As per the brief, The Community Centre is a memorial building for the client’s father, Padmaramji Kularia in Nokha, Rajasthan. The sweeping curvilinear volume rises up from the northeastern corner.
Editor’s Note: “A rhythmic dance of curvilinear volume rises up and embraces this community centre in Rajasthan. The rooftop gardens, north-facing courtyard and southern grass boundary act in response to the harsh climatic conditions. Sandstone screens with a dramatic play of shades and shadows enfold the community centre and emanate a sense of belonging.” ~ Simran Khare
The Community Centre Is A Memorial Building For The Client’s Father | Sanjay Puri Architects
It further loops around the site and rises up on the northwest corner to create a north-facing open courtyard.
Studies of the vicinity and the current facilities in the village schools and the village areas fueled the need to create a community centre for all age groups.
The main spiral building of 9,000sqft becomes an inclined garden with two varying slopes. This allows finds its purpose for recreation and gatherings. It also offers views of the surrounding desert landscape from the rooftop.
Beneath the garden, on the lower eastern side, there is a small museum with a children’s digital library on the higher western side.
The southern side is enveloped in a grass-covered earth berm to mitigate heat gain in response to the desert climate, where temperatures of 35 to 40°C are common for 8 months annually.
The building forms an open courtyard with an amphitheater to provide a space for music performances, talks, and social interaction.
The ovoid library is sheathed in natural sandstone screens derived from traditional architecture in Rajasthan, with the stone being sourced from the immediate surrounding area.
These screens reduce heat gain and create different shadow patterns throughout the day. The library serves all the village schools in the region, most of which do not have libraries of their own.
The museum is lit indirectly by scooped recesses within the roof garden berms. To facilitate the servicing of large gatherings, a linear amenity block housing, cafeteria, toilets, stores, and parking flanks the entrance at the northern side.
The rooftop gardens, the stone screens, the north-facing courtyard, and the southern grass berm collectively reduce the heat gain, rendering the spaces energy efficient.
Rainwater harvesting and water recycling make the building and its construction sustainable, using local craftsmen and contract labor with materials available in the region.
A building with a built-up area of only 9,000sqft (810 sqm) generates a 9,000sqft rooftop garden and a 27,000sqft open auditorium and, in addition to the enclosed spaces, generates usable space that is four times more than the built space.
Fact File
Designed by: Sanjay Puri Architects
Project Type: Commercial Architecture Design
Project Name: Nokha Village Community Centre
Location: Rajasthan, India
Year Built: 2024
Built-up Area: 13000 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Sanjay Puri
Photograph Courtesy: Vinay Panjwani
Team Design Credits: Arjun Gupta, Omkar Rane & Madhavi Belsare
Firm’s Website Link: Sanjay Puri Architects
Firm’s Instagram Link: Sanjay Puri Architects
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