DD29 LOW

OPPOSITE PAGE

The symbols of
eastern Christianity;
domes,vaults and
arches,are adapted
into the design

EXISTING OLD FOUNDATION

PLANOFTHE REBUILTST.GEORGEORTHODOXCHURCH

September 2016 | Design Detail 101

VINU DANIEL

Ar. Vinu Daniel completed his graduation in
Architecture from College of Engineering
Trivandrum in 2005 and joined the Auroville
Earth Institute for UNDP (United Nations
Development Programme) post tsunami
construction during 2006-2007. During this
period, he constructed the Karneswara Temple
at Puthukoopam,Tamil Nadu. In 2007, he setup
his own architecture firm,Wallmakers.

In 2012, he was appointed by the Head
of Mallankara Syrian Orthodox Church to
reconstruct the first Syrian Orthodox Church
in India while retaining the original foundation
at Mattanchery, Cochin. In 2014, he won
closed competition to build the Kochi-Muziris
Biennale Pavilion which became the largest
Conoid ever built using ferrocrete. Having won
numerous awards during the past decade,
his major award came when he received
Commendation Prize at IIA National Award
for Excellence in Architecture in 2016 for St.
George Orthodox Church, Mattanchery under
Institutional Projects Category.

102 Design Detail | September 2016

OPPOSITE PAGETOP energy. Mud as a material can be expressed in its the design firm, explained the possibilities of
true form through various methods like earth earth architecture and the historic importance of
Arches mimicthe blocks, rammed earth, wattle and daub and many arches and vaults in religious edifices. The concept
ancient design, more. Rammed earth is a quarried mix of clay, impressed the clients and resulted in the rebuilding
placing the church sand, gravel and does not need any processing of one of the state’s oldest churches.
closer to the era in or energy intensive production like bricks and
which it was built cement, making it the ideal method to incorporate The St. Gerorge Orthodox Church has
in the rebuilding of the age old monument. aesthetically appealing domes, vaults and arches,
ABOVE all engaging with the spirituality of both devotees
The designers displayed an exploratory spirit and visitors alike, gleaming in spectacular and
Arches gleaming combined with an understanding of the genuine earth colours. The concept of domes,
in earth colours is pressing demands while arriving at their vaults and arches rose from early symbols of
consistent in the design. The process involved a series of dialogues eastern Christianity. This detail was incorporated
design between the masons, architects, clients and into the design in order to make the structure
further investigations to assimilate the unique more authentic, attempting to place it closer to
RIGHT characteristics of the site and the surrounding. The the era when it was constructed.
detailed background work that the team carried
Viewof an out helped them arrive at definitive solutions The Saint Thomas Christian Cross, the ancient
arch from leading to constructing the church with rammed cross design that traces its origins to the
below earth and compressed earth blocks, which became evangelistic activity of Saint Thomas in the first
the dominant materials in the structure. century has been placed in the church. The altar
is enhanced by a ‘cross of light’, a design element
The communication with the client regarding the inspired by the concept of Ar. Tadao Ando,
design, construction methods and models became even though Wallmakers used earth bricks, the
the primary task of the design team. Wallmakers, natural alternative for the construction.

September 2016 | Design Detail 103

ABOVE FACT FILE

Chain Study PROJECT : ST GEORGE OTHODOX
Method followed CHURCH, MATTANCHERRY
helped stabilise LOCATION : COCHIN, KERALA, INDIA
the right shape of CLIENT : HIS HOLINESS MORAN
the arch BASELIOUS MARTHOMA
PAULOSE - II
RIGHT YEAR OF COMPLETION : 2013

Earth blocks The masons received training from the architect
and mud mortar himself in building with compressed stabilised
is used in the earth block, using ancient Nubian technology
construction of of arch and vault building, introduced in 20th
a wide range of century by the Egyptian architect Hassan
arches Fathy. This age old construction technique that
involved masonry with earth blocks and mud
104 Design Detail | September 2016 mortar without shuttering to create a wide range
of arches and domes and vaults was preached in
the construction of the church.

Chain StudyMethodthat helpsstabilisetheright
shape of the arch before the execution begins
was also employed during the construction
process. This structural study, first formulated
by Ar. Antonio Gaudi in some of his structures,
presented a new experience to the masons.
Students of architecture also became part of the
project as the design firm gave them training on
the traditional rammed earth technique.

Minimalism is not a lack of something but simply

the perfect amount of something. The rebuilt

St. Gerorge Orthodox Church is a modern,

minimalist structure that emits an architectural

purity that is found in the details. dd

BY THE BOOK

T he TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL through distinctive examples,
BUILDINGS IN HISTORY:
ARCHITECTURE’S ARCHETYPES following the methodology
by Simon Unwin identifies ten
architectural archetypes that have established by the author in his
been a source of inspiration for
architects for centuries. The book previous books. The variety of ‘lines
has been published by Routledge.
Each archetype is analysed of enquiry’ each archetype has

provoked in latter-day architects

are then explored by analysing

their work to reveal ideas inspired

by those earlier buildings. dd

September 2016 | Design Detail 105

THEATRE

the ten most influential buildings in history – ARCHITECTURE’S ARCHETYPES

Simon Unwin on Theatre

Excerpt from Simon Unwin’s book: the ten most influential buildings in history

Stratos, Greece 6

128 T H E AT R E
106 Design Detail | September 2016

THE ATRE

‘The sacred performance… is played within The power of the ancient Greek orkestra (opposite) is so
a playground that is literally “staked out”… A strong that it easily survives the ruination of the theatre as
sacred space, a temporarily real world of its a whole. If anything, that power becomes even stronger; the
own, has been expressly hedged off for it. pure geometry of the circled flat space contrasts with and
But with the end of the play its effect is not isolates itself from the roughness of the surrounding terrain.
lost; rather it continues to shed its radiance
on the ordinary world outside, a wholesome In his book Homo Ludens (The Playful Human) Johan
influence working security, order and Huizinga noted (see quotation left) that the performance place
prosperity for the whole community until the was of value to its community even when not being used. But
sacred play-season comes round again.’ the power of a Greek orkestra survives even the demise of its
original community. Two thousand years later it holds us in
Johan Huizinga – Homo Ludens (1944), Routledge its spell, either as actor or as spectator. The orkestra stands
& Kegan Paul, London, 1949, p. 14; available at: as an iconic architected manifestation of what Plato termed
art.yale.edu/file_columns/0000/1474/homo_ludens ‘chora’ – ‘the receptacle and, as it were, the nurse of all be-
_ johan_huizinga_routledge_1949_.pdf coming and change’ (Timaeus 16).

We have already encountered architected manifestations
of chora in the present book. The stone circle – the Ring of
Brodgar as a place of congregation and festivity, Stonehenge
as a framework for funeral rites – is an architectural manifes-
tation of chora: a place defined, separated from everywhere
else for happenings in time. The whole world, as a place where
things happen in space and time, is an infinitely complex
chora, but architects make special mini chora: little worlds
where special rules pertain, where a certain contrived sense
(or non-sense) prevails separated from the general world where
things seem so complex as to be dauntingly incomprehensible.

To that extent the orkestra of a Greek theatre is an exam-
ple of a stone circle. What makes it different (unless the earth
banks of henges like Stonehenge were used as grandstands)
is that a special zone, neither inside nor outside, is provided
specifically for spectators. The tiered seating, formalising the
geometry of a natural bowl of land, creates an intermediate
place for me (each of us) ‘the watcher’, juxtaposed with and
witnessing the defined place for me (each of us) ‘the actor’.
With the formalised seating of the Greek theatre, the roles
of watcher human beings – who had either been included as
participants in or excluded from the ceremonial events within
ancient stone circles – were acknowledged with specifically
designed places for spectators and judges. The theatre archi-
tecturally frames a transaction between categories of people.

129

September 2016 | Design Detail 107

the ten most influential buildings in history – ARCHITECTURE’S ARCHETYPES

Inside a circle (as Huizinga observed, see the quotation ‘More striking even than the limitation as to time is the
right) there is a world with its own special rules. The special limitation as to space. All play moves and has its being
intermediate zone for spectators in a Greek theatre has its within a playground marked off beforehand either mate-
rules too. Rather than the circle separating insiders from rially or ideally, deliberately or as a matter of course. Just
outsiders, actors and spectators are all bound together by as there is no formal difference between play and ritual,
the architecture. Rather than the architecture manifesting so the “consecrated spot” cannot be formally distinguished
privileged inclusion and abject exclusion, as in an old stone from the play-ground. The arena, the card-table, the
circle, the Greek theatre manifests a more subtle structure of magic circle, the temple, the stage, the screen, the tennis
relationships between those who act in the spotlight and those court, the court of justice, etc., are all in form and func-
who watch and judge. tion play-grounds, i.e. forbidden spots, isolated, hedged
round, hallowed, within which special rules obtain.
Whereas those excluded from the stone circle are, in a All are temporary worlds within the ordinary world,
way, free to wander as they wish, the seating tiers of a Greek dedicated to the performance of an act apart. Inside the
theatre establish spatial rules too (all of which may be broken play-ground an absolute and peculiar order reigns. Here
according to the rules of rule-breaking). One rule is that I, we come across another, very positive feature of play: it
as a member of an audience, pay attention (unless bored). creates order, is order. Into an imperfect world and into
Another is that I sit or stand still and quietly, not disturbing the confusion of life it brings a temporary, a limited
or interrupting the sacrosanct performance (unless I have perfection. Play demands order absolute and supreme.’
some witty interjection) nor upsetting other members of the
audience except to applaud and cheer. A third rule is that Johan Huizinga – Homo Ludens (1944), Routledge
the architecture of the spectator zone is an instrument of & Kegan Paul, London, 1949, p. 10; available at:
control (unless I am a promenader at a promenade concert);
it sets me in my place on a specific tier in a specific row with art.yale.edu/file_columns/0000/1474/homo_ludens
a numbered seat; we accept this controlling framework like a
social law because it has the beneficial effect that we can all _ johan_huizinga_routledge_1949_.pdf
enjoy the communal activity of watching a play in peace (until
we laugh at some heckler’s witty comment). A fourth spatial inside, those who act and those who watch. They also establish
rule is that members of the audience do not intrude on the hidden places – dressing rooms – for those preparing their
sacred circle of the performance; if one does, like a streaker imaginary identities as characters in the play; and in-between
at a football game, the spell established by the boundary of places for those waiting to go on stage. Within the audience
the performance area is broken. zone there is a distinct organisation of places too: seats for the
privileged who want to be near the performance circle; thrones
If the performance area is a bubble, which protects the for judges; tiers of sitting steps for the general audience; and
actor but can be popped by an intruder, it is a bubble within maybe a standing area for those who cannot afford better.
the larger bubble that envelopes the audience too. In the
same way that crossing the threshold of the theatral space – A Greek theatre mediates between its content – the
into the orkestra – transforms you into ‘an actor’, so passing combination of performance and audience – and the context of
through one of the doorways from outside the theatre into the landscape inhabited by the gods. Its geometry cups human
the auditorium transforms you into ‘a spectator’. The theatre actors and spectators in a powerful architectural matrix that
is a composition of thresholds, all of which are instruments accommodates, engineers, reinforces and expresses a unified,
of identity, categorisation and relationship. They establish well-ordered community.
different zones for those who are outside and those who are

130
108 Design Detail | September 2016

T H E AT R E

Inititiation and thereby defines her dancing floor; even a single stationary
speaker, a storyteller perhaps, projects a bubble of space about
There can be no doubt that the architecture of the Greek himself, holding his audience physically outside but imaginatively
theatre began in the as-found and unaltered landscape, with inside the make-believe world of the story. The first architectural
a congregation of people watching another perform (right). enhancement of a landscape to frame performance is to define
It is likely that, maybe after some trials, particular places that bubble of narrative space with a circle on the ground
were chosen because a reasonably flat area of ground for (below). This circle is different from the stone circle as discussed
performance lay adjacent to sloping ground, from which in Chapter 2. Rather than isolating a place from everywhere else
spectators would have a good view over and between the heads (excepting for its cosmic alignments), the circle of an orkestra
of those in front of them. This is an example of place identified manifests an interface of communication. Those outside – the
merely by occupation – by recognition, choice, use and without watchers – are as essential as the actors inside.
physical alteration. Such architecture is manifest each time
someone performs, informally, before others (right).

Choice of a place, recognising that it possesses inherent
characteristics appropriate to proposed use, is a primary act of
architecture. In the circumstances of an informal performance,
as in the image alongside, the reasonably flat, so-defined, area
of ground is appropriated for performance. The adjacent slope
is occupied by an audience. All occurs within the circle of the
horizon and under the aegis of the sky – its forces of light and
weather, its gods. And while the performer is in the spotlight, on
show, open to judgement… each member of the audience enjoys
his or her own refuge in the crowd.

Repeated use of a particular place for performances is
likely to prompt beneficial modification, enhancement to make
it more commodious or perhaps just more intense as a setting
for the engaging intercourse of an actor performing in front of an
audience. Performance creates its own space: a dancer moves

131 * The pagination within the text box refers to the pagination of the book “the ten most influential buildings in history”
September 2016 | Design Detail 109

RENDEZVOUS

Powerful Archetypes strange way always stays the same! I
have been in architectural education
from the Ancient Past long enough to see ideas about teaching
go around in circles! Also, there are
Ar.Nikitha K Paul in conversation with Simon Unwin different cultural traditions around the
world. I have taught in Scandinavia,
What are the criteria based on which you or for that matter, with a stick scratching see how people there live close to nature. the USA, China, and the Middle East
have shortlisted the buildings that are being lines on the dusty ground does not really I have used examples from that trip in as well as in India and the UK. There
presented in this book? matter. For example, I drew the vast some of my books. Another time, I was are differences in each culture. My
majority of the images in my new book privileged to visit Laurie Baker at his main intention in teaching is not to tell
In my previous books I analysed mainly on a computer which allows me to draw home – The Hamlet – on the occasion of them how things should be done but to
examples from the last hundred years as if I was drawing on paper. The most his birthday in 2010, just before he died. encourage them to be curious, to explore,
or so. But in almost all cases, I found important thing is to draw, and to do I was glad to be able to pass on regards to weigh up alternatives and be informed
influence deriving from ancient it in a way that does not just record the from his old country; and continue to be by studying the work of others, but
precedents. So, in this book, I decided to visual appearance of buildings but which in touch with Costford, the organisation ultimately to make up their own minds
turn that intellectual process around and interrogateshow thosebuildingscameto he set up. My wife and I have been on and always aspire to be better.
look for the most powerful archetypes be the way they are: what are the ideas the Kerala backwaters and seen Pongala
from the ancient past and then explore that generated them; how were they festivals. I have taken off my shirt to Who do you find most inspiring as an
the strands of influence they have had built; what lives do they accommodate? enter dark temples; and photographed architect and also, who do you find most
on latter day architects. The chapters Learning these things about other innumerable Kolams. I have watched inspiring as a writer?
of the new book focus not so much on buildings helps you design better fishermen circling their nets… and been
specific buildings but on archetypal buildings yourself. Architects must be knocked over by the waves at Kovalam. I do not have any particular architectural
architectural ideas. I chose ten that I like magpies, always on the lookout for Perhaps most powerfully, I have been heroes. I love the challenge of trying
considered to have had the longest ideas, and collecting them in whatever literally entranced by night-time to work out what is going on in any
history and widest geographic spread; form of sketchbook! performances of Carnatic music and work of architecture. In this way, I can
and to have been the most influential. In song, watching the insects dancing along find powerful inspiration in a simple
this way, I think I have learnt something What according to you is good architectural in the lights. I hope I will be able to visit mud house on a Kerala road side (see
about the profound relationship between writing? How do you recommend this skill again before too long. Case Study 4 at the end of Analysing
architecture and our relationships with can be enhanced and made a more refined Architecture, fourth edition) as much
the world in which we live. practice? Why did you decide to be an educator? if not more than I can in the work of
some famous architect. As for writers,
What was your motivation behind the For me, good architectural writing Because I wanted to continue to be a I enjoying reading novels to collect the
‘notebooks’ series? is primarily drawing! I get frustrated student! descriptions of places they contain. In
with the many books on architecture, regard to this, one of my favourites is
I had shown my notebooks to my especially critical theory, that are full May I know, which is your favourite Gabriel Garcia Marquez because his
students, just to show them how my only of words. My favourite drawings subject to teach and why? description of just a room or a courtyard
collecting mind works! I think that seeing in books are plans and sections. It is in can be so emotionally charged. It is good
mynotebookshelpedlifttheiraspirations these that I can find evidence of the I have two favourite but intertwined when architects try to achieve such
a little so that they could see the potential architectural mind at work. This, I think, subjects: architectural design and emotional charge in the rooms and
of developing a curious mind and using should be focus of architectural writing/ architectural analysis. I began my courtyards they make.
a notebook to develop their own fluency drawing rather than philosophising only career teaching architectural design
in the language of architecture. And so I in words to make generalised statements and architectural history. I also ran a Architects hesitate to discuss failures. But,
thought it would be a good idea to make about architecture. Everyone is an small practice with a friend. Gradually, they do point us in the direction of better
some of my notebooks available on my architect in their own way – in that they it became difficult to do both and solutions. In your view, how do you think
website simonunwin.com. It is fun to have to make sense of the world. And so my friend carried on in practice architects can be more open with such
see spikes in visits to my website when the richness of architecture derives from while I developed my career as an experiences?
students in some part of the world have the fact that everyone uses the common academic. I began to ‘subvert’ my
been asked by their own tutors to start language of architecture in their own history lectures, turning them into The concept ‘failure’ is a difficult one. It
using an architecture notebook! My way, sometimes simply, sometimes lectures on architectural analysis. I love has many contrary dimensions. Some
notebooks are like chaotic journals of my clumsily, sometimes in sophisticated the intellectual freedom of exploring of Le Corbusier’s buildings are ‘failures’
wanderings. ways imbued with subtle poetic insight. architecture through analysis, learning in the sense thatno-onecanliveinthem
I try not to judge: I avoid issues of ‘right’ about the amazing potential of and yet they survive as very powerful
In this age of computer aided technology, and ‘wrong’ ways to do things, and enjoy architecture. Interacting with students works of architecture. Buildings can
what are your views on sketching and the variety. in their design work is a real privilege. fail environmentally when roofs leak
architecture? Nothing is more stimulating than or architects use too much glass in hot
There are examples from India mentioned ‘discussing’ architecture through the climates. But, I think the biggest failure
The challenge for architects, whether in the book. Could you please share some of medium of drawing. So, these are my is to design without an understanding
young students or experienced your experiences during the visit to India? two favourite subjects. I cannot really of the enormous social, physical,
practitioners, is constantly to develop separate them, so perhaps, they are only aesthetic and philosophical power of
their fluency in the language of I have visited India a couple of times. Both one! architecture. For me, there is too much
architecture and the sophistication and times, I came to Thiruvananthapuram emphasis in the media on how buildings
power of the things they ‘say’ with that and gave talks at the Department of Being an educator, in the training of ‘look’: architecture has so many more
language. These are developed through Architecture at College of Engineering architects of the future, what do you think dimensions to it than merely the visual
designing and by analysing the work Trivandrum. Architect R.S. Liza has has to change or how do you suggest the appearance of buildings. Architecture
of other architects. The best medium been very helpful on both occasions, training methods can be improved? frames and makes sense of our lives.
for both design and analysis is drawing. as has Prof. T.L. Shaji, then, Head of I do not think architects can be more
Whether you draw with a pencil on Department. On one occasion, they took Things are always fluid; teaching open about their failures. Unlike
paper or a stylus on a computer screen, me on a trip up into the Western Ghats to changes all the time… and yet in a other creative professionals – artists
for example – the realisation of their
work almost always involves spending
a lot of someone else’s money! It is
hard, and maybe not sensible in such
circumstances, ever to admit ‘failure’.

Again, don’t ask me for examples! dd

110 Design Detail | September 2016

CUBES OF WORDS

DNoostamlgiaeasntdicity

N Text : Ar. B S Bhooshan call abstractly as nostalgia of domesticity?
ever since I left my native home and This emotional link also attaches visual
village in 1963, did I stay there for and non-visual images and holds an
more than a month continuously. Yet unexplainable ambience that constitutes
the image of my parents’ middle-class- the physicality of the home. We also project
farmer’s house, 30 km south of Kerala’s the personal nostalgic domesticity to a larger
Capital, with leaky tile roof, wooden geography, landscape, language and culture;
creaky attic, a cattle shed and other denoted by earth features, words, phrases,
appurtenances, remained as that of festivals and chores. Thus collectivised, this
my home. The place I grew up and had notion of domesticity is no more personal,
siblings, grandparents and parents and but nebulous, mythical and abstract.
played with early friends around the
yards, along with all the uncomfortably The physicality of that enlarged notion is
hot and dark interiors, rice and grains based on commonality in personal nostalgia,
in all nooks, the dust, high ceilings, combined with manufactured history
the cattle ‘moos’, the sweaty nights of and wishful thinking. Take the example
summer, the grandma-instilled fear of Kerala; to satisfy new found love for
of open windows at night and love of one’s heritage, as a value by itself, an ideal
darkness, all etched a foggy yet fond of a ‘Kerala domestic architecture’, abetted
memory of my home until the last of by the wishes of the returning Diaspora,
my parents. My father died in 2008. coalesced around two generations ago.
Until then, I used to return to my home We appropriated architectonic forms of
regularly; after that I do go there often, the past and shapes of physical objects
but I do not ‘return’ home. The image of and hermeneutically tried to attach new
my home had evaporated. associated meanings in a search for what
constituted the quality of home and its
What bound me to the notion of my home rootedness in relation to the landscape. Did
was personal rootedness, the parent – child we get where we wanted to go?
emotional link. Is that, perhaps, what we

September 2016 | Design Detail 111

The reproduction of past forms in new materials When we take certain things and forms out of It assumes new meanings and new values of
such as the sloped roof of concrete with pasted a complex set and make isolated replanting, the
tiles above is like trying to glue back fallen leaves nostalgic sense turns nonsense. For example, snobbery and is not same as original. Changes
on to the trunk to revive a dying tree. However efforts to recreate a “Kerala House” at another
much one loved that tree, it makes no sense. cultural landscape as some do or in a city space of technology from timber to concrete or
This misappropriation of past forms to denote elsewhere. The rural home with its ecologic
the ambiguous nostalgic domesticity is with an links to the fields, water and the culture of steel and shortages like land, sand and wood,
alleged rationale of cultural appropriateness, no agriculture made a holistic context. And that
proof offered though. As a notion of goodness, physical context itself changed drastically. changes in economy, occupations and social
it seemed to have served richer land owning Density has grown; there are many times
people of upper castes in previous centuries. more people in the same place. The materials contexts challenge us and coalesce into new
They were too small in number yet had like timber are scarce; so are labour and skills.
enjoyed a commonality of complex timber It becomes difficult even to build as before; real contexts. Here, we may need to search for the
joinery and an evolved system of pyramidal personal nostalgias of value almost nonexistent.
sloped roofs. The ordinary humble abodes Life style has changed, so did patterns of living domesticity and an architecture moving away
of majority were simpler adaptations in like eating and cooking. The spatial sequencing
smaller scale and of poorer materials similar or syntax is drastically different. Yet, why do we from repeating forms with new materials, but
to my home, with no architectural richness to feel nostalgic about the sloped roof forms? Do
claim. Yet these insipid majority homes were we really? evolving on new materiality. Not repeating
considered as part of the elite genre and thus
shared a reflected glory. The poorer cousins just forms; we need architecture of new
were looked down upon though. The projected
ideals today try to claim a common heritage via materials and techniques, suitable to the
a common thought remotely connected yet
manufactured nostalgia emulating culture of ecology of each region. Materials like bamboo,
the rich and elite. The tribal huts of thatch and
bamboo from which the prototype ‘all timber’ or the need for prefab and substituting of
houses originated responding to the climate of
exuberant rains do not get a place as part of this bricks or even to respond to changes in the
idea of middle class domesticity.
construction management itself. What will be

new tradition then based on. Nostalgia of the

future? dd

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September 2016 | Design Detail 113

ACCESS

STEVEN HOLLARCHITECTS A. MRIDULARCHITECT
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[email protected] [email protected]
www.stevenholl.com www.amridul-architect.com

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114 Design Detail | September 2016

September 2016 | Design Detail 115

RNI No: KERENG/2013/51298 Design Detail Magazine Price `200
CSIR Accreditation code: ISSN 2320 - 2408 Date of publishing: 07- 09- 2016

116 Design Detail | September 2016