MARKET COMMITTEE OFFICE, GURU HAR SAHAI, PUNJAB
Architect: Sarbjit Singh Bahga ---
Guru Har Sahai is a small town in the district of Ferozepur in Punjab. It has a large grain market to handle agriculture produce in the area. Market Committee Office building is located on a plot of 4600 square metres, on the southern fringe of the grain market. The small single-storied building has been designed on the principles of symmetry and courtyard planning.
The building-form has been evolved around a small central-court which is square in shape but has chamfered corners. A singly-loaded corridor runs all around the court, and provides access to the usable office spaces on the periphery. The juxtaposition of office spaces has been made in such a way that the corridor opens out in the corners and brick jaalis have been provided at the dead ends. This arrangement not only provides adequate cross ventilation in the core of the building but also allows the inhabitants to have a glimpse of the openness around. To combat the extreme hot-and-arid climate of the border district of Punjab, it is perhaps one of the simplest and most effective solutions.
The building has been designed on a Cartesian pattern to simplify the construction process and improve the functional utility. However, to enhance the visual appeal of the building-form, the plan has been aligned at an angle of 45 degrees and the entrance has been provided in the corner along the diagonal axis. With the change in the viewing angle, the building not only looks bigger than it actually is, but also offers multiple surfaces three dimensionally highlighted with light and shade.
1994
1995
