Human emotions, culture are very strongly linked with spaces. ‘Human-Emotion-Place’ is what we can consider as inseparable entities. Place, the way it is designed; the way it communicates with the person, creates the experience and if the person relates to space it becomes an emotion. Phenomenology is a philosophical study of experience and consciousness. It doesn't stop there, in architectural context it means designing the spaces in a way that the structure speaks to you, it becomes one with the surroundings like its always been there and it was meant to be there.
Saat Rasta junction is one of the prime locations in Mumbai. Due to its location on the border of market and mill districts in Mumbai, the junction is well connected by different modes of transport-roads, monorail, upcoming metro, railways, etc. due to the connectivity it has and its location, the junction became a prime spot for redevelopment.
The proposed projects ‘Melawa’ intents to provide a multifunctional space catering to the demands of all income groups and all users on the site. The architecture allowed flexibility in user movements and functionality. The changing nature and flexibility provided by the designed spaces allow the majority of the functions to fit it.
The stark difference in the form defines the change in functionality, i.e. change from public-semiprivate-private. The further staggering of the form allows the structures to have terraces and hance open spaces on higher levels provided with a green cover. The interactions of the interior to the exterior are emphasized on the ground floor. Even though the exterior looks like an introverted space, the interiors of the structures are designed to be more interactive in both physical and visual manner. The external grid structure sandwiched the steel deck floors while supporting them, providing with a column-free space with a lightweight structure rested on a concrete podium with diagrid slabs for maximum spans.