Golconde Study

$245

Completed in 1942, the Golconde dormitory was the first reinforced, cast-in-place concrete building in India. Seamlessly merging principles of early modernism with a deep sensitivity to its tropical surroundings, architect Antonin Raymond ingeniously constructed the building to counter Pondicherry’s hot and muggy conditions. With louvers installed throughout the entire length on both the front facade and the back wall, which can be opened and closed depending on the weather, it proposes environmental sensitivity as a foundation for the design process. Sitting amidst French Colonial and Tamil vernacular structures, Golconde’s straight lines and grid-work were experimental and radical in Pondicherry’s architectural landscape. The major facades of the structure face north and south, utilising the natural air-flow and breezes to enhance ventilation and the sliding doors with staggered slats allow for privacy while letting in daylight. Built as an ashram, Golconde blends Eastern and Western elements, and evokes a deeply meditative experience with its structural play on the notions of the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’.

Inspired by this modernist sanctuary, we handcrafted a bag to embody its avant-garde yet utilitarian spirit. We laboriously hand-quilted panels of our Liquid Silk, creating an intricate grid-like pattern that maintains structure without compromising flexibility. Offered in an exuberant palette, this bag is designed to sit by your side, through evening soirées or afternoons strolling museum halls.

 

 

Sizing and Styling Guide:

This bag is one size only. The dimensions of the bag are 11 inches by 8 inches, and it is big enough to hold your basic necessities from a wallet to a mobile phone. Email us on team@obataimu.com for questions.

Each piece is hand-dyed by our artisans in Gujarat that clean and recycle the water through an effluent plant. Because it is a hand process, there may be a 5% variation.

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