THE CASE STUDY OF CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT

STUDIES (KERALA)
TSAP - F.Y.B.ARCH 2020 (College Project)

HARDIK VEPARI – 112

ADITI VERMA – 113
ASHISH VISHWAKARMA – 114
 CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION
2. OTHER WORK OF SIR LAURIE BAKER
3. LOCATION
4. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
5. CONCEPTS OF CENTRE
6. BUILDING USE
7. FORM & MASS
8. SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
9. LIGHT & SHADES
10.USAGE OF EXPOSED BRICK & FILLER SLAB
11.DRAWING
12.REFERENCE IMAGES
 INTRODUCTION
 Lawrence Wilfred "Laurie" Baker (2 March 1917 – 1 April 2007) was a British-born
Indian architect.
 He was a pioneer of sustainable architecture as well as organic architecture,
incorporating in his designs even in the late 1960s.
 He moved to India in 1945 in part as an architect associated with a leprosy mission
and continued to live and work in India for over 50 years.
 The English architect was granted citizenship of India in 1988, something he had
actively sought his entire life. Some of his noteworthy works include the Laurie Baker
Centre, the Indian Coffee House, and the Centre for Development Studies in
Trivandrum, Kerala.

QUOTES –

 There's an old saying: manners maketh the man. I think they also make good architecture.
 Bricks to me are like faces. All of them are made of burnt mud, but they vary slightly in shape and
colour.”
OTHER FAMOUS WORK OF SIR LAURIE BAKER

THE INDIAN COFFEE HOUSE THE LAURIE BAKER CENTRE

 LOCATION

CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES located in a residential area in the

northwest part of thiruvananthapuram, 2kms from Ulloor, Kerala.
 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
 Climate Thiruvananthapuram (India) The climate here is
tropical. Rainfall is significant most months of the year, and the
short dry season has little effect. The Koppen-Geiger climate
classification is Am. The temperature here averages 25.7 °C |
78.3 °F.
 The driest month is January, with 23 mm | 1.3 inch of rain.
Most of the precipitation here falls in June, averaging 319 mm |
12.6 inch.
 CONCEPT OF CENTRE
 The Center for Development Studies is a
structure that flows through its surroundings.
The structure mainly made out of bricks was
built on a rugged sloping terrain on the
outskirts of the city.
 The structure is built such that it not only leaves
the natural surroundings as it is but creates a
poetic fixture within the surrounding itself.
 The walls curve and meander around the trees
without disturbing them, infact including them
within the design. the concept of the structure
is typical of Laurie Bakers style, which utilizes
materials from within the surroundings and
also creates sustainable and environmentally
conscious structures.
 This not only helps maintain the natural
3D MODEL OF CDS ecological balance, but also gives the structure
a number of benefits viz. shade cooling, etc.
 BUILDING USE
The building has been developed and created to provide
multiple utilities a Library, Computer center, Auditorium,
hostels, guesthouses and residential units for the staff.

CDS AUDITORIUM CDS LIBRARY

 FORM AND MASS
EXTERIOR
INTERIOR
 The meanders of the walls maintain the
delicateness of the surroundings diffuses the
demarcation between the "external" and
"internal" and creates a environment of open
learning and education.
EXTERIOR –
 The entire structure is made of bricks and
other locally available natural materials. The
façade of the structure is as it is, and does not
conceal the brick constructions.
 Furthermore, to add on to the informality and
simplicity of the structure, it lacks a front
door, making it a more welcoming space.
INTERIOR –
 To keep the interiors of the computer building
cool, Baker has devised the imaginative use
of a false external jaali screen wall which acts
as a skin.
 The air trapped in between acts as insulation
and keeps the interiors cool.
 All the buildings in the campus are
climatically so efficient that even fans are not
required. The interiors are cool and
comfortable.
 SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
 Sustainable architecture is the type of architecture which
aims to create structures which are environment friendly by
utilizing materials which are recyclable, renewable and most
importantly locally available.
 Laurie Baker's work involves using locally available materials,
creating designs with ample of air and light circulation and
utilizing the contours and landscape of the site without
disturbing them.
 These materials suit the hot, wet and humid climate of
Kerala and also encourage minimal use of non-renewable
USE OF BRICK WORK
resources.

 The structure has been built so delicately that the

landscape/contours are not tampered with. The design
responds to the surroundings by changing as per the
contours and responding to the landscape requirements.
 Organically flowing walls and curved roofs have been used to
blend and seamlessly integrate the building in the
surroundings.
 LIGHT AND SHADES
 Jaalis in the brick walls of numerous designs
creating amazing patterns of light and shade inside
the buildings while at the same time letting in wind
and light.
 Laurie Baker believed that windows were costly and
found jaalis to be a more efficient and smart choice
in his designs. The jaalis not only provided for
enough circulation of air and light throughout the
structure but also created a diffused pattern of light
and shadows on the surrounding walls.
 Jaalis are used in the design such, that they serve
exactly the same purpose of a window and yet
prove to be less costlier than an actual window.
 Jaalis allow the light such, that the diffused light not
only creates an interplay of positive and negative
space but also nourishes the structure with ample
USE OF JAALIS IN THE STRUCTURE of natural light.
USAGE OF EXPOSE BRICK & FILLER SLAB
EXPOSED BRICK:
 The usage of exposed bricks is done to avoid extravagance and add
a touch of humility in the design, a trademark of Laurie Baker's
works. There isn't any attempt to conceal the brick work but infact
used such that it adds on to the beauty of the structure.
 The bricks have been used such that they create patterns and
shadows in the structure, and on the façade. This is in coherence
with his principles of creating interest via simplicity.
FILLER SLAB:
 In an RCC slab, concrete is required in its top half (which is in
compression). However, it is structurally not required in the bottom
portion (which is in tension).
 So the concrete in this portion (bottom) of the slab can be replaced
by low cost, lightweight filler material like Mangalore tiles or clay,
etc.
 Filler slabs are employed by replacing this purposeless concrete by a
filler material thus reducing the weight of the slab and hence the
cost of construction. Since the weight of the slab is decreased, the
requirement of reinforcement steel is also decreased, further
diminishing the expenses in construction.
 Filler slabs are one such cost-effective roofing system which is based
on the concrete portions and instead placing filler material there.
FILLER SLAB
 DRAWING

PLAN

SECTION

AERIAL VIEW
REFERENCE IMAGES
THANK YOU