Golconde Ashram is a contemporary building amidst the colourful Indo-French architecture of Pondicherry. Golconde is an excellent example of something being perfectly out of place. Established by Sri Aurobindo and "The Mother", it derives its name from the Golconda diamond mines of Hyderabad. The building, which happens to be India's first modernist building (built during 1937-1945), was visualised and created by Architects Antonin Raymond and George Nakashima. The building relieves its visitors from Pondicherry's unforgiving tropical climate. The surprising part is that all this is done without any artificial ventilation. Whatever respite I got from the scorching heat during my visit was due to the immaculate design. I take the liberty to use the term "breathing" here because of its operable louvres for the facade. The entirety of the north and south facades can be opened/shut as required throughout the day and through changing seasons. The building's orientation is such that there is minimum heat absorption throughout the day. The doors to the private rooms are very much like the facade, allowing wind to pass through without compromising the privacy of its user. I have attempted to model out a few of the details that caught my attention: the door, the jaali and the Umbrella stand. The other prominent features are the furniture, the operable louvres, the materiality and the landscaping. The Burmese wood furniture and doors beautifully accompany the concrete and Chettinad plastered walls. Overall, this was one of the trip's significant highlights for a budding architect like myself. Product Code-ART_8960_73527
