Manit Rastogi is an architect based in India. He is one of the co-founders of the architectural firm Morphogenesis, which is known for its innovative and sustainable designs. The firm focuses on creating architecture that integrates environmental and social principles with cutting-edge design concepts. Please note that there might have been developments or changes since my last update, so I recommend checking more recent sources for the latest information on Manit Rastogi and his work.

1. MANIT RASTOGI
SAI ADITYA SHAYNA K
1CF19AT093 1CF19AT106
MANIT RASTOGI
SAI ADITYA SHAYNA K
1CF19AT093 1CF19AT106

2. Ar. Manit Rastogi set up Morphogenesis in 1996 and the firm is based
out of New Delhi and specialized in offering services in Architecture,
Interior design, Masterplanning, Urban design, Landscape design,
and Environmental design consultancy.
Giving his views on innovation in architecture, he says that it is a
symbiotic balance between sustainability, affordability,
imageability, and livability.
Ar. Manith Rastogi
Sustainable buildings in his practice are designed to achieve
thermal comfort by reinterpreting and adapting traditional elements
and techniques and reducing dependence on mechanical
methods of cooling.
At Morphogenesis, sustainability is a core creative value and is
practiced in the evolution of the design, via passive techniques of
cooling such as thermal buffers, evaporative cooling, ventilation
strategies, water reservoirs, optimizing the surface area to volume
ratios and exploiting the building orientation.
THE WOODSIDE, KASOL
MATERIALS
INTRODUCTION
PLANNING STRATEGIES
INTERIORS AND PLANNING
CASE STUDY - Ar. Manith Rastogi, Morphogenesis
Keeping true to the principles of sustainability and to resonate with the setting the
architect uses local stone, wood to recreate a minimal and contemporary version of
colonial recreational spaces, with fireplaces, wooden floored and ceiling spaces,
ornamented tables etc.
Contemporary versions of wooden furniture and upholstery is used for a minimal effect
and to focus more on the natural scenery
Locally available materials like stone, timber, slate, and rubble are used for construction.
The minimal interiors drive the attention to the outdoor spaces to enjoy the views.
WOOD PLASTER
INSULATED
GLASS
LOCAL
STONE
GROUND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
The Woodside is a low-density luxury residential mountain villa
development comprising of 37 villas built on a 12-acre site in the picturesque
environs of Kasauli, India.
Kasauli falls in an interesting topographic and climatic zone where one needs
to deal with mountainous terrain and cool winters, while summers can get as
warm as the plains.
The site is a highly contoured piece of land with level differences of about 100
metres within the site.
Use of wood for
purpose of
insulation as well
as to contribute to
the earthy palette
Contributes to the
entire minimal look
and contrasts the
local timber and
stone
Essential for the
views as well as
the heat retention
during winter days.
Sized stone
masonry used for
compound walls,
fire places and
accent spaces in
a composition.
Sized stone
masonry used for
compound walls,
fire places and
accent spaces in
a composition.
Wooden fences
and frames used
for openings in
contrast to the
minimal white
Intricate wooden
furniture pieces
and wall hangings
mimic colonial hill
station houses.
Wooden
openings,
doors,
ceilings,
tables, chairs ,
cabinets, all
contribute to
the warm
interior feel of
the space
and a sense
of division of
spaces with
the lines
formed is
noticeable.
MASTER PLAN
The Morphogenesis approach to this design was to change very
little in the land formation–to “touch the earth lightly,” quoting Glenn
Murcutt. The unusual site and unique brief elicited a design response
that is intrinsically rooted to the high specificity of the site’s
topography
Therefore 4 different typologies are employed along with different
responses to the contours encountered by these forms.
SECTION
Through various typologies
SAI ADITYA P 1CF19AT093 VII C
SHAYNA KURIAN 1CF19AT106 BMSCA
Cottage A
Cottage B
Cottage C
Cottage D
● The challenge was in tackling the
different contours on the site as well as
the unique brief that demanded a 360
degree view from each property in the
project.
● This gave rise to numerous levels and
decks of different identity and treatment
in spatial quality, the materials and
image remained the same.
DESIGN PROCESS
● The advantage of being both the
architect and the designer shows the
deliberate spatial qualities utilising the
levels and views.

3. ARTISAN’S HOUSE, NEW DELHI
Architects : Morphogenesis
Site Area : 2.75 Acres
Built Area : 29800 ft²
Year : 2015
Through the Artisan House project,
Morphogenesis revived and
re-established a patronage for
traditional Indian artisanal skills.
India is symbolized by the diversity of
its art and culture, yet with the
changing paradigm there is a great
need to conserve these symbols that
are under a growing threat of
neglect.
The design exploits the undulating
terrain on which the project is
located and uses it to create
split-levels.
These levels are instrumental in
segregating functions.
The private spaces are placed in
the earth-banked lower level, and
the more public areas are
designated to the upper level.
Introduction
Built Form
Concepts
Craft, emergent from skill and
handed-down traditions is inherent in
Indian culture.
Today, craft and artisanal skills are
representative of the global
understanding of a type of luxury.
Luxury in this project is expressed
through the incorporation of craft,
material, method and design.
The Artisan’s house is a large house
that is intended to include a large
extended family especially at times
of celebration and festivity
Planning
In keeping with traditional Indian
methods, the private living is
organized around a central
courtyard which contains a temple,
imparting a spiritual omnipresence.
A strong graphic language of
striation (pattern of lines or grooves)
is the organizing principle of the
design, to retain scale within this
very large volume. These bands
translate into a series of vertical
surfaces, with a different story
unveiling in each volume subtended
between two surfaces.
This project accommodates a traditional Indian family, traditional living principles and traditional craft and materials,
but at the same time it was conceived as an extremely contemporary and modern house. This house represents luxury
that is redefined: the luxury of handcraft, luxury in terms of freedom with experimentation which the client allowed, and
finally, the luxury of different experiences
SIte Plan Sections
The entry driveway is from the west and passes by a sprawling front lawn with landscape stepped elements that lead to a pool and water body. This scenic entry route taps
into the essence of connections with nature that the designers aim to create in this house. The sections show the split levels of the interiors and the top skylight windows that
bring in a spiritual quality of light in the interiors. Incorporating a tree within also enhances the indoor environment being created.
The house evokes luxury in its play with
materiality and detail. There is stone
craft in one zone, metal craft in
another, textiles in the next. The
strategy of banding allows for the use
of distinct crafts and over 50 materials
without impacting the architectural
sensibility or destroying the cohesive
narrative.
The staircases are luxuriously
decorated with bold interior lighting
fixtures that give a grand quality.
Materials
These planes extend themselves beyond the edges of the built form, into the landscape and planting. So one
could be within a stone crafted zone that extends out into a rock garden which then leads into another zone
with a sculpture relief on the wall, with further leads into a water garden. There are multiple sequential exposures
and experiences for the senses, hence there is also a luxury of experiences that this project affords. The open to
sky pockets introduced inside the house are gathering zones and interpret traditional courts into modern spaces.
West Elevation shows the facades that vary in form and material and frame the face of the house. Trees and greens
break the monotony of built and introduce the character of nature into the space - making it more connected to
the surrounding.
CASE STUDY - Ar. Manith Rastogi, Morphogenesis
SAI ADITYA P 1CF19AT093 VII C
SHAYNA KURIAN 1CF19AT106 BMSCA
South Elevation
West Elevation
1
Split levels
Courtyard brings
light and nature
2
3
5
4 1. Entrance
2. Living Spaces (Public)
3. Master Suite (Private)
4. Courtyard (Public)
5. Bedrooms (Private)