Amid the experimental artworks that are sprucing up for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) beginning on Dec 12, a young architect has chipped in with an innovative pavilion that would be the venue for Artists' Cinema and History Now, two key parallel programmes of the 108-day extravaganza.
Keralite Vinu Daniel's 3,000-square-feet structure in Aspinwall House at Fort Kochi is shaping up on an out-of-the-box design, using materials that are unorthodox by architectural standards.
Jute sacks, along with steel ribs and concrete, form the key ingredient to the 'Umbrella Pavilion' which has a twisted shape that promotes natural air circulation across its interiors that are walled on the sides by tastefully-layered brick pillars which produce a lattice-like quality.
With a seating capacity of 250, the wacky building with doors on both sides leaves a pathway linking them.
"While 200 chairs can be placed on the floor, 50 people can sit on the gallery. The idea is to facilitate the movement of a floating crowd without distracting those sitting and watching a seminar, movie or a cultural programme," notes the 30-year-old architect about the pavilion which has hollow bricks raised along the read end as reinforcement.
With supervisor P S Suresh of Tamil Nadu and a team of 45 assistants and 100 helpers, Vinu is sure that the pavilion would be completed on December 12 - the inaugural day of the 2nd edition of the KMB. "Also, students from half-a-dozen architecture colleges in Kerala are coming in batches to chip in with last-leg work. It will be a practical class for them," adds Vinu.
