Yuvraj GuptaOverarching Concept & Global Inspirations
My design merges Indian architectural heritage with inspiration from renowned global architectural examples. The design emphasizes courtyards, jali screens, and stepwell-inspired water features, integrated with modern green-building techniques.
Courtyard Focus
- Inspiration: Palace of Versailles (France) and traditional Indian havelis
- The courtyards of Versailles and Indian havelis create spaces for gathering, natural light, and ventilation. My design takes cues from this layout, placing an open-to-sky courtyard at the center to foster daylighting, natural airflow, and community interactions.
Indian Haveli
Palace of Versailles
Jali Screens & Deep Verandas
- Inspiration: Alhambra Palace (Spain) and Humayun’s Tomb (India)
- The intricate lattice screens at Alhambra and Humayun’s Tomb illustrate how geometric patterns filter light and provide ventilation. Similarly, my design will incorporate jali screens along facades and deep verandas to shade interior spaces while allowing airflow. I’m considering modern interpretations of these perforated surfaces for façades and balconies to reduce heat gain and create dynamic patterns of light.
Humayun’s Tomb
Alhambra Palace
Subterranean Touches
- Inspiration: Stepwells of India (e.g., Rani ki Vav) and The Svalbard Global Seed Vault (Norway)
- Stepwells use descending levels to naturally cool spaces and store water, while the Seed Vault utilizes subterranean construction to maintain temperature stability. My design features stepwell-inspired water storage and partially subterranean zones for climate control. I’m inspired by the idea of partially using underground spaces or tiered steps to naturally moderate the building’s climate and encourage water harvesting.
Rani ki Vav
Building Form Options
Rectangular Massing
- Inspiration: Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright (USA)
- Fallingwater’s linear design integrates seamlessly with its natural surroundings. Similarly, my rectangular massing will include clean lines, a central courtyard, and extended overhangs for shade.
Dome-Inspired Massing
- Inspiration: Gol Gumbaz (India) and Eden Project Biomes (UK)
- Gol Gumbaz showcases the grandeur of domes, while the Eden Project highlights their environmental potential. My dome-inspired design will feature an expansive interior, ideal for multi-use spaces, and clerestory openings for daylighting.
Both forms will incorporate terraced roofs or stepped levels to house green spaces, inspired by Indian stepwell architecture and the hanging gardens of Babylon concept.
Gol Gumbaz Eden Project
Green Building Strategies
Rainwater Harvesting & Storage
- Inspiration: Bullitt Center (USA)
- Bullitt Center’s exposed rainwater harvesting systems inspire my design to include roof-integrated water channels feeding into stepwell-like cisterns or underground storage tanks. This water will be used for subsurface irrigation and landscape features.
Solar Integration
- Inspiration: Apple Park (USA)
- Apple Park’s rooftop solar panels inspire solar integration on the south-facing roofs and overhangs in my design. Additionally, solar water heating systems will be used for service areas.
Minimal Electrical Demand
- Inspiration: California Academy of Sciences (USA)
- The academy's daylight-optimized design inspires large openings and motion-sensor LED lighting to reduce electrical loads in my project.
Interior Layout and User Experience
Flanking Galleries/Rooms
- Inspiration: National Gallery (London)
- The National Gallery arranges functional spaces around a core. My design will place offices, restrooms, and storage areas along the perimeter, maintaining the open, flexible central layout.
Biophilic Highlights
- Inspiration: Gardens by the Bay (Singapore)
- Lush vertical gardens and water features from Gardens by the Bay inspire pockets of greenery and stepwell-like fountains in my interior. These will enhance air quality and provide calming visual elements.
