.jfif) |
| Town hall, Ahmedabad city, India, timesofindia.com |
 |
| Ahmedabad city's Town Hall, India en.wikipedia.org |
The Ahmedabad Town Hall, officially known as Sheth Mangaldas Girdhardas Memorial Hall, was built in the 1930s as a tribute to the noted textile industrialist Mangaldas Girdhardas, with funds contributed by the citizens. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation owns the building and takes care of the administration. With a view to maintaining the aesthetic appeal and structural stability of the Town Hall, the structure was renovated several times in the past decades.
 |
| Town hall, Ahmedabad city, India, timesofindia.com |
Major renovation took place i the 1960s under the supervision of the renowned architect B. V. Doshi, who introduced a false ceiling to improve the acoustics within the hall. Yet another renovation was carried out in 1997-98 under the guidance of Kamal Mangaldas, the grandson of Mangaldas Girdhardas, who made key architectural modifications, including the removal of the false ceiling and the addition of a podium around the original structure.
The original architect of Town hall was Claude Batley, an English man who designed the building in 1939, using Art Deco architecture with influences from traditional Gujarati temple design - a combination of modern approach with regional architectural traditions. This makes it a unique building with an innovative star-shaped plan, created by placing two squares rotated at a 45-degree angle, resulting in an octagonal seating arrangement. The addition of rectangular spaces at the front and rear of the central square serves as the vestibule and stage, respectively. The entire structure is crowned by a dome over the octagonal central space, reflecting the mandapas of Gujarati Hindu temples.
The octagonal concrete dome not only serves as both a structural and aesthetic feature, but also improve the grandeur of the space with no compromise on structural stability and durability. Decorative features such as the Chhajjas, which are overhanging eaves, and the ornate grills integrated into the structure further highlight the influence of Gujarati architectural heritage. The careful blending of these elements establishes a harmony between modernity and age-old building traditions, making the town hall a landmark in this big city.
The Ahmedabad Town Hall continues to serve as a significant venue for cultural and civic events, maintaining its relevance in the city's contemporary socio-cultural landscape. Over the years, it has hosted a variety of programs, including theatrical performances, public gatherings, and official functions, making it an integral part of the cultural fabric of Ahmedabad. The town hall contributes to the broader discourse on colonial and post-colonial architecture in India. The structure embodies the transitional phase where Indian architecture was embracing modernist approach while staying rooted in local traditions. The town hall stands as a testament to the city's evolving urban fabric, The dedicated efforts to preserve and maintain the Ahmedabad Town Hall underscore the growing awareness of heritage conservation across India.
Thousands of heritage structures need to be conserved and preserved for the posterity as they face increasing pressures due to rapid pace of urbanization and the menacing illegal encroachments in cities. The Ahmedabad city's town hall's continuous conservation approach and adaptation serve as a model for how heritage structures in the urban space can integrated into the modern cityscape without deviating from their historical and architectural significance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmedabad_Town_Hall
.jpg)
.jfif)
