1010 10 1010 8 9 7 7 77 7 7 1 3 2 5 646 661 4 5 63 2
41of spaces and of words // section 6 1. reception 2. lounge 3. office 4. g.m. office 5. doctor 6. change 7. massage 8. kitchen 9. dining 10. studio unit 11. suite 12. yoga hall 13. moroccan bath 14. sauna 15. owner's office 16. meeting first floor plan section 4 section 5 2 10m4 1 4 5 63 2 12 1314151416 10 10 10 1111 7 7 7
42 // santulan
"An architecture that non-conspicuously blends with nature" For better physical health, all necessary facilities and treatments have been provided such as yoga, pool and massage. The campus design maintains a harmonic balance with nature by utilizing natural light and ventilation, the lush greens of the surroundings as well as within the site.
The overall ambiance exudes tranquility and peace, and aims at bringing the inmates closer to nature, closer to each other and closer to their own self.
43of spaces and of words //
The choice of materials for the construction of the project is also in balance with the overall scheme- a composite of rammed earth and stone masonry.
zapurza ५ a/jhapurjhà/creative state एक रचना�क अव�ा museum of art and culture | pune कला और संस्कृित सं�हालय | पुणे झपुझार् 5 internship | shirish beri and associates �िशक्षुता | िशरीष बेरी एंड एसोिसएट्स "for those who see joys and woes of all what do they understand? what do they act upon? even if they laugh at us, we are not afraid to say: there is more meaning in whoitmeaninglessnessisseenbythemarecalledmad. what are the sounds of that meaning? zapurza, o dear, zapurza!" (originally-keshavsutinmarathi)
46 // zapurza 5 10 25msite plan 1. visitor's centre 2. a-wing 3. b-wing 4. c-wing 5. cafe 6. service block 7. accommodation 8. amphitheatre 21 3 4 5 7 6 8
The sloped terrain of the site at the edge of the lake is utilized to create a sense of dynamic in the structure as well as movement patterns. Spaces of different volumes are blended together to form an experiential tour of the different art forms collected from all across the nation.
The campus has studios, museums, workshops, exhibits and galleries sprawled throughout the site, supported with hospitality infrastructure. It aims at becoming a platform for all art forms, a facilitator for cultural activities and to encourage a sensitivity of the aesthetic of art, especially among the children.
47of spaces and of words //
'Zapurza' is a term coined in 1893 by the great maharashtrian poet Keshavsut. It translates to 'a creative state...', a moment of trance as you lose yourself in an activity, a creation, an art.
VITRIFIED TILED AS/ VISITORS' CENTER RAMP WIDTH IN SEDUM (ON RAMP LANDING) REVISION R1 1. ADDED SEDUM ALONG LANDINGBODY,FLOORINGEDGESON 2. PASSAGEOFCHANGEDFOYERTILESUSEDCENTER. 3. RAMPSCHANGEDSEDUMFLOORING DESCRIPTION
DOOR FRAME A SEDUM BORDER AS/ A-WING STILTS VITRIFIED TILES AS / VISITORS' CENTER
SECTION AT 2 - 2 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: FOYER20 GALLERYART
SEDUM BORDER UP TO DOOR FRAME REBATE 100 MM WIDE SEDUM STRIPS WITH 15MM X 3 MM GROOVES 1 33
15
48 // zapurza 90° WORKING DRAWING ' A FLOORINGPLANWINGAT+98.0098.20lvl.DETAILS 503 SKYVILLE UNIVERSITY RING ROAD SHIRISH BERI A R C H C & ASSOCIATES REGD ARCHITECT. REGN. NO. CA Ar. SHIRISH R. BERI DRAWING TITLE JOB TITLE JOB NO. DRG. 1:SCALE100 DATE DRAWN BY CHECKEDSHIRISHFLZAPURZA A CENTRE FOR LIVINGCREATIVEATKUDJE149/1A11-10-2021
TREADSSEDUM90°
WIDE SEDUM STRIPS WITH 15MM
DETAILNOSINGAT'a'SCALE=1:10
33 100
GROOVES 33
REVISION R1 1. ADDED SEDUM BORDER ALONG EDGES OF FLOORING AND WATER BODY, ON THE RAMP LANDING 2. CHANGED FLOORING OF FOYER AND PASSAGE WITH VITRIFIED TILES USED IN VISITORS' CENTER. 3. CHANGED DETAIL OF SEDUM FLOORING ON RAMPS DESCRIPTION BORDER UP TO DOOR FRAME MM WIDE SEDUM STRIPS WITH 15MM X 3 MM GROOVES 1 100 SEDUMMMSTRIP MM X 3 MM GROOVE LATICRETECOLOREDWITHGROUT
SELF EPOXYLEVELINGFLOORING
VITRIFIED TILES AS/ VISITORS CENTER 100
SEDUMPERRAILINGBORDERASDETAILS 15 a RAILING AS PER DETAILS
SEDUM FULL TILE BORDER 400 MM WIDE ( WIDTH TO MATCH WITH WALL THICKNESS SEDUM FULL TILE BORDER 400 MM WIDE ( WIDTH TO MATCH WITH WALL THICKNESS ) 90° 2 2 SEDUM BORDER BCD FOREVER IVORY ( 800 X 1600 )
WORKING DRAWING ' A FLOORINGPLANWINGAT+98.0098.20lvl.DETAILS SKYVILLE UNIVERSITY RING SHIRISH A C H & ASSOCIATES REGD ARCHITECT. REGN. Ar. SHIRISH R. DRAWING TITLE JOB TITLE JOB DRAWN1:SCALENO.100 BY ZAPURZA A CENTRE FOR LIVINGCREATIVEATKUDJE149/1A SELF EPOXYLEVELINGFLOORING
VITRIFIED TILES AS/ VISITORS' CENTER 100 100 SEDUMMMSTRIP 15 MM X 3 MM GROOVE LATICRETECOLOREDWITHGROUT SECTION AT 3-3 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 5 15 1 TREADSSEDUM 20 TO 25 MM NOSING SEDUMPERRAILINGBORDERASDETAILS 15 a RAILING AS PER DETAILS
503
SEDUM FULL TILE BORDER 400 MM WIDE ( WIDTH TO MATCH WITH WALL THICKNESS )
SECTION AT 1 -1 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 25 SEDUM BORDER 15 100 MM WIDE UNPOLISHED SMOOTH SEDUM STRIPS 15M WIDE GROOVE & 3 MM DEEP GROOVE DOOR FRAME A RAMP WIDTH IN SEDUM (ON RAMP LANDING) REVISION MM X 3 MM
TILE CUTLINE 20 TO 25 MM
VITRIFIED TILES AS/ VISITORS CENTER VITRIFIED OR (SEDUM450X600 )
VITRIFIED TILED VISITORS' CENTER RAMP WIDTH IN SEDUM (ON RAMP LANDING) REVISION R1 1. LANDINGBODY,FLOORINGALONGADDED 2. PASSAGEOFCHANGEDTILESCENTER. 3. RAMPSCHANGEDSEDUM DESCRIPTION VITRIFIED TILES AS/ VISITORS CENTER VITRIFIED OR (SEDUM450X600 ) SEDUM BORDER UP TO DOOR FRAME REBATE 100 MM WIDE SEDUM STRIPS WITH 15MM X 3 MM GROOVES 1 33 VITRIFIED TILES AS/ VISITORS' CENTER 100 100 SEDUMMMSTRIP 15 MM X 3 MM GROOVE LATICRETECOLOREDWITHGROUT SECTION AT 3-3 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 5 15 1 TREADSSEDUM 90° WORKING DRAWING ' A ' PLANWINGAT+98.00 lvl & 503 SKYVILLE UNIVERSITY RING ROAD KOLHAPUR. 416004 SHIRISH BERI A C E C & ASSOCIATES REGD ARCHITECT. REGN. NO. CA 77 / 4270 Ar. SHIRISH R. BERI DRAWING TITLE 2 2 N 100 MM WIDE UNPOLISHED SMOOTH SEDUM STRIPS 15M WIDE GROOVE & 3 MM DEEP GROOVE DETAIL AT 'A' SCALE = 1: 25 DOOR FRAME A VITRIFIED TILED AS/ VISITORS' CENTER RAMP WIDTH IN SEDUM (ON RAMP LANDING)
SECTION AT 3-3 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 5 15 1 TREADSSEDUM 90° SELF EPOXYLEVELINGFLOORING SEDUM FULL TILE BORDER 400 MM WIDE ( WIDTH TO MATCH WITH WALL THICKNESS ) 2 2 20 TO 25 MM DETAILNOSINGAT'a'SCALE=1:10 SEDUMPERRAILINGBORDERASDETAILS 15 a RAILING AS PER DETAILS SECTION AT 1 -1 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 25 SEDUM BORDER 15 DOOR FRAME A RAMP WIDTH IN SEDUM (ON RAMP LANDING) VITRIFIED TILES AS/ VISITORS CENTER VITRIFIED OR (SEDUM450X600 ) SEDUM BORDER UP TO DOOR FRAME REBATE 100 MM WIDE SEDUM STRIPS WITH 15MM X 3 MM GROOVES 11 TREADSSEDUM flooring details- a wing
DETAILNOSINGAT'a'SCALE=1:10 SEDUMPERRAILINGBORDERASDETAILS 15 a RAILING AS PER DETAILS SECTION AT 1 -1 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 25 SEDUM BORDER 15 N 100 MM WIDE UNPOLISHED SMOOTH SEDUM STRIPS 15M WIDE GROOVE & 3 MM DEEP GROOVE DETAIL AT 'A' SCALE = 1: 25 DOOR FRAME A SEDUM BORDER AS/ A-WING STILTS VITRIFIED TILES AS / VISITORS' CENTER
SEDUM FULL TILE BORDER 400 MM WIDE WIDTH TO MATCH WITH WALL THICKNESS ) 90° 2 2 SEDUM BORDER BCD FOREVER IVORY ( 800 X 1600 ) SECTION AT 2 - 2 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: FOYER20 GALLERYART TILE CUTLINE 20 TO 25 MM
VITRIFIED OR (SEDUM450X600 ) SEDUM
REBATE 100
SECTION AT 1 -1 ENLARGED SECTION SCALE = 1: 25 SEDUM BORDER 15 N 100 MM WIDE UNPOLISHED SMOOTH SEDUM STRIPS 15M WIDE GROOVE & 3 MM DEEP GROOVE DETAIL AT 'A' SCALE = 1: 25
49of spaces and of words // A-31 A-31 A-43 A-43 ELEA-06 TERRACETERRACE + 98.70 +ELE98.70IIA-06 + 98.70 SLOPE R.C.C. SLAB +98.30 RIDGELINE 3800 DN SITE)ON(CHK.3400 WORKING DRAWING TOILET BLOCK FOR KITCHEN STAFF DETAILS 503 SKYVILLE UNIVERSITY RING ROAD KOLHAPUR. 416004 SHIRISH BERI C H C & ASSOCIATES REGD ARCHITECT. REGN. NO. CA 77 / 4270 Ar. SHIRISH R. BERI DRAWING TITLE JOB TITLE JOB NO. DRG. NO. 1:SCALE100 DATECHECKED BY A-01 11-11-2021 PROPOSED SERVICE BLOCK FOR ' ZAPURZA AT KUDJE , PUNE 149/SB NORTHDRAWN BY SECTION AT '1-1' 0.006000 BATH WC BATHWC EXISTING PLINTH SHEET ROOFING + COUNTRY AS/DETAILSTILES 2000 2000 + 100 0.00 ELEC. ROOM CUM 4500STOREX 3230 UP GROUND FLOOR PLAN ELEVATION-1 STORE ROOM + PUMP BELOWROOM+3600X4500 DN DN UP UP EXISTINGCOMPOUNDWALL 120012001400WC1400WC1400 CHECK ON SITE1400OPENING OF 800 800 JAALIWITHTERRACOTTABLOCKSALLDOORS700X2000 150 THK 11 230 THK. BK. WALL ± 0.00 ELEVATION - 1 (WITHOUT COMPOUND WALL) + 6000 TERRACOTTA JAALIEXISTING PLINTH N PRANJAL M. 1200 1400 90090014001400 1200 1400UPUP -600 -600 ROOF ABOVEPROJ.(EXTENDED TILL COMPOUND WALL IF NECESSARY)230 THK. BK. WALL 230 THK. BK. WALL 600 (COVEREDPASSAGE NECESSARY)IF 700700700 600 230 THK. BK. WALL 150 THK. BK. WALL 800 + 6000 ± 0.00 SECTION AT 2 - 2 UNDERGROUNDWATERTANK ELEC. ROOM CUM STORE 2 2 1500 2000 SLOPE TO MATCH WITH EXISTING ELECTRICAL ROOM ROOF COUNTRY AS/DETAILSTILES 800 TOILET PLINTH (CHK. ON SITE) PLINTH LEVEL TO BE DECIDED ON SITE ROOF ABOVEPROJ.(EXTENDED TILL NECESSARY) BASIN AS/DETAILSPLATFORM 230 THK. BK. WALL EXISTINGCOMPOUND WALL SITE)ON(CHK.3400 WORKING DRAWING TOILET BLOCK FOR KITCHEN STAFF DETAILS 503 SKYVILLE UNIVERSITY RING ROAD KOLHAPUR. 416004 SHIRISH BERI C H C & ASSOCIATES REGD ARCHITECT. REGN. NO. CA 77 4270 Ar. SHIRISH R. BERI DRAWING TITLE JOB TITLE JOB NO. DRG. NO. 1:SCALE100 DATECHECKED BY A-01 11-11-2021 PROPOSED SERVICE BLOCK FOR ZAPURZA AT KUDJE , PUNE 149/SB NORTHDRAWN BY SECTION AT '1-1' 0.00 + 6000 EXISTING PLINTH SHEET ROOFING + COUNTRY AS/DETAILSTILES 2000 + 100 ELEC. ROOM CUM 4500STOREX 3230 100 UP GROUND FLOOR PLAN ELEVATION-1 STORE ROOM + PUMP BELOWROOM+3600X4500 DN -600DN UP UP EXISTINGCOMPOUNDWALL 120014001400BATHXWC1400WC CHECK ON SITE1400OPENING OF 800 X 800 JAALIWITHTERRACOTTABLOCKSALLDOORS700X2000 150 THK BK. WALL11 230 THK. BK. WALL ± 0.00 ELEVATION - 1 (WITHOUT COMPOUND WALL) + 6000 EXISTING PLINTH N PRANJAL M. 900900120014001400 1200UPUP -600 -600 ROOF ABOVEPROJ.(EXTENDED TILL NECESSARY)230 THK. BK. WALL 230 THK. BK. WALL 600 (COVEREDPASSAGE NECESSARY)IF 700700700 230 THK. BK. WALL 150 THK. BK. WALL 800 + 6000 ± 0.00 SECTION AT 2 - 2 UNDERGROUNDWATERTANK ELEC. ROOM CUM STORE 2 2 1500 2000 SLOPE TO MATCH WITH EXISTING ELECTRICAL ROOM ROOF SHEET COUNTRYROOFINGTILESAS/DETAILS 800 TOILET PLINTH (CHK. ON SITE) PLINTH LEVEL TO BE DECIDED ON SITE ROOF ABOVEPROJ.(EXTENDED TILL COMPOUND WALL IF NECESSARY) BASIN AS/DETAILSPLATFORM 230 THK. EXISTINGCOMPOUND WALL WORKING DETAILSKITCHENTOILET 503 1:DRAWINGREGDSKYVILLEARCHITECT.JOBTITLEJOBNO.SCALE100 149/SBBLOCKPROPOSEDATKUDJE NORTHDRAWN SECTION AT '1-1' BATH WC BATHWC 0.00 4500 X 3230 GROUND FLOOR PLAN DN UP 1200BATH CHECK ON SITE OPENING OF 800 800 WITHTERRACOTTA 1 0.00 ELEVATION - 1 (WITHOUT COMPOUND WALL) + 6000 TERRACOTTA JAALIEXISTING PLINTH N PRANJAL 1400 1200 1400 UP 230 THK. 700600 BK. WALL + 0.006000 SECTION AT 2 - 2 UNDERGROUNDWATERTANK ELEC. ROOM CUM STORE 2 2 SHEET1500 ROOFING + COUNTRY AS/DETAILSTILES 800 TOILET PLINTH (CHK. ON SITE) PLINTH LEVEL TO BE DECIDED ON ROOF ABOVEPROJ.(EXTENDED TILL COMPOUND WALL IF NECESSARY) EXISTINGCOMPOUND WALL toilet block for kitchen staff PLAN ELEVATIONII IIIELEVATION ELEVATION IV M LLL MD MASONRYSTONEEXPOSEDSIDEBOTH COMPOSITEMASONRY STONE MASONRY BOTH SIDE EXPOSED MASONRYCOMPOSITE DRAWINGWORKING BERIR.SHIRISHAr. SHADEDARK300X600SHADEMEDIUM300X600SHADELIGHT300X600TILESTARTDROPTILE ELE. IIIELE. ELE.IV ELE.II ACCOM.ROOM1010ROOM TOILET MM20PROVIDEGROOVEVERTICAL 600 300 600 900 A DETAILUPSTAND 75 75 FLOORTOILETLEVEL GRANITEPLATFORMAS/DETAILS PLAN ELEVATIONII ELEVATIONIII IVELEVATION ELEVATION I M L LL D M M STONEMASONRY BOTHSIDE EXPOSEDCOMPOSITEMASONRY MASONRYSTONEEXPOSEDSIDEBOTH COMPOSITEMASONRY STONE MASONRY BOTH SIDEMASONRYCOMPOSITEEXPOSEDZAPURZAACENTRE FOR KUDJECREATIVELIVINGAT WORKINGDRAWING Ar.SHIRISHR.BERI DRAWN M.BYPRANJAL 149/X MEDIUMDARK600600LIGHT600STARTTILE DARKSHADE 600X SHADESHADE300LIGHT600X300MEDIUM600X300KASSELBRONZE KASSELMARFIL KASSELBEIGE PRIVLEDGEGRIS Pg( GREYGREY148CITYPg(142BEECHPg(143 BEECHBRONZE BEECHBEIGE BEECHTAUPE ALT-3 ALT2 Pg(143 ALT-1 Pg(144 NOTEALT-1ISPREFERRED. LEGEND *PAGENOS.AREFROMKAJARIAETERNITYPRODUCT. ELE.ELE.III IVELE.IIELE. 10ROOMACCOM. ROOM10 DETAILTOILETFLOORING PROVIDE20MM VERTICALGROOVE 300600 600900 GRANITE AS/DETAILSPLATFORM PASSAGE TOILET GRANITEFRAME FRPCOATEDFLUSH SHUTTERORW.P.SHUTTER TYPICALTILECUTDETAIL 'A' TILEDROP/ A FLOORTILECUTLINE ENLARGEDUPSTANDDETAIL 'B' 1212 7575 TILEDROP FORSHOWERAREA TOILETFLOOR LEVEL PROVIDE 20 MM VERTICAL GROOVE PLATFORMGRANITE AS/DETAILS PLAN ELEVATIONII IIIELEVATION ELEVATION IV IELEVATION M LLL MDM MASONRYSTONEEXPOSEDSIDEBOTH STONE MASONRY BOTH SIDE EXPOSED MASONRYCOMPOSITE MASONRYSTONE EXPOSEDSIDEBOTHCOMPOSITE MASONRY ZAPURZA CENTREACREATIVEFOR-PUNEKUDJEATLIVING DRAWINGWORKING BERIR.SHIRISHAr.BYDRAWNM.PRANJAL149/XFL-XX SHADEDARK300X600SHADEMEDIUM300X600SHADELIGHT300X600TILESTARTDROPTILE SHADEDARK300X600 SHADELIGHT300X600SHADEMEDIUM300X600 BRONZEKASSEL MARFILKASSELBEIGEKASSEL GRISPRIVLEDGE148Pg GREYCITY142PgGREYBEECH143Pg BRONZEBEECH BEIGEBEECHTAUPEBEECH 3ALT-ALT-2)143(Pg 1-ALT144Pg PREFERRED.IS1-ALT-NOTE LEGENDPRODUCT.ETERNITYKAJARIAFROMARENOS.PAGE* IELE. IIIELE. ELE.IV ELE.II ACCOM.ROOM1010ROOM TOILET(ALT-3)DETAILFLOORING GROOVEVERTICAL 600 300 600 900 PLATFORMGRANITE AS/DETAILS PASSAGE TOILETFRAMEGRANITE FLUSHCOATEDFRPSHUTTERW.P.ORSHUTTERDETAILCUTTILETYPICAL'A' DROP/TILE A LINECUTTILEFLOOR DETAILUPSTANDENLARGED'B' 1212 75 75 DROPTILEAREASHOWERFOR FLOORTOILETLEVEL MM20PROVIDE GROOVEVERTICAL GRANITEPLATFORMAS/DETAILS toilet flooring detail for 10-room accommodation thatch roof detail over terrace- e wing
50 // zapurza
51of spaces and of words // sun, moon and stars all dance in love where they pluck the heavenly flowers, if you have to go there, hold a little aloofness. sing and swing move in circles say in a dance of ecstasy zapurza, o dear, zapurza! (originally-keshavsutinmarathi)
part-iii : in my words
confessions of an indian 6ingels’student:architectureit’sallfault! publishedessay at Common Edge top 10 most popular post 2021
"Turning dreams into concrete reality with bricks and mortar..." source: the urbanist him. “Architecture is the fiction of the real world,” he told me, looking straight into my eyes. “Turning dreams into concrete reality with bricks and mortar…” He went on to tell me how architecture brings together seemingly unrelated things and creates something amazing out of it. How it can bridge the gaps between what is and what we want it to be. To him, architecture was the ultimate dream—the one where your dreams become a Therereality.was another video in the suggestion box, an alternate reality, telling the story of a group of architecture students and how life was for them: the studio culture, the latenight sessions, the sleep-deprived marathons, the brutal “crits,” where a bunch of students and professionals sit together, reviewing fledging projects, one by one, a kind of intellectual firing squad. There were apparently arguments, injuries, some even got sick at one point, but
Back in high school I was told that it was a good option for me, if I liked math and art, which I did. At that point I was not particularly proud of my artistic skills; I didn’t produce anything original, I just liked to copy what I saw, mostly portraits. I did make a few doodles, but they were just a bunch of words, written in a funky way around certain patterns on a sheet of paper. Regardless, I was an 18-year-old student in India, wanting to do something other than crack IIT. I took architecture into consideration. (It’s not like I had made up my mind for anything else!) I went home and googled “A-R-C-H-I-TE-C-T-U-R-E.” There were a few links, but a video caught my eye. The thumbnail showed some Ingels guy, from an overhead angle, drawing on a big white board below
"So,” my professor asked, “why did you choose to study architecture?” Thank god I wasn’t sitting in the front row. I needed some time to gather my thoughts. Why, indeed?
Back to the studio: It was now my turn to get up and tell this bunch of strangers why I was sitting in the same room with them. What brought me here? Because I liked art and math? That sounds banal! (A word common here at school.) Surely I can come up with something better! “Well, I … read in a book that architects deal in nothing,” I said. “They do not actually put up walls, but the empty space within two walls is what an architect really creates. I am fascinated by that thought.” And I truly was. But not more than the powerful idea that architects are also the anonymous creators of marvelous masterpieces. I always wanted to do that! At some point I became fascinated with the concept of “looking through the mist,” being the unseen observer, the unknown creator. To chisel the finest sculpture that has ever been, and not sign my name on it. Maybe it was an alternative manifestation of the “superhero dream,” to be the masked savior. Or maybe it was simply my inability to accept a compliment.
The first year was quite rough. Sleep was to be treasured, submissions to be dreaded, and life to be lived. The assignments were not always related to making spaces; some of them, in fact, were quite far away from reality, but they were interesting nonetheless. I got to know about this architect named Daniel Libeskind. We were given the task to study his work, understand his philosophies of design, and ultimately to design an office for him. As best as I could tell, his sense was obscure, twisted. He made galleries with sloped walls where nothing could be displayed, built elaborate spaces and then blocked their entrances—but he somehow persuaded the client to pay for it.
56 // confessions of an indian architecture student: it’s all ingels’ fault! they all seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. How?
The author channelling is his inner-Libeskind. source: author All I had to do was produce a model with no right angles, a bunch of irregular triangles stuck together to appear like a building, with exaggerated corners. The feedback I got for it was, “The volume seems slightly off, but you have got the architect right.” The main aim of our task was for us to understand volumes of spaces, but I was more than happy to have been able to think like one of the greatest minds in architecture, someone they called a Starchitect. I wanted to be just like him one day.
The mess of an architecture student source: Tumblr
“Correa does this in all his museums!” “Because he is Charles Correa! You are a student.”
Worst crit ever. What does he mean? I can’t follow Correa? Who can I follow?
Being able to produce a way to solve the equation after hours of brainstorming? No other feeling could quite match the spontaneity of that excitement, that discovery. There were not many numbers in architecture. Estimation had not yet made its way into the curriculum, and it was silently agreed by all that structural calculations were not to be performed outside the examination hall. Meanwhile, I was beginning to wonder why it was even necessary to study mathematics to get into architecture school. You could simply walk as the master architects told you to— conjure up magical concepts and mystical structures. Libeskind once conceived a structure on the back of his boarding pass while flying over the site!
I loved math more than any other subject. It had a logic to it, largely dissociated from the prejudices of the scientists, unlike physics and chemistry. It was the closest to reality.
I could amalgamate ideas from different masters into an architectural "bigamy" (or not?).
Obessing over the 'Starchitects.' multiple sources
A "Maze" instead of a "Hall with exhibits on both sides" source: author
“Why have you designed your museum like a maze? Why not give a proper hall with exhibits on both sides?”
57of spaces and of words //
One day, back home, my father called me into his study. Someone else was sitting with him. As I entered, my dad pointed to me and said, “Here he is. He is studying architecture right now. You can discuss your requirements with him, perhaps.” And soon the three of us were driving to the site, and I was brimming with excitement. Was this going to be my first real project? I had only just finished my second year! The site was a rectangular plot. The “client” was planning to build a two-story structure on it, his home. My mind started brimming with a ton of questions, about the members of his family, their interests and preferences, and the dozens of ways I could design for them! No professors to hammer limitations over me this time!
“Halls with exhibits on the sides … that would seem daunting to the visitor,” I replied.
“Who said that? Haven’t you not been to a museum?”
A new world opened up for me, where I just sat at my bed and stargazed at the genius minds, their works, their philosophies: The boldness of Hadid, the roughness of Gehry, the arrogance of Wright, the confidence of Corbusier, the subtlety of Correa. Architecture was the expression of the architect, and every architect strived to create a structure that expressed them. Architecture was art, indeed.
“Look, kid, here is what I want you to do, this is the plan,”
Similar structures with different facades source: ArchDailyHiring architects to "tell them what to do." source: Forbes I wondered: Is this really what architecture is going to be all about? Similar structures cladded in different facades springing up all over? That is what I see all around me, but is that what people dream of? How can they be satisfied with only this? Do they not want their rooms to be an experience in themselves, for their spaces to tell a story? Or do they want plain and boring brick walls with paint over them? Why can they not go a little over budget? Later the same year, I joined an office as a summer intern. It was a small firm, with only the principal architect and two interns, including me, but somehow we were always working on at least four projects simultaneously. The office was actually an apartment, and there were certain rituals to be followed every day: we would write an architectural quote on the white board, nobody was to work without music, everybody had at least one chance to fail at beating our boss at chess, and we had to describe one project of an architect we admired. “So,” my boss asked one day, “why did you choose to study architecture?” I was dumbstruck. I could not understand what he needed me for, if he already had the plan drawn up. But what I was even more amazed at was, I was still excited about taking the job. The idea of having an actual project to my name, so early in my career, was alluring. So much for the “masked savior.” I gave in to the temptation. I took the project back to the hostel with me. I sat excited, at my desk, ready to carry out and change the plans according to my liking. What I already had in front of me were plain boxes. Nothing seemed interesting about them. Perhaps I could redesign all of it from scratch? Let’s see … I tried multiple times but could not come up with anything, and in the end, I gave up. The responsibility was too heavy. And besides, it was not like I had much of what they call “creative freedom.” I was basically given a sheet of paper, but my hand was held by the client. It was not that I was too afraid to fight for my ideas, but that I did not yet have any ideas. I could not imagine what it would look like other than a block of brick and concrete.
58 // confessions of an indian architecture student: it’s all ingels’ fault! the client said. “You leave 3 meters from the front and 1.5 from the back, the kitchen goes here and the bedrooms along these walls, with attached bathrooms. There is going to be a basement parking with a lift and staircase. You just have to make some changes to it. Can you do that?”
59of spaces and of words //
“At first it was all very exciting,” I said. “But now I find myself asking the very same question.”
“Ah, don’t worry!” he said. “You will love it. It is irritating, long hours of work, only to have pointless arguments with clients about your designs, but it is equally crucial to understand the client. As an architect you will keep jumping from one building to the next, but the user will probably spend the rest of their life in that one building.”
I do love it. Architects make dreams into a reality, but maybe it doesn’t have to be their dreams. I came to study architecture because I was looking for a challenge, for a problem to answer, a puzzle to solve. I was lured away by the temptation of self-expression, the glamor of the “art in architecture.” Or perhaps I was simply looking at the wrong problem to answer; perhaps we all are. We call marginal open spaces “setbacks,” the on-site conditions “constraints,” obstacles to our “creative freedom.” Bullshit! Why not call them conditions, and take them up as challenges needing to be overcome, perhaps then creativity will find its way! I am in fourth year now, waiting to go on my training. Maybe I should apply to BIG?
the emptiness of spaces and the mind 7 publishedarticle at Rethinking the Future
- Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead Vacuum is what lies in the vast expanse of space, or should we say that it is what ‘permeates’ around everything. In most of the cultures, the world (or ‘order’) as we know is believed to have originated from emptiness, or void, or nothing. This points to the fascination of man with ‘nothingness’ since the very beginning.
The fascination has now developed significantly in both science and spirituality. Both psychologists and spiritual masters preach the notion of an ‘empty mind’- one that is free of thoughts as the pathfinder to joy, tranquility, and happiness. Dr. S Ranganathan writes, in his article ‘Empty space and free mind’ for The Hans India, how the concepts of physics provide support to the above notion.
The Federal Triangle Archway source: Andrew Prokos
“And thus, the intrinsic significance of our craft lies in the philosophical fact that we deal in nothing. We create emptiness through which certain physical bodies are to move…It is only the crass layman who thinks that we put up stone walls. We do nothing of the kinds. We put up emptiness.”
A street devoid of Humans source: Fast Company
The beginning of Everything source: Quanta Magazine
The principle of the ‘vacuum-cup’ is based on air exerting pressure in all directions- when the outside air tries to get inside the cup, it is unable to do so as the cup is firmly stuck to the wall but ends up providing strength and firmness to the cup.
However, humans have mixed emotions about ‘emptiness’. According to a study by neuroscientists at the University of Waterloo, it is hardwired to focus on other humans. “When you see a setting with other people, those people swamp your response. We really zero in on the faces, especially in pictures.” Many other relevant studies point out to the same- human perception is ‘human centric’. If there are humans in an image, a painting or a photograph, our brains make it extremely tough for us to get a sense of the place. Those interested in the photography of spaces use this understanding in order to try and avoid humans in their shots. In his book ‘Courts 2’, photographer Ward Roberts documents basketball courts from regions like Hong Kong, Hawaii, Melbourne, and New York. The ‘empty’ courts are painted in pastel colors that cast a distinct glow that would not have been possible if there were players in the photographs.
Abandoned Warehouse Building source: Tokkoro A cathedral in Europe source: Unsplash
62 // the emptiness of spaces and the mind Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics say that images that hint towards civilization by showing signs of human life without capturing actual humans invite the viewers to “project experiences into there, the memories and thoughts about what might be going on.” Looking at images of places with no human figures in it, we feel a sense of ownership towards those Edplaces.Vessel, a neuroscientist at the institute noted how large empty public spaces like cathedrals or community halls have the power to overwhelm the senses. “Those sometimes take our breath away because they give us a moment to contemplate the history or the potential or the way that people might move through those spaces,” he says. But as mentioned earlier, the idea of the ‘empty space’ is not a universal one- not in the sense that it doesn’t exist everywhere, but it is not received the same way. Maroç Krivê in his paper ‘The idea of empty space’ mentions the industrialist and urbanist point of view from a post-modern, capitalist perspective- it is the space that is either obsolete due to abandonment of the use/function, or if it lacks something essential. He also talks about the paradox of empty spaces- “the production of obsolete space and its redevelopment are determined by the same process of spatial restructuration.” The ‘emptiness’ of space results from its very conceptualization as one.
Basketball Court at Hong Kong source: Fast Company
An empty colonnade source: Adwallpapers Are all spaces supposed to serve a function? source: Sojo
The paper focuses on the Pro Kaapeli movement in Helsinki- a fight to preserve the Sea Cable Hall at the Cable Factory from its which was to be changed in-lieu of the post-industrialist urbanization of Helsinki. The original idea was to reassign purposes to the industrial sector and the largest factory in it- The Cable Factory. When the team appointed for the task visited the space they turned against the idea- they wanted to preserve the space for what it was- vast and empty; and not for any historic value, but simply to embrace its existence. In an interesting turn of events, this led to a ‘movement’ of preserving large factories by ‘culturizing’ them. Space is not created, only interrupted. All spaces are considered ‘empty’ until they are inhabited- that is to say assigned a function to and may be altered in volume. Sometimes emptiness is itself the function of the spacewhen it is a space to impact the mind. Sometimes emptiness is the residue of the space, the elderly stage when it has served the function assigned at its conception. If form follows function, what happens to the form after it has served its function? Spaces sometimes outlive their functional lives. Devoid of function, are they to be deemed ‘obsolete’? What do we do, then? Do we run around to look for a new function, a new value for it to live for? Or do we marvel at it to have outlived many of its companions, if it has, and display it to the world in all its glory?
63of spaces and of words //
Krivê, M. (2010). The idea of empty space. Yhdyskuntasuunnittelu The Hans India. (2017, June 20). Empty space and free mind. Retrieved from The Hans India: com/posts/index/Spiritual/2017-06-10/Empty-space-and-https://www.thehansindia. free-mind/305693?infinitescroll=1
Bibliography Forsyth, C. (2016, August 29). Why Do We Love Images Of Emptiness? Scientists And Artists Explain. Retrieved from Fast images-of-empty-spaces-neuroscientists-and-artists-explainhttps://www.fastcompany.com/3062926/why-do-we-love-Company:
Indra, A., & Setiadi, H. D. (n.d.). Sunyata: The Poetics of Emptiness. Retrieved from Assemble Papers: com.au/2018/08/02/sunyata-the-poetics-of-emptiness/https://assemblepapers.
modern 8architecture'indian' competition entry The Architecture Essay Competition 2020 | IDHA Labs
Until the age of colonization, Architecture of India was an intricately crafted masterpiece: molded by the sun, earth and wind, and adorned with the stories of its people. From the small, round mud houses in rural Rajasthan to the grand Red Fort(s) in the Mughal capitals of Delhi and Agra, it was a conglomeration of numerous architectural styles, all of them uniquely suited to the climatic and cultural context of their region.
The three Axis-Mundi, British Council Building source: Youtube Mud Houses of Rajasthan source: Thrillophilia Red Fort, Agra source: Tour My India
Standing at Kasturba Gandhi Marg in Delhi as one turns towards the Headquarters building of the British Council, they are confronted by the shadow of a towering banyan tree immortalized at its façade. The eyes meander through the branches of Howard Hodgkin’s masterpiece framed with Charles Correa’s red sandstone, standing against Mahendra Raj’s structural prowess. The conquest finds rest in Stephen Cox’s sculpture of Shiva, a Hindu deity, then tours through the history of India before finally returning to the viewer. The central axis of the headquarters building is a series of three axis-mundi, the mythical axis which connects the earth and sky- starting from the Bindu, the energy center of the cosmos in Hinduism, moving on to the main courtyard centered around the traditional Islamic Char Bagh, the Garden of Paradise, and then to the European icon from the renaissance, symbolizing the Age of Reason, Science, and Progress. The journey of architecture in India started near the Vedic era, as the embodiment of the cosmos and the quest of man to find himself in it. A millennium later, with the advent of Islam, the focus of architecture split partly into a judgmental relationship with the divine, and partly a ‘social contract'. India, like Hodgkin’s Banyan tree, welcomed everyone into its warmth and protection and synthesized new forms and meanings out of their collaboration. Even today, India stands as the land with the widest range of ethno-cultural diversity; starkly contrasting landforms which inhabit equally diverse communities.
66 // modern 'indian' architecture In the twentieth century, the Europeans claimed to ‘introduce’ India to the western idea of objective understanding, reason, and rational thinking in contrast to the subjectivity of mythical lores and superstitions prevalent in the nation. They called it being ‘scientific’, or modern. To break free from the shackles of age-old practices and traditions and view the world from a ‘liberal’ mindset- being modern meant to not be traditional. It was the universal path to ‘progress’, but only if you followed it the European way- the scientific domination of nature and organization of society and space to look beyond superstition and religion; what the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas called the ‘Project of Modernity’.
The Council House (in construction) from the North Block, New Delhi source: Scroll.
The modern and the traditional source: Design Yatra
Modernism might have been just another movement which, much like Renaissance, Neo-classical or Art Nouveau, would have redefined the way some people lived, and the surroundings they built, but it happened to intertwine its journey with new, more efficient means of communication and the socio-political conditions of the (colonized) world. In India, the imperial powers from the west created exemplary models based on the ideals of modernism to verify both its universality and their authority in the colonies.
One such transformation was carried out in the capital city of Delhi in the early twentieth century- first, the establishment of Civil lines outside the city walls, followed by the disengagement of parts of the fort walls of the city to expand the crammed markets beyond its periphery, and ultimately with the construction of a grand Capital Complex completely detached from ‘Old’ Delhi. The sovereign city of Mughals was considered a dense, diseased relic beyond any scope of rejuvenation by the individualistic, competitive society that was housed in the modern complex. The British showcased the transformation of Delhi as an example- from a poorly planned, unregulated, crammed city drowned in myth, superstition, and religion, into an urban metropolis that exercised discipline, control, and Indianpredictability.masses,however, neither agreed to completely delink from their roots nor to merely surrender to the ruling power. The new western-style public avenues and lanes hosted traditional religious processions incorporating European-style marching bands; in place of abandoning their ancestral dwellings to live in the Civil Lines, the noblemen of the walled city of Delhi refurbished their havelis to ‘work’ like the lofty bungalows of the British. In the process of ‘civilizing’ the rest of the world, Europe served to transplant the ideas, agendas, and forms of its
The craving for foreign imagery spread all the way to the middle-class house owners-builders; what Ar. Gautam Bhatia spoofs as Bania Gothic, Early Halwai, Marwari Mannerism, Punjabi Baroque, and the like.
The dilemma surrounding modernization in India stemmed from, as AGK Menon calls it, an attempt to “catch-up with the particular forms of European modernity”. He argued that although modernization was a universal phenomenon, it was not necessarily a western one, and India was ignoring its creative potential due to the misconception.
67of spaces and of words // notion of modernity. These notions melded with Indian traditionality into what Jyoti Hosagrahar calls ‘indigenous modernities’.
In 1986, Laurie Baker expressed his concerns over the condition of India and its relationship with the international ‘modern’ style in an essay which he titled, “Is a Modern Indian Architecture Possible?”. Becoming ‘modern’ was replacing the culture and identity of Indian Architecture with steel, glass, and reinforced concrete, blinded by the capability of temperature control. Kanvinde saw modernism as the way to serve the concerns of the common man.
In the 1930s Siris Chandra Chatterjee started what came to be known as the ‘Modern Indian Architectural Movement’, hoping to define a new modernity which refused to sever ties with tradition. In the following decade at the dawn of independence, the writer-activist Mulk Raj Anand established ‘Marg’, a foundation dedicated to nurture ideas of nation building that worked towards both preserving the heritage of the nation and promoting a modernist ideology. The British were not the only ones to declare their version of modernity as absolute; Indian Nationalists and activists stood in fierce competition, equally adamant about their own version. In the mid-twentieth century when India was finally independent from the European rule, the search for an architectural language of the free nation led to a debate between the Revivalists- those wanting to revere the traditions, and the Modernists. Although India was now essentially free from European influence, it could not simply fall back into its traditional ways after two centuries of colonial rule. In 1959, Ar. A.P. Kanvinde, in a speech on the need for a ‘National Architectural Style’, talked about how architecture in the past came about as the manifestation of the “desire for glorification”, an “essentially feudalistic approach”, while the present situation demanded concern for the economic and social values of the common man, and Modernism was the path that lead in that direction.
Mulk Raj Anand, founder of Marg source: The Marg Foundation Punjabi Baroque source: The Week
In the last few decades in India, the works of architects like Laurie Baker, Chitra Vishwanath, Revathi Kamath and Shirish Beri, have shown how ‘modern’ can be with mud and brick; few others like Charles Correa, BV Doshi, Raj Rewal and Joseph Allen Stien have proved that contemporary functions can be facilitated while keeping true to Indian traditions. The approach to the architecture of postcolonial India is a modernism that is defined by its regional identity and celebrated through its local architecture. Like the Banyan tree, Modern Indian Architecture is benevolent, functional, and unafraid to feature its roots.
68 // modern 'indian' architecture
A conclave on 'Modern Heritage'. Goa. Retrieved from Architexturez: https://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-192947
The Marg Foundation, A Historical Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved from The Marg Foundation: https://marg-art.org/history Vasavada, R. (2020). Modernity – An important phase in History of Architecture of India. Baker argued that the frenzy of turning everything grey was not only draining India off its energy, resources, and economy, the common man was being forced into tightly packed, cold boxes. When a child is asked to sketch a house, he or she draws a square box with a door, covered with a triangular rooftop. It doesn't matter where the child comes from, his or her image of a house stays the same. In the attempt to copy the west, architecture has been reduced to that imageendless repetition of grey boxes everywhere, all in the name of Modernism‘development’.isnottheroad
Correa, C. (1987). Transfers and Transformations. In H.-U. Khan, Charles Correa (pp. 165-175). Singapore: Concept Media Ltd. Frampton, K. (1996). British Council, Delhi. In C. C. Kenneth Frampton, Charles Correa (pp. 188-197). Thames & Hudson. Hosagrahar, J. (2005). Indigenous Modernities: Negotiating Architecture, Urbanism and Colonialism. Taylor & Francis Kanvinde,Routledge.A.(1959). Opening Remarks by the Convener. In A. Kanvinde, Seminar on Architecture (pp. 12-14). New Delhi: Lalit Kala Akademi. Menon, A. K. (2002). Landmark Library: a modern building with distinctly Indian roots. Frontline Magazine 19, p. 11. Retrieved from Architexturez: https://architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21216
Menon, A. K. (2003). The Contemporary Architecture of Delhi: a Critical History. Retrieved from Architexturez: architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-21213#footnote6_wb0uke9https://
Bibliography
"Draw a house"- image of a house is the same for a child, wherever they live
Baker, L. (1986). Is a Modern Indian Architecture Possible? Spazio Societa. Bhatia, G. (2001, May). Building an Ugly India. Retrieved from India Seminar : Chandavarkar,gautam%20bhatia.htm#tophttp://www.india-seminar.com/2001/501/501%20P.(2019,August16).TheHumanwithintheArchitect.
to development; it is an idea that itself needs to be developed. It is the way of approaching a problem, not its solution. It exists in many forms, all connected to the core concepts of modernization but varying over culture, politics and regional contexts. When delinked from its political connotations of supremacy and westernization, modernity is simply a course of building upon what exists and destroying that which doesn’t work, and hence has an intimate relation with tradition as a subject of reason, adaptation, and change.
69of spaces and of words //
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