Sanjay Puri: Revolutionising the Dynamics of Architecture

Architect Sanjay Puri is a name to reckon with. Here, we take you through some of his most iconic projects.

With projects in over forty Indian cities and a strong design-built globally, the internationally acclaimed firm Sanjay Puri Architects listed in the top 100 worldwide, has evolved crafting “design solutions that are contextual and creating spaces that revolutionize the way they are experienced. Sanjay’s strong urges of exploring design and breaking barriers in the prosaic approach to architectural solutions get reflected when he says, “Sculptural buildings where spaces are explored uniquely are more interesting than conventional architectural styles.” A firm which has won numerous awards nationally and internationally in the twenty-eight years of existence, is recognised and applauded for consistency in producing sustainable and climate responsive architecture that is aesthetically vibrant.  With a total strength of 72, the essence of the firm’s design philosophy is constituted by evolving design solutions that are contextual and creating spaces that revolutionise the way they are experienced. Architecture+Design take you through some of his best works –

Project: 18 Screens
Location:Lucknow
Type: Residential Project

The project is planned alluding to the traditional Indian courtyard house design and in response to the climate of the location. Temperatures in the lengthy summer months here are in excess of 35°C, with the sun in the southern hemisphere. The extensive requirements of this 6-bedroom house are interspersed with sheltered open terraces and landscaped gardens around a two-floor-high, naturally ventilated courtyard. Patterned screens derived from traditional Indian architecture and the famous Lucknowi chikan embroidery sheath outdoor seating areas for each room on the south, west and east sides. These screens provide shelter from the sun, create different light patterns throughout the day and mitigate traffic noise from the busy arterial road on the southern side. The use of these screens also helps to reduce the heat gain substantially, and thereby, makes the building more energy efficient. Read more about this project here.

Project: Aria Hotel
Location: Nashik, Maharashtra
Type: Hospitality
Each level of the hotel is integrated with the natural contours of the site, thus minimising land cutting and landfill. No soil was taken out or brought into the site while constructing, making the construction both economical and sustainable. Over 50 percent of the walls are built with natural black basalt stone available in close proximity of the site. All the circulation spaces are naturally lit and ventilated, rendering the building energy efficient. Solar panels on the rooftop, over the banquet kitchen and parking areas generate 50 percent of the electrical energy required for the hotel. Rain water harvesting tanks, with water recycling and reuse, further add to the sustainable methods adopted for the design of this hotel. All the rooms, restaurant, spa and banquets open into sheltered balconies and decks that provide outdoor usable spaces, whilst minimising the heat gain into the internal volumes.

Project: The Rajasthan School
Location: Ras, Rajasthan
Type: Institutional

Imbibing the organic character of Indian villages and old cities, the Rajasthan School is a low-rise three-level school with open, enclosed and semi-enclosed spaces of varying volumes. Taking cognizance of the desert climate of its location, which has temperatures in excess of 35°C for most of the year, each of the classrooms are north oriented to derive indirect sunlight. The auditorium, primary school and administration space occupy the southern side of the plot, opening into a large, sheltered open area towards the north, beyond which the secondary school classrooms, library and cafeteria are located.

The semi-sheltered courtyard has multiple angular pathways, connecting the two parts of the school with landscaped play spaces that foster engagement. Traversed by a series of linear trapezoidal frames and sun-breakers, this focal area has a constantly changing shadow pattern depending on the sun’s direction throughout the day. The layout is intentionally fragmented, allowing open landscaped spaces to be interspersed with the school’s learning spaces. Read more about this project here.

Project: Stellar
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Type: Commercial

A rectilinear composition of offices that open onto landscaped terraces along an arterial city road, Stellar is a commercial building with retail spaces at the three lower levels and offices at the upper four. This 110-metre-long building is fragmented at the upper floors with north-facing terraces and is punctuated by a large two-level angular office space in the northwest corner. Designed in conformation with a very specific brief, the retail spaces occupy the lower levels along the extensive road frontage. Small offices constitute the upper levels with 30 percent of these opening onto landscaped terraces. The owner of the development wanted a clearly discernible office space of 500 sq metres. Angular folded planes create this office, set back from the road junction at the northwest corner, and punctuating the rectilinear composition of the rest of the building. Created with rust red-coloured composite aluminium sheets, this angular office volume is nestled within an open north-oriented terrace. The space is deliberately designed to contrast with the rest of the building, creating an interesting juxtaposition of colour, volume and geometry, in addition to creating an individual identity.