Travel & Places | Aurospace ARC

After a couple of weeks settling into Pondicherry life we undertook a quick tour of Tamil Nadu, to see more of the way of life in the area and to develop and understanding for contemporary India and its Heritage.

The 1500km trip provided an overview of traditional Tamil architecture, whilst also revealing the manner and conditions in which people live within and around these long established spaces.

The trip revealed the shift modernity is bringing to Indian society where beautiful Chettinad mansions are neglected and abandoned, their wealthy merchant family owners now largely living abroad. It is only in privately owned spaces that life does not permeate into every crevice. Everything has a functional value for somebody, be it a bare concrete shell or a tenth century Temple. In a place where so many have so little, it is perhaps not surprising that the material value of things takes precedence over any appreciation for beauty.

In reflection there is a lot to be admired about traditional Tamil architecture, the skill and craftsmanship of construction, the respect for materials and the richly layered cultural programing of space.

However, the question needs to be asked why such strong and elegant spaces are today being surrounded by unfinished reinforced concrete blocks? Where is the skill, craftsmanship and consideration for material, technique and respect for context in contemporary buildings?

It is our intention as researchers and designers to address these issues in the creation of modern buildings, critically questioning established building traditions, taking inspiration from the successful elements.