STEPWELL AS SITE BORROWED ELEMENTS

Stepwells are among the most unique typologies of historical structures, and documenting them extends beyond measured drawings into the realm of spatial and constructional understanding. Additionally, the balance between mass and void as well as the proportion of above vs underground form interesting parallels to draw out a design from.

Historically, this vav was such an integral part of the local fabric and the lives of the people that it was used every single day without fail. But with time, this vibrant use faded to a mere echo, and eventually a standstill, with far more people ignoring or bypassing the well than experiencing or using it.

The column details are heavily similar to surrounding stepwells they highly resemble the column typlogy of Rani Ki vav, Adalaj and nearby mosques.

Jethabhai used various derelict structures, including Nenpurvada and Malik Alam Masjid to construct this vav. It is also heavily influenced from the other stepwells and mosques of region. This is not new strategy as in the early 19th century, for the Barot vav in Patan, a similar strategy for construction was used by Bahadursingh Barot.

Essence Of Site And Surrounding

Streets are lined with shops and stalls that blur the boundaries between the public and the private. There are three schools in the vicinity, one of whose windows open into the site. Children enjoy playing both between the trees and inside the vav. On most afternoons, locals come to the site and rest in the shade of the trees.

Column Typology Niches

There are, in total, 120 columns in this stepwell, and 10 different typologies. The columns have a simple Teka with an ornate Ucchalak/Teki. Every pavilion has a different column typology considering that the columns were taken from derelict structures.

Columns A-J are arranged in order of ornamentation.