Cultural Continuum: A Contemporary Journey Through Jora Shiv Mandir

Khulna University of Engineering & Technology

Project idea

“Cultural Continuum: A Contemporary Journey through Jora Shiv Mandir” reimagines the future of a forgotten heritage — a century-old temple located in 7 No. Ghat, Khulna. Though still active in religious life, the temple has become nearly invisible to the city. Over time, it has been damaged, reconstructed, and overwhelmed by informal settlements, losing not only its physical presence but also its identity in the urban fabric.

This proposal seeks to preserve the spiritual essence of the original temple while reviving its visibility, accessibility, and relevance for today’s community. Instead of rebuilding, the design adds new life around it — minimally, respectfully, and meaningfully. The project does not isolate the temple as a monument, but integrates it into a broader cultural and public realm, where rituals, festivals, and daily life can coexist in harmony. It becomes a space where heritage is not just remembered, but lived.

Project description

The site originally suffered from major problems: lack of visibility, insufficient space for rituals, haphazard settlements, and complete disconnect from its historical waterbody and sacred banyan tree. The design addresses these issues through clarity of access, expansion of usable space, and sensitive spatial layering that enhances the temple's presence without overpowering it.

A key principle of the intervention was to honor the heritage structure by minimizing new built form and maintaining a low physical profile, ensuring the temple remains the visual and spiritual focal point. The newly added structures are either sunken into the earth or positioned in support roles — never competing with the temple’s form, scale, or sanctity. This respectful restraint allows the original architecture to breathe and reassert its dignity in the urban context. The temple is now approached through a direct, welcoming entry from the main road — reclaiming visibility and dignity. The temple plaza in front of the structure has been opened up as a flexible space for both small daily rituals and large festivals like the Shiv Akatadashi Utshab. Vendor stalls are integrated to support religious offerings and promote local products, encouraging public engagement without commercializing the sacred core.

The underground gallery plays a key role in reconnecting people with their cultural heritage throughout the year. Designed as a quiet, contemplative space, it allows community events, exhibitions, and gatherings to happen in a spiritual atmosphere without disturbing temple functions. This space becomes a metaphorical and physical journey — descending beneath the visible world to reconnect with deeper layers of meaning. Nature and spirituality are linked at multiple points: a large tree emerges from a circular skylight, joining the underground space with the sky. Rainwater is collected into a central waterbody near the ghat, restoring its original ritual function. The banyan tree plaza, at the rear of the temple, celebrates a site-specific tradition of Manasha Devi worship, reinforcing the connection between architecture and inherited rituals. Every intervention — whether for access, ritual, gathering, or rest — is rooted in the site’s original spirit, now made visible, inclusive, and lasting.

Technical information

The redesigned site expands from its original 9,853 square feet to 18,290 square feet, reclaiming land previously encroached upon. The main architectural intervention is an underground cultural gallery, constructed with reinforced concrete and a flat slab system. It is accessed by a grand stair from the plaza above, which also doubles as tiered seating for events held below.

Natural light enters the gallery through roof perforations and a large circular skylight, where a mature tree grows through the opening — establishing a symbolic and physical connection to nature. The gallery walls are lined with terracotta panels depicting stories of Lord Shiva, while interior surfaces feature clay textures and exposed concrete to evoke an earthy, spiritual mood. Perforated bricks are used across the plaza for water permeability and contextual texture. Rainwater from the plaza is harvested into a newly designed rectangular waterbody, complementing the restored ghat used for temple rituals. Artificial lighting is carefully positioned to maintain brightness underground. Planter boxes filled with seasonal flowering plants soften the plaza, and the sacred banyan tree at the rear is preserved within a dedicated worship space. Together, these elements ensure accessibility, environmental responsiveness, and cultural depth within the built landscape.

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