Museum of Memories

museum of memories: an extension to the Partition Museum, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Architectural Design Un-built Project By: Ansh Shah

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museum of memories: an extension to the Partition Museum, Amritsar

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: Jallianwala Bagh is a place of great significance, sorrow and historical tragedy. 1000s of innocent people lost their lives in the free fire by Britishers for conducting a non-violent protest against the Rowlatt Act on 13th April, 1919.

This event remains to date a heartfelt and extremely sad memory in the hearts of Indians throughout the world. It shall be a focal point for designing the museum extension and thus, the site is specifically chosen in the same precinct.

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Partition Museum, Jallianwala Bagh Precinct, Amritsar, Punjab, India

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museum of memories: an extension to the Partition Museum, Amritsar

Proposal: What happened at the Bagh was tragic, and we want those memories to be encapsulated into the museum. The sense of emotions: pain, loss, violence and suffering associated with it shall be experienced by the visitors by generating spatial interactions.

Museums, usually are a repository of objects and artefacts but setting apart, this shall be a repository of memories and expressions. The primary objective behind the proposal was to accentuate the tragedy by generating a black blob that interrupts the Partition Museum’s classical symmetry.

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and agitation through spatial interactions.

cinegram

Cinegram: Credits: Gandhi (1982)

movement diagrams Movement Diagrams: Anchor point for the whole crowd was a speaker who generated the guiding centrifugal force required during the protest.

- The anchor point for the whole crowd is a speaker who generates a centrifugal force required during the protest.

British army blocked the only entry/exit of Bagh creating a sense of confinement resulting into decline of the Protest.

- The British army blocks the only entry/exit of Bagh creating a sense of confinement.

- Decline of the Protest.

- Losing the focal point.

British army started firing on innocent Indians cruelly without any warning. Tension inside the Bagh increased making the crowd disoriented.

- The British army started firing on Indians cruelly without any warning.

- Tension inside the Bagh increases that makes the crowd disoriented.

Agitation between the people increased as they were trying to escape out of the bagh. A new focal point was established, i.e. the well.

- Agitation of the people increases.

- People are trying to escape out of the bagh.

- A new focal point is established. (the well)

People tried to escape from the Britishers by jumpimg to death (into the well). No futher movements could - People tryato escape by jumpimgwas into felt the at well be seen, sense of nothingness the Bagh. that exists in the Bagh.

- Not a single way to escape from death.

- No further movements.

- Sense of nothingness is felt.

Credits: Gandhi (1982)

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Blood bath, sense of nothingness

Establishing a new centre in order to escape from death

Internal tension and agitation

Feeling of confinement

Focal point

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1. The Event & Partition Museum The site has a crucial contextual subject to focus on, thus, proposing an extension in the central space.

2. Orientation A black box is introduced intersecting with the existing museum block such that it is tangential to the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial.

3. Well As a gesture of introducing confined space and capturing the experience of getting trapped, a subterranean space is proposed.

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6. Circulation Loop The design encapsulates a journey through ramps and couple of staircases which generate exquisite spatial experiences reflecting the event of massacre.

4. Massing Various functions are attached with the well that enhances the overall experience of the visitors.

5. Floor Plates Spaces are designed in such a way that no part of the existing colonial structure is disturbed.

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PARTITION MUSEUM 1. Ticket Counter 2. Admin Office & Conservation Lab 3. Souvenir Shop 4. Washroom Block 5. Recording Room 6. Archival Room 7. Control Room 8. Store/Workshop EXTENSION 9. Temporary Exhibition Space 10. Gallery Of Hope

Ground Floor Plan at 2.5M Axonometric View

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EXTENSION 11. Ramp 12. Commemoration Hall 13. Cafe 14. Pojection Room 15. Storage

Plan at Level -2.5 M 11

EXTENSION 11. Ramp 12. Commemoration Hall 13. Cafe 14. Pojection Room 15. Storage 16. Pantry 17. Washroom

Plan at Level -5.5 M 12

EXTENSION 11. Ramp 18. Museum Galleries

Plan at Level -11.5 M 13

Gallery of Hope

Partition Museum Ramp of Fear

Cafe

Services

Commemoration Hall Projection Room

Museum Gallery 02

Museum Gallery 01 14

LVL -7.35M LVL -9.5M

LVL -13.0M

Section A

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LVL -4.0M

LVL -7.35M LVL -9.5M

LVL -13.0M

Section B

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The subterranean commemoration hall along with a ramp around it generates a notion of journey through the well.

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The bottom-most gallery generates an intimidating experience and is a space for reflection and contemplation. The light source at the centre has a waterbody above which creates a dynamic play of light and shadow.

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The exquisite hierarchy of spaces within The Gallery of Hope where the hanging columns focus over the artefacts with natural light.

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Temporary exhibition space in the courtyard of the Partition Museum.

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Thank You anshshah250199@gmail.com @animage___, @anshshah7

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