Insite Story Museums

1 6 InsIte stORY Evolution of intErior in MusEuM DEsigns

TexT: Nidhi Sharma | PHOTOS COURTeSY: NGMA, DesignHabit, Praful Kharsani

In a country where history is celebrated as a treasure, museums and libraries become instrumental archives. They provide glimpses of a past that aims to educate and stir interest or curiosity. Museums in particular, have physical objects or artefacts at the centre of their

framework. As an institution, museums play key role of a communicator in developing links between the past and the present. The articulations of interior spaces within this

framework then engage a broader experience for the audience

The initial museums date back to classical times when they were either places of worship or privately owned wonder-rooms or cabinets of curiosity. The nature of audience thereby was selective. Public museums were then created (just a few hundred years back) to replace such private collections by displaying collected works where the general public could profit from a shared experience.

Today major museums or display galleries are reused spaces which, in historical times were part of heritage buildings or palaces. These spaces are then revitalised to meet the need of display space and add supporting ancillary facilities. Since it is part restoration and part recreation of an old building; optimum design-based intervention is done. Very often, spatial character in such a scenario is object-

1. the new blocks that are placed orthogonally to site edges help derive maximum space usage

2. the facades that are designed as layers or planes, overlap to form a sophisticated composition of elevation

specific instead of being experiential. To rebuild an influential experience in such conditions an extension in the premises of old museums is an innovative alternative.

New Wing of NGMA, New Delhi

The brief to design on this site presented a unique opportunity to address certain issues in contemporary architecture that have remained relevant till date said the architects A R Ramanathan, Anurag Gupta, Snehanshu Mukherjee.

An architectural studio based in New Delhi Team TeAM for engineering, Architecture and Management, won the competition to build an extension for Jaipur House, the former palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur, which was revivified

to become National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in 1954.

The new wing of NGMA was inaugurated in 2009, adding almost six times the space to the existing gallery. The design proposal included new facilities such as art restoration services, an art reference library, documentation centre, new auditorium, a preview theatre, conservation laboratory, library and academic section as well as a cafeteria and museum shop.

The position of original Jaipur House established a geometrical order and scale to the site and also governed the design process of the new-wing. Three new blocks of the extension were arranged orthogonally to the site edges to maximise usage of spaces. It creates substantial distance between the new and the original building, forming a central court. This became the pivot for the entrance lobby to the permanent gallery spaces.

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inbuilt potential to be dynamically changed to display specific demands of the curator, from time to time. The primary illumination within the galleries is provided by synchronised, colour balanced, high efficiency light fittings. A grid of ceiling mounted lighting tracks highlight specific art objects using specially developed low-glare track mounted luminaries. The galleries are also lit from skylights that allow only indirect, diffused daylight to illuminate the deeper central spaces.

The pattern of red and buff sandstone bands at the base of the older Jaipur House inspires similar stone cladding with external walls of the New Wing. Faades are designed as overlapping of layers to form a contemporary language in elevations. The layered facades generate an impression of verandahs and porticos, typical of older institution buildings that form a part of the Central Vista. This creates a less dominating backdrop for the older building. From within the complex, the faade of the new extension, partly obscured by trees, appears not as a solid mass but a composition of overlapping screens of shadow and light.

This is a narrative museum that endeavours to tell a story of spirituality, that is filled with stirring emotion. In

In the first gallery, a reception and facilitation lobby, formed by corner of the angled square within an atrium forms the herald. This atrium visually unites different floors within this block. The adjoining gallery block is linked through a bridge, formed by ramps. The gallery floors between two blocks have staggered floor levels which create a variety of volumes to suit different display requirements.

The paintings are displayed on a system of movable modular walls, providing flexibility to wall positions. Therefore, the permanent gallery floors have an

3. Gallery floors between the blocks have staggered floor levels, connected by ramps, and display a variety of volumes

4. to illuminate deeper central spaces, galleries are lit from above by specially designed skylights

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this case, the simple use of objects and artefacts may not capture the narrative and its contexts, nor will the images and text. The design approach, therefore, relies on the creation of unique scenographic environments that effectively engage multiple medias to

5. the Virasat-e-Khalsa museum is divided into two sections that straddle a ravine and are joined by a pedestrian bridge

6. the Initial sketches drawn by the Architect for the Khalsa Heritage Center

7. Visitors expose themselves to the recurring themes of sikh and regional architecture, that the Museum complex re-interprets architecture, that the Museum complex re-interprets

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present a truly immersive experience for all audience types.

Khalsa Heritage Centre

In Moshe Safdies own words, A building cannot be experienced as independent of the land in which it is rooted

Spread over 75 acres at the foothills of Shivalik range, this museum ideates a repository of the rich heritage of Khalsa, its history and culture of Punjab, to inspire visitors with the vision of Gurus. The museum, celebrating 500 years of Sikh history, overlooking the holy town


8. the first cluster of five galleries depicts the five virtues of sikh religion

9. the buildings of eastern complex consist of a series of tower-like shafts that rise out of the sand cliffs

10. each gallery comprises of elements of miniature drawing styles, woven craft traditions, architectural reconstructions,folk ballads, music etc

11. the scenographic environment endeavours o create a theatrical, tactile experience through a meaningful reconstruction

of Anandpur Sahib (near Chandigarh, the capital of the state of Punjab) is designed by US based Israeli architect Moshe Safdie.

The site is conceived as two functionally integrated sets of complex. The western complex forms the gateway for the town, accommodating changing exhibit galleries; a two-level research and reference library centred around a great reading room open to vistas of water gardens to house rare archival materials, books, journals as well as audio visual resources; and a 400-seat auditorium to host seminars and cultural events. A connecting bridge of 165 metre provides

pedestrian access to the eastern complex.

The buildings of eastern complex consist of a series of tower-like shafts cylindrical, square and triangular in shape that rise out of the sand cliffs. The first cluster of five galleries depicts the five virtues of Sikh religion. The scenographic environment endeavours to create a theatrical, tactile experience through a meaningful reconstruction

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12. the central courtyard, lush green with grass with effervescent fountains that rise up as if in prayer

of the historical content. each gallery comprises of several elements ranging from miniature drawing styles to woven craft traditions to architectural reconstructions to folk ballads, music, audio visuals and ambient audio that allows appropriate rendition of the narrative. A second crescent-shaped cluster creates a symphony of shapes against the skyline, dominated by a vertical sword-like triangular spire that hovers above the roofline. Below, at the centre of the historic museum is a large multi-level exhibit space, shaped like a ship, rising dramatically from the water below. Its bow faces downstream towards the sacred buildings of the town, creating the allusion of dynamic movement.

The buildings are constructed of cast-in place concrete; columnar arcades remain exposed as architectural concrete, while the ascending walls are clad with sand coloured stone from Gwalior. The roofs are sheathed in stainless steel; they reflect the sky and light towards the Gurudwara (temple) and the fort in the town. A series of reflecting pools create a seven acre water garden in the ravine. A cafeteria is located midway across the pedestrian bridge, facing the water garden.

The Museum complex re-interprets recurring themes of Sikh and regional architecture.

Shree Swaminarayan Museum

After the land documents were signed and handed over to the devotees, they were sent back to england to be embossed in a particular manner, said Acharya Kaushlendraprasadji Maharaj of Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple.

Nestled in the city of Ahmedabad are the memories of Shri Swaminarayan Bhagwan who is venerated as an incarnation of Hindu deity, Narayana. As an avid traveller, Swaminarayan gave away many belongings such as his mat, clothes, mala, and so on to his followers in the form of prasadi. The museum showcase exhibits (prasadi) dating back to over 200 years and have on, display 1,200 artefacts which were used by Swaminarayan himself, more than 225 years ago. The Swaminarayan religion is only a 230-year old institution. The main goal of this museum is to collect the belongings of Swaminarayan and preserve them with utmost care. The museum also houses a well-equipped

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13. the lightings glow with the right luminescence and help build to the calm inside

14. On each side of the courtyard are vast halls that house exhibits and facilities

laboratory for preservation of the artefacts.

It is a 175,000 sq. ft. mega complex built upon 25,000 sq mtr. each gallery attributes as a dham and even as one enters the humongous porch, one starts taking in the serene ambience in complete awe. However, as one progresses, the tranquillity that forms essence of the structure takes over the body and the mind. A grey-brown granite floor leads to the central

courtyard that is lush green with grass. effervescent fountains rise up as if in prayer, on the right-hand side. On every side of this inviting courtyard, stand vast halls to house the exhibits as well as facilities. even the lighting used glows with just the right luminescence to calm the mind and heal the soul.

The museum has been set up with all due reverence for environment. Instead of bricks, fly ash blocks have been used for the structure and fewer

windows ensure minimal use of wood. Solar and wind energy power the air-conditioned museum nestling within a green cover of three hundred trees. An underground reservoir is used to store rainwater. Windows are double-glazed and insulated, along with two outer walls and an insulated ceiling to help maintain an ambient temperature and save electricity.

The purpose of modern museums is to collect, preserve, interpret, and display items of cultural, artistic, or scientific significance for the education of the public. The purpose can also depend on ones point of view. To a family looking for entertainment on a

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15. each gallery inside the museum attributes as a dham and ensures the serene

16. the exhibits inside the Museum

Sunday afternoon, a trip to local history museum or large city art museum could be an enlightening way to spend the day. To city leaders, a healthy museum community can be seen as a gauge of economic health of the city, and a way to increase the sophistication of its inhabitants. To a museum professional, a museum might be seen as a way to educate the public about the museums mission, such as civil rights or environmentalism. Museums are, above all, storehouses of knowledge.

TEAM as an organisation was formed in 1985 by a group of 3 friends, Anurag Gupta, A R Ramanathan Snehanshu Mukherjee to first participate in a National Competition to design the New Wing of the National Gallery of Modern Art. They were joined by another friend, Madhu Pandit subsequently. The firm has grown over the years as a close knit group of creative professionals from the fields of Architecture, Urban Design, Planning, Building Engineering and Management.

[email protected] [email protected] www.worksofteam.wordpress.com

Moshe Safdie is an Israeli/Canadian/American architect, urban designer,

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educator, theorist, author and the head at his firm, Safdie Architects. He is most identified with Habitat 67, that paved the way ahead for his international career. He has offices in Boston, Jerusalem, Toronto, Shanghai and Singapore.

[email protected] www.msafdie.com

Mr. Sandeep Sheth is the Personal Secretary to H.H. Shree Tejendraprasadji

[email protected] www.swaminarayanmuseum.com

Insite Story Museums

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