Studios 90: A Display Of Indian Culture Through Hued Cubes

Holi, India’s annual festival to celebrate color shows the country’s love for pigments. Anchored on this idea, Sanjay Puri Architects creates Studios 90 in Kodla, Karnataka. The structure is a stack of colored cuboids representing Indian culture through the use of the richest primary colors. Red, blue, and yellow coat the cantilevered balconies of each apartment. Yellow-ochre is the structure’s most dominant shade hinting at the country’s most common food hue. The creative use of colors forms an exceptional identity for this residential project.

The client, Shree Cement Ltd, commissioned the Sanjay Puri team to create Studios 90. The project intends to house workers for their new cement plant. The mid-rise buildings house 18 studio apartments, 54 hostel rooms, and 18 guesthouses.

Sanjay Puri Architects orients the apartments toward the north as a response to India’s hot climate that exceeds 35°C. This high temperature could go on for months. The structure is energy efficient with an ample amount of sunlight and organic ventilation. The extra energy from the neighboring cement plant powers up the spaces throughout the building.

In addition, the compound has in keeping a rainwater harvesting system and water recycling as well. This increases the structure’s sustainability. The brick walls and sheltered exterior spaces reduce the heat and will in turn bring comfort to the tenants.

The ground level holds the common facilities. These include a game room, a lounge, a cafeteria, and a gym.

Photo credits: Ricken Desai