d6thD Design Studio’s Agricultural Farmstay, Aaranya, in Sasan Gir
Aaranya, an agriculture farm stay designed by d6thD Design Studio, promotes the principles of vernacular architecture and sustainability through its design.
By Team Pun:Chat
The architect decided not to build any fencing around so the livestock could roam uninterrupted across the site
Located in the rural settings at the edge of Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary, Gujarat, Aaranya is conceptualised as a farm stay for weary travellers to get away from the frenzy of city life. Rooted in an architectural philosophy, the design language of this home is composed of a vernacular vocabulary, embedded in a simple statement, ‘Mother Earth has enough for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.’ Keeping ecological and cultural sustainability at the core of Aaranya, architect Himanshu Patel and his team used inspiration from the simple, established and honest practices of vernacular architecture.
The cottages were designed to grow around the trees, and integrate the trees within the built environment
The most prominent example is the use of terracotta tiles. “Roof material is made from terracotta, a material associated with the memory of many family generations, it has become a representative of the image of almost half million Indian villages, and so the whole design is evoking this one vital element of Indian architecture-the terracotta tiled roof. “ says the architect. The same goes for the design of the cottages. Keeping the scale of structure grounded to minimise its visual impact as a style is native to the region and response to its earthquake-prone area. The hip roof helps offset the heavy rainfall during monsoon and heat in summer. The orientation of the cottages was an attempt to minimise heat gain and maximise cross ventilation and airflow from the adjoining agricultural field, with the longer surface facing north, south direction.
In the near future, the entire roof will be fully covered with creeping plants emerging from the punctured roof
The elongated roofs, when viewed from the outside, look like conduits connecting the earth and sky. This has a dual function as the inner side of the roof shelters the entrance foyer and secures the visual privacy of bedrooms. The architect focussed on merging nature with manmade construction. And so, creepers are added to all roofs here—soon the exteriors will be completely covered in greenery. When it is fully green, the building will virtually disappear. In the architect’s words, “One feels a psychological transformation with greenery in the surroundings. One’s spirit is uplifted as soon as one experiences the sound of chirping birds and the smell of flowers.”
The very location of the cottages is in the midst of a grove of mango trees. There are natural bio fences constructed out of local shrubbery that act as a transition feature between the more private cottage bedrooms and the open farm area in front. This makes Aaranya a wonderful, welcoming farm stay with on-your-doorstep nature pursuits.
Stained colored glass panels
Glass bottles have been reused for one of the bathroom walls
Shower area highlighted with brick dome having ceramic mosaic on top
With a separate dry and wet area, the bathrooms have a small buffer space enclosed with a stained coloured glass panel on one side and waste glass bottle wall on another side, allowing vivid coloured daylight that fills up space with joy and excitement. The Natural skylight from the dome above illuminating the shower space is like a cherry on top to this refreshing bathing experience.
Rubble stone-packed foundation, load-bearing exposed natural sandstone walls, brick domes with china mosaic on top and clay-tiled roofs are a veritable throwback to the building traditions of the region. “These are not only cost-effective but also methods in which we can include the local villagers as a beginning step of social sustainability and shared happiness,” says architect Himanshu Patel. In the evenings one can sink into the charpai (locally made bedstead) under the stars, listening to the wind rustling against the mango trees and the distant call of a roaring lion. Only when you submit to nature will the magic of the deep forest reveal itself to you, leaving an indelible mark for a long time.
Check out these photos of the resort to see for yourself.
PROJECT DETAILS:
Architect: Ar Himanshu Patel, d6thdD Design Studio, Ahmedabad
Himanshu Patel is an Ahmedabad based architect who studied architecture (Batch of 2006) from M.S. University. After graduation, he worked at one of the foremost international architectural firms (Arif & Bintoak) in Emirates. His research work as a CM fellow (2009) on high-profile Gujarat Tourism projects has been well recognized in social development under the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Program.
His practice in vernacular architecture is inextricably bound with his entire childhood spent in a village. Since last five years, his Ahmedabad based d6thD design studio promotes the use of locally available materials, traditional building techniques, and culturally and climatically relevant building design. The study of his executed works in different regions of Gujarat reflects his perseverance to design with overt principle of vernacular architecture.
He has also lectured and conducted workshops on vernacular architecture in several schools of architecture across India.
One of the next-gen architects, he is highly active on his Instagram profile.
Project Name: Aaranya Agriculture Farmstay
Location: Bhojde village, Gir lion sanctuary, Gujarat, India
Client: Nishant Dhanaji
Construction team: Jagdish, Mansukh, Jitu, Ramnik, Nanji, Nitin
Photographs: Inclined Studio
Completion: January 2019