design

1. BHAKTIVEDANTA GURUKUL, MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL.
INTRODUCTION :
THE BHAKTI VEDANTA ACADEMY, FOUNDED IN 1984, IS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION BASED
IN MAYAPUR, INDIA, THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION FOR BOYS AND ADULTS BASED ON THE VEDIC
GURUKUL SYSTEM.
THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE AIMED AT COMPLETING A CULTURAL REORIENTATION OF
PUPILS IN ORDER TO CREATE A SOCIETY IN WHICH PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR PRIMARY
VOCATION IN LIFE IS TO PRACTICE PURE, UNADULTERATED DEVOTIONAL WORSHIP WITH THE
OBJECTIVE OF RETURNING HOME, TO GODHEAD.
• LOCATION - SRI DHAM MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL
• YEAR OF FOUNDATION - 1984
• TYPE OF PROJECT - INSTITUTIONAL (GURUKUL)
• FOUNDER-ACHARYA SRILA PRABHUPADA, ISKCON
• CONTEXT- BANKS OF RIVER HOOGHLY AND
JALANG RIVER
• SITE AREA-49,436 SQM (12.21 ACRES)
• BUILT UP AREA-1669 SQM
• CLIMATE- TROPICAL WET- DRY CLIMATE
SPREAD OVER 12.2 ACRES, THE BHAKTI VEDANTA ACADEMY IS SURROUNDED BY RICE
FARMLANDS ON ALMOST ALL SIDES. WITH ALL FUNCTIONS ALIGNED IN THE NORTH-SOUTH.
THE BHAKTI VEDANTA ACADEMY AIMS TO PROVIDE A FACILITY FOR ITS MEMBERS TO STUDY, PRACTICE,
AND DISSEMINATE THE TEACHINGS OF SHRIMAD BHAGAVATAM, ALONG WITH STUDIES OF THE STANDARD
WORKS OF THE GAUDIYA VAISHNAVA ACARYAS AND THE BRANCHES OF VEDIC PHILOSOPHY, CULTURE, AND
SCIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF SHRIMAD BHAGAVATAM AND SRILA PRABHUPADA'S TEACHINGS.
THE TEMPLE ROOM CAN CALLED BE THE MAIN FOCAL POINT OF
THE ENTIRE PROJECT WHERE ALL MAIN EVENTS ARE CONDUCTED.
FROM DAILY PUJA AND SEVA TO VARIOUS CLASSES AND PRACTICAL
FIRE RITUALS, ALL PROGRAMS ARE CARRIED OUT IN THIS TEMPLE
HALL. INITIATION CEREMONY AS WELL AS GRADUATION CEREMONY
ARE ORGANISED IN THIS TEMPLE ROOM.
IT ALSO CONSIST OF THE SANKIRTAN HALL AND 3 YAJNA-KUNDS.
FOLLOWING BRUTALISM, HAVING OPEN BRICKWORK WITH THE USE
OF COLUMNS, BUTRESSES, ARCHES AND KUNDS IN BRICK.
BASED ON THE VASTU PURUSHA MANDAL,
THE SPACES IN AND AROUND THE KITCHEN
HAVE BEEN DESIGNED.
THE CENTRAL KITCHEN HAS BEEN INSTALLED
WITH BAKED-SAND STOVES KNOWN AS
BHATTI'S THAT USES COW DUNG AS THE
FUEL.
STUDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO SIT DOWN
WITH FOLDED LEGS ARE SERVED FOOD IN
BANANA LEAVES.
HENCE, CREATING A SUSTAINABLE DINING
PROCEDURE. WITH SATVICK DIET.
SIMPLE CLUSTERS WITH THATCH ROOFING
FOR DINNING AND RECREATIONS.
THE STORE ROOM HAS BEEN MADE ON A VERY
HIGH PEDESTAL THAT ENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE CONTOURED LAND. ALL UTENSILS
REQUIRED FOR COOKING ARE STORED HERE AS
WELL FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUITS WITH
OTHER INGREDIENTS ARE KEPT IN THE STORE ROOM.

2. RECREATION ZONES
MULTIPLE RECREATIONAL ZONES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED IN
THE PROJECT. THESE ZONES ARE USED FOR EXTRA CO-CURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES SUCH AS YOGA, MUSIC AND OTHER ARTS. STUDENTS
CAN USE THESE ZONES FOR REST AS WELL BETWEEN THE CLASSES
AND CAN BE USED AS CLASSROOM AS WELL.
BATHING AREA
STUDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BATH IN AN OPEN AREA USING HANDPUMPS ONLY AND NO
OTHER EQUIPMENT'S. THE TEMPERATURE OF THE GROUND WATER IS ALWAYS IN THE RANGE OF
22 TO 24 DEGREE CELSIUS.
HENCE DURING WINTERS AS WELL AS SUMMERS THE GROUND WATER TABLE PROVIDES WATER
WITH COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE.
YAJNA SHALA
YAGNA (HAVAN) IS CLAIMED TO BE ONE OF THE HIGHEST ACT A MAN CAN PERFORM AS PER THE
VEDIC CULTURE. WE HAVE BUILT YAGNASHALA WHERE YAGNAS ARE PERFORMED DAILY 365
DAYS A YEAR WITH PRECISE VEDIC CHANTS AND ALL REQUIRED OFFERINGS. APART FROM THE
SPIRITUAL BENEFITS THERE ARE INNUMERABLE OTHER BENEFITS OF PERFORMING A YAGNA.
EVERYONE GETS BENEFIT OF POLLUTION FREE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH WE PRESERVE BY YAGNA.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
IN THE ARTS AND LITERATURE, CONTINUITY BETWEEN THE NATURAL AND HUMAN WORLD ISEXPRE
SSED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF NATURAL ELEMENTS BEING ANTHROPOMORPHISED AS GODS AND
GODDESSES.
INSTALATION OF BRIDGES, STONE PATHWAYS, FLOWER BEDS, PLAYING IN LEVELS, AND HAVING TREE
TRUNKS AS A SEATING FOR MEDITATION. THIS ALL DETACHES YOU FROM THE OUTER WORLD AND
CONNECTS YOU TO THE ETERNAL WORLD,
THE ADMIN BLOCK
THE ADMIN BUILDING HOLDS FOR THE ADMINISRATION FOR TEMPLE, AS
WELL AS GURUKUL. BUILDING IS SIMPLE PLANNED WITH GREEN OPEN
CORRIDORS OPEING WITH ARCHES ON FACADE.
THE BUILDING ALSO HOLDS LIBRARY, OFFICES, RECORD ROOMS, DONATION
ROOM AND A MEETING HALL.
THEY HAVE PROVIDED MATRESSES TO STUDENTS.
THERE IS A COMMON RECREATION SPACE BETWEEN 2 DORMITORIES
WHICH IS USED MULTIPUPOSED.
THE NATURAL AIR AND LIGHT FLOW IS WELL MAINTAINED IN THE BLOCK.
THE DORMITORY
1.THE ENTIRE DESIGN HAS BEEN DESIGNED ON THE
PRINCIPLES AND IDEAS OF A GURUKUL FROM THE ANCIENT
TIMES. THIS APPROACH HAS
ENABLED THE DESIGN TO LOOK PRIMORDIAL AND SERVES THE
PURPOSE IT HAS BEEN BUILT FOR.
2. THE SPACES DESIGNED ARE VERY FLEXIBLE AND CAN BE
USED FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES OTHER THAN THE ASSIGNED
FUNCTION. A VERY IMPORTANT POINT TO BE NOTED OUT IS
THAT SOME SPACES HAVE BEEN KEPT VERY-NONFLEXIBLE/RIGID
DUE TO RELIGIOUS ADHERENCE. THIS AMALGAMATION OF
FLEXIBLE AND RIGID SPACES HAS BEEN PORTRAYED
SUCCESSFULLY.
3. EXTREMITIES OF SUSTAINABILITY HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED
BY THE DESIGN. THE SOCIETY IS SELF-SUFFICIENT IN ALMOST ALL
THE RESOURCES IT USES. THE SOCIETY HARVESTS ITS OWN
GRAINS AND VEGETABLES AS WELL AS FRUITS. THE IMPORTANT
POINT HERE IS THAT THE STUDENTS OF THE ACADEMY ITSELF
CARRY OUT ALL HARVESTING AND AGRICULTURE RELATED
ACTIVITIES.
4. THE DESIGN USES COW DUNG AS FUEL IN THE KITCHEN,
HENCE REDUCING THE DEPENDENCY ON FOSSIL FUELS.
5. THE HIERARCHY IN THE SPACES IS WELL DISPLAYED USING
PEDESTALS, HIGH PLINTHS AND A VARIED FORM OF ROOFING
SYSTEM. THE MOST IMPORTANT SPACES IN THE DESIGN STAND
OUT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER STRUCTURES.
6. THE LANDSCAPE IS VERY SURREAL AND SOOTHING TO THE
EYES AND TAKES THE USER BACK INTO THE LAPS OF THE NATURE
WITH HUMAN INTERVENTION ALMOST NON-EXISTENT.
OBSERVATION
SAND STOVE DINING HALL WITH
CENTREL PEDESTAL
KITCHEN PLAY OF LEVELS NEAR
THE STORAGE
ARCHERY HORSE RIDING
ACTIVITY HUTS SAN-KIRTAN
THIS IS THE DORMITORY FOR STUDENTS WITH OPEN ARCHES ON FACADES
AND GREN CORRIDOR.
THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
FEATURES

3. INTRODUCTION
THE GURUKUL IS LOCATED IN HANUMAN VATEEKA IN THE CITY OF AYODHYA.
THE BUILDING IS SURROUNDED BY RESIDENCES AND ASHRAMS FROM THE
REAR SIDES. ON THE BACK IS AN OPEN GROUND WHICH IS CONNECTED TO
THE PARIKRAMA MARG. THE FRONT ROAD CONNECTS THE HANUMAN GADHI
AND NAYA GHAT ROAD. THE STRUCTURE SITS ON A FLAT LAND AND
SURROUNDED BY ASHOKA TREES.
NAME -SHREE GURU VASHISHTHA GURUKUL VIDYAPEETH
LOCATION - KARSEWAKPURAM, AYODHYA, UTTAR PRADESH
CONTEXT - BANKS OF GHAGHARA RIVER, RELIGIOUS CITY OF AYODHYA
CLIMATE-HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE
OWNER - BHARTIYA SHIKSHAN SANGHATHAN (RSS)
ESTABLISHMENT YEAR -2018
APPROXIMATE AREA - 500 SQM
YEARLY INTAKE - 60 STUDENTS
AGE GROUP-7 TO 11 YEARS
DURATION OF COURSE-7 YEARS
MEDIUM-SANSKRIT
BOARD - NIOS (NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCHOOLING)
PROCEDURE OF ADMISSION - JYOTISHYA VISHLESHAN
(KUNDALI ANALYSIS)
SUBJECTS - SANSKRIT, VEDAS, SHUKLA AND YAJUR VEDA, MATHS,
SCIENCE, IT, SOCIAL STUDIES, MUSIC, COOKING, AGRICULTURE
SHREE GURU VASHISHTHA GURUKUL VIDYAPEETH, AYODHYA
DETAIL OF BUILT-UP AREAS -
CURRENT REA OF GURUKUL HAS TWO DEMARCATED
SPACES. ONE IS ADMINISTRATION, RECEPTION, HOSTEL
FOR SENIOR STUDENTS AND YAGYASHALA ON THE RIGHT
SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ANCESTRAL BUILDING (TEMPLE
AND RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX) ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE
ROAD.
CLASSROOMS
CURRENTLY THE CLASSROOMS ARE IN ADMINISTRATIVE
BUILDING WHICH HAVE G+1 FLOOR HAVING TWO CLASSROOM,
ONE RECEPTION, ONE OFFICE, ONE SMALL KITCHEN, TOILET
AND ONE MUSIC ROOM. CEILING HEIGHT OF THE ROOMS IS
APPROXIMATELY 11 FEET.
RESIDENTIAL ACCOMODATION
CURRENTLY THE RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SHISHYAS AND ACHARYAS ARE GIVEN IN
THE ANCESTRAL BUILDING, NAMED AS (EKLAVYA CHATRAVAS). THE CEILING HEIGHT IS
APPROXIMATE 7 FEET. THOUGH THERE IS LACK OF PROPER VENTILATION, SMALL LOCKERS HAVE
BEEN PROVIDED WHICH ARE ATTACHED TO THE MAIN KITCHEN WHICH HAS A PROPER
VENTILATION AND SERVING AREA.
PROPOSED GROUND AND FIRST FLOOR PLAN
ARCHITECTURE
FEATURE
THE COLOR
SELECTION,
ARCHES, MURALS,
ENTRANCE, ALL
COMPLETELY
DEPICT THE
ARTISTIC
INFLUENCE FROM
THE EPICS OF
RAMAYAN AND
MAHABHARATA.
THE ORIENTATION
AND ZONING
OF THE TEMPLE
AND SHRINE ARE
ACCORDING TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF
VASTU SHASTRA.
5 SHALAS ARE
REQUIRED
FOR A GURUKUL.
• PAATHSHALA
(EDUCATION SPACE)
• YAGNYASHALA
(HAWAN KUNDI)
• GOWSHALA
(COW SHELTER)
• PAAKSHALA
(KITCHEN AND
DINING)
• DHARAMSHALA
(RESIDENCES)