Entrance Pavilion

Mangaluru, India

This pavilion, commissioned by the oldest extant terra cotta tile manufacturer in India, will inlcude a gatehouse and rainwater cistern. It is inspired by the drying racks in the existing factory, built in the 1860s, which are reinterpreted here as a porous roof structure. Tiles are mounted in an alternating fashion in multiple layers, evoking the regional application of the tile and the sublime quality of the factory storage spaces. The sloped steel substructure angles the tiles to collect and direct rainwater to the pavilion floor, where it is stored in an underground cistern. In storm surges such as the monsoon, the pavilion will act as a flood-mitigating strategy, gradually releasing collected water in between major rain events.