Palak Hurkat

AR3039

I believe that prayer is an act of seeking - seeking the higher conscience, sometimes in form of help, sometimes in form of faith, but most importantly in acknowledging an energy within or beyond ourselves. 
The context of Kochrab Ashram gave the opportunity of creating a simple place for prayer that aligns with the ideologies of Gandhi and the act of praying in the current times. The idea of a sunken volume was to detach the act of praying from the hustles of the world. The vault that ends with a semi dome is the only mass that is seen from far off, acting as a marker, almost like a metaphor of central power. 
The concept of perception in architecture is accentuated by various elements and gestures like repetition of arches, textures of stone slats and stark shadows to name a few. Unlike a place of worship, there is no idol or shrine that acts as a datum. Thus, the directionality is created through this perception which adds to the sensory experience, making this place of prayer higher in its spiritual quality.