Xref Travel to Stepwells of India

STEP TOWARDS WATER

X REF 2017 WATER ARCHITECTURE IN SOUTH ASIA AN INQUIRY OF TYPE, DEVELOPMENT AND MEANING

India

Rani ki Vav Gujarat

Chand Baori Rajasthan

SFO

8500 miles

600 miles Gujarat

Rajasthan

Purpose “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta It’s hard to imagine an entire category of architecture slipping off history’s grid, and yet that seems to be the case with India’s incomparable step wells. These centuries old water structures can be found hiding -in-plain of dry western desert.

Today, the step wells are largely forgotten. In some towns, they have become de facto trash pits. In others, encroaching houses and public buildings have made their entrances difficult to access. This is an “engendered species” of architectural world. I want to touch them, feel them and embrace them. I want to sketch them, map them, and study them in-depth. I feel an urgency to document, analyses and understand these hidden james of Architecture before they are far gone.

This is going to be a journey towards millennium old ingenious system for water preservation. I am very excited about having meaningful conversation with locals and listing to their stories about step-wells. Step wells have a very significant role in folk lore and many mythological stories woven around it.

This X-ref will be a chance for me to revisit my design thesis and attach the missing link of water preservation systems.

Place

Rani ki Vav Rani ki vav is a step well built by mother patron queen Udaymati during approximately 1050 AD. It is located in the outskirts of Patan city. The city was built on the river banks of Saraswati. As Saraswati was a season river they developed elaborated water channel system, filtering and preserving water in semi desert area of Gujarat. This is an example of ancient wisdom building permanent low tech no-tech design solutions. This an inspirational colossal of steps creating thought provoking visuals.

“Rani ki Vav” stepwell at Patan

Story of ‘cyclic life’ carved on the surfaces

Place

Chand Baori The steps and the whole surrounding is a fine example of architectural expertise. It also displays the geometrical intelligence of the architects of the bygone era. The step well was constructed back in 9th Century. The well is 13-story building, which is about 100 feet deep and has a total of 3500 steps. The dried weather and climate of the area forced the people to dig deep so that they get a dependable water source. The townsfolk used to sit around the step well and cool off during the summer days. At the bottom the well the air is always about 5-6 degrees cooler than at the top.

Escheresque steps create a visual colossal.

Path of travel

Direction of travel

Direction of water

Design forces body to move in all directions

Astonishing complex feats of engineering,architecture an art at Chand Baori

Step towards water This is a journey going backwards and finding the roots. While referring to these unique examples of underground architecture, I wonder where architecture stands today and what role does it play in the process of ‘change’! I believe, embedded local ecological knowledge can be reformulated to help a culture adapt to modern urbanization, creating strong patterns for sustainable societal development. These beautiful step-wells are great examples of living in an incredible harmony with ground. These step-wells have a very strong place in my heart, as they are the unique examples of water preservation and sustainable living.

Vision

Meandering path of travel

Atlas of step wells Wish to study and visit different prototypes

Step well Gujarat

Chand baori Rajasthan

SFO

8500 miles

Elora caves Maharashtra

500 miles

400 miles

travel map

HOME

Step well What a beautiful ceremonial approach to reach water! Instead of fetching water mechanically and owning it as a consumer, step well allows for a more meaningful and gentle approach towards water. It is a sacred source of life. Dark underground spaces are usually seen as a Dionysian world in western civilization. Contrary in the dry desert, underground sacred spaces protects from harsh sun and extreme heat.

These are inverted, open to sky water structures nurturing and preserving life in the desert. Step wells are remarkable examples of earthbound architecture.

seeing the unseen

A visionary section to narrate spatial environment of a step well