Folded Wall

The shrine, located in Gorai near Gorai Creek, stands quietly in front of a house. The house itself spills into a verandah that stretches behind the shrine.

 Every Thursday, the right side of the shrine becomes a lively place, where a Bhandara, is held. The semi-private verandah behind the shrine is an active space, performing various activities. In front of the house sits a coconut water seller and nearby is a bus stop, with a bed oddly placed between the house and the stop, blending into the scene. 

Plan

Elevations

Isometric

Collage

Iteration

Inspired by this setting, I planed my intervention one that could enhance the use of the space. I thought of creating a structure that would include seating areas, where people could comfortably sit and enjoy their meals during the Bhandara. When the meal wasn’t happening, this same area could transform into a community gathering place, flexible and functional.

In front of the house, there’s a gas line, so imagined a platform for cooking, allowing it to serve as a natural extension of the meal preparation. Next to this, designed a space for the coconut water vendor, giving them a dedicated area for their work. I also devised a solution to remove the bed behind the bus stop, creating a more organized space for them

The house has a plain, wall with only one opening, so focused on this wall as the central element in my design. At first, I thought of using foldable walls. Walls that could open up for use and then fold back to their original state when not needed. But this seemed impractical and unnecessary for the people living there. So, instead, shifted my strategy to evolve the existing wall itself, keeping the design rooted in the place’s natural flow. Cut that made in vertical walls is dependent upon how it folds for sitting here it is a 1.5 m of sitting so this wall is cut 1.5 m that flaped out for sitting.

Syntax Diagram

I positioned the shrine in the corner of the house and designed the entire right side for community purposes. The left side, I kept open for the everyday activities already taking place, ensuring the design felt integrated with the life of the space. 

Plan

Elevations

Model