Final Research on " Wat Mahathat : Great Relics of Buddha "

                                                     A S H W A T I   T E R E S A  J O S E P H                                           

                                              Religious Temple at Ancient City Ayutthaya

Wat Mahathat Ruins from Ashwati Joseph on Sketchfab.

Wat Mahathat : Isometric Diagram of Past and Present Context

Now as ruins, Wat Mahathat used to be a Temple idolized for major worship containing the Buddha’s relics. Surrounded by canals in the past, the main royal ceremony included the Barge ceremony which included the King travelling from the Grand Hall to offer prayers and sacrifices at Wat Mahathat. Standing as tall as 50 meters, Wat Mahathat symbolized the major religious site within the city. Constant addition of stupas and increment of height to the main prang of the temple was done in order to symbolze the structures grandeur and influence of Buddhism. Sheltering the supreme patriarch, Wat Mahathat emerged as an important monastery and religious centre. History dates it as collapsing twice during the reign of two kings, consequently bothered with theft and robbery as well as beheading the Buddha statues during the Thai-Burmese War.

VI3 Members at Wat Mahathat Ruins

Declared as a World Heritage Site within the Historical Park of Ayuthaya, Wat Mahathat is left as ruins for visitors to observe. However, the structure still remains as a ruin making the main tourist attraction as the Buddha’s head stuck in a Bodhi Tree. The main circulation involves of passing this attraction afterwards proceeding to the grand vihara and later to the actual main prang further passing the monastery structure. Two gates border the site based on an east west axis symbolizing how axial plans developed in Hinduism carrying on to Buddhism. Many stupas of Various heights are placed surrounding the main prang in order to embellish and make the main prang look more huge in size.

 VI3 Members at the Ubosot (Monastery) Ruin                                                                               Wat Mahathat Ruins at Sunset

Wat Mahathat from Ashwati Joseph on Sketchfab.

Research on Past and Present Conditions

Wat Mahathat, the most holy and nominated structure of Ayuthaya City. Containing within the main prang is the Buddha's relic. Constructed mainly of laterite in the lower part to be topped in the upper part with brick and mortar. Now only the base remains, the collapsed part being probably looted after the fall of the kingdom. The prang collapsed twice, second collapse during the reign of King Rama VI. Continuous additions of various types of chedis, stupas were added to nominate the main prang and constant renovations were done in order to make it larger than the other structures. Placing smaller stupas, a clever method approached to make the taller and larger prang to stand out.

Present Wat Mahathat as Ruins : Location of  Market ,People Circulation, Spotlights.

1. Crow Bad Omen: Legend has it that just before when they city had collapsed, two crows had fought above the Wat Mahathat and supposedly died by falling on to the spire of the prang, their body pierced. This was recorded as one of the bad omen for the kingdom.

2. Reconstruction : Wat Mahathat, literally meaning "Great Relics of Buddha" should be constructed as large and elegant as possible (belief) since it houses the Buddhas relic. Built at a before 38 meters that collapsed, it was reconstructed again to reach a critical height of 42 meters in order to signify the religion's importance within the city.(However other sources mention that the new height went up to 50 meters) Mainly the prang collapsed due to the heavily ornate statues of garuda and devas that was built on the upper part of the main prang. However, now it remains as ruin. The base projects on sides hinting the presence of porch which may have been added during later reconstruction.

3. Royal Barge Ceremony : A Boat ceremony where the King had to travel from the Grand Palace in his barge along with other royal people to offer praise and worship to the Buddhas relics. In the past, Mahathat was surrounded by water canals making waterway the only possible way to travel to Mahathat.

4. Vihan Luang : Approximately 40 by 20 metres in size, this main vihan contained a mural painting of Vessantara Jataka. The deisgn of the vihan is known for its Early Ayuthaya era's square pattern with vertical lines. Currently this is the first place that current tourists enter after witnessing the fallen head of Buddha(stuck in Bodhi tree).

5. Ubosot: The Monastery is believed to be constructed  during the reign of King Boromrachathiraj I completed  in King Ramesuans time. This monastery is believed to be the residence of the Supreme Patriarch and other monks that lived nearby in other smaller ubosots. Another bad omen that followed was the consequent deaths of the patriarchs, one after the other that also proved as a bad omen for the fall of the kingdom. Their bodies were laid side by side at Mahathat.

6. Buddha's Relic : The main prang housed the relics of Buddha which made it the foundation and religious symbolic centre of the kingdom. This follows the practice of many countries who follows the Mandala concept where to imitate Mount Meru(centre of Universe) results in a square shaped town layout. Situated at the heart being the Buddha's  relic, which was protected entombed in a crypt beneath the ground (15 meters deep) in a seven layered pagoda, each of different material namely pewter,silver,nag(amalgam of copper and gold), twice of wood with gold spire, crystal layers, dark gamet topped with emeralds and rubies, the innermost gold box with lid containing the relic in sandalwood oil.

7. Beheaded Buddha Statues: Many stone buddha statues are located within the borders which is supposed to convey the life cycles of Buddha reaching to enlightenment. These however were beheaded during the Burmese captivity of the kingdom. Current tourist circulation occurs path through here, where a huge Buddhas statue(not beheaded) is present to which many pray and worship.

8. Buddhas Fallen Head : Stuck in a Bodhi Tree's roots, this proves to be the most attracted spot for tourists to take photographs of. The past recordings say the head might have been fallen from a thief who was stealing it or that it had fallen during the war.

9. Current Market and Ticket Counter : Located on the Southern side of Wat Mahathat is the current Market(small scale) which follows the Ticket Counter (Thai Citizen :20 Baht, Foreigner : 50 Baht).

Wat Mahathat Analysis from Ash Joseph on Vimeo.

Final Presentation : R2S

A S H W A T I   T E R E S A   J O S E P H

A Section of Digital Prosthetics : Receptacle for the Renounced Structures

R2S Receptacle for Renounced Structures from Ash Joseph on Vimeo.

  R 2 S   T h e s i s

Man's fight against time and decay, an inevitable thought of which the solution itself is brought by architecture. Something built becoming permanent. But this function of architecture preserving itself is yet attacked by nature's calamities and perpetual rhythm. Time never stops its duty of playing the role as the  Decaying or Preserving Master. In order to capture these decaying elements, it is necessary to invent something permanent that would embed in the history of mankind for the future generations.

Humans are obsessed with preserving structure. The result of this preoccupying thought of conserving and maintaining has caused an effect of constructing structures, erecting foundations and establishing boundaries between cultures. Since centuries as the permanent buildings itself are deteriorating at a large rate, these structures modify in reaction to Time. The UNESCO, an existing global organization already however provides preserving heritages after its 10 passing of criteria. Exceptional, outstanding, testimonial these are their tags of passing; as a result, some are left out. An excuse would be that they do not represent as the highest achievable masterpiece in human/natural history that serves as an exceptional testimony. 

R2S Virtual Debate from Ash Joseph on Vimeo.

Therefore an institution is called for that guarantees to store all that is historically essential to future generations. Verifying identity, the user enters an existing ruin, chooses his interested part that guides him to the connected issue witnessing the networks. Further involving in simultaneous discussions and debates the user casts his opinion in the R2S resulting in activating the structure's nomination. Crowd sourcing plays a huge role that may take one to interact with higher authorities regarding the issue. Thus providing a democratic way of preserving structures at its full to be easily conveyed virtually to other individuals who are not able to experience the real site. A library of data composed of particularly exposed, unenclosed, unprotected, decaying ruins.The team of innovators would work on establishing a virtual world embodying the experience of immersive environment dealing with : virtual perceptions and virtual feeling.

In terms of virtual perception, as  'matters of fact', the most outstanding, most worthy, most notable stands out globally. As 'matters of concern', they do too. In this case the purple green colored orchid being an uncommon sight for me as an outsider in the Flower Market. And at some point, something so ordinary as a Buddha's fallen head stuck in a Bodhi tree could be 'Matters of Nothing'.One such example of a fact  could be the Saweta Chatra Throne, a powerful monarch communication tool used to signify absolute power through an ornate throne. The Barcelona chair compared to the previous throne becomes as Matters of concern which at first acting as a status symbol later loses its value perhaps, because of mass production.

 Hierarchy, nomination, order, axis, framing were some terms associated in analysing these things.Diving more into a research phase, Ayuthaya as a site is chosen to evaluate the importance of nomination. The reason being already preserved by the UNESCO due to its contribution in rich history and Thai architecture. Currently, Wat Mahathat that contained the Buddhas relics, in the past being the most holy and religious site is placed in an east west axis. Most highest structure at a before 50 meters that time, nomination of religion plays a part within the ruling of a city.

Who decides this tag of nomination that has been followed since centuries? Pre-conceived perception does this. During my journey through the Pak Klong Talat where all flowers had the same potential of selling, it was my personal curiosity that played in judging what is important? As a fact, Latour mentions as how things fade away when appearing in mass resulting in a texture whereas the same thing individually would act as an image memory. Here the orchid stands out to me which is not in mass quantity unlike the other flowers.

The pavilion titled 'Renascita Di Valore' is an attempt to question this perception of how things are seemingly valuable but at the same time not, through a medium of filtering planes within a grid system. The user is required to enter this Virtual Pavilion and accordingly comparing the Saweta Chatra Throne and Barcelona Chair in a series of sequence that question  which personally stands out due to virtual perception. The grids provide a y-axis of time and x-axis of nomination.

Here,  Ayuthaya as an already preserved site passes for all the nomination rules given by UNESCO World Heritage. The challenge however is to question about those ruins which are unenclosed, open to major destruction, not protected just because they lack the tag of nomination given globally.The Receptacle for Renounced Structures or R2S platform would therefore make a space specifically for these ruins that do not qualify as World Heritages. Due to political, economical, social or religious concerns they are excluded. R2S having its own technology of V-Eye and V-Glove would enhance the virtual feeling of the structure. Acting as a 3D preservation space R2S would grant the qualification of protection resulting from polling of votes and opinions from a connected network of people around the globe. Even though if the site won't be nominated to that extent, the virtual space still allows it to be preserved permanently by 3D mapping technology. Virtually Preserved in Time !

R2S Virtual Tools for Interaction

V-Eye

The Virtual Eye Wear, received upon entering Wat Mahathat allows for scanning of the fingerprints of the individual in order for further accurate interaction depending on which finger is used within the R2S environment. The v-eye, similar looking to a pair of goggles consists of high sensitive embedded scanner on the surface exterior glass. The V-Eye also contains a GPS Tracker, located at the center. The tracker ensures the position of the user movement along the R2S Interface, this movement is later added on to the system of networks that convey data graphics to the upcoming participants. The surface glass is curved allowing a maximum  180 degree visible accessibility of the R2S space giving a panoramic view to the user. The heavy Glass surface is held by a  transparent holder( to avoid blocking maximum view) as well as a supporting plastic frame for maximum support. The V-eye enables the participant in the R2S interface to view the space virtually combined with real environment of Wat Mahathat.

R2S Tool : V-Eye from Ash Joseph on Vimeo.

V-Glove (Single Hand)

Along with the V-Eye, combined with V-Glove allows for enhanced experience in an immersive environment. The glove is sensitive to the touch followed by three main fingers :

- Index finger = Switch to Real Environment (Wat Mahathat) or other choosing options

- Middle finger = To join Debate or Discussions

- Ring finger = Casting Opinions/Polling of Votes

Participant should make sure that the V-Glove is always contained within the scanning vision of the V-Eye or else the tracking of hand movements and interaction with V-Glove are unable to recognize. The moment the individual's fingers are scanned in through the V-Eye, the fingerprints are stored within the database to relate with the further decisions made by the user.Each Tip of the glove contains a touch sensor that informs the R2S of what has to be displayed accordingly.

R2S Tool : V-Glove from Ash Joseph on Vimeo.

R2S Architectural Interface

Isometric of  R2S Space

Criteria for Selection of Structures:

1. Structures entered are to be man-made or man-made combined with natural environment, hence crowd sourcing acting as the major input.
2. R2S institution focuses on decaying, exposed, unenclosed, unprotected ruins.

3. Any nation, organization, community, state, region, group (2 or more) can enter their desired structure.

3. The result of these structures to enter the network permanently is ultimately dependent on the participating people to decide.

4.Judgement is made by analyzing opinions, majority votes related on issue.

5. In the end, R2S institution would guarantee protection of the structure from its fund.

6. All passing structures are however mapped digitally to form a place within networks.

Isometric Taxonomy created for classification of entered sites within the R2S Interface

Initial Research Phase How the R2S Works?

Khao Phreah Wihan, a ruin located exactly on the overlapping borders of Cambodia and Thailand was an interesting start as to the related political and social  issues developed. An ancient hindu temple built during the Khmer empire.  Situated atop a cliff named Dangrek Mountains, this temple resulted in a long called dispute between two countries of Thailand and Cambodia on an international level. Recently claimed as a World Heritage site, now the Khao Phreah Wihan belongs to Cambodia, last judgement taken by the International High Court of Justice.

Khao Phreah Wihan : Already nominated site by UNESCO

Following diagram depicts how this issue of "the temple belongs to whom?" would have worked out given the architectural interface of R2S.

Stage 1: The Visitor enters Wat Mahathat with his identity verified and witnessing the networks and grid system of R2S that are already activated by other users present on the site. Later, the user chooses an interesting part of the Mahathat ruin, the buddha statue which happens to be influenced by Khmer architecure. This "Khmer" influence acts as the common link between the visitor's interest and the contained issue within the R2S Space that leads him , in this case to the"Khao Phreah Wihan", dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

Stage 2 : After having the visitor brought into this issue, the visitor if not interested in the issue may wish to choose to exit the interface by using the index finger via the V-Glove. Or else may continue on with briefing of the issue shown in virtual graphics and motions. The history of the Issue is laid out (shown in different colored boxes) :

1978 - Cambodian Refugees Expulsion

2008 - Military Dispute

2008 - Ownership Dispute

These related history gives the user the clue of what is currently occurring about the existing ruin. This is the point where the user has already chosen the issue, and the related ruin would overlap on the Wat Mahathat ruin allowing the user to compare and contrast between the two ruins given.Later on, further research on issue regarding the common key word "Khmer Empire" is brought in, since this was the key to the participant's start of interest. How Khmer relates to this issue is signified at the end of Stage 2.

Khao Phreah Wihan : If it worked within the R2S Interface

Stage 3 :  User is shown the current issues and news by virtual planes that helps to decide in casting his later opinion. After analyzing the given terms and state of situation surrounding the issue, the user may cast his opinion or poll his vote regarding on the ownership dispute. This is critical, since the answer is directly resulted in the nomination of the Khao Phreah Wiharn Ruin Issue. This one individuals poll or vote may result in drastic change of the Ruin's Position within the R2S Networks. 

After the polling, The user can either exit or enter a current debate/discussion thereby allowing interaction with virtual people who are not physically present in the site. Further this debate/discussion is recorded as a date that can be accessed by any type of social media including facebook,twitter,google +, etc. 

Stage 4 : The user is free to witness higher authorities involved in the matter, be it politically or socially. Direct interaction is guaranteed dependent on the participant's interest in the issue. Witnessing of Political meetings are made possible publicly making it a democratic way of viewing the issue. System being more transparent and not held within the bounds of law/authority.

Stage 5 : The issue having developed to be taken action by the ICJ (international Court of Justice) continues according to news, at this point the user may/may not be involved as recognized member from the R2S Interface to get involved with the higher powers. This is the most highest point where the R2S is granted authority based on a  democratic crowd supportive way.

At the end based on the most discussed issue or failure to end up in an un-recognized ruin the R2S  would eventually permanently map the ruins using 3d Mapping Technology and the ruin would be virtually preserved inTime within the R2S.

Further Research Phase : Renounced Structures around the Globe

1. Ruins of Ani : An Armenian City-state situated in the Turkish Province of Kars. Having a History of various trade routes and known for its famous religious buildings(churches,mosques), palaces, fortifications. Ani stood out as one  among the  technologically and artistically advanced structures in the world. After the earthquake of 1319, Ani was a forgotten city state (known for its glory) and resulted in abandonment.

2. Negev Mosque : Undergone many change in its physical use, the mosque located in Israel, currently serves as a call center employing many Muslim women (among the Bedouin Community) to work and re-inforce support for the females in the Muslim society.

3. Gol Gumbaz : Located in Karnataka, India this mausoleum is of Mohammad Adil Shah, Sultan of Bijapur. Influenced by Deccan architecture, the structure has simplistic dome deisgn. Vistied by many locals, this mausoleum is not yet declalred as a Heirtage site.

4. Naqshe-E-Rustam : A Necropolis, in Persepolis. Contains many mural carvings depicting old history and habitation. aqshe-E-Rustam contains many tombs and oversized rocks. However now severely damaged and victim of lot of excavations.

5. Salona City : An Ancient city located now in Croatia. Influenced by then Roman Architecture under their rule, Salona city possesses many characteristics such like public baths, amphitheaters, aqueducts, forum, roman walls, etc. Highly saturated with christian architecture, the reason of many big churches, baptisteries, basilicas, this city was destroyed largely during the invasion of Avars and Slavs during the 4th and 5th century. Now this site serves as a major study site for Christian religious architecture.

6. Caesarea City : A Town located between Tel Aviv and Haifa in Israel.Served in the past as an administrative center of Judaea Province(Roman Empire) built by Herod the Great. Abandonment followed by the Arab Conquest and later by Mamluk conquest.

7. Jama Masjid : Principle mosque in Delhi, India. Houses several relics and currently active as a mosque for a capacity of 25,000 worshipers. Built by the same king Shahjahan  who built the Taj Mahal and Red Fort(delhi). Associated issue being 2006 explosions within the mosque making 13 people in total injured.

WORLD HERITAGE SITES DE-NOMINATED BY UNESCO

8. Arabian Oryx Sanctuary : Listed since 1994 as a world heritage, this was the first to be removed from the Heritage list in 2007.The major issue concerned was the discovery of oil within the site that lead to poaching and habitat degradation of the wild animals(reducing sacntaury by 90% by the government). The government later willingly agreeing to its de-listing.

9. Dresden Elbe Valley : Listed in 2006 By UNESCO, located in Dresden, Germany. The controversial bridge construction led to its de-nomination from the Heritage List of UNESCO. UNESCO waited till 2008 to see whether the construction ceases, and later de-listed it in 2009.

Final research: Grand Vihara, Wat Phrasrisanpetch

GRAND VIHARA, WAT PHRASRISANPETCH

Front entrance

 Back entrance

                       

 Leftover structures

                In the early Ayutthaya period, after Wat Phrasrisanpetch was turned into royal temple in King Trilokkanart's era,  it was believed that   the Grand Vihara was built in King Ramathibbadee II, King Trilokkanart's son, which is around 2042 B.E. In the following year, 16 meters tall golden buddha statue, named by the King as 'Phrasrisanpetch statue', was created and put inside the Grand Vihara. In the year 2310 B.E., Ayutthaya was lost to Burmese. As a result, the Burmese burned the whole city and took all the gold in the city. This situation make the whole city damaged as well as Phrasrisanpetch statue. In the beginning of Rattanakosin era, King Rama I changed the location of the statue from the Grand Vihara, Ayutthaya to a Stupa in Wat Phrachetupon, Bangkok to preserved it value.

Drawing showing the information of the past form of Grand Vihara overlapping the present form which is the ruin. The past form was derived from Dr. Sanurr nildech'book,in which he is an expert in Ayutthaya archaeology.

 Activities inside the building in the past were hinted from the remaining ornament.

Final Presentation: Territories of Value, A virtual Treasure room for Siam

Final Plate Presentation

Territories of Value" Final presentation video

Principle Prang, Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya on Sketchfab.

Virtual space on Sketchfab.

P.S. I tried to combine virtual space on Phra Prang already but i doesn't work!!!

This project aim to present the virtual treas- ure room for Siam, the collection of Thai heritage treasure. Giving the new experience of how the object virtually exhibit and kept in virtual age.

This new inventive treasure room enhances the relationship between object and visitor. Different perspectives can be inter- preted and presented according to the visitor’s evaluation of the value.

Isometric Drawing of the virtual treasure room for Siam at Wat Ratchaburana.

The collection of treasure located according to the time. 

 

The collection of treasure located according to the location. 

The collection of treasure located according to the procedure complexity. 

 Inside the chamber Thai register able to get inside the real treasure room one person at a time.

Entering by an individual password in order to access to the virtual room.

First user will interact with the virtual treasures, looking and scanning with different approach.

Also users are able to nominate the treasure into the treasure room. 

Isometric Drawing of the virtual grammar of nominating and voting criteria 

 Layering of information overlapping the object by object, gathering into the virtual treasure in Wat Ratchaburana

The virtual treasure room will change the way of how people perceive and evaluate value in the collection of the Thai treasure. Speculative and intellectual virtual treasure collected in Thai heritage database, to illustrate how Thai people place the value of the heritage and contemporary objects. Promoting the social dimension of a new digital creativity that link to the actual cultural treasure. 

Final research: Principle Prang, Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya, Thailand

Wat Ratchaburana was founded in 1424 by King Borommarachathirat II of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and built on the cremation site of his two elder brothers. The two brothers had fought to their deaths in a duel for the royal succession to their father. The Principle Prang located in Wat Ratch- aburana, which is the most valuable Prang that was built for the specific purpose of keeping the treasure and dedication. More than 100,000 votive Buddhist tablets were found, as well as gold jewelry with a

combined weight of more than 100 kilo- grams. The vaults inside the main prang also dis- played Buddha paintings, depicting the previ- ous lives of the Buddha. 

 

Isometric Drawing of  Principle Prang.

Isometric Drawing of Section cut of Principle Prang with treasures inside.

In 1957 there were a group of thiefs stole some treasure inside, later they were arrested and there are some mystery consequence happen to them. Then Silpakorn department took out all the treasure into Chao Samphaya museum for the safety and exhibition to the visitors. 

 All the treasure were found in the treasure room, which compose of 3 different layers inside. The first room contain the most valuable treasure.

 

 Treasure was categorize into Buddha statue and Votive tablet, Regalia, Royal articles of use, Robes and Jewelry, and Dedicated and Tribute and Engrave.

 Principle Prang rendering testing with artificial light

Principle Prang rendering testing with natural light (Overlapping)