Aavaran - A Shading Device

Heat is a major climate issue in a hot and dry city like Ahmedabad. In the case of low-income settlement in Vatva, the context, construction and materials used are not enough to overcome the problems like discomfort and illness due to overheating, thus proposing a climate strategy to reduce the harsh impacts of heat is necessary. The design process initiated by selecting a house unit vulnerable to climate crisis and understanding the necessary arrangements to be made to make it more climate resilient. The proposed design is a ‘shading device’ to protect the building from the direct sunlight by reducing the amount of solar heat gain. The shading device is a modular framework which opens up a scope of customization according to individual needs. Along with dealing with the climate, the design also tries to create usable quality space and bring about a new language in terms of physical appearance of a house in slum settlements.