Bharat Bhavan 2020 - Cultural Center for Indian Arts

PREMISE

Under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru (India’s first prime minister), India saw formation of various new academies and retrofitting of heritage buildings with cultural institutions. This was done to bring arts and traditional crafts in the urban limelight. After his death, the vision was carried forward by the forthcoming governments in the 1970’s. A new draft stating the need for cultural revival and sustaining India’s intangible and tangible heritage was drawn. The intent was to give a platform for practitioners of this traditional art form and educate others about these in an accessible urban forum.

This is how the vision of ‘India House’ or ‘Bharat Bhavan’ was born, envisioned to be built in each of the 21 states (in 1970). It was imagined to be a cultural center that spoke this vision through a series of galleries and exhibition/performance spaces


Challenge

The first commission of this vision went to Architect Charles Correa where he was endowed with the responsibility to design the first ever Bharat Bhavan, in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). It provided space for contemporary expression, thought, quest and innovation for creative pursuits grass rooting from the rural to urban areas.

India has embraced similar public venues and cultural institutions after this building; however, this was the only ‘India House' built. The original plan of having one in each state did not reach realization.

If we could ever implement this vision where every state could have a Bharat Bhavan in the context of today, how would it be? How would its design speak of the newer interpretations and aspirations of its people, its culture, its daily life?

Design Challenge: To build a new Bharat Bhavan in the context of 2020, encapsulating things that have Made India and are Made in India. This thought can extend to its art forms, to people, culture, technologies, foods, techniques, theatre, performing arts, dance, rituals, film, music, fine arts and a lot more.

Prizes:
Prize pool of worth 20,000$
First Prize: 5000$ (For students and professionals)
Runner Up: 6 x 1100$ (For students and professionals)
People’s Choice: 4 x 600$ (Open for all)
Honorable Mention x 12: 500$ Each

Timeline:
Launch August 26, 2019
Registration closes: January 7th 2020
Submission Deadline: January 17th 2020
Public Voting begins: January 27th 2020
Public Voting ends: February 16th 2020
Result Announcement: February 26th 2020

https://competitions.uni.xyz/bharat-bhavan-2020