Program

The clients, a non-governmental organization, wanted an office building at the lowest possible cost. The building was also to serve as a model to demonstrate the use of various environmentally friendly systems.

Planning

The building was planned based on passive climatic principals with the longer axis along the East - West direction, and partly submerged to minimize solar exposure. The fenestrations were detailed to maximize ventilation in the warm-humid climate. The spaces were segregated based on different functional needs, the computer training room that required a conditioned space was housed within an enclosed masonry structure with a ferro-cement roof and the training hall was accommodated under a canopy made of timber and bamboo.

Construction systems and materials

Materials with low embodied energy and a low carbon footprint have been used throughout. Stabilized mud blocks walls and precast ferro-cement channels roofing constitute the construction system for the computer room. The training hall roof is comprised of built-up timber columns, bamboo truss-work and bamboo mat corrugated roof sheets. The toilet block is built with bamboo reinforced ferro-cement walls.