watson hotel history

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WATSONS HOTEL, MUMBAI -

A CELEBRATION OF THE CAST IRON FRAME

By Nishant Shah

WATSONS HOTEL, MUMBAI -

A CELEBRATION OF THE CAST IRON FRAME

By Nishant Shah

Thesis submitted to the faculty of Virginia Polytech-nic Institute and State University in partial ful llmentof the requirements for the degree of Master ofArchitecture.

February 4th, 2008Blacksburg, Virginia

APPROVED:

____________________________________________ William U Galloway III Chair

____________________________________________ James R Jones

____________________________________________ Howard S Gartner

Keywords: Cast Iron, grid, Light, Geometry, Material


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TABLE OF CONTENT:

Title

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Table of contents

A brief history

The site

The building

The program, Initial thoughts and key concepts

The rst condition : Revealing the grid- Point

The second condition revealing the grid - Plane

The staircase

The third condition revealing the grid - Volume

The ground oor

Plans

Elevations

A Celebration of the cast iron frame throughmaterial, light and geometry

Bibliography and photo credits

Vita

TABLE OF CONTENT:

Title

Abstract

Acknowledgements

Table of contents

A brief history

The site

The building

The program, Initial thoughts and key concepts

The rst condition : Revealing the grid- Point

The second condition revealing the grid - Plane

The staircase

The third condition revealing the grid - Volume

The ground oor

Plans

Elevations

A Celebration of the cast iron frame throughmaterial, light and geometry

Bibliography and photo credits

Vita

i

ii

iii

iv

1

2-3

4-5

6

7-18

19-22

23

24

25

26-27

28

29

30-31

32

iv


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THE SITE

Her i t age bu i ld ings i n ka l a Ghoda :The kala Ghoda district houses the citys oldestsurviving heritage structures as can be seen fromthe adjoining area map.

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Fig. 2.1

Fig. 2.2

Fig. 2.3 Fig. 2.4

Fig. 2.5 Fig. 2.6

Fig. 2.7


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Fig. 3.6 Fig. 3.7 Fig. 3.8

Fig. 3.9 Fig. 3.10 Fig. 3.11

Fig. 3.12 Fig. 3.13 Fig. 3.14 Fig. 3.15


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THE FIRST CONDITION : REVEALING THE GRID - POINT

There are two aspects of the grid that I have been keenon exploring : one is the delicate details at junctions andthe other the quality of the grid as a three dimensionalmatrix composed of linear and parallel elements runningin two directions.This section of the design strives to reveal the differentelements of the grid, the points of details as opposed toa rhythmic display of repeating modules of the grid whereit reads as a grid.

The linear volume of the building that houses this spatialcondition is the group of bays right above the colonnadedarcade at ground level. This part is located on the eastside of the structure which also is the main faade of thebuilding.

Framing the view- The design is based on what one seesas one travels from one end of the condition to the other.It can be very well explained by the arrangements of de-sign elements and their interaction with the grid along twoaxes that I would call the XZ axis and YZ axis.

THE FIRST CONDITION : REVEALING THE GRID - POINT

There are two aspects of the grid that I have been keenon exploring : one is the delicate details at junctions andthe other the quality of the grid as a three dimensionalmatrix composed of linear and parallel elements runningin two directions.This section of the design strives to reveal the differentelements of the grid, the points of details as opposed toa rhythmic display of repeating modules of the grid whereit reads as a grid.

The linear volume of the building that houses this spatialcondition is the group of bays right above the colonnadedarcade at ground level. This part is located on the eastside of the structure which also is the main faade of thebuilding.

Framing the view- The design is based on what one seesas one travels from one end of the condition to the other.It can be very well explained by the arrangements of de-sign elements and their interaction with the grid along twoaxes that I would call the XZ axis and YZ axis.

07Fig. 5.1


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Along the XZ axis- The grid lies between solid panel surfaces on the inside and a sheet of glass consisting of frosted and clear glass panels on the outside.The idea is to frame certain portions of the grid from the inside as well as from the outside. From the outside the composition of clear and frosted glass elements reveals the grid as details in some parts and as a set of elementssharing a dialogue with the glass and the solid panels on their back in other parts. The arrangement of the solid panels with their cut-outs creates similar framing conditions from the inside.

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Fig. 5.2

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