Situated in the arid desert region of Nokha in Rajasthan, India , the Narsighar house imbibes the traditional planning principles of the regional architecture prevalent since centuries in Rajasthan.
Most of the houses and palaces built in this region since centuries had courtyards for passive cooling , thick stone walls to combat the excessive heat and stone “jali” screens to mitigate heat gain.
The Narsighar house is punctuated with a series of courtyards and built in the local sandstone available in the immediate vicinity. Each of the living spaces open into sheltered outdoor spaces screened with perforated stone panels. These screens in addition to reducing heat gain, also protect the inner spaces from the sandstorms prevalent in the region.
The home based on the clients needs to accommodate 4 generations has 9 bedrooms with multifunctional living spaces ,sheltered courtyards & patios all around.
In addition to the traditional planning principles, elements of traditional Rajasthan architecture including multifoil arched windows, patterned stone screens, stone pergolas, inlay work & carving work accentuate the spaces. Rajasthan in India is home to many craftsmen with crafts including stone carving, marble inlay, carpentry work, mirror work inlay, lime plaster and more. The entire house was executed and worked upon by these local craftsmen reviving many traditional techniques. Indirect sunlight permeates all the spaces filtered through arches or stone screens creating different shadow patterns throughout the day.
This house was designed with traditional principles and materials for passive cooling with contract labor from the nearby villages, stone from the vicinity, craftsmen from the region & all material sourced locally. The marble, stone, wood, lime plaster, and furniture are all procured from Rajasthan.
Designed contextual to the climate, location, and heritage of the region Narsighar revives the Indian traditional planning principles and revives traditional crafts, creating an energy efficient home built to last for centuries, for future generations.
