Embedded Files
this course introduces participants to the ways of reading and deploying elements of architecture towards synthesizing functionality with the meaning in the act of producing built form. the varied nature of practicing space by people inscribes spatio-material forms into new configurations that enable a renewed politics of living for emerging contexts. here functions and meanings of stable, conventional architectural elements are revisited, their properties and arrangements are challenged, and the resultant folding of space suggests new ways of experience. Students will learn to develop a language of architecture by setting the "rules" of putting together space and form - which in essence, is the grammar of space, in other words, syntax or code which disposes the form in its material, behavioral and political dimensions.
bapa sitaram
nestled in a quiet alley of Kandivali, the Bapa Sitaram shrine has stood for 15 years, maintained by the local Gujarati community. The shrine sits on a raised plinth that forms a simple, elevated floor on the pathway. The shrine itself is sheltered under the thick, leafy canopy of old peepal trees, their broad branches. A corrugated steel sheet serves as a basic roof over the platform, offering minimal but effective protection from the elements. The shrine is dedicated to a revered saint rather than a deity, though it includes small idols of Nandi and a Shivling, which are respectfully placed under the peepal tree.
site context
to the left of the shrine, a temporary Ganapati decoration shop has been set up under a makeshift tarp tent. The shop is a seasonal fixture, appearing only during the Ganapati festival, and is filled with colorful, elaborate decorations for home and community celebrations of Lord Ganapati. Beside to the shop, there is narrow back entrance to SRA building.
next to the shrine is a modest cigarette shop operates from a tiny stand with rows of cigarette packs and lighters arranged neatly. Beside the shrine and cigarette stand, the small Khanaval, bustles with activity, having become a go-to spot for daily workers seeking affordable meals. The owner has set up a few low plastic stools around tiny tables, creating an informal but cozy seating area right on the footpath. When continued ahead there is small arrangement for cleaning the utensils. Beside the bustling food stall, chicken and fish vendors set up shop in the evenings on specific days of the week. The chicken and fish vendors make do with simple, improvised setups, using small plastic crates as tables to display their products.
opposite the shrine lies an open ground, which was once home to the same Gujarati minority community that now maintains the Bapa Sitaram shrine, but they have since moved into the adjacent SRA building that now stands just behind the shrine.
site drawings
plan
elevation A
elevation B
collages
to understand the architectural syntax of the site, the next step was to identify the basic elements and structures that defined the space. The goal was to break down the components that made up the essence of this roadside shrine, food stalls, vendors, and surrounding buildings, and find a way to translate that into design. To translate these observations into a design, the next step was creating collages.
in this process, I initially explored the variations in the forms and materiality of roofs across the site. This exploration led to shift focus toward the vertical and horizontal members that defined the spaces throughout the area. Eventually, you honed in on the plinth of the shrine as the key starting point for your design. Its form, especially the 'L' shape created by the raised platform and the surrounding elements, provided a clear, strong visual cue.
this iterative approach of collage-making allowed for the exploration of form, materials, and spatial relationships in a more abstract, creative manner before grounding the design into something more formal.
syntax: module
through the collages, I determined that the architectural syntax of the design would revolve around an 'L' shaped module. This module is versatile, functioning as multiple elements within the space. This module extends to become a roof, a countertop for food preparation, a table for cigarette shop, variation in height of plinth for seating and dining places, also some storage places by simply changing the angles of 'L' module.
process models: exploring through forms
site model
design drawings
plan
isometric view
elevation A
elevation B
section B
design model
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