An Architect’s Studio, Ahmedabad

By B.V. Doshi
Architect:
B.V. Doshi
Location:
Thaltej Road,Ahmedabad
Period of Const. :
1979-1981
Project Engineer:
B.S. Jethwa, Y.Patel
Site Area: 2346 m2
Total Built-up Area:
585 m2
Project Cost: 0.6
Million
o 23.02°N 72.58 °E
o Avg. Summer max:
41 °C
min: 27 °C
o Cold northerly
winds are
responsible for a
mild chill in
January.
o Avg. Annual
Rainfall: 800mm
o Highest temp.
recorded: 48.5 °C
o Reception
o Interaction Spaces
o Design Studio
o Workshop
o Library
o Conference Room
o Ancillary Spaces
 Minimizing Solar
Radiation on South and
West side : The structure
is closely integrated with
the outdoor spaces.
Vegetation on site is
almost left to grow into
wilderness. The West and
South façade is shaded by
dense trees.
 Maximizing Wind Flow :
Wind from West and
South-West side is taken in
by juxtapositioning
structures so as to create a
central open space through
which wind can flow
unobstructed.
 Vaulted Roof Form
The roof form creates an efficient
surface volume/ratio optimizing
material quantities.

 Higher Space Volume

provides for hot air pockets due to
convective currents that keep lower
volumes relatively cool.
Stack Effect

Ventilating
window at
upper volume
releases the
accumulated
hot air through
pressure
difference.
Insulation
Building is largely buried under ground to use earth masses
for natural insulation.
External walls of the building are nearly a meter deep but
have been hollowed out as alcoves to provide storage that
becomes an insulative wall with efficiency of space.
Lighting
Indirect Lighting
oUpper Level Large Openings - Facing North.
oSkylights as projected masses from the roof.
oSmall cut-outs on roof slab filled with hollow glass
blocks.
ConstructionTechnique
Locally made clay fuses
over the concrete slab to
form a non-conductive
layer.
The clay fuses entrap air.
Known as sandwich
vault.
3.5 cm thick RCC
8 cm ceramic fuses
3.5 cm thick RCC
6 cm thick water
proofing
1 cm thick broken China
mosaic finish
Finishes
The concrete of slabs and wall
surfaces are kept bare
(unplastered) as final visual
finishes which saves on finishing
material quantity.
China mosaic glazed tiles
enhances insulation. Retard
heat transmission as they are
made up of clay.

Use of Waste Material

Paving material is a stone chip
waste while roof surface is
glazed tiles waste.
They have been carefully
handcrafted and integrated into
the design by fully using the
waste products, which also
promotes craftsmen and
traditional heritage.
 Water channels:
Rainwater and Overflow of pumped water from the roof
tank are harnessed through roof channels that run
through a series of cascading tanks and water channels
to finally culminate in a pond form which it is recycled
back or used for irrigating vegetation.
 A temperature difference of about 8°C
 Time lag for heat transfer is nearly 6 hours
 30% to 50% reduction in cooling energy
 Waste material reuse
 Water Recycling
 10% saving in cost through lack of finishes.
Thank You!