“How does one navigate the conservation of tangible heritage? Is it the form that allows for multiple associations, or does it require the preservation of the essence that is inalienable to the space?”
Location
Udaipur
Typology
Heritage Gardens
Site area
4830 m2
In Rajasthan, sits a fort– Devigarh– that is surrounded by mountains, and whose layout is interspersed with many courts; its landscape rises with the topography.
The landscape has allowed conversations at different levels- between the architecture and the landscape, the landscape and the surroundings and most importantly, the landscape and the history of the spaces within the fort.
At all times, the landscape is conscious of the desert and the scarcity of water that it is surrounded by. Systems have been created for the conservation and storage of water.
The planting for the Devi Court is simple. Two large boulders, a representation of the Devi are shaded by Bauhinia blossoms. It is the entrance court to the fort.
In the Kamal Court, water channels that run for 150 feet mimic the patterns of a lotus in bloom.
The Darbar Court, or the Royal Court, is marked by a white marble throne, surrounded by black flooring. It suggests the representation of a Cosmos made up of its various elements and dualities. The throne is shaded by a Tree of Life.
The Zenana court holds at its centre a stambh made of stone. The fountain is a tribute to the courage of the women of Rajasthan.
The smaller terraces mimic the mountains that they are surrounded by.
Unlike other landscapes with whom connections can be made through the visuals, this is a landscape of mental constructs. The elements only help accentuate the historic function of the spaces.
