Architecture Writing Portfolio

PENNED THOUGHTS ARCHITECTURE WRITING PORTFOLIO

by AMODINI ALLU

ARTICLES I COMPETITIONS I OBSERVATIONS I BOOKS I RESEARCH

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“The pen is the tongue of the mind”

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As an amateur enthusiast, who is an Architect by day and an observer as a whole I push my limits to explore myself as an artist and relate my works with Architecture. I truly believe that studying Architecture has laid me a basic platform to try every possible thing to exhibit my works.

Along the years I’ve developed the habit of documenting things visually and trying them pen down as trying to decipher the spatial meaning. I also discovered the love for writing through my works while working as an Editorial intern for an Architectural platform. Which led me to begin a blog of my observations about usual things happening around through the eyes of an Architect.

I take this opportunity to present my works in the form of magazine and share it with the world...

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ARTICLES

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HOW CAN WE CREATE SUSTAINABLE AND CULTURALLY IMPORTANT LANDMARKS IN AN URBAN CONTEXT?

The factors which constitute an urban fabric are streetscapes, buildings, soft and hard landscaping, signage, lighting, roads, landmarks, and other infrastructures. Compared to remote areas, the urban context is the busiest with all physical activities happening around. There are a few important things that have a large impact in the urban context. Comfortable and well-linked road networks, visibility of landmarks, well designed public gatherings help in better movement of crowds in the city. These are a few general factors that can create an intense impact on a visitor who visits the city for the first time or even on the native people. Though it is difficult to redesign the entire fabric, the important landmarks which help the people in creating a mental image of the city can be taken into consideration. It is not only important to just build a landmark but to make sure that they are sustainable and also have a better cultural impact on the people.

Listing down a few factors which describe the relationship between an urban context and the landmarks in it in a better way. Generally, landmarks designed in a city/town will be preserved and protected from public use to prevent damage and to preserve it for the future. This is a true fact that not always everyone will access them in a hasty manner, when it comes to public property most of them would take advantage of it and can cause damage to it.

As we all know preserving such culturally rich landmarks is difficult to maintain. It can also be designed in such a way that it depicts the image of the city and also in a functional self-sustaining design.

MG ROAD BOULVARD - BANGALORE

These are redesigned space, which is used as a hub for various activities right from weekdays to weekends. It also has a stage, exhibition space, and long maintained interactive walkway which makes the space sustainable and functional. It also has installations, games, and many more engaging factors. Art and crafts workshops are conducted here and the space turns out into a whole new experience.

The above-mentioned factor can be explained with a few examples. One such wonderful example is a place in Bangalore – MG Road Boulevard under the metro track that was redesigned as a functional landmark that used to be an empty walkway before.

Source: All images are sourced from google and other websites

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Published in https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a687-sustainable-and-culturally-impor-

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SABARMATHI RIVERFRONT, AHMEDABAD The main objective of the design is to redefine the identity of Ahmedabad along the banks of Sabramathi river and also to protect the water body from a flood. To define a better relationship between the land and the river and to design a meaningful space by utilizing the existing one.

The three main objectives of the design can be categorized as: • Environmental improvement • Social Infrastructure • Sustainable Development The total area of the waterbody is 204.91 hectares. The riverfront includes various functions of which the first phase of the construction is completed. They include promenades, pedestrians, parks, and a laundry campus which has been open to the public since January 2014.

From an abandoned public space, it has changed its identity into an interesting riverfront. It is now used for both livelihood and also for leisure activities. It also includes an exhibition center, event center, Laundry campus, public markets, and washrooms. Along with these, the sports facilities were also proposed in the design and it is yet to be executed.

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KANNAGI NAGAR STREET ART, CHENNAI

Source: https://pin.it/39KR8Tq

This abandoned street of Kannagi Nagar in Chennai has got a brand-new artistic look in order to break the stereotype view of an old looking community housing. The community is majorly occupied by people rehabilitated from far wide places of the city and also slums across the city. It also houses people who were strangled during the natural disaster of Tsunami in 2004. This area was the least visited place as it had a different type of image when googled. So, St+art started an initiative to create an artistic look for the neighbor in order to give a new image to the place. The whole process involved various international artists who came up with interesting and beautiful themes to make the place a composed piece of art canvas. Paintings on each wall portray individual meanings which make the place more attractive. Artists also conduct workshops in order to make the inhabitants and also other public involved in the project.

This is more of a non-profitable project where people and artists work out of passion and not out of money. The main aim of the artists working on this project was not interested in making a viral social media event but wanted to create a new identity and image for the buildings as well as the people living there.

From all these live examples of redesigning a public space, it can clearly deliver that redesigning a landmark in an urban context involves a lot of research about the type of function that has been followed before in the same place. It also lies in creating a new mental image of the city itself.

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PONDY BAZAAR, CHENNAI This is one of the busiest shopping areas of Chennai. It is crowded for almost 365 days of a year. People from various places in and around Chennai visit this place from the morning and spend the entire day shopping, eating, and resting for a while and then repeat. In order to reduce the pollution and traffic in that area, the government came up with the idea of developing the pedestrians of Pondy bazaar.

So, the proposed design includes, hassle free wheel chair passage for the disabled, street furniture for the public, children’s play area, greenery, Bus shelter, decorative street light, Public toilets and street art. Introducing all these public-friendly components has made the place more organized and flexible for all age groups visiting the place.

Source: (www.spiritofchennai.com)

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REVITALIZING THE PERISHING LIFELINE OF A CITY MADURAI Madurai – a well known city for its Architecture, culture and art forms has a recorded history, which clearly mentions the reign of various rulers stating from the Pandiyan dynasty followed by the Kalabhras dynasty , The Chola dynasty and then seized by the Delhi sultanates , The Vijayanagaras and lastly The Nayaks.

In 1807, it came under the Madras presidency by the British rule.

Source: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ajzkt6s4

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Since, it has been under various rulers the Architecture and the city forms were mostly modified and few were destroyed and then rebuilt again to a new form. The city planning is based on traditional arrangement which has fivefold concentric rectangular forms surrounded by an important structure mostly Temples at the centre. It is believed that the planning of the city is based on Vasthu Shilpa sasthra which developed along side of the Vaigai river. Though the city planning followed a basic pattern, the inner streets developed in an irregular pattern.

The city where the Meenakshi Amman temple is located at the heart is surrounded by four tightly packed major streets namely – Chithirai , Avani Moola, Masi and Veli streets. The part of the city located to the south of the Vaigai river is considered as the ‘Old city’ where as the Northern part is considered as the new city which developed gradually as time passed.

The city is witnessed to be historically important as it is quoted in many Tamil poems and literature. Though it has a strong history, the growth of population and modification of buildings had brought major changes to the traditional character of the place.

There are several such places – in and around the old city of Madurai.

• Pudhu Mandapam • Khadi Kraft • Historical Residences • Theatre Halls • Other Important Landmarks Listed above are very few places which holds back a strong history. Though the structures are demolished and modified, the history are still remembered by the natives of the city.

In order to preserve such historical structures, the government introduced an act where no building surrounding certain distance from the Meenakshi amman temple to be built above or as same height as the temple. But nowadays people barely remember the law, and the view of the temple is hardly visible from the streets.

Concentrating on the four tightly packed streets of the old city, which is still the adobe of various ancient buildings. South masi street, which is mostly crowded for almost 365 days in a year is a highly crowded commercial area and the busiest street of Madurai. In such highly populated urban areas, which has historical structures needs special attention to preserve them from being totally demolished.

The four main streets which are considered to be the early developments of the city has the most iconic structures where major history has happened. But, the present conditions of the buildings are in a crucial stage where they have been modified and majorly demolished to meet the contemporary changes and needs of the public. Preserving the entire street line is a difficult process but, they can be controlled to a minimum extent. Let’s say, an old historical building can be preserved by balancing the contemporary commercial functions as well as traditional architectural character of it.

Source: All images are sourced from google

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One such places is the 10-pillar street in south masi street, it is believed to be a part of the Thirumalai nayakkar mahal, where they used to tie elephants in the early period.

The columns are completely made of circular stones that are piled one above the other.

It spans 12meters height and 1.2meters diameter. The street is very narrow and has buildings that are closely built to the pillars.

Usually these residences have rented their spaces for retail shops because of the rapid increase in current days.One way to avoid such condition is to rent the ground floor for shops and maintain the above floor as it is, and preserve the architectural character. In case of densely populated streets, ventilation through interior spaces can be designed in case of future renovation or expansion. These historic buildings of residences, theatre halls and other structures build the mental map of the people and keeps the story intact.

These places are mostly crowded and is less breathable for the historic structure to survive. This situation can be solved if the commercial shops are redesigned in such a way that has window or large openings facing towards the pillars. That will help the pillars to stand free from damage. Historic Residences which are located in the busiest streets of Madurai such as south masi street which included lime as the major building material and had certain iconic elements such as balcony overhangs and parapet walls with sculptures and writings.

These structures are majorly covered by large sized posters, banners and electric posts. These are the recent photographs of the buildings which clearly exhibit the ancient architectural elements.

It is impossible to completely preserve the buildings as it is located in a busy commercial area of the city, which is busy and crowded for the entire year. A hierarchy of functions can be introduced in order to maintain the architectural elements as well as to satisfy the functions of the growing need of the population.

Published in https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/ rtf-fresh-perspectives/a593-how-to-revitalize-the-perisihing-lifeline-of-the-city-madurai/

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HOW LANDMARKS DEFINE A CITY – TRICHY, TAMILNADU.

Landmarks, refers to any Natural or man-made structures that are recognized by the public of a particular place or city. They are considered to be as important as the orientation and planning of a city. When a person visits a city for the first time, he/ she tends to map the city through these Landmarks. It is the only element that makes the city memorable for a person. It can be any character of the building / element that makes it as a Landmark, say: The color, Orientation of openings, Location of the Building, Function or any event that has happened in it. A city without Landmarks can hardly be seen, because they create a new language for the city.

Published in https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/architects-lounge/a583-how-landmarks-define-a-city/

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Landmarks can be classified into : • Geological and Meteorological Landmarks • Biological Landmarks • Man-made Landmarks

Whenever a city is named, our mind automatically tends to think of certain Landmarks. For example: Eiffel Tower – Paris Great wall of China – China Taj Mahal – India and so on.

Human memory adapts itself to new places and regularly creates mental images, it helps them in making decision of spatial aspects, to find the shortest route from work, and navigate a safe route when it is dark ,a site for a new house or business, and it also helps in making decision while going on a vacation. It is not something which is constant, it keeps changing in accordance with time, age and environment.

Geological and Meteorological landmarks: These are landmarks which are formed by geological, meteorological and astronomical matters.

Biological landmarks: These are formed by other living creatures on Earth except man.

Man -made landmarks: Landmarks which are created or built by man are referred as Man-made ones. These are usually tangible elements which are located in a site of intangible heritage.

Landmark helps in creating such mental representation of the place and connects them with the mind of people. A city always grows by recreating its spatial planning as well as the infra structures residing in it. The characteristics and importance of landmarks are well described in ‘The image of the city’ book by Kevin Lynch. In which, the pros and cons of a good example of a city’s landmarks is well explained. Lynch has introduced new methods to study a city through few processes such as mental mapping, wayfinding etc., for which landmarks are the key element. The five important elements which helps in creating an image of the city.

TRICHY – Hub of Culture and Tradition Trichy which was formerly called as ‘Trichinopoly’ is a city with variety of Landmarks that are remembered by the public till date.

This city is located almost at the geographic center of Tamilnadu. This city is a home of number of temples including rockfort, Erumbeeshwarar, Srirangam, Thiruvanaikaval etc., Each temple with its own unique architectural character stand out to be a wonderful landmark among the public.

Trichy Malaikottai temple Location of Trichy

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Source: All images are self-illustrated

While talking about the important landmarks and buildings of this city, there are certain history which has made the place a strong landmark even today. Landmarks can be both experiential and aesthetical. One such experiential landmark in Trichy is the Gandhi market, which has been a place of trade and chaos since a long time. It is not only a functional vegetable market but it also carries the day-to-day life of every worker. There are various shops, temples, and small structures which has made the place a strong landmark.

These factors were surveyed and documented to find out what has made each place a landmark for the public. The commonly mentioned factors were the small petty shops of sweets and other eatables, religious structures – Temples, mosques and churches, and other places which enhanced the sensory aspect of the public.

A landmark may not only be a historic structure it can also be a recent creation by man such as theatre, recreational space, social gatherings etc., It helps people to connect themselves with the city. Even, a city’s skyline seen from a particular place can create a strong impact. A landmark is something which can either be built or be made depending on its characters and functions. It enriches and enhances the Urban quality of a city. Although planning and architectural factors play a vital role in an Urban context, the landmarks also have equal role to play. Hence, a city is well perceived and remembered by the landmarks it has.

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COMPETITIONS

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S ensory A rchitecture As we all assume Architecture is about doors, windows, walls, etc., but in the actual world, it conveys a much deeper meaning than that. Talking about the term ‘Architecture’ in terms of senses can be an eye-opener to all of us.

Have we ever thought, about how human senses can have an impact on a built space? Well, a built space such as a home, shopping complex, theatre, and anything will definitely be stored in every people’s mind who visits or resides there. It is stored in our minds as a memory. Irrelevant of what type it may be, but it gets stored deep down.

The human senses which are majorly associated with Architecture are the Visual, Auditory, olfactory, and haptic senses. Sense of taste cannot be applied directly yet they have a connection through memory for eg, a hotel, or a place where you had the best feast etc.,

caves of Lascaux , Source: Wikipedia

Auditory sense

Visual sense

This is the feeling you get when you enter a space, where the sense of silence, noise, and music is heard and felt. Considering a person living by the mountains listening to the sound of leaves and breeze can lead a serene life compared to the person living in the heart of the city.

There are some marvelous structures around the world that were designed in order to serve the auditory sense of humans through resonating some kind of sounds produced by the structures themselves. One such beautiful living example is the Musical pillars of Meenakshi amman temple situated in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. One of the oldest examples is the caves of Lascaux. Depicting bison fight in the early period of the human era.

As we all know, any building built or designed in a locality will be based on the visual character of the facade. When it is easy to identify a building visually, the location of doors and windows and other architectural elements must be used in such a way that it serves the function in some way from the internal realm as well. And, it is important to note that it serves its sole purpose of function in the building as a whole. Hence, it is obvious that is the first noticeable character of a building. Although it is quite direct to design a facade with a pleasing door and window, it is still important to document the impact that will

Auditory sense This is the feeling you get when you enter a space, where the sense of silence, noise, and music is heard and felt. Considering a person living by the mountains listening to the sound of leaves and breeze can lead a serene life compared to the person living in the heart of the city.

There are some marvelous structures around the world that were designed in order to serve the auditory sense of humans through resonating some kind of sounds produced by the structures themselves. One such beautiful living example is the Musical pillars of Meenakshi amman temple situated in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. One of the oldest examples is the caves of Lascaux. Depicting bison fight in the early period of the human era.

Illustration showing visual sense of Architecture

Sound resonating pillars of Meenaskhi amman temple

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Haptic sense One thing to always remember is that a person is 24*7 times constantly in contact with the ground which means he/ she is connected directly with the world and the places they travel.

As quoted by the author Juhanni Palasma in his book ‘The eyes of the skin’, “Architecture articulates the experiences of being-in-the-world and strengthens our sense of reality and self; it does not make us inhabit worlds of mere fabrication and fantasy. “ The author strongly writes that a place or a building is strongly remembered by a human brain only when it has a strong sensory impact on them. That can be a stone pathway, a ceramic doorknob or a beautiful door, window, or a wall.

The haptic sense is considered to be the mother of all the other senses of Humans, as it is developed at an earlier stage compared to the other senses.

It is becoming a crucial condition to utilize all the sensory characteristics while designing a building or a space, yet Architects and designers around the world are experimenting to combine and bring the senses into their designs as much as possible. Such that it creates a strong mental image in their minds and remains in their memory for a longer period of time.

As Architects and designers, it is our responsibility to design life-enhancing interactive spaces that will build a sensory engagement with one another.

Architecture based on senses

Design of textures in walls and roofs serving haptic sense in Architecture

Olfactory sense We as humans tend to have a strong connection with olfactory sense because that has an immediate reaction on us. This can be directly applied to a space or can be connected with the function of the space. A better example can be quoted from an Urban study that was documented while studying a commercial market in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. During the documentation, a few highlighted spots were studied to understand the type of smell produced there and it seemed to have a nostalgic connection with the human mind. That made them remember a few particular incidents about the place.

Design of textures in walls and roofs serving haptic sense in Architecture

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P eople P lace R elationships Spatial order The term ‘spatial order’ is something that is connected to human behavior right from the time when they were nomads.

It still defines the same meaning, but in a very contemporary manner. It may vary from person to person based on the main activities performed by them through the day.

It is a proven fact that when a person tends to work continuously without moving from one place can affect their health.

That’s why we are supposed to take a break between continuous work. During this time it is best that we take a small walk and move around or if there’s an open space, spending some time there can make the mind free of thoughts. Having Every space that we encounter in our daily lives is created said that, every single object in a space is inter-related to each by this basic principle of spatial order. And we have been used other as well as with the human beings that spend time there. to describe or relate ourselves in that order. Each and every particle of nature is defined by a particular way that they’re Since the Stone Age, when people were roaming to places accustomed to. Hence, nature is a very good example that as nomads, they would build temporary structures with mafollows spatial empathy. terials that were available in the proximity. They built structures that were designed to withstand the climatic conditions The functional character of the task and the space required to some extent. But they followed some basic principles of for it are the essential key factors that determine the characArchitecture such as frames and skins that made it a complete teristics of a person. It is one of the dominant aspects that shelter. It is a natural phenomenon that when they are inside influences human behavior, and it is easily notable. All these this structure, they could possess a secured feeling. things are directly or indirectly related to every human being who resides in that place.

Relationship between space and human behavior Humans tend to create harmony with everything that they come in contact with. This is almost the same for everything, including tangible and intangible materials. Based on the survey taken from psychologists, it is well proven that the well-being status of a person has a huge difference in relation to the space that they live in.

Human Space As human beings, we all tend to create an invisible human bubble within which we feel the most comfortable. This is the basic thumb rule that is used while designing a room for a particular number of people. Anything lesser than this particular human space can make the room suffocated. We, as humans with feelings, get easily attached to the place that we tend to spend on a daily basis. That is the reason we take extra responsibility while designing a new home or a new place for ourselves. It is something that will reflect in our psychological condition and in the long run that will affect our lives. In other words, it can be said like how a compound wall acts to a house, we tend to create a comfortable space around us.

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This fact has been proved strongly during this pandemic time, when most of us faced a difficult situation in staying sane as we were not allowed to step outside. People who had a garden space or even a small balcony escaped from this crucial condition as they were able to engage in some physical activities that helped to energize their mind. Every single quality of a space will have an impact on human behavior. This is applicable to both open and closed space. The openness and the close relationship with nature is what every human gets easily bonded with and likes to engage. A good environment not only helps in the betterment of humans, it also helps to concentrate on the work.

This fact has been proved in many ways, and it is still a huge aspect to consider while designing a new space. Generally, when a person spends time in a congested environment, their mind loses energy easily when compared to a person who spends time in a well lit and ventilated space. There are many other pros added to this such as prolonged lifespan, contented lifestyle etc,. All these qualities of a place can be noticed on a very small scale, but they hugely affect our daily behavior.

Imagine a day of a person working in an IT company, who works in a very closed environment for almost their entire day. What would be their change of mind, what would they do to relax themselves. This is the main reason why we are introducing more green spaces in between their workstations. Some may disagree that more open spaces would distract a person from concentrating in their work. But a well-balanced environment will definitely develop a better lifestyle. The more we make a space livable, the more we get attached to it.

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ARCHITECTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EYES CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES

Architecture education is believed to have formed in France in the year 1671, rooting it’s history from France it was then demolished and again brought into education in The United states later.

Since it has a stronger value in many foreign countries and they have been in practice for a longer time, the current status of an Architect practicing there and the value of Architecture is considered to be higher compared to the Indian condition.

Regardless of this state, according to the public eyes, Architecture is considered to be something that only rich people can possess and experience. This stereotype situation has to be clarified and made clear that Architecture does not depend on the cost, instead it is something achieved through various design processes to solve and make our day-to-day life a simple one.

During the initial flourishing stages of Architecture, there was a demand and people were not aware of the possibilities and changes that can be made by an Architect. And what those changes had an impact on the public. During a point of time when architecture started to gain attention and when the number of teaching institutions increased, the demand for an architect to get hired was gradually decreasing. And currently due to this situation, the pay scale of a fresh graduate has become pathetic though they manage to put in their maximum amount of work.

There are many startups who are pushing their limits to reframe the understanding of Architecture and deliver the same to the common people who are the users. There are plenty of genuine online platforms available for the students and professionals who prefer to change their career or develop their skills. And few offices also share their work progress which makes the process much clearer for the audience. Social media has become more prominent that it’s being used on a wider scale to reach common people and get new projects. This is making the users aware of most of the processes that are being used behind a project.

The reason that the education of Architecture is comparatively expensive than the other contemporary courses is because the amount of knowledge that is gained through the 5 years of course is something huge that every university struggles to provide a student. Having said that, framing right courses and sourcing experienced lectures and mentors have become an arduous process. A student can gain enough knowledge that they can figure out their area of interest mostly in their 3rd or 4th year of college and can work accordingly to develop their skills and interests.

As we all are aware that due to the rapid growth of urban fabric, the residential sector has aggressively increased in the past 5-10 years. In metropolitan cities, this condition has resulted in the vast development of community housing. With the increasing number of such projects, most of the architectural offices have become majorly involved in the interior design field and due to this the common people often mistake architecture with interior design. We need to make sure that among these situations our role as architects and the true meaning of architecture has to be brought out to light. Let’s discuss this in detail under the following topic.

CUSTOMARY THOUGHTS In the contemporary scenario, based on the hardships faced by the fresh graduates and the stereotypical thinking of the common people, it has been concluded that designing in the field of architecture is pretty expensive. This fact can be accepted partially if the design demands that much amount of input. But in general, the term ‘Architecture’ refers to a collective field of work that can be researched and explored in a more practical way. In addition to that, a student who has been freshly graduated has a number of options in their hands that they must be clear enough to decide and sculpt their career.

Considering the current pandemic situation, the design thinking in the urban level has to be worked on to satisfy the safety measures. A public space designed in the future must serve the purpose irrespective of how the condition will be. The other condition that has been prevailing in our country for a long time is lack of knowledge in this field as well as the scope that Architecture has. Based on personal experiences, it can be said that most of the graduates end up in a regular office without thinking about their true interest even though they’re paid less. This unhealthy situation must not be appreciated. Instead, we can broaden our views and accept the new ideas proposed by the fresh minds if they’re suitable and apt to the present-day.

Sound resonating pillars of Meenaskhi amman temple

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ARCHITECTURE – A REAL ANECDOTE Architecture is a field with plenty of various work opportunities that can be practiced by an individual. It depends on the interests and working capabilities of them.

There are various technical and practical ways to pursue architecture. It necessarily need not be that one must always do detailed working drawings and construct buildings after completing the course. One can contribute to architecture directly or indirectly in many other ways.

Stressing the sole purpose of an architect in a society is that they’re working to make human life better in many possible ways. Along with this responsibility, they must also take balanced measures to satisfy human needs as well as without harming the natural habitat. This has become a crucial part of any architect’s career. Being exposed to several issues that are happening all over the world and equally responsible for creating a better place to thrive, architects put their maximum efforts to make this happen.

Exploring in the field of Architecture one can encounter multiple roles ranging from Designer to a technical person who are associated with the project. While observing various aspects it can be evidently witnessed that everything in our daily lives is closely attached to Architecture. This fact can be a debatable topic as many believe it to be a doubtful one. Deeply examining this, we can take a simple example of visiting a new city as a tourist, where a person mentally collects an image of the city with everything that is seen in their journey. A mental map of the city is automatically developed in their mind, this was the method that was used in the olden days when navigation was not familiar within the masses.

EMPATHIZE AND REFLECT Architects are someone who does not work as an individual, it requires a lot of discussion with various specialists and it is their task to manage and design the process of any work in a proper way and deliver the product. Perceiving everything in a much poetic way and understanding deeper meaning of anything they design, which is a distinct quality that every Architect learns in their years of practice. It is not always an onerous process to find solutions for a particular design problem. With years of experience and with little avant-garde thinking a solution can be easily worked out.

An architect works in every scale aspect ranging from a small product to a city planning. The process involved in both can be quite similar but it only differs in the timeline to work out the solution.

“ Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness”

The meaning of Architecture cannot be explained in a better way than this quote. The Architect here poetically mentions that any space designed has to explain about the time and place where it is located at the same time it also must reciprocate the compatibility of it.

When someone believes that architecture is related to only creating blocks with various building materials, while actually it is much more than that. Irrespective of any space created or built it has a well-defined impact on human psychology. In other words, it plays a key role in determining the quality of workspace or psychology of the users. It is not only applicable to a closed space but also to a public space where a large number of users gather simultaneously.

VERITIES VS FALSITIES Being closely involved in this field, there are various aspects that can be voiced out and clarified in a simple way.

It is true that initial investments in architectural education can be expensive, but that the students are introduced to various other career options while they’re still in college.

This widens their ideology and helps them carry out a side hustle which can be practiced during their free time. During this period, they can truly find their passion to implement in the future.

Architecture is not only about building a new future; it also requires documenting the history to understand the human traces to create a better solution for the future generations to thrive. It is also deeply rooted in our culture, clearly explaining the things that have happened in that particular timeline.

With modernization and the evolution of design, even architects sometimes forget about their true role and responsibility and work to satisfy the user’s needs. It has clearly made the real meaning fade away. A good architecture can always be truly connected to a soul when it serves the purpose of the space and everything related to it. One can get deeply bonded with the space if it truly touches their soul. This is something that cannot be documented and followed but can be achieved with experience. In other ways, it can be described as a work of art in relation to human intuition and technology.

We need to get a clear idea of what an architect actually does to society and avoid comparing the profession to other services that are generally practiced. Every occupation has its own individuality that has to be understood and accepted by the common people so that it flourishes in a better way.

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JUST ANOTHER BALCONY In the urban jungle, apartments and community housing have been developed in a large scale. Due to unavoidable situations and increase in population they have been opted to accommodate humans. In such scenarios when people try to connect themselves with the nature, they end up using their balconies as a tool.

Balconies are one of the most favorite spots for everyone regardless the age. It is the only way one can get connected themselves with the outside world while staying under a roof. Especially, during a pandemic when people are not allowed to roam and get into close contact with other people, balconies help to give a change of mind when they’re staying inside their homes for longer term.

It plays a major role in terms of psychological aspects of a human being. It can be easily seen that a person who spends a lot time of time outdoor leads a peaceful life than a person living in a closed space.

It is mostly used in small living rooms by which it can be made to feel bigger. It allows ample amount of natural light and ventilation into the living space. Sometimes balconies are also added in Bedroom and kitchen, as an additional space where it turns to be the best tea spot in the evenings.

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SIMPLE WAYS TO DESIGN SMALL BALCONIES: FLOORING: There are multiple ways to remodel the flooring of a balcony. It becomes a real challenge if the area of the balcony is comparably small than the usual ones.

To make them look natural, artificial green carpet can be used, or to give a rustic feel – composite wood look flooring can be done. It also comes in various color to match the overall theme of the balcony. Depending on the budget and requirements – various materials are available in the market to remodel the balconies.

FURNITURE: Decorating the small balconies with furniture are very important, because this furniture must be minimal in terms of size and material as well as they must fit in minimum of two people.

DECOR ITEMS: One way to decorate the balcony is with plants, they can be either made to hang from the handrail or can be placed in small shelves. Even a simple use of pop color as wall paint and also enhance the space, adding to it a swing will give the space a complete look.

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BOOKS- DECIPHERING PATTERNS

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R evisioning I nvisible C ities - I talo C alvino Introduction This book is about defining magical cities as to how the traveler Marco Polo describes them to the Chinese emperor Kublai khan.

The narration of each imaginary city ends up describing one city: Venice. Let’s discover such cities through illustration and explore various elements of those cities. Through the narration of each imaginary city, it shall be compared to the existing state of Venice and the way each place is imagined.

Cities & Memory The first city explored in the young Venetian’s expedition is Diomira, which is described as a city with sixty domes made out of silver, with a street of lead pavements and god statues made out of bronze, a theatre etched in crystal, and a cock in gold that crows on a tower each morning is witnessed.

This place is explored in three days traveling towards the east.

The city of Zora can be reached by traveling through a range of three mountains and six rivers which is strongly etched in people’s memory. The city has a unique quality of

Illustration of Dorothea

Cities & Desire The travel to this city of Dorothea is described as a procedure of a ritual that usually happens in the vicinity. It is believed to be made up of walls with four aluminium towers protected with seven gates at each entry door which are further surrounded by drawbridges filled with water that divides the city into quarters of nine.

The city of Anastasia is believed to have concentric canals over which kite flies and other crystals forms such as agate, onyx, chrysoprase.

It is also known for its beautiful texture of seasoned cherry wood with a tinge of pungent leaves of marjoram spread over it. It is also believed that women sometimes invite strangers to doff their clothing and chase them in water. By all this, the city awakens the desire of a person while actually, it is only making you a slave.

Illustration of Diomira

staying in memory by heart such that it is well known even when someone imagines in his sleep can easily identify a few things like the astronomer’s glass tower, melon kiosk, the Turkish bath, and other details of a street like a familiar pattern of honeycomb.

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Cities & Signs The vision of the city of Tamara as authoritatively described by polo is reached through a trail of water flowing through rocks, hibiscus flowers, and imprints of a tiger.

The streets of this city have highlighting signboards projecting from the walls and many interesting things like statues, shields with lions on them, a tankard ( a tall beer mug), halberds(a weapon). This city is well known for its signages as it indicates what is forbidden and what is allowed in a place. If the place doesn’t have any signboards, then it can be identified by its function. Though all these signages are witnessed, the city is always left undiscovered.

Illustration of Tamara

Thin cities The city of Isaura has never left its inhabitants without water as it is said to be located over a deep lake. And it’s the invisible landscape that spreads through the white skies that looks like a lapping wave through its horizon.

Isaura is believed to follow two forms of religion as a bucket from the wells and as the depth of the black lake.

Illustration of Isaura

Note : The context is referenced from the book “Invisible cities” The illustrations are completely self-made The content was curated for FOAID

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RESEARCH

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Abstract

Pottery is associated deeply with Indian history and the fine art of terracotta is still alive and well. This ancient craft shows understanding of various art forms in India and the art not only survived through ages but has also stood out with time. India has a rich history of understanding ancient art and culture that has been preserved by many artisans in the country till date.

The word ‘terracotta’ means baked sand, and as the name suggests, it is used to refer to items made out of earthen clay. The ‘VILACHERY’ village has a strong connection with terracotta for a long time and created its own identity in ‘Golu doll’ making and other terracotta products. The idea here aims at creating a global meeting platform for artists, art lovers from all the creative personas to interact, learn and showcase their work to the outside world. This idea can be efficiently perceived via the development of Vilachery village with an emphasis on social, economic and cultural growth, which further provides a progressive growth pattern to the village.

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Since the village has a better knowledge of clay, programs can be added in order to mentor new generation artisans through skill-based training and workshop. The artisans produce craft by themselves, they sell what they produce. In Madurai, the artisans are scattered which makes them difficult to help each other though they have local and export opportunity. The artisans do not think pottery as a business or it is only for their daily living. Hence, the core idea of the thesis aims to develop the potter’s community by architecturally designing suitable spaces for economic growth, create job opportunity and business enhancement and a source of livelihood for people who are under the poverty line.

Keywords : Culture and heritage, Craft development, Potters, Terracotta, Place.

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INTRODUCTION Terracotta is regarded as one of the earliest media of popular artistic expression. Terracotta objects have been prepared and used by human beings from the ancient time of human history in the form of household objects, ritual objects, aesthetic objects, and sculptures. Terracotta satisfies the creative urge of human beings and also meets their domestic and aesthetic needs. Since clay is considered as auspicious (earth = mother) terracotta objects also fulfil the ritual purpose of a community.

Terracotta craft always had a phenomenal influence on culture of Vilachery, as it is symbolic of traits, morals, and religious characteristics. It creates a knowledge base approach for experimentation and innovation between totally different genres of presentation. An artist is defined as “a person whose expression showcases sensitivity and imagination.” That sensitivity and imagination are what can translate into the culture. Culture is typically outlined as “the tastes in art and manners that are favoured by a group.

It is an expression, and without art, there’s nothing left however survival.

Here in Vilachery the artisans express their creativity through designing of the dolls and exploring new ventures in it.

BACKGROUND STUDY Vilachery is located in Madurai South Tehsil of Madurai district in Tamil Nadu, India. It comes under the Thiruparangundram block with rich cultural heritage and natural beauty surrounded by water bodies and Thiruparangundram hills on the other side. The village on the southern fringes of the city is home to around 200 families that have been making clay and papier-mache dolls for the past 30 years.

They initially started with clay pots but then diversified into making dolls a few decades back. The inhabitants believe that earth is accorded much importance, out of the five natural elements, they consider earth is the easiest to feel and handle. Considering this village, here craft is applied to object where space making craft is identified as object-oriented i.e., dolls. The major material they used to make dolls are Clay, Plaster of Paris, Paper Mache and fiber

The most significant magnets of the settlement are, • Small scale doll making industries The village consists of nearly 130-150 small scale industries that practices terracotta craft in a common place, where they gather to work. Usually, maximum number of workers are housewives and they work in their free time.

The work place will either be along with their residence or it will be a separate rented place. Currently, these are the workplaces of the artisans in Vilachery.

• Mottaimalai Common facility centre The Government provided exclusive workspace and few houses for the development of craft in the area. People manufacture mostly dolls made out of POP here. The building does not include any basic amenities such as toilets and office/admin. It does not have a kiln, and people burn the products in an open area right next to the building.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY • In order to develop the craft in the village, the artist suggested to teach the craft to interested people, and need more concentration on the designing of mould. Since only a few families are involved in the process.

• They explore working in various material depending on the demands of the clients and have evolved the usage of fibre in recent times. If they are given the exposure of new ventures in their lifestyle the craft with high traditional and cultural value can reach a new height.

• The people in the village either work in a commonplace or in their home. The only drawback observed was the absence of kilns and storage places of the products.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY • To develop the craft of doll making by sustaining it to the future generations, by introducing components for artisans to tie up with big retail chains and display their products directly from their workplace.

• Introduction of other crafts related to terracotta and providing ergonomic workspaces for them to teach, learn and expand the craft.

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METHODOLOGY Study of the architectural elements of the existing settlements of the village – Study of related literature – Overview of case examples – Preparation of guidelines for the development of terracotta craft – Generating physical and spatial programmatic requirements – Design proposal.

In order to introduce a new space among the existing settlement of Vilachery, required the study of architectural elements in the residences, such that clues from them could be used to design new spaces in order to enhance the craft.

RESULTS OF THE STUDY Identifying various architectural elements of the settlements, the spatial arrangement of the functions was done. Understanding the need of the artisans the functions and spaces were listed and designed. The street patterns of the village were studied and incorporated in the planning of the design.

The site for the proposal was selected in the closest proximity of the inhabitants, with following functions.

1.Local skill development • Stoneware workshop • Earthernware workshop • Porcelain workshop 2.Training and demonstration • Workshops • Amphitheatre • Multipurpose hall 3.Studio pottery • Working studio • Display and storage 4.Terracotta hub • Artist studio • Craft institute 5.Documentation center • Library • Computer lab • Material lab 6.Other supporting facilities & services • Food court • Parking • Temporary stalls • kilns • Toilets

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CONCLUSION The main objective of the study is to understand the current issues of artisans in Vilachery, and to keep the traditional craft of terracotta doll making alive. It is necessary for artisans to know however trade fair works and participate within the same with an all-around understanding of the profit and loss and pros and cons involved in the global market. Since in rural India the occupation of craft bears much importance after the occupation of agriculture, it could form a better income source for the people of the village, who have limited employment opportunities.

Hence, preserve the craft by making the public know about its traditional and cultural importance.

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REFERENCES 1. DICRC (2016), ‘Craft innovation training program with terracotta craftspeople of Gundiyali’, https://issuu.com/dicrc/docs/craft_innovation_training_ program_w 2. A.Shrikumar (2016), ‘Caught in the wheel of time’, The Hindu https://www.thehindu.com/society/Caught-in-the-wheel-of-time/article16783019.ece 3. Art, culture, India (2018), ‘Aladdin’s cave of Kitsch’, Wordpress.com https://anotherglobaleater.wordpress.com/tag/vilachery-pottery-village/ 4. Ganesha (2018), ‘Hari potter’, Wordpress.com https://anotherglobaleater.wordpress.com/tag/vilachery-pottery-village/ 5. Craft development institute (2008), ‘New avenues for innovation and entrepreneurship in handicrafts’, in Craft development institute website http:// cdisgr.org/about_cdi.html 6. Akilandeeswari, S.V and C.Pitchai (2016), ‘Prospering Rural Artisans through Socialization - A Comparative Study On Pottery Artisans In Madurai And Manamadurai’ in Journal for Studies in Management and Planning, Online publication, Vol.03, issue.07, ISSN: 2395-0463, June.2017, pp.369-387 http://www.ica-ap.coop/sites/ica-ap.coop/files/Ms._Akilandeeswari__Sr._ No._12.PDF

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