Surya Kund

Sabha Mandap

Guda Mandap

NOTES

PurposeFatehpur Sikri was built in 1569 by the Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great, and abandoned in 1601 due to there not being enough water to sustain the population. The city had no other purpose than to serve as the context for the emperor’s residence. The two main approaches to the citadel are from the East (Agra) and passing through the ceremonial gate and the other from the west on a steep incline that led along the western wall. The palace circulation was confined to covered walkways along the perimeter of the spaces with two interlocking systems of circulation: one on the ground level and one on the floor above.

OrderThere is a deep spiritual relationship with water: it was to be interacted with programmatically and spiritually. The citadel was designed as constructed topography and structures around water with the two primary sources of water being rain and groundwater. The South Baoli is a four storied stepwell that is south of the ridge. The source of water is groundwater that was used for royal and sultans baths. It has an L shaped corridor [Hindu Element] and octogonal well shaft [Islamic]. The Char-Chamand Tank was in the courtyard of Sahn-i-Khass where rain water was collected. The steps are parallel to the edge of the tank [Hindu Element]. It is a four-quartered plan [Islamic element].From the north Sangin baoli to the palace complex, there are five stages of elevation that started at the rehant chambers of the baoli and ended at the storage tank where water was transferred into the aqueduct of the palace complex At this stage water was distributed to the apartments.The main channel continued to Miriam’s garden. In order to retrieve the water from the wells, a rehant was used which is a time consuming, labor intensive, manually-operated mechanical system in which a castrated bull walks in a circle, rotating a horizontal wheel that in turn rotates a vertical wheel attached to a string of buckets that dip into the well and carry water to the top and empty out into the channels to be dispersed to the various buildings slowly.

ClimateThe weather is primarily hot and humid, with rain pouring during the winter season. Special attention paid to sun and light control and ventilation and air cooling,: a passive solar shading developed to combat strong sun and a passive cooling, utilizing heat stack effects, developed to combat the heat.

Materials + CraftThe palace was constructed with locally quarried and cut fine-grain sandstone varied in color from red to umber-brown to bluish-gray in order to reflect layers of sedimentation. The floors of buildings and courtyards comprised of patterned slabs of same sandstone as superstructure. The extent of ornamentated carvings depended on the significance of the object, with occassional fresco decorations on inside walls of important buildings.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

PurposeThe palace is located in southern India. Shade was considered important and was utilized to provide fruits (the primary vegitation around and in the site are jackfruit, banana, coconut and mango). The circulation and order of the palace is primarily based on the mandala. The mother palace is placed in the middle and circulation is located all around it.

OrderThe royal family used the upper floors for their personal use, while the bottom floor was for servers and other invited guests to the palace. ClimateThe Padmanabhapuram Palace is located in southern India close to the sea and the Western Ghats, a region with high humidity and strong sun.

Materials + CraftThe design of the complex illustrates a response to the climate through the steep sloping tiled roofs, with deep eaves and open sides, allowing for breezes through courtyards. Air ventilates through the sides and windows and out through the porous tile roofs, ensuring that the indoor temperature remains cool compared to the exterior. There are non-structural wooden screens called jaalis, which have the function of allowing in light & ventilation while ensuring the privacy of the person inside. The filtered light creates a dramatic play of light and shadow in the interiors and ensures a very cool & soothing ambience inside, away from the blazing sun. Walls are white to reflect the sun, and often completely shaded by the verandahs. For a cluster of buildings, the introduction of courtyards allows for an openness of planning, to allow the natural breeze to flow through them.

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE

PurposeThe Step-Well of Adalaj is a gathering point between the inhabitants and visitors that unites the community through a common purpose: water. Step-wells were initially created to ensure that the drawing of water from the well is easy and not just human, but cattle can also access the water of the well. Step-wells were once integral to the semi-arid regions of Gujarat, as they provided basic water needs for drinking, washing, and bathing. The Adalaj was built to serve no only as a cultural and a utilitarian space, but also as a spiritual refuge for the villagers who came every morning to the well to fill water, offer prayers to the deities carved on the walls, and to interact with each other under the cool shade of the step-well. Visitors to the Adalaj experience a spiritual journey as they descend the stairs where at various levels deities are depicted and worshiped by visitors at each level.

OrderThe Adalaj is oriented north while the three entrances are from East, South, and West. The stairs descends from the south orientation, making it easier for southern sun to penetrate through the series of columns and levels. The gradual descent is one of the features of the step-well that full contribute to its purpose of being accessible by all. The surrounding walls and coverings contribute to the six degree cooler air within the step-well; and at the same time lower the evaporation rate of water. In addition to the Adalaj possessing naturally rising ground water, rain water is collected during monsoons.

ClimateThe Adalaj was initially designed with the roof system to prevent the water from evaporating and to provide covering from the sun for those passing through the nearby trail. This covering unintentionally resulted in creating a cooler space due to the minimal direct sunlight (the only time direct sunlight hits the actual steps or landings is at noon, which only lasts a few minutes). Although the Adalaj collects rising ground water, it is also dependent upon rainwater collection during monsoon season, which lasts from mid-June to late September. The rain starts off slow and sporadic with the high point being at ten centimeters, but as it gets closer to September the rain falls more consistently, exceeding fifty centimeters.

Materials + CraftThe Adalaj was crafted using a cylindrical well to penetrate and bore into the earth five stories below grade. Within the well, two different architectural styles are witnessed: Indo-Islamic (construction began under Hindu reign, and then shortly after the craftsman in charge changed to one of Islam religion, therefore altering the appearance of the well). Sandstone was used as stacked blocks, creating smooth, straight walls; as well as in columns that were ornamented with meticulously created carvings: depictions of sacred Indian images, such as the Ami Khumbor, which is a symbolic pot of water of life. The floors are large sandstone slabs laid onto the columns in a trabeated structure.

ADALAJ

PurposeThe Modhera Sun Temple was built in 1026 A.D. in Modhera, Gujarat, under the rule of King Bhimdev from the Solanki dynasty. The temple was devoted to the sun god, Suya Dev and it possessed three divisions of a religious experience in plan. One would enter through the SuryaKund [water tank] and cleanse oneself from his or her sins. The temple consisted of one-hundred eight miniature shrines, which also marked the auspicious number for the Hindu religion; with four large shrines dedicated to a specific god. The second structure of the journey, one enters the Sabha Mandap [assembly alter]. The entrances are clearly marked by the torana arches and the two prominent pillars seen from the water tank. The final structure is the Guda Mandao [the actual sun temple]. The temple is separate from the Sadha Mandap and one has to do the Pradikshana, encircle it before entering it as a way for locating oneself in the cosmic diagram. The inner half is the Garbhagrha (sanctum); the other half, or the Mandap (hall) is used for ceremonial rituals. The Guda Mandap designed that on the equinoxes the first sun rays hit the statue of Surya was located.

OrderThe main shape of the sun temple derived from the square, representing balance. One can see through the development of the plans from the sixth century Parvati Temple to the seventh century Vishnu Temple to the eleventh century Surya Temple. Throughout the entire plan of the temple and reservoir, there is a central axis that directs the journey through the buildings. There are minor axis’s to enter to the Surya Kund and Sabha Mandap, but for the Guda Mandap there is only one.

ClimateThere are six months of the dry, hot climate; then then two to three months of the humid "monsoon" season; and three months of the dry colder climate.

Materials + CraftThe columns throughout the mandap area detailed in the great Hindu epics of Ramayan and Mahabharat. The pillers and torans (archways) lead to the central focus of the walnut shaped shikhara, (ceiling). The twelve niches have a face of the sun for each month sculpted on it. The last structure of the journey, sensual figures depict scenes from the tales of the deities, aspects of the human life cycle, and scenes from the Karma Sutra.

MODHERA TEMPLE + RESERVOIR

REFERENCES

http://wiki.ead.pucv.cl/index.php/Fatehpur_Sikri;_ciudad_de_aguashttp://wiki.ead.pucv.cl/index.php/Fatehpur_Sikri;_ciudad_de_aguashttp://wiki.ead.pucv.cl/images/c/ce/24_Analysis.jpghttp://wiki.ead.pucv.cl/images/c/c7/18_Jhalra.jpghttp://wiki.ead.pucv.cl/images/7/74/20_Raising_Water.jpghttp://www.prismma.in/fatehpur-sikri-the-mughal-sandstone- splendour/https://archnet.org/library/places/one-place.jsp?place_id=1672http://www.fatehpursikri.org/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_fatehpursikri.asphttp://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Archit/Fateh.htmlhttp://whc.unesco.org/en/list/255/documents/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsoMl-JhOqchttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/396119/Mughal- architectureTadgell, Christopher. (1990). The History of India. New York, New York: Phaidon Press Limited.Herdeg, Klaus. (1990). Formal Structure in Indian Architecture. New York, New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.

FATEHPUR SIKRI

http://arkistudentscorner.blogspot.com/2012/01/padmanabhapuram- palace.html http://www.prokerala.com/kerala/climate.htm http://celebrationsdecor.blogspot.com/2009/07/decor-of-bygone- erapart-ii.htmlTadgell, Christopher. (1990). The History of India. New York, New York: Phaidon Press Limited.

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/india/ahmedabad/adalaj.phphttp://www.journeymart.com/de/india/gujarat/ahmedabad/adalaj-step- well.aspxhttp://urban-indian.net/travel/ahmedabad/adalaj-step-well- ahmedabads-oasis/http://fineartamerica.com/featured/adalaj-step-well-ahmedabad-vijay- shrimali.html"Indian Architecture (Buddhist And Hindu Period) [Paperback]." Indian Architecture (Buddhist And Hindu Period): Percy Brown: 9781446510216: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.Herdeg, Klaus. (1990). Formal Structure in Indian Architecture. New York, New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.

ADALAJ

Herdeg, Klaus. (1990). Formal Structure in Indian Architecture. New York, New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.

MODHERA TEMPLE + RESERVOIR