Azim Premji Foundation: Sirohi School District

Designed for the Azim Premji Foundation, the campus serves a network of remote Rajasthani settlements, providing free education regardless of gender, caste, or religion. The 90,000 sqft complex comprises stone courtyard buildings across 4 acres, with capacity for 720 students and 120 educators. A communal dining hall and library sit at the centre, providing free meals and educational resources. Spaces for study and play are distributed throughout.

The organisation of the campus recalls the traditional dhani — a cluster of huts protected by an earthen berm with rainwater collection at its centre. The buildings form a moisture-retaining bowl, with a dense perimeter of drought-resistant planting enclosing a cooler social core. Drinking fountains and traditional taankas for rainwater harvesting serve as gathering spaces. Indigenous plants occupy micro-habitats suited to their moisture needs, aiding passive cooling. A communal kitchen garden supports the meal program. Treated wastewater is reused through plant-based filtration.

Studio: Flying Elephant Studio

Team: Rajesh Renganathan, Iype Chacko, Amrit Phull, Kunaal Mehta, Akash Taranath, Pranav Joshi, Mounisha Katneni, Shehbaz Shafi

Completed: 2024