top architecture design thesis 2020

INDUBHAI PAREKH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

GUJARAT, INDIA

Design thesis authored by

HARSH DOBARIYA

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THESIS SPECIFICATIONS

Thesis Title : Eclectic Architecture of Santiniketan: A dialogue with community, culture & context

Project Location: Santiniketan, West Bengal, India

Year of completion : 2020 

Mentors : Prof. Riddhi shah, Prof. Shishir Raval, Prof. Kishore Trivedi, Prof. Anand Sonecha

“I never taught my students, I just give them an environment.” – Aristotle

How does the environment take shape?
Does any factor govern the environment?
Can we shape our environment? If yes then how?

In response to that, architecture plays an instrument to create an environment for human beings. Dwelling into this realm and finding answers for the same I touched a place and paradigm of Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan. My curiosity lies behind the core idea of crafting a place more than its physical presence. Rabindranath Tagore, first shaped Santiniketan in his perceptual world. Engaging with his ideology regarding the place results into such aspects; Environment for education, Nature driven curriculum, Freedom of mind-body, Art-music-dance in daily life, Spiritual education, Teacher-student’s relationship, Education in harmony with life and Cultural synthesis which act as core ingredients of the creative environment of Santiniketan. The Campus/Place is a result of a small experiment by Tagore which has taken shape as a global learning platform for exchanging thoughts and culture in India. With time and such a scale of progression comes many issues like managing, funding, and space to accommodate evolving needs and people. As a result, built interventions start coming on their own to suffice those temporary & permanent needs and it generates an architecture that create conflicts with the campus environment and the vital ideology for Santiniketan by Tagore.

So, the questions are what is and what will be the architecture of this place?

The thesis project emerges out of this context and aims to shape an architectural environment that responds to the ideology crafted by Rabindranath Tagore for Santiniketan in today’s time, situation & context. Kala Bhavana-the school of fine arts, is one of the significant genesis, and the pivot of Santiniketan established in year of 1919 which is taken as the study area. Also with this primary aspects kala Bhavana has dynamic architectural character over the decades so it will be stronger base for this inquiry. Along with the principle intension, the project brings many other complex layers to comprehend its existing campus architecture of 100 years. Based on various study, the programme generates out of the centenary celebration. So to commemorate the journey of 100 years, the project conceives to expand the Kala Bhavana campus through designing the following spaces: foundation year studio with exhibition space, mural art workshop, individual painting studio for PG students, textile and ceramics design studio, graphics design studio, and outdoor working area with a total intervention area of around 1800 square meter.

Designing an environment that responds to Tagore’s ideology in current context demands stronger strategies to translate those ideas into physicality. The following derivations become a strong foundation for the design; the relationship of man (user)-nature and nature of architecture, the idea of indigenous and innovations, Flexible and transformable space, community and contextual participation, climate and cultural response. These strategies are the derivation of the Tagore’s ideology which helped to shape an architectural environment that is more relevant and responsive to the existing situation and context of Kala Bhavana campus. In continuation with this, the campus has its own positive and negative aspects. Firstly, it has rich environment of open space, tradition of creating huge canvases, interactive spaces under old trees, campus has work of renowned artist across the nation, Significant landscape and sal-banyan-mango trees etc., the memories of hundred years and on the other way it has some of neglected areas in poor conditions, ugly building editions, huge buildings in front of beautiful landscape, etc.

So the campus has its own constrains and opportunities, based on that the proposed design intervention fragmented into neglected areas(five) of campus rather than one concentrated spot. All five interventions designed according to its respective macro-micro context to create an indigenous environment along with reconnect to the existing legacy. Each intervention is located also based upon the functional requirement. The design is more to connect the new space with existing legacy of 100 years and give a much more interactive and meaningful environment to the campus life. Each intervention has its own unique and indigenous character and expression though the fundamentals of all are the same.

New spaces are conceived upon two structural load bearing wall which act as free space from inside and from outside it act as huge canvas to express the campus community. Meanwhile it connects and involve students to the building tradition. Also, these parallel walls are helps to reduce the footprint of space and structure is uplifted in a way to allow rainwater absorb by the natural ground.  Along with locally available brick were used as material, but the design has composite structure where steel act as small thin structural member in large space to allow more flexibility into the space and its usage. Proportion of the space is derived based upon the existing significant buildings occupied by community to establish continuity. The scale of all the intervention is such to express the subtle character of building which give more importance to the surrounding landscape rather the building and also can be constructed without application of complex layers of construction. Here elements like veranda, louvers, and small punchers are the key things which used in design to respond the harsh climate of Bengal. Many of furniture, windows in the design is re used from the old buildings to reduce the overall cost. Building mainly designed and conceived as indigenous yet contemporary shelter which can be totally, partially and permanently open or closed based on its functional and climatic conditions. Therefore each designed spaces is shaped according to its micro context and also to the larger harmony of the Kala Bhavana.

In a way, this thesis project is an attempt to involve, analyse and understand the architectural environment of historic Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan based on the vital ideology crafted by Rabindranath Tagore and try to manifest those ideas into the current context.

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