The Oval- Modern Stepwell

Originating from the Indian subcontext, stepwells are wells or ponds in which the water is reach by descending a set of steps the water level.
With the time we have started to forget these places and once for all they all will be diminished.
The concept was to relive these spaces in a modern way keeping the concept intact and developing it further.
The baori has a precise geometrical pattern, hard to find in this age.The steps form a magical maze and the consequent play of light and shadow on the structure gives it a captivating look.It has an enclosed rectangular courtyard kind of structure. Upon entering you reach a jharokha (windows).
As in baoris descending the stairs , you can see the cavernous baori narrowing towards the bottom, criss-crossed with double flights of steps on three sides to reach the water surface down below we tried to developed it vice versa taking things above the ground and further developing the elements.
The stairs encircle the water on the three sides while the fourth side boasts of a pavillion with three storeys with beautiful carved jharokhas, galleries supported on pillars and two projecting balconies enshrining beautiful sculptures.

The Oval- Modern Stepwell by SPACES ARCHITECTS@ka in India won the WA Award Cycle 36. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.