Aparna Sarovar

Our idea for this project revolved around the tenets of Vastu-Shastra, a traditional architectural system that drives the design of buildings and spaces in Hyderabad. In accordance with the system, we chose to divide and arrange the space to represent the 5 elements of nature—earth, water, fire, wind and space. The earth court contains large pebbled and gravelled surfaces, anchored by a mist fountain reminiscent of sulfur springs. The water court is more of a meditative space with a series of large water panels. The fire court contains an outdoor barbeque area surrounded by illuminateed rocks. The wind court has clusters of bamboo and tall grass, along with wind socks to capture the movement of air both visually and aurally. The space court is a large open space meant for congregation. These five courts are interspersed with spaces for sport activities, such as tennis, basketball and a general children’s play area.