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A roadside shrine is a small religious structure found along roads or paths, where travelers and passersby can stop to pray or seek blessings. Often dedicated to a deity or saint, these shrines are part of local traditions and serve as spiritual waypoints, blending into everyday public spaces like streets and markets.
Site with the context
Site Context
Context : A Christian shrine in Juhu, near the ISKCON temple, symbolizes a unique intersection of spirituality, commerce, and daily life. Though small, it encapsulates the area's complexity, where worship, vendors like a cobbler and a garage, and bustling pedestrian activity coexist. The shrine serves both the local Christian community and passersby, fostering a subtle interfaith dialogue. However, it contributes to the congestion of the busy street, with blocked pathways and competing uses. This design aims to create a balanced urban space where people can move, pause, and reflect, harmonizing the shrine with its dynamic surroundings.
Plan
Plan
Elevation
Elevation
Collage: Roof over roof
When I first visited the site, what struck me was the layering of roofs that seemed to define the space. There was the structurally well-designed sloping roof of the shrine, providing shelter and form. Below it, a tarpaulin roof stretched over the area, tying together the various activities such as the garage, cobbler, and shrine itself into a unified space. Above all of this, the dense foliage of a Gulmohar tree acted as yet another roof, offering natural shade and protection. This layering of roofs became the foundational concept for my collage, reflecting the site's interconnectedness and the multiple forms of shelter it provides.
Syntax: Initially, I developed a design syntax through sketches, that focused primarily on creating different levels, aiming to organize the space and improve movement. However, when I revisited my collage, the idea of the roof stood out as a unifying element. I realized that the roofs, layered and interconnected, could serve as more than just physical coverings; they could define the entire structure. So, I shifted my focus to using the roof as the primary design feature. By placing roofs at varying levels, I aimed to create a dynamic spatial experience, transforming the syntax of the design from a focus on levels to a more fluid, multi-layered system, where the roof itself becomes the defining element, shaping how people move and interact with the space.
Syntax Diagram
Design:
Roof plan
Cut plan
Elevation
Section
Concept Model
Design Model
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