Gayatri dome
This project has been built in Auroville, in the community of Auromodele, at Suryanivas as a pavilion which is meant to play a “spiritual game”.
The concept of this pavilion was based on a lotus shape, emerging from water. Thus the pointed shape of the dome and the building emerging like from a pond. The walls were built with compressed stabilised earth blocks, 14 cm thick and the roofing structure presents these features:
• Octagonal pointed dome 6.4 m diameter, 4.4 m rise
• Squinche dome and “Conical” vaults above the corner rooms
• “Triangular” vault above the side galleries
• Thickness of the vaults and dome: 7 cm
• The dome and all vaults have been built free spanning
The concept of this pavilion was based on a lotus shape, emerging from water. Thus the pointed shape of the dome and the building emerging like from a pond. The walls were built with compressed stabilised earth blocks, 14 cm thick and the roofing structure presents these features:
• Octagonal pointed dome 6.4 m diameter, 4.4 m rise
• Squinche dome and “Conical” vaults above the corner rooms
• “Triangular” vault above the side galleries
• Thickness of the vaults and dome: 7 cm
• The dome and all vaults have been built free spanning
 Segmental groined dome completed in 5 days with 4 masons | The entrance of the compound was marked by a monumental pointed arch. This arch was design to allow a truck to pass below and therefore no truss rod could be used. This arch was built on two pillars made of composite columns 290. Each pillar was composed of 4 columns 290 which were reinforced with 12 mm vertical bars. The horizontal trust of this arch was going out of the pillars at about 70 cm above ground and therefore the pillars had to deal with the shear stress created by the horizontal trust. A special arrangement of the stirrups allowed the pillars to bear this shear. The arch was built on a centring done with block laid with a very sandy earth mortar, so as to be removed easily later on. |
DOME AND OTHER VAULTED STRUCTURES OF GAYATRI
 Starting the octagonal dome |  Starting a pendentive |  Building a pendentive |
 Laying the first rings above the pendentives |  Dome in progress |  Dome near completion |
 Completed dome |  Starting the conical vault in the corner |  Building the conical vault in the corner |
 Starting the squinche to meet the conical vault |  Building the squinche |  Squinche in progress |
 Squinche near completion |  Closing the gap between the conical vault and the squinche with an earth concrete |  Starting the conical vault |
 Window frame used as a template to create the shape |  Conical vault in progress |  Completing the vault by checking with a straight edge |
 Gayatri dome completed |  Pointed dome with the squinches domes on the side |  Pointed dome covered with ceramic tiles |
POINTED ARCH |
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 4 composite columns with 12 mm vertical bars |  Square stirrups for every column, placed every 2 courses high |  Laying block of the columns |
 Crossed stirrups to take care of the shear caused by the horizontal trust, placed every 2 courses high |  Doing the centring on blocks laid on a very sandy earth mortar |  Starting the arch |
 Courses of the arch rising |  Applying the mortar with 0 mm at the intrados |  Bond pattern for the odd courses |
 Checking the alignment of the arch with a string line |  Checking the verticality with a plumb line |  Bond pattern for the even courses |
 Building the arch symmetrically |  Arch near completion |  Linking the side blocks of the keystone with reinforcement bars |
 Arch completed, before removing the centring |  Arch completed |
