Fact File
Project Type: Residential
No. of Floors: G+4 & S+6
Location: Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Client: Shree Cement Ltd
Construction Company: Shree Cement Ltd
Size of Project: 3,15,000 sq.ft. (29,264 sq.m.)
Cost of Project: 81,81,818 USD
Design Firm: Sanjay Puri Architects
Interior Design Consultant: Baheti & Associates
Structural Consultant: Dr. Kelkar Design
MEP: Epsilon Design Consultancy
Photo credits: Dinesh Mehta
Source: v2com
Taking cues from the organic housing layouts of old Indian cities and villages, this housing project has an informal layout. Part of a masterplan of a 36-acre, self-sufficient housing project being developed for the personnel of a cement plant, the project is located amidst open land all around, with no other development in the vicinity.
A large, open landscaped park punctuates the overall masterplan with studio apartments, smaller and larger apartments, a school, and a club along the perimeter of the site. Within an area of 6 acres, a mid-rise building housing 72 studio apartments, 48 nos. of 2-bedroom apartments, and 48 nos. of 3-bedroom apartments are planned in an organic layout. Each building is designed with sheltered open courtyards, naturally ventilated circulation spaces, and garden spaces between them. Recessed windows, sheltered balconies, and cross ventilation mitigate heat gain in response to the hot climate of the location, where temperatures remain in excess of 35°C for 8 months annually.
To invoke a sense of vibrancy as a response to the project’s isolation, and to simultaneously imbibe traditional Indian culture, colorful hues accentuate the buildings and their circulation spaces. The internal spaces of each home are in neutral colors, allowing the occupants to have their own choices.
Since the overall layout is planned with a large 36,000 sq.m. garden, the apartment buildings are designed to create intimate sheltered spaces between them. These spaces are varied in each part of the layout by the organic nature of the building placement, creating multiple spaces with varying degrees of enclosure and shape.
All the water within the project is recycled and reused through its own sewage treatment plant. Extensive rainwater harvesting is integrated with the planning. The design also ensures and facilitates natural light and ventilation to all the spaces within.
