Ballaiya

Features:

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Sloping roofs, exposed brickwork with thermal insulation, use of traditional doors, windows, columns and terracotta water spouts as well as a varied bunch of functions brought under same roof.

Design Brief:

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A combined built space with Guest unit, store room, electric meter room, waste barrel space, car parking and worker’s parking, eating area, toilet and wash area. Vernacular type of architecture using traditional doors, columns and sloping roof. Roof to be used to install Solar Panels.

Design Intervention:

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A harmonious assembly of spaces based on the functions and circulation requirement with a linear composition as required by the site which would accommodate two other houses in the future. The volumes developed used a pair of roofs that sprang from and upto the same height although different shapes on plan, with a flat roof space in between that would host the solar panels.

Our take away:

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This was the first time we used the rat-trap bond of brickwork in load bearing structure. Being an ardent fan of Laurie Baker, this was a thrilling experience to work with the language of the master. We also used brick shuttering for lintel beams, to have unbroken brick construction. We used varied and well worked out patterns for fenestrations with integrated ventilation and in the process of these interventions, this unit is climate appropriate and is temperate in all seasons. There was a creative puzzle solving done with the structure to get the final harmony of the volumes! All in all, we learnt and grew a lot while we worked on this project.