Vivek Kumar Rai is proposing a design for a Cultural Heritage and Interpretation Centre in Varanasi, India. The centre would help preserve Varanasi's rich cultural heritage and promote understanding of the city's history and mythology among visitors and locals. It would be located near the historic site of Sarnath, which receives many tourists annually and would house administrative offices, cultural spaces like an auditorium and prayer halls, interpretation areas like exhibitions and a library, and other amenities. Rai will analyze the site conditions and context, research requirements and case studies, and develop a conceptual design that considers the urban landscape and its surroundings.

1. Undergraduate thesis at the F/O of Architecture & Ekistics
Seeking Bachelors’ in Architecture
THESIS 2011-2012
CULTURAL HERITAGE CUM INTERPRETATION
CENTRE,VARANASI
DETAILED SYNOPSIS
VIVEK KUMAR RAI
B.ARCH FINAL YR.
F/O ARCHITECTURE & EKISTICS
JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA

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Vivek Kumar Rai , B.Arch Final Yr Thesis (2011-2012)
Aim
To develop a design solution of the project of cultural heritage cum interpretation
centre,Varanasi.
Introduction
A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes
culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private
facilities, government-sponsored.
An interpretation centre, or interpretive centre, is an institution for dissemination of
knowledge of natural or cultural heritage; these are located in connection to cultural, historic or
natural sites.
Heritage is the best expression of the cultural identity of the community, of its civilization
personality. It’s one of the aspects of the creativity that a community has in store, where it
originates in individual or in groups.
Varanasi is considered to be one of the most important cities of India. The historic city of
Varanasi has been the important centre of cultural & heritage importance & has also been the
legacy of Indian civilization.
Since ancient times the natural and cultural landscapes of the city have retained an active social
role in contemporary society closely associated with the traditional way of life.The city is a
place of pilgrimage and a holy site for sacred baths in the Ganga River, to have a good death, to
get relief from transmigration, to learn and receive spiritual merit, etc. The city has still
maintained its traditions. In spite of several downfalls and upheavals, traditions are fully alive
even today.
Being the holiest city of Hinduism, the impact of the religion is found everywhere in the city –
the chanting bells and the monotonous, but oddly soothing, chant of Sanskrit hymns, in the
fragrant flower offerings, and the coloured powders that are sold in a myriad roadside shops
which decorate the foreheads of the devout, in the tens of thousands of worshippers and the
thousands who offer them salvation or services.

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Vivek Kumar Rai , B.Arch Final Yr Thesis (2011-2012)
Need of Project
 City of Varanasi attracts thousands of tourists every year from all over the world
because of the Heritage Status granted to it by UNESCO. So there is an urgent
requirement of cultural centre in the city which could depict the mythology & the rich
cultural heritage of the city for which it is famous for.
 Tourists or even the local people, who visit Varanasi, do not get a centre where they
could get the information about the culture, its heritage and mythology etc.
 There should be a cultural cum interpretation centre in the city , from which people can
easily relate themselves and would also be able to learn & know the various facts
related to the cultural heritage & mythology of their city (specially at one place).
 More & more people would get aware about its richness in culture, its history as how
did city emerged etc.
 The structure would not only play a role of cultural centre for the city but would
generate the revenue , as there are a number of local people and tourists visiting the
city , thus adding to the economy of the city.
Objectives of project
 To identify the various cultural needs of the city in order to address them with quality
services in the best possible manner.
 To understand the changing modes of the esthetics, in relation to the cultural
observance or practice, which can act as an important tool for the cultural & heritage
education for the community.
 The image of the city will be transformed with the layers of cultural & the religious
diversity added to the fabric of the city.
 To develop a effective spaces in the centre, so that people can easily relate themselves
to the city & its culture.

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Vivek Kumar Rai , B.Arch Final Yr Thesis (2011-2012)
 Enhancing the stability and the firm establishments of the centre, thus enabling it to be
effective and positively accepted by the people of Varanasi.
 It would be a centre which would act as a venue for recreational, educational, and
functional.
 To understand how the cultural centre would become an urban part of the city.
Scope of the project
 The project will help in preserving the rich cultural heritage of the city of Varanasi.
 The project will be the combination of the art, architecture and the communal heritage
of the city of Varanasi.
 Sarnath , which holds a very important historical importance in the present scenario of
the city and thus having a cultural cum interpretation centre just adjacent to that would
certainly increase its importance in the city.
 This project would help in promoting the mutual understanding amongst the people of
the Varanasi and would also help in relating each of them with their mythology &
culture.
 Sustaining interest in the heritage, disseminating and teaching it the people visiting
there would not only promote the culture of the city but would also give a globalised
view to the city in upcoming days.
 To develop the facilities & the amenities at the centre, so that the people can be served
in most functional & aesthetical way & also to create a perfect mood for the visitors,
which could help them in relating their soul with the city.
 To generate more & more revenue from the tourists visiting Varanasi.
 The main activities of the centre would be.
a) Cultural guidance
b) Organization of the conferences, realating to its culture & heritage.
c) Organization of the conferences & regional meetings.

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Vivek Kumar Rai , B.Arch Final Yr Thesis (2011-2012)
Site
Location
 My site is located just nearby to sarnath ,Varanasi , which is quite historical &
sacred place considered in the city , as it could be the best one to suit the place
for cultural or interpretation centre.
Site Area = 5 acres.
Accesibility
 Site can be approached from sarnath station road from sarnath monument to its
front side and ashoka road from the rear side.
 Site is very near & can be easily approached from sarnath railway station.
Site Form
 Site is basically linear in its form.
Context
 Site is located in the vicinity of the sarnath monumental area , which holds a
very sacred and historic importance in the city.
 It’s the place very maximum no. of tourists and local people visits.
Site Justification
My intention was to choose the site in city which falls in its land use zone and the building could
easily relate to its context & purpose.
So I, selected my site just on the precincts or surroundings of the sarnath which holds a very
important place in the city in terms of its cultural & historical importance. Throughout the year,
people from its own city as well as from the other countries visits here , because of its historical
importance. so having the cultural cum interpretation centre over here could be the best in
terms of its location & context to the project.
Site is about 800mts to 1km from the sarnath area.
Possible occupancy
 Possible occupancy would be the tourist and the local visitors.

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Locationplan
Proposedsite

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Vivek Kumar Rai , B.Arch Final Yr Thesis (2011-2012)
Basic Requirements
Administrative block
 Reception
 Managers room
 Staff room
 Meeting room
Cultural areas
 Auditorium
 Prayer halls
 Conference room
 Multipurpose halls
 Banquet halls
 Open air theatre
Interpretation area
 Exhibition area
 Audi visual rooms
 Library
Other Areas
 Restaurants
 Cafeterias
 Landscape areas
 Parking
 Services area
Any other activity, if required in the project would be added at the later stages.

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Methodology
 Site visits & site synthesis.
 Analyzing the site conditions & identifying the opportunities & challenges.
 Framing the requirements of the project undertaken through
A) Literature studies
B) Net & magazines
C) Case studies
 Studying the impact of the structure on its surroundings & on the urban landscape of
the city.
 Analysis and conclusion based on the observations made during the above mentioned
research, and thus evolving the concept, and further enhancing the design.
Case studies to be done
 Indian Islamic cultural centre
 Cultural centre, Rome.(virtual)
 Russian cultural centre
Chapterization
Site analysis
 Historic background of site
 Climatic analysis
 Contextual analysis
 Networking
 Site topography & vegetation
Literature study
 Area analysis
 Standards
 Byelaws

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Vivek Kumar Rai , B.Arch Final Yr Thesis (2011-2012)
Case studies
 Indian Islamic cultural centre
 Cultural centre, Rome.(virtual)
 Russian cultural centre
Design
 Concept
 Presentation plans, elevations, sections, site plans etc.
Bibliography