THE WALL HOUSE @AUROVILLE

Designed byAnupama kundoo.

Site context-it is
situated outside the
planned city limits
of auroville,in
auromodele.
It is an area
designated for
research and
experimentation.

HOW THE DESIGN EVOLVED

The design is a result of
extensive research and
experimentation by anupama kundoo
in three main areas:
1. Ecofriendly building materials and
alternative technologies that
provide an imaginative option to
current building trends.
2. Energy efficiency.
3. And a climatically responsive

CONCEPT

The key concept is that of the house as

extending right into the landscape,with no
physical boundaries.
It ensures that the private activities are
cocooned into secluded secure spaces ,
while the public living areas are large and
open to nature.
Main aim is to demonstrate that
structural materials can also be used as
finishing materials.
Infrastructure for the management of
water, waste and energy.

PLANNING
House is of contemporary style.
It is linear in plan i.e a line drawn in
nature.
It is oriented to the south-east for
optimum air circulation.
The entrance is dramatic ,double height,
soaring vaulted space of 4m wide.
A narrow linear block of 2.2m wide
inside , contains all the private spaces.

 On the ground floor are the storeroom,

kitchen and dining area, while at the rear
is another room with direct external
access.
A free standing zig zag flight of
polished , green painted, concrete stairs
leads to the first floor ,from where one
sees the same linear form, used to house
a bedroom , dressing room and terrace
with a magical open-to sky bathroom.
The bedroom , with glass louvres on three
sides , completely opens out under
canopy of an old tree(short-living acacia
auriculiformis trees).

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

ELEVATION

SECTION @ AA

 The interior blends with and

enhances the architecture and the
landscape. In fact,the whole house is
planned in such a way that there is
no segregation between the
interior,exterior,built form and the
landscape.
Thickness of walls varies from 10 to
30cm.

CLIMATIC RESPONSE
The plan of the house, with its narrow
spaces, responds to the hot and humid
climate of the region, as it allows maximum
cross ventilation.
Alinged along a south-east north-west axis,
the house has small openings in front and
large openings at the rear to create effective
air channels, which optimize ventilation.
The hot air rising inside the covered spaces
is forced out through openings in the vault,
and as roofs are also designed to be
insulating ,heat radiation is minimized.

MATERIALS
Local achakal bricks of size 18cmx
10cmx2.5cm.
Racked joints using lime mortar.
Foundations- cement stabilized rammed
earth.
Catenary vaults-hollow clay tubes.
Flat terraced roofs-hollow burnt clay
trapezoidal extruded modules over
partly precast beams.
For intermediate floors-terracotta pots
as fillers .

THANK YOU