Heritage Walk the Talk [Part-1]

Humayun's Tomb 

Detailed Site Plan by ASI
(Click here for more documents)

Sketch map of the area around Humayun's Tomb

• Site Location and hierarchy- Nizamuddin East one of the parts of Ghyaspur has undergone several societal shifts from a main hub of Delhi in the times of Nizamuddin Auliya (13th-14th cent.) to a necropolis (14th-15th cent.) to a refugee camp (19th cent.) and now as a heritage site encapsulating the Humayun's Tomb- there are more than 100 graves, most of the Mughal family is buried here.

• Client- Hamida Banu Begam (Humayun's widow) commissioned the project in 1569, 13 years after his death. 

• Architect- Sayyed Muhammad ibn Mirak Ghiyathuddin and his father Mirak Ghiyathuddin. It took 8 years to build.

• Site Analysis- The site area is 70 acres, measuring about 800 meters W-E and about 350 meters N-S. The platform area is 0.03 acres for the Humayun's tomb which is having a height of  47 meters. 

• Ideology-  The focus was on replenishing life on the daily basis by involving the heaven aspects. The ambiance was to fulfill needs of all the 5 senses.

• Concept-  The planning of the tomb was a char bagh ("paradise garden") concept idealizing the life of a king, as said in Islam "कयामत के दिन क्या मुंह दिखाओगे अल्लाह को" meaning "How will you face the god on the day of judgment".

• Structural System- A double domed octagonal tomb was Framed structure (Trabeated). 

• Facade- Built of rubble masonry, the structure is the earliest example of the use of red sandstone and white marble. They use Lime and stone as a mortar, which was replaced by lime and surkhi in the crevices during the renovation. Kashi work and Hindu features like lotus finial at the top of the dome and chattris was used a lot. 

Sandstone Craftsmanship

Chemical Reactions

About Lime Mortar

Araish plaster (white colour) was used extensively in the complex which gives a very fine and smooth marble finish. It is made out of gram lentils, jaggery, and natural gum. 


A Beautiful journey to Humayun's Tomb

Sabz Burj

Gol Gumbad, the 15th century Lodhi Dynasty tomb is located at the intersection of Lodhi Road and Lala Lajpat Rai Road. Sabz Burj ("green tiles"), the octagonal tomb is located at the junction of mathura raod and lodhi road to the west of Humayun's tomb.  

Gol Gumabd

Mihrab in the west facing
Isa Khan's Mosque

Isa Khan Tomb, entrance facing North
(Dwarf Wall separating garden with the tomb premise)

Isa khan Tomb, was created by Isa Khan an Afgan grandie ("rich") of Sher Shah Suri darbar. Built in 1547, made a trabeated octagonal structure. The entire octagonal garden was divided into 4 parts which was more than 1 m deep. There was a tapering column in each corner supporting the eave and the roof. The roof is marked by a line of kangooras (battlement like ornamentation). The Dome stands on a 32 sided drum.

A face of Isa Khan tomb having 3 arches.

Isa Khan tomb

Isa Khan's Mosque

Jaali work

There was use of red, blue and white incised plaster work (colour by using natural dies).  The layout of the bodies in the tomb was like head towards North and feet towards South. Plinth height for the verandah is 1m (5 risers). The stone lattice work is the main source of light in the tomb. Externally the mosque is built out of grey quartzite stone ornamented with red sandstone. The interior were simplistic. 

Bu-Halima Gateway

Bu-Halima Tomb

Rear face of the gateway

Interior of Bu-Halima's tomb  with many
 alcoves and  Aaliyah's (recesses)

Aligned in axis with western gate of Humayun's Tomb and Sabz Burj, the 16th century rectangular gateway stands on the Eastern side of the enclosure. The history behind the name "Bu-Halima" is not present and creates many theories but the grave is visible after reaching the top of this small scale rubble structure. The gateway was less ornamented facing the garden and equipped with medallion with tile work, tile work incised in plaster, and handmade red sandstone lattice screen as railing to the jharokha in the above arched entrance on the rear face.

Marble Tomb

Arab Ki Sarai gateway interiors

Pigeon holes on the walls for a
dynamic environmental
 experience

This 14 meter high gateway led to the enclosure which was built for 300 Arab servants (worksmen skilled in Pietra Dura) who were behind the wonderous architecture of Humayun's Tomb. Afsarwala tomb as the name explains is a 1566, marble tomb inside a double dome tomb on the left of a mosque.

The tomb of Humayun

View of Humayun's tomb

Similar view as in Taj Mahal
WHAT!!

Jaali work process

About Nizamuddin

                                                                                 There is an exhibition Area in the left of this passage having site plan and information regarding its history, architecture, art and also the details behind the renovation performed by Aga Khan Foundation.                                      

Water fountain 

Close up view

graves lined up

Double dome

Wednesdays with war [Discussing Dreams]

Bonsai Garden

I really like flora and fauna and idealise a life similar to the historic times with less population and more resources. Though there are some things not under my control other than self-evolution and actions that are taken to implement them.

I want to design a residence integrated with a garden where I can practise growing herbs, bonsai and create a small museum displaying those beautiful creations giving a chance to educate and increase awareness. The design will be related to the ideology of French designers "castles in a huge symmetric garden".

Ahmadabad a college trip [Part- 2]

CEPT Campus

Site Zoning

• Site Location and hierarchy- The school of architecture was established first at Vasant Vihar, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat in 1962 with adequate facilities of expansion. It is located in an institutional area.

• Architect- Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi

• Site Analysis- The site area is 12.5 acres, measuring about 300 meters N-S and about 150 meters E-W. The general slope is towards the N-W corner. The campus area is 6 acres. The site is 6.7 km from Railway station, 6.9 km from Bus stand and 11.8 km from Airport.

• Ideology-  They emphasised learning rather than teaching and saw the place of learning as one where there were no boundaries, no hierarchies and a complete atmosphere of free and unhampered inquiry.

• Concept-  Tradition of thinking indoor as well as outdoor space as usable for teaching by creating an environment open both in spirit, use as well as physical form.

Site Plan (click here for details)

• Structural System- School of Architecture was Load-Bearing because there were no columns except the vertical transportation made out of concrete (shear wall), every material used was exposed. Brick Wall widths were varying from 450 mm to 675 mm. While the concrete beams were 600mm to 750mm.

• Facade- Local materials for low cost, easy maintenance, and expansion. Used bricks, concrete (natural coarse texture), Kota stone (flooring). The brick wall was made using flemish bond.      

  * I'll be uploading detailed sketches of the bond used and beam layout in the future posts.

• Blocks-  The campus is divided into 4 separate schools

1. Architecture (1962)
2. Planning (1972)
3. Building Science and Technology (1982)        
4. Interior Design (1991)                 

North Entrance

There is a huge path to cover with parking and undulating landscaped topography on flanking sides before reaching the school building. Personally, the hideous entrance and confusing connections were not pleasurable as the first experience but I gradually realised the connection of the structure with contour and environment. I felt a sync with the energy and there were some mood changes which were promoting the innate creativity.

Undulating topography towards West

Parking space towards East

Sculpture and trees towards West

The focus on sleek railings without balusters or other security wrapping caught my vision for a while. At first, I thought it to be unacceptable but when I was able to access one of such spaces I realised the beauty of freedom and realised the important interconnection between the age and interaction with an environment.

Undulating walkway connecting
school of architecture and planning

Right side of the school of architecture front facade

Left side of the school of architecture front facade

Continuous ribbon windows on the recessed ground floor were very weird at first because there were no possible sources of light reaching through that window but gradually after pondering I realised it's importance, which was to enhance the visual connection of studios with outside environment which were already lighted up by other fenestrations providing natural light.

Sketch emphasising the ribbon window

Some pictures clicked on site

Main staircase in the school of architecture

Multipurpose hall

Studios and the balconies
(via secondary entrance to school of architecture)

Diagonal skylight

Roof

Inwards view from an accessible roof

Outwards view from an accessible roof

These shafts were present everywhere
providing ventilation

Spiral staircase connecting
1st-year and 3rd-year studios

Studio

Steel Jali adjacent to flight

Heights I can conquer

Harmony of Music with Environment

A panel design competition by Aditya Birla Company gave me the opportunity to portray my current thought process.

We had to make a pattern design for a wall on a 2mm thick wooden panel using putty or pop as base materials. The theme for the design was to create texture, now these are of two types visual and tactile, somehow I tried to exploit the tactile aspects too so tried using different materials and create an artwork containing a visual focal point and harmony in color combinations.

I always fantasized the life with beats as the one we experience in games. There are elements in the environment producing sound and that thought, in general, gives so much pleasure and satisfaction.

Ahmadabad a college trip [Part- 1]

Train memoirs

Fortunately, I was able to grab the perfect seat for the journey the only two problems that I faced were that we started in the evening ruining my maximum time as it was pitch dark and I couldn't see anything and as soon as sunrise occurred my first picture was this because of dirty fixed windows.

-UNFORTUNATE FORTUNE

Swarna Jayanti Rajdhani connecting Ahmedabad and New Delhi (the distance of approx. 940km) departs from New Delhi at 7:30 pm and reaching Ahmedabad at 5:40 am. At a speed of 70km/hr.

The Cloud Hotel

Study Table, Television set, and a stand

Toilet

Bedroom

The water conservation being managed very well in Ahmedabad made me think whether the water that came through the tap or shower was processed properly or not btw they used percolation wells for their irrigation, water-scaping which was a very good process. I could see pebbles, coarse grains and mesh in the plantation area near the party hall in the rear end of the hotel. 

The air flowing wasn't polluted by dirt or dust and was soo clean that eating outside than in a closed environment was very preferable most of the time excluding time of noon because of extreme heat.

The windows weren't one way which I realized when I saw a worker on the adjacent building gazing me when I was jumping on the bed in my underwear. 

The HDMI cable was missing on the television, I had to see normal quality television. COME ON!!

Hotel Heaven

Luckily my faculty gave me the opportunity to visit the kitchen and study the services they might provide.

The first thought occurring my mind was Ramsay Gordon and Kitchen Nightmares OH YESS!!

Storage

The Chef 

Cleaning Area

This kitchen was clean had a decent layout but the food wasn't authentic i.e. I expected sweet food in Ahmedabad but the food was very basic excluding delicious Gujarati kadhi, palak baby corn, and a fried vegetarian spicy wing.

Aspects to take care before designing a successful kitchen-

• Proper Hygiene by providing vents, water drainage, electricity supply properly.
• Storage (Cold and Dry) easily accessible with ingredients placed carefully without affecting other products. 
• Runners area and pickup zones to be spaced out without hindering the cook or other interlinked services.
• Separating different zones like cooking, cleaning, storing smartly giving priority as per the access, giving focus to the equipment layout and material.

Measured plan of the current layout of kitchen
(Each square side- 316mm)

Emergency Escape plan of ground floor

I'll upload the information related to equipment's material and use in the future post.

Wednesday with war [My first post]

Today is the starting point of my earning venture on truly skill basis.

In my pursuit to be a bit different from conventional student life, I discover hidden aspects which are always in front of eyes but unintelligible. Architecture is a course which needs people with the ability to evolve and enrich there is no room for arrogant and stubborn characters. 

I never wanted to go through the normal life-cycle as a puppet whose string are always in the hands of some powerful person, like a student who cannot express fully because of his grades in the hands of a teacher.... but somehow in the region I'm pursuing education people like to use terms like smart work, hard work quite persistently without actually understanding the difference.

As a person always having a zeal towards entrepreneurship I believe in giving what people want but at the same time, I'm puzzled that this student life won't come back and architecture is something much wider than mere submissions....

Today I realized that writing my thoughts out like this really relaxes me so I'll practice this every weekend... sure as hell evolving my thoughts to achieve better understanding of these ambiguous aspects of life