The Desert Grotto - Artist's Residence at Jodhpur

The Desert Grotto at Jodhpur is a residence for a sculptor, his wife (a painter), and their daughter, along with studio spaces and facilities for a homestay for 12 interns. The main climatic concerns of Jodhpur are the intense overhead sun and the hot dusty winds. Hence, the primary cooling and shading strategies of evaporative cooling and earth berming dictated the building form and organization of spaces. The outside hot air is not allowed directly into the building. A large pond is centrally placed, creating a cool air pocket from which air is circulated to the surrounding spaces and then evacuated via stack vents. The compact form minimizes exposure to the hot sun and wind. Simulations on building performance were carried out using RWind and Covetool software.