The Mumbai-based studio, AtArchitecture, brought a touch of the Northeast to Delhi with their Northeastern Pavilion in Faridabad. Designed specifically for the Suraj Kund Mela, an annual fair celebrating Indian handicrafts, the pavilion stands as a stunning tribute to the architecture of the Northeast, predominantly constructed from bamboo sticks. Founded in 2014 by Neha Rane and Avneesh Tiwari, the studio focuses on providing comprehensive solutions that strive sustainability and efficiency. Over the past eight years, the team established projects in various residential, cultural and institutional domains.
We chat with the founders to delve into the inspiration behind the pavilion, the unique characteristics of Northeastern architecture, and much more.
IDEATION
Each year, a region in India is chosen as the theme with previous installations often resembling scaled-down replicas of the important monuments from that region. Deviating from tradition, we developed a permanent pavilion involving research, spatial engagement, interactive interfaces and practical functionality.
INSPIRATION FROM HANDLOOMS
During our trips to villages in North East, we noticed that most households have a loom and wear home-made fabrics. We found this very inspiring. As we were also responsible for curating the exhibition, we decided to showcase only indigenous handlooms brought from each state and the respective artisans demonstrated the indigenous art of weaving. Secondly, the bamboo lattice also resembles the woven fabrics. The open character and lantern-like structure blur the boundaries, reflecting the spirit of the festival and the skills of the artisans.
THE EIGHT STATES
Each of the eight cylindrical galleries intersects the hyperbolic roof at different heights, reflecting the hilly topography of the north-east of the country. The galleries are semi open in character inspired from their household workplace. They display eight indigenous handlooms from the different tribes of the region, commemorating the ethnic diversity and indigenous crafts. The galleries are semi open in character inspired from their household workplaces or communal spaces found in Northeastern region.
NORTHEASTERN COMMUNITY
We’re developing projects in remote areas within Northeastern region, drawing inspiration from our exposure to indigenous communities. These communities possess a rich reservoir of collective wisdom, and through our interactions, we discover the deep beauty in their pleasing imperfections and vernacular expressions.
Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 12.05.2024