THE TEMPLE BLOCK

As torrential rain begins to envelop the city, people of Vrindavan seek the help of Krishna to save their families and belongings. Krishna responds by lifting Govardhan lift atop his little finger and providing every villager and animal a place under it for seven consecutive days.

The temple complex was envisaged as a memorial of the story where elements from the feat were personified as the form of the temple complex. God’s presence in the times of doubt and fear is comforting. For the group of people arriving into the crematorium, just after suffering the loss of their loved one, being under the watchful eyes of the Almighty stills a nature of being looked after.

The massing had to be light to be fitting of the puranic proportions. Wooden joists were stacked atop one another, with each subsequent course corbelled to give the impression of the hill (construction technique reference, Yusuhara Wooden bridge museum, Kengo Kuma and Associates). The central support houses the idol and the raised plinth, places Him as the guardian of the crematorium complex.

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Read Utsav's Design Dissertation titled 'Dignity in Death: A crematorium design thesis', click the link here.

Watch the Dissertation jury presentation video here. 

Watch the final design presentation here.