As part of our 'Sacred Architecture' elective, we were ask to write something about a building that we personally liked and could link as a 'sacred' experience.

1. The Lotus Temple
Lotus Temple Rd, Shambhu Dayal Bagh, Bahapur, New Delhi
Architect : Fariborz Sahba
My Experience :
THE APPROACH
The area around the Lotus temple has a busy network. Outside the gate, there are many many rikshaw wallas and the
autowallas. But as one enters inside, one sees a long stretch of path accompanying with lots of trees throughout the row. Its
like one has suddenly approached a new world, a calmer world from what is outside that gate. Walking through is beautiful
long stretch of greens, approaching the building, It felt as I was trying to put a grip on something – my eyes moving back and
forth, admiring the landscape around – yet looking back to the approaching lotus.
From this point it gives a feeling of being there as well as the ‘yet to approach’ feeling. Like they say – it’s the wait that makes
it count.
PASSING BY
I had often passed by the lotus temple and admired its depiction of a lotus sitting so beautifully in the middle of a large
green space. No matter how many times I had passed it, or how busy I was, my eyes would find itself fixed on its form.
Introduction :
The Lotus Temple is a Bahá'í House of Worship completed in 1986.
Notable for its flowerlike shape, it serves as the Mother Temple of
the Indian subcontinent and has become a prominent attraction in
the city. The Lotus Temple has won numerous architectural awards
and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles.
The Lotus Temple property comprises 26 acres(105,000 m²; 10.5 ha)
- Wiki
BHAVANA HANSJI
THE MATERIAL
The lotus, as seen from outside, has three sets of leaves or petals, all of which are made out of thin concrete shells. These
concrete is cladded with marble which contributes to the shine in the petals.

2. THE SCALE
At point there is also a relation of the scale of the built form. This
lotus in real nature is as small that it fits in your grip, but here it is
massive in size, yet it doesn’t give a impression of empowerment
but instead, because of the empty land around it and the small
pools circling it, it gives the same impression of approaching the
lotus, as you would to a lotus in a pond. But here I am talking about
when one is at the gate. Later this scale changes.
On approaching the door of the building, one feels like a drop of
water or even an ant on the lower surface of the lotus standing
between the water and the petal – on its leaves maybe.
THE COLOUR
The colour truly was a contribution of the wow
factor in the building. I don’t think I would
appreciate the building if it were any other
colour of the lotus. Pink and Blue or even
purple, would not have given the same effect.
White for one, is the colour of purity,
wholeness and complete.
The white, with the hassy blue sky which
normally delhi has and the blue water, makes a
person connect with nature in various levels.
NATURE
Since this project is clearly a depiction from nature, definitely, there
had to be relations with nature that helped the experience of a
person.
The whole idea of the row of trees along the pathway, and the small
mounts made along the landscape helped keep the person
connected with nature and helps with the calmness and the patience
while approaching.
BHAVANA HANSJI
INSIDE THE BUILDING
The day I went, it was summer and it was boiling hot outside,
but the moment I entered. The building was so nice and cool,
all the time I thought the air conditioning was on – but to my
surprise, it was naturally done. I stood near the large glass
windows to enjoy the beautiful view outside and could feel
rush of cold air on my foot – I was later told that the place was
designed such that the water under the lotus helped the
building keep cool. I personally found that to be pretty
fascinating.
NOISE
I must admit, it is quite noisy outside while
approaching but building – but I must add that
because there is so much to see and feel (the trees,
etc) it wasn’t much of a hindrance. What was
however shocking or in better words ‘peaceful’ was
that inside the building, it totally has a ‘pin drop
silence’. And it has been very well maintained for
the sake of meditation. This helps one relate very
calmly with the space.
GENERALLY CONCLUDING
I personally feel, it was the element of surprise that triggered
my wow factor in a larger scale. At every moment, there was
something that I did not expect. Everything came suddenly
and beautifully, yet it all made sense.
Of course the nature had a large role to play in this as well.
The whole idea of the interrelated spaces – feeling in and
out of the building and nature at the same time gives a
person an environment to connect with.