INDO-FUTURISM

India’s culture is a grand tapestry woven from threads of ancient traditions, historical influences, and unparalleled diversity. The country's history is marked by the rise and fall of empires, each leaving its imprint on the social and cultural fabric. This kaleidoscope of vibrance and traditions is celebrated through architecture in the form of ornate patterns, bold colours and high-resolution details.

On the contrary, post-colonial India has witnessed a significant shift in architectural styles. The quest for "so-called" modernity and progress has led to a departure from the country’s rich traditional aesthetics to a more minimal and Western approach. We have been biased towards functionalism and uniformity, overshadowing the ornate details and motifs that once glorified Indian architecture.

The thesis aims to (Un)build this existing post-colonial narrative of India while speculating alternate futures through a critical examination of historical patterns, ornaments and culture. In contrast to a utopian vision of India without colonization, the project adopts a protopian approach. It speculates the future of Indian architecture by reviving traditional motifs and patterns into the current landscape of contemporary aesthetics, made possible by blending heritage with emerging technologies.

The site is characterised by a densely populated residential neighbourhood, a tech park - a typology that has emerged throughout the city in the past few years and a public park.

The towers of the tech park are held together by a combination of 3D-printed terracotta structures and steel components. The form of the structure is derived by studying patterns of Rangoli - a mundane form of artistic expression made daily in front of Indian houses. The lost resolution that once adorned the city is brought back through ornate motifs and patterns that intervene in the neighbourhood at various scales to create a public park, temple and housing tower.

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Rakshith Raghu