Shruthi M
MSc in Interior Design, Bangalore
Experience the Chola Culture Homestay – JD Design Awards 2024
Shruthi M, a student of the MSc in Interior Design at JD School of Design, Bangalore, bagged the Best Display of Live Corner for the JD Design Awards 2024 for her work on “Experience the Chola Culture Homestay.” This homestay, right in the heart of Tamil Nadu, offers to help visitors experience in reality the history and culture of the Chola Empire, which has been high on artistry, architecture, and governance.
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Chola-inspired homestay spells out the intricate carvings, gigantic structures, and majestic temples that the Cholas are known for in their very architecture. Guests are enveloped in the illustrious Chola empire from the moment they step into the homestay. Every nook and cranny of the homestay speaks through minute carvings, with traditional elements adorning the interiors to give a peep into the past.
Guests are taken through guided tours and interactive exhibits on various aspects of the culture and traditions of the Cholas. They would learn about the literature, music, and art along with; the stories of emperors who led their people towards greatness; and the Dravidian heritage that lies at the root of South Indian history.
JDDA 2024
The design of this homestay runs in sync with the “future fiction” theme, bonding the greatness of the Chola empire with modern ingenuity. These rooms have four-poster beds with Chola carvings, maps of the Chola dynasty on the walls with historical insights, and closets stocked with Tamil Nadu silk sarees. There are intricately carved columns in the living area, a sunken space reminiscent of the Kalyani of the Chola temples, and grand ceilings with murals and paintings. Digital kitchens will teach Chola recipes, while voice-activated assistants will tell stories as they control the room ambience.
The material palette for the homestay includes smooth, shiny white oxide flooring, bronzed accents featuring Intricate carvings that take their inspiration from Chola motifs, clear glass panels serving to maintain a sense of openness, and natural stone elements like granite and marble. Vibrant murals and paintings of scenes from Chola history can be found on the walls, making the place almost a gallery of storytelling. There is also warm wooden brick lining on select walls and furnishings that create a nice, tactile contrast with other materials having smooth surfaces. Luxuriantly appareled with furnishings and accents, richly traditional with Tamil Nadu silk sarees, this very much exudes the traditional craftsmanship and vivacity of colours to add layer upon layer of comfort and culture to the interior.
Shruthi M
MSc in Interior Design, Bangalore
www.jddesignawards.com