Project Description

This project is a spatial interpretation of the instrumental music track “Jantar Mantar” from Hirak Rajar Deshe directed by Satyajit Ray. Inspired by the dystopian narrative of the film and the symbolic “Jantar Mantar” brainwashing machine, the project transforms musical emotion, psychological tension, and political manipulation into an immersive architectural journey. Rather than designing a conventional building, the proposal explores architecture as an instrument of cognitive control, where spatial progression mirrors the emotional progression of music. In the film, the Jantar Mantar machine is used to manipulate human thought and enforce obedience through psychological conditioning. This project reimagines that machine as a sequence of spaces that gradually alter perception, emotion, and consciousness. The design investigates how architecture can influence the human mind through geometry, movement, light, sound, scale, and sensory isolation.

The form and planning are strongly inspired by the symbolic eye motif associated with Hirak Raja in the film. The entrance itself is shaped like a sharp, pointed eye, acting as a metaphor for surveillance, authority, and psychological observation. This eye-shaped geometry is further reflected in the overall spatial organization. Visitors enter through a ceremonial sequence of pointed arches that create rhythm and anticipation, slowly inducing a sense of curiosity and unease. The initial chamber is constructed using steel framing and reflective glass surfaces embedded with mirrors. The glittering and crystalline atmosphere resembles the seductive illusion of power and wealth, visually referencing the diamond kingdom of Hirak Rajar Deshe. The reflective surfaces distort perception and multiply spatial imagery, creating an environment that feels both enchanting and manipulative. As the space suddenly rises in height, a monumental staircase leads visitors downward into the underground realm, intensifying the psychological transition from fascination to control. Water beneath the stair acts as a symbolic threshold between consciousness and subconsciousness.

The spatial sequence directly follows the emotional progression of the instrumental soundtrack. From 2:54 to 3:03, the music creates a slow and mysterious curiosity, translated architecturally through rhythmic arches and reflective spatial compression. Between 3:03 and 3:13, the music becomes increasingly manipulative, represented through exaggerated verticality, mirrored distortion, and controlled movement. From 3:13 to 3:41, the soundtrack introduces suspense and fear, which is translated into a dark underground tunnel where users become entirely disconnected from natural light and external reality. Finally, from 3:41 to 4:00, the music reaches a horror-like intensity. This culminates in a circular subterranean atrium where a massive funnel overhead projects a concentrated beam of light directly onto the human body. The space becomes an architectural manifestation of the brainwashing machine itself - oppressive, isolating, and psychologically overwhelming. Through this project, music is transformed into architecture, and emotion is translated into spatial experience.