By Marina
Correa
Photography:
Courtesy the architects
. |
Situated below the apse of a chapel within the
sprawling grounds of the St Pius seminary at Goregaon (E), Mumbai lies a tiny
Christian Art Museum that showcases time-honoured Christian religious artifacts
and memorabilia…
Initially used as a make-shift gymnasium, this
1,500 sq ft space is a juxtaposition of a plane between concentric walls, which
is articulated to divide space, segregate the collection, house artificial
diffused light and choreograph the movement of the visitor. Midway through the collection is a tiered
seating for audio-visual presentations to educate visitors; and doubles up as
storage area for the several artifacts.
. |
Creating a museum within a limited space was the
biggest challenge faced by the architecture firm – Urban Interventions; so they
opted to strike a contemporary imagery by capturing the visitors’ attention via
freshness of design.
. |
Limited funds also did not allow the museum to
be designed as a state-of-the-art facility right from the outset. However, discerningly
working to set right the priorities of the set-up – correct spectrum of ultra
violet and infra red light; intensity of lumens, etc, the simple composition
has the walls finished in Plaster of Paris; false ceiling in gypsum board; cabinets,
partitions etc. suited to ease in maintenance with diffused light in
triangular slivers enhancing the overall ambiance within the space.
. |
However, this has not diminished the awe of the collection
of artifacts nor has it affected the prominence of the visiting dignitaries –
both contributing factors that make this project an important insert in the
fabric of Mumbai.
. |
. |
Incidentally, a highlight and indigenously
incorporated aspect is the Timeline of the various churches in the Mumbai
metropolitan area. With diverse artifacts ensconced in the wall, this
constitutes a significant counterpoint to the academic information of
the timeline, making
community members appreciative of its heritage value and, in turn enlightened
enough to become guardians of the tangible and intangible heritage of the
diocese.
. |
Indeed, the awards the firm has been garnering are
a true reflection of their strong belief ‘Design appropriate to the context, works
best’.
No comments :
Post a Comment