Golconda Ashram is a guest house in Pondicherry, India designed by George Nakashima and Antonin Raymond in 1942. It was one of the earliest examples of sustainable modern architecture, using reinforced concrete construction and passive design principles like cross ventilation. The simple layout featured single rooms arranged along north-facing galleries, with adjustable louvers, skylights and staggered doors to maximize air flow. Construction took nearly a decade to complete due to inexperienced crews and political unrest. The ashram prioritized environmental sensitivity and radical economy through its design and building methods.

1. IN PONDECHERY
BY. . .
ADITYA R. SINGH
5TH SEM. B.ARCH.(ID)
PIADS,NAGPUR
CASE STUDY
AT PONDECHERY-2013

2. Golconda Ashram
Golconda is a Guest House owned by Sri Aurobindo Ashram in
Pondicherry, India. It was designed by the architects George
Nakashima and Anton in Raymond, and was constructed by the
members of the Ashram in 1942 under the direct supervision of The
Mother. It is an architectural marvel that incorporates not only

3. Sited on the coastal edge
of the Bay of Bengal,
Golconda, a dormitory for
the Sri Aurobindo
Ashram in Pondicherry,
India, seamlessly
negotiating between the
tenets of early modernist
architecture while
addressing the pragmatic
impositions of a tropical
context. Espousing radical
economy and
uncompromising
construction standards, it
proposes environmental
sensitivity as a foundation
for the design process.

4. The building is notable
for being "the first
reinforced, cast-in-place
concrete building in
India," though Gupta and
Mueller view it as "one of
the earliest works of
sustainable modern
architecture in the world,
[espousing] the virtue of
radical economy and
uncompromising
construction standards".
As Nakashima oversaw the
project and its construction, the
original six-month construction
schedule was drawn out to years,
due to inexperienced construction
crews, political unrest affecting
imports, the desire to limit the noise
and disruptions usually associated
with large-scale construction, and

5. why the name Golconde ?
1) In Pondicherry, on the south-east
coast of India, behind the agitation a
sea set garden is hidden , called
golconde.
2) surrounded by high wall and nearly
acceside,it is the dormitory of the
ashram of Shri aurobindo.
3) From many point of view golconde is
a milestone.
4) The construction work started at
October 1938 and it took almost a
deccade to get completed.
5) The plan of the building is strikingly
simple.
6) The body of the building is of
reinforced. roof and slab are laid on
RCC frame and cantilevered from
corridoors.
Golconde Ashram :-

6. Waterproofing :-
1) Five layer of rubberier waterproofing felt and sedan were used.
2) The way of making both focus fully open able was to have both sides with open
able louvered, which could be fully open, half-opened or closed by a series of
simple commanding bars.

7. Layouts:-
1) The plan of golconde is very simple.
2) The architect of the ashram turned.

8. Windows :-
1) Horizontal louvers are provided in windows.
2) The louvered lock each other.

11. Store room :-
1) The walls are hollow with precast vertical louvered are present in metal
members.
2) The service area, the holes are made during casting.
pivoted are made during casting.

12. Introduction of Golconde(THE ROOM) :-
1) Circulation space is cantilevered it is three storied building was made
the inner walls were painted white and after on retouch has been done.
2) The height of the ceiling is 4M.
3) No columns have been used for the staircase.
4) They run from slab to slab.
5) No fans are provided in the room, sufficient height and air to pass
through rooms.
6) Plants are planted instead of railings.

15. Doors :-
1) Rooms are secreted from corridors by sliding doors that allow air to
circulate freely when open.
2) They have staggered state which allow ventilation even when doors are
closed.
3) Topmost part of all the doors is a skylight with sliding glass panes which
allow for wind movement.
4) They are no handles on the doors.

16. Structure :-
1) Independent columns and footing in high strength RCC with an
concrete surface left from finished without plastered.
2) It has two long staggers wings which are set at an angle on the narrow
plot thereby making limited space.
3) Each wing consists of a series of single rooms that are strung out along
a north facing gallery, which runs the length of the
building.
4) On both the north and south sides, the entries building surface louvered
to afford protection from the sun and from violent winds
and rains, while allowing for ventilation.

17. Suitably design the lighting facade with
staircase

19. Interiors And Materials :-
1) Khadappa stone used for flooring.
2) Doors- sliding teakwood.
3) Single piece teakwood used for railing on stairs opening made of asbestos and
concrete.

20. Bathroom :-
1) Separate bathing areas are present.
2) There are common bathrooms.
3) Bathrooms on mid landing.
4) In the bathrooms, the doors are louvers without frames.

26. Landscaping in Golconda ashram

27. A VIEW OF Golconda ashram

28. Multi purpose otta with front landscaping

30. Louvers
adjustable
windows for
better air
circulation
Cast in RCC Structure
Full timber partitions & door

31. Ground floor was
give jali for air
circulation
chhajja was
projected out
app. 1.5M

32. THANK YOU
BY. . .
ADITYA R. SINGH
5TH SEM. B.ARCH.(ID)
PIADS,NAGPUR
CASE STUDY
AT PONDECHERY-2013