Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum / Vastushilpa Sangath

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Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum / Vastushilpa Sangath

© Vinay Panjwani

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https://www.archdaily.com/999425/smritivan-earthquake-memorial-museum-vastushilpa-sangath © Sohaib Ilyas

Text description provided by the architects. The museum is located in Bhuj, Gujarat, India on Bugyo Hill. The museum is part of the larger Smritivan Earthquake Memorial masterplan, which was set up to commemorate the 2001 earthquake in which Bhuj was the epicenter. The museum anchors its journey in the city of Bhuj and the Kutch region’s unique heritage, culture and crafts, numerous villages and wildlife sanctuaries. The intention of the design was to create not just a museum but a civic space where citizens could gather and celebrate their many festivals and more. As with our other projects, we recognize the greater role of such institutions in the making of the city, and ensure the contribution of architecture to civic life. The same is true of the Smritivan memorial which also addressed the need for a green and lungful park for the city. Programmatically, the various exhibitions of the museum trace the different crafts and skills of the Kutch region.

© Vinay Panjwani

The steep slope of the hill meant that one had to find a way to place a building that would not sensitively disturb the landscape. The hill is part of the cultural heritage of the people. Hence, the construction of a large box running against the hill was considered unsuitable. Instead, outlines tell an alternative approach. It has imposed a form reminiscent of the remains of the fortress wall on this hill. The built block is like a line tracing its outline as it meanders its way up the hill. It is a natural way used by animal or human to climb a hill or as a pilgrimage route to a sacred site. We, as architects, firmly believe that walking is essential to the making of a place, as it enables us to connect with our surroundings in a unique way. Then the “soul” of the museum is this slow climb, a mobile climb of 50 meters punctuated by the various galleries. The spine acts like a veranda where one can pause, reflect and absorb the landscape.

© Suhaib Elias

This tensile structure also creates a soft glow over the monolithic buildings clad in local stone quarried from near the site. Overall, this central backbone of the museum is a civic space that operates when the galleries are not open. The timestamp remains central to the museum. Thus, all the surfaces of the galleries are planted with different types of native plants which, as on a hill, change with the seasons and represent the passage of time. These gardens also host various functions such as temporary exhibitions and displays, which enable one to think and absorb, which is essential for such a museum. Like most settlements on the landscape, the museum was designed for gradual growth. The modularity of the galleries and tracking of the central spine is such that any extension will always be in keeping with the genius of the place. Hence it is a settlement, as old as a bog, and as young as the memory of a last visit.

© Vinay Panjwani

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