The Matrimandir was designed by French architect Roger Anger. It took 37 years to build, from the laying of the foundation stone at sunrise on 21 February 1971, to its completion in May 2008. It is situated in the heart of a universal city – Auroville, about 12 kilometres from Pondicherry in India.
The structure is in the form of a huge sphere surrounded by twelve petals. The Geodesic dome is covered by golden discs and reflects sunlight, which gives the structure its characteristic radiance. Inside the dome is a meditation hall known as the inner chamber that contains the largest optically-perfect glass globe in the world. Its walls are clad in white marble and the floor is covered with white carpet. A pair of spiral ramps provides access to the chamber.
The four main pillars that support the structure of Matrimandir have been set at the four main directions of the compass.
I took inspiration from this magnificent structure to design my architectural wearable. I created a face mask keeping in mind the the spherical structure of the dome. I added gold painted, cardboard pieces on it which resembles the Matrimandir’s golden discs. A face mask, being one of the most important accessory one can wear today, gave me the idea to connect it with this architectural design.
the Matrimandir