The Mediator : Visitors Centre at Chittorgarh, Rajasthan

Set along the edge of the fort wall, the project is imagined to be The Mediator between the old and the new - the fort wall, nearby bastion and the fort itself, and the new developments of the city below. Studying the design attitudes of Rahul Mehrotra and his response to context, the project takes advantage of the breathtaking view from the fort wall on site overlooking the urban fabric below. While acting as The Mediator between the two, the project establishes its own identity and presence through a reflective roof. The resultant on site is a cantilevering roof that floats above the edge of the fort wall to reflect the view below, while it looks like a hovering metallic strip perched on the edge of the wall when seen from the city itself. To emphasise on the mediation, the project is further imagined as a series of parallel, non - orthagonal walls pointing towards this view, and teasing the edge of the fort wall. All programmatic functions of the project brief are then fit into these walls, making the project a porous set of rooms.