Syracuse University

SURFACE
Architecture Senior Theses School of Architecture Dissertations and Theses

Fall 12-2015

Sponge Logics | Rethinking Thresholds Through a

Porous Mass
Tanvi Sanghvi

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Recommended Citation
Sanghvi, Tanvi, "Sponge Logics | Rethinking Thresholds Through a Porous Mass" (2015). Architecture Senior Theses. 373.
https://surface.syr.edu/architecture_theses/373

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RETHINKING THRESHOLDS THROUGH
A POROUS MASS

TANVI SANGHVI
THESIS ADVISOR: MOLLY HUNKER
THESIS PREP ADVISOR: BENJAMIN FARNSWORTH

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAUSE
"But architecture is as much a physical Contention
construct as it is a social or political one and to

Context of Contention
Envelope Types for Rajasthan
understand architecture as a mere representation Trajectory of Facades

of the political is as problematic as to declare
architecture entirely ruled by natural laws."
-Alejandro Zaera Polo in The Politics of the Envelope1
REWIND
History of Hawa Mahal
Social Significance
Political Significance
Environmental Significance
Recreating the Hawa Mahal

"In the end, there is no useful form of exchange PLAY

between the constative and performative Types of Thickness
(of the critical or projective), it's simply a choice

Analysis of the Urban Density
Analysis of the Neighborhood Density
one makes which world does one want to occupy, Site

what game does one want to play?"

- Robert Somol in Green Dots 1012
FORWARD
Proposal for Potential of Porous Cityscape
The Sponge
Bubble-Up Programs
Sponge Logics

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1 Polo, Alejandro Zaera. 2008. 'The Politics Of The Envelope: A Political Critique Of Materialism'.
Volume, no. 17: 76.
2 Somol, Robert. 2007. In Hunch: Rethinking Representations, 1st ed., 28-37. Rotterdam: The
Berlage Institute: 36.

2 3
 + =
Container Contained Total Facade

CONTENTION ?

This thesis contends that the separation and distinction between the
envelope and the mass in contemporary architecture is to be resisted. Architect
and theorist, Greg Lynn, argues that mass “is not only the outward shape of a
building; it’s also the projection of shape, plan organization, spatial and sectional
type, and façade”1.This critical reevaluation of the mass, and its relationship to Extreme Historicism Extreme Post-Modernism
the interior spaces and the building’s face, is particularly pertinent to the modern
construction in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The character of the historicist and post-
modern buildings that make up Jaipur is made solely based on the applied façade.
This capstone argues that this strategy does not work at the building scale because
it simply becomes an act of surface creation that does not impact the space
beyond. Additionally, at the urban scale, the applied façade is an even weaker
strategy with rigid boundaries that does not capitalize on the inherent richness of
the urban grain.
Rajput architecture, typical of Jaipur, used extravagance to project power
and elevated the façade, an element of exclusion and inclusion, to reflect the
social distinctions of the Kachwaha dynasty of Jaipur. Hawa Mahal, or the Palace CONTEXT OF CONTENTION
of the Wind, is a prime example in that it serves as a screen for the court women Jaipur, located within the arid state of Rajasthan in India, evolved from a
to visually engage in the urban activities through its 953 jharokhas or windows master plan in 1727 under the king, Sawai Jai Singh II. The master plan uses the
but restricts physical interaction. This proposal learns from and updates Hawa intersection of an East-West axis and three perpendicular main streets with uni-
Mahal’s conceptual, literal and socio-political thickness by challenging the role of
the observer and the observed. Using the ideas of massing put forth by Lynn, this formly designed street façade’s to create city squares or badi chaupars.1 These
capstone reimagines the potential of a new type of architecture based on ‘sponge rajasthani urban façades function as elements of exclusion to a certain degree. A
logics’ that transcends the established Rajput thresholds, enabling a more inclusive prime example of exclusion is the Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of the Winds, that
experience, indicative of the current society of Jaipur. The Hawa Mahal, acting served as a screen for Rajput court women to visually rather than physically en-
as a screen, privileged the observer but sponge logics challenges the relationship gage in urban activities to abide by the purdah ritual. The purdah ritual prevented
between the observer and observed, mirroring the changing social dynamics of women of the household to be directly viewed by other men.2
contemporary Jaipur.
While a sponge can be identified autonomously, the lack of distinction A city like Jaipur is as much tied to its past as it is to its present with its
between the mass, the structure and the façade make it part of an endless field living traditional arts and crafts. The nexus of Jaipur's past, Jaipur's present and
condition that absorbs and transforms what is around it. The overall mass of a the global present provides a complex backdrop for intervention. This poses a
sponge is “an elaboration of conditions established locally” that can filtrate through challenge when it comes to the construction of two extreme constructions of
the dense urban fabric of Jaipur.2 Doing so allows the street life of the city to filter historicist and post-modern architecture. An alternate solution lies in a historically
in and the building life to filter out by sponge logics that identify the potential of informed contemporary architecture.
a porous building to contribute to the enrichment of an already packed urban
environment.
 Government of Rajasthan Urban Development, Housing and Local Self Governance
Department,. 2011. Indian Heritage Cities Network- Walking Into The Microcosm Of
 Rappolt, Mark. 2008. Greg Lynn FORM. New York: Rizzoli. Jaipur. New Delhi: UNESCO New Delhi.
 Allen, Stan. 1985. 'Field Conditions'. In Points + Lines, 1st ed., 94. New York: Princeton  Jaipur: The Pink City,. 2015. 'Hawa Mahal Jaipur - History, Architecture, Visiting
Architectural Press. Hours'. http://www.jaipur.org.uk/forts-monuments/hawa-mahal.html.

4 5
 72 Screens | Jaipur, India| Sanjay Puri Architects
(Architizer 2015)
72 SCREENS
Located outside the old city walls, a newly constructed building, 72 Screens,
attempts to evoke the traditional architectural techniques of Rajput architecture in
a nuanced way. It leverages the concept of “jaalis” or screens to reduce heat gain
in the arid climate of Jaipur. These contemporary “jaalis” are made of concrete and
rest on a steel frame and allow for plants to grow within. 1
However, the facade does not do enough other than re-skin the building
with a complex geometry. While the intention of a performative façade is
innovative, the façade’s performance does not match its predicted performance.
Though this thesis does not contend a critical regionalist architecture, 72 Screens
does not react to or benefit the urban context it is embedded in. As a product of
extreme post-modernism, 72 Screens, fails to perform in the same way Rajput and
Mughal buildings did politically, socially and environmentally. Rajput and Mughal
buildings used their façade and courtyard organization to alter the interior and
exterior spaces while 72 Screens only alters the exterior experience.
 Insideoutside.in,. 2015. 'Screened Off : Inside Outside Magazine'. http://www.insideout-
side.in/inside-outside/issue-magazine/2085/screened-sanjay-puril.
6 7
World Trade Park | Jaipur, India | Anoop Bartaria
(Wikipedia 2015)
WORLD TRADE PARK
The World Trade Park, located outside the old city walls of Jaipur, provides
services such as shopping, hotel accommodations, movie theaters, restaurants as
well as offices. In short, it is a ‘city with in a city’. While the urban density of Jaipur
actively uses the World Trade Park as it offers an alternative to the small retail
stores synonymous to the old city, architecturally, it uses the western model of a
free plan with a curtain wall. Though the curtain wall is seductive, it fails to perform
environmentally. Again, it becomes an exercise in re-skining new construction.1
Unlike 72 Screens, World Trade Park does not claim to refer to the
architectural legacy of Rajput or Mughal empires which is why the political
significance can be neglected. However, the environmental performance of the
building cannot be ignored. Furthermore, the social impact of one of the largest
mostly public buildings in the city of Jaipur cannot be overlooked either. The World
Trade Park does not foster the urban context. The World Trade Park simply does not
do enough to be considered as an example of a contemporary Indian architecture.
 Wtpjaipur.com,. 2015. 'World Trade Park, Jaipur'. http://wtpjaipur.com/architect.html.

Top: Birla Auditorium | Jaipur, India (CommuniStats 2014)
Bottom: Amber Fort | Amber, India (Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas 2013)
BIRLA AUDITORIUM OR AMBER FORT?
Before the master plan of the city of Jaipur, the Kachawaha dynasty held
residence at the capital city of Amber which was about twelve kilometers north
of Jaipur. The royal residence at Amber today is recognized for its Diwan-I-Am,
Diwan-I-Khaas and the Ganesh Gate. Besides the gate’s political significance, it is
known for its original dyes that ornately cover the surface and have made the fort
a critical symbol of the Rajput legacy.1
Considering that the city of Jaipur is still deeply rooted in its history, its
comes as no surprise that a ‘contemporary’ construction of Birla Auditorium
replicates the Ganesh Gate. The Birla Auditorium hosts local as well as international
exhibits, conferences and conventions. The extreme historicism evident in this
example is actually just one of many instances found in the new city of Jaipur.
Public buildings replicate royal façades while new hotels and apartment buildings
apply symbols associated with havelis or mansions on their façades. Similar to the
post-modernist objects in the city of Jaipur, these historicist constructions simply
re-skin the building without altering what is behind it. Their impact is only surface
deep, essentially masquerading an otherwise non- functional box in the climate of
Rajasthan.
 Jagan Kochhar, www.technoedge.org. 2015. 'Birla Auditorium Jaipur, Birla Conference
Hall Jaipur, Birla Planetarium' Birlaauditoriumjaipur.Com. http://birlaauditoriumjaipur.
com/.
8 9
Alejandro Zaera Polo's Four Envelope Types
Envelope Types for Rajasthan, India
ENVELOPE TYPES FOR RAJASTHAN
Historically, architecture has been politically charged whether it was the
temple front on a villa, the neoclassical government buildings of Washington
DC or the aedicular facades of havelis (mansions) across India. In The Politics of
the Envelope, Alejandro Zaera Polo theorizes architecture's physical, social and
political potentials in the twenty-first century.1 Besides the primary environmental
function of reducing heat loss from buildings in colder climates, the envelope
differentiates the inside from the outside, natural from the artificial and private
from the public. Alejandro discusses four essential envelope types for hermetically
sealed boxes where each type is associated with typical corresponding programs.
Flat-horizontal "boxes" are used for retail, conventions and complexes while flat-
vertical envelopes enclose residential and offices buildings. Spherical envelopes
wrap libraries and museums and vertical envelopes cover mixed use programs.2
However, the socio-economic realities of India limit the use of these hermetically
sealed box buildings due to the inability of sustaining costs of mechanical systems.
 Polo, Alejandro Zaera. 2008. 'The Politics Of The Envelope: A Political Critique Of \
Materialism'. Volume, no. 17: 77.
 Ibid.
FAADE
noun | fa. cade \f -'sd\ e
1. the front of a building; also: any face of a building given special architectural treatment
2. a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect

ORIGIN
French faade, from Italian facciata, from faccia face, from Vulgar Latin *facia 1

Double Skin | Digitized Facade

Skyscraper with Masonry Wall

Facade without Ornament

Perspectival Construction

Temple Front on Villa

Habitable Facade

Metal Panels
Curtain Wall

Free Facade

Diagrid
1100

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000
1550

1650

1750

1850

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2010

2020

2030

2040

2050

2060

2070

2080
Villa Rotunda Hawa Mahal Looshaus Villa Savoye Guggenheim Bilbao Kunsthaus Graz Seattle Public Library

Florence Baptistery Crystal Palace Monadnock Building 30 St. Mary Axe

STRUCTURAL FAADE STRUCTURE SEPARATE FROM FAADE FAADE AS ORNAMENT ???

Masonry Glass Everything
 Merriam-webster.com,. 2015. 'Facade'. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facade.

10 11
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAUSE
Contention
Context of Contention
Envelope Types for Rajasthan
Trajectory of Facades

REWIND
History of Hawa Mahal
Social Significance
Political Significance
Environmental Significance
Recreating the Hawa Mahal

PLAY
Types of Thickness
Analysis of the Urban Density
Analysis of the Neighborhood Density
Site

FORWARD
Proposal for Potential of Porous Cityscape
The Sponge
Bubble-Up Programs
Sponge Logics

BIBLIOGRAPHY

12 13
 HAWA MAHAL

Comparison of Hawa Mahal's Form to Lord Krishna's Crown

(Golden Crush 2015)
HAWA MAHAL
Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of the Wind, is one of the last additions to the
City Palace of Jaipur. Constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh who
was an ardent devotee of Hinduism, the pyramidal elevation resembles the crown
of Lord Krishna.1 Lord Krishna was one of the ten reincarnations of Lord Vishnu,
part of the Trimurti or 'Three Deities" including Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva.2
RETAIL While the Hawa Mahal stands tall at fifty feet from ground, the other
courtyard buildings are only two stories as seen in section. The circulation tower of
ramps is separated from the Palace itself and is required to travel to higher floors.
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC The height of the structure allows exquisite views of the city palace complex and
also the entire city of Jaipur.
Though the street façade is exuberantly ornate, the interior surfaces are
PEDESTRIANS strikingly plain. The street façade has 953 windows or "jharokhas" to allow the
court women to visually participate in the urban daily and ceremonial activities.3
Similar "jharokhas" are seen throughout the city palace.

 Jaipur: The Pink City,. 2015. 'Hawa Mahal Jaipur - History, Architecture, Visiting Hours'.
http://www.jaipur.org.uk/forts-monuments/hawa-mahal.html.
 Das, Subhamoy. 2015. 'Lord Vishnu'. About Religion. http://hinduism.about.com/od/
godsgoddesses/p/vishnu.htm.
 Jaipur: The Pink City,. 2015. 'Hawa Mahal Jaipur - History, Architecture, Visiting Hours'.
http://www.jaipur.org.uk/forts-monuments/hawa-mahal.html.

14 15
 Hotel Hawa Mahal imitates the pyramidal form but fails to adapt the performative
aspect inherent to the architecture of Hawa Mahal.1

Built 65 years after the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, the Kota City Palace incorporated a
similar feature in the women's court without the splendor of the original.2

Top: Section through Hawa Mahal and Adjoining Courtyards.  Rajesh, Suganyasree. 2013. 'Hotel Hawa Mahal, Jaipur'. Pinkcity.Com. http://www.
Below: Plan through Hawa Mahal Complex at Ground Level pinkcity.com/hotels-in-jaipur/hotel-hawa-mahal-jaipur/.
 Tillotson, G.H.R. 1987. The Rajput Palaces: The Development Of An Architectural
Style, 1450-1750. New Haven: Yale University Press.

16 17
 FLOW

Low Velocity
High Velocity
High Pressure RESTRICTION Low Pressure
High Velocity
Low Pressure

Venturi Effect Explained through the Apertures of Hawa Mahal.

(Own Photo)
THE VENTURI EFFECT
Organizationally, bays on the street faade can be identified but they seem
compressed and squeezed together with the iconic 953 "jharokhas" reflecting some
aspects of Rajputana architecture. Though visually appealing, these windows serve
an environmental function of passively cooling the Palace. As the name 'Palace of
the Wind' suggests, the venturi effect is used to increase ventilation and cooling
in the specifically arid climate of Jaipur. By constricting the size of fenestration,
the air passing through experiences a decreased pressure and an increased flow.
As a result, when the air passes through the opening and mixes with the higher
pressured atmospheric air, the interior spaces are passively cooled.1
Higher thermal mass is also used as another passive cooling strategy. While
most palace and fort walls in Jaipur and surrounding region of Amber have a
thickness ranging from eighteen to thirty-six inches, the walls of Hawal Mahal are
barely a foot thick. Pink and red sandstone is used to construct the Hawa Mahal.2
The thermal mass combined with the windows forms a system that can passively
cool rooms and adjoining courtyards.

 Lechner, Norbert. 2009. Heating, Cooling, Lighting. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
 Jaipur: The Pink City,. 2015. 'Hawa Mahal Jaipur - History, Architecture, Visiting Hours'.
http://www.jaipur.org.uk/forts-monuments/hawa-mahal.html.
Some of the 953 windows or "Jharokhas" of Hawa Mahal.
(Own Photos)
18 19
20 21
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAUSE
Contention
Context of Contention
Envelope Types for Rajasthan
Trajectory of Facades

REWIND
History of Hawa Mahal
Social Significance
Political Significance
Environmental Significance
Recreating the Hawa Mahal

PLAY
Types of Thickness
Analysis of the Urban Density
Analysis of the Neighborhood Density
Site

FORWARD
Proposal for Potential of Porous Cityscape
The Sponge
Bubble-Up Programs
Sponge Logics

BIBLIOGRAPHY

22 23
 TYPES OF THICKNESS

1. MASSIVE-NESS
Dominus Winery | Napa Valley, USA | Herzog de Meuron | 1995-98

2. SYSTEMIC
Centre Pompidou | Paris, France | Rogers + Piano | 1971-77

3. ARCHITECTONIC
Arab World Institute | Paris, France | Jean Nouvel | 1987

4. PROGRAMMATIC
Bordeaux Stadium | Bordeaux, France | Herzog de Meuron| 2015

5. SUBTRACTIVE
261 Jinhua Structures | Jinhua, China | Herzog de Meuron |
2004-06

6. DE-LAMINATION
Formosa 1140| West Hollywood, USA | LorcanO'Herlihy
Architects | 2008

24 25
 Dominus Winery | Napa Valley, USA | Herzog de Meuron | 1995-98
(Fairs 2007)
MASSIVE-NESS
Situated in Napa Valley, the Dominus Winery, contrary to expectations,
blends in with the environment rather than standing singularly as a monument
in the vineyards.1
The large diurnal temperature shifts of Napa Valley required specifics
systems to react to the unique environmental condition. The 'rock-wall' made of
stainless steel baskets and basalt from nearby area provides just that as a large
thermal mass.2 The literal thickness of the thermal mass absorbs heat during the
day and releases it at night which works efficiently enough to not necessitate
mechanical systems at the winery. While the environmental functions of the
'rock-wall' are apparent, the stacking of stones allows light to filter through the
gaps, creating varying levels of transparency through a 'masonry' wall.3 It is also
significant to note that another layer of the faade resides behind the 'rock-wall'.
Herzog de Meuron take a box that works programmatically and add layers that
perform environmentally and aesthetically.
1 Fairs, Marcus. 2007. 'Dominus Winery By Herzog & De Meuron'. Dezeen. http://www.
dezeen.com/2007/09/09/dominus-winery-by-herzog-de-meuron/.
2 Herzogdemeuron.com,. 2015. '137 Dominus Winery'. https://www.herzogdemeuron.
com/index/projects/complete-works/126-150/137-dominus-winery.html.
3 Ibid.
26
Centre Pompidou | Paris, France | Rogers + Piano | 1971-77
(Noble 2015)
SYSTEMIC
The chosen competition entry for Centre Pompidou radically changed
the perception of museums and cultural centers from being 'elistist' to 'popular'.1
The 'radical' faade seemingly is not very radical at all considering it
exposes the systems that allow the building to operate smoothly. The systemic
components of structure, heating, cooling and ventilation of the building are
exhibited though the faade with colors that identify different types of elements.2
Also, probably the most iconic aspect of the faade is the escalator that can be
used even by non-museum goers and provides a view of the entire city. The
escalator allows visitors to inhabit the faade and experience the complex
differently than the plaza in front of the museum. Not only does the faade give
an insight to the building, it also makes the interior space more flexible. The
result is a monumental icon of 'anti-monumentalism'.3
1 Rsh-p.com,. 2015. 'Centre Pompidou 'Projects' Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners'.
http://www.rsh-p.com/projects/centre-pompidou/.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
27
 Arab World Institute | Paris, France | Jean Nouvel | 1987
(Freshome: Design & Architecture Magazine 2012)
ARCHITECTONIC
Built collaboratively by France and nineteen Arab countries, the Arab
World Institute in Paris serves as a cultural institution rather than a political
one and its architecture is reflective of that. Two primary faade systems are
employed on the north and the south faades. While the north curved faade
speaks to the western culture, the south facade evokes older eastern architectural
conditions. The architectonics of the southern faade modulate the mechanical
lenses depending on the natural light. The resulting geometry of these "camera-
like diaphragms" imitates traditional mashabriyas/moucharabiehs/latticework.1
Though the material, technology and context of this screen surface vary
immensely, similar effects of light and shadow visually thicken the faade and its
effects.
These automatically governed apertures of the faade do not serve
the same function they did traditionally of maintaining privacy and allowing
a cool breeze. However, they effectively evoke eastern traditions in western
context without completely being a nostalgic representation of the traditional
architecture.
 Tim Winstanley. "AD Classics: Institut du Monde Arabe / Jean Nouvel" 02 Oct 2011.
ArchDaily. Accesed 10 Jul 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/162101/ad-classics-institut-
du-monde-arabe-jean-nouvel/> zog-and-de-meuron/>
28
Bordeaux Stadium | Bordeaux, France | Herzog de Meuron | 2015
(Baan 2015)
PROGRAMMATIC
The form of the Bordeaux stadium can be divided into a plinth, bowl
and ribbon. However, the spatial experience blurs the distinction between
these three elements as the white temple-like columns are the residue of the
traditionally massive form of stadiums.
The bowl serves the primary function for hosting sporting and musical
events while the ribbon inhabits retail and service spaces. The plinth encloses
more private functions of the stadium. The element that ties these three disparate
forms are the stairs.1 Specifically in section, the stairs allow one to inhabit all
three elements at once and thus diminish the distinction between inside and
outside. The question then remains what is the facade and what is the "space"?
Programmatic and formal integration create a building that is either 'all faade'
or 'all space'. It can be argued that the skin of the building is removed. However,
what about the columns that line the edge? Does a faade have to be continuous
or can it be permeable? The fact that the question of the faade can be debated
effectively shows that the interior and exterior are not distinguishable.
 "The New Bordeaux Stadium / Herzog & de Meuron" 21 May 2015. ArchDaily. Ac-
cesed 10 Jul 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/633554/the-new-bordeaux-stadium-her-
29
 261 Jinhua Structures |Jinhua, China | Herzog de Meuron | 2004-06
(Baan 2009)
SUBTRACTIVE
An architectural-landscape park in Jinhua, China includes pavilions from
various local and global participants. One of these pavilions is designed by
Herzog de Meuron.
Initially conceived as a geometric pattern extruded three dimensionally,
the piece of sculptural architecture dissolves from a cube. Using modern
computer programming, a habitable space is carved from a visually monolithic
concrete cube.1 Though habitable, the sculpture does not have an interior or
exterior. It simply disintegrates.
Again, the question of the faade calls attention. Firstly, the singular
material and uniform thickness of surfaces makes it difficult to differentiate
between the internal and external conditions. Secondly, the not completely
distinguishable geometric pattern makes the sculpture look organic. Considering
the context of a park and its public function, does this pavilion require a faade?
If so, does it have a faade? Because the interior of the pavilion appears to be
interwoven, it can be said that the disintegrative subtractive surface is a faade.
 Herzogdemeuron.com,. 2015. '261 Jinhua Structures'. https://www.herzogdemeuron.
com/index/projects/complete-works/251-275/261-jinhua-structures.html. Jul 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/16194/formosa-1140-loha-architects/>
30
Formosa 1140 | West Hollywood, USA | LOHA Architects | 2008
(Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects 2009)
DE-LAMINATION
Consisting of eleven housing units, the Formosa building modifies the
courtyard housing typology to prioritize common public space. Located in the
West Hollywood region of Los Angeles, the building attempts to cater to the city
wide problem of insufficient public space. By moving the courtyard space to all
sides of the exterior, the public space becomes a continuous thread throughout
the complex. This public space is created from layers of screens, thermal
separation and circulation space.
These layers of the faade facilitate cross ventilation through the units
and extend public space to not only the residents but also to the other residents
of West Hollywood. Extrusions from the faades caused by stacking residential
units allow pockets of space within the faade. 1Essentially, building then has a
street front, a circulation corridor and the thermal barrier which simultaneously
can be argued result in one thick faade of environmental function, activity and
aesthetic appeal. The thickness results from multiple thin layers that begin the
conversation of what is in the poche.
 "Formosa 1140 / Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects" 07 Mar 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 10
31
32 33
 Tripolia
Bazaar

Hawa Mahal Sadak Khavas Ji Ka Rasta Town Hall Tulsi Marg Hawa Mahal Badi Chaupar Johari Bazaar
Maharaja High Ramganj
School Bazaar

34 35
 Block Printing Block Printing

Recreated and Modified from Collage City by Colin Rowe

Blue Pottery Stone Carving

Principles of Vastu Shastra used for the Planning of Jaipur Handmade Paper Textile Weaving

36 37
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAUSE
Contention
Context of Contention
Envelope Types for Rajasthan
Trajectory of Facades

REWIND
History of Hawa Mahal
Social Significance
Political Significance
Environmental Significance
Recreating the Hawa Mahal

PLAY
Types of Thickness
Analysis of the Urban Density
Analysis of the Neighborhood Density
Site

FORWARD
Proposal for Potential of Porous Cityscape
The Sponge
Bubble-Up Programs
Sponge Logics

BIBLIOGRAPHY

39
 e

Current Reading of Pedestrian + Building Life

Ernst Haeckel’s Engraving of Microscopic Diatoms Users Vehicles Vendors

(Haeckel 1904) Pedestrians Enclosed Space
SPONGE
noun | \'sp nj\
e

1. a piece of light natural or artificial material that becomes soft when it is wet, is
able to take in and hold liquid, and is used for washing or cleaning

2. an elastic porous mass of interlacing horny fibers that forms the internal
skeleton of various marine animals (phylum Porifera) and is able when wetted
to absorb water

3. any of a phylum (Porifera) of aquatic chiefly marine simple invertebrate animals

that have a double-walled body of loosely aggregated cells with a skeleton
supported by spicules or spongin and are filter feeders that are sessile as adults

ORIGIN
Middle English, from Old English, from Latin spongia, from Greek 1
Proposed Reading of Pedestrian + Building Life
FIRST KNOWN USE OF SPONGE
 Merriam-webster.com,. 2015. 'Sponge'. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
sponge.

40 41
 HYPER GRID SCRAP PILE
Laser-Cut Chipboard Scraps + Spray Paint

FOUND OBJECT HONEYCOMB

Blue Foam Chipboard + Spray Paint

SWISS CHEESE SWISS CHEESE EXTRUDED VOID

Top: Process Photograph #1 MDF Mold, Balloons + Plaster Blue Foam, Dowels +Spray Paint
Below: Process Photograph #2
42 Photos by Jason Foggie Photos by Jason Foggie 43
 HOLES BULGING BALLOONS SHIFTING GAZE CORROSION
MDF + Spray Paint MDF, Balloons + Spray Paint Laser-Cut Plexi +Copper Rods Blue Foam + Acetone

IMPLIED GRID FOUND OBJECT BALLOONS IN A BOX INFUSED BUBBLES

Laser-Cut Chipboard Blue Foam + Spray Paint Plexi + Balloons Bubble Wrap, Sticks + Paint

HONEYCOMB SCRAP PILE HYPER-GRID LEGO

Chipboard + Spray Paint Scraps + Spray Paint Laser-Cut Chipboard Blue Foam+ Spray Paint
44 Photos by Jason Foggie Photos by Jason Foggie 45
 THE SPONGE CRITERIA

1. DENSITY
Programmatic Density

2. VARIATION
Spatial Complexity

3. INTERCONNECTIVITY
Result of Programmatic Density + Spatial Complexity

46 47
 Step 1: Glue balloons to bowl. Step 1: Glue balloons to bowl.

Natural Sponge #1 Natural Sponge #2 Artificial Sponge #1

Natural Sponge #3
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Sponge #1 Natural Sponge #4
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Sponge #2
Sponge #2 ArtificialNatural
Sponge #1 Sponge
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SpongeSponge
#4 #4 Artificial SpongeSponge
Artificial #1 #1

Space A Space B Space A Space B

Step 2: Pour plaster on balloons Step 2: Pour plaster on balloons

and into the bowl. and into the bowl.

Pore Size + Density Pore Size + Density Pore Size + Density

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Artificial #1 #1

Step 3: Pop balloons as plaster Step 3: Pop balloons as plaster

dries. dries.

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Sponge #1 Sponge
Depth Analysis Depth Analysis Depth Analysis
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B B

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Schematic#3 Plan #1Plan #1 Schematic PlanSchematic
Schematic#4 Plan #2Plan #2 Schematic PlanSchematic
Schematic#5 Plan #3Plan #3 Schematic Plan #4Plan #4
Schematic Schematic Plan #5Plan #5
Schematic

1 Entrance
1 Entrance
Schematic Plan #1 5
Schematic Plan #2
Archives
5 Archives
Schematic Plan #3
2 Retail
2 Retail 6 Support
6 SpacesSpaces
Support Step 5: Strategically carve out Step 5: Strategically carve out
3 Workshops
3 Workshops 7 Amphitheater
7 Amphitheater openings. openings.
4 Offices
4 Offices 8 Sculpture
8 GardenGarden
Sculpture

48 49
Moorish Multifoil
MOORISH MULTIFOIL Tudor
MOORISH MULTIFOIL TUDOR TUDOR Reverse Ogee
REVERSE OGEE REVERSE OGEE Ogee
OGEE OGEE REVERSE OGEE II Reverse Ogee
REVERSE OGEE II II TREFOIL Trefoil
TREFOIL MOORISH MULTIFOIL II Moorish
MOORISHMultifoil
MULTIFOIL IIII
MOORISH MULTIFOIL III
Moorish Multifoil III
MOORISH MULTIFOIL III

Iteration
ITERATION #1 #1 ITERATION #1 Iteration
ITERATION #2#2 ITERATION #2 Iteration #3
ITERATION #3 ITERATION #3 Iteration
ITERATION #4#4 ITERATION #4 ITERATION #5 Iteration
ITERATION #5 #5 ITERATION #6 Iteration
ITERATION #6#6 ITERATION #7 Iteration #7
ITERATION #7 ITERATION #8 Iteration #8
ITERATION #8

50 51
 Inverse Combination Iteration #1 Iteration #1 Moves

COMBINATION ITERATION #1 Elevational + Sectional Studies

52 53
 Inverse Combination Iteration #2 Iteration #2 Moves

COMBINATION ITERATION #2 Elevational + Sectional Studies

54 55
 Inverse Combination Iteration #3 Iteration #3 Moves

COMBINATION ITERATION #3 Elevational + Sectional Studies

56 57
 Inverse Combination Iteration #4 Iteration #4 Moves

COMBINATION ITERATION #4 Elevational + Sectional Studies

Below: 3D Powder Print

58 Photo by Matthew Trulli 59

60 61
 PROGRAM DISTRIBUTION

PRIMARY CIRCULATION

62 63
 RAMGANJ
BAZAAR

KHAVAS JI KA RASTA TULSI MARG SRI RAMCHANDRA TOWN HALL HAWA MAHAL MAHARAJA HIGH SCHOOL JOHARI BAZAAR
TEMPLE

BADI CHAUPAR

TRIPOLIA BAZAAR

64 65
 CRATER CRACK INVERSE MASS
Plaster+Balloons 3D MakerBot Print

HOLE-Y INVERSE MASS

Plaster+Balloons 3D MakerBot Print

76 Photos by Mook Waralee Kaekwoon + Anuradha Desai Photos by Mook Waralee Kaekwoon + Anuradha Desai 77
TRANSVERSE SECTION 01 | FACING NORTH-EAST

TRANSVERSE SECTION 02| FACING NORTH-EAST

68 69
LONGITUDINAL SECTION 03| FACING SOUTH-EAST

LONGITUDINAL SECTION 04| FACING NORTH-WEST

70 71
STREET ELEVATION COURTYARD ELEVATION

SITE MODEL : Museum Board + 3D Powder Print

Shauna Strubinger, Erin Zalewski, Anuradha Desai, Maal Ashar, Mook Waralee Kaekwoon, Mona Fulambarkar, Tope Olujobi, Irmak Turanli, Anna Korneeva, Lisa Chang, Sherina Zhang, Dora Lo, Geraldine Vargas,
Victor Jianto, Deena Darby, Aditya Surendhra, Matthew Trulli and Shaguni Gupta

72 Photo by Matthew Trulli 73

SITE MODEL : Museum Board + 3D Powder Print
Shauna Strubinger, Erin Zalewski, Anuradha Desai, Maal Ashar, Mook Waralee Kaekwoon, Mona Fulambarkar, Tope Olujobi, Irmak Turanli, Anna Korneeva, Lisa Chang, Sherina Zhang, Dora Lo, Geraldine Vargas,
Victor Jianto, Deena Darby, Aditya Surendhra, Matthew Trulli and Shaguni Gupta

74 Photos by Matthew Trulli 75

GROUND FLOOR PLAN THIRD FLOOR PLAN

SECOND FLOOR PLAN FOURTH FLOOR PLAN

66 67
 SWISS CHEESE
Plaster+Balloons

ARCH EXTRUSION
3D MakerBot Print

ARCH EXTRUSION EGG-SHELLED

3D MakerBot Print MDF, Plaster+Balloons

78 Photos by Mook Waralee Kaekwoon + Anuradha Desai Photos by Mook Waralee Kaekwoon + Anuradha Desai 79
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAUSE
Contention
Context of Contention
Envelope Types for Rajasthan
Trajectory of Facades

REWIND
History of Hawa Mahal
Social Significance
Political Significance
Environmental Significance
Recreating the Hawa Mahal

PLAY
Types of Thickness
Analysis of the Urban Density
Analysis of the Neighborhood Density
Site

FORWARD
Proposal for Potential of Porous Cityscape
The Sponge
Bubble-Up Programs
Sponge Logics

BIBLIOGRAPHY

81
 WORKS CITED
Rsh-p.com,. 2015. ‘Centre Pompidou ‘Projects’ Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’. http://www. Freshome: Design & Architecture Magazine,. 2012. Nouvel’S Innovative Use Of Day Lighting

rsh-p.com/projects/centre-pompidou/. Devices In The Arab World Institute. Image. http://freshome.com/2012/08/17/

Somol, Robert. 2007. In Hunch: Rethinking Representations, 1st ed., 28-37. Rotterdam: The iconic-legends-the-10-greatest-modern-architects-of-our-time/.

Berlage Institute. Golden Crush,. 2015. Durga Mukut With Diamonds And Meena Kari Work. Image. http://www.

Tillotson, G.H.R. 1987. The Rajput Palaces: The Development Of An Architectural Style, 1450- goldencrush.com/durga-navratri-mukut/1195-durga-mukut.html.

1750. New Haven: Yale University Press. Looshaus Wien. 2014. Image. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Looshaus_Wien.jpg.

Tim Winstanley. “AD Classics: Institut du Monde Arabe / Jean Nouvel” 02 Oct 2011. ArchDaily. Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects,. 2009. Inhabitable Space Within The Layers Of The Facade. Image.

Accesed 10 Jul 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/162101/ad-classics-institut- http://www.archdaily.com/16194/formosa-1140-loha-architects/500f48e228ba0d0cc

du-monde-arabe-jean-nouvel/> 70024ac.

Wtpjaipur.com,. 2015. ‘World Trade Park, Jaipur’. http://wtpjaipur.com/architect.html. Manfred Frank,. 2015. 30 St Mary Axe, London. Image. http://manfredfrank.com/wp-content/

IMAGES uploads/2013/02/St-Axe.jpg.
Architizer,. 2015. 72 Screens. Image. http://architizer.com/projects/72-screens/. Monadnock_Building_South_View. 2015. Image. http://astro.uchicago.edu/home/web/lamb/
Baan, Iwan. 2009. Close-Up Of 261 Jinhua Structures. Image. https://www.herzogdemeuron. red_express/Red_Express/Stations/Monadnock%20Building%20Photos/monadnock_
com/index/projects/complete-works/251-275/261-jinhua-structures/IMAGE.html. building_south_view.jpg.
Baan, Iwan. 2015. Section Through The Disappearing Facade Of The New Stadium. Image. Noble, David. 2015. External Services For The Centre Pompidou, Paris, Are Celebrated
http://afasiaarq.blogspot.com/2014/09/herzog-de-meuron_87.html. With Colour-Coding.. Image. Accessed July 14. http://www.rsh-p.com/projects/
Baptistery Of San Giovanni, Florence. Dedicated 1059. 2015. Image. http://classconnection. gallery/?i=272&p=99_0420_1_s3.
3.amazonaws.com/967/flashcards/427967/jpg/florence_baptistery_ Rajesh, Suganyasree. 2013. ‘Hotel Hawa Mahal, Jaipur’. Image. http://www.pinkcity.com/hotels-
(italy)1353471224020.jpg. in-jaipur/hotel-hawa-mahal-jaipur/.
Bespoke Taylor,. 2013. Paxton’s Original Crystal Palace. Image. http://joeltaylorwrites.blogspot. Tillotson, G.H.R. 1987. The Rajput Palaces: The Development Of An Architectural Style, 1450-
com/2013/10/can-paxtons-crystal-palace-be-rebuilt.html. 1750. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas,. 2013. Re-Creating Amer At IIJW Mumbai 2013. Image. https:// Wikipedia,. 2015. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Along The Nervión River In Downtown
birdhichand.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/making-the-set-of-amer-at-iijw-mumbai-2013/. Bilbao. Image. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guggenheim_Museum_Bilbao.
CommuniStats,. 2014. Birla Auditorium. Image. http://www.communistats.com/page/Birla- Wikipedia,. 2015. View Of The Kunsthaus Graz From The Schlossberg. Image. https://upload.
Auditorium/5099133. wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Graz_Kunsthaus_vom_Schlossberg_20061126.
Engravings of microscopic diatoms (detail) by Ernst Haeckel. Kunstformen der Natur (1904), Wikipedia,. 2015. World Trade Park. Image. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Park,_
plate 84: Diatomeae. Jaipur.
Ewing, James. 2015. Seattle Public Library. Image. http://www.jamesewingphotography.com/

data/photos/821_1seattle_public_library_oma_rem_koolhaas_james_ewing.jpg.

Fairs, Marcus. 2007. Gabion Structure Filled With Basalt Rocks. Image. http://www.dezeen.

com/2007/09/09/dominus-winery-by-herzog-de-meuron/.

84 85
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thesis and thesis prep advisors, Professor Molly Hunker and Professor Benjamin
Farnsworth, have been of immense help and inspiration over the past year. Also,
Professor Lawrence Davis, Professor Romita Ray and Sarosh Anklesaria have also
influenced my process and for which I am very thankful. Thank you Mr. John
Bryant for helping make make models and Mook Waralee Kaewkoon, Anurdha
Desai, Jason Foggie and Matthew Trulli for taking their photographs! I would
also like to thank Shauna Strubinger, Erin Zalewski, Anuradha Desai, Maal Ashar,
Mook Waralee Kaekwoon, Mona Fulambarkar, Tope Olujobi, Irmak Turanli, Anna
Korneeva, Lisa Chang, Sherina Zhang, Dora Lo, Geraldine Vargas, Victor Jianto,
Deena Darby, Aditya Surendhra, Matthew Trulli and Shaguni Gupta for making
helping me make the site model.
In order to conduct my research, I received a Crown Award from the Renee Crown
Honors Program at Syracuse University to visit Jaipur and Udaipur in Rajasthan,
India. I would life to extend my gratitude for the experience to the Honors Program
and to architect, Shaila Shah, for accompanying me on my adventure.
While in Mumbai, I had the opportunity to speak with architect and professor,
Pinkish Shah, who guided me in the initial research phase. During my stay in
Jaipur, I had the pleasure of meeting with another professor and architect, Gaurav
Mathur, who aided my on site research and analysis. I even had the chance to visit
three institutions: Poornima University, Aayojan School of Architecture and Arch
Academy of Design where I received guidance from Mr. Bhawani Shankar and Mr.
and Mrs. Rathore. I would like to specifically thank Pooja Madam for giving me
permission to use base digital drawings of the city.
Also, during my time in Jaipur, I was able to go to artisan workshops to see how
the art and crafts was produced. I am extremely grateful that the local artisans
permitted me into their workshops and let me see how they functioned. My trip
to Rajasthan has inherently enriched my educational experience.
82
WORKS CITED
“Formosa 1140 / Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects” 07 Mar 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 10 Jul 2015.
http://www.archdaily.com/16194/formosa-1140-loha-architects/
“The New Bordeaux Stadium / Herzog & de Meuron” 21 May 2015. ArchDaily. Accesed 10 Jul
2015. http://www.archdaily.com/633554/the-new-bordeaux-stadium-herzog-and-de-
meuron/
Das, Subhamoy. 2015. ‘Lord Vishnu’. About Religion. http://hinduism.about.com/od/
godsgoddesses/p/vishnu.htm.
Fairs, Marcus. 2007. ‘Dominus Winery By Herzog & De Meuron’. Dezeen. http://www.dezeen.
com/2007/09/09/dominus-winery-by-herzog-de-meuron/.
Government of Rajasthan Urban Development, Housing and Local Self Governance
Department,. 2011. Indian Heritage Cities Network- Walking Into The Microcosm Of
Jaipur. New Delhi: UNESCO New Delhi.
Herzogdemeuron.com,. 2015. ‘137 Dominus Winery’. https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/index/
projects/complete-works/126-150/137-dominus-winery.html.
Herzogdemeuron.com,. 2015. ‘261 Jinhua Structures’. https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/
index/projects/complete-works/251-275/261-jinhua-structures.html.
Insideoutside.in,. 2015. ‘Screened Off : Inside Outside Magazine’. http://www.insideoutside.in/
inside-outside/issue-magazine/2085/screened-sanjay-puril.
Jagan Kochhar, www.technoedge.org. 2015. ‘Birla Auditorium Jaipur, Birla Conference Hall Jaipur,
Birla Planetarium’ Birlaauditoriumjaipur.Com. http://birlaauditoriumjaipur.com/.
Jaipur: The Pink City,. 2015. ‘Hawa Mahal Jaipur - History, Architecture, Visiting Hours’. http://
www.jaipur.org.uk/forts-monuments/hawa-mahal.html.
Lechner, Norbert. 2009. Heating, Cooling, Lighting. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
Merriam-webster.com,. 2015. ‘Facade’. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facade.
Merriam-webster.com,. 2015. ‘Sponge’. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sponge.
Polo, Alejandro Zaera. 2008. ‘The Politics Of The Envelope: A Political Critique Of Materialism’.
Volume, no. 17: 76.
Rajesh, Suganyasree. 2013. ‘Hotel Hawa Mahal, Jaipur’. Pinkcity.Com. http://www.pinkcity.com/
hotels-in-jaipur/hotel-hawa-mahal-jaipur/.
Rowe, Colin, and Fred Koetter. 1984. Collage City. Basel: Birkhaüser.
83

Sponge Logics
Rethinking Thresholds Through a Porous Mass
This thesis contends that the separation and
distinction between the envelope and the
mass in contemporary architecture is to be
resisted. Architect and theorist, Greg Lynn,
argues that mass “is not only the outward
shape of a building; it’s also the projection of
shape, plan organization, spatial and sectional
type, and façade.” 1 This critical reevaluation
of the mass, and its relationship to the interior
spaces and the building’s face, is particularly
pertinent to the modern construction in
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The character of the
historicist and post-modern buildings that
make up Jaipur is made solely based on the
applied façade. This thesis argues that this
strategy does not work at the building scale
because it simply becomes an act of surface
creation that does not impact the space
beyond. Additionally, at the urban scale, the
applied façade is an even weaker strategy with
rigid boundaries that does not capitalize on
the inherent richness of the urban grain.
Rajput architecture, typical of Jaipur, used
extravagance to project power to the people
and the other dominant political entity, the
Mughal Empire. It elevated the façade, an
element of exclusion and inclusion, to reflect
the social distinctions of the Kachwaha
dynasty of Jaipur. Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of
the Wind, is a prime example in that it serves
as a screen for the court women to visually
engage in the urban activities through its 953
jharokhas or windows but restricts physical
interaction. This thesis learns from and
updates Hawa Mahal’s conceptual, literal and 2 Allen, Stan. 1985. ‘Field Conditions’. In Points
socio-political thickness by challenging the
role of the observer and the observed. Using
1 Advisor: MOLLY HUNKER
tanvi sanghvi
the ideas of massing put forth by Lynn, this
thesis reimagines the potential of a new type
of architecture based on ‘sponge logics’ that
transcends the established Rajput thresh-
olds, enabling a more inclusive experience,
indicative of the current society of Jaipur. The
Hawa Mahal, acting as a screen, privileged
the observer but sponge logics challenges
the relationship between the observer and
observed, mirroring the changing social
dynamics of contemporary Jaipur.
While a sponge can be identified autono-
mously, the lack of distinction between the
mass, the structure and the façade make
it part of an endless field condition that
absorbs and transforms what is around it.
The overall mass of a sponge is “an elabora-
tion of conditions established locally” that
can filtrate through the dense urban fabric
of Jaipur.2 Doing so allows the street life of
the city to filter in and the building life to
filter out by sponge logics that identify the
potential of a porous building to contribute
to the enrichment of an already packed urban
environment.
1
Rappolt, Mark. 2008. Greg Lynn FORM. New
York: Rizzoli.
+ Lines, 1st ed., 94. New York: Princeton
Architectural Press.
2
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111 Entrance
Entrance
11Entrance
Entrance
Entrance 555 Archives
Archives
55Archives
Archives
Archives
222 Retail
Retail
22Retail Retail
Retail 666 Support
Support
66SupportSpaces
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Spaces
333 Workshops
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33Workshops
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77Amphitheater
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444 Offices
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44OfficesOffices
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88SculptureGarden
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3