MRITTIKA

Mrittika (Sanskrit word meaning earth or clay) is an engaging and adventurous pavilion designed to be easily erected on the blank terraces of architecture schools in Bangalore city. The main aim is to develop awareness of the conventional material and the high potential it has in the modern design thinking and also the artistic and spatial experience it can provide .

The pavilion is oriented in the north south direction by its length where the walls block the south light and open up in the north.The sinuous nature of it plays with the volume based on its spatial requirements and is interconnected at three points to maintain structural stability, which also demarcates the spaces in the pavilion.

The main modular element of the pavilion is Mangalore roof tile, made up of laterite clay. Lately these tiles are being dismantled from old structures and getting replaced by concrete slabs.This puts the craftsmen at a loss considering the declining need of the material. This project aims to reuse these abandoned roof tiles to showcase its potential and how sustainable and effective it is.

Similar to the traditional method of using wood framework for the tiles, an unconventional approach for the framework has been introduced and interlocks the tiles between the wooden frame.The interlock is achieved between steel L-angles, attached to the frame, and the existing groves in the tiles.

Pavilion consists of a pantry which can serve the students seated inside and also from the south west entry, followed by spaces for social interaction which includes a stepped seating created by the framework. A small platform on the north east corner allows the students to deliver a speech, play music or any kind of performance for a crowd.When the pantry space is not in use it merges with social space and adds to the adventurous nature of the pavilion.