KOCHI: Ezha, a three-woman team of conservation architects, has won the prestigious Golden Leaf Award for architectural conservation instituted by the Kerala chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA).
The three, namely Swathy Subramanian, Savita Rajan and Ritu Sara Thomas, won the award for their work conserving the Karnikara mandapam of the nearly 600-year-old Bhagawati temple in Kunnamangalam near Karuvannur, Kozhikode.
“With 16 pillars instead of the usual four, the semi-open pavilion resembled the centre of a sixteen-petaled lotus blossom. It was an architectural marvel,” recalls Savita. However, when the three arrived at Kunnamangalam in January 2023, they found the once-magnificent structure to be a near wreck, propped up by scaffolding and steel tie-rods.
Many in the temple committee wanted to demolish the structure and build something new, modern. However, Ezha managed to deter all from doing so.
“Our philosophy was different. During our time at the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi, we saw the extent of work happening in North India. Compared to that, Kerala had little to show. With Ezha, we wanted to do our bit to promote conservation here. The Kunnamangalam work came at this juncture,” Ritu tells TNIE.
Though there were setbacks, what helped Ezha triumph them all was an openness to having a continuous dialogue – with the temple committee, the community, and the workers. Finally, when March arrived, the mandapam was not only ready, but it was also the stage for many temple rituals.
“This win is a deeply gratifying experience and brings a profound sense of honour and pride. It will motivate us to engage in further endeavours and contribute more to the field of conservation,” Swathy tells TNIE. She also adds that “the victory extends to the entire Kunnamangalam community as well.”
The Kunnamangalam work is Ezha’s first structural architecture conservation project. The emphasis they gave to conserving the tangible and intangible aspects of heritage, advocating for minimal design interventions, and the rigorous documentation process also helped them win a Unesco award for cultural heritage conservation in 2023.
Indian Institute of Architects’ state award is a prestigious recognition for outstanding architectural practices in Kerala.