SECMOL School In Leh- A Role Model of Vernacular , Passive and Sustainable Hill Architecture- defined by Local Culture, Local Skill, Local Materials and Local Technology
Located in the heart of Leh, nicknamed the cold desert, having one of the most hostile climate for human living and habitation, with temperature fluctuating wildly, bordering on extreme cold and moderate heat , educational campus housing globally known, ‘The Student’s Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL)’, has clearly demonstrated and showcased , how potential and inherent strength of art and science of Architecture can be appropriately leveraged, to overcome the extreme challenges posed by climate and adversities created by nature, by effectively, efficiently, appropriately and intelligentially, using the same very nature and natural resources, to create qualitative, environment friendly, safe, cost-effective, energy/ resource efficient, zero-carbon, zero energy and sustainable example of built environment in hilly regions
druk white lotus school study for material.pptxYACHANACHHAJED
The Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India was designed according to traditional Buddhist mandala patterns to be sustainable and culturally appropriate. It consists of one-level buildings arranged around courtyards, oriented for passive solar heating. Classrooms have extensive southern glazing for solar gain and shaded northern windows for cross-ventilation. Sustainability strategies include superinsulated roofs, solar power, and waterless composting toilets. Local materials like stone, mud, poplar, and willow are used wherever possible.
This document provides information about the landscape planning and design of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur campus. Some key points:
- The IIT Kanpur campus occupies 1,055 acres and contains 108 buildings including academic buildings, hostels, and administrative offices.
- Landscape elements include over 22,000 shady trees, 9,000 shrub trees, artificially made fountains, turf grass, and 18,000 total plant varieties.
- Hardscape materials used in construction include reinforced concrete, brick, glass, sandstone, cement, and artificial stones.
- The landscape design integrates the architecture with open spaces, preservation of existing trees, and various seating and recreation areas while considering
case study of chandigarh college of architectureAbhishek Tiwari
1) The Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) was established in 1961 in Chandigarh, India by Le Corbusier as part of the Chandigarh Experiment.
2) CCA is located on a 20,000 square meter campus in Sector 12 of Chandigarh and has an enrollment of 200 undergraduate students.
3) The building utilizes north light and ventilation and includes facilities such as studios, workshops, a library and computer lab to support the education of architecture students.
shoba city mall case study shopping mall shobha city mall thrissur keralaShabana Kotta
case study of shopping mall
shobha city mall thrissur kerala
architectural case study
with all the inferences and the analysis
with the appropriate pictures
Kanvinde was an influential Indian architect known for introducing modernism and functionalism to architecture in India. He designed several notable buildings at IIT Kanpur using a Bauhaus and Brutalist style featuring cubic shapes, flat roofs, and exposed concrete. The IIT Kanpur campus features academic buildings arranged around a central green area, with residential halls surrounding it to promote interaction. Kanvinde emphasized functionality, use of local materials like brick, and bringing buildings to a human scale with consideration of light, ventilation and connection to the landscape.
Padma Shri Achyut Kanvinde was an influential Indian architect known for pioneering modern architecture in India. He studied at Sir JJ School of Arts in Mumbai and Harvard University under Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, which greatly influenced his style. Some of Kanvinde's most notable works include the IIT Kanpur campus, which he designed in the 1960s. The campus features a central academic complex surrounded by residential buildings, with an emphasis on functionality, open spaces, and connecting walkways influenced by the Bauhaus style.
druk white lotus school study for material.pptxYACHANACHHAJED
The Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India was designed according to traditional Buddhist mandala patterns to be sustainable and culturally appropriate. It consists of one-level buildings arranged around courtyards, oriented for passive solar heating. Classrooms have extensive southern glazing for solar gain and shaded northern windows for cross-ventilation. Sustainability strategies include superinsulated roofs, solar power, and waterless composting toilets. Local materials like stone, mud, poplar, and willow are used wherever possible.
This document provides information about the landscape planning and design of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur campus. Some key points:
- The IIT Kanpur campus occupies 1,055 acres and contains 108 buildings including academic buildings, hostels, and administrative offices.
- Landscape elements include over 22,000 shady trees, 9,000 shrub trees, artificially made fountains, turf grass, and 18,000 total plant varieties.
- Hardscape materials used in construction include reinforced concrete, brick, glass, sandstone, cement, and artificial stones.
- The landscape design integrates the architecture with open spaces, preservation of existing trees, and various seating and recreation areas while considering
case study of chandigarh college of architectureAbhishek Tiwari
1) The Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) was established in 1961 in Chandigarh, India by Le Corbusier as part of the Chandigarh Experiment.
2) CCA is located on a 20,000 square meter campus in Sector 12 of Chandigarh and has an enrollment of 200 undergraduate students.
3) The building utilizes north light and ventilation and includes facilities such as studios, workshops, a library and computer lab to support the education of architecture students.
shoba city mall case study shopping mall shobha city mall thrissur keralaShabana Kotta
case study of shopping mall
shobha city mall thrissur kerala
architectural case study
with all the inferences and the analysis
with the appropriate pictures
Kanvinde was an influential Indian architect known for introducing modernism and functionalism to architecture in India. He designed several notable buildings at IIT Kanpur using a Bauhaus and Brutalist style featuring cubic shapes, flat roofs, and exposed concrete. The IIT Kanpur campus features academic buildings arranged around a central green area, with residential halls surrounding it to promote interaction. Kanvinde emphasized functionality, use of local materials like brick, and bringing buildings to a human scale with consideration of light, ventilation and connection to the landscape.
Padma Shri Achyut Kanvinde was an influential Indian architect known for pioneering modern architecture in India. He studied at Sir JJ School of Arts in Mumbai and Harvard University under Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, which greatly influenced his style. Some of Kanvinde's most notable works include the IIT Kanpur campus, which he designed in the 1960s. The campus features a central academic complex surrounded by residential buildings, with an emphasis on functionality, open spaces, and connecting walkways influenced by the Bauhaus style.
Uttam Jain is an Indian architect born in 1934 who founded Uttam C. Jain Architects & Planners. Some of his key projects discussed include the Capitol Complex in Naya Raipur, Jodhpur University, and the Habib Ganj Railway Station in Bhopal. His design philosophy focuses on using local and indigenous materials, establishing a relationship between humans and buildings, and invoking a spirit that connects the present to the past. Examples of his work discussed include the campus designs for Jodhpur University and Kota Engineering College, which feature vaulted corridors, courtyards, and use of local stone in response to the hot climate.
Laurie Baker was an Indian architect who worked in India for over 60 years designing over 1,000 houses as well as schools, churches, and other buildings. His architecture respected the local climate and environment, using traditional materials and construction methods adapted for modern uses. Some of his notable projects included the P.K. Panikar House, Corpus Christi School, and a fishermen's village in Poonthura. Baker believed architecture should be responsive to local needs and reject transplanted "international styles" in favor of designs informed by vernacular patterns and styles of living.
Raj Rewal is an Indian architect born in 1934 in Hoshiyarpur, Punjab. He received education in India and the UK and is known for blending traditional Indian architectural styles with modern construction techniques. Some of his notable works include the Asian Games Village housing complex in Delhi, which used cluster housing and narrow streets inspired by old towns, and the Parliament Library, which features a series of domes providing natural light. Rewal's works emphasize responding to culture and climate through the use of materials like stone and incorporation of elements from traditional Indian architecture.
This document provides a case study summary of the Indian Habitat Centre in New Delhi. It is a 97,000 square meter multi-purpose building spread over 9 acres that provides office, conference, and exhibition space for environment and habitat organizations. The design aims to create a healthy and pleasant environment for visitors and employees. It is an energy efficient building that uses various passive design strategies like courtyards, water bodies, reflective shading devices, and vegetation to reduce energy usage and create a comfortable microclimate. The building layout and use of spaces like the amphitheater, lawns, and courtyards encourage social interactions.
This document discusses shading devices and their use in architecture in Jaisalmer, India. It defines shading devices as purpose-built structures that protect from sunlight and natural light. The document describes different types of shading devices, including vertical, horizontal, and egg-crate devices. It also discusses the climate and location of Jaisalmer and how structures there utilize features like dense clustering, orientation, and courtyards to provide natural cooling without electricity. Specific architectural examples from Jaisalmer like Nathmalji Haveli are also summarized, highlighting shading elements like jharokhas, chatris, and chajjas.
The document provides details about the City Centre shopping mall located in Salt Lake City, Kolkata, India. It was designed by renowned Indian architect Charles Correa and aims to fuse traditional Indian marketplace qualities with modern amenities. The 50,400 square meter complex incorporates residential plots, offices, entertainment venues, shops, and public plazas arranged in a fine-grained mix. Correa's design rejects the isolated mall model and emphasizes connectivity to the surrounding urban context through open layout and semi-covered walkways.
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore SaloniHosmani
This document provides information about the design of the National Centre for Biological Sciences campus located in Bangalore. It summarizes the site context, master plan, zoning, and design details of the various blocks within the campus including the Administration Block, Eastern Laboratories, Southern Laboratories, and INSTEM Block. It describes the architectural concepts, materials used, landscaping, lighting and ventilation strategies, and services incorporated in the design of the campus buildings.
case study on National institute of design, Ahmedabad.Milan Jain
The National Institute of Design was established in 1961 in Ahmedabad, India by the Government of India. It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that provides advanced training in fields like product design, visual communication, architecture and more. The campus was designed by architects Giraben Sarabhai and Charles Eames and covers 63,848 square meters along the Sabarmati River. Key aspects of the design include a grid layout with courtyards, north-south oriented studios for natural light, precast concrete construction, and extensive landscaping.
Indian institute of management bangalorejudy lebona
The document outlines a master plan for an academic block that includes formal and informal interaction spaces. Formal interaction takes place in planned settings like classrooms, while informal interaction occurs spontaneously in outdoor common areas. Visual connections between buildings are also an important part of the campus design, with focal points forming the heart without looking unplanned. Key interaction spaces, buildings, and participants are named.
architectural case study of schools in auroville,puducherry, south indiaStudent
The document provides details about several schools located within the Auroville School Complex in India. Unlike other states, all schools in Auroville were situated together at a large School Complex and had unique structures and functions. Several schools are described, including The Pyramids built in a pyramid shape using ferrocement, New Era Secondary School shaped like a mushroom also using ferrocement, and The Last School which has a curved hollow structure made of ferrocement intended to keep the interior cool.
Chandigarh college of architecture, chandigarh, India.Utpol saha
The document provides a case study of the Chandigarh College of Architecture in Chandigarh, India. It summarizes the site plan, layout, and design of the college buildings. The planning is introverted around a rectangular courtyard, but the courtyard is poorly connected to the rest of the building. There is also poor connectivity between classrooms and studios. Natural light and ventilation are provided by windows on the north side but the courtyard is not well utilized for this purpose.
Bharti Realty is the real estate arm of Bharti Enterprises. It has completed several commercial projects totaling 3.2 million square feet in Delhi and Gurgaon. Its current projects under construction include Worldmark in Aerocity, New Delhi and Eldorado in Gurgaon, totaling 2.9 million square feet. Worldmark will have 0.8 million square feet of office space and 0.7 million square feet of retail space spread across three buildings in the hospitality district of Aerocity, near the airport and surrounded by top hotels. Bharti Realty aims to deliver high quality commercial spaces with excellent connectivity and a focus on design, technology, sustainability and customer experience.
The National Institution of Design in Ahmedabad, India occupies 20 acres along the Sabarmati River. The campus is divided into two main zones: institutional and residential. The institutional zone contains administration buildings, lecture halls, a library, workshops, laboratories, and more. The residential zone has hostels, guest quarters, and staff housing. Hardscapes on the campus include pavements and street lamps, while softscapes consist of lawns, trees, shrubs, and courtyards, with vegetation covering 75% of the area. The campus was designed considering Ahmedabad's hot, dry climate, with inward-facing activities and courtyards remaining shaded for most of the day.
The document provides details about three case studies of office buildings:
1) Triodos Bank in the Netherlands designed around sustainable and circular principles with hybrid wood construction, energy neutral design, and integration with nature.
2) Akshaya Shanti office in Chennai, India with cantilevered volumes creating sculptural forms and terraces on each floor for outdoor spaces to address the hot climate.
3) No information is provided about the third case study. The document focuses on describing the site, design concepts, plans, and innovative features of the first two case studies.
The document describes three kindergarten projects in Vietnam, India, and India. The Farming Kindergarten in Vietnam features a spiral green roof that provides food and teaches children about agriculture. It uses recycled materials and energy efficient designs. The DPS Kindergarten in India uses a modular design with classrooms opening onto a central courtyard to provide light and ventilation. The Yellow Train Kindergarten in India follows Waldorf education principles with classroom, play, and learning spaces integrated throughout the building to encourage creative and activity-based learning.
The Pearl Academy of Fashion in Jaipur, India was designed to create an environmentally responsive building through passive design. The architecture blends indoor and outdoor spaces while fusing traditional Rajasthani elements like jaalis (perforated screens) with contemporary design. The jaalis provide shading and natural ventilation to reduce heat gain. Landscaping and an underground space kept cool by water bodies further moderate the climate naturally without mechanical systems. The result is a sustainably designed campus that supports its function as a fashion design institute through energy efficient and climate-responsive architecture.
Uttam Jain is an Indian architect born in 1934 who founded Uttam C. Jain Architects & Planners. Some of his key projects discussed include the Capitol Complex in Naya Raipur, Jodhpur University, and the Habib Ganj Railway Station in Bhopal. His design philosophy focuses on using local and indigenous materials, establishing a relationship between humans and buildings, and invoking a spirit that connects the present to the past. Examples of his work discussed include the campus designs for Jodhpur University and Kota Engineering College, which feature vaulted corridors, courtyards, and use of local stone in response to the hot climate.
Laurie Baker was an Indian architect who worked in India for over 60 years designing over 1,000 houses as well as schools, churches, and other buildings. His architecture respected the local climate and environment, using traditional materials and construction methods adapted for modern uses. Some of his notable projects included the P.K. Panikar House, Corpus Christi School, and a fishermen's village in Poonthura. Baker believed architecture should be responsive to local needs and reject transplanted "international styles" in favor of designs informed by vernacular patterns and styles of living.
Raj Rewal is an Indian architect born in 1934 in Hoshiyarpur, Punjab. He received education in India and the UK and is known for blending traditional Indian architectural styles with modern construction techniques. Some of his notable works include the Asian Games Village housing complex in Delhi, which used cluster housing and narrow streets inspired by old towns, and the Parliament Library, which features a series of domes providing natural light. Rewal's works emphasize responding to culture and climate through the use of materials like stone and incorporation of elements from traditional Indian architecture.
This document provides a case study summary of the Indian Habitat Centre in New Delhi. It is a 97,000 square meter multi-purpose building spread over 9 acres that provides office, conference, and exhibition space for environment and habitat organizations. The design aims to create a healthy and pleasant environment for visitors and employees. It is an energy efficient building that uses various passive design strategies like courtyards, water bodies, reflective shading devices, and vegetation to reduce energy usage and create a comfortable microclimate. The building layout and use of spaces like the amphitheater, lawns, and courtyards encourage social interactions.
This document discusses shading devices and their use in architecture in Jaisalmer, India. It defines shading devices as purpose-built structures that protect from sunlight and natural light. The document describes different types of shading devices, including vertical, horizontal, and egg-crate devices. It also discusses the climate and location of Jaisalmer and how structures there utilize features like dense clustering, orientation, and courtyards to provide natural cooling without electricity. Specific architectural examples from Jaisalmer like Nathmalji Haveli are also summarized, highlighting shading elements like jharokhas, chatris, and chajjas.
The document provides details about the City Centre shopping mall located in Salt Lake City, Kolkata, India. It was designed by renowned Indian architect Charles Correa and aims to fuse traditional Indian marketplace qualities with modern amenities. The 50,400 square meter complex incorporates residential plots, offices, entertainment venues, shops, and public plazas arranged in a fine-grained mix. Correa's design rejects the isolated mall model and emphasizes connectivity to the surrounding urban context through open layout and semi-covered walkways.
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore SaloniHosmani
This document provides information about the design of the National Centre for Biological Sciences campus located in Bangalore. It summarizes the site context, master plan, zoning, and design details of the various blocks within the campus including the Administration Block, Eastern Laboratories, Southern Laboratories, and INSTEM Block. It describes the architectural concepts, materials used, landscaping, lighting and ventilation strategies, and services incorporated in the design of the campus buildings.
case study on National institute of design, Ahmedabad.Milan Jain
The National Institute of Design was established in 1961 in Ahmedabad, India by the Government of India. It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that provides advanced training in fields like product design, visual communication, architecture and more. The campus was designed by architects Giraben Sarabhai and Charles Eames and covers 63,848 square meters along the Sabarmati River. Key aspects of the design include a grid layout with courtyards, north-south oriented studios for natural light, precast concrete construction, and extensive landscaping.
Indian institute of management bangalorejudy lebona
The document outlines a master plan for an academic block that includes formal and informal interaction spaces. Formal interaction takes place in planned settings like classrooms, while informal interaction occurs spontaneously in outdoor common areas. Visual connections between buildings are also an important part of the campus design, with focal points forming the heart without looking unplanned. Key interaction spaces, buildings, and participants are named.
architectural case study of schools in auroville,puducherry, south indiaStudent
The document provides details about several schools located within the Auroville School Complex in India. Unlike other states, all schools in Auroville were situated together at a large School Complex and had unique structures and functions. Several schools are described, including The Pyramids built in a pyramid shape using ferrocement, New Era Secondary School shaped like a mushroom also using ferrocement, and The Last School which has a curved hollow structure made of ferrocement intended to keep the interior cool.
Chandigarh college of architecture, chandigarh, India.Utpol saha
The document provides a case study of the Chandigarh College of Architecture in Chandigarh, India. It summarizes the site plan, layout, and design of the college buildings. The planning is introverted around a rectangular courtyard, but the courtyard is poorly connected to the rest of the building. There is also poor connectivity between classrooms and studios. Natural light and ventilation are provided by windows on the north side but the courtyard is not well utilized for this purpose.
Bharti Realty is the real estate arm of Bharti Enterprises. It has completed several commercial projects totaling 3.2 million square feet in Delhi and Gurgaon. Its current projects under construction include Worldmark in Aerocity, New Delhi and Eldorado in Gurgaon, totaling 2.9 million square feet. Worldmark will have 0.8 million square feet of office space and 0.7 million square feet of retail space spread across three buildings in the hospitality district of Aerocity, near the airport and surrounded by top hotels. Bharti Realty aims to deliver high quality commercial spaces with excellent connectivity and a focus on design, technology, sustainability and customer experience.
The National Institution of Design in Ahmedabad, India occupies 20 acres along the Sabarmati River. The campus is divided into two main zones: institutional and residential. The institutional zone contains administration buildings, lecture halls, a library, workshops, laboratories, and more. The residential zone has hostels, guest quarters, and staff housing. Hardscapes on the campus include pavements and street lamps, while softscapes consist of lawns, trees, shrubs, and courtyards, with vegetation covering 75% of the area. The campus was designed considering Ahmedabad's hot, dry climate, with inward-facing activities and courtyards remaining shaded for most of the day.
The document provides details about three case studies of office buildings:
1) Triodos Bank in the Netherlands designed around sustainable and circular principles with hybrid wood construction, energy neutral design, and integration with nature.
2) Akshaya Shanti office in Chennai, India with cantilevered volumes creating sculptural forms and terraces on each floor for outdoor spaces to address the hot climate.
3) No information is provided about the third case study. The document focuses on describing the site, design concepts, plans, and innovative features of the first two case studies.
Ähnlich wie SECMOL School In Leh- A Role Model of Vernacular , Passive and Sustainable Hill Architecture- defined by Local Culture, Local Skill, Local Materials and Local Technology
The document describes three kindergarten projects in Vietnam, India, and India. The Farming Kindergarten in Vietnam features a spiral green roof that provides food and teaches children about agriculture. It uses recycled materials and energy efficient designs. The DPS Kindergarten in India uses a modular design with classrooms opening onto a central courtyard to provide light and ventilation. The Yellow Train Kindergarten in India follows Waldorf education principles with classroom, play, and learning spaces integrated throughout the building to encourage creative and activity-based learning.
The Pearl Academy of Fashion in Jaipur, India was designed to create an environmentally responsive building through passive design. The architecture blends indoor and outdoor spaces while fusing traditional Rajasthani elements like jaalis (perforated screens) with contemporary design. The jaalis provide shading and natural ventilation to reduce heat gain. Landscaping and an underground space kept cool by water bodies further moderate the climate naturally without mechanical systems. The result is a sustainably designed campus that supports its function as a fashion design institute through energy efficient and climate-responsive architecture.
A short presentation on the architecture of the Masdar Inst. of Tech in Abu Dhabi. The presentation was done as a case study for a college project of desgining a residential block for the students. The focus therefore is on the residetial block of the Inst. here rather than its other numerous feat.s.
I came to know regarding this competition from rediff.com
The idea of Energy Efficient design is
to modulate the conditions such that they
are always within or as close as possible to
comfort zone.Modulations introduced by the
landscape,built form,envelope,materials and
other control measures bring the conditions
within the range throughout twenty four hours
cycle.
This is goal of Energy Efficient Architecture
Buildings, as they are designed and used today, contribute to serious environmental and economical problems because of excessive consumption of energy and other natural resources. The close connection between energy use in buildings and environmental damage arises because energy-intensive and monetarily expensive solutions sought to construct a building and meet its demands for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting cause severe depletion of invaluable environmental resources
Energy resource efficiency in new constructions
can be effected by adopting an
Integrated Approach To Building Design.
The document outlines Abraham N. Rodriguez's academic and professional work, including case studies for low-cost housing in Cambodia and the United States, as well as school and recreational building designs focused on sustainability and responding to site conditions. Details are provided on Rodriguez's role in several of the projects and sketches from his study abroad trip to Europe are included.
The document describes the Druk White Lotus School located in Shey, Ladakh, India. It was designed by architect Jonathan Rose to be sustainable and effective in Ladakh's extreme climate. Key features include passive solar heating through optimal orientation, trombe walls, and glazed solar facades. The school also uses photovoltaic panels, VIP latrines, and seismic-safe designs to operate independently on solar energy and manage waste sustainably. The project combines traditional Ladakhi building techniques like stone walls and mud construction with modern environmental technologies.
The document describes the Druk White Lotus School located in Shey, Ladakh, India. It was designed by architect Jonathan Rose to be sustainable and effective in Ladakh's extreme climate. Key features include passive solar heating through optimal orientation, trombe walls, and glazed solar facades. The school also uses photovoltaic panels, VIP latrines, and seismic-safe designs to operate independently on solar energy and manage waste sustainably. The project combines traditional Ladakhi building techniques like stone walls and mud construction with modern environmental technologies.
SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE, climatic designSumayyaSayeeda
case study on sustainable school which is designed according the microclimate of the place.
the school is designed in warm and humid climate conditions
Sen Kapadia is an Architect, Planner and Educationist, based in Mumbai. He has worked with eminent American Architect Louis Kahn in Philadelphia and the Space Management office in New York.
CASE STUDY #ppt#design#brieflyinstituteDeeshaKhamar1
The document discusses three case studies of sustainable campus designs in India:
1) Environmental Sanitation Institute in Gujarat uses passive design strategies like cavity walls, insulated roofs, and orientation to reduce energy consumption.
2) Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management in Pune is designed with terraced blocks that step down a sloping site, maximizing open spaces.
3) Samudra Institute of Maritime Studies near Mumbai resembles "ships floating on water" with sculptural steel and glass buildings around landscaped lawns.
The document discusses the Walian House designed by Malaysian architect Jimmy Lim. It aims to achieve environmental value through sustainable design and passive strategies to minimize solar heat gain. Some key features discussed include orienting the building to reduce direct sun exposure, incorporating an open courtyard to maximize cross ventilation, using existing Chengal timber salvaged from another building, and surrounding the building with lush vegetation and gardens. These passive design elements work together to improve thermal comfort and energy efficiency while maintaining a harmonious relationship with the natural environment.
The document summarizes the site plan, concept, and key design features of the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, India. The master plan centers buildings around courtyards oriented on a north-south axis. Buildings use local stone, timber, and extensive glazing for passive solar heating. Classrooms are designed for natural ventilation and daylighting to create a comfortable learning environment. Water conservation strategies include waterless composting toilets.
Bioclimatic architecture considers the climate and environment of a building site to promote thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption through design. It draws from traditional vernacular architecture and aims to integrate buildings harmoniously with their surroundings. Key principles include passive solar design, using elements like orientation, shading, and thermal mass to minimize mechanical cooling/heating. Architects must analyze climate data and apply passive strategies appropriately to each project. The examples described, such as buildings in Rio de Janeiro and Mexico, illustrate how bioclimatic design strategies optimize natural lighting, ventilation, and solar protection to improve energy efficiency.
The document discusses Stephenson & Turner's (S&T) approach to environmentally sustainable design. S&T aims to minimize a building's environmental impact through principles like reducing energy and water usage. They apply sustainable design strategies early in the planning process and use innovative approaches tailored to each project. The document provides several examples of S&T projects that incorporate sustainable features like ground source heating, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with swales and rain gardens, maximizing natural light, and installing photovoltaic solar farms.
The presentation gives a generalized idea of spaces that are included and can be included in a primary school building.
The information about the schools is sorted and put in pointers for readers' ease.
Case study - Prescent University by Paul Wasena.pptxpaulwasena
The document provides details about the Crescent School of Architecture project located in Vandalur, India. It includes plans and sections of the seven-story building as well as details about the unique spaces on each floor. Conceptually, the building aims to provide both introverted and extroverted spaces for learning. It features stepped voids and terraces to create additional shared spaces at each level. The structure uses reinforced concrete and glazing, with paths paved in gabbro.
The French school in Damascus, Syria follows a sustainable design approach using passive strategies to minimize energy costs. The campus houses 900 students through small classroom buildings arranged around courtyards. Natural ventilation is prioritized using solar chimneys, earth ducts, and nighttime cooling to maintain thermal comfort without air conditioning. Thick, insulated walls provide thermal mass to moderate indoor temperatures. Shaded courtyards and vegetation create microclimates connecting outdoor and indoor learning spaces.
Chapter 2 environmental strategies for building design in tropical climatesLokman Hakim Ismail
LH Ismail (2007). An evaluation of bioclimatic high rise office buildings in a tropical climate: energy consumption and users' satisfaction in selected office buildings in Malaysia. PhD Thesis, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Ähnlich wie SECMOL School In Leh- A Role Model of Vernacular , Passive and Sustainable Hill Architecture- defined by Local Culture, Local Skill, Local Materials and Local Technology (20)
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Known for productivity, promoting economy, employment and innovations cities, when properly planned, rationally developed and professionally managed, have been labelled and recognized as engines of economic growth. Prosperity and urbanisation are known to have positive co-relation with rational urbanisation, leveraging growth and development of any community, city, state and region. In majority of developing countries, where urbanisation remains unregulated, forced largely by rural push and less by urban pull, cities invariably remain in crisis, crisis of population, crisis of poverty, crisis of development and management. Cities need to be cared ,incentivized, empowered and made more productive, effective, efficient and humane.
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Cities are known for its complexities and operational inefficiencies. cities remain dynamic ,ever evolving, ever devolving, never static and never finite.
All cities remain different, distinct, unique and universal. No two cities are similar. Each city has its own strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Accordingly, problem faced by any city cannot be viewed, dissected, analyzed and enumerated, while sitting within the four walls of the air-conditioned rooms and by the so called intellectual sitting in the so called offices determining the future of cities and towns. Neither the cities can be made more rational by limited knowledge agencies providing consultancy to cities , states and nations.
For realistically and rationally understanding, analyzing the cities and having simple, cost-effective and quality solutions to the problems and challenges faced , Cities have to be walked through and concerns of the various communities have to be properly understood and appreciated.
Prime reason for inability and lack of capacity on the part of majority of physical planners, engaged in the art and science of planning, designing and developing the cities, to address the issues and challenges faced by cities , realistically and rationally, has genesis in the lack of understanding of the origin, growth and development of cities.
Lack of capacity in majority of town planners, has roots in the quality of education imparted and seriousness and commitment on the part of both teachers and taught involved. As it stands today, majority of institutions involved in imparting education in planning are being run on an ad-hoc manner and by proxy. Only few institutions have regular teachers and regular students. Majority of planning institutions are being run on proxy with proxy students and proxy teachers. Education system including curricula used for teaching, needs, review, revision and redefinition to make it more relevant to rational for addressing the issues and challenges faced by the cities and towns.
Land as a Resource for urban finanace- 24-1-23.pptJIT KUMAR GUPTA
PPt tries to brief Land, as a gift of nature, is being grossly misused, abused , manipulated Land is globally used for providing platform for all human driven activities, based on living, working, culture of body/ mind and travel.
Limited availability, coupled with large number of human beings trying to source land, has invariably created large demand for land resource for human consumption. Land, in urban context, is required for meeting the specific needs of urban dwellers for residential, commercial, institutional, recreational, travel& traffic purposes besides providing space for infrastructures , amenities, services, trade and commerce etc. Land in urban context remains under large demand and command high price due to concentration of large population in small physical area, with stakeholders making competing claims.Rapid and uncontrolled growth in population experienced by urban areas has adversely impacted and generated considerable pressure on land resource in cities and towns , leading to large scale conversion, sub-division and illegal occupation of urban land. Unregulated and regulated pressure on land has largely been met by means of both formal/informal sub-division and development of land. Growth of the urban settlements and entire mechanism of urban planning and development remains land based/ land focused. In order to make optimum use of land resource on 24x7x365; making city planning, growth, development and management ,both rational. realistic, orderly and promoter of quality living, it will be critical and essential, that all ULBs are made to focus on eliminating culture and practices promoting un-authorized/ illegal sub-division of land for ushering an environment and era of planned urban development in the cities. Land needs to be effectively leveraged to generate resources for ULBs to make cities vibrant.
COST-EFFETIVE and Energy Efficient BUILDINGS ptxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
Built environment is known for its capacity, capability, role, relevance and importance to change the quality of life of the occupants and communities. Presentation focuses on options which need to be leveraged to make buildings sustainable, cost-effective, energy efficient, resource efficient, qualitative over its entire life-cycle through designing, construction, operation. It calls for making buildings green and sustainable.
Making Buildings cost-effective , Energy Efficient ptxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
Presentation focuses on options which need to be leveraged to make buildings sustainable, cost-effective, energy efficient, resource efficient, qualitative over its entire life-cycle
Ppt briefs about role, relevance, importance of the rating systems applicable in India, criteria used in assessing
greeness, weightage allocated, , brief of how these rating systems are applied, parameters involved; weightage granted, levels of rating granted , incentives given by states for green rated buildings and brief of suggestions, how to make rating system more effective, efficient, objective and transparent.
The phenomenon of global warming remains more pronounced in the urban areas, for the reason cities house large concentration of people and activities in a small/compact urban space.Densely-built downtown areas tend to be warmer than suburban residential areas or rural areas.. UHI not only raises urban temperatures but also increases ozone concentrations because ozone is a greenhouse gas whose formation will accelerate with the temperature. Tokyo, an example of an urban heat island. Normal temperatures of Tokyo go up higher than those of the surrounding area. However, it needs to be understood and appreciated that climate change is not the cause of urban heat islands but it is causing more frequent and more intense heat waves which in turn amplify the urban heat island effect in cities. Major reasons for ever growing global warming and climate change can be attributed to the; Nature and natural; Human-Driven; population; Rapid Urbanisation; Irrational Urban planning; High Density; Inefficient Transportation ;Large generation/consumption of fossil fuel based Energy; Unsustainable Buildings; Polluting Industry & Manufacturing; Unsustainable Agriculture; Irrational Development; Large scale Deforestation; Lack of open spaces and individual life-choices;
Making and Unmaking of Chandigarh - A City of Two Plans2-4-24.pptJIT KUMAR GUPTA
Presentation is a narrative of a
capital city- known for its innovative planning, designing, construction and management of a new capital . It briefs about the principles used in the planning and designing of city -by the first team of planners led by Albert Mayer and Mathew Nowicki-- followed by the second team led by Le- Corbusier, P Jenerette, Jane B Drew , Maxwell Fry. It also details about the various aspects of the city planning, planning of the sector as a neighbourhood, typologies of
various developmental controls used for regulating the construction of buildings. Innovations used for regulating the growth and development of periphery; redensification of city in case city exceeds its planned population of half a million, creating a narrative of city and periphery, innovative landscaping, defining an edict for the city to educate the future citizens of the capital city to safeguard the future growth and development besides lessons learnt from planning and designing the new cities.
Planning and Designing Green buildings-.issues, options and strategiesJIT KUMAR GUPTA
Affordability and sustainable development are considered anti-thesis across the world. Generally there exists conflict between the approach to sustainable built environment and affordable buildings. Sustainable development is considered more expensive. According to Middleton, ‘Sustainability and affordability aren’t mutually exclusive goals. It’s not about adding extra, but thinking more carefully about the design of buildings and incorporating technologies that can offset the rising costs of energy, water and other services. Affordability and sustainability are known to fit together perfectly’.
Through excellent design, buildings can be made more sustainable and affordable. Smaller the footprint of buildings, lower will be the upfront costs and embodied energy and lower shall be the running costs of buildings. Looking at the entire context of health, rising cost of amenities/services; Sustainable/Green designs are now being increasingly adopted, to make built environment more cost-effective and affordable. Considering the enormous amount of built environment to be created, India will have no option but to tread the path of sustainability and sustainable development in the built environment. Sustainable built environment would also help in and go a long way in achieving the majority of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the reason, built environment is known to be the largest consumer of energy, avoid wasteful use of resources and minimise generation of waste. Global sustainability will be largely contingent upon how effectively and efficiently we can make our buildings sustainable and qualitative through innovative/green design solutions based on local climate and culture, valuing site planning, embedding orientation, cross ventilation, using renewable/waste materials and involving state of the art building technologies.
_Neighborhood Planning in Capital City of Chandigarh- An Appraisal (2) - Copy...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
Neighborhood as an idea, concept, option and strategy has been extensively used locally and globally by the Urban Planners to plan and decentralize cities, create cities within cities, promote self-contained communities and to make cities more humane, safe and socially vibrant. Neighborhood has also been used recently to define the city in terms of travel time - making 10/15 minutes city
Accordingly, large typologies of NH ,in terms of planning and designing , with varying shapes, sizes and contents have emerged in the urban context. Americans have used superblock and French using Sector for defining the neighborhood. Despite distinct advantages, holding high degree of relevance in urban and local area planning , NH planning has not been able to deliver the envisioned objectives of safety and social vibrancy. Cities in the process have been socially, economically and physically fragmented, leading to clear division of cities into different communities with little economical and social connectivity. Variance of planning and designing norms followed at NH and sub-neighborhood levels have promoted more dichotomy and contradictions with varying quality of life inducted at local level. Differential population and infrastructures have divided the city into the categories of high/low end NH units. Fabric and morphology of cities, in large cases, has been distorted with urban settlement emerging as a distinct social map of communities graded economically and socially,on the basis of area/location . In the process, the way NH planning concept has been used, neighborhood planning has emerged as an instrument of social and economic segregation/division. In fact in number of cases, concept has been used, misused, abused in intent and content to divide the cities into distinct social and economic layers. Instead of unifying , concept has led to division of cities.
Genesis of modern application of NH can be found in the planning and designing of Chandigarh where entire city fabric of capital city was woven around Sector as the basic unit of planning, concptulasied as self-contained and self-sustaining unit at the local level. However, the way sectors have been planned, it has led to dividing the cities into different and distinct communities. Individual status in Chandigarh can be judged from his/her residence. Concept of Sector has done more damage than good to the fabric of the city. Chandigarh is likely to face considerable problem in making city socially and economically cohesive/vibrant,. Sectors in Chandigarh remain anti-thesis to the basic concept of NH planning of safety, involving walkability, vehicular movement, putting commercial space in the centre. Considering role, relevance, importance and usability , NH needs to be planned, designed with care and caution, in order to make cities socially and economically vibrant, inclusive. NH planning deserves a new definition and approach to make it relevant and rational.
Reviewing, Revising and Redefining Master Plans and Development Plans to Ma...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
Looking at its efficacy and efficiency, it can be seen and observed that Master Plans/ Development Plans have done more damage than good for the planned growth and development of the cities to which they have been made applicable. These plans have been violated with impunity both by the people, communities, cities and parastatal agencies; for the betterment/welfare of which these plans were prepared. These plans have been visualized as controller of development rather than promoters of development. Instead of planned development , these plans have been usherers of the unplanned development. These plans are known to be responsible for promoting large number of slums besides making quality of life poor for majority of the urban inhabitants. Cities under Master Plans are also known to promote exclusion rather than inclusion. Master Plans/Development Plans are known to promote prosperity for few and marginalize the large proportions of the local community by making them poor. Instead of catering to urban dynamism, Master Plans/Development Plans try to freeze the city, for next two decades, to which it is made to serve. Accordingly, these plans need to be reviewed , rationalised, revised and redefined to make them better Master Plans/Development Plans
Rationalizing the Planned Growth of Urban India- paper.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
Rapid and uncontrolled growth in population experienced by urban areas has adversely impacted and generated considerable pressure on land resource in cities and towns , leading to large scale conversion, sub-division and illegal occupation of urban land. Unregulated and regulated pressure on land has largely been met by means of both formal/informal sub-division and development of land. Growth of the urban settlements and entire mechanism of urban planning and development remains land based/ land focused, based on a strategy of sub-division of the land, dictated by the economic forces prevailing in the market. Irrational and ineffective public policies of urban planning and land sub-division, devoid of prevailing ground realities, have turned out to be incompatible with the demands of urban expansion, leading to large scale un-authorized and illegal sub-division of land. In the process, valuable land resources, gift of nature, has been misused, abused and mutilated in this race of uncontrolled and irrational urbanisation. In order to make optimum use of land resource; making city planning, growth, development and management ,both rational. realistic, orderly and promoter of quality living, it will be critical and essential, that all urban centres are made to focus on eliminating the culture and practices promoting un-authorized/illegal sub-division of land for ushering an environment and era of planned urban development in the country.
Suggestion and Options for integrating villages. within the framework of the...JIT KUMAR GUPTA
Preparing Master Plans/Development Plans for any urban settlements, basically and essentially, involves declaring a planning area for which the said long term plans are prepared. Planning area invariably includes and involves, number of rural settlements, which comprise of the planning area besides the urban settlement. It has been observed that in majority of cases, while detailed studies and analysis are carried out of the urban settlements but villages in the study and analysis remain marginalized, diluted and muted. Despite the fact, villages have critical role in the rational development of the urban settlement, but in preparing Master Plans their role and relevance is not made part of the said plan. Accordingly, this text tries to bring out the typologies of villages falling in the planning area and the suggested framework to develop these villages in making Master Plans, better Master Plan. In order to improve Master Plan qualitatively, quantitively, both in intent, contents and scope, It will be appropriate that all the villages falling in the planning area must be studied , analyzed and made integral part of the final outcome of the proposals of Master Plan. In-fact one Chapter must be exclusively dedicated to detail out the issues faced by the Villages and options which can be leveraged to promote the rational growth of villages ,as an integral part of the long term development of the urban settlement , for which the Master Plan is being prepared. This will help not only in integrating the urban- rural settlements falling in the planning area, but would also go a long way in promoting and ensuring rational growth and development of the urban settlement, for which the Master Plan is being prepared.
Making cities Climate Responsive and SustainableJIT KUMAR GUPTA
“Decarbonization” of cities ,as an issue ,as an option and as a strategy , has been gaining currency in the parlance of; making planet earth livable and sustainable. “Decarbonization has been globally valued for keeping the global temperature below 1.5C, and achieving the agenda and goals defined in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, defined by UN for achieving universal sustainability. Despite distinct role and relevance, criticality and importance of decarbonization of cities has neither been properly understood and appreciated nor made integral part of the architectural practice and art and science of designing and construction of buildings. Consuming one -third of global energy (33%) and generating 39% of greenhouse gas emissions buildings have been considered as the major player in the domain of climate change and global warming. Since Architects and Architecture are
actively involved in the making and unmaking of buildings, accordingly it becomes important that planners and architects must play a significant role in making
cities and buildings least consumers of energy and generators of the minimum greenhouse gas emissions. This objective can be achieved if decarbonizing cities/buildings is made a distinct reality . Issue of decarbonizing the cities/buildings assumes importance for the reason, that world’s building floorspace is likely to be become double by the year 2060, with the addition of large number of newcities/ buildings due to rapid urbanization, population growth and economic development ; required for catering to
to the needs of additional population opting for urban living.
Managing Planning and Development of Citie- 26-2-24.docxJIT KUMAR GUPTA
Cities in India are known to be in perpetual crisis; facing numerous crises in terms of; crisis of rational growth, crisis of orderly and planned development; crisis of effective and efficient urban management; crisis of making provision of basic infrastructure and services; crisis of climate change; crisis of global warming; crisis of poverty, pollution and population and crisis of making human living and prevailing environment qualitative. These urban crises have genesis in the fact that cities in India, lack ownership, command, authority and lack of willingness to run and manage cities professionally and objectively. In majority of cases, cities in India are run by proxy. In terms of physical growth and development; large cities are marked by multiplicity of agencies claiming right/ownership of development over the urban areas, whereas smaller cities face absence of such ownership and are made to run, operate and function like orphans
International Upcycling Research Network advisory board meeting 4Kyungeun Sung
Slides used for the International Upcycling Research Network advisory board 4 (last one). The project is based at De Montfort University in Leicester, UK, and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Discovering the Best Indian Architects A Spotlight on Design Forum Internatio...Designforuminternational
India’s architectural landscape is a vibrant tapestry that weaves together the country's rich cultural heritage and its modern aspirations. From majestic historical structures to cutting-edge contemporary designs, the work of Indian architects is celebrated worldwide. Among the many firms shaping this dynamic field, Design Forum International stands out as a leader in innovative and sustainable architecture. This blog explores some of the best Indian architects, highlighting their contributions and showcasing the most famous architects in India.
Practical eLearning Makeovers for EveryoneBianca Woods
Welcome to Practical eLearning Makeovers for Everyone. In this presentation, we’ll take a look at a bunch of easy-to-use visual design tips and tricks. And we’ll do this by using them to spruce up some eLearning screens that are in dire need of a new look.
SECMOL School In Leh- A Role Model of Vernacular , Passive and Sustainable Hill Architecture- defined by Local Culture, Local Skill, Local Materials and Local Technology
1. SECMOL School In Leh- A Role Model of Vernacular , Passive and
Sustainable Hill Architecture- defined by Local Culture, Local Skill, Local
Materials and Local Technology
Jit Kumar Gupta
jit.kumar1944@gmail.com
Architect and professionals, engaged in the domain of planning, designing ,
construction and operation of the built environment ; keen to learn ,understand and
appreciate the real meaning of the sustainability, energy efficiency, resource efficiency
and carbon neutrality in the built environment in hills, must visit, look, study, analyse
and understand the intent, content and context of planning , designing and construction
of the Institute ‘The Student’s Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh
(SECMOL)’, located in Leh, the brain child of engineer Sonam Wangchuk, an alumnus
(1987) of the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar.
Located in the heart of Leh, nicknamed the cold desert, having one of the most
hostile climate for human living and habitation, with temperature fluctuating
wildly, bordering on extreme cold and moderate heat , educational campus
housing globally known, ‘The Student’s Educational and Cultural Movement of
Ladakh (SECMOL)’, has clearly demonstrated and showcased , how potential
and inherent strength of art and science of Architecture can be appropriately
leveraged, to overcome the extreme challenges posed by climate and
adversities created by nature, by effectively, efficiently, appropriately and
intelligentially, using the same very nature and natural resources, to create
qualitative, environment friendly, safe, cost-effective, energy/ resource efficient,
zero-carbon, zero energy and sustainable example of built environment in hilly
regions.
Spread over an area of 20-acre ,SECMOL campus, has location at an altitude of
3500 meters from mean sea level, approximately 18 km away from the Leh town
in the Phey village of the Indus Valley, globally known for its most hostile cold
desert climate, with temperatures ranging from 20°C in summer and -30°C in
winter. The surrounding mountainous landscape is almost devoid of vegetation
because Leh is positioned in physical space which is above the tree line. However,
region is blessed with more than 300 sunny days annually, making sun a highly
dependable resource for sourcing uninterrupted solar energy for heating and
2. lighting. Starting on an experimental basis ,with limited number of students,
SECMOL campus has grown and expanded, both horizontally and vertically, in its
operation and activities, over the years. Campus now includes residential space
for both students and campers besides area for training, work spaces, a library,
kitchen and dining area for the inhabitants. All the buildings in the campus have
been planned , designed , constructed and maintained with nature , making
optimum use of solar based heating and lighting. In addition, 20-acre campus,
initially devoid of any vegetation, has also made addition to flora and fauna by
planting more than 1000 trees in the desert environment besides creating
vegetable gardens and green houses and maintaining cows. The expansive
campus is entirely powered by solar energy and exclusively managed by the
students, who are given the exclusive role and responsibility to manage the
operation of entire campus. In addition, SECMOL, as an institute of teaching -
learning, remains different and distinct. Institute provides a new typology of
education, having a distinct mandate, where primary focus isn’t merely on
imparting academic knowledge but also includes and involves, nurturing and
promoting practical and social qualities and skills available with the students.
SECMOL has always been a place of innovations, looking for effective and
environment friendly solutions and low-cost options for human living without
impacting the nature and natural resources. Accordingly, design of the entire
campus of SECMOL, including all its buildings, is based on the principles of
passive solar architecture. These buildings have been planned and designed to
capture maximum heat of the sun during the day and also retain it for the night .
The heat stored by mud walls during the day, is released during the night, when
sun is gone, so that spaces within he building do not require any additional
heating through burning of fossil fuels, even when the temperature outside dips to
-25 degrees Celsius.
SECMOL buildings are characterized by thick walls, made of rammed earth,
which are reinforced/insulated with material like wood shavings. Using rammed
earth in the making of walls is based on the ancient practice of construction,
which was used in the making of monasteries and forts in ancient Ladakh. For
sourcing maximum solar heat and light, buildings have been designed in such a
manner that all the rooms, involving human habitation, are positioned in the
southern direction. Locating rooms in the southern direction helps in capturing
more heat during the winter months when the sun is low. In addition, plastic sheets
are also used to cover the open spaces, created in the buildings, during the
winter months to trap the solar heat and these sheets are rolled , in summer, to
provide required level of ventilation in the building .
3. In order to disseminate the idea, knowledge and skill involved in the sustainable
practices in the planning and designing of built environment, SECMOL Skills
University has been made operational recently. University offers short and
practical courses on renewable and sustainable energy, earth building and passive
solar Architecture. SECMOL campus operates on the analogy of being self-
reliant, earning enough from these courses to meet the operational cost, making
institute free from the need of sourcing funds from external agencies. SECMOL
has emerged as a net-zero energy campus and accordingly remains off the grid
for the reason that entire campus is completely powered by solar energy. In
addition to heat and light, Solar water heaters installed in the institute, provide
water for bathing and washing needs of the residents; solar panels provide
electricity that powers all lights and other appliances like computers, TVs whereas
large reflectors help cook food using solar energy. SECMOL is now experimenting
with,” creating pre-fabricated building blocks made from mud, wood shavings and
straw to be used in the construction, rather than rammed earth walls; teaching
eco-tourism and green architecture; promoting recycling; using plastic for
insulation; creating awareness about climate change and rising temperature ;
mitigating the adverse impact of climate change and learning to understand the
value of the smallest drop of water”, as the focus area of teaching-learning in the
institute.
SECMOL Campus, comprising of one large school building; three residential houses ;
20 small cell rooms besides other necessary infrastructure, was started in the year
1994. Camus was inaugurated in the year 1998, by the Tibetan Spiritual Leader Dalai
Lama. In 2016 building was rated and adjudged, by the jury of international TERRA
Award, as one of the best nine buildings, based on earthen construction.
Looking at the entire context, the salient feature of planning, designing and
construction of the buildings in the SECMOL campus can be enumerated as
under;
i. Site;
Site selected for the SECMOL campus is located in the Phey
village approximately 18 kms away from the Leh Town of the
Indus Valley.
Site is located at an altitude of 3500 meters, from MSL, in one
of the most hostile cold desert climate, with temperatures ranging
from 20°C in summer and -30°C in winter
Site is flat, with no undulation and is spread over an area
measuring 20-acre, having little vegetation and water.
4. ii. Design Approach
Design with limitations; Design approach used for SECMOL school
was primarily led by options of overcoming the challenges posed by
trinity of tough terrain; peculiar climatic conditions and difficulty in
bringing outside building materials.
Design with Nature; Approach adopted for planning and designing of the
buildings in the campus, is based on the principle of, designing with nature
and using natural elements of Panch-bhutas, comprising of Agni( Sun),
Prithvi(Land), Jal(Water), Vaayu(Air)and Aakash (Space), as integral part
of design solution.
Design with Climate; Design of the buildings and the campus also
included challenges posed by Climate; options created by Orientation and
sunlight/ heat provided by Solar movement besides ably supported by local
materials and ancient construction technologies.
Design Compact; Considering the need for conserving heat and avoiding
loss of heat, buildings have been designed compact, so as to seal the inner
spaces for minimizing the heat loss.
Opting for Passive Architecture; Design option used for buildings is
based on Passive Architecture, which involves creating supportive
environment within buildings, for human living and working, without
resorting to mechanical means of air, light ,ventilation and air conditioning.
In addition, buildings have been designed to have large thermal mass due
to thick earthen walls which are known to retain lot of solar radiation falling
5. during the day and making it available/release at night for heating the inner
spaces.
Net Zero Energy Building; Buildings have been planned and designed to
make them Net zero-energy - requiring no energy provided by conventional
sources/supplied by Grid. Buildings have no electric connection nor does it
require to burn fossil fuel, for heating even during peak winter months. Solar
panels have been used for sourcing /generating towards solar energy and
meet the power requirements of buildings.
Natural lighting – Building envelop provides enough openings for bringing sun
and sunlight for lighting , which is available in abundance , eliminating the
electricity needed for lighting the spaces within the buildings in daytime.
Orienting rooms south and providing large size openings have been used as
the principle to ensure maximum solar heat gain. In order to source maximum
sunlight, glass to wall ratio has been placed at 80% in the southern side.
Using Skylights- Understanding the distinct advantages offered by skylight in
terms of sourcing natural light and heat, Skylights have been made integral part
of the roof design. Three Skylights have been appropriately designed and
covered with glass/clear plastic to allow light and eliminate seepage of water
etc. Two skylights are provided over the two staircases, placed on either side of
the building, for providing adequate light to staircases. whereas the third skylight
has been provided over the library , for have optimum skylight for reading.
Making optimum use of Site; Main School building has been planned,
designed and constructed , based on detailed study and analysis of prevailing,
soil characteristics, site conditions, tough terrain / peculiar climatic conditions
and difficulty in sourcing and transporting building materials for construction.
Creating Greenhouses - Considering the distinct advantage of green houses
in sourcing light, trapping heat and heating the inside air, greenhouses have
been included as design element ,placed on the south side for trapping heat of
sun. Accordingly, in winters ,huge plastic sheets are rolled down to create a big
greenhouse which works as a solar collector and in summers these plastic
sheets are rolled to allow fresh air to come into the building for ventilation and
modulating inside temperature. Creating green- house space helps the institute
in creating supportive environment for growing vegetables in the harsh cold
climate , which are used for cooking food for the inhabitants, making the institute
self-reliant to a large extent.
6. iii Planning ;
Rectangular Shape; School building has been planned and designed, based
on opting for a rectangular shape, known for its simplicity in working and
providing efficient planning of inner spaces. School Building has an overall
length of 45 meters and depth of 13.5 meters with spaces planned in a
symmetrical manner, along a central corridor. Proportions of the depth to length
of the building have been placed in the ratio of 1:3, for reasons of efficient
working and optimum space utilization.
Low-rise structure; Considering the limitations imposed by cost ,climate,
materials and construction, buildings have been planned and designed to be
low-rise, double storeyed structures.
Compact Planning ;Buildings have been planned and designed around a
centrally positioned, doubly loaded corridor for reasons of simplicity, space
efficiency and having higher order of carpet area.
7. Doubly loaded corridor; Planning of the building revolves around a central
corridor, to minimize the area under circulation and to increase the efficiency of
the building. Higher proportions of space have been allocated to the area to be
used for main/primary uses as compared to spaces which are supposed to be
sub-servient/secondary to the main use of the building.
Classifying Spaces; Spaces within the building have been categorized
into two distinct zones. Spaces which are largely inhabited by human beings
and spaces where human habitation remains minimal. Looking at the
positivity of the Southern side, spaces which are inhabited by human beings
including; class rooms, offices, technical workshop, assembly hall, have
been placed in the Southern side whereas spaces where human habitation
remains minimal i.e., earth lab, stores, toilets, reception-cum-waiting, stairs
etc., have been placed on the Northern side.
Trapping Heat; For facilitating and creating conditions which are , warm, cozy,
conducive and comfortable, class rooms and activity spaces ,have been placed
on the Southern side and have been appropriately recessed from the adjoining
space allocated to Assembly Hall, workshop and office, for sourcing solar heat
during winter by putting a thick polythene sheet in the winter.
Zoning Spaces; In order to minimize heat loss; making optimum use of space
and effectively managing the inside temperature , the entire building has been
divided into three distinct zones, which despite being connected through a
common corridor could still be made to operate and function independently.
Entrance ; For minimising heat loss from the building, entry to the building has
been provided from East side with minimum opening.
Natural Light; Building has been planned in such a manner , that all inner
spaces have the distinct advantage of adequate natural light till it is available
outside, in order to eliminate the need of using power sourced from conventional
sources, for lighting the inner spaces.
Making use of Geo-thermal Energy; Northern side/portion of the building,
housing, stores, toilets and part of the assembly hall, staircases etc., have been
designed to be one meter below ground level, in order to source earth required
for construction of the building and for making use of geo-thermal energy for
heating the cool northern side.
Multiple use of Spaces; In order to make optimum use of limited pace available
in the building and to overcome the limitations imposed by the cold climate,
large central space earmarked as assembly area, is used for performing
multiple activities like teaching , meeting, undertaking cultural activities and
entertainment and accordingly remains heart and soul of the school building.
Making use of Geo-Thermal energy; Portion of the building falling on the
northern side, has been planned and designed to be lower than normal ground
8. level- and has accordingly been kept, one meter below the prevailing ground
level - because earth's temperature at this depth has been recorded to be
relatively warm in winters / cool in summers- which helps in creating comfortable
living conditions in the northern part of the building, through the use of geo-
thermal energy
Ground Floor Plan of the School Building
iv. Orientation
Understanding Solar Movement; Buildings have been planned and designed
after detailed study and in-depth analysis of the orientation of the site and
behavior/movement of the sun during summer and winter seasons in the cold
and dry climatic region.
Optimizing Solar Heat; Orientation has been embedded as integral part of
building design in order to make optimum use of solar heat and light, in order to
overcome the challenges posed by extreme cold and non-availability of the light
from the power grid/conventional sources of power.
Orienting South; Considering the distinct advantages offered by the
Southern side, building have been oriented with larger part of buildings
housing human activities, facing South direction. South orientation keeps
buildings warm in winters through passive solar heating, providing most cost-
effective option of creating ambient living and working conditions within
buildings.
9. Large Windows provided on Southern side; For making best use of sun light
and sun heat, building envelop has been designed with larger openings provided
on the southern direction.
v. Structure
Simple; Structure system adopted for the building has been kept simple, for the
ease of construction ; use of locally available material and avoiding the use of
steel and concrete.
Walls; The compact double-storied building has been constructed with one-two
feet thick walls, made of rammed earth, sourced from the site itself, which also
act as load bearing structures. Thick rammed earth walls keep building warm in
winters /cool in summers; act as heat bank; absorbing heat from sun during day,
storing it and releases to rooms at night.
10. vi. Material;
Using Local Materials; Considering the non- availability of latest building
materials and high cost of building technologies used in the modern
construction and restrictions imposed by the cost and absence of skilled labour
; using available local building materials based on earth and traditional
construction technologies were considered the best and most appropriate option
for making of the buildings.
High Mass Building Envelop; Majority of material used for construction in the
campus buildings includes, wood, sand , earth and clay, which are known for
its distinct qualities to have a high thermal mass and low thermal conductivity,
which has helped in creating high mass building envelop, ensuring the retention
of solar heat within the building.
Using Rammed Earth; Material used for construction of thick walls is made out
of rammed earth , sourced locally , by digging the north portion of building. Earth
sourced from site, mixed with sand and clay, in a pre-determined proportion and
put in a wooden frame at the site. The mixture is then rammed /compacted with
pounders to create bricks, which are then used for construction of walls.
Building Envelop; Building envelop has been carefully and thoughtfully
designed so as to minimise heat loss, maximize heat gain and admit maximum
day-light within the building. Accordingly, for making building envelop efficient,
material used for creating building envelop is bricks made of rammed earth.
Thickness of walls has been varied from one- two feet, which not only act as
structural walls, supporting the live and dead load of building but also work and
operate as the heat bank. Thick earthen walls help in storing day-time radiated
solar heat which is emitted by walls at night to provide required heat to keep
inside warm. Outer walls , are insulated by erecting another jacket wall, which is
separated from inner wall be a gap of 6 inches. Gap between two walls is filled
with low-cost insulating materials involving saw dust, wood shaving, waste
paper and plastic. Cow dung mixed with clay and earth is used for wall finishes,
which have been found to be both cost-effective and energy efficient.
Sourcing Earth from Site; Earth used in the construction was sourced from
Northern portion of the building, which was dug one meter below the ground
level, in order to source earth required for construction and making optimum
use of geo-thermal energy to promote heating during winter and cooling during
summer and cooling of the northern side. In addition, the space dug out on the
northern side was also made to act as the foundation and to provide stability to
the building.
Minimising Carbon footprints ; Sourcing earth, the main building material
used in building, from site itself eliminated the need of transportation basic
11. material from long distance, reducing the embodied energy of the building and
making construction of building both cost-effective , energy efficient besides
minimising pollution and burning of fossil fuel due to transportation. When
construction work was finished, site had no debris to be thrown away resulting
in making environs neat and clean.
Insulating Roof; Wood waste generated from wood work undertaken during
construction was mixed with rammed earth to promote insulation in the Roof;
which led to minimize heat loss from roof.
vii Promoting Landscape;
Despite the fact that SECMOL is locate and built in a desert, having very little
availability of water, still institution has been able to use its innovations to
landscape the campus by planting fruit trees and creating vegetable gardens.
The approach road to the SECMOL is lined with fruit trees including apricot,
mulberry and apple, whereas vegetable gardens have been created behind the
kitchen and space housing cell rooms for students. Institution uses the
mechanism of green houses to trap heat to grow vegetables even during the
extreme cold months to meet the needs of fruit and vegetables required for the
consumption of residents.
In addition, trees like; Poplar, Willows Russian Olives and Robina (kikar), are
also grown in the campus which take care of the needs of the wood/timber
required for making additions/alterations to the construction undertaken in the
campus. In addition, campus also has planted numerous local plants including
12. Sea buck thorn and Leh Berry, which provide edible fruit and juice for human
consumption.
All this has been made possible by the use of grey water , which is generated
through the kitchen and bathrooms and used for meeting the needs of the water
for the landscape and plants.
viii Outcome
High Degree of Energy efficiency; Building during its successful operation
for last more than 25 years, has already demonstrated and established that
building has remained highly energy efficient and resource efficient. The
success of the building and building envelop in combatting cold, can be
observed from the fact that when outside temperature was recorded as low -
25°C in winters ; inside temperature recorded was as high as +14°C, without
support of any mechanical means/fuel used for heating.
Net Zero Carbon ; Considering the fact that building does not have any grid-
based electric connection and also does not require fossil fuels for heating, even
during peak winter months, and accordingly building remains net zero carbon.
Using Local Material and Technologies; SECMOL also has clearly
demonstrates and established the role, relevance and importance of local
culture, local materials and traditional construction technologies in creating
sustainable buildings.
Establishing the Role of Building Design; SECMOL has also established the
fact that role of designing buildings, making optimum use of orientation, studying
the climate, site conditions and traditional system and practices of human living,
remain always relevant and critical in creating climate responsive buildings.
Role of Natural Elements; SECMOL has also established that buildings
designed with nature and making optimum use of natural elements of Prithvi,
13. Jal, Agni, Vayu and Akash remain the best option of creating most climate
responsive, resilient and sustainable buildings.
Reducing Operation and Maintenance Cost; Studies have revealed that
considering the life-cycle cost of a building, initial cost has been estimated to be
merely 10% of the total cost, whereas the cost of construction /maintenance of
building over its entire lifespan has been estimated to be as high as 90%.
Accordingly, in order to make the building cost-effective in real sense of the
term, more important shall be to reduce the maintenance and operational cost
of building, in addition to reducing the initial cost. Considering the need for
conserving heat , building design and use of mud as material of construction
ensures that building stays warm. In addition, to combat cold and to overcome
the problem of heating the water SECMOL has also innovated by creating its
own solar water heater, costing merely Rs 3000/100 liters as compared to
commercial heater costing Rs 25,000/100 liters in the market . Moreover, since
it is homemade and accordingly can be repaired by the inhabitants itself .
Further, since water is heated by Solar heat so no cost is involved in the heating
of the water also, reducing the operational cost of building.
Multiple use of Spaces- Assembly Hall- SECMOL
Note; This article is based on the material, sketches and literature sourced from
the article-SECMOL - A Trans-Himalayan Odyssey : Case Study on
14. Climate ResponsiveArchitecture in Leh, written by Habeeb Riyan;
Indian Architecture News; Passive Solar Architecture-Why Ladakh’s
SECMOL School is the Most Unique School in the World; Curated
By: Education and Careers Desk; TERRA-Awarded SECMOL School In
Leh Is Epitome of Rammed Earth & Passive Solar Architecture by Ar Bahga
Sarabjit; and Padmanabhan Sujatha; SECMOL; Vikalap Sangam Website-
Learning and Education; which is thankfully and gratefully acknowledged.
**Author;
Jit Kumar Gupta
Former, Director,
College of Architecture, IET Bhaddal, Punjab
#344/40-A, Chnadigarh-160036
Mail- -jit.kumar1944@gmail.com