AR. BALKRISHNA VITHALDAS (B.V.) DOSHI'S FAMOUS BUILDING SANGATH

1. AR.
BALKRISHNA
VITHALDAS
DOSHI

2. • Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi was born on 26 August 1927. He completed his
studies at J. J. School of Art, Bombay in 1950
• He was a teacher, a speaker and an architect.
• He was Pioneer in the low-cost-housing. His constant concern was to find an
architecture that would meet the urgent needs of his country.
• “NIFT, New Delhi”, “Amdavad ni Gufa, Ahmedabad”, “CEPT, Ahmedabad”,
“Sangath”, “BV Doshi's office, Ahmedabad”, “IIM Bangalore” are few of his
works.
• Awards- Dr. Doshi has recieved several international and national awards
and honours.
Padma Shri Award, Government of India - 1976
Associate Member, Royal Institute of British Architects - 1954
Fellowship, Graham Foundation - 1958
Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Architects - 1971
Fellow, Indian Institute of Architects - 1971

3. • Combining his early work experience at Le Corbusier’s studio
in Paris with his own research into native Indian architecture,
he introduced a unique form of modernism to the country
that remained sensitive to the Indian context of community
and environment.
• Dr. Doshi’s ideas are not
borrowed, but they come
from an open minded,
though deliberate,
assimilation of influences.
He belives in sustainable
architecture

4. Sangath
Client - Balakrishna Trust
Year of Design - 1978
Location - Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Site Area - 2346 m2
Total Built-up Area - 585 m2
Project Cost - Rs. 0.6 Million

5. Sangath is a design laboratory where professionals from diverse
disciplines are invited to explore new visions, concepts and solutions
integrating arts, crafts, engineering and philosophy of life. There are
many ways to go inside Sangath. It has two main entrances, one at level
1.8 m and the other at 1m. Both finally reach the same place,
but through different paths.

6. Structure
• The structural system is based on poles and combined beams
with reinforced concrete slabs. In the recesses of the vaults of
the upper floors, iron and concrete have been used with high
insulation materials such as filling with brickwork. The
facades are covered with tiles or cement and plaster.
• The interiors are characterized by their different shapes and
light into different directions. The decor is based on building
materials, with the exhibition of prints formwork in concrete
ceilings, contrasting with the soft and smooth concrete floor
rust colored red. All materials and 60% of the workforce were
local.

7. Design features
• Sandwiched construction of vault
The vaulted roof is of locally-made clay fuses
over the concrete slab, which provides a
non-conducting layer. The top finish of China
mosaic glazed tiles further adds to the insulation.
Being white and glossy it reflects sun while being
made from clay it retards the heat transmission.
• Vaulted roof form
The roof form creates an efficient surface/volume ratio optimizing material
quantities. The higher space volume thus created provides for hot air
pockets due to convective currents that keep lower volumes relatively cool.
The ventilating window at upper volume releases the accumulated hot air
through pressure differences.

8. • Subterranean spaces
The building is largely buried under the ground to use earth masses
for natural insulation.
• Storage walls
External walls of the
building are nearly a
metre deep but have
been hollowed out as
alcoves to provide a
storage that becomes
an insulative wall with
efficiency of space.

10. Passive Solar Design
• Indirect/diffused light
To maximize daylight (intensity
of illumination) and to diffuse
Heat and glare, the light is
received in indirect manner by
diffusing it. There are three
ways by which natural light is
drawn within.
By upper-level large
openings towards north
direction, which is cool, and
consistent light is reflected off
the clouds.

11. Skylights, which are projected masses from
the roof, reflect the light on the white inner
wall surface, which further radiates light into
the room
Innermost spaces are lit up through small
cutouts in the roof slab, which are then filled
with hollow glass blocks that take away the
glare and transmit diffused light

12. Landscaping
• Microclimate through
vegetation cover and lawns.
• Water channels
Rainwater and overflow of
pumped water from the roof
tank are harnessed through roof
channels that run through a
series of cascading tanks and
water channels to finally
culminate in a pond from where
it is recycled back or used for
irrigating vegetation.

13. Water cascade (PATIO)
In the entrance
courtyard fountain
surrounded by dividing
pools are located at
ground level and
landscaped terraces.
Some of outer surfaces
of yard includes
arched ceilings coated
with irregular pieces of
white tiles.
The building performance is
something of much appreciation
as there is a difference of about 8
degree C between the interior
and exterior roof skin
temperatures. The time-lag for
heat transfer is nearly six hours.

14. Exposed natural finishes
The concrete of slabs and wall
surfaces are kept bare unplastered
as final visual finishes, which
provide a natural look and save on
finishing material quantity.
Use of secondary waste material
Paving material is a stone chip
waste while the roof surface is
glazed tiles waste laid down in
mosaic style.

15. THANK YOU