In Search of Lived Qualities

Experiencing the inhabitation within a space

This article studies the architecture of a school building and its surrounding context in the old city of Sangli. The school's design followed colonial logic, and it was designed as a colonial space, whereas the rest of the landscape followed pre-colonial logic. The study further explores the lived experiences of two residents to analyze how these differing spatial logics influence their interactions with the spaces.

The city of Sangli, in the southwest of Maharashtra has an urban form that is segregated into two different parts, the old city and the new part which followed very different spatial logics. The old city consists of small lanes that are quiet in the afternoon but as busy as it gets in the evening, Small colonies form a labyrinth. As you enter the city you can experience the play of open and semi-open spaces. The interconnected streets create small lanes, these lanes gently open into houses. The interesting part about these houses is that you can easily connect with the neighborhood. The space became porous and interactive because of its spatial configuration. They have small courtyards and corridors passing through each house which helps to build relationships with the neighbourhood

Institution Building and Colonial Spatial Logics

Within the old city, one also sees institutions that show colonial influences In numerous small towns of India, colonial structures came up after 1845, after the so-called sepoy mutiny when the British crown took over the administration of the country. These were built as new colonial infrastructure and institutions for the Indian subjects. In the old town of Sangli, you find one such institution which is a high school built in 1847 by Captain Berk with the help of two brothers Govindas, and Keshavdas. It is the town's only colonial building, making it distinctive and noteworthy. The logic of space in the school is different from the pre-colonial context around. As you enter the old city you get a sense of intimacy because of the narrow maze-like streets, and small shops with low-height openings beneath the houses. While the school itself offers a semi-private, welcoming environment, the surrounding space is vibrant and full of life. The colonial building features courtyards within its layout, and the space is organized with interconnected corridors and passages. The colonial architecture created a distinct space with a clock tower at the entrance, a spiral staircase, white color-coated walls, arched door windows, a colonnade, arcades, mezzanine floors, etc. The school’s imposing architecture is characterized by its elements. Gradual change constructed new elements, styles, and frameworks. From earlier times Colonial structures are made of lime, jaggery, straw, and slough. Roof and truss are created with seasoned wood members, the sense of originality comes from these materials and construction methods.

Even in the case of schools, we can observe that colonial buildings have been adapted over time using post-colonial features. This adaptation often involves incremental changes and sustainable practices such as reusing materials and elements. School is a prime example of this incremental transformation. The school has been incrementally added to in later years, with the buildings along the periphery of the open space. These changes can influence sources, space availability, and sustainability considerations. In some towns, where formal gathering spaces are lacking, residents often repurpose public libraries and institutional spaces for community use. Schools, in this context, also function as cultural and communal spaces.

The inner city and precolonial spatial logic

The inner city space around the school follows a completely different spatial logic. In the bustling bazaar, a fruit vendor is promoting his deals and discounts, while a small group of schoolgirls are picking out stationery from a nearby shop. Meanwhile, a man is handing out snack samples to advertise his products. Nearby, a woman is bargaining with a vegetable vendor, and the shops are brimming with various goods. The lively streets eventually lead to housing, where narrow pathways intersect with the housing complex. As you walk through, you notice clothes drying on railings, a woman cultivating a garden around her corridor with potted plants, and furniture scattered in a passageway that has become a communal area for the residents. Old Diwali lanterns hang from the ceiling, and a large water drum sits at the entrance. The chawl's facade, with its intricate design, creates a sense of openness and blurs the lines of enclosed space, making this housing complex distinctively unique.

Source - Author

When analyzing two different types of habitation, we can consider various experiences that reflect their distinct qualities of living.

The bell rang, and everyone hurriedly started to dump their books inside the desk except Sushma. While slowly passing through the corridor, her eyes noticed a series of arches, a ray of sunlight cutting through each column following the same path. That ray of sunlight also brightened the classroom doors. She felt the narrow passage turn into infinite space, and the windows doors looked gigantic. A bit intimidated, she looked at a playground and sensed a sigh of relief, a tamarind tree in the middle of the ground was conveying calmness. The shadow of that tree in sizzling sunlight felt comforting. She was tempted to sit, but she ran towards the assembly hall because she had to attend an assembly, she reached there and sat on the wooden bench to catch a breath, she saw the books kept on the mezzanine, arched windows were opened, the light was coming through it and the spiral staircase was going up to the mezzanine which gets lit because of sunlight. She felt composed. Suddenly someone told her that an assembly would be conducted near the tree.

Another experience can be considered of Tushar, who rented a room in a nearby to the school

Tushar had a night shift, and he never witnessed busy mornings in Chawl, one day he took off from work to rest, sat on the bench, and noticed many things, The milkman came with milk pouches within five minutes he distributed them, and immediately after that paperman showed up, a lady was washing utensils, another lady was giving her company, at a corner old uncle was reading the newspaper, a group of youngsters was discussing sports tournaments, the smell of food was coming through kitchen windows, cats were sleeping on deck, aajis were sitting in balcony complaining about their health. After some time in the afternoon, everything was getting quiet. Only he can hear the sound coming from school in the neighborhood.

Tushar and Sushma encountered two distinct environments: intimate space contrasted with the vibrant landscape surrounding it. The landscape around the school contributes to the overall character of the school complex. Each area has its unique character, creating a variety of open, semi-open, and enclosed spaces.

Here we tried to analyze two different lived qualities through the experience of inhabitants of two different spatial logics in the inner city of Sangli. One was a colonial structure that had large institutionalized spaces whereas the other was more labyrinth-like and intimate. The article shows how both logics produce a distinctly different experience and behavioral patterns.