Across India, industrial belts often feature prefabricated sheds that are quick to build and efficient to operate, but often lack character. In Jodhpur’s Basni Phase II, Facets takes a different approach. Designed by Studio Urban Form + Objects, the 3,500 sq.m mixed-use facility brings a distinct architectural identity to the industrial setting. It challenges the familiar language of industrial architecture. It’s a warehouse, workplace, and experience centre for an electrical switches company. But more than that, it carries a larger ambition: of what India’s industrial architecture can be when it is shaped by climate, craft, and collaboration.

Facets Reimagines Industrial Architecture Through Climate, Craft and Context | Studio UF+O

Editor’s Note: Some buildings are made to serve a purpose, while others become a reflection of the place and people that shape them. Facets transforms a mixed-use industrial facility in Jodhpur into a thoughtful expression of climate, craft, and collaboration. Its interlocking brick volumes, shaded pockets, and central courtyard respond to the harsh desert climate while creating a more comfortable environment for work and interaction. The involvement of local masons adds another layer of meaning, with their skills and ingenuity becoming part of the architecture itself. Facets ultimately shows how even a functional industrial building can be rooted in its context, shaped by its people, and given a character that stays with you. ~ Yashika Bajaniya

Instead of a steel shed, Facets takes the form of interlocking brick-clad volumes that respond to the desert climate. The stepped massing creates terraces and shaded pockets that keep the interiors significantly cooler than the scorching heat outside. Deep-set windows, overhangs, and recessed openings allow soft daylight while reducing solar gain. The façade, made of hand-cut terracotta bricks sourced from the region, acts as a natural thermal buffer. Jodhpur’s summers can cross 45°C, making thermal comfort a key concern. Facets keeps its interiors 4–5°C cooler through passive design strategies, reducing the need for excessive mechanical cooling.

The architecture also respects cultural principles. Working within Vaastu guidelines and height restrictions, the design integrates a sky-lit courtyard at its heart. The courtyard serves as more than a symbolic element within the building. It offers a quiet refuge where occupants can pause, recharge, and connect with the outdoors. This space brings a sense of calm into their daily routines. By combining climate-responsive design with cultural principles, Facets shows how traditional wisdom can shape modern workplaces.

But perhaps the most compelling aspect of Facets is not just its climate responsiveness, but the pride of the people who built it. The project called for unusual details, such as a doubly curved rebated brick wall. The local masons had never attempted such geometry before. To make it possible, the architects devised a rudimentary system of strings and nails to guide the curves. Within days, the workers mastered the technique, teaching themselves, and in turn teaching the architects new ways of working with material.

“It’s humbling to see how people with no formal education in architecture can adapt so intuitively,” recalls co-founder Prachi Parekh. “Their pride and ownership are now embedded in the walls,” adds Vineet Vora, co-founder of the Studio.

That sense of shared authorship runs through the project. Industrial buildings are often faceless, reducing human involvement to a minimum. Here, the workers’ hands, decisions, and ingenuity are inseparable from the architecture. What could have been another anonymous shed has become a landmark that celebrates both regional craft and contemporary industrial needs, proving that even the most utilitarian typology can carry social meaning and environmental intelligence. By doing so, Facets offers a prototype for a new kind of industrial architecture in India. In a landscape of industrial sameness, it shows how architecture can get it all right: climate, context, culture, and dignity of workers.

Fact File

Designed by: Studio UF+O

Project Type: Office Architecture Design

Project Name: Facets

Location: Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India  

Project Size: 38000 Sq.ft

Principal Architects: Prachi Parekh & Vineet J. Vora

Design Team: Prachi Parekh, Vineet Vora and Aishwarya Gaitonde

Photograph Courtesy: Niveditaa Gupta

Firm’s Instagram Link: Studio UF+O

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