Scorcher Shelter

The studio specializes in climate-responsive design, studying extreme climatic conditions to identify and apply innovative building solutions. By drawing insights from vernacular architectural practices, we come up with designs which are user and environment friendly in diverse climates. The objective of the project was to create a residential space tailored for a family of four, comprising parents who are both writers, along with their two children—a son and a daughter. Jodhpur, Rajasthan, selected for its extreme hot and dry climate compounded by relentless dusty winds, posed a formidable challenge. The summer months, in particular, were characterized by harsh conditions. To address these adversities, our first step involved procuring and studying comprehensive climate data for the region. This included a thorough examination of dry bulb temperature values and humidity levels. Furthermore, the path of the sun throughout a year’s period was closely studied, paying attention to the feels-like temperature at different times of the day. This helped us figure out the best directions for building, and helped come up with strategies to make Jodhpur’s extreme climate into a more habitable and comfortable environment.