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An architectural journey from words to silence: the marble minimalist space of Raj Sabhagruh

24 of February '25
Technical data
NAME: RAJ SABHAGRUH DISCOURSE HALL
function: SAKRAL
location:

DHARAMPUR, GUJARAT STATE, India

project:

Serie Architects

drawing manager: GLEEDS
client: SHRIMAD RAJCHANDRA MISSION, DHARAMPUR
structural design:
LERA
auditorium consultant: RMM DESIGNS
MEP installation consultant: ARKK CONSULTING
acoustic consultant: ANDY MUNROE
lighting consultant: CLARITY

calendar:

  • project

Auditorium at Jain monastery
Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram,
designed by Serie Architects

[Material prepared from the author's description of the studio]

Architecture studio Serie Architects designed Raj Sabhagruh, a complex dedicated to followers of Jainism, which is the centerpiece of Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Monastery, spread over 100 acres in Dharampur, Gujarat. The design uses hand-cut marble bricks that showcase the natural texture of the stone, diffusing light and creating changing effects depending on the angle of the sun. The 16,000-square-meter building serves as a space for discourse, study, relaxation and meditation. Its form and details draw on the traditions of India's Jain temples, integrating historical motifs with a modern approach to architecture.

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat - widok na wzgórze z lotu ptaka

The auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat - a bird's-eye view of the hilltop

Photo by Rory Gardiner © Serie Architects

tradition of Jain architecture
in a modern twist

The Raj Sabhgruh project was selected in 2012 in an international competition. Its concept is inspired by a mythical temple whose structure consists of gradually rising platforms where people, animals and demigods gather around the Tirthankara - the enlightened being occupying the highest point of the space. In the context of Jainism, the structure symbolizes the process of gaining knowledge through discourse and study, which gradually leads followers to enlightenment. This idea is present in all Jain temples, where repeated architectural elements form monumental shikars - slender, pyramidal forms that crown the holiest part of the temple, visually aiming towards the sky.

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat

The auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat.

Photo by Rory Gardiner © Serie Architects

Handiwork and changing light effects

Raj Sabhagruh was designed as a space for followers of Jainism. The building's exterior load-bearing walls were clad with hand-carved 50mm-thick white makrana marble bricks. The bricks, sourced from discarded marble slabs, are small in size to fit the curved form of the walls and bring texture to the facade. The use of marble from waste supports the sustainable nature of Serie Architects' design, as well as reducing construction costs. More than 800,000 bricks were hand-laid over two years on the building's 36 block surfaces. The rough cuts of the marble reveal its crystalline structure, which diffuses light to create changing effects depending on the position of the sun. Small circular holes, resembling perforations, allow natural light to flow into the interior.

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat - sala przeznaczona do medytacji

The auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat - a room designed for meditation

Photo by Rory Gardiner © Serie Architects

Our goal was to create a contemporary, memorable and timeless architecture that could stand for a young, developing monastery

- Christopher Lee and Kapil Gupta explain,
principal architects of Serie Architects

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat - przekrój budowli

The auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat - a cross-section of the building

© Serie Architects

spatial layout and key structural elements

The design by Serie Architects is based on a central plan consisting of several rooms. On the first floor is an auditorium for discussion, on the second level is a museum for experiential education, and on the third level are lecture halls conducive to intensified learning. The top level is occupied by a meditation room dedicated to contemplation. The centerpiece of the establishment on the ground level is the auditorium, which can accommodate 5,000 people. It is a circular hall with a cylindrical body with a diameter of 54 meters, whose structure is based on four intersecting concrete arches, which allows for a column-free space.

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat - plan parteru

Auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat - first floor plan

© Serie Architects

meditative, educational and spiritual spaces

The building also includes a 20-meter meditation hall that can accommodate 300 people. The facility also includes a museum dedicated to the life of Shrimad Rajchandra, an important figure in Jainism, and a library containing rare Jain texts and manuscripts. In addition, the building offers teaching spaces for classes related to spiritual science.

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat - audytorium

The auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat - the auditorium

Photo by Rory Gardiner © Serie Architects

public space around the building

In front of the building is a public square, the layout of which is based on concentric rings made of white marble. The composition of the space introduces a clear organization of the area, leading users through differentiated zones.

Audytorium w klasztorze dźinijskim Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram w Dharampur, w stanie Gujarat - zewnętrzne ściany nośne budynku zostały pokryte ręcznie rzeźbionymi cegłami z białego marmuru makrana o grubości 50 mm

The auditorium at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram Jain Monastery in Dharampur, Gujarat - the building's exterior load-bearing walls have been clad in hand-carved 50mm thick white marble makrana bricks

Photo by Rory Gardiner © Serie Architects

The adaptability of the facility to a changing mission

The architecture of the building was designed to integrate various functions while allowing it to adapt to the changing spiritual mission it serves. The building serves as a space that supports the development of the monastery's life, providing a place for both knowledge acquisition and spiritual experience.

Elaborated: Anastazja Dżupina

Illustrations provided courtesy of Serie Architects.

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