72 Screens

Enveloped in abstractly folded planes of perforated screens, this 6 level office building creates a sculptural presence. Located in the city of Jaipur in India which has a desert climate with average temperatures ranging from 30oC to 50oC through most of the year . The building is designed in response to the excessive heat imbibing traditional elements. On a small plot of  1075  sq m , the building envelope is restricted on all sides in plan as well as governed  by height restrictions. The resultant floor area on each level after leaving mandatory open spaces is only  326 sq m.

The entire service core and toilets are located on its southern side thus effectively reducing the heat gain substantially in a location where the sun  is in the Southern hemisphere throughout the year. In addition a glass reinforced concrete  screen that takes its inspiration from the old traditional ‘jali’ screens of the architectural heritage of the region sheaths the building on all sides further reducing the heat gain and rendering the building very energy efficient.

Designed as a corporate office headquarters, the ground level houses a reception and conference rooms above a car parking basement with office areas at the above 5 levels.

The concrete screens around the building are supported by a steel framework with projections that vary from 0.9 to 1.5m . This creates an external periphery space for plants at each level that will act as further insulation from the external heat creating cooler office spaces within.

The office building thus overcomes the restrictions of its small plot creating office spaces that are very energy efficient to combat the excessive summers of its location while imbibing tradition in an abstract manifestation to create a sculptural quality for its inhabitants.