Austere Expressions...
National Institute for Faith Leadership, Dasna
Project: National Institute for faith leadership, Dasna From a book to a building: National Institute for Faith Leadership
— Maulana Mehmood Madani
FIKR: ‘ Fikr’ in Urdu means ‘ concern’ – an interest, a sentiment that takes into account the care, welfare or happiness of an individual or society. The book is an embodiment of a philosophy taking a tangible form; of a vision taking shape and that shape being captured through the creative medium of imagery. A book with simple but eye- catching visuals and thought- provoking text. The book with the arch shaped opening, sporting an unusual title with an unfamiliar meaning and scripted calligraphically in Urdu, instinctively prompts readers to seek an explanation about the design, which is given
It was a momentous occasion for me, when we presented to the public, our book called ‘ Fikr’ that represents the values of our institute – the National Institute of Faith Leadership – the book and the building, both envisioned by Studio Archohm.
The initial idea was to build a space for education, such as a school exclusively for girls, but eventually, keeping up with the changing scenarios of our times, we felt that a Centre for Muslim clerics was somewhat more befitting and could impact a larger part of the Indian Muslim community.
The evolution of the National Institute for Faith Leadership was akin to a journey that we undertook while building its campus. As the campus took shape, the philosophy too, evolved and the broad vision was articulated through intense research, discourses, discussions and debates.
From the building to the book, the journey of NIFL honestly expresses the dilemmas and vulnerabilities of the faith of Islam and its people.
NIFL has already begun to augment the learning of the many young Muslims graduates from various Dar- ul Ulooms- centres for traditional Islamic knowledge, with a deep insight into the traditional sciences such as the Quran and the Sunnah through the Dars- e nizami and mould them into responsible citizens of India. These students, who are the future faith leaders, are acquiring the required compassion and communicating skills while being equipped with the latest mediums and technologies that will help them operate effectively and confidently in dealing with a plethora and diversity of spiritual issues and with pragmatic problems such as unemployment, poverty and handling of disenchanted youth, susceptible to being misled.
I strongly believe, that an ecosystem- a built environment participates as an equal partner in the realisation of this leviathan dream. The NIFL campus and the Fikr book take on the responsibility of communicating the vision, with their simple vocabulary and design thinking, so perfectly synchronised, that it is difficult to discern where one ended and the other began.
And therefore at this juncture, I would like to thank my architect and friend, Mr. Sourabh Gupta for his vision and contagious energy besides his fine architectural expertise. The entire team of Design Factory India who have made my manifesto, my book, possible.
right away. It exemplifies the values of the National Institute of Faith Leadership ( NIFL) and frames the responsibility that it has undertaken.
National Institute for Faith Leadership:
NIFL is an Islamic institution of education, research, dialogue and introspection, with the bold vision of questioning today’s interpretation of the hitherto unquestioned. The campus is envisaged as an ecosystem to evolve and modernise Islam, to reiterate traditional values that are relevant in contemporary times and reposition them in a secular, plural and national context. It moulds the students- clerics and scholars into faith leaders of tomorrow, by providing them guidance, tools and technology. The new and bold expression for an Islamic built form in this context is thus a celebration of the introverted, magnificent Islamic institution, rooted in the fundamentals of strict order and discipline but expressing that flexibility, progression, reception and interaction.
The main academic block- the completed component of the first phase of the development of the campus currently houses the entire set of activities as classrooms, a library and dining spaces, a seminar/ prayer hall and dormitories.
The basic form of the main academic block, ‘ this object on site’ is a mass with a hole; a void defined as a courtyard that basks in ‘ shade’, the alter ego of light, gifted by the enclosing volumes and the generous extended roof. It sports an air of relative relaxation and informality aptly used by students for informal collective introspection and debate. The symmetrical, axially oriented and rectilinear landscape in the courtyard is a take- away of the rigour of the Persian gardens.
The mass on the other hand sunk 1.5 m below the ground, is largely brick, into which two concrete volumes extrude and extend themselves. The walled receptacles clad in dense and opaque materials do manage to restrain
the mighty Indian sun. However, since they are bare, their own severity gets not only exposed but actually exaggerated on the outside. The austere expression of materials subconsciously echoes the rustic unpretentious character of the people using it. But it also makes a bold architectural impression that is absolutely imperative and intentional; meant to push people towards questioning fundamentals and towards brave expressions in the pursuit of change.
Light is designed to express that it is not easy to come by; but at the same time, allowed to exercise leverage and make its presence felt, understood, valued and even overwhelm. Like an inverse veil or purdah, the introverted building seems to have a ‘ no- looking- out but letting- light- in’ policy, triggering the cognitive association with the Masharbiya. Thus the thermally efficient construction, which Muslim architecture is inherently expressive of, serves the dual purpose of imparting ecological soundness and adding cultural depth to the ethics, aesthetics and character of the institution.
The pitting of well lit classroom spaces and considerably less lit introspective is an attempt by the building to allay the anxiety of the somewhat intimidating responsibilities of the scholars residing there and offer them reassurance. The same light also creates the ethereal ‘ lightness of being’ in the interiors, in perfect unison with the brief of the quasi religious institution. The tonality matches the mood of the space. The double height library has a large circular window that inscribes a halo of light into the space, cajoling the bare stone floors, raw wood structures and exposed concrete walls that house the double height stacks of books and the desktop multimedia library to endorse the reflective academic space. Muted light also empowers continuously inhabited spaces to ‘ be cool by nature’ and incidentally to climatically sort themselves out.
Like a floating lid or parasol, a cantilevered slab sweeps across the top of the building, shields the campus, but opens up to the courtyard. A ‘ game’ is played out between the almost juvenile looking triangular or star shaped cut- outs in the slab, some of which are coloured, letting in shards of light and the sombre atmosphere. The idea behind this metaphoric play of stars is to enchant and excite the mind on one hand, but more importantly, to distract it just that little from the unrelenting rigour and regimental learning.
Like ornaments that shimmer in the midst of a tactile setting, these are the boldest expressions of the syncretism.
Be it the crescent shaped openings, the cut shapes of the moon and stars in the ceiling, the Jaali effect of the Masharbiyas, or the arch, visual references to traditional Muslim elements are holistic, abstract reinterpretations and used as sensory catalysts punctuating contemporary form and structure.
Built in brick- the humble third world denizen and the modern, techno- savvy but raw and unfinished looking concrete, this frugal material palette in its starkness emulates the monastic function. Inserting dynamism into the sombre front, a free standing, ascending curved stone wall wraps itself around the rigid rectilinear form terminating in a winding courtyard as a ramp that makes the campus friendly towards the differently- abled. Natural stone is another material traditionally associated with the past, but celebrated in contemporary light.
The arch that the Muslims brought from Persia, in medieval times and which caught the fancy of Indian monarchs and artisans alike went on to become a highly visible and signature element of the amalgamated architecture that emerged thereafter. It would not be an exaggeration to then say that this humble arch has gone a long way in cementing architectural ties between two very different cultures. As if to say that the time had come for a defining moment of change for the arch as well, it has been made in concrete- a monolithic and contemporary material which has rendered the traditional keystone obsolete. The ‘ deconstructed arch’ once again enjoys being in the limelight, with its new shape manifesting a new connotation, proudly framing change.
The sliver of light that comes through the slit in the arch forms a ‘ reverse silhouette’ in the shaded courtyard and transforms into an inverted arch that allows in light and space. The declaration it makes is simple and straightforward; to use the institution as a place to liberate the mind and break free of myths and outdated traditions. Like the book cover of the institution of knowledge, it narrates the story of hope, of roots, of unity and spirituality.
Factfile
Client: Maulana Mahmood Asad Hussain Madani
Principal Architect: Sourabh Gupta
Design Team: Sanjay Rawat, Amit Sharma, Rachna Sharma, Yashveer Singh,
Kriti Aggarwal, Naveen Rawat, Mayank Gupta
Site Area: 24431.884 sq m
Built- up Area: 4959.43 sq m
Year of completion: 2014
Consultants: Structural - Deepali Consulting engineers; Electrical - Archohm
Consults; Civil - Shakeel/ Ved Prakash; Landscape - Vinyas Landscape Architect;
Plumbing- Techno Engineering; PMC - Tanveer Zafar/ Shamim Ahmad;
Façade - Mr. Hargovind