JSW Visitor's Centre Architecture

Culture Architecture I Hampi, Karnataka

Area 24,000 sq ft

Status Competition

Client JSW Foundation & Hampi Foundation

Team Shimul Javeri Kadri, Sarika Shetty

The plan is a series of open pavilions gently leading towards the temple. The centre is thus a journey –of acquaintance & learning, surrounded by the famous Hampi landscape

A site that is the essence of Hampi – the Tungabhadra river in the background, boulders, coconut, and banana plantations in the foreground and the jewel in the crown – a 15th century Shiva temple – the Soumya Someshwar temple on the far corner of the site.

Textures, planes and landscapes

JSW Visitor's centre was to orient people to the architecture of Hampi, before they encountered the temple on the site, was a thought-provoking exercise. The exhibition architecture design uses no cement or steel – only natural stone, wood, banana fibre and coconut fronds.

Temples, inside and outside connections

The plan is a series of open pavilions gently leading towards the temple. The centre is thus a journey –of acquaintance & learning, surrounded by the famous Hampi landscape, with the overhangs of the pavilions capable of shutting the pavilion down at night – safe from dusty winds & animals.