The Lodsi Community Project for Forest Essentials

Morphogenesis

Short description

The Lodsi Community Project for Forest Essentials

• The Lodsi Community Project, completed in the pandemic year of 2020, champions social and environmental sustainability
• The project is nestled in the Himalayan foothills uphill from the banks of the river Ganges near Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.
• Our approach to the design and development of the facility was highly specific to the site topography, climate, and the immediate context. It has been designed in a manner that does not exceed the footprint of the previously existing structure.
• The project is a model of decentralised industrialization and an off-grid sustainable production unit that is net zero on energy, water and waste.
• It is a manufacturing facility for holistic products that focuses on reviving the ancient science of Ayurveda.
• The Lodsi area is remote and lacks infrastructure and basic amenities such as energy, water, roads, etc. This results in most of the people of this community migrating to overcrowded urban centres.
• The client brief was to construct a manufacturing facility where the local communities can work in a “walk to work” environment rather than walking many kilometres across undulating terrain to reach their workplace.
• The brand’s philosophy of infusing ancient wisdom with contemporary aesthetics presented the Architects with an opportunity to adapt vernacular construction techniques to create a contemporary production facility.
• This project supports 800 people scattered along the hillside. The local community built this project and as architects we understood and deployed local strategies and local materials, construction details and techniques.
• The built form draws inspiration from its context of the traditional Garhwali ‘kholi’ (house).
• A rectilinear volume oriented along the East-West axis has been planned with a central entry that divides the facility into two parts.
• The North-South oriented butterfly roof form, reminiscent of the traditional roof not only provides a modern aesthetic but also permits the use of large openable windows that take advantage of the prevailing Northeast and Southeast winds for ventilation, further providing 80% naturally daylit spaces.
• Functions that require a cooler environment such as herb grinding, packaging, and storage are located on the upper floor, whereas preparatory functions with high-internal heat-gain are located on the lower floor.
• The high volume of space with operable clerestory windows enforces Bernoulli’s principle and helps moderate the indoor temperatures.
• A central light well eliminates corridors, forming a well-lit communal space for the workforce.
• Façade shading, WWR (window-to-wall ratio) and building materials were analysed and optimised to provide a high thermal mass façade resulting in an energy-efficient building envelope.
• Sustainability Metrics Achieved
o Passive design and local construction strategies helped achieve an energy efficient building with EPI of 38kWh/m2/yr. which is entirely offset by solar energy.
o Energy+: The building operates with an EPI of 38kWh/m2/year; The Solar plant of 55kWp; installed on the roof does not only offset its own requirement but generates surplus to supply back to the grid, thus proving to be “Energy +.”
o Net Zero Water
 Annual Terrace Rainwater Potential: 740cu.m.
 Per day water requirement of factory: 30cu.m.
 Due to site constrains tank optimized as per SVA GRIHA** standards. Rainwater tank to suffice two–day requirement: 60cu.m.
o Net Zero Waste: Leftover and waste-materials at site have been repurposed and used throughout the facility e.g., reclaimed wooden rafter as light fixtures, waste purlin sections as tube light holders, stone chisels as door handles, re-bars connected to form a washbasin pedestal, etc. Any by-products of the facility are either reused or used for composting. This results in a building that is entirely net-zero on energy, water, and waste.
• The facility employs 65 workers which, directly or indirectly, supports 75% of the village households. An all-inclusive ecosystem, provision of large open-air tiered aangans (gathering space) are used for advocacy programs and by kids after school.
• The existing gaushala (a space for animal husbandry and production of milk-based products) was incorporated in the planning and augmented with a community gathering space.
• The use of vernacular materials, techniques and village labor forms the ethos of the facility, making it a project for the locals, built by the locals and for the employment of the locals.