Design in progress

A few buildings that have successfully blended the new material knowledge with the science and art of traditional architecture, and are benefitting from it

HUNNARSHALA FOUNDATION CAMPUS Laboratory for vernacular architecture

THIS IS a place where vernacular architects from across the country build dwellings that are safe, consume less energy and have an essence of local craft and culture. It also provides a platform for students, architects and engineers where they can learn the sustainable way of building spaces from the artisans.

Each artisan community constructs a building in the campus, using eco-friendly material and technologies, such as cement-stabilised and unstabilised earth, stone, thatch, stabilised rammed earth, recycled country tile for roofing, compressed stabilised earth blocks and recycled and waste wood. Hunnarshala validates their rich traditional knowledge which helps them improve on it and market it. One such example is floorboards made out of waste wood.

These traditional and innovated technologies are offered to people who want to implement them in their building designs. Anyone visiting the campus can see and experience how these eco-friendly materials have been incorporated in a building and how comfortably the spaces are being used for professional work. The live experience makes it easy for potential clients to select a technology for their building.

HUNNARSHALA FOUNDATION LOCATION Bhuj, Gujarat COST Approximately 6,700/sq m INNOVATION Buildings in the campus are made with eco-friendly materials and technologies, right from stabilised earth to stone and thatch