1 THESIS - KALANJIYAM

(CRAFT VILLAGE)

TThe preservation of arts and crafts are most needed in milennial century as we forward we forget to replenish our ancient heritage and culture and how it functioned in establishing both identity as well as an lifestyle practise that is celebrated over years.

The originality of these products aren’t reachable to the public domain whereas the resellers play an speculating role dissolving the nature of the product .

The thesis was formulated with an idea of hosting various craftsmen under the same platform to reveal the identity of the art and artmaker life and values involved in making the product to the buyer .

Village Unit - Exploded view

The queen post rafter is used to frame the structure and pot tile layed over and the adobe bricks for wall construction enhance an traditional method approach bringing back the life to artists.

Elevation

Living Village

The culmination of artist settlements from varied contexts in and around Kumbakonam are brought here to establish an host platform for a variety of arts and crafts. To add value to the existing village the zoning of living village are cited next to it. The arts like making of instruments like veena, nathaswaram, art plate & glass painting of Tanjore, doll making are initated in frontyard of house, whereas activities like bronze idols and other traditional lamps like Kuttu Vilakku are involved chiseling using fire is carried out in workshop sheds.

Housing typolgies not involving activities related to swindling with fire are placed initially follwed by the work sheds that are placed at the latter end with open ends on either side with trees abiding by.

There is an open arena for the visitors to stand by the working shed area to watch the activity indulged in it - considering the safety reasons of not to enter beneath the grills.

The developement of masses around the gallery courtyard was an initial stage of development with the role of trees playing an major part in evolution of this complex. The river that runs paralel to the complex highlights the natura aesthetic available within the site.

The open courtyards were formulated with an single focal point from within the complexes and the complexes were substituted with angular planes to meet the view angle demand and to avoid the excess glare that dissolves the function.

The conversion of sharp angles were blended into multiple angles with cavity wall enhancment to trap the heat in between maintaining an moderate environment within the gallery.It also ensures multiple focal points all around the complex strengthening the visual focus of one complex over another.

The additional stature of OAT was formed and alignes to the function of existing space forming an complete module thus balancing the nature element with our aesthetical and functional demand integrating into one.