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    A Bamboo Ballad: atArchitecture designs Northeast pavilion in Faridabad for the Surajkund Craft Fair

    MAY 18, 2024 | By Tarjani Samani
    The permeable bamboo pavilion houses an exhibition space to display local crafts while integrating with the surrounding landscape of the 100-acre fairgrounds; Photography by studio suryan//dang
    Featuring a rectangular layout with eight cylindrical galleries, each intersects at a hyperbolic roof at different heights, reflecting the hilly topography of the northeast region; Photography by studio suryan//dang
    Offering captivating vistas of its surroundings, the pavilion’s bamboo joinery details are crafted with the assistance of artisans; Photography by studio suryan//dang
    The Meghalaya central court comprises a shallow water body in response to this Northeastern state being one of the rainiest regions in the world; Photography by studio suryan//dang
    The pavilion showcases eight indigenous handlooms from various tribes and astutely bridges the gap between urban design and rural craftsmanship through simple yet rich architectural details; Photography by studio suryan//dang

    Envisioning India beyond its urban landscapes is incomplete without acknowledging the vast repository of building crafts. An ode to these practices and community spirit comes to life through the bamboo pavilion at the Surajkund Craft Fair in Faridabad by atArchitecture.

    Set near the 10th-century man-made Surajkund Lake, the annual crafts mela transforms into an eclectic space, featuring diverse homegrown arts, crafts and folk practices. Set in this context is the Northeast Pavilion, by atArchitecture’s Avneesh Tiwari and Neha Rane — a permeable exhibition space showcasing a design dialogue with the communities.

    atArchitecture
    The pavilion showcases eight indigenous handlooms from various tribes and astutely bridges the gap between urban design and rural craftsmanship through simple yet rich architectural details; Photography by studio suryan//dang

    The 4,520 sq ft pavilion is conceived as a permanent exhibition space to host crafts from the eight Northeastern states of India. A rectangular layout features an organic pathway with eight courtyards, configured to represent Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Meghalaya.

    atArchitecture
    The Meghalaya central court comprises a shallow water body in response to this Northeastern state being one of the rainiest regions in the world; Photography by studio suryan//dang

     

    atArchitecture
    Offering captivating vistas of its surroundings, the pavilion’s bamboo joinery details are crafted with the assistance of artisans; Photography by studio suryan//dang

    Owing to the rectilinear plan, the architects have crafted varying spatial volumes with intricate bamboo lattice framework. The architects highlight, “Eight cylindrical galleries intersect the hyperbolic roof at different heights, reflecting the hilly topography of Northeast India.”

    atArchitecture
    Featuring a rectangular layout with eight cylindrical galleries, each intersects at a hyperbolic roof at different heights, reflecting the hilly topography of the northeast region; Photography by studio suryan//dang

     

    atArchitecture
    The permeable bamboo pavilion houses an exhibition space to display local crafts while integrating with the surrounding landscape of the 100-acre fairgrounds; Photography by studio suryan//dang

    The pavilion’s bamboo lattice is akin to the threads of a handloom fabric crafted by rural women. Avneesh continues, “When the pavilion is lit in the evening, it is reminiscent of cane lanterns that are usually found in Northeastern homes.” Its triumph is rooted in a democratic ethos as the architects and 90 Northeastern craftsmen have collaboratively designed and built the bamboo structure, a material prevalent in Northeast India and neighbouring countries, aligning with its continued use and techniques in the region. “The bamboo joinery details were developed with artisans and many decisions were made on site as the building was being constructed, with an emphasis on local collaboration and craftsmanship,” they assert, signing off, underlining the profound impact of architecture in uniting diverse landscapes and narratives

    atArchitecture
    Open courtyards not only celebrate the existing century-old trees on the site, but also thoughtfully enclose them, preserving the natural landscape around; Photography by studio suryan//dang

     

    atArchitecture
    In the evenings, the illuminated pavilion resembles cane lanterns commonly seen in Northeast Indian homes; Photography by studio suryan//dang

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