Morphogenesis

The The Indian Indian Perspective.

Perspective.

The The Global Global Context.

Context.

The Master Master Architect ArchitectSeries Series

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The underbelly, derived from a traditional baoli, employs earth sheltering, thermal banking and evaporative cooling to modulate surrounding temperatures.

Temperature and climate analysis for this region shows that at a depth of 3 metres (9.8 feet) the ground temperature equals the average temperature of the region, which is about 25ºC (77ºF). This, along with evaporative cooling, achieves stable temperatures of about 27ºC (81ºF) inside the structure without the use of air conditioning, even when outside temperatures are up to 20ºC (68ºF) higher.

Traditionally inspired low-cost methods of roof insulation have been used to cut down heat absorption. Inverted matkas (earthen pots) are laid across the surface, the space between filled with sand and bricks and then cast over with a thin, binding layer of concrete.

Matkas (earthen pots) sourced from local markets being assembled and installed on site

Typical matka section

Finished floor 50mm gap Concrete Matka filling (air insulation) Brick bat Tapecrete and water proofing

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Welded wire mesh

25mm gap

The space serves as a large student recreation and exhibition zone with a cafeteria and a performance area with space for fashion shows, and forms the anchor for the entire project.

Manipulation of the program enabled the elimination of a complete built-up floor, as the same functions are now designed to be carried out in the underbelly.

The underbelly, derived from a traditional baoli, employs earth sheltering, thermal banking and evaporative cooling to modulate surrounding temperatures.

Temperature and climate analysis for this region shows that at a depth of 3 metres (9.8 feet) the ground temperature equals the average temperature of the region, which is about 25ºC (77ºF). This, along with evaporative cooling, achieves stable temperatures of about 27ºC (81ºF) inside the structure without the use of air conditioning, even when outside temperatures are up to 20ºC (68ºF) higher.

Traditionally inspired low-cost methods of roof insulation have been used to cut down heat absorption. Inverted matkas (earthen pots) are laid across the surface, the space between filled with sand and bricks and then cast over with a thin, binding layer of concrete.

Matkas (earthen pots) sourced from local markets being assembled and installed on site

Typical matka section

Finished floor 50mm gap Concrete Matka filling (air insulation) Brick bat Tapecrete and water proofing

26

Welded wire mesh

25mm gap

The space serves as a large student recreation and exhibition zone with a cafeteria and a performance area with space for fashion shows, and forms the anchor for the entire project.

Manipulation of the program enabled the elimination of a complete built-up floor, as the same functions are now designed to be carried out in the underbelly.

Daylight performance analysis of the fluid self-shading courtyards

Studio workshops

Stepwell surrounded by performance seating Canteen interaction space

Lecture theatre & exhibition area Faculty room

Student lockers

Landscaped green buffer

Library resource centre

Sectional view

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Daylight performance analysis of the fluid self-shading courtyards

Studio workshops

Stepwell surrounded by performance seating Canteen interaction space

Lecture theatre & exhibition area Faculty room

Student lockers

Landscaped green buffer

Library resource centre

Sectional view

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DELHI NULLAHS Public

Client None (Advocacy) | Location New Delhi | Size 708 hectares (1750 acres) | Status In progress | Climate Composite

The emergence of the nullahs (watercourse) initiative stemmed from the realisation that the city has stopped generating memories. It is not just Delhi – few cities in India generate these like they did in the past. Rampant development, triggered by a population explosion, has caused the demise of urban spaces, and walkability options that allow people to experience a city close up are rapidly diminishing.

The nullah network traverses the national capital in a dense, contiguous system that spans 350 kilometres (217 miles) with 20,000 branches, across 708 hectares (1750 acres) of land, and ultimately all tributaries connect to the Yamuna River. Currently, the nullahs are unhygienic drains, in a dilapidated state – they smell, breed disease and pollute the Yamuna River.

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However, a relatively small effort can turn the nullahs into a valuable asset for the common citizen and address the distortion between infrastructure, transport and land use that has evolved over time through the city's rapid urban growth.

A key aim of this initiative is to use these rehabilitated waterways as an alternative transport network, and where possible, create last-mile linkages along the nullah network.

85

DELHI NULLAHS Public

Client None (Advocacy) | Location New Delhi | Size 708 hectares (1750 acres) | Status In progress | Climate Composite

The emergence of the nullahs (watercourse) initiative stemmed from the realisation that the city has stopped generating memories. It is not just Delhi – few cities in India generate these like they did in the past. Rampant development, triggered by a population explosion, has caused the demise of urban spaces, and walkability options that allow people to experience a city close up are rapidly diminishing.

The nullah network traverses the national capital in a dense, contiguous system that spans 350 kilometres (217 miles) with 20,000 branches, across 708 hectares (1750 acres) of land, and ultimately all tributaries connect to the Yamuna River. Currently, the nullahs are unhygienic drains, in a dilapidated state – they smell, breed disease and pollute the Yamuna River.

84

However, a relatively small effort can turn the nullahs into a valuable asset for the common citizen and address the distortion between infrastructure, transport and land use that has evolved over time through the city's rapid urban growth.

A key aim of this initiative is to use these rehabilitated waterways as an alternative transport network, and where possible, create last-mile linkages along the nullah network.

85

AMARNATH Public

Client Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board | Location Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir | Size 44 hectares (109 acres) | Aboveground building area 24,749 m2 (266,400 ft2) | Status In progress | Climate Cold

Amarnath is one of the most important pilgrimage shrines in India and is located in the upper Himalayas at an altitude of 4267 metres (14,000 feet). It is in a cave where an ice shivling (an abstract representation of the Hindu deity ‘Shiva’) is formed for three to four months a year during which the yatra (pilgrimage) takes place. For the rest of the year, the shrine is covered in snow. The design scope for this project involved the redevelopment of the base camp, design of a dwar (a symbolic gateway) to mark the culmination of the yatra, and limited overnight accommodation.

The base camp area is programmatically planned to accommodate 5000 pilgrims and allied infrastructure facilities. The campsite is at Baltal, which falls within an environmental protection zone in an

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avalanche prone location. The master plan is aimed at diverting avalanches from the semi-permanent facilities and redirecting them towards the river. Along with designing a solution, Morphogenesis was mindful of protecting the site when it would be submerged in snow for long durations.

The treacherous approach to the site adds the complexity of transporting material along thin rocky terrain, accessible only on foot or on the back of mules. Weather constraints allow only a three-month window to construct. The firm’s approach to the design was to try and carry nothing but construction tools to the site.

Taking inspiration from cave architecture, the design intervention set out to subtract from the existing rock forms, rather than add to the local ecosystem.

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AMARNATH Public

Client Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board | Location Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir | Size 44 hectares (109 acres) | Aboveground building area 24,749 m2 (266,400 ft2) | Status In progress | Climate Cold

Amarnath is one of the most important pilgrimage shrines in India and is located in the upper Himalayas at an altitude of 4267 metres (14,000 feet). It is in a cave where an ice shivling (an abstract representation of the Hindu deity ‘Shiva’) is formed for three to four months a year during which the yatra (pilgrimage) takes place. For the rest of the year, the shrine is covered in snow. The design scope for this project involved the redevelopment of the base camp, design of a dwar (a symbolic gateway) to mark the culmination of the yatra, and limited overnight accommodation.

The base camp area is programmatically planned to accommodate 5000 pilgrims and allied infrastructure facilities. The campsite is at Baltal, which falls within an environmental protection zone in an

102

avalanche prone location. The master plan is aimed at diverting avalanches from the semi-permanent facilities and redirecting them towards the river. Along with designing a solution, Morphogenesis was mindful of protecting the site when it would be submerged in snow for long durations.

The treacherous approach to the site adds the complexity of transporting material along thin rocky terrain, accessible only on foot or on the back of mules. Weather constraints allow only a three-month window to construct. The firm’s approach to the design was to try and carry nothing but construction tools to the site.

Taking inspiration from cave architecture, the design intervention set out to subtract from the existing rock forms, rather than add to the local ecosystem.

103

The design of The British School in New Delhi enriches the learning experience of its highly diverse student population by providing a contextual richness to their passage through education in India.

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The design of The British School in New Delhi enriches the learning experience of its highly diverse student population by providing a contextual richness to their passage through education in India.

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ITC CAMPUS Mixed-Use

Client ITC Limited | Location Rajarhat, West Bengal | Size 6.9 hectares (17 acres) | Aboveground building area 250,838 m2 (2.7 million ft2) | Status Under construction | Climate Warm-Humid

The ITC Campus is a project located in Rajarhat, an upcoming suburb of Kolkata. Rajarhat is being developed to handle the pressures of high-density urbanisation. The campus has a mixed land-use brief with IT and corporate offices, hotel, convention centre and residential towers. Being conscious of the tradition of cultural pride and the philosophical inclination of the people of the region, Morphogenesis aimed to create an identity for the entire project where buildings become the physical manifestation of the region’s rich artisanal culture.

The thread that weaves the mixeduse development together is the culture of Bengal, as reflected in its literary heritage, music, fine arts, drama and cinema.

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ITC CAMPUS Mixed-Use

Client ITC Limited | Location Rajarhat, West Bengal | Size 6.9 hectares (17 acres) | Aboveground building area 250,838 m2 (2.7 million ft2) | Status Under construction | Climate Warm-Humid

The ITC Campus is a project located in Rajarhat, an upcoming suburb of Kolkata. Rajarhat is being developed to handle the pressures of high-density urbanisation. The campus has a mixed land-use brief with IT and corporate offices, hotel, convention centre and residential towers. Being conscious of the tradition of cultural pride and the philosophical inclination of the people of the region, Morphogenesis aimed to create an identity for the entire project where buildings become the physical manifestation of the region’s rich artisanal culture.

The thread that weaves the mixeduse development together is the culture of Bengal, as reflected in its literary heritage, music, fine arts, drama and cinema.

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Taking inspiration from the pandals (temporary pavilions) that are set up in public spaces to host large gatherings of people; the partially sheltered central spine and the courts are articulated as open-air museums, with sculpture and art installations adding to the sense of ‘place’.

With this project, Morphogenesis intends to involve a very large artists community, sourced from all across Bengal to give final shape to this creative conception and bring back craft to the public realm.

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Taking inspiration from the pandals (temporary pavilions) that are set up in public spaces to host large gatherings of people; the partially sheltered central spine and the courts are articulated as open-air museums, with sculpture and art installations adding to the sense of ‘place’.

With this project, Morphogenesis intends to involve a very large artists community, sourced from all across Bengal to give final shape to this creative conception and bring back craft to the public realm.

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DESERT HABITAT

Master Planning

Client Undisclosed | Location Dubai, UAE | Size 215 hectares (532 acres) | Aboveground building area 2,146,060 m2 (23.1 million ft2) | Status Unbuilt | Climate Hot-Dry

The project was a design competition set in Dubai. The brief called for a mixed-use development that would attract the Indian diaspora in the Middle East region.

This project aims to address issues of displacement, migration and cultural memory.

The concept became an exercise in place making, by forming an identity that resonates with the common culture of the Indian diaspora, while still being rooted in the project context.

This multilayered brief hence called for a dual context and a dual identity.

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DESERT HABITAT

Master Planning

Client Undisclosed | Location Dubai, UAE | Size 215 hectares (532 acres) | Aboveground building area 2,146,060 m2 (23.1 million ft2) | Status Unbuilt | Climate Hot-Dry

The project was a design competition set in Dubai. The brief called for a mixed-use development that would attract the Indian diaspora in the Middle East region.

This project aims to address issues of displacement, migration and cultural memory.

The concept became an exercise in place making, by forming an identity that resonates with the common culture of the Indian diaspora, while still being rooted in the project context.

This multilayered brief hence called for a dual context and a dual identity.

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‘By doing the right thing, Morphogenesis may inspire a new generation of architects, business and civic leaders to embrace its vision.’ —Michael Webb, architecture writer, co-founder Archigram

This outstanding monograph delves into an exciting selection of esteemed works by Morphogenesis, one of India's most creative architecture and design firms, and a world-leader in net zero energy and sustainable design. Another successful addition to IMAGES’ Master Architect Series, this richly illustrated book combines stunning imagery with comprehensive

‘They have made a massive personal commitment to architecture as a way of life and with intelligence, determination and creativity, their approach is leading to a new architecture.’

—Prof. John Frazer, author of An Evolutionary Architecture

studies outlining the firm’s strong philosophical discourse across a vast range of typologies: residential; institutional; commercial; hospitality; offices; interiors; public; and master planning. Morphogenesis reinterprets India’s architectural roots and consistently employs passive design solutions for a unique contextual language. The Morphogenesis journey is a reflection of a contemporary Indian perspective within the global context, incorporating an inspired, forward-thinking

‘Morphogenesis’ designs have evolved ingeniously over two decades as the vanguard of modern regionalism in South Asia.’ —Christopher Benninger, Architect and Founder, School of Planning CEPT University

vision while respectfully referencing the spirit of traditional Indian subcontinental architecture in innovative forms. This is a must-have book for those looking to understand work at the vanguard of sustainable architecture.

‘Morphogenesis has successfully parlayed its global-local expertise into a forceful strategy for sustainable architectural design – – and urban development.’ —Dr Vikramaditya Prakash, University of Washington

‘Morphogenesis has mastered the architecture of good environments and created worthy buildings made to optimise resources.’ —Dr Simos Yannas, Director, Sustainable Environmental Design, The Architectural Association