
Ar. Ms. Sheril Castelino, Auroville
Winners of Commendation Award - Indian State Architecture Awards (ISAA)
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Project Name:
Growing Towards, (Residential Bldg.)
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Year of Commencement:
2004
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Year of Completions:
2006
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Name of Firm:
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Location:
Auroville
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Size:
240 SqM
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Project type:
Residential
Project Description
Name & Location: Growing Towards, Pondicherry 2006
Built-up area: 150 sqm + 50 sqm (store) + 40 sqm (services)
Description of project:
Linear in plan, the house is oriented to north–south with openings aligned for south-east wind optimum air circulation. The house is organised in two rectangular blocks with the various activities arranged in a row & a long vaulted space contained centrally & perpendicularly within the brick masonry. The rooms are placed such that each activity can spill over on the east side in the form of the large verandah that runs along the entire length of the house or in the centre of the house under the vault. This way the design ensures that the activities are cocooned into private secure spaces, while the spill over in the living areas are large and open to the nature.
The exposed brick facades are scaled down due to the use of local ancient brick proportions, 18 cm x 10 cm x 2.5 cm. The use of these achakal bricks are revived and are set in lime mortar with raked joints. 10% of cement addition in the lime mortar allowed for initial setting strength.
A catenary vault using hollow clay tubes have been used for climatic insulation as well as to reduce the unnecessary use of steel in R.C.C. roofs. The flat terraced roof has been built using hollow burnt clay trapezoidal extruded modules over part pre-cast beams as in a jack arch, that were specially manufactured onsite for the purpose of finding insulated roofing solutions to flat roofs as well as providing employment for the local potters.
The reduced energy demands of the whole house are further reduced by solar water heater as well as solar pump for water pumping.
Materials:
There are two alternative insulating roofing techniques & country bricks for walls that are aesthetic while simultaneously minimising steel and concrete and achieving eco-friendly architecture that is climate responsive, with details as follows:
Insulating Terracotta Roofing Elements:
Roof vault is built out of hollow burned clay tubes that are stacked along a catenary curve thereby requiring no structural steel for reinforcement. The external surface is plastered and waterproofed, including a layer of chicken mesh to prevent cracks and leaks. The tubes were made in a cylindrical extruder to obtain the basic form, after which they were tapered on a wheel over a wooden dye.
The trapezoidal modules are an option for roofs that are at the uppermost level of a structure, and therefore need insulation, but where the vault option cannot be applied due to the need for a flat terrace above.
This has the following advantages:
allows terracotta to be reintroduced as tiles, but without needing any supporting wooden rafters as a substructure, wood being no more abundantly and affordably available.
neither shuttering nor demoulding is required. Only a frame is required on either side to guide the catenary shape.
the village potter can be given employment thereby keeping most of the money in the immediate local area.
transportation energy is reduced as bullock carts suffice.
fast and modular, as the units can be produced in advance and need to simply be assembled.
the texture of tiles gives the interiors a warmer feeling than the flat plastered standard ceiling.
energy efficient as compared to RCC.
hollows in the tubes ensure insulation from heat.
Main walls are 30cm thick using achakal bricks (local village bricks that are 2.5cm high) in lime mortar with unique bonding details. A small percent of cement, 10% in the lime mortar, gave it initial setting strength. The house is fully run on solar photovoltaics, and passive solar principles are used.
Special features:
This residential building is the result of extensive research and experimentation in three main areas; eco-friendly building materials and technology alternatives to the current building trends, energy efficiency and climate responsive building language. Further the quest was aimed at replicability in urban as well as rural areas. This exploration led beyond the building itself to include also eco-friendly infrastructure in the management of water, waste and energy aspects.
Energy features in the house are as follows:
Lime in mortar
Thick walls
Insulated roofs
R.C.C. reduced to the minimum
Main roofs have no structural steel
Solar panels and battery serve the already reduced energy demand
Solar water heater
Solar pump for garden water
Finishing materials in the form of plasters, paints and ceramic tiles are avoided as far as possible
Openings are designed in layers for climatic comfort
South east wind orientation
Water bodies to naturally cool the house further