Kania Arsh Chetanbhai

AR2014

Known as the golden city for its yellow sandstone buildings, the town of Jaisalmer in Thar desert faces a unique conundrum today. Impressive fortifications, palace complexes, temples and houses containing distinct culture, have attracted visitors from all over the world creating an enterprise for its residents in many ways. In the past few years, conventional expectations and demands of tourism have led to increased pressure on Jaisalmer’s fragile ecology. Excessive use of water, inadequate drainage systems, increased generation of waste, etc. Along with changing climatic patterns has led to a dialectical situation between sustaining the livelihood of the city and safeguarding its future as a heritage site. The growing number of tourists in recent years has also brought about an apparent need for a visitor centre. Located at the base of the fort, this new facility aims to be more than just an exchange of information. The visitor centre will showcase the historical dimension of the city juxtaposed with its current cultural, economic and environmental issues in the light of the tourism industry. It will incentivize responsible tourism practices, as an agency to bring awareness among businesses and initiate dialogue amongst tourists and locals. This studio focused on understanding the architectural attitudes of Enric Miralles through a series of exercises like a diary, making a cube, maze, and trophy. The design project Visitor Centre had to be designed through the architect's perspective, keeping the architect's attitudes in mind.