The adobe house near Manchar is located on a plateau in Maharashtra, and rages with a view of agriculture fields and meandering river.
Since purchasing the land, the client has been developing a vision for the property. Discussions about the architectural design began soon after the first lockdown was lifted during the pandemic. This period of social restrictions allowed us to thoughtfully consider the context and purpose of the entire project. We dedicated time to studying the vernacular architecture and historical monuments in and around the village. In the meantime, the client engaged OIKOS for an ecological assessment of the site with an intention to restore the local ecology.
Based on their assessment and site analysis, the OIKOS team provided suggestions for probable locations of the residential units.
Memory, Patterns and Form
The client has spent school holidays in his ancestral home. His rural home is built on the edge of an agrarian landscape. The cultural symbols and elements associated with that home have become an integral part of his memory. The client wanted to recreate the memory of the interactive social life he experienced while growing up.
The design characteristics of the proposed house drew inspiration from the village’s traditional built environment, incorporating clues from the patterns and forms that evolved over centuries.
Material Palette
While observing the local houses, we made notes about the material assembly, local crafts, and various methods used for construction. The mandate given by the client listed use of local materials and local typology of architecture with contemporary facilities.
While developing the design, we started scouting for building materials that can be repurposed. Old windows and doors were procured from the timber market. Wood was procured from the local market and Alang Shipyard. The local vernacular houses are built with adobes and wood.
We procured soil from an old dilapidated home for making adobe (sun-dried bricks). The client found out the local panchayat is auctioning stone dismantled from an old gateway. The stone was re-used later to make the entrance steps. The memory of the village got preserved in another form.
The practice of reuse and recycling has been a consistent theme in our work. The properties and features of the materials get accommodated in the design process.
The House
The site is located near Manchar, a small town 65 km away from Pune city. The plateau is surrounded by a hillock on the east side; it overlooks the Ghod River on the north side. The design evolved over a series of discussions between the client and the architect, where we discussed the history, materiality, and context of the house. The house consists of a bedroom, toilet, and living space with veranda wrapped around 3 sides. Windows have built-in seating, which generates an informal space. The veranda extends on the north side to become a viewing deck.
The land parcel selected for the house has been a part of an agricultural field earlier. The house stands amidst the changing seasonal crop. The interior of the house evokes the texture and imagery of a local vernacular house; also, through the arrangement of openings, it is perpetually connected with the agrarian landscape.
The series of images highlights how flat, thin bricks were salvaged from a dilapidated structure and creatively reused. This integration ties the new building to the region’s architectural heritage.
कृषी संस्कृतीची निरंतरता राखणे हे घराचे एक कार्य होऊन जाते.
Other Photographs:
Drawings:
Project Details:
Name: House near Manchar
Location: Machar, Maharashtra
Status: Completed (2024)
Typology: Residential architecture
Designed by: Shoonya Collaborative
Design Team: Ar. Sayali Andhare, Ar. Yogesh Kurhade, Ar. Renu Kulkarni
Structural consultant: Ranjit Ghatge
Ecological consultant: OIKOS
Earth consultant: Darshan Joshi
Contractor: Vishal Walunj and team
Carpentry work: Baburam Bishnoi
Site supervisor: Rahul Chikhale, Gokul Walunj
Illustrations: Tanvi Dubbewar, Aditi Yemul
Photographs: Alex Sunshine
Description: Shoonya Collaborative
