Abstract:
Bharatanatyam, most widely known and revered style of Indian classical dances has
a history of over 2,000 years. This sacred art originated in Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu
and it has evolved over time. The significant physical components, dancer and her
immediate architecture setting are intertwined with one another. Dance defines the
kinetic exploration of space in time, while architecture embodies the dance form.
Bharatanatyam has evolved in parallel with its architectural identity. This led to the
fracturing and abstraction of dance and its setting in its modern form. Its integrity has
diminished with time. Recognizing that in the midst of globalization the art form is
thriving but at the same time the traditional dance is being diluted, the integrity of the
dance has been lost and must be revitalized. This has been accomplished with an
architectural approach in the form of a self-contained institutional campuses which
provides an opportunity to explore contemporary aesthetics.
The spatial expansion of dance culture is a vital tool for building a community. They
reconstruct community conventions of dance and music into centres of cultural
identity. Guru-Shishya Parampara is the propagation process in the pedagogy of the
art form, which has diminished with time. The organization also strives to rejuvenate
the ancient oral practices of transmitting the cultural knowledge that establishes a
sacred bond between the guru and the disciple. The architecture of teaching,
performing and experiencing the dance needs to contain multi-sensorial experience in
order to sustain a consistency in the collective creative culture. These changing
principles ought to be consistently reflected on the cultural institutions and
contemporary performance spaces.
The thesis aims to understand the tangible and intangible aspects that will enhance
the spatial experience and craft of design, which are the medium for the manifestation
of cultural resonance. And present a design model that reflects significant
amalgamation and integration of architecture, culture and moral languages.
