Deepanam School (Mirramukhi School)
 Segmental vault, 10.35m span, 2.25 m rise, Built free spanning in 3 weeks  A classroom block |
Mirramukhi school was built Auroville in 1995 and it was the opportunity to show that the Nubian technique can be used for any kind of shape and especially for a large span vault. Mirramukhi School has been renamed later on as Deepanam School. The vault of the multipurpose room started in the corner of the room with a squinche, which grew till it met the diagonal of the room. Then the vault started, and the window frame was used as a template to insure the proper shape. Classrooms were covered by cloister domes, built with squinches. These domes, of 5.76m square and 2.25m rise, were built in 6 days by an average of 6 masons. The main vault has been built in 3 weeks with 4 masons and presents these features: • Weight: about 30 tons • Squinche of 7.30 m side and 2.25 m rise • Segmental vault of 10.35 m span, 2.25 m rise, 6 m long, 17.7 & 14 cm thick. • Built free spanning with vertical courses |
Starting the squinche
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Net of string lines from the corner pipe to the window frame
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Squinche under way
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Window frame is move at the end of the vault and strings are pulled
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Laying courses below the string lines
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Window frame is removed and masons goes on with a straight edge
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Vault completed in 3 weeks with 4 masons
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Vault of 10.35 m span towards the amphitheatre
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Children playing below the vault
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Vault and the amphitheatre
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Starting the cloister dome, 5.76 m span
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Squinches of the cloister dome
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Completing the cloister dome
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Cloister dome completed in 6 days with 6 masons
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Acoustic correctors of various sizes
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Classroom with the cloister dome
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