‘Kulhads’ or ‘mud cups’ (terracotta cups) used to be a familiar sight at railway stations, used to sip hot tea or cool buttermilk (lassi), and eventually thrown away across beaches and train tracks in India.
So when the opportunity arose to make a pavilion at the Miramar beach in Goa, as a part of the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025, it seemed apt to make a ‘Kulhad’ Pavilion made entirely of 18,000 ‘kulhad’s’ or terracotta cups collected from the local communities of Dharavi, Mumbai.
Editor’s Note: The Kulhad Pavilion designed by Wallmakers, is made entirely of 18,000 ‘kulhads’ (terracotta cups) collected from the local communities of Dharavi. It consists of three compressive catenary vaults that transfer the weight of the entire superstructure to the ground, aiming to provide shade for both humans and animals alike.
Made From Mud Cups, This Pavillion In Goa Is A Part Of The Serendipity Arts Festival | Wallmakers
Made entirely with ‘kulhads’ or’mud cups’, the pavilion is not only a reminder of the sheer amount of waste, but also how it can be used positively to become a shade to the many who travel to the beach.
Consisting mainly of 3 compressive catenary vaults that transfer the weight of the entire superstructure to the ground, the pavilion was designed as a series of unreinforced vaults that meander across the side of the beach between the trees as seatings and stages, aiming to provide shade to both humans and animals alike.
Fact File
Designed by: Wallmakers
Project Type: Installations & Structures Architecture Design
Project Name: Kulhad Pavilion
Location: Goa
Year Built: 2025
Built-up Area: 1025 sqft
Principal Architects: Vinu Daniel, Preksha Shah & Jayesh Varma
Photograph Courtesy: Studio IKSHA
Structural Engineer: Steelcrete
Civil Contractor: Aviyon Constructions
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Wallmakers
Firm’s Facebook Link: Wallmakers
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