The Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum winds atop a hill in Gujarat

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Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum

On top of Bogyu Hill in Gujarat, India, Vastushilpa Sangath LLP has built the Smritivan Earthquake Memorial Museum. This project is part of a larger memorial master scheme designed to commemorate the victims of the 2001 earthquake with Bog at its centre.

Focusing on the unique heritage, culture, handicrafts, villages, and wildlife sanctuaries of the Kutch region, the museum aims to anchor its journey in the city of Bhuj. According to the architects, the design seeks to create not only a museum but also a civic space for people to gather, celebrate festivals, and revive the area. The Smritivan Memorial also fulfilled the need for a green space and garden in the city, enhancing the lifestyle of the community. The museum’s galleries trace the various crafts and skills of the Kutch region, reflecting a diverse range of programmes.

All photos by Vinay Panjwani, unless otherwise stated

Taking its cues from the rugged terrain

The steep slope of the hill posed a challenge in finding a way to construct a building that would blend with the landscape. The hill holds cultural significance for the community, and the creation of an oversized box to contrast the hill was considered inappropriate.

Instead, the natural lines of the hill informed the design approach. The shape of the building is reminiscent of the ruins of a fortress wall, winding its way up the hill like a line following an outline. This simulates the natural paths taken by animals or humans when climbing a hill or following a pilgrimage route to a sacred site. “We, as architects, firmly believe that walking is essential to the making of a place, because it enables us to connect with our surroundings in a unique way.”

Sohaib Elias’s photo

The essence of the museum is a gradual climb up the hill, a 50-meter winding journey punctuated by various galleries. The spine of the building acts as a veranda providing a place to relax, reflect and marvel at the landscape. “This tensile structure also creates a soft glow over monolithic buildings encased in local stone quarried from near the site.” As a civic space, this central backbone of the museum functions even when the galleries are closed.

The idea of ​​the timer is an integral part of the concept of the museum. Therefore, each gallery surface is decorated with various kinds of indigenous plants that change with the seasons, just like a hill, indicating the passage of time. These gardens also host various events such as temporary exhibitions and shows, allowing visitors to reflect and absorb, which is crucial to the museum’s purpose.

This central backbone of the museum operates even when the galleries are closed

Like most settlements on a landscape, the museum is designed for gradual growth. The modularity of the galleries and the central spine trace 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 recent visit.

Sohaib Elias’s photo

The building meanders its way up the hill like a line following an outline

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