EXPERIENCING
AHMEDABAD Internship tour diary by Sharan Chatterjee
EXPERIENCING
AHMEDABAD Internship tour diary by Sharan Chatterjee Bachelor of Architecture Faculty of Architecture and Planning Integral University , Lucknow
INTRODUCTION Exploring new cities has fascinated me a lot, ever since I joined architecture I have got to visit several new places across India through college tours and NASAINDIA conventions, Internship came up with an opportunity to explore uncharted land Ahmedabad. This tour diary is my humble attempt to document the experience that I gather during this period, I am thankful to all my colluges and seniors of office who have helped me out in completing this tour diary and hope its worth reading. Thank you !
Date: 17th May 2020
I Internship tour diary
Sharan Chatterjee
B.Arch Studio 4b Faculty of Architecture and Planning Integral University , Luknow
CONTENTS I.
Introduction..............................................................................................................................................I
II. Refrences..................................................................................................................................................III III. List of illustrations........................................................................................................................IiI IV. timeline of ahmedabad................................................................................................................01 V. Streetscape of Ahmedabad...................................................................................................07 VI. Sabarmati Ashram..........................................................................................................................13 VII. Sardar Vallabh Patel stadum.............................................................................................21 VIII. l.d.Institute of indology..........................................................................................................23 IX. N.c. mehta art gallery...............................................................................................................25 X. Heritage walk.....................................................................................................................................29 XI. CEPT UNIVERSITY................................................................................................................................66
Experiencing Ahmedabad II
This documentation is prepaired as academic project and following are the refrences •
ADM ,Ahmedabad by Riyaz Tayyibji
•
Heritage city Ahmedabad by I-Con Architects & Urban Planners
•
https://myahmedabad.blog/guided-heritage-walk
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https://heritage.ahmedabadcity.gov.in
List of illustrations Fig 1 – view of Streetscape [ pg-1 ] Fig 2 – elements of the streetscape [ pg-1 ] Fig 3 – stages of construction [ pg-2-3 ] Fig 4 – view of Streetscape [ pg- 4-5 ] Fig 5 – Statue of Mahatma Gandhi [ pg-7 ] Fig 6 – Site plan of Sabarmati ashram [ pg-8 ] Fig 7 – Plan and section of Hriday kutir [ pg-9 ] Fig 8 – Interaction open and built form [ pg-9 ] Fig 9 – Sitting Space [ pg-10 ] Fig 10 – Central courtyard [ pg-10 ] Fig 11 – a miniature replica of Dandi march [ pg-11 ] Fig 12 – Exhibition Area [ pg-11 ] Fig 13 – charkha, kept outside Hridai Kutir [ pg-12 ] Fig 14 – Travel Companions [ pg-12 ] Fig 15 – Statue of Sardar Vallabh Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru [ pg-13 ] Fig 16 – exterior view [ pg-14 ] Fig 17 – the statue of Sardar Vallabh Patel [ pg-15 ] Fig 18 – Exhibits of the museum [ pg-15 ] Fig 19 – a bust of Ravindra Nath Tagore [ pg-16 ] Fig 20 – Digital Gallery [ pg-16 ] Fig 21 - L.D. Institute of Indology [ pg-17 ] Fig 22 – Shrine Within the campus [ pg-18 ] Fig 23 – Facade of M.C. Mehta Art Gallery [ pg-19 ] Fig 24 - L.D. Institute of Indology [ pg-20 ] Fig 25 – Plan and section of M.C. Mehta Art Gallery and Institute of Indology [ pg-21 ] Fig 26 – Marble Statue of Tirthankara kept in richly carved Wooden temple [ pg-22 ] Fig 27 – Elaborately carved wooden pillar [ pg-22 ] Fig 28 – Snake and ladder game board of ancient time [ pg-22 ] Fig 29 – illustration of Manik Chowk [ pg-23 ] Fig 30 – Location map of heritage walk [ pg-26 ] Fig 31 – Swami Narayan Mandir [ pg-27 ] Fig 32 – View From the entrance [ pg-28 ] Fig 33 – Plan and section of Swami Narayan Mandir Complex [ pg-29 ] Fig 34 – Richly carved wooden pillar [ pg-30 ] Fig 35 – Bronze Statue of Kavi Dalpat Ram [ pg-31 ] Fig 36 – View of Kavi Dalpat Ram Chowk [ pg-32 ] Fig 37 – Calico Dome [ pg-33 ] III Internship tour diary
Fig 38 – Plan and Section of Calico Dome [ pg-34 ] Fig 39 – Kala Ramji Mandir [ pg-35 ] Fig 40 – Kala Ramji Mandir [ pg-36 ] Fig 41 – Shantinathji ni pol [ pg-37 ] Fig 42 - Shantinathji ni Derasar [ pg-38 ] Fig 43 - Kuvavala Khancha [ pg-39 ] Fig 44 – Elaborately carved wooden pillars [ pg-40 ] Fig 45 – Jagvallabh Mandir [ pg-41 ] Fig 46 – Intricately curved Dome of Jagvallabh Mandir [ pg-42 ] Fig 47 – exquisite stone carving on the walls of Jagvallabh Mandir [ pg-42 ] Fig 48 – Sambhavnath Ni Khadki [ pg-43 ] Fig 49 - Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli [ pg-45 ] Fig 50 – Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli [ pg-45 ] Fig 51 – Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli [ pg-45 ] Fig 52 – Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli [ pg-46 ] Fig 53 – Heritage Building [ pg-47 ] Fig 54 – Heritage Building [ pg-47 ] Fig 55 – Heritage Building [ pg-47 ] Fig 56 – Heritage Building [ pg-48 ] Fig 57 – Heritage Building [ pg-48 ] Fig 58 – Heritage Building [ pg-48 ] Fig 59 – Astapadji Mandir [ pg-49 ] Fig 60 – Fernandez Bridge [ pg-51 ] Fig 61 – Manik Chowk [ pg-52 ] Fig 62 – Rani ni Haziro [ pg-53 ] Fig 63 – Raja no Haziro [ pg – 54 ] Fig 64 – Jama Masjid [ pg-55 ] Fig 65 – The prayer hall [ pg-56 ] Fig 66 – Courtyard [ pg-57 ] Fig 67 – Colonnade along with the courtyard [ pg-57 ] Fig 68 - Panorama of the Masjid [ pg-58 ] Fig 69 – B.V. Doshi Gufa [ pg-58 ] Fig 70 – B.V. Doshi Gufa [ pg-59 ] Fig 71 – Cept University [ pg-61 ] Fig 72 – Cept University [ pg-62 ] Fig 73 – Site plan of Cept University [ pg-69 ] Fig 74 – Installation made with bamboo, clay pots [ pg-70 ] Fig 75 – Exhibition on innovative rural housing [ pg-72 ] Fig 76 – Exhibition on innovative rural housing [ pg-72 ] Fig 77 – Physical model of rural housing [ pg-73 ] Fig 78 – Physical model of rural housing [ pg-73 ] Fig 79 – Physical model of rural housing [ pg-74 ] Fig 80 – Physical model of rural housing [ pg-74 ] Fig 81 – Urban design physical model [ pg-75 ] Fig 82 – Urban design physical model [ pg-75 ] Fig 83 – Urban design physical model [ pg-76 ] Fig 84 – Physical model of rural housing [ pg-76 ] Fig 85 – Exhibition panel of urban design [ pg-77 ] Fig 86 – Exhibition panel of urban design [ pg-77 ] Fig 87 – Exhibition panel of urban design [ pg-78 ] Fig 88 – Physical model of rural housing [ pg-78 ]
Experiencing Ahmedabad IV
Time line of Ahmadabad According to popular legends, the first sultan of Gujrat saw a dog being chased by a hare while he was camping along the banks of the river. Attributing the rare phenomenon to the quality of land, where the timid are courageous and fend off the ferocious he decided to establish his capital on the banks of river Sabarmati. The Undulating, semi-arid landscape along the river is dotted with settlements of varying sizes that form a sustainable unit where the settlement was located around depression filled with water which is called ‘ talvadi around which were the houses and the temples were places on the apex and the agricultural lands encircled the settlement. One such settlement was called Ashaval , renamed karnavati which served as Solanki capital for a short period, was the nucleus for Ahmedabad’s growth. It was the bhel chief of this town that Ahmed Shah defeated to establish this city. The city was founded during the surge of Islamic conquest, Ahmed shah had rebelled against Mughals. The mirat -i- Ahmadi states that the foundation stone of the city was laid by twelve qalandar faquirs who were disciples of the saint Hazrat Syed Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi. The Muslim rulers were awed by the prosperity of the Solanki kingdom and its stupendous secular as well as religious architecture. The new rulers, 1 Internship tour diary
keen on establishing their superiority in the material realm, undertook an energetic program of building activities in Ahmedabad. Their model of reference was the impressive Hindu architecture of past centuries, which they wished to outshine; The result, after one and a half centuries, was the celebrated ‘Sultanate Architecture’ of Ahmedabad. The planning of the new town of Ahmedabad, a walled town situated on the river Sabarmati, was an amalgamation of existing Hindu traditions and Islamic planning. In the case of Ahmedabad, it is likely that the organization of the city borrowed from several ‘Mandalas’. The ‘Nandyavarta Mandala’ for its resemblance to the ‘four square’ Islamic town planning, adopted through Roman influence. The ‘Prastara’ which is normally used in the layout of trade towns and is visible in the city, and again the actual form of the city which resembles the ‘Karmukha Mandala’, with a crescentlike urban form ordered by radially disposed of streets leading to specific gates. The first century of the city saw its consolidation. The reign of Ahmed Shah established the city and its central precinct, including the Jami Mosque in 1423. During the reign of his grandson, Mahmud Begada, the kingdom grew from Idar to Girnar. Begada, as he was called, shifted the capital to Champaner in 1484, but still paid
great attention to the growth and development of Ahmedabad which had always been the more industrious and prosperous town. He built a second fort wall in 1486; adorned the city with gardens and orchards, lined the streets with trees, and ensured the building of good houses with much care, he fostered the traders and craftsmen of the town and encouraged trade. The production of silks, silver, and gold threads and laq brought in the main revenue for the city. it was at the time of Begada’s death in 1511, that the prosperity of Ahmedabad was affected by the coming of the Portuguese. By the time of Bahadur Shah, the grandson of Mahmud Begada, the kingdom was under threat from an expanding Mughal empire to the north and the Portuguese who had established a strong foothold on the coast of Gujarat. Bahadur Shah was able to repel the Siege of Diu in 1531 with the help of the Ottomans empire. But the conquest by the Mughals in 1535 and Bahadur Shah’s death at the hands of the Portuguese in 1537 initiated a period of great instability in the city. It was not till Mirza Khan, one of Akbar’s chief noblemen, took control of Ahmedabad with victory in a battle at Sarkhej, that prospérity returned to the city. He built Fateh Wadi turning the battlefield into a garden. In the
early 17th century with a series of benevolent governors, Ahmedabad increased in size and prospered in wealth. Social institutions for various communities such as the ‘Mahajans’, guild of merchants, and ‘Panches’, guilds of artisans, were allowed to grow to safeguard the interests of production and trade. The Nagarsheth’, head of the Jain business elite would resolve disputes between the guilds and more importantly intercede with royal officials. The ‘Nagarsheth’ played the role of a financial head and under him, the city remained reasonably insulated from the vagaries of political oscillations. The middle of the 17th century saw Ahmedabad at its most prosperous. It was also during this time that the city experienced its first communal riots and a devastating two-year famine. This was also when the first wave of Europeans visited the city. In 1613 AD the first representatives of the British East India Company arrived. James Forbes, who was granted an audience with Shah Jahan in Ahmedabad, described in his memoirs ”that until thus visit Ahmedabad I had no conception of the extent of mental magnificence; the palaces and Splendid chambers described in the Arabian nights’ entertainments, appear no longer overcharged or fabulous.’ The adventure! Sur Thomas Herbert describes Ahmedabad as ‘the megapolis of Gujarat. circled by a strong wall With many large and comely streets. Experiencing Ahmedabad 2
shops full of aromatic gums, perfumes, and spices. silks. cotton, calicoes, and choice Indian and Chinese rarities, owned and sold by the abstemious Banias who here surpass for number the other inhabitants.” Later a French traveller, Taverniere, visiting the town in the 18th century described it as “the headquarters of manufacturing, the greatest city in India, nothing inferior to Venice for rich silks and gold stuffs curiously wrought with birds and f10wers.” The city. however, was not enjoyed by the emperor Shah Jahan; who called it Gardabad’, the city of dust. Aurangzeb’s rule in the 18th century brought great turmoil to the city. Growth in the city of Surat diminished the profits of the merchants in Ahmedabad. A decade of personal rivalries amongst the ruling nobles, communal conflicts, and joint ruling by the Mughals and Marathas led to constant disturbances, internal strife, and violence. In 1817 a treaty with the Peshwas of Pune, the ruling class of western India, brought Ahmedabad under British rule. The British were keen on annexing Ahmedabad because of “the commanding influence which the sovereignty over the city of Ahmedabad confers on its possessor in the estimation of the country at large”.
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Both the Mughal and Peshwa rulers had left the city exhausted and depopulated. By the time of the British, the medieval economy of Ahmedabad hung on three threads: gold, silk, and cotton. The British rule helped restore order. Aided by the opium trade to China, by 1839 Ahmedabad had recovered and had regained its standing amongst the important cities in the country. Modern textile technology further oiled the virtues of pragmatism, innovation, and collaboration within its resilient populace in its reinvention of the city. By the time of the First World War, its booming business in textiles gave Ahmedabad the status of “The Manchester of the East”. It was Ahmedabad that M.K. Gandhi chose, on his return from South Africa, as the place to center his national campaign for independence after 1915. Ahmedabad’s success as a textile center by the late 19th century is perhaps most telling in the spirit of its people and their ability to adapt to the changes in the world around them. Ahmedabad had neither the climate nor the proximity to required resources such as coal, that would aid a textile industry. Kenneth Gillon has concluded that “in the 19th century. the Gujaratis (and not lost the: mercantile communities) were of all the Indian peoples. the ones most favorably conditioned by their culture and history to take advantage
of the new economic opportunities in trade and industry” With an industrious and entrepreneurial bent of mind, meticulous administrative skills, a vision that incorporated technology and a social structure that allowed for a wealthy to take and distribute risk, the people of Ahmedabad were amongst the first to transform from the older production structures of guilds to a modern industrial one. Ahmedabad’s textile industry, unlike its counterparts in Europe, was entirely indigenously financed. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were 29 textile mills in the city. employing a force of 17,000 people and producing 8% of the country’s clothing. The Factories Act of 1881 and 1891 ensured that the horrors of the Industrial Revolution in Europe were not repeated. With industrial modernization, other ideas in modernity followed. most notably the need for modern institutions. Ahmedabad formed one of the first municipal corporations and was the first city to develop the idea of a co-operative housing society. one that would fuel housing typologies for over half a century. Education, in its modern avatar, was an institutional form that received great thought and patronage. particularly from the mill owner families. who would grow from medieval merchants and traders into institution builders and shape the city over the next 75 years, Families like the
Lalbhai’s and the Sarahhai’s would also play an important role in their support of the freedom movement. Ahmedabad’s role in the freedom movement is significant. In 1915 M.K. Gandhi set up his first Ashram at Kocharab and then went on to establish the Satyagraha Ashram at Sabarmati in 1917. The Satyagraha Ashram became one of the key centers of subversive activity. It is here that Gandhi carried out his experiments for a way of life that was ‘free’ of the colonizer’s way. It was from Ahmedabad that Gandhi embarked on the ‘Salt March’ to Dandi, the first act of non-violent, civil disobedience that marked the formal beginning of a coordinated ‘freedom struggle’. Post-independence after 1947, patronage and support from an enlightened business class drew artists, architects, educators, and outstanding contributors from different places to the city. Ahmedabad, though still a small town in modern terms, would be shaped by the presence of eminent architects and designers like Le Corbusier, Alexander Calder, Buckminster Fuller, Charles and Ray Eames, Frei Otto and Louis Kahn. Achyut Kanvinde, B.V. Doshi, Charles Correa, and Anant Raje began their careers in this city.
Experiencing Ahmedabad 4
The values and language of modern architecture found resonance with traditions of austerity and frugality. in the next two decades, the city expanded to the west, across the Sabarmati river establishing among many, the new University A second wave responded to a decade of assessment of the needs of society and the economy with both modern and traditional predilections. Institutions were set up in support of the Indian industry. Institutions to develop design and management thinking were set up decades before they became a global mantra. Institution builders such as Vikram Sarabhai were instrumental in setting up key institutions such as the Indian Space Research Organization (lSRO) and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (llMA) in the city. Such institutional development continued through the 1980s, and during this period effort was in establishing the post-independent and modern Indian identity. With the liberalization of the Indian economy, in 1992, the focus shifted from public to private enterprise. The idea of an institution underwent a dramatic change. The weight and sluggishness of the bureaucratic process were replaced by new energy of effervescent and impatient private capital.
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In order to infuse similar energy into public projects, which were now concentrated on infrastructure, the public-private partnership became a preferred mode of implementation. In this mode, it was ideated that public funds and implementation could be made efficient and accountable by privatized design and management. The Sabarmati Riverfront Project, the Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transfer System (BRTS) and the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT), are examples of this. However, development on the ground outpaced planning processes and policy implementation, so much so that the Ahmedabad of the new millennium, has become a place where 40% of the population resides in slums or low-cost housing without access to water or sanitation. Ahmedabad is now also a teeming Megacity, caught between vehicular thrombosis and polluted catastrophes. The next ten years in its life will show how this reality translates the neo-liberal mantra of allowing private investment in infrastructure and empowering the local government, without making Ahmedabad a tale of two cities: one of the rich and the other of the poor.
Experiencing Ahmedabad 6
Streetscape of Ahmedabad
Fig 1 – view of Streetscape 7 Internship tour diary
Ahmedabad experiences excessive temperature in the summer season which lasts for around 8 months and the temperature reaches 45 degrees. To tackle this problem the streetscape is so designed that a protective envelope can be created. Trees are planted along the streets which provided mutual shading and the street furniture provides an ideal place to sit for users.
Parking provided along the footpath is well designated for four-wheelers and two-wheelers to avoid and confusion. The overall motive is to encourage people to use pathways. In the evening this street is full of people, overall this has contributed to the beautification of the streets of Ahmedabad.
Plantations
bollards Street Furniture
Parking
Fig 2 – elements of the streetscape Experiencing Ahmedabad 8
Construction Process The overall construction is undertaken in different stretches of about 100 meters at a time and is been completed within two weeks, most of the works are done at night to avoid any inconvenience Step 1 – demolition of previous construction/ footpaths Step 2 – laying out of plan and placement of curved stones Step 3 – placing reinforcement Step 4 – Concrete casting Step 5 – Placing pavers over sand
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Fig 3 – stages of construction Experiencing Ahmedabad 10
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Inferences Pros – 1. Planting trees along the footpath have enhanced the beauty of the streetscape also affects the microclimate. 2. The parking area has been demarcated. 3. Adequate street furniture has been provided. 4. Adequate dustbins are been provided. Cons – 5. The proportion of footpath and road is kept equal [ similar to Banglore streetscape ] which may create issues of insufficient space for vehicular movement in the future.
Fig 4 – view of Streetscape
Experiencing Ahmedabad 12
Sabarmati Ashram
Fig 5 – Statue of Mahatma Gandhi 13 Internship tour diary
History Sabarmati was the residence of mahatma Gandhi from 1917 to 1930, it was originally a single piece of land in between Sabarmati jail and the crematorium. Mahatma Gandhi found this place was ideal for satyagrahies ,here he built his own house known as Hriday Kunj and Kasturba kutir for Kasturba bai. Sabarmati ashram has witnessed several episodes of independence movement notably the dandi march was also started from here , vinobha bhave stayed here for several years .
Post independence it was converted into public service institution dedicated to preserve the work and memory of mahatma Gandhi , the building was opened on 1963 by Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru.
Architectural expressionsArchitect Charles correa was assigned the task to transform it into a musium where people could experience what mahatma Gandhi tought through his life .The integration between built form and nature impresses a lot , the siograpphy and passive natural lighting shows the architectural genius of the architect . overall it’s a excellient piece of architecture in its simplest form.
1 7 3 6
5
4 2
1.
Museum
2.
Prarthana Bhoomi
3.
Hriday Kunj
4.
Vinoba Kutir and Mira Kutir
5.
Magan Nivas
6.
Nandini
7.
Udyog Mandir
Fig 6 – Site Plan Of Sabarmati Ashram Experiencing Ahmedabad 14
The planning is done taking inspiration from Indian villeges – Organic planning around water body. The museum is basically based on arrangement of modules , each of them 6 meter by 6 meter’s with wooden sloping roof and u shaped beams resting on brick piers , the beams also acts as water dranage . glass less windows with louvers allows passive natural light Beam bottoms are kept as low as 2 meter’s to complement human proportions . Due to low soil bearing capacity the entire structure is placed on plinth beam spanning across the columns ,which is above ground level giving a floating experience. Overall the idea was to make visitors experience Gandhi – simplesity , down to earth , trueness , close to nature .
Section
Plan Fig 7 – Plan and section of Hriday kutir
Fig 8 – Interaction open and built form 15 Internship tour diary
Fig 9 – Sitting Space
Fig 10 – Central courtyard
Experiencing Ahmedabad 16
Fig 11 – a miniature replica of Dandi march
Fig 12 – Exhibition Area
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Fig 13 – charkha, kept outside Hridai Kutir
Fig 14 – Travel Companions
Experiencing Ahmedabad 18
Sardar Vallabh Patel Museum
Fig 15 – Statue of Sardar Vallabh Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jawaharlal Nehru 19 Internship tour diary
Location:
Details:
Moti Shahi Mahal in the Shahibaug area.
The museum showcases artefacts and the belongings of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and also includes two multimedia halls that shed light on various aspects of Sardar’s life and work with interactive and experiential exhibits. The museum carries information in 3 languages – Hindi, Gujarati and English for the aid of the visitors. Best attraction of the museum is the 3D sound, light and lasers show, permanent set up, is a unique experience, first of its kind in India that takes you back in time and narrates the story of our motherland, India. The story outlines the Vedic period, the Mughal era, the British domination, the freedom struggle and the birth of free India. The show is a salutation to all our freedom fighters and martyrs. The show is a blend of the latest in technology with 3D building mapping projection techniques, lazer projection, sound and light effects and a voice narrative.
History: It was constructed between 1618 and 1622 for the Shah Jahan. The building was later used as a British cantonment to house the senior officials. In 1878, the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore stayed here when he was only seventeen years old and this building served as an inspiration behind his story The Hungry Stones. After the Indian independence, from 1960 to 1978, this palace became the Raj Bhavan, official residence of the Governor of Gujarat In the year 1978, the building was transformed into a national memorial dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Fig 16 – exterior view
Experiencing Ahmedabad 20
Fig 17 – the statue of Sardar Vallabh Patel
Fig 18 – Exhibits of the museum 21 Internship tour diary
Fig 19 – a bust of Ravindra Nath Tagore
Fig 20 – Digital Gallery Experiencing Ahmedabad 22
L.D. Institute of Indology
Fig 21 - L.D. Institute of Indology 23 Internship tour diary
Designed and constructed from 1957-62, shortly after Le Corbusier ‘s coming to the city, this building by B.V Doshi, who had apprenticed under to the renowned architect, signaled the growing need to find a modern architecture that was more relevant to the subcontinent, its climate, and palimpsests culture. Doshi was amongst the most prominent voices articulating this search and this institute was amongst his earliest
explorations which re-interpreted the ideas of ‘pilotis’ and the ‘parasol roof ’ to create a floating verandah on a raised open plinth. The plinth houses an archive of rare documents often referred to by Jain monks and scholars. This area was meant to be kept cool (without mechanical ventilation and cooling) by water, both on the roof and in the moat-like trench around. A bridge articulates the formal entrance across this moat as one climbs the high plight reminiscent of a shrine.
Fig 22 – Shrine Within the campus Experiencing Ahmedabad 24
N.C. Mehta Art Gallery
Fig 23 – Facade of N.C. Mehta Art Gallery 25 Internship tour diary
Nanalal C. Mehta was an ICS officer, a renowned aesthete and the author of severa\ books on Indian miniature painting. He was a part of the Gujarat Museum Society that started in 1960 and was allocated the upper level of the Sanskar Kendra Museum. His collection was substantial, and in 1993 had to be shifted due to damp and pollution from Le Corbusier buildings to new premises at the Institute of Indology.
The NC. Mehta gallery was designed by B.V. Doshi and completed in 1993. Particularly designed for this collection, the gallery is designed with very specific lighting requirements. The requirement for controlled lighting prompted Doshi to design a dense space reminiscent of the sanctum of old temples. The exhibition hall is dimly lit by a clear storey that makes the outlines of the space perceptible. The tall bare concrete walls are in stark contrast to the delicate articulation of the Indology building.
Fig 24 - L.D. Institute of Indology
Experiencing Ahmedabad 26
Plan
Section
Fig 25 – Plan and section of M.C. Mehta Art Gallery and Institute of Indology 27 Internship tour diary
Fig 26 – Marble Statue of Tirthankara kept in richly carved Wooden temple
Fig 27 – Elaborately carved wooden pillar
Fig 28 – Snake and ladder game board of ancient time Experiencing Ahmedabad 28
Herit Wa
MANDIR TO M
experiencing r
Ahmed 29 Internship tour diary
tage alk
MASJID WALK
real spirit of
dabad Fig 29 – illustration of Manik Chowk Experiencing Ahmedabad 30
Ar. Vimal Sompura
Conveener and Guide Heritage Walk of the old city, Ahmedabad.
Having pioneered conservation of its �living heritage� for over the years the 606 years old walled city of Ahmedabad which was founded by Emperor Ahmed Shah was declared as a world heritage city by UNESCO with reference to The World Heritage Committee(WHC), on 8th July 2017. Due to its rich as well as rare culture, being secular co-existence of Islamic, Hindu, and Jain communities along with the exemplary architecture of intricately carved wooden havelies dating back hundreds of years. The city has preserved that all for the world to enrich and something for the locals to be proud of. This lead Ahmedabad to become the first Indian city to earn this title. The walk starts from Swami Narayan Mandir which is about 200 years old and the very first swami Narayan temple in the world. The heritage walk includes several wooden havelies, temples, poles and finally culminates at Jama masjid which is the largest mosque of the city .
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Location map of Heritage Walk-
Fig 30 – Location map of heritage walk
Experiencing Ahmedabad 32
Swaminarayan Temple
Fig 31 – Swami Narayan Mandir 33 Internship tour diary
Location: Located near Kalupur in the eastern part of the old city.
History: Swaminarayan Temple of Kalupur is the earliest of the temples built by the Swaminarayan Sampraday in 1822. Swaminarayan had built five more temples in other parts of the state and installed the images of the deities in these temples.Swaminarayan Sampraday is categorized into two sections namely the NarNarayan Dev Gadi and the LakshmiNarayan Dev Gadi.
Details: Swaminarayan temple is an aweinspiring sacred place of worship especially for the followers of the Swaminarayan sect that is made of Burma Teak wood.
It is adorned with brilliantly ornamented domes and galleries. The temple, every arch and bracket is painted with bright colors, a defining characteristic of Swaminarayan temples everywhere. There are several idols installed by Swaminarayan himself, as well as a display of some of his personal items and sculptures. An astonishing architectural site houses the deities covered with majestic set of colourful attire and jewellery. This is a historic temple embellished with vividly painted brackets and features impressive craftsmanship. In the adjoining haveli, there are quarters for pilgrims of the sect, a special section for women, and an area where ceremonies and teaching sessions are held for women only the Swaminarayan Temple is a splash of color in the midst of the city’s grey and is also the starting point for the Heritage Walk through the pols of the old city.
Fig 32 – View of Swami Narayan Mandir From the entrance Experiencing Ahmedabad 34
Fig 33 – Plan and section of Swami Narayan Mandir Complex 35 Internship tour diary
Fig 34 – Richly carved wooden pillar Experiencing Ahmedabad 36
Kavi Dalpatram Chowk
Fig 35 – Bronze Statue of Kavi Dalpat Ram 37 Internship tour diary
Location: Kavi Dalpatram Chowk, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Introduction: Kavi Dalpatram was a reformist poet who played a major role in promotion of the Gujarati language. Few know that the first official`appeal` for adoption and promotion of the Gujarati language took place in 1863, when Dalpatram (1820-1898) was sent by a British officer, T B Kurtis, to the court of the Gaekwads at Vadodara. Gujarati language touched new heights when Dalpatram met Alexander Kinloch Forbes, a British civil officer who had keen interest in the development of the Gujarati language.Forbes met Dalpatram in 1848 and they were both associated with the Gujarat Vernacular Society from its founding. They read Gujarati poetry together for two hours a day.
It was thanks to his association with Dalpatram that Forbes became exceptionally fluent in the language and the history of the region.
Architectural expression: The Memorial with the Statue and house facade became the part of Heritage walk of Ahmedabad and the house location in Lambeshwar pol was named as ¨Kavi Dalpatram Chowk¨. Another key feature of the statue is the empty shoe of kavi which is very dear to the children. The children call him ‘Dada’ or grandfather with love and have deep emotions attached to the statue. The platform behind the statue displays the plan of the original house. The yellow stone on the floor indicates the walls, grey stone indicates the rooms and the black stone represent the open courtyard. The staircase is also marked with yellow stone. The memorial also serves as a platform for community gatherings.
Fig 36 – View of Kavi Dalpat Ram Chowk Experiencing Ahmedabad 38
Calico Dome
Fig 37 – Calico Dome 39 Internship tour diary
Location:
Architectural expression:
Relief Road,Ahmedabad
The Calico Dome employed two simple structural systems: the geodesic dome and the space frame. The dome was lifted by eight curved iron struts. It was a five pointed dome instead of six or eight, as generally seen. The points were supported by steel pillars and tubes.The canopy of the dome was built by diamond-shaped bent plywood blanks joined by steel studs. The dome, spread over 12 square metres, covered an open air platform which can be used for displays and fashion shows. A pair of embossed steel lotuses flank the steps leading to the platform. Similar lotuses are found in the spandrels of the 15th-century mosques and gates of the city as well as in the Sarabhai’s house ‘Retreat’ which were added by Surendranath Kar in 1930s. These auspicious lotus symbols invoke welcome gesture.On one side of the dome, a thin brick wall in Flemish bond was erected. A steel logo sign “Cali-Shop” in an abstracted font inspired by the Bauhaus style projected out from the wall from bottom to top.
History: Gautam Sarabhai and his team designed the Calico Dome in 1963, inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes The dome housed the showroom and shop for Calico Mills. The first fashion show in Ahmedabad was organised in the Dome..The mills and shops closed in the 1990s and the dome went into disrepair. In the 2001 earthquake, the centre of the dome collapsed and heavy rains damaged the interior of the underground shop. Later the dome collapsed completely.
Plan
Section
Fig 38 – Plan and Section of Calico Dome Experiencing Ahmedabad 40
Kala Ram Ji Mandir
Fig 39 – Kala Ramji Mandir 41 Internship tour diary
Location:
Architecture expression:
b/h calico dom (Near Haja Patel ni Pol), Relief Rd, Tankshal, Kalupur, Ahmedabad
In the corner of Haja Patel in Pol, is the temple of Kala Ramji (Lord Rama)it is a very old temple inside residential neighbourhood it is considered unique as the idol of Lord Rama is in a sitting posture caved in a black stone. This idol is often interpreted as the Period of “Vanvas” (exile in the forest) by Lord Rama, Laxman and sita in the great epic of Ramayana. All the three idols are made out of black stone called \’Kasoti\’, which is used for testing the purity of gold. It is said that the temple was originally built by a pious man named Hariprasad who found the idols buried underneath. The temple is rich example of delicate wood carving and also a central courtyard which is important part of the architecture of Ahmedabad.
History: It is said that the temple was originally built by a pious man named Hariprasad who found the idols buried underneath. The temple is a rich example of delicate wood carving and also a central courtyard which is an important part of the architecture of Ahmedabad. There is also one belief is The idol was hidden by the priest of the temple to protect it during a Mughal period. It is believed that the idol resurfaced on its own after several years.
Fig 40 – Kala Ramji Mandir Experiencing Ahmedabad 42
Shantinath ni Pol
Fig 41 – Shantinathji ni pol 43 Internship tour diary
Location: Shantinath ni Pol and Derasar,Ahmedabad
Architecture expression: A Panorama of this pol reveals an idyllic and laid back pictue of life in the pols. one ofthen gets to see cows ambling and ruminating lazily,old men chatting, a handful of women performing their daily stints on the “Otla�. A beautifully carved wooden Chabutara stands in the midst of silence, behind is the magnificent Shantinath nu derasar.
However,the awesome splendor of the derasar is only visible when one enter it. Shantinathji derasar is truly a feast to the eyes as one discovers the magnificence of the delicate wood carving in the carving in the ceiling of the dome, panels, brackets, jali, windows etc. was built by Shah Vakhatchand Malichand in the year 1923 A.D. There is a 19 inch his idol of Shantinath Tirthankar. It is believed that initially the entire temple was built of wood .When Relief Road was being constructed, the temple had to be shifted to the interior and it was reconstructed out of marble and some wooden component from the previous temple.
Fig 42 Shantinathji ni Derasar
Experiencing Ahmedabad 44
Kuvavala Khancha
Fig 43 - Kuvavala Khancha 45 Internship tour diary
Location: Kuvavala Khancha
Architectural expression: Kuvavala khancha is an intersection that had adjacent wells near Shantinathji ni Pol, giving it its name (kuva is well and khancha, passage). Interesting thing to see In Kuvavala Khancha is 4 homes opposite to each other with elements of Persian, Mughal, Maratha and European architecture reflecting the respective periods in which each facade was built, and the emblems of the earlier owners above the doors. This shows the cosmopolitan culture of old Ahmedabad. Also, you can see the Chowk (square) with the Parrot Holes on walls of the houses. Such holes were made available in exterior walls of each houses of Pol to allow Parrots (or any birds) to prepare their nests in absence of trees.
Fig 42 – Elaborately carved wooden pillars Experiencing Ahmedabad 46
Jagvallabh Mandir
Fig 45 – Jagvallabh Mandir 47 Internship tour diary
Location: Nisha pol
Architectural expression: Nisha pole is famous in Ahmedabad both for its old Jagvallabh Jain Temple & large size and delicate Hindu architecture. In Jagvallabh Parshvanath Derasar right from the entrance, devotee can have a glimpse of Parshvanath’s sahastrafena idol in Kayotsaraga posture. The second garbh-gruha of the Derasar built in the year 1603 by Nagarsheth Khushalchand enshrines small black idol of Shri Chintamani Parshvanath in Padmasan. The idols testify the heights Jains achieved in the fields of art and craftsmanship. The Derasar also has a six feet tall idol of Jain Tirthankar Lord Adinath sitting in Padmasana’s yogic posture.
Fig 44 – Intricately curved Dome Jagvallabh Mandir
Fig 47 – exquisite stone carving on the walls of Jagvallabh Mandir Experiencing Ahmedabad 48
Sambhavnath Ni Khadki
Fig 48 – Sambhavnath Ni Khadki 49 Internship tour diary
Location: Sambhavnath Ni Khadki, Tankshal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Architectural expression: Built in 1662 A.D. Sambhavnathji Derasar is believed to be the oldest Jain temple in Ahmedabad. According to the inscription on the temple wall, the original temple was constructed in wood. The building was later restored in 1904 A.D. using marble stone. This Derasar is built underground, only the dome and shikhara can be seen while one enters the Sambhavnath ni Khadki.
Chaumukhji ni pol Location: Chaumukhji Ni Pol, Tankshal, Ahmedabad
Architectural expression: Chaumukhji ni Khadki was earlier called Satharni Khadki. The name is derived from Jain derasar of Chaumukhji. Near to the Khadki is a Vaishnav sect Haveli of Gunsaiji. Historians believev that the remains of a derasar from 10th century have been preserved in Ajitnathji derasar in this area. This Khadki also has lot of Jain temple built in the Hindu-Jain architectural style. one can see beautiful sandstone carvings, some of which have been recreated in marble.
Doshivadani pol Location: Architectural expression: This area is mostly inhabited by goldsmith community Main road is lined with lots of small & medium jewelry shops. There are many haveli type houses with profusely decorated facades in the pol. towards the end of the Pol is a beautiful carved Chabutara with stained glasses. This is a unique example of colonial-influence on architecture of Chabutaras. There is also landmark building once considered tallest in the walled city. Experiencing Ahmedabad 50
Fig 49 - Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli
Fig 50 - Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli
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Fig 51 - Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli
Fig 52 - Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli Experiencing Ahmedabad 52
Fig 53 – Heritage Building
Fig 54 – Heritage Building
Fig 55 – Heritage Building
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Fig 56 – Heritage Building
Fig 57 – Heritage Building
Fig 58 – Heritage Building
Experiencing Ahmedabad 54
Astapadji Mandir
Fig 59 – Astapadji Mandir 55 Internship tour diary
Location: Ashtapadji Temple / Ashtapad Derasar
Architectural expression: At the end of Doshiwada ni pol, beside the Jain library is situated the marble Derasar of Ashtapadji. It is built in the Hindu–Jain style of architecture with elaborate decoration. The sculptures and motifs include human figure in dancing position or playing musical instruments, animals and various other floral patterns can be seen here. It was built around 1856 A.D. by Sheth Maganlal Karamchand. The Derasar has idols of Adishwar Bhagvan and Mahavir Swami. It also has the idols of Sheth and Shethani and their guru Apart from a host of other status. It is believed that 32 statuses are made of Ratikar Parvat’s red marble. 16 statues are made up of Dadhimukh Parvat’s red marble. 4 statues are made out of Nandishwar Island’s Anjangiri Parvat’s black marble. Just beside the Derasar. There is a Jain shop that sells the 5 required articles that a Jain Svetambar Monk carries.
Harkunvar Shethani ni haveli Location: Harkunvar Baa Ni Haveli, Tankshal, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Architectural expression: The 180 year old Harkunvar Shethani ni Haveli contains 60 rooms, most of which open on to interminable pillared balconies, supported by the longest carved wooden bracket in Ahmedabad. Stunning wood carvings found on Harkunvar Shethani ni Haveli in Old City Ahmedabad feature Indo-Chinese architectural elements. This one is the largest bracket in the Old City.
Experiencing Ahmedabad 56
Fernandez Bridge
Fig 60 – Fernandez Bridge 57 Internship tour diary
Architectural expression: The Chopda Bazaar of Fernandez Bridge is one of the oldest Book Market in Ahmedabad Gujarat that serves thousands of people flocking every day in search of used and new books. The Fernandez Bridge was extended in order to extend the Gandhi Road.
Manek baba’s mandir, Manek Chowk History: For the last 600 years, the descendants of Baba Maneknath, the saint, who according to legend, ‘influenced’ or briefly ‘interrupted’ Ahmed Shah’s effort to build the new city of Ahmedabad in 15th century, hoist a flag at Manek Burage on the day of Vijayadashmi. According to the family, Manek Burage is the site from where the construction of the city began. On Sunday, the 12th Mahant (12th generation of the family) of the Maneknath Temple hoisted the flag in keeping with the family tradition.
Fig 61 – Manik Chowk Experiencing Ahmedabad 58
Rani no Haziro
Fig 62 – Rani ni Haziro 59 Internship tour diary
Hiatory: Rani no Hajiro was built in the 15 century by the great sultan Ahmed Shah. The hajiro is a vault for graves and served as the last resting place for queens of this empire. Subsequent rulers of the area also continued this tradition. Walls surrounding these graves from the outside are magnificently carved out of stones. The burial place is in the centre and demarcated by a cloister (veranda). Architectural expression:The art of Brocade, which is as old as the history of Gujarat itself, was introduced in the reign of Ahmed Shah. This beautifully hand woven Zari cloth was used to cover the graves of the queens.
It is believed that the uncharacteristic construction of an open air design of the courtyard was built according to the desire of Ahmad Shah’s queen. It was unusual because before her request, the design was a large dome covering the grave and enclosed into an ambulatory. A great example of the mix of Hindu, Jain and Islamic culture, Rani no Hajiro showcases intricate design and carving work on the walls and domes. The burial place or the inner area is kept locked to maintain tranquillity and cleanliness of the place. The place is maintained by a family of caretakers, who have been doing this for almost five generations now. They ensure that it remains untainted and pure.
Fig 63 – Raja no Haziro Experiencing Ahmedabad 60
Jama Masjid
Fig 64 – Jama Masjid 61 Internship tour diary
History:
Architectural expression:
The Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad was probably the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent built in this period. Designed as part of a major plan desired by the Emperor Sultan Ahmed Shah, the mosque is located south of the processional axis that runs from the Maidan-i Shah at the door with three arches, Teen Darwaza.
Made by using yellow sandstones, the architecture of this mosque is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styling. This edifice was built using items rescued from the demolished Hindu and Jain temples. Supported by 260 pillars, the Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad consists of 15 domes. Jama Masjid lies in the heart of the old city.
The inscription on the mihrab commemorates the inauguration of the mosque on January 4, 1424 by Sultan Ahmad Shah I. The mosque was originally intended only for private use of the sultans.
Fig 65 – The prayer hall Experiencing Ahmedabad 62
Fig 66 – Courtyard
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Fig 67 – Colonnade along the courtyard
Fig 68 - Panorama of the Masjid Experiencing Ahmedabad 64
B. V. Doshi Gufa
Fig 69 – B.V. doshi Gufa 65 Internship tour diary
The Gufa, as it is locally called, is an underground art gallery exhibiting the scu|ptures and mural paintings of the pioneering modern Indian artist M.F. Husain. The building designed by B.V. Doshi was developed using the computer aided design of the time. However the shell structure was constructed using a wire frame armature on which layers of Ferrocement were applied by tribal labour, much like the primitive technique of watt|e and daub.
Each element of the structure is self supporting and the stresses are relieved by the continuity of the shell. In some places the cement shell is just one inch thick. This building is the result of the collaboration of the artist and the architect. Snake like forms were painted on the shells by Husain which were detailed in black and white china mosaic. The dense, fluid interior space is dimly lit by light canons that emerge from the forms of the shells.
Fig 70 – B.V. doshi Gufa Experiencing Ahmedabad 66
Cept University
Fig 71 – Cept University 67 Internship tour diary
Established in 1962 by a group of young professionals, CEPT (Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology). as it was then called was envusioned as a place of learning that Integrated the arts. sciences, and technology for the bunlt envnronment. Initiated as the School of Architecture. the campus developed to include the Community Scuence Centre. Hutheesing Visual Arts Ce re a d Kanon Centre for Arts. It would also go on to in clude the School of Planning (1972) mm was established with financial aid from the government and the Ford Foundation. The School for Building Science and Technotogy (1982) and The School of Interior Design (1991) were also established.The founders of the School of Architecture. Spearheaded by B.V. Doshi, envisioned a campus without walls, with an emphasis on learning rather than teaching. Informal spaces and buildings such as the workshop, the canteen and the shops for stationary and printing,
interspersed the formal programmed buildings to create a finely grained plan. Doshn’s emphasis on the spaces between buildings developed a campus in which learning took place outsidethestudiospacesasmuchasitdid inSIde them. lnitnally under the auspices of the Ahmedabad Education society, CEPT operated autonomously with respect to its curriculum and teaching methods and to award its own diplomas. From 2002-2005 CEPT was affiliated with the North Gujarat University in Patan. In 2005 CEPT became a university. This was fouowed by many structural changes within the educational system, many of which are visibte in the reorganisation and formatisation of the built environment of the campus, and the relationships between the buitdings.
Fig 72 – Cept University Experiencing Ahmedabad 68
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1
6
2 11 7
5
3 4 9
8
1. Faculties of Architecture and Planning. 2. Administration 3. Faculty of Technology 4. Faculty of Design 5. Huthessing Visual Arts Centre 6. Kanoria Centre for Arts 7. Community Science Centre( replaced by new Library) 8. Amdavad ni Gufa 9. Hervitz Gallery 10. North entrance 11. West entrance
Fig 73 –Site Plan of Cept University 69 Internship tour diary
Fig 74 –Installation made with bamboo, clay pots Experiencing Ahmedabad 70
Exhibitions @ Cept
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Fig 75 –Exhibition on innovative rural housing
Fig 76 –Exhibition on innovative rural housing Experiencing Ahmedabad 72
Fig 77 –Physical model of rural housing
Fig 78 –Physical model of rural housing 73 Internship tour diary
Fig 79 –Physical model of rural housing
Fig 80 –Physical model of rural housing Experiencing Ahmedabad 74
Fig 81 –Urban design physical model
Fig 82 –Urban design physical model 75 Internship tour diary
Fig 83 –Urban design physical model
Fig 84 – Physical model of rural housing Experiencing Ahmedabad 76
Fig 85 – Exhibition panel of urban design
Fig 86 – Exhibition panel of urban design 77 Internship tour diary
Fig 87 – Exhibition panel of urban design
Fig 88 – Physical model of rural housing Experiencing Ahmedabad 78
