Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme by Siddharth Bathla

Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme by Siddharth Bathla is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award d'Argent in Design d'Intérieur Competition Category.

ArgentIntérieur· 2023

Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme

by Siddharth Bathla

Client: Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Intérieur Category

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The Design

About Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme

Smritivan est un musée et mémorial du séisme situé sur la colline de Bhujio Dungar, à Bhuj, dans le Gujarat, en Inde. Le musée s'étend sur 9 200 mètres carrés d'espaces intérieurs et extérieurs, organisés en sept blocs thématiques et 27 galeries. Les objets exposés évoquent le séisme de 2001 à travers des récits personnels, des documents d'archives et des contenus scientifiques. Les artisans locaux ont participé à la création des œuvres d'art, et les textiles tissés y sont associés à un acier durable. Un vaste simulateur de séisme et des hommages numériques aux victimes complètent le parcours. Le thème central du projet est la résilience humaine.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme est lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent, une reconnaissance énormément prestigieuse décernée à des designs haut de gamme, superbes et impressionnants. Les lauréats Argent sont des œuvres tout à fait brillantes et extrêmement créatives qui illustrent l'expertise, le talent et la perspicacité remarquables de leurs concepteurs. Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme est censé être une œuvre merveilleuse, une vitrine de savoir-faire, remarquablement professionnelle et profondément innovante. Ce design lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent est une invention très notable et admirée, qui sert l'art, la science, le design et la technologie et en repousse les limites. Smritivan Musée et mémorial du séisme est une création très enviée qui éveille les désirs, apporte des sentiments positifs et suscite émerveillement et étonnement.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: India’s largest memorial-museum, coming alive with stories of the devastating 2001 earthquake woven into the philosophy of the space. Metaphor of resilience and constant change is presented across 7 thematic blocks. Collaboratively designed with master craftspersons, vibrant, local crafts create scenography. Large-scale quake simulator, digital homage and personal stories bring an emotional connection. To animate the visitor experience, live actors and artists bring the museum journey alive.
Dimensions & Packaging: An integral part of the memorial, the museum is spread over 9200 square meters of indoor and outdoor experience on the Bhujio-Dungar hill. The exhibition space is divided into seven blocks, which are further divided into 27 galleries. On an average each gallery is 8 meters wide, 12 meters long and 4.5 metres high. The museum also houses other amenities like library, shop, cafe, auditorium, play area and temporary exhibition spaces.
Tags: Earthquake memorial, earthquake museum, immersive, interactive, craft, human-centric, scenography, storytelling, resilience, Bhuj, culture centre
Production Technology: All bespoke installations and narrative elements were custom-designed and fabricated in India, following iterative experimentation and prototyping. A fresh approach to processing local resources was implemented to create contextually-rooted exhibit spaces. Local craft persons were commissioned to co-create the largest ever narrative-based artworks of their repertoire. Contextual materials such as woven textiles, in synergy with durable materials like steel, create a blend of local and global expression.
Design Challenge: The responsibility to present sensitive personal and complex stories of the earthquake and beyond, to evoke varied emotions was a creative challenge and opportunity. Moving from an incident to an overarching story based on the ideas of resilience was pivotal. The 27 similar galleries dealt with an innovative, contextual design strategy for distinct and memorable thematic experiences. Translating the big idea into a physical reality demanded a smart orchestration of various stakeholders.
Research: Narrative and design development took shape based on intensive continuous research rooted in ethnography, literature review, and archival data. Being an earthquake museum inspired by resilient stories of people and landscapes, geological, archaeological, and seismological experts directed the entire process. Personal stories and archival data were collected, analyzed, and curated from recurring, extensive field visits undertaken across entire quake-affected areas and humanitarian organizations.
Inspiration: The unique, thriving culture of Kutch in west India, gave impetus to the museum’s content and design. The Timelessness of human resilience, absorbed from a nearby 4000-year-old civilization is carried forward in the museum’s ethos. The region’s rapid recovery post-2001 quake is embodied in Smritivan as universally relatable stories of human determination. Content design, scenography, and installations are based on and emerge from the rich local living traditions and crafts of the Kutch region.
Project Duration: After winning the open design competition on a proposal based on the concept of “eternal resilience” the project was initiated in 2018, in Bhuj city of Kutch district, Gujarat. Following detailed research and design, on-site execution began in 2020. The Smritivan Earthquake Museum and Memorial were inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in August 2022. We continue to curate and engage with public programming for the museum.
Operation Flow: Since its inauguration, the museum receives an average footfall of foreign tourists and locals over 100,000 every quarter. Holistic end-to-end placemaking and local community engagement through digital marketing, and innovative public events are an extension of the design strategy. Each visitor adds a part of themselves to the museum through digital tributes for quake victims, which collect into a bright beam of light. India’s first design biennale on the “art of storytelling” was hosted here recently.
Team Members: Creative Director: Siddharth Bathla
Design Director: Prashasti Chandra
Visual Design: Masood Khan
Installation, Scenography: Suryanath Sunny
Research,Content: Niharika Joshi
Architect: Prashul Sharma
Special Artist: Mukul Goyal- Sculptor
Special Artist: Vankar Vishram Valji - (weaver shyamjibhai)- weaving
Special Artist: Dr. Ismail Khatri- block printing
Special Artist: Mukesh Bhanani- kala Raksha
Special Artist: Gafur Khatri- Rogan art
Special Artist: Paresh Khamir- lacquered artwork
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Bharat Aggarwal, Smritivan, 2022.
Optional Image #1: Photographer Bharat Aggarwal, Smritivan, 2022.
Optional Image #2: Photographer Bharat Aggarwal, Smritivan, 2022.
Optional Image #3: Illustrator Masood Khan, Smritivan, 2022.
Optional Image #4: Photographer Bharat Aggarwal, Smritivan, 2022.

Video Credits: Cinematographer Sohaib Ilyas, Smritivan, 2022.

Sound Credits: ANBR - Stars, Ardie Son - Come back home, Ardie Son - Tonight is Golden, Smritivan, 2022.