Studio UnTAG-Barefoot School of Crafts Goa

Unbuilt: BAREFOOT SCHOOL OF CRAFTS, made in Goa – Competition Entry for Serendipity Arts Festival by Studio UnTAG

The school is envisioned as a composition of two linear pavilions, one housing the classrooms / exhibits, the other housing a large multipurpose space, the two separated by a green court. These pavilions are planned on a replicable cost effective grid of 4.5m, thus giving the flexibility of adapting to various site conditions, creating multiple iterations of the same base plan. - Studio UnTAG
Studio UnTAG-Barefoot School of Crafts Goa

BRIEF – to design an affordable, replicable, easily buildable module for a School promoting local crafts

OUR INTENT – to showcase the built-form as a live ILLUSTRATION, as one of the Goan Crafts

Conceptualizing on the idea of Build, Learn and Earn, where the natives build it, learn in it as also earn a livelihood through it.

Studio-UnAG-Barefoot School of Crafts GoaDESIGN – The school is envisioned as a composition of two linear pavilions, one housing the classrooms / exhibits, the other housing a large multipurpose space, the two separated by a green court. These pavilions are planned on a replicable cost effective grid of 4.5m, thus giving the flexibility of adapting to various site conditions, creating multiple iterations of the same base plan.

CONSTRUCT – The two pavilions are envisaged as an EPITOME of the regional architectural style, using the native materials, availing local labour of masons/craftsmen, sensitizing to the tropical climate.

CORE IDEAS

  • builtform as an exemplar of local crafts

  • build, learn, earn

  • use native materials

  • embrace the tropical climate

  • apply regional construction techniques

  • promote vernacular architecture

  • create work opportunities for natives

  • reinstate Goan art through architecture

  • simple replicable modular planning

Model:

 

Drawings

Exhibition Panels

Unbuilt: BAREFOOT SCHOOL OF CRAFTS, made in Goa - Competition Entry for Serendipity Arts Festival by Studio UnTAG 2

Views:

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STRATEGIES

1. PASSIVE SOLAR STRATEGIES

Adaptable orientation of the builtform

Bamboo Screens with Planters as buffers, for minimum heat ingress

Well protected openings with large thatch roof overhangs

Green Court between the two pavilions, facilitating cross ventilation

2. NATIVE MATERIALS

use of Local materials with lesser embodied energy like Laterite (chira), Bamboo, Thatch

Terrazyme Mud Floors with bamboo reinforcement

Minimal use of glass, cement / concrete, aluminum

3. COST EFFICIENCY

Conventional Construction Techniques, known to the native craftsmen

Minimum solid walls, lesser plastered surfaces

Linear Pavilions with Manageable short spanned structures

4. ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Well shaded, cross ventilated spaces with large fenestrations ensure minimum electrical consumption during daytime

Photovoltaic Cell Installation above Toilet Block

Reed bed treatment for waste water disposal from toilets

Percolation pits with gravel beds in landscape to recharge watertable levels

5. MODULARITY

Replicable grid of 4.5m for the Pavilions, to adapt to various site areas and specific design briefs

Multipurpose large spaces in Pavilion 2, can further be subdivided using bamboo screens

– Studio UnTAG

Share your comments

Recent

Architecture Ouroboros © Kavas Kapadia1

Indian Architecture: Taming the Ouroboros for a Brighter Future

In his article, Kavas Kapadia paints a hopeful picture of the future of Indian architecture, showcasing how despite challenges like identity struggles and limited support, dedicated Indian architects are beginning to thrive, innovate, and establish their presence, hinting at a promising future for the profession.

Read More »

What It Takes to Succeed in Architecture Profession

Anoop Menon writes about architecture as a profession requiring more than talents—critical thinking, problem-solving, and significant financial commitment. He presents an overview of what students should expect from academia and profession in general.

Read More »
Herati village, post-2023 earthquake. © UNDP/ People in centre

Domes of Identity: When Earthquake Challenges Herat’s Earthen Traditions

While the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Herat, Afghanistan, destroyed countless traditional earthen homes, exacerbating vulnerabilities, Juhi Desai and Vivek Rawal, People in Centre (PiC), elaborate on PiC’s reconstruction efforts with UNDP. The focus was on empowering local communities by incorporating hazard-resistant features into familiar building techniques like adobe and domical vaults, bridging tradition and safety.

Read More »