Re-imagining vernacular elements
Adivasi Empowerment Centre, Bastar
2015/ VIII Semester / Architectural Thesis / Individual Project
Location: Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh
India is a land of diversities. With its diverse terrain, climate, vegetation and people, it is home to some ancient cultures and traditions, and a significant minority continue to practise them till date. However, with advent of industrialisation and technology, vernacular practices, agricultural occupations, ancient tribal crafts are endangered. Hence, emerges a strong need for their conservation and revival.
1. Understanding Bastar
To understand the vernacular elements in Bastar, three main pillars of the Tribal culture can be identified:
a. Life of the community : The Haat Bazaar, a weekly market which forms an important facilitator of socialising activities
b. Festivals and Cultural elements : Dusshera Chariot, a chariot made of timber by the tribal craftsmen each year
c. Occupation : Craft-making and their workshops like bell-metal, wrought iron and wooden crafts.
Tribal craft forms have very distinguishable elongated proportions and minimal details
Mud, bamboo, timber and bricks are materials used for construction, although the technique is still primitive and temporary.
2. Site Selection
Macro analysis: Why Jagdalpur?
Culturally significant to the Tribes, Jagdalpur is also the Commercial headquarter of Bastar region.
Site lies on the popular tourist corridor and is easily accessible by communities and tourists alike.
Meso Analysis: Surroundings
The noise due to traffic movement is buffered by dense thicket trees on the site. The site edge can be treated for pedestrian movement. Roads get jam-packed during the 75-day annual Dusshera procession from August- October.
Micro Analysis: the site
Gradual slope of 6m through the site.
Soil condition: loamy soil, rich in iron high water table due to proximity of Indravati river.
Climate: Hot summers and pleasant winters. Preferred building orientation: N-S shaded regions for outdoor activities. Increase in humidity during monsoon due to proximity to the river.
3. Conceptual Development
Aesthetics
Materials
Expression
Identity
Tribal art forms have distinctive features like elongated proportions, linear geometries and minimalistic quality. This also visibly translates into the simple lifestyle of the tribal people.
Mundane elements of the tribal lifestyle such as their coarse woven fabric, simple basket weaves, use of local materials like mud and timber. Materials are used in their true form and often have a rugged finish.
These linearities and exaggerated proportions are articulated in the planning and structure of the built forms of the empowerment centre.
The traditional bracing technique used by the tribal craftsmen to build the culturally and religiously significant Dusshera chariot is adopted as the unifying element which recurs in the design.It establishes an architectural identity to the centre.
4. Architectural Design
Two linear axes intersect at a node of transition to break monotony in the
linearity. Existing green buffer is kept undisturbed, yet active through the Haat Bazaar. Central pathways with buildings on either side symbolise a typical street system coherent to the tribal villages of Bastar and provide shade throughout the day. The residential zone is kept in proximity to the workshop area and away from public activity.
Site plan and section
5. The Haat Bazaar
The Haat is an important space for social gathering, commercial trade and leisure amongst the members of the tribal communities.
The site edge is treated as a Haat bazar to establish a cultural identity and bring a familiar and vibrant outlook to the Adivasi Centre. The wooden bracing elements of the Dushera chariot are reclaimed and used as structural members for shop units of the haat bazaar.
6. The Gallery
The only solid element within the structure is a brick display wall. The south facade of the gallery is infilled with timber jali screens whereas the north facade is partially covered with woven fabric of vibrant colours depicting the cheerful and active social life and festive nature of the tribal communities
7. Workshops
These are designed as subterranean structures separated by rectilinear harvested waterbodies to reduce heat gain during summer and keep it undisturbed from noise due to public activity in the site.
The site is rich in loamy soil. Hence, the walls are made of stabilised earth blocks from earth dug on site.
During my studies, I learnt that presenting architectural ideas with clarity and ease is as important as the design process itself. Years later, I applied this professional learning to my personal life by making this keynote presentation to tell my family about the man I love.