City: RAJKOT

Name & Location: Natvarlal Nyalchand House, 2-Collegewadi, Dr. Radhakrishnan Road, Rajkot, Gujarat

Built-up area: 164 sq m
(In case of Public Building minimum built-up area should be 1000 sq. meter)

Description of Project:

The Site – “Collegewadi”

The site is a square wooded plot of land admeasuring 726 m² with an 18 m wide road to the east and 7.5 m wide streets on west and south sides. The north abuts a commercial plot in the busy commercial heart of Rajkot City. The area was once a peaceful residential district next to the Rajkumar College, one of the oldest K12 public schools in the country.
Brief – saving “The OLD”

The process of making residential studio spaces started with the preservation of natural elements originated over the years. Spaces created by trees and the existing outhouse foot print on the plot were a prime governing factor to design new premise. To explore local skills and resources were indeed a starting point to celebrate the traditional wealth of the region.

The Courts and the Traditional Type

The inherited site was uninhabited for almost 18 years. Over these years, the outhouse structure, made with Kaccha masonry went into decay and started falling apart. During the intervening period, couple of ‘Umro’ (Ficus racemosa) and a ‘Peepal’ (Ficus religiosa) trees grew in one of the room spaces. Respecting the trees and their existence, two courts were made replacing room spaces, to invite air, light and water for the existential.

This then resulted in a physical separation between the private and public parts. The builtform represents the typical old vadi house, with a long verandah space facing the arrival area locally known as Faliu and rooms locally known as Ordo. Due to by-law constraints and resisting the traditional type, the new design became linear where the two parts of the building are connected with a single east-west verandah and the spontaneous trees, one Peepal and Umro were accommodated in to two courts along the plan. The roof-scape evolved out of the necessity of using no concrete as required by the local authority, favouring the decision to make the building climate concerned.

Materials of Construction Details:

The material palette was brick load bearing walls with a single/limited band out of reinforced concrete. The pitch roof was supported with flitch plates and the traditional system of Morth tiles was used.

Wood: The wood used in the construction of principals, gates, doors and windows is recycled, it being sourced from houses pulled down in the region. Some wood used in the house are some from places as far as 100 km to Rajkot. The raw wooden gathered often sailed down memories of previous use, which is left as is to be seen and remembered.

Precast concrete frames: All doors and window frames are with pre-cast concrete frames, sourced from Gondal town, which is only 30km. from Rajkot. This makes the construction mix locally resourced and efficient but also greatly economical. Various positions and assemblies in the shuttered window was for different uses.

Local Stone – Kadmohil (black Trap) and Brick: Were used as they were readily available. Nets were not of a very good quality because of their available single quality, all the wall surfaces are lime plastered with lime paint finish. In special elements the material needed to be exposed, local stone is used in terms of random rubble masonry.

Pre-laminated boards: The timber portion of the roof is done with Pre-laminated ash boards. The same material used at structural system was kept as a fine way of replacing the surface of the traditional assembly.

Metal sheets: Joined above the west side as an additional light and rain proof and to create wind suction for its roof and aesthetics.

Details: The building details are predominantly governed by the wood sizes and availability of local materials and elements used. However, these constraints worked towards being innovative. The detail of the window shutters is done using the local rare joiners of Rajkot. The school next to the site had no sewer and to stabilise the new connection to city, the termination of random rubble masonry platform was extended up to Rajkot roof and a 2000 Ltr tank was added to handle the moments as used in regional traditional buildings.

Above all, all those things used in the house, the way in which they are used is extremely contemporary and apt with today’s context and time.

Climate: The building represents a compact typology built in the centre of the plot and has a conscious north south orientation, raised ceiling

height; provision and positioning of light and ventilators, an open sky court for water and the deep proportions of walls, built with natural materials. The louvres and opaque shutters of windows help maintain the temperature and control glare.

Economy: Economy plays a major role in every aspect of this building design. The very idea of making the building using same footprint and respecting the original configuration was the first step towards economy. Not only using the wood from the old demolished houses, helped saving a lot of natural resources, but also utilising material from near by region and local resources in terms of building and detail development was extremely useful in making the building economically sustainable.

Special Features:

Architectural Regeneration

Method of construction and Material Explorations

The building represents an amalgamation of contemporary modern techniques with traditional methods of space making as well as construction. The house demonstrates the potential for using used building material in a domestic building. In a way, it represents a clear thinking approach to the design of efficient, economic and comfortable building using the technology and materials that are local and “of the day”, and is not concerned with “style”.

The building was very fortunate to get the help of a contractor in his mid nineties, who built many old buildings of Rajkot. Care was taken to ensure speedy construction with minimum form of material and efforts to achieve a holistic space. Using modern techniques to lay out drainage and water supply even at the stage of foundation was first of its kind in the city. The use of twin chamber double soak septic tanks ensured that the waste water was sufficiently treated to be used in the sprawling garden of the plot.

For us Architectural Regeneration was a way of expressing hope and local wisdom, which makes the design wiser than the builders. This design was used to reflect the inner sensitivity to the space making exercises to suit the regional architecture. This residential studio is a backdrop to the trees long existed. A humble backdrop which sympathises with nature, talks to sky and invites air to meander into small openings. The arrival court slowly shifts its point of focus and celebrates the growth of the built. Movement of air and light washing the walls took shape of the courts and the still windows. Verandah became a place to be with and within. Outdoor spaces become places to share close moments. The fishes in the pond of a Peepal tree court, sing with rays of sun through the leaves of the tree and plays with the fallen fruits. It is a place to celebrate nature and time, at the same time having a nostalgic feeling of the history sang by the trees around.

Name & Location : ‘A Country Retreat’- Rajsamadhiyala. Village Rajsamadhiyala, Dist Rajkot, Gujarat
Cost of Project : (INR) 23 lakhs
Built-up area: 203 sq m
(In case of Public Building minimum built-up area should be 1000 sq. meter)

Description of Project

The Site The location of the house is in a village called Rajsamadhiyala, 18 km away from Rajkot city. The site is located on the periphery of the village, on a mound and next to the village water tank. Being a hilly region, the site and the plot offered breath taking vistas of the horizon.

Program Brief ‘A retired couple wanting to build a small house in a village away from the rush of the town.’ How to build minimum and what construction techniques to be used? (mere it is also helpful for the villagers) was the main concern of the design.

The physical features of the site were guiding reference for the location of the main house and the annexe. The rock out crop area on site became a court for the house, which was a generative of the design. The extreme and lowest south- west comer, adjoining the village roads became to house utility, parking and guard’s room.

The design language of both the built forms is extremely different, separating the response to the village as well as functionality. The main house divided in two parts most private — bedroom and the kitchen, by the court. Both these spaces offers very different vistas. The location of the kitchen  was done keeping in mind the views it offered; of the village temple and village houses, the notion accentuated by placing a window directly above the kitchen platform. The semi-covered living space and the bedroom enjoy the solace and expanding views.
The annexe is built to meet the needs for the utility of the main house, its location was chosen keeping in mind the level difference of the site, and the views for the main house. This house demonstrates its simplicity not only by its location or function but also by restraining form and use materials.

The annexe is built to meet the needs for the utility of the main house, its location was chosen keeping in mind the level difference of the site, and the views for the main house. This house demonstrates its simplicity not only by its location or function but also by restraining form and use materials.

Materials of Construction Details

The construction techniques and the material palette were governed out of budgetary constraints and more importantly to introduce
alternative construction methods in a village.

The walls are made out of locally available bricks and Kalmidh (black Basalt stone). Several old windows and doors were procured from
broken building yard to be conserved and reused. The masonry openings of the window in main house and in annexe were carefully derived
in design for reuse purpose and to suit the function. The space where large openings for view were important, aluminium section is used.

In main spaces, the roof was designed as a vault made with the hollow circular fired earthen pots. The circulation areas has flat roof Vith filler
slab made with fired earthen circular bowls. The vault is an adaptation of technique developed by CSV, Wardha for low-cost housing and
modified here for more affluent clients. However, it still is economically cheap compared to RCC and is more resource conserving.

The parts of the paving through the landscape are done by locally available and used fire bricks from kiln and waste ceramic jar lids. The fire
bricks from the kiln were used as second flooring material along Vith the Kota stone. These bricks were also used on top of the kitchen
platform finished by a transparent waterproofing, replacing costly granite stone.

Special Features

The spanning of the main spaces is governed by the vault dimension of 3.3 m. The vault shape is derived from prefabricated metal truss
frame used earlier in similar vault construction elsewhere by the architects. Local potter was to make the pots, hence cutting on cost. The
vaulted roof required no steel, the stability derived from the geometry of the catenary curve of the vault. The whole assembly from erection to
finishing was completed in three days, as per the technique guidelines from CSV Wardha; again saving on resources. The flat portion of the
roof is filler slab to reduce the weight and use of concrete.

The use of the old wood windows and aluminium windows added a flavour to the house for its location in the village as well as speaking of
contemporary vernacular.

The paving was done with glazed ceramic jar lids, and fire bricks from kilns procured free of cost from the ceramic factory as waste material.
This had multiple advantages; using industrial waste, not using fresh materials, clearing the debris sites near to the ceramic industries,
opening of the top soil, cutting down on the cost of the project, etc.

The use of old windows, ceramic waste material and the vaulted roof was introduced in a village to make villagers aware of alternative
construction techniques and materials, and also to increase awareness towards saving on resources.

Salient Features of the Project— “Country Retreat”
Aspects of Green Architecture

What really is green!? How does one integrate the design with the materials used and detailing? The building when designed sensitively becomes energy efficient not only in terms of material sourced but also in terms of how is it put together in terms of construction methods.’ Such buildings have less material wastages and post occupancy; requires less maintenance. It thus becomes a large resource saver concluding to overall energy savings.

Design and Location of Functions

1. The location of the main house is towards north and the landscape design is done towards the southern part of the plot. Overall site preparation is divided of two parts, landscaped area towards south where endemic shade giving trees are to be planted and the natural open part towards the north. Ground fixing is only done with locally available bricks to provide direct access to the usable open areas and that too without any impervious sub grade thus allowing maximum rain water to percolate.

2. The orientation of the functions are best suitable to efficiently use the sun direction, hence reliance on artificial lighting and ventilation is very minimal.

Material and construction

3. Primary materials as brick, stone and terracotta tumblers(for the roof) are resourced locally reducing the cost of procurement. It also helps the local skill enhancement. During the project, one potter was given special skill to fire the tumbler in order to derive the desired colour.
4. The masonry opening sizes are designed and located as per the old windows procured from windows of demolished buildings.
5. Roof is made with locally made terracotta tumbler. The technology used is offshoot of the one developed by CSV Wardha and draws upon it in order to achieve a desired spatial experience. This construction method achieves faster erection time (only 3 days from start to removal of
shuttering; another week for the mortar to set); uses no steel or concrete (as in a conventional RCC slab). Since it is a catenary curve, it being in pure compression requires minimal support for load bearing. The roof thus saves time and labour resource.
6. The flat roof (in RCC), wherever required, is designed in cognisance with the idea to save on the concrete being used in the slab. The fired clay bowls are used as filler material to reduce material consumption. The bowls in turn are locally produced cutting down on total volume cost by 30%.
7. The semi open area and outdoor paving is done with waste glazed ceramic jar lids and used fire bricks from local foundry kilns. These are8.
procured free of cost from the ceramic factory as waste material.

multiple advantages:

a. Using industrial waste in a manner that is harmless for residential use.
b. Thus not using fresh materials,
c. Clearing the debris sites near to the ceramic industries. This being bio-non degradable, would have remained at such sites for ever.
d. By using the material from debris sites, we could open up top soil by a little bit. But if more users take to this idea then vast stretch of
land fill areas can be opened.
e. Of course, cutting down on the cost of the project.
8. The details of the house are designed in simplest manner to work efficiently using the minimum material amalgamation.

Aesthetics and finishes

9. The design is integrated in terms of finishes.
a. The walls of semi open areas of the living room are kept rough keeping in mind the semi-arid nature of the site. It will have a rustic feel typical of a village house. These areas have rough stone flooring along with fire clay brick patterns.
b. The interior of the bedroom and of the kitchen are similarly plastered keeping in mind the need to achieve a certain level of cleanliness. These areas have polished natural stone finish.
10. The external surfaces in stone are left exposed.
11. The roof water is fed into a 5000 litre under ground tank. This will be sufficient to provide drinking water to the family during the water scarce summer months from March to June.

Post Occupancy Energy Savings

12. The waste water from the kitchen is directly fed in to the vegetable garden. Provision for a grease trap is made to remove access oil component.
13. There is a provision for a bio-gas plant (not installed currently). When the desired occupancy levels are reached (two adults and two children using the toilets everyday) and in the next phase, this gas plant can generate gas enough to cook food one time a day for a family of four. Thus the overall savings would be 50% of the conventional LPG usage.

Name & Location: Belle Vista – Housing Project, Rajkot, Gujarat

Project: (INR) 15 crore

Built-up area: Unit area -325 sqmt, site area-8411 sqmt (In case of Public Building minimm built-u area should be 1000 sq.mt)

Description of Project:

Belle Vista is a high-end luxurious bungalows scheme, on the Nyari Dam Road, Rajkot. It is a cluster of 29 bunglows, occupying a land area of 8411 sq.mt. Each bungalow has a built-up area of 2900 sq.ft. and a design which exemplifies an interesting blend of modern cuboidal frames and traditional concept of courtyard and water body in response to climate of Rajkot.

The architecture itself has a language of its own, wherein a novel, visual experience has been achieved by an interesting juxtaposition of various cuboidal forms, which blend together to provide a visual treat. To maintain the integrity of form, embellishments have been kept to a minimum, with glass and wooden accents enhancing the experience. Dressing the solid surfaces with a concrete finish, and the bold column-free roof projection, completes the look of a modern, well-designed dwelling. There are no dividing compound walls between individual units, which add to the experience of living within a well- integrated community. A serene environment has been created by strategically placing well-manicured green pockets.

Materials of Construction:

The conventional construction has been given the look of exposed RCC by dressing the structure with concrete finish. Clear glass has been used for windows & railings, and vertical & horizontal fabrication has to been used to further define the clean lines of the buildings.
The use of exposed concrete, brick and wood gives a soft feel to the otherwise bold composition, while the tactful use of glass, conversion of margin spaces into courtyards and the overall neutral palette enhances the openness. The internal courtyard derived from the margin space is treated to offer a wooden island deck amidst a water body. Plants like the Lucky Bamboo, the Buddha Belly Bamboo, the Golden Bamboo and Frangipani trees add the desired green touch against the red of the exposed brick wall which is adorned with metal butterflies.

Special features:

The key element of project is a courtyard in each bungalow, conversion of margin spaces into courtyards allows comfort in hot and dry climate and allows nature to merge into all major spaces of bungalow. The open plan of the bungalow abolishes the need of partition walls that normally segregate living, dining and kitchen spaces. It is visually connected and yet demarcated through subtle gestures. The compact open-to-sky courtyard undoubtedly acts as the heart of the residence, which almost all the spaces of the house look into.

The most striking feature of the overall design scheme of the retreat is the implementation of controlled proportions, which generate an understated elegance. Each house is perceived through intersecting frames and a play of volumes that creates an interesting massing.

A well-appointed club-house with all modern amenities, swimming pools and a large dedicated gaming area takes care of all relaxing, cultural and sporting needs of the residents.

PROJECT DATA (to be provided by the JK-AYA Winner)

Title of project: INDUBHAI PAREKH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
Type of Public Building: EDUCATION
Year of completion: DECEMBER 2007
Period of execution (in months): 13 MONTHS
Location (village/town/city & State): RAJKOT, GUJARAT
Site area (in sqm): 5 ACRES
Built-up area (in sqm): 3250 SQMT
No. of floors (including basement): NO BASEMENT – GROUND + 1 FLOORS
Client (Company/Person): VYAVSAYI VIDHYA PRATISHTHAN TRUST, RAJKOT

PROJECT TEAM

Design Architect: KISHORE N. TRIVEDI
Consultants – Liaison: IN HOUSE
Structural Engineer: KISHORE LAVINGYA, AHEMDABAD
Electrical Engineer: IN HOUSE
Plumbing, Sanitation & Drainage: IN HOUSE
HVAC: IN HOUSE
Telecommunication & IT: IN HOUSE
Landscape Design: AKSHAY BHARGAV (EDC), AHEMDABAD
Interior Design: IN HOUSE

Other (Facade, Fire, Facilities M etc): –

Contractors –

Civil work: VRUTIKA CONSTRUCTION, RAJKOT
Plumbing, Sanitation & Drainage: VRUTIKA CONSTRUCTION, RAJKOT
Electrical: DEEPAK ELECTRONIC, RAJKOT
HVAC: VRUTIKA CONSTRUCTION, RAJKOT
Telecommunication & IT: DEEPAK ELECTRONICAL, RAJKOT
Elevators / Mobility: –
Facade: –
Landscape & Horticulture: –
Interior – fixtures, furniture etc: –
Other (Site related – roads etc): –

Write-up

Architect’s note on the Design in not less than six hundred (600) words.

DRAWINGS

[All drawings must be labelled (nomenclature) with legend (reference), linear scale and north point with clear legibility when reduced to book page size for printing. The preferable soft copy format for drawings is .ai (Adobe Illustrator) or .eps (Encapsulated Post Script). In case these formats are not possible, please use CAD or PDF format.]

Site Plan showing Built Facility, Internal Access, Landscaping etc and abutting public road.

Plans (indicate the Floor, Mention Level and Nomenclature)

Sections (adequate to explain the design with clarity)

Elevations (adequate to explain the design with clarity)

Rendered views – external and internal

Concept Sketches, if any (with legible clarity)

PHOTOGRAPHS AND SCANNED IMAGES

[All images must be in soft copy in .jpeg format of 300 dpi resolution of size 12″ x 9″ landscape or 9″ x 12″ portrait orientation. If known, mention date when photograph was taken. Copyright: Mention name of photographer/s for each photograph. In case there is no photographer individual/agency identified, the firm must submit a written declaration that the photographs are their own.]

Photographs of printed photographs must be avoided

Minimum 12 images (per building) in colour – 6 external and 6 internal of actual real building

Additional 6 photographs of actual real details

Additional minimum 6 photographs of physical actual model/s if any

Note: The above data will be edited for the proposed publication. Hence all of the submitted matter will not be featured in the final book.