
ARCHITECTURE + INTERIORS
Shunyam Jodhpur
A Vernacular Retreat
Status : Completed
Plot Area : 67813 Sq.ft.
Built up Area : 7911 Sq.ft.
Jodhpur city is replete with specimens of artistic and cultural heritage, its older extents dotted with majestic forts and palaces housing royal intricate pieces of art. Set on a 2-acre plot in the outskirts of the ‘blue city’, Shunyam is a stately single-family retirement home, reflecting the grandeur of Jodhpur’s historic palaces while justifying the family’s necessities through an explorative integration of the vernacular with the contemporary. The project is the result of unrelenting teamwork and collaboration between the design team, skilled local artisans, understanding clients and a well-meaning team of passive cooling experts.
The central focus of thedesign was an architectural solution responding to local culture, aesthetics and climate through incorporation of traditional construction techniques to fulfil modern living requirements. Semi-private living areas like the living room, kitchen, hobby room and family rooms are essentially free flowing spaces enclosing a set of twin courtyards. Private living areas are seamlessly integrated with their outdoor environment through independent verandahs and sit-outs. Utilities and service areas are planned along the boundary as an insulating barrier against the elements.Separate built masses are segregated by jaalis and opened up to the outside through arches in sandstone.
Strategic placement of traditional elements like- stone
jaalis, courtyards, recessed circular openings, arches and skylights breathes fresh air
and daylight into the living spaces, interlacing the built elements with their site and
surroundings. Evaporative cooling towers and stack ventilation towers with turbo vents
set up an active cross ventilation system responding aptly to the extreme desert climate
of the city.Passive ventilation techniques and traditional architectural language have
been utilized with a contemporary approach, creating a statement that blends style with
sustainability. Local pink and red sandstone has been used for walls and ceilings to
prevent heat transmission on account of its thermally insulative properties. The roof is
insulated using clay pots loaded with lime mortar over sandstone slabs.Locally available
makrana marble Is used for flooring in living spaces, whereas shisham wood flooring is
used for warmth in the private spaces. Printed and woven textiles used as carpets and
tapestry, add a splash of colour to the monochromatic hues of exposed local
materials.
Colored glass mosaic, integrated with door panels transmit lively beams of daylight into
the minimalistic interiors. Traditional architectural elements like carved brackets,
jaali screens, arches, furniture and accessories; expressed in natural materials,
synchronous with the local architectural vocabulary of Jodhpur, impart a homogeneity to
the spaces; creating a single unified, interrelated composition.The green environs of
the building, combined with preserved fruit orchards and picturesque views of hilly
landscapes to the north and west; give the home the character of a contemplative
retreat.