ENVIRONMENTAL SANTITATION INSTITUTE,

AHMEDABAD
MADE BY: HONEY, SHIVAM, ADITI, HARSH P.
 INTRODUCTION
 ARCHITECT: YATIN PANDYA
 LOCATION: SUGADH, AHMEDABAD
 CONSTRUCTION: 2001-2004
 SITE AREA: 7,500 SQUARE METERS
 BUILT AREA: 2,500 SQUARE METERS
 ACTIVITIES AND DESIGN
 The institute conducts training, education and awareness programs in the field of
environmental sanitation and health and brings together professionals and workers
at all levels of decision making and implementation, both international and local.
 The program includes academic areas, library and resource centre, computer
rooms, outdoor demonstration spaces and support spaces like administration, multi
purpose halls and also residential spaces both for students and staff.
 The age group of the students, the participatory rather than instructive nature of
learning and the Gandhian idea of learning by living together act as directives in
the conception of the idea of the institute as an unrestricted arena for interaction,
involvement and interchange.
 The design responds to the site both at the local and the locational levels. Located
in the rural taluk of Sughad in Gandhinagar, the design attempts to retain the rustic
ambience of the place. Informal space organization, low skylines, ground hugging
profiles replete with plinths and courts, simple material and technology and the
imageabilty of distinct parts of the otherwise contiguous built form through the
roof are some of the design features in this attempt.
 PHYSICAL CONTEXT
 The smaller triangular plot on the southeast is the only accessible area from the road and
thus becomes the entry plaza, initializing the movement sequence into the institute.
 The existence of three trees in this plot is exploited by using them as visual guides in this
process.
 The constriction caused by the junction of the rectangular and triangular plots of land
demarcates the main movement route to the institute from the one, which leads to the
residential and service areas.
 The garden on the north orders development along the institutional corridor, which forms
the edge between the built and the un-built along the diagonal of the site from the
entrance.
 Residential and service areas are accommodated in the southern half of the development
with clear demarcation from the institutional areas.
 Higher massing at the south west of the site exploits view to the garden as well as shades
the lower masses on the north. They also become the main visible feature from the bridge
across the canal.
 RESOURCE CONSERVATION: LAND MANAGEMENT
GROUND MANAGEMENT:
 OPTIMISATION THROUGH PLACEMENT: DIAGONAL PLACEMENT OF BUILT-MASS WITHIN SITE
ENSURES SIZEABLE OPEN SPACES IN ALL DIRECTIONS OF THE SITE.
 CLUSTERING: USABLE SPACES ARRANGED AROUND COURTYARDS GENERATE ACITIVITY POCKETS.
 CULTIVATION(HORTICULTURE): REPRODUCTIVE RESOURCE EXPLOITED THROUGH CREATION OF
KITCHEN GARDENS AND HERBAL/FRUIT PLANTATION THROUGH SEASONAL ORGANIC FARMING.
 CUT AND FILL: THE SOIL EXCAVATED FROM THE SITE FROM THE SUBTERRANEAN AREA WAS PILED
TO RAISE THE GROUND LEVEL IN THE OTHER AREAS.
 TERRACES USED AS ALTERNATE GROUND: TIED TERRACES WITH INLAYED GAMES, BUILT-IN
SEATING, SERVING TABLES, PLANTERS, ETC. RENDER THEM ACTIVE OUTDOOR SPACES
SUBSTITUTING GROUND.
WASTE MANAGEMENT:
 BIOGAS PIT: SOLID WASTE FROM THE TOILETSAND KITCHEN ARE CHANNELISED INTO A BIOGAS
CHAMBER TO PROVIDE METHANE GAS AND FERTILIZERS.
 DECOMPOSITION PIT: ORGANIC WASTES FROM THE KITCHEN AND THE GARDEN IS PUT INTO A PIT
TO GENERATE NATURAL MANURE.
 RESOURCE CONSERVATION: WATER MANAGEMENT
WATER HARVESTING AND WASTE WATER RECYCLING
 RAIN WATER HARVESTING FROM ROOFTOP(CLOSED UNDERGROUND CISTERN): AN
UNDERGROUND WATER CISTERN(1.8 LAC LITRES CAPACITY), DESIGNED INTEGRALLY WITH THE
STRUCTURE, ENSURES A COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO HARVESTING UPTO 5 LAC LITRES A
SEASON AND STORING FILTERED RAIN WATER RUNOFF FROM THE ROOFTOPS.
 GROUND WATER RECHARGING(PERCOLATING WELLS): WATER AS SITE RUNOFF IS
CHANNELISED INTO FOUR PERCOLATIONS 3 METERS DIAMETRICALLY AND 10 METERS
DEEP(70,000 LITRES CAPACITY EACH).
 SURFACE WATER CATCHMENT(OPEN POND): WATER FROM ALL THE GARDEN AREAS FLOW INTO
AN OPEN POND. THIS WATER IS USED FOR ALL THE GARDENING REQUIREMENTS. IT ALSO AIDS
IN MICRO CLIMATE MODULATION AND IS A PLEASING SITE ELEMENT(CAPACITY 7 LAC LITRES).
RECYCLING:
 ROOT TREATMENT PLANT(PLANT BED):THE PLANT AUSTRALIS-PHRAGMATIS IS GROWN IN A
SPECIALLY DESIGNED BED THROUGH WHICH GREY WATER IS PASSED. AFTER A CYCLE OF 40
DAYS TOTALLY CLEAN WATER IS DISCHARGED TO BE REUSED FOR TOILET FLUSHING,WASHING,
ETC.(CAPACITY 5000 LITRES PER DAY FOR 50 PERSONS).
 RESOURCE CONSERVATION: ENERGY MANAGEMENT
SOLAR PASSIVE DESIGN:
 SUBTERRANEAN SPACES/VOLUMES: PASSIVE EARTH COOLING ACHIEVED THROUGH BERMING
AND CREATING SUBTERRANEAN USABLE SPACES.
 ORIENTATION AND OVERHANGS: ORIENTATION AND BUILDING PROFILE BASED ON PREVAILING
WIND DIRECTIONS AND SUN PATH.
 COOLING THROUGH MUTUAL SHADING: CASCADING BUILT FORM FAVOURABLY SHADES
SUBSEQUENT BUILT MASS CREATING COOLER INTERSTITIAL ZONES.
 VEGETATION/ WATER ELEMENTS: INTERSPERSED VEGETATION ZONES AND WATER ELEMENTS
PROVIDE EVEVAPORATIVE COOLING.
 FORM FACILITATING CONVECTIVE COOLING: VAULTED SPACES CREATE OPTIMAL VOLUMES
FOR CONVECTIVE AIR CURRENTS AND DISSIPATION OF THE HEAT.
SOLAR PASSIVE CONSTRUCTION:
 CAVITY WALL CONSTRUCTION: INTERNAL STRUCTURAL WALL SEPARATED FROM EXTERNAL
CURTAIN WALL THROUGH VENTILATED AIR CAVITY.
 INSULATED ROOF: THIN FERRO-CEMENT SHELL ROOF INSULATED BY LAYERS OF CHINA
MOSAIC AND VERMICULITE.
SOLAR ACTIVE RESPONSES:
 SOALR WATER HEATER/ COOKER: SOALR POWER USED TO HEAT WATER FOR DAILY
ABULTIONARY REQUIREMENTS AND COOKING.
 SOLAR CELL CAMPUS LIGHTING: PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS MOUNTED UPON LIGHT POLES TO AID
IN OVERALL CAMPUS LIGHTING.
PLANS AND SECTIONS