DESIGN BRIEF
Pathu Thoon lane, nestled between Navabath Kana street and Mahal Vadampookki street, is situated to the north of Thirumalai Nayakkar’s palace in Madurai. The lane is flanked by houses and shops, obscuring the pillars within. Adjacent to Pathu Thoon lie the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple and Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal.
Swarga Vilasam palace, now identified as Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal, was commissioned by Thirumalai Nayakkar. Within its premises, the Ranga Vilasam palace was built in 1636 AD to accommodate Thirumalai Nayakkar’s younger brother, Muthiyaalu Nayakkar. Pathu Thoon, also known as the Ten Pillars, is believed to have served as the façade of Ranga Vilasam, with other sections of the palace no longer extant. According to R. Venkataraman, a historian specializing in Madurai history, following Thirumalai Nayakkar’s era, the Nayakkar Kingdom’s headquarters shifted from Madurai to Trichy. During this transition, valuable portions of Ranga Vilasam were relocated, leaving the rest abandoned. Subsequently, the forts on the northern side were destroyed during the Madurai invasion by Chanda Sahib & eventually disappeared, leaving only Pathu Thoon.
Declared as archaeological monuments of Tamil Nadu on July 20, 1973, Pathu Thoon is now safeguarded by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology. During the Nayakkar reign, silk weavers from Saurashtra were resettled near the palace in Madurai. When the palace complex was deserted, they established homes around the Ten Pillars. Initially renowned for silk production, the lane is now bustling with small textile shops.
THE SITE
Pathu Thoon Lane, also known as the “10 Pillar Street,” is characterized by its row of ten pillars along a 4-meter-wide or so thoroughfare. Flanked mostly by buildings with ground plus two upper levels, these structures typically accommodate retail establishments on the ground floor and residences above. The spacing between the pillars varies along the street.
These pillars are constructed from stacked round granite stones. Standing at a height of 12 meters, each pillar has a diameter of 1.20 meters. Notably, one of these pillars features an embossed shivalingam sculpture with a niche to light a lamp.
Despite being under the supervision of the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology, Pathu Thoon has faced significant encroachment by textile shops and other businesses, leading to damage and deterioration of its historical significance.
DESIGN PROGRAM
The historically significant 10-pillar lane is steeped in a rich heritage of weavers and silk craftsmanship. The aim of the design is to infuse this historical essence into the architecture by creating spaces that showcase this weaving artistry. Additionally, integrating the pillars into the potential heritage walk connecting the Temple and the Palace should emphasize the importance of pillars and the path through architectural interventions.
Each plot must maintain a ground coverage of 50%. The floor area ratio (FAR) is set at 1.5 times the site area. Public activities are to be prioritized on the ground and first floors, while residential spaces are designated for the upper floors. The maximum allowable building height is capped at 12 meters. Setbacks need not be provided. The site’s uniqueness is from its pillars and its close proximity to the city’s two pivotal structures.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Participation is open to any undergraduate student, whether full-time or parttime, who is either enrolled in an academic year of an architecture institution at the present time or have finished all of their course work by June 2024.
TDB 2024 Launch 15th July 2024 Monday
Final Submission 16th Sep 2024 Monday
Finalist Announcement 25th Sep 2024 Monday
Masterclass 04th Oct 2024 Friday
Finale 05th Oct 2024 Saturday
