Perched on the edge of town, along a buffer of potato farmlands, is an eco-friendly home, a residence, Shoonya (meaning zero), designed for a young family. The brief was to design a house that would naturally withstand the harsh climate conditions of northern Gujarat and create various scales of openness within it. In response to these aspirations, the project balances experimental design methods with traditions of the neighbourhood and locally available construction skills, materials, and knowledge.
Editor’s Note: “Embracing the vast potato farmlands, ‘Shoonya’ locates itself as a timeless piece of tradition and invention. Wrapped in lime, brick, and steel, it emerges organically from the farmlands like a sculpture, playing with light and air. This home is a shelter and a story, along with earthy tones, sunlit openings, solar power, and local wisdom.” ~ Anusha Sridhar
This Eco-Friendly Home Naturally Withstands Harsh Climates in Gujarat | BandukSmith Studio
The protective house uses thick walls, insulated slab strategies, and smartly controlled openings to shield its inhabitants from the hot summer sun. The plan faces the entrance on the southern side, with potato farmlands stretching along the northern end.
The design is revealed through solar strategies of closed mass on the south and open terraces for transparency on the northern side, strategic cutouts where light and shadow can play, and walls of different materials and porosities.
The house is constructed through a combined structural system; with load bearing external walls and an internal frame structure.
Lime plastered walls, exposed brick jaali (screen) facades, steel frame fenestrations, and flowing terrazzo flooring come together to bring coolness into the space and form a sense of familiarity.
In the earthy tones of the built house, the furniture and fabricated staircase add a pop of color and eccentricity. Shoonya is powered through solar panels, installed on the terrace.
Fact File
Designed by: BandukSmith Studio
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Shoonya House
Location: Deesa, Gujarat
Year Built: 2021
Built Up Area: 3659.73 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Sachin Bandukwala & Melissa Smith
Design Team: Nabajyoti Dutta Choudhury, Hiral Kandoi, Mudit Tikmani
Photograph Courtesy: Vinay Panjwani
Manufacturers: KG Tiles, Philips, Sanjari Glass Enterprise, Ziky Plaster- Lakhan Rathod
Structural Consultant: StrucArt Design Consultants
Carpenter: Mukesh Mevada
Client: Deepak Vardey
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: BandukSmith Studio
Firm’s Instagram Link: BandukSmith Studio
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