“UNEARTHING Culture, History and IDENTITY” Rejuvenation of a Heritage and Eco-Sensitive site, Case: Muziris, Kerala, Guide: Prof.Yatin Pandya
Capstone Project/ Post-Graduate Thesis
REJUVENATING THE PATTANAM HERITAGE PRECINCT Beyond the trenches, the tools, the artifacts, the museums, the archeology, the publications and the research, history and culture are testimonies to the deep journey of our ancestors on this planet. For some people, such historical and culturally enabled journeys may seem pointless in the way they would shape their viewpoint about the past, present and future. Nonetheless, whoever has had the chance to witness such journeys and step into our heritage and archeology would admit to its power in shaping our thinking, our perceptions about identities and relationships, our texts, technologies, knowledge of science and medicine, politics, prejudices and life itself. MUZIRIS HERITAGE PROJECT- CONTEXT • The Muziris Heritage project (MHP) - initiative of the Kerala Government supported by the Government of India to conserve and promote the heritage sites and monuments linked to the ancient Indo-Roman port city of Muziris . • The Pattanam archaeological site, being excavated since 2007, confirms the trans-oceanic links of the site from GuangZhou and QuanZhou ports in South China to Rome and Catalan ports in the Mediterranean. • The excavations unearthed ancient Wharf context with brick structures, wooden canoe, bollards, spices, a plethora of nonlocal ceramics etc. which indicate the presence of ancient port and spice trade route context. DESIGN BRIEF
Pattanam Heritage Development project, Design Brief demonstration, Source: Author
0
50
100
250
500M
A. Master Planning for the precinct which includes spice plantation, trial design, Installation of art works along the route and curation of the journey through the precinct. B. Site Museum as an intervention which will take care of the unearthed specimens which need a controlled environment to be preserved and exhibited.
Legend
“The system”, Source: Author
Portfolio
The Museum; Conceptuals, Source:Author
Muziris Development Project, Source:Author
Pattanam Development Project
Master Planning Strategy- diagrams Source: Author
C. Walkway Design- It will integrate all the archeological trenches, water bodies, important landmarks for ex. the old temples in the precinct and the restored vernacular houses in one loop. The walkway transverses between three levels; floating above the ground, laid on the ground (loose laid trails) and below the ground (ramps leading to the trenches). They have three elements: horizontal surface, vertical surface (walls, columns or supports at intervals) and the roof. These walkways become trails; trials transform into cul-de-sacs, plazas, pause points, across the route. 8 | T.Shruti.P.Rao