Set within a 350-acre fruit orchard in Dahanu, Maharashtra, the ‘Gaughar’ occupies nearly 14 acres of a larger rural campus that includes a tribal school for 600 children and a skill development centre. More than an isolated structure, the gaushala forms part of a living landscape, one shaped by agriculture, learning, and care. The designers conceived the project as a complete reimagining of an existing cow shelter. They treated it as an environment affecting animals’ health, behaviour, and dignity, not just back-of-house infrastructure.
Editor’s Note: Nestled within a whispering fruit orchard in Dahanu, this serene campus by Compartment S4 weaves together care and community. Here, a humane gaushala shelters cows in rhythmic harmony with nature, while a vibrant tribal school nurtures young minds and a skill centre sparks hope. Architecture breathes as living stewardship—rooted in empathy, ecology, and quiet dignity.
Set Within A Fruit Orchard, This Campus Includes A Tribal School As Well As A Gaushala | Compartment S4
Rethinking Agricultural Architecture – ‘Gaughar’ challenges conventional perceptions of agricultural architecture and animal shelters. It demonstrates that spaces designed for livestock need not be anonymous or purely utilitarian. Care, dignity, and architectural intent can be integral to their functioning. More than a shelter for cattle, the gaushala stands as an example of how architecture can act as stewardship. Here, craft meets ecology as designers create systems that sustain one another. The built environment within the fruit orchard quietly supports animals, caretakers, and the land they inhabit.
The earlier gaushala was congested, poorly ventilated, and unhygienic, resulting in compromised animal wellbeing and strenuous daily operations. The new design approaches the cow shed as an open, breathable system, one that allows light, air, and movement to flow freely through the built form. Locally sourced black basalt stone, exposed brick, and handcrafted elements give the architecture a grounded presence, while carefully placed openings, skylights, and ridge ventilation bring in soft daylight and continuous airflow. What emerges is a crafted environment for 400 cows – climate-responsive, humane, and rooted in empathy within a fruit orchard, where architecture supports both care and cyclical ecology rather than merely accommodating function.
The gaushala’s spatial organization integrates masterplanning and detailing, with zones for cattle, services, and paddocks ensuring hygiene and movement. Indoor sheds extend into outdoor enclosures, allowing free movement between shaded and open areas, reducing stress and encouraging natural behaviour.
The designers gave equal attention to the daily routines of caretakers and service staff. They carefully separated circulation paths for people and cattle. Inflow and outflow services were organized into distinct yet interconnected zones. This separation improves efficiency while maintaining cleanliness across the campus. Gentle ramps support tractor trolley movement and allow easier handling of sick or injured animals. This makes everyday gaushala operations safer and less strenuous.
At a finer scale, architectural detailing becomes a direct extension of animal care. Rounded troughs reduce injuries, brick flooring improves hygiene, and capped MS columns act as scratching surfaces. In open paddocks, ‘Havadas’ serve as communal water bodies inspired by the logic of a matka.
Lined with lime-plaster, these water bodies remain naturally cool. A central tree regulates heat and provides shaded, comfortable space for cows to drink in the open. Skylights bring daylight, while ridge ventilation releases warm air, keeping interiors dry, odour-free, and comfortable. These elements translate functional requirements into an architecture that is tactile, responsive, and empathetic.
The gaushala’s architecture responds to Dahanu’s climate, resources, and craft traditions using locally sourced black basalt stone. Arched walls provide stability, spatial character, and revive traditional masonry skills fading from contemporary construction.
The designers integrated exposed brick jalis, manufactured in Kesarjan using recycled construction waste, into the walls to introduce porosity and lightness. They allow air and daylight to filter through the sheds, creating constantly shifting patterns of light and shadow while improving thermal comfort. The material palette remains deliberately restrained – stone, brick, bamboo, and metal, chosen for durability, breathability, and their ability to age with dignity in a coastal environment.
Beneath the industrial roofing sheets, a bamboo false ceiling crafted by artisans from Dang (a tribal region known for its bamboo work), adds a crucial climatic layer. Acting as natural insulation, it reduces heat gain and tempers the interior environment during humid summers. Beyond its environmental performance, the bamboo ceiling softens the scale of the sheds, bringing a sense of warmth and craftsmanship into an otherwise utilitarian structure.
Climate-Responsive and Regenerative Systems – The gaushala is designed as a passive, climate-responsive environment where natural ventilation and daylight reduce dependence on mechanical systems. Arched openings, brick jalis, ridge vents, and skylights work together to maintain continuous airflow, ensuring thermal comfort and healthier living conditions for the animals. The thermal mass of basalt stone and exposed brick further stabilises internal temperatures, while open-to-sky paddocks contribute to a healthier microclimate across the site.
Functionally, the gaushala operates as part of a larger regenerative system embedded within the orchard landscape. Cow dung is composted on site and used as organic manure for the adjoining fruit farm. Water is sourced from natural retention ponds within the larger campus, while wastewater from the gaushala is channelled back into these ponds and agricultural fields. This closed-loop system reinforces the interdependence between livestock, farming, and land, allowing resources to circulate rather than be extracted or wasted.
Community, Ecology, and a Living Landscape – Local sourcing of materials and collaboration with regional artisans played a significant role in shaping both the architecture and its social impact. Stone masons, bamboo craftsmen, and carpenters from surrounding regions contributed to the construction process, embedding local knowledge into the built form. Cultural elements such as Ajrakh fabric panels and handcrafted wooden details bring subtle layers of memory and identity into the agricultural setting, without becoming ornamental.
Over time, the gaushala has evolved into a living landscape rather than a static building. Cows, caretakers, birds, orchards, and water bodies coexist within a shared ecological system. The results of this approach are tangible: milk productivity has increased threefold, ghee output has improved significantly, and there have been no cow deaths due to illness—marking a decisive shift from the conditions of the earlier facility.
Fact File
Designed by: Compartment S4
Project Type: Industrial Architecture, Barn, Educational Architecture
Project Name: Gaughar Animal Husbandry
Location: Dahanu, Maharashtra
Year Built: 2025
Principal Architects: Monik Shah, Krishna Parikh, Prashik Chaudhari, Vedanti Agarwal, Kishan Shah, Nishita Parmar, Aman Amin, Manuni Patel, Anuya barde, Atharva janjirkar
Client: Somaiya Foundation
Photograph Courtesy: The Space Tracing Company
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Compartment S4
Firm’s Instagram Link: Compartment S4
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