The site itself is spectacular. The Statue of Belief is a 82-metre-tall monument to Shiva – the world’s tallest – in Nathdwara, Rajasthan, India. In its base building, Sanjay Puri Architects has crafted a marvellous, multi-faceted venue that seeks to move people in more ways than one. The firm describes the Aatma Manthan Museum as a place to “evoke self-analysis, bringing together a holistic combination of the soul (aatma), mind (mana), and body (tann).”
Measuring 1,672 square metres, the Aatma Manthan Museum is divided into a series of rooms that lead visitors on a spatial and spiritual journey, while connecting them to nature – and outer space – via immersive displays.
Sanjay Puri Architects sets the scene in the foyer, a “fluid volume” of voluptuously curved surfaces, from the bulbous ceiling and mushroom columns to the smooth-edged bench seating that appears to organically emerge from the walls and melt into the floor. All of these elements are finished with a thin layer of sound-absorbing foam concrete; the result is a luxurious blanket of monotone grey that makes the entire setting seem sculpted. The only detail that feels as though it’s been added to the interior are the segments of semi-circular track lighting that follow the ceiling’s curves.
When they exit this striking welcome area, visitors embark on a voyage through 18 sequential zones, including the “zone with elements,” the “semi-immersive zone,” the “fully immersive zone,” and the “transition zone.” From an undulating corridor that projects digital images of the making of the museum, the rooms unfold with various themes amplified by sound and wall-to-wall visuals.
One of these immersive A/V installations depicts a geological landscape that fully envelopes visitors. In another space, museum-goers are confronted with their own reflections, multiplied by a zig-zagging mirror wall and a floor polished to icy perfection, or – when this same space morphs into a visual spectacle – the awesomeness of the cosmos, with the planets suspended before them.
There are also smaller spaces and nooks where visitors can enjoy intimate experiences that bring them in communion with nature and with their own inner worlds. Sanjay Puri Architects’ Aatma Manthan Museum is a stunning space with a captivating program of immersive experiences that will doubtless cajole people away from their smartphone screens – to take in the marvels of the universe.
The post Sanjay Puri Unfurls a Spiritual Journey in Rajasthan appeared first on Azure Magazine.
