Prabha Eye Clinic

Size: 12000 Sqft

Cost: Rs 60 Lakhs

Type: Renovation

Projecting a new image, reflecting the new techniques in eye correction was the principal behind the total renovation of prabha eye clinic. The whole setup was scaled down to half its original size, the consultation, optical showroom; waiting and the reception were altered. Additional operation theaters were added with due care in terms of circulation and a sterile environment. These alterations were carried out without disturbing the existing structure. The RCC band in 2 locations was dismantled to break the monotony of the existing elevation. The bands were painted over to give a smooth and clean feel to the place. An atrium was added in front to accentuate the entry and have a visual connection with the outside. In totality the design smoothly integrated the client’s requirements of economy and additional facilities with the primary aim of total change in the image of the building.

Dr Murli's Residence

Size: 5400 Sqft

In this residence living and family areas are inter-woven together to form a well connected ground and first floor by the use of a small but focused light well and a double height. The use of water, laterite and vegetation brings a bit of the outdoors into the heart of the house. A balanced mix of the rustic and contemporary elements avoids monotony and makes the house a warm and friendly space. scale of the structure is broken by the adept use of laterite and random rubble in the exterior of the house thus creating a pleasant contrast with the spacious interiors.

Pupil Tree Prep School

Size: 2000 Sqft
Cost: Rs 7 Lakhs

The challenge was to create a prep school around an existing structure, without destroying it. The design involved adding a rectangular office block containing the admin. and waiting  area to the front of the existing structure, the rear area was developed into classrooms and service areas.

Common areas were worked out to incorporate multiple functions to achieve a compact and streamlined design. For example the back corridor doubles up as a stage for the small amphitheater.

The roofs were made of  Kadappa stone slabs over wooden rafters (Madras roof) that accentuate the rustic feel to the building.Windows in the rear class rooms were eliminated to make way for low height doors that  children can walk through thus acting as additional exists that doubled up as light sources when open. Skylights were incorporated into the ceilings to bring in additional light and reduce dependency on artificial light.
The Pupiltree prep school - Parvatinagar was built in association with Center for vernacular architecture.

You can view more pictures of Pupiltree prep school on our picasa photostream. http://picasaweb.google.com/openstudioarchitecture/PupilTreeSchool#

Poorna School

Size: 8000 sqft

Cost: Rs. 42 lakhs
The main emphasis in this project was to create a building that embodies the sprit of poorna schools conception, its goal of overall development of children and its hands on teaching philosophy.

The form of the building is divided into 2 main sections. One houses the library, resource room, and other administrative offices. The second holds the class rooms, lab, and other support spaces. Both these sections are joined together by a common gathering area on the ground floor and an open terrace on the first floor that children can play on. Both these sections are distinguished by the use of brick walls ornamented by arches and craft work in brick in one area and a dynamic curved stone wall in the other. The rain water from the terrace is channeled into water bodies that eventually empty into the rainwater harvesting system. The class rooms are open allowing free access from one to the other.

Construction was done using locally available materials. The brick walls are thick and have mud mortar mixed by masons by trudging heavily upon it until it reached the right consistency as in vernacular / traditional buildings. Brick arches are not solely constructed for their aesthetic value but they also bare the weight of the structure above. Filler slabs with simple Mangalore tiles as fillers breaks the monotony of the plain cement floor below. The combination of all the above methods and elements reduced the reliance on cement and steel to a great extent.

Masons working on this building were encouraged to be craftsmen rather than mere workers. They were entrusted with the design and building of the various jallies, corbels and other brick ornamentations in the building thus making this construction an additive process rather than one where orders are follow. This approach made the masons open to implementing new ideas, improving their existing skills, and developing new ones.