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Architecture

2022

Photographer : Kshan Collective

Peeli Kothi is a dual typology building situated in the hot and dry climate of Ajmer, Rajasthan. The client and his family were always intrigued by the local forts of Rajasthan. Apart from the template brief of mentioning the residential and clinical space requirements, we were asked to reimagine the ‘local fort’ in a contemporary way. Rather than simply duplicating the tectonics of fort architecture, we tried to dig deeper into understanding ‘the quality that made these spaces truly profound.

The site is flanked by a government building on the west, a residential house on the south, an empty plot on the north side and facing a beautiful mountain range on the east which had to be indisputably framed on all floors.

The spatial configuration has been kept fairly simple with the clinic on the ground floor and the remaining two floors comprising of the family spaces. One of the challenges was to carefully plan the circulation of various inhabitants who were going to engage with the structure, based on their purpose, furthermore keeping it universally accessible. Hence, the clinic entrance was placed on the east façade with a waterfall feature on its either side. Not only does the waterfall fulfill its purpose by increasing a certain level of humidity around, but the mere sight and sound of water also trigger an immediate response in the brain that is calming to the heart patients psychologically. The family entrance on the north façade is accessible through an open to sky passage adorned by a rhythmically patterned pergola envisioned to be fully covered with creepers in the future.

On the first floor, a drawing room acts as a buffer between all the common spaces on the east and the private areas primarily the bedrooms and toilets on the west side of the structure. An open-to-sky balcony with a metal pergola on top finds its position connecting the living and dining spaces in order to keep the indoors cross-ventilated. The living room façade has been skewed such that vertically proportioned narrow slit windows have been placed facing the southeast while larger openings face the northeast direction to invite vast quantities of indirect natural light. Similarly, the kitchen area has been angled out with a corner window in order to gain access of the east light which otherwise would have been a rather dark space due to the adjacent structure on the south. Such interventions to the building form are primarily in response to the wind and light requirements of the spaces they encompass.

Ajmer,Rajasthan,India

Architects	:	ARGO Design Lab
Area	:	10,000 sq. ft.
Year	:	2022
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/argo_designlab/

Having an extremely spiritual lifestyle with an obsession for their praying space, we were asked to design the mandir area with a strong individual character. Our early explorations led us to the ancient Hindu notion of shunya (zero), that is to say, the presence of nothingness. The Hindu believes that the shunya is the absolute principle of the universe and thus, the primal source of all energy. The challenge was to design a space based on an ancient paradigm, which ultimately finds an expression in our everyday lives. The Mandir was strategically placed in such a way, that the sunlight during the golden hour at dawn directly hit the circular opening, painting a beautiful shadow (a metaphorical halo) over the deity placed inside.

A fascinating design feature of the bedrooms was the introduction of alcoves with an intention to carve out idiosyncratic atmospheres that were specific to its users in terms of purpose and functionality. These intimate spaces comprised of study tables, traditional Indian diwan seating, where one could ensconce themselves. A terrace garden sits atop the living room on the second floor connected to a multi-purpose hall for the clients to host their friends and family.

The body of the building is completely clad in locally procured Jaisalmer stone in its natural texture. The 350mm thick walls act as natural insulators protecting the insides from the extreme temperatures outdoors. We also experimented with the same stone in polished format and combined it with black granite procured from the neighboring Kishangarh to design the window frames. Additionally, we used slate to highlight the skewed living room windows in herringbone pattern and thus break the monotony. The exterior flooring has been completely laid in yellow granite corresponding to the Jaisalmer stone. Hints of metal can be seen in the form of railings and pergolas to add a contemporary touch.

Thus, the project is a design exercise in form-giving analogous to its immediate context where modest materials have been arranged in proportionate relationships. An honest attempt to create meaningful architecture that is both, familiar and new, where one often begins to feel the ‘spatial quality’ before passing through the door.