Go with the flow
Like an organic abstract piece of sculpture in its own right, The Hampi Art Labs, crafted by Mumbai-based Sameep Padora & Associates is a fitting home for its artist residents. The artist residency and exhibition space, located in Toranagallu, Karnataka, Southern India, draws its inspiration from the history of the Hampi UNESCO World Heritage Site and the serpentine flow of the Tungabhadra River.
The sprawling 8.68-acre canvas was once a barren land or blank canvas so to speak. Until this confluence of flowing forms and organic spaces seemingly emerged from the clay. And it sort of did. The project prioritised sustainability and sourcing locally. The project’s steel and cement is from the nearby JSW Vijayangar Works with other materials including regional stones and clay.
“We were really looking for a reference point to develop the project from,” says Sameep Padora. “Given the fact we were in the proximity of the incredible ruins of Hampi, we thought this might be a great point from which to start. Moreover, the Tungabhadra River, its boulders, and the riverine landscape became a reference for the project — we literally started imagining the idea of people flowing through our site with the river as a metaphor.”
Finished with a terracotta-hued plaster, the façade of Hampi Art Labs stands in contrast with the stark white, curvaceous interior walls which serve as a canvas for the interplay of light and shadow, art and space. The integration of courtyards and skylights ushers in the movement of daylight, casting an ever-changing landscape within the walls.
The landscape design is also an integral part of the overall concept, with accessible green roofs, pebbled paths, and indigenous vegetation, further reinforcing the connection with the locale.
This curvaceous sanctuary of creativity is more than an art gallery; it’s a place of creation supporting a myriad of artistic endeavors, from printmaking to 3D printing and hopefully pottery.
