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Bird Tower



Some villagers made this tower for birds to live in on the edge of a natural lake. There is a temple, a bael tree, many birds and humans seeking blessings from Lord Shiva.
The multi-coloured tower is five feet wide octagon thirty six feet high.
The lake houses egrets and turtles, not counting innumerable frogs, fishes and few tortoises. Herons and kingfishers hang out in the bushes and trees always on a look out for sweet water fish.
In summers the lake is dry, the green babul bushes also turn brown, and it is yet a haven for blue bulls to play around.
In the monsoon, the earth turns magically green, the lake gets over whelmed by baby frogs and buffaloes bathing.
Winter time is for the migratory birds to stay in the warmth away from frozen lands they come from.
All year round, villagers feed the birds with grain, the bael tree yields fruit for the monkeys, the bael1 leaves are used for worship in the temple.
Heaven on Earth looks like this!
1Bael- Stone apple.
Written by Poonam Jolly 21.10.23
Illustration. Poonam Jolly, Makhduma Merchant, Archi Rojivadia
Nr. Mahadev Temple, Shilaj
Archive
UnEquilibium house by Architectonica
There is an elephant in my room. The elephant fills the room and extends
UnEquilibium house by Architectonica









There is an elephant in my room. The elephant fills the room and extends outwards into the landscape luring a visitor towards the interiors. A visitor gets ingested in the space that expands and contracts.
In the tight geometry of right angles, the curved wall acts a barrier and bridge at the same time, although the most massive element, it nullifies its existence by not touching the slab. The house extends itself literally and metaphorically to the landscape outside. The very few concrete walls take the load of the slab. The tapering roof thins down as it goes from more to less support below it. Hence the name “UNequilibium house” as the roof is lopsided yet balanced.
Our keywords are sustainability, using bespoke methodology and crafts, use as little energy as possible and make with hands as much as possible. We believe in fusing architecture and nature such that the boundaries between the two are blurred. It should be difficult to tell what is inside and what is outside, thus making architecture and our habitat a wonderful place to be in, where nature play magic continuously throughout the year and becomes a source of eternal joy.