· Architects

 Zero Energy Design Lab

  Location Gurugram, Haryana, India
  Category Hostel
  Lead Architects
 Sachin Rastogi, Payal Seth Rastogi
  Design Team
 Rohan Mishra, Naveen Pahal, Arya Kaushik, Tanya Makker
  Area
 60000.0 m2
  Project Year
 2017

It houses 360 students with recreational courts and mess facilities. The dorms are provided with
triple height terrace which takes away from the feeling of a conventional dorm. It gives them an
opportunity to come out and savour the outdoors. Terraces & activities are layered at multiple
levels to boost intercommunication amongst the students. The contorting central atrium allows
natural light to penetrate deeper in the building and also acts as a solar chimney that takes away
the stale and hot air within the building through stack effect. The building is also cost effective,
built at a rate of Rs. 1400/sq.ft without compromising on construction quality
Plans

The key factor in the design process was to enhance student interaction, within the indoor spaces
that percolates outward and interacts with the landscape around it. The linear block was twisted to
create, a shaded entrance (summer court) and an open terrace (winter court) on south and north
facades respectively, to encourage activities at all times diurnally and seasonally. The ramp acts as
a transition space between the harsh outdoor and cooler indoors thus protecting students from
getting thermal shock. It also consists of a cafeteria which acts as a student magnet that
encourages and promotes social activity. The shaded ramp coupled with the cafeteria and a
stationary shop creates a comfortable space which is enough to sustain long conversations
amongst the students. The terrace upstairs enables one to enjoy the weather during summer
evening and winter afternoons. The terrace overlooks the playing field and establishes a visual
dialogue with the overall context of the campus greens and other buildings.

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Design Strategy
Climate sensitivity has been an important parameter in our process, which followed, analysis of
solar radiation and air movement to develop a second skin on the façade that allows for thermal
insulation and light permeability at all time. A brick jali, circumscribing the building adds a
unique character and texture to its façade. The rotation angles of each brick were stimulated using
software (Ecotect, Grasshopper) to minimize solar radiations and direct heat gain on the façade.
The brick skin also accommodates balconies(4’ wide) which acts as a buffer zone between indoor
and outdoor spaces designed to remain at mean temperatures between the inside and outside
throughout the year. The jali also created a unique character of light and shadow that renders a
separate and a truly different imagery for each of the rooms used by the students. All local
materials used for this project and were procured within the radius of 500 km from the site.

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Section

Construction Methodology
21 feet high, 1” thick steel bars were fixed on the R.C.C beams using Hilti chemicals. Bricks were
specially manufactured with single holes so that they can be stacked one on top of each other by
inserting a single piece steel bar through the single whole. Based on the grasshopper script the
brick were individually rotated on a specific angle to reduce solar radiation, provide adequate
daylight and ventilation to the living units behind the skin. No cement mortar was used to
construct the jail spanning 21 feet in height and 250 feet in length.

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© Andre J. Fanthome

Facade Design Strategy

Using Rhino, Grasshopper and Ladybug a parametric script was written to analyse level of direct
and diffused radiation on the primary façade. The radiation value of each grid cell on the primary
façade then became the input for the rotation angles of the brick in front of it. By doing this, direct
and diffused radiations were reduced by 70% on the principle façade. Hence, reducing heat gain
on the principle habitable spaces behind the jali wall. Day lighting levels in the living units were
also constantly checked to ensure that the jali does not reduce it beyond 250 lux.

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 © Andre J. Fanthome

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