Aishwarya Mahadevan

1005-I

Books offers an engagement of a world within a world. They proliferated with the advent of the printing press, making book publishing an enterprise and engendering a place. Since then, bookshops have evolved to become an important place for an engagement with world of words and readers. In the age of smartphones and Amazon, the role of a ‘place’ for books has been challenged. Yet, bookshops have the potential to revisit the activity of reading and gathering, complemented by a fresh brew of coffee or sizzling kachoris. Considering the growing prominence of Udaipur as a destination for tourists, students, citizens alike, the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation has entrusted the architect with the design of a place for books near the palace complex. The site is situated between the foothills of the City Palace and Machla Magra hills and overlooks the Pichhola lake. It can be accessed from Toran Pol and is surrounded by Samor Baug and other learning institutions. The bookshop will support a café and an open space to facilitate various daily or monthly events such as book launches, reading sessions, music performances, learning workshops, etc.