THE LAST RESIDENCE... …a place to rest

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Thesis Report titled

THE LAST RESIDENCE…

is the bonafide work of

MS. ROSHMILA ADHIKARY

submitted to the faculty of

Rizvi College of Architecture

for

Design Dissertation

Final Semester, B.Arch.

of

Mumbai University

during the Academic Year 2013-2014.

Prof. Anil Nagrath Prof. Akhtar Chauhan

Thesis Guide Director

Rizvi College of Architecture Rizvi College of Architecture

This thesis is dedicated to You,

the reader.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would love to mention the following people as I am sincerely grateful to them for being a part of my life till today,

Thank you Prof. Himanshu Upadhyay for encouraging me to work on this topic apart from the files, books, sketches and knowledge you shared with me. Your encouragement and faith in me has done wonders to my personal growth as well as my thesis. Prof. Anil Bhingarde for your precious and valuable inputs, notes and discussions at the time I needed it the most. Prof. Anand Achari, for sharing your wealth of knowledge and your willingness to help me in each and every way possible. Prof. Farhat Kazi for being the most lovable person I have ever known! Ma’m I cannot express my gratitude for you in words! Your perspective of looking at things has changed mine and I am immensely grateful and thankful to you.

I am very thankful to my thesis guide Prof. Anil Nagrath, Prof. Madhav Deobhakta, Prof. Meera Deobhakta, Prof. Samir Shaikh, Prof. Fatema Kabir, (late) Prof. Prakash Mankikar, Prof. Abhay Godbole, Brinda Jaisingh Ma’m and Prof. Minaz Ansari for the most interesting discussions I had with them related to my topic and life. I will always remember the discussions I had with each one you. Prof. Suprio Bhattacharjee for his valuable suggestions and ideas. Prof. Rekha Desai and Prof. Yezdi Karanjawala for their inputs.

I thank the non-teaching staff, especially Sanjay Sir and Razza Hassan for helping me with my college and thesis work.

My deepest gratitude to Daniel Johnson for assisting me with my work. It has been a pleasure to interact with him. Shabbir Unwala and Masud Taj for guiding me as much as was possible.

I would love to acknowledge Rishi Vora for being such an inspiration and putting in his best efforts to help me with my thesis. My friends Esa Shaikh and Sarah Thomas for their suggestions and feedback. Your views mattered a lot to me and made a difference to my thesis. Thank you Sarah Thomas for the beautiful format and rendering. Deeba Chougle , Zankar Gupte, Mohammed Unwala, Ushma Agrawal and Vrushali Mestry for always helping me with academic work and also otherwise.

I extend my thanks to all the students and faculty of Rizvi College of Architecture who made fun of my thesis topic. It’s because of them that my determination to work on my thesis strengthened and I worked with full force! I was happy to find a lot of college mates who motivated me and were always willing to help.

My dear parents Sharmila Adhikary and Gautam Adhikary for supporting me in every way possible. The five years in architecture went by comfortably only because you helped me in almost every aspect, everyday. Finally I am happy with my own self as I was determined and passionate about my thesis and tried to do my level best.

INDEX

Preliminaries i) Title Page ii) Approval Page / Certificate iii) Acknowledgment

Body of Thesis

Chapter - 1 Abstract and Introduction

1.1 Project Justification

1.2 Aims

1.3 Objectives

Chapter – 2 Site

2.1 Site Selection and Site Justification

2.2 Site Data

2.3 Site Analysis

Chapter – 3 Case Study

3. Case study – 1

3.2.1 Data

3.2.2 Plans, Elevations and Sections

3.2.3 Models or 3D and Photos

3.2.4 Analysis

3.1 Case Study – 2

3.2.1 Data

3.2.2 Plans, Elevations and Sections

3.2.3 Models or 3D and Photos

3.2.4 Analysis

Chapter – 4 Design issues and Strategies addressed

Chapter – 5 Design Developments (Includes all design progressive sketches,

model, drawings etc)

Chapter – 6 All Drawings (colour prints of All 15 to 18 Sheets as provided in A3

size)

Bibliography

ABSTRACT

Every human being is inevitably involved in learning about life and living. Similarly each person should also be involved in learning about death, dying and bereavement since it is an important way of learning about life and living. Death, however, is not merely a process where one must mourn and contemplate but rather an event which sooner or later will be experienced by each one of us. The death of a loved one can bring out a range of varied emotions which we may not be able to deal with. Life and death are two aspects of the same reality. Death is a heavy, disturbing and uncomfortable fact of life. Life ends and death initiates a new beginning.

The media plays a critical role in channelizing the thought process of the Indian society. It has largely continued to mould the perceptions of the Indians with the highly selective portrayal of life and death. Routine accounts of violence and war put on television and internet often generate a kind of psychological immunity to the impact of death. Ordinary people who die in ordinary ways are not worthy to be discussed. Death is rarely projected as a natural part of human existence. It is treated casually and impersonally while denigrating our human responses to it. It thus has no strong impact on the audience. In the society that we live in, many people would often use substitutes for words like ‘dead’ and ‘dying’ during discussions and conversations of daily life. Using euphemisms are pleasing ways of speaking but they may become undesirable when it reflects an unwillingness to confront such realities of life. Thus, a subject such as death is mostly avoided by the masses today. But the fact does not change. Each one of us has to deal with death irrespective of our interpretation and corresponding reaction towards it. Death is inevitable. The mention of death affects the human body, mind, emotions and spirit. History has witnessed the major psychological and physiological impacts of death in varied cultures, traditions and civilisations. Anything strongly felt in the mind is translated into action by the body. This has manifested further in all aspects of life, including architecture. Architecture has developed throughout various cultures and times in order to help us deal with death and mark its presence.

The Architecture of Death is a misconception. Architecture is for the people, have we ever wondered, living or dead? Of course it’s for the living but is there no architecture for the dead today? The Egyptian Pyramids, Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar complex are well known architectural wonders of our past which had been built keeping death as the main focus.

Numerous visual references to death in the cemetery, on grave markers and in mausoleums have developed over the years as our cultures have changed and merged. We need to experience such projects in order to understand and develop

the complex symbolic and psychological spaces that are needed in our society to help us deal with our mortality.

This thesis intends to illustrate, that place and environment are as important to the stages of death and dying as they are to our means of grieving and bereavement, and will demonstrate that the philosophical missions of the composite crematorium can be enabled and enhanced through built form. It highlights the growing importance of a composite crematorium in Mumbai and provides examples of architecture meeting the needs of the various religious communities. To fully contribute to the process of bereavement we must ultimately rethink the architectural response to death, partnering with crematoriums and burial grounds, observing the people affected in the current scenario to form the architecture for grieving.

The thesis also tries to merge different religions in death. A maternity home does not differentiate between expecting mothers of different religions! Why then does religion participate when an individual dies? Birth and death are realities of life. An attempt is made to visualise this in architecture.

Death unites us.

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

The city of Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. According to census 2011, in this decade the population of Mumbai has grown to more than 20,000 persons per square kilometre making Mumbai one of the densest districts in the country. Mumbai has over 13 million inhabitants, being India’s largest city. Scientists project that by the year 2020, Mumbai’s population will swell to 28 million, making it the most populous city in the world.

The population explosion of Mumbai is not just restricted to the increase in the number of people alive but also increase in the number of people dead! Human beings are destined to die, it’s a known fact. Burial grounds consume a large amount of horizontal land space and render it useless after a body is buried as it is never used for any other activity. The people alive are forced to stay in unhygienic, substandard housing while valuable land space is being freed for the dead! The dead too are facing a space crunch! Since land space is being consumed by graves, a day will come when there will be no space left either for the people alive or dead!! Till then the bodies get to stay in this residence, sometimes even giving rent/buying their home! Death has been commercialised up to this extent today.

People are emotionally blackmailed into buying graves, the rates of which are unbelievably expensive! Such commercialisation, marketing of emotions, beliefs and values need to be understood thoroughly to act further. We must realise that we are treating our bodies like show pieces after death, which is actually and literally-garbage. The dead person does not even have an identity. It is called a ‘body’ which objectifies it and has to be necessarily dealt with. Ignorance is unacceptable since the ‘body’ can cause environmental problems and health hazards if left in the open. Its reality is so unbearable-it rots if left to its fate and eventually is left to decay in the soil or is burnt. In a humble manner architecture is used in this thesis as a means to bring people together in grief and loss.

Traditionally each religion has a specific way of dead body disposal combined with rituals and death rites representing that religion. It has even divided the crematoriums and burial grounds!

People need to start thinking about these aspects, because such divisions promote hatred and loss of ‘power’ of religion or status in the society. The feeling of oneness promotes love, peace and happiness amongst people which is the most desirable emotion every person wants.

Lust for power, levels of differentiation, fear and loss of identity results in agitation which has led to communal riots and violence as we have witnessed in the past. We are all human beings, which we must never forget.

Anything tangible today was established in the mind first. It starts with powerful thinking and strongly felt emotions, which translate into action. The invisible power of consciousness that we possess is the sole driving force for the manifestation of the materialistic things we see around us today. The mask we put up in front of others to show our ‘strength’ of power/religion/status is an illusion which we see through clearly in death. Dividing burial grounds promotes ill feelings instead of promoting oneness of humanity.

The thesis is the bridge between the situation today and the ideal situation envisaged by the author such that it is acceptable for the masses and they can visualise using the space in the near future. The main intention of the thesis is to encourage the masses to think about the aspects mentioned above and on a deeper level, connect to their true self following nothing else but their own feelings and consciousness.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

AIMS

Change the perception towards death as being an unwanted event of life.

Making people comfortable around death.

Let the bereaved individuals have freedom of expression in grief.

Reduce the emotion of fear attached to a body disposal area.

Encourage people of different religion to come together as human beings first.

Making people think for themselves on these aspects and put their thoughts into action in any field which may promote love and peace amongst humanity.

OBJECTIVES

Changing the perception towards a graveyard or crematorium.

Making it a multi-functional space for people alive.

Making the open space more usable and interactive.

Designing grieving spaces through architecture which may comfort the bereaved.

To display the process of life that is common in all religions.

To provide spaces that gives a person freedom of expression.

SITE

SITE SELECTION

Since Mumbai is over populated and needs attention of the masses, a site in the heart of Mumbai was being considered during site selection. Composite crematoriums were being looked at considering the division between burial grounds of differing religions. A composite crematorium is not a new concept and a lot has been thought about it.

In Mumbai the well-known multi-faith composite cemeteries are in Oshiwara (near Andheri), Vadarpada (near Kandivali), Bandra, Deonar, Marve, Cheetah Camp and Gorai. These are multi-faith in the sense that the total area encompasses the three main sects of Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Although they have defined walls separating each one of them giving them their individual identity, they are managed by the same administration.

The site selected is the existing composite crematorium in Bandra. It is probably the youngest of the seven multi-faith cemeteries in Mumbai. It was set up in the year 2000 near the Teacher’s colony. Since its establishment it has steadily received bodies for disposal from all the three major communities it serves.

SITE SELECTION JUSTIFICATION

The site is a composite crematorium in itself. It has a single entrance and further three separate entrances for the Hindu crematorium, the Christian burial ground and the Muslim burial ground respectively.

The site is located in Bandra (east), Mumbai. It is situated near the Teacher’s Colony in Kherwadi and is easily accessible by the service road adjoining the Western Express Highway. The Santacruz railway station on the Western Line is the closest to the site located at a distance of 2km. Adjoining the station is the Santacruz BEST bus depot. The nearest airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji Domestic and International Airport situated at a distance of 4.5kms from the site.

In a populated and linear city of Mumbai modes of travelling is of utmost importance and this is the only composite crematorium site which is easily accessible by road ways, rail ways and also by airways. This composite crematorium covers the H/E ward of Mumbai. The Composite Crematorium falls under H(East) Ward of Mumbai covering the area of Khar and Santacruz east. The Report 2009 prepared by the National Resource Centre for Urban Poverty and the All India Institute of Local Self Govt. states that the population of this area is 580, 835 and density per square kilometre is 42,930.

The Human Development Self Government, Mumbai states that the crude death rate (CDR) in Mumbai is 7.3 per 1,000 people per year. That is 4,240 deaths in H (East) Ward annually. Owing to the ever expanding population the death rate will substantially increase and may double this number by the end of the next two decades.

This composite crematorium is designed for the future and hence predictable figures are taken into consideration.

SITE DATA

GENERAL SITE INFORMATION Address of Tract Near Teacher’s Colony, Off the Western Express Highway Legal Description Presently used as a Composite Crematorium and managed by the BMC Site Location Map Property Area 18,466 sq.m. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Topography Flat land used for burial and plantations. Conditions The area along the north east side of site is bordered with a rivulet which joins the Mithi River southward. West side is a flat land with some trees and south east with green cover. Visibility analysis From the site towards the west high rise office buildings are seen. Towards north is greenery and housing is seen at a distance. South is filled with greenery while eastwards is the view of Western Express Highway. Circulation analysis Site is accessible from the service road beside the Western Express Highway and is just a minute away. There is only one road for accessibility to the site.

CASE STUDIES

Most of the crematoriums in Mumbai today are in a pitiable state with absolutely no emotional value left after use. They merely look like factory machine sheds and are left to their fate.

SHIV DHAAM-Hindu Smashaan Bhoomi

LOCATION : Goregaon (East), Mumbai.

Built by Brihanmumbai Mahanagar Palika

This case is chosen for a study since it has been newly built in Mumbai in 2011 and it situated in the heart of Mumbai. It was initiated by a local businessman who himself faced inconvenience during his grandparent’s final ceremonies.

Businessman Aneel Murarka resolved to make the experience within the crematorium an easier one for family and friends of the deceased who come to this crematorium to perform the last rituals. He built a new corporate style crematorium near the Western Express Highway in Goregaon-East with the local authorities help. After a year of labour, Shivdham manual crematorium in Goregaon was commissioned in January 2011.

Despite months of use, the site appears freshly inaugurated. A bed of flowers circles the ground and a few paces ahead is a marble shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Individual platform for each pyre is provided so that the next party does not have to wait for their turn. The enclosure within which the last rites are performed has been designed

to BMC specifications, bearing the typical sloping asbestos roof and five pyres.

Opposite the pyre is the condolence area allowing clear view towards cremations. This space is fitted with bucket seats, the kind visible in airports. This adds a touch of sophistication. The compound has small structures and signage to help with the last rituals. The provision of a shower room ensures assistance to people who wish to leave for work after the rituals are over. Overall this crematorium makes the busy Mumbai life easier with the provision of various amenities for the family and friends of the bereaved.

This crematorium will help them move on with the demise of their dear one as quick as possible. Unfortunately it does not do much to evoke any emotions which is the need of the hour in Mumbai with this city becoming more and more commercial in their endeavours to earn as much money as possible whereas feelings and emotions have no place, even in a recently constructed crematorium. Are we so emotionless today? Is running after money and happiness the only intention of our lives? Does the death of a loved one have no impact, that we get back to work on the same day, making use of the amenities provided in the crematorium for exactly the same purpose?

BRION-VEGA CEMETERY by Carlo Scarpa (1970-72),

Treviso, Italy

This case is chosen for a study since it takes into consideration the deeper meaning of life into architecture as it is an experiential memorial space and contributes to the philosophical and psychological impact the visitor feels after experiencing the cemetery.

The Brion Tomb is situated in the north of Italy in the village San Vito d'Altivole near Treviso. It was designed for the family Brion by Carlo Scarpa after the death of Giuseppe Brion. It was commissioned by the wife of Giuseppe, Onorina Brion; together they co-founded the electronics firm Brion-Vega. The L shaped site has 5 main focal points; the arcosolium which was of great importance was placed on the north eastern corner to in Scarpas words “benefit from the best view and sunniest exposure”. The arcosolium acts as a kind of visual hinge on the L shaped site joining the north and eastern sides of the site. The family graves are situated on the north wall of the site sheltered underneath a canopy which shelters them from the elements. On the south side of the L shape is a pavilion which floats over a Lilly pond. The site is enclosed by a 2.3m high wall. Internally the views out from the site almost become a part of the design and Looking towards the site the 60deg slope of the wall directs sight over the cemetery causing minimum obstruction of the views out from the town whilst also masking its internal parts. Scarpa acknowledged that he “had captured the sense of the countryside, as the Brions wished” (Scarpa 1978-84)

Scarpas arcosolium is the main focal point for the whole tomb, acting as a hinge between the two perpendicular areas of the site. The two heads of the family are buried here and is therefore sited with importance and was built on the north east corner of the site. Unlike the solid arch of the historic catholic arcosolium the arch Scarpa designed is sleek and slender and is made out of concrete and bows over the sunken ground on which sit the two graves. Carlo Scarpa was of Venetian origin and this influenced his designs in that water and the effects it caused were often key elements of his designs. Bodies of water and/or water courses were elemental. He spent most of his life in Venice, wandering down its narrow gangways with buildings either floating on or reflected in water; a world changing with the ebb and flow of the tides.

The entrance lies down an avenue of trees which run the old Village Cemetery. Upon approach the first thing noticed is the two intersecting circles which lay at the end of the small corridor and their framed picture of the lawn and the ivy covered wall beyond. The entrance is sat beside other existing tombs and its scale is as those of the existing tombs. This gives the Brion Tomb a tardis like feel once inside having entered through here. The entrance is decorated with a zigzag design like the arcosolium with horizontal slices through the mass in which the sky or in Scarpas eye the heavens can be seen. On entering the square entrance opens up like a cave and upon speaking strange echoes bounce off the zigzagged inside. Again horizontal slices allow the sight of the heavens whilst inside this dark entrance way.

DESIGN ISSUES AND STRATEGIES ADDRESSED

The Indian society finds it difficult to accept a death in the family or neighbourhood. When a person dies, her/his family, friends and close ones are the most affected. Society has set rules and regulations for the family which are supposed to be followed in an orderly manner after a death. Freedom of expression, letting out innermost emotions and grieving the way one would want to- rarely find acceptance and are looked at as being shameful, weak acts. Such reactions from the society compel the bereaved to act in a certain way which further deepens the wound of having lost a loved one. Certain ways of publicly expressing sorrow is given importance and the bereaved family is forced to follow what society preaches. These actions do not comfort or lessen the pain, the bereaved are going through, and in fact makes situations even more miserable for them to bear. Most often our society conveys unhelpful messages to bereaved persons. It just shows how insensitive our society is today.

PERSONAL SPACE

Freedom of expression is of utmost importance. Spending time with the deceased person (body) for one last time can have a lasting impact and can turn out to be a beautiful memory to be cherished in the long run. Such moments are precious and may comfort the bereaved. A special space is provided in the composite crematorium which is the ‘personal space’. This space is to be used by persons extremely close to the deceased like wife/mother/child etc. who wish to spend time alone with the dead person (body) without the involvement of any outsiders like the priests or relatives who may not be very close to the deceased. Here they have the freedom of expression without caring about the reaction of the onlookers.

Rituals and last rites are never common between two different religions. Last rites inevitably point out the religion of the deceased to onlookers. It is almost like an announcement. Religion takes centre stage after the death of an individual as we completely forget that we are humans first and death is the only event which does not consider any religion.

PERSONAL SPACE (on the right)

Why is there then no difference in a maternity home where expecting mothers of differing religions come to deliver? The religious difference only arises in burial grounds and crematoriums! Why the hypocrisy? Birth and death are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. Unless we love and accept every human being irrespective of their religion and social status we will never truly experience peace, unity and integrity.

GRIEF

Grief is a system of feelings, thoughts, and behaviours that are triggered when a person experiences a significant loss or the threat of loss. It signifies both internal and external reaction to the impact of the loss. Grief is not just restricted to the loss of a loved one but a wide range of other situations like unsuccessful relationships, business losses etc. Grief is not merely an emotional feeling, it is a more complex and broad concept which can be experienced and expressed in numerous ways. These include physical sensations, emotional feelings, conflicting cognitions and behaviours. Grieving is a healthy reaction to loss and a natural gesture of love for the deceased. People grieve

many a times and they can visit this crematorium to just be with themselves and contemplate about anything they wish to. GRIEVING SPACE

Grief can be expressed alone, along with a few people and also in a group. The grieving space is designed such that all the three needs are fulfilled and people have an opportunity to be in a space where there is complete silence and distant views. Being surrounded by graves may help them realise that we will eventually die no matter what we do today or tomorrow. Since our end is known, a happy and positive attitude today is the most important and this is the main idea behind conceptualising this space.

GRIEVING AREA

The grieving space in the design envisaged is more especially for the family members of the deceased who might have met a sudden, accidental or unnatural death and hence find it even more difficult to come to terms with. They need both time and space to accept the harsh reality and the context of a crematorium is the best place for them to try to accept reality rather than any other space.

GARDEN OF THOUGHTS- Where thoughts bloom…

The Garden of Thoughts is approached from the three different ways for the three different religions of Hinduism, Christianity and Islam respectively. Each religion is represented by specific symbolism. The illusion of these in the built form in the garden leads a religious person to come towards their religion when in reality they are approaching nothing! Literally! The religious symbols start breaking down as they come closer and closer to it and the visitor reaches a point where there is no religion but only knowledge through which we can become more aware and conscious of our existence.

Some ways of gaining knowledge is reading good books, watching audio visuals and so on. The Archive serves this purpose and also makes a burial ground a multi-purpose space. Beside this space is an open to sky but specific meditation area and the grieving space on the other side. Collectively this whole area is called the Garden of Thoughts-a garden where thoughts bloom.

GARDEN OF THOUGHTS

People visiting a cemetery are mostly quiet owing to the atmosphere of death. Thus the garden placed within the cemetery is suitable for people going through a troublesome time in their lives and may find peace of mind here within the natural settings. It gives an individual a private space away from people and society. Most bereaved persons have a need to express their reactions to a loss or death.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

PROGRESSIVE SKETCHES

MODEL PICTURES

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