Rasa Totem is part of studios oeuvre that investigates the intersection of Art & Architecture. In this project, the studio collaborates with renowned Indian artist Riyas Komu, one of the founding directors of Kochi Biennale. The brief called for a 20m tower, to be placed in the new Kempa Gowda International Terminal, Bengaluru, India. 

The Artist- Architect team looks at the brief as convergent point to create new narratives at the intersection of classical forms and contemporary architectural representation. The collaborative effort leverages on the precedents of deeply embedded abstractions, persistent, in both the classical and contemporary domains, to propose a large &daring contemporary totem. The design is a synthesis of the foundational thesis, mathematics played in the development and evolution of India’s classical art forms.    

The feminine anthropometric form presented in the totem is derived out of a series of algorithmic explorations of movements of classical / folk dancers of South India and the state of Karnataka, in particular. The design expressively put forward the universal relevance of the aesthetic thesis, central to the cultural heritage and history of the nation that stride across various art forms, literature, and geography over many millennia.

The Totems is made of a series of 8-6thk steel plates with varying shapes and width, stacked together to achieve the unique dynamic form. The curved profile in the parting section in the middle mimics the abstracted facial expressions of various Rasas.  The pedestal is clad with black granite, which transfers the load to the foundation below ground. It also houses controls for lighting and other services.

The totem is painted in white automotive paint and red along the edges of the parting profile in the middle, amplifying the sensual form. The tower takes a literal dynamic form with images of the classical art, representative of the rich cultural heritage and history of the state, projected on to them, transforming the sculpture into a performative art installation, during the evening hours as an optional proposal.

Team:
Architect: Collaborative Architecture
Principal Design Team: Lalita Tharani, Mujib Ahmed
Artistic Collaborator: Riyas Komu | Mumbai
Asst. Architect: Mihir Mistry 
Structural Design: Web Structures | Ramboll, Singapore | Kuala Lumpur