Gujarat’s First IGBC Green Home Platinum Rating Housing Project | THE gRID Architects

Vision

Sustainable compact green building. Endorse and encourage community living. Inclusive of quality public spaces. To connect with the earth, sky, water and nature.

Ideology

The imminent need to build homes to reduce carbon footprint. To design an energy-efficient building. The approach was to have living spaces organized and planned to facilitate multi-family needs and revitalizing public and private spaces. The incredible journey to a residential abode amidst nature.

YOU SAW IT FIRST ON THE ARCHITECT’S DIARY

Project note

The design is a spontaneous response to the site surroundings. Its genesis lies in the need to integrate social housing into the urban fabric and the architects’ ethical obligations towards the society to endorse community living for a positive impact on the values and lifestyles of the human race.

The design philosophy embraces the green movement and encourages atmospheric settings for relaxation. The driving force was the focus on having a sustainable, energy-efficient residential housing project that would also endorse high-quality community living. The design of the buildings was resolved in such a way that there were two high-rise towers on the north and the south, and two low-rise blocks on the east and west. The result labyrinth of spaces, in combination with energy conservation systems and careful selection of materials, helped in the continuous flow of wind and protected the community from direct heat from the south (the high-rise to the north was created to balance the design forms). The buildings are quite linear, and are mostly composed of cubes and cuboids as these geometries allow optimization of space.

The volumetric, grid-based complexity of the structures is tautly balanced and simplified by the central garden, which is dominated by curvilinear forms. All the units are meticulously planned and have a view of this naturally integrated green space filled with birdsong, rippling water (via channels and waterbodies), interspersed with pathways and benches. The hardscaping is moulded as part of the artistically planned landscape. The organic forms of the pathway intermingle with rhythmically incorporated water channels. Placed strategically, are benches rendered from waste pipes, which acts as its structural member as well as a planter. The two high-rise towers bestow a sense of protection to the central garden. This space thus creates a festive cultural environment and adds a sense of calm to life within the community. Terrace gardens further help in creating a large social area and sit-outs for gatherings.

The gated community features three layers of greenery: the landscaping; the huge trees; and the terraces, which have been converted into gardens, activity zones and a hangout place. The ground floor is a car-free zone, and all the blocks on the ground level are like a huge clubhouse and a zone for interaction as there are reading areas and indoor games, a gym, a home theatre and walkways.

The objective of designing an energy-efficient housing community led the architects towards researching and using regional materials and local labour. The material palette features high-pressure laminate, sandstone, exposed concrete, Stonecrete, aluminium powder-coated louvres, glass, vitrified tiles and eco-friendly colours. It also uses greywater recycling strategies that reconnect the urban residents to the natural water cycle and increases the productivity of the ecosystems. The design was developed in shear wall structure to free up space for the residential units and car parks. All car parks have been accommodated in the basement.

This housing project benefits from the ideology that it is people who occupy a home and make it beautiful. The design deliberation centred around finding an equilibrium in the structure, landscape and a sequence sensitive to human interaction. The planning thrived on creating a sense of ‘arriving home’ and creating a programme in which public spaces became extended living areas.

CONCEPT SKETCHES :