TEMPORALITY_Forward 213

Architecture does not end when construction of a project is completed. It is a by-product of time- constantly evolving - and it is this factor which cultivates a building into architecture, a structure into something more profound. As architects, we define spaces where flexibility and adaptability transform temporality into permanence.

In India, the idea of temporality is poetically evident in the Ghats of Banaras (which are stepped Ganges River banks) and the Step Wells in Gujarat and Rajasthan, where life and death co-exist in a spatial context. Given time, architecture does not restrict itself to the program, planning or intentions with which it was originally created. Instead, architecture evolves into a more challenging and passionate version of itself – one that serves humanity and a greater social purpose. The temples and step wells of India are interesting examples of how a project can be both conceived and predetermined, yet evolve through time to create not only a cultural identity, but develop an architectural vocabulary of its own.

Stepwells, also known as “bawadi” or “Baoli” in Hindi, are forms of wells which are accessed by a series of steps. They are mostly found in the western part of India. The photographs shown here are of the Stepwell Adalaj, which is located in Ahemdabad, Gujarat, India, and was built in 1499 A.D by Rudabai, the wife of Hindu Rajput King VikramsinghVaghela.1 This five story structure is braced with cross beams along its length to retain earth. The only visible clue of its existence above the ground is a pair of large outcroppings flanked by a small flight of steps up a plinth. Steps descending to a square platform provide a moment to pause and reflect; a shift in the visual axis. There is a linear, symmetrical organization of elements along the horizontal axis at each of the intermediate levels due to the stone crossbeams. Visual references continuously and radically change due to inclined downward movement at every step. Each step reveals only the next step beyond; the subsequent flights of steps and water are concealed from the visitor’s angle of view by a series of platforms.2