9116/2019 Allin the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates | Bulldings | Architectural Review The Architectural Review All in the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates 18 December, 2018 By A Srivathsan AR Library Highly Commended: in the Maya Somaiya Library, the constraints of the site paved the way for invention Maya Somaiya Library reaffirms engineer David Billington’s remarks about the tenets of shell structures: economy, efficiency and elegance. Designed by Mumbai-based ‘Sameep Padora +Associates (sP+a), this thin brick vault structure creates a fluid, free space for 10,000 books. Seamlessly merging with the landscape, the improvised Catalan vault bathes in light, and, to paraphrase the Uruguayan engineer Eladio Dieste, ‘dances without effort. In previous projects, sP+a have explored and experimented with construction techniques, crafts and methods of putting buildings together. Maya Somaiya Library extends this spirit of inquiry. ‘In its lightness and fluidity, the brick vault seems more like a fabric tent than a masonry structure’ Set in a fertile region that cultivates sugar cane and cotton, Kopargaon is a small town east of Mumbai with a population of 65,000. In this predominantly Marathi-speaking region, private schools that teach in English are sought after by aspiring parents. Shri Sharda School, where the library is located, is one of eight schools that deliver education in English. Until a few years ago, the school had a small hall that doubled unsatisfactorily as a library for its 1,800 students. In response to a growing need, the trust that supports the school commissioned a new and improved facility. The programme could be simply distilled to ‘a place to read books’. Tightly sandwiched between two buildings in the north-east quadrant of the school, the Maya Somaiya Library connects two playgrounds frequented by students. The plot delineated for construction was small and irregular, yet this constraint created opportunity. An irregular shape paved the way for an unorthodox geometry and visual variations, Central to the design is the idea of chhatr, a traditional Mughal pavilion. However, unlike the Indian version, essentially a trabeated, umbrella-like structure, the architects drew on Mediterranean construction techniques to create a Catalan masonry vault that simultaneously shelters and defines space. hitps www architectural-review.comibullaings/al-in-the-mound-maya-somaiya-brary-in-kopargaoninca-by-sameep-padora-associates/1003825..._ 179116/2019 Alin the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates | Bulldings | Architectural Review Spa plan Click to download Though the Catalan vault system had a Roman precedent, it came to fruition in 14th- century Spain, Also known as a timbre! vault, the Catalan vault is a thin vaulted structure that spans and encloses space by means of compression. It usually comprises three layers of brick tiles held together by a quick-setting mortar and constructed using a minimal formwork made of timber slats, Prevalent in Mediterranean countries, it later spread across the world. Yet while it eventually went out of fashion, engineers such as Eladio Dieste rediscovered it and elevated it into a structural art. Moder Catalan vaults are not as symmetrical as traditional ones, acquiring complex shapes covering different kinds of footprints. Pioneering research by the Block Research Group (BRG) at the Institute of Technology in Architecture at ETH Ziirich has made such improvisations possible. The Swiss research team introduced advanced computational techniques to enhance aesthetic qualities, explore new tiling patterns and develop different forms of curvature. This has led to more radical experiments and outcomes, for instance, Brick-topia by Spanish architecture firm Map13 in Barcelona. hitpslwww.architectural-review.comibullaings/al-in-the-mound-maya-somaiya-ibrary-in-kopargaoninca-by-sameep-padora-associates/1003825..._ 217‘anerora Alin the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates | Bulldings | Architectural Review ‘Spa edmund sumner lib 0058 “The choice of the vault was a natural one’, says sP+a principal Sameep Padora. ‘It was a suitable and appropriate form that met our design intention to create a pavilion for the books. | was already familiar with the work of Eladio Dieste and the magnificent vaults he had built in Uruguay. When we were pondering over the design for the library, ideas and inspiration came together.” Drawing on the ETH research, Maya Somaiya Library takes structural innovation a stage further. With a width of 25ft and span of 150ft, it is probably the widest and longest example of the Catalan vault built to date and is also the first permanent structure of its kind. Unusually, it has no intermediate supports, so the resultant form generates a free- flowing, unobstructed space. tps ww architectural-review.comibuldings/al-in-he-mound-maya-somaiya-lbrary in-kopargaon.indla-by-sameep-padora-associates/1003825... SIT9116/2019 Allin the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates | Buldings | Architectural Review It also optimises use of materials. Three layers of 20mm brick tiles were laid perpendicular to each other and held together by mortar, so the structure carries only 140 tonnes of self-weight. The steel! cage employed as formwork to construct the first tile layer was later reused in other buildings. Each layer of tiles required around four weeks to construct, so the building took about nine months to complete, comparable to the more conventional steel and concrete frame structures that surround the library. However, when it comes to sustainability, efficiency and elegance, the library clearly prevails. ‘Spa edmund sumner lib 0026 The fluid form emerges out of careful consideration and manoeuvring of parameters. The vautt's springing point was located so that the library entrance orients towards the playgrounds. Its arches face the landscaped area, encouraging students to step outside during cooler months of the year. The flow and proportions of the curve were adjusted to achieve a suitable working height as well as visual impact. Laid out in a zigzag pattern, timber-framed windows of varying dimensions cover the openings below the arches, The zigzag arrangement was necessary because the windows had to stand up and be self- supporting. The lower halves of the windows are glazed, while the upper parts are covered by netting to allow airflow, affording a well-lit, adequately ventilated and comfortable space. Inside the sinuous, vaulted space, bookshelves are arranged diagonally along a central spine, Taking account of future needs, the shelves are designed to hold three times their current capacity. Places to read are clustered along both sides of the shelves, Senior students sit on stools, while younger ones comfortably squat on stone seats in quiet corners. The floor is made of polished grey green kota, a widely used natural stone, adding to the sense of warmth, Fans, a necessity in the tropical locale, are hung from mild steel frames that hug the bookshelves. Their constant gentle whir penetrates the studious silence. hitps www. architectural-review.comibullaings/al-in-the-mound-maya-somaiya-brary-in-kopargaoninca-by-sameep-padora-associates/1003825... 4/79116/2019 Alin the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates | Bulldings | Architectural Review Though delightful, the building's innate simplicity is also its drawback, as the design creates an uncluttered space unsuited to hosting other kinds of activities. School libraries are no longer mere repositories of books, they have to engage, inform and entertain. Some spatial subdivisions might have encouraged the library to embrace this extended role, enhancing its educational and social potential. Spta section Click to download Within the library, students do not seem to mind the conspicuous absence of new media and interactive devices. Presumably, this was a conscious decision to keep them away from digital distractions. Rather, they seemed to be enthused by and fascinated with the new structure. School principal KL Wakchaure proudly notes that library usage has substantially increased and students eagerly anticipate their set periods in the new space. Requests to use the library have also increased, prompting the school to keep it open beyond school hours. Residents and students from other institutions regularly visit the school to inspect the new addition. The pride of students and staff is visible, a testament to the impact of architectural imagination. ‘We wanted a structure that appears to emerge from the landscape organically and then slowly descends into it’, says Padora. The brick vault extends upwards, effortlessly spreads and carefully tucks into the ground. In its lightness and fluidity, it seems more like a fabric tent than a masonry structure, inviting rather than intimidating. hitps www architectural-review.comibullaings/al-in-the-mound-maya-somaiya-brary-in-kopargaoninca-by-sameep-padora-associates/1003825..._ 5179116/2019 Alin the mound: Maya Somaiya Library in Kopargaon, India, by Sameep Padora + Associates | Bulldings | Architectural Review ‘Spa edmund sumner lib 0029 Padora hopes that students will be able to walk over the vault as they shuffle between the two playgrounds, an idea that would help to develop an intimacy with the building. However, this is yet to be fully realised as the school needs to get used to the idea of students walking over buildings with all the attendant anxieties of supervision. Yet if and when it happens, it would cement the bond between the students and their library still further. The significance of this building lies not only in its innovative form, technical virtuosity and economy. More importantly, it is a commendable effort to endow a school in a small town with a much-needed amenity. Most libraries in India’s schools are poorly serviced and under-utilised, so this generous building is a welcome contrast. By inviting students from the rural hinterlands to dwell in books, reflect, imagine and grow wise, it embodies a powerful sense of hope. hitps www. architectural-review.comibullaings/al-in-the-mound-maya-somaiya-lbrary-in-Kopargaoninca-by-sameep-padora-associates/1003825..._ 6/7