An NGO, Round Table, is envisioned to provide study rooms for the students of Kochargaon Village. According to their survey, the village sorely lacked facilities for reading and learning, which has adversely affected the literacy rate. The chosen site was an old collapsed Aanganwadi that still had an undisturbed, stable plinth. That became our plot. It is located in the vicinity of the village’s main temple complex. The temple has a large covered pavilion (at road level) in front, for all the religious and public events of the community. Thus, showcasing the significance of pavilion architecture as a functional and communal space.
Editor’s Note: With the aim to uplift the community as a whole, this library is a unique place for community engagement, creative learning, and inspiration. By integrating minimalism yet impactful design, this library is a perfect example of addressing community requirements with simple architecture. With low-maintenance and cost-effective materials, the design sets a testament to community architecture. ~ Rajvi Dedakiya
This Pavilion Architecture Showcases A Functional And Communal Space | pk_iNCEPTiON
Our site, one meter below road level, is visually and spatially connected to this pavilion and the street. Moreover, the initial plan focused on constructing two study rooms, one designated for males and the other for females.
However, discussions with the NGO and multiple site visits revealed a deeper need to inculcate the importance of education in the community itself.
Furthermore, this unspoken directive urged us to design a space that invites and engages all age groups. Thus, fostering a love for learning while providing a versatile environment for diverse uses. We envisioned a library, a reading area, essential study rooms, and a multipurpose space for various educational activities.
The core concept evolved into three covered spaces: two study areas and a book stacking space, concentric to a central court and participatory to all other areas.
All these were placed on the existing plinth. Additionally, a fourth pavilion was added at the front to create a semi-covered entrance and arrival space for the library.
A series of steps guide visitors from the road to a lower level, transformed into an informal gathering space at the entrance.
The first pavilion, featuring a generous opening with a load-bearing arch, extends a warm welcome. Moreover, this covered verandah, intended for newspaper and magazine racks, invites the elderly to read and relax freely.
From this verandah, one enters the central courtyard, which leads to the book stacking area at the front and two reading rooms on either side.
These rooms orient perpendicular to the temple complex. Additionally, it ensures tranquillity for the students, shielded from public activity noise.
They open solely into the courtyard, providing a versatile space as needed. Strategically facing the temple, the book stacking area beckons villagers with visible, colorful book covers from the street and temple pavilion. Additionally, the stacking area remains open towards the courtyard, with two large sliding shutters to enhance visibility.
These shutters not only reveal the bookshelf but also transform into writable blackboards when closed. However, this duality allows the courtyard to morph into an outdoor classroom for children, a workshop space for youth. Additionally, it allows a night school for the village women, fostering a vibrant educational ecosystem.
The design features high-pitched roofs for the study rooms, oriented east-west. Moreover, this orientation ensures the escape of hot air, seamless cross-ventilation, diffused lighting, and captivating views of the sky and surrounding trees.
Being an NGO project, our design needed to be multifunctional, low-maintenance, and cost-effective. This presided over our choice of material and construction method. The entire structure is load-bearing with expansive arched openings.
The team used corrugated metal sheets to make the pitched roof and locally available stone to finish the floor. Keeping all the prerequisites in mind, we aspired to create a spatial experience that offers tranquility for reading, inclusivity for learning, playfulness for children, and secure book stacking within an open design ethos.
The spatial organization of pavilions around a central court realized these aspirations, with openings meticulously crafted to optimize light, ventilation, and participatory engagement.
Fact File
Designed by: pk_iNCEPTiON
Project Type: Institution / Library
Project Name: Rural Library
Location: Kochargaon, Maharashtra
Year Built: 2024
Project Size: 1162.5 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Pooja Khairnar
Photograph Courtesy: Pranit Bora
Concept Development: Swasti Rangani, Shantanu Tribhuvan
Design And Working Drawings: Tanishq Tejnani, Tejaswini Kawale
Detailed Drawings: Bhavik Chopada, Shantanu Tribhuvan
Models: Shantanu Tribhuvan, Swaroop Sope
Graphics And Presentation Drawings: Bhavik Chopada
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Instagram Link: pk_iNCEPTiON
For Similar Projects >> A Vocational Training Institute in Aurangabad while Focusing on Improved Social Responsibility
The way we design spaces that people inhabit goes beyond mere functionality. It requires an intentional sensitivity to how each detail shapes the overall experience and interaction with the surrounding ecological context. Nestled in the suburban periphery of Nashik, the project occupies a 3700 sq. ft. plot located at the dead-end of a street, adjacent […]
Kerala style homes have courtyards surrounded by rooms on each side. Traditional Kerala-style homes have a central courtyard known as Nadumuttam surrounded by rooms. These homes promote natural light and ventilation according to the region’s climate. These homes, due to the feature of courtyards as their core spaces, offer beautiful opportunities for social gatherings. This […]
In a time when design is often reduced to trends, Yaahvi’s light design stands as a reminder of tactility, tradition, and craftsmanship. Founded by Nikita Bansal, who journeyed from Assam to the global design stage, champions a philosophy where contemporary aesthetics meet age-old Indian craftsmanship. In this exclusive interview, Nikita reflects on her early influences, […]
India, a nation bustling with innovation and a constant drive for progress, is increasingly embracing an unconventional yet incredibly promising architectural trend: container architecture. We are witnessing a fascinating transformation, as discarded shipping containers, once traversing the high seas laden with goods, now find new life as dynamic, sustainable, and surprisingly sophisticated living and working […]
This bungalow style house influences the site context and can be visualised in multiple facades of sharp edges & cuboidal form. Her,e salient features like U-Projection are an expression of the bench on a level one. The house divides itself into three bays. On the ground floor, where first bay acquire all public activities like […]
Imagine yourself on the terrace of your hidden mountain retreat, drinking a fresh cup of coffee as you admire the sunrise emerging from behind the rolling hills across the valley. This serene atmosphere is exactly what Hello Wood’s latest project, the Console House, is designed to offer. The Console House showcases modern architecture design while […]
As cities continue to grow and evolve, there is a growing desire to incorporate elements of rural living into urban design. By embracing rural living principles, cities can create more eco-friendly and sustainable spaces. Rural living is not just about wide-open spaces and rolling hills. It’s also about community, sustainability, and a connection to nature. […]
Located in the thriving city of Ichalkaranji, this is an example of luxury residences is a seamless blend of timeless elegance and modern sophistication. The striking exterior, adorned with brick and natural stone cladding, exudes warmth, character, and permanence. These rich textures create a visually captivating façade, harmonizing tradition with contemporary design while making a […]
Throughout history, stone has embodied permanence, artistry, and raw beauty in architecture. From the grandeur of Roman amphitheaters to the earthy elegance of modern villas, stone remains a beloved material for its strength, sustainability, and aesthetic richness. As design trends evolve toward natural materials, eco-conscious decisions, and biophilic design, stone has found new expressions — […]
The space adopts a biophilic office design and climate-responsive approach, creating a workspace that reimagines urban interiors by deeply embedding them with nature. The style is earthy, minimal, and modern with a strong contextual sensitivity to its location. Also, a lush canopy surrounds the bare-shell site on the first floor, allowing for abundant daylight and […]