ArchitectureDesign_2015-05

ARCHITECTURE+ARCHITECTURE+DESIGNMAY 2 0 1 5

A N I N D I A N J O U R N A L O F A R C H I T E C T U R EA N I N D I A N J O U R N A L O F A R C H I T E C T U R E

VOLUME 32 ISSUE 5

architecture for divinityarchitecture for divinity

` 175

s s The Lesso Group

15 ABOUT THE ISSUE

18 REFLECTIONS

20 UPDATES

ARCHITECTURE FOR DIVINITY28 Explorations in emotive, engaging and

experiential space making...

Yatin Pandya36 Incorporating Curvilinear Forms

Botta Cripta, Bergamo, Italy

Gianluca Gelmini, Bergamo, Italy42 Minimalistic Design

Shiv Temple, Pune, Maharashtra

Sameep Padora & Associates, Mumbai46 Breaking Rigid Boundaries

Sancaklar Mosque, Buyukekmece, Istanbul

Emre Arolat Architects, Istanbul, Turkey

54 Functionally, religious centres have expanded

Narendra Dengle60 A Spiritual Setting

Mhasoba Mandir, Kharawade, Pune

Narendra Dengle and Associates, Pune66 The White Church

Parish Church of Solace, Cordoba, Spain

Vicens + Ramos, Madrid, Spain72 Sacred Space

Universal Prayer Hall, Gurgaon, Haryana

Sikka Associates Architects, New Delhi74 A Community Church

Community Church Knarvik, Hordaland, Norway

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, Oslo, Norway80 The Meditation Hall

Meditation Hall, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, New Delhi

Design Consortium, New Delhi90 Centre for Inner Growth

Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple, Coimbatore

Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore96 The Role of the Hindu Temple for the North

Indian Community in Surrey, Vancouver

Niranjan Garde

100 EXPLORING DESIGNDesign in Ceramics

108 RESEARCHReclamation of Kunds on Govardhan Hill, Braj

Amita Sinha

116 PRODUCTS

74 90

46

A N I N D I A N J O U R N A L O F A R C H I T E C T U R Eabout the issue

All drawings and visuals for theprojects and articles, unlessmentioned otherwise, are

courtesy the architects/authors.

Sancaklar Mosque,Buyukekmece, Istanbul(Architects: Emre Arolat

Architects, Istanbul, Turkey)

All along in the history of human civilization, one observes that religion hasalways been one of those strong anchors to combat the fear of the unknownand provide directions in the art of living. It was thus that architecture forworship always encapsulated elements of architecture that generate a wow andinspiring factor in the mind of the worshippers. Whether it be a church, a temple,gurudwara or then a mosque the scale, artwork, materials, etc., all combinedtogether to create a grandeur, a spirit of hope and an environment of serenity andsolace. Over the period of time, this typology has undergone a rationalization andhas evolved a newer vocabulary. In the Indian context, when it comes to thetemple, it now has added newer functionalities associated with it, taking it to thelevel of a larger complex with greater urban design inputs. There are also morecommercial activities associated. This Issue of the magazine probes the emergingcontemporary design developments in architecture for divinity.The Community Church in Norway designed by Ramstad Arkitekter stands apart

in its approach with a modern interpretation to the church form with a play ofcolour. It is also a venue for gatherings to facilitate art, music and culturaldevelopment. Inspired by the Buddhist architectural form, the Meditation Hall atthe Sri Aurobindo Ashram, New Delhi, sets sensitively in the natural surroundings.The material choice and the volume of spaces along with a climate controlledfaade all combine together intelligently to set in the devotional mood. TheSancaklar Mosque in Istanbul is a simple and elegant statement in textured andlayered tones on the outside and inside. As the architects say, it aims to addressthe fundamental issues of designing a mosque by distancing itself from the currentarchitectural discussions based on form and focusing solely on the essence ofreligious space. The other published projects too have their own focus in conceptand interpretation of this design typology which evokes reverence.

The dynamics inmodulatedexperimentationfurther gets projectedin our ExploringDesign section.Artistic creativityentwined in ceramicproducts finds its placehere with abstractnessin form, texture andmould becoming avisual delight.

A hundred times have I thought New York is a catastrophe and 50 times: It is a beautiful catastrophe

Le Corbusier

Suleymaniye Mosque well set in the urban fabric of Istanbul, Turkey

ImageMonthoofftthhee

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Architecture is the will of anepoch translated into space

Mies van der Rohe

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Tradition meets Emotion.We meet You.GROWING STRONGER...

Years in IndiaShowrooms

MMaayy 22001155 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN18

Initiated by Martin Gurvich, director of MOSA, Forms of Devotion:The Spiritual in Indian Art is an arts project conceptualised aroundthe notion of the spiritual and devotional in Indian art. Theexhibition showcased 300 works by over 150 artists, selected froma collection of over 3000 artworks.

Photo credit: Museum of Sacred Art (MOSA)

Celebration of formsand spirituality

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Das gute Licht.For safer paths.


Fast Track Architecture

Artopex, one of Quebecs leading manufacturers of officefurniture, has commissioned a Canada-based architecturalfirm Lemay to design its new showroom in the heart of historicOld Montreal. The project is located in the prestigious formerheadquarters of the Royal Bank of Canada. The emblematicbuilding has been completely revitalized and rethought in orderto give Artopex a space that reflects its image and values.

Starting at the entrance, an uninterrupted ribbon of imagesof Quebec landscapes guides visitors through the different zonesof the showroom, spread accross two basement levels. Quebecs

urban, industrial and naturallandscapes translate Artopexscommitment towards thecommunity and the environment,two values at the core of thecompanys culture. The pixelatedtreatment of the background

images creates a defocused effect that directs the eye towardthe product, making an original contribution to its display

From the outset, the architects faced two major challenges: thefront door is dwarfed by imposing neoclassical columns, and theshowrooms basement location suffers from a shortage of naturallight. In response to the first, an enormous LED-animatedmarquee draws the gaze and energises the entrance with a varietyof lighting effects. Addressing the second, a large opening in thefloor leads to oversized wooden stairs serving as a meeting placeas well as a display space, while flooding the lower levels withnatural light. The arrangement of the different zones, linked bylighting effects, creates several contrasting ambiances thatenhance the visitor experience.

Photo credit: Claude-Simon Langlois

South Florida-based architecturalfirm Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe &Associates (NBWW) announced that itslatest project The Hilton West PalmBeach has topped off. Thetransformative new development,which is connected to the existing Palm

Beach County Convention Center, will serve as a drivingforce for downtowns burgeoning urban landscape.

The structure, which boasts 400 spacious guest roomsand suites and over 24,000 sq ft of contemporary meetingspace, was thoughtfully envisioned by NBWW. The firmsought to create more than just an expansive resort, but anurbane, tightly knit neighborhood experience. Instead ofdesigning a front garden with a grand arrival sequence,typical of other convention hotels, the firm pushed thebuilding toward the sites edge to create an impactful streetpresence. This approach to the positioning of the propertyenabled the firm to design added amenity-rich elementsinclusive of a spacious recreation deck along the back of thebuilding, adjacent to the ballroom facilities. The 12-storeybuilding features a three-storey accent overlookingOkeechobee Boulevard, which called for special detailingand materials, making this added layer a prevalent elementof the hotel.

The aesthetics of the building were inspired by theconvention centre, a streamlined approach that allowed forefficient spaces and clear architectural expressions. The hotelsmassing is accentuated with deep cantilevering trellises on thebuildings parapets.

For more information, visit: www.nbww.com.

Updates

Chicago-based Goettsch Partners (GP) has announced the start ofconstruction on the 445m tall mixed-use Nanning ResourcesCentre Tower. Located in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Province,the project is sited along Minzu Avenue at the heartof the burgeoning Fengling District. The 255,000sqm tower is linked to public transportation throughunderground connections at the B1 level, and toadjacent buildings via indoor and outdoor pedestriancorridors at the ground and sixth floors respectively. The design of the tower is derived from its multipleuses which include 170,000sq m of class A office

space, 5,000sq m of boutique retail, and a 45,000sqm luxury Shangri-La hotel. The massing of thebuilding steps and tapers to accommodate the changing floorplates of the various program types, resulting in a form that is bothefficient and identifiable. Paul De Santis, LEED AP, principal at GP,said, The overall effect of the tower is of a crystalline form

ascending to the sky; culminating in an illuminated beacon that willdefine the new Nanning skyline.

The angled geometries of the facades are designed toreinforce the crystalline form while celebrating thetowers verticality. Entirely encased in floor to ceilinghigh performance glass, the skin design featuresintegrated ceramic shading elements that offer addedsolar control while maintaining ample natural lightwithout obstructing views. Designed to LEED-NC Goldstandards, faade is one of many features holisticallyintegrated towards reducing the projectsenvironmental footprint while providing a world classlevel of comfort and quality. The NRC Tower will not

only be a symbol for Nannings fast growing economic prosperitybut a bold symbol of its dedication to environmentalresponsibility upon its completion in 2019, said Travis Soberg,AIA, principal at GP.


Updates

Exhibition

Renewable Energy Asia 2015, the 11th South EastAsia's Renewable Energy Technology Exhibitionand Conference, will be held at BITEC, Bangkok,from June 3-6, 2015.

The event will feature the latest energy sources andsystems along with cutting edge machinery, equipmentand renewable energy technology. The latest wind &solar power projects are among the many systems that will befeatured along with thermal, hydro-power, bio-mass and other

green technology. The event will also host the 11thInternational Renewable Energy Conference under thetheme "The Future of ASEAN Renewable Energy in theLight of Energy Price Volatility. The conference will beattended by representatives from world leadingcompanies, academics and researchers and share theirviews on the future of renewable energy in today's rapidly

changing world. To know more, visit: www.renewableenergy-asia.com

Trade news

The Partners in Success Meet of Violam Decorative Laminates was held in Chandigarh. Over150 dealers from Haryana and Punjab took part in the event. The meet was aimed to sharethe companys vision, mission and goals to capture more market share in the region and also tostrengthen the relationship of dealers and Violam brand in the state.

Manit Gupta, director of Stylam Industries Limited, said, Our dealers and the distributorshave played a very vital role and have closely been associated with us and also discussed theway forward for the organisation, formulated forward-looking strategies for the brand.

At the event, the brand discussed about its latest collections and products. Besides, the company also announced the arrival of newrange of products in next three months including UNICOLOR Laminates, DIGITAL Laminates and POST FORMING Laminates.

The SBID InternationalDesign Awards 2015has announced a call forentries. Architects,interior designers and

manufacturers are invited to submit theirprojects and products for the currentedition. The deadline for submittingentries is July 30, 2015.

This years edition will include two

new categories Office Design andHealthcare Design which will be addedto the existing popular categoriesranging from best Hotel Design, RetailDesign and Intelligent Design to best KBBProject, Public Space and Visualisation(3D renderings) to make a total of 14 categories.

The SBID International Design Awardshas come to be regarded as one of the

highest accolades in the interior designindustry. Each category undergoes anexclusive two-tier judging process bypanels of leading industry experts forboth technical content and aestheticcreativity and evaluates elements, suchas brief compliance, budget, health &safety, and fit-for-purpose design.

To know more, visit:www.sbidawards.com

Competitions

American architect Steven Holl Architects has been selected asthe winner for the construction of a new wing for Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum recently. Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum,one of Indias leading cultural institutions, is in the process ofcreating a dynamic new identity foritself as a cultural hub in Mumbaithrough a major expansion plan thatincludes a 130,000sq ft new building tobe called the Mumbai Modern Wing.

The new addition to the existingmuseum will comprise a new galleryspace, an interpretation centre, alibrary, an archive, conservation facilities and a new museumshop and caf. At the heart of the new wing will be a permanent

gallery to showcase contemporary Mumbai, focusing onimportant milestones in the citys cultural development andhighlighting its social and artistic achievements as well astemporary exhibition spaces of international.

The competition was organised byMalcolm Reading Consultants on behalf of theMuseum. 104 submissions were receivedfrom the world's most renowned architectsfrom whom 8 were shortlisted. The MunicipalCommissioner of Mumbai and Co-Chairmanof the Museum Trust, Mr Sitaram Kunte,chaired the eminent eleven member jury,

notable for its array of leading international figures from themuseum world, academia and the business community.


Updates

Trade news

Scapes Siolim by Scapes India is a luxurydestination villa property located at Siolim,Goa. Spread over an area of 5200sq m, theproperty is surrounded by the protected forests ofMarna, accessible within 10 minutes from all nightclubs and restaurants of Goa.

Designed by New Delhi-based architect RajivNarain, the property is a self contained unit builtin the tropical villa style with a touch of modernarchitecture. Each villa is designed with theconcept of providing destination home that offersthe indulgence of resort living and the exclusivityof a private villa. It is a blend of luxury andaesthetics with key emphasis on privacy and spacefor every mood. It is furnished with designerfurniture and equipped with modern technology.Other amenities and facilities include a privatepool, an open airy space and a manicured garden.Besides, Scapes Siolim has selected buyers with anideal mix of corporate clients.

Recently, the company opened a sample villaof the property showcasing the careful design anddetail that went to the conception for each villa.

To know more, visit: www.scapesindia.com

Awards

Markthal designed by Netherlands-basedarchitectural firm MVRDV has beenselected for the MIPIM Award 2015 for BestShopping Centre. MIPIM, the worlds largestreal estate and property fair, is held in Cannesin March each year, attracting more than25.000 people. The prestigious award is chosen based on anequal split between the votes of the jury andthe votes of the attendees of the conference.

This years jury included Kengo Kuma andDominique Perrault, in addition to nine other industry leaders

from the fields of property and real estate. TheMarkthal beat out three other buildings, in Paris,Tianjin, and Tangerang in Indonesia, to win theaward. On receiving the award, co-foundingdirector of MVRDV Winy Maas, said, The MIPIMaward recognises innovation and daring in thebuilding sector. The developer Provast dared torealise our vision for a new typology, and thebuilding is now honoured on the global real estatestage. That is a fantastic reward for a developerwho dared to think outside the box in that way".

To know more, visit: www.mvrdv.com

Weiss Architecture &Urbanism Limitedhas been awarded anOAA Award in theConcept Category fortheir whimsical, snowcovered Warming Hut inWinnipeg, Manitoba.

The design was inspired by the 1955 Looney Tunes

animation The Hole Idea in which an eccentric scientistdevelops a portable hole. Whereas the original cartoon holesare black voids, the playful holes created in the Winnipeg snoware bright orange, yellow, pink, blue, green, and purple. Fittedwith a wooden bench, the large vaulted space of the hutfunctions as a refuge from the cold winds howling down theriver. The colourful array of holes on the snows surfacebrighten up the cold and wintery landscape.

To know more, visit: www.weissau.com


Architecture is a celebration of life.

Manifestation of an idea, it encodes

messages and emotes feelings. Architecture

communicates through spatial tools, may they be

the space sequences and its organisation, elements

of space making, their scale and form, or the

symbolism of surface articulation. It is this aspect of

encoding and decoding that sets an instantaneous

dialogue between the user and the architectural

product. The affectivity of the communication

depends on the easy comprehension of the encoded

messages and their appropriate compliances in built

form. This communication takes place at three

levels sensorial, experiential and associational.

Sensorial perception refers primarily to

physiological comforts arising out of physical

explorations in emotive, engaging andexperiential space making

Shantivan Memorial DelhiArchitects: FOOTPRINTS E.A.R.T.H., Ahmedabad

Architecture for Divinity

Yatin Pandya

ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN MMaayy 22001155 29

conditions essentially in response to environmental

control. This bodily perception is humanly universal.

Also universal is the experiential aspect; however it

deals critically with the mind and cradles emotions.

The process is spontaneous and reactionary to the

nuances of space configuration and its dictates.

While, the associational is the locale specific

perception requiring pre-conditioning, familiarity or

the acquired information base. It creates spiritual

bonds and succeeds through in-depth

understanding of cultural connotations. The

complete communication is through wholesome

balance of all the three. With these, architectural

spaces can potentially nourish emotionally and

spiritually. Religious architecture best illustrates this

phenomenon as these places are more about

emotional engagement than functional

performance. The concept/philosophy of worship

translating into expected performance resolves

architecture accordingly.

Sacred spaces exploited these phenomena to

their fullest as they went beyond case functions and

physical to inculcate the metaphysical and notional.

They therefore remain good studies to understand

core architectural phenomena of their timelessness,

experientiality and interactivity. Not necessarily as

religious landmarks or destinations of faith but

purely as experientially engaging spaces sacred

architecture deserved to be analysed and inferred

for their core spatial values and architectural syntax,

which can be possibly included and applied in

contemporary architecture.

Temple Architecture Traditions: Worship for the

Hindu is about introspection and therefore

architectural space sequence response is a gradual

withdrawal from the worldly to intimate. The

sequence of gopurams, series of ascending steps andplatforms, rising volumes of domes and shikharas,increasing degree of enclosure, decreasing levels of

illumination and the transition from the semi-open,

multi-directional pavilions to the unidirectional dark

sanctum enclosed by solid walls, all heighten the

progression from the corporeal to the spiritual as one

progresses from the gopuram to garbhagriha. Thissense of transcendence from terrestrial to celestial is

further enhanced by the culmination of the horizontal

planes of the platform into a vertical axis through tall

pointed shikharas symbolically pointing towards theheavens. Even the filigree in terms of sculptures and

motifs evoke associations through their narratives

progressively changing from stories of mortal world to

celestial. All these nuances of space making help the

perceiver transit from the collective, busy,

amorphous, distracting and bright space to quiet,

dark, personal, intimate and cosy space to have

personal dialogue and introspection.

For the temple, the gopuram a tall entrancegateway provides the visual reference from far

distances. It reminds one of having entered the

religious realm. Guided by gopuram when oneenters the gate, the subsequent layers of walls take

over. The direct path of movement is deflected by

the baffles in the form of wall planes and sculptural

masses guiding one around the structures.

Circumambulation is part of the ritual. Each turn

orients one to the shrines of sub deities. Series of

such foci and sequence of colonnades slowly

withdraws from corporal worlds to enter the

spiritual one. Open colonnades gradually get further

and further enclosed as the sense of enclosure

increases through sabha (nritya) mandapa andgoodha mandapa with increased presence of wall

planes. The intensity of light inversely decreases and

gets nearly dark at the fully enclosed garbhagriha.

The dark space renders the form of idol

Dadamiyan Masjid, AhmedabadArchitects: Hiren Patel Architects, Ahmedabad

Plan of Dadamiyan Masjid


imperceptible and thereby inconsequential. Form of

an idol is what the minds eye conjures. The

personal intimate space allows for concentration of

mind and notions come through.

Motifs and sculptures along the movement

corridor condition the mind while they too transform

with increasing penetration into the precinct through

depictions of royal stories to that of nymphs and

apsaras to gods and goddesses. Each baffle creates apause to discover and reorient. Next set of clues get

unfolded at every subsequent pause creating

sequential unfolding and sense of discovery. The

extended movement adds the element of time over

space while helping conditioning of the mind. Thus

makes the journey physically and mentally engaging

and essentially experiential where predetermined

vignettes are sequentially unfolded as one moves

through the space. The simultaneous process of

concealment and revelation of information brings

about the element of mystery, inviting exploration.

This sense of discovering space is orchestrated by the

shift in visual and physical axis. Movement through

the space is most critical rather than the externalities

of form or the shape of elements. What matters is the

composite resolution of the ensemble and its

multifarious frames from a changing point of view a

time-space continuum.

Architecture for Islamic Faith: Islamic

architecture, contrary to Hindu notion of personalised

praying is about collective worship. Having emerged

from harsh geographic terrain of desert, in Islam

socialising is important for survival. The mosque

therefore is as much a social, nodal and functional

space as much as the spiritual and therefore gets

organised as gathering courtyard rather than an

interiority of the room. The core components of

Islamic architecture therefore are simply a wall with a

niche the Mihrab, to primarily help orient towardsMecca. As collective praying is more virtuous, the

minarets get inducted to call on prayer timings as well

as to become the distant visual feature. Open court

Riwak, remains flexible gathering space for collectiveprayers and Liwan the cloistered colonnade,surmounting the court remains the resting place in

harsh climate in between the prayer times. Dome,

contrary to popular conception, is not the

characteristic feature of mosque as it is of the tomb.

Tomb is about emphasising the point where someone

rests. Cardinal directions intersecting at the point,

symmetry in both axis and dome help emphasise that

centrality where someone lies buried underneath.

Today in the zeal of covering collective gathering

space, as the present trend of large mosques overseas

seem to suggest, the dome starts competing with the

directionality of Mihrab wall, creating spatialconfusion and conflict.

Architecture of Churches: Christian faith holds

God on a pedestal. Adam and Eve as a sinner,

defying Gods directive by succumbing to

temptations of the devil, the descendant humankind

shares the guilt and remains way dwarfed compared

to the God. Sermons and preaching are integral

aspects of prayer to remind and explain Gods

words the Gospel; and thereby collective prayingremains the denominator. The majesty of scale,

verticality of internal volume, formality of

organisation through symmetry and elongated

aisles, top-lit naves, larger than life stain glass

dioramas, pervading silence, all of these helpenhance the glory of the God and humility of the

mankind in comparison.

Iskcon Temple, New DelhiArchitects: Achyut P Kanvinde, New Delhi

Plan of Iskcon Temple

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Thus, the varying interpretations of the

phenomenon of worship have translated respective

conceptions of space and the emerging resolutions

have impacted behavioural responses accordingly.

The elements of a building, its scale, size, volume,

degrees of enclosure, levels of illumination as well as

motifs and decorations instil in the observer ethos

appropriate to the place. The spatial narratives and

the process of visual communication take place

through relative assembly of chosen elements and

their sequencing. Sequencing brings about the

kinaesthetic perception which makes architecture

experiential where being there is what matters.

These aspects of space organisations remain

universally perceptible yet retaining specificity to the

perceivers own pace and mental makeup. This makes

the experience profound through plurality ability to

respond to multiple value systems, and identity

internalisation of the experience by the perceiver.

Successful architecture manages to bring these

qualities by basing communication on the most

fundamental tenets of mind and matter. Together,

they mark the complete communication a

wholesome experience integrating the spiritual and

the corporal.

How do architectural endeavours of recent times

explore these dimensions?

Contemporary Iterations in Sacred Architecture

Sacred Architecture as Continuum of the Tradition VsDegree of Abstractions and Deviations: On one hand,Akshardham, as well as many of the contemporarily

built Hindu or Jain shrines, with the patronage of the

religious organisations, have preferred not to deviate

from traditional practices and have maintained the

continuum of the classical mould in terms of

geometric compositions, formal expressions, external

appearances, assembly of elements as well as

preference for associable motifs. Some of the shrines

have retained even the traditional stone craft

construction practices while most have combined

contemporary materials like concrete frames and

brick masonry for load-bearing purposes and have

camouflaged them through stone cladding to retain

appeal of the old externally. Many, more recently for

cost savings, have resorted to fibre moulds to cast

traditional motifs and elemental profiles, in mortar

and rendered them like stone.

Lotus Temple, New Delhi

Plan of Lotus Temple

Vietnam War Memorial, Washington, D.C


On the other hand, the contemporary shrines,

created through professional interventions have

resorted to degrees of abstractions. For example,

architect Satish Grover created a modern Buddhist

shrine using the assembly of elements of traditional

Stupa architecture but building them in contemporary

materials like steel and concrete with simplification of

detailing as well as filigree, yet retaining simile of

their form and profile.

Architect Achyut Kanvinde abstracted the shikharaform and chaitya windows in Iskcon temple of Delhito the degree of retaining their identity to traditional

temples, while making it congruent to concrete

construction without faking it. Idea of passage of

time, essence of circumambulation and kinaesthetic

movement sequence with unfolding of spaces is also

applied in organising the campus spaces. Movement

route also imbues the spirit and feel of the traditional

temple routes rather than imitating the plan geometry

of the campuses of bygone era.

Sanjay Mohes creation of Sai temple, abstracts it

further to recall suggestive shikhara outcrops andvolumetric modulations built through contemporary

material palette, but largely focuses on light

modulation for spatial definitions.

Matri mandir at Auroville has been an epitome of

contemporary space making for meditative purposes

and spiritual pursuit. This deserves a special mention

as it succeeds in doing so without any icon association,

but largely on the quality of space. It interprets the

ethos of Indian temples without replicating the forms

or elements. The spherical outcrop, freestanding

amidst clear landscape becomes the visual focus and

orienting element. The gold foil fused panels provide

the awe through its glitter and opulence at a little

closer look. Further journey through twelve petals like

structure, also associatively symbolic of Shri

Aurobindo, gradually disengages one from the

surrounding and sucks one to the inner volume. The

inner sphere with self lit membrane panel provides for

the large and singular hollow for the journey within.

The spiral ascent through ramp suspended within

inner hollow gradually disorients from the

conditioned, pre learnt associations and creates

transition for the intuitive journey. The ascent

culminates into mysterious chamber where top lit

crystal provides the central focus for meditation, while

the light radiated through internal reflection of the

crystal pervades magically to offer enough darkness

not to be distracted by anyone elses presence within

the chamber, yet just about bright enough not to trip

on any one. The diffused and dimly lit up space

renders the space limitless and mythical by dissolving

boundaries of the enveloping surface.

Bahai temple in Delhi is a complete deviation from

the traditional frames of reference. It creates its own

concept on the premise of the philosophy of religion.

It relies on symbolism of shape (lotus) and its

associational bonds and yet creates spatial syntax

through varying petal forms, modulated volumes of

curved planes, singular Omni directional space within

circular geometry yet dynamics of lights and shadows

providing accent to different directions over diurnal

or annual sun cycles.

Architect Hiren Patel has had his stint of

abstractions and geometrical references used to

Matrimandir, Auroville, Tamil Nadu

Sri Sai Spiritual Temple, BangaloreArchitects: Mindspace, Bangalore

Plan of Matrimandir


conjure domical Islamic structure at Ahmedabad,

while building newer additions of sacred and cultural

places for Islamic faith in newer set of materials.

The MIT chapel at Boston by Eerro Saarinen creates

the psychedelic experiences by the play of lights.

Essentially organised as the cylinder within the

cylinder, it has arched openings at the base of the

drum. The outer cylinder is flanked by the water body.

As a result sunrays bounces off the water body and

gets reflected on the circular wall inside. As the wind

flows, the reflection dangles with the movement of

water. Circular wall of the inner drum further distorts

the shadow forms. Thus, along the route of movement

it creates the sense of turmoil through constantly and

unpredictably moving reflections and ever changing

shadow patterns. The inner space in contrast is serene

and soothing with top lit drum and singular focus.

Architect Tadao Ando achieves the meditative

mood in the nature blessed church site with minimal

wall surfaces or built volumes. Chapel of water,

through movement path defined along water, scale

modulation and view compositions through changing

reflectivity in still water, and play of light through

backdrop of altar wall with cut-out and penetrating

sunlight forming the associable holy cross form and

sense of infinity with unending view of landscape

create serene space conjuring ethos of traditional

churches and yet introducing absolutely

contemporary idioms of modern architecture in

exposed concrete construction.

Memorial, like shrines, also are apt examples of

space making that goes way beyond function to exalt

physical into metaphysical and nourish mind, body

and soul. Vietnam War Memorial has been one of the

most evocative architecture of modern times with

meagre two walls and ground plane. With minimum

of built, it stands most profoundly interactive in

evoking emotions and engaging perceiver to the

fullest. Each of the design decisions adds value to

make it wholesome architecture with humour, satire,

agitation and consolation. Two wall planes put in

obtuse angle point ironically to Capitol and Lincoln

memorial, where decision to fight war was taken and

charter of freedom was framed respectively. The

angle of the wall creates cornered space and

conscious turn of direction. Diagonally sloping ground

aids in creating sense of volume and enclosure out of

two tapering wall planes. Choice of black granite as

wall material conjures association with Christian

tradition of tomb stone. With soldiers names

inscribed on stone walls it further establishes

memorial as collective tomb stone of all soldiers that

perished. Names engraved over glossy stone create

amusing graffiti and dynamic compositions with light

and shadows. Gloss of stone reflecting onlookers face

against the backdrop of soldiers name compels one

to question self and agitates to think futility of war.

Names inscribed in non alphabetical manner engage

the perceiver to discover the name one is looking for

and thus involving him in the ritual. It also consoles

the visiting family to know that many soldiers in

addition to their dear ones died for the national

cause. The texture created by engraved names makes

it intensely interactive allowing the relatives to touch,

feel and caress the loved one. Not only that but

putting the paper overlay and rubbing of crayon

generates impression of name as souvenir to carry

back. Cobbled stone strip of floor next to the wall

allows the flower, wreath or personal notes to be

placed in front of the names. The reductively tapering

wall in the exit journey creates reverse transition to

bring one back to present realities and ask one

question what was wars worth and what was I

doing? An amazingly interactive, evocative and

emotionally engaging architecture with only two walls

and a ground plane...

Timeless architecture trades on dualities of time

and space, of mind and matter, of the notions and

reality, of the microcosm and the cosmos, of the

conceptual and perceptual.

Yatin Pandya is the principal architect of FOOTPRINTS

E.A.R.T.H., Ahmedabad, and an ardent writer on various issues

in architecture.

Plan of Sri Sai Spiritual Temple

Section of Sri Sai Spiritual Temple



Incorporating Curvilinear Forms...

Project: Botta Cripta, Bergamo, Italy

Architects: Gianluca Gelmini, Bergamo, Italy


The project of the renovation of the crypt is part of abigger project for the church of Sacro Cuore e S EgidioAbate in Sotto il Monte (Bergamo). The projectincluded the renovation of the church's nave (floor andpresbytery) and the external parts (walls, roof and the newbelfry). This church was built in the 1930 but the originalproject was never completed.

The original project included the construction of the churchvestry in the west side of the altar. The project was neverrealised, but the need to connect the interior of the church

with the underground crypt led to the creation of a link thatappeared inconsistent with the architecture system, withspatial and functional limitations .

The project of the new link has been created with the dualpurpose of restoring balance and continuity to the westelevation of the church and give the right importance to thestairs connecting the crypt and the nave, using natural lightas the main element of the space.

The use of curvilinear forms has allowed the architects tocircumvent the restricted size, without the perception of the


corners. The large window leads a lot of light in the spaceand, thanks to white walls, spreads widening perception untilthe crypt level.

The work in the crypt concerned in the first place thereorganisation of the perimeter walls from the damp. Also, in

this space much attention has given to light, in particular therelationship between natural light and artificial light.

Artificial light has been specially designed to create a lightinstallation consisting of two rings of six meters in diameter.This installation understands and measures the curvilinear

GROUND FLOOR PLAN


space of crypt. The direct and indirect light is dynamic,becoming a means of communication and expression throughthe ability to introduce different lighting scenarios dependingon the activities carried out in the space.

Photo credit: Gianluca Gelmini

PLAN OF UNDERGROUND CRYPT

FactFileClient: Parish of Sacro Cuore E S Egidio Abate,

Botta Di Sotto il Monte Giovanni XXIII, Italy

Design Team: Andrea Mazzucotelli, Andrea Pressiani

Built-up area: 120sq m

Year of Completion: 2012


Minimalistic Design

Project: Shiv Temple, Pune, Maharashtra

Architects: Sameep Padora & Associates, Mumbai

SITE PLAN

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TEMPLE VIEW

1. CORBELED STONE (SHIKHARA)2. INNER SANCTUM THRESHOLD3. BASALT STONE WALLS4. APPROACH

Designed in dialogue with the priest and the people fromsurrounding villages, the temple design was acollaborative effort. Built through Shramdaan (self-build) by the villagers, this temple was constructed on ashoestring budget using local basalt stone as a primary buildingblock, because of its availability from a quarry within 200mfrom the temple site. The stones patina seems to confer age, asif the temple had always existed before inhabitation.

In realising the temple design in close consultation withthe temple priest and the villagers, the architects attemptedto sieve out thorough discussion and sketched the decorativecomponents from the symbolic. Adhering to the planninglogic of traditional temple architecture, the form of thetemple chosen evokes in memory, the traditional shikharatemple silhouette. Only embellishments integral to theessence of temple architecture in memory, actually appearin the finished temple.

The heavy foliage of trees along the site edge demarcate anoutdoor room, which become the traditional mandapa(pillared hall), a room with trees as walls and sky the roof. The

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path to the temple winds in between white oak trees till twofreestanding basalt stone walls embedded in the landscape thatcreate pause as well as direct a person onto the east-west axison which the garbagriha/inner sanctum lies.

Entry to the sanctum is through an exaggerated thresholdspace which in turn frames the outside landscape for theinside. Stepped seating on the southern edge of the sitenegotiates steep contours while transforming the purelyreligious space into a socio-cultural one used for festival andgatherings. Religious iconography in the form of statues ofthe holy cow, Nandi etc., become installations in thelandscape, and hence, find their positions in a natural settingof the metaphoric sky-roofed mandapa.

The ashtadhaatu (eight metal composite) temple kalash(finial) is held in place by a frame which also anchors askylight to allow light to penetrate the innersanctum/garbagriha.

Photo credit: Edmund Sumner

GUIDELINES - PLANNING STRUCTURE

ENLARGED DETAIL - SHIKHARA

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FactFileDesign team: Sameep Padora, Minal Modak, Vinay Mathias

Documentation: Viresh Mhatre, Anushka Contractor, Maansi Hathiwala,

Prajish Vinayak

Year of completion: 2010

1. INNER SANCTUM (GARBHAGRIHA)

2. ASSEMBLY HALL (MANDAPA)

Breaking Rigid Boundaries...

Phot

ocr

edit:

Thom

asM

ayer


Project: Sancaklar Mosque, Buyukekmece, Istanbul

Architects: Emre Arolat Architects, Istanbul, Turkey

Sancaklar Mosque located in Buyukekmece, a suburbanneighbourhood in the outskirts of Istanbul, aims toaddress the fundamental issues of designing a mosque bydistancing itself from the current architectural discussions basedon form and focusing solely on the essence of religious space.

The project site is located in a prairie landscape that isseparated from the surrounding suburban gated communities

by a busy highway. The high walls surrounding the park onthe upper courtyard of the mosque depict a clear boundarybetween the chaotic outer world and the serene atmosphereof the public park. The long canopy stretching out from thepark becomes the only architectural element visible from theoutside. The building is located below this canopy and can beaccessed from a path from the upper courtyard through the

SITE PLAN

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Photo credit: Thomas Mayer


SECTIONS

FLOOR PLAN

Photo credit: Cemal EmdenExterior view of the mosque

Interior view of the mosque

Photo credit: Cemal Emden

Since 1925 the global precast concrete industry trust onknow-how and expertise from Vollert.

Simply the best technology for theproduction of plane and structuralprecast elements for residential housingand industrial buildings.Debashish RoyVollert India Pvt LtdPhone +91 844 [email protected]

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FactFileBuilt-up area: 700.0sq m

Year of completion: 2012

park. The building blends in completely with the topographyand the outside world is left behind as one moves throughthe landscape, down the hill and in between the walls toenter the mosque.

The interior of the mosque, a simple cave like space,becomes a dramatic and awe inspiring place to pray and bealone with God. The slits and fractures along the Qiblah wallenhances the directionality of the prayer space and allowsdaylight to filter into the prayer hall.

The project constantly plays off of the tension betweenman-made and natural. The contrast between the naturalstone stairs following the natural slope of the landscape andthe thin reinforced concrete slab spanning over 6m to formthe canopy helps enhance this dual relationship.

The project won the best religious building award in the World Architecture

Festival held in 2013.

Photo credit: Thomas Mayer

Photo credit: Cemal Emdern


Religious architecture would encompass manytypologies that include buildings for worship,places of deities, places associated with ritualsfrom birth to death, even commercial places that sell

material employed during rituals, places of

pilgrimages, dharamshalas, ashrams, monasteries andnunneries, places for meditation and retreat, and

related residential buildings, treasuries, underground

cellars, water bodies, strong geographical contexts

such as hills, rivers, the oceans, forests et al. There are

individual worshipping places, as well as, campuses

that hold many other facilities like eateries, libraries,

book shops, craft centres, chanting halls, assemblies,

etc. The scope of the topic is vast; hence this essay

attempts to discuss issues that mark the course of

contemporary architecture related to religious places.

The fact that religious architecture has

contemporised means that there have been

departures in: Concepts of religion and rituals; the

spread of the religion to distant places from that of its

origin and to other social-environmental contexts; and

the methods of perceiving form and constructing them

varying from those in the past.

Departure and deviation from orthodoxy in religion


By Narendra Dengle

Luce Memorial Chapel, Tunghai University, Taiwan, by I M Pei Photo credit: Narendra Dengle

functionally, religious centres have expanded,based on their own visions of the utility ofreligion in day-to-day life...


occur in the concepts of: deity, mythology thought,

rituals and methods of worship, life and death, life

after death, reincarnation, spirit, iconography

associated with legends and gods, atman, which weknow have spread out in several branches away from

the ancient religions. Often, these branches have been

at loggerheads, uncompromisingly, among themselves,

giving rise to major conflicts and violence within a

religion. Architecture becomes a symbolic narrative of

such deviations because it must discover new ground

for architectural edifice away from tradition without

necessarily claiming religiosity associated with

organised religions.

Incomprehensibility of ancient traditions and texts

too becomes a factor to reckon with. Either the

people who can make sense of the ancient text rare to

find or where available they are steeped into

orthodoxy in that they would simply adhere to the

ancient methods of building the places of worship, as

if the time has come to a stand-still. The question of

lineage of the gurus and the enlightened also mattersand with a break in the lineage the patterns of the

paths followed are different. The beliefs in identifying

the Tulkus or the avatars too have undergone

transformations along with the faith. The Dalai Lama,

declaring that there would be no more Tulkus, has

created a storm of sort even among the communist

China. Tools of interpretation and hermeneutics can

be an interesting way to discover a new logical path

but this is not the option available in most cases due

to lack of intellectual resources or sustained effort.

Architects rarely follow an interdisciplinary approach

in design that combines textual comprehension with

their discipline and are engaged in constructional

processes of the day-to-day matters. Indulging in

form-space modulations with attention to functional

issues, more rigorously than to uncover newer paths

intellectually or historically along with someone who

comprehends the texts has been a hangover from the

modern movement.

Distortions and compromises in doctrines due to

the aberrations, religions suffer from invasions,

colonisation, conversions, migrations, diaspora,

economic globalisation and also through the

intercourse with socio-political discourses of other

cultures, alter the form and accent of space of religious

places. This is clearly noticeable in the religious places

conceived and built by migrant populations in cultures

dominated by different faiths. A city like Cologne in

Germany in the heart of Europe with its own

distinguished history witnesses the construction of a

very architectonic mosque after much debate,

undergoing scrutiny by other religious faiths, and

intelligentsia and finally seeing light of the day,

despite the different perceptions and disagreement

among its citizens. On the other hand, if one looks at

the process of building a temple in an Indian village,

one notices that the particular deity for whom the

temple was originally designed has now been

crammed with a number of other deities that come up

because a devotee sees them in a dream telling them

to make a place for worship for it, as the legends

behind many temples inform us. The new construction

that must account for the deitys sanctity and

symbolism hence is faced with a difficult task of

whether and how to put all these different deities

under one roof, or create a format for establishing all

of them by evolving a new form. The lack of

comprehension adds to the imagery that the villagers

groom in their minds, either collectively or

individually, which becomes an adversary of any

logical design synthesis. Ironically, these tendencies are

by no means entirely contemporary, culturally

speaking. Such problems existed in the past as well

and solutions were cleverly devised in formats

acceptable to most diverse groups with a geometry

that was aesthetically pleasing.

Hegemony of the priesthood over the uninitiated

and downtrodden, exploited and oppressed society

resulting into conditioned blind beliefs, perpetuating

Cologne Central Mosque, Germany, 2010Norbulinga Monastery, Dharamshala

Photocredit:

NarendraDengle

psychological, physical insecurities leading to over

dependence on religious ritualism, contribute to

certain ceremonial features of spatial hierarchy in

places of worship. Politically ensuring that economic

disparity in society continues relentlessly has been an

ancient ploy of domination assuring formal status quo

in the designs of places of worship. Self-promoting

religious teachers, who have managed marketing their

brand of religiosity successfully, exhibit a mockery of

architectural expression promoting far more fantastic

film-sets like palace-temples, rarely based on any

historical strata. Larger gatherings demand larger

assembly spaces and have become challenging

architectural-structural issues.

One should be able to classify the various aspects

of religious architecture mentioned in the beginning of

this article so as to comprehend an architects

approach to campus design for such places. Places

which are not necessarily places of worship but for

training in meditational practices try to ensure certain

sanctity in the campus, which is usually not associated

with noisy, busy, ritualistic places of worship. Both

encourage congregational activities and have similar

demands on structures and volumes for scale but the

ambiance and quality differ considerably as can be

noticed in Vipasanna centres, Zen monasteries and so

forth. Norbulingka Monastery and the nunnery at

Dharamshala are contemporary interventions where

the critical approach of the architects involved is

encouraging and evident. In those campuses one

notices certain carry forward of traditional spaces used

for meditation, lectures/debates and residence. The

Norbulingka Monastery has had contributions from

different architects in its architecture and landscape

design. Rarely does one find one architect working

continuously on the various phases of development of

such campuses. The devotees are most enthusiastic

and make contributions varying from engineering

knowledge, architecture and landscape as also going

into technical matters of illumination, acoustics and

other areas. The nunnery, which has been under

construction for some years, has addressed issues with

regard to rituals and traditions of the monastic

community by using a system of courtyards effectively.

Ashrams and retreats for meditation often become likesecure niches for communities that offer libraries and

different cuisines being served during meals. No more

the ashrams are frugal and austere in outlook as a rule.Histories associated with spiritual leaders have

inspired meticulously planned museums that hold

clothes, utilitarian objects used by them, and of

course, the visual and textual information. The most

meticulously planned collection is to be found at

Meherabad near Ahmednagar where the objects used

by Sri Meherbaba have been collected from all over

the world and preserved in a mortuary like

atmosphere where no natural light is allowed to enter,

and the temperature within the building is closely

monitored for the fear of deterioration of the objects.

The objects would further be examined for

authenticity before eventually displaying in the

proposed museum.

The effect of the demands on space has led to

multi deity multi-storeyed worshipping places

although a traditional approach especially becomes

prominent in their endeavour to find urban inserts

where land cost becomes a major factor. Inter

community tensions and rivalries also become

responsible for their growth or suppression in cities.

Newly built urban inserts are to be seen invariably in

comparison with ancient and old existing religious

places that continue to be popular and witness an

increased following. Comparisons between the

contemporary and the ancient are inevitable so far as

the non-negotiable elements of architecture how

these evoke the proper atmosphere and how these,

therefore, manifest anew. In some of the meditational

places, the traditional Buddhist or Hindu manner of

sitting in sukhasan have given way to sitting in chairsas if in an auditorium even wearing shoes. This

adaptation to new demand for convenience has

naturally altered the form of traditional meditational

space. Together, these various types would constitute

the idea of contemporary religious architecture.


Dolma Ling Institute and Nunnery, Sidhpur, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh.

Photocred

it:Naren

draDen

gle

East London Mosque onWhitechapel Road, London

Water Temple by Tadao Ando


Factors compelling the religious outlook and

rituals often are critically edited to reduce the

duration and for easy comprehension by laypersons

in cities, especially in a foreign country, or in a

country, where a particular religion may not have

the same following as in the country of its origin,

which also become major contemporary issues

assuming political importance.

Practical limitations in construction systems and

methodologies are highlighted by non-availability of

appropriate land, locations as per the traditional

rules and financial resources, provisions under the

local law for raising resources legitimately from

private and public funds, political and social

patronage and their resulting compromising effect on

architectural expression, unsteady and unaccounted

cash and its flow commensurate with the pace of

construction together decide the course of

architecture, time it must take, and even departures it

must allow in the original plan.

The qualitative aspect takes a beating when the

patron, the architect and the builder agency do not

work as a team. But when they do, the result is highly

pleasing spatially, functionally and aesthetically. The

procedural hold-ups are due to interference in design

both conceptually and methodologically. Patron-

architect is an extremely delicate association, which

enhances with their partnership, sharing the vision,

concept and devotion, and can contribute most

fruitfully to the execution of the project. While the

devotees can contribute financially, as well as

technologically, their over-enthusiasm can be of

hindrance if the decision making process is obscure.

Higher security concerns resulting from the threat of

terrorist activity, infighting within trusts, varied

visions and the polemic aspirations of devotees can

tear the fabric of architectural language into shreds.

Most religious places need approvals from the local

administrative and police authorities to ensure safety.

Barrier free strategies and provisions thereof to enable

all kinds of disable devotees and visitors to use the

campus also have brought in a different dimension of

scale and features which require skilful negotiations

by the architect.

Functionally, religious centres have expanded,

based on their own visions of the utility of religion in

day-to-day life of the common citizen. The functions

extend into number of fields such as education, social

work, service to the poor, developmental work, health

and medical facilities and even participation in

political activity. Intervention in education,

encompasses teaching philosophies, religious studies,

ancient languages and dialects, and the campuses

provide for functions such as language laboratories

and conservation, translation of scriptures,

documenting varied data, archiving philosophical and

spiritual studies and scriptures, museology, large

libraries, research laboratories, etc, all of which

reframe the brief logically, scientifically going beyond

the mere worshipping and religious rituals. In such

cases, the campuses become more like educational

institutes or even small scale universities with

residential facility for scholars. The impact of such

functional activities on the architecture of religious

places opens an entirely different, perhaps a secular,

space for studying and researching, albeit with the

atmosphere that has spiritual aura about it.

The departure from methods of construction of

the past is owed to all the above mentioned reasons

and also the market forces that dump newer

materials enticing the user to employ them in

construction. Non availability of certain key building

materials and induction of newer materials leads to

importing crafted pieces, idols, fountains, symbols,

murals, drapery, metal and woodwork, considered

invaluable and indispensable to the basic tenets of

religious practices. The process often manifests in

distortions in traditional elements in their scale,

importance and construction, as the same elements

have to be built using local materials and labour.

Here, one also may note that a complete thrust

towards the so called authentic look or style is often

attempted despite the adverse social or cultural ethos

especially from the perspective of the diaspora. So,

one may have two extreme conditions- one that is

coming to terms with the local syntax and the other

trying to go back to its original aestheticism and in

the process may appear to be fundamentally alien to

the context, climate and environmental concerns.

Architects have a tough time in entering the territory

of history and take a call on what is meant by visual

conformation with traditional elements and what is

liberating from them. A lot of post-modern issues

come into consideration in examining the contexts

for new expression. There have been examples of

Christian church structures being adopted skilfully forHurva Synagogue Project, after Louis I Kahn, phase 1, 1968


Islamic mosques, as seen in Turkey, and the same

becoming accepted trendsetters for further mosques

to be built.

Trained architects being disconnected from the

traditional methods of construction, as well as,

philosophies behind them, see it as a form making

exercise. The expression of architecture in such cases is

an attempt to reconcile with many other types of

buildings the architect may be engaged in designing

and hence carrying imagery unsuited in the syntax. An

architect, who is not the so called temple architect,

and yet is called upon to design it, has his/her own

way of entering the process.

Inevitable hybridisation of imagery happens with

architects wanting to be innovative through

collaborations with newer forms of religious

tendencies and rethinking philosophies together for

the basis of space-form relationship, as well as, visual

influences through media. But time alone can tell

whether this type of space making can be of lasting

value. Religious places that become hi-tech have the

aspirations to show off the so called latest technologies

for the awe inspiring effect in their public areas.

Mosques in the Middle East boast of capacities

going beyond tens of lakhs of devotees. In such cases

technology does come as a boon to ensure safety,

economy of infrastructural work, energy conservation,

easy entrance-exit situation and emergencies.

Religious places in India such as Allahabad, or Nasik

during the Mahakumbh celebrations assumeunmanageable scale and become huge problems of

sanitation. To address these, the state governments

energise to form strategies. The cities inflate as it were

like balloons and deflate after the melas but in themeanwhile these cities suffer extraordinary stresses

testing the elasticity of their infrastructure. On the

other hand there have been some mosques, which

have been built in harmony with the townscape and

the terrace housing that precede it and appear like

part of the precinct with minor variations created by a

dome or a minaret.

Exploring light, air, water, texture and scale to

transcend rigid traditions of spatial organisation and

onto logically looking at pure elements is what has

been achieved wonderfully in his temple designs by

Tadao Ando because they are capable of bringing

one to ones inner self experiencing meditative

silence. The Water Temple is the residence of Ninnaji

Shingon, the oldest sect of Tantric Buddhism in

Japan, founded in 815. The building, (90-91) at

Awaji, Hygo, Japan, offers a sensory experience oflight and sound that is radically different from the

tradition of building temples in Japan. One is also

reminded of the majestic synagogue designed by

Louis Kahn in Israel with the stunning sense of light

and space, which could not be built in his life time.

The Ismaili Centre designed by Charles Correa in

Toronto (2014) brings light in two layers of

translucent roofing in a dynamic way deviating from

how it was done in the past and yet bringing forth

the spiritual aspect of space most effectively.

Religious places which can be called

contemporary in their functional resolve show

sanitised needs, maintenance becoming an

aggressively uncompromising feature, often using

imported materials as if the devotees are possessed

by the memories of the places of their origin.

Architecture becomes a symbol of power and wealth

through the awe that it creates in its monumental

form. The effect of the sublime being considered as

the only major aesthetic charge can both be an

effective tool or a disastrous one. This tendency can

sway between display of gross wealth and opulence

cramming a lot of irrelevant crafted iconography and

decorations on one hand, while on the other

exploring the monumental sublime form minimally

and sensitively. The former variety of examples is

termed antisocial and filthily opulent in some

developing countries where large populations suffer

from malnutrition and hunger leading to protests

and social tensions. Examples such as the Crystal

Mosque in the Islamic Heritage Park in Malaysia

where basically the traditional form comprising of

domes and minarets but executed in glass also

indicates a craze for novelty and power.

Ismaili Centre Toronto by Charles Correa

Crystal Mosque, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Continuation of traditions is very much a contemporary

way of building religious places. With the historical context

withering away this type of architecture becomes kitsch in that

it becomes obsessed with the past, blind to the present. Along

with the above mentioned departures from the tradition one

has also to recognise those traditional aspects, which have

fundamentally remained unaltered. Faith and devotion is a

force, which cannot be logically analysed and will continue

despite the enlightenment and rationality associated with

modernism, scientific and technological innovations, theories

on origin of life and genetic engineering. This is also evident

from a host of scientists, doctors, politicians, industrialists, etc,

who appear to be rational and pragmatic but continue to be

devotional or ritualistic in their private lives to the extent of

being superstitious. The congregational issues have been

entirely based on devotion and faith. Larger number of

devotees flock the major centres of religions all over the world

not withstanding socialist revolution as is witnessed after the

disintegration of the erstwhile Soviet Union. The architecture

of the open space and covered space that accommodate huge

populations needs close consideration in the aesthetics of

contemporary religious places.

Symbolism associated with particular deities, their vehicles

and their weaponry and other visual attributes, iconography,

without which the deity cannot be recognised becomes an

aspect of design and craft traditions that continues in Hindu

architecture. Similarly the Buddhist, Confucian and Tao temples

in China, Japan, where symbolism plays a major role in

defining entrances, spaces, numerology, where columns and

beams are not just columns, beams, roofing rafters, patterns in

the jaalis, alone, but have deeper symbolic presence in thelocal consciousness. Depiction of animals, trees, flowers and

mountains, waterfalls, fish, is suggestive of how many elements

can make a particular architectural feature, all of which have

remained unchanged in most cases. However one finds that

designers have taken liberty from adhering to the subtlety of

text that clarify and identify all the attributes of a deity either

out of ignorance, or interpretations, which are part of

contemporary sensibility.

The above categories may be useful to identify the types of

religious places in different countries and faiths. It would be

important to note that in the developing world, where the

word contemporary would mean coexistence of the tribal, the

rural, the folk, the popular, the urban, and the orthodox, and

whose respective worshipping tendencies vary considerably

and edifices for them may have to be examined on

considerably different footings; not applying the same criteria

for any critical approach.

All photographs courtesy: Narendra Dengle

Narendra Dengle is the principal architect at Narendra Dengle and

Associates, Pune.

(With research assistance by Minal Sagare)


A Spiritual Setting

Project: Mhasoba Mandir, Kharawade, Pune (under construction)

Architects: Narendra Dengle and Associates, Pune

Mhasoba is a pastoral deity worshipped in southernrural Maharashtra. It is known to be fearsomesometimes associated with black magic, and also aguardian for the forests. Supposedly wandering through theforests, the deity did not, traditionally, have a formal temple.The earlier shrines used to be located under trees as humblethatched huts. The trustees of the devasthan approached ussome five years ago. They had seen the Ramakrishna Mandirwe designed in Pune (2000) and wanted us to design theMhasoba Mandir, where the original temple existed in thevillage Kharawade, on the way to Lavasa. The region iswonderful in its natural pristine beauty with lush greenlandscape, local trees and farms going down to the river

surrounded by hills. The region is breathtakingly scenic inmonsoon. In the summer months it gets very hot and onedesperately looks for shade. We tried to reason saying that thedeity does not need a temple, but the villagers, who hadalready built one in stone some years before, were very keento have the entire campus well designed. We agreed. On everyAmavasya, besides the major Hindu festivals, the devoteesthrong the temple in large numbers. All sacrificial practicesfollowed previously have been totally stopped by the villagers,who are concerned about the sanctity of the place.The existing campus, spread over about 1.8-acres, was on a

site that sloped down from the hill top which was part of theforest area. The trustees had built three structures at the site

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besides the shrine one that was called the Bhakta Niwas, theother a prasadalaya - used for serving prasad, and the third, aSamadhi for a sadhu who lived there years ago. A doublestoreyed building that housed several shops selling poojamaterial, flowers and snacks also existed. The shrine itself wasa structure in stone attached with a garbhagriha in wood andmasonry. This would all be demolished keeping the idol whichwas a natural eruption of rock around which the geometry ofthe new campus would be planned. The shops would bedemolished while all other structures would be retained.


We conceptualised a campus with three large courtyardsor angans, the entrance court would be the bazaar courtselling pooja articles leading to another court- lagnamandapaor the wedding court that would hold large-scale functionsincluding the mass wedding ceremonies for over 100 couplessimultaneously. This would further lead to the sabhamadapacourt. The main temple now consists of the garbhagriha,sambhamandapa and the natyamandapa perpendicular tothe access of the temple these are surrounded by theosaries which are really like resting verandas for the devoteeswho may want to spend some time in the campus, have theirmeals, etc. The osaries help define the angan. The 6m highretaining wall at the back of the garbhagriha has beenprovided with niches for more images that the devotees wantto place associated with the deity and the myth. Surroundingthe garbhagriha are two more shrines of folk deities locallyworshipped. The geometry of the courts and the proportionsystem of various roofs has been given careful consideration.The court surrounding the garbhagriha and sabhamandapahas ample space for ritualistic processions of the palakhi oncertain days. The natyamanadpa which has been designedlike an amphitheatre would have kirtans, devotional musicand other forms of performing arts. The form of the canopyover the natyamandapa provides a reflecting surface for thesound emitting from the performing area of the stage andhas been designed so that the sound reaches the audiencewithout much artificial acoustic aid; a provision of soundsystem too has been put in place. The canopys form reflectsthat of the sabhamandapa roof by inverting it. The masterplan respects the natural terrain in the step-down formculminating into the natyamandapa.

Natural light and ventilation demanded attention becauseof the large number of devotees visiting the temple. They

1. GARBHAGRIHA2. SABHAMANDAPA3. NATYAMANDAPA4. COURTYARD 35. KUND6. GATEWAY TO COURT 3

SITE PLAN 7. COURTYARD 2 : LAGNAMANDAPA8. COURTYARD 1 : BAZAR COURT9. OWRI10. EXISTING PRASADALAYA11. EXISTING BHAKTA NIWAS12. EXISTING SAMADHI

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would reach the garbhagriha for the darshan, by walkingthroughout the darshabari, or the queuing vestibule thatforked out into a stepped one and the one with a ramprespectively. It was important that everyone walked andqueued up under shade in the summer months. Thedarshanbari is ventilated through two kinds of jaalis designedby us. One is made of granite slabs in a grid form and theother in ceramic pipes sloping down outward at lower andhigher levels that allow filtered light and ventilation. Thereare no electric fans in the darshabari whatsoever.

We proposed to use the natural and local materials namelythe deccan trap stone for the principal masonry for the basestructure and exposed brick work for higher walls evokingtraditional architecture of Pune region. Since Mhasoba did nothave any temples and this was going to be the first large-scaletemple we resolved the thematic issues to address the mannerin which the temple has come to be used over the years andthe imagery that befitted the regional context. The brick hasbeen obtained from Godhra, Gujarat, since the local brick is nomore of the desired quality.


The construction of the shikhara has been done inferrocement precast ribs and cast in situ verticals. This neededprecision in casting, as well as, placing in position. Thegarbhagriha roof too is done in ferrocement designed to be80mm thick sandwiching a layer of thermocol in the two layersof ferrocement. The courts would all be paved in Vidhisha-stone obtained from Madhya Pradesh. The rainwater andsurface water harvesting is planned by creating trenches in thecourts and leading to the kund built on south-west end of theproperty. Sub-soil filtering arrangement of water has beenplanned by means of sand-gravel filters so that the kund retainsclean water.

Finding an agency that would execute the work by readingdetails comprehensively and plan out strategies for everystage for such works is a huge problem. Civil contractors arevery happy these days pouring huge amounts of concreteand are concerned about time involvement. Resourcing fundsfrom devotees, the government and other private sourceswas done by the trustees very efficiently and resourcefully,however, the same takes a long time. No urban contractor,who has the right infrastructure, can afford to wait and moveslowly commensurate with the uncertainty of cash flow. Thisled to hiring local civil contractors, who are not habituated toreading drawings but are familiar with general and grossnature of civil construction. We had therefore to deal with atleast three different contractors, explain the scheme, read out

the drawings over and again to them and supervise the worksas closely as possible all of which demanded endless patienceboth in communicating and correcting/amending works anderrors, and getting over negligence, but without crossingthese hurdles the work would never have seen the light ofthe day. At the moment except for the baazar-entrance court,the construction has reached a reasonable level to beoccupied and used. In another four months or so we expectthe work in hand to complete.

Text by Narendra Dengle

FactFileClient: Mhasoba Devasthan Trust

Design team: Narendra Dengle, Shekhar Garud, Minal Sagare, Yashashree

Lambay, Dhanashree Ghaisas, Radhika Murthy, Ruchika Lodha

Consultants: B V Bhedasgaokar Consulting Engineers, Pune (Structural),

MEP Systems Solutions, Pune (Services)

Contractors: Jaihind Saakar, Kalbhor, T S Pawar, The Creation (Civil Work);

Ferrocrete work - Ashok R Godbole (Shikhara), Kuhera Construction

(Sabhamandapa roof); Yash Construction, Mr Krishna (Stone work); Mannu

Sharma (Woodwork); Bhalachandra Kadu (Kalasha)

Proposed Built-up area: 900sq m

Cost of project: Rs 5.00 crore

Year of completion: Under Construction


The White Church

Project: Parish Church of Solace, Cordoba, Spain

Architects: Vicens + Ramos, Madrid, Spain

The parish centre is located on a corner plot in aresidential area between Historiador Dozy andFrancisco Azorn streets. The extended side is situatedin front of a green zone and the lateral side faces residentialbuildings. The rest of the surroundings are still undeveloped.To the north and west of the plot the structure is set back fourmetres off the boundaries. On the north side, the entiresurface which coincides with the length of the structure isoccupied by an English style garden at the height of thebasement, to allow light and ventilation and give a courtyardthat can be accessible by the public.


FLOOR LEVEL -1


FLOOR LEVEL 0

FLOOR LEVEL 1

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The complete parish is enclosed by a single prism with thepeculiarity that the short facade on the corner rises to seekthe utmost possible light, fusing three concepts that arehistorically separate the bell-tower, singular facade and lightentrance or skylight. The prism is white prefabricated concretewith a fluted base able to introduce horizontal light.

The prism consists of the vestibule on the opposite end ofthe front wall of the presbytery, from where one enters thetemple, the local parish basement and the first floor dwellings.The entrance of the church has access to the sacristy, the chorus,the main hall and the chapel of the Blessed.

The interior space is unified by a cloud with a convex plain

form locked in by the structure. The cloud circulates aroundthe space until it is lost in the heights of the skylight. The lightfades on the curved plane while dripping the headwall of thepresbytery. This diffused light illuminates the entire temple.In the chapel of the Blessed a similar cloud forms the ceiling,like in the main hall, but instead it rises and bends down toaccommodate the altar. The unity of the composition like theunit to which sacred architecture aspires allows theintegration on the idea of a temple a sacred art inside. Manyartists have added their work to the final configuration of thesacred space.

The contributing artists are: Fernando Pagola the altar,ambo and the seat of the temple, Cesar Barrio the altar ofthe Blessed Sacrament, Jose Antonio the Viacrusis, JavierMartinez made Our Lady of Consolation of Javier Martinez,Javier Margarit did both the Christ in the nave and the Christin chapel of the Blessed and the roof paintings are by Pabloand Jaime Ramos.

Author: Ignacio Vicens and Hualde, Jos Antonio Ramos Abengzar

FactFileContributors: Fernando Gil, Pablo Gutierrez, Joaquin Esperon, Desire Gonzlez,

Romina Barbieri, Raul Rodriguez, Tibor Marti

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