stepwells
About This Project
stepwells of gurarat : a study of the growth of the components of the stepwells
The stepwell or a well with an underground flight of steps leading down to the level of the water, developed early in the arid region of Gujarat and Rajasthan. In the earliest stepwells nothing more than plain dressed stone protected the sides of he sandy pit, hence the underground passage had to be kept as short as possible; but gradually architects devised the means to strengthen these structures, the corridors expanded vastly in length and width, landings were introduced at regular intervals, pavilions with multiple storeys were built and the stepped passage, which to begin with was only a practical adjunct to a well, acquired a character of its own. In this way, the humble village well, that ubiquitous complement of human habitation, was transformed into a strikingly original architectural form.
The thesis aimed at looking into the various geometric and numeric transformations the stepwells went through as they evolved over the period of time.
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