within n without sites all-black stone temple at the heart of a village in india

in nashik, an ancient holy city in the western indian state of maharashtra, architecture firm within n without has replaced a dilapidated temple with a new sacred structure. as with many places of worship in the region, the maruti mandir temple plays an important role in the socio-cultural and spiritual life of the community. situated at the heart of a small village, the building serves as an affordable and accessible asset for local people and remains an integral part of the neighborhood.

all images by vikrant dashputre

the previous temple was dismantled, before within n without began work on the new design. perched on the old structure’s existing plinth, the new temple remains geographically and visually separate from the remainder of the settlement. constructed from local stone, the building relates to its context in both scale and form. meanwhile, so as not to dominate its surroundings, the stepped progression of the temple’s all-black façade reduces the appearance of the building’s mass.

the stepped progression of the temple’s all-black façade reduces the appearance of its mass

internally, the design team has used an intricate play of light to create a space that changes as worshipers move from the entrance towards the core of the building. other considerations, such as the interactions and movement of people within the space, played an important role in the temple’s configuration and layout. earlier this year, designboom featured a residential project by within n without that seeks to bridge the gap between city life and nature.

internally, the design team has used an intricate play of light

the space changes as worshipers move from the entrance towards the core of the building

locally sourced stone has been used throughout the project

the movement of people within the space played an important role in the temple’s configuration

the pattern of light changes throughout the day
video courtesy of within n without

the building serves as an affordable and accessible space for local people

the new temple sits on the same plinth as the old structure

the scheme remains geographically and visually separate from the remainder of the settlement

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project info:

name: maruti mandir — home for god on earth
architecture firm: within n without
lead architect: ar. shailesh devi
location: nashik, maharashtra, india
gross built area: 2,220 sqf / 204 sqm
photography: vikrant dashputre
client: kalvan villege
contractor: rajesh dixit

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