Open Architecture Network

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This building has been designed to cater to two key mantras: 1) 'value for money' and 2) 'enhanced utility'.

All the ecological principles and culture-sensitive approaches that have been encapsulated in the drawings follow the two mantras. Any design feature or technology that does not deliver on these two counts, however ecological has been rejected. To illustrate this we use the following example- for supplemental energy in the building we had a choice between micro-hydro and solar technologies. There is very little direct sun on site due to the proximity of the hill. On analysis we found that the cost investment to sustain the building's consumption load on solar is much higher compared to micro-hydro. Thus micro-hydro is more 'value for money' than solar.

We plan to invest the most in labor and not expensive materials transported over long distances. This is done by minimizing the use of steel (except for use in tie beams for earthquake resistance) and cement (except for use in stabilizing earth blocks and for tie beams). Certain earth technologies like Adobe have been rejected because it takes up too much floor space due to its thick walls. Instead we plan to use compressed and stabilized earth blocks which could use manual presses to make blocks that look like regular bricks so that local masons can easily build with them.

The spaces on the site are classified into a largely public community zone and another private zone which has the staff hostel building. Most spaces are flexible and adaptible by the users. The community building can accomodate all types of groups- small, medium and large(in the open air theatre). The details of the drawings can be seen in the self-explanatory boards below.

We have attempted to create a landmark of a building in Sanfe by adding a multipurpose tower which contains a lightning arrester, clocks, chimney for the building heaters and the wi-fi antennae for the telecommunication link with the Nyaya clinic and the hospital.