ARCHITECTURAL THESIS-SYNOPSIS

ARUN KUMAR.B
311715251015
• TOPIC – CULTURAL VILLAGE VILLAGE

• WHY CULTURAL VILLAGE ?

Madurai is famous for it’s cultural and arts and crafts talent.
Of these, Stone and Mud crafts are most recognized art forms
in Madurai and under utilised art forms.
Availability of local raw materials and Artisan’s talent in craftmanship keeps this culture alive.

SELECTED CRAFTS – Stone Carving, Wood Carving , Clay Crafts , Dance Art Forms , Handloom Crafts , Metalware Crafts.

• AIM
Creating a neighbourhood friendly space and a center to show cultural heritage of Madurai.
To collect, preserve and make available archive materials as is appropriate to public and professional organisations.
• History of crafts :
• Stone Crafts
The beautiful temples that dot the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu have lent the state the sobriquet of "land of temples".
The glory of Tamil temple architecture reaches its pinnacle in the Meenakshi temple at Madurai. The temple with its profusion of
sculpture and magnificent proportions, the thousand-pillared mandapas and the pillars of stone, towering gopurams (gateway)
and larger-than-life-sized reliefs speak highly of the architectural skills of the Tamil sculptors.
No of artisans in Stone crafts – 3000
• Wood Crafts
Madurai is famous for its rosewood carvings. The style is marked by its bold forms, the details being minutely and
thoroughly worked out. From the southern parts of India, the wooden sculptures and toys are very much popular for their
intricate carving works and careful finishing. The carvers of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, known as asari-s, claim to be direct
descendants of Vishwakarma, the celestial architect. Throughout the history of Indian art, woodcarving seems the most
expensive kind of art. Wood sculpture was produced from many centuries back.
No of artisans in Wood crafts – 1200
• Clay Crafts
Pottery of Madurai is an ancient craft form, in which the articles clay crafts are painted with a special yellow material and
it is famous for an array of clay works that ranges from large figures of deities to toys. Problem of labour on one hand and raw
material scarcity on the other, led the pottery industry to lie in doldrums in the country as a whole and particularly in southern
region.
No of artisans in Wood crafts – 1200
• Local Dance Crafts
Koothu is an informal dance structure, the performances generally depict scenes from ancient epics like Ramayana,
Mahabharatha and Tamil other classical epics. There are traditionally no dialogues, only songs instead. Artists are trained to sing
in their own voice and in a high pitch to reach the entire crowd, since no amplification technology is used. The artists are dressed
up with complex heavy costumes and have a very bright elaborated makeup. They put on towering head dresses, sparkling
shoulder plates and wide colorful skirts. Traditionally this theatre form has been predominately male, though in modern times
more females have been included (e.g., Girl's theatre at the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam).
No of artisans in Dance Arts – 360
• Handloom Crafts
Once famous for their expertise, the handloom weavers of Madurai are now living a life in oblivion. As the weavers stare
at a bleak future, uncertainty is all that’s left of the warp and the weft.
No of artisans in Wood crafts – 330
• Metalware Crafts
Madurai is famous for its metalcrafts and their interest in metal crafts towards gods.
No of artisans in Wood crafts – 180

• OBJECTIVES
Playing the role of a mediator for communication bridge to fill the gap
between the generations and to share the community knowledge on a larger platform with different communities and a diverse
range of visitors.
Incorporating local landscape techniques , preserving , water body and placemaking and public participation.
Preserving culturals heritage of local community.
Providing inspiration through personal connection with visitors and not only on-site and through physical community
outreach efforts.
Providing social security to the artists in various fields living in indigent conditions
Development and spread of language, literature and library services.

• SPECIAL STUDY
Thannal - Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
‘Thannal’ means shade. Thannal Hand Sculpted Homes is a Natural Building Awareness Group, under Thannal Mud
Homes Trust, based in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded by Natural Building architect Biju Bhaskar and his wife Sindhu
Bhaskar in 2011.
Thannal believes in Indian way of Learning. Indigenous knowledge in shelter making, which was practiced in India from
the Vedic ages is what we explore and examine. Descriptions about pozzolanic reactions of suda (lime) and surkhi (burnt mud)
are found in Vishnudharmottara’s Chitrasutra and how to use natural derivatives from plant and animals effectively in
construction.
India lacks legitimate documentation of indigenous knowledge in every field now, as many such sources have been either destroyed by
foreign invasions and the existing sources are devoid of scientific explanations.

• Stone Monuments in Madurai

Samanar Hills or Samanar Malai is a hill rock complex located in Keelakuyilkudi village, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi)
from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The hill has been declared as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.
In the foothills, there is a Karuppanasamy temple and lotus pond. Some idols made by Jain monks are in Karuppanasamy
temple. The caves in the hill have been damaged by illegal quarrying in the region.

SITE – JUSTIFICATION

Site - 1
Site Location - Vandiyur Lake - Madurai.
Latitude and Longitude - 9.9336° N, 78.1593° E
Site Area - 511 Acres
About Vandiyur Lake :
Vandiyur Lake is situated in Melamadai. Melamadai is 30th ward of Madurai corporation in Madurai district in the Indian
state of Tamil Nadu. In 2012 Melamadai included in Madurai Corporation.
• Vandiyur Lake is the largest lake in madurai with over an area of 511 acres.
• A study published in the Asian Waterfowl Census of India-2007 states that nearly 500 species of birds, including a few
endangered species, visit the lake every year.

Site Justification
Preserving the lake from draught and storing water by rain water harvesting will widely help the people of Melamadai.
Madurai Known for it’s cultural character and it’s Art and Craft Community will get an
oppurtunity to express their works and talent.
Site -2
Vilachery is a in Tirupparangunram City in Tamil Nadu State, India.
The humble village knows many visitors. In Velachery, near Madurai, all come to find an icon, an idol, a doll, a toy.
Every home in this village of about sixty families is also a workshop and a showroom of clay and papiermâché figures, from
tiny ones which are only a few inches in length, to six-foot tall idols that can take as many as 25 days to be completed. Entering
such an amazing place can be utterly fascinating.
Site Justification
Abundance of local materials – clay and stone near Vilachery, Madurai.
Vilachery is known for it’s mud statues and dolls.

CASE STUDY
1. Dilli Haat – Delhi.
 The original six-acre Dilli Haat opposite INA Metro Station (Yellow Line) in south Delhi, established in 1994.
These include Kumhar Gram Potter's Village, Tihar Food Court, and King's Park Street. Tihar Food Court, on Jail Road, is a
restaurant run by Tihar Jail inmates.
Study – 2
Shilparamam – Hyderabad.
Shilparamam is conceived as an endless, year-round festival of arts and crafts showcasing
ethnic art, crafts and skills of the rural folk from all parts of the country.
Shilparamam, which extends up to 65 acres of land, provides a unique experience, along with exhibiting traditional arts
and crafts. This platform was established by the government as a means to promote and motivate the artisans of the state to
preserve their respective art forms.
Shilparamam is considered to be a tribute to the true beauty of the diverse nature of rural India. It has succeeded to captivate
the visitors and is continuing to do the same until date. The place exhibits the rustic richness showcasing a land rich in artistic
ethos. Scroll further and find out more interesting attractions within the premises.

• ARCHITECTURAL CONTENT
Entrance Court– Administration - Research and Training Center – Exhibition Space – Craft Workshops – Amphitheatres –
Sanctuary – Library – Hawker’s Community center –Food Hub - Museum – Art Gallery – Perfomance Center - Facilities and
Recreation.

• METHODOLOGY
o 1. Topic Selection and why ? – 2. Sorting out information – 3. Special Study with Reason – 4. Analysis and framing - 5.
Site Selection – 6. Case Study - 7. Understanding Site conditions – 8. Incorporating design ideas.